bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of multidisciplinary treatment in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with advanced colorectal cancer：a retrospective study in China
Authors: Li Zhenyu , Shang Manman , xue Mengqi , Huang Xinyu , Huang Shuyi , Chen Zhiping , Chen Jinhua , Wei Qin
Published: June 2024

Objective
Analyze the application and value of multidisciplinary treatment (MDT) for stage IV colorectal cancer patients and summarize work experience.
Methods
The clinical data of patients with stage IV colorectal cancer from January 2017 to December 2021 in the Department of Colorectal Surgery of the hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Patients who received MDT were included in the MDT group, and patients who did not receive MDT were included in the Non-MDT group. The basic information and follow-up data of the two groups were collected, and the general baseline data (including gender, age, pathological stage, primary tumor location, intestinal obstruction, number of metastatic organs, and location of metastasis) and the one-year, two-year, and three-year survival rates of the two groups were compared by chi-square test. The hospital stay and hospitalization cost of the two groups were compared by Z test. The survival curve was drawn by the Kaplan-Meier method, and the difference in overall survival rate between the two groups was compared by log-rank test.
Results
A total of 544 patients with stage IV colorectal cancer (staged according to the NCCN guidelines for clinical staging of tumors) were enrolled. There were no statistically significant differences in gender, age, pathological stage, primary tumor location, number of metastatic organs, metastatic sites, and intestinal obstruction between the two groups (P > 0.05). The hospital stay and hospitalization cost of the MDT group were lower than those of the Non-MDT group, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The survival curve indicated that the overall survival cycle of the MDT group was longer than that of the Non-MDT group.
Conclusions
Most patients with advanced colorectal cancer are complicated cases. The multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment service mode can improve the survival cycle of hospital stay of patients, and improve the operation efficiency of hospitals.
implications for Cancer Survivors
multidisciplinary treatment care enables cancer survivors to receive proper diagnosis and treatment, increases survival time, improves patients' quality of life, and reduces all costs.
Room-Temperature Upcycling of Mixed PVC and Polyolefin Waste
Authors: Lercher Johannes , Zhang Wei , Yang Boda , Jackson Benjamin , Zhang Junbo , Camaioni Donald , Kim Sungmin , Wang Huamin , Szanyi Janos , Chen Jingguang , Lee Mal-Soon
Published: June 2024

Polyolefins and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) stand out as the most ubiquitous plastic products.1,2 The physical separation and mechanical recycling of mixed waste face significant technical and economic challenges and is, hence, typically uncomplete.3,4 Traditional waste-to-energy methods like incineration and pyrolysis necessitate thorough PVC dechlorination to prevent the release of toxic chlorinated compounds such as dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls.5 Moreover, PVC's flame-retardant properties hinder energy recovery efficiency,6 leading to a substantial portion of PVC ending up in landfills.7 Despite progress in chemical upcycling of PVC under mild conditions, effective dechlorination still demands temperatures ranging from 200 to 250 °C and a two-stage approach to prevent chlorine-derived compounds from deactivating metal active sites.8,9
We present here a strategy for upgrading discarded PVC into liquid iso-alkanes and HCl at room temperature in a single-stage process, catalyzed by (the cost-effective) anhydrous aluminum chloride (AlCl3) and AlCl3-based chloroaluminate ionic liquids. This approach effectively integrates the endothermic dechlorination and C-C bond cleavage with the exothermic alkylation of light isoparaffins (isobutane/isopentane) as co-reagent into a tandem process that ensures kinetic and thermodynamic efficiency. The iso-alkanes are available via refinery processes10 and can be partly recycled from the product stream. This approach presents a novel and cost-effective route to jointly upcycle PVC and isoparaffins, conserving the carbon atoms in both compounds in the final chlorine free isoalkanes. It is also applicable to real-world mixed and contaminated PVC and polyolefin waste streams, offering a superior option for decentralized conversion compatible with existing refinery infrastructure.
Innovation and environmental well-being: Exploring the nexus between industrial development and soil contamination across European regions
Authors: Biggi Gianluca , Iori Martina
Published: June 2024

In this study, we investigate the relationship between industrial development, soil contamination by heavy metals, and the development of remediation technologies across European NUTS3 regions. Despite the recognized human and environmental hazards associated with products or by-products of industrial activities such as heavy metals (especially lead, cadmium, and mercury), the response to these environmental challenges varies significantly across regions. Our analysis proposes a novel approach to assess the complex relationship between human well-being and different types of regional industrialization by considering the local presence of heavy metals in soils and the filing of patents related to heavy metal remediation technologies. Findings show that non-deindustrialized regions demonstrate a proactive approach by significantly innovating in cleaning technologies in response to soil contamination. Conversely, regions experiencing deindustrialization show a limited response, likely due to a loss in industrial and technological capabilities or institutional weaknesses. By linking soil contamination data with technological innovation, this study offers new insights into the regional dynamics of environmental management and the critical role of recent industrial history in influencing technological responses to environmental challenges.
Factors associated with perceived health of school-aged children in rural Rwanda: An opportunity to leverage community health workers to enhance primary healthcare systems linkages
Authors: Manzi Anatole , Nguyen Daniel , Katz Benjamin , Nilingiyimana Theophile , Michel Clara Agyapomaa , Sendarasi Titien , Niyonzima Joseph , Nyiraneza Olive , Bimenyimana Norbert Blaise , Bloom Elizabeth
Published: June 2024

Background:
Public schools have considerable potential to reach a significant portion of a given population and can play a central role in improving health across the lifespan. However, little is known about the current health needs of children at schools in rural and limited-resource settings. We sought to assess the perceived health of children and the role of community health workers (CHWs) at public schools in rural Rwanda.
Methods:
We conducted a convergent mixed methods study among teachers and community members to assess the factors associated with the perceived health of students in rural areas of Musanze, Rwanda. Data collection instruments were adapted from the World Health Organization’s Health Promoting School (HPS) framework and the literature. Semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were conducted to explore participants’ perceptions of children’s health. We performed a logistic regression analysis to examine the factors associated with perceived health. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data.
Results:
A total of 479 individuals participated in this survey. Of these, 425 (89%) were community members, while 54 (11%) were employed as teachers at Nyabirehe or Rwinzovu public schools. Almost half of respondents 221 (46%) described the overall children’s health as poor. Many factors were associated with perceived children’s health, including having an established leadership team for school-based health promotion (OR = 1.97, 95%CI: 1.01,3,84), and being familiar with school-based health promotion (OR = 4.77, 95%CI: 2.27,10.0). The lack of access to primary care was associated with negative perceptions of children’s health (OR:0.54,95%CI:0.31,0.95). Qualitative results described the CHW as a bridge between communities, schools, and primary healthcare centers. Further, qualitative findings highlighted the structural barriers and needs to be addressed for effective implementation of school-based health promotion.
Conclusion:
This study’s findings revealed gaps in children’s health in rural areas of Musanze. The strong association between school-based CHWs and children's health reflects the vital role CHWs play in linking communities and primary healthcare facilities. This study provides evidence to inform the development of innovative strategies for effectively implementing school-driven interventions to strengthen health promotion in rural and low-resource settings.
3-D investigation of coupled free convection and thermal radiation in interconnected cavities.
Authors: Ghazi Abdullah , Sharma Anil Kumar
Published: June 2024

Coupled free convection and thermal radiation heat transfer and fluid flow characteristics on vertical cylinder in interconnected cavities have been investigated numerically in laminar regimes. The study is carried out for varying Rayleigh numbers ranging from (7x103 to 2.5x106) and also for emissivity values between 0 to 1. The effects of various cavity geometries, hole geometries, hole dimensions, and cavity hole arrangements on heat transfer attributes have been evaluated. In this study, the algebraic multi-grid solver of Ansys fluent is used to perform the simulations of the Navier-Stokes equation combined with the energy equation in the computational domain. A thorough grid sensitivity analysis and validation of the numerical methodology used in the simulation are carried out. The results are validated against the published data in the literature. It is found that the circular hole of 15mm radius at 45⁰ orientations on an alternate interconnected cavity exhibits the highest rate of heat transfer. It is seen that as the hole radius is increased, the value of the Nusselt number also increases significantly. However Nusselt number gets saturated beyond 15mm, thereafter no significant increase in the Nusselt number is observed. For a maximum Ra (2.5x105) and hole radius of 15mm at 45⁰ orientations exhibits, the total increment in the rate of heat transfer is ∼110%. Correlations are established to forecast the Nusselt number for vertical annular interconnected cavities as a function of cavity width to cylinder diameter ratio (w/d) and Rayleigh number (Ra), using least square linear regression method.
Fast and high-fidelity dispersive readout of a spin qubit with squeezed microwave and resonator nonlinearity
Authors: Kam Chonfai , Hu Xuedong
Published: June 2024

Fast and high-fidelity qubit measurement is crucial for achieving quantum error correction, a fundamental element in the development of universal quantum computing. For electron spin qubits, fast readout stands out as a major obstacle in the pursuit of error correction. In this work, we explore the dispersive measurement of an individual spin in a semiconductor double quantum dot coupled to a nonlinear microwave resonator. By utilizing displaced squeezed vacuum states, we achieve rapid and high-fidelity readout for semiconductor spin qubits. Our findings reveal that introducing modest squeezing and mild nonlinearity can significantly improve both the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the fidelity of qubit-state readout. By properly marching the phases of squeezing, the nonlinear strength, and the local oscillator, the optimal readout time can be reduced to the sub-microsecond range. With current technology parameters ($\kappa\approx 2\chi_s$, $\chi_s/(2\pi)\approx 0.15 \:\mbox{MHz}$), utilizing a displaced squeezed vacuum state with $30$ photons and a modest squeezing parameter $r\approx 0.6$, along with a nonlinear microwave resonator charactered by a strength of $\lambda\approx -1.2 \chi_s$, a readout fidelity of $98\%$ can be attained within a readout time of around $0.6\:\mu\mbox{s}$. Intriguing, by using a positive nonlinear strength of $\lambda\approx 1.2\chi_s$, it is possible to achieve an SNR of approximately $6$ and a readout fidelity of $99.99\%$ at a slightly later time, around $0.9\:\mu\mbox{s}$, while maintaining all other parameters at the same settings.
A text mining to nutritional counseling and instruction provided by registered dietitians
Authors: Komiya Nana , Yoshida Akira , Oshima Shinji , Erana Rey Francis , Libato Girlie , Cormanes Lianne , Inoue Yutaka
Published: June 2024

Objective
The study aimed to conduct a comprehensive analysis of medical records, that specifically focused on nutritional consultations with dietitians within community pharmacies. This was done to gain insights into patient nutrition-related issues, concerns, and responses. That can be used to acquire precise health support information.
Methods
Text mining was used to conduct a quantitative analysis of nutritional consultation records. These records were documented in a Subjective-Objective-Assessment-Plan (SOAP) format, provided by eight dietitians, and involved 136 individuals of varying gender identities (male: 32, female: 101, gender non-response: 3). The consultations took place in a city pharmacy over the period from December 2020 to September 2022.
Results
The frequency analysis revealed that the Subjective-Objective (S/O) items were associated with behaviors such as 'eat', 'exercise', and 'drink', as well as terms associated with health indicators such as 'cholesterol', 'blood pressure', and hemoglobin A1c'. Additionally, S/O items also included words that correlate to specific laboratory values such as 'cholesterol', 'blood pressure', and hemoglobin A1c'. On the other hand, the Assessment-Plan (A/P) items identified words associated with behaviors, such as 'eat', 'diet', and 'exercise’ and with terms that are associated with laboratory values like, 'cholesterol', 'blood glucose', and 'blood pressure'. Furthermore, A/P items included words connected to nutrients, such as 'food', 'vegetables', and 'rehydration'. Through a co-occurrence network analysis, it was observed that certain associations emerged within the S/O terms are blood pressure, 'HDL - TG - LDL', 'quantity - BMI', and 'like - sweet - abstain'. While A/P associations included 'number - test', 'upper limit - potassium', 'oil - type', and 'yogurt - fat'.
Conclusion
The text mining method enabled visually analyzing keywords. It became comprehensively clear that nutritional consultations by dietitians often include assessing the lifestyle and related risk factors for chronic diseases such as hypertension, lipid disorders, and hyperglycemia as shown by the frequent occurrence of words for instance blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose. It may help to determine priorities for action and may be the starting point for deciding which health issues should be prioritized in the information sharing for collaboration among inter-professions in the future.
Allometry of Human Calvaria Bones During Development From Birth to 8 Years of Age
Authors: Schaurich Cristina , Saraco Anthony N. , Tamber Mandeep S. , Heatinger Rainer Guilherme , Dixit Ishan , Claudia Krebs , Steinbok Paul , Oruganti Maanas Hemanth
Published: June 2024

Background: Pediatric heads change rapidly in size and shape during growth, especially for children up to eight years old. This project was developed to address the gap around the 3-dimensional growth parameters of the human skull during this period. This study offers novel data on the dynamic changes in the anatomy of the skull in order to provide better guidance for practicing pediatric surgical care. The study used the craniometric points defined on Three Dimensional (3D) Computed Tomography (CT) reconstructions to map skull development in children from 0 to 8 years old.
Results: A total of 364 3D CT scans were analyzed, and 17 statistical geometry models were developed to provide a comprehensive neuroanatomical understanding of the pediatric skull for each age group. This study presents a 3D visualization of the developmental cranial anatomy variations among children from birth to 8 years old, demonstrating the closure of the sutures and fontanelles, changes in cranial size, and the differential growth of the skull bones.
Conclusion: This study delivers seventeen 3D models of children’s skulls with anatomical craniometric features, such as head shape, bone size, and sutures closure time. The 3D visualization of the developmental characteristics of the skull facilitates understanding the characteristics of each age group’s cranial anatomy, which has been relatively unknown to this date. The seventeen models are a landmark dataset for the development of the human skull.
Source appointment and health risk assessment for atmospheric carbonyls in hot tropical city, Vietnam
Authors: Huy Duong Huu , Nguyen Nguyen Thao , Chi Nguyen Doan Thien , Takenaka Norimichi , Hien To Thi
Published: June 2024

The aim of this study is to assess the spatiotemporal variation, sources and health impacts of the carbonyl compounds (carbonyls) in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), the third-most populous city in Southeast Asia. Sampling was conducted according to the US.EPA Method TO-11A, from 2012 to 2016 in both the dry and the rainy seasons at twelve sites. The result shows that the carbonyl mixing ratios were high when compared to other cities. Formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and acetone were the most abundant carbonyls together accounting for 89% of the measured carbonyls. The carbonyl mixing ratio in rainy (46.0 ± 32.2 ppb) was about twofold higher than that in dry (23.7 ± 10.3 ppb). An inverse distance weighting method was adopted to map the spatial distribution of carbonyls across the city. The result shows that the carbonyl levels tended to be high in the city center. Three carbonyl sources were resolved by the PCA/APCS method: industrial sources and solvent usage (54%), vehicle exhausts (24%), cooking emissions (11%). Both lifetime cancer risk (LCR) and non-cancer hazard index (HIs) were calculated to estimate the health impacts on the community due to inhalation exposure to current carbonyl levels. The LCR values varied from 5.31×10-6 to 5.75×10-5 for formaldehyde higher than those of 6.61×10-7 to 1.36×10-5 for acetaldehyde, which mostly exceeded the US.EPA recommendation for five age groups. The hazard quotient values were 12.0 to 68.4 for acrolein, 0.44 to 2.84 for acetaldehyde, 0.55 to 1.85 for formaldehyde, and 0.13 to 0.89 for propionaldehyde.
Effects of competition and site conditions on Juniperus virginiana performance and physiology along a stress gradient
Authors: Hamati Samia , Medeiros Juliana S. , Ward David
Published: June 2024

The net effects of competition and facilitation on plants are determined by the interactions of environmental stressors. Juniperus virginiana is a range-expanding species that is native to the eastern United States. J. virginiana can tolerate a wide range of biotic and abiotic conditions. However, their growth rates depend on site quality, including temperature, precipitation, and competition. We tested the stress-gradient hypothesis along a short latitudinal range created by lake-effect snow. We conducted a field experiment at three different sites in northeast Ohio (Geauga, Portage, and Tuscarawas) at increasing distances from Lake Erie. We examined the effects of the site (temperature, precipitation, and soil nutrient differences) and intraspecific competition (zero, one, two, and four competitors) on the growth and performance of J. virginiana saplings. We measured the saplings’ growth (relative growth rate, total biomass, and nitrogen concentration), and water status and gas exchange (midday water potential, assimilation rate, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance). We found partial support for the stress-gradient hypothesis. J. virginiana at Tuscarawas, which also had the highest soil phosphorus content, had the highest performance and gas-exchange activity. Saplings at the Portage site (intermediate) had the lowest overall performance, which can be related to the site’s poor drainage and low nutrient content. Contrary to our prediction, we found no effect of intraspecific competition on J. virginiana performance at all three sites. Our results suggest the importance of considering the effects of local abiotic conditions, such as soil properties, to understand variation in J. virginiana survival, performance, and encroachment.
The 12th century bronze doors of Barisanus of Trani in Trani, Ravello and Monreale
Authors: Mödlinger Marianne , Asmus Bastian , Fera Martin , Utz Judith , Ghiara Giorgia
Published: June 2024

The bronze and brass doors of the 11th and 12th centuries represent the largest group of medieval monumental bronzes still preserved today. Of the less than 30 that have survived, three, the doors of Trani, Ravello and Monreale, were made by Barisanus of Trani. In this paper we present, for the first time, chemical analyses of the metal parts of all the doors and an in-depth study of their production, showing how a detailed observation of the casting characteristics provides information on the chronological order of the doors studied. This paper contributes to the ongoing discussion in art history regarding the chronological order of the construction of the doors. Moreover, the paper demonstrates the potential of scaled orthometric images as a basis for art historical and production-related questions.
Myoelectric Hand Gesture Recognition using Variational Autoencoder and Sensor Fusion
Authors: Currier Keith , FU JIRUI , Bayat Nasrin , Fu Yanjie , Kim Jong-Hwan , Park Joon-Hyuk
Published: June 2024

Pattern recognition-based myoelectric control schemes aim to classify surface electromyographic (sEMG) signals generated by skeletal muscles for use in prosthetics or wearable robots. Many factors impact the EMG signal quality and reliability, such as motion artifacts, electrode shift, and reduced conductivity over time, which calls for robust pattern recognition-based myoelectric control schemes. The manifold hypothesis – a breakdown of high-dimensional space to a lower-dimensional representation to explain how the higher-dimensional space operates – provides a framework to discover the representation or manifold of multimodal biological signals. This paper presents a pattern recognition-based myoelectric control scheme that creates compressed latent space representations using a contrastive variational autoencoder (VAE) with an integrated classifier. The VAE model was designed, trained with a secondary dataset of hand gestures, and validated subjectwise as well as for the group. The individual subject data yielded distinct and separable latent spaces with high classification accuracy ranging from 75.1\% to 91.7\%. Further, the model was optimized to improve classification accuracy, reaching 87.45\% to 97.49\%. The model architecture was generalizable across the subjects, and the compressed latent space achieved high performance when the representation was separable and distinct. The proposed VAE model and latent space representation demonstrate its feasibility and utility for use in myoelectric controls.
Prevention of noise-induced hearing loss in children – recommendations for safe listening at events
Authors: Gáborján Anita , Koscsó Gábor , Garai Réka , Tamás László , Vicsi Klára , Hacki Tamás
Published: June 2024

Purpose
Events for children are often perceived to be too loud. Our study investigates the loudness of children’s events and its potential risk for noise-induced hearing loss. There are no specific regulations for recreational settings in many countries, including Hungary, therefore this research aims to provide a scientific basis for developing safety categories and noise level limits to protect children's hearing.
Methods
Thirteen events, including twelve specifically organized for children and one large festival with the participation of many children, were randomly selected for this study. Noise levels were measured at 25 points within the auditorium by acoustic engineers. The study involved children aged 3–12 years without any known hearing complaints or symptoms of disease. Otoacoustic emission measurements were performed on 38 children before and after the events to assess the impact on auditory function. Additionally, the subjective perception of loudness was surveyed through questionnaires completed by 51 children and their parents.
Results
Only seven out of 25 measurement points fell within the "safe" category. Ten places (40%) were categorized as "risky," and eight places (32%) as "dangerous." At risky conditions in some children a decrease in the inner ear function was detected after the event, which was significant at 4 and 5 kHz. High noise intensities were reported as uncomfortable or too loud by 80% of the children. Furthermore, the answers to the questionnaire highlighted that children were more sensitive to loudness than their parents. Age-related recommendations were made based on the analysis of results and the present knowledge of noise-induced adverse effects.
Conclusions
High noise intensity at children's events poses a significant risk for noise-induced hearing loss. Our findings highlight the need for monitoring and controlling sound levels at such events. We recommend implementing professional guidelines, public information, education, and warnings to prevent hearing loss in children. Based on the safety limit values ​​of 75dB and 85dB and event duration, we developed a detailed proposal for regulation and information. Our study emphasizes that event organization and listening habits must be adjusted to protect children's hearing effectively.
Comprehensive Assessment of Symptoms, Comorbidities, and Treatment Response in Individuals with Atopic Dermatitis Treated at a Referral Center between 2018 and 2022
Authors: Rojas Olga Lucia Agudelo , Salazar María José Calle , Quijano Liliana María Tamayo , Velásquez-Lopera Margarita , Trespalacios Elsa María Vásquez , Madrigal-Cadavid Juliana , García Angela María Londoño
Published: June 2024

Introduction:
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic and recurrent inflammatory disease that begins in childhood and can persist into adulthood, with significant impact on quality of life. However, there is a lack of data on its characteristics and treatment in Colombia and Latin America.
Objective:
To describe the clinical and sociodemographic characteristics, quality of life, and treatment responses in patients with AD at a referral center in the city of Medellín, Colombia.
Materials and Methods:
A retrospective descriptive study was conducted analyzing demographic, clinical, and treatment response data, including biologic therapy, in patients with AD treated at the Comprehensive Clinical Program for Immune-Mediated Skin Diseases (CLIPSO) during the period 2018–2022 in Medellín, Colombia.
Results:
A total of 301 patients, including children and adults, with a mean age of 26.76 years were studied. 32.2% were under 18 years old. The average follow-up was 33.23 +/- 22.11 months. Psychiatric disorders were detected in 7.3% of patients and cardiovascular comorbidities in 10.6%. At baseline, moderate to severe disease severity was observed. A 50% reduction in pruritus was associated with adequate disease control by therapy. Additionally, patients treated with dupilumab experienced a 30% decrease in clinical evaluation scores during follow-up.
Conclusions:
Understanding the characteristics of a disease in both children and adults is crucial for comprehensive and personalized management. It is important to know data such as age of onset, symptoms, common lesion locations according to age, comorbidities, and treatment responses. This information is fundamental for selecting appropriate therapies, ensuring effective follow-up, and improving quality of life.
Highly toughened PP/Rice husk charcoal composites modified EPDM Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) with glycidyl methacrylate
Authors: Wang Yaobin , Deng X.L. , Cao B.Y. , Feng H.P. , Chen J. , Li P.D. , Ren Liang , Zhang Mingyao
Published: June 2024

In this article, a strategy is proposed to prepare highly toughened composites from polypropylene (PP), rice husk charcoal (RHC) and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA)-modified EPDM using melt blending and hot pressing. The structure of GMA-modified EPDM is confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The influences of the amounts of EPDM and GMA-modified EPDM on PP composites are investigated by virtue of mechanical properties testing, dimensional stability analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicate that the incorporation of GMA-modified EPDM significantly improves the toughness of PP composites and compared to PRHC the impact strength of PRKEG10 is up to the value of 537J/m and increased by 555%, concurrently the tensile strength and modulus exhibit less decrease with the value of 8.22MPa and 353MPa, respectively. Shrinkage measurements shows the dimensional change rates of length, width, and height decrease from 3.2%, 2.9%, and 3.3% to 1.73%, 1.46%, and 1.93%, respectively, improving the dimensional stability of PP composites. SEM reveals that shear yield and cavitation during the loading process leads to the excellent toughness of PP composites. This strategy provides a novel route to fabricate high ductility rice husk charcoal-based PP composites and expand certain industrial application.
The Mental State Inferences in Healthcare Professionals Scale: A psychometric study
Authors: BETANCORT Moisés , DELGADO Naira , GARCÍA-MARCO Enrique , MORERA Dolores , LORENZO Elena , HARRIS Lasana T.
Published: June 2024

Background. Empathizing with patients is an essential component of effective clinical care. Yet, a debate persists regarding how healthcare professionals' emotions and performance are impacted when they engage in empathetic behaviors and attempt to discern patients' mental states during clinical interactions. To approach this issue, this study introduces an eight-item scale to evaluate healthcare professionals' perceptions of their own disposition to infer patients' mental states during clinical interactions.Method. The psychometric structure of the scale was analyzed, including an exploratory and a confirmatory factor analysis, to test reliability and validity. Additionally, an item response model was run to test how items measure the latent trait. The study collected data from a sample of 485 healthcare professionals and students.Results. Overall, the results indicate that the psychometric structure of this tool is adequate. Furthermore, the unidimensionality of the scale was confirmed, wherein the eight-items significantly contribute to predicting the latent construct.Conclusion. The MSIHPS offers the opportunity to explore the role of mentalizing in a diversity of healthcare settings. This measure can be useful to explore the relationship between healthcare professionals' disposition to infer patients' mental states and other relevant variables in clinical interactions, such as empathy and clinical performance.
Steady State and Time-resolved Fluorescence Spectroscopy of Cinchonine Dication in Sodium Dodecylsulphate Micellar System
Authors: Pant Debi D.
Published: June 2024

This paper reports the influence of surface charge of the micelles on to the photophysical properties of a cinchonine dication (C2+) fluorophore in anionic, sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS), surfactant at premicellar, micellar and post-micellar concentrations in aqueous phase at room temperature. In steady state there is no change in absorbance of C2+ in all the micelles studied. However, a continuous increase in emission intensity of C2+ has been observed as the concentration of SDS increases up to critical micellar concentration (cmc) of the surfactant, whereas, no change in intensity has been observed beyond cmc. Edge excitation red shift (EERS) in the fluorescence maximum of C2+ is observed in the surfactant. The magnitude of EERS in CTAB is lesser than that in bulk. In SDS surfactant system, due to heterogeneous restricted motion of solvent molecules the solvent relaxation rate increases which results in decrease in net magnitude of EERS. The fluorescence decay curve of C2+ fits with multi exponential functions in the micellar system. The increase in lifetime of C2+ in SDS has been attributed to the increase in radiative rate due to the incorporation of C2+ at the micelle –water interface. The location of the probe molecule in micellar systems is justified by a variety of spectral parameters such as dielectric constant, ET (30), viscosity, anisotropy, EERS, average fluorescence decay time, radiative and non-radiative rate constants, and rotational relaxation time. All experimental results suggest that the C2+ molecule binds strongly with the SDS micelles and reside at micellar–water interface. The binding constant (Kb) calculated for C2+ in SDS revealed that the electrostatic forces mediate charge probe-micelle association.
A remanufacturability evaluation model of used servers from performance perspective
Authors: Shi J. L , Yu Z. H , Li B.Y , Pan Y.X
Published: June 2024

Base on the characteristics of computer servers, this study focuses on the reproducibility of waste computer servers from the aspect of performance. First, Grey Relation Analysis is introduced to reflect the performance stability of computer servers after remanufacturing. Subsequently, the performance indicators of the remanufactured computer servers are evaluated through the steps of homogenization, dimensionless quantization, and weight calculation. After testing the performance of the computer servers, the remanufacturing performance index of each computer server is calculated. Finally, the product's remanufacturability score is compared with that of the relevant professionals. The results show that the evaluation method proposed in this study can effectively assess the remanufacturing performance of used computer servers and provide new methods for the reuse of used computer servers.
EdC-Protein Network Formation Analysis in genetic response of human epithelial cells to SteA
Authors: Eslami Nazila
Published: June 2024

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is a gram-negative facultative anaerobic enteric pathogen in humans and animals and a leading cause of gastroenteritis. The Salmonella pathogenicity island-1(SPI-1) type III secretion system (T3SS) is critical for the invasion of host cells via the trigger mechanism by deploying a macropinocytosis-related process in enterocytes and the SPI-2 of the T3SS is responsible for the zipper mechanism and intracellular survival of Salmonella Typhimurium. These systems translocate proteins called effectors into eukaryotic host cells. SteA is one of the few Salmonella effectors that are substrates of both T3SSs. Nothing is known about the function of this protein inside the host cells. We scheduled a study to evaluate SteA gene expression in patients with Salmonella-induced gastroenteritis and natural specimens and obtained effective endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Then, the protein-protein interaction network was constructed using the STRING database and analyzed using Cytoscape using differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with an adjusted p-value of less than 0.05. Subsequently, the network produced a PPI module. In Salmonellosis, 324 putative EDCs were discovered to influence gene regulation. The 3 genes TGFB1, CCND1, and LUM were genes that were affected by EDCs. However, these results need to be experimentally confirmed to suggest improved prevention.
Determinants of the intention of Brazilian artisanal cheeses under the theoretical lens of planned behavior and perceived risk
Authors: Dias Rejane Carmo Rezende , Cruz José Elenilson , Medina Gabriel da Silva , Fagundes André Francisco Alcântara
Published: June 2024

Artisan cheeses are local foods of growing interest from consumers. However, empirical knowledge of the factors that influence the purchase intention of local foods is still limited. Thus, this study aimed to analyze, through the lenses of the theory of perceived behavior and the theory of perceived risk, the factors determining the purchase intention of local consumers for these two important Brazilian artisanal cheeses. Additionally, we verified whether attitude is a mediating variable of the relationship between perceived risk and purchase intention. We collected data in person using a printed questionnaire from a sample of 343 consumers. The data were analyzed using simple correspondence analysis and structural equation modeling with least-squares estimation. The results show that attitude, social norms, perceived behavioral control, and perceived risk positively affect purchase intention, explaining 41% of the variance. Perceived risk positively influences attitude, and this operates as a viable partial mediator of the relationship between perceived risk and purchase intention. We identified that local consumers of both artisanal cheeses do not purchase the products due to a personal obligation to value the product or its producer but because they maintain close relationships with the producers, consisting of frequent direct purchases from the producers.
Effect of lubricated CO2 on grinding of AISI 4140 steel
Authors: Santhosh Deepa Kareepadath , Hoier Philipp , Pušavec Franci , Krajnik Peter
Published: June 2024

This paper explores the potential of using lubricated liquid carbon dioxide (LCO2) in grinding processes. Cooling and lubrication are critical in grinding, with conventional flood cooling effectively reducing temperatures and improving surface integrity. However, conventional fluids often contain petroleum-based substances, posing a challenge to fossil-free production. A novel approach involves the use of premixed LCO2 and oil via single-channel minimum quantity lubrication (MQL), which has shown promise in machining with geometrically defined cutting edges but is under-researched in grinding.To fill this gap, we conducted an experimental study on the grindability of AISI 4140 steel, evaluating different cooling/lubrication methods and their effects on surface roughness, residual stresses, microhardness, grinding forces and specific energy. The results indicate that LCO2 + MQL can achieve surface roughness and microhardness comparable to conventional flood cooling, especially for less aggressive finish grinding. However, higher tensile stresses in rough grinding suggest that cooling may be inadequate. Optimisation of nozzle design, orientation and flow rate can improve cooling efficiency and reduce residual tensile stresses. This study shows that LCO2 + MQL is a viable, sustainable alternative to conventional flood cooling, capable of maintaining the required surface integrity in grinding operations.
Disparity in rates and severity of emergency department visits for acute allergic reactions and anaphylaxis over a decade in Calgary: Signal for overdiagnosis?
Authors: Omole Kehinde Oluyori , Khanolkar Rutvij , Neufeld Sarah , Wang Dongmei , Lang Eddy
Published: June 2024

In addition to contribution from environmental factors, overdiagnosis has been postulated as a cause for increasing incidence of acute allergic reactions (AAR) and anaphylaxis in the last few decades. This study focussed on population trends with the aim of identifying pointers to overdiagnosis in AAR and anaphylaxis in the emergency department (ED). The study analyzed administrative data on ED visits in Calgary, Canada between 2010 and 2019. The primary outcome of interest was the change in ED visit rates of AAR and anaphylaxis over the study period. Secondary outcomes consisted of indices of severity including inpatient admissions and ED length of stay. Changes in ED visit rates and severity indices were assessed with a time trend analysis using linear regression of age- and sex-standardized rates adjusted for population growth. This study reports a significant increase in ED visit rates for anaphylaxis (0.14% of ED visits in 2010 vs 0.25% in 2019; P < 0.001) but AAR ED visits remained unchanged (0.99% of ED visits in 2010 vs 1.03% in 2019, P = 0.079). No significant change was observed in severity indices for AAR and anaphylaxis. Over the study period, an increase in the rate of anaphylaxis was observed without a concomitant rise in the rate of AAR ED visits or severity of presentation. This observed disparity in the trend of frequency of cases and severity of cases is suggestive of overdiagnosis. Clinical guidelines for AAR and anaphylaxis should carefully consider how changing diagnostic thresholds may lead to overdiagnosis and potential for patient harm.
Influential Impartiality: A Linear Regression Model of The Effect of Committed Impartiality Pedagogy on Student Political Engagement
Authors: Blass Sawyer
Published: June 2024

In American secondary education, teachers are urged to avoid sharing political views due to concerns about political polarization. This has contributed to high school students' disengagement from national politics, often attributed to a lack of political discourse in schools. Recent studies have explored pedagogical or teaching strategies like committed impartiality (CI), in which teachers share their political views while encouraging open discussion among students, finding that short-term benefits of CI include improved understanding of political issues and increased civic awareness. However, the long-term effects of CI on student political engagement remain underexplored, as existing research mostly examines the long-term impact of neutral impartiality, where teachers avoid disclosing political beliefs altogether. This study aims to address this gap by examining the long-term impact of CI pedagogy on students’ political involvement through linear regression analyses of an online Likert-scale survey (n=20). The survey, conducted among American high school students at an international school in Singapore, gathered data on students' experiences with CI pedagogy and their engagement with both "little p" politics (community-based initiatives) and "Big P" politics (national-level affairs). The analyses revealed a statistically significant and moderately positive correlation between CI pedagogy and student engagement with "little p" (p < 0.01) and "Big P" politics (p < 0.05). These findings reinforce existing literature on the positive impact of teacher political disclosure within the framework of committed impartiality. The study concludes that secondary education teachers sharing their political beliefs while maintaining a commitment to impartiality can increase students' political engagement. However, this study's cohort is limited to American citizens living in Singapore; thus, future research should examine whether this statistically significant relationship applies to American residents and explore the impact of various pedagogical strategies on student political engagement to identify the optimal approach to teacher political disclosure.
The potential utility of (2S,4R)-4-[18F]fluoroglutamine as a novel metabolic imaging marker for inflammation explored by rat models of arthritis and paw edema
Authors: Min-Jeong Kim , Akula Hari K. , Marden Jocelyn , Li Kaixuan , Hu Bao , Vaska Paul , Qu Wenchao
Published: June 2024

Purpose
(2S,4R)-4-[18F]fluoroglutamine ([18F]FGln) is a promising metabolic imaging marker in cancer. Based on the fact that major inflammatory cells are heavily dependent on glutamine metabolism like cancer cells, we explored the potential utility of [18F]FGln as a metabolic imaging marker for inflammation in two rat models: carrageenan-induced paw edema (CIPE) and collagen-induced arthritis (CIA).
Procedures:
The CIPE model (n = 4) was generated by injecting 200 µL of 3% carrageenan solution into the left hind paw three hours before the PET. The CIA model (n = 4) was generated by injecting 200 µg of collagen emulsion subcutaneously at the tail base 3–4 weeks before the PET. A qualitative scoring system was used to assess the severity of paw inflammation. After a CT scan, 15.7 ± 4.9 MBq of [18F]FGln was injected via the tail vein, followed by a dynamic micro-PET scan for 90 minutes under anesthesia with isoflurane. The standard uptake value of [18F]FGln was measured by placing a volume of interest in each paw. The non-injected right hind paws of the CIPE model rats served as controls for both models. The paws with CIA were pathologically examined after PET.
Results
In CIPE models, uptake in the injected paw was higher compared to the non-injected paw by 52–83%. In CIA models, uptake in the paws with severe inflammation was higher than the averaged controls by 54–173%, while that with mild and no inflammation was slightly higher (33%) and lower (-7%), respectively. Combined overall, the [18F]FGln uptake in CIA showed a significant positive correlation with inflammation severity (r = 0.88, P = 0.009). The pathological findings confirmed profound inflammation in CIA.
Conclusions
[18F]FGln uptake was increased in both acute and chronic inflammation, and the uptake level was significantly correlated with the severity, suggesting its potential utility as a novel metabolic imaging marker for inflammation.
Suggested solutions to access to healthcare among persons with disability in Uganda: a qualitative study
Authors: Ssemata Andrew Sentoogo , Smythe Tracey , Sande Slivesteri , Menya Abdmagidu , Hameed Shaffa , Waiswa Peter , Mbazzi Femke Bannink , Kuper Hannah
Published: June 2024

Background
There are 1.3 billion people with disabilities globally, and they frequently face barriers to accessing healthcare, contributing to their worse health and higher mortality. However, little research has explored patient-reported approaches to improve healthcare for persons with disabilities. Consequently, this study aimed to explore possible solutions and recommendations to address the existing barriers to access to healthcare for persons with disabilities in rural Uganda.
Methods
We conducted 27 semi-structured interviews with individuals with various disabilities in rural Luuka district, Eastern Uganda, between September and November 2022. The participants included individuals with visual impairment (n = 5), physical impairment (n = 5), hearing impairment (n = 6), multiple impairments (n = 5), intellectual/cognitive impairment (n = 5), and albinism (n = 1). Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analysed. We categorized the solutions using the Missing Billion disability-inclusive health systems framework.
Results
Our findings, framed within the health systems framework, revealed several critical themes. On the demand side, suggested solutions emphasized advocacy and sensitization for persons with disabilities, their communities, and caregivers about healthcare needs. Socio-economic empowerment and community-based health services were also highlighted as essential. On the supply side, participants stressed the importance of training healthcare workers on disability, facilitating dialogue and experience-sharing sessions, and employing health workers with disabilities. Additional recommendations included improving accessibility and reasonable accommodation, organizing inclusive services like special clinic days and outreaches, ensuring representation in health facility management, and establishing comprehensive rehabilitation services with affordable assistive devices.
Conclusion
The multifaceted solutions proposed by persons with disabilities highlight the complex challenges they face in accessing healthcare services and highlight the necessity for comprehensive, sustainable interventions. The call to action for policymakers and healthcare providers is to prioritise the incorporation of disability-inclusive practices and explore multi-dimensional approaches that foster a more inclusive healthcare environment that adequately meets the needs of persons with disabilities.