bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recruitment and retention of the rural podiatry workforce in Aotearoa New Zealand: a qualitative descriptive study of podiatrist perceptions
Authors: Beeler Erin , Brenton‐Rule Angela , Carroll Matthew
Published: August 2022

Background

Past research into the Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) podiatry workforce has indicated a shortage of podiatrists, particularly in rural NZ. However, there has been no research investigating the characteristics of the NZ rural podiatry workforce. This study aimed to explore the factors which contribute to recruitment and retention of primary care podiatrists in rural NZ.

Methods

A qualitative descriptive approach was implemented for data collection and analysis. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 15 podiatrists who currently, or previously, worked in a rural podiatry practice. Manifest content analysis was used to analyse participant's responses. A deductive approach was used where data were identified and coded according to predetermined themes from the literature.

Results

Four themes that influenced recruitment and retention were derived from the interviews: (1) professional factors, (2) economic factors, (3) social factors, and (4) external factors. Interviews revealed that clinical inexperience, a sole practice environment, professional and social isolation, and workload pressures combined to affect recruitment and retention. Strong community bonds, family ties, and a rural background were crucial to thrive in the rural setting.

Conclusion

A sustainable rural podiatry workforce is required to reduce health disparities that exist in NZ rural communities. The study identified that most practitioners entered the rural workforce into self‐employed positions, often shortly following graduation from university. They soon reported feelings of professional isolation due to limited support networks. Practitioners established in the rural workforce noted significant workload stresses. Stresses stemming from an inability to source locums, take time away from work, or recruit new staff to fill vacant positions. Research examining support mechanisms for inexperienced practitioners and targeted strategies to grow the rural workforce and reduce attrition is required.
Diabetes podiatry services for Māori in Aotearoa: a step in the right direction?
Authors: Ihaka B , Rome K , Came H
Published: August 2022

Māori with diabetes are at a 65% greater risk of amputation compared to non‐Māori with diabetes. Despite evidence to support the role of podiatrists in reducing diabetes‐related lower limb amputations; the effectiveness of diabetes podiatry services at the community and secondary level to achieve this for Māori is largely unknown. Diabetes podiatry services need to be reorientated and be culturally applicable to Indigenous communities. Transforming diabetes podiatry services and practice may reduce Indigenous amputation rates and improve quality of life for an unserved community.
A benchmark study of deep learning-based multi-omics data fusion methods for cancer
Authors: Leng Dongjin , Zheng Linyi , Wen Yuqi , Zhang Yunhao , Wu Lianlian , Wang Jing , Wang Meihong , Zhang Zhongnan , He Song , Bo Xiaochen
Published: August 2022

Background

A fused method using a combination of multi-omics data enables a comprehensive study of complex biological processes and highlights the interrelationship of relevant biomolecules and their functions. Driven by high-throughput sequencing technologies, several promising deep learning methods have been proposed for fusing multi-omics data generated from a large number of samples.

Results

In this study, 16 representative deep learning methods are comprehensively evaluated on simulated, single-cell, and cancer multi-omics datasets. For each of the datasets, two tasks are designed: classification and clustering. The classification performance is evaluated by using three benchmarking metrics including accuracy, F1 macro, and F1 weighted. Meanwhile, the clustering performance is evaluated by using four benchmarking metrics including the Jaccard index (JI), C-index, silhouette score, and Davies Bouldin score. For the cancer multi-omics datasets, the methods’ strength in capturing the association of multi-omics dimensionality reduction results with survival and clinical annotations is further evaluated. The benchmarking results indicate that moGAT achieves the best classification performance. Meanwhile, efmmdVAE, efVAE, and lfmmdVAE show the most promising performance across all complementary contexts in clustering tasks.

Conclusions

Our benchmarking results not only provide a reference for biomedical researchers to choose appropriate deep learning-based multi-omics data fusion methods, but also suggest the future directions for the development of more effective multi-omics data fusion methods. The deep learning frameworks are available at https://github.com/zhenglinyi/DL-mo.
Spun of improvised cis‐1,3,4,6‐tetranitrooctahydroimidazo‐[4,5‐d]-Imidazole (BCHMX) in polystyrene nanofibrous membrane by electrospinning techniques
Authors: Hussein Ahmed K. , Elbeih Ahmed , Mokhtar Mohamed , Abdelhafiz Mahmoud
Published: August 2022

Development of ultra-fine fiber technology and nano-sized materials are widely taking place to enhance the characteristic of different materials. In our study, a newly developed technique was used to produce improvised nano energetic fibers with the exploitation of cis‐1,3,4,6‐Tetranitrooctahydroimidazo‐[4,5‐d] imidazole (BCHMX) to spin in a polystyrene nanofiber membrane. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed the synthesized nanofibrous polystyrene (PS)/BCHMX sheets with clear and continual fiber were imaged with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Characterization of the produced nanofiber was examined by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), and X-ray diffractometer (XRD). Explosive sensitivity was also evaluated by both BAM impact and friction apparatus. Thermal behavior for the synthesized PS/BCHMX fiber and the pure materials were also investigated by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The results show enhancement in the fabrication of nano energetic fibers with a size of 200–460 nm. The TG confirms the high weight percentage of BCHMX which reaches 60% of the total mass. PS/BCHMX fiber was confirmed with the XRD, FTIR spectrum. Interestingly, XRD sharp peaks showed the conversion of amorphous PS via electrospinning into crystalline shape regarding the applied high voltage. The synthesized PS/BCHMX nanofiber was considered insensitive to the mechanical external stimuli; more than 100 J impact energy and  > 360 N initiation force as friction stimuli. PS/BCHMX is considering a candidate tool to deal with highly sensitive explosives safely and securely for explosives detection training purposes.
Multi-omics analyses of MEN1 missense mutations identify disruption of menin–MLL and menin–JunD interactions as critical requirements for molecular pathogenicity
Authors: Dreijerink Koen M. A. , Ozyerli-Goknar Ezgi , Koidl Stefanie , van der Lelij Ewoud J. , van den Heuvel Priscilla , Kooijman Jeffrey J. , Biniossek Martin L. , Rodenburg Kees W. , Nizamuddin Sheikh , Timmers H. T. Marc
Published: August 2022

Background

Loss-of-function mutations of the multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) gene are causal to the MEN1 tumor syndrome, but they are also commonly found in sporadic pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors and other types of cancers. The MEN1 gene product, menin, is involved in transcriptional and chromatin regulation, most prominently as an integral component of KMT2A/MLL1 and KMT2B/MLL2 containing COMPASS-like histone H3K4 methyltransferase complexes. In a mutually exclusive fashion, menin also interacts with the JunD subunit of the AP-1 and ATF/CREB transcription factors.

Results

Here, we applied and in silico screening approach for 253 disease-related MEN1 missense mutations in order to select a set of nine menin mutations in surface-exposed residues. The protein interactomes of these mutants were assessed by quantitative mass spectrometry, which indicated that seven of the nine mutants disrupt interactions with both MLL1/MLL2 and JunD complexes. Interestingly, we identified three missense mutations, R52G, E255K and E359K, which predominantly reduce the MLL1 and MLL2 interactions when compared with JunD. This observation was supported by a pronounced loss of binding of the R52G, E255K and E359K mutant proteins at unique MLL1 genomic binding sites with less effect on unique JunD sites.

Conclusions

Our results underline the effects of MEN1 gene mutations in both familial and sporadic tumors of endocrine origin on the interactions of menin with the MLL1 and MLL2 histone H3K4 methyltransferase complexes and with JunD-containing transcription factors. Menin binding pocket mutants R52G, E255K and E359K have differential effects on MLL1/MLL2 and JunD interactions, which translate into differential genomic binding patterns. Our findings encourage future studies addressing the pathophysiological relevance of the separate MLL1/MLL2- and JunD-dependent functions of menin mutants in MEN1 disease model systems.
Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and its outcomes in an aging society: a single-center cohort study in Japan from 2011 to 2020
Authors: Fukuda Wataru , Kadoya Masatoshi , Omoto Atsushi , Yanagida Takuya , Isoda Yu , Sunaga Atsuhiko , Kusuoka Hiroaki , Ueno Kentaro , Morita Satoshi , Kohno Masataka , Kawahito Yutaka
Published: August 2022

Background

We conducted a single-center cohort study of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients from 2011 to 2020 to understand their real world treatment and outcomes, especially changes in physical function and quality of life (QOL) in elderly patients, including those aged ≥ 80 years.

Methods

For RA patients attending our outpatient clinic, we annually recorded tender and swollen joint counts, laboratory findings, therapeutic drugs, and scores from the Japanese Health Assessment Questionnaire and EuroQoL-5 Dimensions questionnaire. We examined changes in treatment and outcomes over time, by age group, in patients enrolled over a 10-year period, from 2011 to 2020.

Results

One thousand eight hundred thirty RA patients were enrolled and data were recorded once a year, and a total of 9299 patient records were evaluated. The average age of patients increased by 3.7 years during the study period; the patients aged rapidly. Intensive pharmacological treatment was more frequent in younger patients. Disease activity, physical function, and QOL showed improvement in all age groups over the study period. Physical function and QOL showed greater changes with aging, compared with disease activity. This may be due to the effects of accumulated RA damage, disability due to aging, and depression.

Conclusions

Intensive pharmacological treatment contributes to not only control of disease activity but also the improvement of physical activity and QOL, even in elderly patients. Relieving age-related physical impairment and depression may improve the QOL of very elderly RA patients.
Global burden of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis-related liver cancer, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis for the GBD 2019
Authors: Pang Juan , Chen Ke , Chen Shen , Chen Xu
Published: August 2022

With the pandemic of metabolic diseases, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) prevalence has dramatically elevated. NAFLD encompasses a spectrum of diseases including simple steatosis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which can further progress to cirrhosis or liver cancer (LC). However, data are lacking on the burden and trend of NASH-related LC. Here, we analyzed the trends and changes of NASH-related LC burden using Global Burden of Disease (GBD) data (1990–2019). In 2019, the global incidence, prevalence, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and deaths of NASH related LC were 36.3 thousand (95% UI 29.5–44.9), 46.8 thousand (38.2–57.6), 796 thousand (657–976) and 34.7 thousand (28.4–43.2), respectively. The absolute numbers and rates of NASH-related LC incidence, mortality, and DALY significantly elevated from 1990 to 2019. With the age increased, the incidences, DALYs and deaths of NASH-related LC significantly elevated. The incidence and mortality rate of NASH-related LC significantly increased from 2010 to 2019 in individuals aged from 20 to 54 and older than 55 years old. We also found that a large disparity of NASH-related LC burden in different socio-demographic index (SDI) locations. The crude number and the age-standardized rate of incidences, DALYs and deaths was highest in the middle SDI locations and high SDI locations showed the largest increase of NASH-related LC burden from 1990 to 2019. Moreover, the proportion of LC incidences, deaths and DALYs attributed to NASH were 4.74%, 5.30% and 4.25%, respectively in 1990 which were increased by 43.5%, 35.3% and 49.4%, respectively in 2019. Conclusion: The global burden of NASH-related LC and the proportion LC burden attributed to NASH are significantly increasing.
Role of fecal calprotectin as a hypoxic intestinal damage biomarker in COVID-19 patients
Authors: Adriana Deasy Natalia , Sugihartono Titong , Nusi Iswan Abbas , Setiawan Poernomo Boedi , Purbayu Herry , Maimunah Ummi , Kholili Ulfa , Widodo Budi , Thamrin Husin , Vidyani Amie , Maulahela Hasan , Yamaoka Yoshio , Miftahussurur Muhammad
Published: August 2022

Background

Gastrointestinal manifestations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) appear to be substantial. Fecal calprotectin is a promising biomarker in COVID-19 associated gastrointestinal inflammation; however, its role in the severity of COVID-19 remains limited. We conducted a study to analyze the relationship between the severity of COVID-19 and hypoxic intestinal damage.

Methods

We assessed the severity of 44 hospitalized COVID-19 pneumonia patients based on the PaO2/FiO2 (P/F) ratio. Inflammatory markers were measured from blood samples, and fecal calprotectin was obtained from stool samples.

Results

Median levels of fecal calprotectin in COVID-19 patients involved in this study (n = 44) were found to be markedly elevated along with the severity of hypoxemia, as seen in the non-acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) group 21.4 µg/g (5.2–120.9), mild ARDS 54.30 µg/g (5.2–1393.7), moderate ARDS 169.6 µg/g (43.4–640.5), and severe ARDS 451.6 µg/g (364.5–538.6). We also found significant differences in fecal calprotectin levels based on the severity of ARDS (P < 0.001), and although the patients were divided into ARDS and non-ARDS groups (P < 0.001). Furthermore, we found a strong negative correlation between the P/F ratio and fecal calprotectin levels (r = − 0.697, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Our findings support the potential role of fecal calprotectin as a biomarker of intestinal inflammation in COVID-19 as a consequence of hypoxic intestinal damage and as suggested by the reduced P/F ratio.
3D-printed mouthpiece adapter for sampling exhaled breath in medical applications
Authors: Pham Y Lan , Beauchamp Jonathan , Clement Alexander , Wiegandt Felix , Holz Olaf
Published: August 2022

The growing use of 3D printing in the biomedical sciences demonstrates its utility for a wide range of research and healthcare applications, including its potential implementation in the discipline of breath analysis to overcome current limitations and substantial costs of commercial breath sampling interfaces. This technical note reports on the design and construction of a 3D-printed mouthpiece adapter for sampling exhaled breath using the commercial respiration collector for in-vitro analysis (ReCIVA) device. The paper presents the design and digital workflow transition of the adapter and its fabrication from three commercial resins (Surgical Guide, Tough v5, and BioMed Clear) using a Formlabs Form 3B stereolithography (SLA) printer. The use of the mouthpiece adapter in conjunction with a pulmonary function filter is appraised in comparison to the conventional commercial silicon facemask sampling interface. Besides its lower cost – investment cost of the printing equipment notwithstanding – the 3D-printed adapter has several benefits, including ensuring breath sampling via the mouth, reducing the likelihood of direct contact of the patient with the breath sampling tubes, and being autoclaveable to enable the repeated use of a single adapter, thereby reducing waste and associated environmental burden compared to current one-way disposable facemasks. The novel adapter for breath sampling presented in this technical note represents an additional field of application for 3D printing that further demonstrates its widespread applicability in biomedicine.
Dixon chemical shift MR sequences for demonstrating of bone marrow vertebral metastasis
Authors: Zarad Carmen Ali , Elmaaty Ali Ahmed Abou , Shanab Waleed S. Abo
Published: August 2022

Background

This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic performance and clinical utility of different MR Dixon sequences in the characterization of vertebral metastasis in a patient with a history of malignant neoplasm and compare the results with 18-F FDG PET CT. Patients were subjected to MR imaging of the dorsal and lumbosacral spine (1.5 T MR machine) using conventional MR, T2 Dixon and T1 post-contrast Dixon.

Results

This study involved 40 patients (45% female and 55% male) with 161 metastatic lesions and median age 61.5 years. The sensitivities of T1 post-contrast water-only (WO), fat-only (FO) and opposed-phase (OP) Dixon for diagnosis of vertebral metastasis were 92.6%, 89.4% and 83.1%, respectively, while the sensitivity of T2 (WO, OP) Dixon was 78.3% with 100% specificity for both T1 and T2 Dixon. There were excellent positive clinical utilities of T1 post-contrast WO (0.925), FO (0.894) and OP (0.826) Dixon with the good positive clinical utility of T2 Dixon (0.783) for lesion finding. There were fair negative clinical utilities of T1 WO (0.636) and FO (0.553) Dixon with poor negative clinical utilities of T1 OP (0.429), T2 WO and OP (0.375) Dixon for lesion screening. 15% was the best in-phase/opposed-phase ratio for differentiation between metastatic and benign vertebral lesions.

Conclusions

MR Dixon techniques are sensitive and specific for the diagnosis of vertebral metastasis. T1 post-contrast and T2 Dixons have excellent and good positive clinical utilities for lesion finding with fair and poor negative clinical utilities for lesion screening, respectively.
Effective 3D-transient electromagnetic inversion using finite-element method with a parallel direct solver
Authors: Cai Hongzhu , Liu Minghong , Zhou Junjun , Li Jianhui , Hu Xiangyun
Published: August 2022

The correct interpretation of time-domain or transient electromagnetic (TEM) data relies on effective inversion techniques. Herein, we have developed an effective 3D-TEM inversion method based on the vector finite-element method. The domain was discretized with unstructured tetrahedra to simulate complex geologic structures. We develop a second-order backward-Euler scheme, rigorously with nonuniform time-step sizes, to approximate the time derivative of the electric field. The waveform was directly simulated and considered in the forward modeling and inversion. In a 3D inversion, the most time-consuming element of the workflow is solving a large system of linear equations. To alleviate this problem, we adopt a parallel direct solver for solving a large system of equations involved in forward modeling and sensitivity calculations. We use the Gauss-Newton approach to solve the inverse problem and formulate the least-squares problem to obtain model updates. We avoided the explicit sensitivity calculation by solving the matrix-vector multiplication between the sensitivity matrix (or its transpose) and vector. The developed inversion algorithm is validated using several realistic synthetic models. Finally, we apply the method to practical TEM data with complex topography for coal mine goaf detection. We thus obtain a detailed 3D resistivity model that revealed the layering structure and some localized anomalies related to the coal mine goaf.
End-of-Life Use of Systemic Therapy in Patients With Advanced Melanoma: A Nationwide Cohort Study
Authors: van Breeschoten Jesper , Ismail Rawa K. , Wouters Michel W.J.M. , Hilarius Doranne L. , de Wreede Liesbeth C. , Haanen John B. , Blank Christian U. , Aarts Maureen J.B. , van den Berkmortel Franchette W.P.J. , de Groot Jan Willem B. , Hospers Geke A.P. , Kapiteijn Ellen , Piersma Djura , van Rijn Rozemarijn S. , Stevense-den Boer Marion A. , van der Veldt Astrid A.M. , Vreugdenhil Gerard , Boers-Sonderen Marye J. , Suijkerbuijk Karijn P.M. , van den Eertwegh Alfons J.M.
Published: August 2022

PURPOSE:

The introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted therapies improved the overall survival of patients with advanced melanoma. It is not known how often these costly treatments with potential serious side effects are ineffectively applied in the last phase of life. This study aimed to investigate the start of a new systemic therapy within 45 and 90 days of death in Dutch patients with advanced melanoma.

METHODS:

We selected patients who were diagnosed with unresectable IIIC or stage IV melanoma, registered in the Dutch Melanoma Treatment Registry, and died between 2013 and 2019. Primary outcome was the probability of starting a new systemic therapy 45 and 90 days before death. Secondary outcomes were type of systemic therapy started, grade 3/4 adverse events (AEs), and the total costs of systemic therapies.

RESULTS:

Between 2013 and 2019, 3,797 patients with unresectable IIIC or stage IV melanoma were entered in the registry and died. The percentage of patients receiving a new systemic therapy within 45 and 90 days before death was significantly different between Dutch melanoma centers (varying from 6% to 23% and 20% to 46%, respectively). Thirteen percent of patients (n = 146) developed grade 3/4 AEs in the last period before death. The majority of patients with an AE required hospital admission (n = 102, 69.6%). Mean total costs of systemic therapy per cohort year of the patients who received a new systemic therapy within 90 days before death were 2.3%-2.8% of the total costs spent on melanoma therapies.

CONCLUSION:

The minority of Dutch patients with metastatic melanoma started a new systemic therapy in the last phase of life. However, the percentages varied between Dutch melanoma centers. Financial impact of these therapies in the last phase of life is relatively small.
Variations in cost of transport and their ecological consequences: a review
Authors: Jahn Miki , Seebacher Frank
Published: August 2022

Movement is essential in the ecology of most animals, and it typically consumes a large proportion of individual energy budgets. Environmental conditions modulate the energetic cost of movement (cost of transport, COT), and there are pronounced differences in COT between individuals within species and across species. Differences in morphology affect COT, but the physiological mechanisms underlying variation in COT remain unresolved. Candidates include mitochondrial efficiency and the efficiency of muscle contraction–relaxation dynamics. Animals can offset increased COT behaviourally by adjusting movement rate and habitat selection. Here, we review the theory underlying COT and the impact of environmental changes on COT. Increasing temperatures, in particular, increase COT and its variability between individuals. Thermal acclimation and exercise can affect COT, but this is not consistent across taxa. Anthropogenic pollutants can increase COT, although few chemical pollutants have been investigated. Ecologically, COT may modify the allocation of energy to different fitness-related functions, and thereby influence fitness of individuals, and the dynamics of animal groups and communities. Future research should consider the effects of multiple stressors on COT, including a broader range of pollutants, the underlying mechanisms of COT and experimental quantifications of potential COT-induced allocation trade-offs.
Expected and Realized Inflation in Historical Perspective
Authors: Binder Carola , Kamdar Rupal
Published: August 2022

This paper provides historical context for the relationship between expected and realized inflation. We begin with a discussion of early theoretical thought about how inflation expectations are formed. Then, we discuss survey- and asset- based measures of inflation expectations and assess their empirical relationship with realized inflation. Expected and realized inflation are strongly correlated over long samples, but over short samples the correlations can weaken. Lastly, to better understand the subtleties of the interaction between expected and realized inflation over short-lived but important events, we provide a narrative account of the relationship during the Great Depression of the 1930s, the Great Inflation of the 1970s, the Great Recession of 2008–2009, and the recent COVID-19 pandemic. These episodes offer compelling evidence of the importance of expectations and policy regime changes in inflation dynamics.
Bringing Things Back from Nothingness: The Restoration of the Non-Existent before and after Avicenna
Authors: Zamboni Francesco Omar
Published: August 2022

This paper presents the evolution of the Islamic debates on iʿādat al-maʿdūm [restoration of the non-existent], examining the notion itself, the motives behind its adoption and rejection, and the arguments for and against its possibility. Restoration consists in an act of recreating a previously annihilated entity while preserving its identity. Most pre-Avicennian theologians accept the possibility of restoration, while disagreeing on one preliminary issue (the reality of the non-existent) and one derivative issue (the restorability of specific classes of entities). Adopting restoration enabled the mutakallimūn to reconcile a corporealist anthropology with the possibility of resurrection. Avicenna presented an influential case against the possibility of restoration consisting of three main arguments: from intuition (in light of the unreality of the non-existent), from the indiscernibility of a restored entity from its equivalent copy, and from the contradiction entailed by the restoration of time. Among the post-Avicennian schools, only the Ashʿarites defended the possibility of restoration. The debates of the post-Classical period built upon the basic argumentative core outlined by Avicenna and the early Mutakallimūn, considering more sophisticated formulations (the argument from modal invariance), objections, and answers, as well as designing some totally new arguments both for (from the possibility of the conceptual parts, from remembrance, from presumptive possibility) and against restoration (from intermittence, from the restoration of the causal factors).
Affirmation and Negation: Reading Avicenna’s Al-‘Ibara Alongside Hellenistic Commentators
Authors: Şaman E. Burak
Published: August 2022

The relation of priority and posteriority between the affirmation and negation, which Aristotle put forth in Peri Hermêneias, has had some important consequences in terms of logical attribution and judgement. The problem encountered here is the question of whether affirmation (i.e., affirming something of something) and negation (i.e., denying something of something) share the same status as a statement (qawl). In the fifth chapter of the first article (I.5) of al-‘Ibāra, the volume from al-Shifā corpus that corresponds to Peri Hermêneias, Avicenna deals with affirmation and negation in terms of these logical consequences and reveals his own position on the subject by way of distinguishing between attribution and judgement. However, the text of al-Shaikh al-Raīs presents some obscurities for the reader. The reason behind this obscurity is that a debate taking place among Hellenistic commentators lies in the background of Avicenna’s text. This article proposes to study this text alongside the Hellenistic commentators in order to better understand the logical problem in the relevant passages from al-‘Ibāra. Our guide in this reading will be Boethius, who wrote a Latin commentary on Peri Hermêneias. In the present study, I will try to reveal how the positions of the Hellenistic commentators (i.e., Alexander of Aphrodisias, Porphyry, and Syrianus), whose views Boethius conveyed, coincide with the views Avicenna defended and criticized regarding affirmation and negation. In this respect, my reading in this article aims to better understand Avicenna’s relevant text and its logical extensions as well as the dimensions of his relationship with Hellenistic commentators.
Blockholders and firm value
Authors: Lombello Bruno Brasil , Martins Henrique Castro , Klotzle Marcelo Cabús
Published: August 2022

This study investigates the relationship between the presence of large shareholders (blockholders) and the value of Brazilian companies. The dataset encompasses all non-financial publicly traded companies in Brazil with available data from 2010 to 2019 (i.e., 1,091 firm-year observations). We estimate fixed-effects models and apply the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) to alleviate selection bias concerns. Our findings indicate a negative association between the presence of blockholders and Tobin's Q. This outcome deviates from prior literature on international firms but supports previous research on Brazilian firms. We observe that companies with family-type blockholders exhibit lower Tobin's Q values compared to others.
“Don’t rush into thinking of walking again”: Patient views of treatment and disability following an open tibia fracture in Malawi
Authors: Schade Alexander Thomas , Sibande Wakumanya , Kumwenda Moses , Desmond Nicola , Chokotho Linda , Karasouli Eleni , Metcalfe Andrew , Harrison William J.
Published: August 2022

Background: Open tibia fractures are a common injury following road traffic accidents in Malawi and can lead to long term disability. Very little is known about patients’ experiences of the healthcare system and the disability in low-income countries following this injury. The aim of the study was to explore patient experiences of treatment and disability following an open tibia fracture in Malawi.

Methods: A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with ten patients with open tibia fractures at a central hospital in Blantyre, Malawi. A mixed deductive-inductive thematic analysis was used to identify broad themes of treatment and disability. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants.

Results: Patient characteristics included an average age of 39.1 years old (22-63) and 80% were male. Broad themes found were delays in receiving treatment, change in individuals’ societal role and delayed recovery associated with pain and immobility.

Conclusions: Open tibia fractures in Malawi have a devastating impact on patients and their families. Further studies are required to explore the reasons for the delays in open fracture emergency treatment.
Marksismi retseptsioon ja dogmaatilise marksismi kriitika Eesti alal aastatel 1905–16
Authors: Roasto Margo
Published: August 2022

In Estonian historiography, the revolutionary year of 1905 has been described as a starting point for subsequent political changes in 1917 and 1918. Hence many authors have highlighted the importance of political development that led to the foundation of the first Estonian political parties in 1905. However, the ideological differentiation of Estonian political thought between the revolutionary years of 1905 and 1917 has been studied less. The aim of this article is to analyse the political debates on Marxist theory that took place in the Estonian area of the Baltic provinces from 1905 to 1916.

The leaders of the Estonian socialist movement first became acquainted with Marxist theory through German and Russian socialist literature. Since 1905, various texts by socialist authors were also available to a wider audience in Estonian. First and foremost, the works of German social democrats were published in Estonian. During 1910–14, the first volume of Karl Marx’s Capital was translated into Estonian. While it had often previously been argued that socialism benefits all oppressed people, Marxist ideology was now presented as a scientific theory that explained economic development and protected the interests of industrial workers in a class society.

The article claims that during the period from 1905 to 1916, recognised experts on Marxist ideology emerged among Estonian socialists. In addition to Marxist tactics, Estonian socialist authors discussed theoretical issues such as the material conception of history. In these discussions, the personal conflicts between Estonian socialists as well as their ideological disagreements became evident. More broadly, these discussions were shaped by earlier ideological debates among European socialists at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century.

The article also argues that during the period considered, several Estonian left-wing thinkers questioned the validity of Marxism. Influenced by Bernstein’s revisionist ideas, these thinkers criticised Marxism as a one-sided and dogmatic ideology. They claimed that Marxism was just another theory with both strengths and weaknesses. However, Estonian social democrats who embraced Marxism as a scientific theory responded to such criticism and defended the materialist view of society.

The debates on Marxist theory considered here provide evidence of the ideological differentiation of Estonian left-wing political thought. From 1905 to 1916, numerous socialist texts in Estonian presented various approaches for understanding Marxist ideology. Thus, one can witness an intensified reception of Marxism in the Estonian area during that period. More specifically, these ideological debates reveal new facets of the political views of Estonian socialists who later affected the course of Estonian history as communist revolutionaries or as members of the Estonian Constituent Assembly.
Consumer knowledge of food labeling
Authors: Rakuła Michalina , Kiciak Agata
Published: August 2022

Introduction: Food labels are an important source of information for consumers about the food they consume. They are divided into compulsory and voluntary. Compulsory information are name, composition, additives, expiry date, nutritional value and also country and place of origin. Voluntary information are brand, quality marks, nutrition and health claim and different graphical signs making it easier to recognize the product.
Aim: The aim of this paper is to evaluate the knowledge of consumers in information placed on the labels of food products and evaluating which sociodemographic factors influence the level of knowledge of respondees.
Material and methods: The research was performed in the period of February to April 2022 with the help of an original questionnaire among 212 residents of Poland. After analyzing the answers, the level of knowledge of the respondents was assessed. Finally, the level of knowledge was compared to gender, age and education level.
Results: 39,6% of responders read labels, 31,6% read only specific information. Both women (44,4%) and men (35,6%) most commonly showed knowledge on a good level. Older people aged 51-70 (38.1%) are characterized by a lower level of knowledge. People with vocational education demonstrate a sufficient level of knowledge (45,4%), and the highest level – very good – among people with university education (50%).
Conclusions: The awareness of the most numerous group of consumers on information put on labels of food products was evaluated as good. Age and the level of education influence the level of knowledge, while the gender Has no effect on it.
GLP-1 analogs in the treatment of obesity
Authors: Metelska Aleksandra , Metelski Jakub , Sereda Dominika , Nieścior Hubert
Published: August 2022

Introduction and purpose

Obesity is a chronic disease that causes the development of numerous complications such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes. The 2017 global nutrition report showed that 2 billion adults and 41 million children worldwide are overweight or obese. Due to the growing problem of obesity, pharmacotherapy is recommended in patients with BMI ≥30 kg / m2 or BMI> 27 kg / m2 with accompanying risk factors. The aim of the study is to discuss the role of GLP-1 analogues in the treatment of obesity.

Description of the state of knowledge 

GLP-1 receptor agonists that were initially related to the treatment of type 2 diabetes are now being used successfully in the treatment of obesity.

The GLP-1 hormone is released from intestinal enteroendocrine cells in response to an increase in glucose levels. Due to the wide neuroanatomical distribution of GLP-1R within the structures of the reward system, it is possible to suppress the need for food intake, which translates into a reduction in the amount of food consumed and a decrease in body weight. The most common side effects associated with the use of GLP-1 analogues include gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation, which rarely lead to discontinuation of treatment.

Summary

Numerous studies have shown that chronic systemic delivery of GLP-1 agonists led to weight loss and helped to maintain a lower body weight. Reduction in food intake is reported as the main mechanism. Discontinuation of the drug was associated with weight gain.
Massive Haemoptysis Treated with Bronchial Artery Embolisation in COVID-19 Infection
Authors: Meijri Islam , Boubaker Nouha , Znegui Tasnim , Daboussi Selsabil , Aichaouia Chiraz , Mhamdi Samira , Moatemri Zied
Published: August 2022

Background: Massive haemoptysis is a rare symptom ofcoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Management can be very challenging due to the lack of clear recommendations. Case description: We report a case of massive recurrent haemoptysis in a young patient who tested positive for COVID-19 with successful management using endovascular embolization. Discussion: Life-threatening massive haemoptysis has rarely been reported as the only manifestation of COVID-19. Embolisation was the therapeutic option chosen to manage this emergency.
Privacy-enhancing technologies in the design of digital twins for smart cities
Authors: Ahmadi-Assalemi Gabriela , Al-Khateeb Haider , Aggoun Amar
Published: August 2022

Digital twin technologies – comprised of data-rich models and machine learning – allow the operators of smart city applications to gain an accurate representation of complex cyber-physical models. However, the implicit need for resilient data protection must be achieved by integrating privacy-preserving mechanisms into the DT system design as part of an effective defence-in-depth strategy.
Long noncoding RNA H19 alleviates inflammation in osteoarthritis through interactions between TP53, IL-38, and IL-36 receptor
Authors: Zhou Yeli , Li Jing , Xu Feng , Ji Encheng , Wang Chenglong , Pan Zheer
Published: August 2022

Aims

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative joint disease characterized by chronic inflammatory articular cartilage degradation. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been previously indicated to play an important role in inflammation-related diseases. Herein, the current study set out to explore the involvement of lncRNA H19 in OA.

Methods

Firstly, OA mouse models and interleukin (IL)-1β-induced mouse chondrocytes were established. Expression patterns of IL-38 were determined in the synovial fluid and cartilage tissues from OA patients. Furthermore, the targeting relationship between lncRNA H19, tumour protein p53 (TP53), and IL-38 was determined by means of dual-luciferase reporter gene, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and RNA immunoprecipitation assays. Subsequent to gain- and loss-of-function assays, the levels of cartilage damage and proinflammatory factors were further detected using safranin O-fast green staining and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in vivo, respectively, while chondrocyte apoptosis was measured using Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) in vitro.

Results

IL-38 was highly expressed in lentivirus vector-mediated OA mice. Meanwhile, injection of exogenous IL-38 to OA mice alleviated the cartilage damage, and reduced the levels of proinflammatory factors and chondrocyte apoptosis. TP53 was responsible for lncRNA H19-mediated upregulation of IL-38. Furthermore, it was found that the anti-inflammatory effects of IL-38 were achieved by its binding with the IL-36 receptor (IL-36R). Overexpression of H19 reduced the expression of inflammatory factors and chondrocyte apoptosis, which was abrogated by knockdown of IL-38 or TP53.

Conclusion

Collectively, our findings evidenced that upregulation of lncRNA H19 attenuates inflammation and ameliorates cartilage damage and chondrocyte apoptosis in OA by upregulating TP53, IL-38, and by activating IL-36R. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2022;11(8):594–607.
Security-enhanced multiple-image encryption based on quick response codes and modified double random phase encoding in the fractional Fourier transform domain
Authors: Wang Zhihan , Su Yanfeng , Wang Xunyuan , Wang Boyu , Li Shun , Liu Chen , Li Jinsong , Cai Zhijian , Wan Wenqiang
Published: August 2022

A security-enhanced multiple-image encryption method is proposed based on quick response (QR) codes and modified double random phase encoding (DRPE) in the fractional Fourier transform (FrFT) domain in this paper, where each plaintext is first converted into QR code, and then each QR code is employed to generate the corresponding binary key for decryption with the help of random binary plaintext (RBP). Subsequently, the used RBP is encrypted into noise-like ciphertext by using the modified DRPE in the FrFT domain. In the modified DRPE method, the first random phase mask is activated by the initial FrFT with chaotic phase, and the wavelength of light and the fractional orders as well as the focal lengths of lenses are all used as digital keys to expand the key space. Moreover, the sensitivities of these digital keys are extremely high because the digital keys are closely mapped with the initial values of the chaotic system in the encryption process, which contributes to an extremely high security of the multiple-image encryption method. Furthermore, the high feasibility and strong robustness of the proposed security-enhanced multiple-image encryption method are also demonstrated by using computational simulations.
Enhanced and tunable femtosecond nonlinear optical properties of pure and nickel-doped zinc oxide films
Authors: Mohamed Shaimaa , Abdel Samad Fatma , Ashour Mohamed , Abdel-wahab M. Sh. , Tawfik Wael Z. , Soma Venugopal Rao , Mohamed Tarek
Published: August 2022

The nonlinear optical properties of pure ZnO and Ni-doped ZnO thin films are explored using the Z-scan technique at different input laser intensities and an excitation wavelength of 750 nm by 100 fs laser pulses. The pure ZnO and Ni-doped ZnO thin films were prepared by radio frequency magnetron sputtering at room temperature. A scanning electron microscope equipped with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy was used to measure the thickness and composition of the thin films, while a UV-visible spectrophotometer was used to measure the linear optical properties. The structure of the thin films was measured using x-ray diffraction. Saturable absorption (SA) was observed in the pure ZnO thin film, while Ni-doped ZnO illustrated a combination of SA and reverse SA (RSA). The nonlinear absorption coefficient (β) and nonlinear refractive index (n2) of both pure ZnO and Ni-doped ZnO thin films were found to be input laser intensity dependent. As the input laser intensity increased, the nonlinear absorption coefficient and the nonlinear refractive index of both samples increased. An enhancement of two times in the nonlinear refractive index was observed for the Ni-doped ZnO thin film compared to the pure ZnO thin film. The optical limiting behavior of pure ZnO and Ni-doped ZnO thin films was investigated, and the data demonstrated that Ni-doped ZnO thin film is a good candidate for optical limiter applications due to the presence of strong RSA.
On the frequency spanning of SPM-enabled spectral broadening: analytical solutions
Authors: Wang Jingshang , Chen Runzhi , Chang Guoqing
Published: August 2022

We present an analytical treatment of ultra-short pulses propagating in an optical fiber in the strong nonlinearity regime, in which the interaction between self-phase modulation (SPM) and group-velocity dispersion (GVD) substantially broadens the input spectrum. Supported by excellent agreement with the simulation results, these analytical solutions provide a convenient and reasonable accurate estimation of the peak position of the outermost spectral lobes as well as the full width at half maximum of the broadened spectrum. We show that our unified solutions are valid for either Gaussian pulse or hyperbolic secant pulse propagating inside an optical fiber with positive or negative GVD. Our findings shed light on the optimization of SPM-enabled spectral broadening in various applications.
Electro-optic sampling based characterization of broad-band high efficiency THz-FEL
Authors: Lenz M. , Fisher A. , Ody A. , Park Y. , Musumeci P.
Published: August 2022

Extremely high beam-to-radiation energy conversion efficiencies can be obtained in a THz FEL using a strongly tapered helical undulator at the zero-slippage resonant condition, where a circular waveguide is used to match the radiation group velocity to the electron beam longitudinal velocity. In this paper we report on the first electro-optic sampling (EOS) based measurements of the broadband THz FEL radiation pulses emitted in this regime. The THz field waveforms are reconstructed in the spatial and temporal domains using multi-shot and single-shot EOS schemes respectively. The measurements are performed varying the input electron beam energy in the undulator providing insights on the complex dynamics in a waveguide FEL.
Broadband yellow-orange light generation based on a step-chirped PPMgLN ridge waveguide
Authors: Chen Huaixi , Huang Haizhou , Cheng Jingxin , Zhang Xinbin , Feng Xinkai , Cheng Xing , Ma Lei , Gu Keyi , Liang Wanguo , Lin Wenxiong
Published: August 2022

Yellow-orange lights, valuable in photodynamic therapies, spectroscopy, and optogenetics, are limited by the narrow bandwidth and bulky setup via the conventional Raman or optical parametric oscillation processes. Moreover, flatness in the broad-band spectrum is also important for the aforementioned applications with extended functions. In this paper, by carefully designing grating-periods of a step-chirped PPMgLN ridge waveguide for sum frequency generation (SFG), we report a compact broad-band yellow-orange light with bandwidth of 5.6 nm and an un-reported flatness (<1.5 dB). Correspondingly, the optical conversion efficiency is 232.08%/W, which is the best SFG efficiency for PPMgLN at the yellow-orange region, to the best of our knowledge. The results could also be adopted for other broad-band SFG process toward the vis-infrared region in an integrated structure.
High-resolution and a wide field-of-view eye-safe LiDAR based on a static unitary detector for low-SWaP applications
Authors: Han Munhyun , Seo Hong-Seok , Mheen Bongki
Published: August 2022

High three-dimensional (3D) resolution for a wide field-of-view (FoV) is difficult in LiDARs because of the restrictions concerning size, weight, and power consumption (SWaP). Using a static unitary detector (STUD) approach, we developed a photodetector and a laser module for a LiDAR. Utilizing the fabricated photodetector and laser module, a LaserEye2 LiDAR prototype for low-SWaP applications was built using the STUD approach, which efficiently enables short-pulse detection with the increased FoV or large photosensitive area. The obtained 3D images demonstrated a diagonal FoV of > 31°, a frame rate of up to 15 Hz, and a spatial resolution of 320 × 240 pixels within a detection range of > 55 m. This prototype can be applied to drones to rapidly detect small or thin hazardous objects such as power lines.