bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dietary Epimedium extract supplementation improves intestinal functions and alters gut microbiota in broilers
Authors: Zhang Jiaqi , Yu Haitao , Zhang Huiyan , Zhao Qingyu , Si Wei , Qin Yuchang , Zhang Junmin
Published: January 2023

Background

Growth-promoting antibiotics have been banned by law in the livestock and poultry breeding industry in many countries. Various alternatives to antibiotics have been investigated for using in livestock. Epimedium (EM) is an herb rich in flavonoids that has many beneficial effects on animals. Therefore, this study was planned to explore the potential of EM as a new alternative antibiotic product in animal feed.

Methods

A total of 720 1-day-old male broilers (Arbor Acres Plus) were randomly divided into six groups and fed basal diet (normal control; NC), basal diet supplemented with antibiotic (75 mg/kg chlortetracycline; CTC), and basal diet supplemented with 100, 200, 400 or 800 mg/kg EM extract for 6 weeks (EM100, EM200, EM400 and EM800 groups). The growth performance at weeks 3 and 6 was measured. Serum, intestinal tissue and feces were collected to assay for antioxidant indexes, intestinal permeability, lactic acid and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) profiles, microbial composition, and expression of intestinal barrier genes.

Results

The average daily feed intake in CTC group at 1–21 d was significantly higher than that in the NC group, and had no statistical difference with EM groups. Compared with NC group, average daily gain in CTC and EM200 groups increased significantly at 1–21 and 1–42 d. Compared with NC group, EM200 and EM400 groups had significantly decreased levels of lipopolysaccharide and D-lactic acid in serum throughout the study. The concentrations of lactic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid and SCFAs in feces of birds fed 200 mg/kg EM diet were significantly higher than those fed chlortetracycline. The dietary supplementation of chlortetracycline and 200 mg/kg EM significantly increased ileal expression of SOD1, Claudin-1 and ZO-1 genes. Dietary supplemented with 200 mg/kg EM increased the relative abundances of g_NK4A214_group and Lactobacillus in the jejunal, while the relative abundances of Microbacterium, Kitasatospora, Bacteroides in the jejunal and Gallibacterium in the ileum decreased.

Conclusion

Supplementation with 200 mg/kg EM extract improved the composition of intestinal microbiota by regulating the core bacterial genus Lactobacillus, and increased the concentration of beneficial metabolites lactic acid and SCFAs in the flora, thereby improving the antioxidant capacity and intestinal permeability, enhancing the function of tight junction proteins. These beneficial effects improved the growth performance of broilers.

Graphical Abstract
Dlk1 maintains adult mice long-term HSCs by activating Notch signaling to restrict mitochondrial metabolism
Authors: Huang Deyu , Han Yingli , Tang Tian , Yang Lin , Jiang Penglei , Qian Wenchang , Zhang Zhaoru , Qian Xinyue , Zeng Xin , Qian Pengxu
Published: January 2023

Background

Adult hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) homeostasis is critically important in maintaining lifelong hematopoiesis. However, how adult HSCs orchestrate its homeostasis remains not fully understood. Imprinted gene Dlk1 has been shown to play critical role in mouse embryonic hematopoiesis and in regulation of stem cells, but its physiological roles in adult HSCs are unknown.

Methods

We performed gene expression analysis of Dlk1, and constructed conditional Dlk1 knockout (KO) mice by crossing Mx1 cre mice with Dlkflox/flox mice. Western blot and quantitative PCR were used to detect Dlk1 KO efficiency. Flow cytometry was performed to investigate the effects of Dlk1 KO on HSCs, progenitors and linage cells in primary mice. Competitive HSCs transplantation and secondary transplantation was used to examine the effects of Dlk1 KO on long-term hematopoietic repopulation potential of HSCs. RNA-Seq and cell metabolism assays was used to determine the underlying mechanisms.

Results

Dlk1 was highly expressed in adult mice long-term HSCs (LT-HSCs) relative to progenitors and mature lineage cells. Dlk1 KO in adult mice HSCs drove HSCs enter active cell cycle, and expanded phenotypical LT-HSCs, but undermined its long-term hematopoietic repopulation potential. Dlk1 KO resulted in an increase in HSCs’ metabolic activity, including glucose uptake, ribosomal translation, mitochondrial metabolism and ROS production, which impaired HSCs function. Further, Dlk1 KO in adult mice HSCs attenuated Notch signaling, and re-activation of Notch signaling under Dlk1 KO decreased the mitochondrial activity and ROS production, and rescued the changes in frequency and absolute number of HSCs. Scavenging ROS by antioxidant N-acetylcysteine could inhibit mitochondrial metabolic activity, and rescue the changes in HSCs caused by Dlk1 KO.

Conclusion

Our study showed that Dlk1 played an essential role in maintaining HSC homeostasis, which is realized by governing cell cycle and restricting mitochondrial metabolic activity.
Minimal expression of dysferlin prevents development of dysferlinopathy in dysferlin exon 40a knockout mice
Authors: Yasa Joe , Reed Claudia E. , Bournazos Adam M. , Evesson Frances J. , Pang Ignatius , Graham Mark E. , Wark Jesse R. , Nijagal Brunda , Kwan Kim H. , Kwiatkowski Thomas , Jung Rachel , Weisleder Noah , Cooper Sandra T. , Lemckert Frances A.
Published: January 2023

Dysferlin is a Ca2+-activated lipid binding protein implicated in muscle membrane repair. Recessive variants in DYSF result in dysferlinopathy, a progressive muscular dystrophy. We showed previously that calpain cleavage within a motif encoded by alternatively spliced exon 40a releases a 72 kDa C-terminal minidysferlin recruited to injured sarcolemma. Herein we use CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to knock out murine Dysf exon 40a, to specifically assess its role in membrane repair and development of dysferlinopathy. We created three Dysf exon 40a knockout (40aKO) mouse lines that each express different levels of dysferlin protein ranging from ~ 90%, ~ 50% and ~ 10–20% levels of wild-type. Histopathological analysis of skeletal muscles from all 12-month-old 40aKO lines showed virtual absence of dystrophic features and normal membrane repair capacity for all three 40aKO lines, as compared with dysferlin-null BLAJ mice. Further, lipidomic and proteomic analyses on 18wk old quadriceps show all three 40aKO lines are spared the profound lipidomic/proteomic imbalance that characterises dysferlin-deficient BLAJ muscles. Collective results indicate that membrane repair does not depend upon calpain cleavage within exon 40a and that ~ 10–20% of WT dysferlin protein expression is sufficient to maintain the muscle lipidome, proteome and membrane repair capacity to crucially prevent development of dysferlinopathy.
Bayesian historical borrowing with longitudinal large-scale assessments
Authors: Kaplan David , Chen Jianshen , Lyu Weicong , Yavuz Sinan
Published: January 2023

The purpose of this paper is to extend and evaluate methods of Bayesian historical borrowing applied to longitudinal data with a focus on parameter recovery and predictive performance. Bayesian historical borrowing allows researchers to utilize information from previous data sources and to adjust the extent of borrowing based on the similarity of current data to historical data. We examine the utility of three static historical borrowing methods including complete pooling, Bayesian synthesis with aggregated data-dependent priors, traditional power priors, and two dynamic borrowing methods including Bayesian dynamic borrowing and commensurate priors. Using data from two administrations of the United States Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, we evaluate these methods in terms of in-sample simulation statistics, as well as pseudo out-of-sample measures of predictive performance. A case study examining growth in reading competency over time revealed that for one historical cycle, most methods of historical borrowing perform similarly with respect to predictive performance and parameter recovery. Pooling and power priors performed relatively poorly across the conditions in this study, particularly when the current data and the historical data were heterogeneous. Results from a comprehensive simulation study revealed that the advantages of different historical borrowing methods vary across different evaluation criteria. Overall, Bayesian dynamic borrowing and commensurate priors are no worse, and in some cases better, than other methods in terms of parameter recovery and predictive performance, and considering a previous paper by Kaplan et al. (Psychometrika, 10.1007/s11336-022-09869-3, 2022) found clear benefits of Bayesian dynamic borrowing over other methods of historical borrowing in the multilevel context using data from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) with five historical cycles, this paper argues that Bayesian dynamic borrowing or commensurate priors is a prudent choice for borrowing information from previous cycles of longitudinal data.
Development of a certified reference material for the analysis of vitamins in multivitamin tablets
Authors: Lee Joonhee , Kim Byungjoo , Sim Hee-Jung , Seo Dongwon , Kwak Byung-Man , Won Jongeun , Lee Sunyoung , Baek Song-Yee , Han Jeesoo
Published: January 2023

Multivitamin tablet certified reference material (CRM, 108-10-019) was developed for the analysis of seven water-soluble vitamins, including thiamine, riboflavin, nicotinamide, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, biotin, and folic acid. The CRM was prepared in powder form by grinding multivitamin tablets and then mixing, sieving, and bottling the powder. For the certification of each water-soluble vitamin, the isotope dilution mass spectrometry based on the liquid chromatography was applied. The methods for each analyte were validated by confirming the repeatability and reproducibility and by comparing with other CRMs. The property values and uncertainties for the vitamins were determined with 10 units from sample stored at − 20 °C. The homogeneity of each certified component was also examined in the range of 0.48–2.2%. All certified values for the seven water-soluble vitamins were stable for 3 or 6 years after the initial certification under storage conditions at − 20 °C. For fat-soluble vitamins, including retinol, α-tocopherol, cholecalciferol, and phylloquinone, two expert laboratories participated in analyses based on official methods, and the mean values of the reported results were assigned as reference values. The multivitamin tablet CRM (108-10-019) will be useful for validating analytical methods and for ensuring the quality of results for vitamin analysis in multivitamin tablets or similar products.
Uplift rate of Kitadaito Jima Island on the lithospheric forebulge of the Philippine Sea Plate
Authors: Iryu Yasufumi , Takayanagi Hideko , Ishikawa Tsuyoshi , Ishigaki Akimasa , Asanuma Takuji , Teruya Rin , Budd David A.
Published: January 2023

Estimates of uplift rates for lithospheric forebulges are needed to understand exact plate motions at plate convergence zones and to delineate the fate of coral reefs atop the forebulges. A carbonate island on a lithospheric forebulge can provide excellent materials for estimating uplift rate because carbonate sediments can be dated and their paleo-water depth determined. We estimated the uplift rate of Kitadaito Jima Island, a carbonate island on the lithospheric forebulge of the Philippine Sea Plate that is subducting beneath the Eurasian Plate. Marine skeletal sands containing pebble-sized bioclasts and filling the concavity of an intertidal erosional notch at an elevation of ~ 71 m were found near the top of this island. Strontium isotope ages ranging from 1.78 to 2.01 Ma with an average of 1.89 Ma (standard deviation = 0.07 Ma) were obtained from these deposits. As global sea level at 1.89 Ma was ~ 21 m lower than the present, the mean uplift rate was estimated at ~ 49 m/million years (Myr) with a compounded uncertainty of ± 2.6 m/Myr. This rate is comparable to, or up to ~ 140 m/Myr less than, rates reported from other Indo-Pacific carbonate islands in similar tectonic settings. This study illustrates how contemporary Sr isotope age models and careful considerations of limestone sample depositional depths can yield more accurate and precise uplift rates of modern forearc bulges than possible in many older studies.
Evaluation of snacks consumed by young children in child care and home settings
Authors: Mireault Amy , Mann Linda , Blotnicky Karen , Rossiter Melissa D.
Published: January 2023

Purpose

To evaluate the effectiveness of food and nutrition regulations in developing healthy behaviors of young children, this study profiled the food and nutrient contribution of snacks, the foods and drinks consumed outside of main meals, in the diets of a sample of children between the ages of 3–5 years overall and in regulated child care (RCC) and home settings.

Methods

From a purposive sample of 44 RCC settings from across Nova Scotia, Canada, 19 agreed to participate in this study and with RCC directors’ approvals, invitations were sent to parents of enrolled children. Using a 4-day food record, foods and drinks consumed by 79 preschool aged children, were recorded by parents at home and by trained research assistants at RCC. The foods and drinks consumed during morning, afternoon and evening snack occasions coded by the What We Eat in America (WWEIA) categories and the provision of energy, sodium, fats, sugar and fiber were calculated. Descriptive statistics and independent t tests were used to determined differences between the foods and nutrients by where and when the snacks were consumed.

Results

On average, children consumed 2.3 snacks per day. Fruit, salty/sweet items and dairy items were predominately consumed as snacks. Average daily contributions from snacks were 29% of energy, 22.6% sodium, 27.6% saturated fat, 39.9% sugar and 31.3% dietary fiber. Significantly more variety of food categories and higher sodium and fiber snacks were consumed at RCC than home. Home morning snacks had significantly more sugar than RCC morning snacks.

Conclusions

The findings provide insight into the influences from RCC and home settings on snack intakes and the important role RCC food and nutrition regulations play in supporting healthy eating behaviors. Suggested recommendations are to de-emphasize the requirement for two food group servings for each snack at RCC, focus more on variety and nutrient dense snacks and encourage knowledge sharing between RCC and home environments to promote healthy children’s snacking behaviors.
Size matters: analyzing bank profitability and efficiency under the Basel III framework
Authors: Gržeta Ivan , Žiković Saša , Tomas Žiković Ivana
Published: January 2023

The latest regulatory framework, which has been introduced globally in the form of Basel III, and its implementation in the legislation of the member states of the European Union has generated much interest in the impact of regulation on the efficiency and profitability of banks. This study aims to examine the impact of the introduction of two major regulatory changes (Basel II and Basel III) on bank performance, in terms of bank size and bank-specific and macroeconomic variables. A two-stage empirical analysis was conducted on a sample of 433 European commercial banks over the 2006–2015 period. In the first stage, relative efficiency was calculated using non-parametric data envelopment analysis. In the second stage, the generalized method of moments was used to examine the impact of bank-specific and macroeconomic variables as well as regulation on bank performance, that is, profitability and efficiency. Considering bank size, the results show a diverse impact of regulation on bank performance. Regarding large- and medium-sized banks, regulation positively affects both efficiency and profitability, whereas, for small banks, it negatively affects performance. The results suggest that larger banks have skillfully adapted to the new regulatory environment. In contrast, small banks have problems with profitability and efficiency because the new regulatory framework has imposed additional administrative and regulatory burdens. This could result in future failure or mergers with larger banks, resulting in a higher concentration in the banking sector and increased systemic risk. Our results strongly suggest that regulation should not be implemented equally for all banks; that is, on a one size fits all terms. A distinction between small and large banks when introducing new regulatory frameworks should be made if a reasonable level of competition is to be preserved.
The transaction behavior of cryptocurrency and electricity consumption
Authors: Zheng Mingbo , Feng Gen-Fu , Zhao Xinxin , Chang Chun-Ping
Published: January 2023

Rapidly increasing cryptocurrency prices have encouraged cryptocurrency miners to participate in cryptocurrency production, increasing network hashrates and electricity consumption. Growth in network hashrates has further crowded out small cryptocurrency investors owing to the heightened costs of mining hardware and electricity. These changes prompt cryptocurrency miners to become new investors, leading to cryptocurrency price increases. The potential bidirectional relationship between cryptocurrency price and electricity consumption remains unidentified. Hence, this research thus utilizes July 31 2015–July 12 2019 data from 13 cryptocurrencies to investigate the short- and long-run causal effects between cryptocurrency transaction and electricity consumption. Particularly, we consider structural breaks induced by external shocks through stationary analysis and comovement relationships. Over the examined time period, we found that the series of cryptocurrency transaction and electricity consumption gradually returns to mean convergence after undergoing daily shocks, with prices trending together with hashrates. Transaction fluctuations exert both a temporary effect and permanent influence on electricity consumption. Therefore, owing to the computational power deployed to wherever high profit is found, transactions are vital determinants of electricity consumption.
Effect of SMAD4 gene polymorphism on breast cancer risk in Bangladeshi women
Authors: Rahman Mamunur , Islam Md Reazul , Apu Mohd Nazmul Hasan , Uddin Md Nasir , Sahaba Shaid All , Nahid Noor Ahmed , Islam Md Saiful
Published: January 2023

Background

Breast cancer, one of the most prevalent cancer types among women worldwide as well as in Bangladesh, is the leading cause of cancer death in women throughout the globe. The risk of breast cancer development was found to be associated with genetic polymorphism according to several studies. As a convenient prognostic marker, a biomarker helps to identify disease progression, can lead to an effective therapeutic strategy, development of prognostic marker is very important for any cancer to initiate treatment strategy early to increase the possibility of the success rate of the treatment along with reduction of the treatment cost. This study aims to establish the correlation between polymorphism of SMAD4 rs10502913 and risk of breast cancer development in Bangladeshi women. This study was conducted on 70 breast cancer patients and 60 healthy volunteers through blood sample collection followed by DNA separation between the intervals of August 2019–October 2019. The collected DNA sample was arranged for the RFLP analysis of a PCR amplified fragments followed by gel electrophoresis. The obtained data was analyzed by structured multinomial logistic regression model.

Results

Obtained different fragment size after gel electrophoresis indicated different genotypes in this experiment. Our findings demonstrated that mutant homozygous A/A genotype, plays a significant role in breast cancer development among Bangladeshi women (P = 0.006, OR = 4.9626, 95% CI = 1.9980–12.3261) compared to the reference homozygous G/G genotype. Moreover, heterozygous G/A genotype was also found to be significantly associated with the risk of breast cancer development (P = 0.0252, OR = 2.6574, CI = 1.1295–6.2525). Considering the A/A genotype and G/A genotype combined, it also indicates a strong association of breast cancer development in Bangladeshi women (P = 0.008, OR = 3.5630, CI = 1.6907–7.5068).

Conclusion

Our study indicated a novel association between SMAD4 (rs10502913) polymorphism and increased risk of breast cancer development in Bangladeshi women.
Impact of Homologous Recombination Deficiency on Outcomes in Patients With Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Treated With Carboplatin-Based Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: Secondary Analysis of the NeoCART Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Zhang Liulu , Wu Zhiyong , Li Jie , Zhu Dongqin , Yang Lingling , Shao Yang , Lin Ying , Liu Zhenzhen , Cao Yin , Zhang Gangling , Shang Shiyao , Zhang Yi , Wang Kun
Published: January 2023

PURPOSE

Pathologic complete response (pCR) rates of patients with triple-negative breast cancer who were administered docetaxel plus carboplatin were significantly higher than those of patients administered epirubicin/cyclophosphamide followed by docetaxel in the neoadjuvant NeoCART trial. Here, we performed a preplanned secondary analysis of the homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) score as a predictor of the pCR in patients with triple-negative breast cancer from the NeoCART cohort.

METHODS

Pretherapeutic tumor tissues were assessed retrospectively by DNA extraction and sequencing. BRCA1/2 mutations were evaluated in both somatic and germline forms. HRD scores were calculated from genome-wide allele-specific copy number results and comprised telomeric allelic imbalance, loss of heterozygosity, and large-scale state transitions. High HRD scores were defined as ≥ 38, and HRD was defined as either a high HRD score or a deleterious BRCA1/2 mutation.

RESULTS

HRD testing was completed for 43 (79.6%) of 54 NeoCART cohort patients. Thirty of 43 (69.8%) tumors had high HRD scores, and eight patients had BRCA-mutated tumors. No significant association between BRCA1/2 mutation status and pCR was observed either in the general population or in the two treatment arms. Docetaxel plus carboplatin group patients who achieved pCR had higher HRD scores than non-pCR patients, and this difference approached significance (61.69 ± 24.26 v 39.44 ± 22.83, P = .061). No significant correlations between HRD scores and pCR (61.29 ± 24.02 v 53.21 ± 24.31, P = .480) or residual cancer burden 0/1 (62.50 ± 22.50 v 51.85 ± 24.74, P = .324) were observed in the epirubicin/cyclophosphamide followed by docetaxel group.

CONCLUSION

HRD is a potential predictive biomarker for clinical benefit from neoadjuvant carboplatin–based chemotherapy and provides a possibility for screening the optimum chemotherapy backbone to combine with immunotherapy.
“Smartness Aloft”
Authors: Papalas Marylaura
Published: January 2023

This article examines descriptions of women and airplanes in the pages of American and French interwar fashion magazines. Samples from Femina, La Gazette du Bon Ton, Harper’s Bazaar, Ladies Home Journal, Vogue (American and Paris editions), and Women’s Wear Daily illustrate how the relationship between women and transportation technology evolved to promote messages of female independence, illustrated by aviatrix ensembles from Madeleine Vionnet and Elsa Schiaparelli. These designs and representations of them in transatlantic media fused the body with the machine, presenting what Jessica Burstein describes as “cold modernism.” But these same publications also played on an imperialist sense of superiority, trafficking in racial slurs and cultural bigotry, a preponderant phenomenon described by Anne McClintock in her book Imperial Leather. Ultimately, the spectacularization of aviation and style in fashion media exposed borders that represented either freedom or confinement for women: borders between the nimble body and the clothing that restricted it, between sedentary flesh and flying machine, between the stationary present and the fast-moving future, between the familiar “I” and the unknown other. This article uncovers those technological thresholds and the fashionable women who dared to cross them.
Marketing Masks and Makeup in Mollie Panter-Downes’s “Letter from London”
Authors: Dinsman Melissa
Published: January 2023

Over the span of almost fifty years the British author Mollie Panter-Downes contributed 852 pieces to the New Yorker; this included 153 London Letters during World War II alone. In these Panter-Downes reported on the “everyday” aspects of the British home front experience, including fashion accessories such as the gas-mask case and lipstick. This essay argues that Panter-Downes’s inclusion of these wartime commodities served two purposes. First, she shows how fashion was part of the “total war” culture in Britain, where war equipment (like the gas mask) was sold to British women, but also how a domestic purchase (like lipstick) became a weapon of war. The second and purposely camouflaged result of Panter-Downes’s descriptions of wartime capitalism was to market the war to New Yorker readers to garner American sympathy for, and support of, Britain’s ongoing struggle.
Emily Dickinson’s Shawl
Authors: Sanders Lise Shapiro
Published: January 2023

This essay examines a multicolored woolen shawl owned by the poet Emily Dickinson. Contemporary writings from the period referred to such textiles as “India shawls,” although the provenance of Dickinson’s shawl is unknown. India shawls frequently appear in sources ranging from advertisements to fashion columns to fiction, but as often as not, the modifier India is emptied of its meaning and extrapolated, by association, to shawls made in Europe and elsewhere. The shawl’s true site of origin in Kashmir is thus obscured by the process through which India comes to bear the weight of Orientalist commodification for a market of female consumers. This essay traces the literary, historical, cultural, social, and economic significance of both Kashmiri and European shawls, reading them alongside the production of cotton textiles and in the larger context of transnational and transoceanic networks of imperial commodity culture. Drawing on the poet’s references to shawls and fabrics as well as on the qualities of the textile itself, this essay takes Dickinson’s shawl as a starting point from which to begin unraveling the tangled threads that make up the production and consumption of one particularly fashionable nineteenth-century garment.
Αλγόριθμος ανίχνευσης μαθητών με δυσλεξία μέσω της ανάγνωσης. Δεδομένα από την τεχνολογία οφθαλμικής ιχνηλάτησης (eye-tracking) στην ελληνική γλώσσα
Authors: Ανδρεαδάκης Βασίλης , Μπουφαχρέντιν Νάντια , Σέρβου Ελπίδα , Μπαχούρου Δώρα , Κοζέης Νικόλαος , Σμυρνάκης Ιωάννης , Ασλανίδης Ιωάννης Μ.
Published: January 2023

Στην παρούσα έρευνα εξετάστηκε και καταγράφηκε η απεικόνιση της ανάγνωσης, βασισμένη στην τεχνολογία της οφθαλμικής ιχνηλάτησης (eye-tracking). Δόθηκε έμφαση στην ειδική μαθησιακή δυσκολία στην ανάγνωση και στο γραπτό λόγο ή αλλιώς δυσλεξία, κατά την οποία παρατηρούνται δυσκολίες στην ακρίβεια της ανάγνωσης και την ευχέρεια. Δηλαδή παρατηρούνται ελλείμματα στην αποκωδικοποίηση και σύνδεση των φωνολογικών στοιχείων με τα γραφήματα. Ενώ η δυσλεξία δεν αποτελεί οφθαλμολογικό πρόβλημα, οι ανεπάρκειες στην αποκωδικοποίηση και στην ευχέρεια αποτυπώνονται από τις εστιάσεις και τις σακκαδικές κινήσεις κατά την ανάγνωση του ατόμου. Τα δεδομένα λοιπόν από την καταγραφή του αναγνωστικού μονοπατιού μέσω της ανάλυσης των οφθαλμικών κινήσεων, μπορούν να αξιοποιηθούν, ώστε με εγκυρότητα και αξιοπιστία να ανιχνευτούν οι μαθητές με δυσκολίες ανάγνωσης και περαιτέρω να διαγνωστούν ως υποψήφιοι- με ειδική μαθησιακή δυσκολία. Ως αποτέλεσμα, δημιουργήθηκε ένα ανιχνευτικό εργαλείο ανάγνωσης, που δίνει τη δυνατότητα να ξεχωρίσουν οι μαθητές με αναγνωστικές δυσκολίες από τους μαθητές που δεν έχουν. Το ποσοστό επιτυχίας έφτασε το 90% της κατάταξης των παιδιών. Ειδικότερα, 63 από τους 68 τυπικούς αναγνώστες (93% ειδικότητα-specificity) και 60 από τους 69 δυσλεξικούς αναγνώστες (87% ευαισθησία-sensitivity) αξιολογήθηκαν και καταχωρήθηκαν σωστά από το εργαλείο υπό κυκλική επικύρωση (under circular validation).Λαμβάνοντας υπόψη πόσο σημαντική είναι η έγκαιρη παρέμβαση στις σχολικές δεξιότητες, όπως η ανάγνωση, το εργαλείο της παρούσας έρευνας αναλύει τις οφθαλμικές κινήσεις, χρησιμοποιώντας την τεχνολογία τεχνητής νοημοσύνης μαζί με μαθηματικούς αλγορίθμους. Παράλληλα, ποσοτικοποιεί τα δεδομένα από την καταγραφή των οφθαλμικών κινήσεων ώστε να διακρίνει με ευαισθησία τους μαθητές με υποεπίδοση στην ανάγνωση. Η χρήση του εργαλείου αυτού αποσκοπεί στην ανίχνευση πληθυσμού μαθητών με αναγνωστικές δυσκολίες. Έτσι, γίνεται η καταγραφή του αναγνωστικού μονοπατιού, που είναι μοναδικό για κάθε μαθητή και αναλύεται ώστε να εξαχθεί η διάκριση μεταξύ των τυπικών αναγνωστών και των μη τυπικών, ανάλογα με την ηλικία τους. Ένα τέτοιο εργαλείο θα βοηθήσει, συνεπικουρικά μελλοντικά, στην εξατομικευμένη θεραπεία και στην παρακολούθησή της προόδου αυτής της θεραπείας.
Cytological and molecular screening of Chlamydia trachomatis in infertile women attending a maternity teaching hospital in Gezira State, Sudan: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Omer Hajir Mohammed Hussien , Khalid Khalid Eltahir , Miskeen Elhadi Ibrahim , Taha Madiha Yousif , Saleh Eylaf Yasir , Ahmed Elhadi A. , Abdelwahid Omaima Hassan , Hassan Mohammed Abdelssalam , Abakar Adam Dawoud
Published: January 2023

Background: Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is a sexually transmitted pathogen that threatens reproductive health worldwide. This study aims to screen CT urogenital infection using cytology and molecular methods in women suffering infertility.

Methods: In total, 415 women suffering infertility, attending Wad Madani Maternity Hospital were included in this study and then classified into two groups: primary infertile women and secondary infertile women. Both urine (n= 415) and vaginal swab samples (n= 130) were collected and tested using Giemsa stain and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for detection of CT.

Results: CT was detected in 33.7% (140/415) of urine samples and 73.1% (95/130) of vaginal swab samples using Giemsa stain, compared with 44.6% (185/415) and 84.6% (110/130) using PCR, respectively. In the primary infertile group (n= 265), chlamydia was detected in 35.8% (95/265) of urine and 75% (60/80) of swab samples by Giemsa stain compared with 50.9% (135/265) and 75% (60/80) of the samples by PCR. In the secondary infertile group (n= 150), chlamydia was detected in 30% (45/150) of urine and 70% (35/50) of swab samples by Giemsa stain compared with 33.3% (50/150) and 100% (50/50) of the samples by PCR. The associated risk factors were age, lower abdominal pain, and urethritis (p< 0.05). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of Giemsa stain in detecting chlamydia compared to PCR were 86.4%, 100%, 100%, and 83.6%, respectively.

Conclusions: Giemsa stain can be used as a screening test for detection of urogenital chlamydia in urine and vaginal samples in places where PCR is difficult to be performed.
Critical barriers to sustainable capacity strengthening in global health: a systems perspective on development assistance
Authors: Knittel Barbara , Coile Amanda , Zou Annette , Saxena Sweta , Brenzel Logan , Orobaton Nosa , Bartel Doris , Williams Cecilia Abimbola , Kambarami Rose , Tiwari Dipak Prasad , Husain Ishrat , Sikipa Godfrey , Achan Jane , Ajiwohwodoma John Ovuoraye , Banerjee Banny , Kasungami Dyness
Published: January 2023

Background: Development assistance for health (DAH) is an important mechanism for funding and technical support to low-income countries. Despite increased DAH spending, intractable health challenges remain. Recent decades have seen numerous efforts to reform DAH models, yet pernicious challenges persist amidst structural complexities and a growing number of actors. Systems-based approaches are promising for understanding these types of complex adaptive systems. This paper presents a systems-based understanding of DAH, including barriers to achieving sustainable and effective country-driven models for technical assistance and capacity strengthening to achieve better outcomes

Methods: We applied an innovative systems-based approach to explore and map how donor structures, processes, and norms pose challenges to improving development assistance models. The system mapping was carried out through an iterative co-creation process including a series of discussions and workshops with diverse stakeholders across 13 countries.

Results: Nine systemic challenges emerged: 1) reliance on external implementing partners undermines national capacity; 2) prioritizing global initiatives undercuts local programming; 3) inadequate contextualization hampers program sustainability; 4) decision-maker blind spots inhibit capacity to address inequities; 5) power asymmetries undermine local decision making; 6) donor funding structures pose limitations downstream; 7) program fragmentation impedes long-term country planning; 8) reliance on incomplete data perpetuates inequities; and 9) overemphasis on donor-prioritized data perpetuates fragmentation.

Conclusions: These interconnected challenges illustrate interdependencies and feedback loops manifesting throughout the system. A particular driving force across these system barriers is the influence of power asymmetries between actors. The articulation of these challenges can help stakeholders overcome biases about the efficacy of the system and their role in perpetuating the issues. These findings indicate that change is needed not only in how we design and implement global health programs, but in how system actors interact. This requires co-creating solutions that shift the structures, norms, and mindsets governing DAH models.
An Empirical Investigation of Ridesharing and New Vehicle Purchase
Authors: Gong Jing , Greenwood Brad N. , Song Yiping (Amy)
Published: January 2023

Problem definition: In this work, we examine how ridesharing platforms affect changes in short-term vehicle purchasing. On the one hand, if the introduction of such platforms motivates owners to use the idle capacity of their existing vehicles to accrue rents, vehicle sales might fall. On the other hand, if the platform induces would-be drivers to purchase new vehicles in order to participate, vehicle sales might rise. Academic/practical relevance: Whereas operations management researchers have begun to broach this subject analytically, this work provides empirical evidence of the impact of ridesharing platforms on new vehicle ownership. Further, we assess heterogeneity in the effect across vehicle type and location. Methodology: We examine this tension using a unique data set of new vehicle registrations in China. In doing so, we exploit the variation in the timing of Uber entry using a difference-in-difference approach. Results: Findings suggest Uber entry is associated with a significant short-term increase in private new vehicle ownership, indicating that consumers actively change their stock of held resources to capture excess rents offered by the platform. These effects exclusively manifest among vehicle brands that qualify for the platform. Further, inasmuch as sales of vehicles with smaller displacement increase more than large-displacement vehicles, results indicate that the effect of Uber entry varies considerably across vehicle types. Finally, results indicate that the effects are stronger in locations where established public transportation options are weaker. Managerial implications: Results provide initial evidence that manufacturers can benefit from the emergence of the sharing economy, especially manufacturers whose products align with the needs of platform participants. For policy makers, our findings further undercut claims made by platforms that the individuals working on them are exploiting already existing resources, suggesting some form of nascent professionalism on the part of platform workers.

Funding: The research was supported by the Key Program of National Natural Science of China [Grant 71832010].

Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2022.1183 .
Investing in health and wellbeing
Authors: Oldman Crystal
Published: January 2023

As we start the year, Crystal Oldman reflects on the current state of the health visiting workforce and for the communities they serve, managing need with depleted numbers
Keeping Connected
Authors: Poulett Ian
Published: January 2023

The events of the past six months have meant reliable communications technology is now more important than ever for manufacturers
The EaaS Way to Survival
Authors: Hynes Mike
Published: January 2023

Technology is the key to a post-pandemic recovery, with those who have embraced the change already best-placed to reap the rewards
Case Report – Short-term Bisphosphonate Use Associated Stress Fractures
Authors: Dadrewalla Arshan J. , Battle Joseph , Anakwe Raymond
Published: January 2023

Introduction: Long-term bisphosphonate use has been linked to an increased risk of pathological neck of femur fractures. Case Presentation: We write concerning a patient who presented with left hip pain following a low impact fall, which was diagnosed as a pathological left neck of femur fracture. This was a subtrochanteric stress fracture most frequently seen in patients who take bisphosphonate medications. A key point of difference in our patient is the length of time of bisphosphonate use. A further interesting point was the method of imaging used to diagnose this fracture whereby plain radiographs and computerized tomography imaging both did not show any acute fracture whereas only a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) hip demonstrated this fracture. Surgical insertion of a prophylactic intramedullary nail was done to stabilize the fracture and reduce the risk of progression to a complete fracture. Conclusion: This case brings up multiple key points not reviewed previously such as the fact a fracture developed only 1 month after bisphosphonate use rather than months or years. These points suggest that there should be a low threshold for investigation (including MRI scanning) into potential pathological fractures and that bisphosphonate use should be a red flag to initiate these investigations regardless of length of use. Keywords: Atypical stress fractures, bisphosphonate use, magnetic resonance imaging.
Detraction of decoherence that arises from the acceleration process
Authors: Abd-Rabbou M. Y. , Ali S. I. , Metwally N.
Published: January 2023

The possibility of detracting decoherence due to the acceleration process of the
two-qutrit system was investigated, where we examined the behavior of
relative entropy and non-local information. For this purpose,
accelerated subsystems are allowed to pass through local or global
noisy channels. It is shown that the detraction potential depends on
the type of used noisy channel, local or global, and the initial
settings of the accelerated qutrit systems, whether prepared in free
or bound entangled intervals. The improvement rate depicted for
systems prepared in free entangled intervals is much better than those
prepared in bound entangled intervals. The maximum bounds of non-local
information in the presence of amplitude damping channels are larger
than those passed in the dephasing channel.
Independently tunable dual-band cross-shaped metal-insulator-metal infrared perfect absorber
Authors: Ren Yu , Li Teng , Zhou Jianwei , Sun Peng , Wang Yu , Cai Hongxing , Ji Boyu
Published: January 2023

The dual-band cross structured metal–insulator–metal infrared perfect absorber (CS-MIM-IPA) has promising applications in refractive index sensing, solar cells, thermal infrared (IR) sensor, and IR microscopy. In this study, we have demonstrated an independent modulation of the dual-absorption bands (corresponding to SPP and LSP excitation) of the CS-MIM-IPA structure. The results show that the peak position of the LSP mode and SPP mode can be independently controlled by the arm length and the period size, respectively and the underlying mechanism is presented. Furthermore, the role of plasmon coupling effects and space ratio of the cross-structure in balancing the absorption intensity of the LSP modes had been revealed.
Investigation of effective local contact Al2O3 rear passivation for high-efficiency thin CIGS solar cells
Authors: Park Si-Nae , Kim Jun Yong , Kim Young-Ill , Kang Jin-Kyu , Sung Shi-Joon , Kim Dae-Hwan , Do Yun Seon
Published: January 2023

Copper indium gallium selenide (Cu(In,Ga)Se2; CIGS) solar cells with small thicknesses active layer have limits to show high efficiency owing to high carrier recombination and low reflection at the electrode/active layer interface. A passivation layer applied to the rear of the CIGS solar cell is regarded as one of the solutions. However, depending on the thickness of the passivation layer, the surface morphology of the thin CIGS absorber layer can be changed, affecting light absorption and photovoltaic properties. In this study, the optical electrical performances of CIGS solar cells with a thin enough layer of the local contact aluminum oxide (Al2O3) (LC-Al2O3) rear passivation were analyzed and demonstrated. The thin passivation layer with tens of nanometers resulted in higher increased efficiency because of improved open circuit voltage and short circuit current density. In addition, from the experiment, the optimal thickness of the thin passivation layer was derived. Too thin a layer causes a degradation of the performance, providing the surface scattering and parasitic resistance. Our results can be used to develop guidelines for designing high-performance CIGS solar cells with optimized passivation layers.
Pilot study of a smartphone-based tinnitus therapy using structured counseling and sound therapy: A multiple-baseline design with ecological momentary assessment
Authors: Engelke Milena , Simões Jorge , Vogel Carsten , Schoisswohl Stefan , Schecklmann Martin , Wölflick Stella , Pryss Rüdiger , Probst Thomas , Langguth Berthold , Schlee Winfried
Published: January 2023

Tinnitus affects a considerable part of the population and develops into a severe disorder in some sufferers. App-based interventions are able to provide low-threshold, cost-effective, and location-independent care for tinnitus patients. Therefore, we developed a smartphone app combining structured counseling with sound therapy and conducted a pilot study to evaluate treatment compliance and symptom improvement (trial registration: DRKS00030007). Outcome variables were Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) measured tinnitus distress and loudness and Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) at baseline and final visit. A multiple-baseline design with a baseline phase (only EMA) followed by an intervention phase (EMA and intervention) was applied. 21 patients with chronic tinnitus (≥ 6 months) were included. Overall compliance differed between modules (EMA usage: 79% of days, structured counseling: 72%, sound therapy: 32%). The THI score improved from baseline to final visit indicating a large effect (Cohens d = 1.1). Tinnitus distress and loudness did not improve significantly from baseline phase to the end of intervention phase. However, 5 of 14 (36%) improved clinically meaningful in tinnitus distress (ΔDistress ≥ 10) and 13 of 18 (72%) in THI score (ΔTHI ≥ 7). The positive relationship between tinnitus distress and loudness weakened over the course of the study. A trend but no level effect for tinnitus distress could be demonstrated by a mixed effect model. The improvement in THI was strongly associated with the improvement scores in EMA of tinnitus distress (r = -0.75; 0.86). These results indicate that app-based structured counseling combined with sound therapy is feasible, has an impact on tinnitus symptoms and reduces distress for several patients. In addition, our data suggest that EMA could be used as a measurement tool to detect changes in tinnitus symptoms in clinical trials as has already been shown in other areas of mental health research.
Cost-effectiveness analysis of the daily HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis in men who have sex with men in Barcelona
Authors: López Seguí Francesc , Oyón Lerga Unai , Laguna Marmol Laura , Coll Pep , Andreu Angels , Meulbroek Michael , López Casasnovas Guillem , Estrada Cuxart Oriol , Ara Rey Jordi , Quiñones Carles , Pérez Fèlix , Fernandez Javier , Rivero Àngel , Ricou Ríos Laura , Clotet Bonaventura
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention has been implemented in several countries. Previous literature has shown that its cost-effectiveness (and, under some specifications, cost-saving character) is dependent on the reduction in price due to generics, the time-horizon and its effectiveness. The intervention has never been studied in Catalonia after the approval of the PrEP, a territory with extensive implementation.

Methods

Economic evaluation of the implementation of HIV pre-exposition prophylaxis using administrative data from Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) who receive the treatment (at the generic price) compared with non-implementation. A deterministic compartmental model and a social perspective with a micro-costing approach over the time horizon 2022–2062 are used. A baseline 86% effectiveness of PrEP is assumed.

Results

Daily oral PrEP is found to be cost-saving: discounted savings in costs are attained after 16 years, and after 40 years they reach 81 million euros. In terms of health indicators, 10,322 additional discounted QALYs are generated by the intervention. Results are sensitive to sexual behavioral patterns among MSM, the price of PrEP (reduced if offered on-demand), its effectiveness and the discount rate.

Conclusions

The use and promotion of PrEP in Catalonia is predicted to result in substantial health and monetary benefits because of reductions in HIV infections. Short-term investments in the promotion of PrEP will result in important cost-savings in the long term.