bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SIFO - an insufficiently researched, but clinically significant issue. What do we know so far? Can physical activity help to relieve gastrointestinal symptoms?
Authors: Magierska Agata , Kwaśniak Ksenia , Foryś Angelika , Miłek Magdalena , Banach Mariola , Ślusarczyk Monika , Stawska Weronika , Niemczyk Anna , Kmiotek Weronika , Kotowicz Zuzanna
Published: June 2024

Introduction and purpose: Small intestinal fungal overgrowth (SIFO) presents as an excessive presence of fungi in the small intestine, often associated with gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms like unexplained gas, bloating, pain, malabsorption, and irregular bowel movements, including constipation or diarrhea. The study aims to organize information regarding this condition, emphasizing the lack of specific guidelines regarding diagnosis and treatment and need for treatment that are not only based on systemic drugs but also additional ways such as physical activity.
Materials and methods: We conducted a literature review utilizing the medical databases PubMed and Google Scholar, retrieving articles in English using keywords such as "small intestinal fungal overgrowth," "SIFO," "gastrointestinal symptoms," "enterocolitis," " exercising," and "brain-gut axis" in various combinations. Our analysis included data from 33 scientific references published between 1931 and 2023.
Summary: Small intestinal fungal overgrowth (SIFO) is more often acknowledged as a potential factor for unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms. More and more clinicians attach importance to this issue, as it is a serious clinical burden which significantly reduces quality of life. Nevertheless, the precise clinical impact of SIFO within the community remains uncertain as the available literature primarily consists of isolated case reports or observations from autopsies of patients undergoing cancer treatment. There still are no specific guidelines for diagnosis and treatment. Clinicians use systemic antifungal drugs. There is a potential in physical activity as an additional way to treat this condition.
¿Cómo las habilidades para la vida transforman la experiencia universitaria?
Authors: Saldaña Medina Caleb , García Sicard Nadia , Hernández Arrieta Stefany
Published: June 2024

‘Habilidades para sentir, vivir y disfrutar’ es la nueva propuesta de la Decanatura del Medio Universitario de la Universidad del Rosario para que las electivas formativas, conocidas como Humanidades y del Medio (HM), se conviertan en el espacio donde los estudiantes desarrollen cualidades sociales que puedan integrar en su vida profesional.
A agenda feminista em foco no jornalismo alternativo: práticas de ativismo nos portais jornalísticos com perspectiva de gênero, AzMina, Catarinas e Think Olga
Authors: Janz Woitowicz Karina
Published: June 2024

Esta pesquisa investiga experiências de portais feministas com perspectiva de gênero, de modo a refletir sobre as interfaces entre a produção jornalística e as práticas de ativismo feminista no ambiente digital. Os veículos selecionados são os portais brasileiros AzMina, Catarinas e Think Olga, no período que compreende a pandemia da Covid-19 (2020 e 2021), em que é realizada uma análise de conteúdo a partir de critérios oriundos da prática do jornalismo com perspectiva de gênero, tais como o tratamento de temas relativos aos direitos das mulheres e às questões de gênero, o uso de fontes, a presença da perspectiva interseccional e as características da linguagem. Como resultados, observou-se que a cobertura jornalística realizada pelos portais que compreendem a pesquisa enfocou as desigualdades de gênero no período de crise e revelou também o impacto maior da pandemia junto a mulheres negras e pobres, contemplando uma abordagem interseccional. A pesquisa busca contribuir para o conhecimento acerca das experiências de jornalismo alternativo e independente no Brasil e para a reflexão sobre os limites e as potencialidades encontradas para inserir temáticas de gênero na agenda pública.
Atualidade de Guerreiro Ramos
Authors: Santos Santana da Cruz Adriana , Santos da Silva Cláudia , Calisto da Cruz Silva Fábio
Published: June 2024

Partindo da polêmica provocada em janeiro de 2022, depois da publicação de um artigo de opinião de Antonio Risério sobre a existência da racismo reverso, nos demos conta de que as críticas e reflexões de Guerreiro Ramos sobre as ciências sociais e sobre os estudos raciais no Brasil continuam muito atuais, no entanto, nosso autor raramente tem sido citado; fato que nos suscitou algumas indagações: o que explica o apagamento de Guerreiro Ramos nos estudos raciais produzidos no Brasil na atualidade? Seria Guerreiro Ramos um intelectual cancelado nas discussões raciais da atualidade? Estas indagações nos remetem a um breve estudo bibliográfico, através do qual analisamos algumas obras de grande relevância para os estudos étnico-raciais do Brasil. Consideramos salutar refletir sobre a importância de Guerreiro Ramos para a construção de uma perspectiva epistemológica sobre a questão racial no Brasil.
Patients' behaviour after referral to a wound care clinic for diabetic foot ulcer care: a grounded theory study
Authors: Aagaard Thomas Vedste , Skou Søren T , Brorson Stig , Madsen Ulla Riis
Published: June 2024

Objective:

The aim of this study was to construct a grounded theory regarding patients' activity behaviour over time after referral to an outpatient clinic for diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) care.

Method:

A constructivist grounded theory approach was used. Data from observations of and interviews with participants were collected and analysed using the constant comparative method. Based on this, the grounded theory ‘Just a bump in the road’ was constructed.

Results:

The cohort included five participants who considered their ulcers as ‘Just a bump in the road’ in their lives, and four subcategories were embedded in this core category: ‘Restricting my freedom’; ‘Trusting or doubting the system’; ‘Feeling no pain or illness’; and ‘Receiving insufficient information’. Together, these categories describe the participants' behaviour and underlying concerns related to daily activities after referral to an outpatient clinic for the care of their DFU.

Conclusion:

The grounded theory ‘Just a bump in the road’ describes how participants with a DFU viewed their condition as merely a passing phase that would end with them regaining what they considered a normal life. Integrating these results into clinical practice could lead to improved care and a focus shift among health professionals from viewing patients as being defined by their wounds to seeing them as people who live with a wound.
Effect of oral multispecies probiotic on wound healing, periodontitis and quality of life on patients with diabetes
Authors: Stuermer Ewa Klara , Bang Corinna , Giessler Anna , Smeets Ralf , Janke Toni Maria , Seki Filip David , Debus Eike Sebastian , Franke Andre , Augustin Matthias
Published: June 2024

Objective:

Hard-to-heal (chronic) wounds are common in patients with diabetes and are associated with a decrease in quality of life (QoL). Pathogenic bacteria often colonise hard-to-heal wounds and hinder the healing process which poses a high risk for (systemic) infections. In this study, we aim to prove that probiotics are capable of displacing human pathogenic bacteria, ameliorating inflammation and positively influencing the microenvironment/microbiome of skin and mucosa.

Method:

In this pilot study, patients with diabetes and hard-to-heal wounds with a duration of 2–120 months received an oral multispecies probiotic daily for six months. Changes in oral, stool and wound microbiome were investigated, and the effects of the probiotic intervention on wound healing, periodontitis and wound-specific quality of life (Wound-QOL-17) were analysed throughout the course of this clinical study.

Results:

In total, seven of the 20 patients included were unable to complete the study. After six months of oral probiotic intake supplementation in five out of the remaining 13 patients, the wounds had healed completely. Most patients reported an improvement in wound-specific QoL, with particular positive effects on pain and mobility. Microbiome analysis revealed a reduction in Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus epidermis in healed wounds.

Conclusion:

This findings of this study provide evidence for the beneficial effects of the oral application of a multispecies probiotic over six months in patients with diabetes and hard-to-heal wounds on wound closure, wound microbial pattern, QoL, and on dental health. A randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blinded clinical trial is required to verify the results.
Assessing the Impact of Water Conservation on Cooling Potential of Two Turfgrass Species
Authors: Verdi Amir Kei , Singh Amninder   , Sapkota Anish   , Ghodsi Somayeh  
Published: June 2024

Highlights

Empirical CWSI was developed for 'Westcoaster' tall fescue and ‘Tifgreen’ hybrid bermudagrass.

The canopy temperature of both species was monitored under multiple irrigation scenarios.

Deficit irrigation might reduce the cooling benefits of irrigated urban lawns.

Abstract. Canopy temperature provides valuable information for efficient irrigation management and for detecting drought injury in a fast and non-destructive way. It also helps quantify the trade-offs between water conservation and the cooling benefit of the irrigated urban landscape, a critical issue in semiarid inland southern California with limited available water resources. Two adjacent hybrid bermudagrass and tall fescue irrigation trials were conducted to determine canopy temperature changes under a wide range of irrigation treatments from 2017 to 2019 in Riverside, California, USA. The canopy temperature data were also used to develop an empirical crop water stress index (CWSI) for each species. The CWSI values ranged from -0.15 to 0.71 for tall fescue and from -0.28 to 0.54 for hybrid bermudagrass. We observed a moderate correlation between visual rating scores (VR) and CWSI values for tall fescue (r = -0.68) and hybrid bermudagrass (r = -0.61). The fitted linear regression between VR and CWSI data suggested CWSI thresholds close to zero for both species to maintain their acceptable visual quality. The irrigation level consistently showed a significant effect on canopy temperature for both species. On average, a 10% decrease in irrigation application increased the canopy temperature of tall fescue and hybrid bermudagrass by 1.3°C and 0.9°C, respectively. Therefore, deficit irrigation might reduce the cooling benefits of irrigated urban lawns in the semiarid climate of inland southern California. Keywords: Canopy temperature, Evapotranspiration, Smart irrigation controller, Urban heat island, Urban irrigation, Water conservation.
The Role of Power in STEM Doctoral Students' Meaning-Making of Advising Relationships
Authors: Bettencourt Genia M. , Friedensen Rachel E. , Bartlett Megan L.
Published: June 2024

Abstract: Advisors play an important role in the success of all doctoral students, but particularly so in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, where advising relationships determine funding structures and lab work possibilities. In cases where there is a mismatch between advisors and advisees, conflict can hinder students' academic progress, research expertise, and career prospects. However, relatively few institutions have clear processes to address power imbalances, creating an onerous burden for students who may risk damaging relationships and incurring unexpected consequences by raising concerns. In this critical constructivist narrative inquiry, we used self-authorship (Baxter Magolda, 1998, 1999) within a power-conscious framework of doctoral advising (Bettencourt et al., 2021; Linder, 2018) to examine how 28 STEM doctoral students made meaning of power in advising relationships Our findings demonstrate that the STEM doctoral environment heavily emphasizes external messages, which students must often negotiate within rather than move away from to succeed.
Modeling the focusing of a radially polarized laser beam with an initially flat-top intensity profile
Authors: Jolly Spencer W.
Published: June 2024

Radially polarized light beams present very interesting and useful behavior for creating small intensity spots when tightly focused, and manipulating nanostructures or charged particles via their longitudinal field. The modeling of the propagation of such vector beams, however, is almost always done using the lowest-order fundamental radially polarized beam or a single higher-order mode due to the complexity of vector diffraction theory. We show how a flat-top radially polarized beam, relevant for high-power lasers, can be modeled analytically using a sum of higher-order beams, describe a number of interesting qualities of such beams, and compare to numerically solved integral descriptions.
Controllable propagation of waveguide mode in multi-channel photonic crystal waveguide
Authors: Wang Pei-Lin , Zhao Li-Ming , Zhou Yun-Song
Published: June 2024

In this paper, we introduce a new method to realize the separation of
waveguide modes in photonic crystal waveguides by controlling the
position and polarization of the dipole sources. Our study shows that
the waveguide modes in the transversal channel and longitudinal
channel can be manipulated, respectively, by the dipole sources placed
within the corresponding channels. Based on this discovery, we may
further adjust the dipole sources in the transversal (longitudinal)
channel individually and separate the zeroth order and the first order
modes to propagate towards the preassigned channels. Compared with the
former schemes to realize the mode separation by changing the
structure, our method is more intuitive, convenient, and flexible.
Visible light generation and lasing from a fluoroindate glass fiber
Authors: Lee Jinho , Ososkov Yan , Jackson Stuart D.
Published: June 2024

We report on a Dy3+-doped fluoroindate glass fiber laser operating in the yellow (∼576 nm) wavelength region that is pumped by a blue GaN diode laser (∼450 nm). Using single-clad Dy3+-doped fluoroindate glass fiber with 0.5 mol% concentration and a ∼0.48 m length, a slope efficiency of ∼26.6% and maximum output power of ∼467 mW was produced. This result demonstrates that fluoroindate glass fiber has a sufficiently low background loss at visible wavelengths to support efficient visible light generation. We compared all our measurements with a Dy3+-doped fluorozirconate glass fiber and found that most of the laser performance and spectroscopic parameters are similar to ZBLAN. We therefore conclude that fluoroindate glass fiber can be further developed for visible light emission.
Beyond homogeneity: Assessing the validity of the Michaelis–Menten rate law in spatially heterogeneous environments
Authors: Shin Seolah , Chae Seok Joo , Lee Seunggyu , Kim Jae Kyoung
Published: June 2024

The Michaelis–Menten (MM) rate law has been a fundamental tool in describing enzyme-catalyzed reactions for over a century. When substrates and enzymes are homogeneously distributed, the validity of the MM rate law can be easily assessed based on relative concentrations: the substrate is in large excess over the enzyme-substrate complex. However, the applicability of this conventional criterion remains unclear when species exhibit spatial heterogeneity, a prevailing scenario in biological systems. Here, we explore the MM rate law’s applicability under spatial heterogeneity by using partial differential equations. In this study, molecules diffuse very slowly, allowing them to locally reach quasi-steady states. We find that the conventional criterion for the validity of the MM rate law cannot be readily extended to heterogeneous environments solely through spatial averages of molecular concentrations. That is, even when the conventional criterion for the spatial averages is satisfied, the MM rate law fails to capture the enzyme catalytic rate under spatial heterogeneity. In contrast, a slightly modified form of the MM rate law, based on the total quasi-steady state approximation (tQSSA), is accurate. Specifically, the tQSSA-based modified form, but not the original MM rate law, accurately predicts the drug clearance via cytochrome P450 enzymes and the ultrasensitive phosphorylation in heterogeneous environments. Our findings shed light on how to simplify spatiotemporal models for enzyme-catalyzed reactions in the right context, ensuring accurate conclusions and avoiding misinterpretations in in silico simulations.
Empowering US healthcare delivery organizations: Cultivating a community of practice to harness AI and advance health equity
Authors: Sendak Mark P. , Kim Jee Young , Hasan Alifia , Ratliff Will , Lifson Mark A. , Patel Manesh , Raji Iniouluwa Deborah , Sehgal Ajai , Shaw Keo , Tobey Danny , Valladares Alexandra , Vidal David E. , Balu Suresh
Published: June 2024

Healthcare delivery organizations (HDOs) in the US must contend with the potential for AI to worsen health inequities. But there is no standard set of procedures for HDOs to adopt to navigate these challenges. There is an urgent need for HDOs to present a unified approach to proactively address the potential for AI to worsen health inequities. Amidst this background, Health AI Partnership (HAIP) launched a community of practice to convene stakeholders from across HDOs to tackle challenges related to the use of AI. On February 15, 2023, HAIP hosted an inaugural workshop focused on the question, “Our health care delivery setting is considering adopting a new solution that uses AI. How do we assess the potential future impact on health inequities?” This topic emerged as a common challenge faced by all HDOs participating in HAIP. The workshop had 2 main goals. First, we wanted to ensure participants could talk openly without reservations about challenging topics such as health equity. The second goal was to develop an actionable, generalizable framework that could be immediately put into practice. The workshop engaged 77 participants with 100% representation from all 10 HDOs and invited ecosystem partners. In an accompanying Research Article, we share the Health Equity Across the AI Lifecycle (HEAAL) framework. We invite and encourage HDOs to test the HEAAL framework internally and share feedback so that we can continue to refine and maintain the set of procedures. The HEAAL framework reveals the challenges associated with rigorously assessing the potential for AI to worsen health inequities. Significant investment in personnel, capabilities, and data infrastructure is required, and the level of investment needed could be beyond reach for most HDOs. We look forward to expanding our community of practice to assist HDOs around the world.
Differential effects of follicle-stimulating hormone glycoforms on the transcriptome profile of cultured rat granulosa cells as disclosed by RNA-seq
Authors: Zariñán Teresa , Espinal-Enriquez Jesús , De Anda-Jáuregui Guillermo , Lira-Albarrán Saúl , Hernández-Montes Georgina , Gutiérrez-Sagal Rubén , Rebollar-Vega Rosa G. , Bousfield George R. , Butnev Viktor Y. , Hernández-Lemus Enrique , Ulloa-Aguirre Alfredo
Published: June 2024

It has been documented that variations in glycosylation on glycoprotein hormones, confer distinctly different biological features to the corresponding glycoforms when multiple in vitro biochemical readings are analyzed. We here applied next generation RNA sequencing to explore changes in the transcriptome of rat granulosa cells exposed for 0, 6, and 12 h to 100 ng/ml of four highly purified follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) glycoforms, each exhibiting different glycosylation patterns: a. human pituitary FSH18/21 (hypo-glycosylated); b. human pituitary FSH24 (fully glycosylated); c. Equine FSH (eqFSH) (hypo-glycosylated); and d. Chinese-hamster ovary cell-derived human recombinant FSH (recFSH) (fully-glycosylated). Total RNA from triplicate incubations was prepared from FSH glycoform-exposed cultured granulosa cells obtained from DES-pretreated immature female rats, and RNA libraries were sequenced in a HighSeq 2500 sequencer (2 x 125 bp paired-end format, 10–15 x 106 reads/sample). The computational workflow focused on investigating differences among the four FSH glycoforms at three levels: gene expression, enriched biological processes, and perturbed pathways. Among the top 200 differentially expressed genes, only 4 (0.6%) were shared by all 4 glycoforms at 6 h, whereas 118 genes (40%) were shared at 12 h. Follicle-stimulating hormone glycocoforms stimulated different patterns of exclusive and associated up regulated biological processes in a glycoform and time-dependent fashion with more shared biological processes after 12 h of exposure and fewer treatment-specific ones, except for recFSH, which exhibited stronger responses with more specifically associated processes at this time. Similar results were found for down-regulated processes, with a greater number of processes at 6 h or 12 h, depending on the particular glycoform. In general, there were fewer downregulated than upregulated processes at both 6 h and 12 h, with FSH18/21 exhibiting the largest number of down-regulated associated processes at 6 h while eqFSH exhibited the greatest number at 12 h. Signaling cascades, largely linked to cAMP-PKA, MAPK, and PI3/AKT pathways were detected as differentially activated by the glycoforms, with each glycoform exhibiting its own molecular signature. These data extend previous observations demonstrating glycosylation-dependent distinctly different regulation of gene expression and intracellular signaling pathways triggered by FSH in granulosa cells. The results also suggest the importance of individual FSH glycoform glycosylation for the conformation of the ligand-receptor complex and induced signalling pathways.
Assessing the effects of an 8-week mindfulness training program on neural oscillations and self-reports during meditation practice
Authors: Rodriguez-Larios Julio , Foong Wong Kian , Lim Julian
Published: June 2024

Previous literature suggests that mindfulness meditation can have positive effects on mental health, however, its mechanisms of action are still unclear. In this pre-registered study, we investigate the effects of mindfulness training on lapses of attention (and their associated neural correlates) during meditation practice. For this purpose, we recorded Electroencephalogram (EEG) during meditation practice before and after 8 weeks of mindfulness training (or waitlist) in 41 participants (21 treatment and 20 controls). In order to detect lapses of attention and characterize their EEG correlates, we interrupted participants during meditation to report their level of focus and drowsiness. First, we show that self-reported lapses of attention during meditation practice were associated to an increased occurrence of theta oscillations (3–6 Hz), which were slower in frequency and more spatially widespread than theta oscillations occurring during focused attention states. Then, we show that mindfulness training did not reduce the occurrence of lapses of attention nor their associated EEG correlate (i.e. theta oscillations) during meditation. Instead, we find that mindfulness training was associated with a significant slowing of alpha oscillations in frontal electrodes during meditation. Crucially, frontal alpha slowing during meditation practice has been reported in experienced meditators and is thought to reflect relative decreases in arousal levels. Together, our findings provide insights into the EEG correlates of mindfulness meditation, which could have important implications for the identification of its mechanisms of action and/or the development of neuromodulation protocols aimed at facilitating meditation practice.
A multimodal material route planning problem considering key processes at work zones
Authors: Wang Youmiao , Song Rui , Zhao Ziqi , Zhao Rixin , Zhang Zheming
Published: June 2024

With the continuous development of large-scale engineering projects such as construction projects, relief support, and large-scale relocation in various countries, engineering logistics has attracted much attention. This paper addresses a multimodal material route planning problem (MMRPP), which considers the transportation of engineering material from suppliers to the work zones using multiple transport modes. Due to the overall relevance and technical complexity of engineering logistics, we introduce the key processes at work zones to generate a transport solution, which is more realistic for various real-life applications. We propose a multi-objective multimodal transport route planning model that minimizes the total transport cost and the total transport time. The model by using the ε − constraint method that transforms the objective function of minimizing total transportation cost into a constraint, resulting in obtaining pareto optimal solutions. This method makes up for the lack of existing research on the combination of both engineering logistics and multimodal transportation, after which the feasibility of the model and algorithm is verified by examples. The results show that the model solution with the introduction of the key processes at work zones produces more time-efficient and less time-consuming route planning results, and that the results obtained using the ε − constraint method are more reliable than the traditional methods for solving multi-objective planning problems and are more in line with the decision maker’s needs.
"Long-term effects of center volume on transplant outcomes in adult kidney transplant recipients"
Authors: Azhar Ambreen , Defor Edem , Bandyopadhyay Dipankar , Kamal Layla , Tanriover Bekir , Gupta Gaurav
Published: June 2024

Background

The influence of center volume on kidney transplant outcomes is a topic of ongoing debate. In this study, we employed competing risk analyses to accurately estimate the marginal probability of graft failure in the presence of competing events, such as mortality from other causes with long-term outcomes. The incorporation of immunosuppression protocols and extended follow-up offers additional insights. Our emphasis on long-term follow-up aligns with biological considerations where competing risks play a significant role.

Methods

We examined data from 219,878 adult kidney-only transplantations across 256 U.S. transplant centers (January 2001-December 2015) sourced from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network registry. Centers were classified into quartiles by annual volume: low (Q1 = 28), medium (Q2 = 75), medium-high (Q3 = 121), and high (Q4 = 195). Our study investigated the relationship between center volume and 5-year outcomes, focusing on graft failure and mortality. Sub-population analyses included deceased donors, living donors, diabetic recipients, those with kidney donor profile index >85%, and re-transplants from deceased donors.

Results

Adjusted cause-specific hazard ratios (aCHR) for Five-Year Graft Failure and Patient Death were examined by center volume, with low-volume centers as the reference standard (aCHR: 1.0). In deceased donors, medium-high and high-volume centers showed significantly lower cause-specific hazard ratios for graft failure (medium-high aCHR = 0.892, p<0.001; high aCHR = 0.953, p = 0.149) and patient death (medium-high aCHR = 0.828, p<0.001; high aCHR = 0.898, p = 0.003). Among living donors, no significant differences were found for graft failure, while a trend towards lower cause-specific hazard ratios for patient death was observed in medium-high (aCHR = 0.895, p = 0.107) and high-volume centers (aCHR = 0.88, p = 0.061).

Conclusion

Higher center volume is associated with significantly lower cause-specific hazard ratios for graft failure and patient death in deceased donors, while a trend towards reduced cause-specific hazard ratios for patient death is observed in living donors.
Mitigating polyethylene-mediated periprosthetic tissue inflammation through MEDSAH-grafting
Authors: Park Jung-Wee , Chang Chong Bum , Lee Young-Kyun , Suh Jooyeon , Kim Jungsung , Shin Taejin , Kim YongHwa , Kang Donghyun , Kim Jin-Hong
Published: June 2024

Periprosthetic tissue inflammation is a challenging complication arising in joint replacement surgeries, which is often caused by wear debris from polyethylene (PE) components. In this study, we examined the potential biological effects of grafting a [2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl)ammonium hydroxide (MEDSAH) polymer onto the surface of PE through a solvent-evaporation technique. J774A.1 macrophage-like cells and primary cultured mouse osteoblasts were treated with PE powder with or without the MEDSAH coating. MEDSAH grafting on PE substantially reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and other mediators in primary cultured mouse osteoblasts, but did not significantly impact macrophage-mediated inflammation. Our findings suggest that a MEDSAH coating on PE-based materials has potential utility in mitigating periprosthetic tissue inflammation and osteolysis and preventing aseptic loosening in total joint replacements. Further research, including large-scale clinical trials and biomechanical analyses, is needed to assess the long-term performance and clinical implications of MEDSAH-coated PE-based materials in total joint arthroplasty.
A taxing problem: The impacts of research payment practices on participants and inclusive research
Authors: Wolf Leslie E. , Kench Samantha , Ledford Christy J. W.
Published: June 2024

Empirical data regarding payments to participants in research is limited. This lack of information constrains our understanding of the effectiveness of payments to achieve scientific goals with respect to recruitment, retention, and inclusion. We conducted a content analysis of consent forms and protocols available on clinicaltrials.gov to determine what information researchers provide regarding payment. We extracted data from HIV (n = 101) and NIMH-funded studies (n = 65) listed on clinicaltrials.gov that had publicly posted a consent form. Using a manifest content analysis approach, we then coded the language regarding payment from the consent document and, where available, protocol for purpose and method of the payment. Although not part of our original planned analysis, the tax-related information that emerged from our content analysis of the consent form language provided additional insights into researcher payment practices. Accordingly, we also recorded whether the payment section mentioned social security numbers (or other tax identification number) in connection with payments and whether it made any statements regarding the Internal Revenue Service or the tax status of payments. We found studies commonly offered payment, but did not distinguish between the purposes for which payment may be offered (i.e., compensation, reimbursement, incentive, or appreciation). We also found studies that excluded some participants from receiving payment or treated them differently from other participants in the study. Differential treatment was typically linked to US tax laws and other legal requirements. A number of US studies also discussed the need to collect Social Security numbers and income reporting based on US tax laws. Collectively, these practices disadvantage some participants and may interfere with efforts to conduct more inclusive research.
Efficacy and safety of acupuncture for postpartum hypogalactia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Bao Qiong-Nan , Yin Zi-Han , Zhou Yuan-Fang , Li Ya-Qin , Zhang Xin-Yue , Xia Man-Ze , Chen Zheng-Hong , Zhong Wan-Qi , Yao Jin , Wu Ke-Xin , Zhang Zhen-Yong , Xu Shao-Jun , Liang Fan-Rong
Published: June 2024

Background

Postpartum hypogalactia (PH) is prominent during lactation and may negatively impact the mother’s or infant’s health. Acupuncture is widely used to increase maternal breast milk production. However, the effects of acupuncture on PH remain unclear. Therefore, this review aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in individuals with PH.

Materials and methods

Articles on potentially eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on acupuncture for PH published from database inception to October 2023 were retrieved from the PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, EBSCO, Scopus, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, WanFang, and VIP databases. Two reviewers independently screened the records, extracted essential information, and evaluated the methodological quality of the RCTs using the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias (RoB) tool. The primary outcome was a change in serum prolactin (PRL) levels before and after treatment. Secondary outcomes included milk secretion volume (MSV), total effective rate (TER), mammary fullness degree (MFD), and exclusive breastfeeding rate (EBR). Meta-analyses were performed using RevMan v5.4. Finally, the quality of evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation tool.

Results

This study included 19 RCTs involving 2,400 participants. The included studies were classified as having an unclear to high RoB. Our findings indicated that, overall, acupuncture showed a significant effect in increasing serum PRL levels (standardized mean differences [SMDs] = 1.09, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.50, 1.68), MSV (SMD = 1.69, 95% CI: 0.53, 2.86), TER (relative risk [RR] = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.42), and EBR (RR = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.07, 3.78) compared to that in the control group; however, no difference in MFD (SMD = 1.17, 95% CI: –0.09, 2.42) was observed. In the subgroup analysis, acupuncture combined with Chinese herbs or conventional treatment was significantly more effective in increasing serum PRL levels, MSV, and TER than did Chinese herbs or conventional treatment alone. Moreover, acupuncture alone resulted in significantly higher serum PRL levels compared to Chinese herbs; however, this benefit was not observed for TER and MFD. The quality of evidence was critically low.

Conclusion

Acupuncture may effectively increase milk secretion in women with PH. However, owing to the low quality of evidence, further rigorously designed studies are warranted to confirm our findings.
Towards simulation optimization of subway station considering refined passenger behaviors
Authors: Wang Yingping , Yuan Rui , Tong Xueying , Bai Zongning , Hou Yutong
Published: June 2024

The escalating passenger flow in subway systems presents significant challenges to station facilities during peak hours. Poorly designed station facilities can reduce passenger throughput efficiency and compromise passenger safety. This study conducts on-site investigations to extract refined parameters of passenger behaviors in security check and ticket checking areas. Using Beijing Subway Yizhuang Line Ciqunan Station as a case study, a microscopic simulation model is developed to replicate pedestrian flow within the subway station. By focusing on passenger demand and traffic organization, the layout of station facilities is regulated and optimized. After optimization, the passenger density in the security check and ticket inspection areas during the morning peak period decreased from 1.33 people/m2 to 1.00 people/m2; the longest queue length on the east side decreased from 15 people to 10 people, and the maximum queue length on the west side decreased from 7 people to 3 people. During peak hours, the dispersal time of passenger flow on the west side when entering the station decreased from 31.56 minutes to 30.04 minutes, and on the east side, it decreased from 36.12 minutes to 30.87 minutes. The optimization results effectively improved the efficiency of entering the station during peak hours.
Mental health analysis of international students using machine learning techniques
Authors: Rahman Muhammad Azizur , Kohli Tripti
Published: June 2024

International students’ mental health has become an increasing concern in recent years, as more students leave their country for better education. They experience a wide range of challenges while studying abroad that have an impact on their psychological well-being. These challenges can include language obstacles, cultural differences, homesickness, financial issues and other elements that could severely impact the mental health of international students. Given the limited research on the demographic, cultural, and psychosocial variables that influence international students’ mental health, and the scarcity of studies on the use of machine learning algorithms in this area, this study aimed to analyse data to understand the demographic, cultural factors, and psychosocial factors that impact mental health of international students. Additionally, this paper aimed to build a machine learning-based model for predicting depression among international students in the United Kingdom. This study utilized both primary data gathered through an online survey questionnaire targeted at international students and secondary data was sourced from the ’A Dataset of Students’ Mental Health and Help-Seeking Behaviors in a Multicultural Environment,’ focusing exclusively on international student data within this dataset. We conducted data analysis on the primary data and constructed models using the secondary data for predicting depression among international students. The secondary dataset is divided into training (70%) and testing (30%) sets for analysis, employing four machine learning models: Logistic Regression, Decision Tree, Random Forest, and K Nearest Neighbor. To assess each algorithm’s performance, we considered metrics such as Accuracy, Sensitivity, Specificity, Precision and AU-ROC curve. This study identifies significant demographic variables (e.g., loan status, gender, age, marital status) and psychosocial factors (financial difficulties, academic stress, homesickness, loneliness) contributing to international students’ mental health. Among the machine learning models, the Random Forest model demonstrated the highest accuracy, achieving an 80% accuracy rate in predicting depression.
Drowning prevention challenges and opportunities: An exploratory study of perspectives of delegates from ASEAN nations
Authors: Peden Amy E. , Scarr Justin , Doan Minh Trung , Latif Rizan , Le Thi Anh Dao , Chong Tan Lii , Fong Delphine , Mei Geh Cheow , Suvanprakorn Adisak , Suwanrit Sirirat , Chien Geh Cheow , Navarra Jose Arne A. , Dharma Agus , Tek Geh Thuan , Phoumin Bouathep , Lawton Belinda
Published: June 2024

The South East Asian region has the world’s second highest fatal drowning burden. This study reports analysis of survey data from representatives from nations within the Association of South East Asian Nations regarding current efforts, challenges and future opportunities for drowning prevention. Twenty-two responses were received from respondents from all ASEAN nations excepting Cambodia and Myanmar. Drowning prevention initiatives varied across ASEAN nations, with most efforts focused on public education and raising awareness, including the provision of drowning data to the media. The lack of comprehensive, national level data collection was identified as a challenge, necessitating strengthened data collection capacity. Governmental involvement spanned one to six different ministries, highlighting the multi-sectoral nature of drowning prevention. However, a lead ministry could be identified in only two countries. Despite the challenges identified, there remain many opportunities to strengthen drowning prevention across ASEAN nations, addressing a significant regional public health threat.
Cocaine/crack and cannabis use among transgender women in Goiás, Central Brazil
Authors: Magalhães Larissa Silva , dos Santos Kamila Cardoso , Diniz e Silva Bruno Vinícius , da Silva Filho Gabriel Francisco , da Costa e Silva Grazielle Rosa , Guimarães Rafael Alves , Pillon Sandra Cristina , Caetano Karlla Antonieta Amorim , Martins Regina Maria Bringel , Carneiro Megmar Aparecida dos Santos , Cook Robert L. , Teles Sheila Araujo
Published: June 2024

Introduction

Illicit drug use is a significant public health problem. Studies have shown a high prevalence of cocaine and cannabis use in transgender women (TGW).

Objective

To describe the consumption patterns of cannabis and cocaine/crack use and variables associated with their use in TGW in Central Brazil.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted on TGW in Goiás, Brazil. Participants were recruited using a respondent-driven sampling method and were interviewed face-to-face about cannabis and crack-cocaine and the variables associated with them. The Alcohol Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test was used to assess substance use. Unweighted logistic regression was used to identify variables associated with cannabis and crack cocaine use. P-values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

A total of 440 transgender women participated in the study. Their median age was 25 years (interquartile range: 20.5–29.5 years). Most participants were single (85.5%) and had engaged in sex work in their lifetime (58.6%). Cannabis was reported by 68.9% and 53.4% of participants in their lifetime and in the past three months, respectively, and cocaine/crack use was reported by 59.8% and 44.1% of participants in their lifetime and the past three months, respectively. Of the participants, 10.2% reported high-risk cannabis use, and 9.1% reported high-risk cocaine/crack use. Furthermore, 35% of participants reported using both drugs. Previous physical violence (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR): 2.37), inconsistent condom uses during anal sex (AOR: 2.17), and moderate-/high-risk cocaine/crack use (AOR: 3.14) were associated with high-risk cannabis use. Previous sexual violence (AOR: 2.84), previous STI (AOR: 2.90), moderate-/high-risk cannabis (AOR: 3.82), and binge drinking (AOR; 3.28) were associated with high-risk cocaine/crack use.

Conclusion

Our study found a high frequency, significant overlap in the use of cannabis and cocaine/crack use and violence associated with these drugs consumption among TGW, highlighting the urgent need for health policies for drug disorders among this socially marginalized group.
Does air pollution fuel irrational behaviors in stock investments?
Authors: Zheng Binbo , Lu Xinbo , Kung Chih-Chun , Zeng Lulu , Yu Ping
Published: June 2024

This paper investigates the influence of air pollution on irrational behaviors in stock trading through behavioral experiments in laboratory, simulating air pollution by burning straw and mosquito coils. The results of this study show that air pollution significantly improves disposition effect and repurchase effect in an asymmetric way, which are thought as irrational behaviors in stock investments, making subjects prefer selling winning stocks (part of disposition effect) and repurchasing stocks that have fallen in price since the sale (part of repurchase effect). Furthermore, regret, a negative emotion, is the psychological mechanism by which air pollution influences the irrational behaviors.
A numerical approach applied to three-dimensional wave scattering problems subjected to obliquely propagating incident waves
Authors: Lv Hao
Published: June 2024

Accurately modeling artificial boundary conditions and wave inputs is paramount for numerical simulations of wave scattering in semi-infinite domains within seismic engineering. Traditionally, analysts focused on one- or two-dimensional free-field problems to determine wave inputs, primarily for vertically incident plane waves or obliquely incident waves parallel to two axes. However, these methods were inadequate for handling arbitrary incident directions in three-dimensional scenarios. This paper proposes a method for modeling seismic wave incidents in arbitrary directions. The basic theory of viscoelastic boundaries is leveraged, and a plane containing an arbitrary incident direction and the vertical coordinate axis is selected to establish a two-dimensional plane coordinate system. The two-dimensional free-field problem in this coordinate system is derived using the transfer matrix method. Subsequently, displacement, velocity, and stress are converted into the coordinate system where the three-dimensional calculation model is located, providing input for the three-dimensional scattering problem. Furthermore, the implementation of transmitting boundary conditions and viscoelastic boundary wave inputs is presented to enable incident wave scattering problems at any angle of the plane. The effect of oblique-incidence soil-structure dynamic interaction is also discussed, focusing on the parallel technology method adopted in this paper. With the relatively mature technology route and method, together with nuclear power systems and large-span deep-water bridge models, through examples of comparative analysis, qualitative and quantitative analyses are made on the impact on the soil mass, foundation, and structure when the seismic wave is an oblique incident.
Exploring the pharmacist’s role in supporting newcomer international students and their families with the transition to the Canadian healthcare system including medication use: Protocol for a qualitative study
Authors: Aboelzahab Yasmin H. , Pinto Andrew D. , McCarthy Lisa , Dolovich Lisa
Published: June 2024

Canada welcomes a large number of newcomers every year including international students and their families. The over 800,000 international students who arrived in Canada in 2022, are twice as likely to face difficulties in accessing healthcare services compared to those who were born in Canada. Lack of access to healthcare services may jeopardize their full participation in Canadian society. Pharmacists are highly accessible healthcare providers due to their regular contact with the public, extended working hours, and wide distribution of pharmacies. Given the expanding role of pharmacists in Canada, pharmacists can be a great resource for international newcomers to address their healthcare needs when transitioning to the Canadian healthcare system and exploring available services. In this study, we will explore how international students and their families, who make up a significant segment of newcomers to Canada each year, transition to Canada’s healthcare system and identify their main challenges related to developing coping skills for managing diseases and navigating the complexities of prescription and nonprescription medication use. To do so, we will conduct virtual interviews with newcomer international students who have lived experience with transitioning to the Canadian healthcare system. This study will help understand the international student experience and identify how pharmacists can deliver a tailored package of pharmaceutical services to this population to best address their healthcare needs when transitioning to the Canadian healthcare system with the goal of reducing healthcare gaps and inequities. By exploring the healthcare challenges faced by these students, our findings will help pinpoint precise areas where pharmacists can practice to their full scope including medication management, patient education, and transitional care. Consequently, the study will offer detailed recommendations on how pharmacists can better support this population and thereby help alleviate the overall strain on the primary healthcare system.