bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mongolian Vector of Russia’s Foreign Economic Policy
Authors: Makarov A. , Makarova E. , Mikheeva A.
Published: August 2024

November 26, 2024 marks the 100th anniversary of the proclamation of the Mongolian People’s Republic, the establishment of which as a sovereign state was made possible thanks to the full support of the USSR. The second socialist state in the world existed for less than 70 years. However, in terms of its significance in national development, this short period represents a separate era in the Mongolian history. The paper reveals the results of Soviet-Mongolian economic cooperation. It is shown that the Mongolia development as an independent state in the 20th century became possible thanks to the Soviet Union’s extensive economic assistance. Joint companies were the main instrument of Soviet assistance. Through their establishment, all key sectors of the Mongolian economy were created. At the same time, another result of this assistance was the gigantic credit debt of Mongolia to the USSR. Due to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Mongolia had to reorient itself to attracting economic assistance from Western countries. Thanks to their help, Mongolia was able to carry out political and economic reforms. Therefore, Western countries began to be considered as priority partners for Mongolia. At the present stage, they act as key investors in the mining sector of the Mongolian economy. The features of the settlement of Mongolia’s “great debt” to Russia as the legal successor of the USSR are revealed. The analysis of modern Russian-Mongolian economic relations showed that it is based on the import of Russian energy resources to Mongolia. At the same time, a number of joint infrastructure development initiatives are being developed that could bring multilateral economic cooperation in the regional triangle “Russia-Mongolia-China” to a new level. The modernization of the Trans-Mongolian railway and the construction of infrastructure for the transit of gas and electricity from Russia to China are considered as priority projects of Russian-Mongolian economic cooperation. Another important direction in the development of Russian-Mongolian economic cooperation could be the conclusion of a free trade agreement between Mongolia and the Eurasian Economic Union. This agreement will allow Mongolia to increase the profitability of exports of light industrial goods to Russia.
“Think Tank of the 21st Century” (Part Two)
Authors: Cherkasov P.
Published: August 2024

As a head of IMEMO, the Academician Alexandr Dynkin focused on forecasting the main directions of world development – in the economy, ideological, social and political spheres, as well as in the field of international security. The Institute prepared both annual and long-term (15–20 years) forecasts, which have been published since 2008 under the general title “Russia and the World”. This large prognostic project was headed by Alexandr Dynkin and Vladimir Baranovskii. The IMEMO analysts concentrated on issues of key importance for ensuring Russia’s stable economic development. The annual forecasts identified and traced main trends in the economies of the U.S., Europe, Japan, China, India, Russia and the world as a whole. The conjuncture of the most important markets for Russian exports was predicted. These annual publications presented an analysis and prognosis of developments of in international relations, investigated the main external challenges for Russia, and proposed options for response. In the forecast up to 2030, prepared in 2008, the researchers analyzed the development dynamics of key subjects, structures and institutions of international relations, the most likely models of their interaction, the emerging principles and mechanisms of global governance. In parallel with the forecasts, the Institute regularly prepared analytical materials and recommendations for the central government bodies of the Russian Federation. The most important results of the Institute’s work were included in the annual reports of the Russian Academy of Sciences submitted to the President and the Government of Russia. In general, the first “five-year period” of Alexandr Dynkin’s directorship (2007–2011) was marked by a number of important scientific achievements of IMEMO. By the beginning of the 2010s, the Institute had not only restored, but also significantly strengthened its position as the leading think tank in Russia in the study of the modern world development problems. In October 2011, the IMEMO research team re-elected the Academician Alexandr Dynkin as a Director of the Institute for a second five-year term.
China’s Economic Strategy in Latin American and Caribbean Countries
Authors: Boreyko A.
Published: August 2024

The article analyzes the patterns of formation and development of China’s economic strategy in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) from 2008 to 2023. The object of study is the economic strategy of the PRC, and the subject is the Latin American direction of the strategy. The hypothesis is that China’s economic ties with countries are a specific variation of “center-periphery” relations. These ties arose as a result of the development of a new economic model of China from the late 1990s to the mid‑2000s. This model is characterized by a focus on domestic demand and capital export while maintaining a high level of state participation. The global financial and economic crisis of 2008 created more favorable conditions for the penetration of Chinese companies into Latin America. LAC countries had to compensate for losses from the decline in demand from traditional partners. China, in turn, needed labor and resource sources. These relationships intensified after a sharp drop in commodity prices in 2014. Moreover, in this case, the advantages of the Chinese economic model over the traditional partners of the region allowed to strengthen the presence even more, offering better conditions in the field of trade, investment, and finance. The analysis of trade, investment, infrastructure projects, and finance showed that China is forming its version of “center-periphery” relations with LAC countries based on the dominance of state-owned companies. Unlike the traditional model, which is based on the need for investment return and a high level of profitability, China is building its production infrastructure, increasing the level of economic development of LAC countries. At the same time, in recent years, negative trends can be traced in a number of directions of China’s foreign economic activity in the region, which can become a challenge for the set goal – to achieve the status of one of the leaders.
Sportswork – Towards a Notion of Good Work for Athletes
Authors: Oakley Kate
Published: August 2024

This paper explores the idea of professional sport as a form of labour. While research on everything from performance statistics to sports rights and technology had proliferated, what players think about sport as work deserves greater attention. The inequalities and exclusion of sports are evident and we need to understand the drivers of this, but we also need to understand why working in these industries matters to people, how they experience it and what values it has for them. In order to do this, I want to draw on critical cultural labour studies, and the paper argues that applying this lens to work in sport could help develop a notion of what constitutes ‘good work’ for athletes. The aim of the paper is to both to consider the landscape of sports labour research and to propose a future research agenda.
Coinfections increase the risk of HIV acquisition, AIDS progression, and therapy and prophylaxis failure: a review
Authors: Root-Bernstein Robert
Published: August 2024

Few people exposed to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) become infected. Among those infected, the rate of progression to full-blown acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and susceptibility to various opportunistic infections varies widely as does their response to antiretroviral therapies (ARTs). This review addresses these conundrums in light of Pasteur’s principle that “the terrain is as important as the germ”. Recent studies have demonstrated that the risk of acquiring an HIV infection, the rate at which AIDS progresses, and the degree to which individual patients respond to retroviral therapies are largely determined by the degrees of immunosuppression and inflammation preexisting at the time of HIV exposure. The primary drivers of preexisting immunosuppression and inflammation are non-HIV infections and possibly alloantigen and drug exposures. The immunologic insults stimulate increased C–C chemokine receptor type 5 co-expression with a cluster of differentiation 4 on monocytes and T cells, which is required for HIV infection and replication. Repeated predispository infections also degrade immune competence independent of HIV and undermine ART and pre-exposure prophylaxis effectiveness. Thus, non-HIV infections are as important to understanding susceptibility to HIV infection, its progression, and the effectiveness of treatments and prevention. Addressing these non-HIV predispository infections may provide novel preventative, diagnostic, and therapeutic opportunities.
Heterogeneity of capital structure adjustment speed across Industry sector: Evidence from non-financial firms in Malaysia.
Authors: Chua Mei-Shan , Wahab Noor Maimun Abdul , Roslen Siti Nurhidayah Mohd , Chuah Soo-Cheng , Nizar Nurhuda , Chin Hon-Choong
Published: August 2024

This study investigates the speed of adjustment (SOA) to target leverage for different industry sectors in Malaysia. Using the two-step system generalized method of moments for 415 non-financial firms from 2010 to 2021, we found that the SOA for the overall sample is 38.6% and 22.0% for total debt and long-term debt, respectively. Our paper reveals the heterogeneity of SOA based on industry sectors. The industrial sector has the slowest adjustment speed (14.1%), whereas the healthcare industry has the quickest adjustment speed (80.4%) to target leverage. Our results are consistent with the dynamic capital structure theory regarding the deviation between target and actual leverage. Furthermore, our study demonstrates the significance of an industry-based perspective when researching SOA, which suggests that the capital structure strategy depends on the industry's business climate.
Determinants of Wealth Related Inequalities in Full Childhood Vaccination in Nepal: A Decomposition Analysis Using Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2022
Authors: Singh Barun Kumar , Khatri Resham B
Published: August 2024

Background Over the past two decades, child health indicators in Nepal have improved significantly at the national level. Yet, this progress hasn't been uniform across various population subsets. This study identified the determinants associated with childhood full vaccination, assessed wealth-related inequalities, and delved into the key factors driving this inequality.Methods Data for this study were taken from the most recent nationally representative Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2022. A total of 959 children aged 12–23 months who had received routine childhood vaccinations as per the national immunisation program were considered for analysis. Binary logistic regression models were conducted to identify the associated factors with outcome variable (uptake of full vaccination). The concentration curve and Erreygers normalized concentration index were used to assess inequality in full vaccination. Household wealth quintile index scores were used to measure wealth-related inequality in households. Decomposition analysis was conducted to identify determinants explaining socio-economic inequality in the uptake of childhood vaccination.Results The coverage of full vaccination among children was 79.8% at national level. Several factors, including maternal health service utilisation variables (e.g., antenatal care, institutional delivery), financial challenges related to visiting health facilities, and mothers' awareness of health mother group meetings within their ward, were associated with the uptake of full vaccination coverage among children. The concentration curve was below the line of equality, and the relative Erreygers normalized concentration index was 0.090, indicating that full vaccination was disproportionately higher among children from wealthy groups. The decomposition analysis identified institutional delivery (20.21%), the money needed to visit health facilities (14.25%), maternal education (16.79%), maternal age (8.53%), and caste (3.03%) were important contributors to wealth related inequalities in childhood full vaccination uptake.Conclusions There was notable socioeconomic inequality in full vaccine uptake among children in Nepal. Multisectoral actions involving responsible stakeholders are pivotal in reducing the inequalities, including promoting access to maternal health services and improving educational attainment among mothers from socioeconomically disadvantaged communities.
Pediatric Endogenous Endophthalmitis: Clinical features and treatment outcomes
Authors: Padhy Srikanta Kumar , Nanda Ridham , Das Taraprasad , Padhy Tapas , Panda Krushna Gopal
Published: August 2024

Objectives: Analyse the demographic, clinical-microbiological profile, and treatment outcome of pediatric patients with endogenous endophthalmitis.
Methodology: We conducted a retrospective analysis of electronic medical records covering eight years from 2013 to 2020 at a tertiary eye care centre in India, focusing on patients of age <18 years diagnosed with endogenous endophthalmitis. Data extraction included demographic variables, clinical presentations, microbiological analyses, therapeutic interventions, and visual outcomes.
Results: The analysis included 48 patients with an average age of 5.4 ± 4.98 years and an equal gender ratio. In this period, 5% of all endophthalmitis (48 of 961) and 20.8% of pediatric endophthalmitis (48 of 231) were treated. Common symptoms included redness (62.5%), reduced vision (20.8%), leucocoria (27.08%), pain (22.91%), and watering/discharge (29.16%). Clinical signs included vitritis (89.58%) and anterior chamber exudates/hypopyon (47.91%). Vitreous culture positivity was 54.05%; common isolates were gram-negative bacilli (35%), gram-positive cocci (25%), gram-positive bacilli and fungus (20% each). Systemic infection was present in 72.9% of patients; respiratory tract infection was most common (54.2%). All eyes received intravitreal antibiotic injections, and 28 (75.7%) received vitrectomy. Children under 5 with systemic illness had a worse visual prognosis. Unfavourable outcomes were associated with gram-positive bacilli and fungal infection. Approximately 45% of eyes worsened to phthisis.
Conclusions: Any redness in a child with systemic infection warrants prompt ophthalmic evaluation. Children under 5 with systemic illness are associated with a worse visual prognosis. Unfavourable outcomes are linked to gram-positive bacilli and fungal infection.
Effectiveness of family-based intervention programs on objectively measured physical activity in children under 13: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Wang Qian , Lam Lawrence T. , Lin Heng , Yang Wenxian , Ying Fuxian , Li Yongwei
Published: August 2024

Introduction:
To use a quantitative approach to investigate the effectiveness the randomized controlled trials of family-based intervention programs on objectively measured moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary behavior (SB) in children under 13.
Methods
PubMed, Medline, Web of Science and Embase were searched from January 2013 to February 2024. Intervention studies that investigated the effectiveness of family-based interventions on objectively measured MVPA among children under 13 and the randomized controlled trials were included in this meta-analysis. Lastly, subgroup analyses were conducted to explore the potential modifying effects of family-based intervention’s characteristics and study quality.
Results
Ten articles met the inclusion criteria for this review. Studies investigated a range of outcomes, including moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity, sedentary behavior and fundamental motor skills. Meta-analysis showed that family intervention had a significant effect on MVPA (WMD = 5.13, 95%CI = 1.09, 9.17, p = 0.01, I2 = 61%; p = 0.006), especially for the fundamental motor skills (WMD = 5.77, 95%CI = 3.87, 7.67, p < 0.00001), but not for SB (WMD=-.1.34, 95%CI=-6.85, 4.18, p = 0.63). Subgroup analyses indicated there was a significant effect in the short-term intervention (WMD = 9.08, 95%CI = 2.54, 15.62, p = 0.007) with heterogeneity results (I2 = 37%; p = 0.19) and in the weekend (SMD = 0.63, 95%CI = 0.33, 0.93, p < 0.0001), with heterogeneity results (I2 = 35%, p = 0.21).
Conclusions
Family-based intervention could be a promising way to promote children’s MVPA, especially for fundamental motor skills. Future researches could be pay more attention to tailored interventions which refer to the funny activities, focus on the fragmented time on weekdays, relate to stay close to nature.
Trial Registration:
Meta-analysis PROSPERO: CRD42023488011
Pulse Rate Variability as a Predictor for Length of Stay for Patients with Bronchiolitis in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Kwon Soon Bin , Weinerman Bennett , Nametz Daniel , Alalqum Tammam , Lee Isaac S. , Megjhani Murad , McLaren Son H. , Ranard Benjamin , Ku Yunseo , Geneslaw Andrew , Park Soojin
Published: August 2024

Patients admitted to pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) due to bronchiolitis have unpredictable length of stay (LOS). The aim of this study is to observe the difference in the relationship between pulse rate variability (PRV) and heart rate variability (HRV) for patients with bronchiolitis admitted to the PICU and its association with LOS. The first 12 hours of physiologic data after PICU admission were used for analysis. Electrocardiogram (ECG) and photoplethysmography (PPG) were divided into non-overlapping 5-minute segments, and R-peak and PPG-peak were obtained to calculate PRV and HRV. Correlation was calculated between HRV and PRV for each PICU LOS group and was tested with Fisher Z-transformation. The student’s t-test, chi-square test was performed on other independent variables, including age, gender, prematurity and ventilation type. A total of 119 patients were included in this study. For both LOS groups, PRV and HRV parameters were significantly different. However, the correlations between PRV and HRV parameters were significantly higher in the short-stay group compared to the long-stay group. This study demonstrates that the correlation between the PRV and HRV is lower in patients with longer length of stay, suggesting this can be a potential metric for LOS in PICU.
A latent profile analysis of health-related quality of life in patients with aplastic anemia
Authors: Wu Guibin , Li Xiao , Ren Xiang , Huang Jinbo , Zhang Xiaoxiao , Liang Taimei , Sun Lina , Hao Mengmeng , Kuang Zhexiang , Li Xinli , Zhang Qianqian , Xu Li , Zheng Yizhou , Xie Wenjun
Published: August 2024

Background
Concerns over health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with aplastic anemia (AA) have been increasing worldwide. However, most researches on HRQOL in AA patients have ignored individual-level variability. Thus, our study was designed to explore practical classification of HRQOL and related variables among AA patients.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted from May 2022 to March 2023, utilizing convenience sampling to enroll AA patients. Data of HRQOL, sociodemographic characteristics, and clinical variables were collected. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to analyze the latent categories of HRQOL in AA patients, utilizing scores from eight subscales of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey version 2.0.
Results
A total of 229 patients completed the survey and were included in the analysis. The LPA results showed significantly individual differences and identified three subgroups of HRQOL: Group 1, poor HRQOL with role emotional limitation (n = 54, 23.58%); Group 2, moderate HRQOL with role physical limitation (n = 56, 24.45%), and Group 3, good HRQOL (n = 119, 51.97%), respectively among AA patients. Childless, no comorbidities, transfusion independence, no AA-related symptoms, and higher annual household income were associated with Group 3, whereas higher Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status scores were associated with Group 1.
Conclusions
The findings of our study revealed significant heterogeneity in HRQOL among AA patients, providing valuable information for tailoring interventions to meet individual needs, especially for those in the poor HRQOL with role emotional limitation group.
Survey analysis of a huge number of pesticides in the sold medicinal plants under uncontrolled practices using both LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS
Authors: Ismail Marwa M. , Refaat Mohamed , Amer Mohamed , Elhamalawy Osama H. , Allah Hend M. Abd , Taha Sherif M.
Published: August 2024

In developing countries, herbal plants are not only sold under controlled conditions (in markets and pharmacies), but also sold in traditional markets without proper control conditions. For this reason, a total of 120 samples of five different medicinal plants were collected from local markets in three different Egyptian governorates (40 samples for each governorate), and the presence of a wide range of pesticides residues was tested. The collected samples were extracted and cleaned up by an accredited analytical method, based on the known QuEChERS extraction approach and using GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS. Results revealed that 63 pesticide residues were found in samples collected from three different governorates. Notably, more than fifteen pesticides were detected in eight samples. Furthermore, chlorpyrifos was the most frequently detected pesticide. Additionally, thiophanate-methyl had the highest concentration with a concentration of 5.65 mg kg-1, followed by malathion with a concentration of 2.55 mg kg-1, both of which were detected in Cairo Governorate. In conclusion, these results not only indicate the presence of uncontrolled pesticide practices in herbal agriculture production but also suggest the existence of an uncontrolled import of highly contaminated herbs. Furthermore, a probability of pesticide treatments during their storage stage may be occurred in the uncontrolled local traditional market.
The effects of physical exercise, parent-child interaction and peer relationship on adolescent depression: an empirical nalysis based on CEPS data
Authors: Lang Li , Kexin Ren , Bingbing Fan
Published: August 2024

Currently, depression is the predominant mental illness impacting adolescents, causing severe damage to their overall health. Engaging in physical exercise can not only aid in restoring adolescent physical well-being but also function as a strategy to prevent depression and lower suicide rates. Drawing upon data from the China Education Panel Survey (CEPS) conducted between 2014 and 2015, this study delves into the effects of physical exercise on alleviating depressive symptoms among adolescent students and explores the underlying mechanisms through the lens of parent-child interactions and peer relationships. The mediation effect tests indicate that physical exercise can mitigate adolescent depression by reinforcing parent-child bonds and improving peer connections. Parents and educational institutions should judiciously plan the time for adolescents to engage in both academic pursuits and physical activities, and they should encourage greater participation in sports among adolescents through various means, thereby maximizing the beneficial role of physical exercise in ameliorating adolescent depression.
Risk assessment of landslides induced by the Ms6.2 earthquake in Jishishan of Gansu province, China
Authors: HAO WANG , Quanfu Niu , Xi'an Cheng , Gang Wang
Published: August 2024

2023-12-18T23:59, an earthquake measuring Ms6.2 occurred in Jishishan County, China, causing serious casualties and directly leading to the occurrence of a large number of landslides. After the earthquake, multiple aftershocks increased the risk of collapse and landslides. Based on high-resolution satellite images before and after the earthquake, a Maximum Entropy model was constructed using visually interpreted landslide points and impact factors characteristics to evaluate the risk of landslide disasters after the earthquake. The conclusions of the study are as follows: 1) The main distribution of earthquake-induced landslide disasters is in the elevation zone of 1800-2300m, on sunny slopes with a slope gradient of 20–25°, which are mostly developed in the area 1.5 km away from the roads, 1.7 km away from the fault zones, and 5 km away from the earthquake center. The majority of the landslide occurred in cropland and loam areas with higher population density in the earthquake region. 2) Based on the contribution rate and replacement importance of the impact factors, test gain value, AUC value, and regularized training gain value, the main impact factors for landslide risk induced by the earthquake were comprehensively determined as follows: Distance from the fault zone, Elevation, and Population density. 3) Based on the constructed Maximum Entropy model, it is found that there is a good consistency between the extremely high and high risk areas of landslide disasters in the earthquake zone and the seismic intensity. Among them, the extremely high and high risk areas are mainly distributed in the intensity zone VIII, with an area of 5.368km2, accounting for 77.82% of the total area of the extremely high and high-risk zones. The low and very low risk areas are mainly distributed in the intensity zones VI and VII, accounting for 92.80% of the total area of the study region. This paper constructs a Maximum Entropy model based on the analysis of the importance of impact factors to evaluate the risk of landslide disasters in the earthquake zone. The research results provide references for post-disaster reconstruction in the earthquake zone.
Modeling NPP and NDVI time series in different bioclimatic regions of Iran
Authors: Sayedzadeh Fahimeh , Soltani Saied , modarres reza
Published: August 2024

Vegetation is one of the important components of ecosystems that usually changes seasonally. An accurate parameterization of vegetation cover dynamics by developing time series models can strengthen our understanding of vegetation change. This research is aims to investigate and model the temporal changes of Net Primary Production (NPP) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) across bioclimatic regions of Iran, including the Khazari, Baluchi, semi-desert, steppe, semi-steppe and Arid forests. We used Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor products for NPP and NDVI time series (MOD17A2 and MOD13Q1, respectively). The SARIMA (Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average) time series model is developed for NPP and NDVI time series. The investigation of Auto Correlation Functions (ACF) showed a strong seasonality in NPP and NDVI at the 12-month lag time. Comparing the lag times from 1 to 24 month for different regions shows that the NPP variable has a stronger seasonality. The evaluation of error criteria showed NPP time series models based on RMSE, R2, MRE, and CE criteria was better, while based on the ME criteria, the models performs better for NDVI time series (For example, in Khazari region for NPP and NDVI time series respectively, ME = 3.67, 0.05, RMSE = 0.12, 0.18, R2 = 0.87, 0.63, MRE = 0.02, 0.12, and CE = 0.84, 0.12). The selected models provided a short-term forecasting of the NPP and NDVI index for study regions at 24-month time, that useful for the planning and management to reduce vegetation degradation and preserve ecosystem and biodiversity.
Experiences and Challenges Faced by Nurses in Traumatic Wound Care in the Emergency Department: A Systematic and Comprehensive Review
Authors: ÖZTAŞ ismail , yava ayla , öztaş sevgi
Published: August 2024

Aim: In this article, we aimed to contribute to the scientific community by highlighting the challenges and experiences of nurses in wound care in emergency department
Background: Although there are many studies related to wound care, a literature review reveals that there is no research similar to our article. Therefore, our study is anticipated to serve as a source for future research
Introduction: This study is a systematic review that compiles recent evidence regarding nurses' experiences and various situations encountered in traumatic wound care in emergency departments.
Methods: Data collection was conducted by searching the databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Cochrane, TurkMedline, and Ulakbim) using the keywords "Traumatic wound care in the emergency department, nurse experience in wound care in the emergency department, challenges experienced in wound care management in the emergency department." The final search was conducted on February 9, 2024
Results: This review included 10 studies. Various recommendations and strategies for traumatic wound care and its aftermath have been outlined. The results of the included studies emphasize the challenging and stressful nature of traumatic wound care, highlighting the need for staff support, specialized preparation for traumatic wound care, necessary equipment, and training to overcome these challenges. Overall, the findings suggest that comprehensive strategies should be developed for both pre- and post-traumatic wound care based on the information provided by these studies.
Discussion: While there are numerous studies on wound care in emergency departments, there is a scarcity of guidance on effective strategies specifically tailored to traumatic wound care. Evidence suggests that addressing and prioritizing multifaceted approaches are crucial for both nurses and patients in traumatic wound care. Further research is needed to provide robust evidence for effective interventions aimed at reducing nurses' distress during and after traumatic wound care.
Conclusion and Implications for Nursing and Health Policy: Traumatic wound care is a critical issue in emergency departments where nurses face significant challenges. Through this systematic review, the results of many studies have been synthesized to identify necessary actions and provide recommendations
RETRACTED: The Future of Biofuel Sustainability: Lipid Production in Microbial Strains Explored by GC-MS Technique
Authors: Chaudhary Ayushi , Tripathi Kanchan Lata , Kumar Devendra , Badoni Himani , pokhriyal Ruby , Verma Nitika
Published: August 2024

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Anticoagulation management for veno-venous ECMO in COVID-19 patients: argatroban as rescue therapy in heparin-associated thrombocytopenia
Authors: Schiavoni Lorenzo , Mattei Alessia , Cuccarelli Martina , Strumia Alessandro , Nenna Antonio , Aceto Jessica , Pascarella Giuseppe , Costa Fabio , Cataldo Rita , Agrò Felice Eugenio , Carassiti Massimiliano
Published: August 2024

Background Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) has been widely used in the treatment of COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome. The use of anticoagulation during ECMO support remains a topic of debate. The primary aim of this study is to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of using argatroban as an anticoagulant instead of heparin in patients with heparin-associated thrombocytopenia.Methods Forty patients were enrolled and initially treated with unfractionated heparin for anticoagulation during ECMO composing the UFH group. Twenty-one of these patients experienced a drop in platelet count to below 100,000 cells/mm3, tested negative for IgG anti PF4/Heparin, and anticoagulation was switched to argatroban composing the ARG group. Hemorrhagic events were recorded along with blood chemistry parameters.Results Bleedings were significantly more frequent in UFH group than in ARG group (58/401 days vs 21/648 days). No significant differences were observed in hemorrhagic episodes for each bleeding site, except for tracheal stoma. No differences in activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) values were found between the two groups. Linear regression analysis revealed that the platelet count on day 5 was correlated with the initial platelet count but not with the type of anticoagulant used. Linear regression analysis in both groups showed a correlation between the duration of ECMO support and intensive care unit stay for median aPTT and median platelet count. Furthermore, no major systemic thrombotic events or circuit clotting were observed in this patient cohort.Conclusions Argatroban seems to be safe in patients with persistent heparin-associated thrombocytopenia undergoing ECMO.
Patients with hemophilia or LQTS: strong improvement needed for both accurate registration of contraindications and in patient understanding of the risks of over-the-counter drugs
Authors: Middeldorp Anniek , Meer Douwe van der , Smit Jaap Jan , de Waal Tim , Egmond Pleun van , Wieringa André
Published: August 2024

Purpose Certain medications are contraindicated in patients with hemophilia or Long QT Syndrome (LQTS). Accurate registration of contraindications in electronic health record (EHR) systems is essential to minimize the risks when prescribing medication by healthcare professionals. Also, the use of certain over-the-counter (OTC) medications is contraindicated in these patients. Hence, patients must be cognizant of the potential risks associated when using these medications. We aimed to quantify the accurate registration of hemophilia and LQTS within primary and secondary care and to assess the degree to which patients take into account their medical condition when visiting healthcare professionals and using over-the-counter medication.
Methods Patients with hemophilia or LQTS being under treatment in Isala Hospital were included. Community pharmacists and General Practitioners (GPs) were surveyed regarding the accurate documentation of these conditions. An analysis was conducted on the prescribed medications for these patients over the past year, to determine if any were contraindicated. Additionally, patients were surveyed to assess their awareness of the medication safety risks of their medical condition.
Results Of the included 32 patients with hemophilia and 21 patients with LQTS the contraindications were accurately registered by pharmacists, GPs and hospital in 86.4, 70.8 and 0% (hemophilia), and 80.0, 82.4 and 28.6% (LQTS), respectively. The majority of patients reported their disease when visiting healthcare professionals. However, of the patients with hemophilia and LQTS 20% and 40%, respectively, were unaware of the potential risks associated with OTC medication.
Conclusion This study indicates that strong improvement can be achieved in accurate registration of the contraindications LQTS and hemophilia in both primary and secondary care. Enhanced registration will improve medication safety in patients when prescribed by healthcare professionals. Additionally, there is a need for increased patient education concerning medication usage, as they tend to underestimate the risks associated with (OTC) medications.
Distinguishing Lymphoma from Benign Lymph Node Diseases in Fever of Unknown Origin using PET/CT Radiomics
Authors: Zhang Xinchao , Jing Fenglian , Hu Yujing , Tian Congna , Zhang Jianyang , Li Shuheng , Wei Qiang , Li Kang , Zheng Lu , Liu Jiale , Zhang Jingjie , Bian Yanzhu
Published: August 2024

Background A considerable portion of patients with fever of unknown origin (FUO) present concomitant lymphadenopathy. Diseases within the spectrum of FUO accompanied by lymphadenopathy include lymphoma, infections, and rheumatic diseases. Particularly, lymphoma has emerged as the most prevalent etiology of FUO with associated lymphadenopathy. However, conventional imaging techniques, including PET/CT, often struggle to accurately distinguish between malignant and benign lymph node lesions. This study utilizes PET/CT radiomics to differentiate between malignant and benign lymph node lesions in patients with FUO, aiming to improve the accuracy of diagnosing lymphoma and benign lymph node diseases.
Results Data were collected from 204 patients who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT examinations for FUO, including 114 lymphoma patients and 90 patients with benign lymph node lesions. Patients were randomly divided into training and testing groups at a ratio of 7:3. A total of 15 effective features were obtained by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) algorithm. Machine learning models were constructed using logistic regression (LR), support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), and k-nearest neighbors (KNN) algorithms. In the training group, the AUC values for predicting benign and malignant cases by LR, SVM, RF, and KNN models were 0.936, 0.930, 0.998, and 0.938, respectively. There were statistically significant differences in AUC between the RF and other models (all P < 0.001). In the testing group, the AUC values for the four models were 0.860, 0.866, 0.915, and 0.891, respectively, with no statistically significant differences found between the four models (all P > 0.05). The DCA curves of the RF model outperformed those of the other three models in both the training and testing groups.
Conclusions PET/CT radiomics demonstrates promising performance in discriminating lymphoma from benign lymph node lesions in patients with FUO, with the RF model showing the best performance in distinguishing between lymphoma and benign lymph node diseases.
Blockchain Consensus Algorithm for Supply Chain Information Security Sharing Based on Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Cai Lu , Liu Aijun , Yan Yongcai
Published: August 2024

To solve the problems of data silos and information asymmetry in traditional supply chain information security sharing, this article combines Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) and blockchain consensus algorithms, analyzes data and uses blockchain for secure sharing, so that all parties can obtain and verify data in real time, improve the overall operational efficiency of the supply chain, and promote information transparency and sharing efficiency. CNN can be used to analyze data in the supply chain. Training on real digital images ensures data privacy and improves the accuracy and efficiency of data processing. Blockchain technology can be introduced into supply chain information sharing to ensure the immutability and transparency of data. This article introduces a federated learning (FL) mechanism to improve consensus algorithms, which improves the efficiency of model training. Among them, each link in the FL process is rigorously verified and recorded through the consensus mechanism of blockchain, ensuring the security and reliability of the entire process. This article adopts an improved consensus algorithm, PoDaS (Proof of Data Sharing), whose core idea is to use the computational consumption generated during FL as proof of workload. The specific steps include: local model training and uploading, model update verification shield, and model update aggregation. The PoDaS algorithm combines the advantages of PoW (Proof of Work) and PoS (Proof of Stack) to ensure the fairness of the consensus mechanism and reduce the waste of computing resources. By comparing and analyzing the block time and model accuracy of three algorithms, the superiority of PoDaS algorithm in block time and model accuracy was verified. The experimental results show that the PoDaS algorithm is significantly better than the PoW algorithm in terms of block generation time, and slightly better than the PoS algorithm. In terms of model accuracy, the PoDaS algorithm is significantly superior to traditional PoW and PoS algorithms. Its model accuracy reaches 96.00%, reflecting the effectiveness and practicality of the PoDaS consensus algorithm in the sharing of supply chain information security.
Transfemoral hepatic vein access in double vein embolization – initial experience and feasibility
Authors: Carling Ulrik , Berger Sigurd , Gjønnæss Eyvind , Røsok Bård , Yaqub Sheraz , Lassen Kristoffer , Fretland Åsmund Avdem , Dorenberg Eric
Published: August 2024

Background: Hepatic vein embolization in double vein embolization (DVE) can be performed with transhepatic, transjugular or transfemoral access. This study evaluates the feasibility of using a transfemoral access for the hepatic vein embolization in patients undergoing preoperative to induce hypertrophy of the future liver remnant (FLR), in a cohort with very small FLR.
Material and Methods: Retrospective analysis of single center cohort including 17 consecutive patients. The baseline standardized FLR was 18.2 % (range 14.7-24.9). Portal vein embolization was performed with vascular plugs and glue through an ipsilateral transhepatic access. Hepatic vein embolization was performed using vascular plugs. Access for the hepatic vein was either transhepatic, transjugular or transfemoral. Technical success, number of hepatic veins embolized and complications were registered. In addition, volumetric data including degree of hypertrophy (DH) and kinetic growth rate (KGR), and resection data were registered.
Results: Seven of the 17 patients had transfemoral hepatic vein embolization, with 100% technical success. No severe complications were registered. In the whole cohort, the median number of hepatic veins embolized was 2 (1-6). DH was 8.6 % (3.0-19.4) and KGR was 3.6 %/week (1.4-7.4), without significant differences between the patients having transfemoral versus transhepatic /transjugular access (p= 0.48 and 0.54 respectively). Time from DVE to surgery was median 4.8 weeks (2.6-33.9) for the whole cohort, with one patient declining surgery, two having explorative laparotomy and one patient having change of surgical strategy due to insufficient growth.
Conclusion: Transfemoral access is a feasible option for hepatic vein embolization in patients with small future liver remnants needing DVE.
Diet and Feeding Strategy of Northern Pike, Esox lucius L., 1758 Inhabiting A Deep Dam Lake from Located Central Anatolia, TÜRKİYE
Authors: YAZICIOĞLU Okan , YAZICI Ramazan , YAĞCI Abdülkadir , YILMAZ Mahmut
Published: August 2024

Fish samples were collected monthly from Dam Lake from September 2015 to August 2016 and a total of 133 northern pike, Esox lucius individuals were examined for this study. The feeding intensity showed the highest value during summer (FI = 1.59) while the lowest value was during winter (FI = 0.51). Temperature was identified as the most critical environmental variable influencing feeding intensity. The high similarity in the diet of northern pike was observed between seasons. Stomach content analysis indicated that this species consumed only prey fishes. The most eaten of prey fishes were the Tinca tinca contributing 44.83% by number and 56.16% by frequency of occurrence. There was little variation in feeding features between seasons. The northern pike more specialized on T.tinca and Atherina. boyeri. According to the findings of the study, Esox lucius was a primary predator and showed a specialist feeding behavior, feeding only on fish (mainly T. tinca and A. boyeri). Environmental prey abundance did not affect the prey selection of this fish species in Sıddıklı Dam Lake.
Retroperitoneal pancreas transplantation with a Roux-en-Y duodenojejunostomy for exocrine drainage
Authors: Khubutiya Mogeli , Dmitriev Ilya , Zhuravel Nikita , Balkarov Aslan , Storozhev Roman , Anisimov Yuri , Kondrashkin Alexander , Shmarina Nonna
Published: August 2024

Background
Pancreatic transplantation is the only definitive surgical treatment for diabetes mellitus. Currently, most transplant centers use enteric exocrine drainage of pancreatic secretions; however, experts disagree on which part of the gastrointestinal tract is preferable for enteric anastomosis. We analyzed the outcomes of retroperitoneal pancreatic transplantation with enteric drainage of pancreatic secretions.
Materials and Methods
We evaluated the outcomes of 60 simultaneous retroperitoneal pancreas-kidney transplantations. Based on the type of enteric anastomosis, the patients were divided into two groups: the study group consisted of 10 patients who underwent enteric drainage via Roux-en-Y duodenojejunostomy, and the control group included 50 patients who underwent exocrine drainage via duodenoduodenal anastomosis. No statistically significant differences were observed between the groups in terms of the main parameters.
Results
The rate of surgical complications did not differ significantly between the groups (p > 0.05). Clavien IVb complications occurred only in the control group (n = 4.8%). The in-hospital pancreatic graft survival rate in both groups was 80%, whereas the recipient survival rates were 90% and 84%, in the study and control groups, respectively (p < 0.05).
Conclusion
Retroperitoneal pancreatic transplantation with exocrine drainage via a Roux-en-Y duodenojejunostomy is an effective alternative technique that reduces the rate of severe surgical complications.
A novel spatiotemporal prediction approach to fill air pollution data gaps using mobile sensors, machine learning and citizen science techniques
Authors: Pope Francis , Baruah Arunik , Bousiotis Dimitrios , Damayanti Seny , Bigi Alessandro , Ghermandi Grazia , Ghaffarpasand Omid , Harrison Roy
Published: August 2024

Particulate Matter (PM) air pollution poses significant threats to public health. Existing models for predicting PM levels range from Chemical Transport Models to statistical approaches, with Machine Learning (ML) tools showing superior performance due to their ability to capture highly non-linear atmospheric responses. This research introduces a novel methodology leveraging ML tools to predict PM2.5 levels at a fine spatial resolution of 30 metres and temporal scale of 10 seconds. The methodology aims to demonstrate its proficiency in estimating missing PM2.5 measurements in urban areas that lack direct observational data. A hybrid dataset was curated from an intensive aerosol campaign in Selly Oak, Birmingham, UK, utilizing citizen scientists and low-cost Optical Particle Counters (OPCs) strategically placed in both static and mobile settings. Spatially resolved proxy variables, meteorological parameters, and aerosol properties were integrated, enabling a fine-grained analysis of PM2.5 distribution along road segments. Calibration involved three approaches: Standard Random Forest Regression, Sensor Transferability Evaluation, and Road Transferability Evaluation. Results demonstrated high predictive accuracy (R2 = 0.85, MAE = 1.60 µg m−³) for the standard RF model. Sensor and road transferability evaluations exhibited robust generalization capabilities across different sensors (best R2 = 0.65, MAE = 2.76 µg m−³) and road types (R2 = 0.71, MAE = 2.46 µg m−³), respectively. This methodology has the potential to significantly enhance spatial resolution beyond regulatory monitoring infrastructure, thereby refining air quality predictions and improving exposure assessments. The findings underscore the importance of ML-based approaches in advancing our understanding of PM2.5 dynamics and their implications for public health. The paper has important implications for citizen science initiatives, as it suggests that the contributions of a small number of participants can significantly enhance our understanding of local air quality patterns for many 1000s of residents.