bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The future of AI for livestock veterinary practice
Authors: Hyde Robert , Carslake Charles
Published: November 2023

Artificial intelligence is a hot topic at present, although there is some confusion about what it involves. Translating artificial intelligence technology into production animal veterinary practice has the potential to transform how veterinary surgeons operate. The farm veterinarians of the future will no doubt require additional tools and skills that leverage advances in artificial intelligence for the improvement of animal health, welfare and productivity.
Efficacy and safety of laparoscopic vs open gastrectomy after neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced gastric cancer
Authors: Yu Chang-Da , Zhang Ke
Published: November 2023

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) is widely accepted as a minimally invasive approach for the treatment of early gastric cancer. However, its role in locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC) after neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) remains controversial. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of LG vs open gastrectomy (OG) after NAT for the treatment of LAGC.

AIM

To compare the efficacy and safety of LG vs OG after NAT for LAGC.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective study of 76 patients with LAGC who underwent NAT followed by LG (n = 38) or OG (n = 38) between 2021 and 2023. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS), and the secondary endpoints were disease-free survival (DFS), surgical complications, and quality of life (QOL).

RESULTS

The two groups had comparable baseline characteristics, with a median follow-up period of 24 mo. The 3-year OS rates in the LG and OG groups were 68.4% and 60.5%, respectively (P = 0.42). The 3-year DFS rates in the LG and OG groups were 57.9% and 50.0%, respectively (P = 0.51). The LG group had significantly less blood loss (P < 0.001), a shorter hospital stay (P < 0.001), and a lower incidence of surgical site infection (P = 0.04) than the OG group. There were no significant differences in other surgical complications between the groups, including anastomotic leakage, intra-abdominal abscess, or wound dehiscence. The LG group had significantly better QOL scores than the OG group regarding physical functioning, role functioning, global health status, fatigue, pain, appetite loss, and body image at 6 months postoperatively (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

LG after NAT is a viable and safe alternative to OG for the treatment of LAGC, with similar survival outcomes and superior short-term recovery and QOL. LG patients had less blood loss, shorter hospitalizations, and a lower incidence of surgical site infections than OG patients. Moreover, the LG group had better QOL scores in multiple domains 6 mo postoperatively. Therefore, LG should be considered a valid option for patients with LAGC who undergo NAT, particularly for those who prioritize postoperative recovery and QOL.
Efficacy and safety of aspirin antiplatelet therapy within 48 h of symptom onset in patients with acute stroke
Authors: Zhang Jian-Quan , Pan Zhi-Bin
Published: November 2023

BACKGROUND

Aspirin is a widely used antiplatelet agent that reduces the risk of recurrent ischemic stroke and other vascular events. However, the optimal timing and dose of aspirin initiation after an acute stroke remain controversial.

AIM

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of aspirin antiplatelet therapy within 48 h of symptom onset in patients with acute stroke.

METHODS

We conducted a randomized, open-label, controlled trial in 60 patients with acute ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke who were admitted to our hospital within 24 h of symptom onset. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either aspirin 300 mg daily or no aspirin within 48 h of stroke onset. The primary outcome was the occurrence of recurrent stroke, myocardial infarction, or vascular death within 90 d. The secondary outcomes were functional outcomes at 90 d measured using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS), incidence of bleeding complications, and mortality rate.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 67.8 years and 55% of them were male. The median time from stroke onset to randomization was 12 h. The baseline characteristics were well balanced between the two groups. The primary outcome occurred in 6.7% of patients in the aspirin group and 16.7% of patients in the no aspirin group (relative risk = 0.40, 95% confidence interval: 0.12-1.31, P = 0.13). The mRS score at 90 d was significantly lower in the aspirin group than in the no aspirin group (median, 2 vs 3, respectively; P = 0.04). The incidence of bleeding complications was similar between the groups (6.7% vs 6.7%, P = 1.00). The mortality rates were also comparable between the two groups (10% vs 13.3%, P = 0.69).

CONCLUSION

Aspirin use is associated with favorable functional outcomes but does not significantly reduce the risk of recurrent vascular events. Its acceptable safety profile is comparable to that of no aspirin. Further studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods are needed to confirm these findings.
Intracranial infection accompanied sweet’s syndrome in a patient with anti-interferon-γ autoantibodies: A case report
Authors: Zheng Jun-Hui , Wu Dan , Guo Xiao-Yun
Published: November 2023

BACKGROUND

Several reports of adult-onset immunodeficiency syndrome have been associated with anti-interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) autoantibodies (AIGAs). However, it is rare to find AIGAs with intracranial infections.

CASE SUMMARY

In this case study, we report a case of an AIGAs with intracranial infection and hand rashes considered Sweet’s syndrome. The patient presented to our hospital with a persistent cough, a fever that had been going on for 6 mo, and a rash that had been going on for a week. The patient started losing consciousness gradually on the fourth day after admission, with neck stiffness and weakened limb muscles. The upper lobe of the left lung had a high-density mass with no atypia and a few inflammatory cells in the interstitium. Brain magnetic resonance imaging and cerebrospinal fluid suggest intracranial infection. The pathology of the skin damage on the right upper extremity revealed an infectious lesion that was susceptible to Sweet’s disease. It has an anti-IFN-γ autoantibody titer of 1:2500. She was given empirical anti-non-tuberculous mycobacterial and antifungal treatments. The patient had no fever, obvious cough, headache, or rash on the hand. She got out of bed and took care of herself following hospitalization and discharge with medicine.

CONCLUSION

Adults with severe and recurrent infections of several organs should be considered for AIGAs if no other known risk factors exist. AIGAs are susceptible to subsequent intracranial infections and Sweet’s syndrome.
A Methodology for Combine Performance Analyses in Wheat Harvests with GNSS Data
Authors: Wang Yang , Zhang Yaguang , Buckmaster Dennis R. , Krogmeier James V.
Published: November 2023

Highlights

Proposed a novel methodology for fully automated, low-cost, and high-resolution harvest performance analyses.

Described methods for estimating key features, such as the center of the header, using noisy positioning data.

Introduced metrics Swath Utilization and Spatial Field Capacity to evaluate temporal and spatial performances.

Provided case studies of using these two new metrics to compare combine performances by machines and by years.

Abstract. Combine harvesters’ performance during wheat harvests can be analyzed using various methods. These methods typically rely on traditional field-level metrics, such as those defined by ASABE, to address average performances in terms of field or machine. However, next-generation digital agriculture technologies have significantly increased the operation precision of agricultural activities. As a result, the evaluation of instantaneous performance becomes possible. This work introduces a novel methodology that enables fully automated, low-cost, and high-resolution (both in time and space) instantaneous combine performance analyses based on global navigation satellite system (GNSS) positioning records. The methodology incorporates a multi-step, easy-to-follow workflow with customizable modules for efficient and effective data processing. This way, the computation of traditional field capacity metrics can be fully automated even if multiple combines cooperate in harvesting the same field. Furthermore, two groups of novel metrics are proposed: Swath Utilization and Spatial Field Capacity. They enhance traditional metrics by analyzing machine performances both temporally and spatially on a finer scale. As a case study, we computed these metrics for seven fields in Colorado, USA, during wheat harvests across five different years. We compared the results with typical values from ASABE standards to validate the correctness of our data processing methodology. We also provided four analysis examples with a rich set of temporal and spatial visualizations to showcase how our metrics can accurately assess combine performances, quantitatively uncover harvest details, and effectively compare operations in different fields/years for better practice. These new analyses enabled by our methodology are required to harness the full potential of digital agriculture. Keywords: Combine harvester, Field capacity, Global navigation satellite system (GNSS), Kalman filter, Optimization, Positioning data, Wheat harvest performance.
Inorganic Carbon-Limited Freshwater Algal Growth at High Ph: Revisited with Focus on Alkalinity
Authors: Watson Mary Katherine , Flanagan Elizabeth , Drapcho Caye M.
Published: November 2023

Highlights

Non-carbonate components of BG11 media impact TIC calculation on average 4.00 mg/L at high pH.

BG11 media non-carbonate alkalinity (NCA) varies with pH: NCA (meq/L) = 0.0393×e0.2075×pH + (2.086×10-9)e1.860×pH.

Monod kinetic constants with CO2, HCO3
-, and CO3
2- as inorganic carbon sources are improved from a previous report.

Kinetic constants continue to be the only known reports considering multiple inorganic carbon sources.

Algal stoichiometric reactions are developed that account for variation in cell content and carbon source.

Abstract. Due to increasing atmospheric CO2, algal growth systems at high pH are of interest to support enhanced diffusion and carbon capture. Given the interactions between algal growth, pH, and alkalinity, data from Watson and Drapcho (2016) were re-examined to determine the impact of the non-carbonate constituents in BG11 media on estimates of Monod kinetic parameters, biomass yield, and cell stoichiometry. Based on a computational method, non-carbonate alkalinity (NCA) in BG11 media varies with pH according to: NCA (meq/L) = 0.0393×e0.2075×pH + (2.086×10-9)e1.860×pH (R2 = 0.999) over the pH range of 10.3 – 11.5. Updated maximum specific growth rates were determined to be 0.060, 0.057, and 0.051 hr-1 for CO2, HCO3, and CO3, respectively. Generalizable stoichiometric algal growth equations that consider variable nutrient ratios and multiple inorganic carbon species were developed. Improved kinetic and stoichiometric parameters will serve as the foundation for a dynamic mathematical model to support the design of high pH algal carbon capture systems. Keywords: Algae, Alkalinity, Carbon Abatement, Carbon Capture, Kinetics, Stoichiometry, Total Inorganic Carbon.
Gossip at the Quilting Bee: A Crucial Form of Solidarity in Nineteenth-Century America
Authors: Engbers Susanna Kelly
Published: November 2023

Abstract: Just as the cloth was transformed and became defined as a quilt, so, too, the special qualities of the quilting bee supported the transformation of quilters into defined, agential groups. Indeed, the historical context of both quilting bees and quilt-making is significant, the activities at their peak of popularity in the mid-nineteenth century, the same time as the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention—generally marked as the formal birth of the organized women's rights movement.
Composing an Anti-Racist Academy: Re-Imagining Systems and Structures in a First-Year Writing Program
Authors: Collins Daniel , Gilbert Meghan
Published: November 2023

Abstract: As white academics engaging in anti-racist education, we work from a stance of transparency, humility, and constant self-interrogation. It's important to have white instructors and administrators engaging in the labor of dismantling academic systems of oppression, if only because there are so many of us. A legacy of racist hiring and promotion strategies means that, even now, roughly 70% of faculty in the United States are white (Davis and Fry). But, as we take up the work, we need to be mindful to take our cues from instructors and administrators and scholars of color who have been in this fight long before us and continue to lead the efforts.
Re-Assessing Our Colonial Heritage: The Controversial Memorialization of Hannah Duston
Authors: McEvoy Kathleen
Published: November 2023

Abstract: Hannah Duston might be a footnote in our literary and colonial history, but her narrative demonstrates the power that stories have to drive people's beliefs. Those who view her monuments, when they are not defaced, come away thinking that she was a hero who triumphed over the Indians who kidnapped her and murdered her baby, but that is only part of what happened. The full story raises complicated questions that we as a nation still have not fully answered, and it pushes students to consider the ways in which time and context can alter our understanding of literary works and moments of history.
Labor-Based and/or Rubric-Based? Examining the Effects of a Hybrid Grading System in the Composition Classroom
Authors: Tran Elizabeth N.
Published: November 2023

Abstract: Both labor-based and rubric-based grading systems attempt to mitigate subjectivity in the assessment of writing, and while each method has their advantages, they also come with a slew of weaknesses. Scholars such as Asao B. Inoue, Laura Gibbs, and Denise Krane support labor-based grading because this method reinforces process pedagogy, which, Chris M. Anson comment, helps "students engage in their writing to develop self-efficacy, confidence, and strategies for meeting the challenges of multiple writing situations" (226). On the other end of the spectrum is rubric-based grading, which presents students with a set of clear rules that guide their writing process. Whatever the case, both labor-based and rubric-based grading methods fail to account for classroom ecology.
A Lanthorn in the Crypt: White Erotics in Romeo and Juliet
Authors: Bischoff Sarah
Published: November 2023

Abstract: Optimistic Shakespeareans have taken to going “a-queering” with his work, reading his poetry and plays for subversion of erotic expectations. This article looks at the racializing consequences of such reading, focusing particularly on the ways Romeo and Juliet has been read queerly not for the homoeroticism that inundates the play, but for the titular lovers’ death-fixated deviation from the genealogical imperative of heteronormative time. This article does not dispute this reading; it instead looks at the ways that such a reading dovetails with racializing fixtures of how the bodies of the lovers, labeled white, become idealized, and are mourned by both the story’s families and the audience. The eroticism laid out in Romeo and Juliet forms what Sharon Patricia Holland calls a “project of belonging”: the process of making personal and community identity through an assumed erotic connection, even if that eroticism takes on unexpected forms.
Salvaging
Authors: Wetherell Brad
Published: November 2023

Abstract: “Salvaging” is both a memoir and a craft essay about reconciling with the fact that my mother’s habits of hoarding, reusing, and repurposing everything she has ever owned --never letting anything go to waste -- are actually very similar to the habits I have developed as a writer of memoirs and creative nonfiction.
From Hill’s Slant: after Ed Roberson
Authors: MaCarty Jami
Published: November 2023

Abstract: This poem is about a woman in love with Earth, neither of which may have a future.
Cruel Merciful Instincts
Authors: Ko Arah
Published: November 2023

Abstract: “Cruel Merciful Instincts” explores the, often harsh, realities of the natural world and how the brutal experiences of animals can be found reflected in human relationships.
Dida
Authors: Kapoor Karan
Published: November 2023

Abstract: The narrator, an agnostic voice, describes his sick grandmother’s visit to the local Hindu temple before dawn. She prays to the gods for her family’s wellbeing while she awaits death.
Bears
Authors: Stuber Amy
Published: November 2023

Abstract: A mother, contemplating aging and preparing for her youngest child to leave for college, sees her husband with another woman in a public park. She takes mushrooms and ends up in the woods with a group of unhoused women she believes are bears and who talk about philosophy and feminist theory while eating fish.
Lehigh Gap
Authors: Krieg Brandon
Published: November 2023

Abstract: “Lehigh Gap” is about hiking in a preserve on the site of a former zinc mine in Pennsylvania contemplating the wonder of the more-than-human reclaiming a once toxic landscape.
The Yellow Boat, and: Digging for Apples
Authors: Donnelly Timothy
Published: November 2023

Abstract: “The Yellow Boat” is an associative fantasia on the color yellow inspired by the Pierre Bonnard painting of the same name. “Digging for Apples” takes its title from Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and is partly inspired by Walter Ralegh’s “Passionate Man’s Pilgrimage.” It considers the possibility that poems have no interest in humans, who are merely the voyeurs of poetry’s constant self-reflection and self-love.
Hearing the Living Metaphors: A Response to Serpil Oppermann’s “Storied Seas”
Authors: Ağın Başak , Yılmaz Z. Gizem
Published: November 2023

ABSTRACT: In this paper, we evaluate Serpil Oppermann’s “Storied Seas and Living Metaphors in the Blue Humanities” as a turning point in the theoretical development of ecocriticism. Oppermann’s application of her own theory, material ecocriticism, in the reading of the water bodies that entwine the biological and the textual, situates material-ecocritical undertakings as a landmark of the ecocritical map. The well-known metaphor of the wave, used in explicating the growth of ecocriticism, was replaced by the metaphor of the rhizome in an earlier essay by Oppermann herself. By affirming both metaphors as valid, we argue that Oppermann’s 2019 Configurations essay initiated the fourth wave of ecocriticism and showcased what it means to follow a rhizomatic pattern. In our response, we take Oppermann’s open call to hear the voices of marine creatures as an invitation to explore the limits of the environmental humanities and seek to push our ocularcentric academic borders. Developing a new framework to study the soundscape of the ocean, we intend to literally hear the voices of marine entities (provided to the reader/audience through QR codes) and investigate what kind of new narratives might emerge out of this experience.
Creative Writing: Embracing Unfamiliar Knowledge
Authors: Otis Laura
Published: November 2023

ABSTRACT: What can someone learn, if anything, by reading or writing fiction? If people can gain new knowledge by imagining, of what does that knowledge consist, and how can we characterize it? This reflection on SLSA creative writing sessions approaches these questions by considering the kinds of discussions that can emerge when writers read their work to literary scholars, scientists, and artists. To show how writers differ in their appeals to diverse readers’ sensory imaginations, the essay refers to stories by Jorge Luis Borges, Junot Díaz, and Lauren Groff. The author argues that if artists and scholars can approach each other’s work as alternate but legitimate knowledge-building processes, we may be better equipped to meet the many twenty-first-century challenges we face.
The Ideological Origins of “Written” Constitutionalism
Authors: Siddique Asheesh Kapur
Published: November 2023

ABSTRACT: Americans have long argued that during the Age of Revolutions, the “early modern” world became “modern” thanks to a set of political innovations in the nature of government. Paramount among these was the creation of nation-states founded on the “invention” of written constitutions—beginning with the new United States, whose form of written constitutionalism served as a model for other polities. This article challenges that narrative. Building on recent scholarship on the coproduction of writing practices and state formation, it argues that the mode of constitution-making inaugurated in the aftermath of the American Revolution represented less a moment of origin than an ideological project of revising the relationship between document and statecraft characteristic of the early modern British Empire. Early American elites sought to portray the written constitution of empire as archaic as they defined their own species of written constitutionalism as an innovation, one they posited as the template for a normative form of the “modern” state.
The "graphic design" for 旅 'troops' and 車 'chariot' in oracle-bone and bronze inscriptions
Authors: Maréchal Chrystelle , Takashima Ken-ichi
Published: November 2023

ABSTRACT: This paper argues that there were in the minds of the creators of Chinese characters what we refer to as "graphic designs" (abbreviated as "GD"—for the other acronyms used hereinafter, see "Symbols and Abbreviations of the Frequently Used Terms and the Authors' Names" at the end of the paper). The GD is generally inseparable from the underlying lexeme, and this paper is a case study of the two, and other related, words, in connection specifically with their graphic representations. The GD for the OBI graphs [inline-graphic 01], [inline-graphic 02], and [inline-graphic 03], which appear to be pictographs, is as simple as the UM of the word chē 車 'chariot', namely, "chariot/wheel". Its presumed sound—*k-hla~*ka-hla—and the meaning may not have participated in any WF in Shāng Chinese because it was a loan word from an IE language and was not yet integrated in the contemporary lexicological system. A basis for this is that another reading jū , assumed as *ka~*kəlja, had not yet developed. The simplicity of the GD and UM of 車, however, is in contrast with the complexity of its origins and its uses: (1) what is the phonetic in lǚ [inline-graphic 204], [inline-graphic 205] and in BI graphs like [inline-graphic 04], [inline-graphic 05], [inline-graphic 06]? If all these write the word 旅, a question arises: which (pre-)OC form, chē /*k-hla~*ka-hla or jū /*ka~*kəlja, was original? We have suggested that the latter arose after the original, chē /*k-hla~*ka-hla, was sufficiently circulated and came into being as a result of the mono-syllabification of *ka-hla 車; (2) since many IE languages have the initial k- for 車 'wheel/chariot', reconstructing the pre-initial *k- for this Chinese loan word makes sense; (3) we have narrowed down the introduction of the chariot and its word into China to ca. 1200 BC, during the reign of King Wǔ Dīng 武丁 (ca. 1230–1171 BC); (4) we have also tried to answer the question: can we account for the frequent use in the late Shāng-early Zhōu BI of the 車 element, and its disappearance after early Western Zhōu? This question has taken us to examine the history of warfare, the ancient industry of chariot and wheel making, and the utilitarian and symbolic value of the chariot in ancient China. 摘要: 本文提出造字之初造字者已有所謂"造字設計"或者"古文字構形設計"(即 "graphic design"，以下簡稱為"GD"；文中所用英文縮寫皆見文末 "Symbols and Abbreviations of the Frequently Used Terms and the Authors' Names"附表)，而這種"GD"基本上是與原本的詞位不可分割的。本文將以(早期)上古漢語中"旅"與"車"兩詞為例探討兩者及與其相關諸詞的古文字構形問題。
Using Lidar to Find the Southeast’s Remnant Rivercane
Authors: Dobbs G. Rebecca , Styers Diane M.
Published: November 2023

The floodplains of the Southeast’s stream network once hosted immense brakes of
rivercane ( Arundinaria gigantea ), a disturbance-dependent native bamboo with both cultural and
ecological significance. Ecologically, rivercane alters its local environments, boosts biodiversity and
biomass, and protects streambanks from erosion and storm damage. Indigenous peoples of the
Southeast have used rivercane for millennia, for material and cultural purposes, and formerly
maintained its health and extent through harvesting and fire. Settler-colonial incursions largely
destroyed rivercane, through the more intense disturbance of different land management practices,
and brakes now exist mainly in relatively small areas. While numerous rivercane restoration
projects are in process throughout its natural range, no comprehensive inventory of living
rivercane exists. In this paper, we present both human context and the results of LiDAR analysis
that identifies canebrakes based on the physical characteristics of the plant and brake. In our study
area on the Little Tennessee River in western North Carolina, we found rivercane on about 9
percent of the floodplain area, based on QL1 LiDAR data available from the state of North Carolina.
The technique can be applied in any part of rivercane’s range, and the resulting inventory used in
support of both cultural and ecological goals.
Structural stability design of an optical mirror mount adjustment mechanism
Authors: Dong Ziming , Zhu Jianqiang , Liu Zhigang , Fan Wei , Sun Ziming , Zhang Donghui , Zhang Chao , Zhang Kaiqi
Published: November 2023

The stability of beam pointing in a laser system depends on the consistency of the optical mirror mount. Typically, a locking mechanism is used to secure the adjustment mechanism after beam alignment, ensuring the mount’s stability. However, this process can introduce errors, causing a drift in the optical path. To mitigate this issue, in this study, an interference fit adjustment screw was designed. This development enables the mechanism to self-lock after beam alignment, thereby preventing optical path drift and enhancing overall stability. Specifically, 14 long-term thermal shock stability tests, each lasting 2500 min, were conducted to validate the proposed design. The experimental results showed that the thermal drift of the interference fit adjustment screw was reduced by 47.16%, thermal shift was reduced by 79.59%, and the long-term stability improved by at least 48.67%.
Microwave-photonic Vernier effect enabled high-sensitivity fiber Bragg grating sensors for point-wise and quasi-distributed sensing
Authors: Zhu Chen , Alsalman Osamah , Huang Jie
Published: November 2023

This paper reports a sensitivity-improved fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor system based on microwave-photonic interferometry and the Vernier effect. An incoherent microwave photonics system based on a broadband light source is employed to interrogate the FBG sensor using the wavelength-to-delay mapping technique combined with interferometry. Specifically, the sensing FBG together with a reference FBG is used to construct a microwave photonics Michelson interferometer (MI). Changes in the Bragg wavelength of the sensing FBG subject to external perturbations are encoded into the spectral shifts of the microwave interferogram of the MI. A virtual interferometer is then generated from the sensing MI based on a computational Vernier effect modality. By superimposing the spectra of the sensing MI and the virtual interferometer, the Vernier effect is generated. By tracking the spectral shift of the Vernier envelope, it is shown that the measurement sensitivity of the sensing FBG is remarkably enhanced with an expected factor. Moreover, a quasi-distributed sensor system with enhanced sensitivity based on cascaded FBGs and the proposed virtual microwave-photonic Vernier effect technique is implemented, representing the first demonstration of a Vernier effect-enhanced FBG array sensor. Additionally, the possibility of employing the harmonic Vernier effect for further sensitivity enhancement is investigated, where a remarkable sensitivity enhancement factor up to 685 with a strain sensitivity of 94 MHz/µε is successfully demonstrated.
Sub-20 kHz Low Frequency Noise Near Ultraviolet Miniature External Cavity Laser Diode
Authors: Trebaol Stephane , kervazo Ronan , Congar Antoine , Perin Georges , Lablonde Laurent , Butte Raphael , Grandjean Nicolas , Bodiou Loic , Charrier Joel
Published: November 2023

We present a compact InGaN fiber Bragg grating (FBG) semiconductor laser diode operating below 400 nm in the single-mode emission regime. This compact coherent laser source exhibits an intrinsic linewidth of 14 kHz in the near-UV range. We report a side-mode suppression ratio reaching up to 40 dB accompanied by a mW-level output power. Furthermore, the properties of the FBG, including its central wavelength, bandwidth, and reflectivity, can be readily customized to fulfill specific requirements. The combination of small footprint design, wavelength tunability, low frequency noise, and access to the fibered output signal positions these FBG laser systems as strong candidates for hybridization into integrated photonic platforms tailored for quantum information processing and metrology.
Transcriptome analysis of peripheral blood of Schistosoma mansoni infected children from the Albert Nile region in Uganda reveals genes implicated in fibrosis pathology
Authors: Namulondo Joyce , Nyangiri Oscar Asanya , Kimuda Magambo Phillip , Nambala Peter , Nassuuna Jacent , Egesa Moses , Nerima Barbara , Biryomumaisho Savino , Mugasa Claire Mack , Nabukenya Immaculate , Kato Drago , Elliott Alison , Noyes Harry , Tweyongyere Robert , Matovu Enock , Mulindwa Julius ,   for the TrypanoGEN+ research group of the H3Africa consortium
Published: November 2023

Over 290 million people are infected by schistosomes worldwide. Schistosomiasis control efforts focus on mass drug treatment with praziquantel (PZQ), a drug that kills the adult worm of all Schistosoma species. Nonetheless, re-infections have continued to be detected in endemic areas with individuals living in the same area presenting with varying infection intensities. Our objective was to characterize the transcriptome profiles in peripheral blood of children between 10–15 years with varying intensities of Schistosoma mansoni infection living along the Albert Nile in Uganda. RNA extracted from peripheral blood collected from 44 S. mansoni infected (34 high and 10 low by circulating anodic antigen [CAA] level) and 20 uninfected children was sequenced using Illumina NovaSeq S4 and the reads aligned to the GRCh38 human genome. Differential gene expression analysis was done using DESeq2. Principal component analysis revealed clustering of gene expression by gender when S. mansoni infected children were compared with uninfected children. In addition, we identified 14 DEGs between S. mansoni infected and uninfected individuals, 56 DEGs between children with high infection intensity and uninfected individuals, 33 DEGs between those with high infection intensity and low infection intensity and no DEGs between those with low infection and uninfected individuals. We also observed upregulation and downregulation of some DEGs that are associated with fibrosis and its regulation. These data suggest expression of fibrosis associated genes as well as genes that regulate fibrosis in S. mansoni infection. The relatively few significant DEGS observed in children with schistosomiasis suggests that chronic S. mansoni infection is a stealth infection that does not stimulate a strong immune response.
Progress towards elimination of onchocerciasis transmission in Mali: A “pre-stop MDA” survey in 18 transmission zones
Authors: Dolo Housseini , Coulibaly Michel Emmanuel , Sow Moussa , Coulibaly Yaya Ibrahim , Doumbia Mama , Sangare Moussa , Sanogo Abdoul , Dembele Benoit , Guindo Boubacar , Coulibaly Mamadou , Keita Modibo , Soumaoro Lamine , Diarra Dansine , Dicko Boubacar , Hamill Louise , Doumbia Seydou , Sangho Hamadoun , Sangare Yacouba , Zhang Yaobi , Tallant Jamie , Yaro Alpha Seydou , Mackenzie Charles , Nutman Thomas B. , Boakye Daniel
Published: November 2023

Background

Onchocerciasis control activities in Mali began in 1975 with vector larviciding carried out by the Onchocerciasis Control Programme (OCP), followed by the distribution of ivermectin from 1998 until the closure of the OCP in 2002. At that time, epidemiological evaluations, using skin snip microscopy and O-150 pool screening PCR in black flies, indicated that the disease had been largely controlled as a public health problem. Ivermectin distribution was nevertheless continued after 2002 in 34 of the 75 health districts in Mali as these were known to still be meso- or hyper-endemic for onchocerciasis. In addition, the onchocerciasis sites known to be hypo-endemic for onchocerciasis benefited from the distribution of ivermectin treatment as part of the mass drug administration (MDA) program for lymphatic filariasis. Various entomological and epidemiological evaluations have now indicated that Mali may have achieved successful interruption of onchocerciasis transmission.

Methods

A series of cross-sectional surveys to update vector breeding sites throughout the endemic areas, followed by a pre-stop ivermectin mass drug administration (Pre-stop MDA) survey, were undertaken in 2019–2020. Based on breeding site findings, historical epidemiological assessments, and vector collection site maps, 18 operational transmission zones (OTZ) were delineated within which a total of 104 first line villages were selected for evaluation. Dried blood spots (DBS) samples were collected from 10,400 children (5–9 years old) from these 104 first line villages and processed for the presence of OV16 antibody using a lab-based rapid diagnostic test.

Results

Within the 544 Simulium damnosum s.l. breeding sites visited in all five endemic onchocerciasis endemic regions of Mali 18.01% (98/544) were seen to be active with the presence of at least one stage of S. damnosum. The overall prevalence of OV16 positive children was 0.45% (47/10,400). However, two hotspots were identified: 2.60% (13/500) seroprevalence in the OTZ number 5 in Kayes Region and 1.40% (7/500) in the OTZ number 1 of Sikasso Region.

Conclusion

These data show that onchocerciasis prevalence in the five endemic regions has declined to levels that indicate that Stop-MDA surveys should be now carried out in most of the OTZ except for one in the Kayes Region. This latter site will need additional ivermectin treatment before reevaluation, and an OTZ in the Sikasso Region requires revaluation before possibly reinitiating MDA.
National trends and resource associated with recurrent penetrating injury
Authors: Cho Nam Yong , Mabeza Russyan Mark , Bakhtiyar Syed Shahyan , Richardson Shannon , Ali Konmal , Tran Zachary , Benharash Peyman
Published: November 2023

Background

While recurrent penetrating trauma has been associated with long-term mortality and disability, national data on factors associated with reinjury remain limited. We examined temporal trends, patient characteristics, and resource utilization associated with repeat firearm-related or stab injuries across the US.

Methods

This was a retrospective study using 2010–2019 Nationwide Readmissions Database (NRD). NRD was queried to identify all hospitalizations for penetrating trauma. Recurrent penetrating injury (RPI) was defined as those returned for a subsequent penetrating injury within 60 days. We quantified injury severity using the International Classification of Diseases Trauma Mortality Prediction model. Trends in RPI, length of stay (LOS), hospitalization costs, and rate of non-home discharge were then analyzed. Multivariable regression models were developed to assess the association of RPI with outcomes of interest.

Results

Of an estimated 968,717 patients (28.4% Gunshot, 71.6% Stab), 2.1% experienced RPI within 60 days of the initial injury. From 2010 to 2019, recurrent gunshot wounds increased in annual incidence while that of stab cohort remained stable. Patients experiencing recurrent gunshot wounds were more often male (88.9 vs 87.0%, P<0.001), younger (30 [23–40] vs 32 [24–44] years, P<0.001), and less commonly insured by Medicare (6.5 vs 11.2%, P<0.001) compared to others. Those with recurrent stab wounds were younger (36 [27–49] vs 44 [30–57] years, P<0.001), less commonly insured by Medicare (21.3 vs 29.3%, P<0.001), and had lower Elixhauser Index Comorbidities score (2 [1–3] vs 3 [1–4], P<0.001) compared to others. After risk adjustment, RPI of both gunshot and stab was associated with significantly higher hospitalization costs, a shorter time before readmission, and increased odds of non-home discharge.

Conclusion

The trend in RPI has been on the rise for the past decade. National efforts to improve post-discharge prevention and social support services for patients with penetrating trauma are warranted and may reduce the burden of RPI.
Evaluation of an interprofessional follow-up intervention among people with type 2 diabetes in primary care—A randomized controlled trial with embedded qualitative interviews
Authors: Graue Marit , Igland Jannicke , Haugstvedt Anne , Hernar Ingvild , Birkeland Kåre I. , Zoffmann Vibeke , Richards David A. , Kolltveit Beate-Christin Hope
Published: November 2023

With an ageing population and improved treatments people live longer with their chronic diseases, and primary care clinics face more costly and difficult-to-treat multimorbid patients. To meet these challenges, current guidelines for the management of type 2 diabetes suggest that an interprofessional team should collaborate to enhance the delivery of worthwhile self-management support interventions. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of an empowerment-based interprofessional follow-up intervention in people with type 2 diabetes in primary care on patient-reported outcomes, biomarkers and weight, and to explore the experiences of patients attending the intervention. We invited patients during regular visits to their general practitioners. The 12-month intervention included 1) empowerment-based counselling; 2) a standardized medical report. The control group received consultations with physicians only. The primary outcome was the Patient Activation Measure, a patient-reported measure assessing individual knowledge, skills, and confidence integral to managing one’s health and healthcare. After the trial we conducted qualitative interviews. We observed no difference in the primary outcome scores. On secondary outcomes we found a significant between-group intervention effect in favor of the intervention group, with mean differences in glycemic control after 12 months (B [95% CI] = -8.6 [-17.1, -0.1] mmol/l; p = 0.045), and significant within-group changes of weight (B [95% CI] = -1.8 kg [-3.3, -0.3]; p = 0.02) and waist circumference (B [95% CI] = -3.9 cm [-7.3, -0.6]; p = 0.02). The qualitative data showed that the intervention opened patients’ eyes for reflections and greater awareness, but they needed time to take on actions. The patients emphasized that the intervention gave rise to other insights and a greater understanding of their health challenges. We suggest testing the intervention among patients with larger disease burden and a more expressed motivation for change.
Achievement of sustainable environment through effectiveness of social media in Z generation of China
Authors: Chen Bing , Madni Ghulam Rasool
Published: November 2023

Social media is emerged as a powerful communication tool over the past ten years. The Z generation’s green buying habits and purchase intentions are being reshaped by social media, which is helping to advance the development of a sustainable environment. The consumption of non-organic products has raised carbon emissions, so changing consumption patterns and purchase intentions is necessary for a more sustainable future. Moreover, earlier literature has the absence of a comprehensive behavior change model that explains the mechanism through which social media influences sustainable behaviors This study explores that how social media affects patterns of consumption for Z generation of China while considering the role of environmental concerns, subjective norms, eco-branding and eco-labeling on the basis of theory of planned behavior. A questionnaire is used to get information from the 563 Z generation respondents of China. The data is analyzed using Smart-PLS and empirical outcomes show that social media has a statistically significant influence on shaping and affecting green consumption behavior of China’s Z generation because it has the potential to reach a vast audience and spread awareness about environmental issues, leading to increased intention towards a sustainable environment and reduction in carbon emissions. It also provides a platform for individuals to express their opinions and engage in discussions on environmental issues. These developments are promising for the future of environmental sustainability as they indicate a growing interest in preserving the planet among the Z generation of China. It can be recommended as a policy tool that government and other organizations should support the development of informative content on social media platforms, highlighting the importance of environmental sustainability and eco-friendly habits.
Interruptions in treatment among adults on anti-retroviral therapy before and after test-and-treat policy in Tanzania
Authors: Mbatia Redempta J. , Mtisi Expeditho L. , Ismail Abbas , Henjewele Christopher V. , Moshi Sisty J. , Christopher Alexander K. , Nsanzugwanko Noela W. , Bukuku Appolinary G. , Msimbe Rehema A. , Kirato Agnes R. , Nyabukene Francis S. , Mmari Eunice J. , Rwebembera Anath A. , Masanja Benedicta N. , Kailembo Alexander , Matiko Eva J.
Published: November 2023

Introduction

The World Health Organization recommended the initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for people living with HIV (PLHIV) regardless of CD4 cell counts. Tanzania adopted this recommendation known as test-and-treat policy in 2016. However, programmatic implementation of this policy has not been assessed since its initiation. The objective of the study was to assess the impact of this policy in Tanzania.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study among PLHIV aged 15 years and older using routinely collected program data. The dependent variable was interruption in treatment (IIT), defined as no clinical contact for at least 90 days after the last clinical appointment. The main independent variable was test-and-treat policy status which categorized PLHIV into the before and after groups. Co-variates were age, sex, facility type, clinical stage, CD4 count, ART duration, and body mass index. The associations were assessed using the generalized estimating equation with inverse probability weighting.

Results

The study involved 33,979 PLHIV—14,442 (42.5%) and 19,537 (57.5%) were in the before and after the policy groups, respectively. Among those who experienced IIT, 4,219 (29%) and 7,322 (38%) were in the before and after the policy groups respectively. Multivariable analysis showed PLHIV after the policy was instated had twice [AOR 2.03; 95%CI 1.74–2.38] the odds of experiencing IIT than those before the policy was adopted. Additionally, higher odds of experiencing IIT were observed among younger adults, males, and those with advanced HIV disease.

Conclusion

Demographic and clinical status variables were associated with IIT, as well as the test-and-treat policy. To achieve epidemic control, programmatic adjustments on continuity of treatment may are needed to complement the programmatic implementation of the policy.
Experience of irreproducibility as a risk factor for poor mental health in biomedical science doctoral students: A survey and interview-based study
Authors: Lubega Nasser , Anderson Abigail , Nelson Nicole C.
Published: November 2023

High rates of irreproducibility and of poor mental health in graduate students have been reported in the biomedical sciences in the past ten years, but to date, little research has investigated whether these two trends interact. In this study, we ask whether the experience of failing to replicate an expected finding impacts graduate students’ mental health. Using an online survey paired with semi-structured qualitative interviews, we examined how often biomedical science doctoral students at a large American public university experienced events that could be interpreted as failures to replicate and how they responded to these experiences. We found that almost all participants had experience with irreproducibility: 84% had failed to replicate their own results, 70% had failed to replicate a colleague’s finding, and 58% had failed to replicate a result from the published literature. Participants reported feelings of self-doubt, frustration, and depression while experiencing irreproducibility, and in 24% of cases, these emotional responses were strong enough to interfere with participants’ eating, sleeping, or ability to work. A majority (82%) of participants initially believed that the anomalous results could be attributed to their own error. However, after further experimentation, most participants concluded that the original result was wrong (38%), that there was a key difference between the original experiment and their own (17%), or that there was a problem with the protocol (17%). These results suggest that biomedical science graduate students may be biased towards initially interpreting failures to replicate as indicative of a lack of skill, which may trigger or perpetuate feelings of anxiety, depression, or impostorism.
Online search interest in long-term symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan: Infodemiology study using the most visited search engine in Japan
Authors: Ishizuka Kosuke , Miyagami Taiju , Tsuchida Tomoya , Saita Mizue , Ohira Yoshiyuki , Naito Toshio
Published: November 2023

Prolonged symptoms that occur after COVID-19 (long-COVID) vary from mild, which do not interfere with daily life, to severe, which require long-term social support. This study assessed the secular trend in online searches on long-COVID in Japan. We conducted an observational study using data provided by Yahoo! JAPAN on the monthly search volume of query terms related to long-COVID from January 2020 to December 2022, including the search volume of the query “コロナ後遺症” (long-COVID in Japanese). The number of new cases of COVID-19 by month was used as a control for search trends, and the symptoms retrieved in conjunction with long-COVID were compared. Trends in online searches for each symptom of long-COVID were analyzed. The symptoms of long-COVID were classified according to “Component 1—Symptoms and Complaints” of the International Classification of Primary Care, 2nd edition (ICPC-2). Interest in long-COVID increased in response to peaks in the number of new cases of COVID-19 in Japan. The most frequent symptom searches with long-COVID were hair loss/baldness (3,530, 21,400, and 33,600 searches in 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively), cough (340, 7,900 and 138,910 searches in 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively), disturbance of smell/taste (230, 13,340, and 44,160 searches in 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively), and headache (580, 6,180, and 42,870 searches in 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively). In addition, the ranking of interest in “weakness/tiredness, general” in long-COVID increased each year (not in the top 10 in 2020, seventh in 2021, and second in 2022), and the absolute number of searches also increased. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate secular trends in online interest in long-COVID in the world. Continued monitoring of online interest in long-COVID is necessary to prepare for a possible increase in the number of patients with long-COVID.