bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Formas de financiamento e pluralidade na produção de quadrinhos com temática indígena
Authors: Brito Karoline Caetano
Published: September 2024

This article is part of a larger study on the representations of Indigenous characters in national comic books. One of its premises is understanding how the production of these comics is made possible at separate times and how distinct types of financing can influence the content of published works. In this context, the main objective of the article is to analyze the relationships between forms of financing and the plurality of voices that produce these works. It is believed that different forms of financing provide, in addition to the decentralization of publications, a plurality of voices and narratives. To support this analysis, a dialogue is established between Anthropology and comic books through Tavares (2019), Chinen (2019) and Vergueiro (2017).
Degraded Gods on Parade: Reading Temple Festivals in Early Malayalam Literature
Authors: Galewicz Cezary , Panicker Venugopal
Published: September 2024

This article concerns a representation of a temple festival in Tiruniḻalmāla, a major literary work in early Malayalam. The work in question focuses on a high-order Brahmanic temple of Āṟanmuḷa in the moment of a grave ritual and operational crisis. It emphasizes the restorative role of rather lowly rites of exorcism and purification including elements of dance, song, and drama. The article pays close attention to the structure of its textual matter and the literary strategies deployed by its author in meeting the performative exigencies of the genre. The festival itself seems today to have been long forgotten in the place of its origin. The article attempts to understand the socioreligious functions of the festival by exploring the inner logic of its literary representation, drawing parallels to other cultural institutions of medieval Kerala and showing how its afterlife in folk possession dance rituals contributed to the transmission of a text that gave the festival its literary form.
Factoring Asymmetry into the Equation: On Juxtaposing Palestinian and Israeli Literatures
Authors: Elbaz Ella
Published: September 2024

This article addresses a discursive problem with the study of Palestinian literature alongside Israeli literature: by focusing on the intersections between Hebrew and Arabic literatures, scholars have created a hybrid that precludes comparison between two separate entities. This article surveys the theoretical and political drawbacks of this approach and then moves to theorize Palestinian literature outside its pairing with Israeli literature as a global multilingual literary system that is major yet non-hegemonic. I suggest that Palestinian literature can be informed by theories of world literature, on the one hand, and inform world literature about the way diasporic literature moves in the world, on the other hand. Last, I discuss the novel Tafṣīl thānawī by ʿAdanīyah Shiblī in order to demonstrate a possible expansion of the grounds of comparison once a work of Palestinian literature like this one is read beyond its dialogue with Israeli culture.
Mourning as Resistance: a Butlerian Perspective of the 2019 Hong Kong Anti-Extradition Bill Protests
Authors: Lai Tsz-Him
Published: September 2024

Around the world, Christians displaying public mourning is not new, and yet Christians in Hong Kong created practices of mourning for the public amidst the 2019 Anti-Extradition Bill Protests to grieve the death of a college-age protestor. This article draws on a wide range of news media to examine how the public created the use of rituals and mourning practices and how the government attempted to discredit them. By employing Judith Butler’s conceptualization of grievability, this article also aims to emphasize the connection between public mourning and social justice. Public mourning is not only a spiritual experience of expressing sorrow and despair in front of God, but also a political act to affirm lives and denounce violence within civic society.
Présentation générale
Authors: Morgenstern Aliyah , Tellier Marion
Published: September 2024

This text introduces a special issue of the journal Faits de Langues. Our aim is to demonstrate to the wider community that a multimodal approach in which we integrate all forms of semiotic expression into our analyses is possible. All the articles in this issue characterize the processes that underpin their orchestration. Gesture studies are now an emerging, dynamic field in which researchers adopt different theoretical approaches and apply a variety of methods.

In all cultures, in all situations, in all populations, throughout human history and throughout life, the construction of meaning is informed by the available and coordinated semiotic resources we use. Whether considered a part of or a partner to language, gesture in particular is shared with others in the course of social interactions and therefore constitutes an important semiotic resource that can no longer be ignored.
Prophecy Deliverance! At the House of the Lord Pentecostal Church in Brooklyn
Authors: Miller Albert G.
Published: September 2024

Cornel West lectured to the ministerial leadership at the House of the Lord Pentecostal Church in Brooklyn, New York, pastored by Bishop Herbert D. Daughtry, Sr, which became the bases for Prophesy Deliverance! My article lays the context and historical circumstances that brought West to the church. The essay explains theological, political nexus, and the critical moment in which the church, as a central member of the Black United Front, found itself at the center of the call for justice and social change amid police murders and abuses in New York City during the mayoral administration of Edward Koch.
New species and records of Anthicidae Latreille, 1819 (Coleoptera) from Taiwan with a key to Asian Nitorus Telnov, 2007 species with gibbose pronotum
Authors: TELNOV DMITRY
Published: September 2024

Descriptions of the following four new species of Anthicidae Latreille, 1819 from Taiwan are presented: Microhoria bunun, M. lingua, M. taguan, Nitorus mediator spp. nov. Nitorus mediomaculatus (Pic, 1913) stat. restit., comb. nov. is rescued from the synonymy with N. trigibber (Marseul, 1876), a new combination is proposed (from Anthicus Paykull, 1798), and a lectotype designation is made. New distribution records of anthicids from Taiwan are provided. Asian species of Nitorus Telnov, 2007 with distinctly gibbose pronotum are keyed and Nitorus sathulaz sp. nov. from northern Vietnam is described.
The Mpox outbreak is a public health emergency of international concern: Implications for mental health and global preparedness
Authors: Torales Julio , Barrios Iván , Castaldelli-Maia João Mauricio , Ventriglio Antonio
Published: September 2024

Background:

The Mpox, a zoonotic viral disease that has historically affected Central and West Africa, has been declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization. Rapid transmission and recent dissemination in Africa may imply significant challenges to global health, including mental health.

Methods:

We reviewed the mental health implications of the Mpox outbreak according to the published literature. We also discussed the psychological effects of the global spreading of this infection and public health preparedness strategies. Key areas of intervention may include the epidemiological surveillance, vaccine development, and mental health strategies.

Comments:

The Mpox outbreak calls for a robust global preparedness to address potential health emergencies. Strengthening epidemiological surveillance, ensuring equitable vaccine distribution, and building resilient public health infrastructure are crucial. Additionally, addressing mental health consequences may require immediate, intermediate, and long-term strategies, including telepsychiatry, stress management training, and the integration of mental health into primary care.
The Elements of Donna
Authors: King Betz
Published: September 2024

Donna Rockwell was a journalist, psychologist, mindfulness teacher, and mentor. This article summarizes the author’s long-standing relationship with Donna, first as a student, next as a colleague, and now as a grateful protector and promoter of Donna’s rich experiential teaching legacy.
Murine astrovirus (MuAstV) infection in mouse facilities in Brazil: First South American report
Authors: S C Oliveira Marcia , Castro Tatiana X , Baez Camila F , Ramos Simone , Azevedo Gabriel R , de Castro Carolina M , de Paula Ana Clara SS , Levy Laura MB , do Nascimento Emanuelle da S , Varella Rafael B
Published: September 2024

This study aimed to investigate the presence of murine astrovirus (MuAstV) in Brazil. Fecal samples from mice belonging to four Brazilian animal facilities were collected and tested for MuAstV using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Of the 162 samples tested, 38 (23.5%) were positive for MuAstV, 33 (91.7%) of which came from specific-pathogen free colonies. Although most of the samples were obtained from asymptomatic animals, three mice presented diarrheal symptoms, and MuAstV was the only agent detected by molecular assay. Phylogenetic analysis revealed similarities between the MuAstV strains from this study and prototypes from the USA. MuAstV’s high prevalence, environmental stability, genetic diversity and potential for persistent infections must be considered when evaluating health monitoring programs for laboratory rodents.
Partisan Politics and Feedback Effects: Comparing Defamilialization by Center-Right Parties across Six Familistic Countries
Authors: Alvariño Manuel
Published: September 2024

Against their traditional ideologies, some center-right parties in Western Europe have shifted from defending familistic institutions to enacting defamilialization policies. The literature has explored how the misfit between changing postindustrial contexts and familistic institutions generates functional and electoral pressures that directly trigger this change. In contrast, this article argues that this transformation depends on successful reforms by previous center-left governments. Traditional electoral constituencies and partisan-rooted policy ideas change slowly, leading to initial center-right resistance. However, eventual defamilialization by progressive actors creates feedback effects, such as new mass and employer constituencies and policy learning, influencing conservative actors to change their stance. This argument is supported by comparing six familistic welfare states over four decades using novel and multiple data sources. While defamilialization preceded center-right change in Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain, interministerial compromises in Austria and government instability in Italy prevented left-led transformative reforms, maintaining the center-right in a familistic position.
“Between a Rock and a Hard Place”: Vendors and the Negotiation of Policing in Mexico City, from the Late Nineteenth Century Through the 1930s
Authors: Boyar Keegan
Published: September 2024

This article investigates how vendors and police in Mexico City negotiated police power, especially over discretionary regulatory enforcement, during a period of significant urbanization. Using criminal court records alongside other sources, this paper reconstructs changing patterns of relations between a wide range of vendors and police in Mexico City, finding that social relationships between the two were crucial in shaping policing, as vendors negotiated for police tolerance and protection in the context of expansive regulations on vending and public space. These relations began to shift in the 1920s, moving from highly individualized negotiations between police and vendors, to more regularized protection rackets organized by the police hierarchy. By negotiating policing, vendors gained a fragile foothold in the city, at the cost of entrenched vulnerability to police violence. In tracing these practices’ historical development, this article contributes to the historicization of urban informality and corruption.
A statistical assessment of the equivalence between creep and hot tensile behaviour of 2.25Cr-1Mo steel
Authors: Evans M.
Published: September 2024

It is important to be able to predict the creep life of materials used in power plants. Levi De Oliveira Bueno has suggested an equivalence between creep and high temperature tensile testing for 2.25Cr-1Mo steel. This offers the potential for reducing the development cycle for new materials designed to operate at ever higher temperatures. This paper reviews the literature to identify some suitable statistical tests for this equivalence. When applied to 2.25Cr-1Mo steel, it was found that this equivalence was only valid if the Monkman-Grant exponent equalled −1. However, this constraint was not accepted by the data based on the proposed statistical tests, and when this constraint was relaxed the equivalence between these different types of test data disappeared.
Effect of CoSO4 on the corrosion performance of Ti6-Al4-V plasma electrolytic oxidation coatings
Authors: Ji WeiNan , Yang ShaoLan , Wang Ping
Published: September 2024

To investigate the impact of CoSO4 on Ti6-Al4-V titanium alloy plasma electrolytic oxidation coatings and their erosion resistance, plasma electrolytic oxidation was performed in electrolytes with varying CoSO4 concentrations. Scanning electron microscopy, XRD, XPS, electrochemical workstations, and corrosion testers were used to study the effects of CoSO4 on the morphology, phase composition, corrosion resistance, and erosion properties of the coatings. Results indicated that increasing CoSO4 concentration led to higher oxidation voltages, fewer micropores and microcracks, and a more uniform and dense surface. The coatings mainly consisted of Ti, Anatase, Rutile, and CoO phases. The best overall performance was achieved with 0.8 g L−1 CoSO4, where the self-corrosion current density decreased from 1.04 × 10−7 A cm−2 (substrate) to 2.21 × 10−8 A cm−2, indicating enhanced corrosion resistance.
Novel statistical investigation on performance measures of WEDM: Optimization, microstructure and mechanical properties
Authors: Bose Soutrik
Published: September 2024

A comparative performance analysis has been investigated on wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) responses while machining a hybrid titanium matrix composite (TMC) varying the key input parameters like power (P), peak current (IP) and time-off (Toff). Two novel multi-objective optimization algorithms are developed namely desirable multi-objective genetic algorithm (DMOGA) and desirable multi-objective giant pacific octopus optimizer (DMOGPOO) for tackling various issues in many industries like automobile valve pins in crank and cam shafts, aerospace propeller and biomedical implants. The principal advantage of DMOGA to other algorithm is accuracy and robustness. The novelty fits in the iterative progression of growth of efficient grandee set, uttered as population congregating to a fitness function. Many techniques frequently encounter substandard solutions when evaluating MOO problems, as opposed to solving properly approximated functions of Pareto optimal solutions in targets. DMOGPOO is an enthralling statistical method which mimics the octopus’s predatory behavior, performs better than other multi-objective optimization (MOO) algorithms, where the desirable objective functions is fetched in python using MOGPOO. In a multi-objective foraging environment, the archive was utilized to imitate octopus predatory behavior and establish social hierarchies. DMOGPOO approach is designed with multi-objective formulations to preserve and guarantee enhanced coverage of optimum solutions across all goals. Experimental investigation is accepted on material removal rate (MRR), surface roughness (SR), kerf width (KW) and over cut (OC). Combined desirability in case of DMOGA is 0.716 which improved to 0.813 when DMOGPOO is proposed. MOO is improved with DMOGPOO of 13.547% when contrasted with DMOGA, with MRR of 3.81 mm3/min, SR of 0.79 µm, KW of 0.349 mm, OC of 0.099 mm, and combined desirability of 0.813. Improved optimality set is obtained when DMOGPOO is used. %improvement of MRR is 5.54%, SR is 75.95%, KW is 0.29%, and OC is 4.21%.
Catfish Puncture Wound and Retained Spine Management in the ED Setting: A Case Report
Authors: Carbone Spencer J. , Jozefick Jennifer L. , Sigal Adam P. , Nordell Robert H.
Published: September 2024

Fishing is a common recreational activity in the United States, with over 29 million registered fishers. Although not inherently dangerous, commonly seen injuries from fishing include embedded fishhooks and injury from flora and fauna. Emergency department (ED) physicians need a basic understanding of how to treat these less-than-frequent injuries. We present a case report of a patient who presented with a catfish spine lodged in her leg. These spines not only cause puncture wounds but can result in lacerations and venom release as well. Our patient presented 6 hours after the initial injury for spine removal and symptom management. Plain radiographs of the affected extremity demonstrated a 2 cm foreign body consistent with a catfish spine. The wound was expanded, and the spine successfully removed. The patient was discharged on levofloxacin and reported a healing wound without complications nearly 2 weeks after the injury.
Algorithmic policing: The datafication and categorization of everyday life in China’s pandemic technogovernance
Authors: Zhou Lingxiao
Published: September 2024

This article examines the role of human discretion in China’s COVID-19 pandemic management. Following a tradition of ethnographic inquiry into street-level bureaucracy, I develop a culturally focused approach to the algorithmic dimension of this medical policing institution. Based on 14 months of field research inside the contact tracing system, combined with historical sociology of modern Chinese policing, I propose a model of the “labeling culture” which situates the historically distinctive aspects of the way Chinese police constructs risky subjects within more general theorization of contemporary governmentality. I argue that the mode of labeling culture helped the institutional structure of the Chinese bureaucracy adapt to changing circumstances and absorb novel technologies into its established systems of policing and surveillance, while ensuring that human discretion would continue to play a guiding role. This contributes to our understanding of the interface between media technology, digital surveillance, and techno-political culture.
Digital Stories Created by Children With Advanced Cancer
Authors: Whitlow Morgan L. , Gilmer Mary Jo , Dietrich Mary S. , Cho Eunji , Akard Terrah Foster
Published: September 2024

Background: Legacy building is a priority for pediatric oncology. Storytelling is one strategy to help children document their legacies. Understanding story content would advance knowledge of how children want to be remembered but this has yet to be explored. This study explored content of digital stories created by children with advanced cancer. Method: Facebook advertisements were used to recruit families of children (7–17) with relapsed/refractory cancer to participate in a randomized controlled trial testing a legacy intervention through storytelling. Parent–child dyads ( N = 150) were randomly assigned to an intervention or usual care group. A web program guided children to answer legacy questions and upload photographs, movies, and music. Families received the final digital stories. Experienced qualitative coders developed a hierarchical coding system to identify major categories/subcategories within 78 stories. Results: Stories included 1,516 unique story entries, including text, photographs, and movies. Two major categories emerged from the data: (a) story entry medium and (b) story content. Photographs frequently reflected people, objects, pets, and places while text often described personal preferences, goals, dreams, and other people. The story content overall included references to (a) people, (b) setting/location, (c) cancer, (d) objects/activities, and (e) expression of emotions/beliefs. Exemplar quotes, counts, and frequencies for each category are reported. Discussion: Children documented their legacies through stories that emphasized the value of family relationships and children's desires to be known for personal traits/preferences. Children chose to include cancer in their stories, indicating that cancer is a part of how children perceive their legacies. Registration Number: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04059393.
Employing Raman Spectroscopy and Machine Learning for the Identification of Breast Cancer
Authors: Zhang Ya , Li Zheng , Li Zhongqiang , Wang Huaizhi , Regmi Dinkar , Zhang Jian , Feng Jiming , Yao Shaomian , Xu Jian
Published: September 2024

Background

Breast cancer poses a significant health risk to women worldwide, with approximately 30% being diagnosed annually in the United States. The identification of cancerous mammary tissues from non-cancerous ones during surgery is crucial for the complete removal of tumors.

Results

Our study innovatively utilized machine learning techniques (Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)) alongside Raman spectroscopy to streamline and hasten the differentiation of normal and late-stage cancerous mammary tissues in mice. The classification accuracy rates achieved by these models were 94.47% for RF, 96.76% for SVM, and 97.58% for CNN, respectively. To our best knowledge, this study was the first effort in comparing the effectiveness of these three machine-learning techniques in classifying breast cancer tissues based on their Raman spectra. Moreover, we innovatively identified specific spectral peaks that contribute to the molecular characteristics of the murine cancerous and non-cancerous tissues.

Conclusions

Consequently, our integrated approach of machine learning and Raman spectroscopy presents a non-invasive, swift diagnostic tool for breast cancer, offering promising applications in intraoperative settings.
Retention of implant retained obturator using two implant placement configurations for maxillectomy cases: in-vitro study
Authors: Aboseada Nourhan I. , Mohamed Faten S. , El-shabrawy Sonia M.
Published: September 2024

Background

Implant-retained obturators for maxillectomy cases have several advantages over traditional obturators but prosthetic design for specific conditions after maxillary resection has several challenges and the appropriate implant placement configuration is essential for improving retention and the stability of the implant-retained obturator.

Objectives

The present study aimed to assess the retention force of using linear and nonlinear implant placement configurations using ball and socket attachment in implant-retained obturators at the initial retention and after simulation of six months of use.

Materials and methods

Two identical epoxy resin maxillary models of a completely edentulous unilateral maxillary defect (Brown’s class IIb) were used for implant placement, in the first model three implants were arranged with linear placement configuration, and in the second model three implants were arranged in nonlinear placement configuration. For proper sample sizing, 26 models and obturator were used. Two equal groups of obturators (13 for each group) were constructed, each with a different implant placement configuration. Both groups used the same attachment design (a non-splinted ball attachment). Using a cyclic loading machine that served as a dental insertion and removal simulator, each study group was subjected to 500 tension-compression cycles simulating 6 months of use. Using the universal testing machine, each obturator was removed at a speed of 50 mm/min for the crosshead. peak load to dislodgement was measured at the initial retention and after the simulations of six months of use. Data were analyzed using independent and paired t-tests while percent change was analyzed using the Mann Whitney U test.

Results

There were a statistically significant differences in retention between the nonlinear implant placement configuration for Brown’s class IIb maxillectomy and the linear implant placement configuration at initial retention evaluation with p-value of < 0.0001 and after simulation of six months of usage with p-value of < 0.0001 Also, after simulation of 6 months of use group I lose − 24.87 (10.16) % of its retention while group II lose − 17.49 (7.78) %.

Conclusions

Non-linear implant placement is more retentive at the initial retention and after simulation of six months of use than linear and loses less retention after usage.
Harnessing computational tools of the digital era for enhanced infection control
Authors: Branda Francesco
Published: September 2024

This paper explores the potential of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data analytics in revolutionizing infection control. It addresses the challenges and innovative approaches in combating infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance, emphasizing the critical role of interdisciplinary collaboration, ethical data practices, and integration of advanced computational tools in modern healthcare.
Hope, passion and perseverance: experiences of internationally educated nurses pursuing nursing authorisation in Norway–a qualitative study
Authors: Lillekroken Daniela , Nortvedt Line
Published: September 2024

Background

The global nursing shortage is driving nursing professionals to migrate from their home countries to other regions of the world, leading to increased diversity in healthcare settings and nursing education across Europe. Although research on the experiences of internationally educated nurses has gained more attention in Norway, a substantial gap remains in understanding the challenges these nurses face when participating in bridging programs and seeking authorisation as registered nurses in the host country.

Methods

The aim of the present study is to gain knowledge about the experiences of students in a digitised bridging program for nurses, related to being a nurse educated outside the European Union and a student with a Norwegian as a second language and migrant/refugee background. Oslo Metropolitan University initiated a decentralised education programme in 2021, offering a bridging programme for individuals with a nursing education from countries outside the European Union. This programme was conducted in a decentralised, gathering-based, and predominantly digitised format. The study has a qualitative descriptive design and includes a purposive sample of eight former nursing students enrolled in the programme. Data were collected through individual semistructured interviews conducted between November and December 2023. The data were analysed by employing thematic analysis. The study is reported in accordance with the COnsolidated criteria for REporting Qualitative research (COREQ).

Results

Analyses revealed a main theme—the participants’ ability to persist in their goal over the long term, maintaining their interest, overcoming challenges, working hard and finishing tasks rather than giving up. This theme is supported by three themes: (i) ‘Navigating bureaucratic challenges – The struggle with authorisation and overwhelming requirements, (ii) ‘An emotional journey – The ups and downs of participating in the program’, and (iii) ‘Achieving recognition – The journey to authorisation and professional confidence’.

Conclusions

The study underscores the numerous challenges encountered by internationally educated nurses seeking registered nurse’ recognition in Norway. Despite these challenges, the participants displayed remarkable hope, passion and perseverance, remaining committed to their goal of becoming registered nurses in Norway.
Effect of low climate impact vs. high climate impact inhalers for patients with asthma and COPD-a nationwide cohort analysis
Authors: Bonnesen Barbara , Eklöf Josefin , Biering-Sørensen Tor , Modin Daniel , Miravitlles Marc , Mathioudakis Alexander G. , Sivapalan Pradeesh , Jensen Jens-Ulrik Staehr
Published: September 2024

Background

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma can be treated with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) delivered by low climate impact inhalers (dry powder inhalers) or high climate impact inhalers (pressurized metered-dose inhalers containing potent greenhouse gasses). ICS delivered with greenhouse gasses is prescribed ubiquitously and frequent despite limited evidence of superior effect. Our aim was to examine the beneficial and harmful events of ICS delivered by low and high climate impact inhalers in patients with asthma and COPD.

Methods

Nationwide retrospective cohort study of Danish outpatients with asthma and COPD treated with ICS delivered by low and high climate impact inhalers. Patients were propensity score matched by the following variables; age, gender, tobacco exposure, exacerbations, dyspnoea, body mass index, pulmonary function, ICS dose and entry year. The primary outcome was a composite of hospitalisation with exacerbations and all-cause mortality analysed by Cox proportional hazards regression.

Results

Of the 10,947 patients with asthma and COPD who collected ICS by low or high climate impact inhalers, 2,535 + 2,535 patients were propensity score matched to form the population for the primary analysis. We found no association between high climate impact inhalers and risk of exacerbations requiring hospitalization and all-cause mortality (HR 1.02, CI 0.92–1.12, p = 0.77), nor on pneumonia, exacerbations requiring hospitalization, all-cause mortality, or all-cause admissions. Delivery with high climate impact inhalers was associated with a slightly increased risk of exacerbations not requiring hospitalization (HR 1.10, CI 1.01–1.21, p = 0.03). Even with low lung function there was no sign of a superior effect of high climate impact inhalers.

Conclusion

Low climate impact inhalers were not inferior to high climate impact inhalers for any risk analysed in patients with asthma and COPD.
Assessment of household preferences for net textile type (polyester versus polyethylene) for decision-making of the National Malaria Control Programme in Burkina Faso: methods for a quasi-experimental study
Authors: Hien Aristide S. , Hien Hervé , Badolo Herman , Somda Serge M. A. , Bazié Herman , Bacyè Fidèle Isso , Kompaoré Sidzabda , Guira Matilibou , Meda Nicolas
Published: September 2024

Background

A quasi-experimental comparative trial will be designed in Burkina Faso. The study will compare the use and preferences for two groups types of insecticide-treated nets textile: polyester-based and polyethylene-based, according to their use and preferences in selected health districts. These health districts will be selected in three eco-climate zones (Sahelian, dry savannah and wet savannah) in the country. These findings will inform decisions on future net procurements for national malaria control programme in 2025.

Methods

Quantitative surveys and qualitative data collection will be carried out to gather information on the type of net textile most commonly used and preferred by the community. They will be performed between the end of the dry season and the early rainy season. The quantitative surveys involved household interviews with households and individuals’ questionnaires, while the qualitative data collection involved in-depth individual interviews and focus group discussions to explore and clarify some key evaluation criteria. A total of 9450 insecticide-treated nets were surveyed for quantitative survey purposes. For the qualitative study, 48 in-depth individual interviews and 12 focus group discussions were carried out. A mixed model approach combining the results from quantitative surveys and qualitative studies will be used for decision-making on the type of insecticide-treated net preference.

Conclusion

This methodological approach will be used by the National Malaria Control Programme to conduct this study on determinants of net use in Burkina Faso in order to provide robust evidence across diverse settings. This mixed-methods approach for data collection and analysis could be used in other countries to provide evidence that would help to increase the uptake of insecticide-treated nets, the main vector control tool in Africa.
Efficacy of a novel oxygen scavenger mask in reducing local oxygen concentrations below the surgical fire risk threshold: an experimental proof-of-concept study
Authors: Yang Christopher D. , Chen Teresa H. , Tao Jeremiah P.
Published: September 2024

Background

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of an oxygen scavenging mask device in reducing local oxygen concentrations from nasal cannula ventilation compared to a standard open facial surgical field.

Methods

This is a controlled experiment using a custom-fabricated silicone midfacial oxygen scavenging device, SimMan airway management trainer manikin (Laerdal Medical, Stavanger, Norway), handheld oxygen detector (Forensics Detectors, Los Angeles, United States) and oxygen from a Datex Ohmeda Aisys Carestation anesthesia unit (GE HealthCare, Chicago, United States). Oxygen concentrations were measured at 18 facial landmarks (Fig. 1) with nasal cannula flow of 2, 4, and 6 L/min of 100% FiO2 in both masked and unmasked conditions (Fig. 2).

Results

The mean oxygen concentration in the facial surgical field was 20.95% with the scavenger mask and 24.8% without (P < 0.001; two-tailed paired t-test). The unmasked condition was associated with suprathreshold oxygen concentration levels at 13 of 18 facial landmarks (Table 1). The device significantly reduced local oxygen concentration at 16 of 18 facial landmarks (Table 1). The device provided safe oxygen concentration levels at all three flow rates, and measured oxygen concentrations directly correlated with oxygen flow rate in the unmasked condition (Table 2).

Conclusions

An oxygen scavenger mask device reduced local oxygen concentrations from nasal cannula ventilation to below the 23% fire threshold in the entire facial surgical field external to the mask in these experiments. The device may reduce intraoperative fire risk in patients that require supplementary oxygen during surgery.
A sustainable HPLC method coupled with diode array detection for versatile quantification of telmisartan, chlorthalidone and amlodipine in a fixed-dose antihypertensive formulation and dissolution studies
Authors: Kamel Mona A. , Nessim Christine K. , Michael Adel M. , Abbas Samah S. , Marzouk Hoda M.
Published: September 2024

Cardiovascular diseases, especially hypertension, stand as prominent contributors to global mortality. Hypertension, often referred to as a silent killer syndrome, necessitates the use of multiple medications for effective control and management. A new environmentally friendly HPLC–DAD method is introduced in this study for the concurrent analysis of telmisartan (TEL), chlorthalidone (CHT) and amlodipine besylate (AML), in both pure forms and combined pharmaceutical dosage form. An isocratic elution mode was employed to achieve chromatographic separation, utilizing an Inertsil C18 column (250 × 4.6 mm, 5.0 µm) and a mobile phase mixture of acetonitrile and phosphate buffer (pH 3.0 ± 0.1) with ratio of 35:65, v/v. The separation was achieved within 10 min at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The proposed method's validation was carried out following the guidelines outlined by the International Council for Harmonisation (ICH). The achieved linearity range was 1.0–140.0 μg/mL for TEL and 1.0–100.0 μg/mL for CHT and AML with quantification limits of 0.061, 0.177, and 0.313 μg/mL for TEL, CHT, and AML, respectively. The fixed combination tablet dosage form demonstrated acceptable release profile, as indicated by the in-vitro dissolution studies. The studied dissolution media were phosphate buffer pH 7.5, 0.01 N HCl, and water, utilizing a USP type II apparatus at 37 ± 0.5 °C with a stirring rate of 75 rpm. The proposed method was applied successfully for the quality assessment of Telma-ACT® Tablets with good precision and accuracy. Various tools were used for evaluating the level of greenness, including Green Analytical Procedure Index (GAPI), Analytical Greenness Metric for Sample Preparation (AGREEprep), Analytical Eco-Scale (AES), and Analytical Method Greenness Score (AMGS). These tools had confirmed the eco-friendliness of the proposed method. Additionally, the newly introduced White Analytical Chemistry (WAC), and the Blue Applicability Grade Index (BAGI) have been specifically developed to evaluate the sustainability and the applicability of the method.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of hyperglycemia on admission for acute myocardial infarction in diabetic and non-diabetic patients
Authors: Alawaji Reem , Musslem Mohammed , Alshalahi Emtenan , Alanzan Abdulaziz , Sufyani Albarra , Alhati Maram , Almutairi Alhanouf , Alqaffas Mahdi , Alattas Batool , Alselmi Adhari
Published: September 2024

Introduction

Regarding a potential relationship between diabetes and the prognostic significance of hyperglycemia in patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), there is still debate. Therefore, we aimed in this study to demonstrate the effect of hyperglycemia on different outcomes in AMI patients, whether they are diabetic or not.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus using the following search strategy: “Diabetes” or “Diabetic” AND “Acute myocardial infarction” OR “AMI” AND “hyperglycemia” OR “glucose level” to find eligible articles that needed to go through the screening process for inclusion in our study. We conducted a meta-analysis of 19 included studies from Japan, Germany, China, the United Kingdom, and others using Review Manager version 5.4 software, pooling the mean difference in continuous variables, the number and total of dichotomous variables to measure the odds ratio (OR), and the generic inverse variance of OR or hazard ratio (HR) as reported in the included studies.

Results

The mean age of the participants ranged from 56.3 to 72.3 years old. The difference in blood glucose levels between diabetes and non-diabetes patients was found to be statistically significant, with an SMD of 1.39 (95%CI: 1.12, 1.66, p < 0.00001). In diabetic patients, hyperglycemia was statistically significantly associated with mortality, with a HR of 1.92 (95% CI: 1.45, 2.55, p < 0.00001) and an OR of 1.76 (95% CI: 1.15, 2.7, p = 0.01). In non-diabetic patients admitted with AMI, hyperglycemia was statistically significantly associated with mortality, with a HR of 1.56 (95% CI: 1.31, 1.86, p < 0.00001) and an OR of 2.89 (95% CI: 2.47, 3.39, p < 0.00001). AMI patients who were diabetic were statistically more likely to have a major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) (HR = 1.9; 95% CI: 1.19–3.03; p = 0.007). AMI patients who were not diabetic were also statistically more likely to have a MACE (HR = 1.6; 95% CI: 1.15–2.23, p = 0.006).

Conclusion

Hyperglycemia in AMI patients is a predictor of worse outcomes, including MACE and mortality, regardless of whether these patients are diabetic or not. In these patients, some factors act as predictors of mortality, including older age, higher glucose levels on admission, and a high Killip class.
Comparing cognitive behavioral therapy and social prescribing in patients with loneliness on long-term opioid therapy to reduce opioid misuse: protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Tong Sebastian T. , Ma Kris Pui Kwan , Pleho Ajla , Keiser Brennan , Hsu Chialing , Ehde Dawn M. , Curran Mary C. , Tsui Judith I. , Raue Patrick J. , Stephens Kari A.
Published: September 2024

Background

Patients with chronic pain on opioids frequently experience loneliness, which is associated with poorer health outcomes and higher risk for opioid misuse and opioid use disorder. Given that almost half of opioids are prescribed in primary care, a critical need exists for the development and testing of interventions to reduce loneliness in primary care patients at risk for opioid misuse. Cognitive behavioral therapy and social prescribing have been shown to be efficacious in reducing loneliness and improving outcomes in other populations but have not been tested in patients at risk for substance use disorder. The overall objective of our study is to reduce opioid misuse and opioid use disorder by addressing loneliness in patients on long-term opioid therapy in real-world primary care settings.

Methods

We will conduct a 3-arm pragmatic, randomized controlled trial to compare the effectiveness of two group-based, telehealth-delivered interventions with treatment as usual: (1) cognitive behavioral therapy to address maladaptive thought patterns and behaviors around social connection and (2) a social prescribing intervention to connect participants with social opportunities and develop supportive social networks. Our primary outcome is loneliness as measured by the UCLA Loneliness Scale and our dependent secondary outcome is opioid misuse as measured by the Common Opioid Misuse Measure. We will recruit 102 patients on long-term opioid therapy who screen positive for loneliness from 2 health care systems in Washington State. Implementation outcomes will be assessed using the RE-AIM framework.

Discussion

Our study is innovative because we are targeting loneliness, an under-addressed but critical social risk factor that may prevent opioid misuse and use disorder in the setting where most patients are receiving their opioid prescriptions for chronic pain. If successful, the project will have a positive impact in reducing loneliness, reducing opioid misuse, improving function and preventing substance use disorder.

Trial Registration

NCT06285032, issue date: February 28, 2024, original.
Monogenic lupus – from gene to targeted therapy
Authors: Menzel Katharina , Novotna Kateryna , Jeyakumar Nivya , Wolf Christine , Lee-Kirsch Min Ae
Published: September 2024

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a prototypic autoimmune disease characterized by loss of tolerance to nuclear antigens. The formation of autoantibodies and the deposition of immune complexes trigger inflammatory tissue damage that can affect any part of the body. In most cases, SLE is a complex disease involving multiple genetic and environmental factors. Despite advances in the treatment of SLE, there is currently no cure for SLE and patients are treated with immunosuppressive drugs with significant side effects. The elucidation of rare monogenic forms of SLE has provided invaluable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying systemic autoimmunity. Harnessing this knowledge will facilitate the development of more refined and reliable biomarker profiles for diagnosis, therapeutic monitoring, and outcome prediction, and guide the development of novel targeted therapies not only for monogenic lupus, but also for complex SLE.
Inhibitory neuron links the causal relationship from air pollution to psychiatric disorders: a large multi-omics analysis
Authors: Liang Xisong , Wen Jie , Qu Chunrun , Zhang Nan , Dai Ziyu , Zhang Hao , Luo Peng , Meng Ming , Liu Zhixiong , Fan Fan , Cheng Quan
Published: September 2024

Psychiatric disorders are severe health challenges that exert a heavy public burden. Air pollution has been widely reported as related to psychiatric disorder risk, but their casual association and pathological mechanism remained unclear. Herein, we systematically investigated the large genome-wide association studies (6 cohorts with 1,357,645 samples), single-cell RNA (26 samples with 157,488 cells), and bulk-RNAseq (1595 samples) datasets to reveal the genetic causality and biological link between four air pollutants and nine psychiatric disorders. As a result, we identified ten positive genetic correlations between air pollution and psychiatric disorders. Besides, PM2.5 and NO2 presented significant causal effects on schizophrenia risk which was robust with adjustment of potential confounders. Besides, transcriptome-wide association studies identified the shared genes between PM2.5/NO2 and schizophrenia. We then discovered a schizophrenia-derived inhibitory neuron subtype with highly expressed shared genes and abnormal synaptic and metabolic pathways by scRNA analyses and confirmed their abnormal level and correlations with the shared genes in schizophrenia patients in a large RNA-seq cohort. Comprehensively, we discovered robust genetic causality between PM2.5, NO2, and schizophrenia and identified an abnormal inhibitory neuron subtype that links schizophrenia pathology and PM2.5/NO2 exposure. These discoveries highlight the schizophrenia risk under air pollutants exposure and provide novel mechanical insights into schizophrenia pathology, contributing to pollutant-related schizophrenia risk control and therapeutic strategies development.

Graphical Abstract
Needs led research: ensuring relevant research in two PhD projects within maternity care
Authors: Aanstad Kristin Jerve , Marsdal Kjersti Engen , Blix Ellen , Kaasen Anne , Lukasse Mirjam , Sørbye Ingvil Krarup , Svege Ida
Published: September 2024

Background

There has been a growing concern regarding research waste and the mismatch between conducted research and the research needs of knowledge users. The Needs Led Research (NLR) approach is proposed as an effective method to ensure that research address actual evidence gaps that are relevant to the users of the knowledge. By search and reviewing literature and involving knowledge users, NLR aims to identify, verify, and prioritize research needs. This paper describes and compares the implementation of the NLR approach in two separate PhD projects within maternity care, and addresses the challenges encountered throughout the processes, aiming to offer valuable insights for future NLR initiatives.

Methods

The NLR processes consisted of four phases: (1) defining the scope (2) identifying and verifying research needs (3) prioritizing research needs and (4) designing the PhD projects. Literature searches were conducted during Phase 2, while knowledge user involvement took place in Phases 2 and 3. The knowledge user involvement, at a co-thinker and advocatory level, included knowledge user groups and surveys. Project groups, who were responsible for all decision-making, conducted Phases 1 and 4. The scopes of the PhD projects were labor induction (NLR-LINO) and fetal monitoring in low-risk deliveries (NLR-LISTEN).

Results

In NLR-LINO, 17 research needs were identified and verified as actual evidence gaps relevant for the knowledge users. Among these, ten were rated as “very important” by a majority of the 322 survey respondents. The aim of the PhD LINO project was defined as “To investigate whether outpatient induction of labor is beneficial in a Norwegian setting.” In NLR-LISTEN, seven research needs were identified and verified as actual evidence gaps relevant for the knowledge users. These were prioritized by 466 survey respondents, and the aim of the PhD LISTEN project was defined as “To investigate the methods used for fetal monitoring in low-risk deliveries in Norway and evaluate adherence to evidence-based practice while also exploring potential reasons for any deviations.”

Conclusions

This paper shows that the NLR is a viable approach for prioritizing research. The findings highlight the impact of the initial scope on subsequent phases and emphasize the importance of pragmatic decision-making throughout the process. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that NLR requires dedicated resources, and if integrated into PhD projects, additional time and training should be allocated accordingly.