bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Features of the course of the disease, quality of life and cytokine profile in patients with psoriasis vulgaris in the stationary stage and comorbid depression
Authors: Gorlova N. A. , Sherengovskaya Yu. V. , Ravlyuk D. A. , Prokhorov D. V. , Ispiryan M. B.
Published: July 2024

Aim. To study the characteristics of the course of the disease, quality of life and cytokine profile in patients with psoriasis vulgaris in the stationary stage and depression.

Material and methods. A prospective, cross-sectional comparative study involved 154 patients with vulgar psoriasis in the stationary stage; Of these, two groups were formed: 83 patients with comorbid depression and 71 without comorbid depression. The Hamilton scale was used to determine depressive symptoms and severity.

Result. Patients with psoriasis vulgaris in the stationary stage and depression were characterized by a younger age (p=0.007), a more severe course of the disease according to the PASI index (p<0.001), visual analogue scale (p=0.014), and a higher frequency of relapses (p=0.012) and a lower level of quality of life according to the DLQI questionnaire (p<0.001), as well as higher values of IL-6 and IL-17 in the blood serum (p=0.011; p=0.001, respectively). An inverse correlation was established between the average total value on the Hamilton scale and the age of the patients (r= –0.61; p=0.002), a direct one – with the average total values on the PASI index (r=0.72; p=0.001), visually analogue scale (r=0.63; p<0.001), DLQI (r=0.69; p=0.001) and IL-17 (r=0.62; p=0.012).

Conclusion. In patients with depression, psoriasis vulgaris in the stationary stage is more severe, accompanied by an increase in systemic proinflammatory changes and a more significant decrease in quality of life than in patients without depression. The results obtained must be taken into account when choosing a therapeutic strategy for psoriasis vulgaris, which will personalize treatment and increase its effectiveness.
Experience in treating multifocal alopecia areata in a child with Jak kinase inhibitors
Authors: Dogov A. M.
Published: July 2024

Alopecia Areata is an autoimmune disease characterized by hair loss mediated by CD8 + T cells. There are no proven effective treatments for alopecia. Recent research on the immunology of hair follicles and recent developments in the field of immunopatogenesis, as well as common ways of developing the disease with other autoimmune disorders have led to research on new treatments, targeted at specific immunological pathways. The so-called JAK-STAT pathway is responsible for transmitting signal from different cytokines to the nucleus of the cell, suggesting that blocking this pathway may be effective in the treatment of alopecia.

Study purpose. Presentation of Clinical Case of Multi-focal Alopecia Treatment in Child Oral Tofacitinib.

Materials and methods. The study was conducted on the basis of the dermatology department with the laser surgery group of the Center for Pediatric Dermatology and Laboratory of Skin Pathology in children FGAU «National Medical Research Center for Children’s Health» of the Ministry of Health of Russia from April 2021 to November 2022. Severity Alopecia Tool (SALT) was used to determine the severity of the disease in participants. The SALT scale takes into account the percentage of affected hair and divides it into 6 subclasses (S 0 %, S1 <25 %, S2 25–49 %, S3 50–74 %, S4 75–99 % and C5100 %).

Results. When oral tofacitinib was administered for 6 months in a 9-year-old patient, full recovery of hair growth on the scalp was observed. No significant abnormalities based on clinical and biochemical blood results were found for the period of treatment and for a year after withdrawal. There was no recurrence of hair loss after the withdrawal of the drug for 12 months.

Conclusion. JAK inhibitors can be effective new treatments for alopecia in children. Additional data from randomized controlled trials are required for safe use of JAK inhibitors.
Intense pulsed light is a promising way for telangiectasias / reticular veins treatment: from pathogenesis to pronounced clinical outcomes
Authors: Demidion D. V. , Koryakin D. A.
Published: July 2024

Varicose veins are the most common pathology of peripheral vessels. A broader concept is the term chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), which, in addition to varicose veins, includes telangiectasias and reticular veins. Sclerotherapy is considered as the basis of treatment for reticular veins. However, the procedure has its drawbacks and side effects, which indicates the importance of implementing safer treatment methods. An alternative treatment for reticular veins is intense pulsed light. To illustrate the effectiveness and safety of IPL treatment for reticular veins, we present a clinical case of a patient aged 73 years with complaints of dark purple and bluish vessels. After clinical evaluation, diagnosis of reticular veins/telangiectasias was made (C 1 according to the CEAP 2020 classification). Due to the patients’ refusal to undergo sclerotherapy, it was decided to perform IPL procedures (M22, Lumenis). The patient’s reticular veins and telangiectasias were almost completely leveled out after the second session of IPL therapy; there was also no progress of CVI. No side effects were noted. The pathogenetic application of intense pulsed light in the treatment of reticular veins can be explained by decreasing the inflammatory process, integrating extracellular matrix, as well as inhibition of mast cell degranulation.
Experience in using laser to correct periorbital and temporal veins
Authors: Popova A. S. , Gryazeva N. V. , Stenko A. G.
Published: July 2024

This article presents the experience of using laser for the correction of periorbital and temporal veins. Clinical cases are presented indicating the treatment parameters used. Mono mode and multiplex modes were used.
Skin microbiome and atopic dermatitis (Resolution of the Council of Experts)
Authors: Kruglova L. S. , Lvov A. N. , Araviiskaia E. R. , Bakulev A. L. , Kokhan M. M. , Matushevskaya E. V. , Murashkin N. N. , Olisova O. Yu. , Okhlopkov V. A. , Samtsov A. V. , Smirnova I. O. , Sokolovsky E. V. , Tamrazova O. B.
Published: July 2024

The article presents the results of an expert council to discuss the relationship between disorders of the skin microbiome and the course of atopic dermatitis, as well as the key mechanisms of action on the skin of a complex of pro- and prebiotics in dermatocosmetics for use in patients with dermatoses from the perspective of modern clinical protocols.
KEPEMIMPINAN KEPALA DESA DALAM MENINGKATKAN PARTISIPASI MASYARAKAT DALAM PEMBANGUNAN DI DESA TANJUNG MEKAR KECAMATAN SAMBAS KABUPATEN SAMBAS
Authors: Azhar Azhar , Setiawan Irfan
Published: July 2024

Kurangnya hubungan Kepala Desa secara persuasif dengan seluruh masyarakat di desa. Hal inilah yang menyebabkan kurangnya proses komunikasi antara kepala desa dengan masyarakat dalam perencanaan dan pelaksanaan pembangunan desa .Kepemimpinan kepala desa mempunyai peran besar dalam menentukan arah kebijakan dalam pembangunan di desa. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui kepemimpinan Kepala Desa Tanjung Mekar dalam meningkatkan partisipasi masyarakat dalam pembangunan desa. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode deskriptif dengan pendekatan survei. Sampel penelitian meliputi Kepala Desa, perangkat desa, dan masyarakat. Data dikumpulkan melalui wawancara, kuesioner, dan observasi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kepemimpinan Kepala Desa Tanjung Mekar dalam meningkatkan partisipasi masyarakat dalam pembangunan desa tergolong "Cukup Baik". Kepala Desa dinilai memiliki kecerdasan, kedewasaan emosional, motivasi tinggi, dorongan berprestasi, dan sikap hubungan kemanusiaan yang baik. Namun, terdapat beberapa saran untuk meningkatkan partisipasi masyarakat, seperti meningkatkan komunikasi, transparansi, dan keterlibatan masyarakat dalam perencanaan pembangunan. Secara keseluruhan, penelitian ini memberikan wawasan tentang pentingnya kepemimpinan kepala desa yang efektif dalam mendorong partisipasi masyarakat dan mencapai tujuan pembangunan desa.
ПАЛЕОДЕМОГРАФИЧЕСКИЙ АНАЛИЗ ДРЕВНЕРУССКОГО
НАСЕЛЕНИЯ XI–XIV ВВ. КОСТРОМСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ ИЗ
ГОРОДИЩА УНОРОЖ
Authors: Боруцкая Светлана , Васильев Сергей , Новиков Александр
Published: July 2024

The settlement near the village of Unorozh in the Galich district of the Kostroma Oblast was studied from 2013 to 2022 by a joint Kostroma archaeological expedition and the Russian Geographical Society. A paleodemographic study was conducted. The average age of death in the group was 25.3 years. The average age of death for men (about 37 years old) is quite high, unlike that for women (31.4 years old). There were about 12.5% more women in the group than men. The percentage of child mortality has an average value of about 30.4%. Very few children died in the first year of life. The final age cohort consisted mainly of men. The peak mortality of men in the group is at the age of 30–35 years. Women have two mortality peaks, at 20–25 years and at 35–40 years. The obtained values of different paleodemographic indices indicate the relative demographic well-being in the group
The causal relationship between autoimmune diseases and rhinosinusitis, and the mediating role of inflammatory proteins: a Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Liang Yanjing , Yin Shao , Chen Xiangyan , Li Chengen , Chen Qiu
Published: July 2024

Observational studies have linked autoimmune diseases (ADs) with rhinosinusitis (RS) manifestations. To establish a causal relationship between ADs and RS, and to explore the potential mediating role of inflammatory mediators between ADs and RS, we utilized Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Using a two-sample MR methodology, we examined the causality between multiple sclerosis (MS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), psoriasis (PsO), type 1 diabetes (T1D), Sjogren’s syndrome (SS), celiac disease (CeD), Crohn’s disease (CD), hypothyroidism (HT), Graves’ disease (GD), and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and their association with chronic and acute rhinosinusitis (CRS and ARS, respectively).To achieve this, we employed three distinct MR techniques: inverse variance weighting (IVW), MR-Egger, and the weighted median method. Our analysis also included a variety of sensitivity assessments, such as Cochran’s Q test, leave-one-out analysis, MR-Egger intercept, and MR-PRESSO, to ensure the robustness of our findings. Additionally, the study explored the role of inflammation proteins as a mediator in these relationships through a comprehensive two-step MR analysis. Among the ADs, MS, RA, T1D, CeD, and HT were determined as risk factors for CRS. Only CeD exhibited a causal relationship with ARS. Subsequent analyses identified interleukin-10 (IL-10) as a potential mediator for the association of MS, RA and HT with CRS, respectively., while C-X-C motif chemokine 10 levels (CXCL10) and T-cell surface glycoprotein CD6 isoform levels (CD6) were found to influence HT’s effect on CRS. Our findings demonstrate a causative link between specific autoimmune diseases and rhinosinusitis, highlighting IL-10, CXCL10, and CD6 as potential mediators in this association.
Monitoring the lactation-related behaviors of sows and their piglets in farrowing crates using deep learning
Authors: Tsai Yu-Jung , Huang Yi-Che , Lin En-Chung , Lai Sheng-Chieh , Hong Xu-Chu , Tsai Jonas , Chiang Cheng-En , Kuo Yan-Fu
Published: July 2024

Pig farming is a major sector of livestock production. The preweaning stage is a critical period in the pig farming process, where lactation-related behaviors between sows and their piglets directly influence the preweaning survivability of the piglets. Lactation-related behaviors are mutual interactions that require the combined monitoring of both the sow and her piglets. Conventional naked-eye observation is discontinuous and labor-intensive and may result in undetected abnormal behavior and economic losses. Thus, this study proposed to monitor the lactation-related behaviors of sows and their piglets simultaneously and continuously using computer vision. Videos were recorded from farrowing crates using embedded systems equipped with regular RGB cameras. The sow posture recognition model (SPRM), comprising a convolutional neural network (CNN) of the architecture EfficientNet and a long short-term memory network, was trained to identify seven postures of sows. The piglet localization and tracking model (PLTM), comprising a CNN of the architecture YOLOv7 and a simple online and realtime tracking algorithm, was trained to localize and track piglets in the farrowing crate. The sow posture information was then combined with the piglet activity to detect unfed piglets. The trained SPRM and PLTM reached an accuracy of 91.36% and a multiple object tracking accuracy of 94.6%. The performance of the proposed unfed piglet detection achieved a precision of 98.4% and a recall of 90.7%. A long-term experiment was conducted to monitor lactation-related behaviors of sows and their piglets from the birth of the piglets to day 15. The overall mean daily percentages ± standard deviations (SDs) of sow postures were 6.8% ± 2.9% for feeding, 8.8% ± 6.6% for standing, 11.8% ± 4.5% for sitting, 20.6% ± 16.3% for recumbency, 14.1% ± 6.5% for lying, and 38.1% ± 7.5% for lactating. The overall mean daily percentages ± SDs of piglet activities were 38.1% ± 7.5% for suckling, 22.2% ± 5.4% for active, and 39.7% ± 10.5% for rest. The proposed approach provides a total solution for the automatic monitoring of sows and their piglets in the farrowing house. This automatic detection of abnormal lactation-related behaviors can help in preventing piglet preweaning mortality and therefore aid pig farming efficiency.
Recent deep learning-based brain tumor segmentation models using multi-modality magnetic resonance imaging: a prospective survey
Authors: Abidin Zain Ul , Naqvi Rizwan Ali , Haider Amir , Kim Hyung Seok , Jeong Daesik , Lee Seung Won
Published: July 2024

Radiologists encounter significant challenges when segmenting and determining brain tumors in patients because this information assists in treatment planning. The utilization of artificial intelligence (AI), especially deep learning (DL), has emerged as a useful tool in healthcare, aiding radiologists in their diagnostic processes. This empowers radiologists to understand the biology of tumors better and provide personalized care to patients with brain tumors. The segmentation of brain tumors using multi-modal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images has received considerable attention. In this survey, we first discuss multi-modal and available magnetic resonance imaging modalities and their properties. Subsequently, we discuss the most recent DL-based models for brain tumor segmentation using multi-modal MRI. We divide this section into three parts based on the architecture: the first is for models that use the backbone of convolutional neural networks (CNN), the second is for vision transformer-based models, and the third is for hybrid models that use both convolutional neural networks and transformer in the architecture. In addition, in-depth statistical analysis is performed of the recent publication, frequently used datasets, and evaluation metrics for segmentation tasks. Finally, open research challenges are identified and suggested promising future directions for brain tumor segmentation to improve diagnostic accuracy and treatment outcomes for patients with brain tumors. This aligns with public health goals to use health technologies for better healthcare delivery and population health management.
Elevation of IL-8 secretion induced by PEDV infection via NF-κB signaling pathway
Authors: Wu Yang , Wang Yongrui , Wang Xuepeng , Li Mingwei , Yan Haoxin , Shi Hongyan , Shi Da , Chen Jianfei , Guo Longjun , Feng Li
Published: July 2024

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is associated with severe enteritis, which contributes to high mortality in piglets. The aim of this study was to describe molecular mechanisms associated with proinflammatory cytokine(s) production during PEDV infection. We showed that infection of porcine intestine epithelial cell clone J2 (IPEC-J2) with PEDV induces a gradual increase in interleukin 8 (IL-8) production at different time points, as well as infection of Vero E6 with PEDV. The secretion of IL-8 in these two cell lines infected with PEDV is related to the activation of NF-κB. Furthermore, the cells expressing PEDV M or E protein can induce the upregulation of IL-8. These findings suggest that the IL-8 production can be the initiator of inflammatory response by the host cells upon PEDV infection.
Case Report: Left ventricular apical hypertrophy in a patient with Leopard syndrome mimicking a cardiac tumor: a diagnostic challenge resolved by multimodality imaging
Authors: Liu Hui , Zheng Yue , Huo Huaibi , Peng Xin , Yang Jun , Ma Chunyan , Liu Ting
Published: July 2024

Background

LEOPARD syndrome (LS) is a rare genetic disorder presenting various clinical manifestations from childhood, complicating its diagnosis. In this study, we aim to refine the imaging presentation of LS and emphasize the importance of multimodality imaging in enhancing diagnostic accuracy and preventing serious cardiovascular events.

Case

A 41-year-old woman was admitted to hospital with a suspected apical tumor detected by a transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE), which was later identified as apical myocardial hypertrophy through cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR). She had abnormal electrocardiograms from the age of 2 years and freckles around the age of 4 years. In recent years, she has been experiencing exertional dyspnea. Supplemental coronary computer tomography angiography (CCTA) revealed diffuse coronary dilatation. Both multimodality imaging and clinical manifestations led to a suspicion of LS, which was confirmed by subsequent genetic testing. The patient declined further treatment. A 3-month follow-up CMR showed no significant change in the lesion.

Conclusion

This report elucidates the diagnostic transition from an initial suspicion of an apical tumor by TTE to a definitive diagnosis of left ventricular apical hypertrophy by CMR in a 41-year-old woman with LS. It underscores the value of multimodality imaging (TTE, CCTA, CMR) in unraveling unusual cardiac manifestations in rare genetic disorders such as LS.
Myocardial injury and clinical outcome in octogenarians after non–ST-elevation myocardial infarction
Authors: Pätz Toni , Stiermaier Thomas , Meusel Moritz , Reinhard Iris , Jensch Philipp-Johannes , Rawish Elias , Wang Juan , Feistritzer Hans-Josef , Schuster Andreas , Koschalka Alexander , Lange Torben , Kowallick Johannes T. , Desch Steffen , Thiele Holger , Eitel Ingo
Published: July 2024

Introduction

The aim of this study was to analyze age-associated myocardial injury and clinical outcome after non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).

Methods

This prospective, multicenter study consists of 440 patients with NSTEMI enrolled at 7 centers. All patients were treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention and underwent cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging 1–10 days after study inclusion. CMR parameters of myocardial injury and clinical outcome were evaluated by creating 2 subgroups: <80 years vs. ≥80 years. The clinical endpoint was the 1-year incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) consisting of death, re-infarction and new congestive heart failure.

Results

Elderly patients ≥80 years accounted for 13.9% of the study population and showed a divergent cardiovascular risk profile compared to the subgroup of patients <80 years. CMR imaging did not reveal significant differences regarding infarct size, microvascular obstruction, left ventricular ejection fraction or multidimensional strain analysis between the study groups. At 1-year follow-up, MACE rate was significantly increased in patients ≥80 years compared to patients aged <80 years (19.7% vs. 9.6%; p = 0.019). In a multiple stepwise logistic regression model, the number of diseased vessels, aldosterone antagonist use and left ventricular global longitudinal strain were identified as independent predictors for MACE in all patients, while there was no independent predictive value of age regarding 1-year clinical outcome.

Conclusion

This prospective, multicenter analysis shows that structural and functional myocardial damage is similar in younger and older patients with NSTEMI. Furthermore, in this heterogeneous but also clinically representative cohort with reduced sample size, age was not independently associated with 1-year clinical outcome, despite an increased event rate in patients ≥80 years.
Prognostic factors in children and adolescents with differentiated thyroid cancer treated with total thyroidectomy and radioiodine therapy: a retrospective two-center study from China
Authors: Wang Congcong , Li Yutian , Wang Guoqiang , Liu Xinfeng , Zhang Yingying , Lu Chenghui , Li Jiao , Han Na , Wang Zenghua , Si Zengmei , Li Fengqi , Lu Gaixia , Wang Renfei , Wang Xufu
Published: July 2024

Purpose

This two-center study aimed to explore the main prognostic factors affecting the final disease status in children and adolescents with differentiated thyroid cancer (caDTC) following total thyroidectomy and radioiodine therapy (RAIT).

Materials and methods

All caDTC patients from two centers in the period from 2004-2022 were retrospectively included. At the last follow-up, the patients’ disease status was assessed and classified as an incomplete response (IR) or as an excellent or indeterminate response (EIDR). Then, the difference in preablation stimulated thyroglobulin (ps-Tg) levels between the two groups was compared, and the threshold for predicting IR was determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Moreover, univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify the factors influencing the patients’ ultimate disease outcomes.

Results

A total of 143 patients (98 females, 45 males; median age 16 years) were recruited. After a median follow-up of 42.9 months, 80 patients (55.9%) exhibited an EIDR, whereas 63 patients (44.1%) exhibited an IR. Patients with an IR had significantly greater ps-Tg levels than did those with an EIDR (median ps-Tg 79.2 ng/mL vs. 9.3 ng/mL, p<0.001). The ROC curve showed that ps-Tg ≥20 ng/mL was the most accurate for predicting IR at the last follow-up. According to multivariate analysis, only ps-Tg, T stage and the therapeutic response to initial RAIT were significantly associated with IR.

Conclusion

In caDTC patients, the ps-Tg level, T stage, and response to initial RAIT are critical final outcome indicators.
The novel chimeric multi-agonist peptide (GEP44) reduces energy intake and body weight in male and female diet-induced obese mice in a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor-dependent manner
Authors: Blevins James E. , Honeycutt Mackenzie K. , Slattery Jared D. , Goldberg Matvey , Rambousek June R. , Tsui Edison , Dodson Andrew D. , Shelton Kyra A. , Salemeh Therese S. , Elfers Clinton T. , Chichura Kylie S. , Ashlaw Emily F. , Zraika Sakeneh , Doyle Robert P. , Roth Christian L.
Published: July 2024

We recently reported that a novel chimeric peptide (GEP44) targeting both the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) and neuropeptide Y1- and Y2 receptor (Y1R and Y2R) reduced energy intake and body weight (BW) in diet-induced obese (DIO) rats. We hypothesized that GEP44 reduces energy intake and BW primarily through a GLP-1R dependent mechanism. To test this hypothesis, GLP-1R+/+ mice and GLP-1R null (GLP-1R-/-) mice were fed a high fat diet for 4 months to elicit diet-induced obesity prior to undergoing a sequential 3-day vehicle period, 3-day drug treatment (5, 10, 20 or 50 nmol/kg; GEP44 vs the selective GLP-1R agonist, exendin-4) and a 3-day washout. Energy intake, BW, core temperature and activity were measured daily. GEP44 (10, 20 and 50 nmol/kg) reduced BW after 3-day treatment in DIO male GLP-1R+/+ mice by -1.5 ± 0.6, -1.3 ± 0.4 and -1.9 ± 0.4 grams, respectively (P<0.05), with similar effects being observed in female GLP-1R+/+ mice. These effects were absent in male and female DIO GLP-1R-/- mice suggesting that GLP-1R signaling contributes to GEP44-elicited reduction of BW. Further, GEP44 decreased energy intake in both male and female DIO GLP-1R+/+ mice, but GEP44 appeared to produce more consistent effects across multiple doses in males. In GLP-1R-/- mice, the effects of GEP44 on energy intake were only observed in males and not females, suggesting that GEP44 may reduce energy intake, in part, through a GLP-1R independent mechanism in males. In addition, GEP44 reduced core temperature and activity in both male and female GLP-1R+/+ mice suggesting that it may also reduce energy expenditure. Lastly, we show that GEP44 reduced fasting blood glucose in DIO male and female mice through GLP-1R. Together, these findings support the hypothesis that the chimeric peptide, GEP44, reduces energy intake, BW, core temperature, and glucose levels in male and female DIO mice primarily through a GLP-1R dependent mechanism.
A multifunctional inverter power quality coordinated optimization strategy based on comprehensive evaluation
Authors: Lin Yan , Lan Jinchen , Wang Lianhui , Zhang Yan , Xiang Yang , Qin Liang
Published: July 2024

The large-scale integration of renewable energy sources and power electronic devices has led to increasingly dispersed and networked characteristics of power quality disturbances in distribution systems. Traditional control devices, limited by their fixed-point control, no longer meet the development needs of modern distribution systems. Considering the distribution and structural characteristics of the current new-type sources and loads, a multifunctional inverter power quality coordinated control strategy based on comprehensive evaluation is proposed. This strategy aims to achieve power quality coordinated control by utilizing optimal compensation capacity while the grid-connected inverter provides active power output. Firstly, the traditional ipiq power quality detection method is analyzed and improved to enable detection of harmonics, reactive power, and three-phase imbalance currents in single-phase systems or three-phase four-wire systems. Secondly, in the power quality assessment, a balanced algorithm is employed to obtain the comprehensive evaluation index of power quality, thereby improving the deficiencies of single-weight evaluation. Next, to ensure the grid-connected inverter achieves optimal power quality coordinated control with minimal compensation capacity, an optimization compensation function is established between compensation capacity and comprehensive power quality index. This function is optimized using non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm to enhance equipment utilization and system economy. Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method are validated through simulations, demonstrating the achievement of optimal capacity configuration for power quality coordinated control while ensuring active power output by the grid-connected inverter.
Natural occurrence of Wolbachia in Anopheles sp. and Aedes aegypti populations could compromise the success of vector control strategies
Authors: Gnankine Olivier , Dabiré Roch Kounbobr
Published: July 2024

Wolbachia is a maternally inherited bacterium commonly detected in approximately 50% of arthropod species, including mosquito vector species. Wolbachia species have been detected in different mosquito vectors, but in most malaria vectors, their occurrence in natural populations were reported 10 years ago. Aedes aegypti, the main vector of dengue virus, is generally uninfected by Wolbachia, and records of infection are rare and only include a few populations. This bacterium impacts the biology, ecology, and evolution of vector populations. Wolbachia has attracted considerable interest because of its role in reducing disease transmission. Moreover, this bacterium is known to manipulate insect reproduction by inducing cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), thus providing new avenues for vector control strategies. Interestingly, wMel or wAlbB Wolbachia infections in Aedes populations exhibit a stable high frequency in most areas and contribute to the reduction of local dengue transmission. In natural populations of Anopheles, although Wolbachia was found, little is known about its role and effect on Plasmodium. If the incompatible insect technique (IIT) and population replacement strategy resulted in significant decreases in the dengue transmission in endemic countries such as the USA, Taiwan, Australia, and Brazil, natural Wolbachia detection in mosquitoes may pose a threat to these vector control strategies, raising the following question: “Does the natural occurrence of Wolbachia in Anopheles sp. and Ae. aegypti populations compromise the success of vector control strategies? This review presents recent achievements of Wolbachia in natural Anopheles and Ae. aegypti populations in terms of prevalence and provides guidelines for the development of Wolbachia-based vector control.
Fish Acoustic Detection Algorithm Research: a deep learning app for Caribbean grouper calls detection and call types classification
Authors: Ibrahim Ali K. , Zhuang Hanqi , Schärer-Umpierre Michelle , Woodward Caroline , Erdol Nurgun , Chérubin Laurent M.
Published: July 2024

In this paper, we present the first machine learning package developed specifically for fish calls identification within a specific range (0–500Hz) that encompasses four Caribbean grouper species: red hind (E. guttatus), Nassau (E. striatus), yellowfin (M. venenosa), and black (M. bonaci). Because of their ubiquity in the soundscape of the grouper’s habitat, squirrelfish (Holocentrus spp.) sounds along with vessel noise are also detected. In addition the model is also able to separate grouper species call types. This package called FADAR, the Fish Acoustic Detection Algorithm Research is a standalone user-friendly application developed in Matlab™. The concept of FADAR is the product of the evaluation of various deep learning architectures that have been presented in a series of published articles. FADAR is composed of a main algorithm that can detect all species calls including their call types. The architecture of this model is based on an ensemble approach where a bank of five CNNs with randomly assigned hyperparameters are used to form an ensemble of classifiers. The outputs of all five CNNs are combined by a fusion process for decision making. At the species level, the output of the multimodel is thus used to classify the calls in terms of their types. This is done by species specific deep learning models that have been thoroughly evaluated in the literature on the species concerned here, including transfer learning for red hind and yellowfin groupers and custom designed CNN for Nassau grouper, which has a greater number of known call types than the other species. FADAR was manually trained on a diversity of data that span various regions of the Caribbean Sea and also two recorder brands, hydrophone sensitivities, calibrations and sampling rates, including a mobile platform. This strategy has conferred FADAR substantive robustness to a diversity of noise level and sources that can be found in the grouper calls frequency band such as vessels and marine mammals. Performance metrics based on sensitivity (recall) and specificity showed the same performance level for both balanced and unbalanced datasets and at locations not used in the training set.
Research on the economic loss prediction and vulnerability risk zoning of coastal erosion disaster: a case study from Liaoning, China
Authors: Wang Chuanjun , He Yixiong , Ma Gongbo , Wang Weiwei
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Coastal erosion is widely distributed globally, with sandy coasts being particularly prominent, causing significant economic losses to coastal areas. This study focuses on the coastal areas of Liaoning Province, China, which represent typical sandy beach erosion.

Methods

Based on the assessment of coastal erosion disaster losses, a multivariate variable-weight combination prediction model is utilized to predict the losses caused by coastal erosion disasters, providing an effective mathematical modeling approach for predicting such losses. Furthermore, the cluster analysis method is employed to delineate vulnerability risk zones for coastal erosion along the Liaoning Province coast.

Results and discussion

The research findings indicate the following: (1) From 2023 to 2025, the losses due to coastal erosion disasters in Liaoning Province are projected to decrease significantly from a scale of 36 million RMB yuan to 5 million RMB yuan; (2) Based on the magnitude of disaster vulnerability risk, the coastal areas of Liaoning Province are categorized into four risk zones: high-risk zones (Jinzhou District), moderately high-risk zones (Zhuanghe City, Wafangdian City, Ganjingzi District), medium-risk zones (Lvshunkou District, Bayuquan), and low-risk zones (Gaizhou City, Suizhong County, Xingcheng City). Recommendations are proposed accordingly: (1) Effective measures should be implemented to mitigate the losses incurred by coastal erosion on land, buildings, infrastructure, agricultural output; (2) In the selection of disaster prevention and control measures,economic factors should be carefully considered in line with the specific circumstances of the losses. Specifically, the economic efficiency of disaster prevention and mitigation measures should be taken into account; (3) Precise efforts should be made to implement coastal erosion disaster prevention and control measures in different regions.
Advanced modeling of pharmaceutical solubility in solvents using artificial intelligence techniques: assessment of drug candidate for nanonization processing
Authors: Al Hagbani Turki , Alshehri Sameer , Bawazeer Sami
Published: July 2024

This research is an analysis of multiple regression models developed for predicting ketoprofen solubility in supercritical carbon dioxide under different levels of T(K) and P(bar) as input features. Solubility of the drug was correlated to pressure and temperature as major operational variables. Selected models for this study are Piecewise Polynomial Regression (PPR), Kernel Ridge Regression (KRR), and Tweedie Regression (TDR). In order to improve the performance of the models, hyperparameter tuning is executed utilizing the Water Cycle Algorithm (WCA). Among, the PPR model obtained the best performance, with an R2 score of 0.97111, alongside an MSE of 1.6867E-09 and an MAE of 3.01040E-05. Following closely, the KRR model demonstrated a good performance with an R2 score of 0.95044, an MSE of 2.5499E-09, and an MAE of 3.49707E-05. In contrast, the TDR model produces a lower R2 score of 0.84413 together with an MSE of 7.4249E-09 and an MAE of 5.69159E-05.
Chikungunya virus vaccine: a decade of progress solving epidemiological dilemma, emerging concepts, and immunological interventions
Authors: Shaikh Mohd Sayeed , Faiyazuddin Md. , Khan Mubasshera Sabir , Pathan Shahbaz K. , Syed Imran J. , Gholap Amol D. , Akhtar Mohammad Shabib , Sah Ranjit , Mehta Rachana , Sah Sanjit , Bonilla-Aldana D. Katterine , Luna Camila , Rodriguez-Morales Alfonso J.
Published: July 2024

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), a single-stranded RNA virus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, poses a significant global health threat, with severe complications observed in vulnerable populations. The only licensed vaccine, IXCHIQ, approved by the US FDA, is insufficient to address the growing disease burden, particularly in endemic regions lacking herd immunity. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), explicitly targeting structural proteins E1/E2, demonstrate promise in passive transfer studies, with mouse and human-derived mAbs showing protective efficacy. This article explores various vaccine candidates, including live attenuated, killed, nucleic acid-based (DNA/RNA), virus-like particle, chimeric, subunit, and adenovirus vectored vaccines. RNA vaccines have emerged as promising candidates due to their rapid response capabilities and enhanced safety profile. This review underscores the importance of the E1 and E2 proteins as immunogens, emphasizing their antigenic potential. Several vaccine candidates, such as CHIKV/IRES, measles vector (MV-CHIK), synthetic DNA-encoded antibodies, and mRNA-lipid nanoparticle vaccines, demonstrate encouraging preclinical and clinical results. In addition to identifying potential molecular targets for antiviral therapy, the study looks into the roles played by Toll-like receptors, RIG-I, and NOD-like receptors in the immune response to CHIKV. It also offers insights into novel tactics and promising vaccine candidates. This article discusses potential antiviral targets, the significance of E1 and E2 proteins, monoclonal antibodies, and RNA vaccines as prospective Chikungunya virus vaccine candidates.
Demonstrating autonomous controls on hardware test beds is a necessity for successful missions to Mars and beyond
Authors: Ezell N. Dianne Bull
Published: July 2024

NASA and the Department of Defense are planning for a mission to Mars in the 2030s–2040s using nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP). NTP uses a nuclear reactor to heat flowing hydrogen and create thrust. A serious concern for crewed and uncrewed missions to Mars is the loss of reactor control. The reactor startup and initial rocket impulse are initiated in cislunar or near-earth orbital regions; therefore, radio communications between ground control and the NTP engine should occur in real time. However, radio communications can take more than 20 min, depending on planet positions, to reach Mars orbiters from ground control. To address this delay, local autonomous controls are implemented onboard the NTP engine to ensure acceptable operation. However, autonomous controls have not been demonstrated or implemented in research or power reactor contexts because of safety and reliability concerns. To enable autonomous controls development, demonstration, and validation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory has created a nonnuclear hardware-in-the-loop test bed. Sensors throughout the test bed relay system status and hardware response to the user control algorithm, including measurements of temperature, flow, pressure of a loop, control drum position, and drum speed. This paper discusses the development of this facility and user accessibility.
Augmented reality for chemistry education to promote the use of chemical terminology in teacher training
Authors: Ripsam Melanie , Nerdel Claudia
Published: July 2024

Chemistry as a whole is divided into three levels. The macroscopic level describes real, observable phenomena of the material world. The submicroscopic level focuses on particles. The representative level includes pictorial and symbolic representations to visualize substance in its nature. Students often have problems separating these levels and conceptually transfer each of the three levels to the other. Therefore, teachers need to use chemical terminology correctly when teaching the substance-particle concept. Augmented Reality (AR) connects real and virtual world. The observer physically moves in a real environment that integrates virtual elements. The AR technology has great potential for learning in the subject chemistry, especially when it comes to making the “invisible” visible and illustrating scientific phenomena at particle level. The simultaneous presentation should avoid split-attention and offers new possibilities to interactively deal with (M)ER. The question arises whether AR has a positive effect on the use of technical language and the associated understanding of the concept of dealing with (M)ER at the substance and particle levels. With an AR app on the tablet and the AR glasses, the chemical processes of a real experiment are represented by AR visualizations. Therefore, the AR app was piloted. This study captured the chemistry handling with (M)ER of chemistry teachers (N = 30) using a pre-post survey. The participating preservice teachers are described below. Each test includes five tasks elaborated by thinking aloud. The thinking-aloud protocols to acquire the use of the chemical terminology are evaluated in MAXQDA.
Resilience and mental health among perinatal women: a systematic review
Authors: Hajure Mohammedamin , Alemu Solomon Seyife , Abdu Zakir , Tesfaye Gebremeskel Mulatu , Workneh Yadeta Alemayehu , Dule Aman , Adem Hussen Mustefa , Wedajo Lema Fikadu , Gezimu Wubishet
Published: July 2024

Objective

This review aimed to assess the current evidence on the relationship between resilience and mental health employed in response to the impacts of mental health.

Method

This review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA). The protocol of this review was registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO: CRD42023470966). Three authors searched peer-reviewed articles using several electronic databases, including Scopus, PubMed/MEDLINE, Psych Info, EMBASE, and Web of Science, from September to October 2023 and included all the studies from any time until November 1, 2023. The review included all eligible quantitative observational and qualitative studies, irrespective of geographical boundaries.

Result

Depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorders were found to be the most common, but not the only, mental health disorders during the perinatal period, and higher maternal resilience during perinatal periods was found to reduce mental health disorders. It was also found that pregnant women were more resilient to mental health disorders than postpartum women. Tolerance of uncertainty and a positive cognitive appraisal, women’s self-behavior and family functioning, and protective psychosocial resources such as dispositional optimism, parental sense of mastery, self-esteem, gratitude, and forgiveness were found to be the most common mechanisms of resilience among perinatal women. Older age, having an adolescent partner, family income, and distress were found to affect resilience.

Conclusion

Noting that women’s resilience is an important tool to prevent perinatal mental health disorders, maternal healthcare providers need to counsel perinatal women on resilience-boosting mechanisms, such as applying self-behavior and having social support or close family relationships. It is recommended to counsel or provide psychosocial interventions for the woman’s companion or partner to give strong support for the woman in each of the perinatal periods.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=470966, identifier CRD42023470966.
Food insecurity and its severity among adults receiving antiretroviral therapy in health facilities, northcentral Ethiopia: a multi-facility-based cross-sectional study
Authors: Boneya Dube Jara , Ahmed Ahmed Ali , Yalew Alemayehu Worku
Published: July 2024

Background

Food insecurity plays a crucial role in predicting the spread of HIV due to the adverse effects of coping mechanisms adopted to mitigate it. However, there is a scarcity of context-specific evidence regarding food insecurity among HIV-infected adults. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the context-specific magnitude of food insecurity and associated factors among adults receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in health facilities in the North Shewa Zone, Ethiopia, ultimately contributing to the achievement of the 95–95-95 HIV treatment target in the local context.

Methods

A multi-facility cross-sectional study was conducted among 865 HIV-infected adults receiving ART and being followed up for their treatment. We included health facilities that provide ART, including four hospitals and six health centers. A log-binomial regression model was fitted to identify the association between food insecurity and independent variables. Adjusted prevalence ratios (APRs) with a 95% confidence interval were computed to measure the strength of the association.

Results

In this study, 290 (33.7, 95% CI: 30.60, 36.91) of the HIV-infected adults studied had food insecurity during their treatment and follow-up, of which 152 (52.41, 95% CI: 46.64, 58.13) and 110 (37.93%, CI: 32.50, 43.68) of them were found to have severe and moderate forms of food insecurity, respectively. We found that being younger (APR = 2.27, 95% CI: 1.12, 4.60), being female (APR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.03, 3.39), lacking formal education (APR = 10.79, 95% CI: 14.74, 24.58), having lower educational status (APR = 5.99, 95% CI: 2.65, 13.54), being a daily laborer (APR = 6.90, 95% CI: 2.28, 20.85), having low monthly income (APR = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.11, 3.22), advanced WHO clinical stage (APR = 2.34, 95% CI: 1.08, 5.10), and receiving ART for less than 4 years (AOR = 2.28, 95% CI: 1.09, 4.74) were significantly associated with a high proportion of food insecurity among HIV-infected adults.

Conclusion

The magnitude of food insecurity among HIV-infected adults receiving ART was high, with an extremely high magnitude of severe food insecurity. The finding suggests the need for culture- and context-specific nutritional interventions to address the gender dynamics of food insecurity, attention to the early stage of ART, and the integration of strategies to improve educational status and enhance income-generation activities of HIV-infected adults. This requires an emphasis on the link between food insecurity and HIV in Ethiopia’s national food and nutrition policy.
A fuzzy analytical hierarchy process -GIS approach to flood susceptibility mapping in NEOM, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Bokhari Barra Faisal , Tawabini Bassam , Baalousha Husam Musa
Published: July 2024

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is undergoing massive and rapid urbanization as part of Vision 2030. This includes development projects along Saudi Arabia’s coastline across the Red Sea. Coastal areas, especially the ones along Saudi’s western regions are susceptible to natural disasters such as flooding. NEOM, a futuristic city currently being developed in the northwest of Saudi Arabia, exemplifies a potential flooding hazard due to its geographic location and proposed urbanization plans. This research aims to enhance flood hazard assessment in NEOM by applying the Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP) in combination with Geographic Information System (GIS). Acknowledging traditional limitations related to data availability and parameter selection consensus, the study carefully selects parameters such as drainage density, elevation, slope, rainfall, land use/land cover (LULC), soil type, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and topographic wetness index (TWI). The 30 m DEM was used to derive Drainage Density, Slope, and TWI while LULC data helped assess land cover changes. Rainfall data and soil type information are integrated to evaluate their impact on flood susceptibility. NDVI is employed to analyze vegetation cover. Utilizing ArcGIS Pro’s weighted overlay model, the criteria were combined to generate the final flood susceptibility map. The research outcomes manifest in a flood susceptibility map categorizing areas into seven distinct susceptibility classes, ranging from ‘very low’ to ‘very high.’ A quantitative breakdown in a summary table provides insights into the proportional distribution of flood risk. Results indicate a significant portion of NEOM falls within varying degrees of moderate susceptibility range with relatively limited distribution of flood susceptibility on the extremes, equating to areas with ‘low to moderate’ susceptibility is 4,322.8 km2, areas with ‘moderate’ susceptibility is 5,109.69 km2, areas with ‘moderate to high’ is 4,081.39 km2. The flood susceptibility map developed in this study can shed insights on potential optimum areas for flood mitigation measures (i.e., optimum locations for establishing stormwater collection points).