bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reflections on the trends of suicide in Sri Lanka, 1997–2022: The need for continued vigilance
Authors: Bandara Piumee , Wickrama Prabath , Sivayokan Sambasivamoorthy , Knipe Duleeka , Rajapakse Thilini
Published: April 2024

Despite reductions in suicide rates in Sri Lanka during the past decades, largely by introduction of national bans on highly hazardous pesticides, the country continues to record a higher than global average rate of suicide. With the changing availability of methods of suicide over time, we aimed to examine the age-standardized suicide rates in Sri Lanka by sex, age, and method between 1997 to 2022 using national police suicide data to identify trends. The rate of suicide in Sri Lanka in 2022 was 27/100,000 and 5/100,000, in males and females respectively, with an overall suicide rate of 15/100,000 population. When considering the previous decades, the overall rate of suicide has declined from 1997 until about 2015, in both sexes, driven by a drop in the numbers of suicides due to pesticide ingestion. In females the overall rates of suicide plateaued around 2015, but in males there has been an upward trend in overall suicide that started in 2016, mostly due to an increase in rates of hanging. Since 2016 rates of suicide by hanging have increased among older males, and young females (17–25 years). Whilst the current suicide rate in Sri Lanka is substantially lower than it was during the 1990s, the upward trend in hanging seen in the last few years, particularly among older men and young women, is of concern. Ongoing monitoring of suicide rates should be a priority during the next few years, to detect and respond to changes as soon as possible. There is an urgent need to address current risk factors for suicide in Sri Lanka, such as significant financial insecurity, unemployment, depression, alcohol misuse, and domestic violence, and to minimize media glamourization of hanging by suicide.
Improving immersive experiences in virtual natural setting for public health and environmental design: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Wen Yuhan , Shen Xiwei , Shen Yan
Published: April 2024

In recent years, virtual reality (VR) technology has emerged as a powerful tool in the field of therapeutic landscapes. For hospitalized patients or individuals with limited mobility, VR provides highly personalized therapy by simulating authentic natural environments within a safe, convenient, and engaging setting. This study investigated the effectiveness of immersing patients in virtual natural environments for health recovery and compared the varying impacts of different types of landscapes on patients’ recovery levels. The aim was to complement traditional medical approaches and enhance environmental design in the field of public health. Researchers systematically reviewed databases (January 2018 to August 2, 2023) to identify randomized controlled trials comparing the efficacy of virtual nature immersion with other treatments. The inclusion/exclusion criteria were established based on the population, intervention, comparison, outcomes, study design, and other aspects (expanded PICO) framework. The Cochrane tool was employed to assess the risk of bias. Meta-analysis was conducted by pooling the mean differences with a 95% confidence interval. Among 30 trials, a total of 2123 patients met the inclusion criteria, with 15 studies included in the meta-analysis. 30 trials met the criteria. Results show significant improvements in pain, anxiety, fear, and some physiological indicators with virtual nature-based treatments. On the other hand, natural scenes incorporating blue and green elements have been applied more extensively and have shown more significant effects. In comparison to conventional methods, this study strongly advocates that virtual reality environments are a crucial tool in bridging the gap between patients and nature, demonstrating their potential to reshape medical interventions and improve environmental design in the field of public health.
The concept of optimal planning of a linearly oriented segment of the 5G network
Authors: Kovtun Viacheslav , Grochla Krzysztof , Zaitseva Elena , Levashenko Vitaly
Published: April 2024

In the article, the extreme problem of finding the optimal placement plan of 5G base stations at certain points within a linear area of finite length is set. A fundamental feature of the author’s formulation of the extreme problem is that it takes into account not only the points of potential placement of base stations but also the possibility of selecting instances of stations to be placed at a specific point from a defined excess set, as well as the aspect of inseparable interaction of placed 5G base stations within the framework of SON. The formulation of this extreme problem is brought to the form of a specific combinatorial model. The article proposes an adapted branch-and-bounds method, which allows the process of synthesis of the architecture of a linearly oriented segment of a 5G network to select the best options for the placement of base stations for further evaluation of the received placement plans in the metric of defined performance indicators. As the final stage of the synthesis of the optimal plan of a linearly oriented wireless network segment based on the sequence of the best placements, it is proposed to expand the parametric space of the design task due to the specific technical parameters characteristic of the 5G platform. The article presents a numerical example of solving an instance of the corresponding extremal problem. It is shown that the presented mathematical apparatus allows for the formation of a set of optimal placements taking into account the size of the non-coverage of the target area. To calculate this characteristic parameter, both exact and two approximate approaches are formalized. The results of the experiment showed that for high-dimensional problems, the approximate approach allows for reducing the computational complexity of implementing the adapted branch-and-bounds method by more than six times, with a slight loss of accuracy of the optimal solution. The structure of the article includes Section 1 (introduction and state-of-the-art), Section 2 (statement of the research, proposed models and methods devoted to the research topic), Section 3 (numerical experiment and analysis of results), and Section 4 (conclusions and further research).
Impact of COVID-19 on acute appendicitis presentation, management and pathology findings in adult and paediatric populations
Authors: Johnston Dorothy B. , Coleman Helen G. , Colvin David , Lawther Suzanne , Loughrey Maurice B.
Published: April 2024

Background

We investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on trends of presentation, management and pathology findings in patients who underwent an appendicectomy for suspected acute appendicitis.

Method

The retrospective study reviewed patients (n = 939 adults and n = 329 children) who had an appendicectomy performed for suspected acute appendicitis and histopathology assessment in the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Northern Ireland. Pre-COVID-19 (March 2019 to February 2020) and COVID-19 Year 1 (March 2020 to February 2021) data were compared. Chi-squared tests were applied to compare timeframes.

Results

513 adult appendicectomies were performed in the immediate year pre-COVID-19, compared to 426 in COVID-19 Year 1, representing a 17% reduction. No such reduction was seen within the paediatric population, likely related to a change in regional paediatric referral criteria during the pandemic. When comparing COVID-19 Year 1 with pre-pandemic, fewer patients presented with <24 hours of symptoms (45% v 53%, p = 0.005), and there was greater use of pre-operative computed tomography imaging in adults (63.2% v 48.7%, p<0.001). Fewer adult and paediatric cases of simple acute appendicitis and non-diagnostic specimens, with relative increased proportions of perforated acute appendicitis, were observed in COVID-19 Year 1 compared with pre-pandemic. No absolute increase in perforated acute appendicitis cases was observed in adults.

Conclusion

Year 1 of the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with delayed presentation of acute appendicitis in adults and children. In adults, an overall reduction in appendicectomy operations, increased use of pre-operative diagnostic imaging, and fewer specimens showing simple acute appendicitis or non-diagnostic features, collectively support appropriate restriction of surgery for those patients with a more certain acute appendicitis diagnosis.
Short-term health effects of an urban regeneration programme in deprived neighbourhoods of Barcelona
Authors: Bartoll-Roca Xavier , López María José , Pérez Katherine , Artazcoz Lucía , Borrell Carme
Published: April 2024

Urban regeneration programmes are interventions meant to enhance the wellbeing of residents in deprived areas, although empirical evidence reports mixed results. We evaluated the health impact of a participatory and neighbourhood-wide urban regeneration programme, Pla de Barris 2016–2020, in Barcelona. A pre-post with a comparison group study design. Using data from a cross-sectional survey performed in 2016 and 2021. The health outcomes analysed were mental health, alcohol and psychotropic drug use, perceived health status, physical activity and obesity. Depending on the investment, two intervention groups were defined: moderate- and high-intensity intervention groups. The analysis combined difference-in-difference estimation with an inverse weighting derived from a propensity score to reduce potential biases. The impact of the intervention in percentages and its confidence interval were estimated with a linear probability model with clustered adjusted errors. The intervention had a positive impact on health outcomes in women in the high-intensity intervention group: a reduction of 15.5% in the relative frequency of those experiencing poor mental health, and of 21.7% in the relative frequency of those with poor self-perceived health; and an increase of 13.7% in the relative frequency of those doing physical activity. No positive impact was observed for men, but an increase of 10.3% in the relative frequency of those using psychotropic drugs in the high-intensity intervention group. This study shows positive short-term effects of the urban regeneration programme Pla de Barris 2016–2020 on health outcomes in women in the high-intensity intervention group. These results can guide future interventions in other areas.
Small design modifications can improve the primary stability of a fully coated tapered wedge hip stem
Authors: Glismann Katja , Konow Tobias , Lampe Frank , Ondruschka Benjamin , Huber Gerd , Morlock Michael M.
Published: April 2024

Increasing the stem size during surgery is associated with a higher incidence of intraoperative periprosthetic fractures in cementless total hip arthroplasty with fully coated tapered wedge stems, especially in femurs of Dorr type A. If in contrast a stem is implanted and sufficient primary stability is not achieved, such preventing successful osseointegration due to increased micromotions, it may also fail, especially if the stem is undersized. Stem loosening or periprosthetic fractures due to stem subsidence can be the consequence. The adaptation of an established stem design to femurs of Dorr type A by design modifications, which increase the stem width proximally combined with a smaller stem tip and an overall shorter stem, might reduce the risk of distal locking of a proximally inadequately fixed stem and provide increased stability. The aim of this study was to investigate whether such a modified stem design provides improved primary stability without increasing the periprosthetic fracture risk compared to the established stem design. The established (Corail, DePuy Synthes, Warsaw, IN, US) and modified stem designs (Emphasys, DePuy Synthes, Warsaw, IN, US) were implanted in cadaveric femur pairs (n = 6 pairs) using the respective instruments. Broaching and implantation forces were recorded and the contact areas between the prepared cavity and the stem determined. Implanted stems were subjected to two different cyclic loading conditions according to ISO 7206–4 using a material testing machine (1 Hz, 600 cycles @ 80 to 800 N, 600 cycles @ 80 to 1600 N). Translational and rotational relative motions between stem and femur were recorded using digital image correlation. Broaching and implantation forces for the modified stem were up to 40% higher (p = 0.024), achieving a 23% larger contact area between stem and bone (R2 = 0.694, p = 0.039) resulting in a four times lower subsidence during loading (p = 0.028). The slight design modifications showed the desired effect in this in-vitro study resulting in a higher primary stability suggesting a reduced risk of loosening. The higher forces required during the preparation of the cavity with the new broaches and during implantation of the stem could bare an increased risk for intraoperative periprosthetic fractures, which did not occur in this study.
Dual-band MIMO antenna with low mutual coupling for 2.4/5.8 GHz communication and wearable technologies
Authors: Awan Wahaj Abbas , Islam Tanvir , N. Alsunaydih Fahad , Alsaleem Fahd , Alhassoonc Khaled
Published: April 2024

To satisfy the requirements of modern communication systems and wearables using 2.4/5.8 GHz band this paper presents a simple, compact, and dual-band solution. The antenna is extracted from a circular monopole by inserting various patches and stubs. The genetic algorithm is utilized to optimize the parameters and achieve the best possible results regarding bandwidth and gain. Afterward, a 2-port multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) configuration is created by positioning an identical second single element perpendicularly to the first one. The electrical size of the suggested MIMO configuration is 0.26 λL × 0.53 λL, where λL represents the free space wavelength at lower resonance of 2.45 GHz. The common ground technique is adopted to further reduce and achieve the accepted level of mutual coupling of the MIMO configuration. The presented MIMO antenna offers a low mutual coupling of < –27 dB with 0.2 envelope correlation coefficient (ECC). The antenna has a gain of around 6.2 dBi and 6.5 dBi at resonating frequencies of 2.45 GHz and 5.4 GHz. Furthermore, the specific absorption rate (SAR) analysis of the MIMO antenna offers a range inside of the standard values, showing its potential for On/Off body communications. The comparison with already published works shows that the proposed antenna achieves better results in either compact size or wide operational bandwidth along with low mutual coupling.
Arabic translation and cultural adaptation of a training load and player monitoring in high-level football questionnaire: A cognitive interview study
Authors: Bursais Abdulmalek K.
Published: April 2024

Background

Understanding the current practice and the associated challenges in applying monitoring tools is essential to improving football performance in the Middle East, thus the purpose was to translate and culturally adapt a published questionnaire that assessed the practice and perception of High-Level football teams toward Training Load and Player Monitoring to be used in the Arabic context, aiming to contribute to the enhancement of football performance, player welfare, and training quality in the region.

Method

A total of 15 Arabic-speaking coaches (mean age 42.6 ± 9.9 years; mean experience 10.9 ± 5.7 years; 53.3% football coaches and 46.7% strength & conditioning coaches) were conveniently selected to participate in this study. The current research followed a systematic cross-cultural adaptation process, which included forward translation, synthesis, back-translation, expert panel review, and pre-testing through cognitive interviewing. Three rounds of cognitive interviews were conducted with the 15 participants. Descriptive statistics, including means with standard deviations and frequencies with percentages, were reported for the participants’ characteristics.

Result

With some minor linguistic modifications to the questionnaire by the expert committee (i.e., adjustments such asSport ScientisttoSport Science Specialist), the instrument was translated and culturally adapted into Arabic. All participants confirmed that the resulting Arabic versions of the training load and player monitoring in high-level football questionnaires were appropriate and fully understandable for Arabic speakers in conveying the intended meanings of the items in each.

Conclusion

The training load and player monitoring in the high-level football questionnaire was successfully translated and culturally adapted into Arabic and are now ready for use in the Arabic context, offering an opportunity for comprehensive research and enabling tailored performance optimization strategies, which could ultimately lead to advancements in player development and welfare within Arabic-speaking football communities.
Translation and trans-cultural adaptation to the Malay version of the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy questionnaire among healthcare workers in Malaysia
Authors: Zaid Siti Nur Aisyah , Abdul Kadir Azidah , Mohd Noor Norhayati , Ahmad Basaruddin , Yusoff Muhamad Saiful Bahri , Ramli Anis Safura , Yan Jasy Liew Suet
Published: April 2024

Introduction

Healthcare workers play a crucial role in supporting COVID-19 vaccination as they are the most trusted source of information to the public population. Assessing the healthcare workers’ hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccination is pertinent, however, there are limited validated tools to measure their hesitancy on COVID-19 vaccines. This study aims to adapt and validate the first COVID-19 hesitancy scale among healthcare workers in Malaysia.

Materials and methods

This study adapted and translated the Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (VHS) developed by the WHO SAGE Working Group. The scale underwent a sequential validation process, including back-back translation, content, face, and construct validity for Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). The reliability was tested using internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha composite reliability (CR) and average variance extracted (AVE)).

Results

The data for EFA and CFA were completed by a separate sample of 125 and 300 HCWs, respectively. The EFA analysis of the C19-VHS-M scale was unidimensional with 10 items. A further CFA analysis revealed a uniform set of nine items with acceptable goodness fit indices (comparative fit index = 0.997, Tucker-Lewis index = 0.995, incremental fit index = 0.997, chi-squared/degree of freedom = 1.352, and root mean square error of approximation = 0.034). The Cronbach’s alpha, CR and AVE results were 0.953, 0.95 and 0.70, respectively.

Conclusions

The questionnaire was valid and reliable for use in the Malay language.
High stand density improves seed production in seed orchards of the masting species Picea abies
Authors:   Skogforsk, Uppsala Science Park, SE-75183 Uppsala, Sweden, Almqvist Curt
Published: April 2024

Reproduction in masting species is characterised by long intervals between good cone and seed production years, and only sparse reproduction between mast years. The physiological mechanisms behind masting, and how these are linked to internal resource status and external weather factors, is still a subject of scientific exploration and debate, as is the effect of climate change on masting. This study investigates cone production in one operational seed orchard in Sweden which was established with two different spacings and has since been subject to three tree thinning experiments. The spacings before thinning varied between 800 and 400 stems ha–1, and then thinning reduced the stand density in all trials to half, i.e. between 400 and 200 stems ha–1. In all three experiments cone production per tree was equal in un-thinned and thinned treatments, both in mast years and in non-mast years. Thus, the cone production per unit area was twice as high in the un-thinned areas. The conclusion from these experiments is that the establishment of Picea abies (L.) H. Karst. seed orchards with wide tree spacing is both a misuse of good orchard locations and bad economics.
Association of Endoscopist Colonoscopy Quality Measures With Follow-Up Colonoscopy Outcomes After Positive Stool Tests (Multitarget Stool DNA or Fecal Immunochemical Test): Retrospective Cross-Sectional Analysis of Data From the New Hampshire Colonoscopy Registry
Authors: Butterly Lynn F. , Hisey William M. , Robinson Christina M. , Kneedler Bonny L. , Anderson Joseph C.
Published: April 2024

INTRODUCTION:

Negative colonoscopies following positive stool tests could result from stool test characteristics or from the quality of endoscopist performance. We used New Hampshire Colonoscopy Registry data to examine the association between endoscopist detection rates and polyp yield in colonoscopies performed for positive fecal immunochemical test (FIT) or multitarget stool DNA (mt-sDNA) test to evaluate the degree to which positive stool tests followed by negative colonoscopy (“false positives”) vary with endoscopist quality. In addition, we investigated the frequency of significant polyps in the subgroup of highest quality colonoscopies following positive stool tests.

METHODS:

We compared the frequencies of negative colonoscopies and of specific polyps following positive stool tests across quartiles of endoscopist adenoma detection rate (ADR) and clinically significant serrated polyp detection rate (CSSDR).

RESULTS:

Our sample included 864 mt-sDNA+ and 497 FIT+ patients. We found a significantly lower frequency of negative colonoscopies following positive stool tests among endoscopists with higher ADR and CSSDR, particularly in the 2 highest quartiles. In addition, detection of any adenoma after a positive stool test for endoscopists in the fourth ADR quartile was 63.3% (FIT+) and 62.8% (mt-sDNA+). Among endoscopists in the fourth CSSDR quartile, sessile serrated lesions were found in 29.2% of examinations following a positive mt-sDNA and in 13.5% following FIT+ examinations.

DISCUSSION:

The frequency of negative colonoscopies after positive stool tests was significantly higher in examinations performed by endoscopists with low ADR and CSSDR. Our results also suggest a benchmark target of at least 40% for ADR in patients with mt-sDNA+ or FIT+ tests and 20% for sessile serrated lesions in mt-sDNA+ patients.
Uma análise cognitivo-funcional do uso de tú e usted no espanhol oral de Valência
Authors: Pontes Valdecy Oliveira , Lima José Victor Melo de
Published: April 2024

Esta pesquisa objetivou analisar as formas tú e usted no espanhol oral de Valência, Espanha, a partir de uma interface entre o Funcionalismo e a Linguística Cognitiva. Nessa perspectiva, foram considerados os trabalhos de Givón (1995, 2001) sobre o princípio funcional da marcação e, ainda, os de Langacker (1987, 1991, 2007, 2008) para utilizar uma ferramenta analítica cognitiva que oportunizasse insights mais abrangentes sobre as nuances envolvidas no uso das formas em questão. Procedeu-se uma análise qualitativa dos dados, os quais foram obtidos a partir de 12 entrevistas do tipo semiestruturada provenientes do corpus Proyecto para el Estudio Sociolingüístico del Español de Valencia (PRESEVAL). As ocorrências analisadas foram codificadas e quantificadas para fins de frequência de uso. Desse modo, visando maior precisão e minimização de possíveis erros, utilizou-se o software Atlas.ti para essa finalidade. Após o tratamento dos dados, obteve-se um total de 597 registros de tú e usted e respectivos paradigmas. Desse total, o uso da forma tú na função de sujeito e objeto foi predominante. Os pronomes em sua função de sujeito demonstraram ser mais proeminentes que suas respectivas formas em função de objeto. Considerando um continuum de proeminência, a forma tú ocupa o primeiro lugar numa escala de mais proeminente a menos proeminente, seguido da forma usted, te, a ti, le, a usted, nessa ordem. Assim, as formas de segunda pessoa do singular em função de sujeito constroem o referente de modo mais claro e direto que as formas em função de objeto.
Determinants of the Higher Education Massification Process: Empirical Evidence from BRICS+ Countries
Authors:   GSEM UrFU, Sokolova Yulia
Published: April 2024

Globalization and unprecedented economic growth have led to a radical change in the role of higher education in the world. Currently, BRICS+ (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Argentina, Egypt, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia) are characterized by high rates of economic development and industrialization. In this regard, it seems interesting to investigate whether the process of massification of higher education (increasing the coverage of the population with higher education) is inherent in these countries. The purpose of the study is to identify the determinants of the massification of higher education in the BRICS+ countries. In addition, explore how various economic and social factors influence the participation of women and men in higher education. For the analysis, the author constructed a database containing information on the countries of the association for the period 1990–2022 and developed an empirical model. It is shown that the massification of higher education is typical for the countries studied. The key factors determining this process are macroeconomic conditions (in particular, the cost of living and the unemployment rate), the provision of natural resources, globalization processes and the level of spread of information and telecommunication technologies. In the case of individual economies, the following come to the fore: the level of development of the financial sector, the influx of foreign direct investment and government support for the educational sector
Niacin supplementation attenuates the regression of three‐dimensional capillary architecture in unloaded female rat skeletal muscle
Authors: Lin Hao , Xing Jihao , Pan Han , Hirabayashi Takumi , Maeshige Noriaki , Nakanishi Ryosuke , Kondo Hiroyo , Fujino Hidemi
Published: April 2024

Inactivity can lead to muscle atrophy and capillary regression in skeletal muscle. Niacin (NA), known for inducing hypermetabolism, may help prevent this capillary regression. In this study involving adult female Sprague–Dawley rats, the animals were randomly assigned to one of four groups: control (CON), hindlimb unloading (HU), NA, and HU with NA supplementation (HU + NA). For a period of 2 weeks, the rats in the HU and HU + NA groups underwent HU, while those in the NA and HU + NA groups received NA (750 mg/kg) twice daily through oral administration. The results demonstrated that HU lowered capillary number, luminal diameter, and capillary volume, as well as decreased succinate dehydrogenase activity, slow fiber composition, and PGC‐1α expression within the soleus muscle. However, NA supplementation prevented these alterations in capillary structure due to unloading by stimulating PGC‐1α factors and inhibiting mitochondrial dysfunction. Therefore, NA supplementation could serve as a potential therapeutic approach for preserving the capillary network and mitochondrial metabolism of muscle fibers during periods of inactivity.
The Formation of Industrial Brewing and the Transfer of Knowledge and Demand in Mandatory Palestine
Authors: Gökatalay Semih
Published: April 2024

This article traces the development of brewing and the transfer of knowledge in Mandatory Palestine. Brewing in Palestine proceeded under the watchful eye of the mandate government. Although the reluctance of the British to endorse local enterprises inhibited the progress of beer production in the first decade of the mandate, a thriving brewing industry began to prosper and expand in the latter half of the 1930s. The Palestine Brewery Ltd. exemplified this change. Soon after it started operations, the company gained public confidence and diversified its product range; its products circulated throughout the nation. The challenges by British firms notwithstanding, it gradually took the place of foreign beer in the Palestine market. The company pioneered new methods of communal advertising campaigns and attuned its operations more sensitively to the requirements of the day, elevating it to a symbol of business success and the national economy. Not only popular periodicals but also activities in public relations took on increased significance when it came to promoting products in the market. The demand by military forces allowed further expansion of the company, and the company transitioned into an unprecedented phase of prosperity during World War II. The differing fates of this company and its predecessors proved the primacy of political and social factors for the successful transfer of knowledge between Palestine and Europe.
Molecular mechanism and intervention measures of microvascular complications in diabetes
Authors: Xu Rui , Fang Ziming , Wang Hongyu , Gu Ye , Yu Liying , Zhang Boyang , Xu Jingyu
Published: April 2024

Objective

In this article, the epidemiology, molecular mechanism of occurrence and development, risk factors, and treatment of diabetic microvascular complications such as diabetic nephropathy, diabetic retinopathy, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy were discussed, providing the theoretical basis for more accurate elucidation of the pathogenesis and treatment of diabetic microvascular complications.

Methods

The electronic database of PubMed was searched, and retrieved papers were screened for eligibility by two independent reviewers. Data were extracted using a standardized data extraction form and the quality of included papers was assessed.

Results

Thirty-eight articles were included. Diabetes nephropathy, diabetes peripheral neuropathy, and diabetes retinopathy are the most common and serious microvascular complications of diabetes in clinical patients. Renin–angiotensin system blockers, beta drugs, statins, antivascular endothelial growth factor drugs, and antioxidants can inhibit the occurrence of microvascular complications in diabetes.

Conclusions

However, there has been no breakthrough in the treatment of diabetic microvascular complications. Therefore, prevention of diabetic microvascular complications is more important than treatment.
Tunable high-order harmonic generation in GeSbTe nano-films
Authors: Korolev Viacheslav , Sinelnik Artem D. , Rybin Mikhail V. , Lazarenko Petr , Kushchenko Olga M. , Glukhenkaya Victoria , Kozyukhin Sergey , Zuerch Michael , Spielmann Christian , Pertsch Thomas , Staude Isabelle , Kartashov Daniil
Published: April 2024

High-order harmonic generation (HHG) in solids opens new frontiers in ultrafast spectroscopy of carrier and field dynamics in condensed matter, picometer resolution structural lattice characterization and designing compact platforms for attosecond pulse sources. Nanoscale structuring of solid surfaces provides a powerful tool for controlling the spatial characteristics and efficiency of the harmonic emission. Here we study HHG in a prototypical phase-change material Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST). In this material the crystal phase can be reversibly changed between a crystalline and amorphous phase by light or electric current mediated methods. We show that optical phase-switching is fully reversible and allows for dynamic control of harmonic emission. This introduces GST as new addition to materials that enable flexible metasurfaces and photonic structures that can be integrated in devices and allow for ultrafast optical control.
Ventral Pallidum and Amygdala Cooperate to Restrain Reward Approach under Threat
Authors: Hernndez-Jaramillo Alejandra , Illescas-Huerta Elizabeth , Sotres-Bayon Francisco
Published: April 2024

Foraging decisions involve assessing potential risks and prioritizing food sources, which can be challenging when confronted with changing and conflicting circumstances. A crucial aspect of this decision-making process is the ability to actively overcome defensive reactions to threats and focus on achieving specific goals. The ventral pallidum (VP) and basolateral amygdala (BLA) are two brain regions that play key roles in regulating behavior motivated by either rewards or threats. However, it is unclear whether these regions are necessary in decision-making processes involving competing motivational drives during conflict. Our aim was to investigate the requirements of the VP and BLA for foraging choices in conflicts involving overcoming defensive responses. Here, we used a novel foraging task and pharmacological techniques to inactivate either the VP or BLA or to disconnect these brain regions before conducting a conflict test in male rats. Our findings showed that BLA is necessary for making risky choices during conflicts, whereas VP is necessary for invigorating the drive to obtain food, regardless of the presence of conflict. Importantly, our research revealed that the connection between VP and BLA is critical in controlling risky food-seeking choices during conflict situations. This study provides a new perspective on the collaborative function of VP and BLA in driving behavior, aimed at achieving goals in the face of dangers.
Modelos de negocio circulares para el Sector Eléctrico y Electrónico y RAEE. Medidas para su difusión e implementación en México
Authors: López Pérez Sugey de Jesús
Published: April 2024

Se destaca la importancia de los modelos de negocio con el enfoque de la Economía Circular (EC) para cambiar las dinámicas dañinas que subyacen en la cadena de valor del sector Eléctrico y Electrónico y reducir los residuos. El objetivo es identificar medidas, particularmente financieras y fiscales, acordes para el diseño y difusión de modelos de negocios circulares (MNC) en México. Se utilizó la metodología del Policy Package. El procedimiento consiste en la revisión de la literatura y un diagnóstico sectorial y de la regulación ambiental, diseño de medidas y su contraste para formular el paquete de medidas integrales. Se concluye que la alineación sistémica de EC en la regulación ambiental mexicana es un paso necesario para reorientar pautas de producción y consumo sustentables. Es posible implementar MNC con un adecuado interfaz y sinergias entre las estrategias gubernamentales y el sector empresarial en las diferentes fases de la cadena de valor de este sector. Particularmente, las medidas fiscales y financieras influyen en el comportamiento de los agentes, para la inversión, de ahorro y en sus provisiones de costes y gastos, pudiendo orientar con ello los patrones de circularidad.
Generalized linear models applied to the analysis of the effectiveness of the Sterile Insect Technique
Authors: Guilherme Rodrigues  , Cristino Ariane Campolim , Cantane Daniela R. , Florentino Helenice O. , Fernandes Marco A. R. , Ribolla Paulo E. M. , Oliveira Rogerio A.
Published: April 2024

Aedes aegypti mosquito, popularly known as the dengue mosquito, represents a serious public health problem, because it is the vector responsible for several serious diseases such as Chikungunya fever, Zika virus and Dengue, the latter of which has a higher incidence in the Brazilian population. That mosquito has a high capacity for adaptation in the most diverse types of environments, mainly in places with high population density and lack of basic sanitation, factors that favor its proliferation. The control methods used by the epidemiological surveillance agencies are divided into three modalities: mechanical control, chemical control and biological control. Among the biological control methods, the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) technique stands out, which consists of introducing sterile males into the mosquito population. This article presents reproduction analyzes of a population of natural mosquitoes compared to a population of mosquitoes with the insertion of males sterilized by ionizing radiation, seeking to observe the impact caused by this control method. The statistical analyzes showed the Negative Binomial regression model presented a better fit to the daily egg count data, when this model was compared to the Poisson model. In addition, the introduction of irradiated males decreases the average oviposition rate by approximately 30%.
Reforming international financial organizations in the context of the influsion to socio-economic development of Ukraine and Kazakhstan
Authors:   State Institution “Institute for Economics and Forecasting, NAS of Ukraine”, Borzenko Olena , Lambekova Aygerim ,   Karaganda University named after Academician E.A. Buketov, Myrzhykbayeva Ainur ,   Karaganda University named after Academician E.A. Buketov, Panfilova Tamara ,   State Institution “Itnstitute for Economics and Forecasting, NAS of Ukraine”
Published: April 2024

The article presents the results of a study on current problems of reforming the international financial architecture under the expanding crisis phenomena of a financial nature and the vulnerability of financial markets and public finances to sharp economies political and geopolitical changes. The meta-statistics are aimed at identifying the main institutional fundamentals of the reform of international financial organizations in the context of the transformation of mutual relations with certain neighboring groups of countries and their impact on the socio-economic development in Ukraine and Kazakhstan. Systematized the main guidelines in the transformation of international financial architecture, such as: reform of certain international organizations; changes in the policy of cooperation between individual countries and international financial organizations, transformation of the latter’s influence; creation of a global institution based on international multilateral agreements; strengthening the regulatory mechanisms of international financial law and increasing the responsibilities of national regulators for the functioning of individual segments of financial markets; facilitating reforms of the global financial architecture to achieve the goals of global development and climate change; creation of new international financial institutions etc. The impact of the reforms of international financial organizations on the socio-economic development of Ukraine and Kazakhstan is manifested in the changes in the directions of Kazakhstan’s and Ukraine’s cooperation with modern international institutions, culminating in the updated policy frameworks and special programs for market reform, in ensuring the stability of the national currency, in the solution of socio-economic problems, in financing the deficit of the sovereign budget and in balancing the balance of payments. The allocation of financial resources of a credit and investment nature is accompanied by recommendations on the institutional development of market economy, reforms of the necessary legal framework, development of the private sector and the shaping of a corporate governance system. A comparative analysis of the effectiveness of Kazakhstan’s and Ukraine’s cooperation with international financial organizations allows us to recognize the vulnerability of both countries’ financial systems to crisis phenomena of a global nature, including through the growth of the foreign debt and their weak positions in terms of the EBRD Financial Market Development Index in 2020 compared to the European countries, which became EU members 2004.
Predictions for the Alpha Decay of Z = 127–138 Super Heavy Nuclei Using the CYE Model
Authors: Carmel Vigila Bai G.M. , Ajithra V.S.
Published: April 2024

In recent years, the synthesis and identification of Superheavy elements have been of a great interest in the area of both experimental and theoretical nuclear physics. Using the CYE model, the alpha decay, cluster decay, and spontaneous fission in the heavy and superheavy nuclei have been studied. In the current work, we will investigate the α decay and obtain cluster decay half lifetimes in the interval Z = 127–138 and the spontaneous fission half lifetimes using the two-sphere approximation and will compare the results with the other theoretical values and the semiempirical formula by Xu et al. We believe that the predicted decay half-lifetimes are valuable for future tests, because they are in a good agreement with other theoretical formalisms.
Development and Analysis of Novel Integrable Nonlinear Dynamical Systems on Quasi-One-Dimensional Lattices. Two-Component Nonlinear System with the On-Site and Spatially Distributed Inertial Mass Parameters
Authors: Vakhnenko O.O. , Vakhnenko V.O.
Published: April 2024

The main principles of developing the evolutionary nonlinear integrable systems on quasi-onedimensional lattices are formulated in clear mathematical and physical terms discarding the whimsical mathematical formulations and computer-addicted presentations. These basic principles are substantiated by the actual development of novel semi-discrete integrable nonlinear system, whose auxiliary spectral and evolutionary operators are given by 4 × 4 square matrices. The procedure of reduction from the prototype nonlinear integrable system with twelve field functions to the physically meaningful nonlinear integrable system with four field functions is described in details prompted by our previous cumulative experience. The obtained ultimate semi-discrete nonlinear integrable system comprises the two subsystems of essentially distinct physical origins. Thus, the first subsystem is the subsystem of the Toda type. It is characterized by the on-site (spatially local) mass parameter and the positively defined elasticity coefficient. In contrast, the second subsystem is characterized by the spatially distributed mass parameters and the negatively defined elasticity coefficient responsible for the low-amplitude instability. We believe our scrupulous consideration of all main steps in developing the semidiscrete nonlinear integrable systems will be useful for the researchers unfamiliar with the numerous stumbling blocks inevitable in such an interesting and prospective scientific field as the theory of semi-discrete nonlinear integrable systems.
The Biophoton Emission in Biotechnological and Chemical Research: from Meta-Epistemology and Meaning to Experiment. Part 1
Authors: Nevoit G. , Bumblyte I.A. , Korpan A. , Minser O. , Potyazhenko M. , Iliev M.T. , Vainoras A. , Ignatov I.
Published: April 2024

The review describes the rationale for the feasibility of assessing the biophoton emissions in chemical and biotechnological research and existing methods. In Part 1, we will present the analysis of Meta-Epistemology methods for assessing the biophoton emission. The following stages in the history of the development of methods are identified: First discoveries and formulation of the problem. Pre-paradigm phase. Pre-technical stage (80s of the 18th century – 30s of the 20th century); – Pre-paradigm phase. Technical stage (30s–60s of the XX century); Paradigm scientific phase. The stage of accumulation of scientific data (the 60s–00s of the XX century) is the paradigm scientific phase. Stage of digital technologies and systematic scientific analysis (XXI century). Part 2 will describe the technological features of the methodology and parameters for assessing biophotons, which will allow the use of biophoton emissions in experiments in biotechnological research.
Особливості гелеутворення і агрегації у водних розчинах гідроксипропілцелюлози з солями NaCl, NaI і AgNO3
Authors: Kovalchuk V.I. , Zabashta Yu.F. , Bulavin L.A.
Published: April 2024

Турбiдиметричним методом та методом статичного розсiяння свiтла дослiджено особливостi гелеутворення та агрегацiї у 2% та 0,2% (мас.) водних розчинах гiдроксипропiлцелюлози (ГПЦ) з солями NaCl, NaI i AgNO3. Встановлено, що введення вказаних солей у 2% розчин зменшує коефiцiєнт поверхневого натягу на межi золь- та гель-фази, по-нижує нижню критичну температуру розчину (НКТР) та сповiльнює швидкiсть золь-гель переходу. З даних по статичному розсiянню свiтла випливає, що у розбавлених (1 : 10) водних розчинах ГПЦ при температурi, вищiй за НКТР, у присутностi солей утворюються значнi надмолекулярнi асоцiати (кластери), розмiр яких перевищує довжину хвилi видимого свiтла у декiлька разiв. Спостерiгалося випадання осадiв полiмеру. Показано, що iнтенсивнiсть вiдбитого свiтла може бути описана як функцiя розмiру кластера у рамках теорiї розсiяння Мi. Встановлено, що густина полiмерних агрегатiв у розчинi з AgNO3 є найвищою порiвняно з рештою дослiджених зразкiв, що пояснюється вiдновленням нiтрату срiбла до металу. Осадження кластерiв ГПЦ з наночастинками срiбла може бути використано у технологiях створення композитних полiмерних плiвок з бактерицидною та фунгiцидною активнiстю.
A New Species of the Genus Chilocyrtus (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Orthocentrinae) from South Africa
Authors: Varga O.
Published: April 2024

Chilocyrtus propodealis sp. n. from South Africa is described and illustrated. The newly described species has the carination of the propodeum atypical for representatives of the genus giving the reasons to reconsider the generic borders between this genus and genera allied.
Fracturas de tibia por estrés y hallazgos patológicos asociados en reclutas
Authors: Coria Hernán Eduardo , Fedún Rodríguez Emanuel , García Daniel , Masaragian Héctor , Mizdraji Luciano , Perin Fernando , Rega Leonel , Sartorelli Daniel , Veizaga Velasco Johann
Published: April 2024

Introduction: Tibial stress fractures are a very common condition in military recruits. Our objective is to demonstrate that stress fractures are associated with other diseases.
Materials and Methods: 42 stress fractures in 34 patients were retrospectively evaluated. Every patient had recently joined the Argentine Army and consulted for painful symptoms in the tibia. A clinical and scintigraphic diagnosis of stress fracture was made. Patient data, associated diseases, and risk factors were documented. Inclusion criteria: recent incorporation, same training, age between 16 and 23 years. Trauma, simulators, tumoral pathology, and cases with negative scintigraphy were excluded.
Results: We studied 42 stress fractures in 34 patients, 14 were men and 20 were women. The average age was 20 years. There were no significant differences in the number of injuries regarding the affected limb. 64.7% had associated diseases, 73% in women and 27 % in men. Among the women with stress fractures, 80% had associated diseases, compared to 43% for men. Different diseases were found with lower limb varus and valgus imbalances. Varus was the most associated with fractures.
Conclusions: A high rate of associated diseases was found in patients with tibial stress fractures with a predominance of lower limb varus imbalances. Associated diseases were more likely to be found in women with stress fractures than in men.