bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Greener solutions for biodeterioration of organic-media cultural heritage: where are we?
Authors: Paolino Benedetta , Sorrentino Maria Cristina , Pacifico Severina
Published: September 2024

Eco-friendly decontamination treatments on works of art made from organic materials are of growing interest. The high risks to human health and the environment associated with traditional biocides (e.g. ecotoxicity, development of biotic resistance) have made it necessary to search for safer alternatives, also looking at the past but innovating it. The current state of the art is explored here, delving into the literature on the topic from 2000 to today, and outlining trends in terms of the most tested artistic supports and types of published research (in vitro/in vivo). An overview of the characteristics and mechanisms of biodegradation processes on different types of organic products and on the microorganisms mainly involved is thus provided. The main chemical-physical action techniques tested are illustrated and their practical-applicative aspects are discussed on the basis of evidence from case studies. Taking stock of the actual situation, literature consultation highlights that if on the one hand research is advancing rapidly towards the discovery of new ecological and safe solutions, on the other hand these are often biocidal treatments whose protocols have yet to be explored and validated.
Cellulose acetate electrophoretic separation of serum and urine proteins in Nigerian children with autism spectrum disorders
Authors: Adewole Mudathir A. , Omotosho Ishiaq O. , Olanrewaju Ayodeji O. , Adeniyi Yetunde C.
Published: September 2024

Background

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) characterized by social communication challenges and restricted, repetitive behaviors. While genetic and environmental factors are known to contribute to ASD, the role of the immune system remains unclear. This study investigated the separation patterns of serum and urine proteins in Nigerian children with ASD compared to typically developing children and children with other NDDs.

Methods

Forty-seven participants aged 3–8 years were recruited, including 16 children diagnosed with ASD and 16 children with other NDDs, both according to DSM-5 criteria, along with 15 neurotypical children. Blood and urine samples were collected for protein analysis. Total protein and albumin levels were measured in both serum and urine using established methods. Protein separation in serum and urine was performed using cellulose acetate electrophoresis, followed by densitometry analysis of the electrophoretic patterns.

Results

The results revealed no significant differences in total serum protein levels and most protein fractions between the groups. However, children with other NDDs exhibited significantly lower levels of alpha-2 globulin compared to neurotypical children. Conversely, both ASD and NDD groups showed significantly higher gamma globulin levels compared to the control group. Interestingly, spot urine protein levels were significantly higher in children with ASD compared to neurotypical children.

Conclusion

The observed changes in alpha-2 and gamma globulin levels suggest potential immune system involvement in ASD and other NDDs. The higher urine protein excretion in the ASD group warrants further investigation to explore the potential of urinary protein biomarkers for ASD diagnosis.
Rifaximin alone vs combination with norfloxacin for secondary prophylaxis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis with hepatic encephalopathy: randomized controlled trial
Authors: Gupta Tarana , Gaur Vaibhav , Saini Anjali , Jarpula Nikhil Sai , Goyal Sandeep Kumar
Published: September 2024

Background

In liver cirrhosis, events of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) and hepatic encephalopathy (HE) portend a poor prognosis. Gut dysbiosis remains a common pathogenetic mechanism for both SBP and HE. Recent data suggests the role of rifaximin in gut modulation and improving intestinal dysbiosis. Due to emergence of multidrug-resistant organisms, gut-selective antibiotics with minimal systemic effects are warranted for secondary prophylaxis in patients of cirrhosis. We compared rifaximin alone vs combination with norfloxacin for secondary prophylaxis of patients of cirrhosis presenting with SBP and HE. This was a prospective, open-label, RCT which included all patients of cirrhosis with SBP and HE on admission. On discharge, in addition to standard medical treatment, patients were randomized to rifaximin 400 mg three times a day (group I) and rifaximin 400 mg three times a day with norfloxacin 400 mg once a day (group II) as a secondary prophylaxis of SBP. Primary outcomes were recurrent episodes of SBP and HE at 6 months and 28-day, 90-day, and 6-month mortalities. Secondary outcomes included number of rehospitalizations, episodes of upper gastrointestinal bleed, new acute kidney injury episodes, and change in Child–Turcotte–Pugh (CTP) and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores over next 6 months.

Results

After screening 87 patients of cirrhosis with SBP and HE, 12 patients had in-hospital mortality and another 25 were excluded, one patient was lost to follow-up, and, finally, 49 patients were randomized into group I (n = 24) and group II (n = 25). The HE was grade 2 (18 vs 16) and grade 3 (6 vs 9) in groups I and II respectively. Primary outcomes as recurrent SBP (3 vs 2; P = 0.67); recurrent HE at 6 months (5 vs 2; P = 0.24); and 28-day (2 vs 2; P = 1.0) and 90-day mortality (4 vs 3; P = 0.72) and 6-month mortality (6 vs 8, P = 0.52) were comparable between two groups respectively. Secondary outcomes as number of rehospitalizations (3 vs 8, P = 0.07), new episodes of UGI bleed (2 vs 3, P = 0.1), new AKI episodes (4 vs 1, P = 0.06), ∆CTP (− 4 vs − 4), and ∆MELD (− 9 vs − 8) over the next 6 months were not significantly different between two groups respectively.

Conclusions

Rifaximin was effective in secondary prevention of both SBP and HE in patients of cirrhosis.

Trial registration

The randomized controlled trial was registered in CTRI/2021/09/036321 dated September 7, 2021.
Exploring the potential of small molecules of dual c-Met and VEGFR inhibitors for advances and future drug discovery in cancer therapy
Authors: Dhawale Sachin A. , Deokar Arundhati V. , Firdous Momin Aaliya , Pandit Madhuri , Chaudhari Minal Y. , Salve Sameer B. , Khandgaonkar Madhuri , Parwe Mahesh , Khalse Rupesh , Dake Shruti G. , Chatse Siddharth H. , Tapadiya Ganesh G.
Published: September 2024

Background

Cancer is uncontrolled cell proliferation that has the potential to invade other tissues and cells. The first three most prevalent cancers are breast, lung, and colon cancer. The widest family of kinase enzymes is receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) which are aimed by several chemotherapy medicines. The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGFR), a well-known type IV tyrosine kinase receptor, is an effective biological target for the development of angiogenesis-related cancer treatments. The hepatocyte growth factor (also known as mesenchymal–epithelial transition factor) triggers the activation of the c-Met tyrosine kinase receptor, which controls several biological processes including cell division, survival, and proliferation.

Main body

In this review, we summarized the various dual inhibitors of VEGFR and c-MET receptors which are active for therapeutic action against cancer. Combination of some VEGFR and c-Met inhibitors also shows synergistic action. The developed dual inhibitors of VEGFR and c-MET such as quinolones and quinazolines derivatives, pyridine and pyrimidine derivatives, oxindole moiety and triazine derivatives are most potent for the same. Dual inhibitors of VEGFR and c-MET hold significant promise in improving cancer therapy by enhancing treatment efficacy, reducing resistance, and potentially improving patient outcomes. Clinical trials are currently being conducted on a few of them and other compounds are being under investigation. Inhibiting VEGFR and c-Met pathway activity will be discussed as novel therapeutic strategies for advanced development in treating cancer. The research progress in this review is fetched up to the current year.

Conclusion

Apart from the development of cancer treatment still cancer is listed as a deadly disease, due to its toxicity and resistance to treatment. Hence, the novel approach is necessary to overcome the cancer. The VEGFR and c-MET inhibitors as dual inhibitors may be more significant in future clinical anticancer treatments.
Unmanned aerial vehicle-based evaluation of pollination performance employing clustering image processing technique
Authors: Grbović Željana , Ivošević Bojana , Franeta Filip , Milovac Željko
Published: September 2024

The global decline of pollinator populations is posing a threat to agricultural productivity, increasingly forcing farmers to introduce pollinators to their fields. Selecting suitable pollinator species is critical for effective crop pollination. This study presents an efficient method for early pollination assessment, utilizing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) footage for reliable estimation and timely reactions. Twelve oilseed rape (
Brassica napus var. oleracea
) isolation cages with three pollinator treatments were set up, including the control with no pollinators. The trial employed UAV image acquisition, generating high-resolution RGB orthomosaics. A K-means clustering algorithm was implemented to identify oilseed rape flowers, a direct indicator of pollination performance. The percentage of detected oilseed rape flower coverage within each cage was the primary metric for performance assessment. These initial results demonstrated a negative correlation of 0.92 between estimated flower coverage and expert observations, affirming the efficacy of the proposed methodology. By integrating UAVs and clustering image processing, this research contributes to precision agriculture, offering a robust approach for evaluating pollination performance. The findings underscore the potential of advanced technology to support informed decision-making in agricultural practices, addressing the urgent need for sustainable pollination management in the face of declining pollinator populations.
Prediction of moisture content of cement-stabilized earth blocks using soil characteristics, cement content, and ultrasonic pulse velocity
Authors: Sathiparan Navaratnarajah , Tharuka R. A. N. S. , Jeyananthan Pratheeba
Published: September 2024

This article investigates the importance of moisture content in cement-stabilized earth blocks (CSEBs) and explores methods for their prediction using machine learning. A key aspect of the research is the development of accurate moisture content prediction models. The study compares the performance of various machine learning models, and XGBoost emerges as the most promising model, demonstrating superior accuracy in predicting moisture content based on factors like soil properties, cement content, and ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV). The study employs SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) to understand how these features influence the model’s predictions. UPV is the most significant factor affecting predicted moisture content, followed by cement content and soil properties like uniformity coefficient. Also, the study explores the possibility of using a reduced set of features for moisture content prediction. They demonstrate that a combination of UPV, cement content, and uniformity coefficient can achieve good accuracy, highlighting the potential for practical applications where obtaining all data points might be challenging.
Μελέτη των παραμέτρων που επηρεάζουν την τελική θέση της αυτοεκπτυσσόμενης βιοπροσθετικής αορτικής βαλβίδας σε σχέση με την υπάρχουσα ανατομία - μορφολογία
Authors: Μπέη Ευαγγελία
Published: September 2024

Η μετατόπιση της βιοπροσθετικής βαλβίδας (τυχαία μετατόπιση) κατά το τελικό στάδιο της απελευθέρωσης από το σύστημα μεταφοράς, μετά την αφαίρεση του καθετήρα pigtail και την επαφή με την αριστερή αορτική πτυχή (η οποία δε βρίσκεται υπό έλεγχο του χειριστή), φαίνεται να επηρεάζεται από τα ανατομικά και μορφολογικά χαρακτηριστικά των υποκείμενων δομών, όπως για παράδειγμα της αριστερής κοιλίας, του πάχους του μεσοκοιλιακού διαφράγματος, του αορτικού δακτυλίου και τις διαστάσεις της ανιούσης αορτής. Σκοπός της μελέτης ήταν να ανιχνεύσει τις ανατομικές-μορφολογικές διαφορές μεταξύ των ασθενών που η τοποθέτηση της βιοπροσθετικής αορτικής βαλβίδας κατά το τελικό στάδιο δεν ακολουθήθηκε από μετατόπιση (Ομάδα 1: η τοποθέτηση δεν ακολουθήθηκε από μετατόπιση και η θέση έκπτυξης ήταν 4-8mm, από το επίπεδο του αορτικού δακτυλίου) και των ασθενών που παρατηρήθηκε υψηλή μετατόπιση κατά την τελική φάση της έκπτυξης (Ομάδα 2: η τοποθέτηση ακολουθήθηκε από μετατόπιση και η θέση έκπτυξης ήταν <4 mm, από το επίπεδο του αορτικού δακτυλίου). Αναλύθηκαν συνολικά 120 ασθενείς με συμπτωματική σοβαρού βαθμού στένωση αορτικής βαλβίδας που υποβλήθηκαν σε διακαθετηριακή εμφύτευση αορτικής βαλβίδας με το σύστημα της CoreValveTM (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN, USA) (Ομάδα 1: 65 ασθενείς και Ομάδα 2: 55 ασθενείς), ηλικίας 80,497,22, εκ των οποίων 57 (47,5%) ήταν άνδρες. Οι ασθενείς δε διέφεραν σημαντικά ως προς τα δημογραφικά, ανατομικά και μορφολογικά χαρακτηριστικά, εκτός από το ιστορικό αρτηριακής υπέρτασης (Ομάδα 1: 87,7% έναντι Ομάδας 2: 72,7%, p= 0,038) και χρόνιας αποφρακτικής πνευμονοπάθειας (Ομάδα 1: 43,1% έναντι Ομάδας 2: 16,4%, p= 0,002). Προδιαστολή διεξήχθη σε 45% των ασθενών (Ομάδα 1: 47,7% έναντι Ομάδας 2: 43,6%, p= 0,657). Η εμφύτευση ήταν επιτυχής (device success) στο 95% των ασθενών (Ομάδα 1: 92,3% έναντι Ομάδας 2: 98,2%, p= 0,147). Η μετατόπιση της βιοπρόθεσης από τη μη-στεφανιαία πτυχή ήταν μεγαλύτερη στην Ομάδα 2 (Ομάδας 1: 1,28±0,93mm έναντι Ομάδας 2: 3,12±1,94mm, p <0,001). Τα επίπεδα των δεικτών μυοκαρδιακής βλάβης ήταν στατιστικά σημαντικά μικρότερα στην Ομάδα 2, σε όλες τις χρονικές στιγμές μέτρησης τους. Επιπλέον, τα ποσοστά διαταραχών αγωγιμότητας και ανάγκης για εμφύτευση βηματοδότη άμεσα μετεπεμβατικά ήταν μικρότερα στην Ομάδα 2, χωρίς ωστόσο, να παρατηρείται σημαντική διαφορά. Η λειτουργικότητα της βαλβίδας δε διέφερε μεταξύ των 2 ομάδων τόσο άμεσα μετεπεμβατικά, όσο και κατά την παρακολούθηση των ασθενών στον 1 και 6 μήνες. Μετά από περαιτέρω ανάλυση πιθανών παραμέτρων που επηρεάζουν την τελική θέση εμφύτευσης και τη μετατόπιση, διαπιστώθηκε ότι το ιστορικό αρτηριακής υπέρτασης και χρόνιας αποφρακτικής πνευμονοπάθειας παίζει σημαντικό ρόλο, καθώς επίσης και η εξέλιξη του σχεδιασμού της βιοπρόθεσης, η οποία επηρέασε σημαντικά την εμφάνιση ή μη διαταραχών αγωγιμότητας.
Laying the foundations for high-quality mortality surveillance in Sierra Leone: Early learnings from the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) Network
Authors: Kamara Sorie I B , Kowuor Dickens , Samura Solomon S , Jambai Amara , Dewey Betsy , Kosia Baindu A , Balogun Oluseyi , Kaluma Erick , Bernard Emmanuel G , Bah Abdulai O , Ameh Soter , Whitney Cynthia , Breiman Robert F. , Ogbuanu Ikechukwu U.
Published: September 2024

Background More than four million child deaths occur annually; most are neither adequately documented nor investigated. The Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) program was launched in Sierra Leone (SL) to generate high-quality data to determine definitive causes of stillbirths and under-five mortality (U5M) to inform decision-makers. Despite the multiple challenges of a greenfield research site, we highlight the experience of setting up a high-quality mortality surveillance (MS) system, including the viability of Minimal Invasive Tissue Sampling (MITS). Methods To establish the MS program, we implemented qualitative research and community entry, a sensitive system for timely identification and notification of deaths and followed CHAMPS standard operating procedures for investigating deaths and assigning accurate and definitive causes of death. CHAMPS in SL was implemented in four phases during 2017-2019 by a consortium. Enrolled stillbirths and U5M underwent verbal autopsy, clinical-data-abstractions, MITS, microbiology, molecular and histopathological diagnoses, and Determination of Cause of Death (DeCoDe). Results CHAMPS achieved a 93% consent rate, capitalizing on existing Ministry of Health infrastructure, community involvement, and local ownership. As of December 2022, 3,433 deaths were registered, with 1,056 (31%) eligible for enrolment. Of 439 cases DeCoDed, 402 (92%) of case-families had received feedback on the cause of death. Using findings and recommendations from the DeCoDe experts, CHAMPS is implementing interventions to reduce stillbirths and U5M at CHAMPS SL, including clinical review meetings, provision of emergency drugs and routine child death audits. Conclusion Implementing innovative MS in a challenging context, such as SL, is possible. Building on local knowledge and infrastructure has enabled the CHAMPS project to achieve remarkably high consent rates, given the cultural, religious and sensitivity challenges surrounding seeking consent for MITS from caregivers who have just lost a child. The programme has invested significantly in upscaling local technical capacity for surveillance and laboratory diagnostics.
Trust, regulation, and stewardship of the medical profession in India
Authors: Kane Sumit , Calnan Michael , Radkar Anjali
Published: September 2024

In this paper we discuss the consequences of commercialisation of medicine and the associated shift in professional values, identity, and practices for patients, doctors, and health care organisations in India. We do so within the broader frame of the widely reported fall in trust in the health system in India, and with a view to reflect on how trust may be restored to a level which sustains a different but effective type of relationship between the medical profession and society. We draw on interviews with high-level health system and social actors in India to shed light on the key influences which shape the stewardship and governance of the health care system and the medical profession in the light of mounting evidence of and concerns around the erosion of public and patient trust in these institutions in India. Analysis is presented through four interrelated thematic articulations. Two themes highlight the practices of doctors and the actions of patients which contributed to changes in their relations and particularly a decline in trust. Two further themes focus on the policy and practice implications for regulation and stewardship of the health system and the medical profession.
Screening and treatment of endocrine hypertension focusing on adrenal gland disorders: a narrative review
Authors: Chung Seung Min
Published: September 2024

Most cases of high blood pressure have no identifiable cause, termed essential hypertension; however, in approximately 15% of cases, hypertension occurs due to secondary causes. Primary aldosteronism (PA) and pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL) are representative endocrine hypertensive diseases. The differentiation of endocrine hypertension provides an opportunity to cure and prevent target organ damage. PA is the most common cause of secondary hypertension, which significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease compared to essential hypertension; thus, patients with clinical manifestations suggestive of secondary hypertension should be screened for PA. PPGL are rare but can be fatal when misdiagnosed. PPGL are the most common hereditary endocrine tumors; therefore, genetic testing using next-generation sequencing panels is recommended. Herein, we aimed to summarize the characteristic clinical symptoms of PA and PPGL and when and how diagnostic tests and treatment strategies should be performed.
LET US Play: produção e implementação de um MOOC sobre atividade física e saúde
Authors: Reis Caroline Rezende dos , Coelho-Ravagnani Christianne de Faria , Ravagnani Fabricio Cesar de Paula
Published: September 2024

Com intuito de apresentar uma ferramenta para identificação e modificação de jogos e brincadeiras tradicionais nas aulas de educação física (EF), para maximização da atividade física dos estudantes, foi proposta a produção e implementação de um curso on-line, aberto e massivo (MOOC) para docentes de EF, baseado na estratégia LET US Play (LUP). O curso foi disponibilizado em ambiente virtual e testado por professores de EF do Instituto Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul (IFMS). Os participantes responderam um questionário para avaliação da organização, do conteúdo e da relevância do curso, cuja análise foi realizada pelo índice de validação de conteúdo (IVC), com IVC de 0,94 para a organização, 0,90 para o conteúdo e 0,83 para a relevância. Concluiu-se que o MOOC pode ser uma alternativa para promover ações de formação continuada para docentes de EF, uma vez que os participantes demonstraram habilidade para aplicar os princípios LUP em suas aulas. O curso está depositado no portal de cursos livres do IFMS.
Promotional Press Releases and Investor Processing Costs
Authors: Rawson Caleb , Twedt Brady J. , Watkins Jessica C.
Published: September 2024

Press releases are a primary disclosure channel firms use to communicate with investors. However, firms can also use press releases to self-promote to improve their public image. Promotional press releases are, on average, significantly less value relevant than those focused toward investors. They also contain more positive and emotional language as well as less specific and financially oriented language. Based on theories of disclosure processing costs and investor attention, we predict and find that firms’ recent high usage of this disclosure channel to self-promote is associated with increased investor attention and more efficient reactions to subsequent investor-focused disclosures. This effect is concentrated in less visible firms, whereas promotional press releases appear to have no effect on the pricing efficiency of more visible firms. We also provide evidence consistent with media attention being one channel through which these effects operate. Our findings deepen our understanding of how firms use press releases as a disclosure channel and contribute to the literature on disclosure processing costs.

This paper was accepted by Eric So, accounting.

Funding: This work was supported by resources at the Arkansas High Performance Computing Center. C. Rawson gratefully acknowledges financial support from the Sam M. Walton College of Business. B. J. Twedt gratefully acknowledges financial support from the Mays Business School. J. C. Watkins gratefully acknowledges financial support from the Mendoza College of Business..

Supplemental Material: The data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.01903 .
The Phenomenon of Feedback in the Educational Process of Higher Education Institution: Explicit and Implicit Contexts
Authors:   State Institution Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University, Butenko Ludmila
Published: September 2024

The article presents modern approaches of domestic and foreign scientists to determine the essence of feedback in education in general and in higher education in particular. Emphasis has been placed on the fact that the understanding of the essence of feedback in education differs significantly within behaviorist, cognitive, sociocultural approaches, the theory of social constructivism. Feedback in the educational process of higher education institutions has been considered as a process and result of the transmission and obtaining the information by the subjects of the educational process regarding academic performance, prospects for improving educational results and learning strategies. Feedback types and functions have been defined. Its most important characteristics (concreteness, timeliness, positivity, constructive character, personalization, dialogicity) have been presented. The explicit context of feedback in higher education has been characterized on the basis of its control and evaluation functions. The importance of constructive feedback in the process of commenting students’ answers, the results of the tasks performed, has been emphasized. The implicit context has been disclosed in accordance with the features of interpersonal communication in the educational process, non-verbal means of communication, “feedback loops” in various forms of communication at the university. The relevance of the feedback literacy formation among teachers and students has been proved.
Leadership Competence of a Future Teacher as a Necessary Component of Professional Training
Authors:   State Institution Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University, Pochynkova Mariia
Published: September 2024

The article states that the modern increase of attention to the problem of teacher’s leadership is caused by global changes in society, in particular, the transition of humanity to the path of sustainable development, where one of the goals is education for everyone and throughout life, and constant radical changes in the education system of Ukraine. Modern scientific approaches to the essence of “leader” and “leadership” concepts have been presented. The approaches are being interpreted by the authors from different points of view and aspects (management interaction, personality, humanism, group leader, group phenomenon, etc.). It has been emphasized that management and leadership are not identical concepts and have a number of significant differences. The meaning of “leadership competence” concept has been revealed. It has been proven that its formation requires purposeful work, the peculiarities of a teacher’s professional activity require one to be a leader, and the result of such work can be acquired skills of pedagogical leadership. It has been emphasized on the fact that the work on the formation of the leadership competence of a future teacher should be carried out precisely in the process of one’s professional training. The formed leadership competence of a teacher can have a positive impact not only on students and colleagues, but also on self-education and self-development, as well as on the educational system of our country in general.
Ancestral influences: multiple sclerosis, ethnicity and equity in genetic research
Authors: Palmer Sarah Jane
Published: September 2024

Multiple sclerosis is not an inherited disease, but those who have family members with the disease have a higher risk of developing it themselves. The disease's impacts can vary depending on genetic ancestry. Much of the existing research on MS uses data from European populations. This article provides insight into wider international research that aims to rebalance health outcomes between people of non-White European backgrounds.
Avoidable emergency admissions: defining the concept
Authors: Afonso Tânia dos Santos , Martins Lurdes , Capelas Manuel Luís
Published: September 2024

Background:

The transfer of end-of-life patients to hospital via admission to an emergency service mainly happens because of a lack of community support nearby and a lack of resources in palliative care.

Aims:

This study aimed to define the concept of avoidable admission to an emergency department for palliative patients.

Methods:

An integrative literature review was performed. The results of this were put to a panel of palliative care experts via a Delphi process to determine their consensus and agreement with the statements.

Findings:

The results of the two-step Delphi process reached a high level of consensus and agreement that patients with palliative needs accompanied by home palliative care teams should not go to the emergency department. There was a low level of consensus and agreement about the appropriate admission of a patient in pain in the absence of any information about previous community support.

Conclusion:

The findings allowed the definition of an ‘avoidable emergency admission’, which is an emergency admission for any symptom or condition that could be supported in a home context or primary health care, or any emergency admission that does not require immediate nursing or medical intervention, nor leads to greater comfort or quality of life for the patient.
The National Kidney Federation Celebrates 25 Years of Helpline Support
Authors: Federation National Kidney
Published: September 2024

Since 1999, the National Kidney Federation (NKF) helpline has been a lifeline of hope and support, offering free, compassionate advice and information to those in need.
Cognitive and cultural dynamics of melodic structure: a study of post-skip reversals in Rast and Nihavent makams
Authors: Altun Fırat
Published: September 2024

Post skip reversals, where a significant melodic leap is followed by a change, in direction have been recognized in Western Classical music but haven›t been extensively explored in non-Western traditions like Turkish makam music. We investigated the presence of skip reversals in both the Rast and Nihavent makam within SymbTr encompassing 50 and 45 pieces respectively. To compare types of skip reversals in Rast and Nihavent we categorized all melodic intervals based on their median pitch into four types; landing, approaching, departing and crossing. Chi Squared tests were utilized to analyze the significance of direction changes. Our findings reveal that post skip reversals are prevalent in Turkish makam music. In Rast makam 88.62% of crossing leaps resulted in a change of direction. Similarly, for Nihavent makam, 87.38% of crossing leaps exhibited this pattern. These outcomes support the notion that certain cognitive processes associated with reversals may possess traits that align with theories proposing that melodic skips generate a perceptual imbalance necessitating a reversal. Furthermore, cultural practices and stylistic conventions play a role, in influencing the occurrence of skip reversals. For instance, the strong association between crossing leaps and direction changes in Nihavent makam reflects specific stylistic practices within Turkish classical music, such as the emphasis on maintaining a balanced melodic contour. This indicates that while there are aspects to how we perceive music cultural influences play a role in shaping how these processes are expressed. It shows the interplay, between cognitive tendencies and cultural traditions. The findings focus on the complex interplay between universal cognitive processes, cultural practices and physical constraints, which contribute to a wider understanding of melodic organization in different cultures. In future research, the analysis should expand to include a wider range of makams and incorporate qualitative methods for deeper insight into cultural, historical or performance contexts that influence Post-skip reversal.
ALİ EMİRİ’NİN EZHÂR-I HAKİKAT ADLI ESERİNDE KÖK DEĞERLER
Authors: Sağlam M. Halil
Published: September 2024

Ezhâr-ı Hakikat, Ali Emiri’nin Arnavutluk’un Luşna kazasında maliye müfettişi olarak görev yaptığı dönemde (1896-1900) özdeyiş türünde kaleme aldığı bir eseridir. Eserde Arap alfabesine göre sınıflandırılmış, farklı konularda nasihatler içeren 220 kısa metin bulunmaktadır. Metinlerin büyük bir kısmı öz denetim, saygı, empati, dürüstlük ve adalet gibi kök değerlerle ilişkili özdeyişlerden oluşmaktadırlar. Özdeyişlerin tamamı yazarın bilgi, birikim ve hayat tecrübesini yansıtmaktadır. Bu çalışmada özdeyişler Milli Eğitim Bakanlığının belirlediği kök değerlere göre sınıflandırılmıştır. Çalışma nitel araştırma olup doküman analiziyle gerçekleştirilmiştir. Yapılan çalışma MEB ders programlarında geçen kök değerlerle sınırlandırılmıştır. Çalışmanın temel amacı Türk edebiyatında özdeyişle ilgili çalışmalara katkı sağlamaktır. Özdeyiş türü Türkçe Dersi Öğretim Programında bilgilendirici metinlere dâhil edilmiştir. Programda öğrencilerin özdeyişleri kullanarak anlatımlarını zenginleştirmeleri hedeflenmektedir. Çalışma sonucuna göre Ezhâr-ı Hakikat’ın öğrencilerin anlatım gücünü zenginleştirecek çok sayıda özdeyiş içerdiği tespit edilmiştir. Ezhâr-ı Hakikat 2007 yılında sadeleştirilerek Hakikat Çiçekleri adı altında yayınlanmıştır. Dolayısıyla eser hem ders etkinliklerinde kullanılabilecek hem de öğrencilere okumaları için tavsiye edilebilecek niteliktedir.
A mixed-methods approach exploring acceptability and feasibility of trials designed to test drugs targeting prevention of post-traumatic osteoarthritis after knee injury
Authors: Kalsoum Raneem , Minns Lowe Catherine J. , Gilbert Sophie , McCaskie Andrew W. , Snow Martyn , Wright Karina , Bruce Geoff , Mason Deborah J. , Watt Fiona E.
Published: September 2024

Aims

To explore key stakeholder views around feasibility and acceptability of trials seeking to prevent post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) following knee injury, and provide guidance for next steps in PTOA trial design.

Methods

Healthcare professionals, clinicians, and/or researchers (HCP/Rs) were surveyed, and the data were presented at a congress workshop. A second and related survey was then developed for people with joint damage caused by knee injury and/or osteoarthritis (PJDs), who were approached by a UK Charity newsletter or Oxford involvement registry. Anonymized data were collected and analyzed in Qualtrics.

Results

Survey responses (n = 19 HCP/Rs, 39 PJDs) supported studies testing pharmacological agents preventing PTOA. All HCP/Rs and 30/31 (97%) PJDs supported the development of new treatments that improved or delayed knee symptoms and damage to knee structure. PJDs thought that improving structural knee damage was more important than knee symptoms. Both groups found studies more acceptable as expected future benefit and risk of PTOA increased. All drug delivery routes were acceptable. Workshop participants (around n = 60) reflected survey views. Discussions suggested that stratifying using molecular testing for likely drug response appeared to be more acceptable than using characteristics such as sex, age, and BMI.

Conclusion

Our findings supported PTOA drug intervention studies, including situations where there is low risk of disease, no expected benefit of treatment, and frequent treatment administration. PJDs appeared less risk-averse than HCP/Rs. This work reinforces the benefits of consensus and involvement work in the co-creation of PTOA drug trial design. Involvement of key stakeholders, such as PJDs with different risks of OA and regulatory representatives, are critical for trial design success.

Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2024;13(9):513–524.
Quantitative Estimation and Comparative Assessment of Particle Morphological Features and Energy Requirement During Hammer Milling of Softwood Chips and Wheat Straw
Authors: Mohan Omex , Kurian Vinoj , Pradhan Priyabrata , Kumar Amit
Published: September 2024

Highlights

Quantified particle size and shapes generated during hammer milling of softwood and wheat straw.

Size reductions in length and width correlated with milling energy requirement.

Assessed the validity of existing comminution laws for predicting milling energy requirement.

Improved milling energy requirement prediction for softwood based on size reductions.

Abstract. The valorization of agricultural and woody residues into higher quality fuels is an attractive pathway and can contribute to decarbonizing the energy system. One essential step for the conversion of these residues to fuels is comminution through commercial mills. This study aimed to investigate the effects of feedstock, input feed size, and milling screen size on particle size and shape, as well as to validate the reliability of existing comminution laws for predicting energy requirements during hammer milling of agricultural and wood biomass. Additionally, the study proposed a new empirical correlation for comminution energy prediction, taking two-dimensional size reduction descriptors into consideration. A machine vision-based image processing method was used to estimate particle size, particle size distribution (PSD), and particle shape factors. The aspect ratio of wheat straw particles was 1.3 to 1.5 times larger than softwood particles, suggesting they are more fibrous. The shapes generated during hammer milling were estimated, with rectangular shapes being predominant. The specific energy requirement (SER) estimated for the hammer milling of softwood chips and wheat straw at different mill screen sizes (4, 8, and 12 mm) was found to be in the range of 153.2–25.5 kJ kg-1 and 38.5–16.1 kJ kg-1, respectively. The validity of existing comminution laws to predict the SER during hammer milling of softwood and wheat straw was tested at a fixed feed rate of 45 kg hr-1, and an improvement in SER prediction for softwood was achieved by formulating a new empirical correlation factoring size reductions in length and width. Further, the correlation developed for the SER for wheat straw was found to lack statistical significance. The findings of this study can be applied to improve the effectiveness of the comminution process, a critical precursor to numerous thermochemical conversion methods used for transforming biomass residues into valuable fuels. Keywords: Bioenergy, Biomass comminution, Machine-vision image analysis, Particle shape, Particle size distribution, Specific energy consumption.
Enhanced upconversion luminescence of Er3+/Y3+ co-doped tellurite glasses for volumetric three-dimensional display
Authors: Miao Gang , Deng Yan , Zhao Qiang , Li Wencai , Ji Kang , Han Dongcheng
Published: September 2024

Large-sized Er3+/Y3+ co-doped tellurite glasses with high
image quality were prepared by a conventional melt-quenching method
for volumetric three-dimensional display. The effects of the
concentration of Er3+ and Y3+ on the two-frequency upconversion
luminescence properties and volumetric three-dimensional display were
investigated. Under dual-wavelength excitation at 850 nm and
1550 nm, the two-frequency two-step upconversion luminescence
intensity at 546 nm in the Er3+/Y3+ co-doped tellurite glass was
significantly enhanced by about 44% compared with that in the Er3+ doped tellurite glass. However, the
upconversion luminescence mechanism and its dynamic process were
further obtained. A range of the high-resolution and high-contrast
volumetric three-dimensional images can be achieved in the Er3+/Y3+ co-doped tellurite glass with optimal
doping concentration, utilizing a coordinated control system of
galvanometer scanner and digital micro-mirror devices. The results
indicate that Er3+/Y3+ co-doped tellurite glass has
promising potential for widely volumetric 3D
displays.
Theoretical study on the optical properties of Ge-doped bismuth silicate crystals
Authors: Huang Yan , Xiao Xuefeng , Zhang Yan , Si Jiashun , Liang Shuaijie , Xu Qingyan , Zhang Huan , Ma Lingling , Yang Cui , Zhang Xuefeng , Xu Jiayue , Tian Tian , Shen Hui
Published: September 2024

This article uses the first principles calculation method based on density functional theory to calculate and analyze the optical properties of BSO (B­4Si3O12, BSO) crystals doped with different ratios of Ge. When the doping ratio of Ge is 1/12 and 1/6, the BGSO mixed crystal system has better polarization response-ability, the dielectric constant increases, the charge binding ability is enhanced, and the dielectric loss is reduced. When the proportion of Ge doping increases to 1/3, the optical properties of BGSO mixed crystals significantly deteriorate, indicating that an appropriate amount of Ge-doped BSO crystals can improve their polarization ability and reduce dielectric loss, effectively improving their optical properties.
Automated fast label-free quantification of cardiomyocytes dynamics with raw holograms for cardiotoxicity screening
Authors: Moon Inkyu , AHMADZADEH Ezat , Kim Youhyun , Rappaz Benjamin , Turcatti Gerardo
Published: September 2024

Traditional cell analysis approaches based on quantitative phase imaging (QPI) necessitate a reconstruction stage, which utilize digital holography. However, phase retrieval processing can be complicated and time-consuming since it needs numerical reconstruction and then phase unwrapping. For analysis of cardiomyocyte dynamics, it was reported that by estimating the spatial variance of the optical path difference from QPI, the spatial displacement of cardiomyocyte (CM) can be quantified, thereby enabling monitoring of the excitation-contraction activity of CMs. Also, it was reported that the Farnebäck optical flow method could be combined with the holographic imaging information from QPI to characterize the contractile motion of single CMs, enabling monitoring of the mechanical beating activity of CMs for cardiotoxicity screening. However, no studies have analyzed the contractile dynamics of cardiomyocytes based on raw holograms. In this paper, we present a fast, label-free, and high throughput method for contractile dynamic analysis of human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived CMs using raw holograms or the filtered holograms, which are obtained by filtering only the spectrum corresponding to the real image from the raw hologram, by applying the Farnebäck optical flow method for cardiotoxicity screening. The proposed approach obviates the need for time-consuming numerical reconstruction and phase unwrapping for CM’s dynamic analysis while it still has performance comparable to that of the previous methods. Accordingly, we developed a computational algorithm to characterize the CM’s functional behaviors from contractile motion waveform obtained from raw or filtered holograms, which allows the calculation of various temporal metrics related to beating activity from contraction-relaxation motion-speed profile. To the best of our knowledge, this approach is the first to analyze drug-treated CM’s dynamics from raw or filtered holograms without the need for numerical phase image reconstruction. For one hologram, the reconstruction process itself in the existing methods takes at least three times longer than the process of tracking the contraction-relaxation motion-speed profile using optical flow in the proposed method. Furthermore, our proposed methodology was validated in the toxicity screening of two drugs (E-4031 and Isoprenaline) with various concentrations. The findings provide information on CM contractile motion and kinetics for cardiotoxicity screening.
MiRNA encoded PTEN’s impact on clinical-pathological features and prognosis in osteosarcoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Limijadi Edward Kurnia Setiawan , Novriansyah Robin , Respati Danendra Rakha Putra , Tjandra Kevin Christian
Published: September 2024

Background

Osteosarcoma (OSC) is considered one of the most common malignant bone tumours in adolescents. Due to OSC’s poor prognosis, a comprehensive approach to exploring these aspects is highly needed to improve the survival probability of OSC. In this study, we tried to explore the significance of miRNA-encoded PTEN for clinical-pathological features and prognostic value in OSC.

Method

We performed this systematic review and meta-analysis using articles and sources published between 2013 and 2023 from six databases (Scopus, PubMed, ProQuest, Science Direct, Sage Pub, and Cochrane). Included studies were clinical cross-sectional studies. Other study designs, articles not written in English, without full text, and not relevant—were excluded. Then, ROBINS-I is used to evaluate the distance. The results are constructed according to the PICOS criteria in a table. The expression of miRNA related to OSC is assessed in the meta-analysis as the main outcome to determine its ability as a diagnostic and prognostic agent for OSC. This systematic review followed the PRISMA guidelines.

Results

A total of 17 studies were included in the final screening. The meta-analysis showed significantly increased (p < 0.00001) miRNA expression in patients with OSC compared to healthy controlled with pooled md (2.85) (95% CI: 2.69, 3.02; I2 = 22%, p = 0.20), the high inverse correlation (p < 0.001) between miRNA and PTEN expression was shown as mean effect size (-0.681) (95% CI: -0.787, -0.536; I2 = 75%, p < 0.0001), and the prognostic evaluation of OS was significantly increased in low expression miRNA (p < 0.00001) with pooled OR.

Conclusion

Fifteen miRNAs from 17 studies were found, and together with PTEN expression, they may serve as potential prognostic biomarkers for OSC. High-level levels of miRNA expression are correlated with low PTEN expression, leading to a bad prognosis for OSC.
Text mining of verbal autopsy narratives to extract mortality causes and most prevalent diseases using natural language processing
Authors: Mapundu Michael Tonderai , Kabudula Chodziwadziwa Whiteson , Musenge Eustasius , Olago Victor , Celik Turgay
Published: September 2024

Verbal autopsy (VA) narratives play a crucial role in understanding and documenting the causes of mortality, especially in regions lacking robust medical infrastructure. In this study, we propose a comprehensive approach to extract mortality causes and identify prevalent diseases from VA narratives utilizing advanced text mining techniques, so as to better understand the underlying health issues leading to mortality. Our methodology integrates n-gram-based language processing, Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), and BERTopic, offering a multi-faceted analysis to enhance the accuracy and depth of information extraction. This is a retrospective study that uses secondary data analysis. We used data from the Agincourt Health and Demographic Surveillance Site (HDSS), which had 16338 observations collected between 1993 and 2015. Our text mining steps entailed data acquisition, pre-processing, feature extraction, topic segmentation, and discovered knowledge. The results suggest that the HDSS population may have died from mortality causes such as vomiting, chest/stomach pain, fever, coughing, loss of weight, low energy, headache. Additionally, we discovered that the most prevalent diseases entailed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), tuberculosis (TB), diarrhoea, cancer, neurological disorders, malaria, diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic ailments (kidney, heart, lung, liver), maternal and accident related deaths. This study is relevant in that it avails valuable insights regarding mortality causes and most prevalent diseases using novel text mining approaches. These results can be integrated in the diagnosis pipeline for ease of human annotation and interpretation. As such, this will help with effective informed intervention programmes that can improve primary health care systems and chronic based delivery, thus increasing life expectancy.
Understanding the interplay of GDP, renewable, and non-renewable energy on carbon emissions: Global wavelet coherence and Granger causality analysis
Authors: Caldera Yuganthi , Ranthilake Tharulee , Gunawardana Heshan , Senevirathna Dilshani , Jayathilaka Ruwan , Rathnayake Nilmini , Peter Suren
Published: September 2024

This study examines the causality of Per Capita Gross Domestic Production (PGDP), Renewable Energy Consumption (REC), and Non-Renewable Energy Consumption (NREC) on Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions at the global level utilising data gathered from 1995 to 2020 across various countries categorised based on income levels as High, Low, Upper Middle and Lower Middle and analysed through wavelet coherence. The findings reveal both bidirectional and unidirectional causality between the variables which have evolved. Globally, a bi-directional relationship is observed with a positive correlation between PGDP and NREC and in contrast, a negative correlation with REC. Furthermore, the analysis highlights varying causalities between CO2 emissions and PGDP, except for high-income and lower-middle-income country categories, all other shows one-way causality in different periods in the short term. Moreover, CO2 and REC, show unidirectional causality throughout the short-term, exceptionally medium & long term have both unidirectional and bidirectional causalities across all country categories with a positive correlation. In contrast, CO2 and NREC depict similar causalities to REC, however, with a negative correlation. A cross-country analysis was performed between CO2 and PGDP, CO2 and REC, and CO2 and NREC using Granger causality which shows mixed relationships. The findings hold significant implications for policymakers, providing valuable insights into the trade-offs between economic growth, energy consumption, and carbon emissions.