bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Validation of the Assessment of Rehabilitation Needs Checklist in a Swedish cancer population
Authors: Ohlsson-Nevo Emma , Fogelkvist Maria , Lundqvist Lars-Olov , Ahlgren Johan , Karlsson Jan
Published: December 2024

Background

Assessment of Rehabilitation Needs Checklist (ARNC), has been developed to assess rehabilitation need in cancer patients and is recommended by the Confederation of Regional Cancer Centres in Sweden, known as Hälsoskattningen. The aim of the study was to test the reliability and validity of the ARNC, mainly by comparing it with the Distress thermometer and EORTC QLQ-C30.

Methodology

A sample of 993 persons identified in the Swedish cancer register. The study participants were diagnosed with cancer in 2021 in the Mid Sweden region. The psychometric methods tested reliability and validity including factor analysis.

Results

The response rate was 38%. The test-retest analysis showed that ICC was 0.80 or higher for 12 of the ARNC items. A strong or modarete correlation between ARNC and the other instruments was found in all functional scales and for most items. CFA of the 13-item two-factor model showed a RMSEA value of 0.04, CFI and TLI values of 0.97 and 0.96, and a SRMR value of 0.05, indicating a satisfactory model fit.

Conclusion

The evaluation of the ARNC suggests that it is an acceptable and reliable screening instrument for detecting symptoms and signs indicating a possible need of rehabilitation. The medium to strong correlations between ARNC items and the EORTC QLQ- C30 items and scales suggest that ARNC could be an alternative also for research purposes when a shorter and less comprehensive instrument is needed. The simple design could be an advantage as it lowers the burden on cancer patients.
Discussing male sexual and reproductive health in the rheumatology outpatient clinic: a Q-methodology study
Authors: Perez-Garcia L. F. , Röder E. , Pastoor H. , Lozada-Navarro A. C. , Colunga-Pedraza I. , Vargas-Aguirre T. , van Exel J. , Vargas-Guerrero A. , Dolhain R. J. E. M.
Published: December 2024

Objectives

Inflammatory arthritis (IA) has been associated with various problems related to male sexual and reproductive health (SRH). However, addressing these issues in the clinic remains a challenge. In this study, we aimed to describe the viewpoints of rheumatologists and male patients with IA regarding the aspects that influence their communication about SRH.

Methods

Rheumatologists and adult men with IA were invited to participate. This study uses Q-methodology, a mixed methods approach to systematically study subjectivity. Participants ranked 32 aspects according to their degree of influence (least-most influence) in addressing SRH and were then interviewed. Factor analysis was used to identify common patterns in the rankings. These patterns were interpreted as the different viewpoints of rheumatologists and male patients, supported by the qualitative data from the interviews. To obtain more generalizable results, the study was conducted in two countries with different socio-cultural backgrounds and healthcare systems, The Netherlands and Mexico.

Results

30 rheumatologists and 30 men with IA were included in each country. The analysis revealed three viewpoints in each group. Rheumatologists are more likely to be influenced by aspects such as the patient’s desire to become a father or the patients’ (young) age, but patients by a much more diverse pool of aspects, such as potential side effects of medication on their sexual function.

Conclusions

This study identified different viewpoints on the aspects that influence discussing SRH between rheumatologists and male patients, and important differences in viewpoints between both groups. Further research is needed to reach consensus on how and when rheumatologists and male patients should discuss SRH.
Trichoderma atroviride isolated from diseased apple stem have possible biocontrol effect and tolerance toward azoxystrobin and difenoconazole
Authors: Cun Haichun , He Pengbo , Munir Shahzad , He Pengfei , Wu Yixin , Zhang Hui , Kong Baohua , He Yueqiu
Published: December 2024

Background

Apple root rot (ARR) is a typical soil-borne disease that seriously threatens the development of the apple industry. In this study, a biocontrol fungus named AT-1 was screened from the basal tissue of apple stem recovered from root rot infection, and it was identified as Trichoderma atroviride based on morphological characteristics and amplification of the ITS, LSU, and TEF 1 genes. Limited knowledge is present in using Trichoderma against ARR disease.

Results

In subsequent experiments, a potential biocontrol strain (AT-1) had significant antagonistic activity and easily parasitized a variety of ARR pathogens such as Rosellinia necatrix, Phytopythium vexans, and Athelia rolfsii. The lowest antifungal rate recorded was still more than 40%. In addition, different chemical fungicides were tested against pathogens and biocontrol strains. The control effect was 94.79% in May and  83.41%  in August, when T. atroviride AT-1 was applied along with fungicides. Applying chemical fungicides brought more sensitivity against R. necatrix. Trichoderma strains had a good tolerance for azoxystrobin SC and difenoconazole WG fungicides. The antimicrobial strains effectively colonized in apple stem base for more than 1 month, produced many conidia, occupied a favorable niche, and finally, controlled the disease with more than 80% in the field.

Conclusion

Overall results suggested that T. atroviride AT-1 had a good potential in the prevention and control of ARR and had a good resistance against  the applied fungicides, which can provide strain resources and a theoretical basis for ARR control.
DAIR for periprosthetic joint infections—One week to save the joint?
Authors: Gupta Vatsal , Shahban Shafiq , Petrie Michael , Kimani Peter K. , Kozdryk Jakub , Riemer Bryan , King Richard , Westerman Richard , Foguet Pedro
Published: December 2024

Background

Predicting the success of a Debridement, Antibiotics, and Implant Retention (DAIR) procedure for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) for hip and knee joint arthroplasty remains a challenge. A failed DAIR might adversely affect the outcome of any future revision surgery for PJI. Hence, the ability to identify and optimize factors predictive of DAIR success would help target the procedure to the appropriate patient cohort and avoid unnecessary surgery for patients where a DAIR is unlikely to eradicate infection.

Methods

A retrospective review of our prospective Bone Infection Group database was performed to identify all patients who underwent a DAIR of their primary or revision hip or knee arthroplasty. All patients had a confirmed PJI as per MSIS 2013 criteria and an outcome according to the MSIS working group outcome-reporting tool. DAIR surgery was then grouped into groups of “successful” or “unsuccessful” outcomes.

Results

Sixty-four consecutive patients with an acute PJI underwent a DAIR procedure between 2009 and 2020, with 46 procedures performed for knees and 18 for hips. Treatment was successful in 69% (37 knees and 7 hips). The chance of a successful DAIR was significantly greater if performed at or within one week of symptom onset compared to greater than one-week duration (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.11; P = 0.027; 95% CI [0.02–0.78])). For DAIR performed at or within one week of symptom onset, the success rate was 93% for knees and 80% for hips. The chance of a successful DAIR however was not influenced by whether the surgeon was an arthroplasty or non-arthroplasty surgeon (OR 0.28; P = 0.13; 95% CI [0.05–1.48])). Isolated Streptococcus infection had a success rate of 100%. Next came Coagulase-negative Staphylococci (71%) and Methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus Aureus (65%). Polymicrobial infection had the worst outcome, with a success rate of 40%.

Conclusion

In our experience, DAIR surgery performed within one week of symptom onset significantly increased the chance of successful infection eradication. Collaborative work is required to ensure arthroplasty patients can access prompt appropriate surgical decision-making as soon as concerns arise, remove barriers to early assessment and minimise delays to surgery.
Transition of care: toward tailored transition of adolescents with osteoporosis and metabolic bone diseases to adult care through an integrated, people-centered, disease-specific health services framework
Authors: El Miedany Yasser , Lotfy Hala , Ghaffar Laila Abdel , El Gaafary Maha , Mahran Safaa , Plummer Susan , Hassan Waleed , Abu-Zaid Mohamed Hassan , Elwakil Walaa
Published: December 2024

Background

The Egyptian Academy of Bone and Muscle Health in collaboration with the Egyptian College of Pediatric Rheumatology have identified two indicators to ensure optimum health outcomes among children: one is developmentally and nutritionally appropriate healthcare, and the second is the availability of an effective transition of care model from pediatric care to adult health services. Currently, there is no national guidelines on transition of care for children and adolescents with osteoporosis and metabolic bone disease. To close this gap, this work was carried out to develop the Egyptian guidelines for transition model of care.

Results

The final recommendation included 12 specific domains. These included the following: targeted population, transition age, transition readiness, patient-targeted care, and disease-specific knowledge, patient education, and optimum model for the transition of care, transition referral, management approach, high quality of care, documentation, and recent service approaches as well as standards and quality indicators. All the overarching principles and most voters agreed with the 12 amended recommendations.

Conclusion

Transitional care is the term used to describe services that seek to bridge this care gap. Based on the best available data and professional judgment, these consensus-based recommendations guide ways to achieve optimal outcomes in transitional care for adolescents with osteoporosis and metabolic bone disorders. Though focussed on transition of care of bone and muscle health, this article can be the bases for transition services for children with other chronic conditions. This could be used as a blueprint for additional national or internationally healthcare transition policies.
Challenges and management of parasitic weeds in Ethiopia
Authors: Negewo Takele
Published: December 2024

Background

Unlike regular weeds, parasitic weeds parasitize their host crop for sustenance, and critically reduce growth and productivity of the host plants.

Main body

The parasitic weeds or heterotrophic plants are conveniently divided into different groups; hemi/partial- or holo/total-parasites, facultative or obligate parasites, root or stem parasites and annual or perennial parasites. Out of about 4000 parasitic plant species, certain species under few plant families; (Orobancheaceae, Convolvulaceae, Loranthaceae and Viscaceae) are considered to be among the most serious agricultural pests of economic importance. They can incur up to 100% yield reduction on host crops depending on the levels of infestation, crop susceptibility and environmental conditions. Their dense occurrence strongly hampers host-crops cultivation. Ample management practices have been tried using many control methods, but so far no economical, feasible or universally dependable means in controlling any of the parasitic weed species. There is inadequate knowledge on parasitic weeds.

Conclusion

This manuscript developed to provide information, knowledge and technology on biology, harmful effects and management of parasitic weeds all over the world particularly in Ethiopia.
Enhanced intertrace variations extraction via a self-supervised network for prestack seismic analysis
Authors: Fei Yifeng , Cai Hanpeng , He Xin , Liang Jiandong , Li Dajun , Hu Guangmin
Published: December 2024

Prestack seismic analysis is crucial for characterizing subsurface geology, offering valuable insights through seismic reflections across diverse offsets or azimuths. Although existing methods have achieved notable success, they tend to primarily focus on specific intertrace differences or directly equate lateral intertrace variations with vertical waveform characteristics. This limits their potential to capture subtle nuances within geologic bodies. In this paper, we develop an innovative self-supervised neural network that enhances the extraction of comprehensive intertrace variations, enabling the more effective characterization of geologic details. Our network simulates the analytical capabilities of geologists, interpreting individual traces through their contextual relationships within the gather. We develop a unique feature mask reconstruction layer that masks the features of each trace, leveraging information from the surrounding traces for feature reconstruction. The network then reconstructs the original gather by combining these regenerated features, ensuring the completeness of the information. By focusing on feature-level analysis, the network diverges from basic data interpolation strategies, promoting a thorough extraction of intrinsic intertrace relationships. Field data experiments determine that our method surpasses conventional approaches in capturing prestack intertrace variations, facilitating more precise hydrocarbon reservoir descriptions.
Suicide in mental health patients in the UK between 2005 and 2021: study of methods and clinical characteristics to inform prevention
Authors: Rivart Pauline , Bojanić Lana , Turnbull Pauline , Appleby Louis , Kapur Nav , Hunt Isabelle M.
Published: December 2024

Background

Tackling methods of suicide and limiting access to lethal means remain priority areas of suicide prevention strategies. Although mental health services are a key setting for suicide prevention, no recent studies have explored methods used by mental health patients.

Aims

To investigate associations between main suicide methods and social, behavioural and clinical characteristics in patients with mental illness to inform prevention and improve patient safety.

Method

Data were collected as part of the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health. We examined the main suicide methods of 26 766 patients in the UK who died within 12 months of contact with mental health services during 2005–2021. Associations between suicide methods and patient characteristics were investigated using chi-square tests and univariate and multivariate logistic regression.

Results

Suicide methods were associated with particular patient characteristics: hanging was associated with a short illness history, recent self-harm and depression; self-poisoning with substance misuse, personality disorder and previous self-harm; and both jumping and drowning with ethnic minority groups, schizophrenia and in-patient status.

Conclusions

A method-specific focus may contribute to suicide prevention in clinical settings. Hanging deaths outside of wards may be difficult to prevent but our study suggests patients with recent self-harm or in the early stages of their illness may be more at risk. Patients with complex clinical histories at risk of suicide by self-poisoning may benefit from integrated treatment with substance use services. Environmental control initiatives are likely to be most effective for those at risk of jumping or drowning.
Consistent evidence that brain serotonin 2A receptor binding is positively associated with personality-based risk markers of depression
Authors: Høgsted Emma S. , Beliveau Vincent , Ozenne Brice , Madsen Martin K. , Svarer Claus , Dam Vibeke H. , Johansen Annette , Fisher Patrick , Knudsen Gitte M. , Frokjaer Vibe G. , Sankar Anjali
Published: December 2024

Background

Using [18F]altanserin, a serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) antagonist Positron Emission Tomography (PET) tracer, a positive association between cortical 5-HT2AR binding and the inward-directed facets of neuroticism has been demonstrated in healthy individuals. Psilocybin, a 5-HT2AR agonist, shows promise for the treatment of depression, reducing neuroticism and mood symptoms potentially via hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) modulation. 5-HT2AR and neuroticism are both modulated by HPA axis function.

Aims

In this study, we examined whether the association between 5-HT2AR binding and the inward facets of neuroticism can be replicated in an independent healthy cohort using the new 5-HT2AR agonist tracer [11C]Cimbi-36, and if their association is moderated by cortisol awakening response (CAR), an index of HPA axis function. If so, this could advance mechanistic insights into interventions that target the 5-HT2AR and reduce neuroticism.

Method

Eighty healthy volunteers underwent [11C]Cimbi-36 PET scans and completed the NEO personality inventory (NEO-PI-R) for the assessment of neuroticism. Salivary samples were available for determination of CAR in 70 of the participants. Using linear latent variable models, we evaluated the association between 5-HT2AR binding and inward facets of neuroticism, namely depression, anxiety, self-consciousness and vulnerability to stress, and whether CAR moderated this association.

Results

The study confirms the positive association between 5-HT2AR binding and the inward facets of neuroticism (β = 0.01, 95% CI = [0.0005: 0.02], P = 0.04), and this association is independent of CAR (P = 0.33).

Conclusions

The findings prompt consideration of whether novel interventions such as psilocybin that actively targets 5-HT2AR and causes changes in personality could be particularly beneficial if implemented as a targeted approach based on neuroticism profiles.
Pushkin’s Photographs; or, Photography as an Aesthetic Principle in Andrei Bitov
Authors: Zolotareva Olga
Published: December 2024

What happens when a writer of the pre-photographic era is interpreted through the lens of photography? How does the newer medium influence the way one engages with the older medium? To explore these questions, this article takes as a point of departure Andrei Bitov’s readings of Alexander Pushkin, which recast the canonical poet as a photographer. This anachronistic move—which puts Bitov in conversation with Jeff Wall, Walter Benjamin, and Henri Bergson—turns photography into a transhistorical instrument for exploring literature’s relationship with extralinguistic world. By using photography as an interpretive lens, Bitov ascribes to literature new powers, such as the power to signify indexically and to develop upon contact with new realities. But he also underscores the limits of artistic representation. Focusing on Russia’s most hallowed author, Bitov makes the claim that a text, no matter how great, can never surpass reality in expressive power. Like a photographer, a writer is perennially belated, unable to catch up with their fickle subject. Bitov ends up exposing the inadequacies of literature while simultaneously making a case for its value despite those inadequacies. He invites readers to consider writing as an experience that is simultaneously rewarding and humbling.
Affect, Repetition, and Eroticized State Violence in El Salvador's Prisons
Authors: Nichols David
Published: December 2024

This article examines images taken inside El Salvador’s prisons and released in April 2020, just as the then-new president, Nayib Bukele, was making drastic changes to Salvadoran social policy and further concentrating power in the presidency and military. It investigates the social qualities of these staged images, of nude prisoners forced into large blocks, and what affective resonances the Bukele administration is exploiting and producing through them. The author argues that these images focalize the trauma and anxiety of years of dispersed violence in El Salvador and grant their audiences conditional access to the death making they perform while also threatening them with inclusion. The article proposes that attendant affective responses and media circulation constitute a form of infrastructure essential to rationalizing the expanding carceral project in El Salvador, which has seen its prison population more than double, and to the eroticization of that project’s structural and personal violence, of which these images are an extreme and informative example. It proposes these images are in dialogue with other archives of sexualized carceral violence and a history of the representation of El Salvador through death, while also indicative of new techniques of image production and circulation in settings of confinement in the twenty-first century. Using theories of hierarchies of the flesh and being from Black studies, as well as the critical geography work of Ruth Wilson Gilmore, the author argues that, within the space of the images, disease, chaos, and criminalized land and body converge.
Glimpsing Angie Xtravaganza: The Trans Latinx Imaginary of Paris Is Burning
Authors: Gonsalez Marcos
Published: December 2024

This article examines the outtakes and supplemental footage of Paris Is Burning (dir. Jennie Livingston, US, 1990), tracking across these seconds and sound bites the various glimpses of trans Puerto Rican performer Angie Xtravaganza. Through a conceptual schema the author terms critical otiosity, a process through which to vitalize with trans Latinx liberatory possibilities the seemingly superfluous, unproductive, irrelevant, and other pilloried and/or overlooked affective comportments found in the filmic outtakes, this article mounts a rereading of Paris Is Burning against the grain of neoliberal, cissexist capitalist regimes, which valorize above all else narratives and displays of spectacle, bootstrapping, tragedy, assimilation, uplift, and premature death. Glimpses of Angie across the extra footage casually chitchatting in Spanish or lethargically dancing in pink rollers on a road trip, the author contends, durationally slow down and stall cisheteronormative temporalities, obviating from the showy and profitable trans and queer of color performance-labor crucial to the filmic gaze and capitalist drives and scrambling representational coherence and historical linearity. Retooling the means of how we understand the filmic and historical lives of trans of color and Latinx people, distinct from the cisnormative, capitalist-driven productivity of spectacle, is eminently crucial for enacting trans of color counter-histories and counter-discourses about popular films like Paris Is Burning. The nature of the outtakes and supplemental footage is precisely what instantiates their critical merit, a critical otiosity giving conceptual heft to these seconds and scenes of quotidian trans Latinx existing while imagining alternative trans of color histories and liberatory lifeworlds.
Child and adolescent diabetes as a social medicine challenge in Poland
Authors: Konwant Dawid , Kurdyś-Bykowska Paulina , Armatys Aleksandra , Stencel-Gabriel Krystyna
Published: December 2024

Introduction: Diabetes prevalence among children and adolescents poses a significant challenge to health care systems worldwide. Insufficient control of lifestyle diseases, including diabetes, can lead to an increased need for the use of outpatient services and hospitalization to stabilize the course of the disease.
Aim and methods: Demonstrate type 1 diabetes as an interdisciplinary problem of civilization diseases combining diagnosis and treatment along with the costs incurred by the health care system. Analysis of data on the amount of health services provided and costs for type 1 diabetes of children and adolescents in 2016-2019 in Poland was made.
Results: The number of pediatric patients who received services with the diagnosis E10 increased by 9.6% in the analyzed interval of years. The cost of health services provided increased by 27.2% during this period. The average annual cost of health services per patient in the last year of analysis (2019) increased by 16%.
Conclusions: Educational activities should be intensified among children and adolescents to increase proper diabetes self-management. This intervention will reduce the impact of diabetes, which results in increased use of health services to stabilize the disease and its effects.
Rękopis [Zebrania] wierszów pod figurami Antoniny Niemiryczowej z 1753 r.: analiza kodykologiczna i rozpoznanie kompozycji epigramatycznej kolekcji
Authors: Grześkowiak Radosław
Published: December 2024

[Zebranie] wierszów pod figurami Antoniny Niemiryczowej (ok. 1700 – po 1774) znane było dotąd wyłącznie z odpisu Wiktora Gomulickiego z 1896 r. (rkps BOss. 5284/I) i jego edycji z 1900 r. (przedruk w 1912 r.). Na tych przekazach opierały się dotychczasowe przedruki i omówienia wierszy poetki. Okazuje się jednak, że Gomulicki poprawiał oryginalny tekst, a jego kopia uwzględnia tylko 85 z 97 epigramatów oryginału. Autor niniejszego studium dokonał restytucji oryginalnego układu wierszy w kodeksie z 1753 r. (rkps BOss. 16055/I) i wykazał, że został on spisany nie przez Niemiryczową, lecz przez jej sekretarza. Analiza pomyłkowo powtórzonych wpisów pozwoliła ustalić też charakter i zakres stylistycznych ingerencji skryby w kopiowany tekst.
Cross-Dock Trailer Scheduling with Workforce Constraints: A Dynamic Discretization Discovery Approach
Authors: Ojha Ritesh , Erera Alan
Published: December 2024

Less-than-truckload (LTL) freight carriers operate consolidation networks that utilize cross-docking terminals to facilitate the transfer of freight between trailers and enhance trailer utilization. This research addresses the problem of determining an optimal schedule for unloading inbound trailers at specific unloading doors using teams of dock workers. The optimization objective is chosen to ensure that outbound trailers are loaded with minimal delay with respect to their target loading due dates. Formulating this problem, which is known to be NP-hard, using a typical time-expanded network often results in an excessively large mixed-integer programming (MIP) model. To overcome this challenge, we propose an exact dynamic discretization discovery (DDD) algorithm that iteratively solves MIPs formulated over partial networks. The algorithm employs a combination of a simple time discretization refinement strategy to progressively refine the partial network until a provably optimal solution is obtained. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithm in solving problem instances representative of a large L-shaped cross-dock in Atlanta. The DDD algorithm outperforms solving the model formulated over a complete time-expanded network with a commercial solver in terms of both computational time and solution quality for practical instances with 180 trailers, 44 unloading doors, and 57 loading doors. Additionally, we compare the DDD algorithm with a state-of-the-art interval scheduling approach using instances from a previous study with a different objective function and additional constraints. The DDD algorithm is computationally faster for most of the small and medium instances and achieves competitive bounds for the larger instances.

Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/trsc.2023.0406 .
Application of loaded graphene oxide biomaterials in the repair and treatment of bone defects
Authors: Xing Jinyi , Liu Shuzhong
Published: December 2024

Addressing bone defects is a complex medical challenge that involves dealing with various skeletal conditions, including fractures, osteoporosis (OP), bone tumours, and bone infection defects. Despite the availability of multiple conventional treatments for these skeletal conditions, numerous limitations and unresolved issues persist. As a solution, advancements in biomedical materials have recently resulted in novel therapeutic concepts. As an emerging biomaterial for bone defect treatment, graphene oxide (GO) in particular has gained substantial attention from researchers due to its potential applications and prospects. In other words, GO scaffolds have demonstrated remarkable potential for bone defect treatment. Furthermore, GO-loaded biomaterials can promote osteoblast adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation while stimulating bone matrix deposition and formation. Given their favourable biocompatibility and osteoinductive capabilities, these materials offer a novel therapeutic avenue for bone tissue regeneration and repair. This comprehensive review systematically outlines GO scaffolds’ diverse roles and potential applications in bone defect treatment.

Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2024;13(12):725–740.
Acoustic Velocity of Rail Ties with Free and Fixed Boundary Conditions
Authors: Khademibami Laya , Shmulsky Rubin , Franca Frederico Jose Nistal , Irby Nathen , Senalik Christopher Adam , Fatemi Seyed Abolghasem
Published: December 2024

Nondestructive evaluation (NDE) is an effective technology that has been used for many decades to assess wood properties. However, NDE has not been well developed for in-service assessment of railroad ties of various wood species, grades, and boundary conditions. Acoustic velocity (AV) of railroad ties in free (on ballast) and fixed (packed with ballast and under static weight) boundary conditions was investigated herein. Overall, 60 new on-grade, 40 new off-grade, and 55 Grade-one (1) legacy ties were investigated. Ties were either oak/hickory or mixed hardwood. All ties were first measured in the free boundary condition and then packed with ballast, weighted, and measured in the fixed boundary condition. Ties were placed on ballast with approximately 10- to 11-cm (4- to 4.5-in.)-wide gaps between each. The AV that was measured after each tie was placed on the ballast (AVfree). Next, the ties were packed with ballast. Then a static weight, mimicking the load of rails, was placed on each tie and the AV was measured (AVfixed) with a Hitman HM220. All data were analyzed using three-way analysis of variance. The AV was higher for new on-grade versus new off-grade and legacy ties. The AV was higher for fixed versus free boundary condition. These results indicate that AV could be used to separate on-versus off-grade ties during production and that laboratory-scale AV technology could develop into an in-service technique.
Semi-supervised assisted multi-task learning for oral optical coherence tomography image segmentation and denoising
Authors: Liao Jinpeng , Zhang Tianyu , Shepherd Simon , Macluskey Michaelina , Li Chunhui , Huang Zhihong
Published: December 2024

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is promising to become an essential imaging tool for non-invasive oral mucosal tissue assessment, but it faces challenges like speckle noise and motion artifacts. In addition, it is difficult to distinguish different layers of oral mucosal tissues from gray level OCT images due to the similarity of optical properties between different layers. We introduce the Efficient Segmentation-Denoising Model (ESDM), a multi-task deep learning framework designed to enhance OCT imaging by reducing scan time from ∼8s to ∼2s and improving oral epithelium layer segmentation. ESDM integrates the local feature extraction capabilities of the convolution layer and the long-term information processing advantages of the transformer, achieving better denoising and segmentation performance compared to existing models. Our evaluation shows that ESDM outperforms state-of-the-art models with a PSNR of 26.272, SSIM of 0.737, mDice of 0.972, and mIoU of 0.948. Ablation studies confirm the effectiveness of our design, such as the feature fusion methods, which enhance performance with minimal model complexity increase. ESDM also presents high accuracy in quantifying oral epithelium thickness, achieving mean absolute errors as low as 5 µm compared to manual measurements. This research shows that ESDM can notably improve OCT imaging and reduce the cost of accurate oral epithermal segmentation, improving diagnostic capabilities in clinical settings.
3-D semivectorial bidirectional marching solver with fourth-order accuracy for optical waveguides
Authors: Yang Hao , Kang Xusheng , Wang Gui
Published: December 2024

In this paper, we develop and analyze a new, to the best of our knowledge, semivectorial bidirectional operator marching method with fourth-order accuracy (Bi-OMM4) for three-dimensional optical waveguides. The fourth-order semivector exponential scheme reproduces the exact reformulations for equations with pairs of bidirectional reflection operators based on the Dirichlet-to-Neumann (DtN) mapping. Implementations for large range step sizes in both directions are presented, and exact bidirectional range marching formulas are derived for each range-independent segment. The study compares the results obtained from the Bi-OMM4 with the fourth-order bidirectional beam propagation method based on the finite difference scheme (FD-Bi-BPM4) and the bidirectional operator marching method with second-order accuracy (Bi-OMM2) to validate the accuracy and effectiveness of Bi-OMM4 by analyzing several examples of uniform and longitudinally varying waveguides. The results show that the Bi-OMM4 is numerically faster than the FD-Bi-BPM4 by almost seven times for different transverse grid sampling points, and it offers higher accuracy than Bi-OMM2 without a significant increase in computation resources.
Vertex clustering in diverse dynamic networks
Authors: Dabke Devavrat Vivek , Dorabiala Olga
Published: December 2024

We present theoretical and experimental results for spatiotemporal graph k-means (STGkM)—a new unsupervised method to cluster vertices within a dynamic network. STGkM finds both short-term dynamic clusters and a “long-lived” partition of vertices within a network whose topology is evolving over time; we first introduced this technique in a recent conference paper. Here, we update our algorithm with a more efficient relaxation scheme, provide additional theoretical results, compare its performance to several other methods, and demonstrate its capabilities on real, diverse datasets. We construct a theoretical foundation to distinguish STGkM from connected components and static clustering and prove results for the stochastic setting for the first time. In addition to our previous experiments on the United States House of Representatives dataset, we report new state-of-the-art empirical results on a dynamic scientific citation network and Reddit dataset. These findings demonstrate that STGkM is accurate, efficient, informative, and operates well in diverse settings. Finally, as previously noted, one of the main advantages of STGkM is that it has only one required parameter: k, the number of clusters; we therefore include an extended analysis of the range of this parameter and guidance on selecting its optimal value. Our data and code are available on Github; see: https://github.com/dynestic/stgkm.
Long-range temporal correlation development in resting-state fMRI signal in preterm infants: Scanned shortly after birth and at term-equivalent age
Authors: Drayne Johann P. , Mella Allison E. , McLean Mia M. , Ufkes Steven , Chau Vann , Guo Ting , Branson Helen M. , Kelly Edmond , Miller Steven P. , Grunau Ruth E. , Weber Alexander M.
Published: December 2024

While the newborn’s brain is functionally organised early on—with similar resting state networks as those of adults present at birth—these networks continue to develop at different rates and in complex ways over time. While most in vivo functional imaging studies examine the spatial characteristics of resting state networks (RSNs), such as their size or the degree of connectivity, the temporal characteristics of these networks are less well characterised. We set out to examine the long-range temporal correlation (LRTC) of the fMRI blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal using the Hurst exponent in various RSNs in infants born very preterm shortly after birth (< 32 weeks gestational age; n = 64) and again later at term equivalent age (TEA) (n = 69). The Hurst exponent in grey matter and white matter was 0.69 at preterm age and increased significantly to 0.80 at TEA, with a greater difference between the tissues at TEA. The Hurst exponent in RSNs similarly was found to be approximately 0.68 for most networks at preterm age but increased significantly at different rates by TEA: 0.77 and 0.76 in the cerebellum and frontal networks respectively, and 0.84 and 0.83 in the motor and visual networks respectively. This pattern is partly consistent with findings from previous functional connectivity fMRI studies that the general growth and maturation of RSNs occur first and develop more quickly in sensory and motor networks, but later in associative networks like frontal ones. Importantly, this is the first time that this pattern has been shown in the LRTC of the fMRI BOLD signal itself, an area of study that may provide greater insight into functional brain development.
Knowledge about handling hazardous materials as factors associated with adherence to healthcare waste management practices among waste handlers at government district hospitals of Madhesh province, Nepal: A quantitative-qualitative methods study
Authors: Patel Jot Narayan , Upadhyay Shambhu Kumar , Rajbhandari Ajay , Bhandari Rabindra , Poudyal Anil
Published: December 2024

Healthcare Waste (HCW) is a special waste produced in healthcare institutions, including hospitals. It has a high potential for infection and injuries. The issue of waste disposal is growing as the number of hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic laboratories in Nepal continues to increase. The study aimed to assess the adherence to healthcare waste management (HCWM) practices and knowledge among waste handlers at the government district hospitals of Madhesh Province of Nepal which lies in the southern part of the country. A cross-sectional mixed-method study design was employed to assess the adherence of healthcare waste management practices and knowledge of healthcare waste management guideline among HCW handlers from 10 district-level hospitals in Madhesh Province. We developed a semi-structured questionnaire from Nepal’s National HCWM Guideline 2014 and the World Health Organization HCWM Rapid Assessment Tool 2011, to interview 60 HCW handlers for quantitative information. Then 10 key informant interviews were conducted using KII guidelines with related stakeholders of district hospitals of Madhesh Province. A four-point Likert scale was used to assess the practices and knowledge of HCW handlers and health facility-related factors. Descriptive data analysis was presented in tables for frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation, and correlation was presented in Graphs. A thematic analysis was performed for qualitative data by using RQDA and discussing the findings before concluding the study. Among the sixty participants, the median age was thirty-five years while thirty percent were less than the median age. Among total participants, the majority of female were 65% and almost all of them (96.67%) were married. The majority (65%) were females and almost all (96.67%) were married. About one-third (36.67%) of participants were illiterate. Most of the participants had experience of 5 to 10 years. The mean adherence of HCWM was 74.88±9.66 SD. Among the participants, half of them had adequate knowledge while the median knowledge of HCWM was 39 and the inter-quartile range was 5 (q3 = 41, q1 = 36). The mean of the HCWM practice was 24.18±5.96. The median of health facilities-related factors was 13 and the interquartile range was 3 (q3 = 15 and q1 = 12). The full adherence to HCWM guideline 2014 was extremely low among healthcare waste handlers. The HCWs had less adequate knowledge of HCWM and they did not practice to manage HCW adequately in district hospitals. However, the hospitals had adequately provided amenities to manage healthcare waste.
Knowledge, uptake and intention to use antibiotic post-exposure prophylaxis and meningococcal B vaccine (4CMenB) for gonorrhoea among a large, online community sample of men and gender-diverse individuals who have sex with men in the UK
Authors: Ogaz Dana , Edney Jessica , Phillips Dawn , Mullen Dolores , Reid David , Wilkie Ruth , Buitendam Erna , Bell James , Lowndes Catherine M. , Hughes Gwenda , Fifer Helen , Mercer Catherine H. , Saunders John , Mohammed Hamish
Published: December 2024

Novel STI prevention interventions, including doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (doxyPEP) and meningococcal B vaccination (4CMenB) against gonorrhoea, have been increasingly examined as tools to aid STI control. There is evidence of the efficacy of doxyPEP in preventing bacterial STIs; however, limited data exist on the extent of use in the UK. We examined self-reported knowledge and use of antibiotic post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), and intention to use (ITU) doxyPEP and 4CMenB among a large, community sample of men and gender-diverse individuals who have sex with men in the UK. Using data collected by the RiiSH survey (November/December 2023), part of a series of online surveys of men and other gender-diverse individuals in the UK, we describe (%, [95% CI]) self-reported knowledge and use of antibiotic PEP (including doxyPEP) and doxyPEP and 4CMenB ITU. Using bivariate and multivariable logistic regression, we examined correlates of ever using antibiotic PEP, doxyPEP ITU, and 4CMenB ITU, respectively, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and a composite marker of sexual risk defined as reporting (in the last three months): ≥5 condomless anal sex partners, bacterial STI diagnosis, chemsex, and/or meeting partners at sex-on-premises venues, sex parties, or cruising locations. Of 1,106 participants (median age: 44 years [IQR: 34–54]), 34% (30%-37%) knew of antibiotic PEP; 8% (6%-10%) ever reported antibiotic PEP use. Among those who did, most reported use in the last year (84%, 73/87) and exclusively used doxycycline (69%, 60/87). Over half of participants reported doxyPEP ITU (51% [95% CI: 47%-56%], 568/1,106) while over two-thirds (64% [95% CI: 60%-69%], 713/1,106) reported 4CMenB ITU. Participants with markers of sexual risk and with uptake of other preventative interventions were more likely to report ever using antibiotic PEP as well as doxyPEP and 4CMenB ITU, respectively. HIV-PrEP users and people living with HIV (PLWHIV) were more likely to report antibiotic PEP use and doxyPEP and 4CMenB vaccination ITU than HIV-negative participants not reporting recent HIV-PrEP use. Findings demonstrate considerable interest in the use of novel STI prevention interventions, more so for 4CMenB vaccination relative to doxyPEP. Fewer than one in ten participants had reported ever using antibiotic PEP, with most using appropriate, evidence-based antibiotics. The use of antibiotic PEP and the report of doxyPEP ITU and 4CMenB ITU was more common among those at greater risk of STIs.
Adapting and deploying a digital program for training non-specialist providers on a brief psychological intervention for depression in rural Gujarat, India
Authors: Brahmbhatt Aakrushi , Rathod Darshana , Joshi Udita , Khan Azaz , Teja G. Sai , Desai Shrey , Chauhan Ajay , Shah Shobha , Bhatt Deepti , Venkatraman Sethuraman , Tugnawat Deepak , Balsari Satchit , Patel Vikram , Bhan Anant , Naslund John A.
Published: December 2024

Workforce shortages represent a major bottleneck to delivering depression care, particularly in lower resource settings. This pilot study aimed to assess the acceptability and feasibility of a digital training program on developing knowledge and skills in the delivery of a brief behavioral activation intervention for depression among non-specialist providers (NSPs) in Gujarat, India. Participating NSPs, such as community health workers and other frontline providers without specialized training in mental health care, were provided access to a digital program covering the core skills and content necessary to deliver the Healthy Activity Program, an evidence-based behavioral activation intervention for depression. NSPs completed knowledge assessments before and after the digital training, followed by focus group discussions to gather their feedback about the program content and delivery format. Of 43 NSPs enrolled in this study, 67% (n = 29) were community health workers called Accredited Social Health Activists and 33% (n = 14) were frontline mid-level health providers called Community Health Officers. Most participants (n = 39; 91%) completed the full course. Knowledge assessment scores showed improvement from pre-training (mean = 29.96; 95% CI: 27.12–32.81) to post-training (mean = 34.62; 95% CI: 31.05–38.19; p = 0.0448). Focus group discussions revealed that participants appreciated the digital mode of training despite facing technical challenges while completing the course. This study further supports the feasibility and acceptability of digital approaches for training frontline providers to deliver brief psychological interventions for depression. With adequate resources and proper execution, digital training holds potential to serve as a key tool to build capacity of NSPs and expand the mental health workforce in India.
Modeling cystic fibrosis patient prognosis: Nomograms to predict lung transplantation and survival prior to highly effective modular therapy
Authors: Piccorelli Annalisa V. , Nick Jerry A.
Published: December 2024

Background

The duration of time a person with cystic fibrosis (pwCF) spends on the lung transplant waitlist is dependent on waitlist and post-transplant survival probabilities and can extend up to 2 years. Understanding the characteristics involved with lung transplant and survival prognoses may help guide decision making by the patient, the referring CF Center and the transplant team.

Methods

This study seeks to identify clinical predictors of lung transplant and survival of individuals with CF using 29,847 subjects from 2003–2014 entered in the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Patient Registry (CFFPR).

Results

Predictors significant (p ≤ 0.05) in the final logistic regression model predicting probability of lung transplant/death were: FEV1 (% predicted), BMI, age of diagnosis, age, number of pulmonary exacerbations, race, sex, CF-related diabetes (CFRD), corticosteroid use, infections with B. cepacia, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, MRSA, pancreatic enzyme use, insurance status, and consecutive ibuprofen use for at least 4 years. The final Cox regression model predicting time to lung transplant identified these predictors as significant FEV1 (% predicted), BMI, age of diagnosis, age, number of pulmonary exacerbations, race, sex, CF-related diabetes (CFRD), corticosteroid use, infections with B. cepacia, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, MRSA, pancreatic enzyme use, and consecutive ibuprofen use for at least 4 years. The concordance indices were 0.89 and 0.92, respectively.

Conclusions

The models are translated into nomograms to simplify investigation of how various characteristics relate to lung transplant and survival prognosis individuals with CF not receiving highly effective CFTR modulator therapy.