bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Linewidth narrowing in self-injection-locked on-chip lasers
Authors: Wan Yating , Alkhazraji Emad , Chow Weng , Grillot Frederic , Bowers John
Published: January 2023

Stable laser emission with narrow linewidth is of critical importance in many applications, including coherent communications, LIDAR, and remote sensing. In this work, the physics underlying spectral narrowing of self-injection-locked on-chip lasers to Hz-level lasing linewidth is investigated using a composite-cavity structure. Heterogeneously-integrated III-V/SiN lasers operating with quantum-dot and quantum-well active regions were analyzed with a focus on the effects of carrier quantum confinement. The intrinsic differences were associated with gain saturation and carrier-induced refractive index, which were directly connected with 0- and 2-dimensional carrier densities of states. Results from parametric studies were presented for tradeoffs involved with tailoring linewidth, output power, and injection current with different device configurations. A multi-objective optimization analysis was provided to optimize the operation and design parameters, serving as an analytical tool for parametric studies to produce timely results in engineering design.
Sequencing and validation of exosomal miRNAs panel as novel plasma biomarkers for early diagnosis and prognosis prediction in laryngeal cancer
Authors: Zhang Haopeng , Chen Zhengxun , Huang Qiang , Guo Yang , Wang Mei , Wu Chunping
Published: January 2023

Purpose
Plasma exosomal miRNAs are important biomarkers for body fluid biopsy. The purpose of this study was to screen and construct plasma exosomal miRNAs panel as biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC).
Methods
Plasma exosomal miRNAs from 6 LSCC patients with three typical anatomical sites and 3 normal controls (NC) were analyzed by next-generation sequencing. The obtained aberrant expression profile of exosomal miRNAs were compared with the online databases of LSCC to construct and verify the diagnostic and prognostic panel by machine learning. Also, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was applied to validate the diagnostic efficacy of the screened miRNAs in an independent clinical cohort.
Results
A plasma exosomal miRNAs panel (consisting of hsa-miR-139-3p, hsa-miR-486-5p, hsa-miR-944, hsa-miR-320b and hsa-miR-455-5p) was successfully constructed for early diagnosis and prognosis of LSCC, and showed good predictive potential with an AUC of 0.782, 1.000, 0.716, and 0.875 by artificial neural network (ANN) panel in the independent datasets. This panel was further validation in an independent cohort consisting of 84 clinical cases (48 LSCC and 36 NC). In the validation cohort, the AUC of 5 individual miRNAs ranged from 0.721 to 0.837. The accuracy was further increased by the logistic model, which further increased the AUC to 0.959 by adjusting for the number of miRNAs. The mRNA-miRNA regulatory network and immune function analysis revealed the possible underlying pathogenesis of LSCC.
Conclusions
Exosomal miRNAs panel can be promising plasma biomarkers for predicting early diagnosis and prognosis in LSCC.
Ureterocele with duplex collecting system and febrile urinary tract infection risk
Authors: Wang Jinbin , Zhao Yining , Chen Zhoutong , Geng Hongquan , Fang Xiaoliang
Published: January 2023

Purpose: Ureterocele has been hypothesized to be the risk factor for febrile urinary tract infections (F-UTIs) in patients with duplex collecting system, but this has not been proved, our goal was to assess the relation between ureterocele with duplex collecting system and F-UTIs.
Methods: We included individual-participant data from patients seen for complicated duplex collecting system from 2010 to 2020 retrospectively followed. Those with using continuous low dose antibiotic prophylaxis and incompletely duplicated systems were removed from the study. The participants were divided in two cohort according to patients with or without ureterocele. The primary endpoint of this study was recurrent F-UTIs.
Results: We analyzed medical reports of 300 patients, of which 75% were female. Among the 300 patients, F-UTIs developed in 111/159 (69.8%) patients in the ureterocele group and in 69/141 (48.9%) patients in the no-ureterocele group. Univariate analysis found no discernible difference except in grade of hydronephrosis between ureterocele group and no-ureterocele group. Moreover, Cox proportional regression analysis revealed that patients of duplex system ureterocele might be intrinsically more prone to develop F-UTIs (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.894; 95% CI, 1.412 to 2.542; P<0.001).
Conclusion: Among participants with duplex system, the risk of recurrent F-UTIs in patients with ureterocele was higher than patients without it, and mini-invasive surgical correction should be considered at young age to reduce F-UTIs.
Design of Cruise Control System Simulated with Jaya Optimization Algorithm using MATLAB
Authors: BASIL NOORULDEN
Published: January 2023

In this article Proportional Integral Derivative Acceleration (PIDA) controller has been presented with Jaya Optimization Algorithm (JOA) to improve that perform for given Cruise Control System. For made greatest performance for the proposed model to make a comparison with the conventional P-I-D controller that could being achieve such the suitable stability for resolve the execution for overall Cruise Control System, additionally to create a step response of change compared with different optimized algorithms like PSO algorithm. The Jaya Optimization Algorithm (JOA) with P-I-D-A controller it is utilized for solve that efficiency work for Cruise System model for reduce overall error for controlled system. The controlled model had been achieved using MATLAB-Simulink.
Biosorption of selected heavy metals on wild thyme to prepare antibacterial agents
Authors: Kováčová Mária , Yankovych Halyna , Augustyniak Adrian , Luna Mariano Casas , Remešová Michaela , Findoráková Lenka , Stahorský Martin , Čelko Ladislav , Baláž Matej
Published: January 2023

The presented study proposes a new potential biosorbent- Thymus serpyllum L. (wild thyme) plant, which showed to be highly efficient in rapid adsorption of Cu(II) and Pb(II) ions. Apart from biochars, that are commonly used for adsorption, here we report the direct use of native plant. The highest adsorption capacity for Cu(II) and Pb(II) ions (qe = 12.66 and 53.13 mg g-1, respectively) was achieved after 10 and 30 minutes, respectively. The combination of characterization methods (SEM/EDX, TGA, FT-IR, XPS and ζ-potential measurements) confirmed the combined adsorption mechanism consisting of the ion exchange at the lower Cu(II) and Pb(II) concentrations and the complexation and chelation at higher concentrations. Moreover, the Cu-laden plant has been shown to be an efficient antibacterial agent against the bacteria E. coli and S. aureus. Thus, the sustainable resource can be used both to treat wastewater and be used in the fight against microbes afterwards.
Non-classical Correlations of Accelerated Observers Interacting with a Classical Stochastic Noise
Authors: Abd-Rabbou M. Y. , Shamirzaie M. , Khan Salman
Published: January 2023

The influence of a classical environment on the behaviour of the Wigner function and the concurrence of an accelerated two-qubit system interacting is discussed. The negative values of the Wigner function verify the non-classicality, while the concurrence shows the entanglement degree of the quantum system. We assume one or both observers are accelerated (s) and interact with a common or independent environment. Suppression of the coherence rises due to acceleration effect, noise strength, and noise frequency are pointed. The amount of quantum entanglement is investigated by using the quantum concurrence, where its positive values are consistent with what the negative Wigner function shows. We found that the degradation of coherence of the initial system reduces when observers interact with their environments independently more than when it interacts with a common one. It is also sensitive to the acceleration status of both observers. Additionally, the correlation and entanglement pertinent to the situation with common or independent noise agents behave contrarily for the two regimes of Markovian and non-Markovian noises.
A Case of Tofacitinib for the Treatment of Resistant Vitiligo and Sustained Repigmentation After Discontinuation
Authors: Shah Rohan , McMichael Amy
Published: January 2023

Vitiligo is an acquired skin disorder clinically characterized by depigmented macules and patches caused by the autoimmune destruction of melanocytes. Tofacitinib, an oral Janus Kinase (JAK) 1/3 inhibitor approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis has been used off-label for alopecia areata, and more recently, vitiligo. With advancements in understanding vitiligo pathogenesis, JAK inhibitors like tofacitinib have emerged as a promising treatment modality especially when traditional therapies including topical steroids and calcineurin inhibitors have had minimal efficacy. As with other targeted therapies, tofacitinib is associated with certain adverse effects, the most dangerous being malignancy. We report a 61-year-old woman with a history of progressive vitiligo, refractory to multiple topical therapies, who was initiated on tofacitinib and showed significant improvement in disease. However, she subsequently developed a primary lung adenocarcinoma within 20 months of treatment and was forced to discontinue treatment. Although definitive causation cannot be established in this case without additional studies, it is important to note that tofacitinib, and other targeted therapies, have the ability to increase susceptibility to cancer. Unlike previous studies which report a relapse in vitiligo after treatment discontinuation, our case was noteworthy in that even after 5 months of discontinuing tofacitinib the patient maintained pigmentation. This finding offers a foundation for exploring new treatment protocols for patients whose vitiligo has clinically improved and who may not need continued usage of tofacitinib.
Safety helmet detection method based on semantic guidance and feature selection fusion
Authors: Xu Zhigang , Li Yugen , Zhu Honglei
Published: January 2023

Safety helmet detection is a hot topic of research in the field of industrial safety for object detection technology. Existing object detection methods still face great challenges for the detection of small-scale safety helmet object. In this paper, we propose a safety helmet detection method based on the fusion of semantic guidance and feature selection. The method is able to consider the balance between detection performance and efficiency. First, a multi scale non-local module is proposed to establish internal correlations between different scales of deep image features as well as to aggregate semantic context information to guide the information recovery of decoder network features. Then the feature selection fusion structure is proposed to adaptively select deep features and underlying key features for fusion to make up for the missing semantic and spatial detail information of the decoding network and improve the spatial location expression capability of the decoding network. Experimental analysis shows that the method in this paper has good detection performance on the expanded safety helmet wearing dataset with 5.12% improvement in mAP compared to the baseline method CenterNet, and 6.11% improvement in AP for the safety helmet object.
Effects of high energy laser peening followed by pre-hot corrosion on stress relaxation, microhardness and fatigue life and strength of single crystal nickel CMSX-4® superalloy
Authors: Morar Nicolau Iralal , Holtham Noah , Hackel Lloyd , Davami Keivan , Sharma Montu , DeWald Adrian , Roy Rajkumar
Published: January 2023

This study investigated the stress relaxation and fatigue life and strength of laser peened single crystal nickel superalloy specimens compared to un-peened and shot peened specimens following hot corrosion exposure and then fatigue testing. The specimens were treated by conventional laser peening and a new cyclic laser peening plus thermal microstructure engineering process. The latter treatment supports the benefit of a unique process involving application of layers of laser peening using high energy with large footprint spots combined with interspersed cyclic annealing. Stress measurements by slitting showed the plastic penetration depth of laser peening exceeded shot peening by a factor of 24. Un-peened and peened specimens were exposed to sulphate corrosives at 700°C for 300 hours and then fatigue tested. Tests of five non-laser peened specimens all failed in low cycle fatigue regime whereas three identically tested laser peened specimens all achieved multi-million-cycle runout without failure, indicating fully consistent large benefit for life by laser peening. Additional tests also showed fatigue strength improvement of 2:1 by laser peening. Residual stress measurements post hot-corrosion exposure and fatigue testing showed notable 5 mm depth retention of residual eigenstress in a laser peened specimen.
Differentiation of acute graft-versus-host disease from drug reaction in skin by a novel tissue-based biomarker assay
Authors: Lehman Julia S. , Dasari Surendra , Damodaran Sindhuja Sominidi , Li Ming , Hashmi Shahrukh K. , el-Azhary Rokea A. , Gibson Lawrence E. , Lazarus Hillard M. , Hogan William J. , Kenderian Saad S. , Patnaik Mrinal M. , Litzow Mark R. , Meves Alexander
Published: January 2023

Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a serious complication of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), frequently involves the skin. Since clinicopathologic features of GVHD can mimic those of certain drug eruptions, accurate diagnosis can be challenging. We aimed to develop a tissue-based molecular assay to improve differentiation of GVHD from vacuolar interface drug eruption in the post-HCT period. After identifying 62 putative tissue-based biomarkers using unbiased molecular methods, we incorporated 26 into a quantitative RT-PCR assay. We tested skin biopsy specimens showing vacuolar interface changes attributable to either acute GVHD (n=67) or drug reaction (n=17), as classified by meticulous review of clinical features and course. Data were incorporated into clinical-molecular fusion diagnostic models. Significant differences in the expression of several genes, including MX1, MNDA, OAS, LIMA1, GSTM5, and SPP1, were detected between the two diagnostic groups (p<0.05). The optimal fusion model, which incorporated quantitative expression of MX1, MNDA, OAS, and GSTM5, as well as the clinical feature of diarrhea, imparted high diagnostic accuracy (receiver operating characteristic area-under-curve: 0.89). This novel tissue-based diagnostic molecular assay and fusion model demonstrates potential to improve distinction of GVHD from drug eruptions in the post-HCT setting. Multicenter validation studies are required.
Differential response to Donepezil in MRI subtypes of mild cognitive impairment
Authors: Diaz-Galvan Patricia , Lorenzon Giulia , Mohanty Rosaleena , Mårtensson Gustav , Cavedo Enrica , Lista Simone , Vergallo Andrea , Kantarci Kejal , Hampel Harald , Dubois Bruno , Grothe Michel , Ferreira Daniel , Westman Eric
Published: January 2023

Background
Donepezil is an approved therapy for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Results across clinical trials have been inconsistent, which may be explained by design-methodological issues, the pathophysiological heterogeneity of AD, and diversity of included study participants. We investigated whether response to Donepezil differs in mild cognitive impaired (MCI) individuals demonstrating different magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) subtypes.
Methods
From the Hippocampus Study double-blind, randomized clinical trial, we included 173 MCI individuals (donepezil = 83; placebo = 90) with structural MRI data, at baseline and at clinical follow-up assessments (6-12-month). Efficacy outcomes were the annualized percentage change (APC) in hippocampal, ventricular, and total grey matter volumes, as well as in the AD cortical thickness signature. Participants were classified into MRI subtypes as typical-AD, limbic-predominant, hippocampal-sparing, or minimal atrophy at baseline. We compared two subtyping approaches: the conventional categorical approach and an approach based on continuous dimensions.
Results
Donepezil treated MCI individuals showed slower atrophy rates compared to the placebo group, but only if they belonged to the minimal atrophy or hippocampal sparing subtypes. Importantly, only the continuous subtyping approach, but not the conventional categorical approach, captured this differential response.
Conclusions
Our data suggest that individuals with MCI, with hippocampal sparing or minimal atrophy subtype, may have improved benefit from donepezil, as compared with MCI individuals with typical or limbic predominant patterns of atrophy. The newly proposed continuous subtyping approach may have advantages compared to the conventional categorical approach. Future research is warranted to demonstrate the potential of subtype stratification for disease prognosis and response to treatment.
Trial registration:
Clinical Trial.gov Number: NCT00403520, Submission Date: November 21, 2006.
Evolution of Chilean Higher Education From the Governance Equalizer Perspective
Authors: Brunner José Joaquin , Alarcón Mario
Published: January 2023

This article examines how Chile's higher education system governance has evolved over the past 50 years. The New Public Management (NPM) narrative is used as our conceptual framework and the governance equalizer as our analytical model to study changes in different periods characterized by different political contexts. The results show that over the past 50 years, governance of the Chilean higher education system has transitioned from an academic self-governance regime to a hybrid scheme coordinated predominantly by means of state regulation, competition and managerial governance. The results of previous studies that used the governance equalizer lens applied to the higher education systems of Italy, Hungary, Ukraine, Poland, and Ethiopia are reviewed. We find there is a common trend towards hybrid governance models, and we note the limitations of the ideal governance regimes to represent the current complexity of national systems of higher education.
Five decades of infectious diseases outbreaks in the African region (1970-2018) A geographic snapshot
Authors: Ngom Roland , Gueye Abdou Salam , Lassieur Stephanie , Oloo Stephen , Shahid Rizwan , Mize Valerie , Lukoya Charles okot , Waogodo Joseph Cabore , Fall Ibrahima Soce
Published: January 2023

This paper is being written at a time when the recent pandemic, namely COVID-19 has shaken the entire world in a manner that has never been seen in modern history. The ecology, socio-economy and weak health systems make Africa an area favorable to the occurrence of various diseases and disease outbreaks. This paper explores forty-eight (48) years of disease outbreaks in the WHO African region of the World Health Organization (WHO). Twenty-five (25) Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response priority diseases were selected, and their outbreaks described and analyzed. Using inferential spatial statistics, spatial clusters at the health district level, specifically hot spots of those outbreaks were produced and analyzed. Population at risk those hot spots were estimated. Results show a consistent report of outbreaks during the selected period with 52 outbreaks on average per year. Poliomyelitis, cholera, yellow fever, meningococcal disease and measles were the most reported epidemics. Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Nigeria were the countries reporting the highest number of outbreaks (5 on average per year) with the latter country having the highest population at risk (39M people). Despite efforts to limit their number, some disease outbreaks such as malaria, cholera, and measles continue to have a burden in terms of morbidity and mortality, while others such as poliomyelitis, yellow fever and diarrhoeal disease have shown a declining trend and the wild polio virus transmission has been eliminated in the region. Results suggest that concerted public health action may help reduce the occurrences of outbreaks in the region. Results can be used to inform preparedness and prevention activities. Priority public health actions should target DRC and Nigeria, but also identified hot spots and areas with existing risk factors within other countries.
Settlement traps and harvesting methods for spiny lobster (Panulirus spp.) puerulus fishery in Palawan Island, the Philippines
Authors: Mecha Niño Jess Mar F. , Palla Herminie P. , Creencia Lota A. , Jontila Jean Beth S. , Plasus Maria Mojena G. , Dolorosa Roger G.
Published: January 2023

The attractive price for spiny lobster (Panulirus spp.) puerulus has recently encouraged many fishers to engage in its collection as an alternative livelihood at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. This booming fishery prompted the investigation of the settlement traps, luring/shading materials, trap installation and harvesting methods, and problems encountered in the spiny lobster puerulus fishery in Palawan, Philippines. Reviewed videos posted on social media, personal observation, and data gathered from key informants (KIs) revealed the use of various modified and newly developed settlement traps. The most common were the concrete cylindrical and disc-shaped traps used by 63.33% of the KIs. Some KIs (40%) provided the settlement traps with luring/shading materials like Sargassum thalli. Settlement traps were mostly installed using the stake-hanging method. The harvesting season starts in March and ends in August where the daily collection coincides with the moon phase. Fishers collected settled puerulus through diving or pulling the traps out of the water. However, some issues like unstable prices and the absence of fishing regulations threaten the sustainability of pueruli collection. Hence, the establishment of collection zones, issuance of fishing permits, price regulation, and long-term monitoring to maintain this promising fishery industry is suggested in crafting ordinances. Efficiencies of traps may also be investigated as an additional basis for policy recommendations.
ALMAN, AVUSTURYA, İSVİÇRE VE TÜRK HUKUK SİSTEMLERİNDE ADİ ORTAKLIKTAN “HAKLI NEDENLE ÇIKARMA” KURUMUNUN DÜZENLENİŞİ VE TÜRK HUKUKUNA İLİŞKİN DEĞERLENDİRMELER
Authors: ÖZDİN Funda
Published: January 2023

Ortaklar arası iş birliği ve güven duygusunun ön planda olduğu adi ortaklıkta, güven ilişkisinin zedelenmesine neden olan ortağın haklı nedenle şirketten çıkarılabilmesi önemli bir imkandır. Zira söz konusu ortak ile ilişkiye devam etmek istemeyen diğer ortaklar, bu sayede şirketin feshine alternatif bir imkan elde ederler ve ortaklık ilişkisini çekilmez hale getiren ortağı çıkarmak suretiyle adi ortaklık ilişkisini kendi aralarında sürdürebilirler. Nitekim bu çalışmada; Alman, Avusturya, İsviçre ve Türk kanun koyucularının adi ortaklıktan haklı nedenle çıkarma müessesesine bakış açıları ve meseleyi düzenleyiş tarzları incelenmiştir. Alman ve Avusturya hukuk sistemlerinde ortaklığın devamlılığı ilkesi benimsenmiş ve haklı bir nedenin varlığı halinde diğer ortaklara, şirketin feshi yerine haklı neden şahsında doğan ortağın çıkarılmasını sağlama imkanı tanınmıştır (§ 737 BGB; § 1213 ABGB). Özellikle mehaz Alman hukukunda, şahıs şirketleri hukukunun güncellenmesi amacına yönelik yapılan son revizyon çalışmaları kapsamında devam klozu kaldırılmış ve 01.01.2024 tarihinden itibaren geçerli olmak üzere, adi ortaklıkta haklı nedenle çıkarma imkanı kanuni bir hak olarak düzenlenmiştir (§ 727 BGB-MoPeG). İsviçre ve Türk hukuk sistemlerinde ise söz konusu mesele kanuni düzlemde ele alınmamıştır. Türk hukukunda 6098 sayılı Türk Borçlar Kanunu’nun 633. maddesi ile ilk kez adi ortaklıktan çıkma ve çıkarma konusunda bir düzenleme yapılmış; fakat ilgili hükmün lafzında ortağın haklı nedenle çıkarılması hususuna yer verilmemiştir. Ancak çalışmada, kanun koyucunun TBK m.633’ü düzenleme amacından yola çıkılarak, Türk adi ortaklık hukukunda ortağın haklı nedenle şirketten çıkarılmasının de lege lata mümkün olduğu görüşü savunulmuş; bunun yanı sıra konuya ilişkin de lege ferenda önerilerde bulunulmuştur.
Two years of COVID restrictions: A lesson from water demand data
Authors: Balacco Gabriella , Martellotta Audrey Maria Noemi , Iacobellis Vito , Piccinni Alberto Ferruccio
Published: January 2023

The long period of great fragility experienced by the lockdown has strained entire countries. In response to COVID-19, Italy performed stay-at-home orders to attenuate disease spread, provoking drastic changes in all aspects of users' behaviour, particularly affecting water demand. A dataset of hourly water demand for 2019, 2020, and 2021, related to five Italian towns permitted to observe water consumption changes. Trends highlight a general decrease in water consumption, linked to the strict restrictions imposed and a morning peak shift. At the end of the strict quarantine regulations, water consumption did not return to pre-pandemic values because COVID-19 has led to a change in lifestyle.
Manejo do Nitrogênio Químico e Orgânico em Dois Ciclos de Alface Irrigado com Água Residuária
Authors: Lobo Thomaz Figueiredo , Siqueira Marcos Vinicius Bohrer Monteiro , Oliveira Sebastião de , Grassi Filho Hélio
Published: January 2023

O aumento do custo de fertilizantes minerais e a crescente poluição ambiental fazem do uso de resíduos orgânicos na agricultura uma opção atrativa do ponto de vista econômico, em razão da ciclagem de C e nutrientes. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a produtividade e a nutrição do alface em diferentes manejos de nitrogênio químico e orgânico irrigado com água residuária proveniente da Estação de Tratamento de Esgoto (ETE) em dois ciclos de alface. O experimento foi realizado em vaso com capacidade para 5 litros, em casa de vegetação, o delineamento experimental foi composto por 6 tratamentos e 5 blocos casualizados da seguinte maneira: T0 – sem N; T1 – 0,54 gramas por planta de N mineral proveniente da ureia esta adubação foi dividida em três vezes (7, 14 e 28 dias de transplante); T2 – 0,27 gramas de N proveninete do composto organico (esterco de galinha e casca de eucalipto) e 0,27 gramas de N proveniente de ureia dividido  em três vezes por planta (7, 14 e 28 dias de transplante); T3 – 0,54 gramas de N (composto orgânico) por planta; T4 – 0,81 gramas de N (composto orgânico) por planta; T5 – 1,08 gramas de N (composto orgânico) por planta. As adubaçoes com composto organico foi realizada antes do plantio e misturado ao solo. As alfaces que foram adubadas com composto orgânico obtiveram maiores produtividades de massa fresca e acúmulo de nutrientes tanto no primeiro quanto no segundo ciclo.
Tipificación de Universidades Latinoamericanas: Niveles de Divulgación de Información y Atributos de Gobiernos Corporativos
Authors: Mancilla Claudio , Abello-Romero Juan
Published: January 2023

Se ha demostrado empíricamente que el nivel promedio de divulgación de información de las universidades latinoamericanas es bajo y muy heterogéneo (Abello 2018; Abello et al. 2018). Los atributos de los gobiernos corporativos universitarios pueden explicar el nivel de divulgación. Sin embargo, actualmente solo se comprende el sentido del efecto de estas variables sobre la divulgación. Para avanzar en la comprensión de los procesos de divulgación y la incidencia de los atributos de los gobiernos corporativos, se puede avanzar con una tipificación de universidades. Por medio de un enfoque cuantitativo, este trabajo tiene por objetivo tipificar a 219 universidades latinoamericanas según su nivel de divulgación de información considerando los atributos de sus gobiernos corporativos universitarios (GCU). Para lograr este objetivo, se introduce una técnica no paramétrica denominada árboles de regresión, utilizada en diversas disciplinas y que es parte de las técnicas de machine learning. Los resultados indican que hay cuatro nodos (o grupos) de universidades y cuyos niveles de divulgación son diferentes, y están estrechamente relacionados con los atributos de sus GCU. Estos hallazgos permiten proponer políticas públicas para incrementar la divulgación de información por parte de las universidades de manera más focalizada.
A NEW LARVAL SPECIES OF THE GENUS SMARIS (SMARIDIDAE, PARASITENGONA) FROM A BRAZILIAN CAVE
Authors: Santos Costa Samuel Geremias dos , Gomes-Almeida Brenda Karolina , Pepato Almir R.
Published: January 2023

Here, we describe a new smaridid species, Smaris hajiqanbari sp. n., based on the larva. This is the first description of a Smaris species from Brazil and the fourth larval Smaris ever described. An identification key to larval Smaris is also provided.
Does satisfaction after watching the trailer affects online streaming movies subscription? Empirical study on Netflix
Authors: Qisthina Farah , Aji Hendy Mustiko
Published: January 2023

This study is purposed to test the factors that encourage consumers to subscribe to Netflix. The sample in this respondent is selected using a purposive sampling technique with the criteria of all Indonesians who have watched trailers of several Netflix films in various media. The number of valid respondents is 222. All data are analyzed using the PLS-SEM method. This study indicates that subscription intention to Netflix is significantly affected by brand image, trailer satisfaction, and the quality of Netflix service. In addition, the brand image in this study also has a significant connection to Netflix trailer satisfaction. However, service quality has insignificant effect on trailer satisfaction. These findings are expected to help Netflix improve the quality of its service to increase customer satisfaction and maintain Netflix's image to stay good so that customers intend to subscribe to Netflix.
Telemedical Interventions for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Management: Umbrella Review
Authors: Koh Jin Hean , Chong Lydia Ching Yee , Koh Gerald Choon Huat , Tyagi Shilpa
Published: January 2023

Background

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a growing epidemic, with a heavy associated economic burden. Education, physical activity, and pulmonary rehabilitation programs are important aspects of the management of COPD. These interventions are commonly delivered remotely as part of telemedicine interventions. Several systematic reviews and meta-analyses have been conducted to assess the effectiveness of these interventions. However, these reviews often have conflicting conclusions.

Objective

We aim to conduct an umbrella review to critically appraise and summarize the available evidence on telemedicine interventions for the management of COPD.

Methods

In this umbrella review, the MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and Cochrane databases were searched from inception to May 2022 for systematic reviews and meta-analyses relating to telemedicine interventions for the management of COPD. We compared odds ratios, measures of quality, and heterogeneity across different outcomes.

Results

We identified 7 systematic reviews that met the inclusion criteria. Telemedicine interventions used in these reviews were teletreatment, telemonitoring, and telesupport. Telesupport interventions significantly reduced the number of inpatient days and quality of life. Telemonitoring interventions were associated with significant reductions in respiratory exacerbations and hospitalization rates. Teletreatment showed significant effectiveness in reducing respiratory exacerbations, hospitalization rate, compliance (acceptance and dropout rate), and physical activity. Among studies that used integrated telemedicine interventions, there was a significant improvement in physical activity.

Conclusions

Telemedicine interventions showed noninferiority or superiority over the standard of care for the management of COPD. Telemedicine interventions should be considered as a supplement to usual methods of care for the outpatient management of COPD, with the aim of reducing the burden on health care systems.
A Platform for Data-Centric, Continuous Epidemiological Analyses (EpiGraphHub): Descriptive Analysis
Authors: Coelho Flávio , Câmara Daniel Cardoso Portela , Araújo Eduardo Correa , Bianchi Lucas Monteiro , Ogasawara Ivan , Dalal Jyoti , James Ananthu , Abbate Jessica L , Merzouki Aziza , dos Reis Izabel Cristina , Nwosu Kene David , Keiser Olivia
Published: January 2023

Background

Guaranteeing durability, provenance, accessibility, and trust in open data sets can be challenging for researchers and organizations that rely on public repositories of data critical for epidemiology and other health analytics. The required data repositories are often difficult to locate and may require conversion to a standard data format. Data-hosting websites may also change or become unavailable without warning. A single change to the rules in one repository can hinder updating a public dashboard reliant on data pulled from external sources. These concerns are particularly challenging at the international level, because policies on systems aimed at harmonizing health and related data are typically dictated by national governments to serve their individual needs.

Objective

In this paper, we introduce a comprehensive public health data platform, EpiGraphHub, that aims to provide a single interoperable repository for open health and related data.

Methods

The platform, curated by the international research community, allows secure local integration of sensitive data while facilitating the development of data-driven applications and reports for decision-makers. Its main components include centrally managed databases with fine-grained access control to data, fully automated and documented data collection and transformation, and a powerful web-based data exploration and visualization tool.

Results

EpiGraphHub is already being used for hosting a growing collection of open data sets and for automating epidemiological analyses based on them. The project has also released an open-source software library with the analytical methods used in the platform.

Conclusions

The platform is fully open source and open to external users. It is in active development with the goal of maximizing its value for large-scale public health studies.
Understanding Why Many People Experiencing Homelessness Reported Migrating to a Small Canadian City: Machine Learning Approach With Augmented Data
Authors: Liyanage Chandreen Ravihari , Mago Vijay , Schiff Rebecca , Ranta Ken , Park Aaron , Lovato-Day Kristyn , Agnor Elise , Gokani Ravi
Published: January 2023

Background

Over the past years, homelessness has become a substantial issue around the globe. The largest social services organization in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, has observed that a majority of the people experiencing homelessness in the city were from outside of the city or province. Thus, to improve programming and resource allocation for people experiencing homelessness in the city, including shelter use, it was important to investigate the trends associated with homelessness and migration.

Objective

This study aimed to address 3 research questions related to homelessness and migration in Thunder Bay: What factors predict whether a person who migrated to the city and is experiencing homelessness stays or leaves shelters? If an individual stays, how long are they likely to stay? What factors predict stay duration?

Methods

We collected the required data from 2 sources: a survey conducted with people experiencing homelessness at 3 homeless shelters in Thunder Bay and the database of a homeless information management system. The records of 110 migrants were used for the analysis. Two feature selection techniques were used to address the first and third research questions, and 8 machine learning models were used to address the second research question. In addition, data augmentation was performed to improve the size of the data set and to resolve the class imbalance problem. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve value and cross-validation accuracy were used to measure the models’ performances while avoiding possible model overfitting.

Results

Factors predicting an individual’s stay duration included home or previous district, highest educational qualification, recent receipt of mental health support, migrating to visit family or friends, and finding employment upon arrival. For research question 2, among the classification models developed for predicting the stay duration of migrants, the random forest and gradient boosting tree models presented better results with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values of 0.91 and 0.93, respectively. Finally, home district, band membership, status card, previous district, and recent support for drug and/or alcohol use were recognized as the factors predicting stay duration.

Conclusions

Applying machine learning enables researchers to make predictions related to migrants’ homelessness and investigate how various factors become determinants of the predictions. We hope that the findings of this study will aid future policy making and resource allocation to better serve people experiencing homelessness. However, further improvements in the data set size and interpretation of the identified factors in decision-making are required.
The Factors Associated With Telehealth Use and Avoidance During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Longitudinal Survey
Authors: Farrer Louise M , Batterham Philip J , Gulliver Amelia , Morse Alyssa , Calear Alison L , McCallum Sonia , Banfield Michelle , Shou Yiyun , Newman Eryn , Dawel Amy
Published: January 2023

Background

Social distancing requirements due to the COVID-19 pandemic saw a rapid increase in the delivery of telehealth consultations as an alternative to face-to-face health care services.

Objective

The aims of this study were to assess the use and acceptability of telehealth during the early stages of the pandemic and identify factors associated with telehealth avoidance during this period.

Methods

Data were obtained from waves 4 and 7 of a longitudinal survey designed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health and behavior of a representative sample of Australian adults. Participants reported on their use or avoidance of telehealth during the assessment period, as well as the mode of telehealth used and acceptability.

Results

Approximately 30% of participants reported using telehealth during the assessment periods, with the most common telehealth modality being the telephone. Acceptance of telehealth was generally high and was higher among those who used telehealth compared with those who did not. Approximately 18% of participants reported avoiding health care due to telehealth. Across assessment waves, avoidance was associated with younger age, speaking a language other than or in addition to English, having a current medical diagnosis, and lower levels of telehealth acceptability.

Conclusions

While most participants in this study were accepting of telehealth services, there remain barriers to use, especially among those from particular sociodemographic groups. At a population level, avoidance of health services in nearly one in five adults may have considerable long-term impacts on morbidity and potentially mortality. Targeted efforts to promote engagement with telehealth services are critical if these adverse outcomes are to be avoided, particularly during periods when access to face-to-face services may be limited.
A Serious Game (“Fight With Virus”) for Preventing COVID-19 Health Rumors: Development and Experimental Study (Preprint)
Authors: Xiong Shuo , Zuo Long , Chen Qiwei , Zeliang Zhang , Nor Akmal Khalid Mohd
Published: January 2023

BACKGROUND

Health rumors arbitrarily spread in mainstream social media on the internet. Health rumors emerged in China during the outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020. Many midelders/elders (age over 40 years) who lived in Wuhan believed these rumors.

OBJECTIVE

This study focused on designing a serious game as an experimental program to prevent and control health rumors. The focus of the study was explicitly on the context of the social networking service for midelders/elders.

METHODS

This research involved 2 major parts: adopting the Transmission Control Protocol model for games and then, based on the model, designing a game named “Fight With Virus” as an experimental platform and developing a cognitive questionnaire with a 5-point Likert scale. The relevant variables for this experimental study were defined, and 10 hypotheses were proposed and tested with an empirical study. In total, 200 participants were selected for the experiments. By collecting relevant data in the experiments, we conducted statistical observations and comparative analysis to test whether the experimental hypotheses could be proved.

RESULTS

We noted that compared to traditional media, serious games are more capable of inspiring interest in research participants toward their understanding of the knowledge and learning of health commonsense. In judging and recognizing the COVID-19 health rumor, the test group that used game education had a stronger ability regarding identification of the rumor and a higher accuracy rate of identification. Results showed that the more educated midelders/elders are, the more effective they are at using serious games.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to traditional media, serious games can effectively improve midelders’/elders’ cognitive abilities while they face a health rumor. The gameplay effect is related to the individual’s age and educational background, while income and gender have no impact.
Efficacy of Internet-based rumination-focused cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based intervention with guided support in reducing risks of depression and anxiety: A randomized controlled trial (Preprint)
Authors: Mak Winnie W. S. , Tong Alan C. Y. , Fu Amanda C. M. , Leung Ivy W. Y. , Jung Olivia H. C. , Watkins Edward R. , Lui Wacy W. S.
Published: January 2023

BACKGROUND

Rumination and worry are common risk factors of depression and anxiety. Internet-based transdiagnostic interventions targeting individuals with these specific risks may be an effective way to prevent depression and anxiety.

OBJECTIVE

This study developed and compared the efficacy of two Internet-based transdiagnostic interventions with online guidance to an Internet-based psychoeducation control group in reducing risks and symptoms of depression and anxiety.

METHODS

This three-arm randomized controlled trial compared Internet-based rumination-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (RFCBT), mindfulness-based intervention (MBI), and psychoeducation control (EDU). A total of 256 participants were randomised into one of the three courses and received a 6-module program. Participants’ level of rumination, worry, depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed at post-intervention (6 weeks), at 3-month and 9-month follow up. Efficacy was tested using Linear Mixed Model analysis.

RESULTS

Results showed similar levels of improvement on all outcomes across the three conditions. Change in rumination differed comparing RFCBT and MBI, where a fluctuation on rumination was noted at 3-month follow up among participants in RFCBT and an absence of long-term effect on was noted among participants in MBI at 9-month follow up.

CONCLUSIONS

All three conditions showed similar reduction in risks and symptoms implied that the two active interventions were not superior to psychoeducation control. The high attrition at follow-ups suggested the need for caution concerning the findings. Future studies should tease apart placebo effect and identify ways to improve adherence.

CLINICALTRIAL

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Trial no: ChiCTR-IOR-15006470)
The Use of Social Media for Dissemination of Research Evidence to Health and Social Care Practitioners: Protocol for a Systematic Review (Preprint)
Authors: Roberts-Lewis Sarah F , Baxter Helen A , Mein Gill , Quirke-McFarlane Sophia , Leggat Fiona J , Garner Hannah M , Powell Martha , White Sarah , Bearne Lindsay
Published: January 2023

BACKGROUND

Effective dissemination of research to health and social care practitioners enhances clinical practice and evidence-based care. Social media use has potential to facilitate dissemination to busy practitioners.

OBJECTIVE

This is a protocol for a systematic review that will quantitatively synthesize evidence of the effectiveness of social media, compared with no social media, for dissemination of research evidence to health and social care practitioners. Social media platforms, formats, and sharing mechanisms used for effective dissemination of research evidence will also be identified and compared.

METHODS

Electronic database searches (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, ERIC, LISTA, and OpenGrey) will be conducted from January 1, 2010, to January 10, 2023, for studies published in English. Randomized, nonrandomized, pre-post study designs or case studies evaluating the effect of social media on dissemination of research evidence to postregistration health and social care practitioners will be included. Studies that do not involve social media or dissemination or those that evaluate dissemination of nonresearch information (eg, multisource educational materials) to students or members of the public only, or without quantitative data on outcomes of interest, will be excluded. Screening will be carried out by 2 independent reviewers. Data extraction and quality assessment, using either the Cochrane tool for assessing risk of bias or the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, will be completed by 2 independent reviewers. Outcomes of interest will be reported in 4 domains (reach, engagement, dissemination, and impact). Data synthesis will include quantitative comparisons using narrative text, tables, and figures. A meta-analysis of standardized pooled effects will be undertaken, and subgroup analyses will be applied, if appropriate.

RESULTS

Searches and screening will be completed by the end of May 2023. Data extraction and analyses will be completed by the end of July 2023, after which findings will be synthesized and reported by the end of October 2023.

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review will summarize the evidence for the effectiveness of social media for the dissemination of research evidence to health and social care practitioners. The limitations of the evidence may include multiple outcomes or methodological heterogeneity that limit meta-analyses, potential risk of bias in included studies, and potential publication bias. The limitations of the study design may include potential insensitivity of the electronic database search strategy. The findings from this review will inform the dissemination practice of health and care research.

CLINICALTRIAL

PROSPERO CRD42022378793; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=378793

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT

DERR1-10.2196/45684