bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Comparative Study of Histotripsy Parameters for the Treatment of Fibrotic ex-vivo Human Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Tissue
Authors: Kumar Yashwanth Nanda , Singh Zorawar , Wang Yak-Nam , Kanabolo Diboro , Chen Lucas , Bruce Matthew , Vlaisavljevich Eli , True Lawrence , Maxwell Adam D. , Schade George R.
Published: July 2024

Histotripsy is a noninvasive focused ultrasound therapy that mechanically fractionates tissue to create well-defined lesions. In a previous clinical pilot trial to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), histotripsy did not result in consistent objective improvements in symptoms, potentially because of the fibrotic and mechanically tough nature of this tissue. In this study, we aimed to identify the dosage required to homogenize BPH tissue by different histotripsy modalities, including boiling histotripsy (BH) and cavitation histotripsy (CH). A method for histotripsy lesion quantification via entropy (HLQE) analysis was developed and utilized to quantify lesion area of the respective treatments. These data were correlated to changes in mechanical stiffness measured by ultrasound shear-wave elastography before and after treatment with each parameter set and dose. Time points corresponding to histologically observed complete lesions were qualitatively evaluated and quantitatively measured. For the BH treatment, complete lesions occurred with >=30s treatment time, with a corresponding maximum reduction in stiffness of -90.9±7.2(s.d.)%. High pulse repetition frequency (PRF) CH achieved a similar reduction to that of BH at 288s (-91.6±6.0(s.d.)%), and low-PRF CH achieved a (-82.1±5.1(s.d.)%) reduction in stiffness at dose >=144s. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that a >~75% reduction in stiffness positively correlated with complete lesions observed histologically, and can provide an alternative metric to track treatment progression.
Physical Activity Combined with Tea Consumption could further Reduce All-cause Mortality: Results from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2009-2018
Authors: Hu Yiqun , Yang Luning , He Jinshen
Published: July 2024

The study aimed to comprehensively assess the separate and combined effects of physical activity (PA) and tea consumption on all-cause mortality among 21,350 participants from The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2009 and 2018. PA and tea consumption were evaluated through self-reported questionnaires and dietary recall interviews at baseline, with mortality data obtained from the National Death Index. Cox regression analyses yielded hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results indicated that both tea consumption and PA independently reduced all-cause mortality. In the physically active group, tea consumption further decreased mortality risk, while this effect was not significant in the inactive group. Jointly, the highest tea consumers who exercised the most exhibited the lowest mortality risk compared to non-tea drinkers who exercised the least. These findings underscore the potential benefits of regular tea consumption and PA in promoting longevity and reducing premature death risks.
Mechanism of electrochemical discharge machining on film cooling holes with thermal barrier coatings
Authors: Zhang Ajian , Chen Xiaokang , Ma Tongyi , Zhu Qianlong , Zhou Jianping , Wang Bingbing , Ma Ning , Liu Hai , Chen Yulong
Published: July 2024

This paper investigates the electrochemical discharge machining (ECDM) mechanism to address the susceptibility of coatings to cracking, delamination, microcracks, and recast layers during the machining of film cooling holes with thermal barrier coatings. By using NaOH as the working fluid and enhancing chip removal through electrode rotation, this study investigates the machining state transition laws, material removal mechanisms, and post-processing workpiece surface integrity in ECDM of film cooling holes with thermal barrier coatings. The results indicate that only the electrochemical discharge effect is active during the ECDM of the ceramic layer, with material removal primarily dependent on rapid thermal cycling and electrochemical discharge. In contrast, for metal substrates, both electrochemical and electrical discharge machining occur, involving electrochemical and thermal effects. This study provides valuable insights for the efficient and high-quality production of film cooling holes with thermal barrier coatings.
Enhancing Water Deficit Stress Tolerance in Wheat: Synergistic Effects of Silicon Nanoparticles and Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria
Authors: Davoudi Faezeh , Jalali Mahboobeh , Valizadeh-Rad Keyvan , Etesami Hasan
Published: July 2024

Water deficit stress significantly reduces grain yield in bread wheat, requiring improved tolerance in cultivars. Despite recent breeding advancements, enhancing tolerance remains crucial. Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) and silicon (Si) independently boost drought resistance through different mechanisms, but their combined effects are understudied. This research explored the combined impacts of silicon dioxide nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) and native PGPB on wheat's morphophysiological and nutritional responses under water deficit stress. The study tested various SiO2 NP concentrations (control, soil application of 100 and 200 mg/kg, and foliar application of 200 mg/kg) and PGPB strains (no bacterium, Pseudomonas fluorescens p-187, and Pseudomonas putida p-168). Results showed that SiO2 NPs significantly improved wheat tolerance to water stress, increasing shoot dry weight by 4.40 g/pot with 100 mg/kg Si-NPs and Pseudomonas fluorescens p-187 compared to the control, and root dry weight by 1.05 g/pot with foliar application of 200 mg/kg Si-NPs and Pseudomonas putida p-168. SiO2 NPs and PGPB also boosted N, P, K, and Si concentrations in wheat shoots, reduced malondialdehyde content, and increased superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities. The best performance was achieved with 200 mg/kg Si-NPs and Pseudomonas fluorescens p-187. The study confirms that combining Si sources with PGPB effectively enhances wheat's drought tolerance. This synergistic approach offers an environmentally sustainable strategy to bolster crop resilience against water deficit stress, ensuring better wheat yield in drought-prone conditions.
Superiority Of Suture Endobutton Augmentation In Type 2b Clavicle Fractures Fixatıon Using Locking Plate
Authors: Yağar Hilal , Çağlar Ceyhun , Asfuroğlu Zeynel Mert , Aydın Murat
Published: July 2024

Purpose
Instability in distal clavicle fractures with impaired integrity of the CC ligament poses a serious risk for nonunion, necessitating surgical intervention. Despite a consensus on the need for surgery in cases of unstable distal clavicle fractures, various surgical techniques are available. Aim of this study is to evaluate the radiological and functional outcomes of CC augmentation using the suture endobutton technique for Neer type 2b clavicle fractures.
Methods
42 patients who met the criteria for this retrospective study divided into two groups; Group 1 (locking plate with CC augmentation) and Group 2 (locking plate without CC augmentation). Demographic data, the Constant–Murley scores(CS), union time, range of motion, complications, and implant failures during the follow-up period were recorded.
Results
13 (31.0%) patients were female and 29 (69.0%) were male.The mean age was 40.5 ± 11.5 years. Significant differences were found in union time (week) (t(40) = − 2.11, p = 0.04) and the 6th-month CS (t(40) = 4.19, P = 0.01). No significant difference was observed in postoperative complications between the groups (p > 0.05).
Conclusion
CC augmentation with a suture endobutton in type 2b distal clavicle fractures, resulted in more favorable short-term functional and radiological outcomes.
Multi-omics integration and immune profiling identify possible causal networks leading to uterine microbiome dysbiosis in dairy cows that develop metritis
Authors: Casaro S. , Prim J. G. , Gonzalez T. D. , Cunha F. , Silva A. C. M. , Yu H. , Bisinotto R. S. , Chebel R. C. , Santos J. E. P. , Nelson C. D. , Jeon S. J. , Bicalho R. C. , Driver J. P. , Galvão Klibs N.
Published: July 2024

Background
Cows that develop metritis experience dysbiosis of their uterine microbiome, where opportunistic pathogens overtake uterine commensals. Whether opportunistic pathogens thrive and cause metritis may be determined by how efficiently the immune system responds to these pathogens. Nonetheless, periparturient cows experience immune dysregulation, which seems to be intensified by prepartum obesity and lipid mobilization Herein, Bayesian networks were applied to investigate the directional correlations between prepartum body weight (BW), BW loss, pre- and postpartum systemic immune profiling and plasma metabolome, and postpartum uterine metabolome and microbiome.
Results
According to the directionality network, greater prepartum BW led to greater BW loss, which led to an increase in plasma fatty acids at parturition, indicating that heavier cows were in lower energy balance than lighter cows. Greater prepartum BW also led to an increase in prepartum systemic cellular death, which led to an increase in systemic inflammation, immune activation, and metabolomic changes associated with oxidative stress prepartum and at parturition, which indicates a positive directional correlation between BW and systemic inflammation. These changes led to an increase in polymorphonuclear cell extravasation postpartum, which led to an increase in uterine metabolomic changes associated with tissue damage, suggesting that excessive polymorphonuclear cell migration to the uterus leads to excessive endometrial damage. These changes led to an increase in pathogenic bacteria in cows that developed metritis, suggesting that excessive tissue damage may disrupt physical barriers or increase substrate availability for bacterial growth.
Conclusions
This work provides robust mechanistic hypotheses for how prepartum body weight impacts peripartum immune and metabolic profiles, leading to uterine opportunistic pathogens overgrowth and metritis development.
A generic detailed multibody thoracic spine and ribcage model
Authors: Shayestehpour Hamed , Tørholm Søren , Damsgaard Michael , Lund Morten , Wong Christian , Rasmussen John
Published: July 2024

A reliable and comprehensive multibody musculoskeletal model of the thoracic spine and ribcage can offer valuable insight into the biomechanics behind healthy and curved spines. In this study, we developed a generic rigid-body thoracic spine and ribcage model, which is kinematically determinate and controlled by spine posture. A newly devised averaging constraint was implemented to model the individual ribs and the sternum kinematics. The rib motion validation confirmed adjacent ribs’ movement against measured data in different tasks. We simulated 39 adolescent idiopathic scoliosis subjects aged 7–17 years with the average (SD) Cobb angle of 15.2 (8.4) deg. The average errors of multiple scoliosis metrics were less than 4 degrees for angle parameters, 5 mm for displacement parameters, and 3 percent for the ratio parameter. This generic model is simple to use and can simulate a large range-of-motion of daily living activities (e.g., spinal articulation and breathing) and capture pathological deformities conforming to experimentally observed deformations with proper accuracy. It is available to the public in a GitHub repository and will be made available also in the AnyBody Managed Model Repository.
High-speed 4D computed tomography for uncovering the dynamics of oil uptake in deep-fried food products
Authors: Verboven Pieter , Verma Ujjwal , Riley Isabella , Lukic Bratislav , Broche Ludovic , Delcour Jan , Nicolaï Bart
Published: July 2024

Oil acts as a high-temperature heating medium while also contributing to the organoleptic properties in energy dense deep-fried foods. The amount of oil absorbed is associated with the rapid structural deformation of food during deep-frying, creating pathways for oil to enter the internal microstructure. Here, we describe a 4D imaging system (three spatial dimensions and time) that uses fast synchrotron radiation tomography for in-situ visualization of the highly dynamic deep-frying and post-frying cooling processes. We use dynamic imaging and 3D quantification to show that the continuously evolving connectivity of the heterogeneous porous microstructure in a wheat flour-based dough is altered by the deformations induced during and after deep-frying. The resulting pore network integrity, more than porosity, significantly impacts the rate of oil uptake and its distribution. The findings also suggest that a two-stage deep-frying operation at different temperatures can help reduce oil content while achieving a desired crust.
ArmanEmo: A Persian Dataset for Text-based Emotion Detection
Authors: Mirzaee Hossein , Peymanfard Javad , Moshtaghin Hamid Habibzadeh , Zeinali Hossein
Published: July 2024

With the recent proliferation of open textual data on social media platforms, Emotion Detection (ED) from Text has received more attention over the past years. It has many applications, especially for businesses and online service providers, where emotion detection techniques can help them make informed commercial decisions by analyzing customers/users' feelings towards their products and services. In this study, we introduce ArmanEmo, a human-labeled emotion dataset of more than 7000 Persian sentences labeled for seven categories. The dataset has been collected from different resources, including Twitter, Instagram, and Digikala comments. Labels are based on Ekman's six basic emotions (Anger, Fear, Happiness, Hatred, Sadness, Wonder) and another category (Other) to consider any other emotion not included in Ekman's model. Along with the dataset, we have provided several baseline models for emotion classification focusing on the state-of-the-art transformer-based language models. Our best model achieves a macro-averaged F1 score of 75.39 percent across our test dataset. Moreover, we also conduct transfer learning experiments to compare our proposed dataset's generalization against other Persian emotion datasets. Results of these experiments suggest that our dataset has superior generalizability among the existing Persian emotion datasets. ArmanEmo is publicly available for non-commercial use at \url{https://github.com/Arman-Rayan-Sharif/arman-text-emotion}.
Paternal Preconception Donepezil Exposure Enhances Learning in Offspring
Authors: Fan Guangyuan , Pan Tao , Ji Xingyu , Jiang Changyou , Wang Feifei , Liu Xing , Ma Lan , Le Qiumin
Published: July 2024

Background
Recent research has indicated that parental use of central nervous system-targeting medications during periconceptional periods may affect offspring across various developmental and behavioral domains. The present study sought to investigate the potential influence of paternal use of donepezil, a specific reversible central acetylcholinesterase inhibitor that activates the cholinergic system to promote cognition, on offspring.
Results
In this study, male rats were bred after 21 days of oral donepezil administration at a dose of 4 mg/kg to generate F1 offspring. Both male and female F₁ offspring displayed enhanced performance in learning and short-term memory tests, including novel object recognition, Y maze, and operant learning. Transcriptomic analysis revealed notable alterations in genes associated with the extracellular matrix in the hippocampal tissue of the F1 generation. Integration with genes related to intelligence identified potential core genes that may be involved in the observed behavioral enhancements.
Conclusions
These findings indicate that prolonged paternal exposure to donepezil may enhance the learning and memory abilities of offspring, possibly by targeting nonneural, extracellular regions. Further research is required to fully elucidate any potential transgenerational effects.
CCD-YOLO: An Accurate and Fast Algorithm for Steel Surface Defect Detection
Authors: Wang Dingran , Wang Hong
Published: July 2024

A variety of surface defects can be created in steel during manufacturing and transportation, which can reduce the strength of the steel and shorten the service life of the workpiece. Therefore, surface defect detection is a key link to ensure the quality of industrial production. However, traditional surface defect detection methods have the disadvantages of low accuracy and slow speed. Therefore, we propose a steel surface defect detection model CCD-YOLO based on YOLOv5. Firstly, we replace the C3 module in the backbone of YOLOv5 with the C2f module to obtain more gradient flow information while maintaining lightweight. Secondly, we insert a flexible and lightweight CA attention mechanism into the backbone to help the model accurately locate and identify objects of interest. Finally, we use decoupled heads to separate the regression and classification tasks, which improves detection accuracy. Finally, a large number of experimental results show that CCD-YOLO achieves an accuracy of 72.9% mAP on the NEU-DET dataset, which is 4.3% better than YOLOv5 and 1.1% higher than YOLOv8. The model has good comprehensive performance in steel surface defect detection.
AuCePt porous hollow cascade nanozymes targeted delivery of disulfiram for alleviating hepatic insulin resistance
Authors: Shen Huawei , Fu Yafei , Liu Feifei , Zhang Wanliang , Yuan Yin , Yang Gangyi , Yang Mengliu , Li Ling
Published: July 2024

As the pathophysiological basis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), insulin resistance (IR) is closely related to oxidative stress (OS) and inflammation, while nanozymes have a good therapeutic effect on inflammation and OS by scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS). Hence, AuCePt porous hollow cascade nanozymes (AuCePt PHNs) are designed by integrating the dominant enzymatic activities of three metallic materials, which exhibit superior superoxide dismutase/catalase-like activities, and high drug loading capacity. In vitro experiments proved that AuCePt PHNs can ultra-efficiently scavenge endogenous and exogenous ROS. Moreover, AuCePt PHNs modified with lactobionic acid (LA) and loaded with disulfiram (DSF), named as AuCePt PHNs-LA@DSF, can significantly improve glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis in IR hepatocytes by regulating the insulin signaling pathways (IRS-1/AKT) and gluconeogenesis signaling pathways (FOXO-1/PEPCK). Intravenous administration of AuCePt PHNs-LA@DSF not only showed high liver targeting efficiency, but also reduced body weight and blood glucose and improved IR and lipid accumulation in high-fat diet-induced obese mice and diabetic ob/ob mice. This research elucidates the intrinsic activity of AuCePt PHNs for cascade scavenging of ROS, and reveals the potential effect of AuCePt PHNs-LA@DSF in T2DM treatment.
Machine learning-based diagnostic prediction of minimal change disease: model development study
Authors: Noda Ryunosuke , Ichikawa Daisuke , Shibagaki Yugo
Published: July 2024

Minimal change disease (MCD) is a common cause of nephrotic syndrome. Due to its rapid progression, early detection is essential; however, definitive diagnosis requires invasive kidney biopsy. This study aims to develop non-invasive predictive models for diagnosing MCD by machine learning. We retrospectively collected data on demographic characteristics, blood tests, and urine tests from patients with nephrotic syndrome who underwent kidney biopsy. We applied four machine learning algorithms—TabPFN, LightGBM, Random Forest, and Artificial Neural Network—and logistic regression. We compared their performance using stratified 5-repeated 5-fold cross-validation for the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) and the area under the precision-recall curve (AUPRC). Variable importance was evaluated using the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method. A total of 248 patients were included, with 82 cases (33%) were diagnosed with MCD. TabPFN demonstrated the best performance with an AUROC of 0.915 (95% CI 0.896–0.932) and an AUPRC of 0.840 (95% CI 0.807–0.872). The SHAP methods identified C3, total cholesterol, and urine red blood cells as key predictors for TabPFN, consistent with previous reports. Machine learning models could be valuable non-invasive diagnostic tools for MCD.
Performance Analysis of Enhanced Downlink Transmission in MIMO-NOMA Networks under Rician Fading Channels
Authors: Ahmmed Rubab , Kabir Md. Humayun , Tarfi Kasira-Tut , Kabir Md. Alomgir
Published: July 2024

This paper investigates downlink transmission in multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) networks under Rician fading channels. An analytical framework for user signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) and bit error rate (BER) is developed. Numerical results are given to show that the outage probability is significantly decreased with higher transmit power, especially for cell-edge users, since NOMA is a good power allocation scheme. Furthermore, at higher SINR, the Bit-Error-Rate (BER) is reduced for all users, though such a user located far from the transmitter sees improved performance. This shows that MIMO NOMA presents an inter-user interference mitigation technique, and the closer users will benefit most. Overall, in comparison with SIMO NOMA, the MIMO NOMA will have better performance in either outage or BER reduction because of multi-antenna.
Intelligent Caching and Offloading Technique for Dew-assisted Mobile IoTs: A Distributed Deep Reinforcement Learning Framework
Authors: Mahapatra Abhijeet , Pradhan Rosy , Majhi Santosh Kumar , Mishra Kaushik
Published: July 2024

Cloud computing including mobile IoT devices infrastructure have grown to be a key component of future high-performance computing networks because they can supply distributed, hierarchical, and fine-grained resources. The secret is to combine the optimization of compute offloading and service caching. However, dynamic tasks, heterogeneous resources, and coupled decisions pose three major obstacles to the joint service caching and compute offloading dilemma. In this paper, we study how Dew-assisted mobile IoT devices and Fog-Cloud computing networks can benefit from the simultaneous processing for caching of various services and computational offloading. We formulate the optimization problem specifically as minimizing the NP-hard long-term average service delay. We provide thorough theoretical analysis and divide the topic into two smaller issues, i.e., processing for computation offloading and service caching. To answer the defined problem, where several Dew-assisted mobile IoT devices and a Cloud VM jointly determine the caching-action and offloading-action, respectively, we developed a unique Distributed-Deep Reinforcement Learning (DDRL) technique. The suggested framework beats multiple existing techniques regarding the average service delay across several scenarios, according to the findings of trace-driven simulations. When compared to methods based on reinforcement learning, our framework delivers an impressive 39% reduction in the average service delay and an approximate 37% improvement in convergence based on a practical real-world environment.
The Algebraic Extended Atom-type Graph-Based Model for Precise Ligand--Receptor Binding Affinity Prediction
Authors: Mukta Farjana Tasnim , Rana Md Masud , Meyer Avery , Ellingson Sally , Nguyen Duc D.
Published: July 2024

Accurate prediction of ligand-receptor binding affinity is crucial in structure-based drug design, significantly impacting the development of effective drugs. Recent advances in machine learning (ML)--based scoring functions have improved these predictions, yet challenges remain in modeling complex molecular interactions. This study introduces the AGL-EAT-Score, a scoring function that integrates extended atom-type multiscale weighted colored subgraphs with algebraic graph theory. This approach leverages the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of graph Laplacian and adjacency matrices to capture high-level details of specific atom pairwise interactions. Evaluated against benchmark datasets such as CASF-2016, CASF-2013, and the Cathepsin S dataset, the AGL-EAT-Score demonstrates notable accuracy, outperforming existing traditional and ML-based methods. The model's strength lies in its comprehensive similarity analysis, examining protein sequence, ligand structure, and binding site similarities, thus ensuring minimal bias and over-representation in the training sets. The use of extended atom types in graph coloring enhances the model's capability to capture the intricacies of protein-ligand interactions. The AGL-EAT-Score marks a significant advancement in drug design, offering a tool that could potentially refine and accelerate the drug discovery process.
SPLENIC HAMARTOMA: a case series
Authors: Tirotta Daniela , Lena Claudia , Muratori Paolo
Published: July 2024

Hamartomas are rare and benign tumors of the spleen. Most patients are asymptomatic and splenic hamartomas are usually incidentalomas. The common clinical manifestations are splenomegaly, spontaneous rupture, anemia, thrombocytopenia and digestive symptoms (loss of appetite and abdominal pain). It affects all age, mostly the elderly peoples.
The literature shows a strong association between splenic hamartoma and hematologic and solid malignancies (especially squamous cell carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, and thymoma) , so when a splenic mass is detected especially in a patient with known malignancy, differential diagnosis is very important . For the same reason, the diagnosis of hamartoma in healthy people, needs to follow-up in order to monitoring possible association with neoplastic diseases.
In this context CEUS is a promising, cost-effective modality , because it shows 3 characteristic features of splenic hamartomas (hypervascularity, heterogenity, reticuloendothelial system detection) .
We described a series of cases of splenic lesions in which the use of CEUS shows typical aspects of hamartomas, observed consecutively in our internal ultrasound clinic in 2023
A systematic review of maternal and perinatal health outcomes in the context of epidemic threats: towards the development of a core outcome set.
Authors: Mazzoni Agustina , Berrueta Mabel , Babinska Magdalena , Nigri Carolina , Ortega Vanesa , Salva Florencia , Ciapponi Agustín , Bonet Mercedes
Published: July 2024

Objective
To systematically identify and classify maternal and perinatal health outcomes reported in research conducted in the epidemic and pandemic context.
Study design and Setting
We conducted a systematic review following Cochrane Methods. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, SCI-EXPANDED, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PsycINFO, AMED, ClinicalTrials.gov and ICTRP, between January 2015 and March 2023. Experimental, quasi-experimental, observational studies, phase IV trials, and post-marketing studies, published protocols and ongoing registered studies reporting maternal and perinatal health outcomes were included. Studies only reporting coverage of interventions, access to routine health services, clinical presentation of infectious diseases, and reviews were excluded. A sampling strategy was used for COVID-19 studies, due to their very high numbers. Outcome verbatims were extracted and categorized in unique outcome, and further classified into domains and subdomains. Frequency of outcome reporting was calculated.
Results
94 maternal and pregnancy and 47 unique neonatal outcomes were identified, from a total of 917 and 657 verbatims, respectively, reported across 440 included studies. At least 20% of included studies reported maternal and pregnancy outcomes of mode of delivery (56.1%), stillbirth (33.0%), preterm birth (28.6%), hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (26.6%), and maternal death (20.7%). These outcomes were identified across all three types of studies identified (epidemiological, product development or post-authorization surveillance). Gestational age at birth (29.8%), congenital malformations of the nervous system (26.1%), birth weight (23.4%), neonatal admission to intensive care unit (23.2%), and neonatal death (19.1%) were the most frequently reported neonatal outcomes.
Conclusions
Our study provides the basis for developing a core outcome set to measure maternal and perinatal health during outbreaks, which would help improve data collection of harmonized data, data synthesis, and timely development of informed public health guidance and clinical care responding to the needs of pregnant women. .
Investigating Deceptive Fairness Attacks on Large Language Models via Prompt Engineering
Authors: Thistleton Emily , Rand Jason
Published: July 2024

Artificial intelligence systems, particularly those employing natural language processing techniques, have increasingly been scrutinized for their potential to propagate and amplify societal biases. Addressing the vulnerability of these systems to deceptive fairness attacks, where subtly crafted prompts manipulate outputs to introduce bias, is both novel and critical in ensuring ethical AI deployment. The research investigates how LLMs can be systematically compromised through deceptive prompt engineering, revealing significant impacts on fairness metrics such as demographic parity, equalized odds, and disparate impact. The experimental design included the development of an extensive dataset of neutral and deceptive prompts, automated interaction with LLMs, and a robust analysis framework to assess the biases in responses. Results demonstrated substantial deviations in fairness metrics under deceptive conditions, highlighting the need for advanced detection and mitigation strategies. Future work should focus on enhancing the resilience of LLMs through real-time detection algorithms, ethical design principles, and continuous monitoring to uphold fairness across diverse applications. The findings emphasize the urgency of addressing bias in AI to prevent the perpetuation of inequality and ensure equitable technology deployment.
Okweraliikirira and Okwenyamira: Idioms of Psychological Distress Among People Living with HIV in Rakai, Uganda
Authors: West Nora S. , Nakubulwa Rosette , Murray Sarah M. , Ddaaki William , Mayambala Denis , Nakyanjo Neema , Nalugoda Fred , Hutton Heidi E. , Surkan Pamela J. , Kennedy Caitlin E.
Published: July 2024

Introduction: Health and illness experiences are positioned within social and cultural contexts. Understanding the mental health and psychological distress of people living with HIV in highly affected communities is critical to addressing their needs and to ensure programming and interventions are targeted and appropriate.
Methods: Grounded in the ethnomedical theoretical perspective, we conducted qualitative interviews to understand the experience and expression of psychological distress by people living with HIV in Rakai, Uganda. Participants included adults living with HIV (n=20), health workers (counselors, peer health workers, nurses, n=10), and key informants (n=12). Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed/translated, coded, and analyzed using thematic analysis.
Results: Two idioms of distress, okweraliikirira (worry/apprehension) and okwenyamira (deep/many thoughts/lots of thoughts) were described as impacting people living with HIV. Both idioms were said to be alleviated by social support or counseling, but if left unaddressed could lead to more severe mental health problems and poor ART adherence.
Conclusion: People living with HIV understand their psychological distress through culturally specific idioms; such distress can have deleterious impacts on well-being. Incorporating idioms of distress into screening and treatment for people living with HIV may improve identification of individuals in need and overall health services to address this need.
Community Composition and Seasonal Dynamics of Microplastic Biota in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Davidov Keren , Marsay Katherine S. , Itzahri Sheli , Rubin-Blum Maxim , Sobral Paula , Kranzler Chana F. , Oren Matan
Published: July 2024

Marine plastic pollution poses a growing environmental threat, with microplastics accumulating in the global oceans. This study profiles the seasonal dynamics and taxonomic composition of the plastisphere, the microplastic ecosystem, in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Using long-read 16S and 18S metabarcoding, we analyzed offshore microplastic and whole seawater samples across each season over a two-year period. The analysis revealed a higher richness of prokaryotic communities on microplastics compared to seawater, which was predominantly composed of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidota and exhibited notable seasonal variability. Benthic eukaryotes were enriched on microplastics compared to the surrounding seawater. Diatoms (Bacillariophyceae), in particular, showed significant enrichment within the microplastic eukaryotic community with primarily pennate diatoms of Amphora, Navicula, and Nitzschia genera, whereas the seawater included mostly centric diatoms. Seasonal fluctuations were less pronounced in the microplastic communities than in seawater, highlighting the relative stability of this new human-made ecosystem. These findings underscore the unique ecological niche of microplastic-associated communities in marine environments.
Exploring School Principal Leadership: A Case Study of Upper Secondary School in Northwestern Cambodia
Authors: Sam Rany , Tieng Morin , Yoeng Hak , Thay Sovannpitou , Chiv Sarith
Published: July 2024

This study aims to achieve four main objectives: (1) to identify the characteristics of turnaround leadership among Cambodian upper secondary school principals; (2) to investigate the factors influencing turnaround leadership; (3) to examine principals' roles in implementing turnaround leadership in provincial schools; and (4) to explore actionable recommendations for improving turnaround leadership in low-performing schools. The study uses a qualitative case study approach to investigate the dynamics of turnaround leadership in upper secondary schools across six northwestern provinces of Cambodia: Battambang, Pursat, Pailin, Banteay Meanchey, Oddor Meanchey, and Siem Reap. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 21 school principals recognized for their effective turnaround leadership. The findings provide insights into best practices and formulate recommendations to enhance turnaround leadership in Cambodian high schools. The findings provide insights into best practices and formulate recommendations to improve turnaround leadership in Cambodian high schools.
"How will I know the results if I self-test at home?" – At-home HIV self-testing vs. at-clinic HIV testing preference among trans-women in Ghana's Slums. BSGH-015
Authors: Abu-Ba’are Gamji Rabiu , Shamrock Osman Wumpini , Agbemedu George Rudolph Kofi , Dakpui Henry Delali
Published: July 2024

Despite a higher HIV prevalence (28%) among trans-women compared to other groups, no studies have examined HIV testing preferences among trans-women in Ghana. However, they continue to face individual and structural barriers to HIV testing in the country. This study therefore marks the first investigation into the HIV testing or self-testing preferences of trans-women in the country. A community organization used snowballing to recruit trans-women (n=20) to participate in face-to-face interviews about their experiences with testing and perspectives about HIV self-testing in comparison to traditional testing in clinics. Using NVIVO, we coded and conducted a thematic analysis to understand the participants' perspectives. Three categories of preferences emerged: 1) Some shared a preference for HIV self-testing at home because it offers privacy and confidentiality, saves time and transportation costs, and swerves stigmatizing attitudes of health workers. 2) Some prefer testing at a clinic as it offers the availability of professional care; they cannot conduct self-testing and interpret the results successfully, but they can access counseling therapy and other STI testing at healthcare facilities. 3) Others had mixed location preferences, expressing that they could benefit from both and use either option based on availability. The preferences expressed by participants suggest a need for holistic services where trans-women can test using self-testing kits and also have access to additional STI tests or counseling and linkage to care. It also points to the need to focus on fundamental issues such as ensuring privacy and confidentiality and better experiences in healthcare facilities as they remain drivers and deterrents for both testing approaches and potential linkage to care.
Beyond Lateral Expansion: A Multi-parameter Regression-based Model for Inferring Radial Propagation Speeds and Transit Time of Coronal Mass Ejections
Authors: Kyeremateng Kwabena , Hamadab Amr , Elsaidd Ahmed , Mahrousa Ayman
Published: July 2024

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) have an important kinematic parameter: the propagation speed (Vp), which can be used to determine the transit time of Earth-directed CMEs. This study examines the association between the propagation speed (Vp) and the expansion speeds of 183 interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) from 2009 to 2023. We used multiple regression analyses to demonstrate that the Vp of the ICME may be inferred from more than the lateral expansion speed (Vlat). Four regression-based model (RGBM) equations were derived using the solar wind speed (Vsw), the angular width (AW), bulk expansion (Vblk), front expansion (Vfrt), and lateral expansion (Vlat) speeds of the CME to estimate both the Vp and transit times of near-Earth-directed ICMEs/shock. A total of 28 halo ICMEs were used to validate RGBM equations. The most accurate calculation yielded a 6.43-hour mean absolute error (MAE). A feed-forward neural network (FFNN) model was used to estimate the transit times of the 28 halo ICMEs, with an observed MAE of 4.56 hrs. The propagation speed of the RGBM equations that produced the lowest MAE was incorporated into the drag-based model (DBM) to determine the transit times of ICMEs/shocks. The MAE associated with the DBM was found to be 6.03 hrs.
MODERN VIEW ON THE PROBLEM OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE IN PULMONOLOGY AND PHTHISIATRY (LITERATURE REVIEW)
Authors: Pylypiv Lesya , Piskur Zoriana
Published: July 2024

Introduction. The problem of antibiotic resistance (AR) is threatening for patients with respiratory tract diseases (RTD). The use of antibiotics in the treatment of pneumonia, which can be prescribed in the schemes for the tuberculosis (TB) treatment, creates the prerequisites for the formation of chemoresistance of mycobacterium tuberculosis (MBT).
The purpose of our research is to analyze the scientific literature on the causes and factors of the occurrence of AR of the сommon RTD pathogens (pneumonia, tuberculosis).
Materials and methods. The information on AR of pneumonia and tuberculosis causative agents obtained from scientific publications published in the «pubmed» and «scopus» databases has been analyzed.
Results. The main factors causing AR in European countries today are: low awareness of the public and medical professionals about AR, over-the-counter purchase of antibiotics, use of antibiotic residues, the desire of doctors to avoid complications of the disease, advertising of pharmaceutical products, frequent lack of diagnostic tests to detect common infections. The vast majority of antibiotic prescriptions in ambulatory practice are for the treatment of respiratory tract infections, but up to 90% of them are unwarranted.
Сoncomitant diseases of the patient (chronic kidney disease, bronchopulmonary diseases, liver diseases), previous colonization of the oropharynx with AR pathogens, bedridden state, age up to 2 years can be risk factors for AR of pneumonia pathogens. The physician should be alert for M. tuberculosis infection and perform appropriate diagnosis in patients with suspected pneumonia, especially in children, the elderly, and patients with HIV and comorbidities.
It has been established that less than 65 years of age, living in a large family, history of TB treatment, contact with TB patients, history of hospitalization and visits to medical institutions, TB/HIV co‑infection, bad habits (smoking, alcohol consumption), glycosylated hemoglobin level ˃ 7% were risk factors for chemoresistant TB in adults. Risk factors for chemoresistant extrapulmonary TB in children were: up to 1 year of age, living in a village, poor family income, contact with bacterial isolates of resistant MBT strains, lack of BCG vaccination, concomitant pathology.
Conclusions. In order to reduce the prevalence of AR of the RTD pathogens, clear algorithms for prescribing antibiotics should be developed, patients should be trained in their correct use, and methods of diagnosing common infections should be improved. In order to overcome CR TB, it is necessary to detect patients in time and block the transmission of infection, develop clear control algorithms for the detection and treatment of CR TB in risk groups, for example, among patients with diabetes, intensify the development of drugs with new mechanisms of action, initiate testing for the detection of TB in risk groups with suspected pneumonia.
MODERN SCIENTIFIC TRENDS IN THE TREATMENT AND PREVENTION OF DENTAL CARIES
Authors: Drevnitska Roxana , Boykiv Alina , Avdeev Olexandr
Published: July 2024

Background. Dental caries remains the most common disease of humanity today. The results of scientific research and clinical observations show that dental caries is most often treated surgically. The most effective way to reduce caries incidence is through primary prevention.
Objective. The purpose of the study is to determine the current state of the problem of treatment and prevention of dental caries, to outline promising directions for solving this problem.
Methods. In order to find out the main world trends in the treatment and prevention of dental caries, we studied the English-language papers of authors from Portugal, the USA, Saudi Arabia, Korea, Brazil, China, Argentina, the United Kingdom, Cote d'Ivoire, Italy, Ireland, Germany, France, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Turkey, Belgium, Poland and Croatia published in 2019–2023, including literature reviews that tracked the fundamental data of previous years. The analysis of literary sources made it possible to determine that world scientists have made significant achievements with methodological and methodical conclusions, conducted a comparative assessment and proposed new ways to solve the problem in modern conditions.
Results. The issue of modern scientific trends in the treatment and prevention of dental caries are presented in this paper. It was established that the main methods of primary prevention in dentistry were the use of sealants for pits and fissures, local professional use of fluoride preparations, use of fluorine-containing toothpaste, chlorhexidine mouthwash at home, use of xylitol, recommendations for regular visits to the dentist, adherence to a non-cariogenic diet and oral hygiene habits. An analysis of various treatment approaches for dental caries is presented. An evaluation of the proposed treatment methods was carried out in the aspect of a critical approach to preventive removal of hard tooth tissues. The main prospective directions for improvement of treatment and preventive measures are outlined.
Conclusions. Dentistry should begin with the identification and elimination of cariesogenic factors, preventive measures should be dominant. With the elimination of carious disease, the need for related specialties will significantly decrease
SPONTANEOUS BACTERIAL PERITONITIS
Authors: Tutchenko Mykola , Rudyk Diana , Besedinskyi Mykola , Chub Sergey
Published: July 2024

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is an infection of ascitic fluid, posing a severe complication in patients with portal hypertension (PH). Hospital mortality rates are exceedingly high, sometimes surpassing 85%. Only timely diagnosis and treatment can mitigate mortality and morbidity levels.
Purpose. Through literature analysis and review, demonstrate the necessity, appropriateness, and efficacy of SBP treatment in patients with decompensated portal hypertension. Additionally, highlight the potential development of ascites and subsequent infections, which may not always be linked to liver cirrhosis.
Materials and methods. This article conducts a literature review and assesses recommendations, findings from randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and other review articles published in databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar between 2000 and 2023.
Outcome. Diagnostic paracentesis is recommended for all ascites patients requiring emergency care or hospitalization to ascertain SBP presence. Accurate differentiation between SBP and secondary bacterial peritonitis is crucial, as treatment approaches differ for each condition.
Conclusions. Standard SBP treatment entails promptly administering broad-spectrum antibiotics, considering the potential for community-acquired or nosocomial SBP, and factoring in microbial antibiotic resistance. Given SBP's annual mortality rate surpassing 50%, liver transplantation is recommended for SBP survivors.
The Perceived Benefits and Self-Efficacy of an Exercise Intervention on Tobacco Withdrawal Symptoms: A Qualitative Study Based on the Health Belief Model
Authors: Ruslan Nur-Hasanah ,   Faculty of Sports Science and Recreation, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia, Yasin Siti Munira , Mohd Nasir Nadzimah , Isa Mohamad Rodi ,   Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia,   Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia,   Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia
Published: July 2024

Background: This study examined the effectiveness of an exercise programme as an adjunct to smoking cessation treatments. The effects of exercise on smoking habits and tobacco withdrawal symptoms (TWS) were evaluated among smokers who were in the pre-contemplation and contemplation stages. Methods: This was a case study with convenience sampling techniques. This study lasted approximately 2 years, beginning in February 2016. This study was divided into two phases: an intervention phase followed by an interview. The participants were invited to undergo the 8-week supervised moderate aerobic exercise programme. This qualitative study involved 14 participants selected from the intervention phase. They were interviewed about their experiences using a semistructured questionnaire guided by the health belief model. Results: This study involved 14 participants who were aged between 26 years old and 40 years old and smoked from 11 to 20 cigarettes per day. Most participants perceived benefits and self-efficacy regarding smoking habits and tobacco withdrawal symptoms (TWS) following the exercise intervention. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that moderate exercise might be helpful in increasing self-efficacy in smoking cessation and the findings encourage further research on exercise programmes as an adjunct to smoking cessation treatments in Malaysia.
(Almost) everything is a Dicke model - Mapping non-superradiant correlated light-matter systems to the exactly solvable Dicke model
Authors: Schellenberger Andreas , Schmidt Kai Phillip
Published: July 2024

We investigate classes of interacting quantum spin systems in a single-mode cavity with a Dicke coupling, as a paradigmatic example of strongly correlated light-matter systems. Coming from the limit of weak light-matter couplings and large number of matter entities, we map the relevant low-energy sector of a broad class of models in the non-superradiant phases onto the exactly solvable Dicke model. We apply the outcomes to the Dicke-Ising model as a paradigmatic example [Phys. Rev. Res. 2, 023131 (2020), Sci. Rep. 4, 4083 (2014)], in agreement with results obtained by mean-field theory [Sci. Rep. 4, 4083 (2014)]. We further accompany and verify our findings with finite-size calculations, using exact diagonalization and the series expansion method pcst^{++}++ [Phys. Rev. A 108, 013323 (2023)]