bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A telehealth curriculum: A pre-post study of physiotherapy students’ perceived knowledge, self-efficacy and intentions for future use
Authors: Martin Romany , Mandrusiak Allison , Lang Ray , Forbes Roma , Russell Trevor
Published: January 2023

Introduction: With the ever-increasing adoption of telehealth into clinical practice, the need for physiotherapists to be competent with these technologies is paramount. Given the lack of literature detailing effective approaches to prepare physiotherapists for telehealth practice, a telehealth curriculum has been designed, implemented and evaluated in an Australian physiotherapy program. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the telehealth curriculum on the perceived knowledge, skills, self-efficacy and future intentions of physiotherapy students.
Methods: A cohort study was undertaken, with two research arms: 1) a pre- and post-test self-report survey of perceived knowledge, skills and self-efficacy against empirically derived telehealth competencies and 2) focus groups exploring effects of the curriculum on students’ perceptions of telehealth and intentions for future use. Participants undertook a telehealth curriculum, including 19 hours of online modules and 6 hours of accompanying simulations. The curriculum was specific to the practice of telehealth in physiotherapy and aimed to provide knowledge and skills about telehealth fundamentals, technology and use in practice.
Results: From an eligible 117 participants, complete and matched pre-post surveys were obtained from 72 students (61.5%) and eight of these 72 students participated in focus groups. All six telehealth competencies were significantly higher following the intervention (p < 0.001). From the focus group data, two themes were generated: perceptions of telehealth following the curriculum and feedback regarding the curriculum structure.
Conclusion: This study demonstrates positive impacts of a telehealth curriculum involving online content and simulations on physiotherapy student perceived knowledge, skills and self-efficacy aligned with telehealth competencies. The study further supports the integration of telehealth curricula in pre-professional healthcare training.
Flexibility in primary medical programs: A scoping review
Authors: Barrett Anna , Cheshire Lisa , Woodward-Kron Robyn
Published: January 2023

Introduction: Students and universities increasingly seek flexibility in learning options, however terms such as flexible are not consistently defined in the medical education literature. This review aimed to 1) propose a definition for flexibility in medical education and 2) create a typology of contemporary examples of how flexibility has been operationalised in medical education.
Method: A systematic scoping review of papers published in English since 2009 was undertaken. The focus was on papers reporting initiatives to create flexibility in primary medical programs.
Results: Based on review of 1,641 search returns and 140 full-text articles, two interconnected concepts were identified: flexibility and individualisation. Flexibility describes mechanisms that allow students choice in how they allocate time and resources to meet the requirements of their course, including time-variable progression, acceleration, deceleration, articulated degree entry and exit options, and pedagogical approaches that reduce time required in classrooms. Individualisation describes options that enable student-driven direction, extension or expansion of medical education into special interest areas, including dual degrees, breadth subjects, curriculum tracks, elective service-learning pathways, electives and selectives.
Conclusions: Though not always clearly defined as such, international medical education literature describes a rich variety of flexibility and individualisation initiatives. While the constructs of flexibility and individualisation are interconnected, they can assist curriculum designers to differentiate between the mechanisms that enable flexibility in how students meet course requirements and the mechanisms that enable individual choice in what students study. Flexibility and individualisation initiatives target different needs, including both students’ needs and medical workforce needs; they also suggest different institutional and financial implications. Consensus on and consistent use of common terminology about flexibility and individualisation initiatives will improve the “searchability” and synthesis of research on such initiatives and their impacts and enablers, as well as encourage further research, publication and synthesis of outcomes of such initiatives.
Revealing Earth science code and data-use practices using the Throughput Graph Database
Authors: Thomer* Andrea K. , Wofford* Morgan F. , Lenard* Michael C. , Vidana* Socorro Dominguez , Goring* Simon J.
Published: January 2023

The increased use of complex programmatic workflows and open data within the Earth sciences has led to an increase in the need to find and reuse code, whether as examples, templates, or code snippets that can be used across projects. The “Throughput Graph Database” project offers a platform for discovery that links research objects by using structured annotations. Throughput was initially populated by scraping GitHub for code repositories that reference the names or URLs of data archives listed on the Registry of Research Data Repositories (https://re3data.org). Throughput annotations link the research data archives to public code repositories, which makes data-relevant code repositories easier to find.

Linking code repositories in a queryable, machine-readable way is only the first step to improving discoverability. A better understanding of the ways in which data is used and reused in code repositories is needed to better support code reuse. In this paper, we examine the data practices of Earth science data reusers through a classification of GitHub repositories that reference geology and paleontology data archives. A typology of seven reuse classes was developed to describe how data were used within a code repository, and it was applied to a subset of 129 public code repositories on GitHub. Code repositories could have multiple typology assignments. Data use for Software Development dominated (n = 44), followed by Miscellaneous Links to Data Archives (n = 41), Analysis (n = 22), and Educational (n = 20) uses. GitHub repository features show some relationships to the assigned typologies, which indicates that these characteristics may be leveraged to systematically predict a code repository’s category or discover potentially useful code repositories for certain data archives.
Group antenatal care compared with standard antenatal care for Somali-Swedish women: a historically controlled evaluation of the Hooyo Project
Authors: Ahrne Malin , Byrskog Ulrika , Essén Birgitta , Andersson Ewa , Small Rhonda , Schytt Erica
Published: January 2023

Objectives

Comparing language-supported group antenatal care (gANC) and standard antenatal care (sANC) for Somali-born women in Sweden, measuring overall ratings of care and emotional well-being, and testing the feasibility of the outcome measures.

Design

A quasi-experimental trial with one intervention and one historical control group, nested in an intervention development and feasibility study.

Setting

Midwifery-led antenatal care clinic in a mid-sized Swedish town.

Participants

Pregnant Somali-born women (<25 gestational weeks); 64 women in gANC and 81 in sANC.

Intervention

Language-supported gANC (2017–2019). Participants were offered seven 60-minute group sessions with other Somali-born women led by one to two midwives, in addition to 15–30 min individual appointments with their designated midwife.

Outcomes

Primary outcomes were women’s overall ratings of antenatal care and emotional well-being (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)) in gestational week ≥35 and 2 months post partum. Secondary outcomes were specific care experiences, information received, social support, knowledge of pregnancy danger signs and obstetric outcomes.

Results

Recruitment and retention of participants were challenging. Of eligible women, 39.3% (n=106) declined to participate. No relevant differences regarding overall ratings of antenatal care between the groups were detected (late pregnancy OR 1.42, 95% CI 0.50 to 4.16 and 6–8 weeks post partum OR 2.71, 95% CI 0.88 to 9.41). The reduction in mean EPDS score was greater in the intervention group when adjusting for differences at baseline (mean difference −1.89; 95% CI –3.73 to −0.07). Women in gANC were happier with received pregnancy and birth information, for example, caesarean section where 94.9% (n=37) believed the information was sufficient compared with 17.5% (n=7) in standard care (p<0.001) in late pregnancy.

Conclusions

This evaluation suggests potential for language-supported gANC to improve knowledge acquisition among pregnant Somali-born women with residence in Sweden ˂10 years. An adequately powered randomised trial is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention.

Trial registration number

ClinicalTrials.gov Registry (NCT03879200).
Spatial and spatio-temporal epidemiological approaches to inform COVID-19 surveillance and control: a systematic review of statistical and modelling methods in Africa
Authors: Odhiambo Julius Nyerere , Dolan Carrie B. , Troup Lydia , Rojas Nathaly Perez
Published: January 2023

Objective

Various studies have been published to better understand the underlying spatial and temporal dynamics of COVID-19. This review sought to identify different spatial and spatio-temporal modelling methods that have been applied to COVID-19 and examine influential covariates that have been reportedly associated with its risk in Africa.

Design

Systematic review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.

Data sources

Thematically mined keywords were used to identify refereed studies conducted between January 2020 and February 2022 from the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE via Proquest, CINHAL via EBSCOhost and Coronavirus Research Database via ProQuest. A manual search through the reference list of studies was also conducted.

Eligibility criteria for selecting studies

Peer-reviewed studies that demonstrated the application of spatial and temporal approaches to COVID-19 outcomes.

Data extraction and synthesis

A standardised extraction form based on critical appraisal and data extraction for systematic reviews of prediction modelling studies checklist was used to extract the meta-data of the included studies. A validated scoring criterion was used to assess studies based on their methodological relevance and quality.

Results

Among 2065 hits in five databases, title and abstract screening yielded 827 studies of which 22 were synthesised and qualitatively analysed. The most common socioeconomic variable was population density. HIV prevalence was the most common epidemiological indicator, while temperature was the most common environmental indicator. Thirteen studies (59%) implemented diverse formulations of spatial and spatio-temporal models incorporating unmeasured factors of COVID-19 and the subtle influence of time and space. Cluster analyses were used across seven studies (32%) to explore COVID-19 variation and determine whether observed patterns were random.

Conclusion

COVID-19 modelling in Africa is still in its infancy, and a range of spatial and spatio-temporal methods have been employed across diverse settings. Strengthening routine data systems remains critical for generating estimates and understanding factors that drive spatial variation in vulnerable populations and temporal variation in pandemic progression.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42021279767.
Using body cameras to quantify the duration of a Code Stroke and identify workflow issues: a continuous observation workflow time study
Authors: Wong Joseph Zhi Wen , Park Peter Si Woo , Frost Tanya , Stephens Karen , Newk-Fon Hey Tow Foong Kien , Garcia Pamela Gayle , Senanayake Channa , Choi Philip M C
Published: January 2023

Objective

‘Code Stroke’ (Code) is used in health services to streamline hyperacute assessment and treatment delivery for patients with ischaemic stroke. However, there are few studies that detail the time spent on individual components performed during a Code. We sought to quantify the time taken for each process during a Code and investigate associations with modifiable and non-modifiable factors.

Design

Continuous observation workflow time study.

Setting and participants

Recordings of 100 Codes were performed at a high-volume primary stroke centre in Melbourne, Australia, between January and June 2020 using a body camera worn by a member of the stroke team.

Main outcome measures

The main measures included the overall duration of Codes and the individual processes within the Code workflow. Associations between variables of interest and process times were explored using linear regression models.

Results

100 Codes were captured, representing 19.2% of all Codes over the 6 months. The median duration of a complete Code was 54.2 min (IQR 39.1–74.7). Administrative work performed after treatment is completed (median 21.0 min (IQR 9.8–31.4)); multimodal CT imaging (median 13.0 min (IQR 11.5–15.7)), and time between decision and thrombolysis administration (median 8.1 min (IQR 6.1–10.8)) were the longest components of a Code. Tenecteplase was able to be prepared faster than alteplase (median 1.8 vs 4.9 min, p=0.02). The presence of a second junior doctor was associated with shorter administrative work time (median 10.3 vs 25.1 min, p<0.01). No specific modifiable factors were found to be associated with shorter overall Code duration.

Conclusions

Codes are time intensive. Time spent on decision-making was a relatively small component of the overall Code duration. Data from body cameras can provide granular data on all aspects of Code workflow to inform potential areas for improvement at individual centres.
Clinical practice competencies for standard critical care nursing: consensus statement based on a systematic review and Delphi survey
Authors: Sakuramoto Hideaki , Kuribara Tomoki , Ouchi Akira , Haruna Junpei , Unoki Takeshi
Published: January 2023

Objectives

A clear development process and scientifically validated clinical practice competencies in standard critical care nursing (SCCN) have not yet been developed in Japan. Thus, this study aimed to develop a consensus-based set of SCCN competencies to provide a framework for critical care nursing education, training and evaluation.

Design

Multistep, modified Delphi study (a systematic review, focus group interviews, a three-round web-based Delphi survey and an external validation process).

Participants

A systematic review of 23 studies, focus group interviews by 12 experts, a Delphi survey by 239 critical care experts (physicians, nurses and physical therapists) and an external validation by 5 experts (physicians and nurses).

Results

A systematic review identified 685 unique competencies. The focus group interviews resulted in the addition of 3 performance indicator items, a synthesis of 2 subdomains and 10 elements. Of the 239 participants, 218 (91.2%), 209 (98.9%) and 201 (96.2%) responded in rounds 1, 2 and 3 of the Delphi survey, respectively. After round 3, 57 items were below the consensus level and were removed in the final round. External validation process feedback was received from experts after two revisions to ensure that the final competencies were valid, applicable, useful and clear. The final set of competencies was classified into 6 domains, 26 subdomains, 99 elements and 525 performance indicators.

Conclusions

This study found a set of SCCN competencies after a multistep, modified Delphi study. The results of this study are robust, and the competency framework can be used in multiple areas to improve clinical practice, including the assessment, training and certification of standard critical care nurses.
Impact of a clinical decision support system on paediatric drug dose prescribing: a randomised within-subject simulation trial
Authors: Higi Lukas , Schmitt Raffael , Käser Karin , Wälti Monika , Grotzer Michael , Vonbach Priska
Published: January 2023

Background

Drug dosing errors are among the most frequent causes of preventable harm in paediatrics. Due to the complexity of paediatric pharmacotherapy and the working conditions in healthcare, it is not surprising that human factor is a well-described source of error. Thus, a clinical decision support system (CDSS) that supports healthcare professionals (HCP) during the dose prescribing step provides a promising strategy for error prevention.

Methods

The aim of the trial was to simulate the dose derivation step during the prescribing process. HCPs were asked to derive dosages for 18 hypothetical patient cases. We compared the CDSS PEDeDose, which provides a built-in dose calculator to the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) used together with a pocket calculator in a randomised within-subject trial. We assessed the number of dose calculation errors and the time needed for calculation. Additionally, the effect of PEDeDose without using the built-in calculator but with a pocket calculator instead was assessed.

Results

A total of 52 HCPs participated in the trial. The OR for an erroneous dosage using the CDSS as compared with the SmPC with pocket calculator was 0.08 (95% CI 0.02 to 0.36, p<0.001). Thus, the odds of an error were 12 times higher while using the SmPC. Furthermore, there was a 45% (95% CI 39% to 51%, p<0.001) time reduction when the dosage was derived using the CDSS. The exploratory analysis revealed that using only PEDeDose but without the built-in calculator did not substantially reduce errors.

Conclusion

Our results provide robust evidence that the use of the CDSS is safer and more efficient than manual dose derivation in paediatrics. Interestingly, only consulting a dosing database was not sufficient to substantially reduce errors. We are confident the CDSS PEDeDose ensures a higher safety and speeds up the prescribing process in practice.
Randomised phase 2 study (JADE) of the HBV capsid assembly modulator JNJ-56136379 with or without a nucleos(t)ide analogue in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection
Authors: Janssen Harry L A , Hou Jinlin , Asselah Tarik , Chan Henry L Y , Zoulim Fabien , Tanaka Yasuhito , Janczewska Ewa , Nahass Ronald G , Bourgeois Stefan , Buti Maria , Lampertico Pietro , Lenz Oliver , Verbinnen Thierry , Vandenbossche Joris , Talloen Willem , Kalmeijer Ronald , Beumont Maria , Biermer Michael , Shukla Umesh
Published: January 2023

Objective

We present the final analysis results of the phase 2 JADE study (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:NCT03361956).

Design

232 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) not currently treated at study start (NCT) at study start or virologically suppressed were randomised to receive 75 mg (part 1) or 250 mg (part 2) JNJ-56136379, a hepatitis B virus (HBV)–capsid assembly modulator, one time per day or placebo with nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/entecavir) or JNJ-56136379 alone (NCT-only) for ≥24 and ≤48 weeks.

Results

In patients who are NCT hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg) positive, JNJ-56136379 75 mg+NA and 250 mg+NA showed limited mean (SE) hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) declines (0.14 (0.10) and 0.41 (0.15), respectively) from baseline at Week 24 (primary endpoint; placebo+NA: 0.25 (0.11) log10international unit (IU)/mL).

In patients who are NCT HBeAg positive, mean (SE) HBV DNA declines at Week 24 were 5.53 (0.23) and 5.88 (0.34) for JNJ-56136379 75 mg+NA and 250 mg+NA, respectively, versus 5.21 (0.42) log10IU/mL for placebo+NA. In NCT patients, mean (SE) HBV RNA declines were 2.96 (0.23) and 3.15 (0.33) versus 1.33 (0.32) log10copies/mL, respectively.

Patients with HBsAg declines had HBeAg and hepatitis B core-related antigen (HBcrAg) declines and some early on-treatment isolated alanine aminotransferase flares. Viral breakthrough occurred with JNJ-56136379 monotherapy with the emerging resistant-variant T33N, but not with JNJ-56136379+NA. JNJ-56136379 treatment beyond Week 24 had a generally small additional effect on viral markers.

No study treatment-related serious adverse events or clinically significant changes in laboratory parameters occurred.

Conclusions

In patients with non-cirrhotic CHB, JNJ-56136379+NA showed pronounced reductions in HBV DNA and HBV RNA, limited HBsAg or HBeAg declines in patients who are NCT HBeAg positive, and was well tolerated, but no clear benefit with regards to efficacy of JNJ-56136379 over NA was observed.
Quantitative infrapatellar fat pad signal intensity alteration as an imaging biomarker of knee osteoarthritis progression
Authors: Cen Han , Yan Qingran , Meng Tao , Chen Zhongshan , Zhu Jimin , Wang Yuanyuan , Ruan Guangfeng , Wang Tian , Han Weiyu , Hunter David , Ding Changhai
Published: January 2023

Objective

To determine the association of quantitative infrapatellar fat pad (IPFP) signal intensity alteration with knee osteoarthritis (OA) progression.

Method

This study was performed based on the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health OA Biomarkers Consortium study, a nested case–control study consisting of 600 participants. The IPFP signal intensity alterations were quantitatively measured at baseline, 12 months and 24 months. The associations of baseline and time-integrated values over 12 and 24 months of IPFP signal intensity measures with knee OA progression over 48 months were evaluated with adjustment for baseline confounders.

Results

The baseline level of clustering effect of high signal intensity (Clustering factor (H)) was predictive of clinically relevant progression (both radiographic and pain progression) (OR 1.22). The time-integrated values of all IPFP signal intensity measures, except for mean value of IPFP signal intensity (Mean (IPFP)) over 24 months (ORs ranging from 1.23 to 1.39) as well was all except for Mean (IPFP) and mean value of IPFP high signal intensity (Mean (H)) over 12 months (ORs ranging from 1.20 to 1.31), were positively associated with clinically relevant progression. When the associations of quantitative IPFP signal intensity measures with radiographic and pain progression were examined separately, more IPFP signal intensity measures with stronger effect sizes were associated with radiographic progression compared with pain progression.

Conclusion

The associations of short-term alteration in quantitative IPFP signal intensity measures with long-term knee OA progression suggest that these measures might serve as efficacy of intervention biomarkers of knee OA.
On the flavor/mass dichotomy for mixed neutrinos: a phenomenologically motivated analysis based on lepton charge conservation in neutron decay
Authors: Luciano Giuseppe Gaetano
Published: January 2023

Flavor/mass dichotomy for mixed fields is one of the most controversial issues in Quantum Field Theory. In this work, we approach the problem by considering the mixing of neutrinos and computing the transition amplitude of the paradigmatic neutron $$\beta$$
β
-decay $$n\,\rightarrow \, p \,+\,e^-\,+\,{\bar{\nu }}$$

n

→

p

+

e
-

+

ν

¯

. Calculations are developed by utilizing the following different representations of neutrino states: (1) Pontecorvo states, (2) mass states and (3) exact QFT flavor states, which are defined as eigenstates of the flavor charge. As a guiding principle, we invoke the conservation of lepton charge in the interaction vertex, which is fundamentally inbuilt into the Standard Model at tree level. In the short-time limit, we show that the only fully consistent scenario is that based on QFT states, whereas the other two frameworks contradict the underlying theory. This result provides a crucial step toward understanding the rôle of neutrino mixing in weak decays and contributes to elucidate the flavor/mass controversy in QFT.
Structural evolution of the reactivated Møre–Trøndelag Fault Complex, Fosen Peninsula, Norway
Authors: Watts Lee M. , Holdsworth Robert E. , Roberts David , Sleight Janine M. , Walker Richard J.
Published: January 2023

The ENE–WSW-trending Møre–Trøndelag Fault Complex (MTFC) in Central Norway is a 10–50 km-wide, steeply dipping reactivated fault zone. Onshore, it transects Devonian sedimentary rocks and a series of east to SE transported metamorphic nappes, which were emplaced during the Scandian (Silurian–Devonian) Orogeny. Offshore, the MTFC defines the southern margin of the Møre Basin and the northern margin of the Viking Graben, meaning that the fault complex played a major role in controlling the architecture of these Mesozoic basins. Onshore, the MTFC has had a prolonged and heterogeneous kinematic history. The complex comprises two major fault strands: the Hitra–Snåsa Fault (HSF) and the Verran Fault (VF). These two faults seem to have broadly initiated as part of a single system of sinistral ductile shear zones during the early Devonian (
c.
410 Ma). Sinistral transtensional reactivation (Permo-Carboniferous; 290 Ma) of the ENE–WSW-trending HSF and VF led to the development of cataclasites and pseudotachylites together with the formation of north–south-trending faults establishing the present-day brittle fault geometry of the MTFC. Later phases of Mesozoic reactivation focused along the Verran Fault Zone (VFZ) and north–south-linking structures were probably related to mid- to late Jurassic to early Cretaceous rifting and late Cretaceous to early Cenozoic opening of the North Atlantic.

Supplementary material:
Supplementary datasets are available at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6390518

Thematic collection:
This article is part of the Caledonian Wilson cycle collection available at:
https://www.lyellcollection.org/topic/collections/the-caledonian-wilson-cycle
Efficient Table-based Function Approximation on FPGAs Using Interval Splitting and BRAM Instantiation
Authors: Pradhan Chetana , Letras Martin , Teich Jürgen
Published: January 2023

This article proposes a novel approach for the generation of memory-efficient table-based function approximation circuits for edge devices in general and FPGAs in particular. Given a function
f(x)
to be approximated in a given interval [
x
0
,
x
0+a
) and a maximum approximation error

E
a

, the goal is to determine a function table implementation with a minimized memory footprint, i.e., number of entries that need to be stored. Rather than state-of-the-art work performing an equidistant sampling of the given interval by so-called breakpoints and using linear interpolation between two adjacent breakpoints to determine
f(x)
at the maximum error bound, we propose and compare three algorithms for splitting the given interval into sub-intervals to reduce the required memory footprint drastically based on the observation that in sub-intervals of low gradient, a coarser sampling grid may be assumed while guaranteeing the maximum interpolation error bound

E
a

. Experiments on elementary mathematical functions show that a large fraction in memory footprint may be saved. Second, a hardware architecture implementing the sub-interval selection, breakpoint lookup, and interpolation at a latency of just 9 clock cycles is introduced. Third, for each generated circuit design, BRAMs are automatically instantiated rather than synthesizing the reduced footprint function table using LUT primitives, providing an additional degree of resource efficiency. The approach presented here for FPGAs can equally be applied to other circuit technologies for fast and, at the same time, memory-optimized function approximation at the edge.
A Proven Translation from a UML State Machine Subset to Timed Automata
Authors: Peres Florent , Ghazel Mohamed
Published: January 2023

Although Unified Modeling Language (UML) state machines constitute a convenient modeling formalism that is widely used in many applications, the lack of formal semantics impedes carrying out automatic processing, such as formal verification. In this article, we aim to achieve a proven translation from a subset of UML state machines to timed automata. A generic abstract syntax is defined for state machines that allows us to specify state machines as a tree-like structure, explicitly illustrating the hierarchical relationships within the model. Based on this syntax, a formal asynchronous semantics for state machines and systems of state machines is established. Additionally, the semantics of timed automata is specified. Then, a translation relation from the considered set of state machines to timed automata is defined and a strong equivalence relation — namely, a timed bisimulation between the source and target models — is formally proven. The proof is carried out inductively while considering continuous (time) and discrete transitions separately. This proof allows us to demonstrate a strong similitude between these models.
Secure and Lightweight Blockchain-based Truthful Data Trading for Real-Time Vehicular Crowdsensing
Authors: Xu Haitao , Qi Saiyu , Qi Yong , Wei Wei , Xiong Naixue
Published: January 2023

As the number of smart cars grows rapidly, vehicular crowdsensing (VCS) is gradually becoming popular. In a VCS infrastructure, sensing devices and computing units hold on smart cars as well as cloud servers form an IoT-edge-cloud continuum to perform real-time sensing tasks. In order to encourage the smart cars to participate in the real-time VCS process, blockchain technology can be combined with VCS to provide an automated incentive for VCS data trading without relying on trusted third parties. However, directly using blockchain to enforce the VCS data trading process incurs expensive service fees and participants still can conduct various misbehavior. In this article, we propose a secure blockchain-based data trading system for VCS named BTT system to address the above issues. In particular, we first integrate the blockchain-based data trading process with a lightweight privacy-preserving truth discovery algorithm to ensure the accuracy of sensing data while preserving data privacy. We then propose a gas-aware optimization mechanism to minimize the gas consumption of the data trading process. Finally, we carefully design a distributed judgment mechanism to regulate all participants to behave correctly in the data trading process. To demonstrate the practicability of our design, we implement a prototype of the BTT system deployed on an Ethereum test network and conduct extensive simulations.
Digital Tools in Contemporary Theatre Practice
Authors: Boiko Tetiana , Tatarenko Maryna , Iudova-Romanova Kateryna , Tsyvata Yuliya , Lanchak Yaroslav
Published: January 2023

The relevance of this article is substantiated by the fact that contemporary theatrical art is on a complex and active path of experimentation, competing with the basic principles of classical theatrical staging. It is therefore necessary to consider in detail the technologies that are involved and rapidly being introduced in the practice of modern theatre. The purpose of this article is to analyse the use of digital tools in the practice of modern theatre art, which makes theatre in today's realities more demanding. The theoretical analysis of scientific literature, the historical method, the comparative method, the typological and systemic method, and the generalisation of theoretical and practical experience of the modern theatre were chosen as the main methods of cognition in this study. It was concluded that the modern theatre, through the use of digital technology, has been enriched with current technical concepts and formats. The practical value of the research consists in the fact that the materials analysed in the article can serve as an informative basis for training and retraining of specialists in the field of theatre education.
Concurrency control for database theorists
Authors: Ketsman Bas , Koch Christoph , Neven Frank , Vandevoort Brecht
Published: January 2023

The aim of this paper is to serve as a lightweight introduction to concurrency control for database theorists through a uniform presentation of the work on robustness against Multiversion Read Committed and Snapshot Isolation.
Mid-Career Researcher, huh?
Authors: Lakshmanan Laks V.S.
Published: January 2023

You just got promoted to Associate Professor. Like most things in life, whether joys or sorrows, the joy of this accomplishment will not last forever. However, that doesn't mean that you should not look back and reflect on years of hard work and tenacity that you have put in which have earned you this promotion, so first of all, congratulations! Take a moment to savor this accomplishment. On the other hand, it would be a mistake to not ask the question, what just changed about me. Let's see. You now have tenure and you have been promoted to a senior rank. In one sense, that translates to less stress, but in another, you do have to wonder whether it necessarily does mean less stress. On the flip side, you should also take advantage of the opportunity to ask, what are some new freedoms I have just earned. The stress component is driven by partly knowing, but also partly being unsure of, the expectations from a newly minted Associate Professor. The freedom component stems from knowing that you are now tenured, which hopefully means that you can embark on more daring, high risk projects, even if you don't feel like you know quite how to negotiate the trade-off between risk and impact.
Collaborative Data Science using Scalable Homoiconicity
Authors: Pirk Holger
Published: January 2023

Motivation: Data science is increasingly collaborative. On the one hand, results need to be distributed, e.g., as interactive visualizations. On the other, collaboration in the data development process improves quality and timeliness. This can take many forms: partitioning a problem and working on aspects in parallel, exploring different solutions or reviewing someone else's work.
Biotechnology in Future Food Lipids: Opportunities and Challenges
Authors: Xu Qingqing , Tang Qingyun , Xu Yang , Wu Junjun , Mao Xiangzhao , Li Fuli , Wang Shian , Wang Yonghua
Published: January 2023

Lipids are a large group of essential nutrients in daily diets that provide energy and maintain various physiological functions. As the global population is rapidly expanding, there is an urgent need to enhance the production and quality of food lipids. The development of modern biotechnology allows the manipulation of oil production in plants and microorganisms and the improvement of the nutritional value of food lipids. Various metabolic engineering strategies have been exploited to increase oil production and produce value-added oils in traditional oil crops and other novel lipid sources (e.g., plant vegetative tissues, microalgae, and oleaginous microorganisms). Furthermore, natural lipid structures can be modified by lipases to prepare functional lipids, e.g., diacylglycerols, medium–long–medium-type structured triacylglycerols, human milk-fat substitutes, and structuralphospholipids, for specific nutritional demands. In this review, we focus on the recent advances in metabolic engineering of lipid production in plants and microorganisms, and the preparation of functional lipids via biocatalysis.
Engineering of NiO/ZnO Core-Shell Nanostructure via Facile Chemical Processes for Environmental Application
Authors: Gomaa M.M. , Sayed M.H. , Boshta M.
Published: January 2023

NiO/ZnO core–shell nanoflakes structures were successfully fabricated using a unique strategy consisting of a simple chemical bath deposition (CBD) route followed by a metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) technique with different growth times. The XRD results combined with Raman measurements and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed that the surface property and photocatalytic activity of NiO/ZnO core–shell nanostructures affected by varying the growth time of ZnO on the surface of NiO nanoflakes. The Scanning electron microscopy images exhibited that the NiO/ZnO samples have a porous core–shell architecture with high surface area and abundant open sites, resulting in enhanced photocatalytic activity. The photocatalytic activity was tested for the prepared samples by measuring the degradation of crystal violet (CV) dye under ultraviolet irradiation. NiO/ZnO core–shell nanostructures deposited at 30 min exhibits higher photodegradation efficiency toward CV dye compared to NiO/ZnO core–shell deposited at 60 min and NiO nanoflakes standing alone. The enhanced photocatalytic activity is due to the formation of p–n heterojunction between ZnO and NiO with a high specific area and more active site of core–shell nanoflakes architecture. The obtained results in this research suggest a new strategy for the fabrication of highly efficient photocatalytic activity semiconducting metal oxide with core–shell.
Human pancreatic capillaries and nerve fibers persist in type 1 diabetes despite beta cell loss
Authors: Richardson Tiffany M. , Saunders Diane C. , Haliyur Rachana , Shrestha Shristi , Cartailler Jean-Philippe , Reinert Rachel B. , Petronglo Jenna , Bottino Rita , Aramandla Radhika , Bradley Amber M. , Jenkins Regina , Phillips Sharon , Kang Hakmook ,   Human Pancreas Analysis Program, Caicedo Alejandro , Powers Alvin C. , Brissova Marcela
Published: January 2023

Defining the neurovascular architecture in the pancreas of individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) is crucial to understanding the mechanisms of dysregulated glucagon secretion. In the largest T1D cohort of biobanked tissues analyzed to date, we found that pancreatic capillaries and nerve fibers persist in human T1D despite beta cell loss, suggesting that alpha cell secretory changes may be decoupled from neurovascular components. Because innervation has been studied extensively in rodent T1D models, our studies also provide the first rigorous direct comparisons of neurovascular assembly in mouse and human, indicating dramatic interspecies differences.
Systematically Investigating the Pharmacological Mechanism of Momordica grosvenori in the Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury by Network Pharmacology and Experimental Verification
Authors: Wang Jiling , Yang Zihong , Jiang Jie , Xv Yang , Tan Xiuwei , Chen Ruyu , Li Fengxin , Li Changqiu , Su Yiji
Published: January 2023

Objective. This study aimed to explore the molecular mechanism of Momordica grosvenori (MG) in spinal cord injury (SCI) by network pharmacology analysis. Methods. We searched for potential active MG compounds using the TCMSP database and the BATMAN‐TCM platform. The Swiss target prediction database was used to find MG‐related targets and the targets of SCI from the CTD, GeneCards, and DrugBank databases. Following that, a protein‐protein interaction (PPI) study was carried out. Cytoscape software was used to calculate the hub gene, and R software was used to evaluate the Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG enrichment pathways. Finally, molecular docking between the hub protein and important compounds was performed. We verified STAT3, MAPK1, HSP90AA1, PIK3R1, PIK3CA, and RXRA potential targets by quantitative PCR. Results. We obtained 293 MG‐anti‐SCI targets with potential therapeutic utility by intersecting 346 MG‐related targets and 7214 SCI‐related targets. The top 10 identified genes, ranking in descending order of value, were SRC, STAT3, MAPK1, HSP90AA1, PIK3R1, PIK3CA, RXRA, AKT1, CREBBP, and JAK2. Through enrichment analysis and literature search, 10 signaling pathways were screened out. The molecular docking of important drugs and hub targets revealed that some had a higher binding affinity. The results of quantitative PCR indicated that MAPK1, RXRA, and STAT3 were expressed differently in in vitro experiments. Conclusion. In conclusion, the current work indicated that MG might play an anti‐SCI role via multicomponent, multitarget, and multichannel interaction, which presents a novel idea for further research into the precise mechanism of MG‐anti‐SCI interaction.
Application of Carbon Nanofiber-Modified Concrete in Industrial Building Design
Authors: Liu Tianjie
Published: January 2023

In order to explore the influence law and action mechanism of carbon nanofibers on the basic mechanical properties of concrete, the author proposes the mechanical properties and microscopic mechanism of carbon nanofiber-modified concrete. Concrete was prepared with different dosages of carbon nanofibers, and the compressive strength, flexural strength, and splitting strength of carbon nanofiber-modified concrete were tested, and the modification mechanism was explored. Experimental results show that an appropriate amount of carbon nanofibers can improve the mechanical properties of concrete. When the dosage is 0.3%, the mechanical properties of carbon nanofiber-modified concrete are the best, and its compressive strength, flexural strength, and split tensile strength are increased by 9.2%, 13.2%, and 17.5%, respectively, compared with plain concrete. Carbon nanofibers can form a three-dimensional network structure inside the concrete, which can improve the microscopic morphology of the concrete, enhance the toughness and integrity of the concrete, fill the pore defects inside the concrete, refine the pore size distribution, and consume part of the fracture failure energy when the concrete is damaged.
Relationship of Helicobacter pylori Infection with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Xu Guangqin , Ma Shaoze , Dong Liyan , Mendez-Sanchez Nahum , Li Hongyu , Qi Xingshun
Published: January 2023

Background and Aims. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have become increasingly recognized, both of which affect human health globally. The association of H. pylori infection with NAFLD remains unclear. Methods. PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched. Only a random-effects model was used. Odds ratios (ORs) and risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for the combined estimates of raw data. Adjusted ORs (aORs) and hazard ratios (aHRs) with 95% CIs were calculated for the combined estimates of data adjusted for confounders. Results. Thirty-four studies with 218573 participants were included. Based on unadjusted data from 26 cross-sectional studies and 3 case-control studies, H. pylori infection was significantly associated with the presence of NAFLD (OR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.17–1.36,

P
<
0.001

). Based on adjusted data from 15 cross-sectional studies and 1 case-control study, H. pylori infection was significantly associated with the presence of NAFLD (aOR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.08–1.44,

P
<
0.001

). Compared with control subjects without NAFLD, patients with moderate (OR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.17–2.39,

P
=
0.005

) and severe (OR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.30–2.24,

P
<
0.001

) NAFLD, but not those with mild NAFLD (OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 0.9–1.45,

P
=
0.286

), had significantly higher proportions of H. pylori infection. The association of H. pylori infection with the occurrence of NAFLD was statistically significant based on adjusted data from 3 cohort studies (aHR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.05–1.34,

P
=
0.007

), but not based on unadjusted data from 3 cohort studies (RR = 1.41, 95% CI = 0.80–2.48,

P
=
0.237

). Conclusion. H. pylori infection is associated with NAFLD, especially moderate and severe NAFLD. The impact of H. pylori eradication on the prevention of NAFLD should be further explored.
Abstract B030: Sustainability plan for Wellness Rx: A community-led initiative to reduce disparities and improve healthy lifestyles in an under-resourced Black community
Authors: Salinas Manisha , Albertie Monica
Published: January 2023

Background: Wellness Rx is a community-academic partnership program developed through a community engagement and participatory model (CEP) framework, to improve health disparities in an under-resourced predominantly Black community. This program addresses health disparities in chronic disease and social determinants of health through interactive health education, empowerment, and neighborhood support. This program aims to increase access to resources, increase capacity and strengthen relationships with local organizations for sustainable health outcomes. Wellness Rx ran in the community for 4 years with financial and logistical support from an academic medical center. In year 5, the community participated in sustainability training to shift and transfer ownership to community members. Methods: A sustainability training program was developed and delivered to community members to allow for Wellness Rx to be community-led and self-directed. A core group of 12 community members volunteered to serve as the taskforce that would ultimately lead and direct Wellness Rx after the sustainability training. This training included Information sharing of program materials, key partnership contacts, resource lists, skills training on program implementation, volunteer management, grant writing, partnership development and leadership. Results: Since the adoption of the training program, the community has tailored the Wellness Rx to meet their needs and priorities, and encompasses topics within and outside of behavioral health. As leaders of the program, they have expanded their partnerships beyond existing networks and have secured funding for activities. Conclusion: Wellness Rx demonstrates the potential for a program to become self-directed after initial support from an academic medical center. Core components of Wellness Rx can be replicated and implemented as a power-sharing model for long-term sustainability.

Citation Format: Manisha Salinas, Monica Albertie. Sustainability plan for Wellness Rx: A community-led initiative to reduce disparities and improve healthy lifestyles in an under-resourced Black community [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 15th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2022 Sep 16-19; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022;31(1 Suppl):Abstract nr B030.
APOL1 and APOL1-Associated Kidney Disease: A Common Disease, an Unusual Disease Gene – Proceedings of the Henry Shavelle Professorship
Authors: Pollak Martin R. , Friedman David J.
Published: January 2023

Background: Genetic variants in APOL1 are a major contributor to the increased risk of kidney disease in people of recent African ancestry. Summary: Two alleles in the APOL1 gene, referred to as G1 and G2, confer increased risk of kidney disease under a recessive model of risk inheritance. Disease risk is inherited as a recessive trait: People with genotypes G1/G1, G2/G2, and G1/G2 (i.e., a risk allele from each parent) have increased risk for what we refer to here as APOL1-associated kidney disease. In the USA, about 13% of the self-identified African-American population has a high-risk genotype. As we discuss below, APOL1 is an unusual disease gene. Most studies to date have suggested that the G1 and G2 variants have toxic, gain-of-function effects on the encoded protein. Key Message: In this article, we review key concepts critical to understanding APOL1-associated kidney disease, emphasizing ways in which it is highly atypical for a human disease-causing gene.