bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From Self-Collected HPV Sampling to Self-Administered Treatment Cervical Pre-Invasive Lesions: A Dream to Reality
Authors: Lawal Ishak , Rahman Alia , Lawal Qudus
Published: July 2024

PURPOSE

Application of technology has revolutionized strategy for screening for pre-invasive lesions of the cervix. Self-testing for HPV has been shown to be an effective screening strategy for pre-invasive lesions of the cervix and it is currently being advocated as the method of choice because of inherent convenience to the woman in comparison to clinician collected sampling for HPV. We hereby report on feasibility of self-administered treatment of pre-invasive lesions of the cervix.

METHODS

A desk review of historical treatment and current advances in the treatment for pre-invasive lesions of the cervix was conducted with the view of identifying treatment options that can be explored for self-treatment.

RESULTS

Historically the treatment of pre-invasive invasive lesions of the cervix has been grouped into excision and ablative methods. Following the identification of HPV as a causative agent for cervical cancer and successful development of a prophylactic vaccine against the virus, efforts are now being directed at developing a therapeutic vaccine against the virus that can reverse the cytopathologic changes induced by the virus. Similarly, a number of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) such as lactobacillus crisaptous, a vaginal probiotic, EGCG, an oxidant agent found in green tea which have been shown to accelerate HPV clearance with potential to reverse cytological changes are novel agents that can be explored for self-treatment.

CONCLUSION

Self-treatment of pre-invasive lesions of the cervix is a clinically feasible option that should be further explored for its potentials of convenience to the women and ability to bridge the current treatment gaps in low resource settings.
Impact of Nutrition Screening for Prediatric Oncology Patients at Bugando Medical Centre, Mwanza Tanzania
Authors: Kamanga Jacqueline , Enock Robert , Joas Heronima , Schroeder Kristin
Published: July 2024

PURPOSE

Malnutrition is a common and serious issue among pediatric oncology patients in low and middle 299income countries. Early identification of patients at high nutritional risk through screening can improve clinical outcomes including reduced treatment toxicity, reduced risk of developing infections and improved quality of life. This study investigates the impact of implementing a nutrition screening and tailored nutritional supplementation for pediatric oncology patients at Bugando Medical Centre (BMC), in Mwanza, Tanzania.

METHODS

A prospective study was conducted from October 2021- March 2023 for all pediatric oncology patients (<18yo) who attended clinic at Bugando Medical Centre. A trained nutritionist evaluated patients prior to each clinic visit and at regular intervals during their hospital stays. In addition to demographic and diagnostic information, the screening included assessment of nutritional status with tailored dietary support with ready-to-use therapeutic food (ie. plumpy nut) and F75/F100 therapeutic milk formula. All patients received nutritional porridge at each clinic encounter.

RESULTS

A total of 312 patients were screened, with 40% were female(n=125). With an average age of 7.3, and the most common diagnoses were Wilms tumor, Retinoblastoma, ALL and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. 38% (n=119) of patients screened had malnutrition, with 45% (n=54) having severe malnutrition (SAM). Patients with hematological malignancies had more overall malnutrition compared to solid tumors (45% vs 34%). Among malnourished patients who received at least 1 month of nutrition directed therapy (n=71), 62% (n=44) improved their nutritional status and 48% (n=34) achieved normal nutritional status.

CONCLUSION

Nutritional screening is an important part of comprehensive cancer care for children in low and middle income countries but is not universally implemented. The majority of patients at BMC were found to be malnourished at diagnosis, but with tailored therapy, were able to improve and even normalize their nutritional status. Future research is needed to evaluate the impact of this improved nutrition on chemotherapy toxicity and patient outcomes.
Investigating the Healthcare-Seeking Behaviors of Mobile Phone Users to Improve Cervical Cancer Screening in Rural Uganda
Authors: Mwandacha Nelly , Dau Hallie , AboMoslim Maryam , Naguti Priscilla , Sheehan Mia , Booth Amy , Smith Laurie , Orem Jackson , Ogilvie Gina , Nakisige Carolyn
Published: July 2024

PURPOSE

Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer in low- and middle-income countries, despite being a preventable disease. Uganda, which lacks an effective screening program, has one of the highest cervical cancer incidence rates in the world. However, mobile health (mHealth) technology has the potential to improve healthcare-seeking behaviors and access to cervical cancer screening. This study aims to describe the connection between mobile phone access and healthcare-seeking behaviors in rural Uganda.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study recruited participants from January 23 to August 24, 2023. Women were eligible if they had no prior screening or treatment for cervical cancer in the past 5 years, were aged 30 to 49 years old, and were residents of the South Busoga Forest reserve. Each participant completed a 43-item survey which included questions on demographics, previous health service usage, and opinions on cervical cancer prevention. Bivariate data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests.

RESULTS

Of the 1434 participants included in the analysis, 91.4% (n = 1310) reported having access to a mobile phone. The majority of participants were aged 30-40 years (n = 929, 64.8%), reported being married or in a relationship (access, n = 1133, 86.5% no access, n = 106, 85.5% p= 0.948), had ≤ primary education (access, n = 1157, 88.3% no access, n = 114, 91.9% p=0.434), and reported farming as their occupation (access, n = 1114, 85.0% no access, n = 101, 81.5% p=0.438). 1143 (87.3%) of individuals in the access group and 90 (72.6%) of those in the no access group reported ever attending a healthcare outreach visit (p<0.001). Additionally, 96.9% (n = 1269) of the access group and 93.5% (n = 116) of the no access group reported that they had ever visited a health center (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

While attendance to healthcare outreach visits or health centers was high amongst participants, those with mobile phone access were more likely to seek healthcare services. Further inquiry into this association between mobile phone access and healthcare-seeking behavior is needed to optimize the improvements to cervical cancer screening when implementing interventions such as mHealth technology.
Laryngeal Cancer: Diagnosis and Time to Treatment in the Brazilian Public Health System a Comparative Study of the Past 5 Years
Authors: Hass Lopes Yasmin Ricarte , Lech Gabriele Eckerdt , Filipin Von Muhlen Pedro Henrique
Published: July 2024

PURPOSE

Laryngeal cancer was the third most prevalent tumor in the head and neck region, excluding non-melanoma skin tumors in Brazil in 2022, according to the National Cancer Institute (INCA). Screening for this type of cancer is not recommended. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment is fundamental to reducing its morbimortality. The Brazilian law sets a deadline, under 60 days, for treatment initiation. However, overload on health systems and the restricted number of provider institutions increase the time to initiate the treatment in Brazilian public healthcare (SUS). Under these circumstances, we aim to expose the number of diagnoses and time to initiate treatment of Larynx cancer performed by SUS in the last 5 years.

METHODS

A cross-sectional design of data collected from DATASUS's Hospital Information System. The study analyzes the number of diagnoses and epidemiologic features as age and sex of Larynx cancer and the time to initiate treatment registered between January and December in 5 years (2019-2023) which were comparatively evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed to assess the number of diagnoses and time to treat compared over the years.

RESULTS

In the period, 25.706 patients with malignant neoplasm of the larynx were diagnosed, of which 84.82% were male, 15.18% were female with 53.43% of cases in the age group 55 years to 69 years. As for the diagnosis, the number in 2023 was 23,83% lower compared to the media of cases in the period. Analyzing the percentage of people treated after 60 days, for the 5 years was 28,99%, reducing 37,28% approximately in 2023. Comparing the data for people treated before 30 days, 42% of the patients were treated in the period, improving 12,43% over the media in 2023. Some percentages were approximated for better presentation.

CONCLUSION

The epidemiologic features was consistent with data provided by INCA. The reduction on the number of Larynx cancer diagnoses is evident in 2023 and is going to affect the morbimortality of the patients who haven't had access to the health system. Is fundamental to know the amount of damming on those diagnoses and knowledge of the factors that impact the reduction of time to initiate treatment in further studies to propose measures to prevent the worst outcomes, reducing avoidable deaths.
Mapping Cancer Survivorship in Africa: An Update From the Survivorship Working Group (SWG) Survey
Authors: Nchasi Goodluck , Zakieh Abdulhafiz , Schroeder Kristin , Cira Mishka Kohli
Published: July 2024

PURPOSE

The incidence and mortality rates of cancer in Africa are on the rise, with projections expecting increasing incidence and mortality, with an estimated million annual deaths due to cancer by the year 2030. Despite this high cancer burden, little is known about the current models of survivorship care in Africa. The Survivorship Working Group (SWG) is a group of experts convened to better understand the scope of survivorship care across the region, in addition to their own work studying and providing cancer care in African countries. SWG members include doctors, oncologists, cancer survivors and public health experts. Our study aims to document the range of projects being led by SWG members in the area of cancer survivorship care in Africa.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study, utilizing a Google survey consisting of 28 questions (multiple choice and short notes) focused on cancer survivorship care. The survey link was disseminated via email to all SWG members between February 1st to February 29th, 2024. The data collected was imported and analyzed using Microsoft Excel.

RESULTS

As of Feb 22nd, 2024, a total of 11 surveys were answered. The majority of projects were conducted in eastern 63.6% (n=7) and southern 54.5% (n=6) African regions. 45.5% (n=5) of reported projects were in the initiation/planning phase, 27.3% (n=3) were in data collection/analysis phase, and 27.3% (n=3) were in completion/reporting phase. Of reported projects, 63.6% (n=7) were focused on a specific type of cancer, with breast cancer 57.1% (n=4) coming first, and cervical cancer 42.8% (n=3) in second place. Only 37.5% (n=3) of cancer survivorship projects were focused on the pediatric population. The adult and geriatric populations were the focus of 81.8% (n=9) and 72.7% (n=8) of projects respectively. 90.9% (n=9) of all projects focus on psychosocial/peer support, while only 27.3% (n=3) focus on palliative care.

CONCLUSION

Cancer survivorship projects and programs are growing and needed in African countries due to growing cancer incidence and mortality. Our initial survey results show that current SWG member-led projects are mostly focused on adult and geriatric populations and that most projects are in the initiation/planning phase. Our survey final results will help us understand current cancer survivorship practices among SWG members, and help guide future projects to address disparities.
Microstructural Alterations of White Matter Associated With Colorectal Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Nguyen John Quan , Riddle Tara , Chao Sharon , Nguyen Nathan , Dutta Debapriya , Hill Ashley , Yu Robert , Rowland Kendrith , Shi Zhaoyue
Published: July 2024

PURPOSE

Colorectal cancer survivors exhibit impairments in information processing and working memory with no significantly added effects from adjuvant therapy (PMID: 26527785). Little is known regarding its neural mechanism, which greatly impedes the development of effective therapies. White matter (WM) is an area of interest as it is the predominant tissue that facilitates communication between different brain regions and from which damage could be debilitating. Here, we utilize 7T magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to investigate WM integrity and its association with colorectal cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI).

METHODS

16 subjects were recruited for this ongoing study. These included 7 colorectal cancer survivors (stage I or II, aged 61.8 ± 9.6 years) who had surgery without adjuvant therapy within 6 months, and 9 age/sex/education matched healthy controls (HC, aged 58.1 ± 10.0 years). All subjects had no prior malignancy or history of neurological disorders. Each underwent neuropsychological testing and DTI on a Siemens MAGNETOM Terra 7T scanner within the same day. We then quantitatively compared the WM integrity between survivors and HCs using voxel-wise DTI measures that reflect WM tissue organization including axial diffusivity (AD), radial diffusivity (RD), mean diffusivity (MD), and fractional anisotropy (FA). We also correlated the cognitive test scores with DTI metrics while including the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scores as covariates.

RESULTS

Compared to HCs, the survivor group performed significantly worse in attention and psychomotor speed on the Trail Making Test (TMT)-A. No significant differences were observed in the BDI or STAI scores. The DTI tract-based spatial statistics found significantly decreased AD and MD in the corpus callosum connecting the two frontal hemispheres (multiple comparison corrected p<0.05). Additionally, the TMT-A scores correlated with mean regional AD, MD, and FA in the genu, body, and forceps minor of the corpus callosum (p<0.05). These results suggest that damage within WM tracts is associated with cognition.

CONCLUSION

Our ongoing study presents preliminary evidence of alterations and associations between WM microstructural integrity and cognitive functioning in colorectal cancer survivors. Further data collection is underway that will help elucidate the neural mechanism and biological targets needed for treating colorectal CRCI.
Large self-heating by trapped-flux reduction in Sn-Pb solders
Authors: Mizuguchi Yoshikazu , Murakami Takumi , Kasem Md. Riad , Arima Hiroto
Published: July 2024

Magnetic flux trapping in field-cooled (FC) Sn-Pb solders has been recently studied because of the observation of nonvolatile magneto-thermal switching (Arima H. et al., Commun. Mater., 5 (2024) 34) and anomalous magnetic field-temperature (H-T) phase diagrams (Murakami T. et al., AIP Adv., 13 (2023) 125008). In this paper, we investigate the origin of the anomalously low specific heat (C) in Sn10-Pb90 and Sn45-Pb55 solders after FC at H = 1500 Oe. We show that the FC solders exhibit self-heating possibly caused by the flux flow during the reduction of trapped fluxes when heating the sample during the C measurements. The T dependence of T rise clearly exhibits unexpectedly large values when the low-C states are observed. In addition, the cause of the transition-like behavior in C-T of FC solders is explained by local heating during H control and flux-jump phenomena.
ERK signalling eliminates Nanog and maintains Oct4 to drive the formative pluripotency transition
Authors: Mulas Carla , Stammers Melanie , Salomaa Siiri I. , Heinzen Constanze , Suter David M. , Smith Austin , Chalut Kevin J.
Published: July 2024

Naïve epiblast cells in the embryo and pluripotent stem cells in vitro undergo developmental progression to a formative state competent for lineage specification. During this transition, transcription factors and chromatin are rewired to encode new functional features. Here, we examine the role of mitogen-activated protein kinase (ERK1/2) signalling in pluripotent state transition. We show that a primary consequence of ERK activation in mouse embryonic stem cells is elimination of Nanog, which precipitates breakdown of the naïve state gene regulatory network. Variability in pERK dynamics results in heterogeneous loss of Nanog and metachronous state transition. Knockdown of Nanog allows exit without ERK activation. However, transition to formative pluripotency does not proceed and cells collapse to an indeterminate identity. This outcome is due to failure to maintain expression of the central pluripotency factor Oct4. Thus, during formative transition ERK signalling both dismantles the naïve state and preserves pluripotency. These results illustrate how a single signalling pathway can both initiate and secure transition between cell states.
Characterization of a monkey model with experimental retinal damage induced by N-methyl-D-aspartate
Authors: Liu Guo , Huang Longxiang , Tan Junkai , Wang Yun , Lan Chunlin , Chen Yaxi , Mao Yukai , Wang Xizhen , Fan Ning , Zhu Yihua , Zhu Xianjun , Liu Xuyang
Published: July 2024

N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced retinal damage has been well studied in rodents, but the detailed mechanisms have not yet been characterized in nonhuman primates. Here, we characterized the retinal degenerative effects of NMDA on rhesus monkeys in vivo. NMDA saline or saline-only control was injected intravitreally to the randomly assigned eyes and contralateral eyes of four rhesus monkeys, respectively. The structural and functional changes of retina were characterized by optical coherence tomography and electroretinography on days 0, 4, 30 and 60 post injection. Both optic discs and macular areas of the NMDA-injected eyes initially presented with a transient retinal thickening, followed by continued retinal thinning. The initial, transient retinal thickening has also been observed in glaucoma patients, but this has not been reported in rodent NMDA models. This initial response was followed by loss of retina ganglion cells (RGCs), which is similar to glaucomatous optic neuropathy and other RGC-related retinal degenerations. The amplitudes of both the photopic negative response and pattern electroretinogram decreased significantly and remained low until the end of the study. Thus, the NMDA monkey model may serve as a more clinically relevant animal model of retinal damage.
When less is more – a fast TurboID knock-in approach for high-sensitivity endogenous interactome mapping
Authors: Stockhammer Alexander , Spalt Carissa , Klemt Antonia , Benz Laila S. , Harel Shelly , Natalia Vini , Wiench Lukas , Freund Christian , Kuropka Benno , Bottanelli Francesca
Published: July 2024

In recent years, proximity labeling has established itself as an unbiased and powerful approach to map the interactome of specific proteins. Although physiological expression of labeling enzymes is beneficial for the mapping of interactors, generation of the desired cell lines remains time-consuming and challenging. Using our established pipeline for rapid generation of C- and N-terminal CRISPR-Cas9 knock-ins (KIs) based on antibiotic selection, we were able to compare the performance of commonly used labeling enzymes when endogenously expressed. Endogenous tagging of the µ subunit of the adaptor protein (AP)-1 complex with TurboID allowed identification of known interactors and cargo proteins that simple overexpression of a labeling enzyme fusion protein could not reveal. We used the KI strategy to compare the interactome of the different AP complexes and clathrin and were able to assemble lists of potential interactors and cargo proteins that are specific for each sorting pathway. Our approach greatly simplifies the execution of proximity labeling experiments for proteins in their native cellular environment and allows going from CRISPR transfection to mass spectrometry analysis and interactome data in just over a month.
Regulation of muscle pyruvate dehydrogenase activity and fuel use during exercise in high-altitude deer mice
Authors: Coulson Soren Z. , Lyons Sulayman A. , Robertson Cayleih E. , Fabello Benjamin , Dessureault Lauren M. , McClelland Grant B.
Published: July 2024

Adult, lab-reared, highland deer mice acclimate to hypoxia by increasing reliance on carbohydrates to fuel exercise. Yet neither the underlying mechanisms for this shift in fuel use nor the impact of lifetime hypoxia exposure experienced in high alpine conditions, are fully understood. Thus, we assessed the use of fuel during exercise in wild highland deer mice running in their native environment. We examined a key step in muscle carbohydrate oxidation – the regulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) – during exercise at altitude in wild highlanders and in first generation (G1) lab-born and -raised highlanders acclimated to normoxia or hypoxia. PDH activity was also determined in the gastrocnemius of G1 highlanders using an in situ muscle preparation. We found that wild highlanders had a high reliance on carbohydrates while running in their native environment, consistent with data from hypoxia-acclimated G1 highlanders. PDH activity in the gastrocnemius was similar post exercise between G1 and wild highlanders. However, when the gastrocnemius was stimulated at a light work rate in situ, PDH activity was higher in hypoxia-acclimated G1 highlanders and was associated with lower intramuscular lactate levels. These findings were supported by lower PDH kinase 2 protein production in hypoxia-acclimated G1 mice. Our findings indicate that adult phenotypic plasticity in response to low oxygen is sufficient to increase carbohydrate reliance during exercise in highland deer mice. Additionally, variation in PDH regulation with hypoxia acclimation contributes to shifts in whole-animal patterns of fuel use and is likely to improve exercise performance via elevated energy yield per mole of O2.
Wolbachia-infected pharaoh ant colonies have higher egg production, metabolic rate and worker survival
Authors: Singh Rohini , Suresh Sachin , Fewell Jennifer H. , Harrison Jon F. , Linksvayer Timothy A.
Published: July 2024

Wolbachia is a widespread maternally transmitted endosymbiotic bacteria with diverse phenotypic effects on its insect hosts, ranging from parasitic to mutualistic. Wolbachia commonly infects social insects, where it faces unique challenges associated with its host's caste-based reproductive division of labor and colony living. Here, we dissect the benefits and costs of Wolbachia infection on life-history traits of the invasive pharaoh ant, Monomorium pharaonis, which are relatively short lived and show natural variation in Wolbachia infection status between colonies. We quantified the effects of Wolbachia infection on the lifespan of queen and worker castes, the egg-laying rate of queens across queen lifespan, and the metabolic rates of whole colonies and colony members. Infected queens laid more eggs than uninfected queens but had similar metabolic rates and lifespans. Interestingly, infected workers outlived uninfected workers. At the colony level, infected colonies were more productive as a consequence of increased queen egg-laying rates and worker longevity, and infected colonies had higher metabolic rates during peak colony productivity. While some effects of infection, such as elevated colony-level metabolic rates, may be detrimental in more stressful natural conditions, we did not find any costs of infection under relatively benign laboratory conditions. Overall, our study emphasizes that Wolbachia infection can have beneficial effects on ant colony growth and worker survival in at least some environments.
Early life exposure to high temperature enhances locomotor performance without alteration in thermal ecology in different populations of Thoropa taophora tadpoles (Anura, Cycloramphidae)
Authors: Carvalho J. E. , Gallo A. C. , Brasileiro C. A. , Schaeffer P. J.
Published: July 2024

Understanding the intricate relationship between temperature and physiological processes in ectotherm vertebrates is crucial for predicting how these animals respond to environmental changes, including those associated with climate change. This is particularly relevant for the anurans, given their limited capacity for thermoregulation, particularly in larval stages. Herein, we investigated the capacity for thermal acclimatization in Thoropa taophora tadpoles, an endemic species in the Atlantic rainforest of Southeast Brazil, inhabiting distinct thermal environments. These semi-terrestrial tadpoles develop on rocky surfaces with some populations inhabiting exposed regions near the marine coast where temperatures may reach up to 30 °C in sunny conditions, while other populations occupy forested areas near waterfalls that maintain lower temperatures. We aimed to understand the effects of temperature on locomotor performance and on the activity of metabolic enzymes that support performance in tadpoles sampled in four different populations. Moreover, we measured several aspects of thermoregulation including the critical thermal maximum (CTmax), the body temperature of activity (Tb), the preferred temperature (Tpref) and the effectiveness of thermoregulation (E). Despite differences in body size, tadpoles from warmer environments consistently demonstrate higher locomotor performance, with minimal or no acclimatization seen in other variables. Correlations between habitat temperature and biological endpoints underscore the significance of maximum locomotor performance in shaping physiological responses. Our results show how temperature can impact tadpole behavior and performance, without change in many organismal measures of thermal acclimatization, providing insights into potential ecological implications, particularly in the context of climate change.
Identification and in vivo functional analysis of furanocoumarin-responsive cytochrome P450s in a Rutaceae-feeding Papilio butterfly
Authors: Miyashita Rei , Ugajin Atsushi , Oda Hiroki , Ozaki Katsuhisa
Published: July 2024

The Order Lepidoptera contains nearly 160,000 described species and most of them are specialist herbivores that use restricted plant species as hosts. Speciation that originated from host shift is one of the important factors for the diversification of Lepidoptera. Because plants prepare secondary metabolites for defense against herbivores, with varying profiles of the components among different plant taxa, the specialist herbivores need to be adapted to the toxic substances unique to their host plants. Swallowtail butterflies of the genus Papilio consist of over 200 species. Approximately 80% of them utilize Rutaceae plants, and among the remaining species, a specific subgroup uses phylogenetically distant Apiaceae plants as larval hosts. Rutaceae and Apiaceae commonly contain toxic secondary metabolites, furanocoumarins, and molecular phylogenetic studies support the concept that Apiaceae feeders were derived from Rutaceae feeders. Molecular mechanisms underlying furanocoumarin tolerance in Papilio butterflies have been investigated almost exclusively in an Apiaceae feeder by an in vitro assay. In contrast, there is little information regarding the Rutaceae feeders. Here, we focused on a Rutaceae feeder, Papilio xuthus, and identified two furanocoumarin-responsive cytochrome P450-6B (CYP6B) genes, of which one was an ortholog of a furanocoumarin-metabolizing enzyme identified in the Apiaceae-feeding Papilio while the other was previously unreported. We further conducted in vivo functional analysis using the CRISPR/Cas9 system, revealing a contribution of these CYP6Bs to furanocoumarin tolerance of P. xuthus larvae. Our findings suggest that co-option of furanocoumarin-metabolizing CYP6B enzymes at least partially contributed to the host shift from Rutaceae to Apiaceae in Papilio butterflies.
Mapping a hybrid phenomenon in the digital world: The Greek professional gaming scene through Social Network Analysis (SNA)
Authors: Dargonaki Stavroula
Published: July 2024

The consumption of video game content as a commercial spectacle, namely professional gaming, is a complex cultural, social and economic activity that seems to be growing in popularity. The application of Social Network Analysis (SNA) allowed for a graphical representation of the Greek professional gaming scene, specifying its size and the different actors operating within it, and highlighting the crucial role of the content producers themselves. It also revealed the rapid commercialisation of professional gaming and the fact that it is a highly gendered space, where different gendered identities are excluded or marginalised.
A protocol for a comparative evaluation of the fracture resistance of endodontically treated teeth reinforced with Cention N, resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC) and short fiber reinforced flowable composite as an intraorifice barrier
Authors: Jidewar Namrata , Chandak Manoj
Published: July 2024

Background Endodontic treatment is the most common method for resolving pulpal and periapical pathology. However, various studies have reported that almost 11%–13% of all teeth that undergo extraction after endodontic treatment show the presence of cracks, craze lines, and vertical root fractures. Teeth with inadequate post endodontic restoration are more prone to fracture and coronal leakage, resulting in the diffusion of oral fluids, bacteria, bacterial products, and possibly root canal treatment failure. Furthermore, studies have advocated the use of endodontically treated teeth with restorative materials that have a similar or higher elastic modulus than the tooth for providing stiffness against forces that cause root fracture. Intraorifice barriers made of restorative materials that can bond to radicular dentin could thus be used to reinforce the radicular dentin while also preventing coronal microleakage. Although the sealing ability of intraorifice barriers has been widely compared in the literature, there have been few studies on the strengthening effect of the materials used in the study as intraorifice barriers when placed into the root canal. As a result, the current in vitro study aims to assess the effect of various materials as intraorifice barriers (Cention N, Resin modified glass ionomer cement, and short fiber reinforced flowable composite) on the force required fracture teeth after root canal treatment. Methods This in vitro study will be done on extracted human mandibular premolars with single root canal where after doing root canal treatment 2-3 mm obturating material would be replaced by intra orifice barriers (Cention N, resin modified glass ionomer cement [RMGIC], and short fiber reinforced flowable composite). The force required to fracture teeth will be calculated using universal testing machine.
Efficacy of Mat Pilates on the resting blood pressure and health related quality of life in individuals with systemic hypertension versus standard care: study protocol for a single centered single blinded randomized controlled trial
Authors: Prabhu Nivedita S. , Maiya G. Arun , K Vaishali , KN Shivashankara
Published: July 2024

Background Systemic hypertension is a global non-communicable disease that creates an essential need for alternate forms of lifestyle modifications, including exercise, to lower elevated blood pressure. Mat Pilates, a feasible form of mind-body coordinated exercise, may provide benefits with limited resources. Objective This randomized controlled trial aimed to assess the efficacy of Mat Pilates on resting blood pressure and health-related quality of life in individuals with systemic hypertension. Methods A two-arm, single-blinded, block randomized controlled trial will be recruited with120 participants into control and experimental groups (1:1 ratio). Mat Pilates will be administered to the experimental group and standard care to the control group for 12 weeks. Resting and central blood pressure, health-related quality of life, and echocardiographic parameters will be measured before and after the trial. We hypothesized that Pilates may not be beneficial in lowering resting blood pressure in hypertensive patients. A repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) will test the within- and between-group effects of Mat Pilates on various outcomes. Ethics and Dissemination The trial was approved by the Institutional Research Committee, Manipal College of Health Professions, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Kasturba Medical College, and Kasturba Hospital Institutional Ethics Committee, Manipal. Written informed consent will be obtained from all the participants. All stakeholders and committees will communicate key findings regarding the implementation of mind-body association exercises as a measure of lifestyle modification in individuals with systemic hypertension. Trial registration Clinical Trials Registry of India: CTRI/2021/07/035002. Registered on July 20, 2021, http://ctri.nic.in.
UKB.COVID19: an R package for UK Biobank COVID-19 data processing and analysis
Authors: Wang Longfei , Jackson Victoria E , Fearnley Liam G , Bahlo Melanie
Published: July 2024

COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in a global pandemic with a rapidly developing global health and economic crisis. Variations in the disease have been observed and have been associated with the genomic sequence of either the human host or the pathogen. Worldwide scientists scrambled initially to recruit patient cohorts to try and identify risk factors. A resource that presented itself early on was the UK Biobank (UKBB), which is investigating the respective contributions of genetic predisposition and environmental exposure to the development of disease. To enable COVID-19 studies, UKBB is now receiving COVID-19 test data for their participants every two weeks. In addition, UKBB is delivering more frequent updates of death and hospital inpatient data (including critical care admissions) on the UKBB Data Portal. This frequently changing dataset requires a tool that can rapidly process and analyse up-to-date data. We developed an R package specifically for the UKBB COVID-19 data, which summarises COVID-19 test results, performs association tests between COVID-19 susceptibility/severity and potential risk factors such as age, sex, blood type, comorbidities and generates input files for genome-wide association studies (GWAS). By applying the R package to data released in April 2021, we found that age, body mass index, socioeconomic status and smoking are positively associated with COVID-19 susceptibility, severity, and mortality. Males are at a higher risk of COVID-19 infection than females. People staying in aged care homes have a higher chance of being exposed to SARS-CoV-2. By performing GWAS, we replicated the 3p21.31 genetic finding for COVID-19 susceptibility and severity. The ability to iteratively perform such analyses is highly relevant since the UKBB data is updated frequently. As a caveat, users must arrange their own access to the UKBB data to use the R package.
Asymptotic Optimality of Switched Control Policies in a Simple Parallel Server System Under an Extended Heavy Traffic Condition
Authors: Atar Rami , Castiel Eyal , Reiman Martin I.
Published: July 2024

This paper studies a two-class, two-server parallel server system under the recently introduced extended heavy traffic condition, which states that the underlying “static allocation” linear program (LP) is critical, but does not require that it has a unique solution. The main result is the construction of policies that asymptotically achieve previously proved a lower bound, on an expected discounted linear combination of diffusion-scaled queue lengths and are therefore asymptotically optimal (AO). Each extreme point solution to the LP determines a control mode—that is, a set of activities (class-server pairs) that are operational. When there are multiple solutions, these modes can be selected dynamically. It is shown that the number of modes required for AO is either one or two. In the latter case, there is a switching point in the (normalized) workload domain, characterized in terms of a free boundary problem. Our policies are defined by identifying pairs of elementary policies and switching between them at this switching point. They provide the first example in the heavy traffic literature where weak limits under an AO policy are given by a diffusion process where both the drift and diffusion coefficients are discontinuous.

Funding: R. Atar is supported by the Israel Science Foundation [Grant 1035/20].
The Cotsen Textile Traces Study Collection and Center: Its Future Scholarly Activities and Potential for Research
Authors: Celio-Scheurer Marie-Eve
Published: July 2024

Abstract: This article presents a brief overview of the history of the Cotsen Textile Traces Study Collection, the collector’s vision for it, its future scholarly activities, and its potential for research. Consisting of nearly 4000 textile fragments from all over the world and across time, the Cotsen Textile Traces Study Collection was donated to the George Washington University in 2018. The collection was conceived as a resource for cross-disciplinary research. Intended from its inception to be donated to an institution, the collection has been accessible to scholars, students, artists, designers, and museum professionals for many years. Lloyd E. Cotsen, the collector, understood the importance of textiles as historical testimony and realized that a fragment could contain almost as much information about structure, surface treatment, fiber, and dye technique as a complete object.
Two Àdìrẹ Cloths and One Fancy Factory-Printed Design as Popular Political Commentary on the Career of Obafemi Awolowo
Authors: Akinwumi Tunde M.
Published: July 2024

Abstract: Àdìrẹ ẹlékọ , a resist-dyed fabric that is created with a handmade paste, is associated with the Yoruba of Nigeria. Initially the dyeing was done by women applying the paste by hand, but around the 1910s in the town of Abeokuta, men developed a practice using zinc stencils. The increase in production was followed by a gradual decline between the 1930s and 1950s. There were many reasons for the decline in production and patronage and eventual eclipse of the practice by the end of twentieth century. While àdìrẹ ẹlékọ production lasted, its artists reflected the contemporaneous political, economic, religious, and social issues through their designs. The objective of this paper is to analyze three works relating to Chief Obafemi Awolowo, one of the most celebrated politicians in Nigeria’s political history. He was a Yoruba leader and Pioneer Premier of Western Nigeria, who was jailed for treason in 1962 and later was released by the Nigerian military government in 1967. The àdìrẹ artists supported Awolowo’s political leaning by celebrating him in three of their designs incorporating inscriptions. The first cloth design inscription “ijoba ominira, a bo lowo alabosi 1962” means literally “self-government, we will be saved from the dishonest and mischievous one, 1962” (i.e., they will be saved from a usurper and traitor who betrayed Awolowo). The second cloth inscription ‘’yoruba ronu,’’ is a codified story expressing the need for the Yoruba to think and reflect about their past now that their leader (Awolowo) has been jailed. The inscription on the third cloth ‘’awolowo kabo ekuatijo’’ literally means “Awolowo, welcome, quite an age.” This was another codified tale showing the joy of the Yoruba on Awolowo’s release from jail in 1967. This article, by examining these three textiles, analyzes the relationship between design history and the sociopolitical history of Nigeria.
Basketry and Mathematics: Reflections on Curves and Surfaces
Authors: Bunn Stephanie , Nemirovsky Ricardo
Published: July 2024

Abstract: If fingers and fiber elements make textiles through gestural hand movements and spatial techniques, and lines, space, and movement create geometry, then can making textiles be a form of mathematical understanding? This article considers this question through the studio research of the Forces in Translation (FiT) project, which explores the links between basketry and spatial and geometric cognition. Taking an anthropological approach to learning, the group has conducted research through studio trials, allowing understandings and insights to emerge through examining how specific basketry practices and techniques converge with mathematical and spatial forms of inquiry. This approach neither puts basketry (as an arts subject) at the service of mathematics, nor uses mathematics (as an abstraction of everyday forms and structures) as inspiration for making baskets. Instead, the project approaches the two disciplines by conducting them together in a nonhierarchical way. The article discusses, firstly, how basketry is a form of textile. Secondly, FiT’s approach to textiles and mathematics is expanded upon, along with its context within these disciplines. Finally, the dynamic between craft and textiles as forms of geometric cognition is discussed in relation to case studies from the FiT project, illustrating how a hands-on approach—a material, tactile, mathematical approach—can be of great significance for the development of creative geometric and spatial cognition. As the product of ethnographic research through studio trials, this article inevitably takes a reflexive approach to participants’ experience. In order to understand and share new and old expertise, there is also an auto-ethnographic element. Hence, participants’ reflections on the process will be cited.
All-optical convolutional neural network with on-chip integrable optical average pooling for image classification
Authors: Shao Xiaofeng , Su Jingyi , Lu Minghao , Cao Wen , Lu Yunqing , Wang Jin
Published: July 2024

Optical convolutional neural networks (OCNNs) have shown great potential with respect to bandwidth and power consumption. However, while the convolution operations have been implemented with various optical elements, the optical implementation of necessary pooling operations remains a challenging issue, which hinders the realization of all-optical CNNs. This paper proposes two types of optical architectures to perform the average pooling operation based on the singular value decomposition (SVD) and fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithms, where the basic optical elements are Mach–Zehnder interferometers (MZIs). Then, the OCNN is constructed with these two pooling architectures embedded separately, in addition to an optical convolutional layer and a fully connected optical layer. With an ex situ training procedure, the OCNNs with either of these two pooling architectures exhibit a high classification accuracy of ∼98% on the MNIST dataset. When imprecision is introduced in the optical components, the component imprecision of the pooling layer has a much smaller impact on the OCNN’s classification accuracy than those of the other layers. This is especially true for the OCNN with the FFT pooling architecture, which exhibits stronger robustness to component imprecision. Furthermore, OCNNs with these two pooling architectures are trained separately on-chip. The results indicate that, when the component imprecisions of MZIs exceed a certain threshold (the standard deviation of phase noise >0.013), the on-chip trained OCNN exhibits significantly higher classification accuracy than the ex situ trained OCNN. Our proposed optical pooling architectures would contribute to the realization of all-optical CNN for further research.
Machine learning for automated classification of lung collagen in a urethane-induced lung injury mouse model
Authors: Alnafisah Khalid Hamad , Ranjan Amit , Sahu Sushant P. , Chen Jianhua , Alhejji Sarah Mohammad , Noël Alexandra , Gartia Manas Ranjan , Mukhopadhyay Supratik
Published: July 2024

Dysregulation of lung tissue collagen level plays a vital role in understanding how lung diseases progress. However, traditional scoring methods rely on manual histopathological examination introducing subjectivity and inconsistency into the assessment process. These methods are further hampered by inter-observer variability, lack of quantification, and their time-consuming nature. To mitigate these drawbacks, we propose a machine learning-driven framework for automated scoring of lung collagen content. Our study begins with the collection of a lung slide image dataset from adult female mice using second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy. In our proposed approach, first, we manually extracted features based on the 46 statistical parameters of fibrillar collagen. Subsequently, we pre-processed the images and utilized a pre-trained VGG16 model to uncover hidden features from pre-processed images. We then combined both image and statistical features to train various machine learning and deep neural network models for classification tasks. We employed advanced unsupervised techniques like K-means, principal component analysis (PCA), t-distributed stochastic neighbour embedding (t-SNE), and uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP) to conduct thorough image analysis for lung collagen content. Also, the evaluation of the trained models using the collagen data includes both binary and multi-label classification to predict lung cancer in a urethane-induced mouse model. Experimental validation of our proposed approach demonstrates promising results. We obtained an average accuracy of 83% and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC AUC) values of 0.96 through the use of a support vector machine (SVM) model for binary categorization tasks. For multi-label classification tasks, to quantify the structural alteration of collagen, we attained an average accuracy of 73% and ROC AUC values of 1.0, 0.38, 0.95, and 0.86 for control, baseline, treatment_1, and treatment_2 groups, respectively. Our findings provide significant potential for enhancing diagnostic accuracy, understanding disease mechanisms, and improving clinical practice using machine learning and deep learning models.
Spectral prediction method based on the transformer neural network for high-fidelity color reproduction
Authors: Li Huailin , Zheng Yingying , Liu Qinsen , Sun Bangyong
Published: July 2024

Color distortion often occurs during transmission and reproduction processes, and existing spectral prediction methods have the disadvantage of low prediction accuracy in halftone reproduction. Addressing this issue, this paper establishes a halftone dataset composed of four-color inks (CMYK) mixtures. Based on this, the transformer network is introduced to model and characterize the spectral features of mixed inks, and a forward color formulation prediction model and a reverse spectral prediction model combining halftone reproduction with spectral sequences are proposed, namely the spectrum-color transformer (SC-Former). Color reproduction quality assessment experiments are conducted using the dataset established in this paper and the international standard Ugra/Fogra Media Wedge V3.0 test set. The experimental results show that the SC-Former model outperforms traditional physical models and data-driven prediction models in terms of color reproduction effects and spectral prediction accuracy. This research contributes to the development of high-fidelity color reproduction techniques.