bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of doxycycline therapy for macrolide-resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children at different periods
Authors: Chen Ying , Zhang Yan , Tang Qiong-Ni , Shi Hong-Bo
Published: March 2024

Background

The prevalence of macrolide-resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae has increased considerably. Treatment in children has become challenging. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of doxycycline therapy for macrolide-resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children at different periods.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the data of patients with macrolide-resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia hospitalized between May 2019 to August 2022. According to treatment, patients were divided into three groups: oral doxycycline treatment alone (DOX group), changed from intravenous azithromycin to oral doxycycline (ATD group), and intravenous azithromycin treatment alone (AZI group). ATD group cases were separated into two sub-groups: intravenous azithromycin treatment<3 days (ATD1 group) and ≥ 3 days (ATD2 group). Clinical symptoms were compared in each group and adjusted by Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis.

Results

A total of 106 were recruited in this study. 17 (16%) were in DOX group, 58 (55%) in ATD group, and 31(29%) in AZI group. Compared with ATD group and AZI group, the DOX group showed shorter hospitalization duration and fever duration after treatment, while higher rate of chest radiographic improvement. After using PSM analysis, shorter days to hospitalization duration (P = 0.037) and to fever duration after treatment (P = 0.027) in DOX + ATD1 group than in ATD2 group was observed. A higher number of patients in the DOX + ATD1 group achieved defervescence within 72 h (P = 0.031), and fewer children received glucocorticoid adjuvant therapy (P = 0.002). No adverse reactions associated with doxycycline was observed during treatment.

Conclusions

Children receiving early oral doxycycline had a shorter duration of fever and hospitalization in macrolide-resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae patients.
The effects of intermittent fasting diet on quality of life, clinical symptoms, inflammation, and oxidative stress in overweight and obese postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis: study protocol of a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Ranjbar Mahsa , Shab-Bidar Sakineh , Rostamian Abdolrahman , Mohammadi Hamed , Djafarian Kurosh
Published: March 2024

Background

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is known as a chronic systemic autoimmune disorder that primarily targets synovial joints, and may cause pain and functional limitations. Studies show diet can have beneficial effects on symptoms and oxidative stress of this disease. Intermittent fasting (IF) is a dietary approach with cycles of fasting and intake. The current study aims to investigate the effect of IF on quality of life, clinical symptoms, inflammation, and oxidative stress in overweight and obese postmenopausal women with RA.

Methods

The current study is a randomized clinical trial, in which 44 patients with mild to moderate severity of RA will be randomly allocated to receive either IF (n = 22) or the usual diet (n = 22) for 8 weeks. Anthropometric measures and biochemical indicators including serum concentrations of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), c-reactive protein (CRP), and total oxidant and antioxidant capacity (TOC and TAC) will be assessed at the baseline and end of the study. Also, disease severity will be assessed by Disease Activity Score-28 (DAS-28) and clinical disease activity index (CDAI), and disability index will be assessed by Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI) questionnaire.

Discussion

Studies show fasting has beneficial effects on inflammatory markers and results in an improvement in the health of different populations. Literature review shows it seems there is no study in this field to evaluate the effects of IF on RA patients, and they are limited to other types of fasting. However, studies show IF can have many positive effects on chronic and autoimmune diseases. Therefore, IF may have positive effects on these patients.

Trial registration

IRCT20230217057441N1. Registered on 14 February 2023. https://en.irct.ir/user/trial/68669.
A complementary medicine student-led telehealth clinic: evaluating learning & teaching perceptions
Authors: Shew Tracelee , Smith Catherine , Connolly Greg , Fleischmann Michael , McLachlan Craig S.
Published: March 2024

Objectives

This study evaluates a multi-centered complementary medicine (CM) student-led telehealth clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic. Likert and qualitative responses explore student and educator learning and teaching perceptions of the implementation of a successful telehealth clinic.

Results

51 students and 17 educators completed the survey. Respondents agreed that support from educators (90%) and orientation (70%) assisted effective performance. Over 90% (93%) of all respondents supported telehealth in student-led clinics, whilst 87% encountered barriers such as technical and infrastructure issues. Respondents agreed that telehealth practice skills improved in case history taking (90%), treatment (90%) and building patient rapport (60%). Respondents (61%) disagreed that physical examination was effectively performed, and 100% of respondents agreed telehealth was a valuable learning experience. This study is the first to explore student and educator perceptions of telehealth in an Australian University multi-centered CM student-led clinic. To be successful in an educational environment, students and educators require digital literacy and adequate telehealth practice infrastructure. Whilst some in-person practice skills are transferable to telehealth, educators need to adapt curriculum to ensure counselling and physical examination skills are specifically taught for virtual consultations. Telehealth in clinical practice requires continued investigation and educational development.
Reproductive patterns in Araucaria araucana forests in the Andean range, Chile
Authors: Donoso Sergio , Peña-Rojas Karen , Espinoza Claudia , Badaracco Carolain , Santelices-Moya Rómulo , Cabrera-Ariza Antonio
Published: March 2024

Background

Araucaria araucana is a mast species that presents a high variability in annual cone production. Researchers have recorded synchronization events in cone production in different populations, which allows the seed production to be concentrated, reducing the percentage of seeds consumed by different animal species.

Methods

We sampled three populations located in the Andes Mountains, Araucanía Region, Chile. In 2004 we began the collection of data on cone production, for which we installed permanent plots (1200 m2 each) at each location. We identified and labeled each female tree in each plot to monitor its cone production. In 2012 we selected a total of 30 trees near the plots to evaluate the number of seeds per cone. In each February from 2012 to 2014 we selected two mature cones and covered them with a porous mesh for subsequent collection and storage in March. At the beginning of June, we counted and weighed the seeds, determining the average weight, the number of seeds per cone, the germination capacity (GC), and the germination speed (GS).

Results

Cone production was synchronous across the three locations. We observed significant differences among the locations and years evaluated. The cones had fewer seeds in 2013 (high production) compared to those in 2012 (low production), but their weights were similar. In 2014 the cones produced smaller seeds in fewer quantities. The difference between the years 2013 and 2014 resulted from the high-energy expenditure in 2013. Regarding GC and GS, there were significant differences among the three locations (GC: F = 45.41, p < 0.01; GS: F = 96.08, p < 0.01), where the highest values were observed in 2013.

Conclusions

Both GC and GS are related to seed weight but not to the number of cones produced in a given year. These annual fluctuations in seed production are determining factors in the population dynamics of forest species. Our results allow a better understanding of the reproductive phenology of A. araucana and could help define sustainable use and conservation actions for this species.
Proportion-based normalizations outperform compositional data transformations in machine learning applications
Authors: Yerke Aaron , Fry Brumit Daisy , Fodor Anthony A.
Published: March 2024

Background

Normalization, as a pre-processing step, can significantly affect the resolution of machine learning analysis for microbiome studies. There are countless options for normalization scheme selection. In this study, we examined compositionally aware algorithms including the additive log ratio (alr), the centered log ratio (clr), and a recent evolution of the isometric log ratio (ilr) in the form of balance trees made with the PhILR R package. We also looked at compositionally naïve transformations such as raw counts tables and several transformations that are based on relative abundance, such as proportions, the Hellinger transformation, and a transformation based on the logarithm of proportions (which we call “lognorm”).

Results

In our evaluation, we used 65 metadata variables culled from four publicly available datasets at the amplicon sequence variant (ASV) level with a random forest machine learning algorithm. We found that different common pre-processing steps in the creation of the balance trees made very little difference in overall performance. Overall, we found that the compositionally aware data transformations such as alr, clr, and ilr (PhILR) performed generally slightly worse or only as well as compositionally naïve transformations. However, relative abundance-based transformations outperformed most other transformations by a small but reliably statistically significant margin.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that minimizing the complexity of transformations while correcting for read depth may be a generally preferable strategy in preparing data for machine learning compared to more sophisticated, but more complex, transformations that attempt to better correct for compositionality.
Combined TP53 status in tumor-free resection margins and circulating microRNA profiling predicts the risk of locoregional recurrence in head and neck cancer
Authors: Ganci Federica , Allegretti Matteo , Frascolla Carlotta , Spinella Francesca , Rollo Francesca , Sacconi Andrea , Valentina Pascale De , Palcau Alina Catalina , Manciocco Valentina , Vescovo Mariavittoria , Cotroneo Ettore , Blandino Francesca , Benevolo Maria , Covello Renato , Muti Paola , Strano Sabrina , Vidiri Antonello , Fontemaggi Giulia , Pellini Raul , Blandino Giovanni
Published: March 2024

Locoregional recurrences represent a frequently unexpected problem in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Relapse often (10–30%) occurs in patients with histologically negative resection margins (RMs), probably due to residual tumor cells or hidden pre-cancerous lesions in normal mucosa, both missed by histopathological examination. Therefore, definition of a ‘clean’ or tumor-negative RM is controversial, demanding for novel approaches to be accurately explored. Here, we evaluated next generation sequencing (NGS) and digital PCR (dPCR) as tools to profile TP53 mutational status and circulating microRNA expression aiming at scoring the locoregional risk of recurrence by means of molecular analyses. Serial monitoring of these biomarkers allowed identifying patients at high risk, laying the ground for accurate tracking of disease evolution and potential intensification of post-operative treatments. Additionally, our pipeline demonstrated its applicability into the clinical routine, being cost-effective and feasible in terms of patient sampling, holding promise to accurately (re)-stage RMs in the era of precision medicine.
Mapping landscape in Longshan period’s hierarchical society (3000–2000BCE) of North Loess Plateau: from archaeological predictive model to GIS spatial analysis
Authors: Cui Jianxin
Published: March 2024

On the North Loess Plateau of China, city civilization, social complexity, and stratification emerged during the Longshan period (3000-2000BCE). Based on Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis and archaeological predictive model, we conducted a comparative analysis of environmental characteristics between sites and non-sites, ordinary and walled city sites, as well as large and smaller city sites. Initially, we developed a Binary Logistic Regression (BLR) model to predict the locations of archaeological sites from this period. Our findings indicate a high predictive accuracy of the model, demonstrating a clear environmental preference by the people of the Longshan Period. The presence or absence of the site was found to be influenced by various factors, including temperature, elevation, river distance, and precipitation. Furthermore, we discovered that walled cities had higher environmental requirements compared to ordinary sites. Terrain and land use played a more significant role in shaping prehistoric cities than climate. Lastly, the landscape in the Shimao site, which served as a most crucial and largest settlement centers on the North Loess Plateau (NLP), resembled that of other minor walled cities. Due to its abundant grassland, Shimao relied more on animal husbandry rather than agriculture. The combination of agriculture and animal husbandry has promoted the urbanization processes.
Glucocorticoid use in acute respiratory failure from pulmonary causes and association with early changes in the systemic host immune response
Authors: Al-Yousif Nameer , Nouraie Seyed M. , Broerman Matthew J. , Zhang Yingze , Suber Tomeka L. , Evankovich John , Bain William G. , Kitsios Georgios D. , McVerry Bryan J. , Shah Faraaz A.
Published: March 2024

Background

Glucocorticoids are commonly used in patients with or at-risk for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), but optimal use remains unclear despite well-conducted clinical trials. We performed a secondary analysis in patients previously enrolled in the Acute Lung Injury and Biospecimen Repository at the University of Pittsburgh. The primary aim of our study was to investigate early changes in host response biomarkers in response to real-world use of glucocorticoids in patients with acute respiratory failure due to ARDS or at-risk due to a pulmonary insult. Participants had baseline plasma samples obtained on study enrollment and on follow-up 3 to 5 days later to measure markers of innate immunity (IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNFr1, ST2, fractalkine), epithelial injury (sRAGE), endothelial injury (angiopoietin-2), and host response to bacterial infections (procalcitonin, pentraxin-3). In our primary analyses, we investigated the effect of receiving glucocorticoids between baseline and follow-up samples on host response biomarkers measured at follow-up by doubly robust inverse probability weighting analysis. In exploratory analyses, we examined associations between glucocorticoid use and previously characterized host response subphenotypes (hyperinflammatory and hypoinflammatory).

Results

67 of 148 participants (45%) received glucocorticoids between baseline and follow-up samples. Dose and type of glucocorticoids varied. Regimens that used hydrocortisone alone were most common (37%), and median daily dose was equivalent to 40 mg methylprednisolone (interquartile range: 21, 67). Participants who received glucocorticoids were more likely to be female, to be on immunosuppressive therapy at baseline, and to have higher baseline levels of ST-2, fractalkine, IL-10, pentraxin-3, sRAGE, and TNFr1. Glucocorticoid use was associated with decreases in IL-6 and increases in fractalkine. In exploratory analyses, glucocorticoid use was more frequent in participants in the hyperinflammatory subphenotype (58% vs 40%, p = 0.05), and was not associated with subphenotype classification at the follow-up time point (p = 0.16).

Conclusions

Glucocorticoid use varied in a cohort of patients with or at-risk for ARDS and was associated with early changes in the systemic host immune response.
Feasibility of a physical activity intervention for children and adolescents with anxiety and depression
Authors: Kodal Arne , Muirhead Fiona , Reilly John J. , Wergeland Gro Janne , Thorsen Paul Joachim Bloch , Bovim Lars Peder , Elgen Irene Bircow
Published: March 2024

Background

Physical activity is identified as a key modifiable factor towards good short- and long-term mental health and has shown positive effects on anxiety and depression in children and adolescents. However, physical activity-based interventions are not a part of standard mental health care and evidence on the effect of such interventions is still lacking. A transdiagnostic, physical activity-based intervention was developed as a supplement to routine clinical care for youth in specialized child and adolescent mental health services.

Methods

/design.

The feasibility of the physical activity intervention (Confident, Active, and Happy Youth) was evaluated in an open-label study by assessing the recruitment process, acceptability, intervention suitability, contentment, and preliminary intervention effects in the form of youth and parent-rated anxiety and depressive symptoms. Physical activity levels were objectively measured using Actigraph™ physical activity sensors, and progression to a definitive study was evaluated in accordance with a priori criteria.

Results

In total 21 of 25 eligible youth consented to participate, two dropped out of the intervention and 19 completed (76% of eligible participants). The retention rate among consenting participants was 89% and mean attendance to sessions was 83%. The suitability of the intervention was rated as good by the youth and their parents, and intervention contentment was rated high. Changes in youth and parent-rated symptom measures following the intervention were negligible, except for parent-rated anxiety symptoms assessed at 10-month follow-up. Accelerometer data indicated lower levels of moderate to vigorous activity during sessions than intended. No adverse effects were noted.

Conclusion

This feasibility study met the pre-determined progression criteria to a definitive study. Thus, a larger trial with longer follow-up should be conducted to explore the effect of the intervention.

Trial registration

ClnicalTrials.gov, NCT05049759. Retrospectively registered, 20.09.2021.
A structural VAR and VECM modeling method for open-high-low-close data contained in candlestick chart
Authors: Huang Wenyang , Wang Huiwen , Wang Shanshan
Published: March 2024

The structural modeling of open-high-low-close (OHLC) data contained within the candlestick chart is crucial to financial practice. However, the inherent constraints in OHLC data pose immense challenges to its structural modeling. Models that fail to process these constraints may yield results deviating from those of the original OHLC data structure. To address this issue, a novel unconstrained transformation method, along with its explicit inverse transformation, is proposed to properly handle the inherent constraints of OHLC data. A flexible and effective framework for structurally modeling OHLC data is designed, and the detailed procedure for modeling OHLC data through the vector autoregression and vector error correction model are provided as an example of multivariate time-series analysis. Extensive simulations and three authentic financial datasets from the Kweichow Moutai, CSI 100 index, and 50 ETF of the Chinese stock market demonstrate the effectiveness and stability of the proposed modeling approach. The modeling results of support vector regression provide further evidence that the proposed unconstrained transformation not only ensures structural forecasting of OHLC data but also is an effective feature-extraction method that can effectively improve the forecasting accuracy of machine-learning models for close prices.
Corporate social responsibility, sustainable environmental practices and green innovation; perspectives from the Ghanaian manufacturing industry
Authors: Dzage Emmanuel Jeffrey , Hussain Muhammad Rizwan , Dapaah Paul Opuni , Mustapha Yussif
Published: March 2024

As the discourse around business ethics and sustainable development intensifies, many organizations are adopting initiatives in corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a strategic tool to satisfy regulatory requirements and also stakeholder expectations. While exploring the relationship between sustainable environmental practices and green innovation, this study identifies four critical stakeholder-centered CSR activities as precursors to sustainable environmental practices using data from 404 manufacturing firms in Ghana. The data was analyzed using the partial least squares method to structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results established a positively significant relationship between employee-centered CSR initiatives and sustainable environmental practices while the relationship between community-centered CSR, consumer-centered CSR and environment-centered with sustainable environmental practices CSR were each not significant. However, sustainable environmental practices were found to advance green innovation. The study further recommended a multi-dimensional stakeholder-centered approach to the practice of CSR as a strategic tool for sustainable environmental development by the leadership of manufacturing firms, policy makers and regulatory bodies.
Long-term treatment of evocalcet in hemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism: a five-year prospective cohort study in 147 Japanese patients
Authors: Nagano Nobuo , Ishikawa Takayuki , Yamaguchi Masashi , Katsuragi Yuji , Miya Masaaki , Tamei Noriko , Muto Shigeaki , Tsutsui Takaaki , Ogawa Tetsuya , Ito Kyoko
Published: March 2024

Background

Cinacalcet hydrochloride (cinacalcet), an oral calcimimetics for secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT), has been widely used worldwide. In contrast, evocalcet, an improved derivative of cinacalcet, was approved only in Japan in 2018 and has not received approval overseas. Consequently, the available information on the long-term use of evocalcet relies solely on data from a 1-year dosing phase III clinical trial.

Methods

The cohort of 147 chronic hemodialysis patients on cinacalcet to manage SHPT was simultaneously switched to the lowest dose of evocalcet (1 mg/day) and prospectively followed for 5 years in real-world clinical settings.

Results

The median evocalcet dose was 1 mg/day at 0.5 years, and it remained stable at 2 mg/day from 1 to 5 years after the prescription initiation. Additionally, serum parathyroid hormone, corrected calcium, phosphorus, and total alkaline phosphatase levels showed no significant changes compared with their levels at the time of the switch and remained stable over the 5-year period. Furthermore, no adverse events related to vital signs, serum biochemistries, or upper gastrointestinal symptoms were observed in patients during treatment with evocalcet.

Conclusions

These results suggest that only a small number of patients require higher evocalcet doses, and that SHPT can be effectively managed with low-dose evocalcet for 5 years. Additionally, the drug’s long-term safety has been confirmed.

Trial registration: name of the registry: Prescription change from cinacalcet hydrochloride to evocalcet in hemodialysis patients. Trial registration number R000041815. Trial registration UMIN000036702. Registered 10 May 2019—retrospectively registered. https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr/ctr_his_list.cgi?recptno=R000041815.
Neurological manifestations in hospitalized COVID-19 patients: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Kashipazha Davood , Shalilahmadi Davood , Shamsaei Gholamreza , Farahmand Porkar Nastaran
Published: March 2024

Background

Accumulating evidence on the neurological sequelae of COVID-19 is a serious concern, with patients possibly being at risk of permanent debilitation if not managed appropriately. We aimed to determine the prevalence and pattern of neurological manifestations and diagnostic and therapeutic findings among hospitalized COVID-19 patients consulted with the neurology service for neurological disorders. We conducted a retrospective, observational study at the Golestan Hospital of Ahvaz, Iran, between March 20, 2020, and March 19, 2021. Patients' demographic, clinical, paraclinical, and therapeutic characteristics were extracted from medical records and then subjected to statistical analysis.

Results

Overall, 6.7% (157/2340) of COVID-19 patients at Golestan Hospital had a neurological disorder. Most of the patients (90/157) were men, and the mean age of patients was 62.91 ± 91 years. A total of 56.68% of patients (89/157) were SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR positive. The mean chest CT severity score was 8.26 ± 4.4, ranging from 1 to 19. The most common neurologic disorders were cerebrovascular disease (72.6%), encephalopathy (8.9%), and Guillain–Barre syndrome (6.4%). The CSF SARS-CoV-2 PCR test was positive in one patient with Guillain–Barre syndrome. The in-hospital mortality rate was 43.9%. Definite COVID-19, ICU admission, history of stroke and dementia, and comorbidities were associated with an increased mortality risk in these patients.

Conclusions

Patients with COVID-19 can present with serious neurological disorders such as cerebrovascular disease and impaired consciousness, even without typical COVID-19 symptoms. Close monitoring for neurological symptoms may help improve prognosis in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
Genotype-biochemical phenotype analysis in newborns with biotinidase deficiency in Southeastern Anatolia
Authors: Karaoglan Murat , Nacarkahya Gulper , Aytac Emel Hatun , Keskin Mehmet
Published: March 2024

Objective

Biotinidase deficiency (BTD) is characterized by a wide range of genetic variants. However, the correlation between these variants and the biochemical phenotypes of BTD is not well-established due to the diversity of the BTD gene, the variable nature of biotinidase, and difficulties in measuring enzyme activity. This study aims to identify BTD gene variants in newborns screened for biotinidase deficiency in Southeastern Anatolia and to examine the correlation between these variants and biochemical phenotypes.

Materials and methods

BTD variant analysis and biotinidase enzyme (BT) activity measurements were performed on 711 newborns. Enzyme activity was measured using the colorimetric method. Biochemical phenotyping was categorized into three groups based on mean residual enzyme activity: profound (≤ 10%), partial (10.1–30%), and normal (> 30.1%). The pathogenicity of BTD gene variants was determined using BTD databases.

Results

The biochemical phenotypes were distributed as follows: a) profound: n = 22 (3%), b) partial: n = 95 (13.3%), and c) normal: n = 594 (83.7%). The mean enzyme activities (%) for these groups were 8.79 ± 1.87, 22.67 ± 4.55, and 97.98 ± 17.45, respectively. The most common alleles and their frequencies were p.D444H (n = 526) (37%), p.R157H (n = 172) (12.1%), and p.C33Ffster*36 (n = 73) (9%). The pathogenicity of the variants was as follows: pathogenic: 481 (33.8%), likely pathogenic: 4 (0.2%), and variant of uncertain significance (VUS): 538 (37.8%).

Conclusion

In this large cohort in Southeastern Anatolia, the most common alleles were p.D444H, p.R157H, and p.C33Ffster*36 in BTD variants. The results indicate a low concordance between the biochemical phenotype and genotype in newborns with BTD. This study highlights the inadequacy of predicting the biochemical phenotype based solely on variant pathogenicity in biotinidase deficiency during the neonatal period.
Pseudo-Helmholtz decomposition for an elastic VTI wavefield based on wavefront phase direction
Authors: Yao Gang , Fang Xinyu , Zheng Qingqing , Wu Di , Niu Fenglin
Published: March 2024

P and S waves are coupled when propagating in anisotropic elastic media. The separation of P and S waves helps to study the characteristics of different types of seismic waves as well as mitigating crosstalk artifacts in elastic reverse time migration and elastic full-waveform inversion. At present, the methods of seismic wave mode separation in anisotropic media are mainly built on divergence- and curl-like operations, pseudo-Helmholtz decomposition, and low-rank approximation. We develop a new pseudo-Helmholtz decomposition operator based on eigenform analysis and the wavefront phase direction to decompose vertically transversely isotropic elastic wavefields. The corresponding P-/S-wave decoupling formulas are also derived in detail. Compared with the divergence- and curl-like methods, the new method does not change the phase of P and S waves. Compared with existing pseudo-Helmholtz decomposition methods based on eigenform analysis, our method achieves more accurate wavefield separation than the zero-order pseudo-Helmholtz decomposition operator. Our method requires solving one vector Poisson equation only, resulting in much less computational cost than the existing first-order pseudo-Helmholtz decomposition methods. In addition, the accuracy of our method is analyzed by providing homogeneous media with different parameter settings. Finally, the numerical examples demonstrate that the new pseudo-Helmholtz decomposition method is effective, efficient, and robust against random noise.
Association of Decreased Bone Density and Hyperlipidemia in a Taiwanese Older Adult Population
Authors: Chen Hui-Ming , Hsu Chung-Yuan , Pan Bo-Lin , Huang Chih-Fang , Chen Chao-Tung , Chuang Hung-Yi , Lee Chih-Hung
Published: March 2024

Objective

This study aimed to determine if a combination of 2 abnormal lipid profiles revealed a stronger association with low bone mass than a single blood lipid abnormality alone.

Methods

This study enrolled 1373 participants who had received a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scan from January 2016 to December 2016 in a medical center in southern Taiwan. Logistic regression was used to examine association between lipid profiles and osteopenia or osteoporosis after adjusting for covariates.

Results

Compared to people with total cholesterol (TC) < 200 mg/dL, those with TC ≥ 240 mg/dL tended to have osteopenia or osteoporosis (OR 2.61; 95% CI, 1.44-4.71). Compared to people with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) < 130 mg/dL, those with LDL-C ≥ 160 mg/dL tended to develop osteopenia or osteoporosis (OR 2.13; 95% CI, 1.21-3.74). The association of increased triglyceride and decreased bone mass was similar, although not statistically significant. Those with the combination of TG ≥ 200 mg/dL and TC ≥ 240 mg/dL had a stronger tendency to have osteopenia or osteoporosis (OR 3.51; 95% CI, 1.11-11.13) than people with only one blood lipid abnormality. Similarly, people with TG ≥ 200 mg/dL and LDL-C ≥ 160 mg/dL had a stronger tendency to have osteopenia or osteoporosis (OR 9.31; 95% CI, 1.15-75.42) than people with only one blood lipid abnormality, after adjustment for the same covariates.

Conclusion

Blood levels of TC, LDL-C, and TG were associated with osteopenia or osteoporosis. Results indicate that individuals aged older than 50 years with abnormal lipid profiles should be urged to participate in a bone density survey to exclude osteopenia or osteoporosis.
Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity and Loss of Post-Surgery Independent Living: A Retrospective Cohort Study from a Bronx Hospital Network
Authors: Witt Annika S. , Rudolph Maíra I. , Sterling Felix Dailey , Azimaraghi Omid , Wachtendorf Luca J. , Montilla Medrano Elilary , Joseph Vilma , Akeju Oluwaseun , Wongtangman Karuna , Straker Tracey , Karaye Ibraheem M. , Houle Timothy T. , Eikermann Matthias , Aguirre-Alarcon Adela ,   the Health Outcomes and Perioperative Equity (HOPE) Group Investigators Writing Committee
Published: March 2024

BACKGROUND:

Black race is associated with postoperative adverse discharge to a nursing facility, but the effects of Hispanic/Latino ethnicity are unclear. We explored the Hispanic paradox, described as improved health outcomes among Hispanic/Latino patients on postoperative adverse discharge to nursing facility.

METHODS:

A total of 93,356 adults who underwent surgery and were admitted from home to Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, New York, between January 2016 and June 2021 were included. The association between self-identified Hispanic/Latino ethnicity and the primary outcome, postoperative adverse discharge to a nursing home or skilled nursing facility, was investigated. Interaction analysis was used to examine the impact of socioeconomic status, determined by estimated median household income and insurance status, on the primary association. Mixed-effects models were used to evaluate the proportion of variance attributed to the patient’s residential area defined by zip code and self-identified ethnicity.

RESULTS:

Approximately 45.9% (42,832) of patients identified as Hispanic/Latino ethnicity and 9.7% (9074) patients experienced postoperative adverse discharge. Hispanic/Latino ethnicity was associated with lower risk of adverse discharge (relative risk [RRadj] 0.88; 95% confidence interval [CI], 00.82–0.94; P < .001), indicating a Hispanic Paradox. This effect was modified by the patient’s socioeconomic status (P-for-interaction <.001). Among patients with a high socioeconomic status, the Hispanic paradox was abolished (RRadj 1.10; 95% CI, 11.00–1.20; P = .035). Furthermore, within patients of low socioeconomic status, Hispanic/Latino ethnicity was associated with a higher likelihood of postoperative discharge home with health services compared to non-Hispanic/Latino patients (RRadj 1.06; 95% CI, 11.01–1.12; P = .017).

CONCLUSIONS:

Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is a protective factor for postoperative adverse discharge, but this association is modified by socioeconomic status. Future studies should focus on postoperative discharge disposition and socioeconomic barriers in patients with Hispanic/Latino ethnicity.
At the Vanguard of Vinyl
Authors: Mueller Darren
Published: March 2024

In At the Vanguard of Vinyl, Darren Mueller examines how the advent of the long-playing record (LP) in 1948 revolutionized the recording and production of jazz in the 1950s. The LP’s increased fidelity and playback capacity allowed lengthy compositions and extended improvisations to fit onto a single record, ushering in a period of artistic exploration. Despite these innovations, LP production became another site of negotiating the uneven power relations of a heavily segregated music industry. Exploring how musicians, producers, and other industry professionals navigated these dynamics, Mueller contends that the practice of making LPs significantly changed how jazz was created, heard, and understood in the 1950s and beyond. By attending to the details of audio production, he reveals how Black musicians such as Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, and Charles Mingus worked to redefine prevailing notions of race and cultural difference within the United States. Mueller demonstrates that the LP emerges as a medium of sound and culture that maps onto the more expansive sonic terrain of Black modernity in the 1950s.
Archives of False Prophets
Authors: Quarshie Nana Osei
Published: March 2024

Nana Osei Quarshie, “Archives of False Prophets: Inventing the Future in a West African Psychiatric Hospital”: How do the clinically delusional strive to reinvent their world as they speak? Scholars of psychiatry have long theorized that delusions are medical symptoms, but ones uniquely shaped by contemporaneous political and social circumstances. However, delusional speech is not simply a reflection of the world; it is often an attempt to mold future action. This chapter presents a case that highlights the inventive potential of delusional speech. It examines a petition letter in which Akla-Osu, an inpatient at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital from 1969 to 1976, requested financial support from his doctors based on his alleged status as Ghana’s “SUPERLANDLORD” and “GOLDMANGOD.” Akla-Osu was a failed truth-maker, who spoke and acted as a truth-teller, a prophet. Delusional utterances in African psychiatric hospitals constitute the archives of false prophets: troves of hauntings, unrealized callings, failed and unintelligible representations. They are also starting points for new African intellectual histories.
Pervasive translation of Xrn1-sensitive unstable long non-coding RNAs in yeast
Authors: ANDJUS Sara , SZACHNOWSKI Ugo , VOGT Nicolas , GIOFTSIDI Stamatia , HATIN Isabelle , CORNU David , PAPADOPOULOS Chris , LOPES Anne , NAMY Olivier , WERY Maxime , MORILLON Antonin
Published: March 2024

Despite being predicted to lack coding potential, cytoplasmic long non-coding (lnc)RNAs can associate with ribosomes. However, the landscape and biological relevance of lncRNAs translation remains poorly studied. In yeast, cytoplasmic Xrn1-sensitive lncRNAs (XUTs) are targeted by the Nonsense-Mediated mRNA Decay (NMD), suggesting a translation-dependent degradation process. Here, we report that XUTs are pervasively translated, which impacts their decay. We show that XUTs globally accumulate upon translation elongation inhibition, but not when initial ribosome loading is impaired. Ribo-Seq confirmed ribosomes binding to XUTs and identified actively translated 5’-proximal small ORFs. Mechanistically, the NMD-sensitivity of XUTs mainly depends on the 3’-untranslated region length. Finally, we show that the peptide resulting from the translation of an NMD-sensitive XUT reporter exists in NMD-competent cells. Our work highlights the role of translation in the post-transcriptional metabolism of XUTs. We propose that XUT-derived peptides could be exposed to the natural selection, while NMD restricts XUTs levels.
Optimal Consumption and Investment with Independent Stochastic Labor Income
Authors: Bensoussan Alain , Park Seyoung
Published: March 2024

We develop a new dynamic continuous-time model of optimal consumption and investment to include independent stochastic labor income. We reduce the problem of solving the Bellman equation to a problem of solving an integral equation. We then explicitly characterize the optimal consumption and investment strategy as a function of income-to-wealth ratio. We provide some analytical comparative statics associated with the value function and optimal strategies. We also develop a quite general numerical algorithm for control iteration and solve the Bellman equation as a sequence of solutions to ordinary differential equations. This numerical algorithm can be readily applied to many other optimal consumption and investment problems especially with extra nondiversifiable Brownian risks, resulting in nonlinear Bellman equations. Finally, our numerical analysis illustrates how the presence of stochastic labor income affects the optimal consumption and investment strategy.

Funding: A. Bensoussan was supported by the National Science Foundation under grant [DMS-2204795]. S. Park was supported by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea and the National Research Foundation of Korea, South Korea [NRF-2022S1A3A2A02089950].
Multi-Species Weed and Crop Classification Comparison Using Five Different Deep Learning Network Architectures
Authors: GC Sunil , Zhang Yu , Howatt Kirk , Schumacher Leon G. , Sun Xin
Published: March 2024

Highlights

ConvNeXt model was applied for weed and crop species classification, a first in this field.

Five CNN architectures were utilized to classify six weed species and eight crop species.

CNN architectures with millions of parameters were trained for improved performance.

All CNN models showcased impressive performance, except for Densenet.

Abstract. The detection of individual weed and crop species from RGB images is a challenging task that becomes even more difficult as the number of species increases. This is because similarities in the phenotypic traits of weeds and crops make it difficult to accurately distinguish one species from another. In this study, five deep learning Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) were employed to classify six weed and eight crop species from North Dakota and assess the performance of each model for specific species from a single image. An automated data acquisition system was utilized to collect and process RGB images twice in a greenhouse setting. The first set of data was used to train the CNN models by updating all of its convolutional layers, while the second set was used to evaluate the performance of the models. The results showed that all CNN architectures, except Densenet, demonstrated strong performance, with macro average f1-scores (measurement of model accuracy) ranging from 0.85 to 0.87 and weighted average f1-scores ranging from 0.87 to 0.88. The presence of three weed classes—palmer amaranth, redroot pigweed, and waterhemp, all of which share similar phenotypic traits—negatively affected the model's performance. In conclusion, the results of this study indicate that CNN architectures hold great potential for classifying weed and crop species in North Dakota, with the exception of situations where plants have similar visible characteristics. Keywords: Deep learning, Precision agriculture, Weed and crop classification.
The Riches of God's Mercy: Five Neglected Truths about the Sacrament of Penance
Authors: Connors Ryan
Published: March 2024

ABSTRACT: A renewed appreciation among the Catholic people of the sacrament of penance will require a retrieval of five often forgotten theological truths about the nature of this sacrament. This article outlines (1) the importance of penitents making an integral confession of their sins; (2) the gift of infused virtue the sacrament bestows; (3) the need for confession to ensure a fruitful—and not merely valid—administration of the other sacraments of the Church; (4) the relationship between confession and the possibility for the baptized to merit in the economy of salvation; and (5) the necessary element of the sacrament by which one does penance in order to satisfy for sins committed.
Initiating into the Celebration of the Mystery: Evaluating the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in Light of the 2020 Directory for Catechesis
Authors: O'Brien Christopher M.
Published: March 2024

ABSTRACT: Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) is a method that integrates catechetical, intellectual, and theological approaches with experiential, embodied, and liturgical ways of learning and knowing. This article examines CGS through the lens of the 2020 Directory for Catechesis . This study seeks to demonstrate that CGS succeeds, especially through its liturgical elements and application of Montessori principles, at the Directory 's task of "initiating into the celebration of the mystery." By drawing from CGS's founders and from concrete examples of its approach, the article also argues that young children are capable of, and should be invited into, profound liturgical experience.
Names and Sacred Titles Among the Shi‘ites from their Appearance in Early Islam until the Fifteenth Century AH/Twenty-First Century CE
Authors: Sindawi Khalid
Published: March 2024

ABSTRACT: This study aims to describe and analyse the evolution of names and sacred titles among the Imami (Twelver) Shi‘ites from the time of their emergence up to the present day. The study shows that from the time of the Prophet Muhammad, who demonstrated concern for names and established controls governing the naming process, it was a Muslim ruler’s duty to oversee it. Muslims were not to give the names of God to their children, nor did they use compound names consisting of the word ‘slave’ ( ꜥabd ) in conjunction with any being other than God; in fact, compound names generally were not common among Muslims. However, beginning in the tenth century AH, compound names became commonplace among Shi‘ites, and most particularly, names and titles that had never been used before. The study concludes that the emergence of such names and titles among the Shi‘ites are attributed to several factors, such as the absence of a codified juristic theory that included general and specific rulings on naming, the influence of extremist Christian traditions and Sufi teachings on the Shi‘ites, and the political phenomenon of title manufacturing which emerged among ruling elites between the ʿAbbāsid and Qājāri eras.
Measure for Measure
Authors: Meshel Naphtali S.
Published: March 2024

Abstract: The talmudic narrative about a gentile who approaches Shammai and Hillel desiring to be taught the entire Torah “on one foot” (bShab 31a) has been claimed to be based on a bilingual (Hebrew-Latin) pun. This short-form essay examines this claim and demonstrates that the double entendre may be more elaborate than has been argued in the past, and may involve three languages rather than two.
“In Love and War”: The Question of Halakhic Controversy in the Tikune Zohar Literature
Authors: Hayut-man Ayal
Published: March 2024

Abstract: Jewish thinkers in the Middle Ages have developed various approaches to account for the existence of unresolved controversies in the Mishnah and Talmud: a question that touches on fundamental issues, from the nature of truth to the ways to deal with religious and political dissent within Jewish societies. This article presents a seldom-studied approach to controversy that appears in the Tikune Zohar literature, a collection of kabbalistic compositions dated to the early fourteenth century. The product of a secondary elite, and connected with the influential zoharic movement in kabbalah, these texts present a unique approach to the question of halakhic controversy. The Tikunim ’s approach distinguishes three types of controversy: “lower,” evil controversies that are driven by pride and resentment; “middle” controversies that adorn and protect the divine; and “higher” controversies, where the disputants participate in the sexual dynamic of the sefirot, the divine emanations. These types of controversy are arranged metaphysically and are distinguished not by content but by the disposition of the disputants. The higher type of controversy is depicted as existing even in the ideal, messianic state of the Torah and must remain unresolved, for to resolve it would mean to collapse the godhead itself. The Tikunim ’s unique model of halakhic controversy can also be viewed as part of a larger trend in kabbalah at the turn of the thirteenth century to organize and harmonize various Jewish approaches according to a new (kabbalistic) key.
From Dusk till Dawn: The Transformation and Conversion of the Pietist Missionary Treatise Or le-‘et ‘erev ( The Light at Evening Time ) and Its Dutch Translator
Authors: Siluk Avraham (Avi)
Published: March 2024

Abstract: Or le-‘et ‘erev was the most popular missionary pamphlet printed by the Pietist Institutum Judaicum et Muhammedicum in Halle (Saale). This Yiddish booklet garnered much attention among Jews and Christians alike, and it was translated into several languages, including Dutch. One Dutch translation was penned by a Jewish convert who later reverted to Judaism and faced various accusations relating to his translation. This article focuses on that Dutch translation and the largely unknown personality of its author. The translation and its accompanying paratexts are compared with another eighteenth-century Dutch translation of the same pamphlet, thus shedding light on the translation techniques used, as well as the nature of the work and its intended audience. The translator’s multiple identities appear in a diverse corpus of documents under several aliases. In his largely unknown Hebrew apologia, Or le-‘et boker , which demonstrates a profound knowledge of Judaism as well as remarkable literary skills, he rewrote the story of his reconversion as a tale of repentance and redemption. Despite the idiosyncrasy of this fascinating life story, which transitions between Christianity and Judaism, the translator should be viewed as belonging to a larger group of less-known eighteenth-century Jewish authors and reformers. The members of this group sought to improve piety and religious education among their coreligionists and shared eighteenth-century Christian pietist notions of religiosity.