bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Toward enhanced decentralized palliative care services in Neno District, Malawi. A qualitative study
Authors: Phiri Atupere Sikanda. , Mulwafu Manuel , Zaniku Haules Robbins , Aron Moses Banda , Kanyema Judith , Chibvunde Stellar , Ndarama Enoch , Momba Grace , Munyaneza Fabien , Thambo Lameck , Kachimanga Chiyembekezo , Matanje Beatrice
Published: August 2023

Background:
Palliative care is a method that enhances the well-being of patients, both adults and children and their families who are dealing with life-threatening diseases. Its goal is to alleviate and prevent suffering by identifying and treating pain and other problems, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, as early as possible. We document the results of a qualitative research study that assessed the impact of decentralising palliative care services to peripheral health facilities in Neno District, Malawi.
Methods:
We conducted a qualitative study between November 2021 and June 2022 in Neno district, southern Malawi. We conveniently selected two facilities where palliative care services had been decentralized and conducted two Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with all 14 healthcare workers and three with 15 patients receiving the services. We transcribed the recordings of FGDs and applied thematic analysis to analyse the data.
Results:
We identified four key themes: (1) patient experience with medical personnel: participants described the development of rapport and trust with the healthcare system over time, (2) perceived benefits of palliative care programme decentralisation: participants recognized and emphasised improved accessibility of services, resulting in better patient outcomes and increased satisfaction, (3) challenges in accessing palliative care services: participants shared personal experiences and identified obstacles faced when seeking palliative care; and (4) facility responsiveness to patient needs: participants appreciated the step-by-step care processes, additional support beyond medical assistance, and timely coordination of services. They highlighted the presence of follow-up mechanisms that ensured ongoing support and addressed their evolving needs.
Conclusions:
Our study demonstrated that the decentralization of palliative care services has provided effective delivery of quality care that patients appreciate. This information can be used by program planners, resource allocators, and implementers to improve service delivery in remote facilities. However, more research is needed to explore the impact of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of patients and distance to health facilities on palliative care services.
Better functional recovery after acute stroke in elderly patients managed in a new dedicated post-stroke geriatric unit compared to usual management
Authors: OQUENDO Bruno , Charlotte NOUHAUD , Witold JARZEBOWSKI , Anne LEGER , Christel OASI , Carmelo LAFUENTE-LAFUENTE , Joel BELMIN
Published: August 2023

Objectives : A Stroke care Pathway dedicated to the ELderly (SPEL) patients with acute stroke was created in 2013 at the hospitals Pitié-Salpêtrière-Charles Foix (Paris, France). It is characterized by a stroke unit dedicated to emergency stroke care, and a post stroke geriatric unit (PSGU) including rehabilitation and management of geriatric syndromes. The aim of the study was to compare the functional recovery of patients transferred to PSGU versus other rehabilitation care in patients over 70 years of age after stroke.
Design: A cohort observational study over a 3.5-year period
Setting: Hospitals Pitié-Salpêtrière and Charles Foix (Paris, France)
Participants: We studied consecutive patients >70 years admitted to the participating stroke unit for acute stroke.
Intervention: Patients transferred in the PSGU were compared to those admitted in other rehabilitation units.
Measurements: The primary outcome was 3-month functional recovery after stroke. The secondary outcomes were the hospital length of stay and the returning home rate. A multivariable logistic regression was applied to adjust for confounding variables (age, sex, NIHSS score and Charlson’s comorbidity score).
Results: Among the 262 patients included in the study, those in the PGSU were significantly older, had a higher Charlson’s comorbidity score and a higher initial NIHSS severity score. As compared to the other patients, functional recovery at 3 months was better in the PSGU (Rankin's score decreased by 0.80 points versus 0.41 points, p = 0.01). The average total length of stay was reduced by 16 days in the patients referred to the PSGU (p = 0.002). There was no significant difference in the returning home rate between the two groups (p = 0.88).
Conclusion: The SPEL which includes a post-stroke geriatric unit (PSGU) has been associated with improved recovery and had a positive impact in the management of older post-stroke patients.
Symmetry Broken Vectorial Kerr Frequency Combs from Fabry-Pérot Resonators
Authors: Hill Lewis , Hirmer Eva-Maria , Campbell Graeme , Bi Toby , Ghosh Alekhya , Del'Haye Pascal , Oppo Gian-Luca
Published: August 2023

Optical frequency combs find many applications in metrology, frequency standards, communications and photonic devices. We consider field polarization properties and describe a vector comb generation through the spontaneous symmetry breaking of temporal cavity solitons within coherently driven, passive, Fabry-Pérot cavities with Kerr nonlinearity. Global coupling effects due to the interactions of counter-propagating light restrict the maximum number of soliton pairs within the cavity - even down to a single soliton pair - and force long range polarization conformity in trains of vector solitons.
Cognitive reappraisal and affective response to physical activity: Associations with physical activity behavior
Authors: Gürdere Ceren , Sorgenfrei Julina , Pfeffer Ines
Published: August 2023

Objective
The present study aimed to test the associations among physical activity (PA), cognitive reappraisal (CR) frequency, and affective response (AR) to PA, and further to examine the role of CR on PA behavior through AR.
Results
The frequency of CR use was positively associated with AR, and AR with PA behavior. Mediation analysis revealed that AR mediated the relationship between CR and PA.
Comparative Study of Integer- and Fractional-Order PID Controller Tuning for BLDC Motor Speed Using Single- and Multi-Objective Optimization
Authors: BOUBIDI Assia , KECHIDA Sihem
Published: August 2023

This paper presents an optimal design of Integer- and Fractional-Order Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID/FOPID) controller parameters for speed control of BLDC motor based on Single- and Multi-Objective Optimization (SOO/MOO). For SOO, the process of tunning was conducted via the Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA) under Integral of Time Absolute Error (ITAE) objective function. At the end of SOO, the best solution which corresponds to PID/FOPID controller’s gains values has been obtained directly according to the minimum value of ITAE objective function. For MOO, the Multi-Objective Whale Optimization Algorithm (MOWOA) was used with three objective functions to minimize which are: settling time, overshoot and error steady state. The MOO generates non-dominated solutions forming Pareto front. The best compromise solution was obtained using fuzzy decision-making approach satisfying desired preferences. For the comparison of different controllers, step responses, frequency responses, tracking and load disturbance responses were all carried out and analyzed. The simulation results have shown that the MOWOA-FOPID controller provides a better response with faster speed without any overshoots, and good tracking capacity rejecting the load disturbances.
Crop Rotation Can Suppress Verticillium Wilt on Chinese Cabbage and Analysis of Factors Affecting Disease Development
Authors: Hoshino Keisuke , Kogure Keita , Furusawa Akiko , Okawara Kazuaki , Ikeda Kentaro , Sakai Hiroshi
Published: August 2023

In this study, we examined the effect of crop rotation on the suppression of Verticillium wilt in Chinese cabbage. Compared to leaving cultivation areas fallow (i.e., no rotation), introducing crop rotations with broccoli or cabbage were significantly more effective in controlling this disease. Here we used a generalized linear model to evaluate the effectiveness of crop rotations in all trials. In addition, an optimal model was constructed using Akaike’s Information Criterion to select explanatory variables associated with disease suppression. In the best model, the estimated coefficients for crop rotation with broccoli and cabbage were − 0.56 and − 0.38, respectively, compared to fallow (p < 0.05). In addition, we found that susceptibility to disease varied by harvest month and year. This study shows that Chinese cabbage wilt can be controlled by crop rotation. Furthermore, the analysis of factors involved in the development of this disease can help cultivators eliminate it from Chinese cabbage production in the future.
Microemulsion synthesis of Co-Ni co-doped LaCrO 3 perovskite and its nanohybrid with graphene for minerzlaition of toxic organic azo dyes
Authors: Aamir Muhammad , Bibi Ismat , Sabir Muhammad , Zulfiqar Sonia , Mubarik Shamroza , Raza Qasim , Karami Abdulnasser , Aadil Muhammad
Published: August 2023

In this research paper, visible light-driven ABO3 type (perovskite) lanthanum chromite (LaCrO3; labeled as LCO) and Co-Ni co-doped lanthanum chromite (La1-xCoxCr1-yNiyO3 (x,y = 0.50); labeled as LCCNO) photocatalyst were synthesized by following a facile microemulsion technique. Later, to fabricate their reduced GO-based (La1-xCoxCr1-yNiyO3/r-GO; labeled as LCCNO/r-GO) nanocomposite: LCCNO nanoparticles were decorated on reduced graphene oxide (r-GO) using ultrasonication method to achieve high degradation of carcinogenic and toxic pollutants from the environment. The as-fabricated nanoparticles (NPs) were subjected to different advanced instrumentations regarding their structural and application analysis. The structural, morphological, specific surface area and elemental analysis were studied by XRD (x-ray diffraction), FT-IR (Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy), SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy), BET (Brunauer Emmett Teller) and EDX (Energy Dispersive X-ray), respectively. The optical analysis and current-voltage (I-V) experiment was employed to investigate the impact of Co-Ni ions co-doping and r-GO on the bandgap and conductivity of the fabricated material, respectively. Regarding their environmental application study, the fabricated nanomaterial's photocatalytic activity (PCA) was tested against the photodegradation of crystal violet (CV) dye. LCCNO/r-GO NCs photocatalyst showed maximum CV dye photodegradation efficiency (99.02%; 100 min) as compared to pure LCO (36.44%; 100 min) and co-doped LCCNO (73.74%; 100 min) photocatalysts due to its lower band gap (2.14 eV), higher conductivity (6.4 × 105 Sm-1) and larger surface area (123.7 m2/g). According to PCA study, a dose of 20 mg of LCCNO/r-GO photocatalyst degrades cationic CV dye effectively in basic media (pH–11). Furthermore, scavenging tests were employed to investigate the generation of radical species (.O2 and OH∙) during (PCA) experiments. The structure constancy and reusability of the LCCNO/r-GO photocatalyst was observed for five cycles. It lost 5.71% degradation efficiency against CV dye after five cyclic tests. This research provides new insight into developing high-quality structured photocatalysts for environmental remediation under sunlight irradiations.
Global Prevalence of Mental Disorders Due to Covid-19 In the Central Asia: A Systematic Analysis of The Global Burden of Disease Study From 1990 to 2019
Authors: Rahim Fakher , Dzhusupov Kenesh , Qasim Nameer Hashim , Zhumagaliuly Abzal , Bodnar Nataliia , Khozhamkul Rabiga , Karlygash Toguzbaeva
Published: August 2023

Aim
Using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) research from 1990 to 2019, this study intends to examine the prevalence of mental health problems related to COVID-19 in the Central Asia. Anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are the primary study topics.
Materials and Methods
The prevalence of different mental health diseases was investigated by means of a meta-analysis and comprehensive literature review. For each nation, we calculated the age-standardized prevalence rate and the DALYs lost due to impairment. The research also looked at what factors could be at play, such as demographics, income, and the structure of the healthcare system.
Results
During and after the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a 32% rise in mental health issues in the Central Asia, with wide variations across nations. Socioeconomic inequalities, demographic changes, and the constraints of the healthcare system have all been identified as major contributors to the rising prevalence of mental health problems.
Conclusion
To combat the potentially catastrophic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the study's key results highlight the critical need of developing comprehensive mental health policies and treatments in the Central Asia. Improving the availability of mental health treatment, addressing the underlying socioeconomic and demographic causes, and adapting interventions to the unique requirements of each nation are all essential in tackling this serious problem. This study aids in clarifying the state of mental health in the Central Asia and guiding policymaking to lessen the impact on mental health of the current COVID-19 epidemic.
The experience of social isolation in patients receiving peritoneal dialysis：A qualitative study
Authors: Diao Keke , Wang Jiajia , Huang Yijiang , Zhang Yanjun , Guo Dingshuo , Zhang Luke , Shan Yan
Published: August 2023

Background:
Social isolation(SI), as a negative psychological state, can aggravate sleep disturbances and deterioration of renal function, seriously jeopardizing physical health, which is particularly prominent in peritoneal dialysis(PD) patients. However, most of the current research in this field is quantitative, and there are few qualitative studies on SI in PD patients. Understanding patients' psychological experience of SI is essential for the targeted design of intervention programs. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the experience of SI among PD patients.
Methods:
12 peritoneal dialysis patients who were hospitalized in a tertiary hospital in Zhengzhou City, Henan Province, were selected for the study using purposive sampling. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted to collect data, and content analysis methods were used to analyze the data.
Results:
A total of 3 themes and 12 sub-themes were analyzed and extracted from this study,namely:(1) Dialysis treatment inspires problems of social isolation(Low self-esteem and sensitivity, Fear and concern, Self-isolation and avoidance, Alienated by others); (2) Patients struggle to escape the effects of social isolation(Increasing cognitive and behavioral management, Seeking support from within the family, Compromise and Growth, Reinventing the value of life); (3) Multiple obstacles exacerbate the plight of social isolation(Shackles of over protection, Agony of public misunderstanding, Burden of treatment expenditure, Deficiencies in support systems).
Conclusion:
This study provides insight into the experience of SI in PD patients and the reasons for it. The findings has shown that PD patients have significant psychological problems because of SI. Participants experience low self-esteem, worry, and reduced socialization, and they need more emotional and social support to get through it.
A simple, quick, and economical method for in vitro cultivation of Echinococcus multilocularis metacestode and generation of primary cells
Authors: Zhang Cuiying , Li Zihua , Yong Fu , Li Tao , Hou Siyu , Wang Chan , Li Ming , Zhao Wei
Published: August 2023

Background
Alveolar echinococcosis is one of the most lethal parasitic zoonotic diseases. However, the molecular mechanisms through which Echinococcus multilocularis interacts with its host are poorly understood, and only limited treatments are available. Owing to the advantages of cell culture systems in molecular research, numerous attempts have been devoted to establishing primary cell cultures of Echinococcus multilocularis. In this study, we developed a simple, rapid, and economical method that allows Echinococcus multilocularis metacestode tissue blocks to generate daughter vesicles without host feeder cells in a regular medium.
Methods
We performed anaerobic, hypoxic (1% O2), normoxic, and semianaerobic (in sealed tubes) cultures of Echinococcus multilocularis metacestode tissues to produce daughter vesicles. Then, the daughter vesicles were cultured at three distinct oxygen concentrations (anaerobic, 1% O2, and normoxic) to identify the optimal cultivation conditions. The viability of the daughter vesicles was assayed using carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester staining. Vesicles with high vigour were subsequently used to test the antiparasitic effect of albendazole by isolating primary cells and infecting animals.
Results
After 4 weeks of incubation, we found that Echinococcus multilocularis metacestode tissues that were cultured in sealed tubes produced daughter vesicles. The daughter vesicles were remarkably enlarged under anaerobic conditions after 8 days of culture, whereas vesicles cultured under the other two conditions only showed a mild increase in volume. Our in vitro cultivated vesicles showed strong viability and could be used to test antiparasitic drugs, isolate primary cells, and infect animals.
Conclusions
In the study, we established a simple, quick, and economical method for the in vitro generation of vesicles from tissue blocks of Echinococcus multilocularis metacestodes in the absence of host feeder cells. Our in vitro cultivated vesicles, showing appropriate viability, are suitable for screening drugs for the treatment of alveolar echinococcosis both in vitro and in vivo.
"Traditional" use in a global world: Unsustainable harvesting drives species to extinction
Authors: Haq Shiekh Marifatul , Waheed Muhammad , Bussmann Rainer W.
Published: August 2023

Traditional knowledge is crucial in illustrating how faunal resources are exploited for a variety of purposes, ranging from food to the exploitation of their parts as decorative accents and even traditional medicine. However, unrestrained use may endanger the existence of the species. In terms of traditional usage and hunting status, very little study has been undertaken in India and much less so in the western Himalayas (Jammu & Kashmir). Five ethnic groups' information on ethnobiology and hunting was gathered through semi-structured and open-ended questionnaires, group discussions, and interviews. Utilizing R software version 4.0.0, the data were subjected to hierarchical cluster analysis and ordination methods (Principal Component Analysis). Three categories—single, double, and multiple uses—were used to classify the traditional uses. In the current study, we documented ethnozoological applications of 25 wild species from 12 families in the western Himalayan region. The most frequently used animal part was meat (29.2%), and the highest priority of the local people was for medicinal usage (29.3%). Across ethnic groups, the Bakarwal and Gujjar showed greater similarity in use, whereas the least overlap was observed between Dogra and Kashmiri. Meanwhile, a single species (Glaucidium radiatum) was unique in being used by Dogra ethnic group only. Finally, we evaluated the protection status of the species and based upon the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 (WPA) categorization it was observed that 48% belonged to Schedule-I, 4% belonged to Schedule-II, 16% belonged to Schedule-III, and 12% belonged to Schedule-IV. The study discovered that the indigenous population relies on the Schedule-I species with high use value was observed for species like Ursus thibetanus (60), Moschus moschiferus (0.57), Panthera pardus (0.52) and Cervus elaphus hanglu (0.38). These species require attention by immediately addressing unsustainable harvesting and encouraging educational efforts directed at all stakeholders, from collectors to end users. This study can be used as a starting point for learning how ethnobiological studies might help build sustainable long-term conservation and management plans for animal resources in the Himalayas.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration Understanding and Awareness in Pakistan: A Realistic Epidemiological Survey
Authors: Khan Muhammad Ahsan , Mahmood Alishba , Saeed Mariam , Ali Syed Arif , Imtiaz Fauzia
Published: August 2023

BACKGROUND:
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has been a preeminent cause of blindness and a matter of community health concern due to its high prevalence in older populations above 40 years of age. Literature regarding AMD awareness among the urban Pakistani population is very limited. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conduct a comprehensive survey on the urban population of Karachi, Pakistan, to evaluate their knowledge and preventive practices (KAP) regarding AMD. Another objective was to see the influence of demographic factors on knowledge level in participants and to assess the main source of information regarding the disease among the participants.
METHODS:
The study was conducted on 385 participants over a period of six months between September 2022 and February 2023. To predict the KAP level regarding AMD among participants, the knowledge section of the questionnaire was divided into 17 pointers that included 1 correct definition of the disease, 12 right/wrong risk factors, and 4 right/wrong symptoms of the disease. Participants who were able to answer ≥ 9 pointers, i.e., > 50% correctly, were considered to have “above average” knowledge. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 24.0. Descriptive statistics of participants’ sociodemographic factors, knowledge, attitude, and preventive practices were analyzed. Chi-square tests were used to compare sociodemographic factors with the knowledge catalog.
RESULTS:
Only 161 (41.8%) participants knew about AMD, while 224 (58.2%) did not know about it. The definition of the disease was correctly selected by 86 (53.4%) participants. The correct risk factors (obesity, age, and family history of AMD, smoking, lack of multivitamins, alcohol and unprotected exposure to light) were identified by 11.2%, 23.9%, 17.1%, 11.9%, 9.6%, 8.3% and 9.4%, respectively. The correct symptoms of AMD, such as blurring of vision, were answered by 109 (28.3%) participants, and visual hallucinations and flashes of light were answered correctly by 29 (7.5%) participants. “Above average” knowledge about AMD was found to be statistically significant with the level of education (p < 0.01) and monthly income (p < 0.02) of participants. Social media/newspaper/TV (23.40%) was the most common source of information among participants.
CONCLUSION:
These figures demand an immense need for eye health education campaigns, either general or targeted toward AMD, to increase the level of awareness and preventive and health-seeking behaviors among the population. Initiatives for public health might be launched to explicitly address these gaps.
Causal relationship between mood swing and gynecological disorders: a Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Bian Jia , Li Hongfeng , Shang Yaping , Zhang Fang , Tang Lifei
Published: August 2023

Background
Increasing number of observational studies have associated mood instability to common female diseases, but the underlying causal relationship remains unclear. In this work, Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was applied to explore the genetically predicted causal relationship of mood swings and several prevalent gynecological disorders.
Methods
Instrumental variables (IVs) of mood swings were selected from UK Biobank (UKB), with 204,412 cases and 247,207 controls being incorporated. The genetic variants for female disorders were obtained from genome-wide association studies (GWASs) and FinnGen consortium. To avoid biases caused by racial difference, only European population was included here. Five strong analytical methodologies were used to increase the validity of the results, the most substantial of which was the inverse variance weighting (IVW) method. Pleiotropy, sensitivity, and heterogeneity were assessed to strengthen the findings.
Results
We found mood swings was significantly positively associated with risk of endometrial cancer (OR = 2.60 [95%CI = 1.36, 4.95], P = 0.0037), cervical cancer (OR = 1.01[95%CI = 1.00,1.02], P = 0.0213) and endometriosis (OR = 2.58 [95%CI = 1.18, 5.60], P = 0.0170) by IVW method. However, there was no causal relationship between mood swing and ovarian cancer. No pleiotropy and heterogeneity existed and sensitivity tests were passed.
Conclusion
This study reveals genetically predicted causal relationships between mood swing and the risk of endometrial cancer, cervical cancer and endometriosis in European populations through MR analysis, which makes up for observational research's inherent limitations.
Quantitative proteomics analysis of papillary thyroid carcinoma reveals Protein S, Clusterin, and Leucine-rich α-2-glycoprotein 1 as potential prognostic protein biomarkers
Authors: Le KeHao , Sun HaiLi , Li FeiBo , Xu NiZhen , Wang JianBiao
Published: August 2023

Background
Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common type of thyroid cancer. The primary challenge is identifying patient subgroups with PTC and choosing the most effective treatment approach.
Results
To explore the differently expressed proteins (DEPs) between high and low recurrent-risk PTCs, we collected 15 tissues comprising high (n = 7) and low (n = 8) recurrent-risk groups from PTC. The samples were detected by tandem mass tag labeling proteomics. Using TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) data on thyroid cancer, prognosis-related DEPs were identified. Furthermore, an immunohistochemistry (IHC) stain of 53 cases of PTC tumors was adopted to validate the relation of potential biomarkers with prognosis. We identified 8,958 proteins from the 15 samples, with 95 DEPs obtained by comparing high and low-recurrent-risk groups, including 38 up-regulated and 57 down-regulated proteins. Three down-regulated proteins [Protein S (PROS1), Clusterin (CLU), and Leucine-rich α-2-glycoprotein 1 (LRG1)] were found to be significantly associated with poor overall survival in thyroid cancer using differential analysis and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. IHC results showed low or moderated expressions of PROS1, CLU, and LRG1 were significantly associated with high-risk clinicopathologic characteristics of PTC. PTC patients with higher expression of PROS1, CLU, and LRG1 had better progression-free survival than those with low or moderate expression.
Conclusions
Our study identified PROS1, CLU, and LRG1 as novel prognostic biomarkers in PTC.
Hybrid Collaborative Intrusion Detection System Based on Blockchain & Machine Learning
Authors: Jemili Farah , Korbaa Ouajdi
Published: August 2023

Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) have traditionally been designed with a centralized structure, where a single device is responsible for monitoring the entire network. However, with the increasing complexity and scale of modern networks, this approach has become less effective. Centralized IDS can suffer from performance issues, limited scalability, and vulnerability to targeted attacks. To address these limitations, there is a growing need to develop collaborative IDS that can distribute the workload across multiple devices and better handle large-scale networks. Collaboration enables IDS to detect intrusions more effectively by combining and analyzing data from multiple sources. The adoption of blockchain technology is essential in achieving a collaborative IDS. Blockchain provides a secure, decentralized way to store and exchange information between different devices, which is critical for building trust and ensuring the integrity of the system. Furthermore, machine learning algorithms can be used to improve the performance of IDS by detecting new and emerging threats. Machine learning can help to identify patterns and anomalies in network traffic, enabling the system to detect and respond to attacks more effectively. By combining these approaches, a reliable and scalable detection system can be developed. The collaborative IDS using blockchain technology and machine learning algorithms can improve the accuracy and efficiency of detecting network intrusions while maintaining the security and integrity of the system.
Development and characterization of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) dispersed water borne epoxy (WBEP) coatings for enhanced adhesion and corrosion resistance.
Authors: G Rajiv. , S Ananda Kumar , VP Akhin
Published: August 2023

The effect of uniformly dispersed single walled carbon nano tubes (SWCNTs) into water borne epoxy resin (WBEP) towards anti-corrosion performance on mild steel was evaluated. Dispersed SWCNTs act as corrosion inhibitor, increased the adhesive strength of WBEP coatings to a greater extent. Consequently, the WBEP coatings displayed outstanding barrier properties against H2O molecule compared to the neat WBEP coatings. The corrosion resistance of 0.5% SWCNTs-WBEP coating determined after 60h of immersion in 3.5 % NaCl solution, showed superior performance than 0.3%, 0.1% SWCNTs loaded WBEP and neat WBEP coatings as well. Furthermore, the data resulted from physico-mechanical properties supported and confirmed the enhanced adhesion imparted by 0.5%SWCNTs-WBEP than that of neat WBEP coatings on mild steel. The SEM images ascertained proper dispersion of SWCNTs in WBEP resins. Ultimately, the results from our study demonstrated the positive effects of the proper incorporation of SWCNTs towards anticorrosive ability of WBEP coatings for better performance and longevity.
The Impact of City Animal and Plant Raising on People's Level of Disgust towards Ants and Yellow Jackets
Authors: Farkhary Sayed Ibrahim , Neyazi Abdul Jawid
Published: August 2023

Studies have shown that urban life and less contact with nature can increase disgust towards insects and gardening reduces the level of disgust towards them. Since animals and plants are part of nature, our hypothesis in this research was that keeping animals and plants in the city is somehow contact with nature and has an effect on reducing disgust towards insects. To test this hypothesis, a questionnaire was distributed to 1092 people randomly in Kabul city. The level of disgust against ants and yellow jackets among those who raise animals and plants is lower than that of those who do not. The reasons for disgusting ants and yellow jackets included fear, contamination, appearance, lack of interaction, and unfamiliarity, and they were different between those who raise animals and plants and those who do not. The motivation to destroy ants and yellow jackets was higher among those who do not raise animals and plants. On the other side, there is a strong association between level of disgust and reaction against yellow jackets and ants. These findings show that raising animals and plants in the city can reduce the level of disgust against insects which supports their conservation. To reduce the disgust towards insects, we suggest encouraging the keeping of animals and plants in the city, and a decrease in the level of disgust will reduce a strong reaction (like killing) towards them. For more clarification, research is needed on the effects of different types of raising animals and plants.
Extracellular vesicles promote migration despite vemurafenib treatment in malignant melanoma cells
Authors: Németh Afrodité , Bányai Gréta L. , Dobos Nikolett K. , Kós Tamás , Gaál Anikó , Varga Zoltán , Buzás Edit I. , Khamari Delaram , Dank Magdolna , Takács István , Szász A. Marcell , Garay Tamás
Published: August 2023

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) were found to be one group of the determining factors in intercellular communication and have been shown to have a crucial role in metastasis formation and drug resistance. Malignant melanoma (MM) is one of the deadliest forms of skin cancers, because of its high metastatic potential and often acquired resistance to oncotherapies. BRAF mutation is the most prevalent genetic aberration in MM, which implicates BRAF (e.g. vemurafenib) or combined BRAF/MEK inhibitor therapy. Herein, we analyzed the role of EVs in MM progression and investigated if EVs can maintain their role in metastasis promotion during vemurafenib treatment. Five pairs of syngeneic melanoma cell lines were treated with EVs isolated from their or their pair’s supernatant. EVs’ impact on melanoma cells’ proliferation was investigated using cell viability and spheroid growth assays. Furthermore, to investigate changes in cell migration, mean squared dis-placement (MSD) and total travelled distance (TTD) were calculated based on video microscopy measurements and single cell tracking. In most of the cases, EV treatments did not affect cell proliferation and spheroid growth, however, their migration-promoting role was more prominent. Additionally, EVs originating from more resistant cells could counteract the inhibitory effect of vemurafenib. In conclusion, our findings provide further details to understand the complex role of EVs in tumor promotion, progression and single-agent vemurafenib resistance in MM.
RETRACTED: Psychological Distress and Fear of COVID-19 in cancer patients and normal subjects—A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Criscuolo Maria Grazia , Perna Stefania , Hermann Arturo , Stefano Carla Di , Marfe Gabriella
Published: August 2023

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Improvement of electrochemical performance of spherical spinel LiMn 2 O 4 cathode material coated with Al-doped ZnO (AZO) for Li- ion battery
Authors: Pan Bin , Zhang Hailang L. , Weng Yuling
Published: August 2023

In this work, spherical spinel LiMn2O4 cathode material has been synthesized succesfully. Al-doped ZnO (AZO) materials were coated on the surface of spherical spinel LiMn2O4 cathode by a simple wet chemical method. The amount of the AZO coating materials are 0.0wt%, 0.5wt%, 1.0wt% and 2.0wt%, respectively. On the surface, the AZO coating could work as an artificial barrier and Li+ conductor, inhibiting Mn dissolution and promoting lithium ion migration. The research results show that the electrochemical properties of the modified LiMn2O4 materials are improved. The LiMn2O4 sample coated with 1 wt% AZO demonstrated the best cycle and rate performances, with capacity retention of 96.5% and 88.8% after 100 cycles with 1 C rate at 25°C and 55°C, respectively, and still possessed the discharge specific capacity of 113.9 mAh g-1 at 25°C with thr 5 C rate. It could be concluded that AZO-modified LiMn2O4 material is a viable cathode material for lithium ion batteries.
Estimated and observed nucleation densities of electrodeposited Cu and Cu-Ag particles at n-Si(001) substrate
Authors: Sun Yunkai , Zangari Giovanni
Published: August 2023

We have examined the particle density of electrodeposited Cu and Cu-Ag particles from acidic sulfate bath. Based on the potentiostatic transients, the nucleation densities of the deposits were estimated with the Scharifker-Hills model, the Scharifker-Mostany model, the Heerman-Tarallo model, the approach proposed by Sluyters-Rehbach et al., and the model based on the roughness of the planar diffusion field from the one-point correlation function. All the fitted nucleation densities significantly underestimate the particle density observed under SEM. The average grain size suggests that all the nuclei are growing with respect to time. Those behaviors suggest that the coalescence of the diffusion fields occurs much earlier than the full coalescence of the nucleation exclusion zones. Furthermore, we have also attempted to explain the observed nucleation densities with the surface defect density of heavily-doped n-Si(001) substrate and the volume of the electrolyte required for forming the critical nucleus of Cu or Ag. The assumption that the Cu(II) species are immediately consumed at the substrate has been justified, from which a characteristic time is proposed to evaluate the impact of the rate of concentration drop on the mass-transfer behavior of the system.
The Impact of Insurance Status on Patient Placement into Inpatient and Outpatient Orthopedic Surgical Centers in the United States
Authors: Tallapaneni Jetha , Harrington Michael , Troiani Zach , Venturino Luciano , Rosenbaum Andrew
Published: August 2023

Background
Innovation has fueled the shift from inpatient to outpatient care for orthopaedic joint arthroplasty. This transformation begs the question, what factors help assign care-settings to specific patients for the same procedure? While one answer seems to be the comorbidities suffered by the patients, recent research may point to a more complex determination. Primarily, differences in reimbursement structures and patient characteristics across various insurance statuses could influence these decisions.
Methods
Retrospective binary logistic and ordinary least square (OLS) regression analyses were employed on de-identified inpatient and outpatient orthopaedic arthroplasty data from Albany Medical Center from 2018-2022. Data elements included surgical setting (inpatient vs. outpatient), covariates (age, gender, race, obesity, smoking status), Elixhauser comorbidity indices, and insurance status.
Results
Patients insured by Medicare were significantly more likely to be placed in inpatient care-settings for total hip, knee, and ankle arthroplasty when compared to their privately insured counterparts even after Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) removed each individual surgery from its inpatient-only-list (1.65 (p<0.05), 1.27 (p<0.05), and 12.93 (p<0.05) times more likely respectively). When compared to patients insured by the other payers, Medicare patients did not have the most comorbidities.
Conclusions
Medicare patients were more likely to be placed in inpatient care-settings. The age of these patients correlates with the presence of comorbidities. However, it is of value to note that Medicare patients billed for outpatient services experience higher coinsurance rates.
Level of Evidence: III
Strategies to Implement Integrated Land Management Information System to Improve Issuance of Certificates of Right of Occupancy in Tanzania
Authors: Mollel Faraja E. , Kilavo Hassan , Manyilizu Majuto Clement
Published: August 2023

Land offices in Tanzania struggle with poor use of management systems including the Integrated Land Management Information System (ILMIS) on the issuance of Certificates of Right of Occupancy (CRO). This study assessed strategies used to implement the ILMIS on CRO issuance in Tanzania. The study was theoretically guided by the Diffusion of Innovation theory (DOI), the Technological Acceptance model and the theory of reasons action. The study deployed the descriptive design and used data collected from 150 respondents from the Ministry of Land Housing and Human Settlement Development (MLHHSD) Management and responsible officers as well as Right of Occupancy owners. The results showed that relevant strategies such as the availability of ICT policy, ICT infrastructure, management support and commitment as well as training had a real impact on the implementation of ILMIS in the issuance of CRO. The study recommends that land management offices in Tanzania should restructure their ICT policies to spell clearly out the ILMIS implementation and adoption for effective and efficient CRO issuance. Furthermore, the study recommends training and sensitization to increase ILMIS land management uptake, and raise awareness to encourage positive user attitudes.
Positive solution for an elliptic system with critical exponent and logarithmic terms: the higher dimensional cases
Authors: Hajaiej Hichem , LIU Tianhao , Zou Wenming
Published: August 2023

In this paper, we consider the coupled elliptic system with critical exponent and logarithmic terms:
\begin{equation}
\begin{cases} -\Delta u=\lambda_{1}u+ \mu_1|u|^{2p-2}u+\beta |u|^{p-2}|v|^{p}u+\theta_1 u\log u^2, & \quad x\in \Omega,\\
-\Delta v=\lambda_{2}v+ \mu_2|v|^{2p-2}v+\beta |u|^{p}|v|^{p-2}v+\theta_2 v\log v^2, &\quad x\in \Omega,\\
u=v=0, &\quad x \in \partial \Omega, \end{cases} \end{equation}
where $\Omega \subset \R^N$ is a bounded smooth domain, $2p=2^*=\frac{2N}{N-2}$ is the Sobolev critical exponent. When $N \geq 5$, for different ranges of $\beta,\lambda_{i},\mu_i,\theta_{i}$, $i=1,2$, we obtain existence and nonexistence results of positive solutions via variational methods. The special case $N=4 $ was studied by the authors in (arXiv:2304.13822). Note that for $N\geq 5$, the critical exponent is given by $2p\in \sbr{2,4}$, whereas for $N=4$, it is $2p=4$. In the higher dimensional cases $N\geq 5$ brings new difficulties, and requires new ideas. Besides, we also study the Br\'ezis-Nirenberg problem with logarithmic perturbation \begin{equation}
-\Delta u=\lambda u+\mu |u|^{2p-2}u+\theta u \log u^2 \quad \text{ in }\Omega,
\end{equation}
where $\mu>0, \theta<0$, $\lambda\in\R$, and obtain the existence of positive local minima and least energy solution under some certain assumptions.
Economical Approach for Graphene Fabrication via Home-Built CVD Technique Using Naturally Available Solid Carbon Sources
Authors: Hussain Misba
Published: August 2023

In the present investigation, naphthalene and camphor have been used as solid-state carbon sources for graphene deposition on the copper substrate through home-built CVD technique. The effect of precursor concentrations on the quality of graphene has been discussed. Moreover, several experiments have been performed to study the effect of gasses used (Ar and H2) and the distance between precursor and substrate in the present investigation. The use of different concentrations of carbon source with respect to hydrogen gas concentration provided various carbon nanostructures like carbon nanofibers (CNF), few-layer graphene (FLG) and vertically aligned graphene (VAG). The defects in as-grown carbon nanostructures have been confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. For the sample with 10% naphthalene and 90% camphor at 25 cm apart from the substrate in the 9:1 ratio Ar and H2 gas environment, 2D and G band intensity ratio I2D/IG has been found as 0.6 which confirms few-layered graphene deposition. The surface morphology of deposited carbon nanostructures has been confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the microstructure of deposited graphene has been studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The functional groups attached to the deposited graphene have been characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).
KCNK12 as a novel immune-related biomarker to reveal the crosstalk between COVID19 and stroke
Authors: Han Song , Li He , Zhang Wei , He Junwei , Yan Tao
Published: August 2023

Background
COVID-19, a respiratory disease that emerged in 2019, continues to pose a global threat to public health. Stroke has become the second leading cause of death worldwide, with respiratory infections among its serious complications. COVID-19 infection and mortality rates are notably higher among stroke patients than in the general population. However, the potential relationship between COVID-19 and stroke remains poorly understood. This article aims to elucidate the potential mechanisms underlying the association between these two diseases at the transcriptome level and to identify potentially useful drugs.
Results
KCNK12 was identified as an important stroke biomarker and showed significant differential expression in COVID-19 by intersecting multiple algorithms. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that KCNK12 primarily promotes neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction (p.adj < 0.001). Analysis of immune infiltration showed that neutrophils in the peripheral blood of stroke patients are the most affected by KCNK12. Moreover, there was a significant correlation between neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction and neutrophil infiltration (R = 0.65, p < 2.2e-16). The relationship between KCNK12 and neutrophil infiltration was further validated using single-cell data
Conclusion
We have identified KCNK12 as a potential target that may contribute to the susceptibility of stroke patients to COVID-19 infection. KCNK12 regulates neutrophil infiltration through neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction. This discovery not only sheds light on the underlying mechanisms of the relationship between stroke and COVID-19 but also provides predictions for transcription factors and potential drugs that can be used as therapeutic options.
Tree-Based Structural Representation and Difference Computation for PDF Documents
Authors: Thomas Nancy , Borrajo Daniel
Published: August 2023

Purpose: The goal of this paper is to introduce a method that uses the structured representation of two PDF documents to compute differences between them.
Methods: Included in this work there are three main contributions. The first one is a method for parsing PDF documents and representing them with a tree structure. The second one is our algorithm for computing differences between two PDF documents by leveraging their tree structure. The third one is a method for generating pairs of original and modified synthetic PDF documents.
Results: Our system for parsing and representing PDF documents is able to detect the true structure of a PDF document with high accuracy when tested on synthetic PDFs. Our tree-based difference computation approach, when tested on synthetic documents, is able to capture structural differences and improve computational complexity significantly compared to the performance of state of the art alternative approaches.
Conclusion: Tree-based PDF document representations allow for efficient, accurate, and comprehensive computation of differences between documents.
Evaluation of Borax Pentahydrate as a Novel Antiangiogenic Agent
Authors: YILMAZ Harun , OZBEK Emine Nur , Işel Elif , BUTUNER Bilge DEBELEÇ , ANACAK Gunay YETIK , KOPARAL Ayşe Tansu , ULUS Gönül
Published: August 2023

Angiogenesis, it is the process of the formation of new capillaries from pre-existing vessels. Tumor growth and metastasis depend on angiogenesis Studies show that natural and synthetic boron compounds have anticancer effects. Although the anticancer effects of some boron compounds include borax pentahydrate have been demonstrated, there is no data on their antiangiogenic effects in the literature. This study was aimed to investigate antiangiogenic potential effects of borax pentahydrate (BPH) in in vitro and in vivo. Anti-proliferative activities of BPH assessed MTT assay. Anti-angiogenic activities were investigated using tube formation assay in vitro and chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay in vivo. In addition, the protein level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) molecule, which is the basic molecule in vessel formation was determined by western blot analysis. BPH displayed potent antiangiogenic activities in vitro: inhibited proliferation HUVECs, disrupted endothelial tube formation and inhibited vascular formation of CAM surface in a dose dependent manner. In addition, significant dose-dependent decrease was observed in the VEGF protein levels. These findings suggest that BPH could be a new anti-angiogenic agent. BPH may shed light on drug development studies as a new therapeutic agent for angiogenesis-related diseases.