bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Public provision of healthcare and basic research: What are the joint effects on economic growth and welfare?
Authors: Parui Pintu , Prettner Klaus
Published: May 2024

We propose a generalized R&D-based economic growth model that incorporates endogenous human capital accumulation in terms of education and health and the public provision of healthcare and basic science. The government taxes households to pay for healthcare personnel and basic researchers. These employees are not anymore available for applied research and for final goods production. Thus, important intertemporal tradeoffs emerge for economic growth and welfare with respect to government spending policies. While increasing public spending on health and basic research may decrease economic growth and welfare in the short run, we show that they foster economic growth in the medium run and tend to raise long-run welfare when compared to actual levels of spending in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. Our results highlight the importance of adequate public funding for healthcare and basic research to foster long-run economic prosperity.
JEL Code: H41; J24; O31; O32; O41
Use of Spatiotemporal and Kinetic Gait Variables for the Differentiation of Hindlimb Ataxia and Bilateral Hindlimb Lameness in Dogs
Authors: Park Clair , Sawyere Dominique M. , Pancotto Theresa E. , Lanz Otto I. , Werre Stephen R.
Published: May 2024

Background
Discriminating the underlying cause of gait abnormalities can be challenging in a clinical setting, especially in the presence of bilateral disease. Pressure-sensitive walkways (PSWs) have been utilized to characterize the gait of dogs with various neurologic or orthopaedic conditions. The potential use of the PSW includes the discrimination of conditions that can be similar in clinical presentation, such as bilateral hindlimb lameness and hindlimb ataxia. The primary aim of this study was to describe the spatial, temporal, and kinetic gait parameters of dogs with hindlimb ataxia or bilateral hindlimb lameness and compare them to those of normal dogs. The secondary aim of this study was to identify specific gait parameters that could be used to discriminate the two conditions. Forty-six dogs were prospectively recruited. The normal group included 20 dogs with normal neurologic and orthopaedic exams. The orthopaedic group included 15 dogs with bilateral hindlimb orthopaedic diseases with weight-bearing hindlimb lameness and normal neurologic exams. The neurologic group included 11 dogs with ambulatory paraparesis and normal orthopaedic exams. Each dog was walked across the PSW, and at least 3 valid trials were collected. The stride time, stance time, swing time, stride length, gait velocity, peak vertical force (PVF), vertical impulse (VI), and limb symmetry values were recorded. The mean values of all parameters from the valid trials were calculated and used for data analysis. The outcomes were compared among all groups, and statistical significance was set to p < 0.05.
Results
Compared with the normal group, the orthopaedic group had a significantly greater percent body weight distribution (%BWD) and vertical impulse distribution (VID) in the forelimbs. There were no significant differences in the kinetic parameters or weight distribution between the neurologic group and the normal group. When comparing the symmetric indices (SIs) of the spatiotemporal gait parameters, the neurologic group showed an increase in forelimb stance time compared to that of the normal group (p = 0.02). Compared with that in the normal group, the stride velocity in the forelimbs in the orthopaedic group was greater (p = 0.009). There were no significant differences in the SI of stride time or stride length among the groups.
Conclusion
The kinetic and spatiotemporal gait parameters obtained by PSW demonstrated that the orthopaedic and neurologic groups may have different compensatory mechanisms for their gait deficiencies. These gait parameters can potentially be used to construct a predictive model to evaluate PSW as a diagnostic tool to differentiate between the two conditions.
Analysis of DHX32 as diagnostic gene and independent prognostic factor of lung squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: cao wei , Zuo Zhuang , Jin Dacheng , Li Haochi , Min Weirun , Zhang Jinlong , Lin Zhaohao , Gou Yunjiu
Published: May 2024

Background: The abnormal of DHX32 was related to the occurrence, development and clinicopathological features of cancer, but DHX32 has not been studied in Lung squamous carcinoma (LUSC). We aimed to investigate the expression , prognosis and biological significance of DHX32 in LUSC.
Method: The LUSC-related datasets (GSE30219 and GSE8894) were included in the analysis. Firstly, the expression and diagnosis of DHX32 were analyzed. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of GSE30219 were screened. The Cox analysis was used to screen prognostic genes. Based on the risk scores of LUSC samples, the samples were divided into high-low risk groups. The risk model was constructed by cox analysis in GSE30219, and verified in GSE8894. Furthermore, nomogram, immune infiltration analysis and drug sensitivity analysis were constructed.
Results: Compared with the control group, the expression of DHX32 in LUSC samples was obviously higher. The survival of high truncation value group was signally higher than that of low truncation value group. Based on 347 DEGs, the 3 prognostic genes (CLDN11, PID1 and MAMDC2) were screened. In GSE30219 and GSE8894, the risk model had high accuracy and excellent performance. In addition, the riskScore was independent prognostic risk factors for LUSC by cox analysis. Immune infiltration analysis and drug sensitivity analysis showed that memory B cells and five drug had a difference in two risk groups.
Conclusion: DHX32 could be used as a diagnostic gene and independent prognostic factor for LUSC, providing the insight for the diagnosis and treatment of LUSC.
Proton relay in hydrogen-bond networks promotes alkaline hydrogen evolution electrocatalysis
Authors: Li Jiayuan , Li Yuefei , Zhang Shishi , Li Boyang , Su Yaqiong
Published: May 2024

Common O-/H-down orientation of H2O molecules on electrocatalysts brings favorable OH/H delivery however adverse H/OH delivery in their dissociation process, hampering H2O dissociation kinetics of alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). To overcome this challenge, we raised a synergetic H2O dissociation concept of metal-supported electrocatalysts involving efficient OH delivery from O-down H2O to the metal, timely proton relay from O-down H2O on the metal to H-down H2O on the support through the hydrogen-bond network, and prompt H delivery from H-down H2O to the support. After theoretically profiling that a high work function difference between metal and support (ΔΦ) induces a strong electric field at the metal-support interface that increases hydrogen-bond connectivity to promote proton relay, we examined this concept over cobalt phosphide-supported ruthenium (Ru/CoP) catalysts with a high ΔΦ = 0.4 eV, reaching record high HER performance with a Ru utilization activity of 66.1 A mgRu-1 at a 100 mV overpotential.
Chlorpromazine Overcomes Temozolomide Resistance in Glioblastoma by inhibiting Cx43 and Essential DNA Repair Pathways
Authors: Matarrese Paola , Signore Michele , Ascione Barbara , Fanelli Giulia , Paggi Marco G. , Abbruzzese Claudia
Published: May 2024

Background
In the fight against GBM, drug repurposing emerges as a viable and time-saving approach to explore new treatment options. Chlorpromazine, an old antipsychotic medication, has recently arisen as a promising candidate for repositioning in GBM therapy in addition to temozolomide, the first-line standard of care. We previously demonstrated the antitumor efficacy of chlorpromazine and its synergistic effects with temozolomide in suppressing GBM cell malignant features in vitro. This prompted us to accomplish a Phase II clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of adding chlorpromazine to temozolomide in GBM patients with unmethylated MGMT gene promoter. In this in vitro study, we investigate the potential role of chlorpromazine in overcoming temozolomide resistance.
Methods
In our experimental set, we analyzed Connexin-43 expression at both the transcriptional and protein levels in control- and chlorpromazine-treated GBM cells. DNA damage and subsequent repair were assessed by immunofluorescence of g-H2AX and Reverse-Phase Protein microArrays in chlorpromazine treated GBM cell lines. To elucidate the relationship between DNA repair systems and chemoresistance, we analyzed a signature of DNA repair genes in GBM cells after treatment with chlorpromazine, temozolomide and Connexin-43 downregulation.
Results
Chlorpromazine treatment significantly downregulated connexin-43 expression in GBM cells, consequently compromising connexin-dependent cellular resilience, and ultimately contributing to cell death. In line with this, we observed concordant post-translational modifications of molecular determinants involved in DNA damage and repair pathways. Our evaluation of DNA repair genes revealed that temozolomide elicited an increase, while chlorpromazine, as well as connexin-43 silencing, a decrease in DNA repair gene expression in GBM cells.
Conclusions
Chlorpromazine potentiates the cytotoxic effects of the alkylating agent temozolomide through a mechanism involving downregulation of Cx43 expression and disruption of the cell cycle arrest essential for DNA repair processes. This finding suggests that chlorpromazine may be a potential therapeutic strategy to overcome TMZ resistance in GBM cells by inhibiting their DNA repair mechanisms.
Diurnal cycle of bioaerosols is a key driver of ice nucleating particle variability for Eastern Mediterranean orographic clouds
Authors: Gao Kunfeng , Vogel Franziska , Foskinis Romanos , Vratolis Stergios , Gini Maria , Granakis Konstantinos , Zografou Olga , Fetfatzis Prodromos , Papayannis Alexandros , Möhler Ottmar , Eleftheriadis Konstantinos , Nenes Athanasios
Published: May 2024

We report the drivers of diurnal cycles of ice nucleating particles (INPs) for mixed-phase orographic clouds in the Eastern Mediterranean. In the planetary boundary layer, pronounced INP diurnal periodicity is observed, which is mainly driven by coarse-sized particles. Based on particle fluorescence, we estimate at least 20% of the INPs in the PBL are of biological origin and a major driver of the diurnal cycle. The presence of Saharan dust increases INPs during nighttime but not for daytime compared to non-dust days, thus reducing the INP range throughout the day. Bioaerosols also are important contributors to INP in the free troposphere without any evident diurnal cycle. Given the ubiquity of forests in mountainous regions, the unique ability of bioaerosol to form ice at warm temperatures (effects of which is further amplified by secondary ice processes) and the lack of such cycles in models points to an overlooked glaciation cycle and an important source of bias in precipitation and extreme events in continental and mountainous regions.
Wild rodent fleas carrying Bartonella and Rickettsia in an area endemic for vector-borne diseases: implications for public health in northwestern Argentina
Authors: Berrizbeitia M. Fernanda López , Acosta Diana B. , Sanchez Juliana P.
Published: May 2024

Vector-borne illnesses account for nearly 20% of all globally recognised infectious diseases. Within the spectrum of pathogens transmitted by fleas, Bartonella and Rickettsia bacteria are prominent, contributing to the emergence and resurgence of diseases on a global scale. This study aimed to investigate the presence of specific strains of Bartonella and Rickettsia species harboured by fleas collected from wild rodents in Northwestern Argentina. A total of 28 fleas from three genera and seven species were assessed. DNA of Bartonella and Rickettsia spp. was found in 12 fleas (42.8%). Phylogenetic analysis of concatenated sequences of gltA and rpoB genes showed the presence of Bartonella quintana in eight fleas of two species, Craneopsylla minerva minerva and Polygenis acodontis; Phylogenetic analysis of concatenated sequences of gltA, ompA and ompB genes identified Rickettsia felis in ten fleas of five species, C. m. minerva, P. acodontis, Polygenis bohlsi bohlsi, Polygenis byturus and Tiamastus palpalis. These bacterial species marking the first report in all flea species studied. This study represents the first survey of flea-borne bacteria for Northwest Argentina. The results provide information to address strategies for the control and prevention of bartonellosis and rickettsiosis that could have an impact on public health in one of the geographical areas of Argentina with the highest incidence of infections transmitted to humans by ectoparasites.
Contribution of Simulation in Paediatric Laparoscopic Surgery: Improving Suturing Skills Before Performing a Laparoscopic Procedure in Children
Authors: BIDAULT-JOURDAINNE Valeska , BREAUD Jean , ALI Liza , TALON Isabelle , BECMEUR François , EL-GHONEIMI Alaa , PEYCELON Matthieu
Published: May 2024

Introduction: Mastering paediatric laparoscopic surgery competency (PLSC) is technically challenging. The present study aimed to determine whether the inter-academic PLSC degree (IAD_PLSC) practical training program enables trainees to improve their skills.
Methods: This retrospective study included trainees enrolled in the IAD_PLSC program in 2021 and 2022 which included two separate 15 hour-sessions. Trainees practiced to perform intracorporeal laparoscopic knots (ILK) using 5- and 3-mm instruments on a pelvi-trainer simulator; Peg Transfer (PT) was used as a dexterity test; final marks added the adapted Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) score (out of 40) and time to complete ILK. ILK was considered a success in case the OSATS score > 27/40.
Results: A total of 43 trainees completed the IAD_PLSC program. N = 37 (86.0%) mastered the ILK (OSATS score > 27/40) using 5-mm instruments at the end of session 1 and N = 33 (76.7%) at the end of session 2 (p = 0.41). There was no significant improvement in the median [interquartile range, IQR] OSATS score (32 [30–36] vs. 32 [28–34], p = 0.19), but the median [IQR] knot completion time improved significantly (184 s [161–268] vs. 166 s [128–218], p = 0.002). There was a significant correlation between the knot completion time and PT time both at the end of session 1 (ρ = 0.58, 95% confidence interval, CI [0.31;0.76], p < 0.0002) and session 2 (ρ = 0.78, 95%CI [0.62;0.87], p < 0.0001). When using 3-mm instruments, N = 34 (79.1%) of trainees mastered the ILK at the end of session 2. The median [IQR] OSATS score significantly improved between the end of both sessions (22 [21–24] vs. 31 [28–33], p < 0.0001), but there was no significant correlation between OSATS score or knot completion time and PT time, at the end of both sessions.
Conclusion: A nation-wide training program in paediatric laparoscopic surgery provides valuable practical training of intracorporeal suturing for residents in pediatric surgery and urology.
Research on Origin-based Cold Storage Location and Routing Optimization of Fresh Agricultural Products Based on Hybrid Whale Algorithm
Authors: Zhou Xueyan , Li Jin , Xie Fengjie , Fang Jing
Published: May 2024

Aiming at the problem that the number of origin-based cold storages is insufficient and the resources are unbalanced in China, this paper studies the location and routing problem (LRP) of origin-based cold storage for fresh agricultural products. This paper considers the loss of fresh agricultural products, and constructs a cold storage LRP model. To solve this problem, a hybrid whale algorithm is designed, and the effectiveness of the algorithm is verified by standard instances. Finally, taking Chenggu County as a practical case, the influence of cold storage capacity and farmers demand for refrigeration on LRP are analysed. Experimental results show that the algorithm proposed in this paper has a good effect in solving the medium-scale LRP. The cold storage capacity has an important impact on the LRP results. With the increase of farmers’ demand for refrigeration, the number of cold storages and vehicles increases, the total system costs increase gradually.
Scientometric Insights of Digital Twins in Industry 4.0
Authors: Kaur Harshpreet , Bhatia Munish
Published: May 2024

Industry 4.0 is a new era of digitization that integrates digital technologies to create smart, interconnected production systems, marking a paradigm shift in different domains. One of the key technologies in this era is 'Digital Twin', which offers virtual representations of physical assets and processes. It is crucial to analyze the role of digital twin technology in the context of Industry 4.0 using scientometric analysis with citeSpace, a powerful tool for visualizing and analyzing citation networks. This research focuses on the growth trajectory of digital twin literature, identifies influential authors, institutions, and journals, and analyzes the geographical distribution of research contributions from the Scopus database for 2018-2024. The findings reveal insights into the current state of digital twin research, its impact on Industry 4.0, and opportunities for future exploration and collaboration in this rapidly evolving field.
Selectivity analysis of diaminopyrimidine-based inhibitors of MTHFD1, MTHFD2 and MTHFD2L
Authors: Jha Vibhu , Eriksson Leif A.
Published: May 2024

The mitochondrial enzyme methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase (MTHFD2) is involved in purine and thymidine synthesis via 1C metabolism. MTHFD2 is exclusively overexpressed in cancer cells but absent in most healthy adult human tissues. However, the two close homologs of MTHFD2 known as MTHFD1 and MTHFD2L are expressed in healthy adult human tissues, which makes the development of selective MTHFD2 inhibitors challenging for cancer drug discovery. Tricyclic coumarin-based compounds (substrate site binders) and xanthine derivatives (allosteric site binders) are the only selective inhibitors of MTHFD2 reported till date. Nanomolar potent diaminopyrimidine-based inhibitors of MTHFD2 have been reported recently, however, they also demonstrate significant inhibitory activities against MTHFD1 and MTHFD2L. In this study, we have employed extensive computational modeling involving molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations in order to investigate the binding modes and key interactions of diaminopyrimidine-based inhibitors at the substrate binding sites of MTHFD1, MTHFD2 and MTHFD2L, and compare with the tricyclic coumarin-based selective MTHFD2 inhibitor. The outcomes of our study provide significant insights into desirable and undesirable structural elements for rational structure-based design of new and selective inhibitors of MTHFD2 against cancer.
Body image and weight gain during pregnancy: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Moudi Asieh , Taheri Narjes Khatoon , Mortezapoor Mohaddese , Nazaralivand Roghayeh
Published: May 2024

Introduction: Maternal weight at the beginning of pregnancy and maternal weight gain during pregnancy affect the fetal health. Overweighting during pregnancy is affected by nutritional, physical, and psychological factors, including body image. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between body image and gestational weight gain.
Methods: This descriptive-analytic study was conducted on 200 women who were 38-40 weeks pregnant in 4 subsets—thin, normal, overweight, and obese. These individuals were selected by random block sampling from health centers in Qaen City. Body image data were collected via a body image questionnaire in 6 dimensions, and BMI before pregnancy, and gestational weight gain were obtained from maternal health records. The data were analyzed by SPSS software version 24 and ANOVA, chi square tests, and linear regression.
Results: There was no significant difference in gestational weight gain between individuals with moderate, good, and excellent body image (P=0.183). Gestational weight gain was significantly different between obese women with intermediate, well, and excellent body image (P=0.046). Adjustment for confounding variables by linear regression showed that BMI was the only variable predicting gestational weight gain (R2=-0.212, 95% CI [-0.244—0.45], P=0.005).
Conclusion: Among the variables of age, gravidity, number of live children, BMI, and body image, only BMI predicted gestational weight gain. However, more research is needed to evaluate other psychosocial factors affecting pregnancy weight gain. In addition, longitudinal studies on body image concerns during pregnancy and gestational weight gain are recommended.
Treatment-train strategy realizes broad-spectrum capture of hundreds of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances from fluorochemical wastewater
Authors: Lin Hui , Yang Yiyang , Yang Lihui , Tang Caiming , Yang Ying , Liang Shangtao , Wang Anqi , Xu Jiale , Huang Qingguo
Published: May 2024

Hundreds of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are found in fluorochemical production effluents, and existing adsorption devices are inadequate to address this PFAS challenge given their extreme structural diversity. Here, we achieve the efficient and broad-spectrum capture of 107 PFASs from fluorochemical effluents using a treatment-train strategy that combines Zn-based electrocoagulation (EC) with anion-exchange resin (AER) beds. The “zero-carbon” adsorbent, zinc hydroxide flocs, generated in-situ by Zn-based EC bulk removes PFAS with logKow>4 through a semi-micellar adsorption mechanism similar to mineral flotation, resulting in the highest adsorption capacities among all reported adsorbents. Technical-economic analysis and life-cycle environmental impact showed that coupling Zn-based EC reduces the cost by an order-of-magnitude and the carbon-footprint by 70% compared to AER beds alone. It was also observed that iodinated PFAS, in which the fluorine atom is replaced by an iodine atom, had significantly improved adsorption selectivity, which may shed light on designing environmentally-friendly fluorochemicals.
Green synthesized silver nanoparticles using Sempervivum tectorum extract have an antibacterial effect against Staphylococcus pseudintermedius isolated from a dog's otitis externa
Authors: Dégi Diana-Maria , Lányi Katalin , Beteg Florin , Herman Viorel , Dégi János , Morariu Sorin , Muselin Florin
Published: May 2024

Despite developing a broad spectrum of antibiotics, pathogenic bacteria remain the primary health concern. The emergence of drug-resistant strains increased therapeutic failure and mortality. The researchers are currently focusing on developing nanotechnology-based medicines to combat resistance. Our study focuses on the antimicrobial characteristics of plant-mediated silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs). The AgNPs were green synthesized (using thermal treatment) to reduce silver nitrate solution (AgNO3) using Sempervivum tectorum L. plant ethanolic aqueous extract. They were found to be broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents against two Staphylococcus pseudintermedius strains. We investigated AgNPs' antibacterial activity with time-kill curves, MIC, MBC, and well diffusion. The tests also showed a high activity of the particles against Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, with the minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging between 18.6–90.13 µg/ml. The prepared AgNPs were then characterized using scanning UV-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electronic microscopy (TEM) to study their morphology and crystallinity. Two distinctive absorption peaks of AgNP samples were observed at 474 nm and 487 nm for leaf extract samples, with a spherical shape with face-centered cubic (FCC) crystalline structure and diameter range between 10–60 nm, respectively. The impact was significantly greater when the NPs were less than 30 nm in size. The study revealed that an ethanolic aqueous extract of Sempervivum tectorum L. may effectively reduce and stabilize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) of various sizes, depending on the solvent concentration. The AgNPs have shown efficacy in both suppressing and eradicating microorganisms. The activity of AgNPs may be facilitated by a dual approach involving several processes of nanoparticles, such as the formation of reactive oxygen species and the presence of phytocompounds such as phenolics and proanthocyanidins bound to the nanoparticle surface. Nanotechnology-based therapies play a crucial role in treating microbial illnesses in veterinary medicine. Significant areas of research on nanoparticles (NPs) could include studying the synergistic interactions between Ag NPs and antibiotics, doing toxicity profiling, examining stability, and investigating bioavailability.
Intelligent Sample Allocation via Q-Value Inter-Episode Propagation
Authors: Che Guoliang , Zhou Ziyun , Kong Yan
Published: May 2024

Reinforcement learning (RL) algorithms face the challenge of limited data efficiency, especially when dealing with high-dimensional state spaces and large-scale problems. Typically, in updating the Critic of the agent, most reinforcement learning methods rely solely on state transition information within the same transition. To significantly enhance the data efficiency of reinforcement learning algorithms, we introduce a novel Q-value Inter-Episode propagation mechanism called the "Q Propagator (QP)." The QP is designed to enable information generated from a single sample to effectively propagate across transitions or episodes to different states, rather than being confined to propagation within the same episode. This capability strengthens the model's understanding of interdependencies among states, facilitating more effective learning from limited sample information. To promote versatility, we extend the QP as a plug-and-play module that can seamlessly integrate into other widely adopted RL algorithms. Our experiments demonstrate that the QP consistently improves the performance of several mainstream RL algorithms such as SAC and TD3 in certain tasks, achieving notable performance gains across various tasks in MuJoCo.
Treating Chronic Kidney Disease in Danish Primary Care: Results from the Observational ATLAS Study
Authors: Lindhardt Morten , Knudsen Søren Tang , Saxild Thomas , Charles Morten , Borg Rikke
Published: May 2024

Objectives: To describe the clinical characteristics, comorbidity, and medical treatment in a primary care population with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Additionally, to investigate how primary care physicians (PCPs) diagnose, manage and treat impaired kidney function, including uptake of cardio-renoprotective renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASis) and sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is).
Design: An observational study of CKD prevalence, treatment patterns and comorbidities in primary care based on patient record data combined with a questionnaire on diagnosis, management and treatment of impaired kidney function in a real-world, primary care setting.
Setting: 128/211 randomly invited primary care clinics throughout Denmark and a questionnaire completed by 125/128 participating PCPs.
Methods: A computerized selection identified 12 random individuals with CKD per clinic with ≥2 measurements of eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 or UACR >30 mg/g within two years (N=1 497). Pre-specified data collected from individual electronic health records included demographics, clinical variables, comorbidities, and relevant prescribed medications.
Results: Of the CKD study population (N=1 497), 80% had hypertension, 32% diabetes (DM), 13% heart failure (HF), 59% no DM/HF. ACEis/ARBs were prescribed to 65%, statins to 56%, SGTL2is to 14%, and MRAs to 8% of all individuals. Treatment patterns differed between individuals with varying comorbidities, e.g., ACEis/ARBs usage was higher in DM (76%) or HF (74%) vs. no DM/HF (58%), as was statin usage (76% in DM vs. 45% in no DM/HF). SGTL2i usage in no DM/HF was low. Most PCPs identified CKD using eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 (62%) or UACR >30 mg/g (58%) and 62% reported initiating treatment to retard kidney function decline.
Conclusions: Despite good PCP awareness and wish to use relevant guidelines, a gap exists in implementation of cardio-renoprotective treatment, especially in individuals without DM/HF. This offers an opportunity for clear recommendations to PCPs to optimize early cardio-renal protection in individuals with CKD.
Exploring Machine Learning Utilization on Influenza Pandemic Dataset
Authors: Hussain Shahid , Fatima Ubaida
Published: May 2024

There must be an exact system for monitoring the influenza outbreaks to have an optimum solution for the recovery of infected people’s health. For reducing the spread of future outbreaks of influenza virus, forecasting plays an important role. Influenza a is type of disease which is transferred to human beings through pigs, found in animals. It became pandemic in Spain, approximately, 1/3rd of human population died and 1/4th of pig population. Again in 2009, influenza "A" caused millions of deaths, and spread like a pandemic rapidly. Variety of researches inspected data obtained from World Health Organization and local hospitals at country level. This research work is based on mathematical biology using data science techniques in the domain of machine learning. This research suggests a modeling scheme for influenza pandemic predictions, its different classifications and types such as H1N1, B-Victoria etc. via machine learning prediction and regression as well as classification algorithms such as Logistic Regression (LR), Support Vector Machines (SVM) using Linear, Polynomial and RBF kernels; Naïve Bayes (NB) and Random Forest (RF) method for the prediction of influenza disease and its outbreak, the influenza kind became pandemic with the infected populated area. After using various kernels in SVM algorithm, it is observed that Polynomial and Linear kernels have approximately the same accuracy scores, while RBF kernel was not best-fitted for the considered influenza datasets. As far as the overall performance is concerned, at average, RF has the highest accuracy score as 74% while the LR had also the better average score as 72% after RF. After applying the considered ML algorithms, Random Forest algorithm performed in well-effective manner and comparatively it was analyzed as the best-fitted algorithm for the considered datasets.
Pillar-Pore-Structured Nanophotonic Coating with Superior Solar and Thermal Modulation Abilities
Authors: Yanfeng Gao
Published: May 2024

There is a growing focus on the development of advanced materials to enhance energy efficiency in space heating and cooling, which accounts for 13% of the annual consumption of global energy. Wavelength-selective dynamic regulation is undisputedly requisite to solve this problem. Radiative cooling materials work in the wavelength span of 8-14 µm, which is effective in heat dissipation. However, their fixed emissivity results in unpleasant undercooling. Adaptive cooling materials can change emissivity in response to temperature shifts, solving the problem of overcooling, however they absorb too much solar heat in daytime, especially in summer. Hence, a material is requisite to have high reflectance in solar wavelengths (0.25 – 2.5 µm). To address this issue, we propose a temperature-adaptive radiative cooling coating with high solar reflectance that efficiently reflects solar radiation and automatically switches its sky-window emissivity from 0.19 to 0.74, delivering an 85.92% solar reflectance for optimal energy efficiency and all-year-round thermal comfort within a specific climate zone. The simulations demonstrate that our sample surpasses existing roofing coatings in terms of energy efficiency across different climate zones, particularly those with substantial seasonal variations.
Species and Site Contributions to Odonata adult assemblage uniqueness in Brazilian Amazon streams
Authors: Nascimento Ana Caroline Leal , Martins André Ribeiro , Dias-Silva Karina , Juen Leandro , Mortati Amanda Frederico , Oliveira-Junior José Max Barbosa
Published: May 2024

Studies that assess the contribution of sites (LCBD) and species (SCBD) to total beta diversity (BDtotal) along environmental/spatial gradients are of fundamental importance for biodiversity knowledge, species conservation and for environmental restoration. We analyzed which spatial, environmental and environmental heterogeneity (LCEH) predictors were responsible for uniqueness species composition (LCBD). We analyzed the relationship of LCBD with species richness and dominance, and SCBD with abundance and occupancy. Habitat integrity (HII) can act as an environmental filter in the selection of species sensitive or tolerant to environmental changes and can reflect in the LCBD. We verified the differences in the compositional uniqueness (LCBD) of Anisoptera and Zygoptera along the habitat integrity gradient (HII). We expect that streams with greater habitat integrity (HII) will show greater compositional uniqueness (LCBD) in relation to Zygoptera species, because Zygoptera species are exclusive to streams with high HII values. In our results LCBD is mainly determined by the distance between sites, HII and depth stream. The streams with the highest LCBD had the lowest species richness and the highest dominance. Species with highest SCBD had the highest number of individuals and occupancy. Our results indicate that Odonata uniqueness depends on the distance and specific environmental conditions. The high compositional uniqueness (LCBD) of Odonata adults is related to priority sites for environmental restoration.
A Robust Parkinson’s Disease Detection Model Based on Time-varying Synaptic Efficacy Function in Spiking Neural Network
Authors: Das Priya , Nanda Sarita , Panda Ganapati , Dash Sujata , Mallik Saurav , Ksibi Amel , Alsenan Shrooq , Bouchelligua Wided
Published: May 2024

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease affecting millions of people around the world. Conventional PD detection algorithms are generally based on first and second-generation artificial neural network (ANN) models which consume high energy and have complex architecture. Considering these limitations, a time-varying synaptic efficacy function-based leaky-integrate and fire neuron model, called SEFRON is used for the detection of PD. SEFRON explores the advantages of Spiking Neural Network (SNN) which is suitable for neuromorphic devices consuming less energy and higher computational efficiency. To evaluate the performance of SEFRON, a publicly available standard UCI: Oxford Parkinson's Disease Detection Dataset is used. The performance is compared with other well-known neural network models: Multilayer Perceptron Neural Network (MLP-NN) and Radial Basis Function Neural Network (RBF-NN) as well as contemporary SNN models. The experimental results show that SEFRON classifier achieves highest accuracy of 100% and average accuracy of 99.49% which is the highest in comparison to other two classifiers. From the performance, it is proved that the presented model can help to develop a robust, less complex, and energy-efficient automated PD detection device that can assist the physicians to diagnose the disease at its early stage.
A cross-sectional study investigating malaria prevalence and associated predictors of infection among migrants to a newly established gold mining settlement in the Gambella Region of Ethiopia
Authors: Glendening Natasha , Haileselassie Werissaw , Lee Ming-Chieh , Yan Guiyun , Parker Daniel M
Published: May 2024

Background
Malaria is a major disease burden in Ethiopia. Migration can influence malaria transmission dynamics, with individuals relocating from malaria-free highland regions to malarious lowlands potentially facing elevated risks of contracting malaria. Migrants may find it difficult to protect themselves against malaria and have limited access to diagnosis or treatment. Settlers in goldmining sites are one type of migrant and are often neglected in malaria research yet may have particularly high malaria risk. We conducted a malaria prevalence survey in a new goldmining settlement in the highly malarious Gambella Region, Ethiopia.
Methods
We interviewed participants for demographic information and their knowledge and practices of malaria. We also tested participants for malaria using rapid diagnostic tests and blood samples. Using logistic regressions, we analyzed the influence of demographic characteristics on malaria infections and bednet access. Interviews were also conducted among community members to comprehend the community living conditions and healthcare accessibility.
Results
The overall prevalence of P. falciparum was 39.7% (CI: 34.7%-44.4%). Young children were most likely to have malaria, with individuals aged 15–24 having 67% lower odds (aOR: 0.33; CI: 0.13–0.86) of infection compared to those aged 0–4 years old. Meanwhile, those age 25plus had 75% decreased odds of malaria infection (aOR 0.25; CI: 0.10–0.65). Individuals with bednets had approximately 50% decreased odds of testing positive for falciparum malaria than those reporting having no bednet (aOR: 0.47; CI: 0.22–0.97). Individuals who relocated from low elevation with high malaria test positivity rate areas were more prone to testing positive for malaria, as were those residing in densely populated households with multiple malaria cases. Conversely, individuals from higher elevations with low malaria test positivity rates, and those living in households with 5–10 occupants and < 2 malaria infections, were more likely to possess bednets.
Conclusions
This goldmining settlement provides an example of an oft-neglected atypical community where malaria is a significant, but under-addressed, health problem. Within this community, future interventions focused on distributing bednets, particularly to larger households and those with children, have great potential to alleviate the malaria burden. Efforts should also be made to provide affordable, and accessible, early diagnosis and treatment.
Caregiving responsibility and psychological distress among community-dwelling cancer survivors in the United States
Authors: Mahmood Asos , Kim Hyunmin , Kedia Satish , Boykins Alexandria , Goldsmith Joy V.
Published: May 2024

Purpose. There are more than 18 million cancer survivors in the US, with a projected increase of 24.4% over the next decade. Currently, little is known about the relationship between a cancer survivor’s caregiving responsibility and psychological distress. This study examines whether cancer-survivor caregivers experience increased psychological distress compared to cancer survivors without caregiving responsibilities.
Methods. Data were drawn from the National Cancer Institute’s Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS5, Cycles 1 through 4, 2017–2020). The analytical sample includes 2,579 US cancer survivors (aged ≥65 years=50.5%, females=57.1%). Caregiving responsibility was self-reported, and psychological distress was assessed through the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4). Accounting for the complex design features of HINTS and jackknife replicate weights, a multivariable multinomial logistic regression model was fit to compute adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and their associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Results. About 19.1% (n=377) of cancer survivors self-reported caregiving responsibilities. Overall, 19.3% (n=438) of cancer survivors had mild, and 10.9% (n=252) had moderate to severe psychological distress. Compared to cancer survivors with no caregiving responsibilities, caregivers had more than two-fold higher odds of experiencing mild (aOR=2.25; 95% CI: 1.17, 4.29), and moderate to severe (aOR=2.18; 95% CI: 1.07, 4.46) psychological distress.
Conclusions. Our findings indicate that caregiving responsibilities among cancer survivors have a substantial adverse impact on their mental and emotional wellbeing.
Implications for Cancer Survivors.Cancer-survivor caregivers are a distinct subgroup that navigates both survivorship and caregiving burdens at the same time. There is a need to identify and develop tailored interventions, programs, and resources for this vulnerable group of caregivers.
Anabolic Steroid Abuse is Associated With a Dysfunction of the Autonomic System
Authors: Júnior Jefferson Fernando Coelho Rodrigues , Mostarda Cristiano Teixeira , Urtado Christiano Bertoldo , Santos Sarah Cristina do Rego , de Oliveira Augusto Ribeiro , Cabido Christian Emmanuel Torres , Amorim Carlos Eduardo Neves , Junior Mario Norberto Sevilio de Oliveira
Published: May 2024

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether AAS abuse can induce cardiac autonomic dysfunction in trained individuals after a session. Employing a quasi-experimental design, 17 healthy men were divided into two groups: users of AAS (N-7), who reported self-administration for at least two years and non-users of AAS (N-10). All subjects performed an acute strength-training session consisting of three sets of 10 repetitions at 70% of 1RM for four exercises (bench press, leg press, rowing and leg extension), with an inter set rest interval of 60 seconds. HRV measurements were taken before and during a 60-minute post-exercise recovery period. Results showed that AAS users had lower values for standard deviation of the NN intervals and root mean squared successive differences when compared to the non-AAS users before the resistance exercise. However immediately after the resistance training, all indexes in the time domain, non-linear and symbolic analysis were similar between AAS and NAAS. We conclude that the use of AAS is consistent with a dysfunction of the autonomic system, resulting in an increase of the sympathetic component and a corresponding decrease of the parasympathetic component.
Unique among high passes: Phylogenetic inferences from DNA barcoding of the butterfly fauna of Ladakh Trans-Himalaya, India
Authors: Ali Mohd , Dey Rushati , Das Moumita , Kumar Vikas , Chandra Kailash , Uniyal Virendra Prasad , Gupta Sandeep Kumar
Published: May 2024

The butterfly assemblage of Ladakh Trans-Himalaya demands a thorough analysis of their population genetic structure owing to their typical biogeographic affinity and their adaptability to extreme cold-desert climates. No such effort has been taken till date, and in this backdrop, we created a barcode reference library of 60 specimens representing 23 species. Barcodes were generated from freshly collected leg samples using the Sanger sequencing method, followed by phylogenetic clade analyses and divergence calculation. Our data represents 22% of Ladakh’s Rhopaloceran fauna with the novel barcode submission for six species, including one Schedule II species, Paralasa mani. Contrary to the 3% threshold rule, the interspecific divergence between two species pairs of typical mountain genus Hyponephele and Karanasa was found to be 2.3% and 2.2%, respectively. The addition of conspecific global barcodes revealed that most species showed little increase in divergence value, while a two-fold increase was noted in a few species. Bayesian clade clustering outcomes largely aligned with current morphological classifications, forming monophyletic clades of conspecific barcodes, with only minor exceptions observed for the taxonomically complicated genus Polyommatus and misidentified records of Aulocera in the database. We also observed variations within the same phylogenetic clades forming nested lineages, which may be attributed to the taxonomic intricacies present at the subspecies level globally, mostly among Eurasian species. Overall, our effort not only substantiated the effectiveness of DNA Barcoding for the identification and conservation of this climatically vulnerable assemblage but also highlighted the significance of deciphering the unique genetic composition among this geographically isolated population of Ladakh butterflies.
What happens when students engage in learning how to reason about Dutch historical literature in a digital game?
Authors: Van Keulen Renate , Spotti Massimiliano
Published: May 2024

L1 teachers expect quite a lot from their students when dealing with L1 literature. It is therefore important that teachers adequately equip them in developing their skills in reading, understanding, and reflecting on literature. But what happens when a digital method is used to achieve this all? As part of her PhD-research, Renate van Keulen developed a digital game to teach students how to reason about and with historical literature. Looking at the implementation of this game, this contribution tackles two main issues at hand in her class. First, we examine the effects of digitalization of literature teaching based on students’ assignments and evaluations. Second, based on an ethnographic interpretive inquiry focused on the teaching of literature via this digital method, we advance some considerations on what is gained and what is lost by these students when approaching reasoning about literature at the online-offline nexus. We conclude by reflecting on the current position of L1 teaching and the implications that digitalization and game-based learning platforms may have for students’ ownership of how to reason about literature.
Scoring open-ended items using the fuzzy topsis method and comparing it with traditional approaches
Authors: Çitci Aykut , Kezer Fatih
Published: May 2024

This study investigates the application of the fuzzy logic method for scoring open-ended items, specifically comparing its effectiveness against traditional scoring methods. Utilizing the fuzzy TOPSIS method within the mathematics domain, this research established seven criteria for evaluating open-ended responses, developed in consultation with three experts. Due to constraints imposed by the pandemic, the study did not proceed with a real-world application; instead, it simulated data for 25 students to compare the rankings derived from traditional and fuzzy logic methods using the MS Excel program. The research produced three distinct rankings using the conventional method and analyzed the correlation between these rankings and those generated by the fuzzy TOPSIS method, employing the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. The findings reveal a significantly positive correlation between the rankings obtained through traditional methods and those acquired via the fuzzy logic approach, suggesting the latter's potential as an effective alternative for evaluating open-ended responses.
Dynamic cross-border payment preferences: A qualitative study of Indonesian expatriates in Thailand and Malaysia
Authors: Kurniawan Pandu , Achjari Didi
Published: May 2024

Along with the development of global digitalization, international financial transactions are also advancing. In response, Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) collaborated with Malaysia and Thailand by launching Local Currency Settlement (LCS) integrated with Quick Response (QR) codes to reduce the use of dollars in cross-border transactions. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the Indonesian customer (Indonesian expatriates) preferences for payment methods provided by Bank Indonesia, specifically in the context of facilitating cross-border transactions. The number of research participants was 50 Indonesian expatriates (36 in Thailand, 14 in Malaysia), who were purposefully selected based on the criteria of being Indonesian traveling, studying, or residing in Thailand and Malaysia while maintaining Indonesian bank accounts. To identify these preferences, this study uses qualitative research using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. Based on the Hierarchical analysis, the results show that the main alternatives in payment method preference in Thailand and Malaysia show that Visa is still the most dominant in cross-border transactions. Across hierarchical criteria, including trust, speed, usability, installment flexibility, timing, and offering interest-free installment plans, Visa consistently outperformed QR Codes and Cash. Nonetheless, it is essential to highlight that QR Codes scored the highest in the criteria of Ease of Use in Malaysia. While in Thailand, QR codes achieved the highest score in terms of cost-effectiveness.