bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessing the effectiveness of environmental policies in the OECD countries: An advanced panel data estimation study
Authors: Zhang Jun , Khalid Samia , Mahmood Hamid
Published: February 2023

Due to the rapid increase in industrialization, environmental degradation has recently grown into a serious problem. The existing literature has mostly focused on the reduction of CO2 emissions and ignored PM2.5 emissions, which have a direct impact on the environment through air quality. Therefore, this study attempts to look into the effectiveness of environmental policies in determining environmental sustainability by lowering PM2.5 emissions in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. These are categorized as fiscal (green taxes), economic incentives, and research and development (R&D) investment policies. The second-generation panel co-integration method and Cross-Sectionally Autoregressive Distributed Lag (CS-ARDL) are employed for the period 1990–2019 to estimate the results. The Westerlund cointegration results confirmed a stable, long-run relationship between all the variables. The study shows that not all environmental regulations are equally successful in lowering PM2.5 emissions. According to the findings, R&D and fiscal policy help reduce PM2.5 emissions, whereas economic incentive strategies and population increase them. This shows that establishing green taxes on these emissions and developing green R&D policies will facilitate environmental sustainability. The overall findings let us classify some good performances in the OECD countries regarding the design of environmental policies, even though we should also keep in mind that there isn’t a solution that works for everyone. Policy makers should modify their plans in accordance with the nature and unique features of their country or region.
Security technology, urban prototyping, and the politics of failure
Authors: Jaffe Rivke , Pilo’ Francesca
Published: February 2023

In response to broader political and corporate tendencies towards ‘techno-solutionism’, critical studies of security technology highlight the threat that security technologies pose to civil rights and democratic accountability. This article argues for a slightly different perspective: rather than taking claims of technological efficacy at face value, it explores the multiple ways in which security-related technology so frequently fails to deliver its – confidently anticipated or feared – effects. A focus on sociotechnical failure can offer more comprehensive, on-the-ground understanding of the technopolitics of security. We suggest that these politics may lie precisely in the blurring of concepts of failure and success, as ‘prototyping’ and experimentation become an increasingly powerful logic of urban governance. This argument is developed through an analysis of security interventions in Jamaica, a context characterized by high levels of violent crime. The article focuses on three technologies that have been adapted to security-related purposes: a communication channel connecting police and private security guards, a public–private CCTV network, and a smart electricity grid. Drawing on approaches from science and technology studies, the article adopts a process-oriented approach, attending to both the discourses surrounding the introduction of these technologies and their everyday interactions with their social and built environments.
The triangle of security governance: Sovereignty, discipline and the ‘government of things’ in Olympic Rio de Janeiro
Authors: Pauschinger Dennis
Published: February 2023

This article reconsiders contemporary urban security governance. Conceptually, it revisits Foucault’s governmentality lectures to comprehend how security governance is carried out in places where the use of digital security technologies co-exists with overly lethal and repressive forms of policing. The author advances his analysis by conceptualizing a triangle of security governance in which disciplinary powers of control, apparatuses of security and sovereign/necropower are at work simultaneously, complemented by a fourth dimension that takes into account what Foucault outlined in the lectures as the ‘government of things’, which is the sociotechnical relationship between the agency of humans and machines. Empirically, the article explores the technopolitical turn in urban security policies in the city of Rio de Janeiro in the wake of the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics. Using discourses that are embedded in globalized mega-event security standards and legacy claims, authorities in Rio promoted a narrative of new material and non-material security measures that were intended both to secure the World Cup and the Olympics and to help overcome permanently entrenched urban conflicts in the city. By critically analysing these two approaches of new material and non-material security measures, the author shows how new security technologies are perfectly integrated into a continuum of death politics in Rio de Janeiro in ways that are conceptually best appreciated by considering how the triangle of security governance works in the digital era.
‘Enough to be Seen to be Onside but Hardly Substantial?’: RAF Bomber Command and Operation Husky
Authors: Worrall Richard J.
Published: February 2023

This article considers the operations of RAF Bomber Command in support of Operation Husky. Earmarked to play a considerable supporting role, the piece goes on to examine how valid operational difficulties, rather than the usual supposed notion of Sir Arthur Harris’ aversion to bombing Italy, would conspire to blunt its full participation. In attempting to get around these obstacles, Sir Arthur Tedder proposed a number of solutions, ranging from aircraft loans to having a Lancaster detachment in North Africa, but the Air Staff always supported the Commander-in-Chief Bomber Command in the continuation of the air campaign against Germany.
Development and field evaluation of an ELISA to differentiate Anaplasma marginale–infected from A. centrale–vaccinated cattle
Authors: Bellezze Julio , Thompson Carolina S. , Bosio Anabela S. , Torioni Susana M. , Primo María E.
Published: February 2023

Immunization of calves with Anaplasma centrale is used to prevent acute anaplasmosis caused by A. marginale. Natural and vaccine-acquired immunity is detected through serologic tests based primarily on A. marginale recombinant major surface protein 5 (MSP5m) because it has 91% identity with MSP5 from A. centrale (MSP5c). We developed a displacement, double-antigen, sandwich ELISA (ddasELISA) to detect antibodies against A. marginale or A. centrale. For ddasELISA validation, we analyzed serum samples positive for antibodies against Anaplasma spp. from cattle naturally infected with A. marginale ( n = 300) or vaccinated with A. centrale ( n = 255). Species-specific nested PCR (nPCR) assays were used to confirm infection. The optical density (OD) values obtained from antibodies directed at unique epitopes of A. marginale (ODAm) or A. centrale (ODAc) were used in the formula ODAm/ODAc. If the derived ratio was >0.38, the serum sample was considered positive for antibodies against A. marginale, with 98.9% sensitivity and 98.0% specificity. In a field evaluation, we analyzed 702 Anaplasma spp. antibody–positive serum samples from 34 herds by ddasELISA and nPCR; 571 were classified by ddasELISA as A. marginale–infected or A. centrale–vaccinated, with 84% agreement (κ = 0.70) between ddasELISA and nPCR. Our results indicate that ddasELISA could be used as a cost-effective alternative to molecular techniques to confirm infection with A. marginale in countries in which prevention is based on vaccination with A. centrale.
Diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of immunohistochemistry for the detection of rabies virus in domestic and wild animals in South Africa
Authors: Claassen Drienie D. , Odendaal Lieza , Sabeta Claude T. , Fosgate Geoffrey T. , Mohale Debrah K. , Williams June H. , Clift Sarah J.
Published: February 2023

We estimated the diagnostic sensitivity (DSe) and specificity (DSp) of an immunohistochemistry (IHC) protocol compared to the direct fluorescent antibody test (DFAT), which is the gold standard test for rabies diagnosis. We obtained brain samples from 199 domestic and wild animal cases (100 DFAT-negative, 99 DFAT-positive), by convenience sampling from 2 government-accredited rabies virus (RABV) testing laboratories in South Africa, between February 2015 and August 2017. Tissues that had been stored at 4–8°C for several days to weeks at the 2 accredited laboratories were formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded. Nighty-eight cases tested IHC-positive using a polyclonal anti-RABV nucleoprotein antibody and a polymer detection system. The overall DSe and DSp for the RABV IHC test were 98% (95% CI: 93–100%) and 99% (95% CI: 95–100%), respectively. Domestic dogs accounted for 41 of 98 RABV IHC–positive cases, with the remainder in 4 domestic cats, 25 livestock, and 28 wildlife. Herpestidae species, including 7 meerkats and 9 other mongoose species, were the most frequently infected wild carnivores, followed by 11 jackals. Three cases in domestic dogs had discordant test results; 2 cases were IHC–/DFAT+ and 1 case was IHC+/DFAT–. Considering the implications of a false-negative rabies diagnosis, participating in regular inter-laboratory comparisons is vital, and a secondary or confirmatory method, such as IHC, should be performed on all submitted specimens, particularly negative cases with human contact history.
Do Heutagogical Activities Influence Self-Determined Learning of Postgraduate Students? A Mediation Analysis VIA PLS-SEM Approach
Authors: Chun Τiew Chia , Abdullah Melissa Ng Lee Yen
Published: February 2023

The purpose of this study is to shed light on the mediating effect of heutagogical activities on the relationships between (1) social learning environment & self-determined learning and (2) students’ psychological needs & self-determined learning. The proposed model hypothesised that self-determined learning is dependent on the social learning environment, student psychological needs, and heutagogical activities. This study fills the knowledge gap by applying the partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to test the proposed model based on a sample of 626 postgraduate students from a higher education institution in Malaysia. The findings revealed that heutagogical activities had mediating effect on postgraduates’ self-determined learning. These are new insights on self-determined learning as no studies have examined the mediating effect of heutagogical activities through structural equation modelling analysis. Overall, this study offers valuable contributions to the empirical evidence and body of literature on heutagogy by providing an extended understanding of the mediating role of heutagogical activities in postgraduates’ self-determined learning. The findings suggest that more efforts are needed to refine the learning activities in postgraduate education for the postgraduates’ development of self-determined learning. The theoretical and practical implications, limitations, and suggestions for future research are also discussed.
A Developmental Approach to Understanding Gender Differences Among Youth Offenders Regarding Perceptions of Police Legitimacy
Authors: Lee Selye , Baek Hyunin , Cooper Jonathon
Published: February 2023

While there is a rich body of literature regarding attitudes toward the police, longitudinal empirical research on perceptions of police legitimacy among youth offenders is scant. Using data from Pathways to Desistance, a longitudinal study of 1,354 serious juvenile offenders, the current study builds upon the literature by identifying developmental trajectories of perceptions of police legitimacy among serious young offenders by gender. The study used group-based trajectory modeling, which yielded five trajectory groups for males and four trajectory groups for females. Female youth offenders exhibited slight increases in perceptions of police legitimacy, whereas males showed variations in perceptions of police legitimacy across the seven waves. To examine the probability that predictors belong to certain trajectory groups, the average marginal effects from a multinomial logit regression model were calculated. The findings showed that direct and indirect procedural justice and Black were statistically significant predictors of the probability of police legitimacy trajectories for both males and females. Compared with the male youth offenders, among their female counterparts, legal cynicism, self-reported offense, Hispanic, and age were not associated with the probability of each trajectory group. Given our findings and the strong association between the likelihood of offending and perceptions of the police, we suggest that existing early intervention programs may add a curriculum on prosocial attitudes toward the police. The findings also shed light on the significance of gender in the developmental perspective of police legitimacy perceptions among youth offenders.
Perception, knowledge, practices and training regarding the risk of exposure to antineoplastic drugs in three French compounding units
Authors: Delafoy Clémence , Benoist Hubert , Vasseur Michèle , Breuil Cécile , Divanon Fabienne , Odou Pascal , Simon Nicolas , Saint-Lorant Guillaume
Published: February 2023

Introduction

Healthcare workers are exposed to hazardous drugs such as antineoplastic drugs, which have potential carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic effects. Protective measures must be taken after appropriate staff training to handle antineoplastic drugs in a safe way. The objective was to assess perception, knowledge, practices and training regarding the risk of exposure of healthcare workers in three French compounding units.

Methods

This descriptive study was based on a questionnaire made of 33 questions divided into five sections related to the handling of antineoplastic drugs: perception of the risks, knowledge of the risks, protection practices, specific training and general questions.

Results

Among the 39 participants, over half considered their overall risk of exposure to antineoplastic drugs not being very low. Inhalation was known to 69.2% of them as possible route of contamination. The breakroom was identified by 28.9% of them as a place of contamination. The procedure in case of accidental exposure to antineoplastic drugs was known by 69.2%, but only half could explain it. Only 38.5% said they changed their gloves every 30 min as recommended. Barely half said that they had been trained specifically for the handling of antineoplastic drugs during an initial training. Over half wished to be informed, trained and aware of the proper handling of antineoplastic drugs.

Conclusion

Although some of these results are encouraging, specifically when compared to the other settings where antineoplastic drugs are handled, there is still room for improvement. Efforts to build an adapted and impactful training program must pursue.

Clinical trial registration

Study CONTACT, ref. 19-504.
Breathless war: martial bodies, aerial experiences and the atmospheres of empire
Authors: Brandimarte Italo
Published: February 2023

Following a widespread fascination with drones, the materiality of aerial warfare – its bodies, embodied experiences, technologies – has received increasing attention in International Relations (IR) scholarship. This article pushes for a deeper, political theorisation of air in the study of war in its material and embodied dimensions through a critical reading of the Abyssinian War (1935–1936) – a central yet largely neglected conflict in the colonial history of world politics. Exploring the joint deployment of aeroplanes and mustard gas in Ethiopia via a mosaic of sources – literature, strategic thought, cartoons and memoirs – I argue that aerial relations expose the production of a racialised global order underpinned by more-than-human war experiences. Bringing together geographer Derek McCormack’s concept of ‘envelopment’ and Black Studies scholar Christina Sharpe’s idea of ‘the weather’, I show how Italy’s imperial desires – and their international perceptions – cannot be theorised in separation from aerial experiences that are conceived as excessive of human bodies, sensing and imagination. This analysis thus makes two central contributions to the critical study of war in IR. First, an aerial reading of the Abyssinian War highlights the political importance of war experience beyond the human. Second, it challenges studies of drone warfare that reduce discussions of air to either the strategic, technical and ontological plane or to the intimate, embodied and phenomenological one. Instead, the more-than-human aerial experiences of the Abyssinian War call for a theorisation of air as both material and affective, technical and embodied, and grand strategic and intimate.
Evaluation of expansion forces of five pure bone-borne maxillary expander designs anchored with orthodontic mini-implants: An in vitro study
Authors: Walter Andre , de la Iglesia Fernando , Winsauer Heinz , Ploder Oliver , Wendl Brigitte , Puigdollers Perez Andreu
Published: February 2023

Aim:

This in vitro study investigates the limit of expansion forces and torque wrench forces developed by five skeletal bone expander designs (MICRO 2/4 expanders™) for clinical application.

Material and Methods:

A total of 30 skeletal expanders were placed in artificial bone blocks and mechanically tested, simulating maxillary expansion. Differences in jackscrew (Dentaurum™ [D], Superscrew™ [S] and Powerscrew™ [P]), number of orthodontic mini-implants (OMIs; two or four) and their placement inclinations (parallel 0° or 10° inclination) form five designs (D4/10°, S4/0°, S4/10°, P4/10° and P2/10°). Expansion forces and torque wrench values were registered, and radiographs were made initially and after 4 mm of expansion. Stress-strain curves were obtained after successive activations and the statistical analysis was performed as appropriate.

Results:

Plastic deformations in the OMIs and jackscrew occurred around the activation numbers 11–13, with torque wrench values in the range of 500–700 cN. The maximum expansion forces in expanders with four OMIs varied from 93.0 (D4/10°) to 166.6 N (P4/10°) whereas two OMI expanders (P2/10°) registered forces of 79.4 N. Radiographs revealed during loads bending forces (S4/00°, S4/10°) with jackscrew and OMIs deformation in a convex shape, and shear forces (P4/10°, P2/10°) demonstrated only OMIs deformation in a concave shape, providing 15% more expansive force. The jackscrew D4/10° did not have any deformation, but its wire key did not allow reliable activations from activation number 10 and compared to S4/10° and P4/10°, these expanders provided greater expansion forces ( P = 0.000 and P = 0.032, respectively).

Conclusion:

The different results obtained in stability and expansion forces indicate that if the activations are carried out under extreme conditions, they may have clinical importance with deformations and non-working expansion mechanics. Jackscrew designs play an important role in expansive forces and expander stability. Torque wrench values can be used clinically as a tool to asses the expansion forces and to avoid deformations.
Fatigue life prediction of double-row tapered roller bearings considering thermal effect
Authors: Kim Taewoo , Suh Junho , Lee Jeongin , Lee Bora , Yu Yonghun
Published: February 2023

Thermal effects on fatigue life were investigated by analyzing the thermomechanical behavior of double-row tapered roller bearings (DTRBs) and a fatigue life prediction model was developed. A bearing’s mechanical behavior was analyzed using a quasi-static model and its thermal behavior was analyzed using a thermal network method. Viscous drag and sliding friction at the contact area were considered as heat generation factors for DTRBs. The bearing lubrication characteristics and shape dimensions interacted with the temperature and the analysis was repeated until the entire DTRB system’s temperature converged. DTRB fatigue life was estimated using a fatigue life formula based on Gupta and Zaretsky’s statistical model. Results confirmed that the fatigue life decreased rapidly because of an interference fit that occurred at very high rotation speeds or at very low supply oil flow rates. This interference fit phenomenon is caused by thermal expansion of the bearing element. The interference fit can be prevented by designing with a large initial clearance value, but an initial clearance that is too large affects fatigue life negatively because of load distribution imbalance. Optimal design of the roller end sphere radius to minimize sliding friction for the flange part can provide additional help in preventing interference fit.
Combined clinical accuracy of inflammatory markers and ultrasound for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis
Authors: Afridi Muhammad Arif , Khan Imran , Khalid Malik Mairaj , Ullah Nadeem
Published: February 2023

Introduction:

Acute appendicitis is traditionally a clinical diagnosis where there are a range of diagnostic accuracies reported. The role of ultrasound is to improve specificity and decrease negative appendicectomy rate. It is a simple, non-invasive, easily available technique. The purpose of this study is to determine the diagnostic accuracy of an ultrasound in combination with total leukocyte count, neutrophil percentage and C-reactive protein in diagnosing acute appendicitis.

Methods:

This study includes consecutive sampling of suspected patients from January 2021 to February 2022 with the approval of the ethical and research committee. Clinical and personal demographics and characteristics of patients were collected, including age, gender, symptoms and clinical signs. Ultrasonographic findings of fluid-filled appendiceal diameter of more than 6 mm, periappendiceal echogenic mesentry and an appendicolith were primary positive features. Laboratory inflammatory markers of total leukocyte count, neutrophil percentage and C-reactive protein were also included.

Results:

A total of 250 patients were included with a mean age of 25 ± 9.79 years. Total leukocyte count showed the highest sensitivity (77.68%), followed by neutrophil percentage (69.96%), C-reactive protein (67.10%) and ultrasound (62.96%). While ultrasound had the best specificity (70.59%), it was followed by C-reactive protein and total leukocyte count (64.71%) and neutrophil percentage (58.82%), respectively. The sensitivity and specificity (99% and 98%) increased significantly when all four tests were combined.

Conclusions:

Clinical assessment with laboratory inflammatory markers and ultrasound improves the early diagnosis of appendicitis and decreases the false-positive appendicitis diagnosis, hence saving surgeons’ time and relieving patients from unnecessary appendicectomies.
Dissociations between coaches’ fatigue rating, athletes’ perceived fatigue, and objective training load
Authors: Kósa Lili , Körmendi János , Ihász Ferenc , Köteles Ferenc
Published: February 2023

Players’ fatigue after practice is an important indicator of the actual training status for the coach. However, fatigue is not a unitary construct; it has objective (physiological) and perceived (experiential) aspects, which are not necessarily strongly related. The present study aimed to assess the association between coaches’ and athletes’ perception of fatigue and objectively assessed training load (TL). Participants were 61 elite players of five sport teams of two sports (basketball and football) and their coaches. Players’ and coaches’ perception of fatigue and objective data on TL provided by the Polar Team Pro system was obtained for 276 practice sessions overall. The association between coaches’ and athletes’ fatigue rating was .43 ( p < .001), between coaches’ fatigue rating and TL was .5 ( p < .001), and between athletes’ fatigue rating and TL was .45 ( p < .001). Linear regression with TL as the criterion variable and coaches’ and athletes’ fatigue rating as predictor variables explained 32.8% of the total variance. As the discordance between coaches’ estimation of fatigue, athletes’ perceived fatigue, and objective TL appears substantial, coaches should always take into consideration the latter two indicators. Future research with a translational focus is needed to help coaches to find an optimal balance among various indicators of fatigue in the determination of the load for the subsequent training sessions.
Polycystic ovarian syndrome
Authors: Thornton Emma
Published: February 2023

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders diagnosed in women of reproductive age across the globe. The condition may have reproductive, metabolic and psychological sequalae. Insulin resistance contributes to the metabolic disturbances seen in PCOS. Historically clinicians have faced diagnostic challenges when managing patients with PCOS and this has resulted in delayed diagnoses and patient dissatisfaction. This article aims to summarise diagnosis, investigation and management of PCOS in primary care.
Ferroptosis Plays a Role in Human Chondrocyte of Osteoarthritis Induced by IL-1β In Vitro
Authors: Xu Wenbo , Zhang Bowen , Xi Chunyang , Qin Yong , Lin Xin , Wang Bo , Kong Pengyu , Yan Jinglong
Published: February 2023

Objective

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common disease with complex and unclear pathogenesis. Ferroptosis is a new cell death mode, which is proved to be involved in different kinds of disease. We hypothesized that ferroptosis contributes to the progress of human OA.

Design

Chondrocytes were extracted from waste cartilage of total knee arthroplasty, and stimulated with interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Then, we detected the morphology, proliferation, and viability, and levels of Fe3+, glutathione (GSH), reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and 5 proteins related to ferroptosis with or without intervention of ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1). In addition, we compared the effect of Fer-1 and liproxstatin-1 (Lip-1) on ferroptosis and the protection of chondrocytes by detecting several markers of both ferroptosis and OA.

Results

After stimulation of IL-1β, there were significant changes on the shape of chondrocyte, with lower viability and proliferation. There was accumulation of intracellular Fe3+, GSH, ROS, and MDA, with the changes of expression of 5 ferroptosis-related proteins. With the contribution of Fer-1, results above were reversed. Moreover, there was no significant difference in GPX4 and ACSL4 between Fer-1 and Lip-1 group. However, the expression of COLX, ADAMTS5, and MMP-13 are lower after the treatment of Fer-1 compared with Lip-1.

Conclusions

Ferroptosis plays an important role in human OA chondrocytes, which can be reversed by Fer-1, illustrating that inhibitor of ferroptosis may be a potential treatment of OA. Moreover, Lip-1 and Fer-1 can both alleviate the level of ferroptosis in OA chondrocytes, but Fer-1 had a more protective effect.
Esketamine in the treatment of chronic endometriosis-induced pain: a case report
Authors: de Koning Rozemarijn , Zwart Gertjan , Dahan Albert , Jansen Frank Willem , Blikkendaal Mathijs , Twijnstra Andries
Published: February 2023

Introduction:

The pathophysiology of endometriosis-induced pain is complex and current pain management is often inadequate. As a consequence, the quality of life of endometriosis patients is reduced due to persistent and often recurrent severe pain, affecting emotional well-being.

Case description:

In this case report, we present a 28-year-old patient with deep endometriosis and severe pain resistant to conventional therapy, who experienced, after an 8-h infusion with esketamine, no pain symptoms for 8 weeks.

Discussion:

Current treatment options to suppress chronic pain symptoms in patients with (deep) endometriosis are often inadequate. Esketamine targets key components of the condition (inflammation, pain, depression), but the use of this drug in the treatment of chronic pain due to endometriosis has not been reported yet. Future trials are necessary to assess the effect of esketamine in the treatment of chronic pain due to endometriosis.

Conclusion:

This case report highlights the potential of esketamine infusion therapy in the treatment of endometriosis patients with persistent pain despite conventional therapy.
Regeneration following blood loss and acute inflammation proceeds without contribution of primitive HSCs
Authors: Munz Clara Marie , Dressel Nicole , Chen Minyi , Grinenko Tatyana , Roers Axel , Gerbaulet Alexander
Published: February 2023

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are the ultimate source of blood and immune cells and transplantation reveals their unique potential to regenerate all blood lineages lifelong. HSCs are considered a quiescent reserve population under homeostatic conditions, which can be rapidly activated by perturbations to fuel blood regeneration. In accordance with this concept, inflammation and loss of blood cells were reported to stimulate proliferation of HSCs, which is associated with a decline in their transplantation potential. To investigate the contribution of primitive HSC to the hematopoietic stress response in the native environment, we use Fgd5-driven fate mapping and H2B-GFP proliferation tracking mouse models. While primitive HSCs were robustly activated by severe myeloablation, they did not contribute to the regeneration of mature blood cells in response to prototypic hematopoietic emergencies such as acute inflammation or blood loss. Even chronic inflammatory stimulation, which triggered vigorous HSC proliferation, only resulted in weak contribution of HSCs to mature blood cell production. Thus, our data demonstrates that primitive HSCs do not participate in the hematopoietic recovery from common perturbations and calls for the re-evaluation of the concept of HSC-driven stress responses.
Condition-based Maintenance Optimization for Gamma Deteriorating Systems under Performance-based Contracting
Authors: Zhu Xi , Wen Liang , Li Juan , Song Mingchang , Hu Qiwei
Published: February 2023

With the further development of service-oriented, performance-based contracting (PBC) has been widely adopted in industry and manufacturing. However, maintenance optimization problems under PBC have not received enough attention. To further extend the scope of PBC’s application in the field of maintenance optimization, we investigate the condition-based maintenance (CBM) optimization for gamma deteriorating systems under PBC. Considering the repairable single-component system subject to the gamma degradation process, this paper proposes a CBM optimization model to maximize the profit and improve system performance at a relatively low cost under PBC. In the proposed CBM model, the first inspection interval has been considered in order to reduce the inspection frequency and the cost rate. Then, a particle swarm algorithm (PSO) and related solution procedure are presented to solve the multiple decision variables in our proposed model. In the end, a numerical example is provided so as to demonstrate the superiority of the presented model. By comparing the proposed policy with the conventional ones, the superiority of our proposed policy is proved, which can bring more profits to providers and improve performance. Sensitivity analysis is conducted in order to research the effect of corrective maintenance cost and time required for corrective maintenance on optimization policy. A comparative study is given to illustrate the necessity of distinguishing the first inspection interval or not.
Cortical and subcortical morphological alteration in Angelman syndrome
Authors: Du Xiaonan , Wei Lei , Yang Baofeng , Long Shasha , Wang Ji , Sun Aiqi , Jiang Yonghui , Qiao Zhongwei , Wang He , Wang Yi
Published: February 2023

Background

Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with serious seizures. We aim to explore the brain morphometry of patients with AS and figure out whether the seizure is associated with brain development.

Methods

Seventy-three patients and 26 healthy controls (HC) underwent high-resolution structural brain MRI. Group differences between the HC group and the AS group and also between AS patients with seizure (AS-Se) and age-matched AS patients with non-seizure (AS-NSe) were compared. The voxel-based and surface-based morphometry analyses were used in our study. Gray matter volume, cortical thickness (CTH), and local gyrification index (LGI) were assessed to analyze the cortical and subcortical structure alteration in the AS brain.

Results

Firstly, compared with the HC group, children with AS were found to have a significant decrease in gray matter volume in the subcortical nucleus, cortical, and cerebellum. However, the gray matter volume of AS patients in the inferior precuneus was significantly increased. Secondly, patients with AS had significantly increased LGI in the whole brain as compared with HC. Thirdly, the comparison of AS-Se and the AS-NSe groups revealed a significant decrease in caudate volume in the AS-Se group. Lastly, we further selected the caudate and the precuneus as ROIs for volumetric analysis, the AS group showed significantly increased LGI in the precuneus and reduced CTH in the right precuneus. Between the AS-Se and the AS-NSe groups, the AS-Se group exhibited significantly lower density in the caudate, while only the CTH in the left precuneus showed a significant difference.

Conclusions

These results revealed cortical and subcortical morphological alterations in patients with AS, including globally the decreased brain volume in the subcortical nucleus, the increased gray matter volume of precuneus, and the whole-brain increase of LGI and reduction of CTH. The abnormal brain pattern was more serious in patients with seizures, suggesting that the occurrence of seizures may be related to abnormal brain changes.
CausNet: generational orderings based search for optimal Bayesian networks via dynamic programming with parent set constraints
Authors: Sharma Nand , Millstein Joshua
Published: February 2023

Background

Finding a globally optimal Bayesian Network using exhaustive search is a problem with super-exponential complexity, which severely restricts the number of variables that can feasibly be included. We implement a dynamic programming based algorithm with built-in dimensionality reduction and parent set identification. This reduces the search space substantially and can be applied to large-dimensional data. We use what we call ‘generational orderings’ based search for optimal networks, which is a novel way to efficiently search the space of possible networks given the possible parent sets. The algorithm supports both continuous and categorical data, as well as continuous, binary and survival outcomes.

Results

We demonstrate the efficacy of our algorithm on both synthetic and real data. In simulations, our algorithm performs better than three state-of-art algorithms that are currently used extensively. We then apply it to an Ovarian Cancer gene expression dataset with 513 genes and a survival outcome. Our algorithm is able to find an optimal network describing the disease pathway consisting of 6 genes leading to the outcome node in just 3.4 min on a personal computer with a 2.3 GHz Intel Core i9 processor with 16 GB RAM.

Conclusions

Our generational orderings based search for optimal networks is both an efficient and highly scalable approach for finding optimal Bayesian Networks and can be applied to 1000 s of variables. Using specifiable parameters—correlation, FDR cutoffs, and in-degree—one can increase or decrease the number of nodes and density of the networks. Availability of two scoring option—BIC and Bge—and implementation for survival outcomes and mixed data types makes our algorithm very suitable for many types of high dimensional data in a variety of fields.
Estimating incidence of type 1 and type 2 diabetes using prevalence data: the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth study
Authors: Hoyer Annika , Brinks Ralph , Tönnies Thaddäus , Saydah Sharon H. , D’Agostino Ralph B. , Divers Jasmin , Isom Scott , Dabelea Dana , Lawrence Jean M. , Mayer-Davis Elizabeth J. , Pihoker Catherine , Dolan Lawrence , Imperatore Giuseppina
Published: February 2023

Background

Incidence is one of the most important epidemiologic indices in surveillance. However, determining incidence is complex and requires time-consuming cohort studies or registries with date of diagnosis. Estimating incidence from prevalence using mathematical relationships may facilitate surveillance efforts. The aim of this study was to examine whether a partial differential equation (PDE) can be used to estimate diabetes incidence from prevalence in youth.

Methods

We used age-, sex-, and race/ethnicity-specific estimates of prevalence in 2001 and 2009 as reported in the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth study. Using these data, a PDE was applied to estimate the average incidence rates of type 1 and type 2 diabetes for the period between 2001 and 2009. Estimates were compared to annual incidence rates observed in SEARCH. Precision of the estimates was evaluated using 95% bootstrap confidence intervals.

Results

Despite the long period between prevalence measures, the estimated average incidence rates mirror the average of the observed annual incidence rates. Absolute values of the age-standardized sex- and type-specific mean relative errors are below 8%.

Conclusions

Incidence of diabetes can be accurately estimated from prevalence. Since only cross-sectional prevalence data is required, employing this methodology in future studies may result in considerable cost savings.
Predictors of the observed high prevalence of loss to follow-up in ART-experienced adult PLHIV: a retrospective longitudinal cohort study in the Tanga Region, Tanzania
Authors: Mushy Stella E. , Mtisi Expeditho , Mboggo Eric , Mkawe Simon , Yahya-Malima Khadija I. , Ndega John , Ngalesoni Frida , Muya Aisa
Published: February 2023

Background

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) programs have expanded rapidly, and they are now accessible free of charge, yet "loss to follow-up, LTFU" is still a national public health issue. LTFU may result in treatment failure, hospitalization, increased risk of opportunistic infections and drug-resistant strains, and shortening the quality of life. This study described the rates and predictors of LTFU among adults living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) on ART in the Tanga region, Tanzania.

Methods

A retrospective longitudinal cohort study was conducted between October 2018 and December 2020 in Tanga's care and treatment health services facilities. The participants were HIV adult PLHIV aged 15 years and above on ART and attended the clinic at least once after ART initiation. LTFU was defined as not taking ART refills for 3 months or beyond from the last attendance of a refill and not yet classified as dead or transferred out. Cox proportional hazard regression models were employed to identify risk factors for LTFU. P values were two-sided, and we considered a p < 0.05 statistically significant.

Results

57,173 adult PLHIV were on ART of them, 15,111 (26.43%) were LTFU, of whom 10,394 (68.78%) were females, and 4717 (31.22%) were males. Factors independently associated with LTFU involved age between 15 and 19 years (HR: 1.85, 95% CI 1.66–2.07), male sex (HR: 2.00 95% CI 1.51–2.62), divorce (HR: 1.35, 95% CI 1.24–1.48), second-line drug type (HR: 1.13, 95% CI 1.09–1.18), poor drug adherence (HR: 1.50, 95% CI 1.23–1.75), unsuppressed viral load (HR: 2.15, 95% CI 2.02–2.29), not on DTG-related drug (HR: 7.51, 95% CI 5.88–10.79), advanced HIV disease WHO stage III and IV (HR: 2.51, 95% CI 2.32–2.72). In contrast to cohabiting, ART duration < 1 year, and being pregnant showed a reduced likelihood of LTFU.

Conclusion

A high prevalence of LTFU was observed in this study. Young age, not using DTG-based regimen, WHO clinical stage IV, poor drug adherence, male sex, unsuppressed viral load, divorcee, and second-line regime were independently associated with LTFU. To reduce LTFU, evidence-based interventions targeting the identified risk factors should be employed.
Maternal circulating metabolic biomarkers and their prediction performance for gestational diabetes mellitus related macrosomia
Authors: Yuan Yingdi , Zhu Qingyi , Yao Xiaodie , Shi Zhonghua , Wen Juan
Published: February 2023

Introduction

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), a metabolism-related pregnancy complication, is significantly associated with an increased risk of macrosomia. We hypothesized that maternal circulating metabolic biomarkers differed between women with GDM and macrosomia (GDM-M) and women with GDM and normal neonatal weight (GDM-N), and had good prediction performance for GDM-M.

Methods

Plasma samples from 44 GDM-M and 44 GDM-N were analyzed using Olink Proseek multiplex metabolism assay targeting 92 biomarkers. Combined different clinical characteristics and Olink markers, LASSO regression was used to optimize variable selection, and Logistic regression was applied to build a predictive model. Nomogram was developed based on the selected variables visually. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration plot, and clinical impact curve were used to validate the model.

Results

We found 4 metabolism-related biomarkers differing between groups [CLUL1 (Clusterin-like protein 1), VCAN (Versican core protein), FCRL1 (Fc receptor-like protein 1), RNASE3 (Eosinophil cationic protein), FDR <  0.05]. Based on the different clinical characteristics and Olink markers, a total of nine predictors, namely pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), weight gain at 24 gestational weeks (gw), parity, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) 2 h glucose at 24 gw, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) at 24 gw, and plasma expression of CLUL1, VCAN and RNASE3 at 24 gw, were identified by LASSO regression. The model constructed using these 9 predictors displayed good prediction performance for GDM-M, with an area under the ROC of 0.970 (sensitivity = 0.955, specificity = 0.886), and was well calibrated (PHosmer-Lemeshow test = 0.897).

Conclusion

The Model included pre-pregnancy BMI, weight gain at 24 gw, parity, OGTT 2 h glucose at 24 gw, HDL and LDL at 24 gw, and plasma expression of CLUL1, VCAN and RNASE3 at 24 gw had good prediction performance for predicting macrosomia in women with GDM.
Age-specific effects on adverse pregnancy outcomes vary by maternal characteristics: a population-based retrospective study in Xiamen, China
Authors: Huang Caoxin , Jiang Qiuhui , Su Weijuan , Lv Fuping , Zeng Jinyang , Huang Peiying , Liu Wei , Lin Mingzhu , Li Xuejun , Shi Xiulin , Zheng Xuanling
Published: February 2023

Background

Advanced maternal age (AMA; ≥35 years) is considered to be a major risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes. Along with the global trend of delayed childbearing, and in particular, the implementation of China’s second and third-child policy leading to a dramatic increase of AMA in recent years, the association between maternal age and pregnancy outcomes requires more investigation.

Methods

A population-based retrospective study was performed. Data were derived from the Medical Birth Registry of Xiamen from 2011 to 2018. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the effects of maternal age on pregnancy outcomes.

Results

A total of 63,137 women categorized into different age groups (< 25 years, 25–29 years, 30–34 years, and ≥ 35 years) were included in this study. Compared with the mothers aged 25–29 years, the univariate regression analysis showed that mothers aged < 25 years had lower risks of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and cesarean. AMA was associated with higher risks of GDM, hypertension, cesarean, preterm birth, low-birth weight (LBW), large-for-gestational-age (LGA), macrosomia, and stillbirth (all P < 0.01). After adjustment for potential confounding factors, increased risks of GDM, hypertension, cesarean, preterm birth, and LBW remained significantly associated with AMA (all P < 0.05), whereas AMA mothers showed a lower risk of macrosomia than their younger counterparts. Additionally, no significant differences were detected in terms of Apgar score < 7.

Conclusion

AMA was associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes including increased risks of GDM, hypertension, cesarean, preterm birth, and LBW. This study confirmed the relationship between AMA and certain adverse maternal and fetal outcomes and emphasizes the necessity for women to be cautious about the age at which they become pregnant.
Intimate partner violence during pregnancy in COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study from South-west of Iran
Authors: Maharlouei Najmeh , Roozmeh Shohreh , Zahed Roozegar Mohammad-hassan , Shahraki Hadi Raeisi , Bazrafshan Khadijeh , Moradi-alamdarloo Shaghayegh , Vardanjani Hossein Molavi , Lankarani Kamran B.
Published: February 2023

Background

Intimate partner violence (IPV) against pregnant women can cause several complications for the mother and her baby, which are life-threatening. Thus, we aimed to find the prevalence of IPV and its associated factors in pregnant women in Shiraz, Iran.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant mothers in Shiraz between July 2020 and January 2021. The questionnaire consisted of four parts: demographic data, socio-economic status (SES), obstetric and medical history, and questions about IPV. Univariate analysis was performed using Chi-square, McNemar, or Fisher’s exact test, and variables with p-value < 0.20 were included in Logistic regression. The odds ratio and CI 95% for variables with p-value < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

The overall prevalence of IPV was 93.1% among 830 pregnant women in Shiraz. Psychological violence was the most prevalent type (92.9%), followed by sexual (11%) and physical (7.7%) violence. High SES (OR = 3.21, (CI:1.61–6.41)) was the only risk factor for overall violence, and the age group, 30–34, was a risk factor for physical violence. Mother-desired pregnancy (OR = 26 (Cl:0.09–0.79)) and father-desired pregnancy (OR = 0.91, (CI:0.22–3.80)) were protective factors against physical and sexual violence, respectively. Furthermore, Psychological violence and sexual violence increased during COVID-19 Pandemic (P.value < 0.05).

Conclusion

According to the obtained results, the prevalence of IPV during pregnancy in Shiraz was very concerning, especially psychological violence. Improving conflict-solving skills among family members and addressing economic problems could be considered by health policymakers when designing interventional programs and policies to reduce IPV during pregnancy.
Effect of nanoparticles on gouty arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zhu Ruiting , Niu Yirou , Zhou Wei , Wang Saikun , Mao Jing , Guo Yingze , Lei Yangyang , Xiong Xuance , Li Yingzhi , Guo Lirong
Published: February 2023

Objective

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of nanoparticles on gouty arthritis, and to provide evidence for the preclinical application of nanoparticles in gouty arthritis and ideas for nanomedicine improvement for nanoparticle researchers.

Methods

Five databases including the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase were searched for eligible studies until April 2022. The quality of the selected studies was assessed by SYRCLE’s risk of bias (RoB) tool, and the random-effects model was used to calculate the overall effect sizes of weighted mean differences (WMD).

Results

Ten studies met the inclusion criteria. Results showed that nanoparticles were effective in reducing uric acid levels (WMD: -4.91; 95% confidence interval (CI): − 5.41 to − 4.41; p < 0.001), but were not better than allopurinol (WMD: -0.20; 95% CI: − 0.42 to 0.02; p = 0.099). It was worth noting that the nanoparticles were safer than allopurinol. Subgroup analyses indicated that nanoparticle encapsulated substance, animal species, nanoparticle dosage, animal quantity, and animal gender were all sources of heterogeneity.

Conclusion

The nanoparticles are safe medications for gouty arthritis which can effectively reduce uric acid levels in rodents. Although the results are still uncertain, it is expected to have certain clinical application value. The nanoparticles may be the preclinical medications for gouty arthritis in the future.