bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Circular RNA hsa_circ_0000915 promotes propranolol resistance of hemangioma stem cells in infantile haemangiomas
Authors: Chen Hongrang , Li Yongsheng
Published: September 2022

Background

Propranolol is a first-line clinical drug for infantile haemangiomas (IH) therapy. Nevertheless, resistance to propranolol is observed in some patients with IH. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) has been increasingly reported to act as a pivotal regulator in tumor progression. However, the underlying mechanism of circRNAs in IH remains unclear.

Methods

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect Circ_0000915, miR-890 and RNF187 expression. Protein levels were determined using western blot. CCK-8 assay was used to measure cell proliferation. Caspase-3 activity assay and flow cytometry were conducted to determine cell apoptosis. Luciferase reporter assay was carried out to assess the interaction between miR-890 and Circ_0000915 or RNF187. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay was performed to detect the interaction between STAT3 and Circ_0000915 promoter. Biotin pull-down assay was used to detect the direct interaction between miR-890 and Circ_0000915. In vivo experiments were performed to measure tumor formation.

Results

Here, we discovered depletion of Circ_0000915 increased propranolol sensitivity of haemangioma derived stem cells (HemSCs) both in vitro and in vivo, whereas forced expression of Circ_0000915 exhibited opposite effects. Mechanistically, Circ_0000915, transcriptionally induced by IL-6/STAT3 pathway, competed with RNF187 for the biding site in miR-890, led to upregulation of RNF187 by acting as a miR-890 “sponge”. Furthermore, silence of miR-890 reversed increased propranolol sensitivity of HemSCs due to Circ_0000915 ablation. Moreover, increased Circ_0000915 and RNF187 levels were observed in IH tissues and positively associated with propranolol resistance, miR-890 exhibited an inverse expression pattern.

Conclusion

We thereby uncover the activation of IL-6/STAT3/Circ_0000915/miR-890/RNF187 axis in propranolol resistance of IH, and provide therapeutic implications for patients of IH with propranolol resistance.
3D printed fracture reduction guides planned and printed at the point of care show high accuracy – a porcine feasibility study
Authors: Hecker Andreas , Eberlein Sophie C. , Klenke Frank M.
Published: September 2022

Purpose

After surgical treatment of comminuted diaphyseal femoral and tibial fractures, relevant malalignment, especially rotational errors occur in up to 40–50%. This either results in a poor clinical outcome or requires revision surgery. This study aims to evaluate the accuracy of reduction if surgery is supported by 3D guides planned and printed at the point of care.

Methods

Ten porcine legs underwent computed tomography (CT) and 3D models of femur and tibia were built. Reduction guides were virtually constructed and fitted to the proximal and distal metaphysis. The guides were 3D printed using medically approved resin. Femoral and tibial comminuted diaphyseal fractures were simulated and subsequently reduced using the 3D guides. Postoperative 3D bone models were reconstructed to compare the accuracy to the preoperative planning.

Results

Femoral reduction showed a mean deviation ± SD from the plan of 1.0 mm ± 0.9 mm for length, 0.9° ± 0.7° for varus/valgus, 1.2° ± 0.9° for procurvatum/recurvatum and 2.0° ± 1.7° for rotation. Analysis of the tibial reduction revealed a mean deviation ± SD of 2.4 mm ± 1.6 mm for length, 1.0° ± 0.6° for varus/valgus, 1.3° ± 1.4° for procurvatum/recurvatum and 2.9° ± 2.2° for rotation.

Conclusions

This study shows high accuracy of reduction with 3D guides planned and printed at the point of care. Applied to a clinical setting, this technique has the potential to avoid malreduction and consecutive revision surgery in comminuted diaphyseal fractures.

Level of Evidence

Basic Science.
Early detection of Alzheimer’s disease using neuropsychological tests: a predict–diagnose approach using neural networks
Authors: Mukherji Devarshi , Mukherji Manibrata , Mukherji Nivedita ,   Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: September 2022

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a slowly progressing disease for which there is no known therapeutic cure at present. Ongoing research around the world is actively engaged in the quest for identifying markers that can help predict the future cognitive state of individuals so that measures can be taken to prevent the onset or arrest the progression of the disease. Researchers are interested in both biological and neuropsychological markers that can serve as good predictors of the future cognitive state of individuals. The goal of this study is to identify non-invasive, inexpensive markers and develop neural network models that learn the relationship between those markers and the future cognitive state. To that end, we use the renowned Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) data for a handful of neuropsychological tests to train Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) models to predict future neuropsychological test results and Multi-Level Perceptron (MLP) models to diagnose the future cognitive states of trial participants based on those predicted results. The results demonstrate that the predicted cognitive states match the actual cognitive states of ADNI test subjects with a high level of accuracy. Therefore, this novel two-step technique can serve as an effective tool for the prediction of Alzheimer’s disease progression. The reliance of the results on inexpensive, non-invasive tests implies that this technique can be used in countries around the world including those with limited financial resources.
MicroRNA miR-627-5p restrains pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell dysfunction by targeting MAP 2 K4 and PI3K/AKT signaling
Authors: Li Ting , Tan Xiaoqin , Huang Yuexia , Cui Jun , Chen Fan , Xiong Ying
Published: September 2022

Background

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by pulmonary vascular remodeling, which can be caused by abnormal proliferation and migration of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). Several microRNAs were demonstrated to regulate the PASMC dysfunction. Our study intends to evaluate whether miR-627-5p affects cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-induced aberrant biological behaviors of PASMCs.

Methods

PASMCs was treated with CSE to create the in vitro cellular model of COPD. The viability and LDH release of PASMCs was detected by CCK-8 assay and LDH release assay. MiR-627-5p and MAP 2 K4 expression in CSE (2%)-treated PASMCs was detected by qRT-PCR. PASMC proliferation was observed under a microscope, and PASMC migration was assessed by Transwell migration assays. The binding of miR-627-5p on MAP 2 K4 was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Protein levels of MAP2K4 and the PI3K/AKT signaling markers were examined by western blotting.

Results

The viability of PASMCs treated with 2% CSE reached a peak. CSE dose-dependently downregulated miR-627-5p expression in PASMCs. MiR-627-5p overexpression attenuated the CSE-induced abnormal proliferation and migration of PASMCs. However, MAP2K4 overexpression antagonized the effects of miR-627-5p on PASMC dysfunction. Importantly, miR-627-5p inhibited CSE-stimulated activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway via downregulating MAP2K4.

Conclusion

MiR-627-5p improves CSE-induced abnormal proliferation and migration of PASMCs by inhibiting MAP2K4 expression and the PI3K/AKT pathway.
How university teachers navigate social networking sites in a fully online space: provisional views from a developing nation
Authors: Barrot Jessie S. , Acomular Denson R.
Published: September 2022

Although social networking sites (SNS) have been widely investigated, very limited information is available about how teachers navigate them within a fully online learning space, the challenges they confront, and the strategies they use to overcome them. Thus, we examined these underexplored areas by interviewing 14 higher education teachers in the field of social sciences. Using a cross-case analysis, overall data indicates that teachers had varied reasons for and considered different factors when adopting SNS for online teaching. Our study also reveals that they used SNS affordances depending on their own teaching contexts and took different roles when teaching online via this platform. Although teachers generally viewed SNS as an instructional approach, they also reported several technical, pedagogical, and learner-related challenges, which they attempted to confront using a variety of strategies. These findings confirmed that teachers’ pedagogical practices and decisions in an SNS-mediated learning environment are shaped by the interaction between and among the teacher-related factors, SNS as an instructional tool, and teaching goals mediated by the policies (existing or not) and their peers. Some key implications of our findings are on designing teacher development programs, recalibrating national, institutional, and classroom policies, and implementing a systemic approach to mitigating pedagogical challenges in an online learning space. Implications for future studies are also discussed.
Numerical modeling of the permeability in Bentheim sandstone under confining pressure
Authors: Siegert Mirko , Gurris Marcel , Lebedev Maxim , Saenger Erik H.
Published: September 2022

A new model for the determination of the permeability in sandstones under confining pressure is presented. Building on the concepts of digital rock physics, a numerical model is derived from a 3D tomographic scan. The pressure-dependent behavior is mimicked by adding an artificial flow resistance to the pore throats. All permeability simulations are performed using an in-house finite-volume code. In the first step, the proposed model is tested based on a given Bentheim sandstone sample and compared with experimental data. In the second step, the influencing factors of the model are investigated. Mainly discussed are the influences of the tomographic scan and the numerical resolution. Overall, the proposed model is observed to be capable of reproducing general trends of the experimental data, whereby the magnitude of the numerically determined permeabilities can strongly depend on the investigated influencing factors.
From Elif to Esty? Unorthodox and Turkish German Cinema's Captivity Narrative
Authors: Landry Olivia
Published: September 2022

The 2020 Netflix drama series Unorthodox draws on tropes from a vexed archive of transcultural cinema, in particular Turkish German cinema. Through the frame of the captivity narrative, this essay examines how the series about a young Hasidic Jewish woman who escapes her family and community in Williamsburg, New York, and flees to Berlin presents culturally determined themes of victimhood, oppression, and gendered subjugation. A comparison with Turkish German films, such as 40 Square Meters of Germany (40 Quadratmeter Deutschland, dir. Tevfik Başer, West Germany, 1986) and When We Leave (Die Fremde, dir. Feo Aladağ, Germany, 2010), calls attention to the continuity of the captivity narrative, with its troubling themes, and asks the question of intent. As scholars have indicated in the case of Turkish German cinema, filmmakers have frequently been faced with the task of appealing to German mainstream audiences eager to see their own cultural stereotypes reaffirmed on screen. Rooted in colonialist and Orientalist fantasies, the captivity narrative provided an effective conduit. But what is it still doing in Unorthodox? Close readings of several scenes from the series and engagement with Hortense Spillers's concept of “pornotroping” as well as Hamid Naficy's “housebondage” and Meyda Yeğenoğlu's “unveiling” reveal at once the problems and the possibilities of Unorthodox as it employs and subverts the captivity narrative. The essay concludes with an analysis of place, namely, the Berlin setting of the series, as a historically fraught context that likewise raises questions about intentionality and the role of Germany's past and present.
Wake Up, This Is Joburg
Authors: Zack Tanya , Lewis Mark
Published: September 2022

A single image taken from a high-rise building in inner-city Johannesburg uncovers layers of history—from its premise and promise of gold to its current improvisations. It reveals the city as carcass and as crucible, where informal agents and processes spearhead its rapid reshaping and transformation. In Wake Up, This Is Joburg, writer Tanya Zack and photographer Mark Lewis offer a stunning portrait of Johannesburg and personal stories of some of the city’s ordinary, odd, and outrageous residents. Their photos and essays take readers into meat markets where butchers chop cow heads; the eclectic home of an outsider artist that features turrets and full of manikins; long-abandoned gold pits beneath the city, where people continue to mine informally; and lively markets, taxi depots, and residential high-rises. Sharing people’s private and work lives and the extraordinary spaces of the metropolis, Zack and Lewis show that Johannesburg’s urban transformation occurs not in a series of dramatic, wide-scale changes but in the everyday lives, actions, and dreams of individuals.
Robust Adaptive Submodular Maximization
Authors: Tang Shaojie
Published: September 2022

The goal of a sequential decision-making problem is to design an interactive policy that adaptively selects a group of items, each selection is based on the feedback from the past, to maximize the expected utility of selected items. It has been shown that the utility functions of many real-world applications are adaptive submodular. However, most of existing studies on adaptive submodular optimization focus on the average-case, that is, their objective is to find a policy that maximizes the expected utility over a known distribution of realizations. Unfortunately, a policy that has a good average-case performance may have very poor performance under the worst-case realization. In this study, we propose to study two variants of adaptive submodular optimization problems, namely, worst-case adaptive submodular maximization and robust submodular maximization. The first problem aims to find a policy that maximizes the worst-case utility and the latter one aims to find a policy, if any, that achieves both near optimal average-case utility and worst-case utility simultaneously. We introduce a new class of stochastic functions, called worst-case submodular function. For the worst-case adaptive submodular maximization problem subject to a p-system constraint, we develop an adaptive worst-case greedy policy that achieves a [Formula: see text] approximation ratio against the optimal worst-case utility if the utility function is worst-case submodular. For the robust adaptive submodular maximization problem subject to cardinality constraints (respectively, partition matroid constraints), if the utility function is both worst-case submodular and adaptive submodular, we develop a hybrid adaptive policy that achieves an approximation close to [Formula: see text] (respectively, 1/3) under both worst- and average-case settings simultaneously. We also describe several applications of our theoretical results, including pool-base active learning, stochastic submodular set cover, and adaptive viral marketing.

History: Accepted by Andrea Lodi, Area Editor for Design & Analysis of Algorithms—Discrete.

Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/ijoc.2022.1239 .
A Branch-and-Repair Method for Three-Dimensional Bin Selection and Packing in E-Commerce
Authors: Fontaine Pirmin , Minner Stefan
Published: September 2022

Selecting a Parcel Type Portfolio to Reduce Unused Space in Transportation

Wrongly sized parcels lead to unused space and inefficient transportation. With continuously increasing e-commerce and last-mile delivery volumes, available parcel types at a warehouse can significantly impact unused space that is transported. In “A Branch-and-Repair Method for Three-Dimensional Bin Selection and Packing in E-Commerce,” Fontaine and Minner solve the trade-off between cost of unused space and cost of parcel variety through optimizing the portfolio of available parcel types. To solve large instances with millions of binary decision variables, the authors develop an exact decomposition method that allows for relaxing many binary variables, improves branch-and-check by repairing infeasible solutions, and shows how to avoid solving many subproblems. A case study using real data shows the efficiency of the proposed method and the impact of the portfolio on unused transportation space.
Marital Status and Its Effect on Depression in Indonesia: A Case Study of the 2014 Indonesian Family Life Survey
Authors: Anggana Adrian Kevianta , Aviliani Aviliani , Badrudin Patron Natadjaya Ramadhanu , Sihaloho Estro Dariatno
Published: September 2022

Background: Depression is a mental health disorder that makes the sufferer unmotivated and unproductive. This is caused by some factors such as loneliness, perfectionism, and marital status. Riset Kesehatan Dasar (Riskesdas) in 2018 shows that 6.1 percent of the population aged 15 and above in Indonesia experienced depression. Therefore, this study aims to see how marital status affects depression in Indonesia. Method: This study uses logistic regression, marginal effect, and the Rasch model using data from the Indonesian Family Life Surveys (IFLS) in 2014/2015. Result: Analyses showed that married observations have a lower prevalence of depression compared to those who are not married, divorced, or widowed. Conclusion: Therefore, an increase in divorce cases will increase the prevalence of depression in Indonesia. More effort in educating marriage to young couples is needed to reduce the number of divorces in Indonesia.
Relationship of Noise Intensity, Heat Stress, and Physical Workload to Workers' Health Complaints at Semarang Timber Factory
Authors: Atmaja Bian Ganda , Setyaningsih Yuliani , Wahyuni Ida
Published: September 2022

Background: As a country with a developed industry, the majority of entrepreneurs in Indonesia use modern industrial tools to help make their work easier. However, using modern technology causes side effects, such as noise from machines that cause hearing complaints. In addition, the hot work environment causes discomfort during work, and the excessive physical workload makes workers experience health complaints. Methods: This quantitative research uses a cross-sectional study approach with a purposive sampling technique. The sample consisted of 60 workers from a total of 126 in a wood factory in Semarang. The research instrument is a health complaint questionnaire sheet and a noise (a sound level meter), a physical workload (an oximeter), and a heat pressure (the QUESTemp). Data was analyzed by univariate and bivariate using the chi-square test. Results: The highest noise intensity is 98.02 dB, the highest heat pressure is 33.4°C, and the majority of the physical workload felt by workers is in the medium category. The chi-square test shows a relationship between noise intensity, heat stress, and health complaints of workers in a Semarang wood factory (p<0.05). Meanwhile, physical workload has no relationship with the health complaints of workers at the Semarang wood factory (p>0.05). Conclusion: Semarang wood factory has noise intensity and heat stress exceeding the threshold value, and most workers experience moderate physical workloads. The company should direct control of workers through the use of personal protective equipment and adequate drinking water, as well as controlling physical workloads on workers with workplace stretching exercises.
Environmental CW range-resolved S-lidars with Si/InGaAs arrays: limitations and capabilities under sky background
Authors: Agishev Ravil
Published: September 2022

In this paper, we discuss some features of open-path remote sensing inherent to CW range-resolved S-lidars (S comes from Scheimpflug) as a new, to the best of our knowledge, and promising class of laser instruments for environmental monitoring. In many remote-sensing applications, the accompanying skylight can degrade the sensitivity and overload the photodetectors, which is also very relevant for S-lidars with Si and InGaAs arrays. We paid special attention to the topical problem of predicting the limitations and potential of S-lidars in the VIS and SWIR spectral bands, where the sky background is particularly strongly affected. For this purpose, the index of immunity against external backgrounds as a quantitative indicator of S-lidars’ potential insensitivity to the current skylight is introduced. Its evaluation is carried out by comparing the potentially achievable signal-to-noise ratios at the detector output in the presence and absence of external illumination. The detector response to the skylight in the photon-counting mode is normalized to appropriate parameters of the array in order to use dimensionless estimates in describing the variability of conditions. Characteristic spectral and dark-current-related features distinguishing the response of Si and InGaAs array detectors in the presence of background illumination are taken into account. It is then shown how to determine the minimum required full well capacity of the array in order to neglect the skylight contribution and ensure stable operation of S-lidars. The proposed methodology is aimed at providing a rationale for design solutions to expand the applicability of this promising type of remote sensors.
Active projection nonlinear γ correction method for fringe projection profilometry
Authors: Wang Lin , Zhang Yuetong , Yi Lina , Hao Xin , Wang Meiyi , Wang Xiangjun
Published: September 2022

In fringe projection profilometry (FPP), the luminance nonlinearity generated by the superimposed

γ

effect of the projector and camera can lead to distortion of the intensity of the sinusoidal phase-shift fringe, resulting in a reduction of measurement precision and resolution. Traditional phase error compensation and

γ

-correction methods need to focus on the projector’s optimal performance. However, commercial projectors often have huge apertures and are, therefore, unable to project a perfectly focused sinusoidal fringe image. This paper proposes an easy-to-implement active projection error correction method with high precision that is insensitive to projector defocus. After calibrating the projector to establish the nonlinear

γ

-response model of the optical measurement system, inverse

γ

compensation is performed. By generating and projecting a set of precorrected sinusoidal fringes, the camera can capture the high-quality sinusoidal fringe image and decrease the phase measurement error caused by the nonlinear

γ

effect of the FPP system. Computer simulations and experiments verify the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed method for estimating and correcting the nonlinear

γ

distortion of the FPP system. The experimental results show that using the proposed active projection method to compensate for the error of the three-step phase-shift algorithm can achieve a high-precision measurement, and the influence of the system’s nonlinear

γ

effect on the measurement accuracy is significantly suppressed.
Theoretical analysis and experimental demonstration of gain switching for a PPM based UWOC system with picosecond pulses
Authors: Zhang Chao , Zhang Yufan , Tong Zhijian , Zou Haiwu , Zhang Hao , Zhang Zejun , Lin Gongru , Xu Jing
Published: September 2022

Shortening pulse width can improve the power efficiency and data rate of a pulse position modulation (PPM) based underwater wireless optical communication (UWOC) system at a fixed average optical power, which is more suitable for the energy-limited underwater environment. As a common method to generate short pulses, gain switching has the advantages of a tunable switching frequency and simple structure, facilitating the generation of high-order PPM signals. However, the output characteristics of electrical gain switching seriously affect the demodulation of PPM signals and limit the data rate. To study the performance of gain switching on a PPM communication system, simulation models of the semiconductor laser diode and the driving circuit are built to describe the generation of electrical and optical pulses. The pulse width, pulse peak value, and peak position of optical pulses are analyzed under different symbol durations and PPM orders. Furthermore, a 64-PPM/150-Mbps UWOC system with a 200-ps optical pulse width is demonstrated by using a gain-switched blue GaN-based laser diode in a water tank. The peak average power ratio (PAPR) is 19.5 dB. Via the statistical analysis of experiment results and the output characteristics of electrical gain switching, the main factor limiting the data rate attributes to the time delay fluctuation of gain switching. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that gain switching has been experimentally demonstrated and analyzed in a high-order PPM based UWOC system.
Broadband background-free vibrational spectroscopy using a mode-locked Cr:ZnS laser
Authors: Song Wenqing , Okazaki Daiki , Morichika Ikki , Ashihara Satoshi
Published: September 2022

We demonstrate high-sensitivity vibrational absorption spectroscopy in the 2-micron wavelength range by using a mode-locked Cr:ZnS laser. Interferometric subtraction and multichannel detection across the broad laser spectrum realize simultaneous background-free detection of multiple vibrational modes over a spectral span of >380 cm−1. Importantly, we achieve detection of small absorbance on the order of 10−4, which is well below the detection limit of conventional absorption spectroscopy set by the detector dynamic range. The results indicate the promising potential of the background-free method for ultrasensitive and rapid detection of trace gases and chemicals.
Plasmon-enhanced rotational dynamics of anisotropic core-shell polymeric-metallic microparticles
Authors: Pellizzi Nicola , Mazzulla Alfredo , Pagliusi Pasquale , Cipparrone Gabriella
Published: September 2022

The development of efficient and cost-effective micromachines is a challenge for applied and fundamental science, given their wide fields of usage. Light is a suitable tool to move small objects in a noncontact way, given its capabilities in exerting forces and torques. However, when complex manipulation is required, micro-objects with proper architecture could play a specific role. Here we report on the rotational dynamics of core-shell particles, with a polymeric nematic core of ellipsoidal shape capped by Au nanoparticles. They undergo a peculiar synchronous spinning and orbital motion when irradiated by a simple Gaussian beam, which originates from the coupling of the metallic nanoparticles’ optical response and the core anisotropies. The rotation capabilities are strongly enhanced when the trapping wavelength lies in the plasmonic resonance region: indeed, the spin kinetic energy reaches values two orders of magnitude larger than the one of bare microparticles. The proposed strategy brings important insights into optimizing the design of light controlled micro-objects and might benefit applications in microfluidics, microrheology, and micromachining involving rotational dynamics.
High-dimensional entanglement generation based on a Pancharatnam–Berry phase metasurface
Authors: Li Zhi-Xiang , Zhu Dong , Lin Pei-Cheng , Huo Peng-Cheng , Xia Hong-Kuan , Liu Ming-Ze , Ruan Ya-Ping , Tang Jiang-Shan , Cai Miao , Wu Hao-Dong , Meng Chao-Ying , Zhang Han , Chen Peng , Xu Ting , Xia Ke-Yu , Zhang Li-Jian , Lu Yan-Qing
Published: September 2022

High-dimensional entanglement is of great importance in quantum communications and can be realized by encoding information on multiple degrees of freedom (DoFs) of the photons. Conventionally, the realization of such high-dimensional entanglement involves different combinations of bulky optical elements. In this work, we present the use of a single dielectric metasurface to generate high-dimensional entanglement by modulating multi-DoFs of photons. By sending one of the polarization-entangled photons to interact with the metasurface, we encode path, spin angular momentum, and orbital angular momentum information to the original state. We achieve a four-qubit quantum state in the experiment. To verify it, we experimentally demonstrate the nonlocal correlations between the two photons by recording the correlated images, and we also perform a quantum state tomography measurement. This scheme can be applied to on-chip quantum state manipulation, which is promising in quantum communication with integrated components.
Battling the obesity epidemic with a school-based intervention: Long-term effects of a quasi-experimental study
Authors: Willeboordse M. , Bartelink N. H. M. , van Assema P. , Kremers S. P. J. , Savelberg H. H. C. M. , Hahnraths M. T. H. , Vonk L. , Oosterhoff M. , van Schayck C. P. , Winkens B. , Jansen M. W. J.
Published: September 2022

Background

School-based health-promoting interventions are increasingly seen as an effective population strategy to improve health and prevent obesity. Evidence on the long-term effectiveness of school-based interventions is scarce. This study investigates the four-year effectiveness of the school-based Healthy Primary School of the Future (HPSF) intervention on children’s body mass index z-score (BMIz), and on the secondary outcomes waist circumference (WC), dietary and physical activity (PA) behaviours.

Methods and findings

This study has a quasi-experimental design with four intervention schools, i.e., two full HPSFs (focus: diet and PA), two partial HPSFs (focus: PA), and four control schools. Primary school children (aged 4–12 years) attending the eight participating schools were invited to enrol in the study between 2015 and 2019. Annual measurements consisted of children’s anthropometry (weight, height and waist circumference), dietary behaviours (child- and parent-reported questionnaires) and PA levels (accelerometers). Between 2015 and 2019, 2236 children enrolled. The average exposure to the school condition was 2·66 (SD 1·33) years, and 900 participants were exposed for the full four years (40·3%). After four years of intervention, both full (estimated intervention effect (B = -0·17 (95%CI -0·27 to -0·08) p = 0·000) and partial HPSF (B = -0·16 (95%CI-0·25 to -0·06) p = 0·001) resulted in significant changes in children’s BMIz compared to control schools. Likewise, WC changed in favour of both full and partial HPSFs. In full HPSFs, almost all dietary behaviours changed significantly in the short term. In the long term, only consumption of water and dairy remained significant compared to control schools. In both partial and full HPSFs, changes in PA behaviours were mostly absent.

Interpretation

This school-based health-promoting intervention is effective in bringing unfavourable changes in body composition to a halt in both the short and long term. It provides policy makers with robust evidence to sustainably implement these interventions in school-based routine.
Fractal characteristics of overburden fissures in shallow thick coal seam mining in loess gully areas
Authors: Li Jianwei , Guo Xinwei , Wu Xiangye , Chen Shijiang , Zhang Ningbo
Published: September 2022

The problems of water scarcity and ecological fragility are common in the loess gully area. To research the distribution and evolution of the overburden fissures and quantitatively analyze them have certain theoretical and engineering significance for realizing the evaluation of overburden damage degree and safe and green mining. This paper takes the 6102 working face of Chuancao Gedan Coal Mine as the engineering background. The development law and distribution characteristics of overburden fissures caused by the mining of shallow coal seams in the loess gully area were studied by the combination of physical similarity simulation, numerical similarity simulation and fractal theory. The results show that the fractal dimension change of the overburden fissures caused by the shallow mining of coal seam groups in the loess gully area can be divided into three stages during the mining process of the working face. Repeated mining causes the activation and development of overburden fissures, the fractal dimension increases significantly, and the regularity of changes weakens. The magnitude of the stress near the working face and the fluctuation times of the stress in the goaf have an influence on the change of the fractal dimension of the overburden fissures. According to the development angle and the fractal dimension of the overburden fissures, the overburden rock above the goaf is divided into the collapse fissure area, the compaction fissure area, and the vertical fissure area. Overburden fissures develop violently in the vertical fissure area, the overburden fissures in the compaction fissure area are mostly transverse fissures, and the overburden fissures in the caving fissure area are irregular.
Classification of ECG signal using FFT based improved Alexnet classifier
Authors: Kumar M. Arun , Chakrapani Arvind
Published: September 2022

Electrocardiograms (ECG) are extensively used for the diagnosis of cardiac arrhythmias. This paper investigates the use of machine learning classification algorithms for ECG analysis and arrhythmia detection. This is a crucial component of a conventional electronic health system, and it frequently necessitates ECG signal reduction for long-term data storage and remote transmission. Signal processing methods must be used to extract the function of the morphological properties of the ECG signal changing with time, which is difficult to discern in the typical visual depiction of the ECG signal. In biomedical research, signal processing and data analysis are commonly employed methodologies. This work proposes the use of an ECG arrhythmia classification method based on Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) for feature extraction and an improved AlexNet classifier to distinguish the difference between four types of arrhythmia conditions that were collected from records. The Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) algorithm’s results are compared to those of other algorithms, and the simulation results prove that the proposed technique is more effective for various parameters. The final results of the proposed system show that its ability to find deviations is 20% better than that of traditional systems.
A protocol for a qualitative study on sex trafficking: Exploring knowledge, attitudes, and practices of physicians, nurses, and social workers in Ontario, Canada
Authors: Jacobson Danielle , Mason Robin , Bruder Rhonelle , Du Mont Janice
Published: September 2022

Introduction

There has been limited research on sex trafficking in Canada from a health and health care perspective, despite U.S. research which points to health care providers as optimally positioned to identify and help those who have been sex trafficked. We aim to better understand health care providers’ knowledge about, attitudes towards, and care of those who have been sex trafficked in Ontario, Canada.

Methods and analysis

Using a semi-structured interview guide, we will interview physicians, nurses, and social workers working in a health care setting in Ontario until data saturation is reached. An intersectional lens will be applied to the study; analysis will follow the six analytic phases outlined by Braun and Clarke. In the development of this study, we consulted the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) with regards to reflexivity and study design. We will continue to consult this checklist as the study progresses and in the writing of our analysis and findings.

Discussion

To our knowledge, this will be the first study of its kind in Canada. The results hold the potential to inform the development of standardized training on sex trafficking for health care providers. Results of the study may be useful in addressing sex trafficking in other jurisdictions.
Feasibility of an online antigen self-testing strategy for SARS-CoV-2 addressed to health care and education professionals in Catalonia (Spain). The TESTA’T- COVID Project
Authors: Agustí Cristina , Martínez-Riveros Héctor , González Victoria , Fernández-Rivas Gema , Díaz Yesika , Montoro-Fernandez Marcos , Moreno-Fornés Sergio , Romano-deGea Pol , Muntada Esteve , Calvo Beatriz , Casabona Jordi
Published: September 2022

We aimed to assess the feasibility of TESTA’T COVID strategy among healthcare and education professionals.in Spain during the peak of the 6th wave caused by Omicron variant. Kits were ordered online and sent by mail, participants answered an online acceptability/usability survey and uploaded the picture of results. 492 participants ordered a test, 304 uploaded the picture (61.8%). Eighteen positive cases were detected (5.9%). 92.2% were satisfied/very satisfied with the intervention; and 92.5% found performing the test easy/very easy. We demonstrated that implementing online COVID-19 self-testing in schools and healthcare settings in Spain is feasible.
Peripheral Exudative Hemorrhagic Chorioretinopathy with and without treatment—Clinical and multimodal imaging characteristics and prognosis
Authors: Safir Margarita , Zloto Ofira , Fabian Ido Didi , Moroz Iris , Gaton Dan D. , Vishnevskia-Dai Vicktoria
Published: September 2022

Purpose

To describe clinical and imaging characteristics of patients with Peripheral Exudative Hemorrhagic Chorioretinopathy (PEHCR), prognosis and treatment response.

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study medical records of patients diagnosed with PEHCR in a tertiary medical center between 2008 and 2018 were reviewed. Collected data included demographics, medical history, ophthalmologic examination and multi-modal imaging including fundus autofluorescence, optical coherence tomography (OCT), ultrasound (US), fluorescein angiography and indocyanine green angiography when available. Bevacizumab treatment results were analyzed when applied.

Results

35 eyes of 32 patients were included, with a female predominance (56.25%) and an average age of 79.0±9.87 years at presentation. Most common OCT and US findings were subretinal mass (68.75%), pigment epithelial detachment (30.00%) and atrophic changes (21.86%). Median follow-up period was 18.00 months (range 0–102). Visual acuity (VA) remained stable (39.29%) or improved (25.00%) in most cases available for follow-up. Treatment with intravitreal bevacizumab induced a statistically significant clinical resolution in 88.89% of eyes available for follow-up (8/9 eyes) (p = 0.02).

Conclusions

PEHCR is presented with high clinical variability and generally good prognosis. This is the first publication demonstrating a statistically significant clinical resolution of disease following intravitreal bevacizumab injections.
Sociodemographic characteristics associated with hepatitis C virus infection in Vietnamese Americans: A cross-sectional analysis of community screening data
Authors: Lee Alice W. , Jacobs Wura , Tran Michelle , Nguyen Becky , Hua Dung N. , Ho John N. , Van Nguyen Thai
Published: September 2022

Background

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among Vietnamese Americans is reportedly high. Understanding the profile of those at greater risk of HCV in this ethnic population is a vital step to addressing this high prevalence. We hypothesize that certain sociodemographic characteristics increase the likelihood of having HCV in Vietnamese Americans.

Methods

Cross-sectional data from 2,497 Vietnamese Americans in Southern California who participated in a series of community hepatitis screening events organized by the Vietnamese American Cancer Foundation (VACF) were analyzed. Serological tests via immunoassays were used to determine whether the participant had hepatitis C antibodies (anti-HCV) to indicate a HCV infection. Sociodemographic characteristics as well as participants’ reasons for screening were collected from questionnaires, and logistic regression models with odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to quantify their associations with HCV infection.

Results

Approximately 5.8% of the study population was infected with HCV. Older adults and male participants had higher odds of being infected with HCV (e.g. OR = 2.90, 95% CI 1.25–6.76 for ages 70+ versus ages <40; OR = 2.57, 95% CI 1.79–3.69 for male versus female participants) as were those with a family history of HCV infection (OR = 2.74, 95% CI 1.57–4.78). In addition, perceived self-risk as a motivation for screening was significantly associated with HCV infection (OR = 1.88, 95% CI 1.26–2.78).

Conclusions

This study identifies specific subgroups in the Vietnamese American community who would largely benefit from targeted interventions given their higher likelihood of having HCV. These interventions should emphasize improving HCV knowledge and promoting HCV self-risk assessment since awareness of one’s own risk may motivate those likely to be infected to get screened.
Effects of exposure to sexually explicit material on sexually violent behavior among first-year university men in Vietnam
Authors: Bergenfeld Irina , Cheong Yuk Fai , Minh Tran Hung , Trang Quach Thu , Yount Kathryn M.
Published: September 2022

Background

Adolescence and emerging adulthood represent a period of heightened vulnerability to sexual violence (SV). While some research suggests that exposure to sexually explicit material (SEM) among adolescents and college students is associated with sexually violent behavior, our understanding of this relationship is limited. This study aimed to assess the relationship between prior exposure to several types of SEM and sexually violent behavior in a sample of first-year university men in Vietnam.

Methods and findings

A cohort of 739 first-year male university students completed three survey waves over 14 months, providing information on contact and non-contact sexually violent behavior, exposure to SEM, and other theorized confounders of the SEM-SV relationship. Controlling for these covariates, we estimated the average treatment effect of SEM on contact and non-contact SV using the propensity score method. We also conducted a dose-response analysis for the effect of violent SEM on SV based on frequency-of-exposure classes derived from latent class analysis. The majority of the sample reported exposure to SEM in the prior six months, with 41% of the sample reporting exposure to violent SEM. In propensity-adjusted models, exposure to violent SEM, but not other types, had a small but significant positive effect on contact and non-contact SV. These effects increased for frequent viewers of violent SEM. Models of contact SV showed endogeneity, warranting caution.

Conclusions

Exposure to violent SEM is prevalent among university men in Vietnam and may be contributing to sexually violent behavior. Incorporating media literacy into SV prevention programs to mitigate these potential effects may be warranted.
Healthcare resource utilization in patients with treatment-resistant depression—A Danish national registry study
Authors: Jensen Kristoffer Jarlov , Gronemann Frederikke Hørdam , Ankarfeldt Mikkel Zöllner , Jimenez-Solem Espen , Alulis Sarah , Riise Jesper , Bødker Nikolaj , Osler Merete , Petersen Janne
Published: September 2022

Objectives

To investigate healthcare resource utilization (HRU) and associated costs by depression severity and year of diagnosis among patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) in Denmark.

Methods

Including all adult patients with a first-time hospital contact for major depressive disorder (MDD) in 1996–2015, TRD patients were defined at the second shift in depression treatment (antidepressant medicine or electroconvulsive therapy) and matched 1:2 with non-TRD patients. The risk of utilization and amount of HRU and associated costs including medicine expenses 12 months after the TRD-defining date were reported, comparing TRD patients with non-TRD MDD patients.

Results

Identifying 25,321 TRD-patients matched with 50,638 non-TRD patients, the risk of psychiatric hospitalization following TRD diagnosis was 138.4% (95%-confidence interval: 128.3–149.0) higher for TRD patients than for non-TRD MDD patients. The number of hospital bed days and emergency department (ED) visits were also higher among TRD patients, with no significant difference for somatic HRU. Among patients who incurred healthcare costs, the associated HRU costs for TRD patients were 101.9% (97.5–106.4) higher overall, and 55.2% (50.9–59.6) higher for psychiatric services than those of non-TRD patients. The relative differences in costs for TRD-patients vs non-TRD patients were greater for patients with mild depression and tended to increase over the study period (1996–2015), particularly for acute hospitalizations and ED visits.

Limitations

TRD was defined by prescription patterns besides ECT treatments.

Conclusion

TRD was associated with increased psychiatric-related HRU. Particularly the difference in acute hospitalizations and ED visits between TRD and non-TRD patients increased over the study period.
Giardia duodenalis: Flavohemoglobin is involved in drug biotransformation and resistance to albendazole
Authors: Pech-Santiago Edar O. , Argüello-García Raúl , Vázquez Citlali , Saavedra Emma , González-Hernández Iliana , Jung-Cook Helgi , Rafferty Steven P. , Ortega-Pierres M. Guadalupe
Published: September 2022

Giardia duodenaliscauses giardiasis, a major diarrheal disease in humans worldwide whose treatment relies mainly on metronidazole (MTZ) and albendazole (ABZ). The emergence of ABZ resistance in this parasite has prompted studies to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon.G.duodenalistrophozoites convert ABZ into its sulfoxide (ABZSO) and sulfone (ABZSOO) forms, despite lacking canonical enzymes involved in these processes, such as cytochrome P450s (CYP450s) and flavin-containing monooxygenases (FMOs). This study aims to identify the enzyme responsible for ABZ metabolism and its role in ABZ resistance inG.duodenalis. We first determined that the iron-containing cofactor heme induces higher mRNA expression levels of flavohemoglobin (gFlHb) inGiardiatrophozoites. Molecular docking analyses predict favorable interactions of gFlHb with ABZ, ABZSO and ABZSOO. Spectral analyses of recombinant gFlHb in the presence of ABZ, ABZSO and ABZSOO showed high affinities for each of these compounds withKdvalues of 22.7, 19.1 and 23.8 nM respectively. ABZ and ABZSO enhanced gFlHb NADH oxidase activity (turnover number 14.5 min-1), whereas LC-MS/MS analyses of the reaction products showed that gFlHb slowly oxygenates ABZ into ABZSO at a much lower rate (turnover number 0.01 min-1). Further spectroscopic analyses showed that ABZ is indirectly oxidized to ABZSO by superoxide generated from the NADH oxidase activity of gFlHb. In a similar manner, the superoxide-generating enzyme xanthine oxidase was able to produce ABZSO in the presence of xanthine and ABZ. Interestingly, we find that gFlHb mRNA expression is lower in albendazole-resistant clones compared to those that are sensitive to this drug. Furthermore, all albendazole-resistant clones transfected to overexpress gFlHb displayed higher susceptibility to the drug than the parent clones. Collectively these findings indicate a role for gFlHb in ABZ conversion to its sulfoxide and that gFlHb down-regulation acts as a passive pharmacokinetic mechanism of resistance in this parasite.
The research effort on seeds of plant species native to the brazilian flora
Authors: Gonçalves Thamyres Sabrina , Maria das Dores Magalhães Veloso
Published: September 2022

The study performed a checklist of publications on species with available seed information and identified their issues and volumes. These publications occurred during the existence of the online versions of Revista Brasileira de Sementes (Brazilian Journal of Seeds) and the Journal of Seed Science. This data survey intends to represent a foundation for other studies and contribute to the knowledge of native plant species in Brazil. The search focused on the seeds of plants native to Brazil, indicating high negligence regarding the knowledge of Brazilian biodiversity because of the total number of articles published in 33 issues of Revista Brasileira de Sementes between 2002-2012 and the Journal of Seed Science, a substitute of the former journal, from 2012 to the first semester of 2020, with 28 issues published, but only 208 studies addressing seeds of plant species native to Brazil.