bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An integrated approach towards improvement of writer verification performance using page level, line level and word level data on Bangla handwritten document
Authors: Paul Jaya , Dutta Kalpita , Sarkar Anasua , Roy Kaushik , Das Nibaran
Published: August 2023

Handwriting analysis presents a formidable challenge, especially when dealing with languages like Bangla that lack extensive resources. Previous research on Bangla handwritten document recognition has focused on various levels, including page, block, line, and word analysis. However, the improvement of page-level recognition in this context remains an unexplored area. This paper aims to fill this gap by proposing an integrated approach that combines techniques at the page level, line level, and word level for writer verification. We have developed a novel method that significantly improves the performance of page-level writer verification, utilizing our newly created dataset, JUDVLP-BLWVdb. By utilizing the widely recognized ensemble technique of majority voting, we combine three classifiers (Support Vector Machine, Multilayer Perceptron, and Simple Logistic). Our proposed method achieves a remarkable increase in page level writer verification accuracy, improving by it nearly 12% to 97.62% across 101 different writers. Furthermore, we compare the results of our dataset with four state-of-the-art writer verification approaches. Additionally, we explore the application of deep learning-based approaches, including VGG16, ResNet34, and AlexNet, using our dataset.
A case of pulmonary visceral subpleural hematoma that arose after cardiopulmonary resuscitation treated by hematoma evacuation
Authors: Funaki Yutaka , Hirai Kyoji
Published: August 2023

Background
The occurrence of pulmonary visceral subpleural hematoma as a complication of sternal compressions during cardiopulmonary resuscitation is extremely rare. Also, reports about the treatment of visceral subpleural hematoma are few, and there is room for discussion.
Case presentation
A 58-year-old male with histories of rheumatoid arthritis, chronic atrial fibrillation, hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia developed ventricular fibrillation due to myocardial infarction and fainted. He received bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation and direct cardioversion by the ambulance crew and had return of spontaneous circulation. After transfer to our hospital, the patient underwent percutaneous catheter intervention and stenting with a diagnosis of myocardial infarction, followed by anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapies. On the 8th hospital day, chest radiography suggested right lower lobe pneumonia, and subsequent chest computed tomography revealed pulmonary hematoma in the visceral subpleural area from S6 to S10. Since no improvement was observed in hypoxemia, treatment was considered necessary. First, an attempt at computed tomography-guided drainage of hematoma was made, but because insertion of the Pig-tail catheter was difficult due to hardness of the hematoma, evacuation of hematoma was performed on the 13th hospital day. The hematoma was located in the visceral subpleural area and was removed by incising the pleura. TachoSil Tissue Sealing sheet® and Polyglycoal acid sheet were applied to the sites of air leakage and oozing after hematoma evacuation. No re-bleeding or air leakage was observed after the treatment, and the patient was discharged on the 26th hospital day after an uneventful course.
Conclusions
Pulmonary visceral subpleural hematoma may occur as a complication of chest compression. In our case, CT-guided puncture and drainage was unsuccessful, and surgical treatment by incision of the visceral pleura and hematoma evacuation alone was effective.
Association of Serum Vitamin D Concentrations with Dietary Intake in a Sample of Jordanian Students
Authors: Al-Qudah Maisa M , Deeb Ammar S. Ali , Al-Jaraedah Thana’ Y , Amawi Kawther , El-Qudah Jafar M. F. , Deeb Amjad Ali , Alkhatib Ahed J
Published: August 2023

Background
Optimal levels of vitamin D are vital for preventive health. However, vitamin D deficiency is still among the most common issues around the world at every age. Consequently, the current study is intended to investigate serum 25(OH)D levels in a sample of Jordanian students. The main aim is to assess the relationship between the estimated diatary intake of vitamin D and the serum of vitamin D, and to conduct biochemicl tests focused on the Jordanian context.
Method
A cross-sectional design has been adopted, 171 students aged between 18 and 25 years. and data collection and analyses were composed of several steps.
Results
The findings of this study revealed that the BMI showed a normal range in the majority of the participants (59.6%). The outcomes of biochemical testing were satisfactory as the levels fell within normal ranges, as mean total hemoglobin, packed cell volume, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, cholesterol/HDL ratio, LDL,and total preotein were 142.9 (g/L), 0.43 (l/l), 4.75 (mmol/L), 4.07 (mmol/L), 1.1 9(mmo/L),1.39 (mmol/L), 3.025, 2.17 (mmol/L), and 77.6 (g/L), respectively. Overall, from the results, it was found that the average dietary intake of students in the current sample was considered good. However, the intakes of folate, zinc, and vitamin B6 were bellow the recomendded intake.
Conclusions
Therefore, it is concluded that there is a need for further maintenance of optimal levels of vitamin D concentrations in their dietary intake to attain more suitable serum levels and overall health outcomes.
Scalable Simulation Algorithm to Generate Large-Scale Botnet Dataset using Role-Mining and Markov Chain
Authors: Bhuiyan Tanveer Hossain , Harun Sarah , Zhang Song , Medal Hugh
Published: August 2023

Detection of malicious networks (botnet) is becoming a major concern as they pose a serious threat to network security. But, botnet detection methods often perform very poorly in real-life datasets as the methods are not developed based on a real-life botnet dataset. A crucial reason for the detection methods not being developed based on a real-life dataset is the scarcity of large-scale, real-life botnet datasets. Due to security and privacy concerns, organizations do not publish their real-life botnet dataset. Realizing the need for a real-life large-scale botnet dataset, in this paper, we develop a simulation methodology to simulate a large-scale botnet dataset from a real-life botnet dataset. This simulation methodology is based on the Markov chain and role-mining approaches. Besides simulating the degree distribution, our simulation methodology also simulates triangles (community structures). We propose a novel scalable algorithm using parallel computing that generates large-scale botnet graphs from a small-size input dataset. To evaluate the performance of our simulation methodology, we compare our simulated graph with the original graph and with the graph simulated by the Preferential attachment (PA) algorithm based on the distributions of triangles, indegrees, and outdegrees. Results demonstrate that the distributions of the simulated graph generated by our methodology are very similar to the distributions of the original graph with minor real-life random variations. Results also demonstrate that our simulation algorithm substantially outperforms the PA algorithm in simulating the distributions of triangles and botnet subgraphs. To emphasize the accuracy of botnet simulation more, we provide a separate comparison between the botnet subgraphs of the simulated and the original graphs that demonstrates the similarity of our simulated botnet subgraphs with the original botnet subgraph. A comparison of our simulated scaled-up graph with the original graph demonstrates that our methodology preserves the triangle distribution and the botnet subgraphs of the original graph, whereas the PA algorithm fails to preserve the triangle distribution and the botnet subgraphs in the scaled-up graph.
Studies on the structure and stimulating effect on Caco-2 cells of flagellin and its truncated proteins of Escherichia coli Nissle 1917
Authors: Li Shuang , Ou Bingming , Wen Ming , Wen Guilan , Yang Ying
Published: August 2023

This study aimed to investigate the structural characteristics and their effects on stimulating Caco-2 cells of Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 flagellin (FliCEcN) and its truncated proteins, FliC△174−506 (D2-D3 domain deleted) and FliC△274−406 (D3 domain deleted). The experiment predicted the tertiary structure of FliCEcN by Alphofold2, analyzed the structural characteristics of FliCEcN, FliC△174−506 and FliC△274−406 by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and circular dichroism (CD), and detected the secretion levels of IL-6 (interleukin-6), IL-10 (interleukin-10) and TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-α) after FliCEcN, FliC△174−506 and FliC△274−406 stimulated Caco-2 cells for 6 and 12 h, respectively. The results showed that the NH3-ends and COOH-ends of FliCEcN were highly conserved, mainly composed of α-helix; the middle domains were highly variable, mainly composed of β-sheet and random coil. The Raman peaks of FliC△174−506 and FliC△274−406 generally maintained the main chain peaks of FliCEcN, while the side chain and amino acid peaks were absent to varying degrees. The composition of the secondary structure of FliC△174−506 and FliC△274−406 was altered. FliCEcN, FliC△174−506 and FliC△274−406 stimulated Caco-2 cells to secrete cytokines IL-10, IL-6 and TNF-α differently. The complete FliCEcN structure could stimulate more secretion of IL-10; the FliC△174−506 group had higher secretion of IL-6; and the FliC△274−406 group had higher secretion of TNF-α. In conclusion, deletion of different domains of the hypervariable region of FliCEcN affects its SERS and CD spectrum and stimulates Caco-2 cells to secrete cytokines.
Prognosis of breast-conserving surgery versus total mastectomy in young breast cancer patients based on SEER and Hebei Province cohort
Authors: Zhang Shuo , Hao Yahui , Shi Jin , Du Xinyu , He Yutong
Published: August 2023

Objective: To investigate the impact of breast-conserving surgery (BCS) and total mastectomy (TM) on the prognosis of young non-metastatic breast cancer patients.
Methods: Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database was collected for cases from 2010-2015, and patients’ data from 2015-2018 were likewise collected from the Hebei Provincial Tumor Registry. The Chi-square test and Fisher's exact probability method were used to compare differences in clinicopathological characteristics between treatment groups. Using univariate, multivariate Cox regression and propensity score matching (PSM) to analyze the prognosis of patients undergoing different procedures.
Results: A total of 9106 cases were collected from SEER database with a median follow-up time of 75 months. Race, Grade, T-stage, N-stage, histological type, ER status and HER2 status were independent prognostic factors for patients in the BCS group; race, T-stage, N-stage, PR status and HER2 status were independent prognostic factors for patients in the TM group. There was no significant difference in Overall survival (5-year OS rate: 93.2% vs. 93.4%) and Breast cancer-specific survival (5-year BCSS rate: 93.7% vs. 93.9%) between patients in the BCS and TM groups, regardless of before and after PSM (P>0.05). Compared to patients in the BCS group who had better OS than the TM group in 701 cases in Hebei Province (5-year OS rate: 97.0% vs 91.9%, P<0.05). Among patients who received radiotherapy, BCS patients had better OS than TM patients, and among patients with grade I as well as radiotherapy, BCS patients had better BCSS.
Conclusions: The prognosis of patients undergoing BCS is similar to that of patients undergoing TM. As younger patients increasingly undergo BCS, more attention should be paid to the prognosis of this group.
Correlation between surgical position and neck pain after thyroidectomy: a prospective observational study
Authors: Pagliaro Salvatore , Rossi Leonardo , Meligeni Michela , Catani Letizia , Morganti Riccardo , Materazzi Gabriele , Bakkar Sohail , Montanino Antonia , Pagliaro Danilo , Scateni Monica , Pagnucci Nicola
Published: August 2023

Objective: to determine the correlation between the degree of neck hyperextension on the operative table and the postoperative pain in patients undergoing open thyroidectomy.
Background: thyroid diseases are one of the most common health problems worldwide. Although they represent a necessary step in order to perform thyroidectomy, hyperextension of the neck can potentially increase post-operative pain.
Study design and methods: following the STROBE guidelines for observational studies, patients were prospectively enrolled from the cohort of patients operated at the Endocrine Surgery Unit of the University Hospital of XX, between May and July 2021. Both of patients who underwent total thyroidectomy or hemi-thyroidectomy were recruited. The following data were analysed in order to find a correlation with post-operative pain at 24 hours: age, gender, type of surgery, BMI, operative time, degree of neck extension.
Results: overall, 195 patients were enrolled. A direct, statistically significant correlation emerged between the degree of neck hyperextension and the postoperative pain 24 hours after surgery, regardless of the pain of the surgical wound (p< 0.001; Beta 0.270).
Conclusions: a direct correlation emerges between neck tilt angle and postoperative neck pain. Moreover, total thyroidectomy (TT) predisposes more to post-operative neck pain, considering the type of surgery.
Implications for research, policy, and practice: as the neck angle increases on the surgical bed, postoperative pain may increase.
Graph Neural Networks for Optimal Pathfinding: Uncovering the Shortest Distances
Authors: Neyigapula Bheema Shanker
Published: August 2023

The problem of finding the shortest path in a graph is of great significance in numerous domains, including transportation planning, network optimization, and social network analysis. Traditional algorithms such as Dijkstra’s algorithm and A* search have long been employed for this purpose, but they often encounter challenges when dealing with large-scale graphs or graphs with intricate struc- tures. In recent years, graph neural networks (GNNs) have emerged as a promising approach for learning representations and performing computations on graph- structured data. This research paper investigates the application of GNNs to the problem of optimal pathfinding by proposing a novel framework that combines the power of GNNs with efficient pathfinding algorithms. The framework lever- ages the expressive capabilities of GNNs to capture complex relationships and dependencies between graph nodes. A graph representation scheme is designed to encode both topological information and node features, enabling the GNN to learn meaningful representations that embody the underlying graph structure. These learned representations are then integrated into a pathfinding algorithm, facilitating efficient exploration of the graph to uncover the shortest distances. Extensive experiments conducted on various benchmark datasets demonstrate the superiority of the proposed approach over traditional algorithms in terms of both accuracy and efficiency. Additionally, the interpretability of the learned rep- resentations is analyzed, providing insights into how the GNN effectively captures important graph properties. This research paves the way for future advance- ments in graph-based learning algorithms and highlights the potential of GNNs in solving optimal pathfinding problems across diverse domains.
Arctic warming from a high latitude effusive volcanic
eruption
Authors: Zoëga Tómas , Storelvmo Trude , Krüger Kirstin
Published: August 2023

The effusive Holuhraun eruption in Iceland emitted large quantities of sulfur into the troposphere during the fall and winter of 2014-15. Previous studies have shown that the resulting volcanic aerosols led to reduced insolation, and thus surface cooling, through increased cloud shortwave reflectance, mostly over the North Atlantic and Europe. Less attention has been paid to the Arctic, which at the time of the eruption received limited sunlight. Based on evidence from observations and model simulations, here we argue that increased cloud liquid water path following the 2014-15 Holuhraun eruption led to surface warming in the Arctic through trapping of longwave radiation. Our results show that sulfur emissions from the eruption led to extended lifetime of low and middle level clouds, reducing the longwave radiative cooling of the surface. This is the first time, to our knowledge, that an effusive volcanic eruption is shown to have this effect. Given the high level of volcanic activity in Iceland, these results have broad relevance for the Arctic, ranging from understanding the climate of the past to predicting its future under continuing climate change. Our findings demonstrate the need to further explore the climate impacts of high latitude effusive volcanic eruptions.
Predicting Damage in Single-Lap Composite Joints with Nonlinear CZM behaviour using FGM Concept in Fibre-Matrix Coupling Laws
Authors: Messabih Fatima Zohra , Mokhtari Mohamed , Bentoumi Mohamed , Slamene Amir , Abdelouahed Elamine , Benzaama Habib , GHomari Achwak , Merasli Youcef
Published: August 2023

This work represents a novel and innovative numerical approach, which involves validating the results against experimental data to ensure reliability. This study focuses on incorporating the volume fraction of the FGM concept into the fibre-matrix mixing laws of unidirectional composites. Notably, a nonlinear formulation has been employed to account for the adhesive's ductility, and the CZM model has been integrated into the finite element analysis using the ABAQUS code. The CZM model in this study incorporates both shear and detachment modes, characterized by increasing adhesive stress in a trapezoidal shape. The proposed approaches introduce fibre presence in the matrix per layer, with concepts like C-1 having denser fibres in the middle of the thickness and others like C-2 and C-3 closer to the plate end. These concepts are designed to mitigate the transmission of loads to the adhesive joint and explore their influence on different responses and damage levels through adhesive plasticization. Additionally, due to the attached plates, the stiffness of the system significantly affects the overall response and resistance under mixed loading conditions.
Microbiome landscape and association with response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in advanced solid tumors: SCRUM-Japan MONSTAR-SCREEN
Authors: NAKAMURA YOSHIAKI , Sawada Kentaro , Yamashita Riu , Sakai Shunsuke , Horasawa Satoshi , Yoshikawa Ayumu , Fujisawa Takao , Kadowaki Shigenori , Kato Ken , Ueno Makoto , Oki Eiji , Komatsu Yoshito , Chiyoda Tatsuyuki , Horita Yosuke , Yasui Hisateru , Denda Tadamichi , Satake Hironaga , Esaki Taito , Sato Taroh , Takahashi Naoki , Yamazaki Kentaro , Matsuhashi Nobuhisa , Nishina Tomohiro , Takeda Hiroyuki , Ohtsubo Koushiro , Ohta Takashi , Tsuji Akihito , Goto Masahiro , Kato Takeshi , Bando Hideaki , Tsuchihara Katsuya , Yoshino Takayuki
Published: August 2023

Although the gut microbiome is associated with cancer development and progression, little is known about the effects of the gut microbiome landscape and the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) across cancers. We investigated the association between the microbiome, clinical features, and ICIs efficacy across cancer types in a large nationwide screening project for solid tumors (SCRUM-Japan MONSTAR-SCREEN). In the chemotherapy-naïve cohort (n=817), there was a high proportion of oral bacteria in the feces of patients who used proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) or had upper gastrointestinal cancers, especially in those with gastric cancer who underwent gastrectomy. Among patients treated with ICIs (n=333), alpha diversity, such as the number of amplicon sequence variants in feces, was not a predictive marker of ICI treatment across cancers. Still, using PPIs and high levels of oral bacteria in feces attenuated ICIs efficacy. This study provides insights into the strategies for improving ICIs efficacy.
Sustainable and Recyclable Polymers from CO2 and Lignin: Enabling Waste to Wealth Transformation
Authors: Chung Hoyong , Ghorai Arijit
Published: August 2023

The fast expansion of the plastics industry has intensified the global crisis of plastic waste pollution, ecological imbalance, and greenhouse gas emissions. This work highlights the conversion method of chaining up greenhouse gas CO2 with biomass lignin to develop new sustainable, recyclable polymers from abundant and non-food based renewable resources. A CO2 and lignin-based cyclic carbonate monomer has been synthesized using a cost-effective, non-phosgene-based and greener approach under atmospheric pressure and room temperature. The fully controllable synthesis of CO2 and lignin-based polymers is accomplished via ring opening polymerization (ROP) by varying the catalyst [1, 8-diazabicyclo (5.4.0) undec-7-ene (DBU), and 1, 5, 7-triazabicyclo [4.4.0] dec-5-ene (TBD)], catalyst loading (0.5–5.0%) and reaction time (2–40 min). Among the polymers, the best polymer obtained in 1% TBD with a reaction time of 30 minutes. The structural elucidations of the synthesized cyclic carbonate monomer and polymer are established using various spectroscopic analyses including 1H, 13C, and 2D HSQC NMR, FT-IR, and GPC. The high molecular weights (Mn: 120.34–154.58 kDa) and excellent thermal stabilities (Td5%: 244–277 ºC from TGA and Tg: 33–52 ºC from DSC) of the polymers are advantageous for practical applications. Significantly, the CO2 and lignin-based polymers have successfully recycled to the monomer for a circular plastic economy by heating at 90 ºC for 12 hours in presence of DBU. This process yields original structure of monomers that can be used for another polymerization without unwanted change of chemical structures, making it a sustainable solution. Therefore, this work illustrates an innovative hybrid approach of both the synthesis of 100% biomass-based polymer and infinite closed-loop recycling of polymer-monomer using abundant renewable resources, that further leads to a sustainable circular plastic economy alternative to the linear petroleum-based polymers.
Eye disease screening in infants attending vaccination clinic in Butajira town, Ethiopia
Authors: Gebrekidan Gebreabzgi Teklay , Teshome Addisu Worku
Published: August 2023

Background: Timely and periodic screening of eye diseases in infants is critical for the detection of visual impairment and its etiology as well as to plan early intervention.The aim of this study was to identify infants with eye disorders who visited the vaccination clinic.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in infants visiting the vaccination clinic in Butajira town, Ethiopia, from August 1 to 31, 2022. Screening activities included parental reports of ophthalmic complaints, family history of childhood ocular illnesses, and risk factors for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). The screening procedure involved assessing vision, adnexia, ocular motility, Hirschberg's test, pupils, red reflex, and anterior/posterior segments. Data collected were analyzed to determine the prevalence and types of eye disorders. The relationship between predictor variables and the presence or absence of diseases was assessed.
Results: Out of 244 screened infants, 51.2% were female and 48.8% were male. The mean age was 3.35 ± 2.95 months, with the majority falling into the 1-3 month age group (52.5%). Diagnoses were made in 41.4% of infants. The causes of eye diseases were bacterial conjunctivitis (24.6%), congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (5.7%), and epiblepharon (3.3%). A family history of childhood ocular illness in first-degree relatives was reported in 3.7% of infants. Risk factors for retinopathy of prematurity were identified in 2.4% of neonates. The findings showed that no predictor variable was statistically significant in predicting the presence of diseases.
Conclusions: Vaccination clinics could serve as important sites of eye screening in infants to identify common eye diseases and risk factors for ocular illness, such as risk factors for retinopathy of prematurity or family history of childhood eye diseases.
The replication-competent HIV reservoir is a genetically restricted, younger subset of the overall pool of HIV proviruses persisting during therapy, which is highly genetically stable over time
Authors: Shahid Aniqa , MacLennan Signe , Jones Bradley R. , Sudderuddin Hanwei , Dang Zhong , Cobarrubias Kyle , Duncan Maggie C. , Kinloch Natalie N. , Dapp Michael J. , Archin Nancie M , Fischl Margaret A. , Ofotokun Igho , Adimora Adaora , Gange Stephen , Aouizerat Bradley , Kuniholm Mark H. , Kassaye Seble , Mullins James I. , Goldstein Harris , Joy Jeffrey B. , Anastos Kathryn , Brumme Zabrina L.
Published: August 2023

Within-host HIV populations continually diversify during untreated infection, and members of these diverse forms persist within infected cell reservoirs, even during antiretroviral therapy (ART). Characterizing the diverse viral sequences that persist during ART is critical to HIV cure efforts, but our knowledge of on-ART proviral evolutionary dynamics remains incomplete, as does our understanding of the differences between the overall pool of persisting proviral DNA (which is largely genetically defective) and the subset of intact HIV sequences capable of reactivating. Here, we reconstructed within-host HIV evolutionary histories in blood from seven participants of the Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) who experienced HIV seroconversion. We measured diversity, lineage origins and ages of proviral sequences (env-gp120) sampled up to four times, up to 12 years on ART. We used the same techniques to study HIV sequences emerging from the reservoir in two participants. Proviral clonality generally increased over time on ART, with clones frequently persisting across multiple time points. The integration dates of proviruses persisting on ART generally spanned the duration of untreated infection (though were often skewed towards years immediately pre-ART), while in contrast, reservoir-origin viremia emerging in plasma was exclusively "younger" (i.e., dated to the years immediately pre-ART). The genetic and age distributions of distinct proviral sequences remained highly stable during ART in all but one participant in whom, after 12 years, there was evidence that "younger" proviruses had been preferentially eliminated. Analysis of within-host recombinant proviral sequences also suggested that HIV reservoirs can be superinfected with virus reactivated from an older era, yielding infectious viral progeny with mosaic genomes of sequences with different ages. Overall, results underscore the remarkable genetic stability of distinct proviral sequences that persist on ART, yet suggest that replication-competent HIV reservoir represents a genetically-restricted and overall "younger" subset of the overall persisting proviral pool in blood.
Delays in Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis (DIMES): protocol for a multicentre, observational study of multiple sclerosis diagnostic pathways in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.
Authors: Kuri Ashvin , Henshall David , Chaudhry Daoud , Ooi Setthasorn Zhi Yang , Zhang Qiqi , Mathews Joela , Thomson Alison , Rog David , Hobart Jeremy , Dobson Ruth , (NANSIG) Neurology and Neurosurgery Interest Group
Published: August 2023

Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a leading cause of non-traumatic disability in young adults. Accumulating evidence indicates early diagnosis and early treatment improves long-term outcomes. However, the MS diagnostic pathway is increasingly complex, and delays may occur at several stages. Factors causing delays remain understudied. We aim to quantify the time taken for MS to be diagnosed, and characterise the diagnostic pathway and initial care provided, in the United Kingdom (UK) and Republic of Ireland (ROI).
Methods and analysis: Delays In MultiplE Sclerosis diagnosis (DIMES) in the UK and ROI is a multicentre, observational, retrospective study that will be conducted via the Neurology and Neurosurgery Interest Group (NANSIG) collaborative network. Any hospital in the UK and ROI providing an MS diagnostic service is eligible to participate. Data on consecutive individuals newly diagnosed with MS between 1st July 2022 and 31st December 2022 will be collected. The primary outcomes are 1) time from symptoms/signs prompting referral to neurology, to MS diagnosis; and 2) time from referral to neurology for suspected MS, to MS diagnosis. Secondary outcomes include: MS symptoms, referring specialties, investigations performed, neurology appointments, functional status, use of disease modifying treatments, and support at diagnosis including physical activity, and follow up. Demographic characteristics of people newly diagnosed with MS will be summarised, adherence to quality standards summarised as percentages, and time-to-event variables presented with survival curves. Multivariable models will be used to investigate the association of demographic and clinical factors with time to MS diagnosis, as defined in our primary outcomes.
Ethics and dissemination: Formal ethical approval is not required as the project does not affect clinical practice and has been deemed a service evaluation. Participating centres are required to gain local institutional approval for data collection and sharing. The protocol will be disseminated through the NANSIG international network. Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed presentations and publications.
Registration details: N/A
Vulnerability to the faecal contamination in the Thiaroye shallow aquifer, Dakar, Senegal
Authors: DIAW Mor Talla , FAYE Seynabou C. , GAYE Cheikh B. , NIANG Seydou , CAMPOS Luiza C.
Published: August 2023

In rapidly urbanizing low-income cities where the use of on-site sanitation facilities (septic tanks or latrines) is high, shallow groundwater is often vulnerable to faecal contamination. Here, we develop a multi-criteria modelling of the vulnerability to chemical and bacteriological faecal contamination of an unconfined aquifer of Quaternary sands in the Thiaroye area of Dakar (Senegal) using a model coupling GIS with Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The approach includes the following factors (criteria): density of sanitation facilities, depth of water table, hydraulic conductivity, wetlands, potential recharge areas, population density and wealth inequality. Results show 11% of the study area with very high vulnerability, 20% of the area with high vulnerability and 69% of the area with low vulnerability.The vulnerability of the shallow aquifer was validated with monitoring of faecal contamination indictors (nitrate, E. coli) in groundwater carried out over a three-year period (2017-2019) using a network of 48 wells including dug-wells, piezometers, hand tubewells and boreholes. This validation showed a significant association (R2=0.7) between faecal contamination and the degree of vulnerability. Analysis of the results reveals that failures of on-site sanitation facilities in the area plays an important role in determining the quality of shallow aquifers in urban areas. It is, therefore, necessary to focus more on on-site sanitation facilities that significantly attenuate faecal contamination of shallow aquifers.
Echogenicity unit: A mathematical formula based on grayscale imagery
Authors: Andrade Luis Jesuino de Oliveira , de Oliveira Gabriela Correia Matos , de Oliveira Luisa Correia Matos , Andrade Maria Helena Ferreira , de Oliveira Luis Matos
Published: August 2023

Ultrasonography is a non-invasive imaging technique widely used in medical practice for diagnostic purposes. One crucial aspect of ultrasound imaging is the interpretation of the grayscale images produced, also known as the B-mode or 2D mode. The grayscale provides valuable information about tissue characteristics and aids in the accurate diagnosis of various conditions. Objective: To develop a mathematical formula for accurately calculates a unit of echogenicity based on the grayscale scale. Method: Data from grayscale images representing various levels of echogenicity were collected, ensuring coverage of both absence and maximum echogenicity. Each grayscale image was assigned a corresponding numerical value indicating its level of echogenicity. These echogenicity values were transformed into a normalized range from 0 to 100. A formula was derived to calculate the echogenicity unit. The derived formula was applied to a set of grayscale images with known echogenicity levels, and the resulting calculated echogenicity units were compared to the assigned values to ensure accuracy and reliability. Result: Based on the described methodology, the formula "Echogenicity Unit = (Echogenicity Value / 256) * 100" was derived. This formula assigns an echogenicity value between 0 and 100, where 0 represents the absence of echo and 100 indicates maximum echogenicity. The calculated echogenicity units were compared to the assigned values from the dataset to validate the formula's accuracy. Conclusion: This study developed a mathematical formula to create an echogenicity unit. This derived formula provides a standardized method to measure echogenicity levels in grayscale images, benefiting the field of medical imaging and enhancing diagnosis of specific conditions through objective assessment.
Risk factors for cardiovascular diseases among Indian Migrants in Australia
Authors: Mevada Ritegn , Kaphle Sabitra
Published: August 2023

Background
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are highly prevalent and growing concern globally and CVDs are associated with lifestyle risk factors such as alcohol consumption, smoking, unhealthy diet patterns, and poor physical activity.
Methods
This study explored the lifestyle risk factors for CVDs among Indian migrants living in Australia and barriers they face in accessing the Australian healthcare system. In depth interviews were conducted using a qualitative approach, and data was thematically analysed.
Results
This study revealed that most Indian migrants had unhealthy dietary habits due to religious beliefs, limited vegetarian food options, and lack of awareness about the impact of fast food on health. Additionally, inadequate physical activity, smoking, and alcohol consumption were observed. Participants reported challenges in accessing and utilizing health services with experiences of language barriers, discrimination, longer waiting times, and high cost of care.
Conclusions
This study highlighted a critical barrier related to migration to accessing health services by Indian migrants in Australia. Recommendations to overcome these barriers included the use of English translators, cultural competency training for healthcare staff, and the establishment of accessible and culturally responsive health care options for Indian migrants settled in Australia.
“Lakshya” A Novel Virtual Laboratory based on Django framework to conduct experiments in the area of Machine Learning, Signal processing and Communication
Authors: Shivaprasad  , S Dinesha A
Published: August 2023

Practical laboratories are essential for advancing students' professional aspirations because they allow them to learn by doing. The paper proposes creating a virtual lab(V-lab) to improve students' learning and observational skills and prepare them for the workplace. Excellent instructions on how to carry out experiments with legitimate client inputs are provided by V-lab. Students can perform experiments in the fields of machine learning, signal processing, and digital communication by visiting to the website https://lakshya.vcetputtur.ac.in. The intelligent web-server designed had been used frequently by third year Electronics and Communication students of VCET, Puttur to conduct Digital Signal Processing Laboratory and Advanced Communication Laboratory experiments. Final year undergraduate students pursuing projects in the area of ML found this website helpful, as it provided information about Classification report, Confusion matrix and Accuracy in one step. A Comparative study of various ML algorithms (Available in V-Lab) applied on Iris flower and Lung cancer dataset is provided in results and discussion section to justify the use of V-Lab in ML area. Results shows RBF based SVM classifier produced best accuracy when applied on iris flower dataset. Logistic regression classifier produced superior results compared to other ML algorithms when applied on lung cancer symptoms dataset. The website does not require sign-up credentials, free to use.
Willingness to pay for faecal sludge management services - a scoping review
Authors: Tomoi Hiroaki , MacLeod Clara , Moriyasu Taeko , Simiyu Sheillah , Ross Ian , Cumming Oliver , Braun Laura
Published: August 2023

Under Sustainable Development Goal 6, a target (6.2) of achieving universal access to safely managed sanitation services was established. For safely managed sanitation, waste must be safely disposed of in situ or transported and treated offsite. The cost and availability of services to ensure safe management of onsite sanitation, such as pit latrines and septic tanks, can be major barriers for poor households. This scoping review aimed to scope the literature on willingness to pay (WTP) for emptying onsite sanitation and identify determinants of WTP and gaps in knowledge. Through searches of six databases, and after de-duplication, we identified 1,846 studies, of which 14 studies were included after review. Within the 14 included studies we identified 26 distinct investigation scenarios that reported WTP and market price. Among them, 77% (20/26 scenarios) reported that the WTP was lower than the market price. Twenty statistically significant determinants of WTP were identified, which we categorised as economic situation, urgency, service characteristics, service accessibility, and knowledge. The principal knowledge gap was WTP for services designed to reduce prices and/or increase WTP by improving supply-side efficiency or using mobile money. Addressing this gap could help address the challenge of achieving safely managed services for all.
Kalkon Türevlerinin Antikanser Mekanizmaları
Authors: YILDIZ Yaren , ARI Ferda
Published: August 2023

Kanser; hücrelerin kontrolsüz çoğalmalarına, immün sistemin gözetiminden kaçmalarına ve uzaktaki dokuları istila ederek yayılmalarına yol açan, metabolik değişiklikler geçirdikleri bir süreçtir. Hayatı boyunca her beş kişiden biri, yaşamının bir döneminde kansere yakalanmaktadır. Geliştirilmiş olan tüm tedavi yöntemlerine rağmen, hala kanserin neden olduğu ölümler gelişmiş toplumlarda ikinci sırada yer almaktadır. Kemoterapik tedavilerde kanser hücresinin farklı metabolik yolaklarına etki eden çok çeşitli ilaçlar kullanılmaktadır. Anti-neoplastik özelliği ile bilinen paklitaksel ve dosetaksel gibi birçok bitkisel kökenli anti-kanser ilaç klinikte kullanılmaktadır. Bitkisel kökenli kemoterapötik ajanların çeşitli kanser türlerine karşı tedavi olanakları araştırılmaya devam edilmektedir. Son dönemlerde yapılan çalışmalarda, kanser tedavisinde farklı moleküler yolakları hedefleyebilen flavonoid bazlı bileşikler sentezlenmiştir. Flavonoid ailesine ait olan kalkonlarında farklı biyolojik etkilerinin yanı sıra anti-kanser aktiviteye sahip oldukları belirlenmiştir. Kalkon bileşiklerinin etki mekanizmasını ortaya çıkarmak için bilimsel araştırmalar devam etmektedir. Bu derlemede, kalkon türevlerinin anti-proliferasyon, apoptoz indüksiyonu, mikrotübül polimerizasyonu, anti-anjiyogenezis ve hücre döngüsünün durdurulması gibi mekanizmalar yoluyla anti-kanser rollerinden bahsedilmektedir.
A synergistic approach to morphotectonic evolution for watershed management in the Bearma River Basin, Central India
Authors: Singh Prinsi , Prakash Kuldeep , Kumar Suraj , Kannaujiya Ajeet K. , Mohanty Tanuja
Published: August 2023

Environmental catastrophes on a global scale have prompted a thorough evaluation of river morphology for sustainable basin development methods. Geomorphological investigations of river basins can provide significant information regarding Quaternary tectonic deformations. The present investigation intends to reveal tectonic imprints in the Bearma River Basin (BRB). Bearma is a significant river in central India that flows through Vindhyan Supergroup, Lameta, and Deccan Trap and contributes to developing the architecture of the marginal Gangetic plain. The digital elevation data has been utilized to obtain the morphotectonic indices, tectonic activity classes, and topographic characteristics. Bearma is an elongated basin with uplifted topography, continuously migrating channels, high hypsometric integral, and several stream length-gradient anomalies, indicating tectonically controlled. According to the tectonic activity index, 15.33%, 38.99%, and 46.55% areas of the BRB have high, moderate, or low tectonic activity, respectively. In conjunction with field investigations, the topographic and lineament study of the BRB has revealed significant relief variations and the importance of tectonic activity over erosion and depositional processes in determining the landscape. Reactivation of basement faults and subsurface lineaments caused by Himalayan tectonics and the Narmada Son North Fault have resulted in the recent deformation and development of the hydrographic network.
Data-driven modeling of sluice gate flows using a convolutional neural network
Authors: Yan Xiaohui , Wang Yan , Fan Boyuan , Mohammadian Abdolmajid , Liu Jianwei , Zhu Zuhao
Published: August 2023

Predicting the flow field around sluice gates is essential for controlling water levels and discharges in open channels and rivers. Smooth particle hydrodynamics (SPH) models can satisfactorily reproduce such free-surface flows, but they typically require long computational time and extensive computational resources. In this work, we propose a convolutional neural network (CNN) to predict the flow field around a sluice gate. A validated SPH model is used to carry out extensive simulations, and the generated data set is used to train and test CNN-based models. The results demonstrated that the developed CNN can accurately reproduce sluice gate flows, with R2 values exceeding 90% and significantly reducing the computational costs. Furthermore, various traditional machine learning algorithms comprising adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system, genetic programing, multigene genetic programing, and one-dimensional CNN were also evaluated, and a comparison of the results showed that the developed CNN performed better than the traditional data-driven algorithms in predicting sluice gate flows. Therefore, the proposed method is a promising tool for providing rapid prediction of the spatial distribution of flow fields near the sluice, and potentially for predicting other spatially distributed hydrologic variables.
processo de alfabetização de jovens e adultos nos movimentos sociais pela terra
Authors: Rudge Juliana de Morais Carvalho , Souza Marilene Proença Rebello de
Published: August 2023

A pesquisa tem como objetivo analisar as práticas de educação de jovens e adultos dos movimentos sociais relacionados à terra no Brasil, o MST (Movimento dos trabalhadores rurais sem-terra) e na Colômbia, o CNA (Coordinador Nacional Agrario), a partir da tematização das múltiplas determinações históricas, sociais, políticas e culturais presente em contexto latino-americano e as práticas de educação popular comprometidas com a emancipação dos sujeitos. Para isto, foi realizado um levantamento de produções bibliográficas sobre o contexto brasileiro e colombiano e, também, um levantamento de documentos dos órgãos da América Latina para compreender a dinâmica de estruturação dos movimentos sociais, como também a maneira como se constituiu no decorrer dos anos até os dias atuais. Como fundamentação teórica, utiliza-se da Psicologia Escolar Crítica de base marxista a partir do materialismo-histórico-dialético. Isto posto, o que se mostra é que em momentos de desestruturação das políticas públicas com o avanço neoliberal, os movimentos sociais exercem papel fundamental na luta social educacional.
Direct-acting Antivirals for Hepatitis C and Implication for Community Pharmacy
Practice
Authors: McEntee Sara , Liu Yifei , Mahmoudi Tahar , Oliver Kathryn , Cadwell Chad
Published: August 2023

The treatment options for hepatitis C have undergone noteworthy advancements since direct-acting
antivirals (DAAs) were introduced. The selection of a DAA therapy depends on the patient’s genotype, treatment
history, concomitant comorbidities, and concurrent medications. Pharmacists have a pivotal role in
providing clarification and recommendations in selecting appropriate, individualized DAAs for patients. This
commentary aims to (1) provide an overview of DAAs on the market for hepatitis C, and (2) describe the implication
for the care of patients with hepatitis C in a community pharmacy. Community pharmacists can establish
a workflow to recommend appropriate DAA therapy, identify drug interactions, and improve medication adherence
and compliance with lab appointments.
Recent Advances in the Microwave and Ultrasound-Assisted Synthesis of Pyrazole
Scaffolds
Authors: Tok Fatih , Koçyiğit-Kaymakçıoğlu Bedia
Published: August 2023

Pyrazoles are well-known five-membered heterocyclic compounds and are found
in a wide variety of synthetic and natural compounds. Compounds carrying pyrazole scaffolds
exhibit a wide range of biological activities such as anticancer, antimicrobial, anticonvulsant,
antioxidant, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. Pharmaceuticals with many
different activities in the pyrazole structure are currently on the market (e.g., celecoxib, lonazolac,
tepoxalin, rimonabant, pyrazofurin, epirizole). The pyrazole ring contains the N-N
double bond, which is thought to have a key role in biological activity, and compounds with
this bond are difficult to produce by organisms, so their relative abundance is very low in
nature. For this reason, many studies have been carried out on this structure and it has been
revealed that the structure has a unique effect spectrum.
Microwave-assisted synthesis has opened up some new opportunities compared to conventional synthesis. It is possible
to use less solvent and reduce processing time with microwave synthesis. In addition, better selectivity and
thermal stability are provided by microwave synthesis. Ultrasound-assisted synthesis is often used to enhance conventional
solvent extraction, while microwaves reveal bioactive compounds by heating without any solvent. In the
traditional method of pyrazole synthesis; polar solvents, acidic and basic catalysts are needed in large quantities in
the synthesis of pyrazole scaffolds. This review aims to summarize the recent advancements in the synthesis methods
of a pyrazole ring with non-traditional methods. Therefore this article will provide readers with a new perspective
on the synthesis of pyrazole scaffolds as an environmentally friendly alternative.