bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimal Printing and Post-Processing Modes of Polymer Products Manufactured Using SLA-Technology of Additive Мanufacturing
Authors: Pratasenia T. A. , Kren A. P.
Published: December 2023

Innovative production technologies, such as additive synthesis, is inextricably linked with the development of methods for assessing the quality of manufactured products. At the initial stage of introducing of new production methods into various industries, the most studied and widely used control methods are usually used. In most cases these are standard destructive tests. As an alternative to standard tensile tests used to evaluate the elastic and strength properties of polymer products produced using SLA-technology, the dynamic indentation method is studed in this work. Using the samples of the high-temperature photopolymer resin High Temp RS-F2-HTAM-01, the possibility of optimizing 3D printing methods and post-processing modes based on dynamic indentation data is shown. It has been shown that non-pigmented photopolymers are most susceptible to embrittlement due to their ability to transmit UV radiation into the volume of the synthesized material. It was found that the embrittlement of a polymer material has a lesser effect on the result of measuring its dynamic hardness than on its tensile strength. It has been established that post-curing of polymer products at high temperatures (up to 160 °C) and UV radiation with a power of 39 W can increase their strength and elastic modulus by 170 % and 85 %, respectively, compared to the state before treatment. It has been proven that the sensitivity of the dynamic indentation method to changes in the physical and mechanical characteristics of products obtained using SLA-technology under various types and modes of their post-processing is comparable to the sensitivity of standard tensile tests.
Ensuring Uniform Material Removal with Magnetic Abrasive Finishing of Semiconductor Wafers by Mode Control of Machining Parameters
Authors: Stepanenko D. A. , Eromin E. S.
Published: December 2023

The paper describes a solution technique for direct and inverse problems of modeling the process of magnetic abrasive finishing (MAF) of semiconductor wafers. Solution of the direct problem enables calculation of allowance removal function for the prescribed machining parameters, and solution of the inverse problem enables determination of machining parameters required for realization of the prescribed allowance removal function.  The direct problem is solved by means  of Preston equation, which is usually used for description of material removal rate when polishing optical parts. The inverse problem is considered in a matrix formulation, and its least squares solution is determined by means of generalized inverse Moore-Penrose matrix. Based on the solution of the direct problem with constant values of kinematic and magnetic machining  parameters shows that MAF with constant values of machining parameters does not ensure uniformity of material removal.  On the basis of numerical examples it is shown that close to uniform material removal can be ensured by control of magnetic machining parameters with the law of variation determined from solution of the inverse problem. It is demonstrated that the smoothness of solution of the initial ill-conditioned inverse problem can be improved by means of Tikhonov’s regularization, which in turn technically simplifies control of machining parameters
The Role of Colchicine in the Management of COVID-19: A Meta-analysis
Authors: Elshiwy Kholoud , Amin Ghada Essam El-Din , Nazmy Mohamed , Samir Rasha , Allam Mohamed Farouk
Published: December 2023

Background: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has robustly affected the global healthcare and economic systems. The causative agent is coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The clinical presentation of the disease ranges from a flu-like illness to severe pneumonia and death. Till September 2022, the cumulative number of cases exceeded 600 million worldwide and deaths were more than 6 million. Colchicine is an alkaloid drug that is used in many autoinflammatory conditions e.g., gout, familial Mediterranean fever, and Behçet’s syndrome.
Objective: The aim of the current study was to assess the evidence of colchicine effectiveness in COVID-19 treatment.
Patients and methods: A comprehensive review of the literature was done till May 2022 and yielded 814 articles after ranking the articles according to authors and year of publication. Only 8 clinical trials and cohort studies fulfilling the inclusion criteria were included for further steps of data collection, analysis, and reporting.
Results: The results showed that colchicine resulted in a significant reduction in the mortality rate among patients received colchicine in comparison with placebo or standard care (RR 0.35, 95%CI: 0.15- 0.79). Colchicine resulted in a significant decrease in the need for O2 therapy in patients with COVID-19 (RR 0.07, 95%CI 0.02-0.27, P=0.000024). However, colchicine had no significant effect on the following outcomes among COVID-19 patients: the need for hospitalization, ICU admission, artificial ventilation, and hospital discharge rate. Among the PCR confirmed COVID-19 patients, colchicine decreased the hospitalization rate (RR 0.75, 95%CI 0.57-0.99, P=0.042). However, colchicine had no effect on mortality and the need for mechanical ventilation among this subgroup.
Conclusion: Colchicine caused a significant clinical improvement among COVID-19 patients as compared with the standard care or placebo, in terms of the need for O2, and mortality. This beneficial effect could play a role in the management of COVID-19 especially severe cases.
Distribution pattern and optimum sample size of Wheat aphid Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and their major predators
Authors: N Venkatesh Y , Padala Vinod K , Rajna S , Suroshe Sachin S. , Chander Subhash
Published: December 2023

Distribution indices such as variance to mean ratio (ID), Green's index (GI), Index of mean crowding (IMC), index of patchiness (IP), and Index of mean clumping (IDM) indicated the aggregated distribution of Rhopalosiphum padi, Coccinella. septempunctata and regular distribution of Cheilomenes sexmaculata in wheat crop. Taylor's power law regression for R.padi, C. septempunctata and C. sexmaculata showed a significant positive relationship between the mean population and variance. Aggregation parameter of Taylor's power law (b) were significantly > 1, as b = 2.039, 1.637, and 1.779, respectively in the first year, second year, and for pooled data. Iwao's mean crowding regression values were > 1 for R. padi, C.septempunctata, and C. sexmaculata with the coefficients of determination (R2) significantly high, indicating the aggregated distribution of the species. The optimum sample size (n) at 5%, 10%, and 20% precision levels for R. padi were 1265.20, 316.30, and 79.1 respectively with the mean population of R. padi as 5.0 aphids per tiller while the corresponding optimum sample size of 350 aphids/tiller, was observed to be 86.3, 21.6 and 5.4. In C. septempunctata sample size required is 324.8, 81.2, and 20.3 with a mean population of one beetle/m2 while the corresponding sample size with 18 beetles/m2 is 254.5, 63.63, and 15.9 at 5%, 10%, and 20% precision levels respectively.
Structural conservation and functional genetic adaptive evolution of chloroplast genomes in Cycle-cup Oaks
Authors: Li Yu , Zheng Si-Si , Wang Tian-Rui , Liu Mei-Hua , Kozlowski Gregor , Yi Li-Ta , Song Yi-Gang
Published: December 2023

Background: Cycle-cup oaks (Quercus section Cyclobalanopsis) are one of the principal components of forests in the tropical and subtropical climates of East and Southeast Asia. They have experienced relatively recent increases in the diversification rate, driven by changing climates and the Himalayan orogeny. However, the course, tempo, and mode of genome evolution in cycle-cup oaks remain largely unknown; in particular, how plant plastome genes and genomes evolve during rapid speciation. To address this question, we analyzed the complete plastomes of 50 species of Quercus section Cyclobalanopsis, 36 newly sequenced and 14 published species.
Results: Based on a series of analyses, including genome structure, genome annotation, GC content, repeat sequences, SSR components, codon usage bias, and comparative genomics, we found that Quercus section Cyclobalanopsishad a conserved plastome structure. Highly divergent regions, such as the ndhFand ycf1 gene regions and the petN—psbM and rpoB—trnC-GCA gene spacer regions, provided potential molecular markers for subsequent analysis. The maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree based on complete chloroplast genomes, coding DNA sequences, and highly divergent regions produced a poorly resolved genetic relationship of the plastid lineages of section Cyclobalanopsis. We identified nine protein-coding genes containing sites for positive selection: ndhA, ndhD, ndhF, ndhH, rbcL, rpl32, accD, ycf1, and ycf2.
Conclusions: We compared and analyzed the chloroplast genomes of 50 species of Quercus section Cyclobalanopsis to explore their diversity structure, phylogenetic relationships, and ecological adaptative evolution. These chloroplast genome data provide valuable information for deep insights into phylogenetic relationships and intraspecific diversity in Quercus.
Diabetic Epiretinal Membranes Unveiled: Exploring Staging and Optical Coherence Tomography-Based Classification for Precise Characterization
Authors: Güvenç Umay , Uney Guner , Unlu Nurten , Candan Özlem , Orman Gözde
Published: December 2023

Background/Objectives:To evaluate the applicability of an OCT-based staging system for diabetic epiretinal membranes (ERMs) and investigate the vascular and anatomical distinctions between idiopathic and diabetic ERMs.

Subjects/Methods:A total of 142 eyes of diabetic, idiopathic ERM patients and controls were retrospectively analysed. The OCT-based staging system by Govetto et al. was used for classifying ERMs into stages. Correlations were established between OCT-A parameters, visual acuity (VA), ERM stage, and structural findings on OCT.

Results:It was accepted p-value <0.05 as significant level on all statistical analysis.Ectopic inner foveal layer thickness (EIFL) showed no significant difference between ERM groups but positively correlated with stage severity in both. Positive correlation observed between the the stage and the central foveal thickness (CFT), outer and inner retinal layer (IRL) thickness in both groups. CFT exhibited positive correlations with Macular vessel density ratio (MVR) and negative correlations with foveal avascular zone (FAZ) in both groups.

Conclusion:OCT-based staging developed for idiopatic ERMs was found to be applicable to diabetic cases without retinopathy. Mechanical traction in idiopathic ERM primarily affects the IRL and retinal blood flow. The presence of significant correlations between retinal thickness and MVR strengthens our findings, as it highlights the meaningful relationship between tractional thickening and vascular distortion in both idiopathic and diabetic ERM cases.
Modification of Acetazolamide Synthesis: New Derivatives and Investigation of Their Biological Properties
Authors: falakshahi Maryam , Mahmoodi Nosrat , khalili behzad , Melal Sarah Poormoradkhan
Published: December 2023

Acetazolamide 1 is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor used in the medical treatment of glaucoma, epileptic seizure, idiopathic intracranial hypertension, altitude sickness, etc. The synthesis of `acetazolamide from the corresponding thiol derivative 2 requires oxidation and converting it to the sulfonyl chloride intermediate 3.
This research tries to improve the safety, green conditions and efficiency of the oxidation method. For this purpose, chlorine gas was replaced with sodium hypochlorite (commercial bleach). This procedure led to the synthesis of several new products 1a-f with high purity. The synthesized key sulfonyl chloride 3 in the reaction with various amines, hydrazones, and bis-amines led to several new sulfonamide derivatives. The antibacterial activity (AA) and antioxidant activity (AO) of the newly synthesized compounds was investigated. The AA effect of bis-products (4a and 4b) is significantly increased compared to the corresponding mono-product (1a). In addition, the synthesized hydrazine-based products (10a-10 g) showed a very good effect on all Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria compared to other products, especially (11 g), compared to ciprofloxacin and tetracycline. Compounds 11c, 11a, 11b, 11e, and 1d showed good AO compared to ascorbic acid.
Expression and serodiagnostic efficacy of a novel echinococcosis-specific recombinant fusion antigen rAgB8/1-Em18-Eg95
Authors: Xianwei Yang , Tao Wang , Wentao Wang , Yin Chen
Published: December 2023

Objective
The echinococcosis-specific antigens Eg95 and AgB8/1 and the Em18 gene sequences were fused and expressed as the novel recombinant antigens rAgB8/1-Em18-Eg95 (T3) and rEm18-Eg95 (T2), used for the diagnosis of hydatid disease, prepared into an enzyme-linked immunosorbent reaction (ELISA) kit, and evaluated for their serological diagnostic value.
Method
The genes sequences were obtained from the GenBank database, and the T3 and T2 gene sequences were optimized and transformed into the pET-22b (+) BL21(DE3) prokaryotic expression system. Expression was induced, and the bacteria were disrupted. After obtaining the target recombinant protein, an ELISA was used to evaluate the serological diagnostic effect of the recombinant antigens.
Results
T3 and T2 recombinant gene sequences were successfully constructed. The relative molecular weight of the T3 protein was 88.1 kDa. The prokaryotic expression of T3 was higher in the supernatant, which was consistent with the predicted molecular weight. The purified concentration was 1.5 mg/mL, and the purity was 80%. The relative molecular weight of T2 protein was 79.9 kDa, the total protein concentration was 0.5 mg/mL, and the purity was less than 50%. The overall coincidence rate of T2 protein was low, and it was impossible to distinguish between negative and positive sera. The T3 antigen was coated at 1.0 µg/mL, the cutoff value was 0.5271, and the serum dilution ratio was 1:400. A T3 ELISA 96T kit was constructed to detect the serum of 272 clinically and pathologically confirmed cases. The sensitivity of T3 was 93.75%, and the specificity was 93.75%. The Youden coefficient was 77.08%, the parasite cross-reaction was 30%. Satisfactorily, the Pearson correlation coefficient between the T3 OD value and lesion diameter was 0.707, showing a strong correlation.
Conclusions
T3 exhibits good antigenicity, and the prepared ELISA diagnostic kit reached the laboratory diagnostic level of commercial kits. T3 can distinguish human cystic echinococcosis (CE) and alveolar echinococcosis (AE) more significantly and predict the diameter of lesions according to the OD value, which provides practical value for drug or surgical efficacy.
Probabilistic Physics-integrated Neural Differentiable Modeling for Isothermal Chemical Vapor Infiltration Process
Authors: Wang Jian-Xun , Akhare Deepak , Chen Zeping , Gulotty Richard , Luo Tengfei
Published: December 2023

Chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) is a widely adopted manufacturing technique used in producing carbon-carbon and carbon-silicon carbide composites. These materials are especially valued in the aerospace and automotive industries for their robust strength and lightweight characteristics. The densification process during CVI critically influences the final performance, quality, and consistency of these composite materials. Experimentally optimizing the CVI processes is challenging due to long experimental time and large optimization space. To address these challenges, this work takes a modeling-centric approach. Due to the complexities and limited experimental data of the isothermal CVI densification process, we have developed a data-driven predictive model using the physics-integrated neural differentiable (PiNDiff) modeling framework. An uncertainty quantification feature has been embedded within the PiNDiff method, bolstering the model's reliability and robustness. Through comprehensive numerical experiments involving both synthetic and real-world manufacturing data, the proposed method showcases its capability in modeling densification during the CVI process. This research highlights the potential of the PiNDiff framework as an instrumental tool for advancing our understanding, simulation, and optimization of the CVI manufacturing process, particularly when faced with sparse data and an incomplete description of the underlying physics.
Characterization of acid-mechanical milling pretreated rice straw for subcritical water hydrolysis
Authors: Yang Wei , Yang Fan , Wu Shengji , Che Lei
Published: December 2023

Ball milling of rice straw impregnated with sulfuric acid (RS-S), hydrochloric acid (RS-H), acetic acid (RS-A), or nitric acid (RS-N) were carried out in this study. Physicochemical analysis and subcritical water hydrolysis were performed to evaluate the effect of acid species on ball milling treatment of rice straw. Acetic acid and solo ball milling treatment showed little effect on solubility, thermal stability and crystalline structure of rice straw, while hydrochloric acid, acetic acid and nitric acid significantly improved the solubility and decreased the crystallinity index and thermal stability of rice straw. Sulfuric acid was found to be the most efficient acid to destroy the rice straw structure during ball milling followed by nitric acid and hydrochloric acid, attributed to its long retention on rice straw surface after drying. The effective cleavage of holocellulose-lignin chemical linkages in RS-S during pretreatment made the hydrolysis products of RS-S easier to be hydrolyzed to biochar at high reaction temperatures, resulting in the increased solid residue yield. The breakage of crystallites and holocellulose-lignin chemical linkages greatly improved the reactivity of RS-S, resulting in the lower temperature and activation energy required to initiate the hydrolysis reaction compared with those of rice straw and RS-A.
Fractional-order effect on soliton solution and the oscillation number for some time-space fractional higher-order nonlinear Schr\"odinger equations
Authors: Zhao Xinyu , Li li , Yu FaJun
Published: December 2023

The time(T)- and time-space(TS)-fractional higher-order Schro ̈dinger(FHNLS) equations are stud- ied, which can describe the dispersion and nonlinearity of optical pulse propagating in nonuniform fiber systems. The generalized fractional wave transformation is appropriately used to convert the T- and TS-FHNLS equations into some ordinary differential equations, and the real and imaginary parts are separated respectively. A few of new exact analytical solutions with fractional parameters α and β are obtained with the homogeneous balance method, including time-fractional and time-space frac- tional bright and dark solutions, and some fractional order effects on soliton solutions are considered. Some dynamic behaviors of the hyperbolic soliton solutions of the fractional-typed sech and tanh are obtained, some novel forms of the dark solitary wave and bright solitary wave are presented with the parameters of α and β. And some novel toroidal, spherical bright and dark solitons are derived by the toroidal and spherical coordinate transformations. Further, the four kinds of time-space fractional non-autonomous soliton solutions of the higher-order Gross-Pitaevskii(GP) model are derived, we find that the value of α decreases, the number of oscillations or singularities increases for small time values and decreases for large time values. These results are significantly different from the classical higher-order nonlinear Schro ̈dinger and GP equations, which helps to understand the solitary wave transmission pattern and applies to the physical manipulation.
The process of student engagement in school health promotion: A scoping review
Authors: Kontak Julia , Macrae Caitlyn , Caldwell Hilary , Feicht Becky , Heath Stephanie , Friesen Camille Hancock , Kirk Sara
Published: December 2023

Background
Health Promoting Schools (HPS) is a whole school model that strengthens and maintains a healthy school environment. While a key component of HPS is the engagement of students, there is little known about the strategies for, facilitators of, and barriers to, student engagement. The purpose of this scoping review was to summarize and characterize the evidence on the process of student engagement in school health promotion, with a focus on whole school models like HPS.
Methods
This scoping review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines and the Arksey and O’Malley scoping review framework. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews guided reporting. Eligibility included sources examining the process of student engagement in school health promotion for children and youth (ages 5 – 19) in any country, who attended a private or public school. Both published and unpublished sources were included. Databases searched were: CINAHL, ERIC, MEDLINE, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Relevant organisational websites and sources identified by experts were also reviewed. Two independent reviewers screened the title, abstract, and full text of the sources. Descriptive analysis was conducted for quantitative data, and content analysis was employed for qualitative data.
Results
1740 sources were screened, 133 citations were eligible for full text review and a total of 50 sources were included: 38 peer-reviewed publications, 7 grey literature sources, 2 peer-reviewed publications from reference-checking and 3 sources recommended by experts. The majority of articles reporting on primary research (n = 34) employed qualitative methods (n = 28) and over half of all sources were published from European institutions/organizations (n = 26). Process strategies for student engagement predominantly related to participatory mechanisms including reflection and visioning, determining priorities and action-oriented learning. A wide range of intersecting facilitators and barriers were identified, with school structures largely acting as a barrier and adult approaches to engagement being a facilitator.
Conclusion
This scoping review described the strategies, facilitators and barriers involving the process of student engagement in school health promotion. The results can inform the development and implementation of future student engagement strategies to strengthen school health promotion actions.
Delay of diagnosis of tumor in children and influence on prognosis. Experience of the AIEOP Centre of Bologna.
Authors: Rondelli Roberto , Prete Arcangelo , Belotti Tamara , Masetti Riccardo , Morigi Francesca , Riolo Serena , Battista Antonia Di , Ronchini Laura , Baccelli Francesco , Gottardi Francesca , Fois Maura , Grasso Antonio , Venturelli Francesco , Mercolini Federico , Legnani Elena Lara , Cantarini Maria Elena , Melchionda Fraia , Facchini Elena , Pession Andrea
Published: December 2023

Background The Pediatric Oncology and Hematology Unit Centre of Bologna adhere to the Italian Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Association (AIEOP) that since 1989 register any child diagnosed and treated with a malignant tumor, with the aim to quantify the number of cases diagnosed and treated, enter or not to official diagnostic-therapeutic protocols and the extraregional migration in the different Italian centres.Methods Data collection is performed adopting an ad-hoc form named Model 1.01 (Mod.1.01) through an electronic database open in the net to current 47 AIEOP Centres recruits annually about 1400 children (age 0–14 years) and 200 adolescents (age 15–19 years).Results From 1989 to 2018, out of 44730 AIEOP patients < 20 years at diagnosis, 1734 (3.9%) were accrued from Bologna Centre, 1528/1734 (88.1%) resulted resident in Italy and 877/1734 (50.6%) evaluable for this analysis. Most cases were ALL (343, 39.1%), followed by neuroblastoma (126, 14.4%), NHL (98, 11.2%), HL (66, 7.5%), ANLL (64, 7.3%), WT (56, 6.4%) and other types (124, 14.1%).Conclusions In order to evaluate the impact of a delay of diagnosis on outcome, with a mean of 4 days of latency between arrival to the center and diagnosis, OS for patients with < 4 days delay was significantly better than for patients with ≥ 4 days delay (p = 0.0236), resulting furthermore a prognostic factor such as age, diagnosis type and period of diagnosis in a multivariate fashion.
Intervening effect of polysaccharides on structured soy-based meat analogues by high- moisture extrusion
Authors: Zhao Yu , Sui Wenjie , Zhang Jingxin , Liu Rui , Wu Tao , Xu Jinchuan , Zhang Min
Published: December 2023

This study investigates the impact of four polysaccharides on enzyme-modified soybean protein concentrate (ESPC) within a high-water extrusion environment. Optimal texture and fibrous structure were achieved with 1% konjac glucomannan (KGM), 2% carrageenan (CA), 3% sodium alginate (SA), and 6% wheat starch (WS), respectively. These findings align with both macroscopic and microscopic observations. Structural analyses revealed that the presence of polysaccharides facilitated the formation of β-sheet structures, increased S-S bond content, and enhanced the ordered structure of ESPC. Water distribution and thermal property tests indicated that these polysaccharides improved water-holding capacity and mitigated the degradation rate of ESPC. In vitro digestion experiments demonstrated a 9.3% decrease in the digestibility of ESPC-CA compared to ESPC. This reduction could be attributed to electrostatic attraction between the protein and polysaccharide, creating a physical barrier that hindered the digestive process. This study provides insights into the influence of four polysaccharides on ESPC within a high-moisture extrusion environment. The information derived from this research holds potential significance for the development of high-quality plant-based meat analogs.
High performance Sodium Storage of Nano-CoSe 2 at Nitrogen Doping C arbon Frameworks with Carbon Nanotube Shuttles
Authors: An Ruifeng , Wang Bolun , Niu Hongkun , Liu Zhiwei , Gao Bingliang
Published: December 2023

CoSe2 exhibits a high theoretical sodium storage capacity as an anode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, it faces several challenges during electrochemical cycling, including the shuttle effect of sodium polyselenide, volume expansion, and poor electrical conductivity. To address these issues, this study proposes a novel approach to synthesize CoSe2@NC/CNTs materials using cross-linked PMMA spheres as templates. The resulting structure demonstrates a hollow core-shell configuration comprising nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (N-CNTs) and dispersed CoSe2 nanoparticles. This was confirmed through characterization techniques such as XRD, RAMAN, SEM, TEM, etc., which verified the successful preparation. Moreover, XPS and TG analyses revealed the presence of strong interfacial interactions within the structure. These unique structural features enable CoSe2@NC/CNTs to exhibit exceptional sodium storage performance: remarkable stability (after 5000 cycles at 20 A·g− 1, the specific capacity only slightly decreases from 320 mAh·g− 1 to 280 mAh·g− 1 with a minimal degradation rate of 0.8% per cycle); and practicality (the specific capacity of the full battery NTO||CoSe2@NC/CNTs assembled with sodium nickel-iron-manganate (NTO) remains at 323 mAh·g− 1 after 120 cycles at a high current intensity of 5 A·g− 1). Additionally, we elucidate the intrinsic reason behind the strong stability of CoSe2@NC/CNTs through SEM and EDS analysis after cycling while also providing EX-situ characterization to explain their sodium storage.
Characterization of Anopheles gambiae breeding sites and insecticide resistance mechanisms in urban areas of Cotonou and Natitingou, Benin
Authors: Djègbè Innocent , HESSOU-DJOSSOU Donald , Boukari Massioudou Koto Yerima Gounou , Nonfodji Odilon , Tchigossou Geneviève , Djouaka Rousseau , Cornelie Sylvie , Akogbeto Martin , Djogbenou Luc , Chandre Fabrice
Published: December 2023

Background
This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the physicochemical characteristics of An. gambiae and An. Coluzzii breeding sites, the susceptibility to common insecticides used in public health, and the underlying insecticide resistance mechanisms.
Methods
Anopheles breeding sites surveys were conducted in Cotonou and Natitingou. Physicochemical parameters and bacterial loads were determined in individual breeding sites. The WHO susceptibility assays were carried out using the female of the emerging adult mosquitoes. Anopheles species were identified through PCR techniques. Kdr L1014F/S, N1575Y and G119S mutations were investigated using TaqMan genotyping assays.
Results
Molecular analysis showed that all mosquitoes analyzed in Cotonou were Anopheles coluzzii, while those of Natitingou were Anopheles gambiae s.s. WHO susceptibility assay indicated a high level of resistance to deltamethrin in the two cities. The resistance levels to deltamethrin were higher in Cotonou (X2 = 31.689; DF = 1; P < 0.0001). There was a suspicion of resistance to bendiocarb in Cotonou, whereas the mosquito population in Natitingou was resistant. The kdr L1014F mutation was highly observed in both mosquito populations, while the Ace-1 mutation was found in a small proportion of mosquitoes. In Cotonou, salinity was the only recorded physicochemical parameter significantly correlated with the resistance of Anopheles mosquitoes to deltamethrin. In Natitingou, significant correlations were observed between the allelic frequencies of the kdr L1014F mutation and pH, conductivity, and TDS.
Conclusion
These results indicate a high level of pyrethroid resistance in the An. gambiae population of both Cotonou and Natitingou. Moreover, the data suggest the involvement of the kdr mutation and possibly the breeding sites abiotic factors.
“One’s life becomes even more miserable when we hear all those hurtful words.” A mixed methods systematic review of disrespect and abuse in abortion care.
Authors: Munnangi Meghana , Shreedhar Priya , Lippus Hedda , Gilyan Regina , Evans Dabney P. , Maxwell Lauren
Published: December 2023

Background
Disrespect and abuse during facility-based abortion and postabortion care (PAC) manifests in various forms, including disrespect, abuse (physical, verbal, and sexual), stigma, discrimination, failure to meet standards of care, neglect, breaches in privacy and confidentiality, misinformation or a lack of information, mistreatment or undignified care, and protests. The objective of this mixed methods systematic review was to describe the various forms of disrespect and abuse that women face during abortion or PAC.
Methods
We conducted a comprehensive literature search in Embase, Medline, and PubMed using Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and text-based terms targeting disrespect and abuse in facility-based abortion care. The initial search was conducted in 2019, followed by an updated search in 2023. Thirty-eight articles conducted in 20 countries met inclusion criteria and were included in this review.
Results
The most frequently observed form of disrespect and abuse, identified in 31 studies, was the failure to meet care standards in providing quality abortion care or PAC, particularly in terms of offering adequate and accurate information to women before, during and after the procedures. Additionally, stigma was reported in 20 studies, disrespect in 19 studies, discrimination in 10 studies, and both verbal and physical abuse, as well as humiliation and condescension, each in 8 studies. The presence of abortion protestors was also noted in 8 studies.
Conclusions
Our results indicate the need for multi-level strategies to transform healthcare providers' perceptions and attitudes towards women seeking abortion care, and other actions at the individual, institutional, and policy levels to provide quality, respectful abortion care. We found that providers sometimes highlighted caste or other markers of vulnerability as part of disrespectful care. The systematic measurement of disrespect and abuse in abortion care and PAC could help understand the distribution of experiences across different groups.
Lingering symptoms in non-hospitalized patients with COVID-19 – a prospective survey study of symptom expression and effects on mental health in Germany
Authors: Rohde Jörn , Simmenroth Anne , Kaußner Yvonne , Bundschuh Rene
Published: December 2023

Background
The infection rates with SARS-CoV 2 virus, known since 2019, are currently significantly weakened in their dynamics. Nevertheless, COVID 19 is still a common disease, which in most cases is overcome quite well and can be treated by the general practitioner. Despite an initially uncomplicated disease progression, the long-term consequences can be considerable. Symptoms persisting over a period of more than 12 weeks after infection are summarized as Post-COVID (PC) syndrome. The aim of this study is to document the symptom expression in PC patients in the outpatient setting, with a major focus on limitations in daily life and consequences for mental health.
Methods
This survey is part of a prospective European collaborative study with the German cohort having been slightly extended and evaluated separately. Data collection was performed by telephone interviews of adult SARS CoV 2 positive patients using standardized questionnaires (38 open and 6 closed questions). After an inclusion interview, follow-up interviews were conducted every 4 weeks over a period of 6 months. Participants were recruited in collaboration with the local health department (Würzburg, Germany).
Results
Sixty participants were recruited in April and May 2021. After 12 weeks (PC cutoff), 48% still reported symptoms related to SARS-CoV-2 infection. The most commonly reported symptoms were fatigue (33%), cognitive impairment (27%), and breathing problems (23%). One-quarter of respondents reported impaired functioning, with the most common daily limitations being sports (28%), work (25%), and social life (15%). At 6 months, 22% of respondents experienced anxiety and 12% reported depressive symptoms. Overall, 40% of respondents were concerned that their health would deteriorate again or not fully normalize because of COVID-19. Over two-thirds (70%) visited a physician during the course of the study because of COVID-19, 74% of whom visited their general practitioner.
Conclusion
PC in the outpatient setting is a common, difficult and multidimensional condition. In addition to physical symptoms, limitations in mental health and activities of daily life are particularly apparent. PC is not yet fully understood in its complexity and poses long-term challenges, particularly for outpatient care. Routine screening for psychosocial comorbidities can help to offer supportive measures to prevent chronification and/or somatization.
Estimating the Severity of Landscape Degradation in Future Management Scenarios based on Modeling the Dynamics of Hoor Al-Azim International Wetland in Iran-Iraq Border
Authors: Shooshtari Sharif Joorabian , Jahanishakib Fatemeh
Published: December 2023

Temporal and spatial changes in land cover in wetland ecosystems indicate the severity of degradation. Understanding such processes in the past, present, and future might be necessary for managing any type of development plan. Therefore, this research has monitored and analyzed the Hoor Al-Azim International Wetland, aiming to determine the orientation of its changes in different future scenarios. Wetland status modeling was done using developed hybrid approaches and cellular automata along with evaluating the accuracy of the modeled maps. The dynamics of the land were simulated using a higher accuracy approach in three scenarios -Water Conservation, Water Decreasing, and Business-as-Usual- to get the level of degradation of the wetland. The results showed that the amount of water in the wetland has decreased in all three periods, and the salt lands and vegetation have undergone drastic changes. However, according to the results, these developments are expressed better by the developed hybrid approach than the CA-MC approach and are more reliable for future simulation. The assessment of degradation in hexagonal units showed the least degradation in the water conservation scenario compared with the other two scenarios in 2030.
Longitudinal program evaluation of an inter-institutional mentorship network for pediatric rheumatology using a quality improvement framework
Authors: Hayward Kristen , Grom Alexi , Muscal Eyal , Nigrovic Peter A. , Rouster-Stevens Kelly A. , Ardalan Kaveh , Hiraki Linda , Moorthy L. Nandini
Published: December 2023

Background: The American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) Mentoring Interest Group (AMIGO) is an inter-institutional mentorship program launched to target mentorship gaps within pediatric rheumatology. Initial program evaluation indicated increased mentorship access. Given the small size of the pediatric rheumatology workforce, maintaining a consistent supply of mentors was a potential threat to the longevity of the network. Our aims were to: (i) describe the sustainability of AMIGO over the period 2011-2018, (ii) highlight ongoing benefits to participants, and (iii) describe challenges in the maintenance of a mentorship network.
Methods: A mixed-methods approach centered on a quality improvement framework was used to report on process and outcomes measures associated with AMIGO annual cycles.
Results: US and Canada Pediatric rheumatology workforce surveys identified 504 possible participants during the time period. As of fall 2018, 331 unique individuals had participated in AMIGO as a mentee, mentor or both for a program response rate of 66% (331/504). Survey of mentees indicated high satisfaction with impact on general career development, research/scholarship and work-life balance. Mentors indicated increased sense of connection to the community and satisfaction with helping mentees despite minimal perceived benefit to their academic portfolios. Based on AMIGO’s success, a counterpart program, Creating Adult Rheumatology Mentorship in Academia (CARMA), was launched in 2018.
Conclusions: Despite the challenges of a limited workforce, AMIGO continues to provide consistent access to mentorship opportunities for the pediatric rheumatology community. This experience can inform approaches to mentorship gaps in other academic subspecialties.
Experimental investigations into the effect of process parameters on the machining quality for ITO conductive glass using by micro grooves grinding
Authors: Liu Yin , Qiu Xiaolong , Sun Xingwei , Pan Fei , Zhang Weifeng , Mu Shibo , Zhao Hongxun , Gong Yadong
Published: December 2023

To investigate the effect of micro-scale grinding on the quality of ITO conductive glass, this paper conducted micro-scale grinding experiments on ITO conductive glass. The influence of process parameters on machining quality was analyzed using micro-grinding force, surface roughness, and sheet resistance as indicators. Meanwhile, soda-lime glass was set as the control group to analyze the effect of ITO film. The results indicate that brittle fracture is the main removal method for ITO films, and the glass substrate exhibits two different removal methods, brittle and ductile, depending on the process parameters. The ITO thin film layer suppresses the sheet deformation of the glass substrate, increasing the grinding force and reducing the processing quality. Increasing the spindle speed, reducing the feed speed, and reducing the cutting depth can improve the machining quality. The spindle speed has a significant impact on surface roughness, while the cutting depth has a significant impact on the sheet resistance of the thin film. In addition, soda-lime glass chips mainly appear in powder and granular form, while ITO conductive glass also has flaky thin film chips generated by interlayer fracture.
Measurement of Cosmic Radiation Dose to Organs of An Anthropomorphous Phantom at Yangbajing International Cosmic Ray Observatory
Authors: Xie Wei-min , Chen Tian-lu , Gao Qi , Chen Bao-wei , Liu Mao-yuan
Published: December 2023

The distribution of cosmic ray dose in organs of an anthropomorphous phantom at the Yangbajing International Cosmic Ray Observatory was measured using thermoluminescent detectors. Then the measurements were compared with the calculations of the theoretical equation for the variation of cosmic ray dose rate with altitude and measurements of the active gamma-ray dose meter, which provided basic data for evaluating natural cosmic radiation dose in the Yangbajing area.
Photo-induced antileishmanial activity of indocyanine green: In vitro and in vivo studies
Authors: Jalili Shirin , Sazgarnia Ameneh , Hoseini Mehdi
Published: December 2023

Background
Indocyanine green is a promising dye for photodynamic and photothermal therapy. However, ICG tends to aggregate in aqueous media, which limits its use in light therapy. Loading ICG onto a biocompatible structure can improve its aqueous stability. The aim of this study was to investigate the synergistic effect of PDT/PTT on leishmanial activity in the presence of micelles loaded with ICG.
Methods
After synthesizing micelles containing ICG, the dark toxicity of the pharmaceutical agents and in vitro phototoxicity by a cw 808 nm laser on promastigotes were determined via MTS assay. Finally, the efficacy of the treatments was assessed by measuring the diameter of the lesion every three days in a study conducted on 33 female BALB/c mice aged 4-6 weeks.
Results
At 808 nm, the absorbance of ICG inside the micelles was approximately2.5 times that of free ICG. The optimal concentration of ICG was determined to be 100 μM based on the toxicity of the medicinal agents topromastigotes. In the in vitro experiment, the groups containing ICG showed a significant decrease in survival compared to the control group with increasing light dose. In the animal model study, the simultaneous presence of medicinal agents and the application of a laser created a significant difference in the relative area of the lesion compared to the control group.
Conclusion
The findings of this study show that PTT/PDT mediated by ICG can be considered an inexpensive, safe, easy to administer and efficient treatment against Leishmania L. major both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, this treatment does not cause any adverse effects when compared to other treatments.
High-performance methylated DNA markers for the detection of cervical lesions at risk of malignant progression in low- and middle-income countries
Authors: Fackler Mary Jo , Pleas Madison , Li Youran , Soni Anushri , Xing Deyin , Cope Leslie , Ali Syed , Le Quang Van , Nguyen Chu Van , Pham Han Thi , Duong Long Minh , Berg Eunice Van Den , Wadee Reubina , Michelow Pamela , Chen Wenlong Carl , Joffe Maureen , Fjeldbo Christina Santen , Lyng Hiedi , Sukumar Saraswati
Published: December 2023

Background
Cervical cancer remains a leading cause of death, particularly in developing countries. WHO screening guidelines recommend Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) detection as a means to identify women at risk of developing cervical cancer. While HPV testing identifies those at risk, it does not specifically recognize individuals with neoplasia. We investigated whether a molecular test that quantitatively measures methylated DNA markers could identify high-risk lesions in the cervix with accuracy.
Results
Marker discovery was performed in TCGA-CESC Infinium Methylation 450K Array database, and the selected 5-gene panel was verified in three other public datasets. The panel was technically validated using Quantitative Multiplex-Methylation Specific PCR (QM-MSP) in tissue sections (N = 293) and cervical smears (N = 244) from the U. S., S. Africa, and Vietnam. The gene panel consisted of FMN2, EDNRB, ZNF671, TBXT, and MOS. Cervical tissue samples from U.S., South Africa, and Vietnam showed highly significant differential methylation in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) with 100% sensitivity, 91–93% specificity, and a Receiver Operating Characteristic Area under the curve (ROC AUC) = 1.000 [CI 1.000 to 1.000], and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2/3 (CIN2/3) with 55–100% sensitivity, 91–96% specificity, and a ROC AUC ranging from 0.793 [CI 0.681 to 0.905] to 1.000 [CI 1.000 to 1.000] compared to normal. In cervical smears, the marker panel detected SCC at 87% sensitivity, 95% specificity, and ROC AUC = 0.925 [CI 0.878 to 0.974], and high-grade intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) at 74% sensitivity, 95% specificity, and a ROC AUC = 0.907 [CI 0.851 to 0.964] in an analysis of pooled data from the three countries. Similar to HPV-positive, HPV-negative cervical carcinomas were frequently hypermethylated for these markers.
Conclusions
This 5-marker panel detected SCC and CIN2/3 in cervical smears with a high level of sensitivity and specificity. Molecular tests with the ability to rapidly detect high-risk CIN3 + lesions will lead to timely treatment for those in need while preventing unnecessary procedures in women with low-risk lesions throughout the world. Validation of these markers in prospectively collected cervical smear cells followed by the development of a hypermethylated marker-based cervical cancer detection test is warranted.
Deterministic quasi-continuous tuning of phase-change material integrated on a high-volume 300-mm silicon photonics platform
Authors: Chen Rui , Tara Virat , Choi Minho , Duta Jayita , Sim Justin , Ye Julian , Fang Zhuoran , Zheng Jiajiu , Majumdar Arka
Published: December 2023

Programmable photonic integrated circuits (PICs) consisting of reconfigurable on-chip optical components have been creating new paradigms in various applications, such as integrated spectroscopy, multi-purpose microwave photonics, and optical information processing. Among many reconfiguration mechanisms, non-volatile chalcogenide phase-change materials (PCMs) exhibit a promising approach to the future very-large-scale programmable PICs, thanks to their zero static power and large optical index modulation, leading to extremely low energy consumption and ultra-compact footprints. However, the scalability of the current PCM-based programmable PICs is still limited since they are not directly off-the-shelf in current commercial photonic foundries. Here, we demonstrate a scalable platform harnessing the mature and reliable 300-mm silicon photonic fab, assisted by in-house wide-bandgap PCM (Sb2S3) integration process. We show various non-volatile programmable devices, including micro-ring resonators, Mach-Zehnder interferometers and asymmetric directional couplers, with low loss (~ 0.0044 dB/µm), large phase shift (~ 0.012π/µm) and high endurance (> 1,000 switching events). Moreover, we showcase this platform’s capability to handle relatively complex structures with multiple PIN diode heaters, each independently controlling an Sb2S3 segment. By reliably setting the Sb2S3 segments to fully amorphous or crystalline state, we achieved deterministic multilevel operation. An asymmetric directional coupler with two unequal-length Sb2S3 segments showed the capability of four-level switching, beyond cross and bar binary states. We further showed unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometers with equal-length and unequal-length Sb2S3 segments, exhibiting reversible switching and a maximum of 5 (\(N+1, N=4\)) and 8 (\({2}^{N}, N=3\)) equally spaced operation levels, respectively. This work lays the foundation for future programmable very-large-scale PICs with deterministic programmability.