bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High-precision detection and navigation surgery of colorectal cancer micrometastases
Authors: Ma Shengjie , Sun Bin , Li Mengfei , Han Tianyang , Yu Chenlong , Wang Xin , Zheng Xue , Li Shuang , Zhu Shoujun , Wang Quan
Published: November 2023

Surgical resection is an effective treatment for colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, whereas occult metastases hinder the curative effect. Currently, there is no effective method to achieve intraoperatively diagnosis of tumor-positive lymph nodes (LNs). Herein, we adopt a near-infrared-II (NIR-II) organic donor-pi-acceptor-pi-donor probe FE-2PEG, which exhibits bright fluorescence over 1100 nm, excellent photostability, blood circulation time, and biocompatibility, to achieve high-performance bioimaging with improved temporal and spatial resolution. Importantly, the FE-2PEG shows efficient passive enrichment in orthotopic CRC, metastatic mesenteric LNs, and peritoneal metastases by enhanced permeability and retention effect. Under NIR-II fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS), the peritoneal micrometastases were resected with a sensitivity of 94.51%, specificity of 86.59%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 96.57%, and negative predictive value of 79.78%. The PPV still achieves 96.07% even for micrometastases less than 3 mm. Pathological staining and NIR-II microscopy imaging proved that FE-2PEG could successfully delineate the boundary between the tumor and normal tissues. Dual-color NIR-II imaging strategy with FE-2PEG (1100 ~ 1300 nm) and PbS@CdS quantum dots (> 1500 nm) successfully protects both blood supply and normal tissues during surgery. The NIR-II-based FGS provides a promising prospect for precise intraoperative diagnosis and minimally invasive surgery of CRC.
Overcoming the challenges facing Nepal’s health system during federalisation: an analysis of health system building blocks
Authors: Wasti Sharada Prasad , van Teijlingen Edwin , Rushton Simon , Subedi Madhusudan , Simkhada Padam , Balen Julie ,   for the Nepal Federal Health System Team, Adhikari S. R. , Adhikary P. , Balen J. , Bajracharya B. , Bhandari S. , Bhattarai S. , Gautam S. , Karki A. , Karki J. K. , Koirala B. , Lee A. C. K. , Marahatta S. B. , Neupane R. , Panday S. , Paudel U. , Pohl G. , Rushton S. , Sapkota S. , Simkhada P. P. , Subedi M. , van Teijlingen E. , Vaidya A. , Wasti S. P.
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Nepal’s move to a federal system was a major constitutional and political change, with significant devolution of power and resources from the central government to seven newly created provinces and 753 local governments. Nepal’s health system is in the process of adapting to federalism, which is a challenging, yet potentially rewarding, task. This research is a part of broader study that aims to explore the opportunities and challenges facing Nepal’s health system as it adapts to federalisation.

Methods

This exploratory qualitative study was conducted across the three tiers of government (federal, provincial, and local) in Nepal. We employed two methods: key informant interviews and participatory policy analysis workshops, to offer an in-depth understanding of stakeholders’ practical learnings, experiences, and opinions. Participants included policymakers, health service providers, local elected members, and other local stakeholders. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, translated into English, and analysed thematically using the six WHO (World Health Organization) health system building blocks as a theoretical framework.

Results

Participants noted both opportunities and challenges around each building block. Identified opportunities were: (a) tailored local health policies and plans, (b) improved health governance at the municipality level, (c) improved health infrastructure and service capacity, (d) improved outreach services, (e) increased resources (health budgets, staffing, and supplies), and (f) improved real-time data reporting from health facilities. At the same time, several challenges were identified including: (a) poor coordination between the tiers of government, (b) delayed release of funds, (c) maldistribution of staff, (d) problems over procurement, and (e) limited monitoring and supervision of the quality of service delivery and data reporting.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that since federalisation, Nepal’s health system performance is improving, although much remains to be accomplished. For Nepal to succeed in its federalisation process, understanding the challenges and opportunities is vital to improving each level of the health system in terms of (a) leadership and
governance, (b) service delivery, (c) health financing, (d) health workforce, (e) access to essential medicines and technologies and (f) health information system.
Diagnostic accuracy of dual-energy CT for bone marrow edema in patients with acute knee injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Li Zhizhuo , Chen Xuelong , Fang Hui , Li Chengxin , Shi Lijun , Fan Xiaoyu , Xu Xin , Gao Fuqiang , Sun Wei , Qing Jiang
Published: November 2023

Background

Knee injuries are prevalent, and early diagnosis is crucial for guiding clinical therapy. MRI is the diagnostic gold standard for bone marrow edema (BME) in patients with acute knee injuries, yet there are still limitations. Dual-energy CT, a possible viable replacement, is being explored (DECT).

Methods

We systematically retrieved studies from EMBASE, Scopus, PUBMED, and the Cochrane Library and collected gray literatures. In accordance with the PRISMA-DTA standards, a systematic review was conducted between the study's initiation and July 31, 2021, utilizing an MRI reference standard and at least 10 adult patients with acute knee injuries to evaluate the diagnostic effectiveness of DECT for diagnosing BME. Two reviewers collected the study's details independently. For the meta-analysis, a bivariate mixed-effects regression model was utilized, and subgroup analysis was employed to determine the sources of variability.

Results

The research included nine studies that examined 290 individuals between the ages of 23 and 53 with acute knee injuries who had DECT and MRI. Overall, the sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of the BME were 85% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 77–90%), 96% (95% CI: 93–97%), and 0.97 (95% CI: 0.95–0.98), respectively. To account for the assumed diversity of research, there were no statistically significant differences between the comparison groups in terms of specificity and sensitivity.

Conclusion

DECT is a viable alternative to MRI for individuals with acute knee injuries when MRI is inappropriate or unavailable.
Determinants of fetomaternal complication of instrumental vaginal delivery among women who gave childbirth in Southern Ethiopia: a facility-based cross-sectional study
Authors: Israel Eskinder , Abayneh Samuel , Utalo Dawit , Geta Temesgen , Kassaw Tamirat , Shonde Tamirayehu , Gebre Merihun
Published: November 2023

Background

In Ethiopia, one in five instrumental deliveries among women giving birth resulted in an unfavourable outcome. This study aimed to assess the determinants of feto-maternal complications of instrumental delivery in selected public hospitals of Gamo and Gofa zones, Southern Ethiopia.

Methods

An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 399 women attending selected public hospitals in the Gamo and Gofa zones. Data were collected using data extraction tools using a systematic random sampling technique. The collected data was entered into Epi-data version 3.1 and then analyzed using SPSS version 25. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine an association.

Results

One hundred eighty-three (45.9%, n = 183/399) instrumental deliveries were found to be complicated. Primigravida women (AOR: 95% CI: 2.21 (1.35, 3.63), infant birth weight (AOR: 95% CI: 2.56 (1.37, 4.77), post-term pregnancy (AOR: 95% CI: 12.77 (2.92, 55.78), and maternal age (AOR: 95% CI: 7.00 (2.16, 22.64) were associated with fetomaternal complications in instrumental delivery among women who gave birth.

Conclusions and recommendation

A high proportion of women developed fetomaternal complications when compared to local studies. Promotion of antenatal care services, increasing women’s education and empowerment as well as working on capacity building of health care professionals through education and training is cost-effective to reduce the occurrence of fetomaternal complications.
Variant allelic frequencies of driver mutations can identify gliomas with potentially false-negative MGMT promoter methylation results
Authors: McCord Matthew , Jamshidi Pouya , Thirunavu Vineeth , Santana-Santos Lucas , Vormittag-Nocito Erica , Dittman David , Parker Stephanie , Baczkowski Joseph , Jennings Lawrence , Walshon Jordain , McCortney Kathleen , Galbraith Kristyn , Zhang Hui , Lukas Rimas V. , Stupp Roger , Dixit Karan , Kumthekar Priya , Heimberger Amy B. , Snuderl Matija , Horbinski Craig
Published: November 2023

MGMT promoter methylation testing is required for prognosis and predicting temozolomide response in gliomas. Accurate results depend on sufficient tumor cellularity, but histologic estimates of cellularity are subjective. We sought to determine whether driver mutation variant allelic frequency (VAF) could serve as a more objective metric for cellularity and identify possible false-negative MGMT samples. Among 691 adult-type diffuse gliomas, MGMT promoter methylation was assessed by pyrosequencing (N = 445) or DNA methylation array (N = 246); VAFs of TERT and IDH driver mutations were assessed by next generation sequencing. MGMT results were analyzed in relation to VAF. By pyrosequencing, 56% of all gliomas with driver mutation VAF ≥ 0.325 had MGMT promoter methylation, versus only 37% with VAF < 0.325 (p < 0.0001). The mean MGMT promoter pyrosequencing score was 19.3% for samples with VAF VAF ≥ 0.325, versus 12.7% for samples with VAF < 0.325 (p < 0.0001). Optimal VAF cutoffs differed among glioma subtypes (IDH wildtype glioblastoma: 0.12–0.18, IDH mutant astrocytoma: ~0.33, IDH mutant and 1p/19q co-deleted oligodendroglioma: 0.3–0.4). Methylation array was more sensitive for MGMT promoter methylation at lower VAFs than pyrosequencing. Microscopic examination tended to overestimate tumor cellularity when VAF was low. Re-testing low-VAF cases with methylation array and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) confirmed that a subset of them had originally been false-negative. We conclude that driver mutation VAF is a useful quality assurance metric when evaluating MGMT promoter methylation tests, as it can help identify possible false-negative cases.
Deforestation inhibits malaria transmission in Lao PDR: a spatial epidemiology using Earth observation satellites
Authors: Matsumoto-Takahashi Emilie Louise Akiko , Iwagami Moritoshi , Oyoshi Kei , Sasaki Yoshinobu , Hongvanthong Bouasy , Kano Shigeyuki
Published: November 2023

Background

The present study aimed to analyze the impact of deforestation on the malaria distribution in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), with consideration of climate change.

Methods

Malaria distribution data from 2002 to 2015 were obtained from the Ministry of Health of Lao PDR and each indicator was calculated. Earth observation satellite data (forested area, land surface temperature, and precipitation) were obtained from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Structured equation modeling (SEM) was conducted to clarify the relationship between the malaria incidence and Earth observation satellite data.

Results

As a result, SEM identified two factors that were independently associated with the malaria incidence: area and proportion of forest. Specifically, malaria was found to be more prevalent in the southern region, with the malaria incidence increasing as the percentage of forested land increased (both p < 0.01). With global warming steadily progressing, forested areas are expected to play an important role in the incidence of malaria in Lao PDR. This is believed because malaria in Lao PDR is mainly forest malaria transmitted by Anopheles dirus.

Conclusion

To accelerate the elimination of malaria in Lao PDR, it is important to identify, prevent, and intervene in places with increased forest coverage (e.g., plantations) and in low-temperature areas adjacent to malaria-endemic areas, where the vegetation is similar to that in malaria-endemic areas.
Evaluating Patterns ofSDHxTumor Presentation by Gene and Variant Type: A Retrospective Analysis of a Large Clinical Cohort
Authors: Eckberg Kara S. , Patel Neil S. , Eddington Devin , Naumer Anne , Greenberg Samantha E.
Published: November 2023

A study of geno-pheno associations in PGL identified possible factors that affect tumor risk.
On the Systematic and Historical Analysis of Concessionary Zones
Authors: Barkan Joshua
Published: November 2023

Recent scholarship has emphasized the importance of extractive zones and enclaves in contemporary capitalism. This article seeks to understand the form of authority within these zones. To do so, it charts a brief genealogy of the concession, the reciprocal agreements entered into by states and companies that govern many extractive enclaves. Because concessions have a long, convoluted, and underexamined history, they are an ideal object for examining the shifting configurations of law, sovereignty, property, and government that undergird contemporary extraction. Neither simply public law nor private right, concessions are a unique legal form designed to produce nonsystematic and exceptional legal spaces that remain central to capitalist societies today.
Perfil Epidemiológico de Gatos com Esporotricose no Município de São Paulo (SP), 2011 a 2022
Authors: Almeida Maia Maiara , Anaya Sinhorini Juliana , Leite Cortez Tamara , Barbosa Alves Luiz Carlos , Ferreira de Lima Júnio Francisco Edilson , Yoshito Wada Marcelo , Santiago Magalhães Vivyanne , Abreu Delfino Denizard André , Segalerba Bourdette Marcelo Daniel , Beatriz de Oliveira Natiela , Castanha da Silva Danielle Cristine , Silva e Alves Ana Júlia
Published: November 2023

Objetivo: este estudo se propôs a caracterizar o perfil epidemiológico da esporotricose felina no município de São Paulo (SP) no período de 2011 a 2022. Métodos: estudo descritivo dos casos de esporotricose felina registrados entre 2011 e 2022. Foram utilizados dados secundários, provenientes dos bancos de dados da vigilância do município. Resultados: o perfil predominante dos animais é composto por machos, 71,4% (n=2.644), com idade inferior a 4 anos 70,1% (n=1.137) e com livre acesso à rua 51,0% (n=1.348). Foram registrados 811 óbitos, entre os quais foi informado o sexo para 381, sendo estes 77,4% (n=295) machos e 22,6% (n=86) fêmeas. Conclusão: diante dos achados deste estudo, compreende-se que a situação epidemiológica da doença requer ações conjuntas das vigilâncias epidemiológica e ambiental para serem desenvolvidas medidas de prevenção e controle embasadas em uma perspectiva de saúde única.
The influence of indigenous knowledge on chemistry metacognition
Authors: Tawanda Tavonga , Mudau Awelani V.
Published: November 2023

Background: Chemistry is viewed as a difficult and challenging subject by many learners and teachers which leads to poor academic performance in the subject. The majority of the pre-service science teachers in Zimbabwean teachers’ colleges also find Chemistry to be a challenging subject. The focus of this study was to simplify and contextualize the teaching and learning of Chemistry concepts for life-long survival and problem-solving skills through exploring the influence of indigenous Chemistry knowledge on Chemistry metacognition. Methods: An embedded mixed methods case study was underpinned by the social constructivist theory, which is used to collect and analyse the data. Twenty-nine respondents were purposively sampled. Their metacognition awareness was determined through focus group interviews which are triangulated with a paper and pen test. The indigenous Chemistry knowledge possessed by the pre-service science teachers was collected using focus group interviews, which was then used in the intervention stage for Chemistry metacognition. Results: The findings suggest that indigenous knowledge influences chemistry metacognition in a positive way. Conclusions: Further research is required on the relationship between indigenous Chemistry knowledge and Chemistry metacognition. It is recommended that Chemistry educators should be capacitated with skills for identifying and applying indigenous Chemistry knowledge that is relevant to Chemistry metacognition.
The saxicolous and terricolous lichens of northeastern Brazil, with special reference to the Vale do Catimbau in Pernambuco
Authors: Aptroot André , Dos Santos Lidiane Alves , Júnior Isaias Oliveira , Da Silva Cáceres Marcela Eugenia
Published: November 2023

The saxicolous and terricolous lichen biota of the Vale do Catimbau in Pernambuco state (Brazil) was studied and with 74 species found to be relatively rich. Most species are new to the state and five are new to Brazil, viz. Andreiomyces ob­ tusatica (Tønsberg) B.P. Hodk. & Lendemer, Caloplaca brittonii (Zahlbr.) Aptroot, Candelariella rosulans (Müll. Arg.) Zahlbr., Clavascidium antillarum (Breuss) Breuss, and Stromatella bermudana (Riddle) Henssen. In addition, some new state records were found of corticolous and lignicolous lichens. A comparison is made with all other places in northeastern Brazil where saxicolous lichens have been studied. For this, the Serra de Itabaiana in Sergipe state was revisited too, and many additional species were recorded there. All places differ markedly in species composition. This seems to be correlated to altitude, biome, and rock type (sandstone versus granite), with the biome mostly influencing the species composition and the altitude the species richness. Some of the species newly reported from Brazil are so far known from the Antilles and there seems to be some resemblance between these lichen biotas.
Updates on Emerging and Evolving Gastrointestinal Parasites in Dogs and Cats
Authors: Evason Michelle D
Published: November 2023

Gastrointestinal parasites are a common veterinary concern and pet owner conversation. Globally, parasite ranges and abundances are evolving, and various clinical management challenges in dogs and cats have emerged. Some of these are novel, such as hookworm multi-drug resistance, and others have been veterinary challenges for years, like Giardia's zoonotic potential. For these examples and others, there has been increased awareness of the need for appropriate veterinary anthelmintic use and stewardship. This review provides an update on selected gastrointestinal parasites of One Health importance, highlights gastrointestinal parasite global management and prevention recommendations, and summarises recent research, along with potential risks associated with pet importation and travel. Suggestions on freely available online resources to assist with practical veterinary clinical management (screening, diagnosis, treatment, prevention) and pet owner communication, along with addressing One Health and antiparasitic stewardship concerns, are provided from a global perspective, for example The European Scientific Counsel for Companion Animal Parasites. Clinical cases are drawn from molecular diagnostic faecal surveillance of dogs and cats during 2022 and 2023, and include the following gastrointestinal parasites with zoonotic potential: hookworms (Ancylostoma caninum), tapeworms (Echinococcus multilocularis), roundworms (Baylisascaris procyonis) and Giardia.
Anthropocene
Authors: Barla Josef , Von Verschuer Franziska
Published: November 2023

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Internationalising Spanish Firms to the East: Business Strategies of the National Institute of Industry towards the Soviet Union (late 1950s to 1991)
Authors: Yanyshev-Nesterova Irina
Published: November 2023

This article examines the internationalisation of Spanish firms, promoted by the National Institute of Industry (Instituto Nacional de Industria – INI), towards the Soviet Union market within the context of the Cold War and East-West economic collaboration. Based on a business history methodology and the primary sources of the INI, this paper argues the following. First, the National Institute of Industry’s approach to the Soviet Union was dictated by national strategic interests, such as industrial policy goals, resource-seeking, technology-seeking investment, and profit-seeking attitudes. Second, the INI’s approach to the Soviet Union was dictated by political purposes, such as establishing or maintaining relations with Spain and the Soviet Union. Third, before the restoration of diplomatic ties in 1977, the “stateness” of INI was considered a disadvantage. Finally, after restoring diplomatic relations, the “stateness” of the INI was deemed an advantage.
Thickness dependence of the optimum orientation of volume phase gratings in optically active piezoelectric sillenite crystals
Authors: Shamonina E. , Kamenov V. , Ringhofer K. H. , Cedilnik G. , Kiessling A. , Kowarschik R.
Published: November 2023

The sillenite crystals BSO, BTO and BGO have a great potential for real-time interferometric applications. It is important to optimize the photorefractive (PR) two-wave mixing (TWM) gain in these crystals with respect to the orientation of the grating vector and the light polarization. In Ref. 1it was shown that neglecting the optical activity the maximum photorefractive coupling for
(1¯10)-cut crystals occurs for the grating orientation
K→‖[111] and for the same (i.e. [111]) light polarization of the waves, independently of whether the piezoelectric effect is taken into account or not. Since then this conclusion has been supposed to be true also in the case of nonzero optical activity.2
Generalized dispersion properties of multilayer dielectric planar waveguides
Authors: Li Yi-Fan , Lit John W. Y.
Published: November 2023

First, the effective structure thickness is extended from a three-layer waveguide to a multilayer waveguide; this thickness depends on the choice of the reference layer. The general expression for the dispersion caused by changes in various physical parameters is then presented. The result is valid for both TE and TM modes. The expression has the form
N∂N∂ξ=∑[G
i
(∂d
i
∂λ−d
i
∂ξλ∂ξ)+Q
i
n
i
∂n

∂ξ], where N is the effective index, d
i
and n
i
are, respectively, the thickness and refractive index of the layer i, λ is the wavelength of light, and ξ is any parameter on which N depends. G
i
is called the geometry coefficient and Q
i
the material coefficient. The geometry coefficients of the two outermost layers are zero; that of the layer i within the structure is equal to the ratio between the thickness of the layer to the effective thickness of the guide with this layer as the reference layer, multiplied by a factor. For a TE mode, the material coefficient of the layer i is exactly equal to the power fraction carried by this layer; the material coefficient for a TM mode has a more complicated expression. We apply the results to three-, four-, and symmetrical five-layer waveguides. Numerical results are presented.
Excited state absorption spectrum of HgBr B 2 Σ 1 / 2 +
Authors: Schloss J. H. , Eden J. G.
Published: November 2023

Transitions from HgBr
B2Σ1/2+ to higher electronic excited states have been observed in the 270–500-nm wavelength range. The experimental technique involved creation of HgBr(B) through dissociation of HgBr2 at 193 nm with an ArF laser. HgBr(B) was then pumped to a higher excited state with a dye laser. When on resonance with an upper electronic level, both suppression of the HgBr(B → X) emission (peaking at 502 nm) and emission on the Hg63P1 → 61S0 transition at 2537 A were observed. The observed electronic states have for separated atom limits Hg(3P) + Br(2P) and Hg(1P) + Br(2P). Furthermore, the transitions are strong with peak absorption cross sections of ~5 × 1017 cm2. The identity of these states and their impact on the operation of the blue-green laser are discussed.
Fundamental laser spectroscopy of molecules in solids: statistical fine structure
Authors: Carter T.P. , Kador L. , Moerner W. E.
Published: November 2023

Recently, we reported the first observation of the statistical fine structure (SFS) on an inhomogeneously broadened optical absorption line, the 0-0 origin transition of pentacene molecules in p-terphenyl crystals at liquid helium temperatures.1 SFS is a time-independent spectral structure resulting from number fluctuations in the spectral density of absorbers that we have detected directly using laser frequency modulation (FM) techniques. In our samples where the number of molecules per homogeneous linewidth
N¯
H
is large, a zero-background technique such as FM spectroscopy is optimal for detection of SFS because only the deviations of the absorption coefficient from the background value produce FM signals. In addition, for extremely low signal levels, we use double modulation with a Stark field to remove the effects of residual amplitude modulation in the modulator. Our goal is to describe the systematics and analysis of SFS spectra at a fixed low temperature, 1.6 K. For example, we show that the rms value of the SFS grows as the square root of
N¯
H
. More important, by computing the autocorrelation of the measured frozen noise spectra, the homogeneous linewidth can be determined to good accuracy without requiring spectral hole-burning or coherent transients. Since the source for SFS is fundamental statistical fluctuations in the absorber spectral density, SFS should occur for all inhomogeneously broadened lines; furthermore, the effect imposes a fundamental limit on the detectability of shallow spectral features in solids.
Envelope function approach for nonlinear periodic structures
Authors: De Sterke C. Martijn , Sipe J. E.
Published: November 2023

An envelope function approach is used to give a theoretical description of the properties of nonlinear periodic structures. This method, in which the electric field is separated into slow and fast spatial components, shows that the slow field component satisfies the nonlinear Schrodinger equation. The well-known soliton solutions of this equation provide a theoretical description of the gap solitons found by Chen and Mills1 in their numerical studies of these structures. The more general solutions of the nonlinear Schrodinger equation provide a framework for understanding the properties of finite nonlinear periodic stacks. It should be noted that our method allows us to find these solutions analytically.
Physical characterization of stratified volume holographic optical elements
Authors: Nordin Gregory P. , Johnson Richard V. , Tanguay Armand R.
Published: November 2023

A computational algorithm for analyzing diffraction properties of optical devices, the optical beam propagation method, has suggested a new class of device [stratified volume holographic optical elements (SVHOEs)] by which Bragg regime (thick grating) response can be obtained from a spaced sequence of thin grating layers. The SVHOE device structure consists of a sequence of thin photosensitive holographic recording layers that perform the optical modulation function, interleaved with optically passive buffer layers, i.e., layers that impress no modulation on the light beam but rather allow the diffraction processes necessary for thick grating response to occur. Such devices can emulate distributed gratings in terms of diffraction efficiency and angular selectivity and possess periodic diffraction properties that might serve, for example, as interconnections for optical cellular logic arrays. SVHOEs offer a unique capability for altering the device diffraction response on a layer-by-layer basis, allowing for control of both the diffraction peak width and the angular separation of adjacent peaks. In addition, the diffraction characteristics are observed to alternate between Raman-Nathlike behavior and Bragglike behavior as a function of buffer layer thickness due to periodic rephasing of the higher diffracted orders with the zeroth and first orders. This in turn leads to an unusual dependence of the diffraction efficiency on, for example, the grating spatial frequency and the wavelength of readout illumination. Experimental implementations of SVHOE structures are described, both with fixed gratings and dynamic reconfigurable media.
“It is because of the love for the job that we are still here”: Mental health and psychosocial support among health care workers affected by attacks in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon
Authors: Chandini Moustapha Aliyou , Van den Bergh Rafael , Agbor Junior Agbor Ayuk , Willliam Farnyu , Obi Agnes Mbiaya Mbeng , Ngeha Ngu Claudia , Karimu Ismaila , Douba Emmanuel Christian Epee , Kim Hyo-Jeong , Tendongfor Nicholas
Published: November 2023

Attacks on health care have important consequences for the mental health (MH) and work availability of health care workers (HCW). In the conflict-affected Northwest and Southwest (NWSW) regions of Cameroon, health care attacks are common; however, little is known on the MH burden and/or (mental) health-seeking behavior among affected HCW. We therefore conducted a survey on mental conditions (relying on SRQ-20 and WASSS assessments) and access to MH services among 470 HCW from 12 districts in NWSW Cameroon in January-February 2022. In-depth interviews on personal experiences with attacks and on accessing MH services were conducted with a subset of 96 HCW. Among surveyed HCW, 153 (33%) had experienced an attack in the past 6 months, and a further 121 (26%) had experienced attacks more than 6 months ago. HCW facing attacks <6 months ago had significantly higher odds of exhibiting mental disorders (aOR 5.8, 95%CI 3.0–11.3, p<0.001) and of being unable to function (aOR 3.3, 95%CI 1.9–5.7, p<0.001). HCW who experienced an attack >6 months also had higher odds of being unable to function (aOR 2.9, 95%CI 1.7–5.2, p<0.001), and of missing time off work in the week preceding the survey (aOR 3.1, 95%CI 1.8–5.5, p<0.001). Previous access to MH services was also higher among HCW facing attacks. HCW showed a good understanding of the added values of accessing MH services, but faced multiple access barriers (including poor availability of services and their own prioritization of the care of others) and indicated a preference for self-care, peer-support and/or religious support. In conclusion, health care attacks in NWSW Cameroon contributed significantly to severe mental conditions and absenteeism rates among HCW. Strengthening access to MH support among attack-affected HCW is indicated; this should include strengthening of formal MH services and building the capacity of HCW and religious leaders to provide peer-support.
Do pictures influence memory and metamemory in Chinese vocabulary learning? Evidence from Russian and Colombian learners
Authors: Martín-Luengo Beatriz , Hu Zhimin , Cadavid Sara , Luna Karlos
Published: November 2023

Despite the increasing interest in learning non-alphabetical languages such as Chinese, research about its learning process for alphabet users is scarce. Research conducted on Latin alphabet users on learning languages written in Latin alphabet, or on Chinese language learning in Chinese native speakers, users is undoubtedly useful but it does not inform about the peculiarities of leaning Chinese language by other alphabet users. Additionally, several authors have highlighted the need to inform and extend the current second language acquisition theories on the particular challenges of learning a language that uses another script. In this research we aim to contribute filling this research gap and studied the learning process of Chinese vocabulary by users of scripts different from Chinese. In particular, we examined the role of pictures and translations as learning aids for Chinese language vocabulary learning in participants familiarized with either one or two alphabetical scripts (different from the Chinese logographic script). One hundred thirteen participants studied word-aid pairs in different conditions: Hanzi (Chinese in Chinese characters)-picture; Pinyin (Chinese in Latin alphabet)-picture; Hanzi-translation; Pinyin-translation. Participants evaluated the future recallability of the words and their meanings (i.e., judgements of learning) and completed two recognition tests. Words in Pinyin and words-translation pairs were judged to be easier to remember than Hanzi and word-pictures pairs. Participants remembered the meaning of words written in Hanzi better than in Pinyin, and word-translations pairs better than pictures, but they were more confident about word-picture pairs. These results suggest that pictures boost confidence in learning Chinese, but do not affect performance. These findings suggest that while pictures may boost confidence in learning Chinese, they may not necessarily lead to better performance. Our study provides valuable insights into the interaction of learning aids and writing system in (meta)memory during vocabulary acquisition.
Decision making among residents in training of obstetrics and gynecology: A qualitative exploration in Pakistani context
Authors: Younas Sana , Khanum Saeeda , Qamar Azher Hameed
Published: November 2023

Medical decision-making is critical and the decisions are made under uncertain, complex, and dynamic conditions. In this regard, practitioners’ experiences and perceptions may provide a bottom-up knowledge of the issues, as well as a corresponding support system that assists them in learning to make decisions in critical situations. The current study aimed to examine these experiences in the Pakistani context. We interviewed 14 trainee residents (aged 26 to 34 years) from tertiary care hospitals. Using inductive thematic analysis, we explored a participant-centered perspective on the support system and decision-making process. Findings reveal that the major challenges to decision-making include uncertain and complex situations, hospital-related constraints, and sociocultural context. Both non-critical and critical case management are used in individual and group decision-making processes. The residents use knowledge-based, emotional, and instrumental support to make decisions. The study gave practitioners and academics a transdisciplinary platform to explore the cognitive, social, and behavioral aspects of decision-making in the healthcare industry.
PRMT5 and CDK4/6 inhibition result in distinctive patterns of alternative splicing in melanoma
Authors: Chan Lok Hang , Wang Peihan , Abuhammad Shatha , Lim Lydia Rui Jia , Cursons Joseph , Sheppard Karen E. , Goode David L.
Published: November 2023

Drugs targeting cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) are promising new treatments for melanoma and other solid malignancies. In studies on CDK4/6 inhibitor resistance, protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) regulation of alternative splicing was shown to be an important downstream component of the CDK4/6 pathway. However, the full effects of inhibition of CDK4/6 on splicing events in melanoma and the extent to which they are dependent on PRMT5 has not been established. We performed full-length mRNA sequencing on CHL1 and A375 melanoma cell lines treated with the CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib and the PRMT5 inhibitor GSK3326595 and analysed data for differential gene expression and differential pre-mRNA splicing induced by these agents. Changes in gene expression and RNA splicing were more extensive under PRMT5 inhibition than under CDK4/6 inhibition. Although PRMT5 inhibition and CDK4/6 inhibition induced common RNA splicing events and gene expression profiles, the majority of events induced by CDK4/6 inhibition were distinct. Our findings indicate CDK4/6 has the ability to regulate alternative splicing in a manner that is distinct from PRMT5 inhibition, resulting in divergent changes in gene expression under each therapy.
Environmental variables serve as predictors of the invasive Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann): An approach for targeted tick surveillance
Authors: Trout Fryxell R. T. , Chavez-Lindell T. , Butler R. A. , Odoi A.
Published: November 2023

Since the 2017 discovery of established populations of the Asian longhorned tick, (Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann) in the United States, populations continue to be detected in new areas. For this exotic and invasive species, capable of transmitting a diverse repertoire of pathogens and blood feeding on a variety of host species, there remains a lack of targeted information on how to best prepare for this tick and understand when and where it occurs. To fill this gap, we conducted two years of weekly tick surveillance at four farms in Tennessee (three H. longicornis-infested and one without) to identify environmental factors associated with each questing life stage, to investigate predictors of abundance, and to determine the likelihood of not collecting ticks at different life stages. A total of 46,770 ticks were collected, of which 12,607 H. longicornis and five other tick species were identified. Overall, abundance of H. longicornis were associated with spring and summer seasons, forested environments, relative humidity and barometric pressure, sunny conditions, and in relation with other tick species. The likelihood of not collecting H. longicornis was associated with day length and barometric pressure. Additional associations for different life stages were also identified and included other tick species, climatic variables, and environmental conditions. Here, we demonstrated that environmental variables can be useful to predict the presence of questing H. longicornis and provide ideas on how to use this information to develop a surveillance plan for different southeastern areas with and without infestations.
Maternal determination of soldier proportion and paternal determination of soldier sex ratio in hybrid Reticulitermes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) termite colonies
Authors: Wu Yao , Chen Jiaming , Takata Mamoru , Matsuura Kenji
Published: November 2023

Altruistic caste, including worker and soldier (derived from worker), plays a critical role in the ecological success of social insects. The proportion of soldiers, soldier sex ratios, and the number of workers vary significantly between species, and also within species, depending on colony developmental stage and environmental factors. However, it is unknown whether there are sex-linked effects from parents on controlling the caste fate or not. Here, we compared soldier sex ratios, soldier proportions, and population size among a four mating types of Reticulitermes amamianus (Ra) and R. speratus (Rs) (male × female, mRa × fRa, mRa × fRs, mRs × fRa, mRs × fRs) and demonstrate that the soldier sex ratio and worker population size of hybrid colonies skew to colonies of king’s species, while the soldier proportion skew to queen’s species. The survival rate of offspring resulting from interspecies hybridization was significantly higher for mRa × fRs than for mRs × fRa. The results of this study demonstrate the asymmetric influence of kings and queens on caste determination and colony growth, which can contribute to our better understanding of parental influence on the colony dynamics of social insects.
Junior scientists spotlight social bonds in seminars for diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM
Authors: Boyle Evan A. , Goldberg Gabriela , Schmok Jonathan C. , Burgado Jillybeth , Izidro Layng Fabiana , Grunwald Hannah A. , Balotin Kylie M. , Cuoco Michael S. , Chang Keng-Chi , Ecklu-Mensah Gertrude , Arakaki Aleena K. S. , Ahmed Noorsher , Garcia Arceo Ximena , Jagannatha Pratibha , Pekar Jonathan , Iyer Mallika ,   DASL Alliance, Yeo Gene W.
Published: November 2023

Disparities for women and minorities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers have continued even amidst mounting evidence for the superior performance of diverse workforces. In response, we launched the Diversity and Science Lecture series, a cross-institutional platform where junior life scientists present their research and comment on diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM. We characterize speaker representation from 79 profiles and investigate topic noteworthiness via quantitative content analysis of talk transcripts. Nearly every speaker discussed interpersonal support, and three-fifths of speakers commented on race or ethnicity. Other topics, such as sexual and gender minority identity, were less frequently addressed but highly salient to the speakers who mentioned them. We found that significantly co-occurring topics reflected not only conceptual similarity, such as terms for racial identities, but also intersectional significance, such as identifying as a Latina/Hispanic woman or Asian immigrant, and interactions between concerns and identities, including the heightened value of friendship to the LGBTQ community, which we reproduce using transcripts from an independent seminar series. Our approach to scholar profiles and talk transcripts serves as an example for transmuting hundreds of hours of scholarly discourse into rich datasets that can power computational audits of speaker diversity and illuminate speakers’ personal and professional priorities.
Prediction of disease severity using serum biomarkers in patients with mild-moderate Atopic Dermatitis: A pilot study
Authors: Lee In-Seon , Yeom Mijung , Kim Kyuseok , Hahm Dae-Hyun , Kang SeHyun , Park Hi-Joon
Published: November 2023

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an inflammatory skin condition that relies largely on subjective evaluation of clinical signs and symptoms for diagnosis and severity assessment. Using multivariate data, we attempted to construct prediction models that can diagnose the disease and assess its severity. We combined data from 28 mild-moderate AD patients and 20 healthy controls (HC) to create random forest models for classification (AD vs. HC) and regression analysis to predict symptom severities. The classification model outperformed the random permutation model significantly (area under the curve: 0.85 ± 0.10 vs. 0.50 ± 0.15; balanced accuracy: 0.81 ± 0.15 vs. 0.50 ± 0.15). Correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between measured and predicted total SCORing Atopic Dermatitis score (SCORAD; r = 0.43), objective SCORAD (r = 0.53), eczema area and severity index scores (r = 0.58, each p < 0.001), but not between measured and predicted itch ratings (r = 0.21, p = 0.18). We developed and tested multivariate prediction models and identified important features using a variety of serum biomarkers, implying that discovering the deep-branching relationships between clinical measurements and serum measurements in mild-moderate AD patients may be possible using a multivariate machine learning method. We also suggest future methods for utilizing machine learning algorithms to enhance drug target selection, diagnosis, prognosis, and customized treatment in AD.
Uncovering key molecular mechanisms in the early and late-stage of papillary thyroid carcinoma using association rule mining algorithm
Authors: Hosseiniyan Khatibi Seyed Mahdi , Zununi Vahed Sepideh , Homaei Rad Hamed , Emdadi Manijeh , Akbarpour Zahra , Teshnehlab Mohammad , Pirmoradi Saeed , Alizadeh Effat
Published: November 2023

Objective

Thyroid Cancer (TC) is the most frequent endocrine malignancy neoplasm. It is the sixth cause of cancer in women worldwide. The treatment process could be expedited by identifying the controlling molecular mechanisms at the early and late stages, which can contribute to the acceleration of treatment schemes and the improvement of patient survival outcomes. In this work, we study the significant mRNAs through Machine Learning Algorithms in both the early and late stages of Papillary Thyroid Cancer (PTC).

Method

During the course of our study, we investigated various methods and techniques to obtain suitable results. The sequence of procedures we followed included organizing data, using nested cross-validation, data cleaning, and normalization at the initial stage. Next, to apply feature selection, a t-test and binary Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGAII) were chosen to be employed. Later on, during the analysis stage, the discriminative power of the selected features was evaluated using machine learning and deep learning algorithms. Finally, we considered the selected features and utilized Association Rule Mining algorithm to identify the most important ones for improving the decoding of dominant molecular mechanisms in PTC through its early and late stages.

Result

The SVM classifier was able to distinguish between early and late-stage categories with an accuracy of 83.5% and an AUC of 0.78 based on the identified mRNAs. The most significant genes associated with the early and late stages of PTC were identified as (e.g., ZNF518B, DTD2, CCAR1) and (e.g., lnc-DNAJB6-7:7, RP11-484D2.3, MSL3P1), respectively.

Conclusion

Current study reveals a clear picture of the potential candidate genes that could play a major role not only in the early stage, but also throughout the late one. Hence, the findings could be of help to identify therapeutic targets for more effective PTC drug developments.
Towards accelerating model parallelism in distributed deep learning systems
Authors: Choi Hyeonseong , Lee Byung Hyun , Chun Se Young , Lee Jaehwan
Published: November 2023

Modern deep neural networks cannot be often trained on a single GPU due to large model size and large data size. Model parallelism splits a model for multiple GPUs, but making it scalable and seamless is challenging due to different information sharing among GPUs with communication overhead. Specifically, we identify two key issues to make the parallelism being inefficient and inaccurate; an efficient pipelining technique is crucial to maximize GPU utilization and normalizations in deep neural networks may affect the performance due to different statistics sharing of mini-batch. In this work, we address these issues by investigating efficient pipelining for model parallelism and effective normalizations in model / data parallelisms when training a model with large mini-batch in multiple GPUs so that the model performance in accuracy can not be compromised. Firstly, we propose a novel method to search for an optimal micro-batch size considering the number of GPUs and memory size for model parallelism. For efficient pipelining, mini-batch is usually divided into smaller batches (called micro-batch). To maximize the utilization of GPU computing resources, training should be performed with the optimal micro-batch size. Our proposed micro-batch size search algorithm achieved increased image throughput by up to 12% and improved trainable mini-batch size by 25% as compared to the conventional model parallelism method. Secondly, we investigate normalizations in distributed deep learning training for different parallelisms. Our experiments using different normalization methods suggested that the performance with batch normalization can be improved by sharing the batch information among GPUs when performing data parallelism. It was also confirmed that group normalization helped minimizing accuracy degradation when performing model parallelism with pipelining and yielded consistent accuracies for diverse mini-batch sizes.
Effects of motivations in marine protected areas: The case of Galápagos Islands
Authors: Carvache-Franco Mauricio , Carvache-Franco Wilmer , Hernández-Lara Ana Beatriz , Carvache-Franco Orly
Published: November 2023

This research proposes: (i) analyze push and pull motivations in insular marine protected areas, and (ii) determine their effects on tourists’ satisfaction, positive recommendations and loyalty in terms of returning. The study was conducted in the Galápagos Islands in Ecuador; a renowned marine protected area with a National Park being a Natural Heritage Site of Humanity by UNESCO. An exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), followed by a stepwise multiple regression analysis applied on a sample of 407 tourists in the Galápagos Islands showed four push and pull motivational factors in this destination: "passive marine," "active marine," "novelty and escape," and "social relations". "Passive marine" and "social relations" were the most prominent factors influencing tourist satisfaction and return intentions. Moreover, "passive marine" and "novelty and escape " highly influenced visitors’ intention to recommend and give positive feedback about this place. These findings constitute action guides for the adequate management of marine protected areas.