bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Low translational and rotational movements with 2-point stainless-steel retainers over a period of 1 and 3 years
Authors: Koller Sarah , Niederau Christian , Azraq Irma , Craveiro Rogerio Bastos , Knaup Isabel , Wolf Michael
Published: December 2023

Objectives

Long-term stabilization of orthodontic treatment outcomes is an everyday challenge in orthodontics. The use of permanently attached lingual retainers has become gold standard. However, in some cases, patients with fixed lingual retainers show retainer-associated side effects. Aiming to reduce these side effects, clinical knowledge about how tooth and arch form stability adaption takes place over time is important to improve long-term retention protocols. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate occlusion stability and risks for a newly developing malocclusion in a time-dependent manner in patients being treated with permanent 2‑point steel retainers.

Materials and methods

In this retrospective cohort study, a total of 66 consecutive patients with round stainless-steel retainers were analyzed for postorthodontic occlusion changes after 1 year (group 1, n = 33) and 3 years (group 2, n = 33). Digital Standard Tessellation Language (STL) datasets of the lower jaw were obtained before retainer insertion (T0), and after a 1- (T1) or 3‑year (T2) retention period. Using superimposition software, T1 and T2 situations were compared to T0 regarding rotational and translational changes in tooth positions in all three dimensions.

Results

Occlusion changes were low in both groups. The investigated lower canines were nearly stable in the 1‑ and 3‑year group, although a retention-time-dependent increase in tooth position change of the central and lateral incisors could be observed.

Conclusion

The present data provide evidence for time-dependent development of posttherapeutic occlusal adaption limited to central and lateral incisors in patients treated with a 2-point retainer. The observed occlusal changes should be interpreted as an occlusal adaption process rather than severe posttreatment changes associated with the orthodontic retainer.
Utilising patient and public involvement to increase the acceptability of brief CBT for OCD in young people
Authors: Waite Polly , Klampe Marie-Louise , Walters Sasha , Salkovskis Paul
Published: December 2023

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common and debilitating disorder that frequently begins in childhood and adolescence. Previous work (Bolton et al., 2011) has demonstrated that brief CBT (5 sessions), supplemented by therapeutic workbooks, is as effective as more traditional length (12 sessions) therapist-delivered treatment for adolescents with OCD. However, as was typical at the time, the treatment was developed with very limited patient and public involvement (PPI) and was delivered in the context of a randomised controlled trial which might affect translation to routine child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). To be able to implement such treatment within routine clinical services, it is crucial that it acceptable to young people, their families and the clinicians delivering the treatment. The aim of this project was to improve the acceptability of the brief treatment through PPI and consultation with clinicians, and consider issues relating to implementation. This was done through written feedback, interviews and focus groups with five adolescents and two parents, and a focus group and a half-day workshop with 12 clinicians. This led to revisions to the workbooks and materials to improve (a) acceptability by updating the design through changes to wording, language and images, and to ensure that they were consistent with values of equality, diversity and inclusion, and (b) usability by clarifying, adding, removing content, and organising the materials in new ways. We emphasise the importance of continued PPI throughout the project to maximise the translation of findings into practice.

Key learning aims

(1)

To understand the issues surrounding the delivery of brief CBT to young people with OCD.

(2)

To understand ways of reviewing, developing and improving the CBT materials with a range of young people, their parents, and clinicians.

(3)

To understand how to consult with clinicians in relation to the implementation of the treatment.

(4)

To consider how the process of this type of work can assist in the next steps of implementing a manualised intervention in routine CAMHS.
Water, Water Everywhere, but Every Drop Unique: Challenges in the Science to Understand the Role of Contaminants of Emerging Concern in the Management of Drinking Water Supplies
Authors: Glassmeyer Susan T. , Burns Emily E. , Focazio Michael J. , Furlong Edward T. , Gribble Matthew O. , Jahne Michael A. , Keely Scott P. , Kennicutt Alison R. , Kolpin Dana W. , Medlock Kakaley Elizabeth K. , Pfaller Stacy L.
Published: December 2023

The protection and management of water resources continues to be challenged by multiple and ongoing factors such as shifts in demographic, social, economic, and public health requirements. Physical limitations placed on access to potable supplies include natural and human‐caused factors such as aquifer depletion, aging infrastructure, saltwater intrusion, floods, and drought. These factors, although varying in magnitude, spatial extent, and timing, can exacerbate the potential for contaminants of concern (CECs) to be present in sources of drinking water, infrastructure, premise plumbing and associated tap water. This monograph examines how current and emerging scientific efforts and technologies increase our understanding of the range of CECs and drinking water issues facing current and future populations. It is not intended to be read in one sitting, but is instead a starting point for scientists wanting to learn more about the issues surrounding CECs. This text discusses the topical evolution CECs over time (Section 1), improvements in measuring chemical and microbial CECs, through both analysis of concentration and toxicity (Section 2) and modeling CEC exposure and fate (Section 3), forms of treatment effective at removing chemical and microbial CECs (Section 4), and potential for human health impacts from exposure to CECs (Section 5). The paper concludes with how changes to water quantity, both scarcity and surpluses, could affect water quality (Section 6). Taken together, these sections document the past 25 years of CEC research and the regulatory response to these contaminants, the current work to identify and monitor CECs and mitigate exposure, and the challenges facing the future.
The Future in Anthropocene Science
Authors: Keys P. W. , Badia L. , Warrier R.
Published: December 2023

The Anthropocene is the present time of human‐caused accelerating global change, and new forms of Anthropocene risk are emerging that society has hitherto never experienced. Science and policy are grappling with the temporal and spatial magnitude of these changes. However, there is a gap in the transparency—and perhaps even in the awareness—of the profound role that Anthropocene science plays in shaping the structure and possibility of our future world. In this work, we explore three key features of Anthropocene scenarios, including: worlding capacity, values shaping what is possible, and refusal to look. We explore these three features using three cases of Anthropocene science including international energy scenarios, climate change projections, and the possibility of social collapse. We discuss how Anthropocene science modulates new risks and systematically, though perhaps inadvertently, entrains certain social‐ecological futures. We find that clarity in these three attributes of Anthropocene science could enhance its integrity and build trust, not least in the arena of public policy. We conclude with recommendations for improving the interpretability and scope of Anthropocene science in the context of a growing urgency for accurate information to inform our collective future.
Modular Compositional Learning Improves 1D Hydrodynamic Lake Model Performance by Merging Process‐Based Modeling With Deep Learning
Authors: Ladwig R. , Daw A. , Albright E. A. , Buelo C. , Karpatne A. , Meyer M. F. , Neog A. , Hanson P. C. , Dugan H. A.
Published: December 2023

Hybrid Knowledge‐Guided Machine Learning (KGML) models, which are deep learning models that utilize scientific theory and process‐based model simulations, have shown improved performance over their process‐based counterparts for the simulation of water temperature and hydrodynamics. We highlight the modular compositional learning (MCL) methodology as a novel design choice for the development of hybrid KGML models in which the model is decomposed into modular sub‐components that can be process‐based models and/or deep learning models. We develop a hybrid MCL model that integrates a deep learning model into a modularized, process‐based model. To achieve this, we first train individual deep learning models with the output of the process‐based models. In a second step, we fine‐tune one deep learning model with observed field data. In this study, we replaced process‐based calculations of vertical diffusive transport with deep learning. Finally, this fine‐tuned deep learning model is integrated into the process‐based model, creating the hybrid MCL model with improved overall projections for water temperature dynamics compared to the original process‐based model. We further compare the performance of the hybrid MCL model with the process‐based model and two alternative deep learning models and highlight how the hybrid MCL model has the best performance for projecting water temperature, Schmidt stability, buoyancy frequency, and depths of different isotherms. Modular compositional learning can be applied to existing modularized, process‐based model structures to make the projections more robust and improve model performance by letting deep learning estimate uncertain process calculations.
Novel sofosbuvir derivatives against SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase: an in silico perspective
Authors: Alrehaily Abdulwahed , Elfiky Abdo A. , Ibrahim Ibrahim M. , Ibrahim Mohamed N. , Sonousi Amr
Published: December 2023

The human coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, had a negative impact on both the economy and human health, and the emerging resistant variants are an ongoing threat. One essential protein to target to prevent virus replication is the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). Sofosbuvir, a uridine nucleotide analog that potently inhibits viral polymerase, has been found to help treat SARS-CoV-2 patients. This work combines molecular docking and dynamics simulation (MDS) to test 14 sofosbuvir-based modifications against SARS-CoV-2 RdRp. The results reveal comparable (slightly better) average binding affinity of five modifications (compounds 3, 4, 11, 12, and 14) to the parent molecule, sofosbuvir. Compounds 3 and 4 show the best average binding affinities against SARS-CoV-2 RdRp (− 16.28 ± 5.69 and − 16.25 ± 5.78 kcal/mol average binding energy compared to − 16.20 ± 6.35 kcal/mol for sofosbuvir) calculated by Molecular Mechanics Generalized Born Surface Area (MM-GBSA) after MDS. The present study proposes compounds 3 and 4 as potential SARS-CoV-2 RdRp blockers, although this has yet to be proven experimentally.
Nesting behavior is associated with body weight and grip strength loss in mice suffering from experimental arthritis
Authors: Dietrich Tamara , Aigner Annette , Hildebrandt Alexander , Weber Jérôme , Meyer Günderoth Mara , Hohlbaum Katharina , Keller Johannes , Tsitsilonis Serafeim , Maleitzke Tazio
Published: December 2023

Objective animal health evaluation is essential to determine welfare and discomfort in preclinical in vivo research. Body condition scores, body weight, and grimace scales are commonly used to evaluate well-being in murine rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis experiments. However, nest-building, a natural behavior in mice, has not yet been evaluated in wild type (WT) or genetically modified rodents suffering from collagen antibody-induced arthritis (CAIA). To address this, we analyzed nesting behavior in WT mice, calcitonin gene-related peptide alpha-deficient (αCGRP-/-) mice, and calcitonin receptor-deficient (Calcr-/-) mice suffering from experimental RA compared to healthy control (CTRL) groups of the same genotypes. CAIA was induced in 10–12-week-old male mice, and clinical parameters (body weight, grip strength, clinical arthritis score, ankle size) as well as nesting behavior were assessed over 10 or 48 days. A slight positive association between the nest score and body weight and grip strength was found for animals suffering from CAIA. For the clinical arthritis score and ankle size, no significant associations were observed. Mixed model analyses confirmed these associations. This study demonstrates that clinical effects of RA, such as loss of body weight and grip strength, might negatively affect nesting behavior in mice. Assessing nesting behavior in mice with arthritis could be an additional, non-invasive and thus valuable health parameter in future experiments to monitor welfare and discomfort in mice. During severe disease stages, pre-formed nest-building material may be provided to animals suffering from arthritis.
Unconjugated bilirubin is correlated with the severeness and neurodevelopmental outcomes in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy
Authors: Lee Inn-Chi , Yu Chin-Sheng , Hu Ya-Chun , Wang Xing-An
Published: December 2023

Unconjugated bilirubin (UB) levels during the first week after birth are related to outcomes in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Clinical Sarnat staging of HIE, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), hearing outcomes, and neurodevelopmental outcomes ≥ 1 year were used to correlate UB in 82 HIE patients. The initial UB level was significantly correlated with lactic acid levels. The peak UB was higher (p < 0.001) in stage I (10.13 ± 4.03 mg/dL, n = 34) than in stages II and III (6.11 ± 2.88 mg/dL, n = 48). Among the 48 patients receiving hypothermia treatment, a higher peak UB was significantly (p < 0.001) correlated with unremarkable brain MRI scans and unremarkable neurodevelopmental outcomes at age ≥ 1 year. The peak UB were higher (P = 0.015) in patients free of seizures until 1 year of age (6.63 ± 2.91 mg/dL) than in patients with seizures (4.17 ± 1.77 mg/dL). Regarding hearing outcomes, there were no significant differences between patients with and without hearing loss. The UB level in the first week after birth is an important biomarker for clinical staging, MRI findings, seizures after discharge before 1 year of age, and neurodevelopmental outcomes at ≥ 1 year of age.
Impact of crystalline orientation on Cu–Cu solid-state bonding behavior by molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Tatsumi Hiroaki , Kao C. R. , Nishikawa Hiroshi
Published: December 2023

High-density electronics are hindered by the constraints of Sn-based solder joints, necessitating the exploration of Cu–Cu solid-state bonding. However, current bonding methods are expensive and time-consuming; therefore, understanding the Cu–Cu bonding mechanism is crucial for optimization. This study utilizes molecular dynamics (MD) simulation to elucidate the Cu–Cu solid-state bonding behavior, focusing on interfacial densification and diffusion phenomena. Furthermore, it highlights the influence of crystal orientation on the interfacial bonding behavior. To analyze the impact of crystal orientation, monocrystalline Cu slabs with a simplified periodic surface structure were employed to replicate surface roughness and subsequently bonded at a specific temperature. The results indicate the critical influence of crystalline orientations on the bonding process: identical orientations result in slower densification at the interface, whereas misoriented orientations significantly accelerate it. This effect, attributed to the grain boundary (GB) structures formed owing to misorientation, suggests a central role for GB diffusion in bonding progression. Diffusion coefficients calculated using the mean square displacement (MSD) confirmed these findings and exhibited significantly larger values for misoriented joints. Additionally, the simulations reveal an activation energy for GB diffusion that is lower than conventional values, highlighting the impact of the crystallographic orientation and voids at the bonding interface. Our research elucidates the role of crystalline orientation in diffusion phenomena at bonding interfaces, offering valuable implications for optimizing bonding-based manufacturing processes.
Detection and classification of brain tumor using hybrid deep learning models
Authors: Babu Vimala Baiju , Srinivasan Saravanan , Mathivanan Sandeep Kumar , Mahalakshmi  , Jayagopal Prabhu , Dalu Gemmachis Teshite
Published: December 2023

Accurately classifying brain tumor types is critical for timely diagnosis and potentially saving lives. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a widely used non-invasive method for obtaining high-contrast grayscale brain images, primarily for tumor diagnosis. The application of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) in deep learning has revolutionized diagnostic systems, leading to significant advancements in medical imaging interpretation. In this study, we employ a transfer learning-based fine-tuning approach using EfficientNets to classify brain tumors into three categories: glioma, meningioma, and pituitary tumors. We utilize the publicly accessible CE-MRI Figshare dataset to fine-tune five pre-trained models from the EfficientNets family, ranging from EfficientNetB0 to EfficientNetB4. Our approach involves a two-step process to refine the pre-trained EfficientNet model. First, we initialize the model with weights from the ImageNet dataset. Then, we add additional layers, including top layers and a fully connected layer, to enable tumor classification. We conduct various tests to assess the robustness of our fine-tuned EfficientNets in comparison to other pre-trained models. Additionally, we analyze the impact of data augmentation on the model's test accuracy. To gain insights into the model's decision-making, we employ Grad-CAM visualization to examine the attention maps generated by the most optimal model, effectively highlighting tumor locations within brain images. Our results reveal that using EfficientNetB2 as the underlying framework yields significant performance improvements. Specifically, the overall test accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score were found to be 99.06%, 98.73%, 99.13%, and 98.79%, respectively.
The association between alcohol, betel nut, and cigarette use with hepatitis C virus infection in Taiwan
Authors: Tseng Yuan-Ai , Ou Yu-Lun , Geng Jiun-Hung , Wang Chih-Wen , Wu Da-Wei , Chen Szu-Chia , Lu Po-Liang
Published: December 2023

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection may cause chronic liver disease, liver cirrhosis, and liver cancer. It has been reported to associate with habits including alcohol, betel nut and cigarette use. We aimed to investigate the association between alcohol, betel nut, and cigarette use with HCV infection in Taiwan and to explore their effects. A total of 121,421 participants were enrolled from the Taiwan Biobank. They were stratified into two groups according to whether they had (n = 2750; 2.3%) or did not have (n = 118,671; 97.7%) HCV infection. All participants were also classified into four groups according to the number of habits, including a history of alcohol drinking, betel nut chewing, and cigarette smoking. There were 85,406 (no habit), 24,299 (one habit), 8659 (two habits), and 3057 (three habits) participants in the four groups, respectively. Multivariable analysis showed that the participants who had an alcohol drinking history (odds ratio [OR] 1.568; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.388–1.773; p < 0.001), betel nut chewing history (OR 1.664; 95% CI 1.445–1.917; p < 0.001), cigarette smoking history (OR 1.387; 95% CI 1.254–1.535; p < 0.001), were significantly associated with HCV infection. Furthermore, the participants were classified into four groups according to the number of habits as follows: 85,406 (no habit), 24,299 (one habit), 8659 (two habits), and 3057 (three habits). The HCV infection rates in these four groups were 2.11%, 2.14%, 3.23%, and 4.78%, respectively. Compared to the participants with no or one habit, those with two habits had a higher HCV infection rate (all p < 0.001). In addition, compared to the participants who had no, one or two habits, those who had three habits also had higher HCV infection rates (all p < 0.001). The participants who had three habits had the highest prevalence of HCV infection. In an era when most HCV can be cured, understanding the epidemiology link between habits and HCV may help the case finding.
Nickel-catalyzed reductive 1,1-diarylation of unactivated alkenes with aryl iodides
Authors: Wang Zhengwen , Jin Zhou , Zhou Bingwei
Published: December 2023

We present a nickel-catalyzed reductive 1,1-diarylation of unactivated alkenes with aryl iodides, featuring an excellent 1,1-regioselectivity and broad scope of alkenes.
Experimental and computational studies on the palladium-catalyzed intramolecular dearomatization, electrophilic addition, intermolecular coupling sequence
Authors: Liu Qing-Hui , Ma Yue , Zhang Hong-Yu , Zhang Yuecheng , Zhao Jiquan , Cao Xiaohui , Han Ya-Ping , Liang Yong-Min
Published: December 2023

An unprecedented Pd-catalyzed highly stereoselective synthetic strategy for the construction of a broad spectrum polycyclic fused indoline skeletons employing N-halobenzoyl o-haloanilines and N-(prop-2-yn-1-yl)anilines as has been described.
Flying on the canopy of dandelion seeds
Authors: Shapiro Maura
Published: December 2023

Though sometimes a pesky weed, the efficient flight of dandelion seeds could serve as an inspiration for unpowered aircraft.
Heterogeneity of nanoparticle deposition micro-structure and modeling deposition layer thickness variation underneath periodically growing single boiling bubbles in nanofluids
Authors: Wang Dongmin , Lin Gaoshuai , Dong Wuhan , Gao Min , Shang Lixing
Published: December 2023

Nanoparticle deposition in nanofluid boiling can significantly impact heat transfer efficiency. However, there is still much to be uncovered regarding the heterogeneity of micro-structures in nanoparticle deposition and how to quantitatively model variations in deposition layer thickness. To gain a deeper understanding, we conducted experiments where single boiling bubbles were grown from an artificial micro-cavity in SiO2 nanofluids with varying concentrations and durations under a constant heat flux. Our results reveal that the nanoparticle deposition region increases with concentration and boiling duration. Notably, while the deposition morphology is irregular near the bubble nucleation site, it becomes more uniform further away from the bubble nucleation site. We believe that the heterogeneity in the micro-structure of the deposition layer is due to differences in the evaporation time of the liquid microlayer at different positions, variations in its thickness beneath a single boiling bubble, and dependency of nanoparticles Brownian motion on temperature. Additionally, the thickness of the deposition layer decreases as the distance from the nucleation site increases. To accurately describe this variation in thickness, we have proposed a semi-empirical correlation based on the liquid microlayer evaporation theory and the conservation of mass of nanoparticles beneath a single boiling bubble. The thickness of the nanoparticle deposition layer is determined by the number of growing bubbles, liquid density, initial thickness of the liquid microlayer, local nanoparticle concentration, and local nanoparticle stacking density. This study provides valuable insights into optimizing micro-structures or thickness of the deposition layer, leading to improved nanofluid boiling heat transfer.
A robotic AI-Chemist system for multi-modal AI-ready database
Authors: Feng Shuo , Cai Aoran , Wang Yang , Zhang Baicheng , Qiao Qinyu , Chen Cheng , Wang Song , Jiang Jun
Published: December 2023

By fusing literature data mining, high-performance simulations, and high-accuracy experiments, robotic AI-Chemist can achieve automated high-throughput production, classification, cleaning, association and fusion of data, and thus develop a multi-modal AI-ready database.
Treatment Outcomes of Clofazimine-Containing Regimens in Severe Mycobacterium avium Complex Pulmonary Disease
Authors: Lee Inhan , Hwang Eui Jin , Kim Joong-Yub , Yim Jae-Joon , Kwak Nakwon
Published: December 2023

Background

Clofazimine is suggested as a promising drug for the treatment of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease. However, the role of clofazimine in severe Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease (MAC-PD) remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the treatment outcomes of patients with severe MAC-PD treated with regimens containing clofazimine.

Methods

This study included patients diagnosed with severe MAC-PD at Seoul National University Hospital who underwent anti-mycobacterial treatment between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2022. We assessed the rate of culture conversion within 6 months and microbiological cure in patients receiving clofazimine-containing regimens, considering the dose and duration of clofazimine administration.

Results

A total of 170 patients with severe MAC-PD, treated with regimens containing clofazimine, were included in the analysis. The median age of patients was 68 years (interquartile range, 59–75 years), with a female predominance (n = 114 [67.1%]). Cavities were identified in 121 patients (71.2%). Within 6 months, 77 patients (45.3%) achieved culture conversion, and 84 of 154 (54.6%) patients attained microbiological cure. The dose of clofazimine (100 mg vs 50 mg) was not associated with culture conversion (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.64 [95% confidence interval {CI}, .29–1.42]) or microbiological cure (aOR, 1.21 [95% CI, .52–2.81]). The microbiological cure rate reached 71.0% when clofazimine was administered for 6–12 months, compared to 23.1% when administered for <6 months.

Conclusions

Clofazimine demonstrated a relatively favorable efficacy in severe MAC-PD, regardless of the maintenance dose. This effect was more pronounced when administered for a duration exceeding 6 months.
Successful Treatment of Rapidly Evolving Cutaneous Leishmaniasis With Amphotericin B and Miltefosine in an Immigrant From Venezuela
Authors: Mullis Danielle M , Shegog Evan , Studemeister Lucy , Hwang Michael
Published: December 2023

Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease uncommonly encountered in the United States. This case report describes a 54-year-old man presenting with rapidly progressing, pruritic, painful ulcerative lesions after recently immigrating from Venezuela. A punch biopsy confirmed infection with Leishmaniasis braziliensis. He was successfully treated with amphotericin B and miltefosine.
Generic orthopaedic trauma implants: implementation, outcomes, and cost savings
Authors: Kleinsmith Rebekah M. , Doxey Stephen A. , Huyke-Hernández Fernando A. , Mikhael Nizar , Cunningham Brian P.
Published: December 2023

Background:

As healthcare costs continue to rise, there has been increasing emphasis placed on providing value-based care. In orthopaedics, one way to influence cost is through the use of generic implants. The purpose of this study was to evaluate cost-savings and surgical outcomes with the implementation of generic orthopaedic trauma implant use.

Methods:

This was a retrospective case series of 154 primary orthopaedic trauma patients from April – December 2022 within a level II trauma center. Patients were included if treated solely with generic implants. Exclusion criteria consisted of revision procedures for any reason, and the use of conventional name brand implants. Eleven different primary orthopaedic trauma procedures in which generic implants were evaluated. Main outcome measurements included operative time, perioperative complications, reoperation rates, patient mortality, implant cost, cost-savings.

Results:

Cost-savings per procedure with the use of generic implants in eleven different primary orthopaedic trauma procedures ranged from 16% to 73%. The average cost-savings was 48.8% among the 11 procedures evaluated, with a yearly cost-savings of 56.0% when case volume is considered. Maintaining the 2021 case volume for one surgeon constant, an overall savings of $256,794 could be generated.

Conclusions:

This study demonstrated that generic implants can provide an opportunity for relatively good patient outcomes with minimal overall risk. Generic implants are a valid alternative to decrease costs while maintaining acceptable patient outcomes. Future studies should seek to provide patient-reported outcome measures for generic implants and compare them to conventional implant use.
Developing a union catalogue of Pakistani University libraries: status, problems, and prospects
Authors: Mairaj Muhammad Ijaz , Mukaram Mahsham
Published: December 2023

Purpose

This study aims to examine the status, explores the hurdles and identifies the prospects for developing a union catalogue of university libraries in Lahore, Pakistan.

Design/methodology/approach

Following a quantitative research approach, a questionnaire was developed from literature and authors’ experience. After ensuring its validity and reliability, data were collected from librarians after the census. A total of 105 librarians were approached, of whom 73 (71%) responded to the survey.

Findings

University libraries in Lahore are well organized, have adequate collections and information technology-literate staff, are well automated, have good internet connections, are equipped with integrated software, follow cataloguing rules and MARC standards; however, the absence of standardized software, lack of funds, absence of uniform policy, professional workload and absence of standardized vocabulary are significant challenges. Private-sector librarians reported facing more challenges. Librarians consider all prospects vital for developing a union catalogue. These prospects include the availability of relevant information, incentives to librarians, coordination with librarians, a realization that sharing is caring, the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan taking initiative and librarians’ training.

Research limitations/implications

University librarians in Lahore are ready to cooperate with the development of a union catalogue; however, they seek support from higher authorities, professional library associations and the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is the first of its kind that examines the status, explores the hurdles and identifies the prospects for developing a union catalogue of university libraries in Lahore. It would lead to the development of a union catalogue of university libraries in Pakistan.
Finding a digital silver line during COVID-19 pandemic: a case of Madhubani Paints
Authors: Singh Neha , Moid Sana , Rushdi Naela Jamal , Shankar Nitin
Published: December 2023

Learning outcomes

The case’s resolution will inspire students to engage in critical analysis of the hurdles encountered by Madhubani Paints amid the pandemic. It will prompt them to dissect cause-and-effect chains stemming from decisions made during this period, fostering a mindset of critical thinking and problem-solving. Additionally, it aims to cultivate a profound comprehension of the Indian entrepreneurial landscape, highlighting the pivotal role of micro-enterprises and women entrepreneurship. Furthermore, it will task students with brainstorming inventive solutions to the specific challenges faced by Madhubani Paints, particularly focusing on differentiation strategies and enhancing customer engagement in the online marketplace. The case highlights the strategic utilization of digital avenues for business expansion, showcasing how Madhubani Paints not only persevered through a challenging pandemic but excelled, securing 35% of its revenue through digital channels.

Case overview/synopsis

Madhubani Paints was a micro-enterprise in the small town of Darbhanga (India) that traded hand-painted products. The protagonist had a strong interest in Madhubani painting, and her enthusiasm led her to establish her own micro-enterprise. This case study highlights the protagonist’s journey towards entrepreneurship and what were the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the case study showcases how micro-enterprises leverage digital technologies to improve their business performance. Through this case study, students will be able to learn what the contribution of an entrepreneur is to the development of our society and will understand the fundamental concept of marketing and entrepreneurship.

Complexity academic level

The case study can be used in management for the course of marketing and entrepreneurship and is appropriate for post-graduate students. Discussion would be the most appropriate method for teaching this case study. The students would need to understand the concept of marketing mix, segmentation and targeting and the basics of marketing strategy to ensure effective learning.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS3: Entrepreneurship.
Parturients feel capable of giving informed consent for epidural analgesia: A qualitative and quantitative analysis
Authors: Christoffersen Oliver Bastian , Møller Ann Merete , Moestrup Lærke Vinberg , Wildgaard Kim
Published: December 2023

Introduction

The patient's right to autonomy confirmed by informed consent is a cornerstone in modern medicine. Epidural analgesia is increasingly popular in obstetric analgesia, but physicians disagree whether labour pain impairs parturient decision‐making. We investigated the fraction of parturients feeling capable of giving informed consent including their knowledge of risks.

Methods

Bedside survey postpartum women at the Herlev Hospital, Denmark. The inclusion criteria were recipient of epidural analgesia during labour. A power calculation based on the recognition of genuine and false side effects required the inclusion of 50 participants.

Results

Forty out of fifty (80%) of the participants felt they could make a judicious consent during labour and 46 out of 50 (92%) felt they knew enough about epidural analgesia to give consent to the procedure again if necessary. Participants spontaneously reported a median of two risks associated with epidural analgesia. Additionally, when prompted with a cued list of true and false risks from epidural analgesia, the participants reported on average 5.1 genuine risks compared with 0.4 made‐up risks. The difference (4.7) suggests the included women could discern genuine risks from made‐up risks.

Discussion

The majority of participants reported the capacity to give informed consent. Our quantitative results show the participants could clearly distinguish genuine risks of epidural labour analgesia from made‐up risks. Our qualitative data likewise suggest that participants understood the information and consequently their informed consent was genuine. Accordingly, parturients are able to give informed consent. This is supported by parturients' ability to identify risks from epidural labour analgesia.
Performance of key physical tests for temporomandibular disorder via telehealth: Establishing validity and reliability
Authors: Hartono Joseph , Cottrell Michelle , Window Peter , Russell Trevor
Published: December 2023

Background

During the COVID‐19 pandemic, many individuals sought healthcare virtually. Physiotherapy is integral in managing temporomandibular disorders (TMDs); therefore, establishing how key physical tests can be appropriately adapted to telehealth is paramount.

Objectives

To establish the validity and reliability of telehealth (specifically videoconferencing) assessments against in‐person assessments on a battery of TMD physical tests.

Method

A repeated‐measures study design was undertaken. Thirty‐six adult participants (19 healthy and 17 TMD) underwent concurrent temporomandibular joint (TMJ) physiological movement measurements via videoconferencing and in‐person as per standard clinical practice. Inclusion criteria included the presence of central incisors and no significant comorbidities precluding a safe telehealth examination. Participants with TMD completed seven additional pain provocation physical tests.

Results

Agreement between telehealth and in‐person physiological movement measures was excellent (ICC >0.90, 95% CI: 0.53 to >0.99). Inter‐ and intra‐rater reliability for telehealth measures indicated excellent reliability (ICC >0.97, 95% CI: 0.91 to >0.99). Exact agreement between telehealth and in‐person for provocation tests ranged between 58.8% and 94.1%. Fourteen of the twenty‐six individual measures produced substantial to near perfect agreement (PABAK = 0.65–0.88), seven produced moderate agreement (PABAK = 0.53), while five produced poor to fair agreement (PABAK = 0.18–0.29).

Conclusion

There is high level of agreement between telehealth and in‐person measurements of TMJ physiological movement and pain provocation tests.
A dose characterization study evaluating the pharmacodynamics and safety of a concentrated alfaxalone solution (4%) as an intramuscular sedative in dogs
Authors: Hoon Ting Michelle Angel Yvonne , Kat Irving Tjiah Wern , Pasloske Kirby , Farry Trisha , Goodwin Wendy Anne
Published: December 2023

Alfaxalone is a commonly employed veterinary anaesthetic induction and sedation agent. A 4% w/v preserved, aqueous formulation of alfaxalone ‘RD0387’ (A4%) has recently been developed. To evaluate the sedative effects of A4%, three doses, 5 mg kg−1 (A5); 7.5 mg kg−1 (A7.5) and 10 mg kg−1 (A10) were administered intramuscularly into the epaxial musculature of six healthy adult mixed‐breed dogs in an experimental, randomized, blinded, crossover study. Sedation time variables, quality of sedation (including onset of sedation and recovery), physiological variables, response to cephalic vein catheterization and frequency of undesirable events were recorded. Continuous variables were analysed between treatments (one‐way ANOVA or restricted maximum likelihood modelling) and within treatments compared with baseline (Tukey's test). Categorical data were analysed between treatments (Kruskal‐Wallis' test) and within treatments from baseline (Dunn's test). Significance was set at p < .05. All dogs became sedated (laterally recumbent) and sedation onset was significantly faster in groups A7.5 (9.8 ± 5.3 min) and A10 (9.1 ± 5.6 min) compared to A5 (25.6 ± 16.1 min) (p = .033, p = .027, respectively). Duration of sedation was significantly longer in A10 (168.5 ± 70.6 min) and A7.5 (143.8 ± 58 min) compared to A5 (63.8 ± 28.2 min) (p = .005 and p = .003, respectively). Dogs in A10 had a superior quality of onset of sedation compared to A5 (p = .028). Sedation scores and quality of recovery from sedation were not significantly different between doses. Two dogs (2/6) in A5 were insufficiently sedated for cephalic catheterization. Ataxia was the most frequently observed undesirable event with an overall frequency of 78% (14/18) and 89% (16/18) during sedation onset and recovery, respectively. Overall, A4% administered IM in dogs at 7.5 and 10 mg kg−1 resulted in sufficient sedation for IV catheterization in dogs. To improve the speed and quality of the sedation, it is recommended that future research focuses on combining A4% with other sedative or analgesic drugs.
Whose water crisis? How policy responses to acute environmental change widen inequality
Authors: David Olivia , Hughes Sara
Published: December 2023

Policy responses to the challenges associated with environmental change, including more frequent and severe climatic events, have interlinked environmental and social impacts. Less attention has been afforded to the latter, and specifically to the question of not just whether but how such responses create or entrench inequality. This paper examines policy responses to drought events in California, United States, and the Western Cape Province, South Africa, in terms of their effects on inequality, revealed in relationships to water access networks. We use concepts of water justice and hydraulic citizenship to evaluate how and why these policy responses reproduced water injustices in the two settings. We focus particularly on two mechanisms linking responses to widened inequalities: values‐reinforcement and strategic communication. Using interviews, policy documents, and media reports, we employ process tracing methods to illustrate these mechanisms through which drought policy impacts hydraulic citizenship experiences, manifesting water injustice. We contribute to emerging examinations of environmental policy responses and maladaptation by demonstrating how concepts of hydraulic citizenship and an emphasis on mechanisms can help us better understand and identify experiences of water injustice. We note policy implications and areas for future research, highlighting droughts as consequential policy sites for advancing social and environmental justice.
Boundedness in families with applications to arithmetic hyperbolicity
Authors: van Bommel Raymond , Javanpeykar Ariyan , Kamenova Ljudmila
Published: December 2023

Motivated by conjectures of Demailly, Green–Griffiths, Lang and Vojta, we show that several notions related to hyperbolicity behave similarly in families. We apply our results to show the persistence of arithmetic hyperbolicity along field extensions for projective normal surfaces with non‐zero irregularity. These results rely on the mild boundedness of semi‐abelian varieties. We also introduce and study the notion of pseudo‐algebraic hyperbolicity which extends Demailly's notion of algebraic hyperbolicity for projective schemes.
Simulated altitude is medicine: intermittent exposure to hypobaric hypoxia and cold accelerates injured skeletal muscle recovery
Authors: Santocildes Garoa , Viscor Ginés , Pagès Teresa , Torrella Joan Ramon
Published: December 2023

Muscle injuries are the leading cause of sports casualties. Because of its high plasticity, skeletal muscle can respond to different stimuli to maintain and improve functionality. Intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (IHH) improves muscle oxygen delivery and utilization. Hypobaria coexists with cold in the biosphere, opening the possibility to consider the combined use of both environmental factors to achieve beneficial physiological adjustments. We studied the effects of IHH and cold exposure, separately and simultaneously, on muscle regeneration. Adult male rats were surgically injured in one gastrocnemius and randomly assigned to the following groups: (1) CTRL: passive recovery; (2) COLD: intermittently exposed to cold (4°C); (3) HYPO: submitted to IHH (4500 m); (4) COHY: exposed to intermittent simultaneous cold and hypoxia. Animals were subjected to these interventions for 4 h/day for 9 or 21 days. COLD and COHY rats showed faster muscle regeneration than CTRL, evidenced after 9 days at histological (dMHC‐positive and centrally nucleated fibre reduction) and functional levels after 21 days. HYPO rats showed a full recovery from injury (at histological and functional levels) after 9 days, while COLD and COHY needed more time to induce a total functional recovery. IHH can be postulated as an anti‐fibrotic treatment since it reduces collagen I deposition. The increase in the pSer473Akt/total Akt ratio observed after 9 days in COLD, HYPO and COHY, together with the increase in the pThr172AMPKα/total AMPKα ratio observed in the gastrocnemius of HYPO, provides clues to the molecular mechanisms involved in the improved muscle regeneration.

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Key points

Only intermittent hypobaric exposure accelerated muscle recovery as early as 9 days following injury at histological and functional levels.

Injured muscles from animals treated with intermittent (4 h/day) cold, hypobaric hypoxia or a simultaneous combination of both stimuli regenerated histological structure and recovered muscle function 21 days after injury.

The combination of cold and hypoxia showed a blunting effect as compared to hypoxia alone in the time course of the muscle recovery.

The increased expression of the phosphorylated forms of Akt observed in all experimental groups could participate in the molecular cascade of events leading to a faster regeneration.

The elevated levels of phosphorylated AMPKα in the HYPO group could play a key role in the modulation of the inflammatory response during the first steps of the muscle regeneration process.
ADVANCING THE PRODUCTION OF VIRAL VECTORS FOR CAR-T CELL THERAPY IN KAZAKHSTAN
Authors: Syzdykova L.R. , Keyer V.V. , Arsienko R.Y. , Inirbay B.K. , Shustov A.V.
Published: December 2023

Therapy of hematological tumors with chimeric antigen receptor-expressing T-cells (CAR-T) is a recent technology which holds promise to become the most significant achievement in oncohematology over the past 20 years. One aspect of the clinically applied CAR-T technology is that the process of production of CAR+ cells requires viral vectors which are used to deliver the CAR gene in T lymphocytes. At present the production of CAR-T therapy depends on the availability of packaged lentiviral or retroviral vectors. There is a worldwide deficiency in a production capacity to produce CAR vectors, and clinical-use vectors are not sold as off-the-shelf products.
At the National center for biotechnology the CAR receptor was assembled and this CAR targets the CD19 antigen which is a marker of tumor cells of the B-cell origin, lentiviral vectors were constructed. Studies on the production of packaged vectors were conducted at which three types of transfection reagents were compared for efficiency, in terms of the produced functional titers. A method was developed to measure functional titers using flow cytometry. High titers of the packaged vectors were obtained.
As the CAR-T is effective for treatment of patients after failure of traditional therapy, with relapse or refractory disease, all works on transfer of the CAR-T technology to Kazakhstan are of life importance to the patients with blood cancers in the country. The results underscore a necessity to organize a full production process to produce CAR vectors for clinical use and therapeutic cells for the CAR-T therapy at the NCB.
People with IBD evidence more microarousals during sleep architecture assessments
Authors: Salwen-Deremer Jessica K , Reid Matthew J , Westvold Sarah J , Siegel Corey A , Smith Michael T
Published: December 2023

Objective

Poor sleep is common in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and may be associated with overall worse disease outcomes. While the sleep/IBD literature is growing, the data are often self-reported. Further, much of the research using objective measures of sleep architecture, or the overall pattern of sleep depth, rely on single-night assessments, which can be of questionable validity.

Design

Participants with IBD and healthy controls were recruited from Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center as part of a two-phase clinical trial. Sleep architecture was assessed using three nights of in-home electroencephalographic monitoring and scored according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine guidelines.

Results

Our sample included 15 participants with IBD and 8 healthy controls. Participants with IBD were more psychiatrically complex, with more self-reported insomnia, anxiety and depression. Participants with IBD evidenced greater microarousals than healthy controls. In participants with IBD, microarousals were associated with lower insomnia and greater depression scores. Within IBD, participants with clinically significant insomnia evidenced trend towards lower sleep efficiency, while self-reported disease activity did not significantly impact findings.

Conclusions

The methodology of past research may have impacted findings, including the reliance on single-night assessments and limited generalisability. Future research that uses robust, multinight assessments of sleep architecture in large, diverse samples is clearly warranted, as is research exploring the impact of cognitive and behavioural factors on sleep architecture and arousal.

Trial registration number

NCT04132024.