bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Group prenatal care successes, challenges, and frameworks for scaling up: a case study in adopting health care innovations
Authors: Masters Claire , Carandang Rogie Royce , Lewis Jessica B. , Hagaman Ashley , Metrick Rebecca , Ickovics Jeannette R. , Cunningham Shayna D.
Published: March 2024

Background

Group prenatal care enhances quality of care, improves outcomes, and lowers costs. However, this healthcare innovation is not widely available. Using a case-study approach, our objectives were to (1) examine organizational characteristics that support implementation of Expect With Me group prenatal care and (2) identify key factors influencing adoption and sustainability.

Methods

We studied five clinical sites implementing group prenatal care, collecting qualitative data including focus group discussions with clinicians (n = 4 focus groups, 41 clinicians), key informant interviews (n = 9), and administrative data. We utilized a comparative qualitative case-study approach to characterize clinical sites and explain organizational traits that fostered implementation success. We characterized adopting and non-adopting (unable to sustain group prenatal care) sites in terms of fit for five criteria specified in the Framework for Transformational Change: (1) impetus to transform, (2) leadership commitment to quality, (3) improvement initiatives that engage staff, (4) alignment to achieve organization-wide goals, and (5) integration.

Results

Two sites were classified as adopters and three as non-adopters based on duration, frequency, and consistency of group prenatal care implementation. Adopters had better fit with the five criteria for transformational change. Adopting organizations were more successful implementing group prenatal care due to alignment between organizational goals and resources, dedicated healthcare providers coordinating group care, space for group prenatal care sessions, and strong commitment from organization leadership.

Conclusions

Adopting sites were more likely to integrate group prenatal care when stakeholders achieved alignment across staff on organizational change goals, leadership buy-in, and committed institutional support and dedicated resources to sustain it.

Trial registration

The Expect With Me intervention’s design and hypotheses were preregistered: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02169024. Date: June 19, 2014.
Investigation and optimization of factors affecting the accuracy of strain measurement via digital image processing
Authors: Miskdjian Ivan , Hodhod Hossam , Abdeen Mostafa , Elshabrawy Mohamed
Published: March 2024

Digital image processing is used to create an optical extensometer to measure deformation in materials under quasi-static loading. The optical extensometer setup created in the present work is a single camera setup which is a two-dimensional system. The main objective of this work is to create an optical extensometer system by digital image processing to measure the deformation and strain in materials under tensile and compressive loading and to calculate the properties of these materials. Furthermore, the aim is to optimize the parameters used in digital image processing by studying the effect of different parameters on the quality of the digital images and performing statistical analysis in order to attain the best configuration of the camera setup. The setup is implemented by acquiring digital images of the tested specimens simultaneously with the load recorded by the load cell, and user-friendly software is developed to analyze the acquired images and measure deformation and strain. Subsequently, the loads can be inserted, and the mechanical properties of the materials tested can be calculated.
Variations in Student Approaches to Problem Solving in Undergraduate Biology Education
Authors: Hsu Jeremy L. , Sung Rou-Jia , Swarat Su L. , Gore Alexandra J. , Kim Stephanie , Lo Stanley M.
Published: March 2024

We investigated undergraduate student approaches to problem solving in biology and identified five aspects, including knowledge, strategy, intention, metacognition, and mindset, that define three qualitatively different approaches to problem solving; each approach is distinguishable by variations across the aspects.
Psychiatric trainees’ experiences of workplace violence: qualitative analysis
Authors: Fowler Lauren , Vara Alisha , Ng Lillian
Published: March 2024

Aims and method

We aimed to explore experiences of workplace violence in a New Zealand sample of psychiatric trainees and to identify barriers to achieving safe practice and ways of enhancing workplace safety. In a qualitative study, we used interpretive description to inform and design in-depth exploration of participants’ experiences. We interviewed 12 psychiatric trainees. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Results

There were three main themes: (a) violence as ‘part of the job’, leading to a culture of silence; (b) empowering trainees to address a sense of learned helplessness; and (c) conflict embedded within the unique nature of psychiatry.

Clinical implications

Organisation-led systems-based procedures are instrumental in promoting workplace safety. Specific measures include peer-based support and implementing clear, tailored safety protocols, particularly for situations of crisis assessment. Training should include culturally focused education with specific guidance to mitigate violence.
Dirac oscillator in the near-horizon region of BTZ black hole
Authors: Guvendi Abdullah , Ahmed Faizuddin
Published: March 2024

In this paper, we explore the evolution of a Dirac oscillator (DO) field within the near-horizon region of the Banados, Teitelboim, and Zanelli (BTZ) black hole (BH) by seeking exact solutions to the corresponding DO equation. We obtain the relativistic frequency expression and analyze the impact of various parameters implicated in it. Our findings reveal that the damped mode of this fermionic oscillator field relies on the BH mass, spin of the fermionic field, and frequency of the oscillator field. Lastly, we focus on the quantum system for a zero oscillator frequency as a specific case and thoroughly analyze the obtained results.
Atomic topological quantum matter using synthetic dimensions
Authors: Fabre A. , Nascimbene S.
Published: March 2024

The realization of topological states of matter in ultracold atomic gases is currently the subject of intense experimental activity. Using a synthetic dimension, encoded in an internal or external degree of freedom that differs from spatial position, can greatly simplify the simulation of gauge fields and give access to exotic topological states. We review here recent advances in the field and discuss future perspectives.
Constraint on Lorentz invariance violation from Vela pulsar
Authors: Li Hao , Zhu Jie , Ma Bo-Qiang
Published: March 2024

The High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) Collaboration reported the discovery of a novel radiation component from the Vela pulsar by their Cherenkov telescopes. It is of great importance that gamma rays with energies of at least 20 TeV are recorded unexpectedly. The H.E.S.S. Collaboration argued that such results may challenge the state-of-the-art models for the high-energy emission of pulsars. We point out in this work that these results also provide a unique opportunity to constrain certain Lorentz invariance violation parameters, leading to the realization of studying Lorentz invariance violation by using gamma-ray pulsars. The Lorentz invariance violation scale is constrained at the level of

GeV for the linear scenario, and

GeV for the quadratic scenario. We anticipate that digging into the detailed features of the data of the Vela pulsar and analyzing potentially more very-high-energy photon data from pulsars in the future would improve the constraints on Lorentz invariance violation.
Hydrogen sensor based on surface plasmon polaritons in palladium layer structure
Authors: Li Y. Q. , Zou Y. F. , Jin H. B. , Lu Z. L. , Wang S. , Song G.
Published: March 2024

We design a new hydrogen (H2) sensor composed of palladium (Pd) layer structure. Pd can absorb H2 and turns to Pd-H. The dielectric constant of Pd is totally different from the one of Pd-H. By calculating the propagation length of the layer structure, we find that the difference of the propagation lengths between the structure with Pd and the structure with Pd-H reaches ten times the wavelength in a certain condition. With the number of the layers increasing, another new mode appears and the dissipation of our proposed structure also linearly increases. There is a worst number of the layers that make the difference of the propagation lengths shortest. This shows the competition between the dissipation of the structure and the coupling of surface plasmon polaritons among the layers. In order to achieve the function of H2 detecting, we set the length of the structure at minimum of L

Pd
and

at a certain working wavelength. By adding the concentration of H2, light will emit

or not emit

. Our proposed technique has a large difference of propagation lengths and is quite sensitive to H2, which can be used as a hydrogen sensor.
Associations of Low-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol With All-cause and Cause-specific Mortality in Older Adults in China
Authors: Ni Wenqing , Lv Yuebin , Yuan Xueli , Zhang Yan , Zhang Hongmin , Zheng Yijing , Shi Xiaoming , Xu Jian
Published: March 2024

Context

Limited information was available on detailed associations of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) with all-cause and cause-specific mortality in older adults.

Methods

This prospective cohort study included a representative sample of 211 290 adults aged 65 or older who participated in Shenzhen Healthy Aging Research 2018-2019. The vital status of the participants by December 31, 2021, was determined. We estimated the hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals for all-cause or cause-specific mortality using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models and Cox models with restricted cubic spline (RCS).

Results

The median follow-up time was 3.08 years. A total of 5333 participants were confirmed to have died. Among them, 2037 cardiovascular disease (CVD) deaths and 1881 cancer deaths occurred. Compared to those with LDL-C of 100 to 129 mg/dL, the all-cause mortality risk was significantly higher for individuals with LDL-C levels that were very low (<70 mg/dL) or low (70-99 mg/dL). Compared with individuals with the reference LDL-C level, the multivariable-adjusted HR for CVD-specific mortality was 1.338 for those with very low LDL-C levels (< 70 mg/dL), 1.437 for those with high LDL-C levels (160 mg/dL ≤ LDL-C < 190 mg/dL), and 1.489 for those with very high LDL-C levels (≥190 mg/dL). Low LDL-C levels (70-99 mg/dL) and very low LDL-C levels (<70 mg/dL) were also associated with increased cancer mortality and other-cause mortality, respectively. The results from an RCS curve showed similar results.

Conclusion

Considering the risk of all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality, we recommended 100 to 159 mg/dL as the optimal range of LDL-C among older adults in China.
Plasma Calprotectin and New-onset Type 2 Diabetes in the General Population: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Bourgonje Arno R , Bourgonje Martin F , Sokooti Sara , la Bastide-van Gemert Sacha , Nilsen Tom , Hidden Clara , Gansevoort Ron T , Mulder Douwe J , Hillebrands Jan-Luuk , Bakker Stephan J L , van Beek André P , Dullaart Robin P F , van Goor Harry , Abdulle Amaal E
Published: March 2024

Context

Systemic inflammation plays a pivotal role in the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Objective

We hypothesized that circulating levels of calprotectin, a myeloid cell-derived biomarker of inflammation, is associated with the development of new-onset T2D in the general population.

Methods

A total of 4815 initially nondiabetic participants of the Prevention of Renal and Vascular End-stage Disease (PREVEND), a prospective population-based cohort study, were assessed for plasma levels of calprotectin at baseline. Circulating levels of calprotectin were investigated for potential associations with the risk of new-onset T2D, defined as a fasting plasma glucose level of 7.0 mmol/L or greater, a random plasma glucose level of 11.1 mmol/L or greater, a self-reported physician-based diagnosis of T2D, the use of glucose-lowering drugs, or any combinations thereof.

Results

Median plasma calprotectin levels were 0.49 (0.35-0.69) mg/L. Plasma calprotectin levels were significantly associated with the risk of new-onset T2D (hazard ratio [HR] per doubling 1.42 [95% CI, 1.22-1.66]; P < .001). The association remained independent of adjustment for age and sex (HR 1.34 [95% CI, 1.14-1.57]; P < .001), but not after further adjustment for potentially confounding factors (HR 1.11 [95% CI, 0.90-1.37]; P = .326), with adjustment for hyperlipidemia and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein explaining the loss of significance. Stratified analyses showed significant effect modification by hypertension, history of cardiovascular disease (CVD), the Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) (Pinteraction ≤ .001 for each), and the use of lipid-lowering drugs (Pinteraction ≤ .05), with higher HRs in individuals without hypertension, without history of CVD, with below-median HOMA-IR, and in those not using lipid-lowering drugs.

Conclusion

Elevated plasma levels of calprotectin are associated with a higher risk of developing T2D in the general population and may represent a moveable inflammatory biomarker. This association, however, does not represent a direct effect, and seems dependent on hyperlipidemia and systemic inflammation.
The Immunohistochemical Profile of Mammary Tissue in Women With Macromastia and Its Potential Clinical Implications
Authors: Antoszewski Bogusław , Kasielska-Trojan Anna , Jones Terri E , Danilewicz Marian , Jones Mirka W
Published: March 2024

Macromastia is an excessive, rapid, or slow growth of breast tissue in 1 or both breasts. While macromastia represents a benign lesion, it may cause breast, shoulder, back, and neck pain, poor posture, infections, and loss of nipple sensation. The pathogenesis of macromastia or hypertrophy of mammary tissue remains poorly understood. The purpose of this study is to investigate the immunohistochemical expression of several hormone receptors that may potentially influence the growth of breast tissue in women with macromastia. Immunohistochemical studies performed on representative sections of breast tissue from 63 patients diagnosed with macromastia included estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, androgen receptor (AR), prolactin receptor, growth hormone receptor, and vascular endothelial growth factor. The expression of each stain was evaluated separately in the glandular epithelium and adipose tissue and calculated as an H-score. We observed that AR expression in breast glandular and adipose tissue in women with macromastia was significantly lower than benign, nonhypertrophic breast tissue of a control group. Although the analyses were controlled for the age, the fact the mean age and hormonal status differed between the patients and the controls could have affected the results. Additional large studies will be required to further verify this finding and increase the knowledge about the etiology of this condition and then guide pharmacological treatment of juvenile and/or idiopathic gigantomastia.
Functional and in silico analysis of ATP8A2 and other P4-ATPase variants associated with human genetic diseases
Authors: Matsell Eli , Andersen Jens Peter , Molday Robert S.
Published: March 2024

P4-ATPases flip lipids from the exoplasmic to cytoplasmic leaflet of cell membranes, a property crucial for many biological processes. Mutations in P4-ATPases are associated with severe inherited and complex human disorders. We determined the expression, localization and ATPase activity of four variants of ATP8A2, the P4-ATPase associated with the neurodevelopmental disorder known as cerebellar ataxia, impaired intellectual development and disequilibrium syndrome 4 (CAMRQ4). Two variants, G447R and A772P, harboring mutations in catalytic domains, expressed at low levels and mislocalized in cells. In contrast, the E459Q variant in a flexible loop displayed wild-type expression levels, Golgi–endosome localization and ATPase activity. The R1147W variant expressed at 50% of wild-type levels but showed normal localization and activity. These results indicate that the G447R and A772P mutations cause CAMRQ4 through protein misfolding. The E459Q mutation is unlikely to be causative, whereas the R1147W may display a milder disease phenotype. Using various programs that predict protein stability, we show that there is a good correlation between the experimental expression of the variants and in silico stability assessments, suggesting that such analysis is useful in identifying protein misfolding disease-associated variants.
Heatwaves inflict reproductive but not survival costs to male insects
Authors: Ratz Tom , Chechi Tejinder Singh , Dimopoulou Aliki-Ioanna , Sedlmair Stephanie Daniela , Tuni Cristina
Published: March 2024

Climate change is having a dramatic effect on the environment, with rising global temperatures and more frequent extreme climatic events, such as heatwaves, that can hamper organisms' biological functions. Although it is clear that sudden and extreme temperatures can damage reproductive processes, there is limited understanding of the effects of heatwaves on male mating behaviour and reproductive success. We tested for the effects of heat stress induced by ecologically relevant heatwaves (33°C and 39°C for five consecutive days) on the mating behaviour, reproductive success, body mass and survival of male field crickets Gryllus bimaculatus, paired with untreated females. We predicted life-history and reproductive costs would increase with increasing heatwave intensity. Consistent with our expectations, males exposed to the highest heatwave temperature produced the fewest offspring, while having to increase courtship effort to successfully mate. Males also gained relatively more weight following heatwave exposure. Given that we found no difference in lifetime survival, our results suggest a potential trade-off in resource allocation between somatic maintenance and reproductive investment. Taken together, our findings indicate that sublethal effects of heatwaves could reduce the growth and persistence of animal populations by negatively impacting reproductive rates. These findings highlight the need for considering thermal ecologies, life history and behaviour to better understand the consequences of extreme climatic events on individuals and populations.
Argument structure across grammatical categories
Authors: Καμπανάρου Άννα
Published: March 2024

Η παρούσα διατριβή ερευνά το πώς πραγματώνεται η Ορισματική Δομή (Argument Structure) σε διαφορετικές γραμματικές κατηγορίες εξετάζοντας τις δομές ύπαρξης (existential constructions), κτήσης (possessive constructions), και, γενικά, τις δομές που περιλαμβάνουν συνδετικό στοιχείο (copular constructions). Μέσω της μελέτης των δεδομένων της Ελληνικής και της σύγκρισής τους με δεδομένα από άλλες γλώσσες, διαπιστώνεται ότι οι προτάσεις ύπαρξης και κτήσης είναι σημασιολογικά συγγενείς καθώς εκφράζουν μία σχέση μεταξύ μίας Φιγούρας (Figure) και ενός Φόντου (Ground). Αυτή η ομοιότητα ανάγεται στο γεγονός ότι οι δομές τους έχουν ως κοινό δομικό στοιχείο μία μικρή πρόθεση (small p) ως κεφαλή κατηγόρησης που εισάγει τη σχέση μεταξύ των δύο. Ωστόσο, η δομική αναπαράσταση των δύο ορισμάτων μέσα στη φράση κατηγόρησης δεν είναι ενιαία. Επιπλέον, το γεγονός ότι οι υπό εξέταση δομές εμπλέκουν ένα ρηματικό συνδετικό στοιχείο (verbal copula) δίνει τη δυνατότητα να εντοπίσουμε περαιτέρω διαφοροποιήσεις σε επίπεδο ρηματικής σύνταξης. Συγκεκριμένα, υποστηρίζεται ότι οι δομές ύπαρξης και κτήσης ποικίλλουν και ως προς τη νομιμοποίηση εξωτερικών ορισμάτων μέσω Φράσης Φωνής (Voice phrase). Από τα παραπάνω γίνεται σαφές ότι οι δομές ύπαρξης και κτήσης συνιστούν ένα πεδίο κατάλληλο για τη μελέτη της Ορισματικής Δομής στις γραμματικές κατηγορίες των προθέσεων και των ρημάτων, γεγονός που εξυπηρετεί την διερεύνηση του ευρύτερου ερωτήματος που θέτει η διατριβή. Στην προσπάθεια να στοιχειοθετηθούν οι υποθέσεις που την απαρτίζουν, η διατριβή καταθέτει μία λεπτομερή περιγραφή της κατανομής των σχετικών δομών της Ελληνικής, συμπληρώνοντας έτσι ένα κενό στη βιβλιογραφία. Τα συμπεράσματά της συνδυάζουν τις δύο βασικές κατευθύνσεις της έρευνας που μιλούν αφενός για ενιαία σύνταξη πίσω από τις προτάσεις ύπαρξης και κτήσης και αφετέρου για την ύπαρξη πολλαπλών δομικών σχημάτων για κάθε πρόταση.
Διερεύνηση της βιοδραστικότητας και του μικροβιώματος του ελληνικού μελισσόψωμου
Authors: Ασούτης-Διδάρας Νικόλαος
Published: March 2024

Το μελισσόψωμο (ΜΨ) είναι το μοναδικό ζυμωμένο προϊόν της κυψέλης και προκύπτει από τη γύρη που η μέλισσα συλλέγει και αποθηκεύει στην κηρήθρα εμβολιάζοντάς τη με μικροοργανισμούς του μικροβιώματος της. Για τη μέλισσα αποτελεί την κύρια πηγή πρωτεϊνών, λιπών, βιταμινών και ιχνοστοιχείων και είναι πλούσιο σε φυτοχημικά όπως οι πολυφαινόλες. Η ζύμωση συντηρεί και αυξάνει τη βιοδιαθεσιμότητα των θρεπτικών συστατικών της γύρης, το δε μικροβίωμα του ΜΨ θεωρείται ότι εμπλουτίζει το προϊόν με θρεπτικές και βιοενεργές ουσίες. Στην έρευνα αυτή 18 δείγματα ελληνικού ΜΨ καθώς και 2 δείγματα γύρης μελισσών ΓΜ, ποικίλης βοτανικής και γεωγραφικής προέλευσης, αξιολογήθηκαν για τις αντιβακτηριακές τους ιδιότητες, την αντιοξειδωτική τους δράση, τη συνολική περιεκτικότητα σε φαινολικά (TPC) και τη συνολική περιεκτικότητα σε φλαβονοειδή (TFC). Τα αποτελέσματα έδειξαν ότι όλα τα δείγματα ασκούν ανασταλτική και τα περισσότερα από αυτά βακτηριοκτόνο δράση καθώς και σημαντική αντιοξειδωτική δράση, η οποία συσχετίζεται με τη βοτανική προέλευση.Παράλληλα διερευνήθηκε και τεκμηριώθηκε η ικανότητα του ΜΨ να εκριζώνει ή να παρεμποδίζει το σχηματισμό βιοϋμένων. Τα δείγματα ελέγχθηκαν εν συνεχεία για την in vitro αντι-ιική δράση τους έναντι του εντεροϊού D68 και του ιού της γρίπης Α (IAV) H1N1. Τα αποτελέσματα υποδηλώνουν ότι το ελληνικό ΜΨ και η ΓΜ εμφανίζουν ισχυρή αντι-ιική δράση έναντι και των δύο ιών, κάτι που για πρώτη φορά τεκμηριώνεται σε παγκόσμιο επίπεδο. Εξίσου σημαντικός στόχος της διατριβής αυτής ήταν να διερευνήσει το μικροβίωμα του ΜΨ, σε διάφορα στάδια ωρίμανσης, τόσο με μεταταξινομικές (NGS) όσο και με καλλιεργητικές μεθόδους. Τα ευρήματα υποδεικνύουν ότι κατά την ωρίμανση του ΜΨ, η ποικιλότητα του μικροβιώματος κυμαίνεται δυναμικά καταλήγοντας σε μια μάλλον σταθερή δομή μικροβιακών κοινοτήτων στο ώριμο ΜΨ. Αξιολογήθηκε επίσης η βιοσυνθετική και αντιμικροβιακή δράση του μικροβιώματος και βάσει των αποτελεσμάτων έγινε τεχνητή ζύμωση γύρης με επιλεγμένους μικροοργανισμούς που απομονώθηκαν από αυτό. Η τεχνητά ζυμωμένη γύρη εμφάνισε καλύτερη αντιμικροβιακή και αντι-ιική δράση και είχε καλύτερη επίδραση στη βιωσιμότητα μελισσών που εκτρέφονται σε κλωβούς στο εργαστήριο από ότι το αρχικό δείγμα γύρης. Τέλος ελέγχθηκε το κατά πόσο τυχόν αλλαγές στη δομή και την αφθονία των μικροβιακών κοινοτήτων του ΜΨ και του εντέρου των μελισσών μπορούν να χρησιμεύσουν ως προγνωστικοί δείκτες για την επιβίωση ή μη των αποικιών μελισσών που εμφανίζουν προσβολή από Vairimorpha ceranae. Συνολικά, τα αποτελέσματα της μελέτης υποδεικνύουν ότι το ελληνικό ΜΨ αποτελεί λειτουργικό τρόφιμο με υψηλή βιοδραστικότητα και μπορεί να χρησιμεύσει ως πηγή νέων αντιμικροβιακών ενώσεων, καινοτόμων τροφίμων και προβιοτικών σκευασμάτων για τη μέλισσα και για τον άνθρωπο.
Micronutrients in Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes
Authors: . Sairoz , Prabhu Krishnananda , Dastidar Ranita Ghosh , Aroor Annayya Rao , Rao Mahadev , shetty Sahana , Poojari Vidyashree G , BS Varashree
Published: March 2024

About 10 to 20% of reported pregnancies have complications like spontaneous abortion (SA), preeclampsia (PE), preterm birth (PTB), and fetal growth restriction (FGR); 60% are attributed to maternal nutritional alterations. Multiple micronutrients (MMN) are supplemented in the antenatal period, but no proper validation/guidelines are available regarding dosing/time, the need for initiation, and the duration of supplementation. Studies have reported adverse pregnancy complications related to the overuse/unwanted use of multiple micronutrient supplementations during pregnancy. Identifying the exact population requiring supplementation is necessary to prevent its abuse. This article attempts to review the impacts of micronutrient deficiency/supplementation in cases of SA, FGR, and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), preterm delivery and PE. The study used a literature search using PubMed, Google Scholar, Mendeley, and Scopus Databases using search words pregnancy, spontaneous abortion, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), fetal growth restriction (FGR), preterm delivery, preeclampsia (PE) or “adverse pregnancy” associated with minerals, micronutrients, or supplementation. The review also considered in-house literature databases, a single-window search at Kasturba Medical College (KMC) Health sciences library, MAHE (Manipal Academy of Higher Education). The figures included in the study were created by Biorender.com. Micronutrients play multiple roles during pregnancy and fetoplacental growth stimulating growth hormone secretion, Lysyl oxidase (LOX), involved in the crosslinking between collagen and elastin in the amniotic membrane, downregulation of interleukin (IL)-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-4, IL-6, Il-10, IL-12, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and several chemokines involved in hypertension, immune-inflammatory pathways, attenuate insulin resistance, structural development of neurons and glia. Over-supplementation has led to complications such as spontaneous abortion and gestational diabetes mellitus. Since there is a lack of standardization concerning micronutrient supplementation during pregnancy, there is a need for systematic study related to the role of micronutrients during each trimester of pregnancy to optimize its supplementation and to prevent hazards associated with its abuse.
Smartphone use and social media addiction in undergraduate students
Authors: Parasin Nichapa , Watthanasuwakul Monthinee , Udomkichpagon Palagon , Amnuaylojaroen Teerachai
Published: March 2024

Background Children’s use of social media has increased significantly over the past decade. As a result, they are susceptible to smartphone addiction. In particular, parents' and children's well-being and behaviors are negatively affected by smartphone addiction. Such addiction likely affects both physical performance and lifestyle. Adolescents utilize their smartphones while performing other tasks. The secondary task might divert attention away from the primary task. Reaction time is the combination of brain processing and muscular movement. Texting or communicating on a smartphone while performing another task may affect reaction time. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore the influence of smartphone use on reaction time in undergraduate students who were addicted to smartphones. Methods The Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV) was used to assign 64 undergraduate students to the smartphone addiction group (n = 32) and the control group (n = 32). The reaction time (RT) of an organism is used to determine how rapidly it responds to stimuli. All participants were examined on the RT test under three conditions: no smartphone use (control), texting, and chatting on a smartphone. Participants were questioned by smartphone through text message or chat with the support of a researcher during the texting and conversation conditions. While responding to the questions, the participant was administered an RT test. Results The results showed that smartphone addiction tends to have a reduced influence on reaction time when compared to the control group. Also, texting or conversing on a smartphone while doing other work had a substantial impact on reaction time in the undergraduates. Conclusions Combining smartphone use with other activities tends to reduce undergraduate students' reaction time.
Long-term effect of non-severe COVID-19 on pulmonary function, exercise capacities and physical activities: a cross-section study in Sakaka Aljouf
Authors: Alshammari Maha , SHANB ALSAYED , Alsubaiei Mohammed , youssef Enas
Published: March 2024

Background COVID-19 has serious consequences on different body systems particularly the respiratory system with its impact on pulmonary function, exercise capacities, and physical activities. This study aimed to investigate the long-term effect of COVID-19 on pulmonary function, exercise capacities, and physical activities in patients with non-severe COVID-19. Methods 160 individuals were selected to participate in a cross-section study. Group-I: 80 male and female patients with non-severe COVID-19 at least 3 months after the recovery time. Group-II: 80 male and female matched (non-infected with COVID-19) participants. The spirometer, six-minute walk test (6MWT), and International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) were used to assess pulmonary function, exercise capacities, and physical activities respectively. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to test normality of data. The Mann–Whitney and independent t-tests were used to compare the significant differences between both groups. Results The results show significant differences in FVC & FEV1 of the pulmonary function, exercise capacities, and physical activities of the work & transportations between both COVID-19 and matched groups p-value = (0.001 & 0.001, 0.001 and 0.005 & 0.012) respectively. Conclusion Pulmonary function, exercise capacities, and physical activities are negatively influenced by COVID-19 as long-term consequences indicating the need for extended health care, and prescription of proper rehabilitative training programs for non- severe COVID-19 patients whatever their severity degree of infection or history of hospitalization. Outcome reflections of the current results raise awareness of physical therapists to the importance of the proper rehabilitative training programs for non-severe COVID-19 patients.
Comparative study of Nishaamalaki and metformin in obese patients of type 2 diabetes mellitus (Madhumeha): A study protocol
Authors: Chhabra Dr. Aman , Kuchewar Vaishali , Joshi Twinkle
Published: March 2024

Background Poor synthesis of insulin by beta cells present in the pancreas combined with resistance of insulin in peripheral organs is referred to as type 2 diabetes mellitus. Insulin resistance leads to an increase in plasma fatty acids, which reduces transfer of glucose within the cells of muscles and increases breakage of lipids, resulting in an increase in hepatic glucose production. Nishamalaki (a formulation of turmeric and Indian gooseberry) is suggested in the therapy of all kinds of Madhumeha (diabetes mellitus) in Ayurveda classics. Turmeric and Indian gooseberry are the two main ingredients. Both are considered as effective medicines in the management of Madhumeha individually as well as in combined form. Aim To compare the efficacy of Nishaamalaki and metformin in obese patients of type2 diabetes mellitus. Methods The study will include 60 obese type 2 diabetes mellitus patients who will be distributed into two distinct categories, each with 30 patients. Nishamalaki Churna 3gm two times a day before food with warm water for 60 days in Group N (Experimental Group) and 500 mg metformin tablets twice daily before meals for 60 days in Group M (Control Group). Every 15th day, an assessment will be made (15th, 30th, 45th and 60th day). Results Objective outcomes will be assessed. Conclusion Conclusion will be based on the data received after the completion of the study.
Remarks on the continuity of convex functions in geodesic spaces
Authors: López-Acedo Genaro , Nicolae Adriana
Published: March 2024

We explore the behavior of convex functions defined on locally polyhedral type spaces. As a relevant example of such spaces we show that locally compact
$\mathbb{R}$-trees with the geodesic extension property around any point are locally polyhedral spaces.
Understanding Volunteer Crowdsourcing from a Multiplex Perspective
Authors: Yu Yifan , Tan Xue (Jane) , Tan Yong
Published: March 2024

Our study delves into the understudied realm of volunteer crowdsourcing activities. Analyzing 827,260 volunteers’ participation in 183,445 projects initiated by 74,556 nonprofit organizations over nine years, the study unlocks insights into volunteers’ collaboration relationships and their behaviors, vital for increasing nonpaid labor supply and enhancing platform performance. We introduce a multiplex perspective to reveal how multilayer network dynamics offer enabling and constraining effects on volunteers’ continued participation, engagement, and interorganization movement. Practically, our findings equip crowdsourcing platforms with strategies to refine decision making and bolster volunteer engagement. By integrating novel network features such as tie multiplexity and relational pluralism, platforms can predict user actions more precisely. This fosters recommendation systems that not only elevate volunteer commitment but also facilitate productive interorganization transitions. At the macro level, tie multiplexity may lead to the “rich-get-richer” effect, enlarging the development inequality between large and small/new nonprofit organizations, whereas promoting relational pluralism is a potential remedy. For policymakers, our study offers a blueprint for nurturing volunteer networks and collaboration across organizations. Using a multiplex approach, they can adeptly manage the unpaid labor sector and invigorate nonprofit organizations. Our insights go beyond crowdsourcing as they could be applied to any digital context with multilayer networks, promising more tailored strategies to engage and mobilize users.
Too Many Meetings? Scheduling Rules for Team Coordination
Authors: Roels Guillaume , Corbett Charles J.
Published: March 2024

Workers in knowledge-intensive industries often complain of having too many meetings, but organizations still give little thought to deciding when or how often to meet. We investigate the efficiency and robustness of various coordination scheduling rules. We consider workers who are engaged in a common activity (e.g., software programming) that can be divided into largely independent, parallel production tasks, but that necessitates periodic coordination. Coordination enables workers to address issues they have encountered in their independent work but takes time away from production. Using a stylized game-theoretic model, we show that small teams allow a more fluid, that is, worker-driven, approach to scheduling coordination, such as preemptive coordination (or production), under which any worker can impose coordination (or production). In larger teams this becomes inefficient. Several approaches can mitigate this effect. One option is to allocate the decision rights to produce or coordinate to the most productive worker. A more general version is to implement a voting-based scheme, where a minimum number of workers from a predetermined subset choose to coordinate. A third approach is to modify the preemptive coordination and production rules by adding time-based controls, to reserve some minimal amount of productive time or to enforce coordination after some point. Finally, a fixed-interval meeting schedule works well for very large teams. Our research helps formalize the tension between meeting (coordinating) and producing and indicates how to adapt team coordination scheduling rules to the degree of worker heterogeneity and team size.

This paper was accepted by Jay Swaminathan, operations management.

Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2021.03227 .
From Homer to the present: an account of historical perspectives of heat illness
Authors: Hannides Michael , Walter Edward
Published: March 2024

Heat illness has been known and written about for thousands of years. Over time, there has been improvement and refinement in its diagnosis and treatments. This article discusses what was known and written about heat illness over the centuries. It sees how treatments have been in and out of fashion, and how our understanding has developed and been refined over the years, albeit with some detours.
Nursery World visits… N Family Club Stoke Newington
Authors: Weinstein Nicole
Published: March 2024

Nicole Weinstein visits a nursery in the London borough of Hackney to look at the resources and learning that takes place in the atelier
1 The Importance of and Challenges in Studying Fine-Grained Sedimentary Rocks—Introduction and Overview
Authors: Bohacs Kevin , Lazar Remus
Published: March 2024

Fine-grained sedimentary rocks (e.g., shale, mudrock, mudstone, claystone, chert, or chalk) are the most common rocks in the stratigraphic column. They preserve the best archives of Earth’s history for interpreting paleoclimate and paleo-oceanography; influence the flow of groundwater and hydrocarbons; serve as hydrocarbon source, reservoir, and seal; and host strata-bound resources. Advancing technology has provided access to the vast energy resources contained in these rocks—indeed, the production of “shale oil” and “shale gas” in the United States changed the energy outlook almost completely over the seven-year span of 2007–2014.

Sequence stratigraphy provides an organized, integrated approach to place fine-grained rocks into a firm framework alongside sandstone and carbonate. The physical, biogenic, and chemical properties of fine-grained rocks vary in systematic ways that can be deciphered and predicted within an integrated sequence-stratigraphic framework.

This chapter addresses the importance of fine-grained sedimentary rocks and the challenges in their study, followed by an introduction to the key attributes of fine-grained sedimentary rocks and to their role as source, reservoir, and seal of hydrocarbon play elements. A quantitative analysis demonstrates the importance of geological factors on hydrocarbon resource-in-place and deliverability of these so-called engineering reservoir plays. The chapter then presents the rationale for applying sequence stratigraphy to fine-grained sedimentary rocks and concludes with an overview of the organization of this Memoir.

The Memoir has four main sections: (1) introductory chapters that provide overviews of the significance of fine-grained rocks, their character and classification, and techniques for studying them; (2) chapters that cover the fundamentals and examples of fine-grained rocks at successively larger scales, from the lamina to sequence-set scale; (3) case studies that illustrate all these scales of stratification with examples that span the Paleozoic to the Cenozoic and deep-marine to coastal-plain and lake settings; and (4) a summary of the controls on stratal record—mechanisms and contingencies that affect sediment supply and accommodation.
2 Mudstone Nomenclature
Authors: Lazar O. R. , Bohacs K. M. , Schieber J. , Macquaker J. H. S. , Demko T. M.
Published: March 2024

This chapter introduces the key aspects of mudstone and the naming scheme we recommend and use when characterizing mudstone in outcrops, cores, and thin sections. This naming scheme is based on three key rock attributes: texture, bedding, and composition. This scheme has been designed to enable textural (grain size), bedding, compositional, and grain origin attributes to be captured and compared consistently for the entire spectrum of fine-grained sedimentary rocks and across a range of scales—from hand specimen to scanning electron microscopy image.

Texture, composition, bedding, and grain origin are important for the following reasons:

This chapter presents the key aspects of texture, bedding, and composition; guidelines for describing these aspects; and applications and complications of this approach. Lazar et al. (2022a, Chapter 3 this Memoir) provides an overview of the tools and practical workflows we use to facilitate consistent, repeatable, and efficient capture of mudstone texture, bedding, and composition in outcrops, cores, and thin sections.
4 Laminae, Laminasets, Beds, and Bedsets
Authors: Lazar O. R. , Bohacs K. M. , Schieber J. , Macquaker J. H. S. , Demkos T. M.
Published: March 2024

This chapter discusses the smaller scales of the stratal hierarchy—from lamina to bedset. In mudstone, these typically range from less than a millimeter to hundreds of millimeters in thickness. This is the scale of strata that records individual depositional events and environmental changes in bottom energy, biogenic production rates, and redox conditions. Recognition and description of this scale of strata enables recognition of repeated patterns and associations of rock-property variation (facies), their distribution in three dimensions, and interpretation of the proximate causes of variation (to enable prediction away from sample control).

In this chapter, we define essential stratal elements from laminae (the smallest units) to bedsets (larger units) and provide key recognition criteria and examples of these elements in cores, outcrops, and thin sections. Bohacs et al. (2022, Chapter 5 this Memoir) discusses how beds and bedsets stack into parasequences and how to synthesize this next larger scale of strata into an overall picture of a depositional environment (in terms of sediment supply; dominant erosional, transport, and depositional processes; and oceanographic conditions)—and make the tie with the well-log response.

Bedding is a key characteristic of sedimentary rocks (as introduced in Lazar et al., 2022a, Chapter 2 this Memoir); it records variations in sediment input and accumulation, as well as benthic energy and the effects of sediment disruption by organisms. Our approach to describing bedding builds upon Campbell’s (1967) work, which emphasizes the genesis of the bed’s characteristics that reveal depositional conditions and history. Bedding is described by two sets of essential attributes: (1) the shape and geometry of bed bounding surfaces and (2) the continuity, shape, and geometry of laminae between the bounding surfaces (in this context, “shape” denotes the spatial configuration of a lamina or surface, whereas “geometry” signifies the spatial arrangement of bedding elements with respect to the surrounding bedding elements, i.e., parallel or nonparallel).
6 Parasequence Sets and Depositional Sequences
Authors: Bohacs K. M. , Lazar O. R. , Ottmann J. D.
Published: March 2024

This chapter presents definitions, recognition criteria, and examples of parasequence sets, depositional sequences, and their key defining surfaces to be applied within the overall sequence-stratigraphic workflow. This scale of stratification is most useful for correlating and mapping across large areas of basins and for understanding and predicting the character and distribution of rock properties. Hydrocarbon play-element properties vary systematically within depositional sequences in many settings. It is also typically the scale at which ties can be made to traditional lithostratigraphic formations.

The depositional sequence is the fundamental stratal unit for basin-scale sequence-stratigraphic analysis. It has great practical utility for many reasons: its sequence boundaries are distinctive, widespread surfaces of chronostratigraphic significance that form independently of the sediment supply rate. (In contrast, transgressions and regressions are strongly controlled by rates of sediment supply and, for that reason, can be regionally diachronous. There are also several major and many minor flooding surfaces within each depositional sequence that can potentially be miscorrelated regionally, especially among widely spaced control points.) The regionally significant erosion and onlap associated with a sequence boundary exert a strong influence on facies distribution. The distinct break in deposition and basinward shift in facies across the unconformable part of a sequence boundary make it a quite useful surface for separating relatively conformable facies packages above and below. Systems tracts occur predictably within the depositional sequence and have characteristic relations to the sequence boundary. In contrast, considering only facies, without recognizing the hierarchy of the chronostratigraphic stratal surfaces within which such facies change, can lead to inaccurate conclusions about rock-property distribution or contemporaneity of the facies. The time-transgressive nature of lithofacies units makes it essential to use physical surfaces rather than lithologic units for correlation.
8 Chimney Rock Shale Member, Paradox Formation, Utah: Paleozoic, Shallow Carbonate-Dominated Shelf-to-Basin Billion-Barrel Source Rocks
Authors: Bohacs K. M. , Guthrie J. M.
Published: March 2024

This chapter illustrates the expression of sequence-stratigraphic units and surfaces in the Paleozoic, relatively shallow-water carbonate-dominated setting of the Chimney Rock and associated members of the Paradox Formation, Paradox basin, Utah. These Pennsylvanian source rocks and reservoirs form part of the petroleum system of the billion-barrel Aneth field complex and are well exposed in outcrops along the San Juan River in southern Utah.

The Chimney Rock member accumulated in a broad, relatively shallow, marine bight surrounded by uplifts at moderately low latitudes under semi-arid to arid conditions during a cool climate (“icehouse”) mode. The depositional area spanned proximal to distal, storm-wave– and tidal-current–dominated shelf environments. Our dataset included descriptions and samples from seven outcrop sections, ten conventional cores, and wireline logs from more than 387 wells, along with the many excellent published studies of the area.

Details of mudstone distribution and character were elaborated within the well-known sequence-stratigraphic framework of the enclosing coarser grained carbonate and siliciclastic facies. The study interval was subdivided into parasequences 1.5–4.6 m (5–15 ft) thick that can be correlated in detail over more than 6400 km2 (2,500 mi2) based on outcrop, core, well-log, and geochemical data. At the parasequence scale, the highest enrichment in organic-matter content occurs not only just above the basal flooding surface but also a short distance above in some more distal areas. The intervals with the highest organic-matter content occur in various bathymetric settings within the transgressive and basal highstand systems tracts; the study intervals were influenced by the full combination of production, destruction, and dilution. This study offers an opportunity to examine mudstone accumulation in a shallow benthic-carbonate–dominated setting where organic-matter enrichment varies significantly from standard models of their stratigraphic distribution.