bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High-Q Ring Resonators in Low-Loss Monolithic Barium Titanate on Silicon
Authors: Raju Amogh , Hungund Divya , Krueger Dan , Dong Zuoming , Sakotic Zarko , Posadas Agham , Demkov Alex , Wasserman Dan
Published: November 2024

We investigate loss mechanisms in monolithic photonic structures fabricated from barium titanate grown epitaxially by RF-sputtering on silicon-on-insulator substrates. We characterize barium titanate waveguide loss using three photonic architectures, and demonstrate straight waveguide loss of less than 0.15 dB/cm, well below previously published loss measurements of barium titanate-containing waveguiding structures. Additionally, we demonstrate high-Q barium titanate resonators with quality factors of 𝑄 ∼ 100, 000. The low loss of the barium titanate photonic structures, coupled with barium titanate’s large non-linear optical response offers a path to compact and high efficiency barium titanate photonic devices and structures for high-speed modulation, optical computing, and non-linear applications.
DRN facilitates WUS transcriptional regulatory activity by chromatin remodeling to regulate shoot stem cell homeostasis in Arabidopsis
Authors: Luo Linjie , Liu Li , She Lili , Zhang Haoran , Zhang Nannan , Wang Yaqin , Ni Yuting , Chen Fugui , Wan Fengying , Dai Yuqiu , Zhu Guoping , Zhao Zhong
Published: November 2024

Shoot stem cells, harbored in the shoot apical meristem (SAM), play key roles during post-embryonic development of Arabidopsis and function as the origin of plant aerial tissues. Multiple transcription factors are involved in the sophisticated transcriptional regulation of stem cell homeostasis, with the WUSCHEL (WUS)/CLAVATA3 (CLV3) negative feedback loop playing a central role. WUS acts as a master regulator in maintaining stem cells through its transcriptional regulatory activity including repressive and activating abilities. Although the interaction between WUS and TOPLESS confers the repressive activity of WUS in transcriptional control, the mechanism by which WUS activates gene expression remains elusive. Here, we showed that DORNRÖSCHEN competitively interacts with WUS and disturbs the WUS homodimer, which recruits BRAHMA to activate CLV3 expression via nucleosome depletion for maintaining the stem cell pool.
Pericapsular nerve group block reduces opioid use and pain after hip surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Hu Xianghong , Chenyang Dahao , Xu Bin , Lao Yangjun , Sheng Hongfeng , Zhang Shuliang , Huang Yuliang
Published: November 2024

Background

While the pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block has become increasingly popular for managing pain after hip surgery, its efficacy remains controversial.

Methods

We systematically searched Pubmed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library for randomized controlled trials to assess current evidence about the efficacy of the PENG block. Patients who received PENG block were compared to those who received sham/no block in terms of opioid consumption and pain within 24h after surgery, time to first opioid requirement, functional recovery, risk of nausea and vomiting, and patient dissatisfaction. The quality of evidence was assessed using the "Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation" (GRADE) system.

Results

We meta-analyzed six trials involving 416 patients who received preoperative PENG block and 415 who received sham/no block. Patients did not receive any other type of multimodal analgesia. Within 24 h after hip surgery, PENG block significantly reduced postoperative opioid consumption (MD = -12.03, 95% CI: -21.47 to -2.59, P < 0.01, I2 = 97%), particularly in subpopulations undergoing hip replacement, hip fracture, or who had spinal anesthesia, and it significantly decreased dynamic pain scores, but not static scores, without increasing risk of nausea or vomiting or patient dissatisfaction. Individual studies suggested that the PENG block can prolong the time to the first opioid requirement and can improve functional recovery. Most meta-analyses provided evidence of moderate quality according to the GRADE system.

Conclusions

The available evidence indicates that preoperative PENG block can significantly decrease opioid consumption and pain early after hip surgery, and it may also promote early functional rehabilitation. However, the limited number of included studies and sample size make it difficult to draw firm conclusions. The decision on whether to apply the PENG block should take into account the patient’s age and the type of surgery and anesthesia.
Availability of alternative prey rather than intraguild interactions determines the local abundance of two understudied and threatened small carnivore species
Authors: Hernández-Sánchez Alejandro , Santos-Moreno Antonio
Published: November 2024

Intraguild interactions influence the structure and local dynamics of carnivore mammals’ assemblages. The potential effects of these interactions are often determined by the body size of competing members and may result in negative relationships in their abundance and, ultimately, lead to species exclusion or coexistence. The relative importance of interspecific interactions along with landscape characteristics in determining population patterns of understudied and threatened sympatric small carnivores, such as skunks, remains poorly documented. Therefore, we assessed the spatiotemporal variation in the abundance of American hog-nosed skunks Conepatus leuconotus and pygmy spotted skunks Spilogale pygmaea and the effect of interspecific interactions, resource availability, and habitat complexity on their local abundance in areas with the deciduous tropical forest south of the Mexican Pacific slope. We used presence-absence data for skunk species from three camera-trapping surveys between 2018 and 2020 in combination with Royle-Nichols occupancy models fitted in a Bayesian framework to estimate abundance, incorporating the effects of covariates related to the factors evaluated. We analyzed the relationship between the abundances of skunks using Bayesian Generalized Linear Models. Both skunk species showed significant differences in their abundances between seasons and between study sites. Overall, pygmy skunks were more abundant than hog-nosed skunks. We found negative relationships among the relative abundances of skunks during the dry seasons, but no evidence that local abundance is governed by the competitive dominance of the larger species. Patterns of skunk abundance were better explained by prey availability and other predictors related to habitat complexity, rather than interspecific interactions, since these models showed the highest predictive accuracies and strong positive and negative relationships. Our study highlights the underlying factors that determine the local abundance of these understudied and threatened small carnivores, allowing us to better understand the mechanisms that govern their coexistence for effective management and conservation of species in seasonal environments.
Unpaid caregivers’ process of collaborating with others during older adult hospital-to-home transitions: A grounded theory study
Authors: Liebzeit Daniel J. , Jaboob Saida , Bjornson Samantha , Geiger Olivia , Buck Harleah , Ashida Sato , Werner Nicole E.
Published: November 2024

Unpaid/family caregivers provide support critical to older adult hospital-to-home transitions, but lack time and preparation. There is limited evidence regarding important collaboration for caregivers during the transition. The objective was to examine caregivers’ process of collaborating with others, including other family members, healthcare professionals, and community, social, and professional networks, during older adult hospital-to-home transitions. This study utilized grounded theory methodology. One-on-one interviews were conducted with unpaid/family caregivers of an older adult during a hospital-to-home transition. Data were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding. Participants (N = 16) relationship to the older adult included: partners (n = 8), friends (n = 4), children (n = 3), and siblings (n = 1). Most were female (n = 14) and living with the older adult (n = 10). A conceptual model was developed which illustrates participants’ process through 3 stages: 1) identifying and learning the caregiver role, 2) collaborating with others to provide care and support to the older adult, while supporting themselves, during the hospital-to-home transition, and 3) supporting the older adult’s progress in recovering independence or planning to provide long-term care and support. Participants described multiple approaches to collaborating with others: caring on own, caring in network, caring with healthcare professionals, and caring with social and professional networks. Implications include the need to recognize and promote utilization of care networks, as it may help address negative outcomes associated with caregiving. We also identified opportunities to further leverage caregivers’ social/professional networks and increase focus on caregiver needs in healthcare encounters.
Trends in mortality and associated factors among neonates hospitalized at Muhimbili national hospital, Tanzania: A three-year retrospective study
Authors: Msonda Tiwonge , Moshiro Robert , Salim Nahya , Naburi Helga
Published: November 2024

Background

Tanzania is amongst the countries with high neonatal mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and estimates vary widely among regions. Various interventions are being implemented at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH), a tertiary and teaching facility, to contribute towards the reduction of neonatal mortality. This study aimed to detail the magnitude, trends and factors associated with neonatal mortality at MNH.

Methods and findings

A hospital-based retrospective cohort study was conducted from January 2018 to December 2020. Records of all neonates admitted during the study period were extracted from neonatal registers and the electronic medical record system and recorded in a pretested data collection form. Data cleaning and analysis were done using SPSS version 23. Poisson regression was used to determine adjusted relative risk (aRR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) to test association. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant. Of the 17,021 neonates admitted, 11,552 (67.9%) were inborn. During the three years reviewed, 1,814 (10.7%) neonates died. The mortality rates were 5.9% for inborn neonates, 24.1% for outborn neonates, and 4.8% for readmitted neonates. Mortality trends declined quarterly at an average of 0.15%. Factors associated with neonatal mortality included; birth weight < 2500g [{aRR = 1.14; 95% CI (1.01–1.29)}], GA < 37 weeks[{aRR = 1.17; 95% CI (1.03–1.33)}], fifth-minute Apgar score <7[{aRR = 2.53; 95% CI (2.32–2.77)}], vaginal delivery[{aRR = 1.39; 95% CI (1.24–1.55)}], out-born[{aRR = 2.85; 95% CI (2.58–3.14)}], positive maternal HIV status[{aRR = 1.18; 95% CI (1.02–1.36)}] and maternal age ≥35years [{aRR = 1.12; 95% CI (1.01–1.25)}].

Conclusion

Despite a declining trend, in-hospital neonatal mortality at MNH is still high. Ongoing quality improvement strategies should prioritize the identification of neonates with risk factors for poor outcomes. Specifically, the high proportion of mortality among out-born neonates requires more attention and further investigation.
Locating the evidence for children and young people social prescribing: Where to start? A scoping review protocol
Authors: Feather Julie , Liverpool Shaun , Allen Eve , Owen Michael , Relph Nicola , Roocroft Lynsey , Patel Tasneem , McKenzie Hayley , Murphy Ciaran , Howarth Michelle
Published: November 2024

It is estimated that disruptions to life caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have led to an increase in the number of children and young people suffering from mental health issues globally. In England one in four children experienced poor mental health in 2022. Social prescribing is gaining traction as a systems-based approach, which builds upon person-centered methods, to refer children and young people with non-clinical mental health issues to appropriate community assets. Recognition of social prescribing benefits for children’s mental health is increasing, yet evidence is limited. Inconsistent terminology and variation of terms used to describe social prescribing practices across the literature hinders understanding and assessment of social prescribing’s impact on children’s mental health. This scoping review thus aims to systematically identify and analyse the various terms, concepts and language used to describe social prescribing with children and young people across the wider health and social care literature base. The scoping review will be undertaken using a six-stage framework which includes: identifying the research question, identifying relevant studies, study selection, charting the data, collating, summarising and reporting the results, and consultation. Electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health, PsychInfo, Social Policy Practice, Scopus, Science Direct, Cochrane library and Joanna Briggs), alongside evidence from grey literature, hand search, citation tracking, and use of expert correspondence will be included in the review to ensure published and unpublished literature is captured. Data extraction will be carried out by two reviewers using a predefined form to capture study characteristics, intervention descriptions, outcomes, and key terms used to report social prescribing for children and young people. No formal quality appraisal or risk of bias evaluation will be performed, as this scoping review aims to map and describe the literature. Data will be stored and managed using the Rayaan.ai platform and a critical narrative of the common themes found will be included.
Research on the evolution and driving factors of the coupling relationship among tourism industry, urbanization and human settlements of the urban agglomeration in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River
Authors: Yang Youbao , Xie Ailiang , Zhou Xin , Cheng Kang
Published: November 2024

This study examines the evolution of the coupling relationship among the tourism industry, urbanization, and human settlements of the urban agglomeration in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River from 2005 to 2019. By employing a constructed evaluation index system and a quantitative analysis model, the study aims to characterize and analyze this relationship. The key findings are as follows: (1) The coupling coordination level of the three major systems exhibits a continuous upward trend over the study period, albeit with a gradually slowing growth rate. The Changsha -Zhuzhou-Xiangtan urban agglomeration shows the highest average growth rate, followed by the Wuhan metropolitan area and the Poyang Lake urban agglomeration. (2) The variation coefficient and Taylor index of the coupling coordination degree demonstrate a fluctuating downward trend, indicating a convergence in spatial differences in interregional coupling coordination levels. Internal differences between city clusters within urban agglomerations are identified as the main source of overall differences in coupling coordination levels. (3) The coupling coordination levels of the three major systems follow an evolutionary trajectory characterized by "serious imbalance, moderate imbalance, mild imbalance". Clear features of level transitions are observed among various cities. (4) The endowment of tourism resources emerges as the primary factor driving the evolution of the coupling relationship among the tourism industry, urbanization, and human settlements. The study highlights the increasing diversification of driving forces and significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity in interregional driving forces for coupling relationship evolution factors.
Deciphering the vectors: Unveiling the local dispersal of Litylenchus crenatae ssp. mccannii in the American beech (Fagus grandifolia) forest ecosystem
Authors: Goraya Mankanwal , Kantor Camelia , Vieira Paulo , Martin Danielle , Kantor Mihail
Published: November 2024

Beech leaf disease (BLD), caused by the Litylenchus crenatae ssp. mccannii (Lcm) nematode, is an emerging threat to beech trees. This disease is characterized by distinct leaf symptoms, including leaf interveinal banding and thickened leaf texture, which leads to eventual tree mortality. Understanding Lcm dispersal mechanism(s) is crucial for managing BLD, yet these remain largely unknown, posing a major barrier to its effective management. This study represents a pioneering investigation into the abiotic and biotic vectors that potentially contribute to the local dispersal of Lcm in natural American beech (Fagus grandifolia) forest systems in the Northeastern United States. An experiment was set up in Stone Valley Forest, Pennsylvania (PA), using four funnel stands placed at variable distances from naturally BLD-infected beech trees. This approach enabled the recovery of active Lcm nematodes from each funnel, demonstrating their ability to naturally disperse at least 11.74 m from the nearest BLD-infected tree. The findings highlight the role of abiotic factors involved in the dispersal dynamics of Lcm, especially wind and humidity, as indicated by a generalized linear model. The current study also uncovered the incidental association of Lcm with other organisms beneath the canopy of BLD trees, including spiderwebs and caterpillars. To our knowledge, this is the first study to document the potential vectors involved in the local dispersal of Lcm, offering valuable information for the biology of this nematode, as well as insight into the development of effective BLD management strategies. The findings contribute to broader efforts in advancing the understanding of the local spread of BLD, highlighting the complex interplay of abiotic and biotic factors in this disease dispersal.
Capital market liberalization and corporate environmental performance: Evidence from the Shanghai–Hong Kong Stock Connect
Authors: Zhong Qi’an
Published: November 2024

The implementation of Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect marks the maturity of China’s capital market, and the effect of the implementation has been the focus of academic attention. Based on this quasi-natural experiment, We select 3248 samples of heavily polluting enterprises listed in China in 2010–2020 to examine the impact of capital market liberalization and on corporate environmental performance.The results show that capital market liberalization significantly improves the environmental performance of heavy polluting enterprises. The results of the heterogeneity analysis indicate that the positive effect varies across firms with different ownership and internal controls. Finally, mechanism analysis results find that capital market liberalization promotes the environmental performance of heavily polluting firms by increasing environmental assets,reducing stock price volatility,and improving the quality of information disclosure.
In vitro one-pot construction of influenza viral genomes for virus particle synthesis based on reverse genetics system
Authors: Tanaka Ryota , Tamao Kenji , Ono Mana , Yamayoshi Seiya , Kawaoka Yoshihiro , Su’etsugu Masayuki , Noji Hiroyuki , Tabata Kazuhito V.
Published: November 2024

The reverse genetics system, which allows the generation of influenza viruses from plasmids encoding viral genome, is a powerful tool for basic research on viral infection mechanisms and application research such as vaccine development. However, conventional plasmid construction using Escherichia coli (E.coli) cloning is time‐consuming and has difficulties handling DNA encoding genes toxic for E.coli or highly repeated sequences. These limitations hamper rapid virus synthesis. In this study, we establish a very rapid in vitro one-pot plasmid construction (IVOC) based virus synthesis. This method dramatically reduced the time for genome plasmid construction, which was used for virus synthesis, from several days or more to about 8 hours. Moreover, infectious viruses could be synthesized with a similar yield to the conventional E.coli cloning-based method with high accuracy. The applicability of this method was also demonstrated by the generation of recombinant viruses carrying reporter genes from the IVOC products. This method enables the pathogenicity analysis and vaccine development using genetically modified viruses, and it is expected to allow for faster analysis of newly emerging variants than ever before. Furthermore, its application to other RNA viruses is also expected.
Types, design, implementation, and evaluation of nutrition interventions in older people in Africa: A scoping review protocol
Authors: Manyara Anthony , Manyanga Tadios , Chingono Rudo , Naidoo Shane , Mattick Kate , Pearson Grace , Babatunde Opeyemi , Naidoo Niri , Ward Kate A. , Gregson Celia L.
Published: November 2024

Introduction

Africa’s older population is increasing and this, necessitates the development of interventions to promote healthy ageing. Nutrition is a key determinant of healthy ageing and local contextual evidence is needed to inform nutritional intervention development in Africa. There are already reviews on nutritional status and food insecurity in older adults in Africa. However, a synthesis of nutrition interventions targeting older people specifically, is lacking. Therefore, this protocol describes a scoping review that aims to systematically synthesise current evidence on nutrition interventions for older people in Africa.

Methods

The review will involve: a review of available reviews on nutrition in older people in Africa (Phase 1); a review of nutrition interventions developed or implemented among older people in Africa (Phase 2); and consultation with local nutrition stakeholders in Zimbabwe, and The Gambia to contextualise Phase 1 and 2 findings and solicit insights not in the published literature (Phase 3). Searches for Phases 1 and 2 will include bibliographic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, African Journals Online, African Index Medicus) and grey literature sources (i.e. relevant websites). Title, abstract, and full-text screening will be conducted in duplicate, data extracted using piloted tools and findings summarised using descriptive statistics and narrative text. Phase 3 will be conducted using hybrid workshops, audio-recorded, detailed notes taken, and findings combined with those from Phases 1 and 2.

Conclusion

The findings of this review will summarise current evidence on nutrition in older people in Africa and inform nutrition intervention development. The findings will be presented in conferences, meetings, and published open access.

Trial registration

This scoping review has been registered in OSF, registration DOI: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/FH74T.
Viable strategies for enhancing performance in ball sports by mitigating mental fatigue: A systematic review
Authors: Pan Xiaoyang , Soh Kim Geok , Soh Kim Lam
Published: November 2024

Ball sports demand precise control of body and ball while executing tactics and team coordination, which leads to cognitive depletion and mental fatigue. The detrimental effects of mental fatigue on physical, technical, cognitive, and tactical performance in ball sports are evident, highlighting the need for effective management of mental fatigue as a crucial component of modern sports science. This review aims to systematically study and integrate existing experiments on mental fatigue recovery interventions to identify viable strategies for mitigating its impacts. Following PRISMA guidelines, electronic databases including Web of Science, PubMed, SPORTDiscus, and Scopus were used for literature screening. Studies that induced mental fatigue followed by interventions aimed at mental fatigue recovery were included in this review, resulting in 6 articles primarily focused on basketball, soccer, and golf. Short-term interventions such as music listening, mindfulness training, self-talk, and natural visual stimuli have been shown as effective strategies to alleviate mental fatigue and enhance technical and cognitive performance in ball sports. However, their practical application in real-game environments requires further research and validation. Additionally, future research should explore defensive skills and tactical performance as viable directions for study.
Inhibition of the miR-1914-5p increases the oxidative metabolism in cellular model of steatosis by modulating the Sirt1-PGC-1α pathway and systemic cellular activity
Authors: Porto-Barbosa Thais , Ramos Letícia Ferreira , Pansa Camila Cristiane , Molica Letícia Ramos , Malaspina Osmar , Moraes Karen C. M.
Published: November 2024

Metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is considered an indicator of metabolic syndrome, which affects millions of people around the world and no effective treatment is currently available. MAFLD involves a wide spectrum of liver damage, that initiates from steatosis (fatty live) and may progress to more complex pathophysiology. Then, details in lipid metabolism controlling should be explored aiming to control the fatty liver. In this context, the miR-1914-5p can be considered a potential biotechnology tool to control lipid metabolism in hepatic cells. This miRNA finds potential mRNA binding sequences in more than 100 molecules correlated with energy production and lipid metabolism pointed in bioinformatic platforms. The present study addressed the miR-1914-5p effects in hepatic HepG2/LX-2 co-cultured cells in a in vitro steatotic environment stablished by the addition of 400 μM of a mixture of oleic and palmitic acids. The analyses demonstrated that the inhibition of the miRNA reduced energetic metabolites such as total lipids, triglycerides, cholesterol and even glucose. In addition, the miR-inhibitor-transfected cells did not present any deleterious effect in cellular environment by controlling reactive oxygen species production (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and even the pro-inflammatory environment. Moreover, the functional effect of the investigated miR, suggested its close connection to the modulation of Sirt-1-PGC1-α pathway, a master switch metabolic route that controlls cellular energetic metabolism. Our assays also suggested a synergistic effect of this miR-1914-5p in cell metabolism, which should be considered as a strong candidate to control steatotic environment in future clinical trials.
Prevalence and predictors of coronary heart disease among individuals with and without obesity in North Dakota
Authors: Mensah Emmanuel Angmorteh , Khan Md Marufuzzaman , Odoi Agricola , Njau Grace , Schmidt Matthew , Lord Jennifer
Published: November 2024

Introduction

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common cardiovascular disease in the United States and heart disease is the leading cause of death in North Dakota. Although obesity is a major risk factor for CHD, some studies have reported an inverse relationship between body mass index (BMI) and CHD outcomes. Understanding the epidemiology of CHD among individuals with and without obesity is essential to guide health planning. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence and identify predictors of CHD among North Dakota adults with and without obesity.

Methods

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data from 2017 to 2021 were provided by the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services. Weighted prevalence estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed for CHD and potential risk factors among respondents with and without obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2). Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify significant predictors of CHD in both groups.

Results

A total of 17,092 respondents were included in the study. Respondents with obesity had a higher prevalence of CHD (4.7%, 95% CI: 4.2–5.4) than those without obesity (3.0%, 95% CI: 2.7–3.4). Predictors of CHD among both groups included age, sex, self-reported general health, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and diabetes. Having a personal doctor (Odds Ratio [OR] = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.13–3.23) and arthritis (OR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.34–2.22) were significant predictors of CHD among respondents without obesity, but not among those without obesity.

Conclusion

While the prevalence of CHD was significantly higher among adults with obesity compared to those without obesity, the findings of the stratified analysis indicated that predictors of the condition tended to be similar for the two groups. This study provides useful information to guide health planning and control programs that aim to reduce the burden of CHD in North Dakota.
Human-immunodeficiency virus infection associated with the impaired Th1 and pro-inflammatory cytokine response in latent tuberculosis-infected individuals: A comparative cross-sectional study
Authors: Girmay Getu , Kiflie Amare , Alem Meseret , Lemma Mulualem , Bewket Gezahegn
Published: November 2024

Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV co-infections are extensively overlapping, especially in developing countries. HIV infection is known as a major risk factor for the reactivation of latent TB into active TB. Although not fully understood and needs further study, HIV infection might enhance the reactivation of latent TB by breaching immune control mechanisms. We investigated the influence of HIV infection on the cytokine response of LTB-infected individuals. Heparinized venous blood was collected from 40 ART-naïve HIV-infected and 30 HIV-negative healthy controls for LTB screening, plasma collection, and PBMC isolation and stimulation. The level of cytokines in plasma and their production by PBMCs stimulated with purified protein derivative (PPD), staphylococcus enterotoxin B (SEB), or unstimulated PBMCs were analyzed using a cytometric bead array (CBA) assay. PPD-induced IL-2 by PBMCs was higher in LTB-infected groups compared with HIV-negative LTB-negative groups (p = 0.0015). When LTB-infected groups were co-infected with HIV (HIV+LTB+), the IL-2 (p < 0.0001) and IFN-gamma (p = 0.0144) production by PPD-stimulated PBMCs was reduced. The level of IL-2 (p = 0.0070), IL-6 (p = 0.0054), and TNF-alpha (p = 0.0045) in plasma were lower in HIV+LTB+ individuals compared with HIV-negative LTB-positive (HIV-LTB+) groups. Our findings suggested that HIV co-infection in LTB-positive individuals is associated with the diminished production of PPD-induced Th1 (IFN-gamma and IL-2) cytokines by PBMCs and in the plasma level of IL-2 and proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-alpha).
Serum calcium-magnesium ratio at admission predicts adverse outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome
Authors: Jiang Yan , Luo Baolin , Chen Yaqin , Lu Wen , Peng Yanchun , Chen Liangwan , Lin Yanjuan
Published: November 2024

Background

Evidence from observational studies suggests that increased calcium exposure may elevate the risk of adverse events in patients with coronary artery disease, while magnesium may exert a protective effect on disease risk. However, there have been limited investigations into the relationship between these minerals and acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Therefore, this study aimed to explore the association between the Serum calcium-magnesium ratio (Ca/Mg ratio) in patients with acute coronary syndrome and their clinical outcomes.

Methods

This retrospective analysis reviewed the clinical data of 1,775 patients with ACS who underwent coronary angiography and/or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) at the Fujian Heart Center between May 2017 and December 2022. The patients were categorized into four groups based on their Ca/Mg ratio at admission (Group 1, ≤2.373, n = 443; Group 2, 2.374–2.517, n = 442; Group 3, 2.518–2.675, n = 446; Group 4, ≥2.676, n = 444). Single-factor analysis and multivariate logistic regression were employed to analyze the clinical characteristics and postoperative clinical outcomes of patients in different groups. The primary outcome included major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs), while the secondary outcomes included contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN)、all-cause rehospitalization raten and hematorrhea.

Results

Univariate analysis showed that the patients had a mean age of 64.50±10.79 years, with 370 female patients (20.8%). Additionally, 1,158 patients had hypertension (65.2%), and 710 patients had diabetes (40.5%). Univariate analysis showed an inverse relationship between the serum calcium-to-magnesium ratio and all-cause in-hospital mortality, with patients in the lowest quartile having the highest mortality rate. Multivariate analysis showed that the Ca/Mg ratio at admission was independently associated with MACCEs. Among them, this ratio was inversely associated with all-cause mortality [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.07; 95% CI 0.01–0.63; P<0.05] and positively associated with new-onset atrial fibrillation (aOR 1.86; 95% CI 1.08–3.21; P<0.05). Additionally, the Ca/Mg ratio was positively correlated with an increased risk of postoperative major bleeding (aOR 6.58; 95% CI 1.43–30.29; P<0.05).

Conclusion

In this large retrospective study, serum calcium and magnesium levels at admission were significantly associated with adverse outcomes in patients with ACS. The Ca/Mg ratio was identified as a reliable predictor of poor prognosis in ACS patients.
Public transport pricing incentive schemes in a competitive market
Authors: Bian Lishuang , Hu Qizhou , Tan Minjia
Published: November 2024

In many countries, public transport (PT) services are offered by multiple operators with different modes, such as trains, metros, and buses, which are interchangeable across a single journey. This paper presents a model with one origin (O)-destination(D) path operated by two operators, each of which is responsible for different parts of the OD journey. One operator competes with potential third-party transport companies by offering discount incentives. Such an abstract settings has not been discussed in the literature. We explore how prices, demand, profits, and social welfare change with discounts through a theoretical analysis and numerical simulations under five scenarios. The results indicate that in all the scenarios the operator offering a discount incentive can always attract more passengers and increase its profits. Moreover, reducing the service time of operators offering discounts contributes to an increase in social welfare. Notably, this paper deduces for the first time that the demand scenario aimed at maximizing social welfare is twice as high as that aimed at maximizing total profit. However, in the scenario of maximum social welfare, the profitability of operators becomes challenging.
Evidence use in higher education decision-making and policy: a scoping review of empirical studies from 2010 to 2022
Authors: Thiedig Christoph , Wegner Antje
Published: November 2024

In this article, we review empirical studies on the use of evidence in higher education decision-making and policy from 2010 to 2022. In our scoping review, we identify 77 studies in English or German, of which 69 meet minimum quality standards. We map the current state of knowledge on the use of data and research evidence in higher education and research institutions, and higher education and research policy, using qualitative coding. The results depict a growing, US-dominated, research field characterised by a large variety of methodological approaches, influenced by heterogeneous sets of paradigms and shaped by professional publications. We compare studies on evidence use in higher education and research institutions, and higher education and research policy, and find conceptual and empirical differences regarding the studied dimensions of evidence use, the types of evidence taken into account, and factors influencing evidence use. Our review highlights the need for comparative organisational research on evidence use, further research on mechanisms and pathways of evidence uses and a closer linkage between concepts and empirical findings.
Effectiveness of Ethanol Extract Clove Leaves (Syzygium aromaticum) In Inhibiting Biofilm of Candida Albicans ATCC 14053
Authors: Nuzula Firdausi , Masfufatun Masfufatun
Published: November 2024

Candida albicans is the most common type of Candida. It is a normal microbiota in the healthy human body that can become pathogenic when its balance is disturbed, causing an infection referred to as candidiasis. Antifungal resistance to biofilms is estimated to be 10,000 times that in planktonic form. Clove leaves (Syzygium aromatium) can treat infectious diseases, including candidiasis. This study aimed to analyze whether the ethanol extract of clove leaves (S. aromaticum) destroys the biofilm of C. albicans ATCC 14053. The research designwas pure experimental with a post test control group only design approach. The extraction method used was maceration. Test antibiofilm activity of ethanol extract of clove leaves using microtiter plate biofilm assay method. Measurement of results with a microplate reader was carried out using a wavelength of 595nm in accordance by the wavelength of crystal violet used as a colouring agent. The results showed that ethanol extract of clove leaves (S. aromaticum) has significant effectiveness against the maturation of C. albicans biofilm (p<0.05) with the highest percentage of activity at 20% concentration. The MBEC50 was determined by probit analysis, so the concentration of clove leaf ethanol extract (S. aromaticum) that can eradicate 50% of C. albicans biofilm is located at a concentration of 0.45%. The clinical benefits that can be developed from the results of this study are the potential use of clove leaf ethanol extract as an alternative therapy for C. albicans infection in the form of soap or ointment.
The Impact of Market Maker Competition on Market Quality: Evidence from an Options Exchange
Authors: Aspris Angelo , Frino Alex , Lepone Andrew
Published: November 2024

This paper examines the dynamic relationship between competition, liquidity provision, and market structure. By examining the entry and exit of market makers in the Australian Options market, this study empirically analyses the issue of market maker competition. Results indicate that market maker entry depends on a broad range of profit, risk and market concentration characteristics, but free market maker movement does not explicitly result in a competitive market structure. This study also finds that the degree of market concentration additionally affects the marginal impact of market maker entry (exit), but the effect is significantly more pronounced for the most liquid classes of options. The implication of this finding is pertinent to market regulators since market maker competition may not necessarily contribute to enhancing market quality for less liquid securities.
Anybody can do Value at Risk: A Teaching Study using Parametric Computation and Monte Carlo Simulation
Authors: Cheung Yun Hsing , Powell Robert
Published: November 2024

The three main Value at Risk (VaR) methodologies are historical, parametric and Monte Carlo Simulation. Cheung & Powell (2012), using a step-by-step teaching study, showed how a nonparametric historical VaR model could be constructed using Excel, thus benefitting teachers and researchers by providing them with a readily useable teaching study and an inexpensive and flexible VaR modelling option. This article extends that work by demonstrating how parametric and Monte Carlo Simulation VaR models can also be constructed in Excel, thus providing a total Excel modelling package encompassing all three VaR methods.
‘The Killer Point’: Contemporary Reconfigurations of The Gap as a Crime Scene
Authors: Clifford K. , Mitchell Glenn
Published: November 2024

In November 2008, Gordon Wood was found guilty of the murder of his girlfriend, model Caroline Byrne, over a decade after her body was found at the base of an ocean cliff in Eastern Sydney, New South Wales, known as The Gap -- a place that, even while bearing the reputation of a ‘notorious suicide spot’, has been widely promoted as a popular tourist attraction. This article explores the mainstream media’s reporting and regulation of meaning in relation to the crime and the dichotomous tensions and competing (re)interpretations of The Gap this has produced throughout the investigation into Caroline Byrne’s death. More generally, this article seeks to understand the ways in which legacies of violence, death and suffering are often embodied in and by the spaces and places where these acts take place and how we might begin to explain our own and the media’s frenetic fascination with and ambivalence towards these sites, using a critical discourse that moves beyond the lexicon of legal discourse. In doing so, this article explores the limitations of language; questioning whether available and relevant critical cultural vocabularies are able to adequately capture and communicate the sometimes unsettling complexities and intricacies of embodied places and spaces that ultimately challenge (and complicate) the conventions of crime scene (re)presentation as a result of their multiple other histories.
Beneath the skin : (in)visible inscriptions Marele Day's The disappearances of Madelena Grimaldi
Authors: Sant P. , Brown J.
Published: November 2024

In The Disappearances of Madalena Grimaldi, the latest thriller by Shamus-award winner Marele Day, Sydney is a gothic landscape where nothing is as it seems. Hence this view of her living city:
The surface of the city is merely a skin. Beneath it are the veins carrying life blood, air vents that act as lungs, the sewers a lymphatic system draining away waste products, telephone lines the nervous system transmitting messages for the proper functioning of the body (p. 148).
All functions are not benign, but Day's wicked humour persists. Her chameleon Private Investigator, Claudia Valentine, is again severely tested, not least because she is personally and psychologically connected to her new investigations.
Lee Tamahori's Once were warriors
Authors: Hayes M.
Published: November 2024

As a Pakeha reviewer I find it necessary to hedge this review in opposition to a couple of statements about this film which regularly crop up in reviews and commentaries. Since the film is such a brutal and explicit interrogation of violence within a Maori community, Pakeha reviewers tend to applaud the 'honesty' or 'realism' of the film, which in a way assumes this kind of violence is quite the norm for Maoris. The 'real' Maori is then homogenised as the urban Maori disenfranchised from his or her 'traditional' culture. I don't see myself in a position to declare what I consider 'real' Maori life is like, and critics who, upon viewing a single film, think they have the knowledge to articulate the Maori reality are in a very dubious position. The other common statement is that the film succeeds because it deals with, in the words of a reviewer in The Australian Financial Review, 'the taboo subjects of indigenous representation and domestic violence' (Colbert 1994: 16). Just as the term 'honesty' naturalises Maori society as violent, the term 'taboo' naturalises representation as Pakeha. Indigenous representation in this case is assumed to be of Pakehas representing Maoris, and that is why it is considered such a touchy subject. But Maoris do represent themselves every day, only it is the Pakehas who generally have the luxury to debate the politics of representation. I think part of this film's success is, rather, the ways in which it supersedes this debate by assuming that authority to speak and the control of production of texts do not rely on Pakeha humanist generosity. The film steers away from examining Pakeha representation, which, I think, exposes Pakehas as being not nearly as important in Maori cultural issues as Pakehas would like to think they are.
Native title, fictions and 'convenient falsehoods'
Authors: Nettheim G.
Published: November 2024

The fiction of Australia as 'terra nullius' was officially discarded by the High Court of Australia in Mabo v Queensland (No 2) (1992), so far as the preexisting rights to land of Indigenous Australians were concerned.
But an alternative fiction continues to perform a similar role, and continues to influence public discourse. It, too, would justify the continuing displacement of what may remain of Indigenous peoples' property rights. The fiction is usually expressed in the catchphrase 'land management is a prerogative of the States'. This fiction is given ample accommodation in the Native Title Amendment Bill 1997 ('the NTAB').
He "look" honest - big white thief
Authors: Kerruish V. , Purdy J.
Published: November 2024

Our title is taken from a poem, 'Chained', by the Aboriginal author and activist Kevin Gilbert (1990: 38). The poem gives expression to a contradiction of 'white man law' in Australia:
Pinchim wimmen, pinchim land
Kill the Blackmen, whiteman grand
Him make law for whiteman good
Him steal land and Blackman food
Just outside this skin
Authors: Celermajer D.
Published: November 2024

Imagine that white Australia is reclining (nervously) on Freud's couch.
Twitches a little and adjusts himself (with discomfort) against the Persian covered cushions.
What would the master of psychoanalysis make of his speech?
The conceit is, of course, absurd.
The couch would quickly splinter beneath the weight of the bodies which make up the fiction of 'white Australia'. And Sigmund (even in his younger years) wouldn't be able to decipher a single phrase for the confusion of voices.
But indulge nevertheless.
Take the voice that comes straight from mid-morning radio talk back; or the 'battler' who lives in politicians' speech notes.
In your dreams : cultural appropriation, popular culture and colonialism
Authors: Behrendt L.
Published: November 2024

Industrialisation, globalisation, technological advancement, urbanisation, mass communication systems and other sources of modernity have created a society with contradictions. As much as these elements offer the individual interconnectedness with others, a plethora of opportunities, the ability to transcend gender, racial, cultural and geographical boundaries they also contribute to an impersonal society whose members complain of alienation and a spiritual hunger that capitalistic fetishism cannot seem to satiate. Little wonder then that interest in eastern religions, the occult, psychic networks and fundamentalist religions is on the rise. In this quest for reassurance and clarity, people have also sought to find the mythic and the spiritual in indigenous cultures.
Laws, authority, and critique in the wake of terra nullius: a history of "profane illumination" or an economy of violence?
Authors: Ripperger B.
Published: November 2024

Terra nullius is the principle of a violence that inheres in every origin. And, in its wake, there is no law, no text, no culture, free of that violence. The origin is no accident. Terra nullius is not an historical error. Our conceptual legacy is the unsettled and unsettling history of this violence. It demands critical ... thinking ... Or else ... we are condemned to repeat this origin again and again.
Principles or skeletons? Mabo and the discursive constitution of the Australian nation
Authors: Pether P.
Published: November 2024

This essay is centred around what is arguably the most potentially constitutionally radical, and almost certainly the most politically contentious decision of the Australian High Court in its history. This is the 1992 Native Title Decision - Mabo v Queensland (No.2). My assessment of the potentially radical quality of the Mabo decision, constitutionally speaking, rests on what the judgment refuses to do and thus, paradoxically, makes imaginable, as much as on what it achieves. I will rehearse the decision briefly in order to suggest to readers the perspective from which this essay approaches it.
The law of law
Authors: Santos-Lee M. Dos
Published: November 2024

Philosophy or law? Cause or effect? Does Philosophy name the laws through which things become known or are deemed as true, or must Philosophy itself be compelled by a law; guarded by an order that grants it the authority to write that such-ana-such is indeed so? And what would be the nature of such a law? What would name it as being 'true'? Philosophy? Another law? An infinite regress in the orders of Philosophy and law? ... Can we ever hope to arrive at an absolute origin in this schema, from which knowledge or truth may begin?