bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Avogadro Number’s-oriented HyperGeometric and ChebyshevT Functions for Black Hole Paradox Generalizations and Turing Machine Ruled Quantum Homeopathy Water Memory Entanglements for the Translation of COVID19 Homeopathy Remedies into the Neprilysin and ACE
Authors: Grigoriadis Ioannis George
Published: March 2024

SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant spike RBD epitopes in complex with spike (S) -protein D614G mutations now predominate globally and increase infectivity by assembling more functional S proteins into the virion. On average, homeopathic medicine contains less than one molecule per dose on average. Single variable SphericalHarmonicY, LaguerreL, WhittakerM, SphericalBesselJ, LegendreP, LegendreQ, LaguerreL, ChebyshevT, and Hypergeometric1F1 Functions pFqarise in connection with the power series solution of the Schrodinger equation or in the summation of perturbation expansions in quantum mechanics. A quantum interpretation of the homeopathic method is presented here through a novel algebraic topology approach to supersymmetry and symmetry breaking in quantum fields and quantum gravity theory with the aim of developing a wide range of physical-based drug design applications in a Small Molecule Quantized Water Memory Network suggesting that the Hidden Black Hole Paradox of Information Loss might be solved under suitable conditions.
The Impact of Soil and Water Conservation Measures on base flow modification: Evidence From Northeast Highland of Ethiopia
Authors: Mihidin Mohammed , Ayana Mekonen , Biru Zelalem , Alamerew Tenna , Desta Gizaw
Published: March 2024

Abstract: Due to sever land degradation throughout Ethiopia, the government has been implementing massive soil and water conservation works at the watershed scale since 2010 to conserve soil and water resources. However, most of the rivers in Ethiopia carry huge amount of sediment in rainy season and streams dried up in the dry period. Planned research was conducted on two paired micro-catchments Mt.Yewel with the main objective of evaluating the impact of soil and water conservation measures on base flow modification. Stream flow and rainfall data were collected from 22/11/2020 to 8/11/2022 on both micro-catchments at their outlets and center respectively. Base flow separation was done using Sp. Hydro base flow separation tool and SPSS Ver.21 statistical software was employed for data analysis. Flow duration curve (FDC) for both watersheds were developed. The FDC indicated that the base flow from treated micro-catchment ishigher and sustained in the dry season while it is low and un-sustained in untreated micro-catchment. From statistical analysis, there is a significant difference in base flow enhancement between the treated and untreated micro-catchment (P<0.001). Hence, catchment treatment contributed to improve groundwater recharge and sustain base flow in the dry season by reduce surface runoff during rainy season.
Cationic Azobenzenes as Light-Responsive Crosslinkers for Alginate-Based Supramolecular Hydrogels
Authors: Di Martino Miriam , Sessa Lucia , Panunzi Barbara , Diana Rosita , Piotto Stefano , Concilio Simona
Published: March 2024

Azobenzene photoswitches are fundamental components in contemporary approaches aimed at light-driven control of intelligent materials. Significant endeavors are directed towards enhancing the light-triggered reactivity of azobenzenes for such applications and obtaining water-soluble molecules able to act as crosslinkers in a hydrogel. Here, we report the rational design and the synthesis of azobenzene/alginate photoresponsive hydrogels endowed with fast reversible sol-gel transition. We started with the synthesis of three cationic azobenzenes (AZO A, B, and C) and then incorporated them in sodium alginate (SA) to obtain photoresponsive supramolecular hydrogels (SMHGs). The photoresponsive properties of the azobenzenes were investigated by UV-Vis and 1H NMR spectroscopy. Upon irradiation with 365 nm UV light, the azobenzenes demonstrated efficient trans-to-cis isomerization, with complete isomerization occurring within seconds. The return to the trans form took several hours, with AZO C exhibiting the fastest return, possibly due to higher trans isomer stability. In the photoresponsive SMHGs, the minimum gelation concentration (MGC) of azobenzenes was determined for different compositions, indicating that small amounts of azobenzenes could induce gel formation, particularly in 5 wt% SA. Upon exposure to 365 nm UV light, the SMHGs exhibited reversible gel-sol transitions, underscoring their photoresponsive nature. This research offers valuable insights into the synthesis and photoresponsive properties of cationic, water-soluble azobenzenes, as well as their potential application in the development of photoresponsive hydrogels.
Nano‐Delivery Systems for Curcumin
Authors: Yakubu Jibira , Pandey Amit V.
Published: March 2024

Curcumin, a polyphenol with a rich history spanning two centuries, has emerged as a promising therapeutic agent targeting multiple signaling pathways and exhibiting cellular-level activities that contribute to its diverse health benefits. Extensive preclinical and clinical studies have demonstrated its ability to enhance the therapeutic potential of various bioactive compounds. While its reported therapeutic advantages are manifold, predominantly attributed to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, its efficacy is hindered by poor bioavailability stemming from inadequate absorption, rapid metabolism, and elimination. To address this challenge, nano-delivery systems have emerged as a promising approach, offering enhanced solubility, biocompatibility, and therapeutic effects for curcumin. We have analyzed the knowledge on curcumin nano-encapsulation and its synergistic effects with other compounds, extracted from electronic databases. We discuss the pharmacokinetic profile of curcumin, current advancements in nano-encapsulation techniques, and the combined effects of curcumin with other agents across various disorders. By unifying existing knowledge, this analysis intends to provide insights into the potential of nano-encapsulation technologies to overcome constraints associated with curcumin treatments, emphasizing the importance of combinatorial approaches in improving therapeutic efficacy. Finally, this compilation of study data aims to inform and inspire future research into encapsulating drugs with poor pharmacokinetic characteristics and investigating innovative drug combinations to improve bioavailability and therapeutic outcomes.
Loss Control-Based Key Distribution Under Quantum Protection
Authors: Kirsanov Nikita , Pastushenko Valeria , Kodukhov Aleksei , Aliev Aziz , Yarovikov Michael , Strizhak Daniel , Zarubin Ilya , Smirnov Alexander , Pflitsch Markus , Vinokur Valerii
Published: March 2024

Quantum cryptography revolutionizes secure information transfer, providing defense against both quantum and classical computational attacks. The primary challenge in extending the reach of quantum communication comes from the exponential decay of signals over long distances. Addressing this challenge, we have developed Quantum-protected Control-based Key Distribution (QCKD), overcoming transmission range limitations by monitoring signal leakages and rendering leaked quantum states significantly non-orthogonal. This paper reports on the experiments with the QCKD, conducted over a 1,707 km fiber line. We demonstrate advancements in critical components of the protocol, showing its remarkable scalability and adaptability for extended distances and multi-user configurations.
Streamlined Two-Step Fragment Analysis PCR and Exome Sequencing of RFC1 for Diagnostic Testing of Suspected CANVAS Patients
Authors: Jaklič Helena , Babič Božović Ivana , Peterlin Borut , Kovanda Anja
Published: March 2024

Cerebellar ataxia, neuronopathy, and vestibular areflexia syndrome (CANVAS) is caused by biallelic pathogenic expansions, or compound heterozygosity with other pathogenic variants in the RFC1 gene. CANVAS is estimated to be underdiagnosed, both because of the lack of formal diagnostic criteria and molecular challenges that translate to lesser access and high cost of routine testing. Our aim was to address the need for making CANVAS genetic testing routine, by designing a streamlined two-step PCR consisting of a short-allele screening PCR and a confirmatory PCR with fragment capillary electrophoresis detection. Exome sequencing of RFC1 was additionally foreseen to resolve potential compound heterozygosity cases. Specificity of our approach was evaluated using ataxia patients with known non-CANVAS diagnoses, and optimized using Southern blot confirmed CANVAS patients. We evaluated our approach by testing patients consecutively referred for clinically suspected CANVAS using first the two-step PCR, followed by exome sequencing. Our approach was able to accurately identify negative and confirm positive cases in prospectively collected suspected CANVAS patients presenting with at least three typical clinical signs. The proposed testing approach provides an alternative method able to clearly distinguish between CANVAS negative and positive cases and can be easily incorporated into the genetic diagnostic laboratory workflow.
RNA Extraction from Cumulus Cells for Gene Analysis: The Current Strategy and Review of Literature
Authors: Ahmad Mohd Faizal , Elias Marjanu Hikmah , Mat Jin Norazilah , Abu Muhammad Azrai , Syafruddin Saiful Effendi , Zainuddin Ani Amelia , Suzuki Nao , Abdul Karim Abdul Kadir
Published: March 2024

RNA extraction from human cumulus cells (CCs) is considered challenging due to low cell’s pop-ulation and small cell. The successful gene expression analysis from cumulus cells ultimately de-pends on an excellent concentration of Ribonucleic acid (RNA) yield by an appropriate technique. Our study aims to consolidate appropriate cumulus cell collection method, preparation and ex-traction techniques to ensure a good yield of RNA for better gene expression analysis. From the results obtained, the optimal strategy found involved mechanical denudation without an enzy-matic process, followed by the use of RNA stabilizer prior to RNA extraction. Subsequently, uti-lizing a smaller homogenizer, preferably manual pressure control with filter (Bio-Masher III®) is paramount for a pure and homogenize sample. Subsequently, during RNA extraction, the use of RNeasy micro kit and RNA carriers is recommended. These sample collection, preparation, and extraction techniques yielded an excellent-quality RNA concentration and successful gene expres-sion analysis. We also conducted a systematic review to consolidate our findings with current evidence of RNA extraction technique. Our results added a value as a current strategy for opti-mizing RNA extraction in CCs for experimental studies. Thus, our findings can contribute to for-mulating a better strategy for optimizing the RNA extraction in CCs for transcriptomic studies.
Corrosion Assessment and Classification in SPCC Steel Using Eddy Current Testing
Authors: Xie Lian , Baskaran Prashanth , Alegria Francisco Correa , Ribeiro Artur Lopes , Ramos Helena Geirinhas
Published: March 2024

it still undergoes corrosion when exposed to corrosive environments. This paper proposes an evaluation method for assessing the corrosion level of SPCC steel specimens using traditional eddy current testing (ECT), along with two different machine learning approaches. The objective is to classify the corroded state of the specimens into two states: a less corroded state (state-1) and a highly corroded state (state-2). Generative and discriminative models were implemented for classification. The generative classifier was based on the Gaussian mixture model (GMM), while the discriminative model was based on the logistic regression model. The models used features based on the absolute maximum of the perturbation magnetic field components at two different frequencies. The performance of the classifiers was evaluated using metrics such as absolute error, accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score. The results indicate that high classification accuracy can be achieved based on both methods using traditional eddy current testing.
Medicine Non-adherence: A New Viewpoint on Adherence Arising From Research in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Ward Peter Michael
Published: March 2024

Adherence is vital for medicine to have an effect, yet adherence is considered to be low. However, research into adherence tends to focus on quantitative analysis of performance, something which fails to perceive how people are adherent in their many different environments. As a contribution to gaining a deeper understanding, interviews were held with 30 individuals in UK, Egypt, Kazakhstan and 6 countries in sub-Saharan Africa to understand their perceptions on adherence for a range of drugs, and these were compared with an existing well-regarded list. New reasons for non-adherence were discovered, and a new viewpoint on adherence derived which considers adherence to be a single act and therefore as an individual opportunity to be adherent, permitting greater focus on the enablers and inhibitors of adherence at a point in time.
Equine Musculoskeletal Pathologies: Clinical Approaches and Therapeutical Perspectives – A Review
Authors: Reis I.L. , Lopes B. , Sousa P. , Sousa A.C. , Caseiro Ana Rita , Mendonça C.M. , Santos J.M. , Atayde LM , Alvites R.D. , Maurício Ana Colette
Published: March 2024

Musculoskeletal injuries such as equine osteoarthritis, osteoarticular defects, tendonitis/desmitis, and muscular disorders are prevalent among sport horses, with a fair prognosis for returning to exercise or previous performance levels. The field of equine medicine has witnessed rapid and fruitful development, resulting in a diverse range of therapeutic options for musculoskeletal problems. Staying abreast of these advancements can be challenging, prompting the need for a comprehensive review of commonly used and recent treatments. The aim is to compile current therapeutic options for managing these injuries, spanning from simple to complex physiotherapy techniques, conservative treatments including steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, hyaluronic acid, and polyacrylamides, to the promising regenerative therapies such as hemoderivatives and stem cell-based therapies. Each therapeutic modality is scrutinized for its benefits, limitations, and potential synergistic actions to facilitate their most effective application for intended healing/regeneration of the injured tissue/organ and subsequent patient recovery. While stem cell-based therapies emerge as particularly promising for equine musculoskeletal injuries, a multidisciplinary approach is underscored throughout the discussion, emphasizing the importance of considering various therapeutic modalities in tandem.
Concrete testing for MTC : Oxocrete™ surface treatment
Authors: Mims Haley
Published: March 2024

This technical note provides an in-depth review of results for the concrete testing performed on a Materials Testing Center (MTC) project. At the request of the sponsor, Mr. Allan Shantz, this document specifically focuses on the difference in the physical and chemical properties between treated and untreated concrete cores and beams.
Poem of Isa Alabi Abubakar on 11th of September Remembrance (Phonetic Morphological Study)
Authors: Mahmoud-Mukadam Abdur-Rasheed , Akanni Shithu Abdullah
Published: March 2024

Human speech consists of successive sounds, and these sounds are interconnected and composed of groups to form words, then these words are organized into sentences and phrases to lead to a clear intended meaning from the speaker to the same listener. It is a study of the September Eleventh (11) memorial poem by the poet Isa Alabi at the phonemic and morphological levels that aims to show features and phonetic connotations in the poem and what the names of the attributes contained in it are. The study resulted that the descriptive analytical approach and came to the most important results: (1) the presence of the main syllables in the poem with the absence of secondary syllables (2) a perfect fit between sound and meaning (3) good selection of words that suit the nature of the poem (4) the names of the subject are the most frequently mentioned in the poem among the adjective
Higher Order Thinking Skill (HOTS) Analysis of Students of the Institute of Islamic and Arabic Sciences (LIPIA) on Rewriting Ta'bir Books in Book Creator
Authors: Muchlis Madian Muhammad , Hidayat Taufik , Yanti Ili
Published: March 2024

Higher Order Thinking Skill (HOTS ا) is a higher order thinking skill that is not only able to remember, understand and explain, but is able to analyze, evaluate and create a problem. HOTS can not only be seen from the work of the questions, but can also be seen from the side of creative ability in Arabic material. Rewriting the book "Ta'bir" in the بوك كريتور is one of the abilities to think creatively. The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative method. The data source is taken from students majoring in Idad Lughawi, Language Preparation in the form of project results in book كريتور. The subjects taken were group 2 with the topic "Birrul Walidain". There are three data analysis techniques, namely data reduction, data presentation and conclusion drawing. The result of the research is that it is known that there are innovations made by students in rewriting the book "Ta'bir" as seen from writing vocabulary explanations, adding pictures, adding exercises and adding audio.
GEOTECNOLOGIAS COMO SUBSÍDIO PARA O ENSINO DE GEOGRAFIA NAS ESCOLAS DA REDE PÚBLICA DO VALE DO JIQUIRIÇÁ (BA)
Authors: TEIXEIRA SOUSA LEONARDO , ARCANJO DE SOUZA NETO RAFAEL , COUTO SANTOS LAILA , MARIA SILVA RIBEIRO MATHEUSA
Published: March 2024

O emprego das geotecnologias tem crescido de maneira acelerada para atender as mais distintas necessidades humanas como a educação escolar por meio de estratégias didáticas que proporcionem maior interatividade do aluno com os conteúdos. Nesse sentido, a integração das geotecnologias com a ciência geográfica, no âmbito do ensino, pode contribuir para que os alunos sejam capazes de melhor entender as relações entre meio-ambiente e sociedade. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo relatar as experiências de um projeto de extensão destinado à capacitação de professores, da rede pública do Vale do Jiquiriçá (BA), para o uso das geotecnologias em sala de aula, como ferramentas de apoio ao ensino de Geografia. A execução do projeto consistiu na oferta de cinco oficinas, cujas temáticas basearam-se na apresentação de recursos das geotecnologias, com enfoque no uso de dois softwares: QGIS e Google Earth. A partir da realização do projeto, verificou-se que os participantes reconheceram a importância desse tipo de capacitação para ampliar os conhecimentos dos educadores, contribuindo, dessa forma, para a melhoria da qualidade do ensino.
GEOTECNOLOGIAS NA DIFUSÃO DE CONHECIMENTO SOBRE MUDANÇAS CLIMÁTICAS NO ENSINO SUPERIOR
Authors: Rodrigues Rocha Angélica , Wachholz Flávio , Aquino Maia Samara
Published: March 2024

A temática de Mudanças Climáticas retornou ao centro das discussões dos grandes encontros entre líderes, tomadores de decisões e sociedade civil. O sensoriamento remoto se enquadra como uma ferramenta indispensável nos estudos relacionados ao agravamento e aceleramento dos processos de mudanças climáticas e seus impactos em níveis locais, regionais e global. O objetivo deste trabalho foi apresentar uma sequência didática e aplicar ferramentas tecnológicas no ensino de sensoriamento remoto em turmas do curso de Geografia da Universidade do Estado do Amazonas. A metodologia consistiu na elaboração de uma dinâmica em formato de aula interativa. A aula foi dividida em três blocos: I) Diagnóstico Situacional; II) Conceitos sobre Mudanças Climáticas e Sensoriamento remoto e a integração entre as temáticas e II) Aplicação de Geotecnologias. As ferramentas geotecnológicas utilizadas foram o Google Earth Engine, Maquete virtual e em Realidade Aumentada. A dinâmica do ponto de vista dos aplicadores aconteceu na maior parte do tempo como previsto no plano de ensino, no entanto, devido ao tempo limitado algumas etapas precisaram ser aplicadas em velocidade mais acelerada do que o ideal. A resposta das turmas foi muito receptiva a inserção da temática de Mudanças Climáticas, especialmente quando inserida junto à assuntos de sua familiaridade e que compõe a grade curricular,  com 74% dos estudantes se sentindo muito interessado no aprofundamento dos estudos ao final da dinâmica.
Age-dependent Robust Strategic Asset Allocation with Inflation-Deflation Hedging Demand
Authors: Kusuda Koji , Kikuchi Kentaro
Published: March 2024

This study analyzes robust strategic asset allocation under a quadratic security market model with stochastic volatility and inflation rates assuming ``age-dependent robust utility'' in which relative ambiguity aversion is a decreasing function of age. We show that, unlike homothetic robust utility, age-dependent robust utility cannot be interpreted as homothetic stochastic differential utility. We consider the finite-time consumption-investment problem and derive a linear approximate optimal robust portfolio candidate decomposed into myopic, intertemporal hedging, and inflation-deflation hedging demands. Our numerical analysis of the approximate optimal allocation to the S\&P500 shows modest hump-shaped age effects, similar to the results of a previous empirical analysis, and that the upswing is due to the increase in myopic demand, while the downswing is due to the decrease in intertemporal hedging demand.
Association of First Report of Botryosphaeria Spp. With Almond Dieback and Gummosis in Türki̇ye
Authors: endes ali
Published: March 2024

Türkiye is among the top-producing almond countries in the world. Almond is a precious nut in modern diets due to its bioactive compounds associated with health and disease treatment. However, the plant's yield is affected by factors, including pathogens. This study aimed to diagnose and identify biotic factors associated with decline, dieback, and gummosis in almond trees in Yozgat province with a temperate climate. Seven almond 10-year orchards were investigated and trees with symptoms were sampled. Isolated species were cultured in PDA medium to identify the morphological and cultural characterization. The results obtained with cultural and morphological characteristics along with Phylogenetic analysis of ITS, β-tubulin, and EF-1α sequence data, confirmed the presence of Diplodia seriata, Lasiodiplodia theobromae, Neofusicoccum parvum, Botryosphaeria dothidea. Among these species, Botryosphaeria dothidea was first reported from almond trees in Türkiye. Pathogenicity testing showed that although all species were virulent, L. theobromae and N. parvum isolates caused more gumming in the inoculation areas than D. seriata and B. dothidea isolates. These results confirm that multiple Botryosphaeriaceae species are associated with branch decline and dieback on almond in Türkiye, which agrees with similar studies on woody crops. Accurate diagnosis of fungal pathogens in almonds is vital for developing disease management strategies and may help improve horticultural practices in maintaining urban stands.
Do Caregivers Have an Effect on Extended Hospitalization in Patient-Fallowed Palliative Care Center? A Study from Turkey.
Authors: Çakmak Nuray Yılmaz , Bozkuş Rıfat
Published: March 2024

Objective: Since palliative care clinics are clinics that strive to solve the pain caused by the disease as well as other physical and psychological symptoms and social problems as a caregiver burden, the length of stay becomes important in our clinics with high demand from patients.
One of the purposes of palliative care centers is to evaluate the patient for discharge, to provide devices that the patient needs at home or in a nursing home, and to provide caregivers with care and device usage training. We aimed to investigate whether the length of stay is caused by the caregivers as well as clinical conditions.
Material and Methods: In this study, we retrospectively investigated the days of hospitalization of 915 patients followed in a palliative care center and the factors that prolong hospitalization in patients with extended hospitalization.
Results: The average length of stay of the patients was found to be 15.65±11.43 days. Hospitalization longer than 28 days was found to be 97(10.60%) patients. The most common reason for extended hospitalization was the reluctance of caregivers to discuss discharge in 47 (48.45%) patients. The second most frequent discharge was delayed in 25 (25.8%) patients due to clinical instability. 23(23.71%). A significant relationship was detected between length of stay and TPN nutrition. A significant relationship was detected between patients with cancer (P:0.042) and coronary artery disease (P<0.01) on extended stay.
Conclusion: With the aging of the world population and the improvement of health care services, the need for palliative care is increasing daily. In order to use resources efficiently, there is a need to optimize the length of stay in palliative care with a multidisciplinary approach.
Trial registration
This study registered retrospectively.
WITHDRAWN: Effect of unsaturated flow on the occurrence and movement of light nonaqueous phase fluids
Authors: Zhao Guizhang , Cheng Jiale , Li Leicheng , Liu Yu , Zhang Hongli , Li Hongliang , Zhang Hepeng
Published: March 2024

The full text of this preprint has been withdrawn by the authors due to author disagreement with the posting of the preprint. Therefore, the authors do not wish this work to be cited as a reference. Questions should be directed to the corresponding author.
Substance Use Patterns and Negative Urine Opioid Screen Among Patients on Methadone Treatment at a Referral Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya.
Authors: Kuria Susan Wangeci
Published: March 2024

BackgroundStudies show concurrent substance use is common among patients with opioid use disorder. Despite evidence that various medications for Opioid Use Disorder are beneficial, some patients continue using opioids while in the program. We aimed to determine substance use patterns at enrolment and negative urine opioid screens among patients who were attending the Medically Assisted Therapy Clinic at a referral hospital in Nairobi.MethodsThis was a retrospective cohort study of 713 patients who had enrolled in the Medically Assisted Therapy clinic between December 2014 and February 2018. Data for each participant was collected over 24 months. A researcher-designed socio-demographic form and a data collection form were used to collect data. The data was analysed using Statistical Analysis for Data Science (STATA) version 18. 3.10.ResultsMost participants were male 85.7%, with a mean age of 34.3 years (SD 8.6). The majority had primary and below level of education 48.8%, were employed 59.5%, and were single/separated/widowed 78.4%. All the participants had used at least one other substance apart from opioids. The most common substances were; tobacco 91%, followed by cannabis 82.9% and benzodiazepines 51.5%. At 6, 12, 18, and 24 months, negative urine opioid screens were 61.3%, 76.0%, 73.5%, and 81.4%, respectively. At 24 months, 81.3% of the participants were still active in treatment.ConclusionsMany of the patients attending the Medically Assisted Therapy clinic use more than one substance. There is a need to scale up the program to also offer free management for other substances. Many patients had a negative urine opioid screen at 24 months; this replicated the evidence for the efficacy of medications for Opioid Use Disorders. However, there is a need to further explore why some patients continue to use opioids while in the program.
FIRE Stones:Impact of forced diuresis on the residual fragment rate after flexible ureteroscopy for destruction of kidney stones with laser: protocol for a randomized controlled two-parallel group multicenter trial with blinding evaluation.
Authors: Letouche Marie-Lou , Giraudeau Bruno , AGIER Marie-Sarah , Bruyere Franck
Published: March 2024

Background
Lithiasis is a common and recurrent disease. Flexible ureteroscopy (fURS) is the cornerstone of laser treatment of kidney stones. Kidney stones destruction requires its laser pulverization into small fragments in order to remove them through the ureter or improve their spontaneous expulsion along the urinary tract. However, most of the time, all the micro-fragments and dust created cannot be extracted using our surgical tools, and may stay intra-renally at the end of the procedure. Adjuvant treatments (such as forced diuresis, inversion or mechanical pressure) were previously described to improve the expulsion of stone fragments after extra-corporeal shock wave lithotripsy. Nevertheless, the impact of adjuvant treatment after fURS remains unclear and mainly theoretical.
Objective
The primary objective is to show that the injection of 40 mg of Furosemide in slow intravenous during 10 minutes, after the procedure, increases the stone-free rate 3 months after a fURS for destruction of kidney stones with laser.
Methods/design
The study will be a two-parallel group randomized, controlled, multicentric trial with a blinding evaluation. Nine French departments of urology will participate. Patients will be randomized in 2 groups: the experimental group (injection of 40mg of Furosemide at the end of the surgery) and a control one (usual care). Patients will be followed up for 3 months (+/- 2 weeks) after the surgery. Then, we will perform a low dose abdomino-pelvic CT-scan. The primary outcome is the stone-free rate at 3 months. A centralized review of the images will be performed by two specialized radiologists, in a blind and crossed way to allow a homogenization of the results. The secondary outcomes will include the rate of early post-operative urinary tract infection (UTI), the evaluation of post-operative pain and the safety of the use of Furosemide in patients treated by fURS for renal stone laser destruction. As secondary objectives, it is also planned to look at the effect of the prescription of an alpha-blocker as usual treatment on stone-free rate, and to assess the agreement between the imaging analysis of the urologist and the specialized radiologist.
Discussion
Lithiasis is a public health problem. It affects about 10% of the general population. This prevalence is increasing (multiplied by 3 in 40 years), partly due to changes in the population's eating habits over the years. The lithiasis patient is a patient with a chronic disease requiring annual follow-up and who may suffer from multiple recurrences, with a recurrence rate at 5 years of 50%.
Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05916963, first received: 22 June 2023. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05916963
EU Clinical Trials Register EudraCT Number: 2022-502890-40-00.
High brightness terahertz quantum cascade laser with near-diffraction-limited Gaussian beam
Authors: Lu Quanyong , Li Rusong , Xu Yunfei , Zhang Shichen , Ma Yu , Liu Junhong , Zhou Binru , Wang Lijun , zhuo ning , Liu Junqi , Zhang Jinchuan , Zhai Shenqiang , Liu Shuman , Liu Fengqi
Published: March 2024

High-power and high-beam-quality terahertz (THz) quantum cascade laser as an emerging THz radiation solid-state source are attracting attentions for numerous applications including medicine, sensing, and communication. However, due to the sub-wavelength confinement of the waveguide structure, direct beam brightness upscaling with device area remains elusive due to several mode competition and external optical lens is normally used to enhance the THz beam brightness. Here, we propose a metallic THz double-lattice photonic crystal resonator with engineered phase design for single mode surface emission over a broad area. The quantum cascade surface-emitting laser is capable of delivering an output peak power over 185 mW with a narrow beam divergence of 4.4°×4.4° at 3.88 THz. A near-diffraction-limited beam with M2 factor of 1.4 in both directions and a high beam brightness of 1.6×107 W sr−1m−2 is achieved from a large device area of 1.6×1.6 mm2 without using any optical lenses. The adjustable phase shift between the lattices enables stable and high-intensity surface emission over a broad device area, which makes it an ideal light extractor for broad-area THz emitters. Our research paves the way to high brightness THz laser sources and facilitates new applications in standoff THz imaging, detection, and diagnosis.
Atmospheric chemistry of CF3CHFCF2OCH3 (HFE-356mec3) and CHF2CHFOCF3 (HFE-236ea1) initiated by OH and Cl and their contribution to global warming
Authors: Espinosa Sara , Asensio María , Antiñolo María , Albaladejo José , Jimenez Elena
Published: March 2024

The kinetic study of the gas-phase reactions of hydroxyl (OH) radicals and chlorine (Cl) atoms with CF3CHFCF2OCH3 (HFE-356mec3) and CHF2CHFOCF3 (HFE-236ea1) was performed by the pulsed laser photolysis/laser-induced fluorescence technique and a relative method by using Fourier Transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy as detection technique. The temperature dependences of the OH-rate coefficients (kOH(T) in cm3molecule-1s-1) between 263 and 353 K are well described by the following expressions: (1.21±0.28)×10-12exp{-(1045±646)/T} for HFE-356mec3 and (4.39±0.70)×10-13exp{-(1261±602)/T} for HFE-236ea1. The rate coefficients kCl was determined to be (2.30±1.08)×10-13 cm3molecule-1s-1 for HFE-356mec3 and (1.19±0.10)×10-15 cm3molecule-1s-1 for HFE-236ea1 at 298K and 760 Torr of air under free-NOx conditions. The atmospheric lifetimes were estimated to be 1.4 and 8 years for HFE-356mec3 and HFE-236ea1 in urban inland and 8.7 and 49.7 years in coastal troposphere. IR absorption cross sections and global warming potentials at a time horizon of 100 years are presented and the atmospheric degradation of HFEs is discussed.
Update of the dimorphic genus Olorizia (Ataxioceratidae, Ammonitina) and establishment of the species Olorizia calandina sp. nov.
Authors: Moliner Luis
Published: March 2024

Ataxioceratinae of the genus Olorizia are characteristic ammonites of the Kimmeridgian eastern Iberian platform. Olorizia was established as a dimorphic monospecific genus that included a single species (Olorizia olorizi) endowed with a remarkably wide phenotypic variability. Its morphological plasticity allowed to recognize three morphotypes. They are interpreted as endemic forms and the product of in situ evolution, through a cladogenetic split from the autochthonous lineage of Ardescia Atrops during the early Kimmeridgian (cron Platynota); they are also interpreted as one of the greatest exponents of morphological specialization of the group due to the achievement of costulation with double connections (ataxioceratoid and subpolyplocoid ribs). In this work, a new dimorphic species is stablished, Olorizia calandina sp. nov.; the scarce graphic illustration of specimens of the various morphotypes of Olorizia olorizi existing to date is also corrected and the change of institution for the custody of fossil remains is reported, as well as the new identification acronyms.
Violence in the Emergency Department: A quantitative survey study of healthcare providers in India
Authors: Ahluwalia Tania , Singh Sukhpreet , Gandhi Navvin , Toy Serkan , Douglass Katherine , Blanchard Janice , Davey Kevin
Published: March 2024

Background: Workplace violence (WPV) in Emergency Departments (EDs) is an increasingly recognized challenge healthcare providers face in low-resource settings. While studies have highlighted the increased prevalence of WPV in healthcare, most of the existing research has been conducted in developed countries with established laws and repercussions for violence against healthcare providers. More data on WPV against ED providers practicing in low-resource settings is necessary to understand these providers’ unique challenges.
Objective: This study aims to gain insight into the incidence and characteristics of WPV among ED healthcare providers in India.
Methods: This study was conducted at two EDs in geographically distinct regions of India. A survey was designed to assess violence in EDs among healthcare providers. Surveys were distributed to ED workplace providers, completed by hand, and returned anonymously. Data was entered and stored in the RedCAP database to facilitate analysis.
Results: Two hundred surveys were completed by physicians, nurses, and paramedics in Indian EDs. Most reported events involved verbal abuse (68%), followed by physical abuse (26%), outside confrontation (17%), and stalking (5%). By far, the most common perpetrators of violence against healthcare workers were bystanders including patient family members or other accompanying individuals. Notably, reporting was limited, with most cases conveyed to ED or hospital administration.
Conclusion: These results underscore the prevalence of WPV among Indian ED healthcare providers. High rates of verbal abuse followed by physical abuse are of concern. Most perpetrators of WPV against healthcare providers in this study were patient family members or bystanders rather than the patients themselves. It is imperative to prioritize implementing prevention strategies to create safer work environments for healthcare workers.
European option pricing under a generalized fractional Brownian motion Heston exponential Hull-White model with transaction costs by the Deep Galerkin Method
Authors: Motameni Mahsa , Mehrdoust Farshid , Najafi Ali Reza
Published: March 2024

We propose a new financial model called the generalized fractional Brownian motion Heston exponential Hull-White model, which has stochastic volatility and interest rate, long memory, and heavy tail distribution. Based on the market price of the volatility and delta hedging strategies, we propose a partial differential equation (PDE) to obtain the European option price. To do this, portfolio changes contain long one position of the European call option and shares of the underlying assets (stock, zero coupon bond, volatility), where we use the mentioned model to obtain the price. Due to transaction costs, the resulting equation is a fully nonlinear PDE, which we use the Deep Galerkin Method (DGM) to solve it. Also, we present the proof of the convergence of the method to this class of equations, which includes two parts: the convergence of the loss function to zero and the convergence of the neural network to the exact solution of the equation. We finally present numerical results to show the model and method’s effectiveness.
Development of a Tool to Assess the Severity of PH-ILD: A Guide to Assist Therapeutic Choices
Authors: Fiscus Garrett , Moallem Niala , Carollo Brett , O'Sullivan David , Farber Harrison , Parikh Raj
Published: March 2024

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a frequent complication in patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD); its occurrence results in significant morbidity and mortality. Currently approved treatment options for PH-ILD include inhaled prostacyclin therapy, although this approach may be insufficient in patients who have developed concomitant right ventricular failure. Moreover, there is no available treatment algorithm regarding the optimal therapy and timing of lung transplant referral for PH-ILD patients based on disease severity. In this study, we created such a tool to guide PH-specific therapy in PH-ILD patients, especially as further treatment strategies are developed. We developed a 4-point PH‐ILD Severity score that integrated both subjective and objective information from retrospective analysis of 57 PH-ILD patients. A score of 3 or greater in the PH-ILD Severity score yielded an AUC of 0.831 (p < 0.001) for the composite endpoint of clinical worsening (hospitalization due to a cardiopulmonary indication; decrease in 6-minute walk distance by > 15% at 2 consecutive visits; all-cause mortality; lung transplantation). Further confirmation and evolution of this PH-ILD Severity score will assist in development of optimal treatment plans in ILD patients diagnosed with concomitant PH.
CSKD: Cosine Similarity-Guided Knowledge Distillation for Robust Object Detectors
Authors: Park Sangwoo , Kang Donggoo , Paik Joonki
Published: March 2024

This paper presents a Cosine Similarity-Based Knowledge Distillation (CSKD) for robust, lightweight object detectors. Knowl-edge Distillation (KD) has been effective in enhancing the performance of compact models in image classification by leveragingdeep CNN models. However, the complex and multifaceted nature of object detection, characterized by its modular designand multitasking requirements, poses significant challenges for traditional KD techniques. These challenges are furthercompounded by the conventional reliance on the Mean Squared Error (MSE) loss function and the limited application ofenhanced feature representations to the training phase. Addressing these limitations, the proposed CSKD method combinescosine similarity guidance with MSE loss to facilitate a more effective knowledge transfer from the teacher model to thestudent model. This is achieved by distilling both intermediate features and prediction outputs, aided by an assistant predictionbranch designed to learn directly from the teacher’s predictions. This dual-faceted distillation strategy enables the studentmodel to better mimic the teacher model’s behavior, leading to improved performance. The proposed method demonstratesversatility and robustness across various object detector architectures without the need for additional feature enhancementlayers during training. Notably, employing ResNet-50 as the teacher model and ResNet-18 as the student model, we achievenew benchmarks in KD for object detection across several architectures, including Faster-RCNN, RetinaNet, FCOS, and GFL,with respective mAP scores of 36.6, 35.2, 35.9, and 38.9. These results highlights the effectiveness of CSKD in advancing thestate-of-the-art in KD for object detection, offering a compelling solution to the challenges previously faced by traditional KDmethods in this domain. The code of the proposed CSKD is available at https://github.com/swkdn16/CSKD
Impact of COVID-19 Lockdowns on Rates of Adolescent Pregnancies: A Systematic Review
Authors: Hookham Lauren , Alger Jackeline , Endler Margit , Enwere Michael , Eskenazi Deborah , Miskeen Elhadi , Salas Sofia P , Bhoora Shastra , Elhassan Safa , Gemzell-Danielsson Kristina , Abreu Lucas Guimarães , Hewitt Claudette , Abuhammad Sawsan , Vonje Riri Johnson , Kana Musa , Leroy Valériane , Leslie Abimbola , Maingi Zadok , Mustafa Ghulam , Murundo Siamola , Ndayizeye Jean Paul , Nkwan Jacob Gobte , Okunromade Omolola , Ricci Christina , Saggers Robin , Shanbhag Sweta , Zaigham Mehreen , Doare Kirsty Le , Ramdin Tanusha
Published: March 2024

Background: Education is known to protect adolescent girls from unplanned pregnancy. School closures were component of COVID-19 “lockdown measures”. The impact of these measures on adolescent pregnancy worldwideis unknown.
Methods: We performed a systematic review to find evidence of the impact of “lockdowns” and school closures on adolescent pregnancy events during the COVID-19 pandemic. Databases including Pubmed, EMBASE, CINAHL, WHO Index Medicus, and Literatura Latinoamericana y Caribe en Ciencias de la Salud (LILACS) were searched. Studies that provided data on pregnancy rates in girls aged 10-19 before, during, and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (defined as March 2020) were eligible for inclusion. Extracted data included study design, study location, age of participants, exposure period, and percentage or pregnancy rate data.
Findings: On August 21st, 2023, 3049 studies were screened, with 79 eligible for full-text review. Ten studies were included in the final review: Seven performed in Africa (Uganda, Kenya, South Africa, and Ethiopia), and three in the Americas (USA and Brazil). Adolescent pregnancy increased in six out of the seven African studies while a decrease or no change was noted in USA and Brazil.All studies were at a high risk of bias.
Interpretation: Adolescent pregnancy rates during the COVID-19 pandemic may have substantially increased in sub-Saharan Africa. Data scarcity and low-quality evidence are significant limitations. The dynamic relationship between lockdown measures and adolescent pregnancies warrants ongoing multifaceted research and adaptive policies to safeguard adolescent sexual and reproductive health during health crisis.
Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO registration number CRD42022308354.
Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and organic molecular tracer compounds in dusts samples from schools in Puchuncavi and Quintero (Chile)
Authors: Parra Sonnia , Bravo Manuel A. , Drooge Barend L van
Published: March 2024

This investigation was conducted in order to gain first insight into concentrations, distribution patterns and potential sources of 16 US EPA priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and organic molecular tracer compounds in dust samples collected in the Valparaiso region, Chile. Dust was sampled in schools (indoor and outdoor) that are ubicated in Puchuncavi (Greda, Greda los Alerces, Chocota,and Basica Horcon) and Quintero ( Liceo Politecnico, Inglès Quintero, Faro, Santa Filomena). Source apportionment analysis using the concentrations of PAHs; glucose, mannitol, sucrose, fructose; di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate; hopanes, and levoglucosan as molecular tracer compounds showed four sources of contribution; the first related to combustion, a source represented to traffic, a third source dominated for soil + plastic, and a source of biomass burning. Outdoor traffic emissions and combustion were the main pollution sources in the outdoor as well as indoor ambient air of the schools, while soil + plastic were an important indoor source.
Coriobacteriia Can Affect The Developing of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Through The Pyrimidine, Caffeine, Urea Cycle and Glutamate Metabolic Pathways
Authors: Dai Jingyi , Li Qiujing , Chen Jie , Dong Zhijian , Ma Zhongxu , Luo Yu , Liu Guiming
Published: March 2024

Background Most patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) lose the chance of survival due to lack of timely diagnosis and effective treatment. The specific gut microbiota (GM) spectrum may become the target of early diagnosis and treatment of HCC. However, the metabolic mechanisms that affect the occurrence of liver cancer are still unclear.
Methods In this study, we called the dataset of HCC, and 1,091 serum metabolites 309 metabolite ratios as well as 211 GM taxa through GWAS instrumental variables for Mendelian randomization causal association analysis and metabolome intermediary effects exploration. Through functional enrichment of intermediate metabolites, the effects of metabolic pathways involved in GM on HCC were analyzed. Inverse variance weighting (IVW) was the main model for establishing causal associations. Additionally horizontal pleiotropy test, linkage disequilibrium test and sensitivity analysis were employed to test the explanatory power of instrumental variables (SNPs).
Results Our study found Coriobacteriia class, Coriobacteriales order, Coriobacteriaceae family, and 4 specific genera were strongly related to HCC (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, through two samples-MR Analysis , 49 metabolites levels/ratios were shown to be closely related to the development of HCC. A total of 10 related metabolic intermediary factors have been selected, and 4 metabolic pathways of Pyrimidine (P = 0.0031), Caffeine(P = 0.0072), Urea Cycle (P = 0.0105) and Glutamate (P = 0.0298) were significantly enriched in this GM related HCC process.
Conclusion Coriobacteriia class and its lower taxa were associated with the risk factors of developing HCC through the regulation of Pyrimidine, Caffeine, Urea Cycle and Glutamate metabolic pathways. These biomarkers may become targets for HCC early diagnosis and immunotherapy.