bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unraveling the complexity of the molecular pathways associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and identifying molecular targets for therapeutic development: a review of literature
Authors: Sikiru Akeem Babatunde , Adeniran Muibat Adesola , Akinola Karimot , Behera Himanshu , Kalaignazhal G. , Egena Stephen Sunday Acheneje
Published: June 2023

Background

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most typical endocrine disorder affecting women worldwide. Although the etiology of PCOS is not fully understood, genetic factors are believed to play an essential role in its pathogenesis. Hence, this paper presents a review of the outcome of functional enrichment analysis of pathways associated with PCOS phenotypes for the identification of potential molecular targets as area of further research for therapeutic development for PCOS.

Method

It is the implementation of comprehensive literature search in database including PubMed and Google Scholar and functional analysis of genes including the HSD3B2, PPARG, PPP1R3A, LMNA, and AMH and their roles in the metabolic pathways associated with PCOS.

Findings

The genes including HSD3B2, PPARG, and LMNA emerged as the most important genes in relation to PCOS, suggesting that they could play key roles in regulating different aspects of PCOS pathogenesis. These findings provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms that underlie the complex condition of PCOS and highlight the potential of targeting these genes and their specific pathways as a promising approach to developing effective treatments for PCOS.

Conclusion

It was concluded that these exploring pathways associated with these genes could provide new insights into the genetic factors contributing to PCOS, and the study recommended further research on these targets for improving the health and quality of life women battling with PCOS worldwide.
Efficacy of combination of acetic acid and ciprofloxacin eardrops versus only ciprofloxacin eardrops in achieving dry ears in chronic suppurative otitis media
Authors: Basavaraju K. P. , Ranjani S. K.
Published: June 2023

Background

As per WHO, the chronic inflammatory condition involving the middle ear and mastoid cavity, resulting in recurrent ear discharge, otherwise known as otorrhoea, through perforation of the eardrum or tympanic membrane, is known as chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM). Recurrent middle ear infections are known to produce a myriad of intracranial and extracranial complications. CSOM is considered a biofilm disease, wherein biofilms are found to be the most prevalent microbial form, playing a crucial role in the chronicity of the infections and observed resistance to antibiotics. Thus disruption of the biofilm layer is necessary for the management of CSOM. This can be achieved by aural toileting and topical 2% acetic ear drops.

Aim

To study the efficacy of the combination of acetic acid and ciprofloxacin eardrops versus only ciprofloxacin ear drops in achieving dry ears in chronic suppurative otitis media.

Materials and methods

Sixty-three patients diagnosed with CSOM (mucosal type) were randomly divided into two groups: Group A — who received both 2% acetic acid and ciprofloxacin ear drops and Group B — who received only Ciprofloxacin ear drops; thrice daily. Additionally, both groups received systemic oral antibiotic being tab. ciprofloxacin 500 mg twice daily for 14 days. Weekly follow-up was done for 2 weeks and compared on the basis of otological symptom score.

Results

Both combination of acetic acid with ciprofloxacin and only ciprofloxacin ear drops significantly reduced the amount of ear discharge (P < 0.001) by the second visit, but the reduction in the amount of otorrhoea in Group A was found to be more significant than in Group B (P = 0.014). Also, the former was significantly more effective in achieving and maintaining dry ears by the third visit (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Combination of acetic acid and ciprofloxacin ear drops was found to be more effective than only ciprofloxacin ear drops in achieving and maintaining dry ears while treating CSOM.
Synthetic Data Generation by Artificial Intelligence to Accelerate Research and Precision Medicine in Hematology
Authors: D'Amico Saverio , Dall’Olio Daniele , Sala Claudia , Dall’Olio Lorenzo , Sauta Elisabetta , Zampini Matteo , Asti Gianluca , Lanino Luca , Maggioni Giulia , Campagna Alessia , Ubezio Marta , Russo Antonio , Bicchieri Maria Elena , Riva Elena , Tentori Cristina A. , Travaglino Erica , Morandini Pierandrea , Savevski Victor , Santoro Armando , Prada-Luengo Iñigo , Krogh Anders , Santini Valeria , Kordasti Shahram , Platzbecker Uwe , Diez-Campelo Maria , Fenaux Pierre , Haferlach Torsten , Castellani Gastone , Della Porta Matteo Giovanni
Published: June 2023

PURPOSE

Synthetic data are artificial data generated without including any real patient information by an algorithm trained to learn the characteristics of a real source data set and became widely used to accelerate research in life sciences. We aimed to (1) apply generative artificial intelligence to build synthetic data in different hematologic neoplasms; (2) develop a synthetic validation framework to assess data fidelity and privacy preservability; and (3) test the capability of synthetic data to accelerate clinical/translational research in hematology.

METHODS

A conditional generative adversarial network architecture was implemented to generate synthetic data. Use cases were myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and AML: 7,133 patients were included. A fully explainable validation framework was created to assess fidelity and privacy preservability of synthetic data.

RESULTS

We generated MDS/AML synthetic cohorts (including information on clinical features, genomics, treatment, and outcomes) with high fidelity and privacy performances. This technology allowed resolution of lack/incomplete information and data augmentation. We then assessed the potential value of synthetic data on accelerating research in hematology. Starting from 944 patients with MDS available since 2014, we generated a 300% augmented synthetic cohort and anticipated the development of molecular classification and molecular scoring system obtained many years later from 2,043 to 2,957 real patients, respectively. Moreover, starting from 187 MDS treated with luspatercept into a clinical trial, we generated a synthetic cohort that recapitulated all the clinical end points of the study. Finally, we developed a website to enable clinicians generating high-quality synthetic data from an existing biobank of real patients.

CONCLUSION

Synthetic data mimic real clinical-genomic features and outcomes, and anonymize patient information. The implementation of this technology allows to increase the scientific use and value of real data, thus accelerating precision medicine in hematology and the conduction of clinical trials.
Oncology Pharmacists Help Bridge the Gap to Optimize Precision Oncology Services for Veterans With Cancer
Authors: Bates Jill S. , Piccolo Jennifer , Crandall Bailey , Kelley Michael J.
Published: June 2023

Oncology pharmacists involved in consult services and molecular tumor boards enhance precision oncology care.
Disrupted Pediatric Diabetes Trends in the Second Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: McIntyre Tatiana , Sarah Salma , Benjamin Robert , Balikcioglu Pinar Gumus
Published: June 2023

Context

Increases in incident cases of pediatric type 1 (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) were observed during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective

This work aimed to identify trends in incidence and presentation of pediatric new-onset T1D and T2D during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was conducted. Demographics, anthropometrics, and initial laboratory results from patients aged 0 to 21 years who presented with new-onset diabetes to a pediatric tertiary care center were recorded.

Results

The incident cases of T1D (n = 46) and T2D (n = 46) in 2021-2022 (second year of the pandemic) were consistent with the incident cases of T1D (n = 46) and T2D (n = 53) in 2020 to 2021 (first year of the pandemic). Compared to the incident cases of diabetes in the prepandemic years, in the second year, the incident cases of T1D increased 48%, and the incident cases of T2D increased 188%. In the second year of the pandemic, incident cases of T2D represented half (50%) of all newly diagnosed pediatric diabetes cases. Patients with T2D were more likely to present in diabetic ketoacidosis, though this was not statistically significant (P = .08).

Conclusion

The increase in incident cases of pediatric T1D and T2D observed during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic persisted during the second pandemic year. This suggests that despite pediatric vaccination efforts and return to social in-person activities, we may continue to see effects of the pandemic on pediatric diabetes trends.
Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 5 Contributes to Paclitaxel-Induced Neuropathic Pain by Activating Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 Epigenetic Modification in Dorsal Root Ganglion
Authors: Yeh Chou-Ming , Lai Cheng-Yuan , Peng Hsien-Yu , Lin Tzer-Bin , Chou Dylan , Wang Hsueh-Hsiao , Yang Po-Sheng , Cheng Jen-Kun , Peng Yun-Chih , Hsieh Ming-Chun
Published: June 2023

BACKGROUND:

Paclitaxel (PTX), which is a first-line chemotherapy drug used to treat various types of cancers, exhibits peripheral neuropathy as a common side effect that is difficult to treat. Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT 5) is a key regulator of the chemotherapy response, as chemotherapy drugs induce PRMT5 expression. However, little is known about the PRMT5-mediated epigenetic mechanisms involved in PTX-induced neuropathic allodynia.

METHODS:

Sprague–Dawley rats were intraperitoneally given PTX to induce neuropathic pain. Biochemical analyses were conducted to measure the protein expression levels in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) of the animals. The von Frey test and hot plate test were used to evaluate nociceptive behaviors.

RESULTS:

PTX increased the PRMT5 (mean difference [MD]: 0.68, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.88–0.48; P < .001 for vehicle)-mediated deposition of histone H3R2 dimethyl symmetric (H3R2me2s) at the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (Trpv1) promoter in the DRG. PRMT5-induced H3R2me2s recruited WD repeat domain 5 (WDR5) to increase trimethylation of lysine 4 on histone H3 (H3K4me3) at Trpv1 promoters, thus resulting in TRPV1 transcriptional activation (MD: 0.65, 95% CI, 0.82–0.49; P < .001 for vehicle) in DRG in PTX-induced neuropathic pain. Moreover, PTX increased the activity of NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) (MD: 0.66, 95% CI, 0.81–0.51; P < .001 for vehicle), PRMT5-induced H3R2me2s, and WDR5-mediated H3K4me3 in the DRG in PTX-induced neuropathic pain. Pharmacological antagonism and the selective knockdown of PRMT5 in DRG neurons completely blocked PRMT5-mediated H3R2me2s, WDR5-mediated H3K4me3, or TRPV1 expression and neuropathic pain development after PTX injection. Remarkably, NOX4 inhibition not only attenuated allodynia behavior and reversed the above-mentioned signaling but also reversed NOX4 upregulation via PTX.

CONCLUSIONS:

Thus, the NOX4/PRMT5-associated epigenetic mechanism in DRG has a dominant function in the transcriptional activation of TRPV1 in PTX-induced neuropathic pain.
Transitions in development – an interview with Margherita Turco
Authors: Hankins Laura E.
Published: June 2023

Margherita Turco is a group leader at the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI) in Basel, Switzerland, where she uses organoid technologies to investigate human placental development. We met with Margherita over Zoom to discuss her career path so far. She told us how her early interest in reproductive technologies led her to a postdoctoral position in Cambridge, UK, where she derived the first human placental and uterine organoids and established her independent research group.
CYLD in health and disease
Authors: Marín-Rubio José L. , Raote Ishier , Inns Joseph , Dobson-Stone Carol , Rajan Neil
Published: June 2023

CYLD lysine 63 deubiquitinase (CYLD) is a ubiquitin hydrolase with important roles in immunity and cancer. Complete CYLD ablation, truncation and expression of alternate isoforms, including short CYLD, drive distinct phenotypes and offer insights into CYLD function in inflammation, cell death, cell cycle progression and cell transformation. Research in diverse model systems has shown that these are mediated via CYLD regulation of cellular pathways including the NF-κB, Wnt and TGF-β pathways. Recent biochemical advances and models have offered new insights into the regulation and function of CYLD. In addition, recent discoveries of gain-of-function germline pathogenic CYLD variants in patients with a neurodegenerative phenotype contrast with the more widely known loss-of-function mutations seen in patients with CYLD cutaneous syndrome and with sporadic cancers. Here, we provide a current review of mechanistic insights into CYLD function gained from CYLD animal models, as well as an update on the role of CYLD in human disease.
Estimating the Optimal Inflation Target from Trends in Relative Prices
Authors: Adam Klaus , Weber Henning
Published: June 2023

We derive closed-form expressions for the optimal inflation target under Calvo and menu-cost frictions in a model featuring a product life cycle and multiple sources of heterogeneity across goods. We show that both frictions deliver the same optimal target and how it can be estimated from observed trends in relative prices. Using micro price data underlying the CPI in the United Kingdom, we document that relative prices fall over the product lifetime in most expenditure items. This causes the optimal inflation target to be positive, with our baseline estimate for the United Kingdom being equal to 2.6 percent in 2016. The optimal target has steadily increased over the prior two decades due to an acceleration in the rates of relative price decline over time. (JEL C51, D15, E31, L11)
How Does Consumption Respond to News about Inflation? Field Evidence from a Randomized Control Trial
Authors: Coibion Olivier , Georgarakos Dimitris , Gorodnichenko Yuriy , van Rooij Maarten
Published: June 2023

We implement a survey of Dutch households in which random subsets of respondents receive information about inflation. The resulting exogenously generated variation in inflation expectations is used to assess how expectations affect consumption decisions. The causal effects of reduced inflation expectations on nondurable spending are imprecisely estimated, but there is a sharp positive effect on durable spending. This is likely driven by the fact that Dutch households seem to become more optimistic about their real income and aggregate spending when they decrease their inflation expectations. We find little role for cognitive or financial constraints in explaining spending responses. (JEL C83, D12, D83, D84, E21, E31)
The Causal Effects of Lockdown Policies on Health and Macroeconomic Outcomes
Authors: Arias Jonas E. , Fernández-Villaverde Jesús , Rubio-Ramírez Juan F. , Shin Minchul
Published: June 2023

We assess the causal impact of pandemic-induced lockdowns on health and macroeconomic outcomes and measure the trade-off between containing the spread of a pandemic and economic activity. To do so, we estimate an epidemiological model with time-varying parameters and use its output as information for estimating SVARs and LPs that quantify the causal effects of nonpharmaceutical policy interventions. We apply our approach to Belgian data for the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020. We find that additional government-mandated mobility curtailments would have reduced deaths at a very small cost in terms of GDP. (JEL E23, H51, I12, I15, I18)
Association between high mobility group box-1 circulation level and Graves' ophthalmopathy
Authors: Ikhsan Mohammad Robikhul , Kertia Nyoman , Supanji Supanji , Rianto Bambang Udji djoko , Nugroho Dhite Bayu
Published: June 2023

Background: Graves' disease is a prevalent autoimmune disorder that causes hyperthyroidism. Despite being widely recognized, the risk factors for its associated condition, ophthalmopathy, are not well understood. High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1), a damage-associated molecular pattern biomarker, has been linked to autoimmune diseases and may play a role in Graves' ophthalmopathy. The aim of this study is to assess the correlation between the levels of circulating HMGB1 and the occurrence of Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO).

Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated 44 recently diagnosed Graves' disease patients at Sardjito Hospital. The presence of Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO) was determined using criteria set by Bartley and Gormans. The levels of HMGB1 were measured in the blood of both groups (22 GO patients and 22 controls without GO) using ELISA. Statistical analysis, including binomial logistic regression and Mann-Whitney test, was conducted to analyze the data and adjust for confounding factors with multinomial logistic regression.

Results: The baseline characteristics of 22 GO patients and 22 non-GO patients were similar, including age (30.91±6.06 vs. 30.68±6.63 years, p>0.05), gender distribution (77.3% vs. 81.8% female, 22.7% vs. 18.2% male, p>0.05), and duration of diagnosis (5.13±2.21 vs. 4.82±1.89 months, p>0.05). However, a significant difference (p<0.001) was found in the levels of circulating HMGB1, with GO patients having a median value of 15.49 pg/mL (5.12-47.59 pg/mL) compared to 2.33 pg/mL (0.82-15.66 pg/mL) in the control group. The risk of developing ophthalmopathy increased 12 times when Graves disease patients had HMGB1 levels above 8.86 pg/mL.

Conclusion: The study found a significant association between elevated levels of HMGB1 (> 8.86 pg/mL) and an increased risk (12 times) of Graves’ ophthalmopathy in newly diagnosed Graves' disease patients. The results suggest that HMGB1 may be a potential biomarker for predicting the development of ophthalmopathy in Graves' disease patients.
Effect of foot core exercises vs ankle proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation on pain, range of motion, and dynamic balance in individuals with plantar fasciitis: a comparative study
Authors: Boob Manali , Phansopkar Pratik
Published: June 2023

Plantar fasciitis is generally described as an inflammation of the plantar fascia and adjacent tissues around calcaneus tuberosity. Plantar fasciitis onset has been proposed to have an internal mechanical cause, even though this is inadequately recognized. Studies related to alternation in lower-extremity biomechanics that leads to reduced domes of the foot are hypothesized to cause tension in the underlying fascia.  Similarly, despite a wealth of anecdotal data suggesting a direct connection between foot mechanism and disability. This condition typically leads to calf muscular stiffness, soreness in the bottom of the feet, decreased range and foot function, strength, and balance impairment. These results in interference with the normal biomechanics of ambulation.  A total of (n=66) individuals with plantar fasciitis will be selected for the trial. Subjects will be allocated to Groups A and B at equal allocation with randomization. Group A will undergo foot core exercises, while Group B will undergo ankle proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, with both groups receiving conventional treatment. The regimen lasts for 40 minutes, 5 days, for 6 weeks. The outcome measures will be assessed on Foot Functional Index, modified Star Excursion Balance Test (mSEBT), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and Weight Bearing Lunge Test (WBLT) be assessed at the initiation and completion of the entire treatment protocol. Prior and after therapeutic intervention results will be analyzed. Based on the comparison of the two treatments' effects on measuring outcomes in individuals with plantar fasciitis, an analysis will be conducted.
AIIMS ICU Rehabilitation (AIR): development and description of intervention for home rehabilitation of chronically ill tracheostomized patients using the TIDieR checklist
Authors: Tripathy Swagata , Shetty Asha P. , Hansda Upendra , P Nanda Kumar , Sahoo Alok Kumar , V Mahalingam , Mahapatra Sujata , Mitra Jayanta Kumar , Rao P Bhaskar , Sanyal Kasturi , Panda Itimayee , N Guruprasad , Sahoo Jagannath , Eborral Helen , Lone Nazir , Haniffa Rashan , Beane Abi
Published: June 2023

Background: The paucity of state-supported rehabilitation for chronically ill patients with long-term tracheostomies has ramifications of prolonged hospital-stay, increased burden on acute-care resources, and nosocomial infections. Few interventions describe home rehabilitation of adult tracheostomized patients. Almost none involve stakeholders. This paper describes the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) ICU rehabilitation (AIR) healthcare intervention developed to facilitate home rehabilitation of chronically ill tracheostomized patients.

Methods: The AIR intervention was developed in six stages using the experience-based codesign theory (EBCD). A core research-committee studied prevalent knowledge and gaps in the area. Patients-carer and health-care stakeholders’ experiences of barriers and facilitators to home care resulted in an intervention with interlinked components: family-carer training, equipment bank, m-health application, and follow-up, guided by the Medical Research Council (MRC) framework. Healthcare stakeholders (doctors, nurses, medical equipment vendors) and patient-carer dyads were engaged to gather experiences at various stages to form smaller codesign teams for each component. Multiple codesign meetings iteratively allowed refinement of the intervention over one year. The Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) checklist was used to report the AIR intervention.

Results: The first component comprised a minimum of three bedside hands-on training sessions for carers relating to tracheostomy suction, catheter care, monitoring oxygenation, enteral feeding, skincare, and physiotherapy, buttressed by pictorial-books and videos embedded in a mobile-application. The second was an equipment-bank involving a rental-retrieval model. The third component was a novel m-health tool for two-way communication with the core group and community of other patient-carers in the project for follow-up and troubleshooting. Home visits on days 7 and 21 post-discharge assessed patient hygiene, nutrition, physiotherapy, and established contact with the nearest primary healthcare facility for the future.

Conclusions: Findings support the EBCD-based development using active feedback from stakeholders. Assessment of feasibility, process and effectiveness evaluation will follow.
Standard of living in European Union countries
Authors: Topolewski Łukasz , Topolewska Kamila
Published: June 2023

Motivation: Researchers have been concerned with the issues related to the differences among economies for many years. The level of differentiation is an important matter as excessive economic and social differences among the states may lead to limited scope of integration processes, which in turn determine the development rate of regions. Due to how significant this issue is, it was decided that the level differentiation of the standard of living of the population in selected European Union countries ought to be investigated.Aim: The purpose of the article is to compare the standard of living in the countries of the European Union, with particular emphasis placed on the countries that joined the Union in 2004. The authors try to answer the question whether the economic policy pursued by the EU achieves the intended effect. A synthetic measure was constructed to measure the standard of living, taking into account various aspects of life. The time scope of the study covers the period of 2005–2020. The choice of a specific time frame was dictated by the expansion of the number of European Union members in 2004 and the availability of data. Therefore, the analysis covered the countries of the European Union post 2005 (excluding Great Britain). Data were obtained from Eurostat.Results: Taking into account the values of the synthetic variable, it may be claimed that one the one hand, the standard of living in the countries is increasing, and on the other hand, the disparity between countries is decreasing. Therefore it should be noticed, that the economic policy pursued by the European Union achieves the intended effect.
Przyczynek do studium nad początkami niedzielnego lekcjonarza do celebracji eucharystycznej w Rzymie
Authors: Superson Jarosław
Published: June 2023

Nauka nie dysponuje źródłami, które wskazywałyby, jakie pisma były czytane podczas niedzielnych zgromadzeń liturgicznych przez pierwszych chrześcijan w Rzymie. W początkowym okresie korzystali oni z Septuaginty. Na przełomie I i II wieku pojawia się praktyka czytań pochodzących z corpus Paulinum. Podczas obecności w Rzymie Marcjona, pochodzącego z Azji Mniejszej, pojawia się praktyka czytania listów Pawłowych i okrojonej wersji Ewangelii według św. Łukasza. Ta praktyka zostaje odrzucona przez chrześcijan. To Justyn Męczennik, pochodzenia syryjskiego, odnotowuje w swojej Apologii I formę proklamowania lektury podczas niedzielnej Eucharystii. Jest wtedy czytana jedna lektura z pism prorockich lub pamiętników apostolskich. Prawdopodobnie to przewodniczący liturgii dokonywał wyboru odczytywanego fragmentu pism.

Słowa kluczowe: Rzym, lektura pism, Marcjon, Justyn Męczennik
A Fast Temporal Decomposition Procedure for Long-Horizon Nonlinear Dynamic Programming
Authors: Na Sen , Anitescu Mihai , Kolar Mladen
Published: June 2023

We propose a fast temporal decomposition procedure for solving long-horizon nonlinear dynamic programs. The core of the procedure is sequential quadratic programming (SQP) that utilizes a differentiable exact augmented Lagrangian as the merit function. Within each SQP iteration, we approximately solve the Newton system using an overlapping temporal decomposition strategy. We show that the approximate search direction is still a descent direction of the augmented Lagrangian provided the overlap size and penalty parameters are suitably chosen, which allows us to establish the global convergence. Moreover, we show that a unit step size is accepted locally for the approximate search direction and further establish a uniform, local linear convergence over stages. This local convergence rate matches the rate of the recent Schwarz scheme (Na et al. 2022). However, the Schwarz scheme has to solve nonlinear subproblems to optimality in each iteration, whereas we only perform a single Newton step instead. Numerical experiments validate our theories and demonstrate the superiority of our method.

Funding: This work was supported by the National Science Foundation [Grant CNS-1545046] and the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research [Grant DE-AC02-06CH11347].
Raising awareness of additional hydration care needs of residents with multimorbidity
Authors: Cook Glenda , Murray Jane , Gordon Charlotte
Published: June 2023

Glenda Cook, Jane Murray and Charlotte Gordon discuss the challenges that care homes face when caring for residents who have dementia, type 2 diabetes and physical frailty in warm weather.
Hemisection: a simple and elegant technique
Authors: Glockengießer Jörg , DiBiase Andrew
Published: June 2023

Agenesis of lower second premolars in an uncrowded dentition can represent a significant clinical challenge. Leaving the second primary molars and ultimate prosthetic replacement places a dental and financial burden on the patient. Therefore, space closure while often the preferred option, can be very difficult while controlling the overbite and position of the lower labial segment. Also loss of alveolar bone may make this impossible. Hemisection of the lower second primary molar can facilitate space closure by maintaining bone and if done at the correct time, allow the first molar to move mesially resulting in spontaneous space closure. This article describes this technique and illustrates it clinically.

CPD/Clinical relevance Hypodontia of the lower second premolars is a common problem and space closure to negate the need for expensive prosthodontics can be challenging. Hemisection of the second primary molar is a relatively simple procedure that can make space closure more predictable.
Components of Smart Cities: Smart City Applications and Smart Space Management
Authors: YILDIRIM ÖZCAN Kübra
Published: June 2023

Increasing human activities and the need to be able to carry out increasingly rapid transactions and the need to quickly solve the problems in the city have brought smart and technological applications to the fore. With this study, it was tried to measure the awareness levels and expectations of the city residents regarding smart cities and e-applications in smart cities and smart city space management. Within the scope of the study, a conceptual framework related to the concept of smart city was presented; smart city components, smart space management policies, strategies and practices, and smart city application examples in the world and in our country were examined, a literature review was conducted and a survey was conducted with 252 people over the age of 18 in 2019. According to the results of the survey, it can be said that citizens do not have enough awareness about e-applications serving at local scale in our country. Therefore, it would be beneficial for local governments to inform citizens about local e-applications and to take a leadership role in smart space management.
Using digital storytelling with women who have experienced intimate partner abuse: a qualitative exploration of participant experiences in Australia
Authors: Tarzia Laura , Lamb Katie , McKibbin Gemma , Parker Rhian , Hegarty Kelsey
Published: June 2023

Intimate partner abuse (IPA) is a pervasive issue affecting one in three women globally. Although understanding of IPA has increased over time, it is still lacking, and new ways of highlighting the experiences of victims/survivors are essential. This article draws on reflexive thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews from two research projects to examine the experiences of women who have experienced IPA and who participated in a digital storytelling workshop. Three themes were developed describing their experiences: Taking back control; Knowing you’re not alone and A healing journey. The results suggest that while digital storytelling was not designed as a therapeutic intervention, participants nonetheless described improvements to their wellbeing. However, the findings also highlight the need for trauma-informed facilitation when running digital storytelling workshops focused on sensitive issues.
Optical noise characteristics of injection-locked epitaxial quantum dot lasers on silicon
Authors: Chu Qi , Zhao Shiyuan , Wang Jiawei , Sun Yunxu , Yao Yong , Xu Xiaochuan , Grillot Frédéric , Duan Jianan
Published: June 2023

This work theoretically investigates the relative intensity noise (RIN) and spectral linewidth characteristics of epitaxial quantum dot (QD) lasers on silicon subject to optical injection. The results show that the RIN of QD lasers can be reduced by optical injection, hence a reduction of 10 dB is achieved which leads to a RIN as low as −167.5 dB/Hz in the stable injection-locked area. Furthermore, the spectral linewidth of the QD laser can be greatly improved through the optical injection locked scheme. It is reduced from 556.5 kHz to 9 kHz with injection ratio of −60 dB and can be further reduced down to 1.5 Hz with injection ratio of 0 dB. This work provides an effective method for designing low intensity noise and ultra-narrow linewidth QD laser sources for photonics integrated circuits on silicon.
High performance 1.9 µm passively Q-switched bulk laser with germanene as a saturable absorber
Authors: Zhao Chuanrui , Wang Zhengping , Yu Pingzhang , Zhang Fang , Xu Xinguang
Published: June 2023

Germanene is an analog of graphene, and its independent novel low-bending honeycomb structure gives outstanding advantages such as environmental stability and significant low-frequency optical absorbance. In this paper, the few-layer germanene was successfully prepared by the liquid phase exfoliation method. The saturable absorption characteristics of germanene in the infrared waveband were detected by the open-aperture Z-scan method. With germanene as a saturable absorber, a high-performance passively Q-switched bulk laser was realized at 1.9 µm. The shortest pulse width of 60.5 ns was obtained from continuous-wave pumping, corresponding to a single pulse energy of 6.7 µJ and peak power of 110 W. By utilizing the pulse pumping style with a repletion rate of 10 Hz, the single pulse energy and peak power increased to 45.8 µJ and 328 W, respectively, which exceeded all two-dimensional SA materials reported before. This research manifests that germanene is an excellent SA material for mid-infrared solid-state lasers.
Loss-tolerant and quantum-enhanced interferometer by reversed squeezing processes
Authors: Tian Long , Yao Wenxiu , Wu Yimiao , Wang Qingwei , Shen Heng , Zheng Yaohui , Peng Kunchi
Published: June 2023

Reversed nonlinear dynamics is predicted to be capable of enhancing the quantum sensing in unprecedented ways. Here, we report the experimental demonstration of a loss-tolerant (external loss) and quantum-enhanced interferometer. Two cascaded optical parametric amplifiers are used to judiciously construct an interferometry with two orthogonal squeezing operation. As a consequence, a weak displacement introduced by a test cavity can be amplified for measurement, and the measured signal-to-noise ratio is better than that of both conventional photon shot-noise limited and squeezed-light assisted interferometers. We further confirm its superior loss-tolerant performance by varying the external losses and comparing with both conventional photon shot-noise limited and squeezed-light assisted configurations, illustrating the potential application in gravitational wave detection.
Optical coherence tomography split-spectrum amplitude-decorrelation optoretinography
Authors: Chen Siyu , Ni Shuibin , Jiménez-Villar Alfonso , Jian Yifan , Jia Yali , Huang David
Published: June 2023

This pilot study reports the development of optical coherence tomography (OCT) split-spectrum amplitude-decorrelation optoretinography (SSADOR) that measures spatially resolved photoreceptor response to light stimuli. Using spectrally multiplexed narrowband OCT, SSADOR improves sensitivity to microscopic changes without the need for cellular resolution or optical phase detection. Therefore, a large field of view (up to 3 × 1 mm2 demonstrated) using conventional OCT instrument design can be achieved, paving the way for clinical translation. SSADOR promises a fast, objective, and quantifiable functional biomarker for photoreceptor damage in the macula.
Trachoma prevention practice and associated factors among mothers having children aged under nine years in Andabet district, northwest Ethiopia, 2022: A multi-level analysis
Authors: Asmare Zufan Alamrie , Assefa Natnael Lakachew , Abebe Dagmawi , Nigatu Solomon Gedlu , Alimaw Yezinash Addis
Published: June 2023

Background

The world health organization (WHO) adopted the Surgery, Antibiotic, facial cleanliness, and environmental improvement (SAFE) strategy for the prevention of trachoma, and different prevention strategies have been employed in Andabet district. Trachoma still has a high prevalence despite these efforts. So, it is imperative to assess ground trachoma prevention practice (TPP) since there are insufficient studies in the study area.

Objective

To determine the magnitude and factors associated with TPP among mothers having children aged under nine years in Andabet district, Northwest Ethiopia.

Method

A community-based cross-sectional study involving 624 participants was conducted June 1–30, 2022. Systematic random sampling was carried out to select study participants. Multi-level binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with poor TPP. Descriptive and summary statistics were performed and variables with p-value < 0.05 in the best-fitted model were declared to be significantly associated with poor TPP.

Results

In this study, the proportion of poor TPP was found to be 50.16% (95%CI = 46.23, 54.08). In the multi-variable multi-level logistic regression; having no formal education (AOR = 2.95; 95%CI: 1.41,6.15) and primary education (AOR = 2.33; 95%CI:1.04, 5.24), being a farmer (AOR = 3.02; 95%CI:1.73,5.28), and merchant (AOR = 2.63; 95%CI:1.20, 5.75), time taken to water point >30 minutes (AOR = 4.60,95CI:1.30,16.26) and didn’t receive health education about trachoma (AOR = 2.36;95CI:1.16,4.79) were significantly associated with poor TPP.

Conclusion

The proportion of poor TPP was high relative to other studies. Level of education, occupation, time taken to the water point, and health education were significantly associated with poor TPP. Therefore, taking special attention to these high-risk groups could decrease the poor TPP.
Experiences of health providers regarding implementation of the physiologic birth program in Iran: A qualitative content analysis
Authors: Moridi Azam , Abedi Parvin , Iravani Mina , Khosravi Shala , Alianmoghaddam Narges , Maraghi Elham , Saadati Najmieh
Published: June 2023

Introduction

The rate of cesarean section is on the rise in both developed and developing countries, and Iran is no exception. According to the WHO, physiologic labor is one of the main strategies for reducing cesarean section and improving the health of mothers and newborns. The aim of this qualitative study was to explain the experiences of health providers regarding implementation of the physiologic birth program in Iran.

Methods

This study is a part of a mixed-methods study, in which 22 health providers were interviewed from January 2022 to June 2022. Data analysis was performed using Graneheim and Lundman’s conventional content analysis approach and using MAXQDA10 software.

Results

Two main categories and nine subcategories emerged from the results of this study. The main categories included “the obstacles to the implementation of the physiologic birth program” and “strategies for improving implementation of the program”. The subcategories of the first category included: lack of continuous midwifery care in the healthcare system, lack of free accompanying midwives, lack of integrated healthcare and hospitals in service provision, low quality of childbirth preparation and implementation of physiologic birth classes, and lack of requirements for the implementation of physiologic birth in the maternity ward. The second category included the following subcategories: Supervising the implementation of childbirth preparation classes and physiologic childbirth, support of midwives by insurance companies, holding training courses on physiologic birth, and evaluation of program implementation.

Conclusions

The experiences of the health providers with the physiologic birth program revealed that policymakers should provide the ground for the implementation of this type of labor by removing the obstacles and providing the particular operational strategies needed in Iran. Important measures that can contribute to the implementation of the physiologic labor program in Iran include the following: Setting the stage for physiologic birth in the healthcare system, creating low- and high-risk wards in maternity hospitals, providing professional autonomy for midwifery, training childbirth providers on physiologic birth, monitoring the quality of program implementation, and providing insurance support for midwifery services.
The social cost of carbon driven by green behaviors
Authors: Fu Min , Zhang Yixiang , Tian Lixin , Zhen Zaili
Published: June 2023

With the change of climate issues and the needs of economic development, the idea of practicing green and low-carbon behaviors sinks deeper and deeper into people’s hearts. This paper based on the social cost of carbon (SCC) model, this paper constructs a new carbon social cost model by adding the impact of green low-carbon behavior. Classify climate states, based on Bayesian statistical knowledge, study the posterior probability distribution of climate state transitions, and discuss the optimal carbon policy for different climate states by balancing emission utility costs and utility weighted carbon marginal products. This article also discusses the damage caused by rising temperatures and explores their impact on carbon price policies. then, the paper calculates SCC under four kinds of climate states, which will be visually displayed with graphs. Finally, we compare SCC obtained in this paper with that in other researches. The results show that: (1) Climate status has a significant impact on carbon policy, and carbon price predictions will dynamically change with climate status. (2) Green low-carbon behavior has a positive impact on climate status. (3) There are differences in the impact of the three types of damage caused by rising temperatures on carbon price policies. (4) Green development is conducive to stabilizing the value of SCC. (5) Close monitoring of the climate state helps to update the probability of damage in time so that we can precisely adjust the corresponding policies on SCC. This study provides theoretical and empirical reference for the government to formulate carbon price policies and promote the development of social green behavior.
Antimicrobial susceptibility of western Canadian Brachyspira isolates: Development and standardization of an agar dilution susceptibility test method
Authors: Kulathunga D. G. R. S. , Harding John C. S. , Rubin Joseph E.
Published: June 2023

The re-emergence of Brachyspira-associated disease in pigs since the late 2000s has illuminated some of the diagnostic challenges associated with this genus; notably, the lack of standardized antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) methods and interpretive criteria. Consequently, laboratories have relied heavily on highly variable in-house developed methods. There are currently no published investigations describing the antimicrobial susceptibility of Brachyspira isolates collected from pigs in Canada. The first objective of this study was therefore to develop a standardized protocol for conducting agar dilution susceptibility testing of Brachyspira spp., including determining the optimal standardized inoculum density, a key test variable that impacts test performance. The second objective was to determine the susceptibility of a collection of western Canadian Brachyspira isolates using the standardized methodology. After assessing multiple media, an agar dilution test was standardized in terms of starting inoculum (1–2 × 108 CFU/ml), incubation temperature and time, and assessed for repeatability. The antimicrobial susceptibility of a collection of clinical porcine Brachyspira isolates (n = 87) collected between 2009–2016 was then determined. This method was highly reproducible; repeat susceptibility testing yielded identical results 92% of the time. Although most of the isolates had very low MICs to the commonly used antimicrobials to treat Brachyspira-associated infections, several isolates with elevated MICs (>32 μg/ml) for tiamulin, valnemulin, tylosin, tylvalosin, and lincomycin were identified. Overall, this study underscores the importance of establishing CLSI approved clinical breakpoints for Brachyspira to facilitate the interpretation of test results and support the evidence-based selection of antimicrobials in swine industry.
Inter-rater reliability of the Silverman and Andersen index-a measure of respiratory distress in preterm infants
Authors: Brenne Hilde , Follestad Turid , Bergseng Håkon , Eriksen Beate Horsberg , Søraunet Karin , Grunewaldt Kristine Hermansen
Published: June 2023

Background

There are various methods of respiratory support available to optimize respiratory function in preterm infants. Respiratory scoring tools might provide information on which method to choose and the level and duration of support needed. Before implementing a respiratory scoring tool in our clinical practice, we aimed to test the inter- and intra-rater reliability of the Silverman and Andersen index (SA index) among neonatologists and nurses when applied to preterm infants on respiratory support. We also examined the association between the SA index and the electrical activity of the diaphragm (Edi signals).

Methods

This was a multicenter study including three newborn intensive care units in Norway. Four neonatologists and 10 nurses applied the SA index when assessing 80 videos of 44 preterm infants on High Flow Nasal Cannula, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure and Neurally Adjusted Ventilatory Assist. The inter- and intra-rater reliability for the sum scores were measured by the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), and Kendall’s W was used to assess the degree of agreement for each item. We quantified the association between the Edi signals and the SA index scores by the Spearman’s correlation coefficient.

Results

We found poor inter-rater reliability with an ICC for absolute agreement of 0.34 (95% CI: 0.20 to 0.53). There was fair agreement measuring each item separately for upper chest movements (Kendall’s W 0.30), and moderate for lower chest movements (0.43) and xiphoid retractions (0.44). Expiratory grunting showed substantial agreement (0.67). The intra-rater reliability was good (ICC for absolute agreement 0.77; 95% CI: 0.68 to 0.84). We found a moderate positive correlation (r = 0.468, p = 0.028) between the maximum inspiratory diaphragm activity (Edi peak) and the mean inspiratory SA index scores.

Conclusion

Our study showed poor inter-rater and good intra-rater reliability of the SA index when nurses and neonatologists assessed videos of preterm infants on various types of respiratory support. Edi peak and SA index had a moderate positive correlation. Formal training might be essential to improve the inter-rater reliability.

Trial registration

Registered 26th June 2017, ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03199898.