bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Potential value of Prostate Cancer Antigen 3 score in prediction of final cancer pathology parameters in radical prostatectomy patients
Authors: Soleimani Mohammad , Masoumi Navid , Jouzi Ali , Darzi Mohammad Mehdi
Published: December 2024

Background:

To evaluate the potential capability of preoperative urinary Prostate Cancer Antigen 3 (PCA3) in predicting adverse pathologic features in patients with any- risk prostate cancer undergoing open retro-pubic radical prostatectomy.

Methods:

Sixty-one biopsy-proven, clinically localized prostate cancer patients who underwent open radical prostatectomy were included in a prospectively designed cohort to evaluate the association of PCA3 score with various Adverse Pathologic Features (APF). The Area Under the Curve (AUC) of the Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve was used to quantify the predictive accuracy of PCA3 and a cut-off point was calculated to determine the predictability potential of PCA3 in foretelling the study parameters.

Results:

Patients with APFs (e.g. extra-capsular extension, higher tumor volume, etc.) had a higher mean level of PCA3 compared to patients without these features, with statistically significant differences. PCA3 was a significant predictor of any APFs except perineural invasion in our study cohort.

Conclusion:

Increasing PCA3 level was associated with any APFs except perineural invasion in our study, which comprised mostly of intermediate and high-risk prostate cancer patients. Therefore, PCA3 could be used as an adjunctive measure in selecting patients for definitive treatments.
Diels-Alder reaction in hydrogel synthesis: Mechanisms and functional aspects
Authors: Zhou Yi Gui , Li Song Kai , Xue Yun , Fan Bo , Gao Qiu Ming , Zhan Long Wen , Liu Rui Tang , Li Yun Fei , Sun Rui Long , Tian Yong Zheng
Published: December 2024

The Diels-Alder reaction, a classical (4+2) cycloaddition process, holds significant standing within the realms of organic synthesis and polymer chemistry, frequently employed in areas such as pharmaceutical production and material science. Recently, hydrogels constructed via Diels-Alder reactions have garnered considerable attention from researchers. This review aims to summarize the advancements in utilizing the Diels-Alder reaction for hydrogel synthesis, exploring its impact on structural design, functionalization, and application domains. Initially, the fundamental principles of the Diels-Alder reaction are introduced alongside an examination of its benefits and characteristics in hydrogel fabrication. Subsequently, applications of Diels-Alder-generated hydrogels in biomedicine, smart responsive materials, drug delivery systems, among other fields, are comprehensively reviewed. Challenges and limitations encountered during hydrogel synthesis using this reaction are also discussed. Finally, prospective research directions and future prospects of Diels-Alder reactions in hydrogel synthesis are contemplated.
The vision of Hezekiah in the Ascension of Isaiah
Authors: Laato Antti
Published: December 2024

I deal with the content of the vision of Hezekiah in Ascen. Isa. 1:2-5 and argue that it is based on Hezekiah’s prayer or thanksgiving in Isa 38:9-20. The writer of the Ascension of Isaiah argues that in his vision Hezekiah foresees the coming of Christ who fulfills the salvation plan of God and condemns the evil powers—two topics which are related in Ascen. Isa. 4:19-21 to two important key texts in the book of Isaiah, that is, Isa 13-14 (the destruction of the evil power Babylon) and Isa 52:13- 53:12 (the descending of the Beloved One). I argued that the writer of the Ascension of Isaiah presumably accepted the established Jewish interpretation that Immanuel was Hezekiah but argue, additionally, that its deeper secret meaning (according to the interpretive model of Sir 39:1-3) concerned the Beloved.
Preparation and properties of polyimides containing cyano and Cardo structures
Authors: Sun Huimin , Chen Ping , Xu Jilei , Zhu Guohao
Published: December 2024

Incorporation of cyano and Cardo structures into polyimide (PI) molecular chains via structural design yielded PIs with improved thermal stability and solubility. The synthesis of novel diamino compounds (BAPMD and BACPF) enabled the preparation of two series of polyimides (PIas and PIbs), incorporating fluorene and phthalide Cardo structures, through a high-temperature one-step process using commercially available aromatic dianhydrides. The resulting amorphous PIs demonstrated exceptional solubility in solvents with low boiling points, including tetrahydrofuran (THF), dichloromethane (CH2Cl2), and chloroform (CHCl3). PIs containing the fluorene Cardo structure had glass transition temperatures ( T g) exceeding 285[Formula: see text], with thermal weight loss temperatures of 5[Formula: see text] and 10[Formula: see text] weight loss occurring at 505–532[Formula: see text] and 537–561[Formula: see text], respectively, under nitrogen. In addition, both PI series exhibited low water absorption. These properties indicate that the synthesized polyimides have the potential for high-performance applications requiring thermal stability and processability.
Energetic and enviro-economic performance of medium scale evacuated tube solar air heating system for industrial applications
Authors: Venkatramanan R. , Arjunan T.V. , Seenivasan D. , Kumar A. Veera , Selvaraj Vijayan , Matheswaran M.M
Published: December 2024

Industrial processes require significant amounts of hot air, emphasizing the importance of developing efficient solar thermal systems to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and mitigate environmental impact. Most of the early studies focus on small-scale setups with lower airflow rates, limiting their applicability to industrial applications that require higher volumes of hot air. The primary focus of this work is to evaluate the impact of series and parallel thermal networking on the energy and enviro-economic performance of evacuated tube-based solar air heating systems, specifically for industrial process heating applications with moderate flow rates up to 1000 kg/h. A medium scale 42kWth experimental setup which consists of a blower, 28 sets of Evacuate Tube Solar Collector (ETSC) modules with 4 series and 7 parallel arrangements, baffle plates, a header, and a common duct, is developed. The airflow rate was adjusted across modules between 150 kg/h and 500 kg/h, maintaining a total airflow of 1000 kg/h at the outlet using control valves. Results indicate that the maximum average outlet temperature of 356 K was achieved at 150 kg/h. On clear sky days, the designed system can deliver hot air over 323 K at an operational flow rate of 150 kg/h between 9:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. The highest thermal efficiency was obtained at the higher operating flow rate of 500 kg/h. For the operating flow rate of 150 kg/h, the cost per kWh to provide hot air between 343 and 358 K is projected to be 0.0083$ (0.63 INR). The highest and least CO2 emission reductions were identified in the operating flow rates of 500 and 150 kg/h respectively. The average reduction in CO2 emissions is 19.68 tCO2 per year. Utilization of solar evacuate tube solar collector thermal networking can be deployed to reduce the environmental impact and fossil fuel dependancy. The system is more suitable for industrial process heating applications such as food product drying, paint drying, etc.
Convective heat transfer improvement for a horizontal grooved surface by the piezo-fan integration
Authors: Chen Ying , Zhang Jing-Zhou , Li Xin-Jun
Published: December 2024

In this study, the thermal and hydraulic performances of horizontal grooved surfaces subjected to the piezo-fan ( PF) is numerically investigated. A total of four grooved surfaces with varying dimensionless edge length of the square groove cross-section ( EL = 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1) and a corresponding baseline flat surface ( EL = 0) are considered. Two kinds of numerical models are utilized to capture the turbulent characteristics and temperature distribution. The dynamic mesh technique and user-defined function are employed to descript the vibration trajectory of the PF. The focus of this study is on assessing the impact of PF in the design of an active heat sink. It is confirmed that, due to the change in surface geometry, the flow cannot follow the surface contour perfectly, leading to a pressure drop and a separation of flow from the grooved surface. The integration of PF into a horizontal grooved surface is a highly efficient means for improving heat transfer performance. Its role in heat transfer enhancement is most significant when the dimensionless edge length is EL = 0.75. With the presence of PF, the effective area-averaged convective heat transfer coefficient ( harea,eff) both on flat and grooved surfaces are generally larger than the corresponding one without the PF. Of particular is that the harea,eff of both types of target surfaces reach their maximum within the specified zone S4 (4 APP × 4 WPF), with the grooved surface being approximately 14% to 28% higher than the flat surface. Moreover, the numerical simulation method has been validated through the comparison with a simple heat transfer experiment.
‘JUMPED OUT OF THE WINDOW’: Textual trajectories in emergency medical dispatch
Authors: Angouri Jo , Ting Shawnea Sum Pok , Booker Matthew , Rawlinson David , Nadeem Lyba , Rees Nigel
Published: December 2024

This paper provides a first study into the complex setting of Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD), through a textual trajectory lens. We draw on ongoing research on risk negotiation in emergency decision making and we unpack the process by which texts are produced and co-produced in the daily practice of multiprofessional teams making time sensitive, high-stakes decisions. We introduce an Interactional Sociolinguistic (IS) model, P.A.T.H.S. (standing for: Participants, Artefacts, Transition Stages, Historicity, Setting) to contribute to the study of how complex text trajectories work in professional settings, and the ensuing implications for research methodology and design, using EMD as a case in point. The paper discusses textual trajectories and illustrates the EMD textual ecosystem through P.A.T.H.S. before turning to a case to illustrate the patterns in our data. We close the paper with implications and directions for future research.
Polydopamine-functionalized nanohydroxyapatite coated exosomes with enhanced cytocompatibility and osteogenesis for bone regeneration
Authors: Xiang Mingli , Zhang Gengchao , Liu Yulin , Liao Chengcheng , Xiao Linlin , Xiang Meiling , Guan Xiaoyan , Liu Jianguo
Published: December 2024

Background

Mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes, crucial in regenerative medicine, have been explored for their potential for the functional modiﬁcation of bone scaffolds.

Objective

To design a functionally modified biomimetic nanohydroxyapatite using exosomes and explore its effects on bone regeneration.

Methods

A biomimetic nanohydroxyapatite (named as tHA) was fabricated as previous methods using a polydopamine (pDA) structure as a template, and exosomes (Exo) derived from periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) were used to functionally modify the tHA scaffold material through pDA. The effects of functional composite scaffold (tHA-Exo) on cells proliferation and osteogenic differentiation were investigated. Furthermore, their effect on bone regeneration was also evaluated in vivo.

Results

Exosomes can be loaded onto the tHA via pDA and the tHA-Exo releases exosomes in a sustained and stable manner. tHA-Exo showed improved cytocompatibility compared to controls. Additionally, tHA-Exo significantly enhanced the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs. More importantly, animal experiments have shown that tHA-Exo could dramatically promote bone regeneration.

Conclusion

The tHA nanoparticles, functionally modified by the PDLSCs-Exo through pDA, significantly promoted bone regeneration by improving its cytocompatibility and osteogenic potential, which could serve as a promising material for promoting bone regeneration.
Developing a brief data literacy measure using CFA and IRT
Authors: Kirby Joseph , Lewis Jerome
Published: December 2024

Data literacy is essential in today’s workforce, yet existing data literacy assessments lack brevity, limiting their practical use. This study develops a brief data literacy instrument (BDLI) by streamlining the 25-item Global Data Literacy Benchmark (GDLB). Two studies were conducted. The first study ( N = 408) explored item reduction and factor consistency using student participants, while the second study ( N = 388) replicated findings using a diverse professional sample. Results indicated that a 12-item BDLI achieved similar factor structure and reliability compared to the original GDLB. Confirmatory factor analysis and item response theory confirmed the BDLI’s consistency and discriminatory power. These results suggest that the BDLI offers a practical tool for assessing an individual’s data literacy skills, which can be used to develop targeted learning opportunities at the individual or organizational level. The value and limitations of the BDLI are discussed.
Is inverse probability of censoring weighting a safer choice than per-protocol analysis in clinical trials?
Authors: Xuan Jingyi , Mt-Isa Shahrul , Latimer Nicholas , Bell Gorrod Helen , Malbecq William , Vandormael Kristel , Yorke-Edwards Victoria , White Ian R
Published: December 2024

Deviation from the treatment strategy under investigation occurs in many clinical trials. We term this intervention deviation. Per-protocol analyses are widely adopted to estimate a hypothetical estimand without the occurrence of intervention deviation. Per-protocol by censoring is prone to selection bias when intervention deviation is associated with time-varying confounders that also influence counterfactual outcomes. This can be corrected by inverse probability of censoring weighting, which gives extra weight to uncensored individuals who had similar prognostic characteristics to censored individuals. Such weights are computed by modelling selected covariates. Inverse probability of censoring weighting relies on the no unmeasured confounding assumption whose plausibility is not statistically testable. Suboptimal implementation of inverse probability of censoring weighting which violates the assumption will lead to bias. In a simulation study, we evaluated the performance of per-protocol and inverse probability of censoring weighting with different implementations to explore whether inverse probability of censoring weighting is a safe alternative to per-protocol. Scenarios were designed to vary intervention deviation in one or both arms with different prevalences, correlation between two confounders, effect of each confounder, and sample size. Results show that inverse probability of censoring weighting with different combinations of covariates outperforms per-protocol in most scenarios, except for an unusual case where selection bias caused by two confounders is in two directions, and ‘cancels’ out.
Approximation to the optimal allocation for response adaptive designs
Authors: Yi Yanqing , Wang Xikui
Published: December 2024

We investigate the optimal allocation design for response adaptive clinical trials, under the average reward criterion. The treatment randomization process is formatted as a Markov decision process and the Bayesian method is used to summarize the information on treatment effects. A span-contraction operator is introduced and the average reward generated by the policy identified by the operator is shown to converge to the optimal value. We propose an algorithm to approximate the optimal treatment allocation using the Thompson sampling and the contraction operator. For the scenario of two treatments with binary responses and a sample size of 200 patients, simulation results demonstrate efficient learning features of the proposed method. It allocates a high proportion of patients to the better treatment while retaining a good statistical power and having a small probability for a trial going in the undesired direction. When the difference in success probability to detect is 0.2, the probability for a trial going in the unfavorable direction is < 1.5%, which decreases further to < 0.9% when the difference to detect is 0.3. For normally distribution responses, with a sample size of 100 patients, the proposed method assigns 13% more patients to the better treatment than the traditional complete randomization in detecting an effect size of difference 0.8, with a good statistical power and a < 0.7% probability for the trial to go in the undesired direction.
Joint quantile regression of longitudinal continuous proportions and time-to-event data: Application in medication adherence and persistence
Authors: Burger Divan Aristo , van der Merwe Sean , van Niekerk Janet , Lesaffre Emmanuel , Pironet Antoine
Published: December 2024

This study introduces a novel joint modeling framework integrating quantile regression for longitudinal continuous proportions data with Cox regression for time-to-event analysis, employing integrated nested Laplace approximation for Bayesian inference. Our approach facilitates an examination across the entire distribution of patient health metrics over time, including the occurrence of key health events and their impact on patient outcomes, particularly in the context of medication adherence and persistence. Integrated nested Laplace approximation’s fast computational speed significantly enhances the efficiency of this process, making the model particularly suitable for applications requiring rapid data analysis and updates. Applying this model to a dataset of patients who underwent treatment with atorvastatin, we demonstrate the significant impact of targeted interventions on improving medication adherence and persistence across various patient subgroups. Furthermore, we have developed a dynamic prediction method within this framework that rapidly estimates persistence probabilities based on the latest medication adherence data, demonstrating integrated nested Laplace approximation’s quick updates and prediction capability. The simulation study validates the reliability of our modeling approach, evidenced by minimal bias and appropriate credible interval coverage probabilities across different quantile levels.
Exploring the Factors Influencing Green Entrepreneurship Among the Northeast Entrepreneurs—An Approach of Gray-decision Making Trial And Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL)
Authors: K. Sethupathy
Published: December 2024

In recent years, there has been an increasing focus on incorporating green business techniques into entrepreneurship activities, a concern shared by firms and researchers alike. Although developed nations have faced regulatory pressures to adopt environmentally friendly methods, this problem has received less attention in developing economies such as India. In light of the time sensitivity, it is crucial to identify the catalysts of green business adaptation into their entrepreneurial activity, specifically focusing on the essential variables among them.

?The objective of this study is to identify and establish a cause-and-effect relationship between the elements that support green entrepreneurship, using the gray DEMATEL (Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory) technique. The distinctiveness of this research is its simultaneous emphasis on identifying factors that facilitate and establishing cause-and-effect links, which has not been investigated in previous studies. The creation of green manufacturing capabilities, obtaining funding for green innovation, getting loans from financial institutions easily, and following environmental regulations are the most important components of a comprehensive list of 10 factors that support green business.

?Moreover, the study enhances its contribution by providing managerial and practical implications, with the purpose of supporting managers of the case organization in implementing green innovation techniques. This comprehensive method seeks to connect the divide between identifying factors that enable something and cultivating a more profound comprehension of how these factors are interconnected, in order to facilitate the implementation of sustainable entrepreneurship practices.
High parental self-efficacy and young adults’ reduced emotion dysregulation: A moderated mediating analysis from China
Authors: Wang Qiong
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Emotion dysregulation in young adults has become an important issue in the literature. By building a moderated mediating model, this study tested the underlying mechanism of young adults’ emotion dysregulation by examining the indirect effect of parental self-efficacy (PSE) on family cohesion and the moderating effect of parents’ affective involvement.

Methods

Two complementary approaches were adopted to validate our hypotheses using three-stage longitudinal data from 537 Chinese families.

Findings

PSE significantly affected young adults’ emotion dysregulation and that family cohesion mediated the relationship between PSE and young adults’ emotion dysregulation. Moreover, parents’ affective involvement moderated this indirect relationship.

Conclusions

Parental and family factors play important roles in addressing young adults’ emotion dysregulation. Our findings provide empirical evidence of the effects of family atmosphere and affective support by elucidating the mediating and moderating roles of family cohesion and affective involvement.
What Obstructs Health Policy Implementation? A Multi-Method Qualitative Case Study of the Delayed Deployment of Community Pharmacies in Ireland’s National COVID-19 Vaccination Programme
Authors: Koay Aaron , Devitt Camilla
Published: December 2024

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were months of delay in deploying community pharmacies for the National COVID-19 Vaccination Programme in Ireland. We aimed to explore what may have accounted for this delay between 15th December 2020 (publication of policies) and 14th June 2021 (commencement of community pharmacy–based vaccination). We carried out a multi-method qualitative case study that involved engaging with 11 stakeholders, reviewing 246 documents, and conducting semi-structured interviews with 11 policy elites. Using reflexive thematic analysis, we developed three themes. The first provides evidence that the delay was, in part, due to operational barriers related to the logistical and safety aspects of the Programme. The second, on the other hand, presents a perspective that the delay was unreasonable as it was based on perceived deficits in community pharmacies. Finally, the third highlights the inability of the pharmacy profession to influence health policy due to a lack of strategic and cohesive leadership and the dominance of the medical profession. Overall, we argue that the delay can be explained by a complex interplay between technical, socio-political, institutional, and regulatory factors, underpinned by a chronic lack of strategic direction for pharmacy in the Irish health system.
Behavioral decision-making of mobile robots simulating the memory consolidation mechanism of human brain
Authors: Wang Haotian
Published: December 2024

The ability of robots to make efficient and effective behavior decisions is a critical prerequisite for completing various tasks in unknown and complex environments. When operating in continuously changing environments, robots often struggle to achieve satisfactory decision-making outcomes due to a lack of prior knowledge about the environment. Investigating how to endow robots with human-like learning and decision-making capabilities to make sound decisions in changing environments remains a significant topic in robotics research. This paper models the processes of memory replay and memory consolidation by mimicking the memory conversion mechanism of the human brain, from the cellular level (synaptic consolidation) and system level (system consolidation), and proposes a human-like brain memory consolidation model based on a motivated developmental network. By leveraging different neurotransmitters’ neuromodulatory effects and considering the dependency of memory conversion on the neocortex during the memory transformation process, the model simulates the conversion of short-term memory to long-term memory and the reconsolidation of long-term memory, enhancing memory plasticity and improving the robot’s learning and decision-making capabilities in dynamic environments. Physical experiments and comparative tests have verified the feasibility and superiority of the proposed model.
A new methodology for monocular depth estimation with attention mechanisms
Authors: Casado Ricardo S , Pedrino Emerson C
Published: December 2024

Depth estimation from images is fundamental for autonomous navigation of robots, vehicles, drones, and integrating navigation aid systems for people with visual impairments. Despite the challenges of obtaining depth information from complex scenes, advancements in Deep Learning have opened new possibilities. Thus, this work introduces an approach based on recent Convolutional Neural Network architectures and attention mechanisms to enhance monocular image depth estimation, with potential applications in navigation aid systems for the visually impaired. The proposal focuses on implementing a Convolutional Neural Network model with an attention mechanism configuration that has not yet been tested in the literature, primarily integrating the Convolutional Block Attention Module and the Modified Global Context Network in the encoder and decoder, respectively. Unlike stereo camera-based systems, which require complex setups and image pairs, this model simplifies data collection and processing, although it still faces the challenge of requiring large datasets and significant computational capacity. However, it is experimentally possible to demonstrate that these limitations can be overcome by using reduced-resolution images and resizing techniques. The evaluation of the proposed model indicated satisfactory performance compared to state-of-the-art works that use images with resolutions identical to those in this work, validating the comparative tests. It presented an improvement in the Absolute Relative Error of 25.22% and 6.28% in relation to the Root Mean Squared Error. The results highlight the feasibility of conducting Deep Learning research, even with limited hardware resources.
Do Formal Community Forestry Programs Improve Collective Action and Forest Outcomes?
Authors: Luintel Harisharan , Bluffstone Randall , Sharma Paudel Naya , Toman Michael
Published: December 2024

Forest tenure reform and devolution are taking place around the world, especially in lower-income countries, primarily to support environmental and livelihood goals. However, whether forest devolution to communities results in improved forest collective action is not fully understood. In this paper, we assess the effect of Nepal’s formal Community Forestry (CF) Program on forest collective action and outcomes. We utilize data from a nationally representative random sample of 1300 households who manage and use 130 forests. By using covariate matching, we demonstrate a strong positive effect of the CF program on forest outcomes and more active forest collective action. Our results are generally robust to the presence of unobservable confounders and are consistent at the national level and across geographic and topographic regions, forest sizes, forest-managing population structures, and forest management durations.
Knowledge, Practice and Associated Factor of Trachoma Transmission and Prevention Among Primary School Students in Addis Zemen Town, South Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia
Authors: Yirdaw Getasew , Tegegne Eniyew
Published: December 2024

Background:

Trachoma is the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide, particularly impacting the poorest nations, including Ethiopia.

Objective:

To assess knowledge, practice, and associated factors of trachoma transmission and prevention among primary school students in Addis Zemen town, South Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia, 2022.

Methods:

An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 407 randomly selected primary school students (grades 5-8), aged 10 to 24 years. Data collection included face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaires and an observation checklist. Epi-data version 4.2.0.0 and SPSS version 20 were used to enter and analyze the collected data, respectively. The data were analyzed using the descriptive statistical method and using bivariable and multivariable logistic regression models. Variables with a P-value <.05 with a 95% CI were considered to have statistical significance.

Result:

The study has a response rate of 98.25%, with a total of 400 respondents. 74.00% of the respondents knew about trachoma transmission and prevention, and 71.50% practiced preventive measures, such as face washing. Respondents in Grades 7 and 8, aged 12 to 24 years (AOR: 2.67, 95% CI: 1.93, 4.64), information about trachoma (AOR: 2.30, 95% CI: 1.56, 4.21), and urban residence (AOR: 3.42, 95% CI: 2.56, 5.23) were determinants of knowledge regarding trachoma transmission and prevention. Meanwhile, the mother’s occupation (government employee) (AOR: 2.50, 95% CI: 1.83, 6.91) and overall knowledge about trachoma (AOR: 4.87, 95% CI: 2.95, 8.53) were significant predictors of the practice of trachoma transmission prevention.

Conclusion:

While the level of knowledge and practice regarding trachoma transmission and prevention was relatively high, 26.00% of respondents still lacked adequate knowledge, and 28.50% did not practice prevention measures. To reduce the spread of trachoma and enhance public health outcomes, targeted interventions focusing on education about transmission and prevention strategies such as promoting face washing and proper sanitation should be prioritized in this area.
Identity perplexity, stigma, and social critique: Critical phenomenology with an errant twist
Authors: Mattingly Cheryl
Published: December 2024

How do we offer critiques of social marginalization and the politics surrounding it without reducing people to mere victims or, at the least, “tokens of a type”? Phenomenology offers a useful way to address this problem. Focusing on the concept of stigma, this article proposes an errant phenomenology informed by Arendt's concern to “defrost” canonical moral and political concepts and Glissant's errant poetics of opacity. Centering upon an African American mother raising a child diagnosed with autism, it argues that an errant version of critical phenomenology can both illuminate the workings of stigma in this child's life and, at the same time, provide resistance to any simplistic classification of his social identity. But the article also makes a more radical claim by addressing the meta problem of concept reification in critical social theory. It offers an avenue for disturbing category thinking itself in generative ways, enriching how we envision social critique and deepening our critical capacity.
Regional-scale bridge condition monitoring using InSAR displacements and environmental data
Authors: Quqa Said , Palermo Antonio , Ubertini Francesco , Marzani Alessandro
Published: December 2024

This article introduces a novel methodology for detecting and classifying anomalies in multiple bridges within a geographical region using satellite-based interferometric synthetic aperture radar displacements and environmental measures. The approach uses subspace alignment to harmonize bridge features, enabling the detection of anomalies based on deviations in one bridge compared to the rest of the population. Simulated and real case studies involving steel railway bridges spanning the Po River in Italy demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, showcasing its potential for large-scale applications. Moreover, the study explores the transferability of knowledge from simulated data to real-world monitoring scenarios, yielding promising results in classifying real instances using synthetic labels. The proposed approach presents practical benefits for bridge monitoring agencies by providing a cost-effective method for enhancing the resilience and safety of transportation infrastructure.
Polyvinyl chloride applications along with methods for managing its end-of-life items: A review
Authors: Mnyango Jabulani I , Hlangothi Shanganyane P
Published: December 2024

Owing to its unique blend of properties, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) has become one of the most important polymers that have been used in everyday life for many years. Its short- and long-term applications span multiple key industries such as building, electrical/electronic insulation, packaging, and healthcare. These industries produce high volumes of PVC solid items that require responsible management when they reach their end-of-life because they are not biodegradable. Simple and affordable methods of diverting this waste from landfills would contribute positively towards combating environmental problems. However, many approaches have been reported in literature and there is a need to collate for easier comparison. For example, some alternative approaches are highly effective in transforming PVC waste into a range of valuable products but are still associated with secondary pollution. This overview covers different facets of virgin solid PVC (rigid, semi-rigid, and flexible), focusing mainly on its importance, global increase in use, and waste’s recyclability. In addition to the pros and cons of different recycling strategies, the influence of specific factors on the expanding PVC market is also considered albeit briefly. Notably, [Formula: see text]50 % of the world’s annual PVC production and utilization capacity is accounted for by PVC items meant for building applications; these items also drive the growth of the PVC recycling market.
An Examination of the Self-Efficacy and Factors Influencing Foot Care Behaviors in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Dağcı Selma , Ören Besey , Özşenel Ekmel Burak
Published: December 2024

The present descriptive study investigates the general and foot-care self-efficacy and the level of foot-care knowledge of 151 participants who presented to the internal medicine ward and diabetes nursing unit of a training and research hospital in Türkiye. The mean Diabetes Management Self-Efficacy Scale score of the participants was 69.0 ± 15.0 (min: 20, max: 100), the mean Diabetic Foot Care Self-Efficacy Scale score was 56.2 ± 23.1 (min: 9, max: 90) and the mean Diabetes Foot Self-Care Behavior Scale score was 51.5 ± 13.6 (min: 15, max: 75). The total Diabetes Management Self-Efficacy Scale, Diabetic Foot Care Self-Efficacy Scale and Diabetes Foot Self-Care Behavior Scale scores were noted to be higher in the participants who underwent regular health check-ups and used their medication regularly than in those who did not (p < 0.05). People with diabetes should be provided with counseling on the benefits of developing positive behaviors related to self-efficacy and foot self-care, and the prevention of wound development through education, support and the effective self-management of their condition.
Characteristics of Intravenous Fluid Infiltration and Factors Associated With Adverse Events: A Multicenter Retrospective Study
Authors: Duggan Jessica L. , Lechtig Aron , Watkins Ian T. , Lans Jonathan , von Keudell Arvind , Zhang Dafang
Published: December 2024

Background:

Peripheral intravenous (PIV) infiltration and extravasation are common complications of intravenous fluid administration. Here, we aim to investigate risk factors associated with major adverse events following PIV infiltration, which may help risk stratify those who require early surgical consultation.

Methods:

Retrospectively, patients were identified who had a documented PIV infiltration or extravasation event at 3 academic hospitals between 2015 and 2022. A major adverse advent was defined as a full-thickness injury requiring operative management (deep infection, compartment syndrome). A minor adverse event was defined as superficial injury (cellulitis, superficial thrombosis).

Results:

In total, 160 patients with PIV infiltration events were included (37.5% men), with an average age of 64.1 years. A surgical consult for a hand specialist was placed 35% of the time: orthopedic surgery in 46.4% of cases and plastic surgery in 42.9%. Among these consults, 87.5% recommended supportive treatment (elevation, warm/cold compresses, serial examinations). Major adverse events occurred in 4.4% (n = 7) of patients, and minor adverse events occurred in 11.3% (n = 18). Both intensive care unit (ICU) admission and current intubation status (ie, intubated, sedated, and nonexaminable) at the time of infiltration were significantly associated with adverse events ( P = .02 and P = .03, respectively). Current intubation status was significantly associated with operative management ( P = .001).

Conclusion:

Robust characterization of PIV infiltration events may facilitate early identification of patients at risk of serious complications. We found ICU admission and current intubation both to be associated with adverse events following PIV infiltration. Further work should be done to evaluate the risk of infiltration with different fluid types (vesicant, nonvesicant).
Occupancy and co-occurrence patterns of bulbuls (family: Pycnonotidae) across various environmental gradients in Eastern Ghats, Tamil Nadu, India
Authors: Tamiliniyan Darwin Dasan , Prasanth Nanchappan , Kannan Soundarapandian
Published: December 2024

Land use and land cover change are the direct causes of the loss of biodiversity, causing species to be threatened in the form of habitat loss and increased chance of extinction from competition between closely related species for limited resources. We used multispecies occupancy modeling to determine the influence of environmental and habitat features on Bulbuls occupancy and interactions between closely related Bulbul species and their occupancy in the presence or absence of other species. During the study, five species of bulbuls were recorded; four belong to the Pycnonotus genus, and the single species belongs to the genus Hypsipetes. Due to the low detection of Square-tailed Bulbul Hypsipetes ganeesa and Yellow-throated Bulbul Pycnonotus xantholaemus, they were not selected for occupancy modeling. Marginal occupancy was estimated for the following three species: Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer (Ψ = 0.7229 ± 0.06194 CI: 0.5805–0.8144), Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus (Ψ = 0.8023 ± 0.05884 95% CI: 0.6669–0.8844), and White-browed Bulbul Pycnonotus luteolus (Ψ = 0.6602 ± 0.04742 CI: 0.567–0.7458). Conditional occupancy was estimated in the presence or absence of closely related species, and there is no negative interaction between closely related species. We identified environmental variables that affect species presence and absence in the Eastern Ghats. NDVI, canopy cover, agricultural land and plantations are the variables that significantly affect Red-vented Bulbul occupancy probability. The presence of Red-whiskered Bulbul was significantly influenced by dense forest and plantations. Elevation, NDVI, tree height, agricultural land, moderate forest, shrub and plantation are the environmental variables that affect the species occupancy of White-browed Bulbul.
Random forest algorithm identifies miRNA signatures for breast cancer detection and classification from patient urine samples
Authors: Maurer Jochen , Rübner Matthias , Kuo Chao-Chung , Klein Birgit , Franzen Julia , Wittenborn Julia , Kupec Tomas , Najjari Laila , Fasching Peter , Stickeler Elmar
Published: December 2024

Background and objectives:

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, with one in eight women suffering from this disease in her lifetime. The implementation of centrally organized mammography screening for women between 50 and 69 years of age was a major step in the direction of early detection. However, the participation rate reaches approximately 50% of the eligible women, one reason being the painful compression of the breast, cited as a major issue for not participating in this very important program. Therefore, focusing current research on less painful and less invasive techniques for the detection of breast cancer is highly clinically relevant. Liquid biopsies offer this option by detection of distinct molecules such as microRNAs (miRNAs) or circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) or disseminated tumor cells.

Design and methods:

Here, we present the first proof-of-concept approach for sequencing miRNAs in female urine to detect breast cancer and, subsequently, intrinsic subtype-specific miRNA patterns and implement in this regard a novel random forest algorithm. To this end, we performed miRNA sequencing on 82 urine samples, 32 samples from breast cancer patients (9× luminal A, 8× luminal B, 9× triple-negative, and 6× HER2) and 50 healthy control samples.

Results and conclusion:

Using a random forest algorithm, we identified a signature of 275 miRNAs that allows the detection of invasive breast cancer in urine. Furthermore, we identified distinct miRNA expression patterns for the major intrinsic subtypes of breast cancer, specifically luminal A, luminal B, HER2-enriched, and triple-negative breast cancer. This experimental approach specifically validates miRNA sequencing as a technique for breast cancer detection in urine samples and opens the door to a new, easy, and painless procedure for different breast cancer-related medical procedures such as screening but also treatment monitoring.
Physico-Chemical Characterization, Biological Attributes and Sensory Evaluation of Commercial Ketchup
Authors: Hassan Qamar Ul , Sarfraz Raja Adil , Mohsin Muhammad , Iqbal Munawar , Ahmad Naveed , Al-Mijalli Samiah H. , Mnif Wissem , Nazir Arif , Iqbal Shahid
Published: December 2024

Objectives/methodology

The present study focuses on the evaluation of antioxidant potential (AP), total phenolic (TP) and total flavonoid (TF), antimicrobial activity (AA), antidiabetic capacity (AC), heavy metals contents (HMC) and sensory evaluation of commercial ketchup samples.

Results

The AP, TP and TF were found to be in the range of 35.51 to 77.92%, 2.66 to 14.98 mg GAE/100 g and 1.69 to 4.23 mg QE/g, respectively. The results of AA showed that commercial ketchup (CK) samples showed inhibition of microbial growth ranged from 18.96 to 30.67 mm against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and 19.00 to 31.14 mm against Escherichia coli (E. coli). The AC (involving alpha-amylase assay) was determined and represented as IC50 value of 23.12 to 62.76 µg/mL. According to the sensory evolution, all the samples were acceptable for use with overall acceptability <50.

Conclusions

The current study concluded that ketchup exhibited good antioxidant, antimicrobial and antidiabetic potential, however, the level of heavy metals in tested ketchup were required to be controlled.
Primary Care Providers Barriers, Comfort and Awareness in Follow-up Care of Acute Kidney Injury Patients: A Comprehensive Survey on Current Practices
Authors: Côté Jean-Maxime , Beaubien-Souligny William , Hamel Lauriane , Bouchard Josée
Published: December 2024

Background:

Patients who experienced acute kidney injury (AKI) may benefit from dedicated care following hospital discharge. Most of these patients will be followed by primary care providers. There is a lack of data on current practices and comfort for these care providers when offering post-AKI care.

Objective:

We surveyed nurse practitioners and family physicians to assess their awareness, perceptions, practice patterns and comfort regarding post-AKI care.

Design/Setting:

We distributed a web-based self-administered survey among clinicians from the Province of Quebec. We asked about their awareness and perceptions on how AKI should be disclosed and followed, the barriers encountered regarding the process of care following hospital discharge, and their level of comfort and expertise in offering dedicated post-AKI care. The survey integrated direct and scenario-based questions and was conducted from December 2022 to April 2023.

Participants:

We distributed the survey to practicing family physicians and nurse practitioners through the mailing list of the Fédération des Médecins Omnipraticiens du Québec, and the Association des infirmières praticiennes spécialisées du Québec, respectively. No incentives were provided.

Methods:

We conducted descriptive analyses and used chi-squared analysis to compare responses between family physicians and nurse practitioners and between hospital-based and cabinet-based practice.

Results:

The survey was opened by 779 potential participants. Of these, the response rate was 9% (70/779). Most participants were family physicians (79%) and dedicated 70% (±32) of their time in community outpatient clinics. Participants reported that 59% (±20) of all patients seen daily had at least 1 risk factor for AKI, whereas they estimated that 21% (±12) of recently discharged patients suffered from an AKI episode. The lack of awareness by the patient and lack of details on the discharge summary were the barriers most frequently reported impacting the overall process of care at follow-up. Most nurse practitioners (60%) and 33% of family physicians reported at least some levels of discomfort and lack of expertise when offering post-AKI.

Limitations:

The generalizability of our study is limited by its response rate. However, this is comparable with typical response rates seen in electronic surveys. The distribution was limited to a single province of Canada.

Conclusions:

We reported significant barriers regarding the hospital-to-community transition of care in patients who experienced AKI and the suboptimal comfort and expertise of primary care providers when offering dedicated post-AKI care. This reflects the need to improve communication, collaboration, and AKI training with primary care providers.
TikTok as a potential patient educational tool for thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Wang Yue , Yang Shuo , Shu Xingyi , Chen Yuqing , Wei Ruili
Published: December 2024

Objective

Thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) is a prevalent orbital disease significantly affecting patients’ daily lives. Nowadays, TikTok acts as a novel tool for healthcare but involved videos need to be further assessed. Many individuals search for disease information on TikTok before professional consultation. This study aimed to assess the quality of TAO-related TikTok videos and correlations between video variables and quality.

Methods

The top 150 TikTok videos were collected using the keyword TAO. Duplicate, too-short, irrelevant videos and similar videos from the same source were excluded. Two raters evaluated the included videos’ overall quality, reliability, understandability, and actionability on different sources and content focuses.

Results

Ninety videos had received nearly 15,000 likes and 2000 shares. Ophthalmologists and treatment focus were two primary parts among categorized groups, whose quality scores were much higher than others. The average Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Audiovisual Materials scores, Global Quality Scores, and DISCERN scores indicated that these videos were easy to understand (87.6%), actionable (74.5%), and fair in quality (44.97). The number of added hashtags was an essential variable positively correlated with video understandability. Additionally, popularity showed negative correlations with the overall quality, while video length positively correlated with its reliability and negatively correlated with the uploaded days.

Conclusion

Certified healthcare professionals uploaded most TAO videos, resulting in acceptable quality with minimal misinformation. To serve as a qualified source of patient educational materials, TikTok is supposed to promote longer disease-related videos and enhance reliability and understandability simultaneously.