bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Detrital peridotite minerals reveal recycled arc mantle beneath Marion Rise, Southwest Indian Ridge
Authors: Lin Yin‐Zheng , Liu Chuan‐Zhou , Dick Henry J. B. , Mitchell Ross N. , Wu Shi‐Tou , Liu Tong , Zhang Wei‐Qi , Zhang Zhen‐Yu
Published: December 2023

The recycling of subcontinental lithospheric mantle back into the asthenosphere during continental breakup is potentially a major but underappreciated process in plate tectonics. Here, we report major and trace elements for detrital peridotite minerals in carbonate breccias dredged from the Marion Rise, Southwest Indian Ridge. With an emphasis on the trace elements of the relatively abundant orthopyroxene detrital grains, the results show that a portion of pyroxene grains was likely derived from a mantle source that experienced hydrous melting and slab‐derived melt metasomatism above a subduction zone. This finding provides a novel view into the mantle geochemistry at midocean ridges, as well as evidence that Marion Rise is at least partially supported by chemically buoyant recycled refractory mantle wedge material.
An Information‐Theoretic Account of Availability Effects in Language Production
Authors: Futrell Richard
Published: December 2023

I present a computational‐level model of language production in terms of a combination of information theory and control theory in which words are chosen incrementally in order to maximize communicative value subject to an information‐theoretic capacity constraint. The theory generally predicts a tradeoff between ease of production and communicative accuracy. I apply the theory to two cases of apparent availability effects in language production, in which words are selected on the basis of their accessibility to a speaker who has not yet perfectly planned the rest of the utterance. Using corpus data on English relative clause complementizer dropping and experimental data on Mandarin noun classifier choice, I show that the theory reproduces the observed phenomena, providing an alternative account to Uniform Information Density and a promising general model of language production which is tightly linked to emerging theories in computational neuroscience.
Improved control of Taraxacum officinale with 2,4‐D in the field from ammonium sulphate additions
Authors: Schortgen Geoffrey P. , Patton Aaron J.
Published: December 2023

Taraxacum officinale G.H. Weber ex Wiggers (dandelion) is a common weed of cool‐season turfgrass with 2,4‐D as the most commonly used herbicide for its control. Hard water is known to antagonise 2,4‐D dimethylamine herbicide efficacy in greenhouse studies, and this antagonism is mitigated by adding the water conditioning agent ammonium sulphate (AMS) to spray mixtures. As greenhouse herbicide efficacy trials do not always provide similar control to field studies, this experiment was undertaken to determine how hard water and AMS influences 2,4‐D dimethylamine control of T. officinale in established lawns. Hard water was prepared to achieve 0, 275, 450 and 675 mg CaCO3 L−1. The 2,4‐D was applied at each hardness level with and without AMS at 20 g L−1 in eight separate field trials across three sites and two seasons. Regardless of water hardness level, 2,4‐D treatments with AMS added reduced T. officinale cover at 52 weeks after application (WAA) compared to those without AMS. Similarly, fewer T. officinale plants were recorded when adding AMS to 2,4‐D. Taraxacum officinale cover at 52 WAA was higher when applied in water with a hardness of 450 mg CaCO3 L−1 or more compared to applications in distilled water (0 mg CaCO3 L−1). When hard water antagonism occurred, the addition of AMS to the spray mixture reduced the antagonism. Based on this field experiment and consistent with greenhouse experiments, applicators should mix AMS at 20 g L−1 when applying 2,4‐D dimethylamine, especially in hard water.
Microalgae Lipids Detection and Quantification Method Towards Online Real-Time Monitoring: A Review
Authors: Chong Kar Lok , Ahmad Mohd Ridzuan
Published: December 2023

Bioprospecting toward biofuel has appeared as a sustainable and alternative energy option as fossil fuels are finite and causing a large number of environmental problems such as global warming by the greenhouse effect, leading the development of alternative substantial energy has attracted more and more attention. Hence, microalgae are potential candidates as third generation biofuel producers to tackle this problem. Under stress-condition, microalgae can produce an abundance of value-added products such as triacylglycerols which is an energy-rich fatty acid. This review highlights various quantification and detection methods of microalgae lipids, ranging from conventional methods like gravimetric and chromatographic techniques to non-conventional methods like fluorescent staining, Raman scattering, and dielectric insulation. While conventional methods require a series of procedures, including biomass dehydration and lipid extraction, non-conventional methods provide advantages such as rapidity, low cost, and smaller sample sizes needed. Future prospects revealed that real-time monitoring and online measurement of lipid content in microalgae is required to quantify the intracellular lipid level of microalgae in controlling and rapidly adjusting the growing conditions for cultivation. These real-time results, combined with the Internet of Things (IoT) technology, can be further processed using machine learning to maximize the productivity of microalgae as an alternative biofuel producer.
Dirichlet systems with discrete relativistic operator
Authors: Cabada Alberto , Jebelean Petru , Şerban Călin
Published: December 2023

We are concerned with Dirichlet systems involving the relativistic discrete operator
Here, for , we denote by the forward difference operator. Besides a “universal” existence result for a system with a general nonlinearity, we obtain multiplicity of solutions for systems with parameterized nonlinearities. Our approaches mainly rely on Brouwer degree arguments and critical point theory for convex, lower semicontinuous perturbations of ‐functionals.
Lifting problem for universal quadratic forms over totally real cubic number fields
Authors: Kim Daejun , Lee Seok Hyeong
Published: December 2023

Lifting problem for universal quadratic forms asks for totally real number fields that admit a positive definite quadratic form with coefficients in that is universal over the ring of integers of . In this paper, we show is the only such totally real cubic field. Moreover, we show that there is no such biquadratic field.
Morphological ontogeny of Melanozetes interruptus Zacher
 (Acari, Oribatida, Ceratozetidae), and comments on Melanozetes Hull
Authors: Seniczak Stanisław , Seniczak Anna , Kaczmarek Sławomir , Marquardt Tomasz
Published: December 2023

The morphological ontogeny of Melanozetes interruptus Willmann, 1953 is redescribed and illustrated. The juveniles of this species are brown with dark-brown sclerites. In juveniles humeral organ and humeral macrosclerite are present, seta c1 is inserted on humeral macrosclerite, and setae c2 and c3 are inserted on microsclerites. In the larva, the gastronotal shield has seven pairs of setae (d-, l-series and h1), in the nymphs it has nine pairs (d-, l-, h-series), whereas all setae of p-series are inserted on microsclerites, which is unique in Melanozetes Hull, 1916. In most nymphs of this genus seta p1 is inserted on gastronotal shield. In the juveniles and adult the legs are stocky, all femora are flattened, and femora I and II have a large ventral carina. Solenidion ω2 on tarsus I is located anterior to solenidion ω1 and is longer than ω1. In this species tarsal setae a are clearly longer than seta s.
Three new species of Amblyseius Berlese (Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae) from Altai Republic, Russia
Authors: Khaustov Vladimir A. , Doker Ismail , Joharchi Omid , Marchenko Irina I.
Published: December 2023

Three new species of predatory mites belonging to the genus Amblyseius Berlese (Acari: Phytoseiidae), A. latisetosus sp. nov., A. unodentatus sp. nov., and A. altaiensis sp. nov. are described based on the material collected from Altai Republic, Russia. The new species are assigned to the obtusus species group and andersoni species subgroup by having setae J2 and Z1, short and minute setae z4, sub-pentagonal ventrianal shield, and bell-shaped calyx of spermatheca. All new species were compared with each other and all other Amblyseius species known to date. The main diagnostic characters of these species are measurements of prominent dorsal setae, ventral setae JV5 and macrosetae on leg IV, cheliceral dentition, number of setae on genu II as well as small rounded and distinct pre-anal pores on ventrianal shield.
A new species ­of Coreitarsonemus (Acari: Heterostigmata: Tarsonemidae) from the odoriferous glands of Amorbus rhombifer (Hemiptera: Coreidae)
Authors: Seeman Owen Douglas , Baker Michelle
Published: December 2023

A new species of tarsonemid mite from the tribe Coreitarsonemini, Coreitarsonemus erato sp. nov., is described from female, male and larval specimens collected from the odoriferous glands of the Australian gum-tree bug Amorbus rhombifer (Westwood, 1842). We summarise the hosts and distributions of each species, provide updated keys, and speculate that species of Coreitarsonemini are largely restricted to the tropics and host species that persist as adults year-round.
Erratum to: Digitalization of Genetic Information: Prospects and Challenges
Authors: Namsaraev Z. B. , Korzhenkov A. A. , Fedosov D. Yu. , Patrushev M. V.
Published: December 2023

An Erratum to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1134/S2635167623330017
Bipolar disorder and competence
Authors: Director Samuel
Published: December 2023

In this paper, I examine the connections between bipolar disorder and consent. I defend the view that many (although far from all) individuals with bipolar disorder are competent to consent to a wide variety of things when they are in a manic state.
Illness and (hyper)masculinity in ‘HIMM’ comics from the USA
Authors: Mitchell Paul
Published: December 2023

In this essay, I analyse HIMM comics from the USA, a specific textualisation of graphic medicine/pathography that deals with a variety of illness experiences by male cartoonists. It is my contention that, in the existing literature, the motif of masculinity in autobiographical health-related comics is an underdeveloped area of academic enquiry. As a result, my analysis focuses on how three North American men depict ill health in their work in relation to existing sociological understandings of male behaviour. The texts I discuss are John Porcellino’sThe Hospital Suite(2014), a story about his abdominal tumour; Matt Freedman’s exploration of adenoid cystic carcinoma inRelatively Indolent but Relentless(2014); and Peter Dunlap-Shohl’sMy Degeneration(2015), which discusses the cartoonist’s experience of Parkinson’s disease. At the same time, I use the concept of hypermasculinity to explore the similar visual and verbal strategies through which these men respond to their physical and emotional suffering. It is my intention to illustrate how HIMM comics provide an important, non-medicalised lens through which clinical practitioners and lay readers alike can better see the subjectivised experience of male illness in the early 21st century. With a focus on the concept of bracketing, the representation of pain and vulnerability, men’s loss of self-identity and hardiness, I explore how HIMM comics act as important counter-narratives to biomedical discourse by visualising the phenomenological aspects of men’s ill health. In this way, the texts in my analytical corpus offer a valuable gender-oriented understanding of the connection between illnesses and (hyper)masculinity.
Optimal control of a spatiotemporal discrete tuberculosis model
Authors: Toufga Hamza , Benahmadi Lahbib , Sakkoum Ayoub , Lhous Mustapha
Published: December 2023

Understanding the impact of human behavior on the spread of infectious diseases might be the key to developing better control strategies. Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by bacteria that mostly affects the lungs. TB remains a global health issue due to its high mortality. The paper proposes a spatiotemporal discrete tuberculosis model, based on the assumption that individuals can be classified as susceptible, exposed, infected, and recovered (SEIR). The objective of this work is to introduce a strategy of control that will reduce the number of exposed and infected individuals. Three controls are established to accomplish this. The first control is a public awareness campaign that will educate the public on the signs, symptoms, and treatments of tuberculosis, allowing them to seek treatment if they are at risk. The second control initiates chemoprophylaxis efforts for people who are latently infected, and the third control characterizes the treatment effort for people who are actively infected. We have shown the existence of optimal controls to give a characterization of controls in terms of states and adjoint functions by using Pontryagin’s maximum principle. Using numerical simulations, our results indicate that awareness campaigns should be combined with treatment and chemoprophylaxis techniques to reduce transmission. As a result, it demonstrates the efficacy of the suggested control strategies in reducing the impact of the disease.
Hopf bifurcation and normal form in a delayed oncolytic model
Authors: Najm Fatiha , Ahmed Moussaid , Yafia Radouane , Aziz Alaoui M. A. , Boukrim Lahcen
Published: December 2023

In this paper, we investigate the mathematical analysis of a mathematical model describing the virotherapy treatment of a cancer with logistic growth and the effect of viral cycle presented by a time delay. The cancer population size is divided into uninfected and infected compartments. Depending on time delay, we prove the positivity and boundedness and the stability of equilibria. We give conditions on which the viral cycle leads to “Jeff’s phenomenon” observed in laboratory and causes oscillations in cancer size via Hopf bifurcation theory. We establish an algorithm that determines the bifurcation elements via center manifold and normal form theories. We give conditions which lead to a supercritical or subcritical bifurcation. We end with numerical simulations illustrating our theoretical results.
Mapping the Scope of China’s Soft Power in Estonia
Authors: NITZA-MAKOWSKA Agnieszka , BHUTIA Kikee Doma , HÕBEPAPPEL Urmas , LUIK Lelde , SINITSYNA Anastasia , SÜLD Elo
Published: December 2023

This article examines China’s soft power in Estonia since the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013. Findings have suggested that while Beijing’s domestic political values do not inform its projection of soft power, the Estonian government and general public perceive China mainly through the prism of its state-centric governance model and consequently view most of China’s deployment of supposedly “soft” power as sharp.
Hong Kong–Taiwan Relations from the Handover to the Anti-extradition Law Movement—How Sub-state Diplomacy Has Failed
Authors: CHIU Adrian Chi-yeung , LAW Kam-yee
Published: December 2023

After Hong Kong’s handover in 1997, the development of its relations with Taiwan has been full of twists and turns. Formal and bureaucratic interactions have stifled the strategic ambiguity needed to utilise Hong Kong as a buffer for cross-strait tensions. The subtle interaction between Hong Kong and Taiwan, being leveraged to reduce tension and facilitate communication in the cross-strait conflict, has been weakened since the mid-2010s even though institutionalisation was enhanced. Thus, the future development of Hong Kong–Taiwan relations may seem even more pessimistic than cross-strait relations.
Reimagining Education: Engaging High-Performing Students in Physics Through Toy-Based Learning
Authors: Chandran Nair Akhil , Ricardo Bernard
Published: December 2023

This study explores the use of physics toys as an innovative tool in high school education to bring abstract theories to life and stimulate student curiosity. These educational aids engage students, make complex principles tangible, and promote active learning. Our investigation includes examples from the NUS High School of Mathematics and Science in Singapore, demonstrating that physics toys enhance understanding and critical thinking across a range of student abilities. We conclude that integrating toys into physics education offers a dynamic and interactive approach that not only enriches the learning experience but also fosters the development of future innovative thinkers and problem solvers.
Algorithm 1039: Automatic Generators for a Family of Matrix Multiplication Routines with Apache TVM
Authors: Alaejos Guillermo , Castelló Adrián , Alonso-Jordá Pedro , Igual Francisco D. , Martínez Héctor , Quintana-Ortí Enrique S.
Published: December 2023

We explore the utilization of the Apache TVM open source framework to automatically generate a family of algorithms that follow the approach taken by popular linear algebra libraries, such as GotoBLAS2, BLIS, and OpenBLAS, to obtain high-performance blocked formulations of the general matrix multiplication (
gemm
). In addition, we fully automatize the generation process by also leveraging the Apache TVM framework to derive a complete variety of the processor-specific micro-kernels for
gemm
. This is in contrast with the convention in high-performance libraries, which hand-encode a single micro-kernel per architecture using Assembly code. In global, the combination of our TVM-generated blocked algorithms and micro-kernels for
gemm
(1) improves portability, maintainability, and, globally, streamlines the software life cycle; (2) provides high flexibility to easily tailor and optimize the solution to different data types, processor architectures, and matrix operand shapes, yielding performance on a par (or even superior for specific matrix shapes) with that of hand-tuned libraries; and (3) features a small memory footprint.
The Computational Method for Supporting Thai VerbNet Construction
Authors: Chungnoi Krittanut , Kongkachandra Rachada , Gulyanon Sarun
Published: December 2023

VerbNet is a lexical resource for verbs that has many applications in natural language processing tasks, especially ones that require information about both the syntactic behavior and the semantics of verbs. This article presents an attempt to construct the first version of a Thai VerbNet corpus via data enrichment of the existing lexical resource. This corpus contains the annotation at both the syntactic and semantic levels, where verbs are tagged with frames within the verb class hierarchy and their arguments are labeled with the semantic role. We discuss the technical aspect of the construction process of Thai VerbNet and survey different semantic role labeling methods to make this process fully automatic. We also investigate the linguistic aspect of the computed verb classes and the results show the potential in assisting semantic classification and analysis. At the current stage, we have built the verb class hierarchy consisting of 28 verb classes from 112 unique concept frames over 490 unique verbs using our association rule learning method on Thai verbs.
Learning Global and Multi-granularity Local Representation with MLP for Sequential Recommendation
Authors: Long Chao , Yuan Huanhuan , Fang Junhua , Xian Xuefeng , Liu Guanfeng , Sheng Victor S. , Zhao Pengpeng
Published: December 2023

Sequential recommendation aims to predict the next item of interest to users based on their historical behavior data. Usually, users’ global and local preferences jointly affect the final recommendation result in different ways. Most existing works use transformers to globally model sequences, which makes them face the dilemma of quadratic computational complexity when dealing with long sequences. Moreover, the scope setting of the user’s local preference is usually static and single, and cannot cover richer multi-level local semantics. To this end, we proposed a parallel architecture for capturing global representation andMulti-granularityLocal dependencies withMLP for sequentialRecommendation (MLM4Rec). For global representation, we utilize modified MLP-Mixer to capture global information of user sequences due to its simplicity and efficiency. For local representation, we incorporate convolution into MLP and propose a multi-granularity local awareness mechanism for capturing richer local semantic information. Moreover, we introduced a weight pooling method to adaptively fuse local-global representations instead of directly concatenation. Our model has the advantages of low complexity and high efficiency thanks to its simple MLP structure. Experimental results on three public datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed model. Our code is available here1.
The Characteristics of COVID‐19 Symptoms and Skin Manifestations among Nonhospitalized COVID‐19 Patients with Psoriasis during the Omicron Pandemic in China: A Single‐Center Survey‐Based Study
Authors: Xiao Yue , Zhang Xiwen , Feng Xun , Gao Jingya , Li Furong , Mi Wenyao , Wang Mingqi , Gu Yuanxia , Wang Yiyi , Wang Wen , Li Wei
Published: December 2023

Background. The global impact of coronavirus 2019 (COVID‐19) has raised concerns about the management of psoriasis patients, especially among those using biologics. Methods. We conducted a survey‐based research among Omicron‐infected (confirmed, probable, and suspected ones) psoriasis patients in the department of dermatology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, from January 9th to January 22nd, 2023. We collected demographic and clinical information (psoriasis‐ and COVID‐19‐related) and conducted statistics analysis. Results. Of the 240 patients enrolled, they were classified by the psoriatic treatment, as biologics (n = 138), nonbiological systematic treatment (n = 52), and topical treatment or without pharmacological treatment (n = 50). This study showed the characteristics of Omicron‐related symptoms and cutaneous signs in patients. We observed that patients who received topical treatment or without pharmacological treatment had a lower risk of presenting with COVID‐19 symptoms in the fully adjusted logistic model (OR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.18–0.90, and P = 0.025). Moreover, in the model for skin manifestations, nonbiological systematic treatment (OR = 2.15, 95% CI: 1.08–4.27, and P = 0.029) and high BMI (OR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.00–1.20, and P = 0.042) were correlative factors. Conclusions. Our data suggested that differential psoriatic treatment might be a correlative factor in developing symptomatic or asymptomatic Omicron infection and presenting cutaneous signs.
Length-Weight Relationships and Growth Patterns of Eight Indigenous Fish Species from Lancang River, Southwest China
Authors: Ding Huiping , Zhong Tian , Yang Yang , Ge Dexiang , Wen Jingya , Zhao Chengyuan , Liu Jun , Zhang Zhiming
Published: December 2023

The Lancang-Mekong River watershed has extremely high fish biodiversity. With the rapid population growth and economic development in the river basin, fish diversity and fishery resources of this river are experiencing serious threats. Basic biological information on most fish species in the Lancang River, required to improve conservation in this area, is limited. This study aimed to provide new estimates of length-weight relationships (LWRs) by using the linear regression of W = aLb for eight indigenous fish species from the Lancang River, Southwest China. From 2018 to 2021, 534 specimens belonging to 3 families and 8 genera were collected using various types of fishing techniques. Standard length (SL) and body weight (BW) of each specimen were measured to the nearest 0.1 cm and 0.1 g, respectively. This study presents the first public records of LWR parameters of Schizothorax lissolabiatus, Poropuntius huangchuchieni, Tor sinensis, Scaphiodonichthys acanthopterus, Mystacoleucus lepturus, Hemiculterella macrolepis, Glyptothorax lampris, and Schistura porthos. The range of b values for the LWRs was 2.5378–3.1732, and the r2 values for all LWRs estimates ranged from 0.9102 to 0.9952. Intraspecific difference of b values across population and/or season was observed in S. lissolabiatus, T. sinensis, P. huangchuchieni, S. acanthopterus, and M. lepturus. The range of mean condition factor (K) and mean relative weight (Wr) was 0.97–2.39 and 100.29–108.18, respectively. This study updated information for FishBase and provided new record of maximum standard length for five species, namely, S. lissolabiatus, P. huangchuchieni, T. sinensis, S. acanthopterus, and M. lepturus. The findings of this study are essential for the management and conservation of locally indigenous fish and fisheries.
Changes in Early T-Cell Subsets and Their Impact on Prognosis in Patients with Sepsis: A Single-Center Retrospective Study
Authors: Li Yanhua , Wang Youquan , Chen Bin , Guo Jianxing , Zhang Dong
Published: December 2023

Objective. To analyze the early changes in CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+T-cell subset counts in patients with sepsis and their correlation with prognosis to provide a feasible basis for clinical immunomodulation in sepsis. Methods. This is a single-center retrospective study. The study enrolled sepsis patients (meeting SEPSIS 3.0 definition) who were admitted to the Department of Intensive Care Unit at the First Hospital of Jilin University from July 5th, 2018 to December 5th, 2019 and were aged 18 years or above. In addition, these patients underwent cellular immune testing (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ T lymphocyte counts, and CD4+/CD8+ ratio) within 24 hours of ICU admission. Patient’s clinical data including age, gender, infection site, APACHE II score, SOFA score, length of ICU stay, mechanical ventilation time, ICU mortality, 28-day mortality, and 3-year survival status were collected. The prognostic indicators and survival of the decreased and nondecreased groups of different subsets of T lymphocyte counts and CD4+/CD8+ ratio were compared. Results. A total of 206 patients were enrolled, with 76.7% having a decrease in CD3+ T lymphocyte count, 76.7% having a decrease in CD4+ T lymphocyte count, and 63.6% having a decrease in CD8+ T lymphocyte count. Furthermore, 21.8% had a lower CD4+/CD8+ ratio. Analysis showed that the CD3+ T lymphocyte count decreased group had a longer length of ICU stay [11 d (4, 21) vs. 7 d (4, 17), P=0.03], increased percentage of mechanical ventilation (67.5% vs. 51.0%, P=0.04), and extended mechanical ventilation time [144 h (48, 360) vs. 96 h (48, 144), P=0.04] compared to the nondecreased group. The 28-day mortality was higher in the decreased group of CD4+/CD8+ ratio compared to the nondecreased group (33.3% vs. 25.5%, P=0.29); however, the difference did not reach statistical significance. Logistic regression analysis revealed no significant correlation between the decrease in CD4+/CD8+ ratio and 28-day mortality (P=0.11). The 3-year follow-up revealed that the CD4+/CD8+ decreased group had a lower survival rate than the nondecreased group (33.3% vs. 53.4%, P=0.01). Conclusions. In the early stage of sepsis, most patients showed a decrease in CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+T-cell subsets, as well as in the CD4+/CD8+ ratio. The decrease in CD3+ and CD4+/CD8+ was related to some poor prognosis.
Self-Management Social Support in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Concept Analysis
Authors: Al-Dwaikat Tariq N. , Ali Amira Mohammed , Khatatbeh Haitham
Published: December 2023

Aims. The aim of this concept analysis was to clarify the conceptual characteristics, antecedents, consequences, definition, and proper use of self-management social support in the context of type 2 diabetes. Background. Self-management social support has been found to be positively correlated with improved patient outcomes and a reduced occurrence of type 2 diabetes complications. In the context of type 2 diabetes, there is no uniform definition of the concept of self-management social support. In addition, the attributes of the concept and the antecedents, as well as the outcome consequences, should be identified. Design. A concept analysis. Methods. Walker and Avant’s (2019) framework for concept analysis. Results. Self-management social support could be defined as the presence of a supportive social network that exhibits supportive reinforcing behaviors that could facilitate positive behavioral change and promote disease self-management that leads to improved biobehavioral and psychosocial outcomes for patients. Conclusions. The findings suggest that self-management social support promotes self-efficacy, self-competence, and self-confidence in the self-management of type 2 diabetes. Patient characteristics, attributes of social support sources, patient-caregiver relationships, and disease severity should be taken into consideration when studying the relationship between social support and patients’ outcomes. Effective social support will lead to improvements in the biological, psychological, and social well-being of type 2 diabetes patients. Self-management social support should be preceded by the formulation of a supportive network that provides patients with active reinforcement. Implications. Self-management social support can promote self-efficacy, self-competence, and self-confidence in the self-management of type 2 diabetes and thereby improve health outcomes among type 2 diabetes patients.
Students’ Online Learning Adoption during an Emergency Situation: Integrating the Self-Determination and Perceived Risk Theories
Authors: Chan Sheng-Ju , Nong Thi Xuan , Nguyen Thi Thanh Truc
Published: December 2023

By integrating self-determination theory and perceived risk theory, the current research proposes a new model to predict students’ online learning adoption during an emergency situation such as the COVID-19 pandemic. More specifically, it is aimed at exploring how online communication self-efficacy, online learning belonging, and perceived risk predict students’ online learning adoption. A printed questionnaire was developed to collect data from 487 Vietnamese students using a quota sampling method. After missing data and outliers were removed, 450 questionnaires were found to be usable for data analysis. SMARTPLS version 3.2.2 was employed to analyze PLS-SEM and test the proposed hypotheses. The study found that online communication self-efficacy and perceived risk both have direct effects on students’ online learning adoption as well as indirect effects through the partial mediating role of online learning belonging. Our study also explored that perceived risk does not play a moderation in the association between online learning belonging and students’ online learning adoption. These findings fill important gaps in the literature and provide some implications for academicians, governments, educators, and parents in fostering students’ adoption of online learning.
Migration of an Inferior Vena Cava Tumor Thrombus during Renal Cell Carcinoma Resection
Authors: Hatzakorzian Roupen , Blotsky Andrea , Moore Albert , Vaillancourt Julien , Mettasittigorn Pattra , Aprikian Armen , Backman Steven B.
Published: December 2023

Approximately 4%–10% of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) have tumoral vascular invasion with resultant thrombi in the renal vein and in the inferior vena cava (IVC). The authors describe an interesting case of IVC tumor thrombus that migrated to the right cardiac chambers during RCC resection. The diagnosis was made by intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), which revealed the presence of a free-floating thrombus between the right atrium (RA) and right ventricle (RV). The patient required an urgent sternotomy with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) for atrial thrombus removal prior to the completion of the nephrectomy. The patient made a full recovery and was discharged to a rehabilitation facility. These findings illustrate the importance of intraoperative TEE monitoring during nephrectomy and IVC thrombectomy. In this case, TEE allowed for the diagnosis of an unexpected complication necessitating prompt cardiac surgical management.
Total Mesorectal Excision with or without Lateral Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection in Rectal Cancer
Authors: Elbarmelgi Mohamed Yehia , Abdelaal Ahmed Mohamed , Refaie Osama , Tamer Mohamed , Shafik Ali Ahmed
Published: December 2023

Backgrounds and Aims. The benefit of lateral pelvic lymph node dissection (LPLD) for rectal cancer remains controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of local recurrence between patients who underwent total mesorectal excision (TME) with and without LPLD in rectal cancer. Patients and Methods. The study was conducted on 92 patients presenting with extraperitoneal rectal cancer (T3 and T4) in the colorectal department at our hospital. Patients were divided into two groups: Group A was subjected to total mesorectal excision (TME) after neoadjuvant chemoradiation and Group B was subjected to TME with LPLD with autonomic nerve preservation. Patients were followed up for the incidence of local recurrence, distant recurrence, and urinary and sexual dysfunctions. Results. Incidence of local recurrence was slightly higher in Group A (8.7%) than in Group B (4.3%) but was not statistically significant. There was no statistical significance between both groups regarding distant metastasis (8.7% in Group A and 13% in Group B). Urinary and sexual dysfunctions were higher in Group B (26.1%) compared to those in Group A (21.7%) but were not statistically significant. The incidence of lateral pelvic lymph node metastasis was 30.4%. Also, intraoperative blood loss was higher and operative time was longer in Group B which was statistically significant (P value <0.001). Conclusion. Our conclusion was that prophylactic addition of LPLD to TME was not associated with a statistically significant decrease in the risk of local recurrence or distant metastasis in patients with rectal cancer, although it was numerically better. LPLD is associated with longer operative time and higher intraoperative blood loss.
Factors Influencing Uptake of Prostate Cancer Screening among Men Aged 40 Years and Above in Kazo Town Council, Kazo District, Uganda: A Cross‐Sectional Study
Authors: Mwebembezi Smart , Alege Jon B. , Nakaggwa Florence , Nanyonga Rose C.
Published: December 2023

Prostate cancer accounts for 20.3% of all cancers in men in sub‐Saharan Africa. Early screening among at‐risk groups is challenging in Uganda, with limited data on prostate cancer screening uptake in most districts, including newly established ones. The purpose of this study was to determine factors influencing the uptake of prostate cancer screening among men aged ≥ 40 in Kazo Town Council, Kazo District, a newly created district. We used a descriptive cross‐sectional study design that employed both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. Participants were recruited through simple random sampling between November 2020 and January 2021. Structured questionnaires were used for quantitative data (n = 300). Statistical analyses to determine associations were carried out using inferential and chi‐square tests followed by logistic regression. In‐depth interviews were conducted with 10 key informants and analyzed thematically to explore a range of perceptions related to prostate cancer screening. Only 10 (3.33%; 95% CI: 0.018‐0.60) respondents had ever screened for prostate cancer. Lack of privacy (p < 0.033), access to prostate cancer information (p < 0.014), and distance to health facilities (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with the uptake of prostate cancer screening. Marital status (OR = 7.93; 95% CI: 1.85‐33.99; p = 0.005), positive health worker attitudes (OR = 0.002; 95% CI: 0.000‐0.023, p < 0.001), and perceived affordability (OR = 0.001; 95% CI: 0.000‐0.011, p < 0.001) were independently associated with uptake of prostate cancer screening. Key barriers included lack of information, access to screening centres, and fear of screening. The level of uptake of prostate cancer screening was considerably low among men aged 40 and above in the Kazo District. Targeted community interventions to improve access to prostate cancer information, screening, sensitization, and addressing perceived and actual barriers are needed in newly created districts to bolster the uptake of prostate cancer screening. This has implications for prioritizing research evaluating district resource allocation to support optimized and integrated evidence‐based service delivery in primary healthcare centres, especially for specialized services in newly created districts.
Rare Double Primary Malignancies: A Pancreatic Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor Mimicking as a Metastatic Lesion of Myoepithelial Carcinoma of Parotid Gland
Authors: Marbun Vania Myralda Giamour , Jamtani Indah , Krisnuhoni Ening , Panigoro Sonar Soni
Published: December 2023

Pancreatic gastrointestinal stromal tumors (PGISTs) are exceptionally rare, accounting for <5% of extra-gastrointestinal stromal tumors (EGISTs) and <1% of malignant pancreatic neoplasms. We present a unique case of concurrent double primary malignancies in a 46-year-old female with a history of recurrent myoepithelial carcinoma of the parotid gland, managed through surgical resection and adjuvant therapy. She presented with an enlarging abdominal mass, initially suggestive of pancreatic metastasis. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed positive staining for smooth-muscle actin (SMA) and CD34 in both parotid and pancreatic tissues. Importantly, CD117 expression was confined to the pancreatic tissue, confirming the diagnosis of PGIST rather than metastasis. Subsequently, a splenic-sparing distal pancreatectomy was performed, followed by immediate imatinib therapy. This case underscores the potential for the coexistence of rare primary malignancies with unique histopathological characteristics and organ involvement. When encountering a newly developed lesion in a distant organ, surgeons must consider the possibility of metastasis to guide therapeutic decision-making. Early diagnosis and appropriate intervention are paramount, particularly in the case of PGIST, given its infrequent presentation and clinical complexities.
Recent Advances in Efficient Photocatalytic Degradation Approaches for Azo Dyes
Authors: Chowdhury Arpita Paul , Anantharaju K. S. , Keshavamurthy K. , Rokhum Samuel Lalthazuala
Published: December 2023

In recent decades, the textile industry has contributed to continuous pollution in the environment. Synthetic dyes which are commonly found in waste water are azo, sulfur, anthraquinone, triphenylmethyl, indigoid, and phthalocyanine derivatives. These pollutants block the light penetration in water bodies and prevent photosynthesis activity, thereby affecting aquatic life. As an environmental crisis, several technologies have been explored to control pollution. Among all the techniques, the photocatalysis process is considered as a green, simple, and economical process. To improve the photocatalytic activity, researchers worldwide have investigated various photocatalysts such as metal oxides, metal ferrites, and heterostructured nanocomposites. The major goal of this review article is to propose a high-performing, cost-effective hybrid photocatalyst reported to date for prospective azo dye pollutant remediation. This review article also aimed to highlight the challenges and uncertainties associated with dye degradation in the photocatalytic process.
Failure and Acoustic Emissions of Coal–Rock Combinations with Different Dip Angles in the Shaqu No. 1 Coal Mine
Authors: Fu Yuping , He Yongliang , Li Chuantian
Published: December 2023

The force and deformation characteristics of the rock layer on the top and bottom of the coal seam change significantly when the dip angle changes. The mechanical properties and damage characteristics of differently inclined coal–rock assemblages were investigated, and the results were combined with acoustic emission information, including acoustic emission ringdown counts, to quantify the damage of inclined coal–rocks under compression. The experimental results showed that the stress‒strain curves of the inclined coal–rock assemblages had four main stages, with approximately similar curves in the early stage and deformation in the later stage. The damage gradually changed from shear damage to interfacial slip damage, and the damage area gradually transitioned to the structural surface from coal body components. The cumulative acoustic emission energy tended to decrease with increasing inclination angle, and the peak acoustic emission energy gradually decreased. When the inclination angle was less than 30°, the cumulative energy of acoustic emissions increased slowly, then decreased, and it finally decreased significantly between 30° and 45°; from 0° → 15° → 30° → 45°, the energy change rates were +3.0%, −25.1%, and −78.2%, respectively. For coal–rock assemblages with different interfacial angles, the sliding damage instability caused by the coal–rock interface increased with increasing interfacial angle within the assemblage. The results of this study provide a deeper understanding of the mechanical properties of coal–rock assemblages with different inclinations and the characteristics of fissure extension. The fractal dimension based on particle number decreased with increasing loading rate, and the larger the loading rate was, the smaller the fractal dimension. In addition, the current findings provide a reliable foundation for further understanding the mechanisms of disasters caused by coal–rock disturbances, such as excavation of inclined roadways and extraction of gas, as well as supporting the development of methods for monitoring, early warning, and prevention and control of these types of disasters.
Physical Activity and Mammographic Density in Japanese Women
Authors: Lee Mihye , Kotake Rina , Yamauchi Hideko
Published: December 2023

Background:

Dense breast is one of the strong risk factors for breast cancer among women. While it has been established that physical activity is associated with decreased risk for breast cancer, results have been inconsistent in terms of mammographic density. Thus, we examined physical activity in relation to mammographic density among Japanese women in Tokyo.

Methods:

We used 123,026 records from 33,698 Japanese women without a history of breast cancer who got mammograms at St. Luke's International Hospital in Tokyo, Japan from 2004 to 2019. Mammographic density was classified according to the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS), and women self-reported their physical activity level over the past year. ORs were estimated using logistic generalized estimating equations after adjusting for age, body mass index, menopausal status, parity, family history of breast or ovarian cancer, hormone therapy use, smoking status, alcohol consumption, and year.

Results:

We observed inverse associations of physical activity with dense breasts. Adjusted ORs were 0.96 (95% confidence interval: 0.91–1.00) for women with physical exercise for 1–2 days per week, 0.94 (0.88–0.99) for those with physical exercise for 3–5 days per week, and 0.91 (0.84–0.99) for those with daily physical exercise when compared with those reported seldom physical exercise.

Conclusions:

Higher levels of physical activity may be associated with decreased mammographic density levels in Japanese women.

Impact:

Increasing physical activity may serve as a reasonable intervention to reduce mammographic density, and thereby, to mitigate the risk of breast cancer in Asian women.
COVID-19 in Dental Practice Is Prevented by Eugenol Responsible for the Ambient Odor Specific to Dental Offices: Possibility and Speculation
Authors: Tsuchiya Hironori , Takai Yoshiaki
Published: December 2023

Dental professionals routinely work in proximity to patients even when either or both of them have suspected or confirmed COVID-19. The oral cavity also serves as a reservoir for SARS-CoV-2 because the virus is present in and replicates in oral secretions (saliva and gingival crevicular fluid), oral tissues (salivary gland and periodontal tissue), and oral microenvironments (gingival sulcus and periodontal pocket). Despite a high risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the prevalence of COVID-19 in dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, and their patients was similar to that in the general population even during the pandemic. We propose that eugenol, which is responsible for the ambient odor specific to dental offices, could contribute to prevention of COVID-19 in dental settings. Eugenol is not only released from dental materials (filling, cement, and sealer) but is also aerosolized by dental procedures (grinding, polishing, and restoration). Such eugenol has been suggested to possess the potential to inhibit the infectivity and replication of SARS-CoV-2, the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into human cells by binding specifically to the viral spike protein, and the protease indispensable for SARS-CoV-2 replication. It has been shown that aerosolized eugenol acts on airborne viruses to reduce their loads. This review highlights a hypothesis that the environment of dental offices impregnated with eugenol suppresses SARS-CoV-2 airborne transmission and SARS-CoV-2 contagion between dental professionals and patients, preventing COVID-19 in dental practice. Anti-COVID-19 eugenol might give insights into the safe delivery of dental treatment and oral care in the COVID-19 era.
Spatial Variations in the Nasal Microbiota of Staff Working in a Healthcare-Associated Research Core Facility
Authors: Mustafa Abu Salim , Habibi Nazima
Published: December 2023

Objective: Workers in the healthcare sector are exposed to a multitude of bacterial genera. The location of their work contributes significantly to shaping personal microbiomes. In this study, we investigated the role of the workspace on the nasal bacteriome of staff working in a healthcare-associated research facility. Methods: The anterior nares of 10 staff working in different laboratories on the ground and first floor of the research facility were aseptically swabbed. Genomic DNA from each sample was used to amplify the V3 and V4 regions of the 16S rRNA gene. The amplified products were sequenced using the MiSeq sequencer (Illumina). Operational taxonomic units were filtered through MG-RAST v.3.6. Taxonomic profiling and visualizations were performed in MicrobiomeAnalyst v2.0. Results: The Wilcoxson Sum test at median abundances (p < 0.05) indicated that seven taxa (Micromonosporaceae, Micromonospora, Lactobacillaceae, Lactobacillus, Betaproteobacteria, Burkholderiales, Pectobacterium) were significantly diverse between ground-floor and first-floor workers. The analysis of similarity coefficient was 0.412 (p < 0.03) between the ground and the first-floor workers. Random forest analysis predicted 15 features that were significantly different (p < 0.05) in individuals working in different laboratories. Species richness and evenness also differed according to the placement of individuals in respective laboratories. Conclusion: These findings add to the knowledge that the healthcare support staff are at a speculated occupational risk. A slight shift in the abundances of bacterial genera and species might lead to unwanted consequences. Continual monitoring is thus warranted.