bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gender and Cross-border Cooperation on the Island of Ireland
Authors: Kapic Tajma , Connolly Eileen , Doyle John
Published: March 2024

ABSTRACT: This article investigates cross-border engagement between women's organisations and other groups working on gender equality policy. It draws on interviews with activists and practitioners and two seminars—one in Belfast and one in Dublin. It is set in the context of the post-Brexit debate on the future of the island of Ireland, and the international Women, Peace and Security agenda's emphasis on the role of women and the centrality of a gender equality perspective to peacebuilding. Participants had very positive attitudes to cross-border collaboration, but in practice there was very little cross-border engagement between groups, and this lack of activity predates Brexit. The key barriers to cross-border work were perceived to be post-Brexit political turmoil, a lack of appropriate funding and a lack of knowledge of policy differences between the two jurisdictions. Participants had very little knowledge of the 'other' jurisdiction and their views were strongly shaped by historic stereotypes.
Multi-center experience with outpatient total hip arthroplasty via a standard posterolateral approach
Authors: Smith Thomas D. , Wilson Ian R. , Burnell Colin , Vernon James , Hedden David R. , Turgeon Thomas R.
Published: March 2024

Background

This study sought to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and resource utilization of a pilot outpatient surgery program for total hip arthroplasty compared to traditional inpatient total hip arthroplasty performed via the posterolateral approach.

Methods

A cohort of 68 patients from two sites were enrolled in a regional pilot project for outpatient total hip arthroplasty (THA) and matched 1:1 against a cohort of patients undergoing routine inpatient THA. Data was extracted retrospectively from patient and hospital charts including adverse events (AE), readmission within 90 days, emergency room (ER) visits, patient calls, patient-reported outcome measures, length of stay, and multiple surgical variables.

Results

The outpatient group had a mean hospital stay of 13 hours, whereas the inpatient group had a mean of 58 hours (p<0.001). Three outpatients and four inpatients experienced post-op complications. Three inpatients and one outpatient visited the ER within 8 weeks of surgery. No difference in pre-operative hemoglobin (p = 0.210), or surgical blood loss (p = 0.550) was found between study groups. There was no difference found between groups regarding Oxford-12 Hip Score improvement, nor satisfaction at six months, one and two years (p>0.125).

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that outpatient THA using the posterolateral approach is as safe and effective as inpatient THA for overall healthy and carefully screened patients, based on the low rate of AEs observed and similar patient outcomes reported. Significantly reduced time in hospital demonstrates the reduced healthcare resources associated with outpatient THA.
Suicidal ideation, attempt, and its associated factors among adult HIV/AIDS patients in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis study
Authors: Bogale Eyob Ketema , Zewdie Amare , Kassie Tadele Derbew , Anagaw Tadele Fentabil , Mazengia Elyas Melaku , Gelaw Sintayehu Shiferaw , Fenta Eneyew Talie , Eshetu Habitu Birhan , Kebede Natnael
Published: March 2024

Background

WHO statistics show that someone attempts suicide every three seconds and commits suicide every 40 seconds somewhere in the world. There is a scarcity of aggregate evidence in Ethiopia. The aim of this review was to assess the pooled prevalence of suicidal ideation, attempts, and associated factors among adult HIV/AIDS patients in Ethiopia to fill this gap.

Methods

We extensively searched the bibliographic databases of PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, Google Scholar, and the Web of Science to obtain eligible studies. Further screening for a reference list of articles was also done. The Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet was used to extract data, and Stata 17 was used for analysis. To check heterogeneity, the Higgs I2 and Cochran’s Q tests were employed. Sensitivity and subgroup analysis were implemented. To detect publication bias, Egger’s test and funnel plots were used.

Results

The pooled prevalence of suicidal ideation and attempts among adult HIV/AIDS patients in Ethiopia was 20.3 with a 95% CI (14, 26.5) and 11.1 with a 95% CI (6.6, 15.5), respectively. Living alone (AOR 4.98; 95% CI: 2.96–8.37), having comorbidity or other opportunistic infection (AOR 4.67; 95% CI: 2.57–8.48), female sex (AOR 2.86; 95% CI: 1.76, 4.62), having WHO clinical stage III of HIV (AOR 3.69; 95% CI: 2.15, 6.32), having WHO clinical stage IV of HIV (AOR 5.43; 95% CI: 2.81, 10.53), having co-morbid depression (AOR 5.25; 95% CI: 4.05, 6.80), having perceived HIV stigma (AOR 2.53; 95% CI: 1.67, 3.84), and having family history of suicidal attempt (AOR 2.79; 95% CI: 1.38, 5.66) were significantly associated with suicidal ideation. Being female (AOR 4.33; 95% CI: 2.36, 7.96), having opportunistic infections (AOR 2.73; 95% CI: 1.69, 4.41), having WHO clinical stage III of HIV (AOR 3.78; 95% CI: 2.04, 7.03), having co-morbid depression (AOR 3.47; 95% CI: 2.38, 5.05), having poor social support (AOR 3.02; 95% CI: 1.78, 5.13), and having WHO clinical stage IV (AOR 7.39; 95% CI: 3.54, 15.41) were significantly associated with suicidal attempts.

Conclusion

The pooled magnitude of suicidal ideation and attempt was high, and factors like opportunistic infection, WHO clinical stage III of HIV, WHO clinical stage III of HIV, and co-morbid depression were related to both suicidal ideation and attempt. Clinicians should be geared towards this mental health problem in HIV patients during management.
Palliative care service utilization and associated factors among cancer patients at oncology units of public hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Authors: Afessa Nigus , Birhanu Dagmawit , Negese Belete , Tefera Mitiku
Published: March 2024

Background

Palliative care helps patients and their families deal with the hardships that come with a life-threatening illness. However, patients were not fully utilizing the palliative care services provided by healthcare facilities for a number of reasons. In Ethiopia, there hasn’t been any research done on the variables that influence the utilization of palliative care services.

Objective

To assess palliative care service utilization & associated factors affecting cancer patients at public hospitals oncology units in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Methods

An institution-based cross-sectional study design was carried out. A structured and pre-tested questionnaire was administered to 404 participants at Tikur Anbesa Specialized Hospital and Saint Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College from July 4 to August 2, 2022. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select the study participants. The data was collected by ODK-Collect version 3.5 software and exported to excel and then to SPSS version 25 for recoding, cleaning, and analysis. Logistic regression model was employed. P-values <0.05 were regarded as statistically significant.

Result

About 404 participants’ responded questionnaire giving a 97.6% response rate. The extent of Palliative care service utilization was 35.4% [95% CI: 31.4, 40.3%]. College or university education were 2.3 times more likely and living in a distance of <23 km from PC service centers were 1.8 times more likely to use palliative care services. Factors hindering palliative care service utilization were inability to read & write, treatment side effects, long distance to a health institution, and low satisfaction with the health care service.

Conclusion and recommendation

The extent of palliative care service utilization which was low. Factors to palliative care service utilization were clients’ education level, treatment side effects, distance to a health institution, and patients’ satisfaction. Interventions to enhance health education and counseling of cancer patients, early detection and management of treatment side effects and accessibility of palliative care services for cancer patients should be emphasized and implemented by all concerned stakeholders.
Comparing pregnancy and pregnancy outcome rates between adolescents with and without pre-existing mental disorders
Authors: Jeon Nakyung , Albogami Yasser , Jung Sun-Young , Bussing Regina , Winterstein Almut G.
Published: March 2024

Background

There are limited population-based data on the role of mental disorders in adolescent pregnancy, despite the presence of mental disorders that may affect adolescents’ desires and decisions to become pregnant.

Objective

This study aimed to examine the relationship between specific types of mental disorders and pregnancy rates and outcome types among adolescents aged 13–19 years, using single-year age groups.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from the Merative™ MarketScan Research Databases. The study population consisted of females aged 13–19 years with continuous insurance enrollment for three consecutive calendar years between 2005 and 2015. Pregnancy incidence rates were calculated both overall and within the different categories of mental disorders. The presence of mental disorders, identified through diagnosis codes, was classified into 15 categories. Pregnancy and pregnancy outcome types were determined using diagnosis and procedure codes indicating the pregnancy status or outcome. To address potential over- or underestimations of mental disorder-specific pregnancy rates resulting from variations in age distribution across different mental disorder types, we applied age standardization using 2010 U.S. Census data. Finally, multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the relationships between 15 specific types of mental disorders and pregnancy incidence rates, stratified by age.

Results

The age-standardized pregnancy rate among adolescents diagnosed with at least one mental disorder was 15.4 per 1,000 person-years, compared to 8.5 per 1,000 person-years among adolescents without a mental disorder diagnosis. Compared to pregnant adolescents without a mental disorder diagnosis, those with a mental disorder diagnosis had a slightly but significantly higher abortion rate (26.7% vs 23.8%, P-value < 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression models showed that substance use-related disorders had the highest odds ratios (ORs) for pregnancy incidence, ranging from 2.4 [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.1–2.7] to 4.5 [95% CI:2.1–9.5] across different age groups. Overall, bipolar disorders (OR range: 1.6 [95% CI:1.4–1.9]– 1.8 [95% CI: 1.7–2.0]), depressive disorders (OR range: 1.4 [95% CI: 1.3–1.5]– 2.7 [95% CI: 2.3–3.1]), alcohol-related disorders (OR range: 1.2 [95% CI: 1.1–1.4]– 14.5 [95% CI: 1.2–178.6]), and attention-deficit/conduct/disruptive behavior disorders (OR range: 1.1 [95% CI: 1.0–1.1]– 1.8 [95% CI: 1.1–3.0]) were also significantly associated with adolescent pregnancy, compared to adolescents without diagnosed mental disorders of the same age.

Conclusion

This study emphasizes the elevated rates of pregnancy and pregnancy ending in abortion among adolescents diagnosed with mental disorders, and identifies the particular mental disorders associated with higher pregnancy rates.
Healthcare utilization and its association with socioeconomic status in China: Evidence from the 2011–2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study
Authors: Li Xi , Mohanty Itismita , Chai Peipei , Niyonsenga Theo
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Healthcare utilization often favors the higher-socioeconomic status (SES) and having chronic diseases may exacerbate this inequality. This study aims to examine the trends in health service use over time, the effect of SES on healthcare utilization, and the role of chronic diseases in this association.

Methods

Data used in this study were from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2018, which is the first nationally representative survey of the middle-aged and older. The sample included people aged 45 years and older who responded to all the waves. A total of 10,922 adults were included in this study. Healthcare utilization was categorized into outpatient and inpatient service use and SES was measured by per-capita household expenditure. A multilevel zero-inflated negative binomial regression model was performed to analyze outpatient and inpatient service use, separately.

Results

The rates of outpatient service use in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2018 were 19.11%, 21.45%, 20.12%, and 16.32%, respectively, while the rates of inpatient service use were 8.40%, 13.04%, 14.17%, and 18.79%, respectively. Compared to individuals in the lowest quintile of per-capita household expenditure, those in higher quintiles had higher odds of outpatient service use (Q2: odds ratio = 1.233, p < 0.0001; Q3: 1.416, p < 0.0001; Q4: 1.408, p < 0.0001; or Q5: 1.439, p < 0.0001) and higher rates of inpatient service use (Q2: incidence rate ratio = 1.273, p < 0.0001; Q3: 1.773, p < 0.0001; Q4: 2.071, p < 0.0001; or Q5: 1.992, p < 0.0001). Additionally, having morbidity generally increased healthcare utilization, but did not play a significant role in moderating the relationship between SES and healthcare utilization.

Conclusions

Healthcare utilization rates were overall low in China, but relatively high for people in higher quintiles of per-capita household expenditure or those with morbidity, compared to their counterparts. Policy actions are required to provide more health education to the public, to further optimize health insurance schemes targeting outpatient services, especially for the low-SES, and to establish new health delivery models for NCD management in the primary health care setting.
The residual rate of HPV and the recurrence rate of CIN after LEEP with negative margins: A meta-analysis
Authors: Lin Yong , Long Yan , He Jin , Yi Qinqin
Published: March 2024

Background

HPV is detected in up to 47% of CIN and up to 70% of cervical cancers. It can cause intraepithelial neoplasia, which can eventually progress to invasive carcinoma. Almost all cervical cancers are caused by HPV. Therefore, it is especially important to treat high-risk HPV. For patients who have undergone LEEP surgery, this procedure can effectively treat CIN. However, it has not been studied in a meta-analysis whether HPV remains after the surgery and whether residual HPV increases the recurrence risk of CIN. To address this gap, our study collected all relevant literature to investigate the residual rate of HPV and its potential influence on the recurrence rate of CIN. We aim to provide valuable recommendations for clinicians and patients.

Methods

The Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and PubMed databases were searched from the establishment of the database until October 2023. Stata 12.0 software was used for the statistical analysis.

Results

Twelve studies were included, with a total sample size of 1192 cases. The meta-analysis found that the recurrence rate of CIN was quite low [95% CI = 0.5% (0.001, 0.012); P = 0.006] when the margins were negative after LEEP and there was no residual HPV. When HPV was present, the recurrence rate of CIN was significantly higher [95% CI = 18% (0.089, 0.291), P = 0.000], even if the margins were negative. The recurrence rate of CIN with residual HPV was 3.6 times higher than the recurrence rate of CIN without residual HPV. The residual rate of HPV after LEEP with negative margins was 22.7% [95% CI (0.167, 0.294), P = 0.000], which remained relatively high.

Conclusion

This meta-analysis found that the recurrence rate of CIN without residual HPV and with negative margins after LEEP was quite low, at 0.5%. However, when HPV was residual, the recurrence rate of CIN significantly increased to 18%, even if the margins were negative. The residual rate of HPV was 22.7%, even when the margins were negative after LEEP.
Flotation recovery of barite from high-density waste drilling fluid using β-cyclodextrin as a novel depressant and its mechanism
Authors: Li Xiaoyu , Xie Shuixiang , Xu Yu , Xia Yu , Cheng Yuanpeng , Tang Shanfa , Wang Duoqi , Ren Wen , Zhang Mingdong , Meng Wenyu
Published: March 2024

High-density waste drilling fluid contains an abundance of recyclable weighting reagents, direct disposal can pollute the environment. In this paper, the primary mineral composition of a high-density waste drilling fluid from a well in the southwest oil and gas field was analyzed. This paper proposes β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) as a depressant for the recovery of barite from waste drilling fluid. The recovery process was investigated through inverse flotation experiments, and the mechanism was analyzed using zeta potential, contact angle analysis, and FTIR. The flotation experiments showed that under the SDS flotation system, when the pH was 9.0 and the amount of depressant β-CD was 900 g/t, the barite recovery and density reached the highest values, which were 87.41% and 4.042 g/cm3, respectively. Zeta potential experiments, contact angle analysis, and FTIR analysis indicate that β-CD adsorbed onto barite through enhancing the hydrophilicity of barite, electrostatic force adsorption, and strong adsorption, which could not be displayed by SDS through competitive adsorption. Furthermore, β-CD exhibited a selective inhibitory effect on barite and enabled reverse flotation. The mechanism model of the flotation separation process was established.
The immediate and lasting balance outcomes of clinical falls-prevention programs: A non-randomised study
Authors: Oberholster Candice K. , Taylor Carolyn J. , Huynh Minh , Gordon Brett A.
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Exercise-based falls-prevention programs are cost-effective population-based approaches to reduce the risk of falling for older adults. The aim was to evaluate the short-term and long-term efficacy of three existing falls-prevention programs.

Methods

A non-randomized study design was used to compare the immediate-post and long-term physical outcome measures for three falls prevention programs; one high-level land-based program, one low-level land-based program and a water-based Ai Chi program. Timed-up-and-go (TUG), five-times sit-to-stand (5xSTS), six-minute walk test (6MWT) and six-meter walk test were assessed at baseline, post-program, and at six-months follow-up. Linear mixed models were used to analyze between- and within- group differences, with the high-level land-based program used as the comparator.

Results

Thirty-two participants completed post-program assessment and 26 returned for follow-up. There was a difference in the age (years) of participants between programs (p = 0.049). The intercept for TUG and six-meter walk test time was 47.70% (23.37, 76.83) and 32.31s (10.52, 58.41), slower for the low-level group and 40.49% (17.35, 69.89) and 36.34s (12.75, 64.87), slower for the Ai Chi group (p < 0.01), compared with the high-level group. Mean time taken to complete the TUG was less both immediately post-program and at 6-month follow-up (p = 0.05). Walking speed for the six-meter walk test was only faster at six-months (p < 0.05). The 5xSTS duration was significantly reduced only at post-intervention (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

These results indicate land-based and water-based falls-prevention programs improve physical outcome measures associated with falls-risk and many improvements are maintained for six months after the completion of the program. (Retrospective trial registration: ACTRN1262300119069)
The spread of pESI-mediated extended-spectrum cephalosporin resistance in Salmonella serovars—Infantis, Senftenberg, and Alachua isolated from food animal sources in the United States
Authors: Li Cong , Tate Heather , Huang Xinyang , Hsu Chih-Hao , Harrison Lucas B. , Zhao Shaohua , Fortenberry Gamola Z. , Dessai Uday , McDermott Patrick F. , Strain Errol A.
Published: March 2024

The goal of this study is to investigate the origin, prevalence, and evolution of the pESI megaplasmid in Salmonella isolated from animals, foods, and humans. We queried 510,097 Salmonella genomes under the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Pathogen Detection (PD) database for the presence of potential sequences containing the pESI plasmid in animal, food, and environmental sources. The presence of the pESI megaplasmid was confirmed by using seven plasmid-specific markers (rdA, pilL, SogS, TrbA, ipf, ipr2 and IncFIB(pN55391)). The plasmid and chromosome phylogeny of these isolates was inferred from single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Our search resolved six Salmonella clusters carrying the pESI plasmid. Four were emergent Salmonella Infantis clusters, and one each belonged to serovar Senftenberg and Alachua. The Infantis cluster with a pESI plasmid carrying blaCTX-M-65 gene was the biggest of the four emergent Infantis clusters, with over 10,000 isolates. This cluster was first detected in South America and has since spread widely in United States. Over time the composition of pESI in United States has changed with the average number of resistance genes showing a decrease from 9 in 2014 to 5 in 2022, resulting from changes in gene content in two integrons present in the plasmid. A recent and emerging cluster of Senftenberg, which carries the blaCTX-M-65 gene and is primarily associated with turkey sources, was the second largest in the United States. SNP analysis showed that this cluster likely originated in North Carolina with the recent acquisition of the pESI plasmid. A single Alachua isolate from turkey was also found to carry the pESI plasmid containing blaCTX-M-65 gene. The study of the pESI plasmid, its evolution and mechanism of spread can help us in developing appropriate strategies for the prevention and further spread of this multi-drug resistant plasmid in Salmonella in poultry and humans.
The effects of sleep deprivation and extreme exertion on cognitive performance at the world-record breaking Suffolk Back Yard Ultra-marathon
Authors: Benchetrit Sandy , Badariotti Juan I. , Corbett Jo , Costello Joseph T.
Published: March 2024

Using a prospective observational design, this study investigated the hypothesis that competing in the Suffolk Back Yard Ultra-marathon, would result in impaired cognitive performance and examined whether pre-race sleep patterns could mitigate this. Fifteen runners (1 female) volunteered to undertake this study and eleven males were included in the final analysis. Before the race and after withdrawal participants completed the following cognitive performance tasks: 2 Choice Reaction Time (2CRT), Stroop, and the Tower Puzzle. Pre-race sleep strategies were subjectively recorded with a 7-day sleep diary. Following race withdrawal, reaction time increased (Δ 77±68 ms; p = 0.004) in the 2CRT and executive function was impaired in the Stroop task (Interference score Δ -4.3±5.6 a.u.; p = 0.028). Decision making was not affected in the Tower Puzzle task. There was a significant correlation between the pre-race 7-day average sleep scores and both 2CRT Δ throughput (r = 0.61; p = 0.045) and 2CRT Δ RT (r = -0.64; p = 0.034). This study supports the hypothesis that running an ultra-marathon, which includes at least one night of sleep deprivation, impairs cognitive performance and provides novel evidence suggesting good sleep quality, in the week prior to an ultra-marathon, could minimise these effects.
Pathways linking health literacy to self-care in diabetic patients with physical disabilities: A moderated mediation model
Authors: Nam Hye Jin , Yoon Ju Young
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Health literacy is widely considered to be a determinant of self-care behavior in people with diabetes. However, the mechanisms underlying how health literacy is linked to self-care behaviors have not been clearly elucidated. The aim of the present study was to explore the mediating roles of access to healthcare, provider-patient interaction, motivation, self-efficacy in the effect of health literacy on diabetes self-care behaviors among diabetic patients with physical disabilities and investigate the moderating effect of age in a moderated mediation model.

Methods

The online survey was participated by a total of 214 diabetic patients with physical disabilities from November to December 2021. The moderated mediation analysis was examined using the Hayes’ PROCESS macro modeling tool based on the bias-corrected bootstrapping method.

Results

After controlling for education, the results yielded a significant indirect effect of health literacy on diabetes self-care through motivation and self-efficacy. A partially mediating relationship also was confirmed, as there is a positive direct effect of health literacy on diabetes self-care. Furthermore, age groups (i.e., age <40 and ≥ 40) functioned as a moderator of the mediating effects of motivation and self-efficacy between health literacy and diabetes self-care.

Conclusion

This study emphasized the important role of motivation and self-efficacy which play in linking health literacy and self-care behavior, especially for younger diabetic patients with physical disabilities. In the light of these findings, a health-literacy tailored motivation and self-efficacy enhancing program may be key targets for interventions promoting diabetes self-care behaviors in people with physical disabilities.
Traffic flow detection method based on improved SSD algorithm for intelligent transportation system
Authors: Su Guodong , Shu Hao
Published: March 2024

With the development of the new generation communication system in China, the application of intelligent transportation system is more extensive, which brings higher demands for vehicle flow detection and monitoring. Traditional traffic flow detection modes often cannot meet the high statistical accuracy requirement and high-speed detection simultaneously. Therefore, an improved Inception module is integrated into the single shot multi box detector algorithm. An intelligent vehicle flow detection model is constructed based on the improved single shot multi box detector algorithm. According to the findings, the convergence speed of the improved algorithm was the fastest. When the test sample was the entire test set, the accuracy and precision values of the improved method were 93.6% and 96.0%, respectively, which were higher than all comparison target detection algorithms. The experimental results of traffic flow statistics showed that the model had the highest statistical accuracy, which converged during the training phase. During the testing phase, except for manual statistics, all methods had the lowest statistical accuracy on motorcycles. The average accuracy and precision of the designed model for various types of images were 96.9% and 96.8%, respectively. The calculation speed of this intelligent model was not significantly improved compared to the other two intelligent models, but it was significantly higher than manual monitoring methods. Two experimental data demonstrate that the intelligent vehicle flow detection model designed in this study has higher detection accuracy. The calculation speed has no significant difference compared with the traditional method, which is helpful to the traffic flow management in intelligent transportation system.
Major depressive disorder and irritable bowel syndrome risk: A Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Sun Guowei , Jiang Yueyi
Published: March 2024

Background

Previous studies have revealed a connection between major depressive disorder (MDD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but it remains obscure if the two diseases are related causally. Mendelian randomization was utilized in this investigation to ascertain whether MDD contributed to the emergence of IBS.

Methods

To examine possible connections between MDD and IBS, we used two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) utilizing summary data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS). The Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC) provided information on genetic associations with MDD (cases: 135,458; controls: 344,901). The Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit (MRC-IEU) provided information on genetic associations with IBS (cases:10,939; controls:451,994). Inverse Variance Weighted (main analyses), MR-Egger regression, Weighted mode, and Weighted Median were the four MR methods used in this investigation. In addition, we also performed multiplicity and heterogeneity analyses to eliminate possible biases.

Results

In the standard Inverse Variance Weighting (IVW) method, an increased risk of IBS was linked to a genetic susceptibility to MDD (OR: 1.01; 95% CI: 1.006 to 1.014, p = 1.02E-07). In addition, neither significant heterogeneity (IVW Q = 24.80, p = 0.73) nor horizontal pleiotropy (MR Egger p = 0.17; MRPRESSO p = 0.54) were detected in this MR analysis. The bidirectional analysis, however, did not show a genetic link between IBD and MDD (p steiger <0.01).

Conclusion

A direct causal relationship between MDD and IBS was revealed by Mendelian randomization study, which contributes to the effective clinical management of both diseases.
Antenatal care service utilization disparities between urban and rural communities in Ethiopia: A negative binomial Poisson regression of 2019 Ethiopian Demography Health Survey
Authors: Endale Fitsum , Negassa Belay , Teshome Tizita , Shewaye Addisu , Mengesha Beyadiglign , Liben Endale , Wake Senahara Korsa
Published: March 2024

Background

Although there have been consistent improvements in maternal mortality, it remains high in developing countries due to unequal access to healthcare services during pregnancy and childbirth. Thus, this study aimed to further analyze the variations in the number of antenatal care utilizations and associated factors among pregnant women in urban and rural Ethiopia.

Methods

A total of 3962 pregnant women were included in the analysis of 2019 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey data. A negative binomial Poisson regression statistical model was used to analyze the data using STATA version 14.0. An incident rate ratio with a 95% confidence interval was used to show the significantly associated variables.

Results

Of the 3962 (weighted 3916.67) pregnant women, about 155 (15.21%) lived in urban and 848 (29.29%) rural residences and did not use antenatal care services in 2019. Women age group 20–24 (IRR = 1.30, 95%CI:1.05–1.61), 25–29 (IRR = 1.56, 95%CI:1.27–1.92), 30–34 (IRR = 1.65, 95%CI:1.33–2.05), and 35–39 years old (IRR = 1.55, 95%CI:1.18–2.03), attending primary, secondary, and higher education (IRR = 1.18, 95%CI:1.07–1.30), (IRR = 1.26, 95%CI:1.13–1.42) and (IRR = 1.25, 95%CI:1.11–1.41) respectively, reside in middle household wealth (IRR = 1.31, 95%CI:1.13–1.52), richer (IRR = 1.45, 95%CI:1.26–1.66) and richest (IRR = 1.68, 95%CI:1.46–1.93) increases the number of antenatal care utilization among urban residences.

While attending primary (IRR = 1.34, 95%CI:1.24–1.45), secondary (IRR = 1.54, 95%CI:1.34–1.76) and higher education (IRR = 1.58, 95%CI:1.28–1.95), following Protestant (IRR = 0.76, 95%CI:0.69–0.83), Muslim (IRR = 0.79, 95%CI:0.73–0.85) and Others (IRR = 0.56, 95%CI:0.43–0.71) religions, reside in poorer, middle, richer, and richest household wealth (IRR = 1.51, 95%CI:1.37–1.67), (IRR = 1.66, 95%CI:1.50–1.83), (IRR = 1.71, 95%CI:1.55–1.91) and (IRR = 1.89, 95%CI:1.72–2.09) respectively, being married and widowed/separated (IRR = 1.85, 95%CI:1.19–2.86), and (IRR = 1.95, 95%CI:1.24–3.07) respectively were significantly associated with the number of antenatal care utilization among rural residences.

Conclusion

The utilization of antenatal care is low among rural residents than among urban residents. To increase the frequency of antenatal care utilization, health extension workers and supporting actors should give special attention to pregnant women with low socioeconomic and educational levels through a safety-net lens.
Uncovering a hidden functional role of the XRE-cupin protein PsdR as a novel quorum-sensing regulator in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Qiu Huifang , Li Yuanhao , Yuan Min , Chen Huali , Dandekar Ajai A. , Dai Weijun
Published: March 2024

XRE-cupin family proteins containing an DNA-binding domain and a cupin signal-sensing domain are widely distributed in bacteria. In Pseudomonas aeruginosa, XRE-cupin transcription factors have long been recognized as regulators exclusively controlling cellular metabolism pathways. However, their potential functional roles beyond metabolism regulation remain unknown. PsdR, a typical XRE-cupin transcriptional regulator, was previously characterized as a local repressor involved solely in dipeptide metabolism. Here, by measuring quorum-sensing (QS) activities and QS-controlled metabolites, we uncover that PsdR is a new QS regulator in P. aeruginosa. Our RNA-seq analysis showed that rather than a local regulator, PsdR controls a large regulon, including genes associated with both the QS circuit and non-QS pathways. To unveil the underlying mechanism of PsdR in modulating QS, we developed a comparative transcriptome approach named “transcriptome profile similarity analysis” (TPSA). Using this TPSA method, we revealed that PsdR expression causes a QS-null-like transcriptome profile, resulting in QS-inactive phenotypes. Based on the results of TPSA, we further demonstrate that PsdR directly binds to the promoter for the gene encoding the QS master transcription factor LasR, thereby negatively regulating its expression and influencing QS activation. Moreover, our results showed that PsdR functions as a negative virulence regulator, as inactivation of PsdR enhanced bacterial cytotoxicity on host cells. In conclusion, we report on a new QS regulation role for PsdR, providing insights into its role in manipulating QS-controlled virulence. Most importantly, our findings open the door for a further discovery of untapped functions for other XRE-Cupin family proteins.
NIa-Pro of sugarcane mosaic virus targets Corn Cysteine Protease 1 (CCP1) to undermine salicylic acid-mediated defense in maize
Authors: Yuan Wen , Chen Xi , Du Kaitong , Jiang Tong , Li Mengfei , Cao Yanyong , Li Xiangdong , Doehlemann Gunther , Fan Zaifeng , Zhou Tao
Published: March 2024

Papain-like cysteine proteases (PLCPs) play pivotal roles in plant defense against pathogen invasions. While pathogens can secrete effectors to target and inhibit PLCP activities, the roles of PLCPs in plant-virus interactions and the mechanisms through which viruses neutralize PLCP activities remain largely uncharted. Here, we demonstrate that the expression and activity of a maize PLCP CCP1 (Corn Cysteine Protease), is upregulated following sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) infection. Transient silencing of CCP1 led to a reduction in PLCP activities, thereby promoting SCMV infection in maize. Furthermore, the knockdown of CCP1 resulted in diminished salicylic acid (SA) levels and suppressed expression of SA-responsive pathogenesis-related genes. This suggests that CCP1 plays a role in modulating the SA signaling pathway. Interestingly, NIa-Pro, the primary protease of SCMV, was found to interact with CCP1, subsequently inhibiting its protease activity. A specific motif within NIa-Pro termed the inhibitor motif was identified as essential for its interaction with CCP1 and the suppression of its activity. We have also discovered that the key amino acids responsible for the interaction between NIa-Pro and CCP1 are crucial for the virulence of SCMV. In conclusion, our findings offer compelling evidence that SCMV undermines maize defense mechanisms through the interaction of NIa-Pro with CCP1. Together, these findings shed a new light on the mechanism(s) controlling the arms races between virus and plant.
Spare the rod and spoil the pervert: Corporal punishment and the nineteenth century in popular culture
Authors: Harmes Marcus
Published: March 2024

This article compares corporal punishment in nineteenth-century fiction with corporal punishment in the fictional recreation of the nineteenth century in twentieth-century film and television. It locates in the literature of the actual nineteenth century two creative impulses influencing the dramatic representation of Victorian schooling in modern adaptations. One is the evocation of schools in Victorian works of fiction, which became television and film adaptations. Another impulse is the subversive and covert flagellation literature of the fin de siècle. Both the respectable and the illicit literatures adduce core elements of corporal punishment: the formation of tableaux of bodies; the importance of access to the body; the subversion of what should be an act of correction because the subversion becomes permanent; and the way the restorative becomes aberrant. This article proposes that the popular culture of the twentieth century made overt what had been covert in the nineteenth century. Surveying period drama on British television and film using the 1971 adaptation of Tom Brown’s School Days as a focal point, this article proposes the fusion of the overt and covert of the preceding century. Close readings of popular culture productions show, as do the reactions of contemporary viewers, that they presented corporal punishment which subverted rather than chastised and which perverted rather than restored. These twentieth-century evocations of the previous century were contiguous with debate on the use and abolition of corporal punishment in modern schools. This article weaves together the past and the present, suggesting that classic works made by modern interpreters evoked the past in ways that subverted the present.
Metal like a hermit: Situating the ‘subcultural’ of Chinese metal music in the Chinese context
Authors: Zhao Yiren
Published: March 2024

This article presents a discussion on how Chinese metal musicians situate the ‘subcultural’ of Chinese metal music in the ‘hermit’ concept in the Chinese context. Since it first appeared in mainland China in 1990, Chinese metal has been a subculture with a double marginality in relation to both Chinese society and the global metal scene. Accordingly, Chinese metal musicians have been trying to negotiate their marginal and subcultural identities through localized strategies, embodied notably as the appropriation of the concept of ‘hermit’. By examining recent symbolic material produced by Chinese metal musicians, this article provides a brief overview of how they translate the ‘subcultural’ of their metal music participation in relation to elitism, covert and passive resistance, and authentic national and individual identities through the ‘hermit’ concept.
Editorial
Authors: Hassan Nedim , Scott Niall , Varas-Díaz Nelson , Hagen Ross
Published: March 2024

Last year saw the 30-year anniversary of Robert Walser’s (1993) seminal text, Running with the Devil. To provide something of a belated celebration of this, first section associate editor Nedim Hassan starts this issue with a personal account of what the book means to him.
La huella litológica de los verracos vetones. Análisis geoquímicos de las esculturas zoomorfas de la Meseta Nordoccidental
Authors: De Soto García Isabel Sonsoles , Manglano Valcárcel Gregorio Ramón , Sánchez de Oro Pablo , García Giménez Rosario , Berrocal Rangel Luis
Published: March 2024

Arqueológicamente, el término verraco se aplica a las esculturas zoomorfas vettonas que representan toros o cerdos. El pueblo vetón ocupó un espacio impreciso entre las cuencas de los ríos Tajo y Duero en la Península Ibérica desde la Protohistoria hasta la época romana. Estas esculturas de animales, cuya utilidad aún es muy discutida, suelen tener grandes dimensiones, pero han sido desplazadas de sus ubicaciones originales. Por lo tanto, es necesario estudiar su origen para dilucidar su uso. Los análisis mineralógicos mediante microscopía óptica de polarización y espectroscopia de difracción de rayos X, así como análisis químicos mediante espectrometría de plasma acoplado inductivamente, han permitido atribuir determinados verracos a zonas de producción concretas. Coinciden con muestras de referencia tomadas en afloramientos rocosos actuales de naturaleza granítica. Con ello, se han trazado patrones de producción y distribución de estas esculturas, identificando talleres y definiendo pautas de comportamiento que ayudan a caracterizar sus funciones originales.
Pemberian Suplementasi Besi dalam Upaya Mencegah Defisiensi Besi pada Bayi Prematur atau Berat Badan Lahir Rendah
Authors: Aprilia Yonita , Andriastuti Murti
Published: March 2024

Latar belakang. Besi merupakan mineral esensial yang dibutuhkan tubuh untuk menjalankan fungsi fisiologis. Defisiensi besi didefinisikan sebagai penurunan total kandungan besi dalam tubuh yang ditandai dengan turunnya kadar feritin atau saturasi transferin. Bayi prematur termasuk ke dalam kelompok berisiko untuk terjadinya defisiensi besi.Tujuan. Memberikan bukti ilmiah pemberian suplementasi besi pada bayi prematur atau berat badan lahir rendah untuk mencegah defisiensi besi.Metode. Pencarian literatur dengan instrumen pencari Pubmed dan Cochrane Library pada bulan Juli 2020.Hasil. Studi oleh McCarthy dkk menggunakan metode telaah sistematis dengan melibatkan tiga studi dengan luaran menurunnya defisiensi besi. Salah satunya oleh Lundstorm dkk yang menyatakan bahwa bulan ketiga seluruh subyek di kelompok uji mencapai kadar serum feritin rata-rata 32 ng/ml ml dan kelompok kontrol mencapai kadar serum ferritin rata-rata 17 ng/ml (p<0,05). Kadar serum ferritin pada bulan keenam pemantauan kelompok uji adalah rata-rata 29 ng/ml dan kelompok kontrol adalah rata-rata <10 ng/ml (p<0,001). Pada studi Berglund dkk menyatakan terdapat peningkatan kadar serum ferritin dan saturasi transferin pada kelompok uji dibandingkan dengan kelompok kontrol tanpa suplementasi besi (nilai p<0,001).Kesimpulan. Suplementasi besi jangka panjang terbukti mencegah defisiensi besi pada bayi prematur atau bayi dengan berat badan lahir rendah.
Online Content Analysis Focusing on Local Ingredients and Food Culture: A Study of Selected Food Festival Websites
Authors: Csapody Bence
Published: March 2024

The rising popularity of food tourism is fueled by a growing interest in destination-specific culinary experiences, with food festivals playing a crucial role in this trend. This article conducts a qualitative online content analysis of European and North American food festival websites to explore how these events promote local ingredients and preserve food culture through communication. The analysis reveals an increasing commitment by these festivals to showcase local food and traditions, supporting local producers and service providers. Additionally, the study categorizes food festivals based on their online representation’s connection to local ingredients and food culture. Its significance lies in contributing to the understanding of communication patterns of local food culture, offering insights to support festival organizers in fostering local economies and communities.
The classification of eye diseases from fundus images based on CNN and pretrained models
Authors: Benbakreti Samir , Benbakreti Soumia , Ozkaya Umut
Published: March 2024

Visual impairment affects more than a billion people worldwide due to insufficient care or inadequate vision screening. Computer-aided diagnosis using deep neural networks is a promising approach, it can analyse and process retinal fundus images, providing valuable reference data for doctors in clinical diagnosis or screening. This study aims to achieve an accurate classification of fundus images, including images of healthy patients as well as those with diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma, using a convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture and several pretrained models (AlexNet, GoogleNet, ResNet18, ResNet50, YOLOv3, and VGG 19). To enhance the training process, a mirror effect technique was applied to augment the volume of data. The experimental study resulted in very satisfactory outcomes, with the GoogleNet model paired with the SGDM optimiser achieving the highest accuracy (92.7 %).
Reduction of torque pulsation in ultralight helicopter transmission
Authors: Dudnik Vitaly
Published: March 2024

Usually, 1–2 seats helicopters use piston engines. One of their disadvantages is a significant torque pulsation on the engine shaft. The main reason for such fluctuations is the change in parameters during the engine’s operating cycle. The purpose of the investigation was to define the pulsation on the helicopter rotor shaft. An additional elastic clutch was used on a single-seat ultralight helicopter Rotorschmiede VA-115 of German firm RS Helikopter GmbH for pulsation dampening. Several flights were performed to assess the pulsation on the shafts. The results of the tests showed that the torque pulsation on the shaft in all modes does not exceed 30 %. This is 10 times less than the pulsation value of 300% specified by the airworthiness standards for this helicopter class.
Assessing the efficacy of flat-plate solar collectors using nanofluids in the climatic context of Kirkuk city, Iraq
Authors: Hussein Adnan M. , Mohammed Ali Hussein Hayder , Ali Zahraa
Published: March 2024

Solar energy is a key renewable energy source. Research and development have focused on enhancing the heat transfer coefficient, heat gain, and practical efficiency of solar systems. The aim of this study is to evaluate the performance of a flat solar panel collector using a nanofluid under conditions in the city of Kirkuk/Iraq, 35° latitude and 45° longitude, in terms of practical calculation of thermal efficiency. The study included making two solar collectors, one traditional and the other improved using a nanofluid (CuO). The CuO/Water nanofluid was prepared with a volumetric concentration of 0.25 % by mechanical mixing and then ultrasonic mixing to homogenise the particles and eliminate the agglomerations that form inside the fluid. Practical testing was conducted for the two solar collectors, one using distilled water and the other using the nanofluid, during four months (January, February, March, and April) of the year 2023. The experiments revealed that the efficiency progressively improves from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. This increase is attributed to solar radiation’s decreasing intensity post 12:00 p.m., while thermal storage and minimised thermal losses continue to contribute. After 2:00 p.m., the efficiency dwindles due to the declining solar radiation intensity. The practical efficiency of a 0.25 % nanofluid (CuO) attains its zenith at a mass flow rate of 0.015 ls−1. Higher mass flow rates enhance heat transfer within fluid-filled tubes. The collector efficiency at this flow rate ranges from 31.66 % in January to 44.44 % in April.
Problems with reinforced concrete industrial floors with regard to subsoil swelling
Authors: Pruška Jan , Šedivý Miroslav , Anderle Vojtěch
Published: March 2024

Most of the problems associated with open cracks in reinforced concrete industrial floors do not arise from technological indiscipline in the execution or exceeding the permitted floor load, but from the geotechnical profile beneath the floor. In the presence of swelling soil in the subsoil, the floors can then be shifted upwards by centimeters and create open cracks. This article describes regression relationships for the prediction of swelling pressure and deformation of reinforced concrete industrial floors based on indirect measurements. These relationships were obtained by evaluating a large database of measurements carried out by the company GeoTec-GS and the Czech Technical University in Prague using neural networks, multiple correlation, regression analysis, and sensitivity analysis. The article also presents the actual classification of the risk of surface damage of reinforced concrete floors due to swelling of the subsoil and an example of its application is given.