bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development and validation of a predictive model for secondary vertebral compression fractures based on paravertebral muscles
Authors: Tang Ming , Zhang Guangdong , Zeng Fanyi , Chang Xindong , Fang Qingqing , He Mingfei , Yin Shiwu
Published: December 2023

Purpose
Develop a predictive model for secondary vertebral compression fractures (SVCF) following percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) or percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) in osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) patients.
Methods
Retrospective analysis of 229 OVCF patients treated with PVP or PKP from September 2020 to September 2021. SVCF occurrence within 2 years postoperatively categorized patients into training (n = 114) and validation (n = 115) sets. Model 1 and Model 2 were constructed using Lasso regression and random forest analysis. Model comparison involved the area under curve (AUC), calibration, decision curve analysis (DCA), and Akaike information criterion (AIC). Internal validation used 1000 Bootstrap iterations with tenfold cross-validation. Results presented through a Nomogram on a web platform.
Results
Among 229 PVP/PKP-treated OVCF patients, 40 (17.47%) experienced SVCF. Model 1 outperformed Model 2 in AUC, calibration, DCA, and AIC, making it the selected predictive model. Logistic regression identified surgery type, duration, spinal CT value, and erector spinae muscles' standardized functional cross-sectional area as predictors. Model 1 demonstrated AUC of 0.847 (95% CI 0.749–0.945) in training and 0.805 (95% CI 0.693–0.917) in validation. At a Youden index of 0.62, sensitivity and specificity were 0.74 and 0.88, respectively. Internal validation for the training set: accuracy 0.839, kappa coefficient 0.228, AUC 0.813. Hosmer-Lemeshow tests indicated good discriminative ability for Model 1 in both sets. Clinical decision curves and Nomogram accessible at https://sofarnomogram.shinyapps.io/DynNomapp/.
Conclusion
This predictive model, demonstrating favorable accuracy, effectively assesses SVCF risk in post-PVP/PKP OVCF patients in clinical practice.
Risk factors and survival outcomes in children with early cardiotoxicity after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: dou ying , Tong Ke , Meng Yan , Zhang lu , Lei xiao , Liu Qihui , Guan Xianmin , Yu Jie
Published: December 2023

We conducted a retrospective single-center study of pediatric patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) between January 2016 and December 2022 at the Children's Hospital Affiliated with Chongqing Medical University to evaluate the clinical characteristics of early cardiac events (ECEs) after allo-HSCT and its impact on survival outcome. We enrolled 444 patients who underwent allo-HSCT—304 males (68%) and 140 females (32%)—with a median age of 3.3 years (1.8-6.5 years) at transplantation. We found that 73 patients (16.4%) had ECEs after allo-HSCT. The ECEs included valvular disease (n=46), pericardial effusion (n=38), arrhythmia (n=9), heart failure (n=16), and dilated cardiomyopathy (n=1). Female sex, age ≥ 6 years, body mass index (BMI) < 16 kg/m2 and HLA-type mismatches were risk factors for ECEs. We designed a stratified cardiac risk score that included these risk factors, and the higher the score was, the greater the cumulative incidence of ECEs. The occurrence of an ECE had a significant negative effect on overall survival (OS) rates after allo-HSCT. In addition, stratified analysis based on the number of combined ECEs showed that the greater the number of combined ECEs, the more significant was the negative impact on OS rates.
Newborn Care Service Utilization and Associated Factors among Women who gave birth in Kore District, West Arsi Zone, Ethiopia, 2022. A mixed method study
Authors: Guye Ararso Hordofa , Lata Bekele Niguse , Banti Tomas , Nigussie Tadesse , Meka Beka Teressa
Published: December 2023

Background: Community-based newborn care is a national initiative that brings life-saving care to mothers and newborns in Ethiopian communities by integrating a newborn care program into the continuum of maternal and child health care by improving community participation to reduce child morbidity and mortality, and it promotes healthy growth and development.
Objective:To assess newborn care service utilization and associated factors among women who gave birth in Kore District, West Arsi Zone, Ethiopia 2022.
Methods:A community-based cross-sectional study design supplemented with a qualitative study approach was implemented from January 02 to February 10, 2022, with a total sample size of 560. Data collection was done by using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire using simple random sampling techniques to select mothers with their neonates from the selected kebeles. For qualitative findings, a focus group discussion guide was used to supplement the quantitative findings. Data were entered into Epi-info version 7.2 and exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to declare the statistical significance of the variables with community-based newborn care services utilization with an adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval at p-value ≤ 0.05.
Result:In this study, the prevalence of community-based newborn care service utilization among women who gave birth was 45.3 % with a 95% CI of (41.2, 49.6). The mean age of the participants was 29.32 (±6 SD) years and their age ranged from 18 to 61 years. Of all assessed factors;knowledge of community-based newborn care service (AOR= 2.16, 95% CI: 1.34-3.51), attended PNC follow-up (AOR=3.27, 95% CI: 1.67-1.72), closed health post (AOR= 0.50, 95% CI: 0.31-0.82) and distance from a health facility (AOR= 2.63, 95% CI: 1.09-5.44) were significantly associated with community-based newborn care service utilization. The qualitative finding revealed that; having sufficient knowledge about community-based newborn care, closed health posts; cultural beliefs, and the distance from health facilities were the key factors for community-based newborn care service utilization.
Conclusion:The study revealed that, community-based newborn care service utilization was low, which is only 45.3% of participants utilized community-based newborn care services. The study identified that having knowledge of community-based newborn care service, attended PNC follow-up, closed health posts and less distance from health facilities were significantly associated with community-based newborn care service utilization. Thus, the district health office and concerned stakeholders should work on community-based newborn care service utilization by strengthening child care service delivery and improving community awareness of newborn care service at the community level.
Association between alcohol consumption characteristics and anxiety : A gender perspective for Korean adults
Authors: Kim Joo O , Park Gyu Nam , Oh Jae Won , Lee San
Published: December 2023

Background
Studies have examined the association of alcohol consumption characteristics with depression, but few studies explored their association with anxiety. This study investigated the association of alcohol consumption characteristics such as drinking frequency, drinks per occasion, and alcohol flushing with anxiety in South Korea.
Methods
Using data from the 2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (3509 participants aged 19 years and older), we identified alcohol flushing in individuals when their faces turned red after one glass of beer. Drinking frequency and drinks per occasion were categorized by the Korean Alcohol Guidelines. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder − 7 score of 5 or more indicated anxiety. A multivariable logistic regression performed separately by gender determined the relationship between alcohol consumption and anxiety.
Results
Alcohol flushing and anxiety symptoms were found associated only for women drinkers (Odd Ratio (OR):1.30, 95% Confidence Interval (CI):1.00–1.69, p = 0.047). Women consuming ≥ 3 drinks per occasion showed higher anxiety symptoms than light drinkers (OR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.06–1.79, p = 0.017). Both men and women who consumed alcohol more than four times a week showed increased odds of anxiety symptoms (OR: 1.87, 95% CI: 1.23–2.84, p = 0.003; OR: 2.42, 95% CI: 1.32–4.43, p = 0.004, respectively).
Conclusion
The study found key drinking characteristics such as alcohol flushing and drinks per occasion associated with anxiety symptoms only for women, emphasizing the need for tailoring anxiety detection and prevention by gender and drinking pattern.
The Nexus between Access to Agricultural Extension Services and Adoption of Sustainable Soil Conservation Practices in Limu Districts, Oromia, Ethiopia
Authors: Kerorsa Gemechu Mulatu
Published: December 2023

Provision of agricultural extension service is the primary mechanism that increases smallholder farmer’s adoption of sustainable soil conservation practices. This study was, therefore, attempted to examine the nexus between access to agricultural extension services and the adoption of sustainable soil conservation practices in western oromia in the case Limu districts. Data was collected from both primary and secondary data sources. Primary data was collected using a structured questionnaire collected from 771 sample respondents. Descriptive, inferential, and seemingly unrelated bivariate probit regressions (SUBPR) were used for data analysis. The results of the SUBPR indicated that sex of household head, educational attainment of household head, credit, access to information and income were among the common underlying factors affecting access to agricultural extension services and adoption of sustainable soil conservation practices in Limu districts. Therefore, government should strengthen rural credit institutions, dissemination of information, and infrastructural development issues were some of the areas that should be considered.
The recently compiled strong motion databank of Iran
Authors: Shokouhirad Sahar , Ansari Anooshiravan , Ghafory-Ashtiany Mohsen
Published: December 2023

This paper presents a comprehensive and integrated databank of the Iranian strong ground motions that occurred from 1973 to 2018. The databank consists of 7196 three-component acceleration records from 3180 earthquakes and 1157 stations in Iran. In this paper, the characteristics of the Iranian strong ground motion data are presented in terms of event, station, and recording distributions. The events are characterized by magnitude in the range 2.4–7.7. Shear wave velocity has been measured and reported at 603 strong motion stations of the databank. In this study, three different empirical techniques are applied to classify the stations. A new method is proposed for site classification based on the correlation coefficient between the horizontal-to-vertical (H/V) response spectral ratios of the ground motion records recorded by each station. It is noticeable that the raw accelerograms have been uniformly processed in the entire databank using the filtering and wavelet de-noising methods to remove high- and low-frequency noise. Moreover, by comparison between the Fourier Amplitude Spectrum (FAS) of the noises detected in all acceleration and velocity time series by the filtering and the wavelet de-noising methods, it was determined that the mean and mode of FAS of the noises detected by the wavelet de-noising method in most of the frequencies is higher than mean and mode of FAS of the noises detected by the filtering method.
Hydrastinine and β-sitosterol Synergistically Target Acute Myelocytic Leukemia in a Ferroptosis-Related Prognostic Model
Authors: Yang Shuyao , Lin Xiangbo , Shi Bo , Meng Jiaqi , Liu Liang , Yan Lina , Xie Fang
Published: December 2023

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a malignant tumor with a high incidence and poor prognosis. Ferroptosis plays a crucial role in regulating carcinogenesis and tumor progression. However, a combination therapy of traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine targeting AML using a ferroptosis-related prognostic model is lacking. Herein, β-sitosterol and hydrastinine were shown to exert a significant synergistic effect on AML. First, prognostic genes associated with ferroptosis were evaluated and the prognosis model was obtained by bioinformatics. Second, the results of immune infiltration analysis showed that the abundances of B cells, macrophages, T cells and monocytes were significantly different between the high- and low-risk groups. Notably, these genes were associated with 296 drugs in the CellMiner database. Network pharmacology and molecular docking analyses showed that β-sitosterol, the active ingredient in Tripterygium wilfordii, targeted oncogenes, CAS9 and PON1. Combinatorial experiments further supported that hydrastinine and β-sitosterol significantly inhibited the growth of AML cells and improved the drug sensitivity of AML cells to ferroptosis inducers. In conclusion, our findings provide a potential strategy for the combined treatment of AML for integrative medicine.
Comparative Analysis of Sands for Concrete Making: Case Study of River Sand, White Sand and Crushed Sand in Kinshasa, DR Congo
Authors: MUFUNGIZI Innocent , MABA Christopher , AWADHIFO Alain
Published: December 2023

Background: Urbanization is one of the keys to development. Population growth and rural exodus are putting pressure on demand for social housing. The city of Kinshasa, being a megalopolis, faces this strong demand in the construction sector. Unfortunately, several problems arise, notably non-compliance with standards, haphazard construction and limited knowledge of the properties of the materials available.
Methods: With the aim of making a contribution to the choice of materials, this work is based on the physical properties of sands including Congo River sand, white sand and crushed sand and their impacts on the compressive strength of the concretes made using these sands. To do this, we sampled 70kg of each type of sand that we used in the laboratory for the physical identification tests of the sands, then we made the concretes to finally move on to the mechanical tests.
Results: The compressive strength of concrete made from river sand recorded a value of 23.3 N/mm2 at 7 days, then increased to 26.2 N/mm2 at 14 days, finally reaching 29.7 N/mm2 at 28 days. For white sand, the variation in the compressive strength of concrete is very small, it goes from 21 N/mm2 at 7 days, to 21.3 N/mm2 at 14 days, then to 21.5 N/mm2 at 28 days. Finally, the variation in the breaking stress of concrete made from crushed sand is 15.5 N/mm2 at 7 days, 16.05 N/mm2 at 14 days, and 18.05 N/mm2 at 28 days.
Conclusion: Congo River sand has the best physical properties. Concrete made from this sand has the best compressive strength. It therefore becomes the best type of sand to use for making concrete. Crushed sand presents poor performance due to its physical properties and requires reinforcement techniques to use it in the manufacture of concrete.
Genome-wide Association Study Identifies Candidate Loci with Major Contributions to the Genetic Control of Pod Morphological Traits in Snap Bean
Authors: Saballos Ana , Williams Martin M.
Published: December 2023

Snap beans are cultivars of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) that are cultivated for their fleshy immature pods that exhibit a wide diversity of pod shapes and sizes. The genetic basis of the snap bean pod shape is complex and involves the interaction of multiple genes. This study used a snap bean diversity panel composed of heirloom and improved cultivars used in North America and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to investigate the genetic basis of pod morphological characteristics, including length, width, height, width/height ratio, and coefficients of variation (CVs). The GWAS detected multiple genomic regions associated with each pod trait, with a total of 20 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for pod length, 9 for pod width, 14 for pod height, and 10 for pod width/height ratio. Regarding the CV of each pod trait, genome-wide association analyses detected six QTL for length CVs, five for width CVs, 15 for height CVs, and six for width/height ratio CVs. Thirteen regions in seven chromosomes were associated with two or more pod traits. Eighteen QTLs for pod traits in this study colocated with previously reported QTLs for pod and seed traits. The QTL intervals encompass gene models with homologues in other species that are involved in the control of developmental processes. These results capture the complex nature of the genetic control of snap bean pod traits and confirm the significance of genomic regions harboring overlapping QTLs identified in this and other studies. The phenotypic expression of pod traits in snap bean appears to be under the control of a few genomic regions with a strong effect with additional contributions of multiple small-effect regions. Validation of the function of the candidate genes identified in associated regions will contribute to our understanding of legume pod development.
Phenotypic Variability for Leaf and Pod Color within the Snap Bean Association Panel
Authors: Celebioglu Burcu , Myers James R. , Hart John P. , Porch Timothy , Griffiths Phillip
Published: December 2023

The color of vegetables is an important factor in consumer food choices and in cultivar choice by growers and processors for production. In absorbing a broad spectrum of light, leaves support plant development by influencing factors such as biomass accumulation, chlorophyll content, and reproductive growth. The edible organ of the snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is the pod, and its color is not only one of the most important traits for commercial consideration, but also influences phytonutrient content. Although chlorophyll provides the base color, other compounds such as carotenoids and flavonoids may affect leaf and pod color. Darker yellow- or blue-green pods are preferred for processing, but there is more leeway for fresh market, with lighter-colored pods being acceptable. This research characterized leaf and pod color variation in the 378-member Snap Bean Association Panel. Leaf and pod colors were measured with a colorimeter using the L*a*b* scale, which was then transformed to L* (lightness), C* (chroma), and H° (hue angle) for analysis. Both green and wax bean accessions had predominantly green leaves, even though both exterior and interior colors of pods varied by accession. The leaves at the upper level in the canopy were lighter than lower and middle-level leaves. C* of leaves was similar across environments but leaves from the field were greener than leaves of greenhouse-grown plants when converted to Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) values, even though they had similar H°. L* did not differ for corresponding leaf positions of both field and greenhouse leaves. Purple pods were darker (lowest L*) and yellow pods were lighter (highest L*). Although wax beans had similar exterior and interior colors, accessions with purple exterior of pods had green interiors. Green pods were generally two times higher for L* and lower in C* compared with leaves. Pod interior L* was darker than exterior in both years. Pod exterior L* was not significantly different among accessions, whereas pod interior L* differed significantly between years. Broad sense heritabilities ranged from 0.69 to 0.88 for L*, 0.12 to 0. 87 for C*, and 0.81 to 0.89 for H°. Although greater variation was observed in pods than leaves, lower heritability was determined. Moderate correlations between leaf L* and the interior and exterior pod L* implies that it would be possible to select for pod color on the basis of leaf color, with verification using standard cultivars.
Mikael Agricolan Uuden testamentin reunahuomautukset
Authors: Heininen Simo
Published: December 2023

Michael Agricolas Randglossen zum Neuen Testament Michael Agricolas Hauptwerk ist das 1548 erschienene Neue Testament, ein prächtiger Quartband von 700 Seiten mit hundert Holzschnitten. Als Grundtext dienten der von Erasmus veröffentlichte griechische Text, Erasmus’ lateinische Übersetzung, die Vulgata, die Lutherbibel und die schwedische Bibel von 1541. Die 450 Randglossen stammen aus der Lutherbibel und aus der schwedischen Bibel. In seiner Übersetzung unterschied Agricola ”die eigenen Worte des Heiligen Geistes”, d. h. den Bibeltext, von den Vorreden und Marginalglossen, die nur ”dem klareren Verständnis” dienen sollten. Das Wort Gottes sei viel wertvoller als das Menschenwort, so dass der Übersetzer eng an den Text gebunden war. Eine freie Übersetzung kam nicht in Frage, von Bewusster Verbesserung des Textes ganz zu schweigen. Bei den Vorreden und Randglossen konnte er freier vorgehen. Meistens übersetzte er wortgetreu, scheute sich aber nicht vor Auslassungen, Ergänzungen und Änderungen, wenn er sie für angebracht hielt. In der vorliegenden kritischen Edition werden Agricolas Randglossen zum Neuen Testament paralleler mit ihren Quellen gedruckt.
Pyqcm: An open-source Python library for quantum cluster methods
Authors: Dionne Théo N. , Foley Alexandre , Rousseau Moïse , Sénéchal David
Published: December 2023

Pyqcm is a Python/C++ library that implements a few quantum cluster methods with an exact diagonalization impurity solver. Quantum cluster methods are used in the study of strongly correlated electrons to provide an approximate solution to Hubbard-like models. The methods covered by this library are Cluster Perturbation Theory (CPT), the Variational Cluster Approach (VCA) and Cellular (or Cluster) Dynamical Mean Field Theory (CDMFT). The impurity solver (the technique used to compute the cluster’s interacting Green function) is exact diagonalization from sparse matrices, using the Lanczos algorithm and variants thereof. The core library is written in C++ for performance, but the interface is in Python, for ease of use and inter-operability with the numerical Python ecosystem. The library is distributed under the GPL license.
Role of learning organizations in business excellence in information technology companies
Authors: Kochumadhavan Sreeja , Krishnamoorthy Gunasekaran Hemalatha
Published: December 2023

Learning-oriented organizations, which give precedence to acquiring, sharing, and applying knowledge, assume a pivotal role in assisting enterprises in managing it through this ever-changing landscape. This study investigates the link between learning organizations, business excellence, and organizational performance in India’s information technology (IT) sector. This study is a descriptive one and based on primary data collected from 384 employees working in IT companies in Bangalore. The findings revealed significant correlations between learning organization and business excellence (r = 0.922) and suggest that organizations with a strong learning culture tend to excel in business performance. Additionally, the study highlights variations in perceptions based on employees’ tenure, management level, annual revenue, and workforce size. The study revealed that learning organization significantly impacts the excellence of businesses (r2 = 0.851). The paper underscores the importance of fostering learning organizations in achieving business excellence and offers valuable insights for IT companies seeking to enhance their competitive edge. Further research in diverse contexts and industries is recommended to enhance the comprehension of the relationship between organizational learning and performance.
Ensemble rainfall–runoff modeling of physically based semi-distributed models using multi-source rainfall data fusion
Authors: Gichamo Tagesse , Nourani Vahid , Gökçekuş Hüseyin , Gelete Gebre
Published: December 2023

This study was aimed at ensemble rainfall–runoff modeling by Soil and Water Analysis Tool (SWAT), the Hydrologic Engineering Center's Hydraulic Modeling System, and Hydrologiska Byråns Vattenbalansavdelning of Gilgel-Abay watershed, Blue Nile basin, Ethiopia. For modeling, daily rainfall datasets of five gauges and three satellites, streamflow, and spatial data were used. In the modeling stage, first, the runoff was simulated separately using the rainfall data of gauges, satellites, and their fusion. Second, ensemble rainfall–runoff simulation of the rainfall dataset fusion-based runoff result was conducted via the proposed weighted average, simple average, and neural network (NNE) ensemble techniques. The results exhibited that all models are good in capturing the rainfall–runoff relationship; however, SWAT showed slight superiority by Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency of 0.807 and 0.821 for gauge and fusion data, respectively. The rainfall fusion ensemble model revealed significant improvement over modeling by satellite rainfall owing to the bias-correcting gauge rainfall over satellite rainfall. The NNE technique enhanced the efficiency of the low-performing satellite-rainfall-based model by 17.5% and the rainfall fusion-based model by 13.3% at the validation stage. In general, the result of this study points out that the rainfall datasets’ fusion from multi-sources would be worthy for the rainfall–runoff simulation of ungauged basins.
Consequence assessment of the La Giang dike breach in the Ca River system, Vietnam
Authors: Tran Chau Kim , Nguyen Thai Canh
Published: December 2023

Ca River is one of the largest rivers in Vietnam. The river provides water, electricity, and navigation for millions of people living along the banks. Besides these great benefits, the river also poses many potential risks for people. In the case of flooding, this river can cause terrible damage, especially in the case of dike breach. Therefore, this article, by combining a field survey and mathematical simulation, has been conducted to present the results of the dike breach for the La Giang dike of Ca river, in Ha Tinh province, Vietnam. Via the field survey, potential dike breach locations were specifically identified, which helps minimize the number of calculation scenarios. The mathematical model was calibrated and validated with large floods in the area. The results from the mathematical model show that the model is consistent with the observation data, with the Nash index at good to very good levels. Based on the data, a series of simulations was performed to assess the dike breach consequences. In each case, the study provided details on the inundation area, the number of affected residents and the length of flooded road for each inundation level by administrative unit. Based on the calculated results, the degree and scope of consequence varied depending on the locations of the dike breach. The results of the study are the foundation for the building of a local database of flood and storm control. This is very useful information for the decision-makers to establish different response plans for different emergency cases.
Amalgamation of Transfer Learning and Explainable AI for Internet of
Medical Things
Authors: Murugan Ramalingam , Paliwal Manish , Lakshmi Patibandla Rama Seetha Maha , Shah Pooja , Balaga Tarakeswara Rao , Gurrammagari Deepti Raj , Singaravelu Parvathavarthini , Yenduri Gokul , Jhaveri Rutvij
Published: December 2023

The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), a growing field, involves the interconnection of medical devices and data sources. It connects smart devices with data and optimizes patient data with real time insights and personalized solutions. It is mandatory to hold the development of IoMT and join the evolution of healthcare. This integration of Transfer Learning
and Explainable AI for IoMT is considered to be an essential advancement in healthcare. By
making use of knowledge transfer between medical domains, Transfer Learning enhances diagnostic accuracy while reducing data necessities. This makes IoMT applications more efficient which is considered to be a mandate in today’s healthcare. In addition, explainable AI
techniques offer transparency and interpretability to AI driven medical decisions. This can foster trust among healthcare professionals and patients. This integration empowers personalized
medicine, supports clinical decision making, and confirms the responsible handling of sensitive
patient data. Therefore, this integration promises to revolutionize healthcare by merging the
strengths of AI driven insights with the requirement for understandable, trustworthy, and
adaptable systems in the IoMT ecosystem.
May We Adjust the “Third Wave” of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies (CBT) and Psychological Processes of Change for Women with Breast Cancer?
Authors: Rygiel Katarzyna
Published: December 2023

To emphasize on the suffering of women with breast cancer (BC), it is
necessary to identify and deeply understand many aspects of BC etiology,
development, and complex management. However, the strategies for achieving these
goals for individual patients often need to be refocused, or redirected, based on
personal expectations, needs, and circumstances that can differ considerably among
women with very aggressive BC, such as triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The
main goal of cognitive-behavioral interventions is to change some specific thoughts,
emotions, and behaviors and teach constructive coping skills and behavioral
modifications, which will aid in building an individual activity plan, coordinated with
cancer-related therapies.
This chapter will present the concept of the “third-wave” cognitive and behavioral
therapies (CBT) and the importance of psychological processes of change, in
supportive care interventions, for patients with TNBC. Adding such processes of
change should facilitate the development of personalized care solutions for better
outcomes for many patients suffering from BC, despite their poor prognosis. This
should encourage the patients, caregivers, and their medical care teams to learn, and
then, apply these safe interventions in their individualized contexts.
Exceptional Responders: Exploring the Molecular “Make-up” of Patients with Cancer Who Experienced Recovery
Authors: Rygiel Katarzyna
Published: December 2023

Patients with cancer, who have achieved an unexpectedly favorable and
long-term clinical response are commonly known as exceptional responders (ER).
Such patients have often experienced extraordinary responses to some oncology
therapies, which have been ineffective for other individuals with similar malignancies.
These unusually positive responses may be partially due to some unique genetic and
molecular mechanisms, which can be further studied. This, in turn, could provide some
directions to a better understanding of why the specific therapy works for only a small
number of patients with cancer, but not for everybody. To further elucidate these
issues, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has been conducting various research
projects to explain biological processes, which can be responsible for these remarkable
responses.
A recent pilot study, known as the Exceptional Responders Initiative (ERI), has
evaluated the feasibility of identifying exceptional responders retrospectively, by
obtaining pre-exceptional response treatment tumor tissues and analyzing them with
modern molecular tools. The promising findings of this study can inspire many women
with breast cancer (BC) and their medical teams.
This chapter presents a synopsis of the ERI. It suggests some possibilities to adjust this
concept for patients with breast cancer (BC) (e.g., advanced or metastatic triple negative breast cancer (TNBC)).
How Can We Redefine Hope and Gratitude to Help Patients with Breast Cancer Build Their “New Life”?
Authors: Rygiel Katarzyna
Published: December 2023

There is a need to practically redefine the future way of life, among
numerous patients with breast cancer (BC). In fact, spirituality, hope, and gratitude
may play a remarkable role in a possible transformation into a “new life”. Also, these
invisible, positive “forces” recognize patients as individual human beings, which
should be connected with their families, caregivers, friends, and medical professionals,
as functional “units”.
This chapter provides some suggestions for practical approaches to help design a
functional “new life”, especially for women with aggressive BC (e.g., triple-negative
breast cancer (TNBC)). In addition, medical care teams may consider incorporating
such supportive modalities into the main therapeutic oncology plan.
Computational Toxicological Approaches for Drug Profiling and Development of Online Clinical Repositories
Authors: Afreen Uzma , Afreen Ushna , Bano Daraksha
Published: December 2023

One of the chief reasons for drug attrition and failure to become a marketed
drug is the potential toxicity associated with its administration. Therefore, many drugs
encountered in the past reached the last phase of drug development successfully but
could not be marketed despite their potential drug-likeness due to their inevitable
toxicity properties. This issue can be addressed considerably by employing
computational toxicological approaches for predicting the toxicity parameters of a drug
candidate before its practical synthesis. Pharmaceutical companies utilise computer-based toxicity predictions at the design stage for identifying lead compounds
possessing the least toxic properties, and also at the optimization stage for selecting
candidates as potential drugs. This integrative field has been exploited for various
applications including hazard and risk prioritization of chemicals and safety screening
of drug metabolites. The importance of QSTR models for the computational prediction
of toxicity is also discussed in this chapter. Various important and predominant
software for in silico toxicity prediction including ADMETox, OSIRIS Property
Explorer, TopKat and admetSAR 2.0 are also covered herein. This chapter also
discusses various freely accessible online clinical repositories such as BindingDB,
PubChem, ChEMBL, DrugBank and ChemNavigator iResearch Library. Therefore, the
present chapter focuses on the role played by computational toxicology in the
procedure of drug profiling and in establishing freely accessible online clinical
repositories.
Dural Arteriovenous Fistula Presenting as Acute Unilateral Vestibulopathy
Authors: Son Won Jeong , Roh Jieun , Oh Eun Hye , Choi Jae-Hwan
Published: December 2023

Intracranial dural arteriovenous fistula (dAVF) is characterized by an abnormal connection between branches of arteries and veins in the dura mater. Clinical manifestations of dAVF vary depending on their location, feeder arterial supply, amount of shunting, and most importantly, their venous drainage pattern. Acute vertigo has been rarely reported as an initial presentation of dAVF due to venous congestion in the brainstem. We report a patient who presented with acute right vestibulopathy without any brainstem signs in dAVF involving the transversesigmoid sinus. The patient showed abnormal caloric response but normal head impulse in the affected ear. Without any treatment, the patient’s symptoms gradually improved with a normalization of right canal paresis. Follow-up cerebral angiography also revealed a spontaneous regression of the shunt flow and reduction of venous drainage at the right transverse-sigmoid sinus. Based on the results of vestibular function tests and cerebral angiography, acute vertigo in our patient may be ascribed to impaired reabsorption of endolymph by focal venous congestion.
Viabilidad y capacidad micorrizógena in vitro de cepas criogenizadas de hongos ectomicorrícicos
Authors: Mata Gerardo , Pérez Ochoa Diego Adrián , Romero Vázquez Diana Isabel , Medel Ortiz Rosario , Salmones Dulce
Published: December 2023

En México, los hongos ectomicorrizógenos silvestres (HEcM) son un importante recurso forestal no maderable y son aprovechados tradicionalmente para su autoconsumo y venta. La conservación in vitro de cepas de HEcM es más compleja que en especies saprófitas, debido a las relaciones fisiológicas existentes con sus hospederos. En este trabajo se presenta un método de crioconservación de cepas de HEcM utilizando vectores no convencionales y la posterior evaluación de su viabilidad in vitro. Para ello, cinco cepas de HEcM (Boletus aff. edulis, Boletus sp., Helvella sp. y Lactarius indigo [2]) fueron criogenizadas (-196 °C) durante 30 días, utilizando como vectores acículas de pino y semillas de mijo estériles. Posteriormente, se determinó la capacidad de dos de las cepas recuperadas para formar morfotipos de ectomicorrizas in vitro inoculados en plántulas de Pinus montezumae. Los resultados de la primera etapa mostraron altos porcentajes de recuperación de los micelios criogenizados en ambos vectores (98% - 100%). En cuanto a la micorrización in vitro, las plántulas no micorrizadas (control) no sobrevivieron, mientras que las micorrizadas mostraron valores de sobrevivencia entre 33% y 100%, con incremento de la longitud de sus tallos. Además, se observó la formación de morfotipos dicotómicos de color ocre oscuro, así como el desarrollo del manto fúngico en las raíces micorrizadas después de cuatro meses de inoculación. El método empleado para la criogenización de las cepas de HEcM posibilita la conservación de los micelios por períodos prolongados, manteniendo activa su capacidad de micorrización.
Experimental Determination of the Bearing Capacity of a Reinforced Concrete Floor Slab
Authors: Masalov A. V. , Filatov Yu. B.
Published: December 2023

Purpose of research. Experimental determination and analysis of the bearing capacity, deformability and crack resistance of a reinforced concrete floor slab supported on three sides

Methods. Testing a specimen of a reinforced concrete floor slab supported on three sides (loggia floor) by a controlled load simulating the operational one. Measurement of deflections. Analysis and justification of test results

Results. The slab was loaded to a level of 325 kN or 20.1 kPa. This load exceeded the control load by a factor of 1.64 with a safety factor of 1.6, exceeded the design load by a factor of 2.64, and exceeded the standard load by a factor of 3.08. The maximum recorded deflection at maximum load was 3.01 mm in or in span fractions of 0.0009, which is 7.41 times less than the allowable deflection from the standard load - 0.00667 of the span length. The testing has been terminated for safety reasons.

Conclusion. The points that could allow the developing of more economical building structures are: refinement of the design scheme for the operation of structures, the optimal choice of a finite element in the calculation, as well as the gradual inclusion in the sets of rules of methods for calculating building structures based on the theory of structural systems with distributed parameters at critical energy levels.
Effects of Acute Phase Intensive Physical Activity (ACTIVE-PA) Monitoring and Education for Cardiac Patients: Pilot Study of a Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)
Authors: Yamashita Masashi , Kamiya Kentaro , Hamazaki Nobuaki , Uchida Shota , Noda Takumi , Maekawa Emi , Ako Junya
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

Although physical activity (PA) decreases dramatically during hospitalization, an effective intervention method has not yet been established for this issue. We recently developed a multiperson PA monitoring system using information and communication technology (ICT) that can provide appropriate management and feedback about PA at the bedside or during rehabilitation. This ICT-based PA monitoring system can store accelerometer data on a tablet device within a few seconds and automatically display a graphical representation of activity trends during hospitalization.

OBJECTIVE

This randomized pilot study aims to estimate the feasibility and effect size of an educational PA intervention using our ICT monitoring system for in-hospital patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation.

METHODS

A total of 41 patients (median age 70 years; 24 men) undergoing inpatient cardiac rehabilitation were randomly assigned to 2 groups as follows: wearing an accelerometer only (control) and using both an accelerometer and an ICT-based PA monitoring system. Patients assigned to the ICT group were instructed to gradually increase their step counts according to their conditions. Adherence to wearing the accelerometer was defined as having enough wear records for at least 2 days to allow for adequate analysis during the lending period. An analysis of covariance was performed to compare the change in average step count during hospitalization as a primary outcome and the 6-minute walking distance at discharge.

RESULTS

The median duration of wearing the accelerometer was 4 days in the ICT group and 6 days in the control group. Adherence was 100% (n=22) in the ICT group but 83% (n=20) in the control group. The ICT group was more active (mean difference=1370 steps, 95% CI 437-2303) and had longer 6-minute walking distances (mean difference=81.6 m, 95% CI 18.1-145.2) than the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

Through this study, the possibility of introducing a multiperson PA monitoring system in a hospital and promoting PA during hospitalization was demonstrated. These findings support the rationale and feasibility of a future clinical trial to test the efficacy of this educational intervention in improving the PA and physical function of in-hospital patients.

CLINICALTRIAL

University Hospital Medical Information Network UMIN000043312; http://tinyurl.com/m2bw8vkz
Personalization plus self-supervised learning is the key to precision digital therapeutics: a perspective (Preprint)
Authors: Washington Peter
Published: December 2023

UNSTRUCTURED

Therapeutic and interventional digital health solutions often use machine learning (ML) models to make predictions of repeated adverse health outcomes. For example, models may be used to analyze patient data and identify patterns that can anticipate the likelihood of disease exacerbations, enabling timely interventions and personalized treatment plans to improve overall health outcomes. However, many digital health applications require the prediction of highly heterogeneous health events. The cross-subject variability of these events makes traditional ML approaches, where a single generalized model is trained to classify a particular condition, infeasible without overfitting to the training set. A natural solution is to train a separate model for each individual or subgroup, essentially overfitting the model to the unique characteristics of the individual without negatively overfitting in terms of the desired prediction task. Unfortunately, such an approach requires extensive data labels from each individual, a reality that has rendered personalized ML infeasible for precision healthcare. The recent popularization of self-supervised learning, however, provides a solution to this issue: by pre-training deep learning models on the vast array of unlabeled data streams arising from patient generated health data, personalized models can be fine-tuned to predict the health outcome of interest with much fewer labels, making personalization of deep learning models much more achievable from a practical perspective. This perspective describes the current state-of-the-art in both self-supervised learning and ML personalization for healthcare as well as growing efforts to combine these two ideas. Personalized self-supervised learning is likely to enable a wide array of digital therapeutics in the coming years.
Dampak Intervensi Edukasi dan Aplikasi Pengingat Minum Obat terhadap Pengetahuan dan Kepatuhan Pasien Tuberkulosis Paru di Puskesmas di Kota Bandung
Authors: Reyaan Irianti Bahana Maulida , Faustincia Ivena , Zazuli Zulfan
Published: December 2023

Tuberculosis (TB) patient compliance with ongoing therapy and knowledge regarding TB has an impact on the cure rate. Despite implementing various strategies, the prevalence of TB in Indonesia remains high, and the success rate of its treatment is still below the global average, potentially leading to continued transmission of TB within the community. This study aims to determine the improvement of knowledge and compliance among pulmonary TB patients following an intervention involving education and the use of a medication reminder application in two community health centers in the city of Bandung. The research design was experimental, where 29 subjects recruited were randomized into two groups: one group receiving additional education and introduction to the mobile application (Jadwal Minum Obat), and the other group receiving only counseling at the health centers. Primary data that was collected include baseline test scores and final test scores of subjects based on the KATUB-Q questionnaire. Patient compliance was assessed using the self-assessment method with the MARS-5 questionnaire and the pill count method. The subjects' experiences in the intervention group while using the mobile application were also documented. A total of 16 subjects completed the study. The education method and medication reminder application used in this study have not significantly improved the knowledge and compliance of pulmonary TB patients in taking their medication (p > 0.05). However, percentage of consumed medication compared to the prescribed medication in the intervention group higher than the control group (87.4 ± 4.8% vs 78.8 ± 8.3%). Subjects found the application useful, though there were still some shortcomings. Further research with a larger sample size using an improved medication reminder application is needed.
Compound Molecules of Network Pharmacology-Based of Tamarillo (Cyphomandra betacea Cav.) and the Potential as Noodle for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Treatment
Authors: Fitriyani Fitriyani , Ningrum Salsabila E.S. , Mutiah Rohiatul , Kinasih Larasati Sekar
Published: December 2023

Consuming noodles excessively is not good for health because it contains high trans fat, which can cause diabetes mellitus (DM) as a disease with a high prevalence, especially type 2 DM, as much as 95% in Indonesia. Tamarillo (Chypomandra betacea Cav.) can potentially reduce blood glucose levels and restore adipokine regulation to prevent insulin resistance in type 2 DM. This study aims to determine the formulation and potential of tamarillo compounds into noodle products named "Chypotes (Chypomandra Antidiabetes) Noodle" as an alternative food for type 2 DM patients.  The methods used are noodle formulation, organoleptic test, hedonic test, and network pharmacology.  Based on the results of an organoleptic test, Chypotes Noodle has a chewy texture, a distinctive smell, yellow colour, and a slightly sour tasteless taste typical of Tamarillo. Based on the results of the hedonic test, 30 respondents chose the like and very like options in filling out the questionnaire with a percentage of 80-90%. Based on the Network Pharmacology of Tamarillo shows that 150 of the 365 target proteins of Tamarillo are involved in the biological processes and signaling pathways of type 2 diabetes mellitus, with 75 target proteins locking and interacting. Compound Molecules of Tamarillo, such as six bioactive components of the hydroxycinnamic acids group, have activity in type 2 DM and affect the biological processes and signaling pathways of type 2 DM against ADIPOQ, TNF, and INS. Therefore, Tamarillo can potentially be used as an alternative food product in the form of noodles for type 2 DM treatment.