bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Implementation strategies to address the determinants of adoption, implementation, and maintenance of a clinical decision support tool for emergency department buprenorphine initiation: a qualitative study
Authors: Simpson Matthew J. , Ritger Carly , Hoppe Jason A. , Holland Wesley C. , Morris Megan A. , Nath Bidisha , Melnick Edward R. , Tietbohl Caroline
Published: April 2023

Background

Untreated opioid use disorder (OUD) is a significant public health problem. Buprenorphine is an evidence-based treatment for OUD that can be initiated in and prescribed from emergency departments (EDs) and office settings. Adoption of buprenorphine initiation among ED clinicians is low. The EMBED pragmatic clinical trial investigated the effectiveness of a clinical decision support (CDS) tool to promote ED clinicians’ behavior related to buprenorphine initiation in the ED. While the CDS intervention was not associated with increased rates of buprenorphine treatment for patients with OUD at intervention ED sites, attending physicians at intervention EDs were more likely to initiate buprenorphine at least once over the duration of the study compared to those in the usual care arms (44.4% vs 34.0%, P = 0.01). This suggests the CDS intervention may be associated with increased adoption of buprenorphine initiation. As a secondary aim, we sought to identify the determinants of CDS adoption, implementation, and maintenance in a variety of ED settings and geographic locations.

Methods

We purposively sampled and conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with clinicians across EMBED trial sites randomized to the intervention arm from five healthcare systems. Interviews elicited clinician experiences regarding buprenorphine initiation and CDS use. Interviews were analyzed using directed content analysis informed by the Practical, Robust Implementation and Sustainability Model (PRISM). We used a hybrid approach (a priori codes informed by PRISM and emergent codes) for codebook development. ATLAS.ti (version 9.0) was used for data management. Coded data were analyzed within individual interview transcripts and across all interviews to identify major themes. This process involved (1) combining, comparing, and making connections between codes; (2) writing analytic memos about observed patterns; and (3) frequent team meetings to discuss emerging patterns.

Results

Twenty-eight interviews were conducted. Major themes that influenced the successful adoption, implementation, and maintenance of the EMBED intervention and ED-initiated BUP were organizational culture and commitment, clinician training and support, the ability to connect patients to ongoing treatment, and the ability to tailor implementation to each ED. These findings informed the identification of implementation strategies (framed using PRISM domains) to enhance the ED initiation of buprenorphine.

Conclusion

The findings from this qualitative analysis can provide guidance to build better systems to promote the adoption of ED-initiated buprenorphine.
Transthoracic Echocardiographic Assessment of the Heart in Pregnancy—a position statement on behalf of the British Society of Echocardiography and the United Kingdom Maternal Cardiology Society
Authors: Curtis Stephanie L. , Belham Mark , Bennett Sadie , James Rachael , Harkness Allan , Gamlin Wendy , Thilaganathan Baskaran , Giorgione Veronica , Douglas Hannah , Carroll Aisling , Kitt Jamie , Colebourn Claire , Ribeiro Isabel , Fairbairn Sarah , Augustine Daniel X. , Robinson Shaun , Thorne Sara A.
Published: April 2023

Pregnancy is a dynamic process associated with profound hormonally mediated haemodynamic changes which result in structural and functional adaptations in the cardiovascular system. An understanding of the myocardial adaptations is important for echocardiographers and clinicians undertaking or interpreting echocardiograms on pregnant and post-partum women. This guideline, on behalf of the British Society of Echocardiography and United Kingdom Maternal Cardiology Society, reviews the expected echocardiographic findings in normal pregnancy and in different cardiac disease states, as well as echocardiographic signs of decompensation. It aims to lay out a structure for echocardiographic scanning and surveillance during and after pregnancy as well as suggesting practical advice on scanning pregnant women.
A case of adult granulosa cell tumor presenting as thoracic lesions
Authors: Suzuki Kosuke , Kitami Akihiko , Okada Momoka , Takamiya Shinnosuke , Ohashi Shinichi , Tanaka Yoko , Uematsu Shugo , Nemoto Tetsuo , Kadokura Mitsutaka
Published: April 2023

Background

Granulosa cell tumors (GCTs) are uncommon sex cord-stromal ovarian neoplasms. We report a case of GCT presenting in the chest, 18 years after oophorectomy for ovarian cystadenocarcinoma.

Case presentation

A 63-year-old female was admitted to our hospital for evaluation of a right hilar lesion. Subsequent abdominal and pelvic computed tomography and brain magnetic resonance imaging were unremarkable. Eighteen years earlier, the patient had undergone total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy at another institution for a uterine myoma, with the pathological findings indicating a uterine myoma, dermoid cyst of the right ovary, and serous cystadenocarcinoma and endometrioid adenoacanthofibroma around hemorrhagic cyst of the left ovary. No indication of a granulosa cell tumor (GCT) was present in either ovary. As such, diagnostic video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery was performed, revealing a well encapsulated tumor located next to the inferior pulmonary vein and small, disseminated lesions on the chest wall and diaphragm. Thereafter, we performed resection of the main tumor in its entirety and the disseminated lesions to the extent possible. Pathological examination of the resected specimens revealed a neoplasm characterized by sheets and islands of closely packed tumor cells exhibiting small follicles (Call-Exner bodies) surrounded by cells with pale, uniform nuclei, typically observed in the microfollicular pattern of adult GCT. Although the etiology of occurrence of intrathoracic granulosa cell tumor is unknown, we assumed that the neoplasm oriented from radiologically undetectable peritoneal seeding at the time of her previous surgery, with subsequent migration through the diaphragm. Over the next 10 years, she received chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, and cisplatin; other combination chemotherapy; single-agent chemotherapy; and palliative radiotherapy. She died from malignant pleuritis and peritonitis 10 years after thoracoscopic surgery.

Conclusions

We have reported a case of a 63-year-old female with a history of ovarian cystadenocarcinoma who underwent resection of a pleural neoplasm, which turned out to be a granulosa cell tumor. This possibility resulted from dissemination of a previous abdominal lesion.
Fisher-Bayesian inversion for estimating shale gas facies
Authors: Luo Kun , Zong Zhaoyun , Ji Lixiang
Published: April 2023

The classification of shale gas facies from seismic properties is critical for shale gas reservoir characterization. Shale gas facies are affected by many petrophysical properties. Therefore, the characterization of shale facies should be carried out by multiple parameters, which is more reasonable and accurate. However, multiparameter inversion often leads to unstable results, and coupled properties are generally a way of solving this problem. We develop a Fisher-Bayesian inversion method for estimating shale gas facies by combining the Fisher projection and Bayesian inversion method. The mathematical method adopted for the inversion is the Bayesian framework. The link between different facies and coupled properties is given by a joint prior distribution. We derive the analytical formulation of the Bayesian inversion under the Gaussian mixture assumption for coupled attributes and different shale gas facies. Our approach realizes the fusion of multidimensional petrophysical parameters and establishes a shale gas facies prediction method based on coupled properties. The application to real data sets delivers accurate and stable results, wherein shale gas facies and coupled attributes are accurately predicted and inversed.
Pore pressure effects on the anisotropic joint elastic-electrical properties of artificial porous sandstones with aligned fractures
Authors: Han Tongcheng , Sun Hao , Wang Pan , Fu Li-Yun
Published: April 2023

Fractures widely exist in rocks and joint interpretation of elastic and electrical survey data can improve the characterization of fractured rocks. However, the cross-property relationship between the elastic and electrical rock properties, which is the key to the successful joint elastic-electrical interpretation, remains poorly understood in fractured rocks with varying pore pressure. This knowledge gap was by developing a method for making calcite-cemented sandstones with penny-shaped fractures and by simultaneously measuring the anisotropic elastic and electrical properties of the artificial sandstones with and without fractures as a function of pore pressure through the development of an anisotropic joint elastic-electrical measurement system. We find that elastic velocities and electrical resistivities of the intact and fractured samples reduce with increasing pore pressure, and the reduction in the physical properties of the fractured rock is less significant than that of the intact sample. We also find that elastic and electrical anisotropic parameters decrease in the sample without fractures but decrease first and then increase with increasing pore pressure in the sample with fractures. Most interestingly, the anisotropic elastic and electrical properties are found to exhibit a strong linear correlation in the intact and fractured samples with varying pore pressure and a difference exists in the slopes between the samples with and without fractures. The experimental data are explained and interpreted through the contrary contributions of the dilation of the random microcracks and the aligned fractures with increasing pore pressure to the anisotropic elastic and electrical properties. The results reveal the pore pressure effects on the anisotropic joint elastic-electrical properties of sandstones with fractures and provide a potential for the detection of overpressure in fractured rocks through integrated elastic and electrical surveys.
Numerical validation of Gassmann’s equations
Authors: Alkhimenkov Yury
Published: April 2023

Derived several decades ago, Gassmann’s equations continue to be widely used in applied geophysics. Gassmann’s equations allow us to calculate the elastic moduli of a fully saturated rock from dry rock moduli knowing the porosity, fluid bulk modulus, and bulk modulus of the solid grains. These equations are treated as exact in the scientific community, but there is a lack of comprehensive numerical validation. Furthermore, recently several publications have appeared in the literature postulating a logical error in the derivation of Gassmann’s equations. Therefore, I develop a numerical validation of Gassmann’s equations. For that, I use a 3D finite-element approach to resolve the conservation of linear momentum that is coupled with the stress-strain relations for the solid phase and the quasistatic linearized compressible Navier-Stokes momentum equation for the fluid phase. Finally, a convergence study validating the correctness of Gassmann’s equations for a particular yet arbitrarily chosen “generic” pore geometry is presented. The arbitrary model geometry is simple as compared with real rocks; however, it is sufficiently complex with elements resembling wider pore bodies and narrower pore throats to, in general, validate Gassmann’s equations. MATLAB routines to reproduce the presented results are provided.
Managing Estrogen Therapy in the Pituitary Patient
Authors: Shoung Nicholas , Ho Ken K Y
Published: April 2023

Growth hormone (GH) regulates metabolic and physical health in the adult human. Because the GH system is regulated by estrogens, therapeutic estrogen compounds are likely to affect metabolic health. Estrogens are available for oral and parenteral use in natural, prodrug, and synthetic formulations including selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs). This review covers the pharmacology of estrogen and the effects on GH action to inform judicious use in the pituitary patient. The effects on the GH system are route dependent due to first-pass hepatic metabolism. Oral but not parenteral estrogen compounds inhibit GH action, reducing hepatic insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) production, protein anabolism, and fat utilization. In patients with GH deficiency, oral estrogen therapy exacerbates the degree of hyposomatotrophism and attenuates the beneficial effects of GH replacement therapy, effects that are greater with contraceptive than replacement doses. Surveys report that less than one-fifth of hypopituitary women are appropriately replaced by a transdermal route and up to half on oral therapy are inappropriately treated with contraceptive steroids. In acromegaly, however, estrogens, especially synthetic formulations of greater potency, reduce IGF-1, improving disease control, an effect also observed in men treated with SERMs. The route-dependent effects and potency of estrogen formulations are important considerations for optimizing the management of hypogonadal patients with pituitary disease, in particular GH deficiency and acromegaly. For hypopituitary women, estrogens should be replaced by a nonoral route. For acromegaly, oral estrogen formulations can be considered as simple adjuvant therapy for disease control.
Hailing the State
Authors: Mitchell Lisa
Published: April 2023

In Hailing the State, Lisa Mitchell explores the methods of collective assembly that people in India use to hold elected officials and government administrators accountable, demand inclusion in decision making, and stage informal referendums. Mitchell traces the colonial and postcolonial lineages of collective forms of assembly, in which—rather than rejecting state authority—participants mobilize with expectations that officials will uphold the law and fulfill electoral promises. She shows how assembly, which ranges from sit-ins, hunger strikes, and demands for meetings with officials to massive general strikes and road and rail blockades, is fundamental to the functioning of democracy in India. These techniques are particularly useful for historically marginalized groups and others whose voices may not be easily heard. Moving beyond an exclusive focus on electoral processes, Mitchell argues that to understand democracy—both in India and beyond—we must also pay attention to what occurs between elections, thereby revising understanding of what is possible for democratic action around the world.
A gut microbiome metabolite paradoxically depresses contractile function while activating mitochondrial respiration
Authors: Naghipour Saba , Fisher Joshua J. , Perkins Anthony V. , Peart Jason N. , Headrick John P. , Toit Eugene F. Du
Published: April 2023

Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) is an end-product of gut microbiome metabolism linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, precise cardiovascular influences of the TMAO concentrations reported in early or severe disease remain to be detailed. We investigated acute effects of TMAO on cardiac contractile, coronary and mitochondrial function. Male C57Bl/6 mouse hearts were Langendorff perfused to assess concentration-dependent effects of TMAO (1-300 µM) on left ventricular (LV) function, coronary flow and select protein expression. Effects of 10 µM and 100 µM TMAO on LV mitochondrial function were examined via respirometry. TMAO at 10-300 μM concentration-dependently depressed LV contractile function, with coronary flow paralleling changes in isovolumic pressure development. Direct coronary effects were evident at >30 µM TMAO in hearts performing minimal isovolumic work, although this response was reduced by >65%. In contrast, exposure to 10 µM or 100 μM TMAO increased mitochondrial complex I, II and maximal respiratory fluxes while appearing to reduce outer membrane integrity. Expression of phosphorylated AMPKα and total GSK-3β declined. Thus, acute exposure of mouse hearts to TMAO levels reported in advanced CVD significantly inhibits cardiac contractility and induces modest coronary constriction while paradoxically overactivating mitochondrial respiration.
Jumping over fences: why field- and laboratory-based biomechanical studies can and should learn from each other
Authors: Moore Talia Y. , Clifton Glenna T.
Published: April 2023

Locomotor biomechanics faces a core trade-off between laboratory-based and field-based studies. Laboratory conditions offer control over confounding factors, repeatability, and reduced technological challenges, but limit the diversity of animals and environmental conditions that may influence behavior and locomotion. This article considers how study setting influences the selection of animals, behaviors and methodologies for studying animal motion. We highlight the benefits of both field- and laboratory-based studies and discuss how recent work leverages technological advances to blend these approaches. These studies have prompted other subfields of biology, namely evolutionary biology and ecology, to incorporate biomechanical metrics more relevant to survival in natural habitats. The concepts discussed in this Review provide guidance for blending methodological approaches and inform study design for both laboratory and field biomechanics. In this way, we hope to facilitate integrative studies that relate biomechanical performance to animal fitness, determine the effect of environmental factors on motion, and increase the relevance of biomechanics to other subfields of biology and robotics.
The 3Es
Authors: Ford Claire , Kercher Vanessa M. (Martinez) , Kercher Kyle A.
Published: April 2023

Apply It!

After reading this article, the reader should be able to:

• Recognize how fitness environments and experiences with fitness professionals may contribute to women's perceived barriers to weightlifting.

• Understand commonly reported barriers to weightlifting among women.

• Apply the 3E framework in practice to decrease women's reported barriers to weightlifting.
Effects of Sprint Interval and Endurance Respiratory Muscle Training on Postcycling Inspiratory and Quadriceps Fatigue
Authors: SCHAER CORINA E. , ERNE DESIRÉE , TAGELDIN DINA , WÜTHRICH THOMAS U. , BELTRAMI FERNANDO G. , SPENGLER CHRISTINA M.
Published: April 2023

Purpose

We investigated whether a 4-wk period of respiratory muscle endurance training (RMET) or respiratory muscle sprint interval training (RMSIT) would lead to an attenuation of inspiratory muscle and quadriceps fatigue after a bout of high-intensity cycling compared with a placebo intervention (PLAT), as predicted by the respiratory metaboreflex model.

Methods

Thirty-three active, young healthy adults performed RMET, RMSIT, or PLAT. Changes in inspiratory muscle and quadriceps twitches in response to a cycling test at 90% of peak work capacity were assessed before and after training. EMG activity and deoxyhemoglobin (HHb, via near-infrared spectroscopy) of the quadriceps and inspiratory muscles were also monitored during the cycling test, along with cardiorespiratory and perceptual variables.

Results

At pretraining, cycling reduced the twitch force of the inspiratory muscles (86% ± 11% baseline) and quadriceps (66% ± 16% baseline). Training did not attenuate the drop in twitch force of the inspiratory muscles (PLAT, −3.5 ± 4.9 percent-points [p.p.]; RMET, 2.7 ± 11.3 p.p.; RMSIT, 4.1 ± 8.5 p.p.; group–training interaction, P = 0.394) or quadriceps (PLAT, 3.8 ± 18.6 p.p.; RMET, −2.6 ± 14.0 p.p.; RMSIT, 5.2 ± 9.8 p.p.; group–training interaction P = 0.432). EMG activity and HHb levels during cycling did not change after training for either group. Only RMSIT showed a within-group decrease in the perception of respiratory exertion with training.

Conclusions

Four weeks of RMET or RMSIT did not attenuate the development of exercise-induced inspiratory or quadriceps fatigue. The ergogenic effects of respiratory muscle training during whole-body exercise might be related to an attenuation of perceptual responses.
Alternative therapy improves hematological profiles of captive snakes from northeastern Brazil
Authors: Martins Alyne Costa , Braga Roberta da Rocha
Published: April 2023

Objective: Evaluate the effects of alternative therapy on the hematological profiles of different families of captive snakes. Methodology: Captive snakes at NUROF-UFC were submitted to a clinical and hematological evaluation before and after applying an alternative treatment, including systematic sunbathing and hydration by soaking bathes twice a week for five weeks. The biometric, clinical, and hematological data were compared by multivariate analysis of variance and investigated for possible causal relationships by general linear models. Results: A significant difference was observed between erythrograms and global leukograms in the three families of snakes evaluated before and after treatment. The significant reduction in the heterophil: lymphocyte ratio in the Family Colubridae after treatment was noteworthy. Discussion: The results were most likely due to stress level reduction by improving thermoregulation and conversion of vitamin D during sunbathing, oral rehydration and refreshing in soaking baths, and general metabolic rates due to physical exercise. Conclusion: The results confirm the initial hypothesis, assuming that a simple but systematic treatment that included sunlight exposure and immersion hydration was efficient in reducing stress rates.
Το παιχνίδι στον σχολικό αύλειο χώρο – απόψεις εκπαιδευτικών προσχολικής ηλικίας
Authors: Χατζοπούλου ΧΡΥΣΟΥΛΑ Νικολάου
Published: April 2023

Το θέμα που πραγματεύεται η παρούσα έρευνα είναι το παιχνίδι στον αύλειο χώρο του νηπιαγωγείου. Σκοπός της εργασίας είναι να διερευνηθούν οι απόψεις εκπαιδευτικών προσχολικής ηλικίας σχετικά με τη συμβολή του αύλειου παιχνιδιού στην ανάπτυξη των νηπίων. Ως εργαλείο για την υλοποίηση της έρευνας χρησιμοποιήθηκε η ημιδομημένη συνέντευξη, ενώ οι συμμετέχουσες ήταν εκπαιδευτικοί προσχολικής ηλικίας που υπηρετούν στον νομό Ροδόπης. Από την έρευνα αναδύθηκε η θετική άποψη των εκπαιδευτικών προσχολικής ηλικίας για το παιχνίδι στην αυλή του σχολείου καθώς θεωρούν ότι προσφέρει πολλαπλά οφέλη στους μικρούς μαθητές ενισχύοντας τη σωματική, συναισθηματική και κοινωνική τους εξέλιξη, ενώ παράλληλα τους βοηθά στην ανάπτυξη του γραπτού και προφορικού λόγου, στην κατανόηση μαθηματικών εννοιών, στη δημιουργική έκφραση, στην αλληλεπίδραση με το φυσικό περιβάλλον αλλά και στη χρήση των νέων τεχνολογιών.
Single-cell transcriptional uncertainty landscape of cell differentiation
Authors: Gao Nan Papili , Gandrillon Olivier , Páldi András , Herbach Ulysse , Gunawan Rudiyanto
Published: April 2023

Background: Single-cell studies have demonstrated the presence of significant cell-to-cell heterogeneity in gene expression. Whether such heterogeneity is only a bystander or has a functional role in the cell differentiation process is still hotly debated.

Methods: In this study, we quantified and followed single-cell transcriptional uncertainty – a measure of gene transcriptional stochasticity in single cells – in 10 cell differentiation systems of varying cell lineage progressions, from single to multi-branching trajectories, using the stochastic two-state gene transcription model.

Results: By visualizing the transcriptional uncertainty as a landscape over a two-dimensional representation of the single-cell gene expression data, we observed universal features in the cell differentiation trajectories that include: (i) a peak in single-cell uncertainty during transition states, and in systems with bifurcating differentiation trajectories, each branching point represents a state of high transcriptional uncertainty; (ii) a positive correlation of transcriptional uncertainty with transcriptional burst size and frequency; (iii) an increase in RNA velocity preceding the increase in the cell transcriptional uncertainty.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest a possible universal mechanism during the cell differentiation process, in which stem cells engage stochastic exploratory dynamics of gene expression at the start of the cell differentiation by increasing gene transcriptional bursts, and disengage such dynamics once cells have decided on a particular terminal cell identity. Notably, the peak of single-cell transcriptional uncertainty signifies the decision-making point in the cell differentiation process.
Prevalence of stress and its relevance on psychological well-being of the teaching profession: A scoping review
Authors: Bidi Shilpa Badrinath , Alapati Varalakshmi , Jenifer Dmello Venisha , Weesie Edwin , Gil Mathew Thomas , Shenoy Sandeep S , Kurian Simmy , Rajendran Ambigai
Published: April 2023

Background: Well-being among teachers contributes toward quality work and better student support. Teachers’ well-being persists to be a concern in school settings; there is a lacuna in understanding the concept of well-being among them. This scoping review identifies the stress factors and map their association with the psychological well-being of teachers employed in schools. Additionally, to identify the methodology and the interventions used in reducing teachers' stress and their relevance on their psychological well-being. 

Methods: First, Pubmed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases were searched for eligible studies with MeSH terms for stress factors, well-being, and teachers from 2010 to 2022. Identified studies were screened thoroughly and excluded or included based on prior established criteria. Data from the included studies were extracted and summarized according to the study protocol.  

Results: Among the 60 studies that met our inclusion criteria, the majority were quantitative, with cross-sectional studies. Several studies focused on emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and diminished personal accomplishment aspect among teachers. Almost half of the included studies focused on organizational and social pressures such as administration workload, classroom management issues, lack of supervisor and team support, students’ behaviour, and pressure from parents. The most used interventions to overcome stress were coping strategies and mindfulness training intervention tools.  

Conclusions: The findings from the current scoping review will reveal the different stressors which impact psychological well-being. Focus on the most used interventions to overcome stress among schoolteachers. This will also provide recommendations to regulators and management to identify the factors causing stress among teachers and their relevance to their psychological well-being, overcome employee turnover and absenteeism issues. Also, different alternatives available to reduce the stress may benefit the stakeholders and policymakers to confirm a suitable intervention that will benefit the teaching profession.
Perspectives and factors associated with informal human milk sharing: a mixed-methods systematic review protocol
Authors: Vickers Niamh , Matthews Anne , Paul Gillian
Published: April 2023

Background: The practice of informal human milk sharing is a relatively new phenomenon and poses significant questions in the domain of infant feeding. Informal human milk sharing is a means of donating human milk from another lactating individual who is not the child’s biological parent, in a casual manner, that is, without the involvement of health professionals or agencies. The advent of digital technology has facilitated the donation and receipt of human milk through digital online platforms and thus has amplified this modern practice. This research aims to comprehensively examine and synthesize evidence about the motivations, barriers, facilitators and perspectives of individuals who both donate (donors) and the primary care givers of the infants who receive (recipients) human milk informally to provide to infants.

Methods: A mixed-methods systematic review will be undertaken. This review will consider qualitative, quantitative and primary mixed-methods studies which report on the factors associated with informal milk sharing, and on donors and recipients’ perspectives of the practice. Primary mixed-method studies will be included if the individual qualitative and quantitative components can be extracted. Three databases will be searched for studies on informal human milk sharing published from inception of the database. Study quality will be evaluated using the standardized JBI critical appraisal tools, selected based on the methodology in each individual study. Data extraction will be conducted using the JBI mixed methods data extraction form followed by data transformation, synthesis and integration. This mixed-methods systematic review will follow a convergent integrated approach in accordance with JBI guidance.

Discussion: Informal human milk sharing is a novel practice in the domain of infant feeding. This review will enable a thorough understanding of this practice from both the donors and recipients’ perspective and will have implications for healthcare professionals, policy and future clinical decision-making.

Protocol registration number: PROSPERO CRD42023405653
Dietary Therapies in Pediatric Crohn’s Disease
Authors: Kamińska Izabela , Pawłocik Weronika , Pawlak Weronika , Grabowska Ewa , Szymańska Julia , Wojtala Laura , Rymarz Anna , Kojder Dominika , Piekarska Małgorzata , Jedlina Klaudia
Published: April 2023

Introduction and Purpose: Crons’ disease is a chronic illness of the digestive system. Its etiology is multifactorial and one of the factors is nutrition. That is why the researchers are trying to labour the valuable types of dietary therapy, which could be used in treatment of pediatric CD. The purpose of our review is to point out the impact of dietary therapy on achieving remission in pediatric Crohn’s disease.
Materials and methods: We have reviewed the literature from the PubMed database searching for clinical trials, meta analysis and randomized controlled trials from the past years. The keywords we agreed on offered us the most informative articles and made us hope for the further development of our article.
Brief Description Of The State Of Knowledge: Steroid therapy is the principle of CD treatment, but it has a number of side effects that influence the quality of pediatric patients’ life. It has been shown that the use of dietary therapies (EEN, CDED+PEN, SCD) enables the achievement of clinical and biochemical remission, mucosal healing and regulation of dysbiosis. There are many hypotheses explaining this effect, probably the reason of this is the exclusion from the diet of food products that provoke inflammatory processes.
Summary: Despite its effectiveness, dietary therapies require motivation and full commitment from patients in order to achieve results. That is why it is so important to conduct further research in this area so that the selected therapy is as acceptable and tolerated by the patient as possible. In addition, education of children and parents, psychological and dietary support are also crucial in the treatment process.
Choice with Affirmative Action
Authors: Doğan Battal , Yildiz Kemal
Published: April 2023

A choice rule with affirmative action decides on the recipients of a limited number of identical objects by reconciling two objectives: respecting a priority ordering over the applicants and supporting a minority group. We extend the standard formulation of a choice problem by incorporating a type function and a priority ordering and introduce monotonicity axioms on how a choice rule should respond to variations in these parameters. We show that monotonic and substitutable affirmative action rules are the ones that admit a bounded reserve representation. As a prominent class of choice rules that satisfy the monotonicity axioms, we characterize lexicographic affirmative action rules that are prevalent both in the literature and in practice. Our axiomatic approach provides a novel way to think about reserve systems and uncovers choice rules that go beyond lexicographic affirmative action rules.

This paper was accepted by Yan Chen, behavioral economics and decision analysis.

Funding: B. Doğan gratefully acknowledges financial support from the British Academy/Leverhulme Trust [Grant SRG1819\190133].
The design and psychometric evaluation of the Supportive-Care Needs Scale (ZOKH-SCNS29) in patients living with cancer
Authors: Khoshnood Zohreh , Bagherian Samaneh , Iranmanesh Sedigheh , Dehghan Mahlagha , Rafati Foozieh
Published: April 2023

Background:

Understanding the needs of cancer patients and planning to meet these needs is a major concern of the health system.

Aim:

The present study aimed to design and conduct a psychometric evaluation of supportive-care needs scale in patients with cancer.

Methods:

This study was conducted in both qualitative and quantitative stages. In the qualitative phase, the questionnaire items were generated by analysing the data from 16 interviews, after which, face, content and construct validity were tested. To construct the validity, the questionnaire was completed by 229 cancer patients. The reliability of the questionnaire was assessed by internal consistency. Data were analysed using SPSS (version 18).

Findings:

In this study, 4 factors were extracted from 29 items through exploratory factor analysis: ‘Need to be understood by the spouse and family’ (10 items), ‘Need to manage existential and psychological challenges’ (7 items), ‘Need to manage lack of knowledge about the disease’ (7 items), ‘Need organisational-therapeutic support ‘(5 items). These factors accounted for 50.1%. of the total variance. Internal consistency was 0.88, and also the Cronbach's alpha coefficient was also 0.89 after construct validity for the scale items’. The Cronbach's alpha was 0.91 after the construct validity.

Conclusion:

The findings of the present study showed that this supportive care needs scale is a valid and reliable scale for identifying the supportive care needs of patients with cancer.
Interwoven, cross-sector, situational and enduring solidarities: crisis, resistance and de-privatisation in care work
Authors: Baines Donna
Published: April 2023

During and prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, a predominantly female, significantly racialised, activist health and social care union in British Columbia, Canada, built and won decisive resistance/solidarity strategies not only for union members, but also for non-union and previously unionised workers, residents/patients, and the larger careseeking public. The formal and informal strategies were broad, inclusive, values-driven actions that raised wages and conditions while simultaneously extending and improving care. The article draws on and extends concepts used in moral economy and labour process theorising to argue that the three interlaced, gendered resistance strategies reflected interwoven, cross-sector, situational and enduring solidarities. The analysis in this article highlights the almost indivisible aspects of formal and informal, long contention and situational resistance strategies, and suggests that a moral economy of ‘care’ and ‘restoring fairness’ formed the core of the entwined solidarity narratives and resistance strategies successfully coming together during the time of COVID-19. The article contributes to further theorising of gendered resistance (informal, liminal, unpaid work), the moral economy and care work as part of the labour process (interwoven solidarity), and adds to theorising long resistance strategies (enduring solidarity), and situational resistance strategies (cross-sector solidarity) in care work contexts.
Llibre: Diàlegs sobre art, educació i compromís
Authors: Selfa Sastre Moisès
Published: April 2023

Ressenya del llibre:

Masgrau Juanola, M. (2021) (coord.) Diàlegs sobre art, educació i compromís. Graó.
Metodologies competencials en la formació literària de mestres: experiències didàctiques per fomentar el pensament reflexiu
Authors: Méndez Cabrera Jeroni , Rodrigo Segura Francesc
Published: April 2023

L’objectiu d’aquest article és descriure i analitzar alguns projectes d’educació literària realitzats durant els últims vuit anys en el marc de la formació de docents per tal de reflexionar sobre la importància de l’ús de metodologies actives i competencials per l’ensenyament de la literatura al context universitari. Aquests projectes conformen experiències didàctiques com ara tallers d’escriptura, rutes literàries i l’ús dels videojocs per al foment lector. Presentem un comentari qualitatiu dels resultats d’aprenentatge més significatius i de la valoració dels estudiants a partir de la tria de diverses mostres. Finalment, arribem a la conclusió que aquestes experiències promouen no només l’adquisició de sabers lingüístics i literaris, sinó també la competència didàctica i el pensament reflexiu de l'estudiantat de Magisteri, futurs i futures mestres.
Reed microstructure detection by optical coherence tomography, an efficient and non-invasive method
Authors: Chen Jin , Zhu Liang , Gu Xinyi , Xu Jiayue , Dong Li , Qiu Jun
Published: April 2023

Woodwind instrument reeds are commonly made from Arundo donax Linn (ADL) material. The mechanical properties of ADL significantly influence the acoustic behavior of the reed, thereby affecting the instrument’s overall performance. Current investigations into the internal microstructure of reeds are primarily conducted through optical microscopy, a method that involves cutting open the sample and observing its morphological features, thereby causing irreversible damage to the specimen. To address this issue, we employed optical coherence tomography (OCT) to examine the interior microstructure of reeds in both two and three dimensions, thus providing a non-invasive and real-time technique for characterizing reeds. The optical data gathered through backscattering is used to reveal microstructural variations and determine the reed’s lifespan. Our findings indicate that, with increasing degrees of vibratory load excitation, the microstructure of the vessel wall degrades while the width of the vessel lumen appears to expand. Over extended periods of usage, the backscattered signal intensity of the parenchymal tissue diminishes. Additionally, the 3D imaging capabilities of OCT can be employed to rapidly establish the spatial volume of defects within the reed. In light of these results, optical coherence tomography shows its promise as a powerful, real-time, and noninvasive technique for the identification of reeds.
Transverse ray aberrations determination in non-axially symmetrical optical imaging systems using Taylor series expansion
Authors: Lin Psang Dain
Published: April 2023

Non-axially symmetrical optical systems can provide better solutions to several optical design problems. However, the determination of their aberrations is a challenge due to the great diversity of their configurations. To address this problem, this study extends previous work by the present group to determine the transverse ray aberrations in non-axially symmetrical optical imaging systems through the use of a Taylor series expansion. The expansion converts the coordinates of the incident point, which are highly composite functions, of a general ray on the image plane into polynomial functions. The various order transverse ray aberrations are then extracted directly from the corresponding terms of the polynomials. Notably, the derived expressions are exact since they are determined without any approximations. Furthermore, the proposed method can be equally applied to axially symmetrical systems provided that the object is confined on the meridional plane. Consequently, the proposed method offers a useful and generally applicable approach for the systematic analysis of the transverse ray aberrations in optical systems with the object at either finite or infinite positions.
Assessment of retinal vein pulsation through video-ophthalmoscopy and simultaneous biosignals acquisition
Authors: Kolar Radim , Vicar Tomas , Chmelik Jiri , Jakubicek Roman , Odstrcilik Jan , Valterova Eva , Nohel Michal , Skorkovska Karolina , Tornow Ralf P.
Published: April 2023

The phenomenon of retinal vein pulsation is still not a deeply understood topic in retinal hemodynamics. In this paper, we present a novel hardware solution for recording retinal video sequences and physiological signals using synchronized acquisition, we apply the photoplethysmographic principle for the semi-automatic processing of retinal video sequences and we analyse the timing of the vein collapse within the cardiac cycle using of an electrocardiographic signal (ECG). We measured the left eyes of healthy subjects and determined the phases of vein collapse within the cardiac cycle using a principle of photoplethysmography and a semi-automatic image processing approach. We found that the time to vein collapse (Tvc) is between 60 ms and 220 ms after the R-wave of the ECG signal, which corresponds to 6% to 28% of the cardiac cycle. We found no correlation between Tvc and the duration of the cardiac cycle and only a weak correlation between Tvc and age (0.37, p = 0.20), and Tvc and systolic blood pressure (-0.33, p = 0.25). The Tvc values are comparable to those of previously published papers and can contribute to the studies that analyze vein pulsations.
Detection speed optimization of the OI-RD microscope for ultra-high throughput screening
Authors: Zhang Hang , Xu Mengjing , Li Haofeng , Mai Xiaohan , Sun Jiawei , Mi Lan , Ma Jiong , Zhu Xiangdong , Fei Yiyan
Published: April 2023

The oblique-incidence reflectivity difference (OI-RD) microscope is a label-free detection system for microarrays that has many successful applications in high throughput drug screening. The increase and optimization of the detection speed of the OI-RD microscope will enable it to be a potential ultra-high throughput screening tool. This work presents a series of optimization methods that can significantly reduce the time to scan an OI-RD image. The wait time for the lock-in amplifier was decreased by the proper selection of the time constant and development of a new electronic amplifier. In addition, the time for the software to acquire data and for translation stage movement was also minimized. As a result, the detection speed of the OI-RD microscope is 10 times faster than before, making the OI-RD microscope suitable for ultra-high throughput screening applications.
Wearable cardiorespiratory monitoring with stretchable elastomer optical fiber
Authors: Zha Bingjie , Wang Zhuo , Li Linqing , Hu Xuehao , Ortega Beatriz , Li Xiaoli , Min Rui
Published: April 2023

This work presents a stretchable elastomer optical fiber sensor
incorporated into a belt for respiratory rate (RR) and heart rate (HR)
monitoring. Different materials and shapes of prototypes designed were
tested in terms of performance and the best choice was identified. The
optimal sensor was tested by 10 volunteers to evaluate the
performance. The proposed elastomer optical fiber sensor can achieve
simultaneous measurement of RR and HR in different body positions, and
also ballistocardiography (BCG) signal measurement in the lying
position. The sensor has good accuracy and stability, with maximum
errors of 1 bpm and 3 bpm for RR and HR, respectively, and average
weighted mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 5.25% and
root mean square error (RMSE) of 1.28 bpm. Moreover, the results of
the Bland-Altman method showed good agreement of the sensor with
manual counting of RR and with electrocardiogram (ECG) measurements of
HR.
Comparison of fast quality of transmission estimation methods for C + L + S optical systems
Authors: Souza André , Costa Nelson , Pedro João , Pires João
Published: April 2023

Due to the high potential of multi-band transmission (MBT) systems as a short- to medium-term solution to the ever-increasing demand for fiber capacity, one of the recent areas of research concerns the development of fast but still accurate models to estimate the quality of transmission (QoT) in these systems, since this capability will be paramount for efficient and cost-effective network planning and operation. However, accurately evaluating the QoT of MBT systems with moderate computational complexity is challenging, mainly because stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) becomes a major transmission impairment. Although several models have been proposed in the literature, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, there is a lack of a comprehensive comparison of the advantages and main limitations of the available methodologies. Therefore, this work analyzes the computational time and accuracy of several QoT estimation methods suitable for MBT systems [closed-form interchannel SRS Gaussian noise (ISRS-GN) and four-wave mixing (FWM) models], focusing on transmission systems comprising a total transmission bandwidth of up to 20 THz, which includes not only the C- and L-bands but also a part of the complete S-band. We also propose a modification to the FWM model to take into account the SRS effect in the calculation of the nonlinear interference, referred to as the enhanced FWM (eFWM) model. We show that the closed-form ISRS-GN model has the best trade-off between computational complexity (speed) and accuracy for launch powers per channel up to 4 dBm in a system with 10 spans and with span lengths varying from 50 km to 100 km. However, this method shows generalized signal-to-noise ratio estimation errors as high as 1.5 dB for higher launch powers. Similar conclusions were drawn when using the models to optimize the launch powers in the reference Italian backbone network, i.e., using the closed-form ISRS-GN model leads to more accurate optimized launch powers. However, in this case, the impact on the network-wide average channel capacity of using the launch power optimized using the different approaches is negligible.
Multi-focusing surface-emitting lasers
Authors: Hirose Kazuyoshi , Watanabe Koyo , Kamei Hiroki , Sugiyama Takahiro , Takiguchi Yu , Kurosaka Yoshitaka
Published: April 2023

Complete control of a beam pattern requires not only projecting a two-dimensional (2D) pattern but also focusing on a three-dimensional (3D) point cloud, which is typically achieved utilizing holography under the framework of diffraction. We previously reported direct focusing from on-chip size surface-emitting lasers that utilize a holographically modulated photonic crystal cavity based on 3D holography. However, this demonstration was of the simplest 3D hologram with a single point and single focal length, and the more typical 3D hologram with multiple points and multiple focal lengths has not yet been examined. Toward direct generation of a 3D hologram from the on-chip size surface-emitting laser, we here examined a simple 3D hologram featuring two different focal lengths with a single off-axis point in each to reveal the fundamental physics. Two types of holography, one based on superimposition and the other on random tiling, successfully demonstrated the desired focusing profiles. However, both types caused a spot noise beam in the far field plane due to interference between focusing beams with different focal lengths, especially in the case of the superimposing method. We also found that the 3D hologram based on the superimposing method consisted of higher order beams including the original hologram due to the manner of the holography. Secondly, we demonstrated a typical 3D hologram with multiple points and focal lengths and successfully showed the desired focusing profiles by both methods. We believe our findings will bring innovation to mobile optical systems and pave the way to developing compact optical systems in areas such as material processing, micro fluidics, optical tweezers, and endoscopy.