bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interdisciplinary strategies for establishing a trusting relation as a pre-requisite for existential conversations in palliative care: a grounded theory study
Authors: Lagerin Annica , Melin-Johansson Christina , Holmberg Bodil , Godskesen Tove , Hjort Elin , Junehag Lena , Hagelin Carina Lundh , Ozanne Anneli , Sundelöf Johan , Udo Camilla
Published: January 2024

Background
Communication is central to implementing palliative care (PC) and effective interdisciplinary team functioning. Communication about existential issues is often urgent in PC, yet interdisciplinary teams frequently lack the time and education to meet these communication needs. Thus, more knowledge of existential conversations in different PC contexts is required.
Aim
This study aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of healthcare professionals’ (HCPs) experiences of existential conversations with patients with PC needs and their next-of-kin by generating a theoretical model.
Method
Seven focus-group interviews that included 26 HCPs who worked with PC patients in different care settings were carried out in 2020 and 2022. The grounded theory method was used to analyse and compare data from the interview transcripts.
Results
The HCPs’ primary concern in daily work was establishing a trusting relationship, a prerequisite for enabling existential conversations with a person with PC needs and/or their next-of-kin. The main concern was characterised by the core category maintaining presence and four categories describing interdisciplinary strategies that the HCPs used to achieve a trusting relationship and enable existential conversations in the late phase of life. Several potential barriers also hindered existential conversations. The theoretical model ‘meaningful existential conversations in PC’ was constructed.
Conclusions
The interdisciplinary strategies used to establish existential conversations, the potential barriers to these conversations and the model we present can be used as a basis for reflection in professional collaborative learning in PC, as a tool for teachers in educational PC programmes and as a guide for HCPs in PC.
Portulaca oleracea exhibited anti-coccidian activity, fortified the gut microbiota of Hu lambs
Authors: li shiheng , li Senyang , liu Shuaiqi , lu shunli , li jing , cheng Shuqi , zhang sumei , huang Shucheng , li junqiang , jian Fuchun
Published: January 2024

Coccidia of the genus Eimeriaare important pathogens that cause coccidiosis in livestockand poultry. Due to the expansion of intensive farming, coccidiosis has become more difficult to control. In addition, the continued use of anti-coccidiosis drugs has led to drug resistance and residue. Some herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have been shown to alleviate the clinical symptoms of coccidiosis, while enhancing immunity and growth performance (GP) of livestock and poultry. Previous in vitro and in vivo studies have reported that the TCM herb Portulaca oleracea exhibited anti-parasitic activities. In total, 36 female Hu lambs were equally divided into six treatment groups: PL (low-dose P. oleracea), PH (high-dose P. oleracea), PW (P. oleracea water extract), PE (P. oleracea ethanol extract), DIC (diclazuril), and CON (control). The treatment period was 14 days. The McMaster counting method was used to evaluate the anti-coccidiosis effects of the different treatments. Untargeted metabolomics and 16S rRNA gene sequencing were used to investigate the effects of treatment on the gut microbiota (GM) and GP. The results showed that P. oleracea ameliorated coccidiosis, improved GP, increased the abundances of beneficial bacteria, and maintained the composition of the GM, but failed to completely clear coccidian oocysts. The Firmicutes to Bacteroidesratio was significantly increased in the PH group. P. oleracea increased metabolism of tryptophan as well as some vitamins and cofactors in the GM and decreased the relative content of arginine, tryptophan, niacin, and other nutrients, thereby promoting intestinal health and enhancing GP. As an alternative to the anti-coccidiosis drug DIC, P. oleraceaeffectively inhibited growth of coccidia, maintained the composition of the GM, promoted intestinal health, and increased nutrient digestibility.
Settlement patterns and temporal successions of coral reef cryptic communities: implications for evaluating diversity using Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS)
Authors: Couëdel Marion , Dettai Agnes , Guillaume Mireille M. M. , Bonillo Céline , Frattini Baptiste , Bruggemann J. Henrich
Published: January 2024

Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) are used worldwide to assess cryptic diversity, especially on coral reefs. They were developed as standardised tools, yet conditions of deployment, such as immersion duration and/or deployment and retrieval seasons, vary among studies. Here we studied temporal and seasonal variability in coral reef cryptic communities sampled with 15 ARMS on a single coral reef slope site at Reunion Island, Southwest Indian Ocean. Settlement patterns and temporal succession of Eukaryote communities were investigated across three immersion times (6 months, 1 year, 2 years), two immersion seasons (hot vs. cool) and three fractions (500–2000 µm, 106–500 µm, sessile) using two genetic markers (18S, COI). Both markers detected different taxa with different resolutions, but broadly similar patterns of community composition and structure. While OTU diversity of communities did not change with immersion time and season, these parameters significantly affected community structure and composition. Our results evidenced a decrease of the similarity of ARMS communities with immersion time, due to a high turnover of early colonisation stages followed by an increase in the differences in OTU richness. The small proportion of OTUs assigned at phylum level highlights the uniqueness of the Mascarene cryptobiome.
Seasonal Energy Efficiency: A Case Study of an Urban Distribution Battery Electric Truck Operating in Brazil
Authors: Lima Everton Silva , Baldo Crhistian Raffaelo , de Souza Calebe Paiva Gomes
Published: January 2024

Electric heavy-duty trucks fully powered by batteries are already a reality in European, North American, and Chinese cities, thanks to strict CO2 emission regulations. These regulations promote zero greenhouse gas emissions in the road transport sector through technologies such as battery-powered electric trucks (BETs). The increasing prevalence of BETs necessitates an assessment of their energy efficiency in different weather and driving conditions, since they directly impact operational costs and, thus, influence the acceptance of BETs by companies and fleet owners. In this sense, evaluating seasonal energy efficiency may drive improvements in technology performance, vehicle specifications, and driving conditions to reduce energy consumption and losses. To understand and quantify the factors affecting energy consumption and driving range in real-world driving conditions, various studies on energy efficiency have been conducted worldwide; nevertheless, South American metropolitan areas lack such attention. Therefore, this paper presents the main findings of an experimental study of BETs in terms of energy consumption, driving range, and energy recharging due to operational and climatic factors.
Endothelial Erg Regulates Expression of Pulmonary Lymphatic Junctional and Inflammation Genes in Mouse Lungs Impacting Lymphatic Transport
Authors: Chakraborty Adri , Kim Alex , AlAbdullatif Salam , Campbell Joshua , Alekseyev Yuriy , Kaplan Ulas , Dambal Vrinda , Ligresti Giovanni , Trojanowska Maria
Published: January 2024

The ETS transcription factor ERG is a master regulator of endothelial gene specificity and highly enriched in the capillary, vein, and arterial endothelial cells. ERG expression is critical for endothelial barrier function, permeability, and vascular inflammation. A dysfunctional vascular endothelial ERG has been shown to impair lung capillary homeostasis, contributing to pulmonary fibrosis as previously observed in IPF lungs. Our preliminary observations indicate that lymphatic endothelial cells (LEC) in the human IPF lung also lack ERG. To understand the role of ERG in pulmonary LECs, we developed LEC-specific inducible Erg-CKO and Erg-GFP-CKO conditional knockout (CKO) mice under Prox1 promoter. Whole lung microarray analysis, flow cytometry, and qPCR confirmed an inflammatory and pro-lymphvasculogenic predisposition in Erg-CKO lung. FITC-Dextran tracing analysis showed an increased pulmonary interstitial lymphatic fluid transport from the lung to the axial lymph node. Single-cell transcriptomics confirmed that genes associated with cell junction integrity were downregulated in Erg-CKO pre-collector and collector LECs. Integrating Single-cell transcriptomics and CellChatDB helped identify LEC specific communication pathways contributing to pulmonary inflammation, trans-endothelial migration, inflammation, and Endo-MT in Erg-CKO lung. Our findings suggest that downregulation of lymphatic Erg crucially affects LEC function, LEC permeability, pulmonary LEC communication pathways and lymphatic transcriptomics.
Multidirectional Analysis of Curvelet Against Skin Cancer
Authors: Kolekar Maheshkumar H. , v Vidya Lakshmi , Razak Mohamed Sikkander Abdul , G Theivanathan
Published: January 2024

An elevated chance of getting another melanoma is associated with a personal history of the disease. Individuals who have already had a melanoma have a 2–5% probability of getting another one later. Compared to individuals whose initial melanoma was superficial spreading melanoma, those whose first melanoma was lentigo maligns melanoma or nodular melanoma are at a greater peril of emerging a secondary dominant cancer. Melanoma risk is double in those with a special antiquity of squamous cell carcinoma. The likelihood of getting melanoma is doubled if you have a particular times past of basal cell carcinoma. In addition, melanoma risk is higher in persons with actinic keratosis than in those without the condition. An automated technique for classifying melanoma, or skin cancer, is proposed in this work. An image of gathered data is used as the input for the proposed system, and various image handling methods remain smeared to improve the picture's characteristics. The curvelet technique is used to separate benign from malignant skin cancer and to collect relevant data from these pictures so that the classifier may be trained and tested. The basic wrapper curvelet's coefficients are the characteristics that are utilized for classification. Curvelet works well with images that have cartoon edges and aligned textures. In a database of digital photos, the three-layer back-propagation neural network classifier with curvelet has 75.6% recognition accuracy.
Three-Arms PLA/PS Copolymer Based on 2,5-Dihydroxy-1,4-Benzoquinone
Authors: Ludin Dmitrii V , Bobrina Ekaterina V , Grishin Ivan D , Zaitsev Sergey D , Fedushkin Igor L
Published: January 2024

This study focuses on preparation of hybrid block copolymers of polylactide (PLA) and polystyrene (PS) involving 2,5-dihydroxy-1,4-benzoquinone (DHBQ) as a dual initiator. At the first stage in the presence of AcONa 2,5-dihydroxy-1,4-benzoquinone opened the lactide ring resulting in the carboxylic end-group that further provides for the PLA chain growth. The polymerization proceeds at a moderate rate to high conversion degrees to form the polymers with well-defined molecular weight (MW) characteristics. The presence of an internal DHBQ fragment in the polymer was proven by IR, UV-VIS, NMR and MALDI-TOF techniques. Obtained polymer can be considered as macroquinone (MQ). The styrene polymerization initiated by MQ/Bu3B proceeds at a moderate rate leading to the formation of hybrid three-radial PLA/PS copolymer. During the copolymer formation linear increase of Mn with conversion as well as polydispersity decrease were observed. As evidenced by relatively low content of polystyrene in the copolymer (8.1 wt. %), the process has a good selectivity. The introduction of styrene units into the copolymer allows a 4-fold increase the E modulus in comparison with the homo-PLA.
Participatory development of an mHealth intervention delivered in general practice to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour of patients with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes (ENERGISED)
Authors: Novak Jan , Jurkova Katerina , Lojkaskova Anna , Jaklova Andrea , Kuhnova Jitka , Pfeiferova Marketa , Kral Norbert , Janek Michael , Omcirk Dan , Malisova Katerina , Maes Iris , Dyck Delfien Van , Wahlich Charlotte , Ussher Michael , Elavsky Steriani , Cimler Richard , Pelclova Jana , Tufano James J , Steffl Michal , Seifert Bohumil , Yates Tom , Harris Tess , Vetrovsky Tomas
Published: January 2024

Background
The escalating global prevalence of type 2 diabetes and prediabetes presents a major public health challenge. Physical activity plays a critical role in managing (pre)diabetes; however, adherence to physical activity recommendations remains low. The ENERGISED trial was designed to address these challenges by integrating mHealth tools into the routine practice of general practitioners, aiming for a significant, scalable impact in (pre)diabetes patient care through increased physical activity and reduced sedentary behaviour.
Methods
The mHealth intervention for the ENERGISED trial was developed according to the mHealth development and evaluation framework, which includes the active participation of (pre)diabetes patients. This iterative process encompasses four sequential phases: (a) conceptualisation to identify key aspects of the intervention; (b) formative research including two focus groups with (pre)diabetes patients (n = 14) to tailor the intervention to the needs and preferences of the target population; (c) pre-testing using think-aloud patient interviews (n = 7) to optimise the intervention components; and (d) piloting (n = 10) to refine the intervention to its final form.
Results
The final intervention comprises six types of text messages, each embodying different behaviour change techniques. Some of the messages, such as those providing interim reviews of the patients' weekly step goal or feedback on their weekly performance, are delivered at fixed times of the week. Others are triggered just in time by specific physical behaviour events as detected by the Fitbit activity tracker: for example, prompts to increase walking pace are triggered after 5 minutes of continuous walking; and prompts to interrupt sitting following 30 minutes of uninterrupted sitting. For patients without a smartphone or reliable internet connection, the intervention is adapted to ensure inclusivity. Patients receive on average three to six messages per week for 12 months. During the first six months, the text messaging is supplemented with monthly phone counselling to enable personalisation of the intervention, assistance with technical issues, and enhancement of adherence.
Conclusions
The participatory development of the ENERGISED mHealth intervention, incorporating just-in-time prompts, has the potential to significantly enhance the capacity of general practitioners for personalised behavioural counselling on physical activity in (pre)diabetes patients, with implications for broader applications in primary care.
Provider Assessment of the Temporomandibular Joint in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: A Retrospective Analysis from the CARRA Database
Authors: Costello Anna , Twilt Marinka , Lerman Melissa
Published: January 2024

Background:
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) involvement is an often underrecognized complication of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) that can cause decreased mandibular growth, altered facial morphology, and orofacial pain. It is estimated that the TMJ is affected in 40–80% of children with JIA. Standardized physical examination and imaging evaluations are important in accurately assessing active TMJ arthritis and sequalae. Little is known about the rate at which providers evaluate TMJ involvement in their clinical practice.
Methods:
Data were obtained from the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) Registry. Data fields related to assessment for TMJ arthritis were added in 2019. Patients were included in the study if they had a diagnosis of JIA and had data recorded between January 2020 and August 2021. Standard descriptive statistics were used to describe demographic and clinical features.
Results:
A total of 17761 visits were reviewed for a total of 7473 patients with JIA. A total of 52.7% of patients had maximal mouth opening (MMO) recorded as finger breadths or total incisal distance (TID). Only 8% had TID measured. A total of 5.0% had MRI with contrast performed. A total of 939 patients had a diagnosis of TMJ arthritis. Of these, 28.5% had an MRI documented, 83% had an MMO documented, and 40% had TID measured. Few patient-level characteristics were statistically related to having MMO assessed. MRI was more likely to be obtained in older and in female patients. MMO was recorded at a given visit > 80% of the time at 17 sites, and it was recorded < 1% of the time at 8 sites. MRIs were infrequently performed at all sites, with 27 sites having no MRIs obtained and only 7 sites having an MRI obtained at > 10% of visits.
Conclusions:
MMO is not consistently measured in patients with JIA, and it is rarely measured quantitatively. Similarly, TMJ MRIs are rarely obtained in patients with JIA. Site of care is more associated with TMJ assessments than patient-level characteristics. These data suggest that provider education is needed to improve the assessment of the TMJ in patients with JIA to enable earlier recognition and prevent long-term complications.
Chiral Terahertz Control via Curvature and Regioselective-Enhanced Reconfigurable Metasurfaces
Authors: Lee Jaebeom , Gwak Juyong , Kang Hyojin , Kim Young-Mi , Lee Gyuseok , Nguyen Huu-Quang , Jeong Ki-Jae , Choi Yujin , Shin Hee Jun , Cho Youngjin , Goddati Mahendra , Chen Hongxia , Ok Gyeongsik
Published: January 2024

Advancements in terahertz (THz) wave photonics necessitate the development of cost-effective and easily manufacturable reconfigurable metasurfaces for dynamically controlling chiral THz frequency shifts. This article introduces two-step innovative approaches to address this need. The first involves integrating a regioselective assembly of magnetoplasmonic nanoparticles (MagPlas NPs) onto a flexible Ni-magnetized metasurface, creating new meta-atoms that induce various resonant frequencies. The second approach integrates curvature with a doped meta-atom to establish easily modifiable chiral systems, thereby enhancing the chiral THz response. The curvature introduces structural asymmetry, disrupting reflection symmetry across the metasurface's symmetry plane, specifically within the split rings. The positions (x, y, z) of the split rings along the curvature can be expressed as symmetry breaking of metasurface=Σi=1n F (xi, yi, zi, ωu). When the new meta-atom, regioselective split ring undergoes symmetry breaking due to curvature, the nanoparticles (NPs) act as a lattice, inducing surface lattice resonances (SLR) upon interaction with THz beams and causing strong optical asymmetric interactions. The engineered metasurface using curvature and regioselective assembly has been investigated in terms of enhanced transmittance and reconfigurable chirality by employing various NPs such as Ag@Fe3O4 NPs, Void@Fe3O4 NPs, and Au@Fe3O4 nanorods. By leveraging concepts such as symmetry breaking, magnetized resonators, regioselective magnetic arrangements, and metasurface-enhanced THz response, our study presents a compelling avenue for exerting essential transmittance control and frequency shift over emerging chiral THz reconfigurable systems.
The inhibitory control characteristic of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder with emotional dysregulation: evidence from event-related potentials (ERPs)
Authors: Li Sixun , Huang Yan , Yang Yanping , Wang Zhuo , Luo Tingting , Wang Meiwen , Situ Mingjing , Liu Pei , Yuan Jiajin , Huang Yi
Published: January 2024

Objective
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most prevalent neurodevelopmental condition in children. Emotion dysregulation (ED) exacerbates functional impairment severity in children with ADHD, and previous research suggests that ED may be linked to inhibition control deficits.
Method
We utilized the Anxiety/Depression, Aggression, and Attention scales of the CBCL (CBCL-DESR) to categorize participants into three groups: ADHD with emotion dysregulation (ADHD with DESR, n = 15), ADHD without emotion dysregulation (ADHD without DESR, n = 22), and Typical Development Children (TDC, n = 35). The Two-Choice Oddball task was employed to assess inhibitory control characteristics and record synchronous ERP. Repeated measures ANOVA and multiple linear regression was used to analysis the relationship between inhibition control deficit and emotion dysregulation.
Results
In the measurement of behavioral inhibit control functioning, we found that ADHD patients had a lower overall response accuracy than TDC. ADHD patients with emotion dysregulation had even longer overall response time than ADHD without emotion dysregulation and TDC. The original waveform analysis showed the larger amplitude for deviant stimuli than for standard stimuli in ADHD with emotional dysregulation group and lower amplitude for ADHD with emotional dysregulation than for ADHD without emotional dysregulation and TDC groups in deviant stimuli. The deviation-standard difference wave analysis showed that the N2 difference wave of ADHD with emotion dysregulation group was significantly larger that of ADHD without emotional dysregulation and TDC groups and we find inhibitory control-related EEG indicators (N2, P3) in predicting emotional dysregulation in ADHD patients.
Conclusions
ADHD children with emotional dysregulation showed more severe inhibitory control impairment on behavioral indicators, and differential N2 amplitude together with differential P3 amplitude can predict ADHD children with emotional dysregulation independently. The results could provide enlightening evidence for early detection and intervention targets in this subtype of children with ADHD.
Integrative Analyses of Bulk and Single-cell Transcriptomics Reveals The Infiltration and Crosstalk of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts As a Novel Predictor for Prognosis and Microenvironment Remodeling in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Zhong Yan-Jie , Luo Xi-Mei , Liu Fei , He Zhi-Qiang , Yang Si-Qi , Ma Wen-Jie , Wang Jun-Ke , Dai Yu-Shi , Zou Rui-Qi , Hu Ya-Fei , Lv Tian-Run , Li Fu-Yu , Hu Hai-Jie
Published: January 2024

Background

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a highly malignant neoplasm and characterized by desmoplastic matrix. The heterogeneity and crosstalk of tumor microenvironment remain incompletely understood.

Methods

To address this gap, we performed Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) to identify and construct a cancer associated fibroblasts(CAFs) inflitration biomarker. We also depicted the intercellular communication network and important receptor-ligand complexes using the single-cell transcriptomics analysis of tumor and Adjacent normal tissue.

Results

EVA1A, APBA2, LRRTM4, GOLGA8M and BPIFB2 were identified as candidate CAFs-infiltration biomarker in Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. The risk model derived from these markers displayed satisfactory performance. Additionally, our study also depicted the cell communication atlas between fibroblast and other cells. Especially, the signal transduction from fibroblasts to malignant cells via different pathways obviously enhanced, which subsequently trigger cascade activation of their downstream signaling pathways in tumor cells, such as PI3K-AKT and Notch pathways, regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transformation and invasion.

Conclusions

This study reveals the close association between fibroblasts infiltration and poor prognosis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Enhanced intercellular transduction from fibroblasts to other cells and activated abnormal signaling pathways in tumor may give rise to microenvironment remodeling and tumor progression.
Compound Shenma Jingfu Granule alleviates cerebral ischemia via HIF-1α-mediated promotion of angiogenesis
Authors: He Ruihua , Xu Yi , Liu Jingxue , Liu Jing , Chen Jing , Wang Xufang , Qiu Lei , Huang Jin
Published: January 2024

Background
Shenma Jingfu Granule, a traditional Chinese medicine formula, has been used clinically for the treatment of cerebral circulation insufficiency. However, the mechanism involved in alleviating cerebral ischemia has not yet been fully elucidated.
Methods
An integrated approach involving network pharmacology and transcriptomics was utilized to clarify the potential mechanisms of SMJF Granule. Molecular docking and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) were employed to identify potential targets and ingredients of SMJF Granule. The anti-CI effect of SMJF Granule was determined on the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model by using hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) and Nisslʼs staining, as well as triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining, and the potential targets involved in the mechanisms were validated by RT-qPCR and western blotting.
Results
Integrated analysis revealed the mechanism of SMJF Granule intervening in CI injury might be related to the HIF-1 signaling pathway and angiogenesis. Molecular docking and SPR assays demonstrated robust binding interactions between key compounds like salvianolic acid A and naringenin with the core target HIF-1α protein. The experiment confirmed that SMJF Granule lowered neurological scores, diminished infarct volume, and alleviated histopathological changes in vivo. The possible mechanism of SMJF Granule was due to regulating HIF-1 pathway, which contributed to up-regulating expression of VEGF and vWF in the penumbral region, showing a significant promotion of angiogenesis.
Conclusion
SMJF Granule alleviated cerebral ischemia injury through the HIF-1α/VEGF pathway. In addition, our findings provide some evidence that SMJF Granule is a candidate compound for further investigation in treating CI in the clinical.
Undernutrition and Associated Factors among Under-five Children in Batu Town, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia: A community-based cross-sectional study
Authors: Hussen Amane , Ferede Amsal , Yalew Aster , Urgi Dawit , Habte Limenih , Ejara Daba
Published: January 2024

Enhancing nutrition significantly contributes to addressing sustainable development goals by reducing poverty. In Ethiopia, undernutrition is the leading cause of child illness and death. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of undernutrition among children under-five years of age in Batu Town, Oromia, Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional study design with a simple random sampling technique was used to select 387 participants. ENA for SMART 2020 software was used to calculate the Z-score of Anthropometric Measurements. Binary logistic regression was employed to analyze the data and the outputs are presented using adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence intervals (AOR, 95% CI). The magnitude of wasting, stunting, and underweight were 7.0%, 55.5%, and 27.0%, respectively. Being male [AOR = 1.86 (95% CI = 1.13–3.08)] and breastfeeding for over two years [AOR = 2.49 (95% CI = 1.22–5.12)] were the significant predictors of being underweight, whereas colostrum intake [AOR = 0.37 (95% CI = 0.15–0.94)] and good dietary diversity status [AOR = 0.45 (95% CI = 0.24–0.84)] were preventive factors. Similarly, colostrum intake [AOR = 0.09, (95% CI = 0.01–0.68])] and good dietary diversity status [AOR = 0.55 (95% CI = 0.33–0.94)] were preventive factors for stunting though children above 12 months [AOR = 2.89 (95% CI = 1.82–4.58] had increased odds of being stunted. However, in this study, family size [AOR = 3.54, 95% CI = 1.19–10.48] was the sole risk factor for wasting. Undernutrition was prevalent in Batu Town, exceeding regional and national rates. Boys are more affected. Moderate underweight and severe stunting are common. Breastfeeding, colostrum, and diversified diets help, while family size and child age increase the risk. To enhance children's nutritional status, tailored interventions such as promoting colostrum intake, and encouraging diversified diets are required.
Performance of stone covers on runoff and erosion in rainfed areas
Authors: Narsimlu Boini , Mishra P. K.
Published: January 2024

The performance of stone cover on infiltration, runoff, erosion and sediment yield during overland flow were quantified using a hydraulic tilting flume under two different discharges with four different slopes (0.1, 1.0, 3.0, and 5%). Two surface conditions were tested: bare soil and partial stone-cover (50%) arranged in two strips. Stone cover reduced flow velocity, decreased outflow, increased infiltration and reduced soil erosion compared to bare soil. Stone cover was most effective at reducing discharge when the flow depth was less than the median particle diameter, but was effective at reducing sediment yield for both flow depths. Stone cover prevented rill erosion above 3% slope. Infiltration decreased with increasing slope due to lower ponding depths on steeper slope. Sediment concentration increased with an increase in slope even with stone cover. In the case of bare soil, sediment concentration showed an exponential increase with increase in slope. Stone cover was effective in increasing infiltration rate of overland flow by decreasing flow velocity, but only when flow depth was less than or equal to median particle diameter. By contrast, stone cover reduced erosion and sediment load at both flow depths. Models of infiltration rate and sediment transport capacity were calibrated with the observed data for use in other modeling applications.
Experimental study regarding the surface roughness of circular crystal wafers sliced by a multi-wire saw with reciprocating and rocking functions
Authors: lin zhishu , Huang Hui , Li Shengbo
Published: January 2024

At present, wire sawing technology is the primary slicing method used for certain brittle materials, including monocrystalline silicon, sapphire, and silicon carbide. The surface quality of the sawn wafers significantly impacts subsequent machining processes, such as grinding and polishing. A theoretical model was developed to predict the amount of material removed per unit length of wire during the slicing of circular workpieces by a wire saw with reciprocating and rocking functions. Experiments were conducted during this study in which crystal ingots were sliced using a multi-wire saw, and the amount of material removed per unit length of wire was determined at different cutting positions on the workpiece cross-section. The surface roughness of each crystal wafer was measured systematically. The experimental results revealed that the surface roughness values measured at different points at the same y-coordinate position on a single wafer were approximately equal. However, the surface roughness was greatest on both the initial and final cutting edges and gradually decreased toward the wafer center. The surface roughness was also greatest for the wafer cut nearest to the new wire side, though it gradually decreased for wafers cut nearer to the center of the workpiece and remained relatively consistent from the middle wafer to the wafer cut nearest to the used wire side. The results also indicated that both the material removed per unit length of wire and the surface roughness of the wafer decreased with increases in the wire speed. The relationship between the material removed per unit length of wire and the surface roughness was approximately linear. When the material removed per unit length of wire was set to 0.00333 mm³/m, the average wafer surface roughness was 0.45 µm.
Charting the Cascade of Physical Activities: Implications for Reducing Sitting Time and Obesity in Children
Authors: Esmaeilzadeh Samad , Hakala Pirjo , Berg Päivi , Salmon Jo , Rinne Tiina , Pesola Arto J
Published: January 2024

Objective
Traditional intensity-based physical activity measures and variable-centered statistics may not fully capture the complex associations between sitting time, physical activity, and obesity indices. This study investigates the associations between device-measured sitting, standing and different modes of physical activity (i.e., slow walking, brisk-walking, cycling and high-intensity activity) and measured body mass index (BMI) in children using person-based latent profile analyses and Partial Least Squared-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).
Methods
A total of 344 children (11.5 ± 0.81 years, boys n = 139) wore a triaxial accelerometer (Fibion®) on their thigh for eight days, and their weight and height were measured at school. Latent profile analysis formed profiles including BMI, total sitting time, and physical activities, and their associations were further studied with PLS-SEM.
Results
The latent profile analysis indicates that high levels of physical activity always coincide with low sitting time. Both normal weight and overweight/obesity can coexist with low physical activity and prolonged sitting. The PLS-SEM results highlight a cascade-like sequence in the relationship between various types of physical activity, sitting time, and BMI. This sequence begins with light-intensity activities, such as standing, progresses to higher-intensity activities, and ultimately through reduced sitting time, mediates a decline in BMI. The most positive effects on sitting time and BMI occur when this pattern is adhered to consistently, suggesting that omitting steps could negatively impact the associations.
Conclusion
These findings suggest that persuading children to increase physical activity incrementally, starting from low-intensity activities such as standing and slow walking to activity types with higher intensities, possibly influence BMI by mediating reduced sitting time. This approach is particularly inclusive for overweight and obese children, taking into account the potential challenges they may encounter when performing activity types with high intensity. These cross-sectional associations need to be verified with longitudinal and experimental designs.
An AI-based cell segmentation pipeline for studying immune markers from brightfield microscopy images
Authors: Köhler Miriam , Reiss Yvonne , Macas Jadranka , Cakmak Pinar , Flinner Nadine , Imkeller Katharina , Lun Jennifer H. , Schupp Jonathan , Starzetz Tatjana , Moorthy Nivetha Krishna , Plate Karl H. , Schulz Marcel H.
Published: January 2024

Background: Cell segmentation is a essential task in analysing the tumormicroenvironment (TME), which encompasses vascular cells and cells of theinnate and adaptive immune system in and around the tumor. The impact of theTME on survival and effectiveness of immune therapies has been shown fordifferent tumor types e.g. gliomas.
Methods: Here, we developed an AI-based pipeline to analyse the TME inbrightfield microscopy images created by immunohistochemistry (IHC) applying CD3, CD4, CD8, CD20, CD163 and Iba1 antibodies. The pipeline consist offiltering the tumor areas by a residual neural network with 34 layers andsegmenting the immune and non-immune cells by a U-net based model.
Results: For most of the cell types, a filtering classifier trained on all cell typeshad a better performance than a classifier trained on one cell type. For the cellsegmentation, the segmentation classifier used in the pipeline outperformed thestate-of-the-art method Cellpose and Watershed as classical approach.
Conclusions: This AI-based cell segmentation pipeline can be used to analysethe TME of a big set of whole slide images without manual effort and toinvestigate the relationship between immune cells and survival in several tumortypes. One slide can be analysed in about 30 minutes, thus the pipeline has thepotential to be used in routine clinical diagnosis and could provide informationfor therapy suggestions.
An AIEE-active triphenylethylene derivative with photoresponsive character for latent fingerprints detection via a simple soaking method
Authors: Li Maomao , Zhu Wenjie , Song Dong-Dong , Liang Zuoqin , Ye Chang-qing
Published: January 2024

Latent fingerprints (LFPs) is one of the most important physical evidence in the criminal scene, playing an important role in forensic investigations. Therefore, developing highly sensitive and convenient materials for the visualization of LFP is of great significance. We designed and synthesized an organic fluorescent molecule TP-PH with aggregation-induced enhanced emission (AIEE) activity. By simply soaking, blue fluorescent images with high contrast and resolution are readily developed on surfaces including tinfoil, steel, glass and plastic. Remarkably, LFPs can be visualized within 5 minutes including the first-, second- and tertiary-level details. In addition, TP-PH exhibits interesting photoactivated fluorescence enhancement properties. Under irradiation by 365 nm UV light with a power density of 382 mW/cm2, the fluorescence quantum yield displays approximately 21.5-fold enhancement. Mechanism studies reveals that the photoactivated fluorescence is attributed to the irreversible cyclodehydrogenation reactions under UV irradiation. This work provides a guideline for the design of multifunctional AIE fluorescent materials.
Comparison of logistic regression and machine learning methods for predicting depression risks among disabled elderly individuals: results from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study
Authors: Hong Shanshan , Lu Bingqian , Wang Shaobing , Jiang Yan
Published: January 2024

Background
Given the accelerated aging population in China, the number of disabled elderly individuals is increasing, depression has been a common mental disorder among older adults. This study aims to establish an effective model for predicting depression risks among disabled elderly individuals.
Methods
The data for this study was obtained from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). In this study, disability was defined as a functional impairment in at least one activity of daily living (ADL) or instrumental activity of daily living (IADL). Depressive symptoms were assessed by using the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D10). We employed SPSS 27.0 to select independent risk factor variables associated with depression among disabled elderly individuals. Subsequently, a predictive model for depression in this population was constructed using R 4.3.0. The model's discrimination, calibration, and clinical net benefits were assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration plots, and decision curves.
Results
In this study, a total of 3,107 elderly individuals aged ≥ 60 years with disabilities were included. Poor self-rated health, pain, absence of caregivers, cognitive impairment, and shorter sleep duration were identified as independent risk factors for depression in disabled elderly individuals. The XGBoost model demonstrated better predictive performance in the training set, while the logistic regression model showed better predictive performance in the validation set, with AUC of 0.76 and 0.73, respectively. The calibration curve and Brier score (Brier: 0.20) indicated a good model fit. Moreover, decision curve analysis confirmed the clinical utility of the model.
Conclusions
The predictive model exhibits outstanding predictive efficacy, greatly assisting healthcare professionals and family members in evaluating depression risks among disabled elderly individuals. Consequently, it enables the early identification of elderly individuals at high risks for depression.
Endoscopic management of post-cholecystectomy complications at a Nigerian tertiary health facility
Authors: Alatise Olusegun Isaac , Akinyemi Patrick Ayodeji , Owojuyigbe Olumuyiwa Afolabi , Omisore Adeleye Dorcas , Aderounmu Adewale , Ekinadese Aburime , Asombang Akwi Wasi
Published: January 2024

Background
Cholecystectomy and common bile duct exploration for biliary stone disease are common hepatobiliary surgeries performed by general surgeons in Nigeria. These procedures can be complicated by injury to the biliary tree or retained stone, requiring repeat surgical intervention. This study presents the experience of using endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in the management of hepatobiliary surgery complications at the academic referral center, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTHC) Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
Methods
All patients with post-cholecystectomy complications referred to the endoscopy unit at OAUTHC from March 2018 to April 2023 were enrolled. Preoperative imaging included a combination of abdominal ultrasound, CT, MRI, MRCP, and T-tube cholangiogram. All ERCPs were performed under general anesthesia.
Results
Seventy-two ERCPs were performed on 45 patients referred for post-cholecystectomy complications. The most common mode of presentation was ascending cholangitis [16 (35.6%)], followed by persistent biliary fistula [12 (26.7%)]. The overall median duration of symptoms post cholecystectomy was 20 weeks, with a range of 1-162 weeks. The most common post-cholecystectomy complication seen was retained stone post-cholecystectomy [16 (35.6%)]. Other post-cholecystectomy complications included bile leak, bile stricture, bile leak with stricture, and persistent bile leak from T tube in 12 (26.7%), 11 (24.4%), 4 (8.9%), 2 (4.4%) respectively. Ampullary cannulation during ERCP was successful in all patients (45, 100%). Patients with complete biliary stricture 10/12 required hepaticojejunostomy.
Conclusion
Endoscopic management of post-cholecystectomy complications was found to be safe and reduced the number of needless surgeries such patients are exposed to. We recommended prompt referral of such patients for ERCP.
Exploring the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Cancer-Related Distress Among Thoracic Oncology Patients at a Rural Cancer Center
Authors: Silverwood Sierra , Peters Douglas , Bernacchi Veronica , Kier Yelana , Hirko Kelly
Published: January 2024

Purpose: Cancer-related distress (CRD) is frequently observed in rural settings and may have been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined pre and post COVID-19 changes in CRD among individuals treated for thoracic cancers at a rural cancer center.
Methods: Patient demographics, clinical information, and CRD measures derived from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network psychosocial distress problem list were abstracted from electronic medical records for thoracic oncology patients treated at a rural Michigan cancer center before (January 1, 2019-January 1, 2020; n=139) and during (January 20, 2020-January 31, 2021; n=84) the COVID-19 pandemic. CRD scores overall and by type (practical, emotional, social, and physical concerns) were calculated by summing the relevant problem list items. We assessed changes in CRD overall and by type using chi-square tests, Fisher’s exact tests, and multivariable logistic regression models.
Results: CRD prevalence increased by 9.1% during vs. before the pandemic (97.6% vs. 88.5%; p=0.02), with largest increases evident for emotional (82.1% vs. 64.0%; p=0.004) and physical (82.1% vs. 67.6%; p=0.02) concerns. CRD scores were slightly higher during vs. before the pandemic but the differences were not significant (all p-values>0.05). Compared to those treated in the year prior, patients treated during the pandemic had higher odds of elevated CRD (OR (95% CI) =1.86 (1.1, 3.2)), and practical concerns (OR (95% CI) =2.19 (1.3, 3.8)).
Conclusions: Findings from this preliminary study suggest an increased prevalence of CRD among rural thoracic oncology patients treated during compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Abnormal expression profile of plasma exosomal microRNAs in exclusive electronic cigarette adult users
Authors: Li Dongmei , Xie Zidian , Shaikh Sadiya Bi , Rahman Irfan
Published: January 2024

Background Exposure to electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) aerosol has been linked to several health concerns, including DNA damage, elevated oxidative stress, the release of inflammatory cytokine, and dysfunctions in epithelial barriers. However, little is known about the effect of exclusive e-cigarette use on expression profiles of exosomal miRNAs, which play critical regulatory roles in many inflammatory responses and disease processes including cancer. We aim to compare the exosomal microRNA expression profile between exclusive e-cigarette users and normal controls without any tobacco product use (non-users). Methods Using plasma samples from 15 exclusive e-cigarette users and 15 non-users in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Wave 1 study (2013–2014), we examined exosomal microRNAs expression levels through Illumina NextSeq 500/550 sequencing. The differential analyses between exclusive e-cigarette users and non-users were examined using the generalized linear model approach in theDESeq2package in R/Bioconductor after adjusting the significant confounding effect from race. Gene enrichment analyses were conducted on target genes regulated by significant microRNAs in the differential analyses. Further, molecular-based techniques using the micro RNA mimics and inhibitors were applied for the validation of the expressions of the micro RNAsin vitro. Results We identified four microRNAs that have significantly higher expression levels in exclusive e-cigarette users than non-users including hsa-miR-100-5p, hsa-miR-125a-5p, hsa-miR-125b-5p, and hsa-miR-99a-5p. GO enrichment analysis on the target genes regulated by the four microRNAs showed that dysregulation of the four microRNAs in exclusive e-cigarette users involved in multiple cell processes such as protein kinase binding and miRNA metabolic process. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis found the four upregulated miRNAs in exclusive e-cigarette users involved in many cancer pathways such as the non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, p53 signaling pathway, Hippo signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, and MAPK signaling pathway. Overexpression of miRNA hsa-miR-125b-5p was shown to promote DNA damage in bronchial epithelia cells. Conclusions Four plasma exosomal microRNAs involved in cancer development had higher expression levels in exclusive e-cigarette users than non-users, which might indicate a potentially elevated risk of cancer among exclusive e-cigarette users.
Predictors of psychotic symptoms in first-episode and drug-naïve major depressive disorder patients with a history of suicide attempts: A large cross-sectional study
Authors: Yang Qian , Wang Qianjin , Feng Dongmei , Xu Huixue , Liu Tieqiao , Zhang Xiangyang
Published: January 2024

Background: Psychotic symptoms (PS) are common in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD); however, few studies have examined risk factors for PS in first-episode and drug-naïve (FEDN) MDD patients with a history of suicide attempts. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence and risk factors for PS in FEDN MDD patients with a history of suicide attempts, with the aim of providing implications for early intervention.
Methods: A total of 1718 FEDN MDD patients were recruited through a cross-sectional study. The Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) were used to assess patients’ symptoms. In addition, demographic data and clinical indicators were collected.
Results: We found that FEDN MDD patients with a history of suicide attempts were 5.06 times more likely to have PS than those without a history of suicide attempts. HAMD score, HAMA score, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) were significant predictors of PS in FEDN MDD patients with a history of suicide attempts. The combined area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.94 distinguished patients with PS from those without PS.
Conclusions: This study shows a high prevalence of PS in FEDN MDD patients with a history of suicide attempts. Anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and TSH levels appear to predict PS in FEDN MDD patients with a history of suicide attempts.