bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trends in Antihypertensive Use among Privately insured hypertensive Clients in Ghana
Authors: Marfo Afia , Marfo John , PLANGE-RHULE Jacob , HOLLINGWORTH Samantha
Published: March 2023

To describe the patterns of antihypertensive medicines (AHM) in a selected national population in Ghana. We analysed the claims data for all privately-insured patients in Ghana over three years to 2018. We examined the medicines, class and dose by time, gender and age, and generic status. We estimate the use in Defined Daily Dose (DDD) per 1000 population per day. Classes of AHM prescribed were CCB, ARB, ACEI, diuretics and BB. Amlodipine, nifedipine, losartan, lisinopril, and bendroflumethiazide accounted for 74% of all use. The most widely used single CCB was amlodipine 3.92 DDD/1,000 population/day in 2016, 3.92 DDD/1,000 population/day in 2017, and 4.92 DDD/1,000 population/day in 2018. In those aged 51-60 years, use of CCB in women (74.0 DDD/1,000 population/day) was almost twice that of men (38.3 DDD/1,000 population/day). The top ten medicines accounted for 93% of all single medicine products in 2018. Most single medicine products was generic (76.5% in 2016; 79.9% in 2017 and 83.1% in 2018) whiles most fixed combination products were branded (73.0% in 2016; 89.7% in 2017 and 91.3% in 2018). The patterns of AHM use are clinically expected although the Ghana Standard Treatment guidelines are not directive about lines of treatment.
Inefficient Infrastructure Services and Trade Flows: Evidence from Nigeria and its Trading Partners
Authors: Wahab Bashir Adelowo Adelowo
Published: March 2023

This study examines the relative impacts of transport and information and communications technology (ICT) components of trade-related infrastructure on bilateral trade flows between Nigeria and its major trading partners. An augmented standard gravity model that featured variables for the transport infrastructure component (maritime transport, ratio of total roads network to total population and airport infrastructure) and ICT component (the number of internet users, fixed broadband internet, and telephone subscribers) was estimated using bilateral trade data on 22 major trading partners of Nigeria for the period 2005-2021. Panel instrumental variables technique (pooled two-stage least squares technique leveraged on fixed and random effects models) was used for the analysis. The findings show that both the transport component and ICT component had a significant impact on trade flows between Nigeria and its trading partners. In the exports model, the differential impact of the transport infrastructure component is higher than the ICT component, but the differential impact of the ICT component is greater in the imports model. This suggests that efficient provision of both transport and ICT infrastructure facilitates trade while the inefficient provision of either or both hinders it. Therefore, greater attention must be placed on improving both components.
Pectolinarigenin regulates the tumor-associated proteins in AGS-xenograft BALB/c nude mice
Authors: Lee Ho Jeong , Kwon Young Sang , Lee Ju Hong , Moon Yeon Gyu , Choi Jungil , Hyun Moonjung , Tak Tae Kil , Kim Je-Hein , Heo Jeong Doo
Published: March 2023

Background Pectolinarigenin (PEC) is one of the flavonoid active ingredients, and the anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects of PEC are being studied continuously. In a previous study, we found out the PEC regulates PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway on gastric cancer (GC) cells. The purpose of this study was to establish the GC regulatory function of PEC in vivo and in vitro.
Methods In this research, PEC was intraperitoneally administered to confirm tumor control after xenografting the AGS cell line into BALB/c nude mice to form tumors. Subsequently, tumors were extracted and LC-MS analysis and Gene ontology were performed for proteomics.
Results The body weight and hematological analysis showed that PEC was not toxic to the non-cancerous cells in the xenograft mice model. We identified 582 proteins related to cellular responses such as tumorigenesis and cell death siganling in the tumor tissue. 6 out of 582 proteins was regulation similar by PEC in vivo and in vitro.
Conclusion Our findings indicated that PEC treatment might suppress tumor growth in GC, and proteomic analysis provides the basic information about proteins that could be of significant potential as novel therapeutic targets againsg GC.
Effect and formulation of ecolabel policy: A perspective of green supply chain decision and coordination
Authors: Zhang Huan , Li Qingxin , Jiang Jianli
Published: March 2023

The ecolabel policy is crucial for sustainable development of green supply chain. Considering manufacturer's reputation and consumer’s environmental awareness, this study proposes a few of game models to investigate the impact of the ecolabel policy on the green supply chain. Specifically, four different scenarios are investigated: centralized supply chain with/without certification and decentralized supply chain with/without certification. The results indicate that the ecolabel policy only functions below a threshold of the consumer’s environmental awareness which is higher in the decentralized situation. Only when choosing the certification standard as its green degree, can the manufacturer get the optimal profit. Aiming to maximize the environmental benefit, the optimal ecolabel standard in the centralized decision-making situation is higher than that in the decentralized ones. Furthermore, a wholesale price contract with the manufacturer's reputation is established to make both the product’s green degree and the whole environmental benefit reach the optimal level in a decentralized supply chain.
“Trust people you've never worked with” – A Social Network Visualisation of Teamwork, Cohesion, Social Support and Mental Health in NHS Covid Personnel.
Authors: Schilling Stefan , Armaou Maria , Morrison Zoe , Carding Paul , Bricknell Martin , Connelly Vincent
Published: March 2023

Background
The unprecedented rapid re-deployment of health care workers from different care pathways into newly created and fluid COVID-19 teams provides a unique opportunity to examine the interaction of many of the established non-technical factors for successful delivery of clinical care and teamwork in healthcare settings. This research paper therefore aims to address these gaps by qualitatively exploring the impact of COVID work throughout the pandemic on permanent and deployed personnel’s experiences, their ability to effectively work together, and effect of social dynamics (e.g., cohesion, social support) on teamwork and mental health.
Methods
Seventy-five interviews were conducted across the UK between March and December 2021 during wave 2 and 3 of COVID-19 with 75 health care workers who were either permanent staff, or who had been rapidly deployed to Intensive Care/High Dependency Units or other COVID-19 wards, or had managed such wards. Work Life Balance was measured using the WLB Scale. Interview transcripts were qualitatively coded and thematic codes were compared using network graph modelling.
Results
Four thematic clusters were found, (1) Teamwork, (2) Organisational Support & Management, (3) Cohesion & Social Support, and (4) Psychological Strain. The study has three main findings. First, the importance of social factors for teamwork and mental health, whereby team identity may influence perceptions of prepareness, collaboration and communication, and impact on the collective appraisal of stressful events and work stressors. Secondly, it demonstrates the positive and negative impact of professional roles and skills on the development of teamwork and team identity. Lastly the study identifies the more pronounced negative impact of COVID work on deployed personnel’s workload, mental health and career intentions, exacerbated by reduced levels of social support during, and after, their deployment.
Conclusions
The thematic analysis using graph modelling was able to highlight the interactive and interdependent role of social dynamics on teamwork, suggesting that besides technical skills and preparedness, group membership and perception of professional category may play a bigger role for teamwork than previously stated. It also highlights the potentially protective impact of team-membership on participants experience of their pandemic work, especially in light of the length of the recent pandemic.
Construction of a novel prognostic model for evaluation of immune infiltration and immunotherapy in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Zhang Fuxin , Luan Jiahui , Suo Lijun , Cao Hongyun , Yu Xiaofeng , Liu Bo
Published: March 2023

Background:Immunotherapy is an indispensable treatment in advanced lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). However, only a small percentage of patients have experienced the specificity and effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors. To maximize the therapeutic benefits for LUAD patients, a bioinformatics analysis was used to validate a prognostic signature for LUAD based on immune-related genes.Methods:RNA sequence and clinical information of LUAD patients were taken from the TCGA database. Microarray datasets of GSE30219, GSE72094, and GSE37745 and their survival information were downloaded from the GEO database and the prognostic signature was verified through GEO external validation cohorts. Finally, TIDE, immune checkpoint molecules and two independent external immunotherapy validation cohorts (GSE91061 and Imvigor210) were analyzed to evaluate immunotherapy efficacy.Results:We constructed an immune-related diagnostic signature and verified the prognostic value in TCGA, GSE30219, GSE72094, and GSE37745. The gene sets of high-risk samples were correlated with cell cycle, DNA replication, ribosome, and steroid hormone biosynthetic pathway,SPTA1mutation rate, and lower benefit from ICI therapy; whereas the low-risk patients were correlated with intestinal immune network for IgA production, FLGgene mutation rate, and higher benefit from ICI therapy.Conclusions:The immune-related gene signature for LUAD may have prognostic relevance in ICI therapy.
The spectrum of biopsy-proven renal disease among Tibetan inhabitants: A survey of 429 patients at a single Chinese center
Authors: Yao Yuxuan , Wang Hui , Yong A , Tang Chen , Si Fenglei , Liu Lijun , Wang Suxia , Zhao Minghui
Published: March 2023

Background
The renal histopathology of Tibetan inhabitants with renal diseases has not been well described. The purpose of the study was to investigate the spectrum of renal diseases on the Tibetan Plateau.
Methods
The records of 429 consecutive native renal biopsies performed on patients at the People’s Hospital of Tibet Autonomous Region between January 2016 and July 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The kidney tissues were sent to the Department of Nephrology, Peking University First Hospital, for pathological evaluation. The criteria for renal biopsy and pathologic diagnosis were kept unchanged.
Results
Of the 429 biopsies evaluated, 60.4% (259/429) were from males. A total of 14.0% (60/429) of patients were elderly (age ≥ 60 years). Nephrotic syndrome (NS) was the most common clinical presentation, accounting for 47.1% (196/416). On histology, 63.2% (271/429) of patients were diagnosed with primary glomerulonephritis (PGN), and 29.4% (126/429) of patients were diagnosed with secondary glomerulonephritis (SGN). Membranous nephropathy (MN) was the most common PGN, accounting for 31.0% (84/271), followed by IgA nephropathy (IgAN) (29.5%, 80/271) and minimal change disease (MCD) (15.5%, 42/271). The leading SGN was diabetic nephropathy (DN) (42.9%, 54/126), followed by IgA vasculitis-associated nephritis (IgAVN) (15.9%, 20/126).
Conclusions
The largest retrospective cohort study of biopsy-proven renal disease in Tibetan inhabitants revealed that the leading causes of primary glomerular disease were MN and IgAN and that the leading cause of secondary glomerular disease was DN.
Sepsis-coded hospitalisations and associated costs in Australia: A retrospective analysis
Authors: Kumar Ashwani , Hammond Naomi , Abbenbroek Brett , Thompson Kelly , Taylor Colman , Venkatesh Bala , Delaney Anthony , Finfer Simon
Published: March 2023

Objective
To report trends in Australian hospitalisations coded for sepsis and their associated costs.
Design:
Retrospective analysis of Australian national hospitalisation data from 2002 to 2021.
Methods
Sepsis-coded hospitalisations were identified using the Global Burden of Disease study sepsis-specific ICD-10 codes modified for Australia. Costs were calculated using Australian-Refined Diagnosis Related Group codes and National Hospital Cost Data Collection.
Results
Sepsis-coded hospitalisations increased from 36,628 in 2002-03 to 131,826 in 2020-21, an annual rate of 7.8%. Principal admission diagnosis codes contributed 13,843 (37.8%) in 2002-03 and 44,186 (33.5%) in 2020-21; secondary diagnosis codes contributed 22,785 (62.2%) in 2002-03 and 87,640 (66.5%) in 2020-21. Unspecified sepsis was the most common sepsis code, increasing from 15,178 hospitalisations in 2002-03 to 68,910 in 2020-21. The population-based incidence of sepsis-coded hospitalisations increased from 18.6 per 10,000 population (2002-03) to 51.3 per 10,000 (2021-21); representing an increase from 55.1 per 10,000 hospitalisations in 2002-03 to 111.4 in 2020-21. Sepsis-coded hospitalisations occurred more commonly in the elderly; those aged 65 years or above accounting for 20,573 (55.6%) sepsis-coded hospitalisations in 2002-03 and 86,135 (65.3%) in 2020-21. The cost of sepsis-coded hospitalisations increased at an annual rate of 20.6%, from AUD199M (€127M) in financial year 2012 to AUD711M (€455M) in 2019.
Conclusion
Hospitalisations coded for sepsis and associated costs increased significantly from 2002 to 2021 and from 2012 to 2019, respectively.
Importance of pattern standard deviation of Humphrey 10-2 visual field to evaluate central visual function in patients with early-stage glaucoma
Authors: Shin Hee Jong , Oh Si Eun , Park Chan Kee , Park Hae-Young Lopilly
Published: March 2023

Purpose: To explore various parameters that can evaluate the progression of central visual impairment in patients with early-stage glaucoma, including eyes in the preperimetric stage, according to the 24-2 VF test. A possible association between structural parameters acquired by OCT and functional parameters of VF and PERG was determined.
Study design: Cross-sectional observational study.
Methods: A total of 70 eyes of patients with suspected glaucoma or normal-tension glaucoma underwent VF, OCT, and PERG examinations. The patients were classified into two groups according to the MD of the 24-2 VF test. We used Pearson correlation analysis to evaluate the relationships between GCIPL thickness/RNFL thickness and visual functional parameters, such as PERG and perimetry. Linear regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the significant factors affecting the PSD of VF 10-2.
Results: In the low MD group the P50 amplitude presented significant correlations (r = 0.346, P = 0.048) with GCIPL thickness. In the correlation analysis of the high MD group, it was found that only the PSD of 10-2 uniquely presented borderline significant correlations with GCIPL thickness (r=-0.327, P = 0.055), and no other functional parameter showed significant correlation. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that GCIPL thickness was significantly associated with a PSD of 10-2 VF (P <0.001 and 0.013, respectively).
Conclusions: Most functional parameters showed no significant association, the P50 amplitude and 10-2 PSD demonstrated statistically borderline significant structure-function relationships with GCIPL thickness. Given the importance of the central VF in patients’ quality of life, we suggest examining the PSD of 10-2 VF and the P50 amplitude of PERG to evaluate early macular involvement in very early-stage glaucoma.
Synapsin2a tetramerization selectively controls the presynaptic nanoscale organisation of reserve synaptic vesicles.
Authors: Sanders Shanley , Gormal Rachel , Wallis Tristan , Joensuu Merja , Augustine George , Martinez-Marmol Ramon , Meunier Frederic
Published: March 2023

Neurotransmitter release relies on the regulated fusion of synaptic vesicles (SVs) that are tightly packed within the presynapse of neurons. The mechanism by which SVs are anchored at the presynapse while preserving their ability to dynamically recycle thereby supporting neuronal communication remains unknown. Synapsin2a tetramerization was recently suggested to cluster SV in presynapses. Here, we used Dual-pulse sub-diffractional Tracking of Internalised Molecules (DsdTIM) to simultaneously track SVs from the recycling and reserve pools, in live hippocampal neurons. The reserve pool displays a lower presynaptic mobility compared to the recycling pool and exhibits a more mobile axonal pool. Synapsin1-3 triple knockout (SynTKO) selectively increased the reserve pool mobility. Re-expression of wild-type Synapsin2a, but not the tetramerization-deficient mutant K337Q, fully rescued these effects. Tracking Synapsin2aK337Q-mEos3.2 revealed altered synapsin activity-dependent presynaptic translocation and nanoclustering. Synapsin2a tetramerization therefore controls its own presynaptic nanoclustering allowing dynamic immobilisation of the reserve pool at the presynapse.
Impact of whole brain radiotherapy after treatment of melanoma brain metastases on an individual’s employment and household income
Authors: TRAN ANH DAM , NG SHARON , HONG ANGELA M , NGUYEN MAI TH , Fogarty Gerald , Paton Elizabeth , Steel Victoria , Burmeister Bryan , Thompson John F , Morton Rachael L
Published: March 2023

Purpose: A cancer diagnosis can result in a considerable financial burden to individuals and their households. This study aimed to investigate this problem in patients treated for melanoma brain metastases.
Methods: An economic evaluation was conducted as a sub-study of a randomised controlled trial of whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) versus observation following surgery and/or stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for 1-3 melanoma brain metastases. Employment status and pre-tax household income were measured at baseline and every 2 months for 12 months. Outcomes included changes in employment status or household income category at 12 months.
Results: Of 125 patients, 64 were included in the analysis, 31 randomised to WBRT and 33 to observation, 61 patients were excluded because they were not in the workforce at baseline (42) or were unsure about their income (19). Mean age was 61 years (range 27-88), 37 (58%) completed employment questionnaires and 61 (96%) completed income questionnaires at baseline. Prior to treatment, 39% worked full-time, 8% part-time and 53% were unemployed. At 12 months, 23%, 12% and 65% individuals were employed full-time, part-time and unemployed, respectively. Job status change and household income at 12 months were not significantly different between the two treatment groups (p=0.18 and 0.87, respectively).
Conclusions: A substantial proportion of patients experienced job loss after treatment of melanoma brain metastases, however this was similar for those undergoing WBRT or observation alone. Strategies to reduce the impact for both groups (e.g., financial counselling, employment rehabilitation) could be implemented by clinicians and allied health workers.
Persistent current in a mesoscopic Holstein-Hubbard ring with Dresselhaus interaction
Authors: Bhattacharyya Kuntal , J. Monisha P. , Chatterjee Ashok
Published: March 2023

The effect of electron-phonon coupling, onsite repulsive Coulomb interaction and temperature on the persistent current in a quantum ring is studied in the presence of Dresselhaus spin-orbit interaction. The quantum ring threaded by the Aharonov-Bohm flux is modelled by the one-dimensional Holstein-Hubbard-Dresselhaus Hamiltonian. The electron-phonon interaction and Dresselhaus spin-orbit interaction are decoupled by employing the Lang-Firsov coherent transformation and a unitary transformation respectively. Thereafter, a self-consistent diagonalization technique is performed numerically at the Hartree-Fock level to obtain the effective electronic energy and current. It is shown that the intrinsic Dresselhaus spin-orbit interaction enhances the persistent charge and spin currents significantly. On the other hand, the persistent current is reduced by the onsite and nearest-neighbour electron-phonon interaction and Coulomb interaction. Also, the behaviour of the currents is modified by temperature. The spin-splitting of persistent spin current is enhanced considerably by Dresselhaus spin-orbit interaction and this splitting is tuneable in different regimes of magnetic flux, temperature, chemical potential and the interactions present in the system.
Mixed methods evaluation of an extended hours clinical pharmacy service in the paediatric emergency department
Authors: Stacey Sonya Rae , Gillies Bryanna Jane , Tasker Natalie , Lowe Jade , Smith Christine Helen
Published: March 2023

Background

There is substantial evidence of the positive impact of a clinical pharmacy service in the adult emergency department (ED), but less so in paediatrics, despite the well-known increased risk of medication related harm in children compared to adults.

Aim

To evaluate the impact of an extended hours clinical pharmacy service on the safety and quality of medication management for children presenting to ED.

Method

Mixed methods design using retrospective analysis of routinely collected data from the electronic medical record, manually collected descriptive data on pharmacist activities, and a survey of ED clinicians. Three 12 week periods representing three different ED pharmacy service models were compared.

Results

Best Possible Medication History (BPMH) was the most frequent activity undertaken by the pharmacist and highly valued by ED clinicians. Mean time to BPMH from admission was significantly shorter with the ED pharmacist (6.11 hours) in comparison to the ward pharmacist (37.56 hours) and doctor (165.75 hours, p<0.001). Time from prescribing to inpatient and discharge dispensing was also shorter with an ED pharmacist. Clinicians were strongly supportive of the service, with themes reflecting patient flow improvement, timely medication access, early documentation of medication history, assistance in prescribing, identification and resolution of errors, and valuable resource for rapid access to information for staff and families.

Conclusion

A pharmacy service in the paediatric ED improves timeliness of BPMH documentation, inpatient and discharge dispensing and was strongly supported by other ED clinicians as improving patient flow, and safety and quality of care for children and families.
Turning Parameters Optimizing for Surface Quality of Al- MMCs: A Comparative Study of Cutting Environments
Authors: Khandey Umesh , Chandra Viabhav , Arya Vedpal , Kumar Praveen
Published: March 2023

The machining of Aluminum-based Metal Matrix Composites (Al-MMCs) is challenging due to their inhomogeneity, anisotropic nature, and dynamic cutting forces. In this paper, the effect of machining parameters, including cutting speed, feed rate, and depth of cut, on surface quality (Ra) and cutting forces (Fc) during turning of Al-MMCs under different cutting conditions (DRY, WET, and MQL) was investigated. Statistical analysis tools were used to analyze the experimental results, and ANOVA and RSM techniques were used to model the relationships between machining parameters and responses. The results showed that feed rate had the most significant effect on both Ra and Fc for all machining conditions. The optimum feed rate of 0.03 mm/rev was found to produce the best surface finish and lower cutting forces in all conditions. The DRY mode of machining was found to be optimal for surface finish, and the MQL mode was found to be effective in reducing cutting forces due to its cooling and lubrication properties. Future research should focus on investigating the effect of different cutting tool materials and geometries on the machinability of Al-MMCs and developing more effective and sustainable machining strategies.
Exploring Hypertension Incidence and Predictors in a Prospective Cohort Study of Kharameh in Southern Iran
Authors: Rezaianzadeh Abbas , Johari Masoumeh Ghoddusi , Baeradeh Najibullah , Seif Mozhgan , Hosseini Seyed Vahid
Published: March 2023

Background:
Hypertension (HTN) is a significant public health concern globally. The study aims to estimate the incidence of HTN among adults aged 40 and above in southern Iran and identify the risk factors associated with it.
Methods:
The participants in the present prospective cohort study consisted of 7710 people aged 40–70 years. HTN is defined according to European guidelines for HTN management. Firth Logistic regression was used to model and predict the factors related to HTN. Additionally, the age standardized incidence rate (ASPR) of HTN was determined using the standard Asian population.
Results:
The study found that the incidence rate of HTN during the four-year follow-up was 21.54 per 1000 person-years, with higher incidence in females than males. Risk factors for developing HTN included being old, female, obesity, and using opium. Clinical risk factors included pre-HTN, family history of HTN, rheumatoid disease, kidney stones, recurrent headaches, history of head injury with anesthesia, and high triglyceride levels.
Conclusion:
The incidence of HTN was greater in women than in men. Furthermore, pre- HTN, advanced age, obesity, opioid use, and family history of HTN were the most significant risk factors for developing HTN. Therefore, it is advisable to develop strategies to lessen modifiable risk factors.
GC-FID based analysis of trace phthalates with a novel nanocomposite by polar-nonpolar properties in plastic bottled water
Authors: omidi Ali , Khaloo Shokooh Sadat , Zendehdel Rezvan , Ravannakhjavani Fatemeh , Khodakarim Soheila , kakavandi Masoud Ghanbari
Published: March 2023

Risk of emerging contaminants such as phthalates in drinking water and food are concerned due to adverse effect of these chemicals. Release of phthalates as a plastics additive from bottles to drinking water is a source of risk. On the other hand, trace level determination of phthalates in plastic bottled samples is a hurdle in risk assessment. A dispersive solid phase extraction (DSPE) with polar-nonpolar properties adsorbent was prepared for trace analysis of di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP). Adsorbent consisted of magnetic nano silica aerogel (MSi) coated by CuO ROD (CuR) which was supported ionic liquid (IL). Produced MSi@CuR@IL was characterized by SEM, VSM, BET, EDS, FTIR, C/H/N elemental analysis and TGA. In DSPE method, the effect of adsorbent amount, time of sample absorption and suspension speed were optimized based on the central composite design (CCD). Optimized condition was evaluated in 24 mg MSi@CuR@IL, sample absorption time of 14 min at pH = 6.2 by suspension speed of 700 RPMI. Using optimized method suitable performance was presented including detection limit of 0.78 to 1.25 µg/L, phthalate recovery of 92.21 to 102.12, linear rage of 3 to 200 µg/L and repeatability by RSD% of < 10%. Evaluated DSPE was performed in 10 plastic bottled water between 8.9 to 195.3 µg/L. In conclusion application of a potent adsorbent prepare a simple, sensitive and rapid DSPE for phthalate detection by gas chromatography with flame ionization detector (GC-FID) as a commercial technique.
Evaluation of a PlayPosit Guided Group Project’s Impact on Student Engagement in an Undergraduate Course
Authors: Sherifi Sherifi , Jia Yuane , Hunt Thomas J. , Ndanga Memory
Published: March 2023

Background

Student engagement is critical for meaningful learning and can be impacted by teaching methods, tools, and course content. Online student engagement continues to be challenging because they have fewer ways to engage with professors, peers, and the university. Our study aimed to evaluate how a PlayPosit guided group project impacted engagement in a structured online learning environment.
Methods: For this qualitative study, a PlayPosit guided group project was implemented in an online undergraduate course taught via Canvas learning management system. Engagement was evaluated using online course analytics and student’s written feedback. Basic Canvas reports were analyzed using descriptive statistics and students’ written feedback was analyzed using directed content analysis.
Results: All 29 students enrolled in the course completed the course successfully. They completed 99.3% of the PlayPosit activities with accuracy 87.6%-100% and completed the course project with scores 89%-100%. Student comments were grouped into themes related to PlayPosit, group project, and engagement. Students found PlayPosit activities helpful/beneficial, aligned with deliverables, a great learning resource, and enjoyable. Students recognized the group project for its importance in teaching them collaboration, expressed that it enabled them to learn more from each-other, was an enjoyable networking experience, and was challenging. Engagement themes included knowledge gained was applicable to the real world, the course stimulated higher-order thinking, and the course was enjoyable and kept students wanting more.
Conclusions: This study suggested that a PlayPosit guided group project was well-received by students and contributed to high engagement with the content, peers, and the professor.
Dietary patterns associated with the incidence of hypertension: Application of machine learning to a cohort study
Authors: Li Longfei , Momma Haruki , Chen Haili , Nawrin Saida Salima , Xu Yidan , Inada Hitoshi , Nagatomi Ryoichi
Published: March 2023

Background: Previous studies have focused on the relationship between specific dietary factors (such as sodium intake or consumption of fruits and vegetables) and the development of hypertension. However, less is known about the role of overall dietary patterns (food intake, dietary behaviors, and cooking methods) in the development of hypertension. This study aims to address this gap in the literature by using unsupervised machine-learning techniques to identify dietary patterns associated with the incidence of hypertension.
Methods: Data were obtained from Japanese participants enrolled in a prospective cohort study between August 2008 and August 2010. A total of 447 male participants were included in the analysis. Dimension reduction using Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection (UMAP) and subsequent K-means clustering was used to derive dietary patterns. In addition, multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to evaluate the association between dietary patterns and the incidence of hypertension.
Results: We identified four dietary patterns: ‘Sweet Tooth,’ ‘Herbivorous,’ ‘Meat-based healthy,’ and ‘Seafood and Alcohol.’ Approximately 13.4% of the cohort study participants developed hypertension in the following two years. Compared with ‘Seafood and Alcohol’ as a reference, the protective dietary patterns for hypertension were ‘Herbivorous’ (OR = 0.39, 95% CI = 0.19–0.80, p = 0.013) and the ‘Meat-based healthy’ (OR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.16–0.86, p = 0.022) after adjusting for potential confounding factors, including age, body mass index, smoking, education, physical activity, dyslipidemia, and diabetes. An age-matched sensitivity analysis confirmed this finding.
Conclusions:From a methodological perspective, we successfully identified clear dietary patterns by clustering using the UMAP and K-means algorithms in an epidemiological dataset with a small sample size. The ‘Herbivorous’ and ‘Meat-based healthy’ dietary patterns were associated with a lower risk of hypertension in Japanese males than the ‘Seafood and Alcohol’ pattern. These findings provide helpful insights into hypertension-preventive interventions in Japanese males through dietary pattern regulation.
Dietary Effects of Sodium Propionate Supplementation on Growth, Digestive Enzyme Activity and Immune System Gene Expresion of Tropical Gar Juveniles (Atractosteus Tropicus)
Authors: Arellano-Carrasco Jesús G. , Martínez-García² Rafael , Asiain-Hoyos¹ Alberto , Reta-Mendiola¹ Juan L. , Díaz-Rivera¹ Pablo , Frías-Gómez³ Susana A. , Martínez-Burguete² Talhia , Asencio-Alcudia² Gloria G. , Jiménez-Martínez Luis Daniel , Guerrero-Zarate² Rocío , Sepúlveda-Quiroz² Cesar A. , Álvarez-González² Carlos A.
Published: March 2023

The effect of sodium propionate (SP) added to balanced diets was determined for Atractosteus tropicus juveniles on growth, survival, digestive enzyme activity, and expression of genes associated with the immune system. Five treatments (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0%) were evaluated in triplicate during a 61-day feeding trial. 180 organisms (3.65 ± 0.12 g) were distributed in 15 tanks of 70 L. The juveniles were fed five times daily with 6% in relation to the biomass of the organisms. Juveniles fed with 0.5% of SP showed higher final weight, absolute weight gain (AWG), and specific growth rate (SGR). Fish fed with 1.5 and 2.0% SP showed highest survival rate (91.6%). Control group (0%) showed greater activity of lipases and trypsin. The highest activity of alkaline proteases and chymotrypsin was found in treatments with 0 and 0.5% SP, while addition of 1.5% of SP promoted highest activity of acid proteases, and highest relative gene expression of ocln, muc2, and nod2. The inclusion of SP in the diet of A. tropicus juveniles may benefit the activity of digestive enzymes, as well as the expression of genes related to the function of intestinal barrier and therefore increasing the survival of organisms.
Ethnobotanical studies of some wild plants of Swat valley, Kp, Pakistan
Authors: Ali Shujat , Munazir Mehmooda , Shah Sayed Afzal , Qurashi Rahmat Ullah
Published: March 2023

Over a long history of understanding and utilizing natural resources, Swat's indigenous peoples have amassed a wealth of traditional knowledge about local plants. Thus, the aim of the present study is to document the ethnobotanical importance of native plants among the different indigenous communities in district Swat. The present study was carried out from 2018 to 2022. Data for the study were collected from approximately 300 informants, ranging in age from 20 to 90 years old, from various villages in seven tehsils within Swat via formal and informal interviews and group discussions. A total of 234 plant species belonging to 74 families were used for various purposes in the area. The most dominant family were the Poaceae (20%), followed by the Rosacea (9%), Fabaceae (5%), Asteraceae (5%), Brassicaceae (3%). The highest number of plants were used as fodder (52%), followed by medicinal (42%), (34 %), fuel wood (25%), ornamental (12%), honeybee (10%), furniture making (8%), agricultural tools (8%), thatching (5%), fencing (4%), and timber were (3%). While leaves were highly used (42%) for medicinal purposes, followed by fruits (19%), shoots (16%), bark (9%), flowers (8%), seed (5%), gum (4%), roots (4%), cones (2%), milky juice (2%), needles (2%), oil (1%), and cob (1%). The majority of plants served multiple functions. Dominant ethnobotanical uses were accounted for as laxatives, purgatives, emollients, fodder, thatching, basket making, fuel wood, sports materials, and agricultural tools. Traditional knowledge of local plants, owned by Swat people, is rich but at risk of being lost among the young generation. It is concluded that the present research will improve the socioeconomic conditions and provide guidelines for the sustainable use of the natural resources of the area.
Evaluation of liver functionality after liver stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) using blood tests and imaging examinations
Authors: Tanaka Osamu , Taniguchi Takuya , Nakaya Shuto , Adachi Kousei , Kiryu Takuji , Makita Chiyoko , Matsuo Masayuki
Published: March 2023

Background

Several studies have shown that liver function can be evaluated after hepatic stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) using galactosyl human serum albumin (GSA) liver scintigraphy and Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (EOB. However, there are no reports investigating the relationship (including Chile–Pugh classification) between imaging and blood tests. Therefore, we investigated the changes that occur in the liver between before and after SBRT by combining imaging (GSA, computed tomography (CT), and MRI) with and without EOB enhancement) with blood tests that assess total liver function (albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade, ICG-R15). We decided to find a method that could assess liver reserve capacity locally and globally.

Methods

Of the 23 patients who underwent hepatic SBRT, 12 patients underwent GSA, MRI, and ICG-R15 testing before treatment, 1 month after treatment, and 3 months after treatment. All patients underwent imaging studies and blood tests at the beginning of treatment, 1 month after treatment, and 3 months after treatment ended. The evaluation items were as follows: 1) changes over time in Child–Pugh classification, ICG-R15, and ALBI values before and after SBRT; 2) changes over time in GSA count and ICG; and 3) selection of the optimal sequence for recognizing radiation hepatitis on MRI.

Results

The ICG values were 14.4 before RT, 17.1 after 1 month, and 17.6 after 3 months. ICG worsened after 1 month of treatment, but was similar after 3 months. ALBI values were − 2.61 before RT, − 2.67 after 1 month, and − 2.71 after 3 months. ALBl worsened slightly over time.

Conclusion

Regarding the ICG-R15, there was an average worsening of 2.8 after 1 month of treatment compared with before SBRT, but only of 0.5 between 1 month and 3 months after SBRT. Therefore, evaluation using ICG-R15 after SBRT after 1 month alone may be sufficient.

Clinical trial registration: UMIN000035026
Swelling Characteristics of an Expansive Soil before and after Stabilization with Cement- By-Pass-Dust
Authors: Mohamedzein Yahia , Al-Aghbari Mohamed , Zuweina Al Kindi.
Published: March 2023

This paper investigates the swelling characteristics of an expansive soil before and after stabilization with cement-by-pass-dust (CBPD). The CBPD was added to the soil in varying proportions of 6, 9, 15, 20 and 30% of the dry weight of the soil. Both untreated and treated soils were subjected to various testing programs. The effect of the stabilizer on the engineering properties of the soil such as Atterberg limits, compaction, swelling, mineral composition and fabric were studied in details. The compacted untreated soil showed high swelling percent and swelling pressure. It was found that the liquid limit, plasticity index, shrinkage percent, swelling percent and swelling pressure decreased as the amount of CBPD increased and the optimum content of CBPD was 15% of the dry weight of the soil.. XRD and SEM results were used to explain the mechanism of the stabilization process. The time rate of swelling of treated soil follows similar trends to those of untreated soil, but with smaller maximum swelling percent.
Combined healthy lifestyles and risk of depressive symptoms: a cross-sectional study in China
Authors: Qie Ranran , Huang Huang , Sun Peiyuan , Wu Jianjun , Ba Yue , Zhou Guoyu , Yu Fangfang , Zhang Daming , Zhang Yaqun , Xie Yuting Xie , Hu Zhuolun , Wu Mengyao , Yan Qi , Zou Kaiyong , Zhang Yawei
Published: March 2023

Objectives: To investigate the association between combined healthy lifestyle factors and risk of depressive symptoms.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study from April to October 2021,including 5,027 Chinese adults from the general population.A healthy lifestyle score was constructed by assigning 1 point to each healthy lifestyle factor, including active physical activity, non-smoking, no or moderate alcohol consumption, and healthy diet. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) adjusting for confounding variables.
Results: Each additional healthy lifestyle factor was associated with a 29% lower risk of having depressive symptoms (OR (95% CI): 0.71 (0.66-0.77)). Compared with individuals with 0-2 healthy lifestyle factors, individuals with four healthy lifestyle factors had a 55% reduced risk of depressive symptoms (0.45 (0.38-0.54)). After stratification by age, the significant inverse association with healthy lifestyle score was stronger in individuals aged younger than 45 years old. Besides, the significant negative association between healthy lifestyle score and depressive symptoms remained the same for different severity of depressive symptoms.
Conclusions: Our study indicated that adherence to healthy lifestyle factors was associated with a reduced risk of depressive symptoms among Chinese adults, especially among individuals aged younger than 45 years old. These findings warrant further verification in interventional studies.
The Effects of furniture specifications on purchasing decisions according to some socio-demographic consumer characteristics
Authors: YILMAZ Kıvanç , Burdurlu Erol
Published: March 2023

Adaptation of the customer expectations to the product is a requirement of quality-oriented structuring. Starting from here, it is necessary to research the expectations and priorities of the customers at certain time intervals and to reflect these expectations on the product. This study aimed to determine factor priorities in purchasing furniture and effect levels of each factor on furniture purchase decisions according to some socio-demographic characteristics of consumers such as gender, marital status, age and education level in Türkiye. The questionnaire method has been used to determine the effect levels of 1–9 scale of 14 furniture specifications such as material, brand image, quality certificate, service life, safety, aesthetics, durability, etc. on furniture purchase decisions according to consumers’ characteristics. The data obtained from the questionnaire forms of 1218 individuals who participated online through Google Forms were analyzed statistically. Regardless of any socio-demographic characteristics, functionality is the most effective factor in furniture purchasing, followed by lifetime and aesthetics. Ease of assembly is the least effective factor. The furniture specifications such as quality certification, lifetime, reliability, aesthetics, size, functionality, durability, warranty and after-sales services are more effective in women's purchasing decisions than men's. The specifications of brand value, lifetime, aesthetics, size, price and ease of assembly are ineffective in the purchasing decisions of individuals from different age groups. In addition, the effect levels of the factors vary according to marital status and education level. The results obtained from this research will be useful in making managerial decisions about marketing.
Optimized Featured Swarm Convolutional Neural Network (OFSCNN) Model based Dialect Recognition System for Bagri Rajasthani Language
Authors: Kukana Poonam , Sharma Pooja , Bhardwaj Neeru
Published: March 2023

The dialects of a language hold a significant place in speechprocessing (SP) applications. The objective of dialect identification is to categorize speech sample data into a specific dialect of a speaker's spoken language. A dialect recognition system must effectively distinguish between different dialects of a standard language, as they tend to possess many similarities. The dialect of a language is not a distinct characteristic, as it can be impacted by the utterer'sbirthplace. Researchers in the domain of automatic speech recognition (ASR) face difficulties in identifying the speech patterns unique to each dialect or language. The proposed work recognizes the dialects of the Bagri राजस्थानीlanguage from undefined expressions of speech. राजस्थानीLanguage is one of the eldest and most famous languages in the Bagri or Indo-Aryan languages. It comprises the different dialects and for recognizing the dialects, it used dissimilar phases of acoustic and spectral characteristics of the speech signal (SS). The spectral and acoustic features of SSs are measured to design the system. As there is no specific speech dataset for Bagri dialects, the database is built, to verify the Bagri dialects of the Rajasthani language. To improve the accuracy rate, and error rate in recognizing the Bagri dialects, the acoustic and spectral characteristics of speech expressions are joined. To verify severalBagri dialects of the Rajasthani language, different simulations for classification and investigation are carried out i.e., OFSCNN model, GA-NN, etc. The outcomes are important and the accuracy of 96.95% for the OFSCNN model, 80.63% for GA-NN, and 93.45% for the Multiclass SVM method is an achievement.
A ZnO/PVA/CHI Composite Electrode for Rechargeable Zinc-air Battery
Authors: Bao Xinjun , Zhang Zejie , Zhou Liang , He Bin , Hou Jiwei , Zhang Zhuo , Zhou Hengshu , Zhou Debi
Published: March 2023

ZnO/PVA/CHI composite electrode with internal pore structure has been successfully prepared by cross-linking polymerization of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and chitosan (CHI). The resulting composite electrode exhibits a maximum anode dissolution current of 0.34A, 4.86 times higher than that of the pure ZnO electrode (0.07A).More importantly, the Rct of the composite electrode is 1.01Ω·cm2 for the composite electrode, which is lower than that of pure ZnO electrode (2.805Ω·cm2), attesting that the composite electrode possess a more favorable reaction rate. Moreover, the rechargeable battery assembled with composite electrode demonstrates a great improvement in charge/discharge efficiency and cycle stability. It remains over 80% of capacity retention even after 100 cycles, while that of pure electrode can only maintain this level less than 40 cycles. This proposed composting strategy herein may pay a way for the exploration of novel zinc anode for rechargeable zinc-air batteries with superior electrochemical performance.
An Unsupervised Narrative Detection Framework to Demystify Online Protest Composition
Authors: Neha Kumari , Agrawal Vibhu , Chhatani Saurav , Buduru Arun Balaji , Kumaraguru Ponnurangam
Published: March 2023

In recent years, social media, such as Twitter, has become a central point for organizing and developing online protests worldwide. Although protest and mass mobilization are scarce, they may lead to dramatic developments when they occur. Different narratives shared during a protest serve as strategic tools for building and advancing collective opinions. Hence, it becomes crucial to decipher various narratives shared during an online protest. In this work, we aim to investigate the shared narratives and examine the evolution and communication around the narratives during the protest. To this end, we propose an unsupervised clustering-based framework to understand the various narratives in an online protest. We contribute novel insights about narratives shared during an online protest by analyzing 4 protests under study. Next, we investigate the evolution of identified converging narratives across the protests. We further identify the most influential participants in a protest and study their contribution to spreading various narratives. Our results suggest that clusters with call-to-action tweets and on-ground activity reporting tweets are common narratives across all protests. The analysis of the evolution of narrative suggests that the call-to-action narrative is the most consistent during the protest. The community detection over the retweet network across protests suggests narrative-centric community formation. Our research on narrative analysis during a protest can help provide crucial intelligence and situational awareness to make informed decisions.