bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the Effects of Posterior Cervical Fixation or Posterior Cervical Fixation Extending to the Upper Thoracic Region on Cervical Sagittal Alignment
Authors: Kaya Mustafa , Ceylan Davut , Kacira Tibet , Hiziroglu Sabahattin , Erdin Cigdem , Kitiki Kacira Özlem
Published: July 2024

Objective

For degenerative diseases accompanied by cervical malalignment, the starting and ending points of fixation for better cervical sagittal alignment and clinical results are not as clear as the thoracolumbar region. In this study we aimed to compare the effects of posterior subaxial cervical fixation (PSCF), posterior cervical fixation extending to the upper thoracic region and posterior upper cervical fixation extending to the upper thoracic region on cervical sagittal alignment.

Methods

Sixty‐three patients who underwent posterior cervical and cervical‐up thoracic fixation were retrospectively analyzed in a comparative study. The procedures that we performed from May 2019 to March 2022 on these 63 patients were: (1) C3‐C6 group—posterior subaxial cervical fixation; (2) Subaxial‐T2 group—posterior subaxial cervicothoracic fixation (PSCTF); (3) C2‐T2 upper thoracic posterior fixation group. The C3‐C6 group had 27 patients, Subaxial‐T2 group had 24, and C2‐T2 group had 12. We determined the minimum follow‐up period as 12 months. C0‐2, C2‐7 lordosis angle, sagittal vertical axis (SVA), C2 slope, C7 slope, T1 slope, cervical slope, neck slope, and thoracic inlet angle (TIA) measurements were made in three patient groups. Comparatively, cervical sagittal alignment was evaluated.

Result

In the C2‐T2 group, a significant increase in C2‐C7 lordosis, decrease in C2 slope, and increase in TS‐CL were observed. Significant C2‐C7 lordosis decrease, C2 slope increase, and TS‐CL decrease were observed in the C3‐C6 group. A significant increase in C2‐C7 lordosis and a decrease in C2 slope were observed in the subaxial‐T2 group. No significant change was observed in the TS‐CL angle.

Conclusion

In cervical degenerative disorders accompanied by cervical malalignment, we recommend the C2‐T2 fixation method, which provides the desired C2‐C7 lordosis, SVA within the normal range, and the best Neck Disability Index results.
The disaster literacy level of society, opinions on disaster management services, and related factors: A case from a province in Turkiye
Authors: Erdogan Eylul Gülnur , Kaya Senay Sermet
Published: July 2024

Objective

This study aimed to investigate individuals’ disaster literacy levels, their thoughts on disaster management services, and related factors.

Method

The descriptive research was conducted with a total of 480 individuals between the ages of 18 and 60 living in a province in the first‐degree earthquake zone in Turkey. The data were collected with the Disaster Literacy Scale and the Disaster Management Services Evaluation Form.

Results

In this study, it was found that more than half of the participants had inadequate/moderate disaster literacy. The total disaster literacy score and all subscale scores were found to be higher in individuals who had an earthquake kit at home, had an emergency plan, and had received disaster‐related training (p < .05). The majority of the participants found the services provided for disaster management inadequate or very inadequate.

Conclusions

In this study, it has been found that a significant portion of the society lacks the desired level of disaster literacy, and the services provided for disasters are deemed insufficient therefore, there is a need for multi‐disciplinary national prevention programs to enhance disaster literacy and preparedness in the community, as well as urgently supporting policies to improve disaster‐related services. Additionally, due to their comprehensive knowledge of the general structure of society, public health nurses need to play an active role in disaster preparedness and increasing disaster literacy levels.
Quantitative assessment of machine learning reliability and resilience
Authors: Faddi Zakaria , da Mata Karen , Silva Priscila , Nagaraju Vidhyashree , Ghosh Susmita , Kul Gokhan , Fiondella Lance
Published: July 2024

Advances in machine learning (ML) have led to applications in safety‐critical domains, including security, defense, and healthcare. These ML models are confronted with dynamically changing and actively hostile conditions characteristic of real‐world applications, requiring systems incorporating ML to be reliable and resilient. Many studies propose techniques to improve the robustness of ML algorithms. However, fewer consider quantitative techniques to assess changes in the reliability and resilience of these systems over time. To address this gap, this study demonstrates how to collect relevant data during the training and testing of ML suitable for the application of software reliability, with and without covariates, and resilience models and the subsequent interpretation of these analyses. The proposed approach promotes quantitative risk assessment of ML technologies, providing the ability to track and predict degradation and improvement in the ML model performance and assisting ML and system engineers with an objective approach to compare the relative effectiveness of alternative training and testing methods. The approach is illustrated in the context of an image recognition model, which is subjected to two generative adversarial attacks and then iteratively retrained to improve the system's performance. Our results indicate that software reliability models incorporating covariates characterized the misclassification discovery process more accurately than models without covariates. Moreover, the resilience model based on multiple linear regression incorporating interactions between covariates tracks and predicts degradation and recovery of performance best. Thus, software reliability and resilience models offer rigorous quantitative assurance methods for ML‐enabled systems and processes.
Does democracy stimulate remittances?
Authors: Makhlouf Farid
Published: July 2024

The phenomenon of remittances is the subject of intense debate among politicians, researchers, and academics. This is because it touches on a multitude of human, economic, and financial aspects. This paper empirically investigates the empirical relationship between political systems and remittances in order to understand how changes in political systems in the home and host countries affect remittances. By using the gravity model of bilateral remittance flows for 101 sending countries and 92 developing receiving countries for the period 2010–2017. Findings indicate that strengthening democratic processes in countries of origin leads to more remittances. This result is most pronounced in low‐income countries. However, democracy in host countries has a negative effect on remittances. These findings are robust to the different techniques and specifications used. Strengthening democratic institutions in low‐income countries can attract more financial flows.
Global dynamics and spatiotemporal patterns of a two‐species chemotaxis system with chemical signaling loop and Lotka–Volterra competition
Authors: Pan Xu , Mu Chunlai , Tao Weirun
Published: July 2024

This paper considers a two‐species chemotaxis system with chemical signaling loop and Lotka–Volterra competition kinetics under the homogeneous Newman boundary condition in smooth bounded domains. The global existence and boundedness of solutions for the parabolic–elliptic/parabolic–parabolic system are established. In the strong competition case, the global stability of the semitrivial constant steady state is obtained under certain parameter conditions. Linear analyzes and numerical simulations demonstrate that chemical signaling loop can significantly impact population dynamics, and admit the coexistence in the exclusion competitive case, including nonconstant steady states, chaos, and spatially inhomogeneous time‐periodic types.
Spatiotemporal analysis of regional and age differences in tuberculosis prevalence in mainland China
Authors: Huang Fengwen , Bello Stephen Temitayo
Published: July 2024

Globally, tuberculosis is a leading cause of infectious disease deaths. China ranks third among the 30 high‐burden countries for tuberculosis and accounts for approximately 7.4% of the cases reported worldwide. Since very few studies have investigated the age difference in tuberculosis prevalence in mainland China, therefore, the preliminary characterisation of age differences in tuberculosis patients is not well understood. The data of reported sputum smear‐positive, tuberculosis and sputum smear‐negative cases in 340 prefectures from mainland China were extracted from the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention from January 2009 to December 2018. Multiple statistical analysis and GIS techniques were used to investigate the temporal trend and identify the spatial distribution of sputum smear‐positive, tuberculosis and sputum smear‐negative cases in the study area. The results showed that the incidence of sputum smear‐positive and tuberculosis has dropped to a stable level, while sputum smear‐negative exhibited a rising trend. Additionally, sputum smear‐positive, tuberculosis and sputum smear‐negative are still highly prevalent in northwestern and southwestern regions of China. Interestingly, the young adult group (20–50 age) and elder group (>50 age) are more susceptible to being infected with tuberculosis, while lower infection levels were recorded in the juvenile group (<20 age). The present study investigated the temporal–spatial distribution of sputum smear‐positive, tuberculosis and sputum smear‐negative cases in mainland China before the COVID‐19 pandemic breakout, which would help the government agency establish an effective mechanism of tuberculosis prevention in high‐risk periods and high‐risk areas in the study region.
Netizens’ Discussions on Twitter Concerning Floods and Presidential Candidates
Authors: Saragih Nurhayani , Astuti Sriwahyuning , Erlita Novi , Mansur Suraya , Simamora Santa Lorita , Endri Endri
Published: July 2024

This qualitative study dives into social media debates about flood disasters in Jakarta, using Twitteras the significant inquiry medium. The primary goal is to discover new patterns of online social interactions, shed light on the concept of selective exposure, and rigorously chronicle the activities of critical actors in this digital network. We conducted the data gathering process on May 25, 2023, specifically focusing on the selected phrase "Banjir Jakarta." For a thorough study, NVivo 12 Plus compiled a significant dataset of 3,427 tweets. We divide the research findings into three distinct sections: the volume of conversations, the various categories of influencers involved, the prevailing sentiment and conversational tone of these influencers, and an exploration of the most frequently employed words in these discussions. This study highlights the significant impact of nanoinfluencers in these talks, accounting for the vast majority (93.70%) of participants. Furthermore, it emphasizes the active debate around the most likely presidential candidates for 2024. This speech had two prominent figures, Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo, who both elicited different tones and sentiments. Within this complex communication landscape, influencers emerge as crucial entities actively shaping public attitude and discourse, spanning news portals and individual social media profiles. Finally, this study highlights the enormous importance of social media, particularly Twitter, in shaping public awareness and driving political conversations, notably in crisis management and future presidential candidates.
The first and second moments for the length of the period of the continued fraction expansion for d$\sqrt {d}$
Authors: Battistoni Francesco , Grenié Loïc , Molteni Giuseppe
Published: July 2024

Let be any positive and non‐square integer. We prove an upper bound for the first two moments of the length of the period of the continued fraction expansion for . This allows to improve the existing results for the large deviations of .
Data-driven constitutive meta-modeling of nonlinear rheology via multifidelity neural networks
Authors: Saadat Milad , Hartt V William H. , Wagner Norman J. , Jamali Safa
Published: July 2024

Predicting the response of complex fluids to different flow conditions has been the focal point of rheology and is generally done via constitutive relations. There are, nonetheless, scenarios in which not much is known from the material mathematically, while data collection from samples is elusive, resource-intensive, or both. In such cases, meta-modeling of observables using a parametric surrogate model called multi-fidelity neural networks (MFNNs) may obviate the constitutive equation development step by leveraging only a handful of high-fidelity (Hi-Fi) data collected from experiments (or high-resolution simulations) and an abundance of low-fidelity (Lo-Fi) data generated synthetically to compensate for Hi-Fi data scarcity. To this end, MFNNs are employed to meta-model the material responses of a thermo-viscoelastic (TVE) fluid, consumer product Johnson’s® Baby Shampoo, under four flow protocols: steady shear, step growth, oscillatory, and small/large amplitude oscillatory shear (S/LAOS). In addition, the time–temperature superposition (TTS) of the material response and MFNN predictions are explored. By applying simple linear regression (without induction of any constitutive equation) on log-spaced Hi-Fi data, a series of Lo-Fi data were generated and found sufficient to obtain accurate material response recovery in terms of either interpolation or extrapolation for all flow protocols except for S/LAOS. This insufficiency is resolved by informing the MFNN platform with a linear constitutive model (Maxwell viscoelastic) resulting in simultaneous interpolation and extrapolation capabilities in S/LAOS material response recovery. The roles of data volume, flow type, and deformation range are discussed in detail, providing a practical pathway to multifidelity meta-modeling of different complex fluids.
Relationship Between Motor Competence and Soccer-Specific Skills: A Longitudinal Study With Young Players
Authors: Fortunato Álvaro , Gonçalves Celina , Lopes Vítor P.
Published: July 2024

The complexity of interactions in team sports requires players to have excellent technical skills. The purpose of this study was to longitudinally investigate the predictive value of motor competence (MC) on soccer-specific skills development. Participants were n = 79 boys, aged between 5.89 and 14.63 years at baseline followed for 3 consecutive years. MC was assessed with Körperkoordination Test für Kinder, and soccer-specific skills were assessed with soccer wall-volley, soccer dribble, juggling, and shuttle run with a ball. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to estimate developmental trajectories of proficiency in soccer-specific skills. The final model shows that soccer-specific skills proficiency significantly improved, and that MC was a significant predictor of this improvement. For every point increase in MC, the change in soccer-specific skills proficiency improved to 0.03 z scores each year. In conclusion, MC is a predictor of specific soccer skills.
The TCR assigns naive T cells to a preferred lymph node
Authors: de Greef Peter C. , Njeru Sospeter Ngoci , Benz Claudia , Fillatreau Simon , Malissen Bernard , Agenès Fabien , de Boer Rob J. , Kirberg Jörg
Published: July 2024

Naive T cells recirculate between the spleen and lymph nodes where they mount immune responses when meeting dendritic cells presenting foreign antigen. As this may happen anywhere, naive T cells ought to visit all lymph nodes. Here, deep sequencing almost-complete TCR repertoires led to a comparison of different lymph nodes within and between individual mice. We find strong evidence for a deterministic CD4/CD8 lineage choice and a consistent spatial structure. Specifically, some T cells show a preference for one or multiple lymph nodes, suggesting that their TCR interacts with locally presented (self-)peptides. These findings are mirrored in TCR-transgenic mice showing localized CD69 expression, retention, and cell division. Thus, naive T cells intermittently sense antigenically dissimilar niches, which is expected to affect their homeostatic competition.
Direct observational evidence of strong CO
2
uptake in the Southern Ocean
Authors: Dong Yuanxu , Bakker Dorothee C. E. , Bell Thomas G. , Yang Mingxi , Landschützer Peter , Hauck Judith , Rödenbeck Christian , Kitidis Vassilis , Bushinsky Seth M. , Liss Peter S.
Published: July 2024

The Southern Ocean is the primary region for the uptake of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO
2
) and is, therefore, crucial for Earth’s climate. However, the Southern Ocean CO
2
flux estimates reveal substantial uncertainties and lack direct validation. Using seven independent and directly measured air-sea CO
2
flux datasets, we identify a 25% stronger CO
2
uptake in the Southern Ocean than shipboard dataset–based flux estimates. Accounting for upper ocean temperature gradients and insufficient temporal resolution of flux products can bridge this flux gap. The gas transfer velocity parameterization is not the main reason for the flux disagreement. The profiling float data–based flux products and biogeochemistry models considerably underestimate the observed CO
2
uptake, which may be due to the lack of representation of small-scale high-flux events. Our study suggests that the Southern Ocean may take up more CO
2
than previously recognized, and that temperature corrections should be considered, and a higher resolution is needed in data-based bulk flux estimates.
High-precision U-Pb zircon dating identifies a major magmatic event on the Moon at 4.338 Ga
Authors: Barboni Mélanie , Szymanowski Dawid , Schoene Blair , Dauphas Nicolas , Zhang Zhe J. , Chen Xi , McKeegan Kevin D.
Published: July 2024

The Moon has had a complex history, with evidence of its primary crust formation obscured by later impacts. Existing U-Pb dates of >500 zircons from several locations on the lunar nearside reveal a pronounced age peak at 4.33 billion years (Ga), suggesting a major, potentially global magmatic event. However, the precision of existing geochronology is insufficient to determine whether this peak represents a brief event or a more protracted period of magmatism occurring over tens of millions of years. To improve the temporal resolution, we have analyzed Apollo 14, 15, and 17 zircons that were previously dated by ion microprobe at ~4.33 Ga using isotope dilution thermal ionization mass spectrometry. Concordant dates with sub-million-year uncertainty span ~4 million years from 4.338 to 4.334 Ga. Combined with Hf isotopic ratios and trace element concentrations, the data suggest zircon formation in a large impact melt sheet, possibly linked to the South Pole–Aitken basin.
Light-activated CRISPR-Cas12a for amplified imaging of microRNA in cell cycle phases at single-cell levels
Authors: Liu Hong , Dong Jiantong , Duan Zhijuan , Xia Fan , Willner Itamar , Huang Fujian
Published: July 2024

An ortho-nitrobenzyl phosphate ester–caged nucleic acid hairpin structure coupled to the CRISPR-Cas12a complex is introduced as a functional reaction module for the light-induced activation of the CRISPR-Cas12a (LAC12a) machinery toward the amplified fluorescence detection of microRNA-21 (miRNA-21). The LAC12a machinery is applied for the selective, in vitro sensing of miRNA-21 and for the intracellular imaging of miRNA-21 in different cell lines. The LAC12a system is used to image miRNA-21 in different cell cycle phases of MCF-7 cells. Moreover, the LAC12a machinery integrated in cells enables the two-photon laser confocal microscopy–assisted, light-stimulated spatiotemporal, selective activation of the CRISPR-Cas12a miRNA-21 imaging machinery at the single-cell level and the evaluation of relative expression levels of miRNA-21 at distinct cell cycle phases. The method is implemented to map the distribution of cell cycle phases in an array of single cells.
Human iPSC–liver organoid transplantation reduces fibrosis through immunomodulation
Authors: Tadokoro Tomomi , Murata Soichiro , Kato Mimoko , Ueno Yasuharu , Tsuchida Tomonori , Okumura Ayumu , Kuse Yoshiki , Konno Takahiro , Uchida Yutaro , Yamakawa Yuriko , Zushi Marina , Yajima Megumi , Kobayashi Tatsuya , Hasegawa Shunsuke , Kawakatsu-Hatada Yumi , Hayashi Yoshihito , Osakabe Shun , Maeda Takuji , Kimura Kodai , Mori Akihiro , Tanaka Maiko , Kamishibahara Yu , Matsuo Megumi , Nie Yun-Zhong , Okamoto Satoshi , Oba Takayoshi , Tanimizu Naoki , Taniguchi Hideki
Published: July 2024

Donor organ shortages for transplantation remain a serious global concern, and alternative treatment is in high demand. Fetal cells and tissues have considerable therapeutic potential as, for example, organoid technology that uses human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) to generate unlimited human fetal-like cells and tissues. We previously reported the in vivo vascularization of early fetal liver–like hiPSC-derived liver buds (LBs) and subsquent improved survival of recipient mice with subacute liver failure. Here, we show hiPSC–liver organoids (LOs) that recapitulate midgestational fetal liver promote de novo liver generation when grafted onto the surface of host livers in chemical fibrosis models, thereby recovering liver function. We found that fetal liver, a hematopoietic tissue, highly expressed macrophage-recruiting factors and antifibrotic M2 macrophage polarization factors compared with the adult liver, resulting in fibrosis reduction because of CD163
+
M2-macrophage polarization. Next, we created midgestational fetal liver–like hiPSC-LOs by fusion of hiPSC-LBs to induce static cell-cell interactions and found that these contained complex structures such as hepatocytes, vasculature, and bile ducts after transplantation. This fusion allowed the generation of a large human tissue suitable for transplantation into immunodeficient rodent models of liver fibrosis. hiPSC-LOs showed superior liver function compared with hiPSC-LBs and improved survival and liver function upon transplantation. In addition, hiPSC-LO transplantation ameliorated chemically induced liver fibrosis, a symptom of liver cirrhosis that leads to organ dysfunction, through immunomodulatory effects, particularly on CD163
+
phagocytic M2-macrophage polarization. Together, our results suggest hiPSC-LO transplantation as a promising therapeutic option for liver fibrosis.
Therapeutic efficacy of pyronaridine-artesunate (Pyramax) in treating
Plasmodium vivax
malaria in the central highlands of Vietnam
Authors: Manh Nguyen Duc , Thanh Nguyen Van , Quang Huynh Hong , Van Nguyen Thi Thanh , San Nguyen Ngoc , Phong Nguen Chinh , Birrell Geoffrey W. , Edgel Kimberly A. , Martin Nicholas J. , Edstein Michael D. , Chavchich Marina
Published: July 2024

The emergence and spread of chloroquine-resistant
Plasmodium vivax
have necessitated the assessment of alternative blood schizonticidal drugs. In Vietnam, chloroquine-resistant
P. vivax
malaria has been reported. In an open-label, single-arm trial, the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of pyronaridine-artesunate (Pyramax, PA) was evaluated in Dak Nong province, Vietnam. A 3-day course of PA was administered to adults and children (≥20 kg) infected with
P. vivax
. Patients also received primaquine (0.25 mg/kg daily for 14 days). PA was well tolerated with transient asymptomatic increases in liver transaminases. The per-protocol proportion of patients with day 42 PCR-unadjusted adequate clinical and parasitological response was 96.0% (95% CI, 84.9%–99.0%,
n
= 48/50). The median parasite clearance time was 12 h (range, 12–36 h), with a median fever clearance time of 24 h (range, 12–60 h). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as potential genetic markers of reduced drug susceptibility were analyzed in three putative drug resistance markers,
Pvcrt-o
,
Pvmdr1
, and
PvK12
. Insertion at position K10 of the
Pvcrt-o
gene was found in 74.6% (44/59) of isolates.
Pvmdr1
SNPs at Y976F and F1076L were present in 61% (36/59) and 78% (46/59), respectively. Amplification of
Pvmdr1
gene (two copies) was found in 5.1% (3/59) of parasite samples. Only 5.1% (3/59) of isolates had mutation 552I of the
PvK12
gene. Overall, PA rapidly cleared
P. vivax
blood asexual stages and was highly efficacious in treating vivax malaria, with no evidence of artemisinin resistance found. PA provides an alternative to chloroquine treatment for vivax malaria in Vietnam.

CLINICAL TRIALS

This study is registered with the

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry
as
ACTRN12618001429246

.
Unusual A(H1N7) influenza A virus isolated from free-range domestic ducks in Bangladesh, 2023
Authors: Turner Jasmine C. M. , Walker David , Hasan Md. Kamrul , Akhtar Sharmin , Barman Subrata , Mukherjee Nabanita , McKenzie Pamela , Webby Richard J. , Feeroz Mohammed M.
Published: July 2024

In Bangladesh, free-range duck farms provide opportunities for the generation of novel influenza A viruses as evidenced by the emergence of an unusual A(H1N7) virus in 2023. Continued surveillance of such environments for the potential emergence of influenza A viruses with novel properties remains a priority.
Challenges, barriers and solutions for implementing clinical practice guidelines: a qualitative study in southern Iran
Authors: Salari Hedayat , Najm Fatemeh , Yazdankhahfard Mohammadreza , Esfandiari Atefeh
Published: July 2024

Background

Identifying the challenges of implementing clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) can provide valuable information for decision-makers and health policymakers at the national and local levels. The implementation of CPGs requires the development of strategies to facilitate their use. This research aimed to determine the challenges, barriers and solutions for implementing CPGs from the expert point of view in Bushehr University of Medical Sciences.

Methods

This qualitative research uses content analysis conducted in 2022 in southern Iran. In-depth interviews were conducted with the physicians and experts in the health system. Interviewing continued until reaching the saturation level. Altogether, 22 experts were interviewed. The interview guide was used to explore experts’ opinions. All the interviews were recorded and then transcribed. Finally, coding and data analysis was done using MAXQDA 2022 software.

Results

The analysis revealed 4 main themes and 20 subthemes. The four main themes included challenges related to physicians, medical education, the health system and patients. The most common themes were the lack of sufficient training (related to the medical education system), equipment and infrastructure, and the lack of adaptation of clinical guidelines (related to the health system). The solutions included 4 main themes and 19 subthemes.

Conclusion

The most mentioned topic by the experts was training CPGs in medical schools. In Iran’s current medical education system, the training of CPGs is not included in the curriculum. It is proposed to reform the medical education system in Iran. In addition, health inequalities such as lack of access to equipment, supplies and insurance in under-resourced areas and disparities in research/training/medical education should be addressed to improve the validity of guidelines.
Reappraisal and refined diagnosis of ultrasonography and histological findings for hydatidiform moles: a multicentre retrospective study of 821 patients
Authors: Zhao Yating , Cai Limeng , Huang Bo , Yin Xiangang , Pan Dan , Dong Jie , Zheng Lei , Chen Hao , Lin Jun , Shou Huafeng , Zhao Zhigang , Jin Lanying , Zhu Xiaoxu , Cai Luya , Zhang Xiaofei , Qian Jianhua
Published: July 2024

Aims

Specific identification of a hydatidiform mole (HM) and subclassification of a complete hydatidiform mole (CHM) or partial hydatidiform mole (PHM) are critical. This study aimed to reappraise the diagnostic performance of ultrasonography and histology with a refined diagnosis.

Methods

This was a retrospective, multicentre cohort study of 821 patients with histologically suspected HM specimens. Refined diagnostic algorithms with p57 immunohistochemistry and short tandem repeat (STR) genotyping were performed and used as the true standard for assessing the diagnostic performance of the original ultrasonography and morphology methods. The diagnostic performance was calculated using accuracy, agreement rate, sensitivity and the positive predictive value (PPV) compared with refined diagnostic results.

Results

Of the 821 histologically suspected HM cases included, 788 (95.98%) were successfully reclassified into 448 CHMs, 213 PHMs and 127 non-molar (NM) abortuses. Ultrasonography showed an overall accuracy of 44.38%, with a sensitivity of 44.33% for CHM and 37.5% for PHM. The overall classification accuracy of the original morphological diagnosis was 65.97%. After exclusion of the initially untyped HMs, the overall agreement rate was 59.11% (κ=0.364, p<0.0001) between the original and refined diagnoses, with a sensitivity of 40.09% and PPV of 96.05% for diagnosing CHMs and a sensitivity of 84.98% and a PPV of 45.59% for diagnosing PHMs. The interinstitutional variability of morphology in diagnosing HMs was significant among the 15 centres (range, 8.33%–100.00%, p<0.0001).

Conclusion

The current diagnosis of HM based solely on ultrasound or morphology remains problematic, and ancillary techniques, particularly p57 immunohistochemistry and DNA genotyping, should be integrated into routine practice as much as possible.
Chronic mitral regurgitation predicts acute heart failure and worse outcomes after endovascular treatment for large vessel occlusion stroke
Authors: Chen Liyuan , Gong Chen , Huang Jiacheng , Chen Yangmei , Sang Hongfei , Kong Weilin , Guo Meng , Huang Liping , Chen Boyu , Nguyen Thanh N , Liu Chang
Published: July 2024

Background

Valvular diseases are widely recognized as important etiologies for large vessel occlusion stroke (LVO) but their impact on outcomes among patients with LVO receiving endovascular treatment (EVT) are less well delineated.

Methods

This study was a post hoc exploratory analysis of the RESCUE-BT trial, DEVT trial and BASILAR prospective registry. Outcome measures included the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 90 days, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, and post-stroke early acute heart failure (EAHF). Chronic significant mitral regurgitation (csMR) was defined as a long-existing mitral regurgitation (MR) with moderate-to-severe MR grade examined by the transthoracic echocardiography. Adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were obtained by logistic regression models.

Results

Among 2011 patients in these three studies, 837 individuals receiving EVT with available information for valvular status were included in this study. In all categories of chronic valvular disorders, only csMR was related to very poor outcomes (mRS 5–6, aOR 2.76 (95% CI 1.59 to 4.78), P<0.001). CsMR (aOR 7.65 (95% CI 4.33 to 13.49), P<0.001) was an independent predictor of post-stroke EAHF. Mediation analysis showed that csMR increased EAHF instead of reocclusion events or venous thrombosis mediated its effects on functional outcome (49.50% (95% CI 24.83% to 90.00%)). Identical results of csMR on clinical outcomes and post-stroke EAHF were detected in novel cohorts constructed by propensity score matching and sensitivity analysis.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrated that csMR was a mediator of heart-brain interaction associated with poor outcomes of LVO after EVT by increasing the frequency of post-stroke EAHF. Replication of these findings in a larger cohort is warranted.
Prevalence of sexually transmitted infection in pregnancy and their association with adverse birth outcomes: a case–control study at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi
Authors: van der Veer Charlotte , Kondoni Chifundo , Kuyere Annie , Mtonga Fatima , Nyasulu Vita , Shaba George , Morroni Chelsea , Gadama Gladys , Gadama Luis , Kawaza Kondwani , Dube Queen , French Neil , Lissauer David , Freyne Bridget
Published: July 2024

Background

There are limited data on the epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections (STI) and their contribution to adverse birth outcomes (ABO) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We performed a case–control study to assess the prevalence of STI and their association with ABO among women attending Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi.

Methods

A composite case definition for ABO included stillborn, preterm and low birthweight infants and infants admitted to neonatal intensive care unit within 24 hours of birth. Following recruitment of an infant with an ABO, the next born healthy infant was recruited as a control. Multiplex PCR forNeisseria gonorrhoeae(NG),Chlamydia trachomatis(CT) andTrichomonas vaginalis(TV) was performed on maternal vaginal swabs. HIV and syphilis status was determined on maternal and infant serum. For syphilis, we used combined treponemal/non-treponemal rapid point-of-care tests in parallel with rapid plasma reagin tests, PCR forTreponema pallidumand clinical parameters to diagnose and stage the infection. We compared STI positivity between cases and controls.

Results

We included 259 cases and 251 controls. Maternal prevalence of STI was 3.1%, 2.7% and 17.1% for NG, CT and TV, respectively. Maternal prevalence of untreated syphilis was 2.0% and 6.1% for early stage and late/unknown stage, respectively; prevalence of treated syphilis was 2.7%. The HIV prevalence was 16.5%. HIV infection significantly increased the odds for ABO (OR=3.31; 95% CI 1.10 to 9.91) as did NG positivity (OR=4.30; 95% CI 1.16 to 15.99). We observed higher rates of ABO among women with untreated maternal syphilis (early: OR=7.13; 95% CI 0.87 to 58.39, late/unknown stage: OR=1.43; 95% CI 0.65 to 3.15). Maternal TV and CT infections were not associated with ABO.

Conclusion

STI prevalence among pregnant women in Malawi is comparable to other SSA countries. HIV, NG and untreated syphilis prevalence was higher among women with ABO compared with women with healthy infants.
A CSS surface-based THM bounding constitutive model for volumetric behavior of bentonite
Authors: Wang Yang , Ye Wei-Min , Wang Qiong , Chen Yong-Gui
Published: July 2024

Development of the constitutive model for bentonite under coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) condition is of great significance for the construction and safety assessment of deep geological disposal repositories for high-level radioactive waste. In this work, a new temperature–suction–mean net stress ( T–s–p) space with the conception of critical saturated state (CSS) surface was defined to represent the actual stress state of bentonite under coupled THM condition. Then, based on the CSS surface, a THM constitutive model was proposed for describing the volumetric behavior of compacted bentonite. Under the THM model framework, two bounding surfaces were proposed to describe the elastoplastic volume changes induced by mechanical response of skeleton and hydration of montmorillonite, respectively. The model responses upon some typical THM paths were simulated and discussed to reveal the performance of the proposed constitutive model for bentonite. Finally, the proposed model was validated by simulating by several volume change tests carried out on different bentonites. The results confirmed that the proposed model shows more advantages in describing the THM volumetric behavior.
Comparative impact of conventional and alternative gut health management programs on plasma and tibia attributes in broiler chickens raised in commercial and research settings
Authors: Bean-Hodgins L. , Mohammadigheisar M. , Edwards A.M. , Kiarie E. G.
Published: July 2024

Plasma and tibia attributes were investigated in broiler chickens raised on three gut health management programs in commercial farms (study 1) and research station settings (study 2). The programs were as follows: (1) conventional antibiotics (CON), (2) raised without medically important antimicrobials (RWMIA), and (3) raised without antibiotics (RWA). Birds had free access to feed and water from placement to harvest; samples of blood and left tibia were collected on day 28 in both studies and further samples were taken on day 41 in study 2. In both studies, there were no program differences ( P > 0.05) on plasma metabolites with exception of enzyme concentrations with notably higher levels of circulating plasma alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in birds reared on the RWA program ( P ≤ 0.04). Differences were observed among programs for tibia length in both studies ( P < 0.05). Birds reared on RWMIA exhibited significantly ( P = 0.016) higher tibia ash than CON on day 41. Observed differences in the plasma enzyme concentrations, tibia length, and ash concentration suggest altered metabolism which could be linked to gut health management programs and their ability to support gut integrity and function in the absence of antibiotics.
A pilot bioavailable strontium isotope baseline map of Southern British Columbia, Canada
Authors: Tarrant Damon , Hepburn Joe , Renson Virginie , Richards Michael
Published: July 2024

Strontium isotopes are used for provenience and mobility studies in archaeology, ecology, and forensic studies, and rely on accurate baseline maps that are used to compare and interpret human and animal strontium ratios. Here, we present a bioavailable 87Sr/86Sr map, also called an isoscape, for southern British Columbia derived from modern plant samples’ 87Sr/86Sr ratios. We sampled 67 medium root depth plants over a 900 km transect from the southern BC coast to inland BC to capture the natural 87Sr/86Sr ratios of plants along the four major geological belts in British Columbia. Non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis and pairwise Wilcox tests were used to examine whether the geological belts had statistically significant mean differences. It was found that the province could be effectively divided into east and west, with the Coastal–Intermontane and Omineca–Foreland regions having statistically different means from each other. 87Sr/86Sr ratios had statistically significant relationships with salt deposition, volcanic deposition, and mean age of the underlying lithology. Generally, 87Sr/86Sr ratios increased with distance from the coast as the atmospheric input of radiogenic strontium from marine-derived rainwater decreased and the input of radiogenic strontium isotopes from the underlying geology of the Rockies in the far east of the province increased.
On the 3-loop polynomial of genus 1 knots with trivial Alexander polynomial
Authors: Yamaguchi Kouki
Published: July 2024

We give a restriction of the set of possible values of the 3-loop polynomials of genus 1 knots with trivial Alexander polynomial. As a special case, we present the 3-loop polynomial of any genus 1 knot with trivial [Formula: see text]-loop polynomials by using five Vassiliev invariants of the knot. Further, we give a new example of the calculation of the 3-loop polynomial.
On Sombor Index of Unicyclic and Bicyclic Graphs
Authors: Tan Huan , Zhao Biao
Published: July 2024

Gutman proposed a topological index called the Sombor index, which was defined as [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text] is the degree of the vertex [Formula: see text] in graph [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we determine the second-minimum and second-maximum values of the Sombor index over all the unicyclic graphs of order [Formula: see text] and bicyclic graphs of order [Formula: see text].
Bifurcation analysis in a modified Leslie-type predator–prey system with Holling-type III functional response and special Allee effect induced by fear factors
Authors: Shang Zuchong , Qiao Yuanhua
Published: July 2024

In this paper, a modified Leslie-type predator–prey system with Holling-type III functional response is formulated to investigate the dynamics in the presence of special Allee effect induced by fear factors. First, we calculate the first three focal values by the method of successor function to ensure that the system has an unstable weak focus of multiplicity 3. A focus- or center-type degenerate Bogdanov–Takens singularity of codimension 3 and a weak focus of multiplicity 1 or 2 together with a cusp of codimension 2 are derived for the system. Then multiple bifurcations are explored. It is shown that the system undergoes Hopf bifurcation of codimension 3 and hence three limit cycles are generated. There exists another large stable limit cycle enclosing these three limit cycles by Poincaré–Bendixson theorem. We demonstrate that a degenerate focus-type Bogdanov–Takens bifurcation of codimension 3 can occur by calculating the universal unfolding. It is also shown that a subcritical, supercritical or degenerate Hopf bifurcation occurs together with a Bogdanov–Takens bifurcation. Finally, numerical simulations are used to support the theoretical results. The analysis results reveal that the special Allee effect is beneficial for the persistence and diversity of ecosystem.
A Review of Control Methods for Tailless Aircraft
Authors: Hu Yunlong , Song Jia , Wu Mian
Published: July 2024

Tailless aircraft lack traditional tail structures, which grants them significant stealth capabilities owing to their unique aerodynamic configuration. However, the absence of conventional aerodynamic control surfaces and the presence of complex nonlinear dynamics pose considerable challenges for designing their control systems. This paper summarizes the latest advances in innovative effectors and associated control algorithms for tailless aircraft. In addressing the removal of traditional control surfaces, it compares the characteristics of various innovative effectors, highlighting fluid thrust vectoring as an efficient technology well-suited for tailless aircraft. Given the nonlinear characteristics of fluid thrust vectoring, the paper introduces anti-windup control methods and hysteresis suppression strategies, and discusses the challenges and issues related to implementing fluid thrust vectoring. Ultimately, this paper reviews research on maintaining the attitude stability of tailless aircraft through decoupling control, control allocation methods, and reliable control techniques. Despite extensive research on tailless aircraft control, unresolved issues persist. Further in-depth research is necessary to effectively integrate fluid thrust vectoring with tailless aircraft to ensure flight safety.
B-TTDb: A Database of Turkish Tweets for Predicting the Top One Hundred Emojis
Authors: Bitirim Yiltan
Published: July 2024

Emoji prediction is an important research task that focuses on finding the most appropriate emoji(s) quickly and effortlessly for a specific text. Now that Turkish is on the list of the top 20 most spoken languages in the world and there are a considerable number of Turkish-speaking social media users, studying emoji prediction in Turkish holds significant value. In this study, a Turkish tweets database, named Bitirim's Turkish Tweets Database (B-TTDb), was constructed for academic and industrial studies based on the prediction of the top 100 emojis. B-TTDb consists of four datasets. The first dataset includes raw tweets, the second dataset is the organized version of the first dataset, the third dataset is the pre-processed version of the second dataset, and the last one is the organized version of the third dataset. The last one is the final version and it is named Bitirim's Dataset (B-D). It includes a total of 158,201 unique tweets belonging to the top 100 emoji classes. For database validation, experiments were conducted on B-D with popular machine learning algorithms for the top 10, 20, 50, and 100 emojis. This study could be considered as the first study that contributes to the literature by the first validated large database of Turkish tweets that includes such a large number of emojis. In addition, B-TTDb could be a basis as well as motivation for various further studies.
Activity and Durability of Pt/Ir Catalysts for Oxygen Reduction as a Function of Different Platinum Shells
Authors: Kaplan D. , Tereshchuk P. , Sisorov S. , Popov I. , Remennik S. , Burstein L. , Shviro M. , Natan A. , Peled E.
Published: July 2024

We performed a systematic experimental and theoretical analysis of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity and durability of Pt/Ir catalysts featuring different platinum shells. Four Pt/Ir catalysts with different platinum monolayers (ML) on an iridium core were synthesized. The nanostructure and composition of the catalysts were studied using scanning transmission electron microscopy with energy–dispersive X–ray spectroscopy, X–ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy with energy–dispersive X–ray spectroscopy. ORR activity and catalyst durability were studied using cyclic voltammetry with rotating disk electrode. Density functional theory calculations were performed to estimate the ORR activity of Pt(111) and nML Pt/Ir(111) surfaces (n = 0, 1, 2). Although the specific ORR activities of the synthesized Pt/Ir catalysts were lower or comparable to those of 50%Pt/C, the mass activities were higher due to the enhanced utilization of platinum. Accelerated stress tests (ASTs) revealed that the durability of 1 ML Pt/Ir surpassed that of the other studied catalysts. The factors influencing the trends in specific and mass activities, durability, and the feasibility of implementing a Pt/Ir system in practical proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are discussed.
Impact of Digital Inclusive Finance on Rural High‐Quality Development: Evidence from China
Authors: Sun Le , Zhu Congmou
Published: July 2024

Digital inclusive finance not only reduces the threshold of rural financial services but also plays an important role in promoting the rural economy. Under the background of the digital economy in China, we studied how digital inclusive finance affects the high‐quality development of the rural economy. For this purpose, we assembled the provincial panel data from 2009 to 2018 and constructed an index system of rural high‐quality development and then calculated its index using the entropy weight method. FE regression model and RE regression model were employed for empirical analysis, and we constructed a nonlinear regression model to investigate the nonlinear relationship as well. Furthermore, systematic GMM and iterative GMM were used to solve the endogenous problem. We found that digital inclusive finance plays a significant and positive role in promoting rural high‐quality development, mainly through the channel of economic efficiency, urban and rural structure, green ecological development, harmony of people’s livelihood, and innovative development potential. Each subdimension of digital inclusive finance has a positive impact on rural high‐quality development to different degrees. There is also a direct nonlinear relationship between the core variables, which act as a disincentive in the initial stage and boost after reaching a certain inflection point. Therefore, it is recommended to increase the construction of rural digital infrastructure, improve the digitalization of inclusive finance with the help of digital technologies such as cloud computing, and expand the breadth and depth of digital inclusive finance services in rural areas, especially in economically underdeveloped provinces and cities, to effectively promote the comprehensive and high‐quality development of rural areas.