bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Being a mother of a child with HIV-related Neurodevelopmental disorders in the Zimbabwean Context
Authors: Munambah Nyaradzai , Gretschel Pam , Sonday Amshuda 
Published: February 2025

Background: There is a growing population of mothers caring for their biological children who are infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), in Zimbabwe. Many of these children present with HIV-related Neuro Developmental Delays (NDDs). The occupation of being a mother is a complex and multifaceted role geared towards caring for and nurturing children. The different ways in which mothers negotiate the unique circumstances linked to the occupation of being a mother to a child with diagnosis of HIV-related NDDs warrants exploration.Aim: The aim of the study was to describe the mother's experiences of engaging in daily occupations relating to caring for their with HIV-related NDDs.Methodology: A descriptive qualitative study using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used to uncover the mothers' lived experiences of caring for their child with HIV-related NDDs. Data generated from phenomenological interviews conducted with five mothers were analysed inductively using a simplified version of the StevickColaizzKeen method.Findings: Two major themes, namely 'Ndozvazviri' (Resilient Acceptance) and 'Rekindled hope for the future' emerged from the findings. These themes revealed that caring for a child with HIV-related NDDs is a difficult and demanding role. Despite this, mothers accepted and found meaning in this caring role. Their meaning was expressed through the opportunity to care for their own child and to observe their progress in occupational development and engagement. These interactions created positive experiences for the mothers and rekindled their hope for the future of their child.Discussion and recommendations: Despite the huge demands associated with being a mother of a child with HIV-related NDDs. mothers were committed to this role and were reluctant to entrust this role to others. The findings of this study encourage occupational therapists designing interventions for families, to carefully consider how the mothering role positively shapes the identities of mothers caring for children with HIV-related NDDs.
Key words: mothering, HIV-related NDDs, caregiver
Citizens’ Appeals in Russian Legislation: Traditions and Modern Challenges for its Improvement
Authors: Maslennikova S. V. 
Published: February 2025

The paper examines the experience of legal regulation of citizens’ appeals in the Russian prerevolutionary and Soviet periods. There is a continuity in the regulation of the institution of citizens’ appeals. The paper analyzes modern legislation on appeals, taking into account the correlation between general and special regulation. The author concludes that the role of the Federal Law dated 2 May 2006 No. 59-FZ «On the Procedure for Considering Appeals of Citizens of the Russian Federation» as a law of general regulation is predetermined by the socio-political nature of the right to appeal as a constitutional right and the right of a universal national nature, the implementation of which accompanies any sphere of activity of the authorities in their relations with citizens. The modern development of communications in the State and society, the complication of interaction between subjects, the introduction of IT technologies are challenges that encourage improvement of the legal regulation of the institution of appeals. On the basis of historical and legal and formal and legal methods, the author concludes that the definition of key concepts in the field of consideration of citizens’ appeals in electronic form, restriction of departmental rule-making, clarification of the status of subjects authorized to consider citizens’ appeals should be regulated primarily by means of a relevant federal law. When regulating the institution of appeals, one should focus not on the concept of providing public services, but on the idea of the participation of citizens in the management of state affairs traditional for Russia. It is also proposed to establish provisions on the inadmissibility of burdening citizens with additional requirements when submitting appeals, to provide for a list of communication channels and features of consideration of appeals for certain categories of citizens.
Fast Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis Through Adaptive Importance Sampling
Authors: Houng Soung Eil , Ceferino Luis 
Published: February 2025

ABSTRACT
Probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) traditionally relies on two computationally intensive approaches: (a) Riemann Sum and (b) conventional Monte Carlo (MC) integration. The former requires fine slices across magnitude, distance, and ground motion, and the latter demands extensive synthetic earthquake catalogs. Both approaches become notably resource-intensive for low-probability seismic hazards, for which achieving a coefficient of variation (COV) of 1% for a 10−4 annual hazard probability may require 108 MC samples. We introduce adaptive importance sampling (AIS) PSHA, a novel framework to approximate optimal importance sampling (IS) distributions and dramatically reduce the number of MC samples to estimate hazards. We evaluate the efficiency and accuracy of our proposed framework using Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center PSHA benchmarks that cover various seismic sources, including areal, vertical, and dipping faults, as well as combined types. Our approach computes seismic hazard up to 3.7×104 and 7.1×103 times faster than Riemann Sum and traditional MC methods, respectively, maintaining COVs below 1%. We also propose an enhanced approach with a “smart” AIS PSHA variant that leverages the sampling densities from similar ground-motion intensities. This variant outperforms even “smart” implementations of Riemann Sum with enhanced grid discretizations by a factor of up to 130. Moreover, we demonstrate theoretically that optimal IS distributions are equivalent to hazard disaggregation distributions. Empirically, we show the approximated optimal IS and the disaggregation distributions are closely alike, for example, with a Kolmogorov–Smirnov statistic between 0.017 and 0.113. This approach is broadly applicable, especially for PSHA cases requiring extensive logic trees and epistemic uncertainty.
Comparative evaluation of dimensional accuracy of irreversible hydrocolloid impression material using different types of tray
Authors: Torane Abhishek Appasaheb , Quereshi Ashraf , Gundavar Shyam , Deshpande Saee , Pande Neelam 
Published: February 2025

Irreversible hydrocolloid impression materials are widely used in dentistry due to their low cost and ease of use. To ensure accurate models, it is essential to determine the optimal tray design and material. This article compares the dimensional accuracy of irreversible hydrocolloid impressions using four different types. To evaluate the dimensional accuracy of irreversible hydrocolloid impression materials with four different impression tray types, and to identify the optimal tray design and material for producing precise dental models. Dentulous maxillary model was taken for the study. The canines and first molars of the model were replaced with metal dies on either side. The molar dies were made with two cusp one buccal and palatal .The trays used in the study were Perforated Rimlock tray, perforated stock metal tray, perforated stock plastic tray, perforated custom tray (self-cure acrylic resin). All the above mentioned trays were modified to get the exact same orientation of the trays every time for making the impressions. Therefore two extra handles are attached laterally on each tray. A hole was made in each handle for the orientation of the tray on tray positioning device. To position the each tray on the model in same orientation was difficult so to overcome this problem a tray positioning device was designed. The antero-posterior distances (A-B and C-D) and cross arch distances (B-C and D-A) in all the groups were compared and found that the dimensional changes in all groups were insignificant except the Perforated stock plastic tray i.e. groups III, which showed highly significant differences The proper impression material and tray combination is crucial and very important to achieve desirable results in terms of dimensional accuracy and the quality of the impressions. Thus the results of the present study should be helpful to the dental practitioners in selection of the impression tray before making impressions with the irreversible hydrocolloid impression material.
Sequence-based imitation learning for surgical robot operations
Authors: Furnari Gabriele , Secchi Cristian , Ferraguti Federica 
Published: February 2025

Aim
This paper aims to advance autonomous surgical operations through imitation learning from video demonstrations.
Methods
To address this objective, we propose two main contributions: (1) We introduce a new dataset of virtual kidney tumor environments to train our model on. The dataset is composed of video demonstrations of tumor removal from the kidney, executed in a virtual environment, and kinematic data of the robot tools; (2) We employed an imitation learning architecture composed of vision transformers (ViT) to handle the frames extracted from the videos and of a long short-term memory (LSTM) structure to process surgical motion sequences with a sliding window mechanism. This model processes video frames and prior poses to predict the poses for both robotic arms. A self-generating sequence approach was implemented, where each predicted pose served as the latest element in the sequence, subsequently used as input for the next prediction together with the current frame of the video. The choice of architecture and methodology was guided by the need to effectively model the sequential nature of surgical operations.
Results
The model achieved promising results, exhibiting an average position error of 0.5 cm. The model was able to execute correctly 70% of the test tasks. This highlights the sequence-based approach’s efficacy in capturing and predicting surgical trajectories.
Conclusion
Our study supports imitation learning’s viability for acquiring task execution policies in surgical robotics. The sequence-based model, combining ViT and LSTM architectures, successfully handles surgical trajectories.
Impact of Schistosoma mansoni Infection on the Gut Microbiome and Hepatitis B Vaccine Immune Response in Fishing Communities of Lake Victoria, Uganda
Authors: Wang Yan , Waters Ariana Kerngel , Basalirwa Geofrey , Ssetaala Ali , Mpendo Juliet , Namuniina Annemarie , Keneema Emily , Kiiza David , Lugemwa Jacqueline , Mayanja Yunia , Okech Brenda , Muyingo Sylvia Kiwuwa 
Published: February 2025

Objective: Schistosoma mansoni (S. mansoni) infection is endemic in fishing communities. We investigated its potential impact on Hepatitis B (Hep B) vaccine responses and its role in mediating the association between the gut microbiome and the long-term effectiveness of the vaccine response. Methods: Participants were tested for S. mansoni infections at baseline and received the Hep B vaccine at baseline, month 1, and month 6. Those with infections were treated. Stool samples were collected at baseline and analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to compare alpha diversity between groups. A linear regression model was applied to estimate the association between one-year Hep B vaccine responses and baseline gut microbiome by infection status, adjusting for age and sex. Results: A total of 107 participants were included (44 from the fishing community and 63 from the Kampala community). There was no significant difference in microbiome composition by location or infection status at baseline or exit. In the linear regression analysis, S. mansoni infection (β = 1.24, p = 0.025) and higher alpha diversity (β = 0.001, p = 0.07) were associated with higher Hep B vaccine responses, while older age was associated with a lower Hep B vaccine response (β = -0.06, p = 0.0013). Conclusions: S. mansoni infection status before vaccination may modify the association between the gut microbiome and Hep B vaccine response. Potential interventions could focus on infection control as well as improving microbiome richness before implementing vaccine programs in fishing communities.
Design and Implementation of the Oral Medicine South Africa Registry: Epidemiology of Oral Lesions at three tertiary academic facilities in the Western Cape, South Africa
Authors: Vedan Theesan Ananda , Holmes Haly , Staden Sune Mulder Van , Moodley Gillian Pryadarshini , Engel Mark 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Background
There is a dearth of information on the epidemiology of oral lesions in South Africa. Knowledge of the characteristics and distribution of oral lesions in South Africa has many practical and research-related implications.
Methods
This is a cross-sectional, retrospective analysis of patients presenting to the Tygerberg, Mitchells Plain, and Groote Schuur Oral Medicine Clinics from 2010–2022. Data is obtained from collating histopathological reports and from a review of patients’ folders. A REDCap® database was created for the project.
Results
A total of 2021 patients and 2085 biopsy specimens were added to the database. The average age of patients is 42.8 years with a standard deviation of 19.7 (range: 1 month-89 years). Of these, 1087/2021 (53.7%) are women and 786/2021 (38.9%) are men (male: female ratio 1:1.4). The five most observed oral conditions are fibroepithelial hyperplasia 397/2085 (19%), squamous cell carcinoma 285/2085 (13.7%), pyogenic granulomas 199/2085 (9.5%), mucoceles 175/2085 (8.4%), and benign human papilloma virus-induced lesions 120/2085 (12.2%).
Conclusion
This study assisted with the creation of the REDCap®-based database. The reported frequencies of the most prevalent diagnoses are similar to those found in studies from comparable populations. Further research could determine risk factors associated with the diverse pathological diagnoses.
Mental Health Status and Quality of Life Among People living with Leprosy in Southwest and North Central Nigeria.
Authors: Omobowale Olubukola , Odetoye Temitope , Elugbadebo Olufisayo , Fowotade Adeola 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Purpose Leprosy significantly impacts mental health and quality of life, yet research on this issue in Nigeria is scarce. This study assessed the mental health status and quality of life among individuals living with leprosy in two settlements in Nigeria.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 53 people living with leprosy in two leprosy settlements in Ondo and Kwara States. A semi-structured instrument consisting of sociodemographic characteristics as well as the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief (WHOQOL-BREF) was used to assess depression, anxiety, and quality of life respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression. The level of statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.Results The prevalence of depression and anxiety was 84.9% and 43.4% respectively. Quality of life was very poor for 94.3% of respondents. Significant associations were found between depression and quality of life (p = 0.037), duration of stay in settlements and depression (p = 0.04), age and anxiety (p = 0.026), and source of income and quality of life (p = 0.03). Respondents aged 70 years and older were more likely to experience anxiety (p = 0.02).Conclusion The high prevalence of depression and anxiety, coupled with very poor quality of life, highlights the need for comprehensive mental health interventions and support systems for individuals affected by leprosy in Southwestern and North Central Nigeria. Targeted strategies addressing age-specific needs and economic empowerment may improve overall well-being and quality of life of this vulnerable population.
Reconstructing emission pathways for developing countries
Authors: Meng Jing , Li Shuping , Wang Jinglei , Guan Dabo 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Addressing climate change requires accurate emission baseline and robust model-based projections to simulate future emission mitigation pathways. However, emission baseline data in existing Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) are inaccurate and inconsistent. In particular, they cannot capture recent emission surges in those small and medium-sized developing countries, causing large discrepancies of projections of global carbon space, which are crucial for setting climate policy. We compiled time-series emission inventories for 60 developing countries, ensuring consistency and full validation using all available regional, national and international energy and socioeconomic data. We refine emission baseline for six leading IAMs, and find that their original baselines differ from the new estimates in a range of -45.7% to 76.4% between 2010 and 2020, primarily due to inappropriate growth rates settings. Adopting refined historical emission trends, we re-calculate future emission pathways for developing countries and the globe. Our new estimates show that countries in Asia would require a median of 81 Gt of carbon space (2.2 times of global total emission in 2023) in the SSP245 scenario from 2020 to 2050 cumulatively, a difference of -30.3% to 35.5% compared to the estimates provided by IAM models. Even under the fast decarbonization scenario of SSP119, developing countries like Vietnam, Benin and Ethiopia reliant on fossil fuels, would need a median carbon space of 120.6 Mt, 4.9 Mt, and 11.5 Mt, respectively, by 2040. In the short term, constrained capacities impede these countries from shifting emissions trajectories, as inertia scenarios incorporating historical trends frequently align with SSP585 scenarios, revealing the dilemma between development priorities and the pursuit of low-carbon goals. These findings emphasize additional carbon space needed by swiftly growing developing countries, which is shadowed by projections from current IAM models and should be fully considered in global carbon budget allocations and future mitigation effort needed.
Sit-up Test for Assessing Blood Pressure Dysregulation in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Oyake Kazuaki , Yokokawa Yoshiharu 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Background
The sit-up test enables the assessment of orthostatic hypotension without using a tilt table in individuals at high risk of falling when standing; however, no studies have compared blood pressure responses between older adults with and without orthostatic hypotension during this test. The primary objective of this study was to compare blood pressure responses during the sit-up test between community-dwelling older adults with and without orthostatic hypotension. The secondary objective was to determine the associations between orthostatic hypotension detected by the sit-up test and poor health conditions in these individuals.
Methods
One hundred-two community-dwelling older adults underwent the sit-up test. Orthostatic hypotension was defined as a decrease of ≥ 10 mmHg in systolic blood pressure and/or ≥ 5 mmHg in diastolic blood pressure during the test. Supine and seated hypertension were evaluated, defined as systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mmHg. Blood pressure responses during the test were compared between participants with and without orthostatic hypotension. Moreover, associations of orthostatic hypotension with demographic, clinical, and geriatric outcomes were examined.
Results
Thirty-four participants (33.3%) showed orthostatic hypotension during the test. Participants with orthostatic hypotension demonstrated a greater decrease in systolic blood pressure (F(3,297) = 47.0, p < 0.001), a smaller increase in diastolic blood pressure (F(3,297) = 26.5, p < 0.001), and higher supine systolic blood pressure (t = 3.363, p = 0.005) during the test than those without orthostatic hypotension. Consequently, 52.9% of participants with orthostatic hypotension had supine hypertension. Orthostatic hypotension was associated with a higher proportion of participants with at least one comorbidity (odds ratio = 4.50, p = 0.002) and those with non-robust status (odds ratio = 3.08, p = 0.022), even after adjusting for supine and seated hypertension.
Conclusion
Community-dwelling older adults with orthostatic hypotension were characterized by an impaired orthostatic increase in diastolic blood pressure and high supine systolic blood pressure during the sit-up test. Orthostatic hypotension was associated with poor health conditions, independently of supine and seated hypertension. These findings contribute valuable insights for the application of the sit-up test in preventive health screenings for older adults.
Real-Time Bowel Perfusion Monitoring with FUJIFILM Eluxeo in Colorectal Surgery
Authors: Martucci Jordan , Williams Brian , Swinford Aubrey , Gupta Abhinav , Broccard Sacha , Cologne Kyle G. , Shin Joongho , Lee Sang W. 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Background:
Anastomotic leak is a serious complication of bowel anastomosis, with a multifactorial etiology. Thorough intraoperative evaluation of the anastomosis using white light endoscopy and leak tests is critical. Indocyanine green fluorescence angiography (ICG-FA) has emerged as a tool to assess bowel perfusion but has limitations, including patient allergies and procedural complexity. The FUJIFILM Eluxeo Vision system uses the Oxygen Saturation Index (OSI) to measure tissue oxygenation saturation (StO2) in real time, without requiring dye injection. This provides a quantitative approach for assessing bowel perfusion.
Materials and Methods:
We used the FUJIFILM Eluxeo Vision system to obtain intraoperative mucosal StO2 measurements in 12 patients post colon resection and anastomosis. Measurements were taken at four locations: proximal base, proximal staple line, distal staple line, and distal base. Patients were followed longitudinally via chart review to monitor outcomes.
Results:
The average StO2 differences were + 12.6% between the proximal base and proximal staple line and + 15.4% between the distal base and distal staple line. Significant differences were observed between well-perfused mucosa and staple lines (proximal: P = 0.005; distal: P = 0.003). No patients developed an anastomotic leak during the study.
Conclusions and Future Directions:
The Eluxeo Vision system provides valuable, quantitative data on tissue perfusion at and near anastomotic sites, complementing traditional white light endoscopy and leak tests. Larger prospective studies with long-term follow-up are needed to confirm the relationship between StO2 measurements and clinical outcomes such as anastomotic leaks and surgical site infections.