bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Conversion of 2-dimensional to 3-dimensional mesh for resource-limited centres in developing countries
Authors: Nazrah Shaikh , Rajesh Shrivastava 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Background:
In recent years, laparoscopic hernia repair, i.e. transabdominal pre-peritoneal and totally extraperitoneal repairs have been considered the method of choice, especially for recurrent hernias after open repair or bilateral inguinal hernias. However, they pose numerous challenges such as increased post-operative pain due to tacking or fixation of mesh, chronic pain syndrome due to entrapment of nerves and mesh migration or invagination. A 3-dimensional (3D) mesh was introduced to overcome the shortcomings of a 2-dimensional (2D) mesh which does not conform to inguinal anatomy. However, in a resource-limited country like India, the widespread use of a 3D mesh may not be possible owing to its high cost.

Patients and Methods:
We included a total of 55 patients in our study who underwent laparoscopic extended totally extraperitoneal repair hernia repair for 1 year beginning from December 2021 to November 2022 with a follow-up of a minimum of 1 year till November 2023. In our study group (n = 27), we used a novel technique of converting a 2D mesh to a 3D mesh, which was subsequently placed without fixation. In our control group (n = 28), we used a standard polypropylene mesh with one-point suture fixation.

Results and Conclusions:
All patients in our study showed satisfactory post-operative recovery. There was no significant difference in the post-operative pain (assessed by mean Visual Analogue Scores 1.24 ± 0.44 vs. 1.87 ± 0.56; P > 0.1) and the mean length of hospital stay in days (1.12 ± 0.33 vs. 1.16 ± 0.38; P > 0.1), respectively, in the study and control groups. None of our patients showed signs or symptoms of chronic pain or recurrence in our period of follow-up. Our technique of converting 2D to 3D mesh is a safe and feasible approach and maybe a potential alternative to a traditional 3D mesh in resource-limited settings.
Evaluation of the Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (DR-TB) management component under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP) in Kerala, India, 2021-22
Authors: Vaman Raman Swathy , Kalyanasundaram Madhanraj , Mohan Malu , Pradeepa Narayana , Murhekar Manoj V. 
Published: December 2024

Background and Objective:
We evaluated the DR-TB component of the National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP) in a high-burden district in Kerala to identify the programmatic gaps, if any, in screening, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of notified DR-TB patients.

Methods:
A mixed-methods design was used, and the evaluation was performed in two steps. In the first step, we reviewed the program documents and conducted stakeholder interviews to develop a detailed description of the program design and developed a logical framework to evaluate program performance. Consequently, in the next step, we conducted programmatic data reviews, facility surveys, and in-depth interviews with key stakeholders to identify the programmatic gaps in implementation, guided by the logic framework.

Results:
Of the 494 microbiologically confirmed TB patients during 2021-22, 342 (69%) were tested for drug sensitivity, and 30 DR-TB patients were identified. There was no separate district DR-TB treatment center with airborne infection control facilities, and only 16% (66/422) of the various categories of staff were trained in recent guidelines. Only 30% (9/30) of DR-TB patients were provided with any psychological assessment. The favorable treatment outcome was 80% Interviews revealed poor readiness and motivation from the private sector for screening, contextual barriers in human resource availability, transportation, and financial barriers to the beneficiary despite providing financial benefits.

Conclusion:
Prioritizing the establishment of a district DR-TB treatment center and sputum transport mechanism, posting a clinical psychologist dedicated to counseling patients on therapy, and training all categories of staff on DR-TB management guidelines will significantly contribute to improving program outcomes.
Molecular diagnosis of vitreoretinal lymphoma
Authors: Kwak Jay Jiyong , Lee Christopher Seungkyu 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
Vitreoretinal lymphoma (VRL) is a rare ocular malignancy that involves the retina, the retinal pigment epithelium, and the vitreous. It is a subtype of primary central nervous system lymphoma (CNSL). Most cases of VRL and CNSL are classified as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Despite its indolent nature, VRL can lead to permanent vision loss and even death due to CNS involvement. The gold standard for diagnosing VRL is the identification of lymphoma cells in a vitreous biopsy. However, diagnosis is challenging due to the rarity and fragility of lymphoma cells. Consequently, various diagnostic methods, such as interleukin level measurement, immunoglobulin clonality assays, flow cytometry, and molecular analysis have been developed to improve diagnostic accuracy. Tools from molecular biology, such as next-generation sequencing and single-cell based analyses, are being investigated as emerging diagnostic modalities. This review aims to discuss the conventional and up-to-date molecular tools for VRL diagnosis and to present important genetic variations and their clinical implications in VRL.
Key Cultural Texts and Translation as a Creative Act of Cultural Mediation
Authors: Ulvydiene Huber Loreta 
Published: December 2024

This research was carried out with reference to AHRC (UK) funded network project “Translating Cultures” 2014-2018.[1] The project aimed to underscore the role of language, rhetoric, and semiotics in both textual and non-textual communication, examining these concepts in their “initial expressions” and through their translations and reinterpretations across different languages and mediums. Translating cultural texts is among the most challenging tasks for a translator, as it involves navigating numerous cultural nuances and differences. Poetry, in particular, is the most challenging genre to translate. This research focuses on Antanas Baranauskas’s lyrical Romantic poem Anykščių Šilelis (En. The Forest of Anykščiai), chosen because (1) it is a key cultural text written in East High Lithuanian dialect that portrays the former beauty of a pine grove near Baranauskas’s village and its destruction under the Russian rule,. symbolising Lithuania’s struggles under the Tsarist regime and, (2) it is one of the most frequently translated Lithuanian works, with versions in 19 languages. The study delves into two English translations by Nadas Rastenis (1956) and Peter Tempest (1985), highlighting the different strategies each translator employed. The results of the study demonstrate that translation is never neutral; each decision made by the translator reflects both the original culture and the target audience’s culture, resulting in a text that serves as a conduit for understanding across linguistic and cultural boundaries.

[1] More information is available at https://www.bbk.ac.uk/news/ahrc-funded-research-project-translating-cultures.
Enfermedad gingival durante la gestación en una unidad de salud de Portoviejo, Ecuador
Authors: Cedeño Briones Gema Juliana , Izaguirre-Bordelois Marioneya 
Published: December 2024

La enfermedad gingival en mujeres embarazadas es un problema de salud muy frecuente en esta población y de no ser tratada puede agravarse o provocar complicaciones como el parto prematuro y bajo peso en el recién nacido. El objetivo del estudio fue analizar el comportamiento de la enfermedad gingival durante la gestación en una unidad de salud ,para lo cual se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal donde se obtuvo la información de los registros de la Unidad de Salud Municipal del cantón Portoviejo, provincia Manabí, Ecuador, de las gestantes atendidas en el periodo de 3 meses, analizándose variables como: edad, lugar de residencia, edad gestacional , antecedentes de salud, frecuencia del cepillado, presencia y grado de gingivitis. El 68.42% de las gestantes presentaron gingivitis, siendo leve en el 50% de los casos, edad gestacional se enmarcó dentro de las 10-15 semanas (34.21%). Hubo una asociación significativa entre la frecuencia de cepillado (44.74% se cepillaban dos veces al día) y el grado de gingivitis (p-valor = 0.008). En las gestantes atendidas se presentó con mayor frecuencial la gingivitis leve, en el primer trimestre y moderada en el segundo y tercer trimestre del embarazo. Los principales factores de riesgo identificados para la enfermedad gingival en mujeres embarazadas fueron el período de gestación y los hábitos de higiene oral. Se identificó una asociación significativa entre la frecuencia de cepillado y el grado de gingivitis.
FACTORS INFLUENCING AND CONTROL STRATEGIES AGAINST LUMPY SKIN DISEASE THROUGH VACCINATIONS ON BOVINE
Authors: Mangrio W. M. , Rid S. A. , Sahito H. A. , Sahito F. I. , Mastoi A. H. 
Published: December 2024

This scoping research study was conducted on the epidemiological deadliest lumpy skin disease, caused by encapsulated host-specific vector-borne double stranded DNA, brick-shaped Capripox virus. Different vaccines and control strategies were employed on cross breed and local breed cattle species against LSDV in the district, Khairpur Mirs during 2023. The outcome of this study revealed that the maximum infection was noted in cross bread at (79.19) as compared to herd gathering factors (71.50) followed by grazing period factor (62.14), transportation (48.00), chordata animals (13.25), and nib of injection (09.13). As a precautionary treatment, lumpy VAC, lumpy VAX, LSD-dolvit vaccine, and neem oil were used against LSD in (n=365) normal cattle. Similarly, vaccines namely; dectron, ketoject, teragen, and pencilline+dettol were used in (n=361) cattle containing signs and symptoms of LSD. The main LSD causative agents are mosquitoes, houseflies, and ticks, transmitting germs from infected to healthy cattle breeds. In conjunction with the LSD threats, epidemiological studies, isolation, identification, etiology, transmission, diagnosis, proper disposal, and cleaning, are all the control measures. Among them mass vaccination is the administrative approach, and the optimal way can give valuable insight to limit this fast-spreading viral disease. The lumpy VAC and dectron proved to be the best control hence, recommended. These vaccines should be done at the proper dose, time, and schedule for future disease mitigation and management. This study would increase the understanding of livestock owners, field vaccinators, and livestock regulators to deal with this contagious infection at different stages of bovine.
Gastroezofaginio refliukso ligos simptomatikos sąsajos su miego kokybe ir įmitimo būkle Lietuvos sveikatos priežiūros įstaigose dirbančių slaugytojų kohortoje
Authors: Marius Baranauskas  , Ingrida Kupčiūnaitė  , Jurgita Lieponienė  , Rimantas Stukas  
Published: December 2024

Darbo tikslas. Kompleksiškai įvertinti rizikos veiksnių – psichologinio streso, prastos miego kokybės, patiriamo antsvorio ir (arba) nutukimo sąsajas su Lietuvos sveikatos priežiūros įstaigose dirbančių slaugytojų gastroezofaginio refliukso ligos (GERL) simptomatika.
Tyrimo medžiaga ir metodai. 2023 metų spalio–lapkričio mėnesiais panaudojant konfidencialios anketinės apklausos metodą atliktas vienmomentis skerspjūvio tyrimas, kurio metu ištirtos Lietuvos sveikatos priežiūros įstaigose dirbančios 40,8 ± 10,5 metų amžiaus slaugytojos (n = 105). Siekiant išsiaiškinti GERL simptomatiką naudotas refliukso simptomų indekso (RSI) klausimynas. Slaugytojų miego kokybei ir psichologiniam stresui vertinti naudoti Pitsburgo miego kokybės klausimynas (PMKI) ir Reeder psichologinio streso skalė. Antsvoriui ir (arba) nutukimui vertinti apskaičiuotas tiriamųjų riebalinės masės procentas.
Rezultatai. Kliniškai reikšmingi GERL simptomai identifikuoti tarp 46,7 proc. slaugytojų. Didelio lygio patiriamas psichologinis stresas ir prasta miego kokybė būdingi atitinkamai 57,1 proc. ir 42,9 proc. slaugytojų. Per didelis riebalinės masės procentas, rodantis antsvorį arba nutukimą, nustatytas penktadaliui tiriamųjų.
Išvados. Prasta Lietuvos sveikatos priežiūros įstaigose dirbančių slaugytojų miego kokybė, rodanti galimus miego sutrikimus (galimybių santykis (GS) = 5,4, 95 proc. pasikliautinasis intervalas (PI): 1,2; 6,7, p = 0,020) bei per didelė arba labai didelė riebalinė masė (GS = 3,1, 95 proc. PI: 1,1; 8,9, p = 0,041) didino slaugytojų patiriamų kliniškai reikšmingų GERL simptomų atsiradimo ir raiškos tikimybę. Siekiant saugoti ir stiprinti slaugytojų sveikatą, į Lietuvos sveikatos priežiūros įstaigose vykdomas sveikatinamąsias programas rekomenduojama integruoti uždavinius, susijusius su darbuotojų įmitimo būklės, darbo ir poilsio režimo bei miego kokybės optimizavimu.
Marginalized and Minoritized in General Education Programs: A Call to Protect Vulnerable Students, Faculty, and Staff in Equity and Inclusion Reform
Authors: Johnson Amy Marie 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACT
General education curricula are constantly evolving. Though the initial purpose was to prepare graduates for the broad requirements of active citizenship, the impetus has shifted since the early 20th century to center the impacts of globalization and to help students understand and address rapid change. General education curricula are currently responding to shifting student demographics and navigating social and political upheaval. Equity and inclusion initiatives that often rise to the forefront of many general education reforms on persistently white campuses can, unfortunately, have an unintended cost to marginalized and minoritized students, faculty, and staff. This article offers a method to recognize and mitigate that harm by applying critical race theory and dialogic theory.
Seeking to Fulfill the Land-Grant Mission for Twenty-First-Century Learners through General Education Reform
Authors: Huber Mckenzie , Kayes Lori , Edwards John 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACT
Reforming general education is challenging for institutions due to inertia, institutional politics, budgets, and structural barriers. Oregon State University recently adopted a new structure for its general education curriculum that increases access to high-impact practices, decreases overall credit hours in general education, and links directly to social justice education and career programming. The context and processes by which OSU overcame barriers to general education reform are discussed.
ANÁLISE EPIDEMIOLÓGICA E DOS FATORES ASSOCIADOS AO DESENVOLVIMENTO DE C NCER COLORRETAL EM UM HOSPITAL TERCIÁRIO DE SANTA CATARINA
Authors: Rossoni Tainara Emanuele , De Lima Paola , Becker Ivan Carlos , Souza e Silva Renata 
Published: December 2024

Introdução: O câncer colorretal é a terceira neoplasia maligna mais incidente na população adulta e a mais frequente do trato gastrointestinal. Apresenta fatores de risco relacionados a fatores patológicos pregressos, comportamentais e hereditários. Método: Trata-se de um estudo observacional, analítico, transversal e retrospectivo com abordagem quantitativa e qualitativa. Foram analisados prontuários médicos seguidos da aplicação de um “Questionário de Análise dos Fatores de Risco Associados ao Câncer Colorretal” aos pacientes da amostra. Toda a análise da estatística descritiva foi realizada adotando uma confiança de 95% no software GraphPad Prism (Prism V.8.2.1, 2019). E os dados categóricos foram comparados por meio dos testes qui-quadrado de Pearson ou exato de Fisher. Resultados: Foram analisados 224 prontuários, dos quais predominaram pacientes do sexo masculino (55,80%) com maior incidencia da patologia na faixa etária entre 50 e 75 anos. Na segunda etapa do estudo observou-se um padrão insuficiente de atividades físicas, consumo de risco de carne vermelha e alimentos ricos em gorduras, além de uma baixa ingesta de fibras. Observou-se uma possível relação entre o consumo de risco de carne vermelha e a necessidade de associação de múltiplos tratamentos. Discussão: Considerando os fatores investigados para o desenvolvimento da neoplasia, a população do estudo apresenta fatores de risco que condizem com o estimado em literatura, bem como com as previsões epidemiológicas de acometimento de pacientes em idade cada vez mais precoce, além de apresentar exposição importante a insumos agrícolas com potencial carcinogênico. Conclusão: Considerando-se possibilidade de reconhecimento precoce de pacientes de maior risco objetivando rastreamento e diagnóstico precoce, bem como a oportunidade de educação populacional para mudança de hábitos de vida visando um menor risco de desenvolvimento de câncer colorretal, a aplicabilidade da pesquisa é de suma importância em atividades e projetos de promoção e prevenção em saúde.
Conditional Generative Adversarial Net based Feature Extraction along with Scalable Weakly Supervised Clustering for Facial Expression Classification
Authors: Chen Ze , Zhang Lu , Tang Jiaming , Mao Jiafa , Sheng Weiguo 
Published: December 2024

Article
Conditional Generative Adversarial Net based Feature Extraction along with Scalable Weakly Supervised Clustering for Facial Expression Classification

Ze Chen 1, Lu Zhang 2, Jiaming Tang 3, Jiafa Mao 3, and Weiguo Sheng 1,*

1 Department of Computer Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, P.R. China
2 China Telecom Hangzhou Branch, Hangzhou, P.R. China
3 School of Computer Science and Technology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, P.R. China
* Correspondence: w.sheng@ieee.org

Received: 28 September 2023
Accepted: 30 June 2024
Published: 24 December 2024

Abstract: Extracting proper features plays a pivotal role in facial expression recognition. In this paper, we propose to extract facial expression features via a conditional generative adversarial net, followed by an algorithmic optimization step. These refined features are subsequently integrated into a scalable weakly supervised clustering framework for facial expression classification. Our results show that the proposed method can achieve an average recognition rate of 85.3%, which significantly outperforms related methods. Further, by employing a residual-based scheme for feature extraction, our method shows superior adaptability compared to algorithms based solely on weakly supervised clustering. Additionally, our method does not require high accurate annotation data and is robust to the noise presented in data sets.
Features of the tuberculosis clinic in long-livers
Authors: Chelnokova O. G. , Dmitrieva A. P. , Skripnik N. V. , Borisov E. V. , Afanasenko O. A. 
Published: December 2024

Purpose. To study the clinical features of respiratory tuberculosis in long-livers with newly diagnosed tuberculosis in 2013–2023.Materials and methods. A continuous cohort study of newly diagnosed patients with respiratory tuberculosis in the Yaroslavl and Kostroma regions for the period 2013–2023 was conducted, with an assessment of cases of the disease in patients over 90 years of age.Results. Three cases of the disease were identified and analyzed in long-livers aged 91–97 years, two men and one woman. Clinical forms of tuberculosis included disseminated pulmonary tuberculosis, tuberculoma and bronchial tuberculosis with large residual changes. All patients had a blurred clinical picture, long-term intoxication syndrome with background of decompensation of comorbid pathology; senile asthenia masked tuberculosis intoxication. All 3 cases occurred under the guise of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The test with recombinant tuberculosis allergen was negative in 100%. The delay in diagnosing tuberculosis in the presence of massive bacterial excretion was unreasonably long.Conclusion. The clinical features of tuberculosis in long-livers are low severity of symptoms simulating the course of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, long-term intoxication syndrome under the guise of senile asthenia, and negative result of an immunological skin test.
The effectiveness of surgical treatment of patients with lung cancer in combination with active tuberculosis
Authors: Nekrasov E. V. , Sinitsyn M. V. , Vorobyov A. A. , Ivanova D. A. 
Published: December 2024

The aim of the study. To evaluate the results of surgical treatment of lung cancer with active tuberculosis performed in a tuberculosis institution.Materials and methods. We analyzed the immediate and long-term results of surgical interventions for lung cancer in patients with concomitant active tuberculosis (15 people, 0.7% of all patients discharged from the tuberculosis surgical department in 2016-2020), 12 men and 3 women aged 49- 64 years old.The log-rank test was used to analyze possible factors influencing patient survival.Results. Surgical interventions were more often performed in cases of combination of active tuberculosis and stage IA lung cancer (60%). Anatomical resections including lobectomies, combined resections and pneumonectomies were performed in 66.6% of cases.The incidence of postoperative complications was 6.6%; mortality during 5 years of observation was 46.7% (95% CI 24.8-69.9%) of cases. The overall 5-year survival rate (53.3%, 95% CI 30.1-75.2%) after surgical treatment did not depend on the activity of TB process. Unfavorable factors influencing the risk of death were stage III lung cancer, squamous cell carcinoma, ipsilateral localization of cancer and tuberculous process (in the same lung).Conclusion. Surgical treatment of lung cancer in patients with active tuberculosis in a tuberculosis institution is characterized by an overall 5-year survival rate of 53.3%, a low level of postoperative complications, and the absence of hospital mortality and tuberculosis reactivation.
Morbidity of the new coronavirus infection among the staff of the department for the treatment of patients with tuberculosis and COVID-19 co-infection
Authors: Khristoforova E. L. , Bogorodskaya E. M. , Nozdrevatykh I. V. , Belilovskiy E. M. , Briko N. I. 
Published: December 2024

During the period of rising COVID-19 morbidity in Moscow, a specialized department for the treatment of patients with tuberculosis combined with COVID-19 was established in the Moscow Research and Clinical Center for Tuberculosis Control. Employees of this department are a higher risk group for COVID-19 morbidity due to close contact with patients.The aim was to assess the incidence of new coronavirus infection among the staff of the department for the treatment of tuberculosis patients combined with COVID-19 in comparison with the staff of other departments of the TB organization in the period 2020–2023.Methods. The incidence rates of new coronavirus infection were analyzed among the staff of the department for treatment of tuberculosis combined with COVID-19 (group 1, 143 people) and staff of other departments not involved in the provision of medical care to COVID-19 patients (group 2, 2815 people) in the period from April 1, 2020 to December 31, 2023.Results. During the study period, 94.4% of group 1 and 54.2% of group 2 staff, respectively, became ill. The morbidity rates of covid unit staff were higher than those of staff in other units: 2-fold in 2021, 4.1-fold in 2022, and 15.5-fold in 2023 (p<0.05). Among those who became ill, the proportions of nursing and paramedical staff were predominant (56.9% and 59.0%), compared to physicians (17.9%) and other staff (14.3%), p < 0,05.Conclusion. The risk of infection of staff of COVID-19 treatment units during their work exceeds the risk of infection of medical workers of other departments who do not work with patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, despite high vaccination coverage and use of personal protective equipment, which requires the development of additional preventive measures.