bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Severity of pain syndrome, functional activity, and quality of life in male patients with inguinal hernias in the preoperative period
Authors: Trots A. V. 
Published: November 2024

According to the European Hernia Society (EHS) and the Hernia Surge Group (HSG), males with inguinal pain syndrome make up the majority of candidates for planned inguinal hernia surgeries. Chronic groin pain in the preoperative stage typically has a negative impact on such patients’ functional activity and quality of life. It is therefore considered a significant indication for planned surgery. According to recent research, appropriate functional outcomes, such as improved physical activity and patient quality of life, are as important as an accurate anatomical restoration of the inguinal region after planned inguinal hernia surgery.
Objective — to assess the severity of preoperative inguinal pain syndrome, functional activity, and quality of life in male patients with inguinal hernias.
Materials and methods. The study focuses on the preoperative clinical examination of 50 patients (males) with primary unilateral inguinal hernias. The patients were treated in the surgical department of the State Scientific Institution «Centre for Innovative Medical Technologies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine» between 2018 and 2024. A questionnaire method was employed to assess the functional activity, quality of life, and severity of pain syndrome in patients before surgery. This method involved the use of the modified Carolinas Comfort Scale (MCCS), the European Questionnaire for the Assessment of Quality of Life (EQ‑5D‑3L), and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).
Results. The average pain severity index on the VAS was 2.1±0.9 points. The MCCS was used to assess patients’ functional activity, resulting in an average total score of 33.7±12.1 points, which corresponded to 44.9%, classifying the patients as «not satisfied» in the clinical group. The EQ‑5D‑3L descriptive system was used to assess patients’ quality of life. We found that 30% reported moderate mobility limitations, 18% reported moderate self‑care issues, and 34% reported limitations in their daily activities. 24% of patients exhibited moderate anxiety or depression‑related symptoms. At the same time, all patients noted the presence of pain syndrome, with 76% experiencing moderate pain and 24% suffering severe pain.
Conclusions. The «symptomatic» group of males with inguinal hernias exhibits a high level of local pain syndrome in the area of the hernia protrusion (2.1±0.9 on the VAS, and 24 % of patients reported a significant degree of pain severity before planned surgical intervention (> 3 points) according to the EQ‑5D‑3L system). In the vast majority of cases, it significantly impairs their functional activity and quality of life (66% of patients are not satisfied with their quality of life (32.4±5.6 points on the MCCS)). Effective local pain management is an important objective in the planned surgical treatment of inguinal hernias. This necessitates further investigation into surgical technique selection and procedure adjustments.
The golden era of Kyiv surgery
Authors: Dubenko D. 
Published: November 2024

The article discusses the academic and university surgery in Kyiv during the 1920s. It is based on data obtained from extensive archival research and available bibliographic sources, and it highlights a specific period of the work of the Faculty Surgical Clinic of Kyiv St. Volodymyr University, which is now known as Bogomolets National Medical University. The article presents information about the lives and professional journeys of the heads and staff of the surgical clinic, including Yevhen Cherniakhivskyi, Yurii Voronyi, Vira Hedroyts, Mykola Volkovych, and Oleksii Lazurenko.
Narrativas para la inclusión desde el álbum ilustrado: tipologías de álbumes para educar en la diversidad
Authors: Hidalgo Rodríguez Mª Carmen , Blancas Álvarez Sara 
Published: November 2024

Introducción: Esta investigación estudia los valores inclusivos que transmite el álbum ilustrado infantil actual a partir de cinco categorías: Igualdad de género, Multiculturalismo, Discapacidad, “Lo diferente”, y Personas mayores. El objetivo fundamental es valorar hasta qué punto se contribuye desde el álbum ilustrado a la formación de niños tolerantes y respetuosos. Metodología: El análisis llevado a cabo utiliza un sistema cuantitativo y cualitativo, que profundiza en el mensaje de la narración icono-textual, y que toma como referentes los estudios de Nikolajeva y Scott, y Nodelman. Resultados y discusión: Entre los resultados obtenidos destaca la preponderancia de álbumes ilustrados que tratan sobre la diferencia que presentan los protagonistas y que los convierte en vulnerables, para hablar tanto de temas cotidianos como de otros más complejos. Se obtienen una gran variedad de tipologías en las distintas categorías donde abundan narraciones sobre relaciones especiales, personas que se sienten diferentes, o niños que se niegan a adoptar los roles impuestos por la sociedad. Conclusiones: Como contrapartida, y parte de las conclusiones, se reivindican los álbumes sobre colectivos o situaciones prácticamente ausentes, como personas con discapacidad física, personas mayores empoderadas, o niñas y mujeres que se opongan a los estereotipos.
Impact assessment of blockchain-based improved PBFT consensus mechanism for improving supply chain efficiency and security
Authors: Zhao Mei 
Published: November 2024

In modern supply chain management, it is crucial to be able to track the flow of goods in real-time and maintain data integrity. Research focuses on the transparency, security, and efficiency improvements brought about by blockchain technology, and how these improvements can help address information asymmetry issues in supply chain management and improve overall operational efficiency. At the same time, the study explored the working principle of the practical Byzantine fault-tolerant consensus mechanism, proposed relevant improvement measures, and analyzed how these improvements can be effectively applied in the scenario of supply chain information sharing to improve the stability and efficiency of the overall system. The research results show that the overall latency of improved PBFT is maintained at the millisecond level, while the latency of traditional PBFT can reach several seconds or exceed 10 seconds. In terms of CPU resource consumption, the demand for improving PBFT only shows linear growth, while the demand for traditional PBFT increases sharply. In addition, improving PBFT also has significant advantages in communication costs. In an 8-node network, the communication volume of improved PBFT is only 11.27 KB, while traditional PBFT is 43.67 KB. In terms of throughput and latency performance, the improved PBFT can handle over 16000 requests per second in a 16 node network, significantly better than the traditional PBFT’s approximately 8000 requests. Meanwhile, at 64 nodes, the improved version has a latency of 301.7 milliseconds, much lower than the traditional version’s 510.2 milliseconds. These improvements demonstrate the advantages of improving PBFT in enhancing supply chain transparency, security, and efficiency, providing effective technical support for the digitization and intelligence of supply chain management. We hope that research can promote the digitization and intelligence of supply chain management, and facilitate the efficient operation and optimization of the supply chain.
Three-dimensional printed apical barrier model technology for pre-clinical dental education
Authors: Zou Haojie , Wang Lei , Zhou Xiaolu , Zhang Ling , Wang Shida , Zheng Qinghua , Ye Ling , Wang Chenglin 
Published: November 2024

BACKGROUND: Clinically, apical barrier procedure can be adopted to create an immediate artificial barrier for tooth with an open apex. Given that the quality of the barrier is crucial, the apical barrier procedure is known for its high technical sensitivity, posing significant learning challenges for dental students. Therefore, a new dental teaching model not only effectively enhances the future clinical skills of dental students but also benefits a wider range of patients. OBJECTIVE: A new dental model for simulating apical barrier procedure in vitro, is helpful for dental students to practice apical barrier procedure. This study aims to design, assess, and evaluate the feasibility of a three-dimensional (3D) printed apical barrier model for pre-clinical dental education. METHODS: A novel 3D-printed apical barrier model was developed, consisting of a tooth model and a matching blind box. Total 200 3D-printed apical barrier models were used to train dental students, and fifty fifth-year dental students participated in this voluntary hands-on course. Each student performed apical barrier procedures on four 3D-printed models. The outcome of the first model served as the representative result for the “direct barrier group”, whereas the outcome of the fourth model represented the result of the “post-training barrier group”. The quality of the apical barrier procedure was assessed through X-ray examination, and a questionnaire was used to evaluate the 3D-printed model’s benefits, with scores ranging from 1 (strongly agree) to 5 (strongly disagree). RESULTS: The overall rating for the 3D-printed model was 2.0 [Formula: see text] 0.6. The model was noted for its high degree of realism, ease of use, and practical applicability. Post-training assessments showed significant improvements in the density of apical barrier fillings ([Formula: see text] 0.05), reduction in underfilling rates ([Formula: see text] 0.05), and decrease in overfilling distances ([Formula: see text] 0.05). Students overwhelmingly agreed that the model was beneficial for training in apical barrier procedures (1.06 [Formula: see text] 0.24), helped identify their shortcomings (1.62 [Formula: see text] 0.53), and improved their operational skills (1.90 [Formula: see text] 0.51). CONCLUSIONS: Both the questionnaire feedback and the quality of the fillings confirmed the feasibility and efficacy of the 3D-printed apical barrier model for dental education. The students had the possibility to learn the correct apical barrier procedure on printed dental models.
Rompiendo la Ley de Zipf
Authors: Ramírez Sanabria Alfonso 
Published: November 2024

En un artículo anterior, hacíamos una apología al proceso de escritura mostrando como realizar, más a menudo, esta actividad; puede servir como un elixir para la eterna juventud [1]. Sin importar sobre lo que escribamos, tal vez si sea más importante la forma en como lo hacemos y deberíamos, al escribir, romper, más a menudo, la regla de Zipt. Me explico:
La llamada ley de Zipf, fue formulada en la década de 1940 por George Kingsley Zipf, lingüista de la Universidad de Harvard, es una ley empírica según la cual, en una determinada lengua la frecuencia de aparición de distintas palabras sigue una distribución que puede aproximarse por la siguiente ecuación:
Pn ≈1/na (1)
donde Pn representa la frecuencia de la n-ésima palabra más frecuente y el exponente a es un número real positivo, en general ligeramente superior a 1 [2].
Shear wave elastography based analysis of changes in fascial and muscle stiffness in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain
Authors: Liu Kun , Zhao Tong , Zhang Yang , Chen Lili , Zhang Haoran , Xu Xiqiang , Yuan Zenong , Zhang Qingyu , Dong Jun 
Published: November 2024

BackgroundThe quantitative assessment of individual muscle and fascial stiffness in patients with low back pain remains a challenge. This study aimed to compare the stiffness of the thoracolumbar fascia (TLF), erector spinae (ES), and multifidus (MF) in patients with and without chronic non-specific low back pain (CNLBP) using shear wave elastography (SWE). It also sought to explore the relationship between muscle and fascial stiffness and the levels of pain and dysfunction in patients with CNLBP.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, 30 patients with CNLBP (age 27.40 ± 4.57 years, 19 males, 11 females, BMI 22.96 ± 2.55 kg/m2) and 32 healthy controls (age 27.94 ± 4.94 years, 15 males, 17 females, BMI 22.52 ± 2.26 kg/m2) were enrolled. Stiffness of the TLF, ES, and MF was measured using SWE, and Young’s modulus values were recorded. The numeric rating scale (NRS) for quantifying pain intensity and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores were recorded for the case group to examine their correlations with the resilience index.ResultsThe CNLBP group exhibited significantly higher shear modulus values at the L4-5 bilateral TLF (left: p = 0.014, d = 0.64; right: p = 0.002, d = 0.86), ES (left: p = 0.013, d = 0.66; right: p = 0.027, d = 0.58), and MF (left: p = 0.009, d = 0.69; right: p = 0.002, d = 0.85) compared to the control group. Comparable findings were observed for the right ES (p = 0.026, d = 0.59) and left MF (p = 0.020, η2 = 0.09) at L1-2. Strong correlations were observed between the shear modulus of the bilateral TLF (left: r = 0.57, p = 0.001; right: r = 0.65, p &lt; 0.001) at L4-5 and the NRS scores. Moderate correlations were noted between the shear modulus of the ES (left: r = 0.42, p = 0.022; right: r = 0.48, p = 0.007) and MF (left: r = 0.50, p = 0.005; right: r = 0.42, p = 0.023) at L4-5 and the NRS scores. Additionally, the shear modulus of the MF (r = 0.50, p = 0.005) on the left side of L1-2 showed similar correlations. Strong correlations were observed between the shear modulus of the bilateral TLF (left: r = 0.60, p &lt; 0.001; right: r = 0.58, p &lt; 0.001) at L4-5 and the ODI scores. Moderate correlations were observed between the shear modulus of the right TLF (r = 0.43, p = 0.017), ES (r = 0.38, p = 0.037), and MF (r = 0.44, p = 0.015) at L1-2, as well as the bilateral MF (left: r = 0.46, p = 0.011; right: r = 0.45, p = 0.012) at L4-5, and the ODI scores. No significant correlations were found at other measurement sites.ConclusionIn patients with CNLBP, the stiffness of the lumbar fascia and muscles is generally higher than in individuals without LBP. However, this increase is not uniform across all lumbar regions, with the most significant changes observed in the L4-5 segments. In addition, higher stiffness may be associated with pain and dysfunction, primarily manifested in the TLF.
Enhancement of surfactant performance via titanium dioxide nanoparticles: implication for oil recovery in sandstone
Authors: Hidayat Miftah , Megayanti Rima , Cahyaningtyas Ndaru , Sanmurjana Mahruri , Yahya Zeta Nur Muhammad , Adityawarman  , Siagian Utjok W. R. , Marhaendrajana Taufan 
Published: November 2024

The application of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in the petroleum research area has received ample attention in recent years owing to its impact on wettability-altering agents. Further, employing a surfactant injection to improve oil production in sandstone formations on an industrial scale has become an alternative solution, particularly for mature fields. However, the existing literature on the combination of alkyl ethoxy carboxylate (AEC) surfactant with titanium dioxide nanoparticles on the application of enhanced oil recovery in sandstone formations remains underreported. This study explores the impact of combining AEC surfactant with titanium dioxide nanoparticles on recovering trapped oil in sandstone by examining the interfacial tension, contact angle, zeta potential, and core flooding with various concentrations of added titanium dioxide nanoparticles (0, 0.01, 0.025, and 0.05 wt%) on AEC surfactant. Although the addition of 0.05 wt% TiO2 to AEC surfactant can significantly reduce the interfacial tension to the lowest value of 5.85 × 10−5 mN/m, our results show that the highest oil recovery in Berea sandstone (59.52% recovery factor) is achieved at the concentration of 0.025 wt% added TiO2 to AEC surfactant. We find that the stability of TiO2 nanoparticles on AEC surfactant plays a significant role in getting maximum oil recovery. These important findings from this study contribute to improving our understanding on the application of TiO2 combined with AEC surfactant to achieve more efficient and sustainable enhanced oil recovery in sandstone.
Multimodal Fake News Detection with Contrastive Learning and Optimal Transport
Authors: Shen Xiaorong , Huang Maowei , Hu Zheng , Cai Shimin , Zhou Tao 
Published: November 2024

IntroductionThe proliferation of social media platforms has facilitated the spread of fake news, posing significant risks to public perception and societal stability. Existing methods for multimodal fake news detection have made important progress in combining textual and visual information but still face challenges in effectively aligning and merging these different types of data. These challenges often result in incomplete or inaccurate feature representations, thereby limiting overall performance.MethodsTo address these limitations, we propose a novel framework named MCOT (Multimodal Fake News Detection with Contrastive Learning and Optimal Transport). MCOT integrates textual and visual information through three key components: cross-modal attention mechanism, contrastive learning, and optimal transport. Specifically, we first use cross-modal attention mechanism to enhance the interaction between text and image features. Then, we employ contrastive learning to align related embeddings while distinguishing unrelated pairs, and we apply optimal transport to refine the alignment of feature distributions across modalities.ResultsThis integrated approach results in more precise and robust feature representations, thus enhancing detection accuracy. Experimental results on two public datasets demonstrate that the proposed MCOT outperforms state-of-the-art methods.DiscussionOur future work will focus on improving its generalization and expanding its capabilities to additional modalities.
Functional block in the initiation and maintenance of common flutter: detailed electrophysiological study and electro-anatomical mapping
Authors: Arnaud Marine , Sacristan Benjamin , Hocini Meleze , Jais Pierre , Haissaguerre Michel , Duchateau Josselin 
Published: November 2024

IntroductionThe precise pathophysiology of common atrial flutter remains imperfectly known. The mechanisms of arrhythmia initiation and the role of areas of slow conducting myocardium and functional block are still debated topics.MethodsWe conducted a detailed electrophysiological study of a patient to illustrate and refine these concepts. Prior to CTI ablation, electrophysiological study and electro-anatomical mapping were performed, focusing on initiation and maintenance mechanisms of the arrhythmia.ResultsThe initiation of common atrial flutter takes place on the septal aspect of the cavo-tricuspid isthmus where functional unidirectional conduction block occurs. The direction of activation is therefore frequently counter-clockwise, and the arrhythmia stabilizes around the vena cavas and sinus venosus/crista terminalis region. No conduction slowing is present.ConclusionsCommon atrial flutter initiates when functional unidirectional conduction block occurs on the septal cavotricuspid isthmus. Its rotation is limited by anatomical and functional boundaries.
Digital media in early childhood: risk factors for online harm and psychosocial correlates
Authors: Gath Megan , Swit Cara 
Published: November 2024

IntroductionEarly and middle childhood are times of rapid development, and critical periods for laying the foundations of life-long trajectories of socioemotional well-being. High levels of screen media use are of growing concern to parents, health professionals, and researchers, given the increasing body of research demonstrating detrimental impacts of excessive screen use in young children. One particular consequence is the risk that children encounter online content or experiences that are upsetting or distressing, including exposure to inappropriate or adult content, cyberbullying, and interactions with strangers that they don't know.MethodsThis research examined experiences of online harm reported in a sample of 8-year-old children, with a focus on identifying risk factors and psychosocial correlates of online harm. Data for this study were collected from children and their mothers as part of the prospective longitudinal Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) study (n = 4,920 children with data at age 8). Children were assessed at 4.5-years-old and 8-years-old.ResultsThe findings of this research indicate that approximately a quarter of New Zealand children have experienced online harm (that is, have encountered online content that worried, upset, or bothered them) by the age of 8. Our analysis indicates that children with behavioral difficulties are at greater risk of online harm, as are children with more personal devices. Experiences of online harm were found to be negatively associated with child self-worth and positively associated with depressive symptoms.DiscussionFindings highlighting the critical importance of considering online harm as a contributing factor to child and youth well-being and mental health in our media-saturated world. Our results also point to practical solutions for parents, such as limiting the number of personal media devices that children have in early and middle childhood.
Functional analysis of fibroblasts and macrophages in head and neck paragangliomas
Authors: Baruah Paramita , Marshall Jennifer L. , Nefla Meriam , Pucino Valentina , Adams Holly , Turner Jason D. , Gilbert Sebastian , Powell Emily , Neag Georgiana , Monksfield Peter , Irving Richard M. , Croft Adam P. , Dumitriu Ingrid E. , Buckley Christopher D. 
Published: November 2024

Background and aimHead and neck paragangliomas (HNPGN) are tumours that carry significant morbidity The role of the stroma in the pathogenesis of HNPGN is not completely understood. This study explores the profile of fibroblasts and macrophages in HNPGN.MethodsTen patients undergoing HNPGN surgery were recruited. CD68 and CD163 immunohistochemistry was performed for macrophage analysis; CD90 and podoplanin (PDPN) expression was examined to identify fibroblasts. RT-qPCR was performed on HNPGN tissue for macrophage- and fibroblast-associated molecules. Fibroblast cultures were established from HNPGN were analysed by RT-qPCR and flowcytometry. Confocal microscopy for MCT1 and MCT4 was performed in HNPGN.ResultsCD68 and CD163 expressing macrophages were noted in HNPGN. CD90 and PDPN expressing cells were present in HNPGN. RT-qPCR analysis showed expression of phenotypic and functional macrophage- and fibroblast-associated molecules in HNPGN. RT-qPCR analysis of fibroblasts cultured from HNPGN confirmed the expression of several molecules including PDPN at comparable levels to healthy tissue fibroblasts. Expression of FAP, MCT-1, insulin receptor (CD220) and insulin growth factor receptor-2 (CD222) was noted on HNPGN derived fibroblasts on flowcytometry. MCT1 and MCT4 were expressed in HNPGN tumour cells and stromal macrophages in-situ.ConclusionFibroblasts and macrophages are present in the HNPGN tumour microenvironment, and several macrophage and fibroblast functional markers are expressed in HNPGN. Macrophages in HNPGN tissue express metabolic markers MCT1 and MCT4. Further analysis of the fibroblast and macrophage function in HNPGN will improve our understanding of their potential roles in tumour pathogenesis.