bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Breast cancer related lymphedema in a cohort of Nigerian breast cancer survivors
Authors: Olasehinde Olalekan , Wuraola Funmilola , Bernardo Matteo Di , Knapp Gregory , Omisore Adeleye , Aderounmu Adewale , Oladele Ayodeji , Awe Mercy Omotola , Mohammed Tajudeen , Romanoff Anya , Kingham Peter Thomas , Mango Victoria , Adisa Adewale , Alatise Olusegun 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Purpose
Breast cancer related lymphedema (BCRL) is a common complication of breast cancer treatment. Despite patients in sub-Saharan Africa being significantly at risk, very limited data exist on the subject in this context. Hence this study.
Methods
A crossectional study of survivors, at least 6 months post-mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Lymphedema was diagnosed using multiple techniques: self-report of arm swelling, arm measurement (≥ 2cm difference from contralateral arm), > 10% difference in extracellular water (ECW) using bioimpedance analysis and a lower threshold of 5% to include patients with subclinical lymphedema. With self-report as the reference, the accuracy of the various diagnostic methods was assessed. The relationship between lymphedema and clinical variables was tested using univariate logistic regression analysis.
Results
Fifty one patients with a median age of 51years and a median duration of 40 months post-surgery (10–62 months) were evaluated. The prevalence of lymphedema was 39.2% based on symptoms, 33% using arm measurements, 22.2% using bioimpedance analysis at a threshold of > 10% difference in ECW and 46.7% at a threshold of 5%. ECW difference of > 5% had the highest sensitivity (65%) while ECW difference at 10% threshold had the highest specificity (89%). Obesity was the only variable associated with lymphedema in this cohort (p = 0.018).
Conclusion
This is the first series on BCRL among survivors using conventional and contemporary detection techniques in the Nigerian context. The high rate reported in this cohort provides a strong justification to preemptively adopt interventions to either mitigate its occurrence or limit its progression.
Alcohol use and associated factors among Adults in Bahir Dar city administration, Amhara, Ethiopia
Authors: Damtie Nega Stotaw , Wondiye Habtamu , Belachew Melash , Stotaw Nega 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Background: Globally, about 3 million people die every year due to the harmful use of alcohol. Although a strategy designed to reduce the harmful use of alcohol globally, the magnitude of alcohol consumption, especially in developing countries remains high. There is scanty information in Bahir Dar City on the prevalence of alcohol use and associated factors among adults. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of alcohol use and associated factors among adults in Bahir Dar city, Amhara, Ethiopia
Method: Community based cross-sectional study was conducted. The study used face-to-face interviews and a multistage sampling technique was used to collect data from 648 adults in Bahir Dar city from October 10-27, 2019. Data were cleaned and analyzed by a statistical package for social science version 23. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent factors associated with alcohol use and significant predictors were declared at P<0.05.
Result: The prevalence of alcohol use among adults was 16.5% with 95%CI (14%, 19%). In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, being male (AOR=5.19, 95% CI=2.74- 9.83), age 38-47 years (AOR=2.58, 95% CI=1.11-5.97), tobacco use (AOR=5.08, 95%CI=2.80-9.23) and felt a worthless person (AOR=3.50, 95% CI=1.76 - 6.98) were factors significantly associated with alcohol use.
Conclusion: In this study the prevalence of alcohol use was low. Being male, age 38-47 years, only read & write, primary education, unemployed, self-employed, employed, student, income, and tobacco use were significantly associated with alcohol use. The national and regional health bureau should identify intervention strategies for the above-mentioned factors to reduce the harmful effect of alcohol use.
Preparation of Ca-Mg double-doped mesoporous silica nanoparticles and their drug-loading and drug-releasing properties
Authors: Zhang Qian , Huang Jiamin , Liu Chao , Chen Ruihua , Tang Xiaohui , Wang Mei 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Objective: To prepare Doxorubicin-loaded Ca-Mg double-doped mesoporous silica nanoparticles (Ca-Mg@SiO2@DOX) and examine their properties.
Methods: Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) and Ca-Mg@SiO2 nanoparticles were prepared by hydrothermal method and evaluated for particle size, zeta potential, morphology, and elemental distribution. SiO2@DOX nanoparticles and Ca-Mg@SiO2@DOX nanoparticles were prepared by electrostatic adsorption to investigate their properties, such as particle size, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, drug loading, stability, release degree, biosafety, and in vitro antitumor property.
Results: MSNs and SiO2@DOX nanoparticles were successfully prepared with a particle size of about 200-300 nm and negatively charged; the MSNs and SiO2@DOX nanoparticles were regular spherical, and the Ca and Mg doped nanoparticles showed irregular spherical shape, and mapping measured the Ca and Mg elements contains were 2.92% and 1.19% respectively. SiO2@DOX nanoparticles and Ca-Mg@SiO2@DOX nanoparticles were successfully prepared with a particle size of about 300-400 nm, also negatively charged, encapsulation efficiency of about 90%, and a drug loading efficiency of 10%, with a slower release compared to DOX of solution. The release of Ca-Mg@SiO2@DOX nanoparticles was faster in an acid condition. All samples’ hemolysis efficiency was less than 5%. Cellular toxicity showed that SiO2@DOX nanoparticles and Ca-Mg@SiO2@DOX nanoparticles are toxic to lower than free DOX. Living and dead cell staining experiments showed similar situations. Cell uptake showed that cell uptake is higher compared with free DOX Ca-Mg@SiO2@DOX nanoparticles.
Conclusion: We successfully prepared Ca-Mg@SiO2@DOX nanoparticles, which have a suitable particle size, zeta potential, and stability, which are released faster in acid conditions, which can reduce the toxicity of DOX, boost cell uptake, and have good antitumor properties.
Treatment Outcome of Community Acquired Pneumonia among Pediatric Patients Admitted to Pediatrics Wards at University of Gondar Comprehensive and Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia: A Cross sectional study
Authors: Tadege Eshete , Hayelom Hiluf Maldey , Adugna Boressa , Birhan Nigussie , Asmamaw Kifle 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Background
Pneumonia claims the lives of more children around the world than any other infectious disease. Community-acquired pneumonia remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality.
Objective
The objective of this study was to determine treatment outcome of community acquired pneumonia among pediatric patients.
Method
A Cross sectional study was conducted from March 30, 2019 to June 30, 2019 and included patients who were admitted to pediatrics wards from September 1, 2015 to March 30, 2019. The study included pediatric age groups between one month and fifteen years old. Study Participants were selected based on the diagnosis of Community acquired pneumonia. Systematic random sampling technique was used. All the statistical data were carried out using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 20) and descriptive statistics were presented using means with standard deviation and percentages. Binary logistic regression model was fitted to measure the association between independent and dependent variables including duration of signs and symptoms. 95% Confidence interval was used. Statistically significant at P < 0.05.
Results
A total of 385 patients with Community Acquired Pneumonia were included in this study of whom 368(95.65%) were discharged and 17(4.4%) of patients were dead. Drug therapy change (AOR 20.308(3.666-112.501), P = 0.001), Prescribing and taking of large number of drugs (above 5 drugs) (AOR 0.067, CI (0.015–0.313), P = 0.001), Loss of appetite (AOR 38.641, CI (5.454-273.769), P = 0.000), and Blood transfusion (AOR 10.514, CI (1.752–63.113), P = 0.01) have significant association with the treatment outcome of death.
Conclusion and recommendation:
Drug therapy change, taking large number of drugs, Loss of appetite and Blood transfusion, were significantly associated with increased mortality of children with pneumonia. Optimal duration of drug therapy and prescribing and providing of different classes of drugs can prevent childhood mortality from community acquired pneumonia.
Deep Learning for Traffic Prediction and Trend Deviation Identification: A Case Study in Hong Kong
Authors: Zou Xiexin , Chung Edward , Ye Hongbo , Zhang Haolin 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

This paper presents a robust method for predicting traffic volume and speed on major strategy routes in Hong Kong, leveraging data from data.gov.hk and employing deep learning models. The proposed approach provides future predictions ranging from 6 minutes to one hour, considering the reliability of traffic detectors. The method involves extracting hidden deep features from the historical data of each detector to derive the detector profile. Subsequently, detectors are grouped into clusters based on the similarity of their profiles. A CNN-LSTM prediction model is provided for each cluster. The proposed approach demonstrates its resilience to detector failures. Various tests evaluating prediction performance across detector failure rates ranging from 1% to 20% validate its capability to deliver accurate predictions despite the presence of failed detectors. Without failed detectors, MAE, RMSE, and MAPE for traffic volume prediction for the next 6 minutes are 5.17 vehicles/6 minutes, 7.64 vehicles/6 minutes, and 14.07%, respectively. For traffic speed prediction are 3.70 km/h, 6.32 km/h, and 6.33%. Considering a failure rate of approximately 6% in the Hong Kong dataset, when 6% of the detectors failed, the MAE, RMSE, and MAPE for traffic volume prediction are 5.24 vehicles/6 minutes, 7.81 vehicles/6 minutes, and 14.21%, respectively. The corresponding values for traffic speed prediction are 3.87 km/h, 6.55 km/h, and 6.68%. However, the limitation of the proposed method is its potential to underperform when predicting rare or unseen scenarios, indicating the need for future research to incorporate additional data sources and methods to enhance predictive performance.
Histopathology Based Study of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis Niloticus) Fish Species as a Biomarker for Water Pollution Evaluation in the Southern Gulf of Lake Tana, Ethiopia
Authors: Getnet Mengesha Ayehu , Mekonnen Muluken Yayeh , Yimam Hailu Mazengia , Berihun Asnakew Mulaw , Malede Birhan Anagaw 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

In the past decade, the increasing distribution of pollutants in the aquatic environment have been observed and causing an integrative effects on the fishes. Likewise, due to anthropogenic activities southern gulf of Lake Tana is an impacted region and the production of Nile tilapia fishes is reduced. For this reason, the aim of this study was to conduct a histopathological based study of simple randomly sampled 48 Nile tilapia fishes’ health status at the southern gulf of lake-tana and aquaculture using a cross-sectional study from February 2023 to May 2023. The study evaluated the histopathology of gill, liver, gonads and spleen organs using a descriptive statistics accompanied with 2 x 2 contingency table and t-test analysis. During the study peroid different histological alterations were detected and the numbers of fishes affected by a specific histological alteration were presented as percentage prevalence, hence from the total fishes examined; hyperplasia (54.15%) followed by pigment deposits (52%), haemorhage (50%) and immune cell infiltration (50%) respectively, were the most frequently detected alterations, hoewever, Nile tilapias from the southern gulf of lake-Tana were 1.4 (odds ratio) times more likely showed histopathological alterations than those from the aquaculture although statistically, was not significant (p > 0.05). In addition, the study found, mean value of fish index (95.3) and regressive indices of gill (13.6), liver (14.8) and gonad (12.3); moreover, inflammatory indices of spleen organ (11.3) and mean severity grade value of gill (2.35) and gonad (1.7) organs respectively, were values obtained from the southern gulf of lake Tana and all those values were significantly higher (p < 0.05) from this site as compared to the aquaculture. In general, it has found tilapias from southern gulf of lake-Tana were showed higher pathological severity as compared with the aquarium. Among the four target organs evaluated, liver organs were observed the most damaged while gonads were the least impacted organs. Therefore, it has concluded that tilapia fishes are living under abnormal condition so to ensure sustainable fishery, water pollutant sources from Bahirdar city must receive proper attention and future studies should consider age differences, seasonal variation and detection of specific pollutants.
Temporal and spatial variations of urban surface temperature and correlation study of influencing factors
Authors: Ding Lei , Xiao Xiao , Wang Haitao 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Current studies on the effect of urban form on land surface temperature (LST) are mostly conducted from the daytime and 2D morphological perspectives, with less attention paid to the vertical structure of urban areas and their seasonal and diurnal variations, which have a significant impact on heat redistribution. In our study, we selected the spatial scale of urban neighbourhoods and calculated six 3D building form factors, and used the Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM) to quantify the effects of 3D building form on LST production captured by Landsat thermal sensors between seasons and Day/Night. The results show that MH, BD, and FAR are seasonal stabilising factors, with MH having the strongest cooling effect on LST, with a four-season average of 2.1°C and a diurnal difference in its effect on LST. There is a strong positive correlation between BD and LST during the daytime, and the strongest heating effect is in autumn, up to 3.5°C. BVD, GFA, and SVF are seasonal variation factors, with GFA and SVF having a cooling effect in all seasons except spring, and BVD having a slight cooling effect in autumn. These results will provide a reference for future urban planning and mitigation of urban heat island effect.
Graduate reflections on Community Service, a view of roles in practice
Authors: Talberg Heather , Wyk Jacky van 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Background
In South Africa, newly qualified Physiotherapists transition to workplace during Community Service (CS), often in diverse healthcare settings and complex patients. The transition is complicated by the shortage of rehabilitation personnel, especially in rural and peri-urban areas. While higher education curricula should prepare students for the workplace, the roles and expectations of new therapists remain unclear. Assessing how well current curricula, incorporating the CanMEDS framework, equip students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for entry-level CS practice will help to improve physiotherapy training practices. This study investigated the experiences of CS physiotherapists to inform curriculum design and graduate outcomes.
Methods
A descriptive qualitative study was conducted. Graduates were recruited during their CS year via a class group contact, with a snowballing approach to diversify the sample. Semi structured interviews were conducted over MS Teams, recorded, and transcribed. Reflexive deductive coding was used to interpret the data, which was analysed according to the CanMEDS roles and graduate outcomes, as well as barriers and facilitators during their transition to the workplace.
Results
Ten CS physiotherapists placed in five of the nine provinces participated. Most identified strongly with their core role as clinicians and felt well prepared for clinical service. However, aspects of roles linked to advocacy, leadership, and professionalism were more complex to navigate. The contexts of placements and the nuances of how the healthcare system operated in each province also impacted their experience.
Conclusion
Discussions revealed that the physiotherapy curriculum effectively prepared graduates in roles drawing on skills, theoretical principles, clinical reasoning, and lifelong learning. However, exposure to outcomes in roles as leaders, collaborators, and advocates were somewhat limited. These aspects were often not explicitly taught and impacted their transition. These roles, however, became areas of significant personal and professional growth during CS. The learning context is crucial, and embedding placements in more diverse settings could improve graduates' readiness. Where diverse placements are not feasible, curriculum design should ensure graduates can apply their skills in various settings. The variable professional support during CS suggests a need for an audit or policy review by professional and accreditation bodies.
Contributions of risk information frame to perceived risk, time orientation, and cancer drugs insurance purchasing decisions: based on a nationwide online survey experiment
Authors: Sun Zhenyu , Zhang Ziying , Chen Xi , Qian Dongfu 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

As one of the most populous countries with the highest number of cancer patients worldwide, China is actively promoting emerging commercial cancer drugs insurance (CDI) to address the increasingly serious cancer burden. However, providers are uncertain whether the risk information they design in their promotional advertising is effective for expanding CDI that primarily sold online. In this paper, we present a randomized online survey experiment nationally, to understand the unique ability of low/high risk information frame (LRIF/HRIF) in shaping individuals' CDI purchasing decisions. The results reveal that the LRIF which being used by providers is ineffective, the effect of shifting LRIF to HRIF in advertising increasing 43.7% for stimulating purchasing decisions. A possible mechanism may depend on HRIF restraining present-oriented attitude and reinforcing future-oriented attitude with the mediating role of perceived risk. These results suggest that further employing HRIF to develop advertising toolkits effectively would critical for promoting CDI expansion.
Improving Online Education Through Constant Feedback Using Deep Learning and Integration with Large Language Models
Authors: Rojas Óscar Andrés Cuéllar , Contero Manuel , Montoya Mauricio Hincapié 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

This study investigates the application of a deep learning-based predictive model to predict student performance. The objective was to enhance student performance by predicting and monitoring their academic activities, including attendance at synchronous sessions, interaction with digital content, participation in forums, and performance in portfolio creation tasks over an academic year. The predictive model was applied to an experimental group of students. Unlike the control group, which did not receive continuous feedback, the experimental group received personalized, continuous feedback based on predictions from a pre-trained model and interpreted by OpenAI’s GPT-4 language model. Significant improvements were observed in the performance of the experimental group compared to the control group. The average score on quizzes for the experimental group was 0.81, notably higher than the control group's 0.67. Recorded session engagement for the experimental group was 0.84, compared to 0.65 for the control group. Live session participation and forum activity were also significantly higher in the experimental group, with rates of 0.61 and 0.62 respectively, compared to the control group's 0.42 and 0.37. However, the average practice score was slightly higher in the control group, with a mean of 0.76 compared to 0.74 in the experimental group. Portfolio assessment scores were higher in the experimental group, with an average of 0.73 compared to 0.69 in the control group. These results support the hypothesis that using predictive models complemented by language models to provide continuous feedback improves learning effectiveness.
Learning About and Living With Toxicity: A Qualitative Study of Patients Receiving Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors For Melanoma or Lung Cancer and Their Caregivers
Authors: Falade Ayo Samuel , Boulanger Mary C. , Hsu Kelly , Sarathy Roshni , Fadden Riley , Reynolds Kerry L , Traeger Lara , Temel Jennifer S. , Greer Joseph A. , Petrillo Laura A. 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Background/Objective
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized treatment for melanoma and lung cancer and are in widespread use. This study aims to describe how patients and caregivers learn about ICI toxicities and their perceptions and experiences of toxicity.
Methods
We conducted a qualitative study of 42 patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC; n = 16) or melanoma (n = 26) who were initiating or discontinuing an ICI and their caregivers (n = 9). We conducted in-depth interviews to explore patients' and caregivers' experiences learning about and living with ICI side effects. We audio-recorded the first oncology visit after enrollment. We used a framework approach to code interview and visit transcripts and synthesized codes into themes.
Results
The median age of patients was 67; 68% were male. Themes of participant interviews and clinician-patient dialogue included: i) Patients initiating an ICI received extensive information about side effects, which some patients found overwhelming or scary and difficult to absorb; ii) Patients who were deterred by fear of toxicity ultimately proceeded with treatment because of oncologist encouragement or the sense of no alternative; iii) participants found hope in the association between toxicity and ICI efficacy; iv) caregivers helped patients navigate the deluge of information and uncertainty related to ICIs. Participants suggested ways to improve ICI side effect education, such as incorporating patient stories.
Conclusion
Patients perceived that ICI toxicity counseling was overwhelming yet were encouraged by oncologists’ reassurance that serious side effects were manageable and by the framing of toxicity as a sign of efficacy. We identified opportunities to improve communication of ICI risks and benefits.
On Searching an Approximately Sorted Array
Authors: Narasimhan Aditya , Radhakrishnan Sridhar , Subramanian C. R. 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Range search is a crucial problem in computer science, particularly in database systems. Existing algorithms for multidimensional range searches typically rely on fully sorted data or multidimensional range trees. We address the scenario in which the input is approximately sorted across dimensions. We define three metrics to measure the disorder in an approximately sorted array: number of inversions ({\em inv}), maximum displacement ({\em md}), and maximum distance ({\em dis}). Our goal is to develop range search algorithms that are tailored to arrays that satisfy these disorder metrics. For the 1D range search, given {\em md} or {\em dis}, we achieve a search with comparisons $ \log_2 \frac{n}{4L} + 10L + k $, where $ n $ is the number of elements, $ L $ is the disorder metric and $ k $ is the output size. We extend this to catalog search using fractional cascading across approximately sorted $ K $ catalogs, requiring $ \log_2 \frac{m}{4L} + 1 + 4KL + k $ comparisons, where $ m $ is the length of the first catalog. For 2D range search on approximately sorted coordinates, we need $ 5 \log_2 \frac{m}{4L} + 4L(2 + 3K) + k + 3 $ comparisons. This method is generalized to multidimensional range searches on $d$-dimensional data with $ (2 \log_2 \frac{n}{4L} + 8L + 2)^{d-1} + 3(\log_2 \frac{n}{4L} + 4KL + k + 1) $ comparisons. These techniques are particularly beneficial in database management and big data applications, where maintaining exact order is costly and real-time performance is critical.