bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Double Stigma Among Pregnant Adolescents Living With HIV in Northern Uganda: A Pilot Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Olum Ronald , Mukasa Barbara , Geng Elvin , Nakasujja Noeline 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Background
Despite a global decline in HIV/AIDS incidence, adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa remain disproportionately affected. Pregnant adolescents living with HIV/AIDS (ALWHIV) in Uganda may experience dual stigma from their HIV status and pregnancy. However, this remains unexplored, limiting targeted interventions. This study assessed the burden and factors associated with stigma among pregnant ALWHIV in Northern Uganda.
Methods
We analyzed baseline data from a pilot quasi-experimental study conducted between June and September 2023 at two tertiary hospitals to evaluate the feasibility of group therapy. All pregnant adolescents aged 10–19 with a confirmed diagnosis of HIV/AIDS were enrolled consecutively after informed consent. Stigma was determined using the HIV-stigma scale for children (HSS-10) and adolescent pregnancy stigma scale, and composite scores were normalized to a scale of 0–100 for comparison. Linear regression models were used to identify factors associated with HIV and pregnancy stigma in STATA 18.0.
Results
A total of 40 pregnant ALWHIV, 20 from each facility, were enrolled. The mean participant age was 18.2 years (SD: 0.9), 95% were school dropouts, and 60% were married or cohabiting. About 35% acquired HIV/AIDS perinatally, while 37.5% had a prior pregnancy. The median HIV-stigma score was 29/40 (IQR: 26–32), and the mean pregnancy stigma score was 46.5/75.0 (SD: 9.7). HIV stigma score was significantly higher than the adolescent pregnancy stigma score (median difference: 10.0%, p = 0.001), and pregnancy stigma had a strong positive correlation with HIV stigma (ρ = 0.67, p < 0.0001). HIV stigma was significantly associated with not living with a spouse/partner (adjusted β: 8.51, 95% CI: 0.17, 16.85, p = 0.046) and rural residence (β: 11.65, 95% CI: 2.36, 20.94, p = 0.046). Pregnancy stigma was significantly associated with not living with a spouse/partner (β: 15.51, 95% CI: 5.94, 25.08, p = 0.002) and not receiving support with domestic tasks at home (β: 13.84, 95% CI: 3.59, 24.08, p = 0.009).
Conclusion
Pregnant ALWHIV in our study faced significant stigma to HIV/AIDS and pregnancy, and this is significantly associated with not living with the marital partner. Those in rural settings also experienced higher HIV stigma, while those experiencing pregnancy stigma were more likely not to be receiving support with domestic tasks at home. Further research is needed on comprehensive support programs to alleviate the burden and enhance maternal and child health outcomes.
Diagnostic value and clinical validation of Acute Thyrotoxic Myopathy Symptom Score in acute thyrotoxic myopathy
Authors: Zhang Yun , Wu Chunjiao , Wang Tingliang , Chen Xuelan , Li Qiaoli , Liang Xinghuan , Yang Haiyan , Huang Zhenxing , Li Li , Xian Jing , Zhou Jia , Qin Yingfen , Lu Decheng , Luo Zuojie 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Objectives
Acute thyrotoxic myopathy (ATM) is characterized by bulbar paralysis and limb myasthenia on the basis of hyperthyroidism, which can cause respiratory failure, coma and death. However, the diagnosis of ATM is challenging. The purpose of this study was to develop a symptom rating scale called the Acute Thyrotoxic Myopathy Symptom Score (ATMSS) to assist in the early diagnosis of ATM in clinical practice.
Methods
(1) the ATM reference sample was constructed by searching for patients diagnosed with ATM or thyrotoxic bulbar palsy in the PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases (ATM cohort); (2) the ATMSS was formulated based on the ATM cohort after multidisciplinary discussion; and (3)51 patients with ATM and 49 patients with Graves' disease (GD) were enrolled in the study. (4) Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was applied to appraisal diagnostic value of the ATMSS for differentiating patients with ATM from patients with GD. (5) We also evaluated the correlation between ATMSS score and age, sex, thyroid function and thyroid-related antibody.
Results
The ATMSS score showed better diagnostic value at an optimal cut-off value of 5.5 [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.979; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.956-1; p < 0.0001; sensitivity = 94.1%; specificity = 93.9%]. The ATMSS score was positively correlated with free triiodothyronine (FT3) [Spearman correlation coefficient (rs) = 0.422, p < 0.001] and free thyroxine (FT4) (rs=0.497, p < 0.001).
Conclusions
We developed a symptom rating scale named the ATMSS, which is effective in diagnosing ATM, ATMSS score is positively correlated with thyroid function. ATMSS can be used as an additional tool for diagnosing ATM.
Preparation of thermally stable cementitious mortar incorporating multiwall carbon Nano- tube and carbon waste from aluminium production industry
Authors: Khater Hisham M. , Gharieb Mahmoud 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to carry out a comparative investigation into the performance of multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) and carbon wastes that are derived from the production of aluminum in the creation of thermally stable cementitious mortar. In Egypt, carbon waste is produced as a by-product of the aluminum industry and it is identified by its nano-scale dimensions. The cement mortar is produced by using a combination of blended cement (CEMIII) and sand that passes through a 1 mm sieve, with different ratios of both MWCNT and C-waste ranging from 0.1% to 0.7%. The addition of MWCNT and c-waste leads to an enhancement in compressive strength values up to 0.1%, resulting in values of approximately 70MPa and 75 MPa at 90 days, respectively. The findings validate the superior physical and mechanical properties of c-waste as compared to MWCNT, in addition to its lower production cost in comparison to precious MWCNT. The cement mortar demonstrates increased resistance to high temperatures when exposed to firing temperatures up to 700 degrees, achieving measurements of about 60 MPa and 63 MPa for MWCNT and carbon waste, respectively. The results also confirm the higher thermal stability of carbon waste when compared to MWCNT, despite both exceeding the limits specified for thermal resistance in mortar, which is 60 MPa.
An Experimental Evaluation of Horizontal Pod Autoscaler for Diverse Machine Learning Workloads in Kubernetes
Authors: Joyce Josephine Eskaline , Sebastian Shoney 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Kubernetes, a container orchestration platform available as open source, ensures high availability and scalability by employing various autoscaling mechanisms such as Horizontal Pod Autoscaler (HPA), Vertical Pod Autoscaler (VPA), and Cluster Autoscaler (CA). Playing a pivotal role in ensuring a smooth service experience, HPA dynamically adjusts the number of replicas (pods) by scaling up or down. Kubernetes actively monitors essential Resource metrics, such as CPU and memory usage for pods. This study explores HPA through a series of diverse experiments to offer valuable insights into its operational behaviour across various machine learning (ML) applications. We analyze and provide insights into the behavior of HPA across various machine learning model based applications. Lastly, we delve into the significance of custom metrics collection for specific ML applications, offering deeper insights and lessons learned.
A numerical study of the surface water using levels of the organic pollution indexes: comparative characteristics and educational opportunities
Authors: Biedunkova Olha , Kuznietsov Pavlo , Korbutiak Vasyl 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

The current study investigates different approaches to calculating the organic pollution index of water and comparing the obtained numerical levels using statistical methods with the environmental assessment of the state. The object of the current study is the Styr River water at two sampling sites before and after the point source of pollution, namely, the water discharge of the power plant. The paper explores the possibilities for teaching the topic of environmental pollution by organic substances and allows students to gain practical knowledge of environmental assessment and data comparison. Moreover, statistical methods, including correlation analysis, were used in the research because of their ability to assess variations in river water quality and identify potential sources of water pollution. The author's conclusions obtained as a result of this study can be used when teaching environmental issues to students. The strengths of this study are that it focuses on environmental issues.
Gastrointestinal Histoplasmosis: Unveiling the Colon Cancer Facade in Crohn's Disease
Authors: Ayoub Malek , Alharfi Mohammad , Polamraju Vinathi , Alhobayb Tamara , Byrnes Kathleen , Gremida Anas 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Background: The therapeutic landscape for inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) has expanded with the advent of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF) inhibitors, yet hurdles persist despite these strides. One such challenge arises from the increased vulnerability to opportunistic infections, notably histoplasmosis. Although histoplasmosis typically resolves on its own in individuals with healthy immune systems, its unconventional gastrointestinal manifestations in IBD patients can pose a diagnostic conundrum.
Case presentation: Here, we delve into the narrative of a 72-year-old woman diagnosed with Crohn's disease on infliximab monotherapy presented with escalating lower abdominal discomfort, nausea, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, and unintended weight loss over the preceding four weeks. Magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) highlighted a 5 cm thickened wall and restricted diffusion in the transverse colon, raising suspicions of malignancy. Colonoscopy revealed a sizable 15 mm deep and cratered transverse colon ulcer, prompting concern for colon cancer. However, a biopsy from the ulcer only revealed acute nonspecific inflammation. Given the patient's deteriorating condition and persistent neoplasm suspicion, she underwent total abdominal colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis. Surgical pathology confirmed multifocal transmural fungal colitis, consistent with histoplasmosis.
Conclusion: Clinicians should have a high index of suspicion for fungal colitis in patients previously in remission on immunosuppressive therapy and caution against dismissing histoplasmosis solely based on negative biopsy results. Repeated biopsy may be warranted to ensure comprehensive evaluation and accurate diagnosis.
Comparing strategies for genomic predictions in interspecific biparental populations: a case study with the Rubus genus
Authors: Silva Allison Vieira , Prado Melina , Campos Gabriela Romêro , Borges Karina Lima Reis , Yassue Rafael Massahiro , Husein Gustavo , Sposito Marcel Bellato , Amorim Lilian , Crossa José , Fritsche-Neto Roberto 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Genomic selection (GS) is becoming increasingly widespread and applied due to the promising results obtained, cost savings in generating single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, and the development of statistical models that allow to improve the analysis robustness and accuracy. GS might shorten the selection cycle, which has a major impact, especially for perennial species. The composition and size of the training population have a major influence on GS, which poses challenges for interspecific biparental populations. Another factor is the use of different reference genomes from other species to perform SNP calling, which could make it possible to explore variability in interspecific crosses comprehensively. Late leaf rust is a disease caused by the pathogen Acculeastrum americanum, and the rare reports on genetic resistance to this pathogen are related to the species Rubus occidentalis, which leads to the need for interspecific hybridizations, aiming to combine the fruit quality of R. idaeus with the resistance of R. occidentalis. Given the above, we evaluated the effect of different reference genomes on the SNP markers discovery, as well as training population optimization (TPO) strategies on the accuracy of genomic predictions, namely the CV-α, leaving-one-family-out (LOFO), pairwise families, and stratified k-fold. The composition of the training set in a stratified manner, together with a matrix of markers combined with the reference genomes, increased the model's predictive capacity. These results corroborate that genomic prediction aligned with SNP calling and training population optimization strategies can significantly increase genetic gains in interspecific biparental crosses.
Critical incidents experienced by medicine interns in pandemics: A qualitative study at a South American medical school
Authors: Armijo Soledad , Franzoy Marcela Castillo , Lombardo Valentina Fuentes , Agurto Francisca Parra 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Background
Critical Incidents (CI) during clinical practice can provide relevant information regarding students' stress, weaknesses in the teaching process, psychological safety, and the healthcare system. This study aimed to determine the elements considered by students to be CI during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile.
Methods
This qualitative study was conducted on a sample of voluntary medical interns. Data production techniques were documentary analysis of the CI described in portfolios and two focus groups. Two researchers performed a reflexive thematic analysis of the CI and the focus groups. The Institutional Ethics Committee approved the research protocol.
Results
Twenty-four interns voluntarily participated. The coding process identified 22 definitive codes that were synthesized into nine subthemes and three themes that described types of CIs, factors that influence them, and effects generated by CI. The main findings were that CI were mainly related to non-Covid pathologies, causing negative emotions. They were cases of high biopsychosocial complexity, in which the ethical dimension of difficult decisions or "questionable" or "unacceptable" behaviors emerges. Some CI were linked to the human relationship between students and teachers or between the health team, or communication with patients and their families. Elements related to hospital organization were less described. The adaptations, learning, and reflections referred to the intern's professional role, ethics, communication skills, and self-care; and were produced autonomously, with little teaching support.
Discussion
CI analysis allows interns to reflect and imagine how to bring learnings into their future practice. The primary emotions associated with CI were negative, and their adaptations were autonomous. The school could improve with more teacher support and better role models to manage CI and support the interns' mental health better. One important topic to address is if the teachers are really available and prepared to be supportive, or if they are part of the causes of the CI.
Determination of PD-L1 Expression in Circulating Tumor Cells of Hypopharyngeal and Laryngeal Cancers and Correlation with Tissue Detection
Authors: Li Chen , Zhu Hongyu , Lin Qin , Chen Wei , Huang Xiaoting , Wang Desheng 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

PD-L1 plays a pivotal role as an immunoregulatory checkpoint within the immune system, exerting a critical influence on the internal functioning and survival mechanisms of cancer cells. Our study aimed to elucidate the clinical significance of PD-L1 expression in circulating tumor cells (CTCs) derived from individuals afflicted with Hypopharyngeal and Laryngeal Cancers (HLC), as well as its potential implications for clinical practice. CTC were identified using an immunomagnetic positive sorting methodology. Simultaneous detection was conducted on the CTC levels among PD-L1-positive patients, aiming to ascertain the dynamic relationship between real-time CTC fluctuations and the clinicopathological indices of the patients. The constructed immunolipid magnetic nano-beads demonstrated pronounced efficacy in capturing CTCs, and the lipid nanoparticles exhibited noteworthy capture efficiency coupled with minimal cytotoxic effects. This investigation encompassed a cohort exceeding 30 individuals, wherein PD-L1 expression analysis was executed to delineate CTC variations within PD-L1-positive patients, thereby yielding auxiliary insights for clinical diagnosis. Subsequent assessment of PD-L1 expression consistency between CTCs and tissue specimens revealed a substantial agreement surpassing 70%. Furthermore, inhibition of PD-L1 yielded a significant elevation in the cytokine TNF-α levels, accompanied by a concomitant reduction in IL-10 levels. The CTC sorting system devised in this investigation boasts attributes of remarkable specificity and sensitivity. By virtue of PD-L1 expression analysis, it holds the potential to offer instructive implications for tailoring individualized treatments in clinical scenarios.
Reading-selective areas in the cerebellum in adult bilingual readers
Authors: Chen Jiaqi , Huang Huiya , Ling Li , Hu Ke , Luo Yue-Jia , Li Hehui 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Fluent word reading requires the processing and integration of orthography, Phonology, and semantics. Previous research has mainly focused on the relevant neural correlates in the cerebrum; however, it remains unclear whether the cerebellum also involved areas that are biased towards reading. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging studies, we conducted two experiments in adult bilingual readers. In experiment I, we compared cerebellar activation in different conditions, including the word reading, pseudoword reading, and picture viewing, as well as in different languages. The results revealed a significant enhancement in activation of the right cerebellar lobule VI and VIII in the word reading condition compared to the other two control conditions across languages. Additionally, these two regions also did not show preference for picture-viewing task, i.e., the emotional processing task, consolidating the specific contribution of these two regions to reading. Experiment II demonstrated that activation matrix of the reading-selective areas were significantly correlated with phonological matrix and showed high inter-subject correlation in the rhyming task, implying an association between this region with phonological processing. These findings offer a comprehensive investigation into the cerebellum's role in reading, enhancing our understanding of cognitive reading models and providing insights for improving reading abilities and interventions for reading disorders.
Tropical Isognomonids in the Mediterranean Sea: When the West Atlantic met the Indo-Pacific Region in the South Aegean Sea
Authors: Angelidis Akis , Gubili Chrysoula , Polyzoulis George 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Sessile bivalves belonging to the genus Isognomon (Lightfoot, 1786) are native to tropical and subtropical intertidal and infralittoral zones. Recently, they were introduced to the Mediterranean Sea as nonindigenous species. Here, we report the presence of two Isognomon taxa, the West Atlantic Isognomon bicolor (CB Adams, 1845) and the Indo-Pacific Isognomon legumen (Gmelin, 1791), in the neighbouring Islands of Chalki and Alimia in the South Aegean Sea. DNA barcoding and phylogenetic analyses were used for their identification, which proved essential for the genus Isognomon because due to its highly irregular and habitat-dependent shell shapes, their sole morphological identification was problematic. Additional field observations during two successive years of hard substrata structure supplied information on the habitat preferences of these taxa, providing useful ecological insights into their establishment in the area.
PDE-CNNs: Axiomatic Derivations and Applications
Authors: Bellaard Gijs , Sakata Sei , Smets Bart M. N. , Duits Remco 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

PDE-based Group Convolutional Neural Networks (PDE-G-CNNs) utilize solvers of geometrically meaningful evolution PDEs as substitutes for the conventional components in G-CNNs. PDE-G-CNNs offer several key benefits all at once: fewer parameters, inherent equivariance, better performance, data efficiency, and geometric interpretability.
In this article we focus on Euclidean equivariant PDE-G-CNNs where the feature maps are two dimensional throughout. We call this variant of the framework a PDE-CNN. From a machine learning perspective, we list several practically desirable axioms and derive from these which PDEs should be used in a PDE-CNN.
Here our approach to geometric learning via PDEs is inspired by the axioms of classical linear and morphological scale-space theory, which we generalize by introducing semifield-valued signals.
Furthermore, we experimentally confirm for small networks that PDE-CNNs offer fewer parameters, increased performance, and better data efficiency when compared to CNNs. We also investigate what effect the use of different semifields has on the performance of the models.
Repair spinal cord injury with a versatile anti-oxidant and neural regenerative nanoplatform
Authors: Zhou Heng , Li Ziwei , Jing Shuili , Wang Ben , Ye Zhifei , Xiong Wei , Liu Yonghao , Liu Ye , Xu Chun , Kumeria Tushar , He Yan , Ye Qingsong 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Spinal cord injury (SCI) often results in motor and sensory deficits, or even paralysis. Due to the role of the cascade reaction, the effect of excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the early and middle stages of SCI severely damage neurons, and most antioxidants cannot consistently eliminate ROS at non-toxic doses, which leads to a huge compromise in antioxidant treatment of SCI. Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) have excellent ROS scavenging bioactivity, but the toxicity control problem limits the therapeutic window. Here, we propose a synergistic therapeutic strategy of SeNPs encapsulated by ZIF-8 (SeNPs@ZIF-8) to obtain synergistic ROS scavenging activity. Three different spatial structures of SeNPs@ZIF-8 were synthesized and coated with ferrostatin-1, a ferroptosis inhibitor (FSZ NPs), to achieve enhanced anti-oxidant and anti-ferroptosis activity without toxicity. FSZ NPs promoted the maintenance of mitochondrial homeostasis, thereby regulating the expression of inflammatory factors and promoting the polarization of macrophages into M2 phenotype. In addition, the FSZ NPs presented strong abilities to promote neuronal maturation and axon growth through activating the WNT4-dependent pathways, while prevented glial scar formation. The current study demonstrates the powerful and versatile bioactive functions of FSZ NPs for SCI treatment and offers inspiration for other neural injury diseases.