bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ocular radiation exposure is negligible in normal volume endourological practice
Authors: Peacock J , Henderson J 
Published: March 2024

Introduction The annual dose limit for radiation exposure to the eye has been reduced recently; the eye is widely recognised as one of the most radiosensitive tissues in the body. There is minimal good quality research as to the radiation dose that the eye receives during endourological surgery and this study aimed to address this. Methods A prospective study was performed over an 8-month period at a single large teaching hospital in the UK. Three index procedures were included: ureteric stent insertion, ureteroscopy (URS) and percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). Surgeons wore a dosimeter on the glabella with fluoroscopy time (FT) and dose area product (DAP) recorded for each case. Results A total of 404 procedures were included (247 URSs, 150 ureteric stent insertions and 7 PCNLs). Dosimeters were worn by ten surgeons. Mean FTs (URS 20.56s; ureteric stent 18.96s; PCNL 360.67s) and mean DAP (URS 100.82cGy/m2, ureteric stent 119.82cGy/m2 and PCNL 1121.62cGy/m2) were identified with significant intersurgeon variability. No surgeon had a total dosimeter dose >0.00mSv. Conclusions The International Commission on Radiological Protection recently reduced the yearly eye dose limit from 150 to 20mSv. Cataractogenesis is no longer considered a typical deterministic effect, with a threshold level below which no effect occurs. Even in higher volume centres, these annual limits are unlikely to be reached. Lead glasses may be considered for surgeons and radiologists with the highest exposure but, for the majority, ocular radiation exposure is negligible.
Utilisation of mobile phone interventions to improve the delivery of maternal health services in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review protocol
Authors: Constantine Asahngwa , Fantaye Arone Wondwossen , Buh Amos , Obegu Pamela , Fournier Karine , Kasonde Mwenya , Jacobs Choolwe , Clementina Phiri , Gobina Ronald , Kibu Odette , Foretia Denis , Nkangu Miriam , Yaya Sanni 
Published: March 2024

Introduction
There has been significant progress in maternal health outcomes in the sub-Saharan African region since the early 1990s, in part due to digital and mobile health interventions. However, critical gaps and disparities remain. Mobile phones in particular have potential to reach underserved, hard-to-reach populations with underdeveloped infrastructure. In spite of the opportunities for mobile phones to address maternal mortality in the region, there is no extensive mapping of the available literature on mobile phone interventions that aim to improve access of maternal care in sub-Saharan Africa. The proposed scoping review aims to map literature on the nature and extent of mobile phones interventions designed to improve maternal care health services in the region.

Methods
Conduct of this scoping review will be guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute approach. Literature searches will be conducted in multiple electronic databases, including MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, APA PsycInfo, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Global Health, African Index Medicus, Web of Science, and Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts. Grey literature will also be identified. Keyword searches will be used to identify articles. Two reviewers will independently screen eligible titles, abstracts and full articles with a third reviewer to help resolve any disputes. We will extract data on general study characteristics, population characteristics, concept, context, intervention details, study results, gaps and recommendations.

Discussion
Understanding use of mobile phones among underserved, hard-to-reach populations with underdeveloped infrastructure to address maternal mortality in developing countries is very critical to informing health systems on potential effective strategies. This review will complement the evidence base on utilisation of mobile phone interventions to improve the delivery of maternal health services in sub-Saharan Africa.
Association between albuminuria and retinal microvascular parameters measured with swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography in patients with diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Kim Jin Sug , Kim Eung Suk , Hwang Hyeon Seok , Jeong Kyung Hwan , Yu Seung-Young , Kim Kiyoung 
Published: March 2024

Purpose
To evaluate the relationship between urine albumin excretion (UAE) and retinal microvascular parameters assessed using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA) in patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Methods
This retrospective cross-sectional study included 180 patients with diabetes and 50 age-matched controls. Patients with diabetes were grouped according to the five-stage DR severity, combined with the presence of albuminuria. All subjects underwent 12×12mm2 field SS-OCTA. The foveal avascular zone metrics, vessel density, and capillary nonperfusion area (NPA) were quantified using a semi-automatic software algorithm on three different rectangular fields (3×3 mm2, 6×6 mm2, and 10×10 mm2). The correlations between albuminuria and the four OCTA parameters were analyzed.

Results
A total of 105 subjects had normal UAE, and 75 subjects had albuminuria. Of the 102 subjects whose DR severity was higher than mild non-proliferative DR (NPDR), capillary NPA on the 3×3 mm2, 6×6 mm2, and 10×10 mm2 fields was significantly larger in the albuminuria group. None of the OCTA parameters were significantly different between the two groups in subjects with mild NPDR or without DR. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that an increase in NPA in the 6×6 mm2 and 10×10 mm2 fields was a significant risk factor for the presence of albuminuria (odds ratio = 1.92 and 1.35).

Conclusion
An increase in capillary NPA was independently associated with albuminuria in patients with clinically significant DR levels. SS-OCTA imaging can be a useful marker for the early detection of diabetic nephropathy.
Child support grant expansion and cognitive function among women in rural South Africa: Findings from a natural experiment in the HAALSI cohort
Authors: Chakraborty Rishika , Kobayashi Lindsay C. , Jock Janet , Wing Coady , Chen Xiwei , Phillips Meredith , Berkman Lisa , Kahn Kathleen , Kabudula Chodziwadziwa Whiteson , Rosenberg Molly 
Published: March 2024

Background
Cash transfers are a promising but understudied intervention that may protect cognitive function in adults. Although South Africa has a rapidly ageing population, little is known about the nature of association between cash transfers and cognitive function in this setting.

Objectives
We leveraged age-eligibility expansions to South Africa’s Child Support Grant (CSG) to investigate the association between duration of CSG eligibility and cognitive function of biological mothers of child beneficiaries in South Africa.

Methods
We analysed 2014/2015 baseline data from 944 women, aged 40–59 years with at least one CSG-eligible child, enrolled in the population-representative HAALSI cohort in Agincourt, South Africa. Duration of CSG eligibility for each mother was calculated based on the birth dates of all their children and the CSG age-eligibility expansion years (2003–2012). Cognitive function was measured using a cognitive battery administered at the HAALSI baseline interview. Linear regression was used to estimate the association between duration of CSG eligibility, dichotomized as low (≤10 years) and high (>10 years) eligibility, and cognitive function z-scores of the mothers.

Results
High vs. low duration of CSG eligibility, was associated with higher cognitive function z-scores in the full sample [β: 0.15 SD units; 95% CI: 0.04, 0.26; p-value = 0.01]. In mothers with one to four lifetime children, but not five or more, high vs. low duration of CSG eligibility, was associated with higher cognitive function z-scores [β: 0.19 SD units; 95% CI: 0.05, 0.34, p-value = 0.02].

Conclusion
Government cash transfers given to support raising children may confer substantial protective effects on the subsequent cognitive function of mothers. Further studies are needed to understand how parity may influence this relationship. Our findings bring evidence to policymakers for designing income supplementation programmes to promote healthy cognitive ageing in low-income settings.
Environmental Transformation: A Systematic Literature Review on Green Innovation and Its Key Elements
Authors: Bakarim Nur Aisya Addina Ahmad , Abdul Rahim Ramita , Hamzah Muhammad Iskandar 
Published: March 2024

Green Innovation is rapidly becoming a critical business component for many organizations. Thus, this study aims to examine Green Innovation practice research in the literature. At the same time, this study stresses that the practice of implementing Green Innovation may be used by any firm. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method is utilized for this aim, with 42 out of 125 studies meeting the search criteria. 24 of those studies are concerned with Green Innovation. Based on the findings of the investigations, five variables (green product innovation, green process innovation, green services innovation, green managerial innovation and green marketing innovation) have been highlighted as elements of Green Innovation for organizations. Therefore, this article will serve as a useful guide for firms looking to implement greener technologies through the usage of Green Innovation.
Charting the course of Physiology within the post‐Bologna European higher education area: Insights from Portugal
Authors: Rodrigues Luis Monteiro , Guerreiro Iris , Isca Vera M. S. , Gregório João 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThe future of physiology has been a recurrent concern for physiologists and Physiological Societies within post‐Bologna Europe and the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Our paper provides an overview of Physiology teaching and research in Portugal, an EU member state and part of the EHEA. A descriptive study was designed to analyze data publicly available from the National Higher Education Directorate agency (DGES) from September to November 2022 to find all Portuguese syllabi containing at least one discipline related to human Physiology. A detailed database was established, including teaching staff, with a total of 365 courses/degrees and 764 Physiology disciplines. A bibliometric analysis of the identifiable lecturers' scientific production between 2017 and 2022 was made using Web of Science and PUBMED databases. Physiology is part of all health‐related professions. However, universities and technical colleges differ greatly in programs, staff backgrounds, and scientific profiles. Medical schools were found to provide the most complete formation. Noteworthy, the profession of Physiologist has practically no expression within the EHEA, compared with the USA‐UK realities. A better knowledge and understanding of these Physiology modalities in teaching and research within the EHEA will be instrumental to defining a stronger identity for European Physiology in the near future.
Apneic response to fentanyl in adult rats: Role of laryngeal afferents
Authors: Zhuang Jianguo , Gao Xiuping , Shi Shan , Xu Fadi 
Published: March 2024

AbstractIntravenous (systemic) bolus injection of fentanyl (FNT) reportedly induces an immediate vagal‐mediated apnea; however, the precise origin of vagal afferents responsible for this apnea remains unknown. We tested whether intralaryngeal (local) application of FNT would also trigger an apnea and whether the apneic response to both local and systemic administration of FNT was laryngeal afferent‐mediated. Cardiorespiratory responses to FNT were recorded in anesthetized male adult rats with and without bilateral sectioning of the superior laryngeal nerve (SLNx) or peri‐SLN capsaicin treatment (SLNcap) to block local C‐fiber signal conduction. Opioid mu‐receptor (MOR)‐immunoreactivity was detected in laryngeal C‐ and myelinated neurons. We found that local and systemic administration of FNT elicited an immediate apnea. SLNx, rather than SLNcap, abolished the apneic response to local FNT application though MORs were abundantly expressed in both laryngeal C‐ and myelinated neurons. Importantly, SLNx failed to affect the apneic response to systemic FNT administration. These results lead to the conclusion that laryngeal afferents' MORs are responsible for the apneic response to local, but not systemic, administration of FNT.
Attempts at including, mediating and creating ‘new’ knowledges: problematising appropriation in intercultural communication education and research
Authors: R’boul Hamza , Dervin Fred 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
In recent years, there have been multiple endeavours at unsettling the dominance of western voices in knowledge production, consumption and dissemination in language and intercultural communication education and research. Including, mediating and creating ‘new’ knowledges about interculturality are epistemic acts that may sustain and exercise decoloniality and decentering through (potential) dialogues with e.g., the Global South. However, these acts might unknowingly precipitate epistemological appropriation through their complicity or due to the pressures to comply with the skewed geopolitics of knowledge production, consumption and dissemination. This paper unpacks the complex deployment of languaging and knowledging in contesting, blurring and problematising both the dominant epistemological tenets and/or decentring attempts. For example, it presents the notion of ‘epistemological chameleon’ which captures how our knowledgings and languagings are (in)deliberately revamped and reshaped to fit ‘trendy’ narratives without destabilizing one’s assumptions and perspectives; an act that may often be driven by the necessity to survive within the skewed geopolitics of knowledge. The concepts and methods of devenir-langue and transknowledging as proposed by the authors, are used to examine how six recently published research papers in English by prominent Northern and Southern scholars may exhibit potential lingua-epistemological inaccuracies to include and showcase the voice of the Global South(s) while claiming in-/directly to push for decoloniality and epistemological diversity in language and intercultural communication education and research. These articles were selected as example cases based on their indicated rationales and intentions for decoloniality, criticality and inter-epistemological collaborations and are not meant to generalise the current state of this complex field. Implications from these analyses are the development of six ideal-types of inclusion, mediation and creations versus epistemological appropriation based on the papers. Further insights are made into the factors precipitating appropriation that may often be implicit, unheeded and unintentional.
Strategic Partial Inattention in Oligopoly
Authors: Pan Lijun 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
This article examines firms’ choices on partial (in)attention prior to quantity competition. Being partially (in)attentive, a firm accounts for a part of its market impact. We find that regardless of the number of firms, there is always a unique subgame perfect Nash equilibrium where all firms choose to be partially attentive. The optimal attention level decreases in the number of firms, increases in product differentiation, and converges to zero, i.e. firms tend to be fully inattentive, as either the number of firms goes to infinity or product differentiation goes to zero.
Gut microbiota changes associated with low-carbohydrate diet intervention for obesity
Authors: Li Li , Zhao Xiaoguo , Abdugheni Rashidin , Yu Feng , Zhao Yunyun , Ma Ba-Fang , Yang Zhifang , Li Rongrong , Li Yue , Maimaitiyiming Yasen , Maimaiti Mayila 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Low-carbohydrate diets (LCDs) are frequently recommended for alleviating obesity, and the gut microbiota plays key roles in energy metabolism and weight loss. However, there is limited in-human research on how LCD changes gut microbiota. In this before–after study, 43 participants were assigned to the LCD intervention for 4 weeks. The main objective was to investigate the specific changes that occur in the participants’ microbiome in response to the LCD. Changes in gut microbiota were analyzed using 16s rRNA sequencing. Body composition was measured using InBody 770. Remarkably, 35 participants (79.07%) lost more than 5% of their body weight; levels of BMI, body fat, and total cholesterol were significantly decreased, indicating the effectiveness of the LCD intervention. The richness of microbiota significantly increased after the intervention. By taking the intersection of ANOVA and linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis results, we identified three phyla, three classes, four orders, five families, and six genera that were differentially enriched between baseline and week-4 time points. Among the three phyla, relative abundances of Firmicutes and Actinobacteriota decreased significantly, while Bacteroidetes increased significantly. At the genus level, Ruminococcus, Agathobacter, Streptococcus, and Bifidobacterium showed a significant reduction in relative abundances, whereas Parabacteroides and Bacteroides increased steadily. Our results demonstrate that LCD can effectively alleviate obesity and modify certain taxa of gut microbiota, providing potential insights for personalized dietary interventions against obesity.
Bioactivity and chemical screening of endophytic fungi associated with the seaweed Ulva sp. of the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh
Authors: Noor Sadia , Begum Mst. Nadira , Rony Satyajit Roy , Uddin Mohammad Zashim , Sohrab Md. Hossain , Mazid Md. Abdul 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Several studies have shown that endophytic fungal metabolites possess vital biological activities; nevertheless, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the medicinally important marine endophytic fungi associated with the seaweeds mainly found in the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh. In this study, six endophytic fungi, belonging to five genera and four classes, were isolated from the well-known chlorophyte, Ulva sp. and were most closely related to Chaetomium globosum, Nigrospora magnoliae, Curvularia sp., Curvularia moringae, Aspergillus terreus and Collariella sp. This is the first report of these fungi as endophytes associated with Ulva sp. from the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh. A preliminary biological evaluation of the ethyl acetate extract of each endophytic fungal crude extract was the prime objective of this research, e.g., antimicrobial assay, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging activity and brine shrimp lethality bioassay. Evaluation of test results revealed that each fungal crude extract possessed one or more relevant biological activities. Preliminary chemical screening using TLC and NMR spectroscopic analysis revealed the presence of several secondary metabolites in the crude fungal extracts. These findings suggest that the marine endophytic fungus may be a valuable source for investigating potentially bioactive chemicals or leads for novel drug candidates.
Extractive desulfurization of crude petroleum oil and liquid fuels using trihexyl tetradecyl phosphonium bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate ionic liquid
Authors: Solouki Amin , Chaouki Jamal 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Increasing environmental concerns have led to the development of alternative methods for the desulfurization of petroleum crude oil and liquid fuels. Phosphonium-based ionic liquids (PILs) have recently demonstrated promising potential for effective extractive desulfurization (EDS). The present study focuses on the synthesis and application of trihexyl tetradecyl phosphonium bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate [THTDP][D2EHP] for EDS of synthetic model fuels and real crude oils. The molecular confirmation and thermal stability of [THTDP][D2EHP] were investigated using FTIR and TGA analyses. In addition, the conductivity, solubility, and viscosity of the synthesized ionic liquid (IL) were analyzed. The impact of reaction time, temperature, and sulfur compounds, such as thiophene, benzothiophene, and dibenzothiophene (DBT), on the desulfurization efficiency from synthetic fuels was also investigated. The results indicated up to 63 and 57 % sulfur removal from DBT-based model fuels and Iranian crude oil, respectively. The optimum extraction conditions were found as 1:1 IL/fuel mass ratio, 35 °C, and 30 min. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the synthesis and utilization of PILs as promising solvents for extractive desulfurization of crude oil and liquid fuels.
An image encryption method based on modified elliptic curve Diffie-Hellman key exchange protocol and Hill Cipher
Authors: Hadi Hiba Hilal , Neamah Ammar Ali 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Digital image protection is crucial since images often contain private and sensitive information in business, medical, and military. One of the best techniques for securing the content of these images is encryption. This article introduces a cryptosystem known as the elliptic curve Diffie-Hellman Hill Cipher (ECDHHC) that uses the modified eliptic curve Diffie-Hellman (ECDH) key exchange protocol to generate the shared secret key integrated with the Hill Cipher. An elliptic curve point-based secret shared key matrix using the ECDHHC, which will be used for encryption and decryption, is generated. Thereafter, the input image is split into a set of 8 × 8 submatrices and then changes the values of these matrices by multiplying each block with the secret shared key matrix. The encrypted image is constructed by merging all encrypted blocks. With this combination, the correlation between adjacent pixels in the ciphered image is effectively removed, and the level of unpredictability and uncertainty for the ciphered image is also enhanced. The suggested approach used the key space, entropy, histogram, antinoise attack, differential attack, and correlation coefficient to evaluate the performance of the encryption method. According to simulation findings, the proposed method offers a high level of security and efficiency, and resists attackers.
Optimization of local modified metakaolin-based geopolymer concrete by Taguchi method
Authors: Al Obeidy Nazar F. , Khalil Wasan I. , Ahmed Hisham K. 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Geopolymer in recent concrete (GP) has gained significant attention due to its sustainability and environmental friendliness. Local metakaolin-based geopolymer is weaker than geopolymers made from other materials due to its low Si/Al ratio. A consistent mixture design is also lacking because geopolymers are affected by many variables. This study presents a method to find the optimal geopolymer mixture based on locally modified metakaolin as a source of aluminates and silicates using the Taguchi method. Metakaolin was modified using different contents of materials rich in silica, such as silica fume (SF), or materials rich in calcium, such as calcium oxide (CaO) of 5, 10, and 15%. The inclusion of 5% SF, 10% CaO, and a combination of 5% SF and 5% CaO as substitutes for metakaolin increases the compressive strength by 16.8, 6.9, and 22.8%, respectively, compared to the reference mixture without any modifications. In other words, adding 5% SF and CaO increased the molar ratio of SiO2/Al2O3 (R) from 1.782 to 1.914, resulting in the highest compressive strength of 53.3 MPa after 7 days of sun curing. To obtain the optimal mixture that achieves the highest compressive strength, the impact of three main variables, including the concentration of sodium hydroxide (SH), alkali solution-to-binder (Al/B) ratio, and sodium silicate-to-sodium hydroxide (SS/SH) ratio, must be considered using Taguchi method. A total of nine mixtures were investigated. It was found that 13 M of SH, 0.65 Al/B, and 2.5 SS/SH give a high compressive strength of 58.6 MPa at 7 days. Also, it was found that the concentration of SH plays a more important role in increasing the compressive strength than the alkali-to-binder ratio and SS/SH ratio. The scanning electron microscopy images show that the 5% weight replacement of metakaolin by silica and CaO could source fewer and smaller pores and reduce the microcracks’ width.