bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Time to start of tuberculosis treatment in penitentiary system of Kyrgyz Republic: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Soltobekova Nazgul , Kozukeev Turatbek , Yiehdego Ghirmai , Labib Fatah , Hovhannesyan Arax , Rossi Rodolfo 
Published: March 2022

Background
Tuberculosis burden among the incarcerated population is generally higher than that of general population. Early diagnosis and prompt initiation of treatment are key strategies to contain disease transmission. The aim of this study was to determine the time to treatment initiation among inmates with new smear or Xpert MTB/RIF positive pulmonary tuberculosis and explore risk factors associated with delayed treatment initiation in prison settings.

Methods
We conducted a retrospective cohort study using routine health care data from prison settings in Kzrgyz Republic on new pulmonary tuberculosis patients confirmed by smear microscopy or GeneXpert MTB/RIF during 2014–2019. We computed delay in start of treatment—days from specimen collection to treatment initiation—for exposure variables. We dichotomized treatment delay using 10-day cut-off point,and used logistic regression to identify factors associated with treatment delay.

Results
Among 406 cases included into analysis, the median delay to treatment initiation was 7 days [IQR: 2–16 days]. Using 10-day cut-off, 189 (46.6%) patients had delayed treatment initiation. Treatment delay was negatively associated with smear positivity [adjusted OR (aOR) = 0.44, 95% CI 0.29–0.68] compared to smear negative patients, while patients with isoniazid resistant (aOR = 2.61, 95%CI 1.49–4.56) and rifampicin resistant tuberculosis (aOR = 4.14, 95%CI 2.56–6.77) had increased delay compared to patients who were sensitive for both rifampicin and isoniazid.

Conclusion
Timely diagnosis and effective treatment remain the cornerstone of TB control program populations in the general and in prison settings in particular. Prison authorities need to address all potential areas of delay in TB diagnosis and treatment to strengthen their TB control efforts so that prisons remain free of TB for detainees, prison staff and visitors. These include improved supply of TB drugs, early detection of TB cases and improved collaboration with the health authorities outside the prison system.
Assessing healthcare provider knowledge of human trafficking
Authors: Exeni McAmis Nicole E. , Mirabella Angela C. , McCarthy Elizabeth M. , Cama Cara A. , Fogarasi Miklos C. , Thomas Listy A. , Feinn Richard S. , Rivera-Godreau Ivelisse 
Published: March 2022

Background and objectives
Human trafficking is a significant problem in which healthcare workers are in a unique position to intervene. This study sought to determine the self-reported knowledge levels of healthcare providers most likely to come in direct contact with victims of human trafficking.

Methods
An anonymous survey assessing self-reported knowledge of human trafficking was developed and distributed online. Demographic information and questions pertaining to training and knowledge of trafficking in a healthcare setting were asked. The primary outcomes were descriptive statistics and secondary outcomes were comparisons among demographic groups. Qualitative methodology via content analysis was implemented on an open-ended question.

Results
The 6,603 respondents represented all regions of the country. Medical, nursing, and physician assistant students comprised 23% of the sample, while 40% were either physicians, fellows, or residents. Less than half the respondents (42%) have received formal training in human trafficking, while an overwhelming majority (93%) believe they would benefit by such training. Overall, respondents thought their level of knowledge of trafficking was average to below average (mean = 2.64 on a 5-point scale). There were significant differences in knowledge of trafficking by age group (p < .001), region (p < .001), and educational training level (p < .001). 949 respondents (14.4%) provided free-text comments that further described their opinions.

Conclusion
Most respondents stated they have not received training but felt they would benefit from it. There were significant differences between demographic groups. Further innovation is needed to design a universally appropriate curriculum on human trafficking that is accessible to all healthcare providers as well as mandatory training programs for healthcare institutions.
Common physiologic and proteomic biomarkers in pulmonary and coronary artery disease
Authors: Casselbrant Andreas , Fedorowski Artur , Frantz Sophia , Engström Gunnar , Wollmer Per , Hamrefors Viktor 
Published: March 2022

Objective
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and coronary artery disease (CAD) are leading causes of global morbidity and mortality. There is a well-known comorbidity between COPD and CAD, which is only partly explained by smoking and other known common risk factors. In order to better understand the relationship between COPD and CAD, we analyzed myocardial perfusion, pulmonary function and novel cardiovascular biomarkers in patients with symptoms suggesting myocardial ischemia.

Methods
A total of 396 subjects from the Swedish Biomarkers and Genetics CardioPulmonary Physiology Study (BiG CaPPS) were included, all of whom had been referred to myocardial perfusion imaging due to suspected myocardial ischemia. Subjects performed myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI), pulmonary function tests (PFT) and analysis of 92 proteomic biomarkers, previously associated with cardiovascular disease. Linear regression was used to study the relationship between MPI and PFT results and proteomic biomarkers.

Results
Subjects with CAD (n = 159) had lower diffusing capacity (DLCO) than patients without CAD (6.64 versus 7.17 mmol/(min*kPa*l); p = 0.004) in models adjusted for common covariates such as smoking, but also diabetes and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP). The association remained significant after additional adjustment for forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) (p = 0.009). Subjects with CAD, compared with subjects without CAD, had higher total airway resistance (0.37 vs 0.36 kPa/(l/s); p = 0.036). Among 92 protein biomarkers, nine were associated with a combined diagnosis of CAD and airflow obstruction: VSIG2, KIM1, FGF-23, REN, XCL1, GIF, ADM, TRAIL-R2 and PRSS8.

Significance
Diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide is decreased in patients with CAD, independently of decreased FEV1, diabetes, and elevated BNP. Several cardiovascular biomarkers are associated with co-existent CAD and airflow obstruction, but none with airflow obstruction only. The current findings indicate that the interaction between CAD and lung function is complex, including mechanisms beyond the known association between CAD and reduced ventilation.
Air pollution and individuals’ mental well-being in the adult population in United Kingdom: A spatial-temporal longitudinal study and the moderating effect of ethnicity
Authors: Abed Al Ahad Mary , Demšar Urška , Sullivan Frank , Kulu Hill 
Published: March 2022

Background
Recent studies suggest an association between ambient air pollution and mental well-being, though evidence is mostly fragmented and inconclusive. Research also suffers from methodological limitations related to study design and moderating effect of key demographics (e.g., ethnicity). This study examines the effect of air pollution on reported mental well-being in United Kingdom (UK) using spatial-temporal (between-within) longitudinal design and assesses the moderating effect of ethnicity.

Methods
Data for 60,146 adult individuals (age:16+) with 349,748 repeated responses across 10-data collection waves (2009–2019) from “Understanding-Society: The-UK-Household-Longitudinal-Study” were linked to annual concentrations of NO2, SO2, PM10, and PM2.5 pollutants using the individuals’ place of residence, given at the local-authority and at the finer Lower-Super-Output-Areas (LSOAs) levels; allowing for analysis at two geographical scales across time. The association between air pollution and mental well-being (assessed through general-health-questionnaire-GHQ12) and its modification by ethnicity and being non-UK born was assessed using multilevel mixed-effect logit models.

Results
Higher odds of poor mental well-being was observed with every 10μg/m3 increase in NO2, SO2, PM10 and PM2.5 pollutants at both LSOAs and local-authority levels. Decomposing air pollution into spatial-temporal (between-within) effects showed significant between, but not within effects; thus, residing in more polluted local-authorities/LSOAs have higher impact on poor mental well-being than the air pollution variation across time within each geographical area. Analysis by ethnicity revealed higher odds of poor mental well-being with increasing concentrations of SO2, PM10, and PM2.5 only for Pakistani/Bangladeshi, other-ethnicities and non-UK born individuals compared to British-white and natives, but not for other ethnic groups.

Conclusion
Using longitudinal individual-level and contextual-linked data, this study highlights the negative effect of air pollution on individuals’ mental well-being. Environmental policies to reduce air pollution emissions can eventually improve the mental well-being of people in UK. However, there is inconclusive evidence on the moderating effect of ethnicity.
Ensino médio e superior público de São Paulo: o contraste entre as políticas curriculares meritocráticas e as políticas afirmativas
Authors: Aversa Vinicius de Oliveira , Souza José Gilberto de 
Published: March 2022

O artigo apresenta uma avaliação acerca da importância das políticas de cotas para a democratização do ensino superior. A partir da análise quantitativa são analisadas as diferenças desempenho entre os alunos oriundos de escola pública e escola privada no estado de São Paulo, considerando ainda as declarações étnicas apresentadas, quando da inscrição do sistema de vestibulares da Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). A pesquisa se insere no projeto Escola: neoliberalismo, necropolítica e os processos de resistência, que investiga os dados de exclusão e as resistências sociais que classes e grupos étnicos buscam estabelecer no enfrentamento das políticas neoliberais aplicadas na educação. Examinamos os resultados dos postulantes nas provas de 2010 a 2018, com a finalidade de averiguar qual política determinou o acesso de estudantes egressos das escolas públicas paulistas na universidade pública. Para tanto, foram analisadas as políticas de inclusão adotadas pela UNESP em 2010 e em 2014, em contraponto às políticas curriculares do estado de São Paulo, implementadas sob o discurso de melhoria da escola pública. Demonstramos que o aumento do percentual dos convocados que cursaram o ensino médio em escolas públicas foi ampliado, de 30% em 2010 para 44% em 2018, e esse aumento só foi possível porque o programa de reserva de vagas assegurou o acesso destes candidatos. Destacamos ainda a permanência das diferenças de desempenho entre alunos pretos e brancos e que a política de reserva de vagas produziu um pequeno aumento de convocações de alunos pretos, que estudam majoritariamente em escolas públicas. Estes resultados evidenciam que a luta e as estratégias de organização social das comunidades pretas, na consolidação de políticas afirmativas, são fundamentais para o acesso ao ensino superior público.
On a comparison theorem for parabolic equations with nonlinear boundary conditions
Authors: Kita Kosuke , Ôtani Mitsuharu 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
In this article, a new type of comparison theorem for some second-order nonlinear parabolic systems with nonlinear boundary conditions is given, which can cover classical linear boundary conditions, such as the homogeneous Dirichlet or Neumann boundary condition. The advantage of our comparison theorem over the classical ones lies in the fact that it enables us to compare two solutions satisfying different types of boundary conditions. As an application of our comparison theorem, we can give some new results on the existence of blow-up solutions of some parabolic equations and systems with nonlinear boundary conditions.
Comparison of the yield and purity of plasma exosomes extracted by ultracentrifugation, precipitation, and membrane-based approaches
Authors: Li Wei-Jian , Chen Hong , Tong Man-Li , Niu Jian-Jun , Zhu Xiao-Zhen , Lin Li-Rong 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Exosomes were enriched from plasma by ultracentrifugation, precipitation, and membrane-based approaches for yield and purity. Using the four isolation approaches, particles with mode sizes within the expected range (50–200 nm) can be isolated. By protein estimation, polymer precipitation resulted in a maximum yield (5610.59 ± 51.189 µg/mL), followed by membrane affinity (471.57 ± 12.16 µg/mL), ultracentrifugation (440.22 ± 11.71 µg/mL) and filter + ultracentrifugation (235.47 ± 13.27 µg/mL). By total RNA estimation, the yield of polymer precipitation (3.26 ± 0.42 ng/mL) was higher than that of ultracentrifugation (1.52 ± 0.06 ng/mL), filter + ultracentrifugation (1.21 ± 0.25 ng/mL) and membrane affinity (1.44 ± 0.14 ng/mL). The purity of exosomal preparations was determined as the ratio of the particle number to protein and of protein to RNA. According to the ratio of the particle number to protein concentration, the “purity” of the polymer precipitation method was similar to that of the membrane affinity method and higher than that of ultracentrifugation and filter + ultracentrifugation. When the ratio of RNA to protein was used, the “purity” of the polymer precipitation method was lower than that of the membrane affinity method. Differential methods can be employed to enrich specific exosome subpopulations. The steps of the methods affect the particle number, protein content, and even exosomal purity. The best extraction and evaluation methods for exosomes need to be selected in the laboratory according to their experimental needs.
A method for detecting objects in dense scenes
Authors: Xu Chuanyun , Zheng Yu , Zhang Yang , Li Gang , Wang Ying 
Published: March 2022

AbstractRecent object detectors have achieved excellent performance in accuracy and speed. Even with such impressive results, the most advanced detectors are challenging in dense scenes. In this article, we analyze and find the reasons for the decrease in detection accuracy in dense scenes. We started our work in terms of region proposal and location loss. We found that low-quality proposal regions during the training process are the main factors affecting detection accuracy. To prove our research, we established and trained a dense detection model based on Cascade R-CNN. The model achieves an accuracy of mAP 0.413 on the SKU-110K sub-dataset. Our results show that improving the quality of recommended regions can effectively improve the detection accuracy in dense scenes.
Effect of PF resin penetration on interphase microstructure and quantitative micromechanical properties of different grained-wood laminates
Authors: Li Zhenrui , Long Keying , Zhang Yu , Chen Kaiqiang , Lin Lanying 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Wood, a natural anisotropic material, behaves differently in the radial (R) and tangential direction (T), which also gives rise to different penetration capacity of adhesive into wood tissues. The present study investigates the penetration behavior of adhesive in the interphase of three different wood laminates, namely R-R, T-R, and T-T combinations, and its effect on microstructure and micromechanical properties of the latewood bonding interphase using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and nanoindentation (NI). The results showed that the average penetration depth (AP) of the radial surface (S
R) was higher than that of the tangential surface (S
T) and a significant improvement in the mechanics of cells compared with the control cell (C). the maximum reduced elastic modulus (E

r
) and hardness (H) found at the fourth cell row were 21.7 GPa and 0.62 GPa for R-R laminate, respectively, which increased by 43% and 29% compared with C (15.1 GPa, 0.48 GPa), and the maximum E

r
and H found at the first cell row were 23.2 GPa and 0.65 GPa for T-T laminate, respectively, which increased by 52% and 44% compared with C (15.3 GPa, 0.45 GPa). The results provide an important platform for better understanding and predicting the properties of wood glue line and bonding interphase.
China bzw. das Chinesische in
Meti. Buch der Wendungen von Bertolt Brecht
Authors: Jing Jing , Li Changke 
Published: March 2022

Zusammenfassung
In Bezug auf die Frage, welche Bedeutung China für Bertolt Brecht hatte, untersucht der vorliegende Beitrag chinesische Konstanten, die sich auch in Brechts Werk Meti. Buch der Wendungen finden. Es sind Stoffe, Themen oder Gedanken, die sich Brecht bei seiner Beschäftigung mit China zu eigen gemacht hat. Der vorliegende Beitrag beschreibt nicht nur diejenigen, die am ehesten ins Auge fallen, sondern auch diejenigen, die nicht unbedingt immer sofort erkennbar sind. Aufgrund der Untersuchung vertritt der vorliegende Beitrag die Ansicht, dass Meti zum wiederholten Mal zeigt: China gehört Brecht. China bzw. das Chinesische war für Brechts Schaffen eine nicht wegzudenkende Kategorie.
Improvised bubble continuous positive airway pressure ventilation use in neonates in resource-limited settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Usman Fatima , Farouk Zubaida L. , Tsiga-Ahmed Fatimah I. , Abdussalam Muhammed , Jalo Rabiu I. , Mohammad Sa’adatu S. , Aliyu Muktar H. 
Published: March 2022

Abstract

Objectives
In the face of limited fiscal and technical resources, improvised methods have been used to provide effective and sustainable ventilatory support in low-resource settings to reduce neonatal mortality associated with respiratory complications. This study assessed the use of improvised bubble continuous positive airway pressure (ibCPAP) ventilation among neonates with respiratory complications and determined its effect on neonatal outcomes in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Content
Hospital-based studies conducted between 2010 and 2020 in LMICs were reviewed. Rayyan® software for systematic review was used for screening and article selection. We used Stata® Statacorp Texas USA software to estimate pooled prevalence, proportion estimates, weighted mean differences and 95% Confidence Interval (CI), using the random effects model.

Summary
A total of 193 articles were generated and 125 were reviewed. Thirteen articles with 806 neonates on ibCPAP ventilation were included. The pooled prevalence of ibCPAP use was 7.0% (95% CI: 3.0%–13.0%). There was a significant difference in mean oxygen saturation before and after ibCPAP use (−1.34% [95% CI: −1.65% to −1.02%, p<0.01). The duration of oxygen requirement among neonates on ibCPAP was 6.5 hours less than controls (0.27 days [95%CI: −0.49 to −0.05, p<0.01).

Outlook
IbCPAP had no effect on the respiratory rate, duration of admission, mortality and survival. IbCPAP use in LMIC hospitals is low and its use improved oxygen saturation and duration on oxygen among the neonates, but had no impact on length of stay, respiratory rate, mortality or survival.
Metaphors of cancer in the Arabic language: An analysis of the use of metaphors in the online narratives of breast cancer patients
Authors: Abaalalaa Hessah Shajaan , Ibrahim Wesam M. A. 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
This study explores the use of metaphors in the narratives of breast cancer patients in online magazine websites in the Arabic language. It aims to find similarities and/or differences between English and Arabic in respect of the metaphorical constructions of cancer experiences. The corpus of the study consists of 13,705 words in 19 narratives in Arabic. We used the metaphor identification procedure of Pragglejaz Group (2007) to detect the metaphors in the corpus. We focused on the role of metaphor in constructing our experience of cancer, and examined which metaphors are more frequent in the construction of the cancer experience. The results of the study revealed that there is a great similarity between Arabic and English in respect of the metaphors used to construct the cancer experience; the patients have framed their cancer situation via WAR and/or JOURNEY metaphors, with War metaphors more frequently used than Journey Metaphors. The findings also indicate that the Arabic narratives tended to include a stronger religious framework, constructing cancer as a kind of Trial by Ordeal in which one proves one’s firm faith through patience and acceptance of fate.
Between Old and New Teleology. Kant on Maupertuis’ Principle of Least Action
Authors: Meer Rudolf 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
In the Appendix to the Transcendental Dialectic, Kant formulates teleological principles, or rather ideas, and explicates them referring to concrete examples of natural science such as chemistry, astronomy, biology, empirical psychology, and physical geography. Despite the increasing interest in the systematic relevance of the Appendix to the Transcendental Dialectic and its importance for Kant’s conception of natural science, the numerous historical sources for the regulative use of reason have not yet been investigated. One that is very central is Maupertuis’ principle of least action. In 1781, Kant transformed teleology into heuristics and methodology, but in doing so, he partially develops a teleology which was disqualified by Maupertuis because its starting point lies in the construction of animals or plants, the structure of the earth, and the immensity of the celestial bodies. Based on Maupertuis’ principle of action, it can be shown that the Appendix forms a systematic interface between Universal Natural History and Theory of the Heavens and Critique of Judgement which allows the reconstruction of Kant’s regulative use of reason and its specific status in the context of natural science and his critical appraisal of Maupertuis.
On two mathematical representations for “semantic maps”
Authors: Croft William 
Published: March 2022

AbstractWe describe two mathematical representations for what have come to be called “semantic maps”, that is, representations of typological universals of linguistic co-expression with the aim of inferring similarity relations between concepts from those universals. The two mathematical representations are a graph structure and Euclidean space, the latter as inferred through multidimensional scaling. Graph structure representations come in two types. In both types, meanings are represented as vertices (nodes) and relations between meanings as edges (links). One representation is a pairwise co-expression graph, which represents all pairwise co-expression relations as edges in the graph; an example is CLICS. The other is a minimally connected co-expression graph – the “classic semantic map”. This represents only the edges necessary to maintain connectivity, that is, the principle that all the meanings expressed by a single form make up a connected subgraph of the whole graph. The Euclidean space represents meanings as points, and relations as Euclidean distance between points, in a specified number of spatial dimensions. We focus on the proper interpretation of both types of representations, algorithms for constructing the representations, measuring the goodness of fit of the representations to the data, and balancing goodness of fit with informativeness of the representation.