Browse Articles
Discover research articles across all indexed journals
Sociodemographic influences on children’s out-of-school time organized activity participation and physical activity in rural communities: A cross-sectional study
Out-of-school time (OST) organized group youth activities (e.g., afterschool programs, clubs) can reduce health inequalities by increasing physical activity (PA). However, unlike youth sport, PA is not the primary focus of many organized activities, and little is known about rural children’s non-sport organized activity participation. This study examined sociodemographic characteristics associated with OST non-sport organized activity participation and PA among children living in rural U.S. Midwest communities. During Spring 2019, children (n = 418 3rd–6th graders) attending school in two rural communities completed a PA surveillance instrument as part of Wellscapes, a community randomized trial. Caregivers of a subsample of children (n = 235) consented to pair their child’s survey results with student enrollment records. Mixed models with community as a random effect examined main and interaction effects of grade, sex, and family income on OST non-sport organized activity participation and these sociodemographic characteristics and organized activity participation on OST moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) per weekday and weekend day. Most children (73.2%) participated in an OST non-sport organized activity. Males were less likely to participate than females (OR = 0.38, 95% CI = 0.20–0.73, p = 0.004). Females and 6th graders reported lower OST MVPA on weekdays and weekends than comparison groups (p < 0.001). Males with lower family income accumulated significantly fewer minutes of MVPA on weekdays (meandiff = -4.7 ± 2.0 minutes) and weekends (meandiff = -8.9 ± 3.8 minutes) compared with males with higher family income (p < 0.05). Many rural children participated in OST organized activities regardless of grade and family income. However, there were disparities in organized activity participation and OST PA outcomes based on sociodemographic factors, including grade, sex, and family income. Designing OST organized activity settings to be more accessible and include opportunities for PA may help ensure children can achieve optimal health.
Accessible and accurate cytometry analysis of adherent cells using fluorescence microscopes
Abstract We have developed a method along with a Python-based analysis tool to capture images and produce flow-cytometry-like data for adherent cell culture utilizing simple accessible microscopes. Leveraging the recently developed generalist algorithms for cell segmentation, our approach efficiently quantifies single-cell fluorescence signals. We demonstrated the utility of this method by screening a set of 88 prime editing conditions using the integration of mNeonGreen211 as a reporter.
Numerical studies on the seismic response of support hanger for building pipelines
This study presents the development of numerical models that integrate wire, shell, solid, and connector elements to assess the mechanical performance of support hanger systems under both pushover and seismic loading conditions. Specifically, the models incorporate axial connectors with low compression stiffness and high-tension stiffness to simulate the tension-only behavior characteristic of tension bars. Additionally, the seismic analysis models account for the influence of pipes. Utilizing these models, parametric studies were conducted to investigate the impact of key parameters, including connector thickness, connector angle, brace angle, spacing of support hanger, earthquake waves, and the peak acceleration. The findings provide valuable insights for researchers and engineers in the field.
Real-world data on trastuzumab emtansine (TDM1) efficacy and safety: Results of a single-centre retrospective study of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer patients
Multi-proxy analysis of El Olivar camelids (1,090-1,440 cal AD): Evaluating the presence of llamas (Lama glama, Linnaeus 1758) in the Semiarid North of Chile before the arrival of the Inca
To evaluate the presence of domesticated camelids in the Semiarid North of Chile (29°S) before the arrival of the Inca, we utilized a multidisciplinary approach to analyze 57 South American camelids that were part of the funerary contexts of the El Olivar site, dated between 1,155 and 1,538 cal AD and associated with the Diaguita Culture. The analyses included osteometric data, age profiles, sex estimation, genetic analysis, identification of pathologies, isotopic analysis and dental calculus analysis. The results indicate a higher frequency of juvenile-adult and adult animals, together with a relatively similar proportion of males and females. Osteometric analysis allowed us to identify the individuals as belonging to the “large group” which consists of both llama (Lama glama) and guanaco (Lama guanicoe), while genetic analysis indicates that the camelids from El Olivar are most closely related to Lama glama and the wild subspecies Lama guanicoe cacsilensis. Isotopic analyses suggest the consumption of a mixed diet of C3 and C4 plants, following the pattern seen in domestic camelids from the central-southern Andes. Dental calculus analyses indicate anthropic management through the provision of previously cooked food to two camelids with polydactyly. Taken together, we provide the first solid evidence of domesticated camelids (Lama glama) in the Semiarid region of Chile, prior to the influence of the Inca.
Ontology-conformal recognition of materials entities using language models
Abstract Extracting structured and semantically annotated materials information from unstructured scientific literature is a crucial step toward constructing machine-interpretable knowledge graphs and accelerating data-driven materials research. This is especially important in materials science, which is adversely affected by data scarcity. Data scarcity further motivates employing solutions such as foundation language models for extracting information which can in principle address several subtasks of the information extraction problem in a range of domains without the need of generating costly large-scale annotated datasets for each downstream task. However, foundation language models struggle with tasks like Named Entity Recognition (NER) due to domain-specific terminologies, fine-grained entities, and semantic ambiguity. The issue is even more pronounced when entities must map directly to pre-existing domain ontologies. This work aims to assess whether foundation large language models (LLMs) can successfully perform ontology-conformal NER in the materials mechanics and fatigue domain. Specifically, we present a comparative evaluation of in-context learning (ICL) with foundation models such as GPT-4 against fine-tuned task-specific language models, including MatSciBERT and DeBERTa. The study is performed on two materials fatigue datasets, which contain annotations at a comparatively fine-grained level adhering to the class definitions of a formal ontology to ensure semantic alignment and cross-dataset interoperability. Both datasets cover adjacent domains to assess how well both NER methodologies generalize when presented with typical domain shifts. Task-specific models are shown to significantly outperform general foundation models on an ontology-constrained NER. Our findings reveal a strong dependence on the quality of few-shot demonstrations in ICL to handle domain-shift. The study also highlights the significance of domain-specific pre-training by comparing task-specific models that differ primarily in their pre-training corpus.
On improving public health after COVID-19 epidemic: A fractal-fractional mathematical solutions with short memory effect and efficient optimal strategies
As per the report of W.H.O. about 7 million people died in India till date due to COVID-19 infection. The transmission of COVID-19 infection can affect the temporal and geographic diversity of environmental pollution, thereby disrupting “planetary health” and livelihood. The consensus is that COVID-19 could have significant long-lasting effects on ecosystem and society. It is possible to reach an agreement to create and maintain an ecologically sound environment and a circular bio-economy to try to solve these issues. For the first time, a fractional mathematical model is formulated where the infection is considered due to unhygienic environment with a synergy between mathematical fractal parameters and biology of the disease transmission. Other mathematical analysis such as the boundedness of solutions, the wellposedness of the proposed model concerning existence results, etc. are investigated. Additionally, evaluation of vaccine-clearance equilibrium point is performed. Sensitivity parameters analysis and model’s stability also steps in. To get numerical results, the “Adams–Bashforth–Moulton” method with slight modification in the kernel is used. The fractional parameters: memory effect and fractional diffusion shows a good performance of the proposed model in depicting the disease dynamics. Consequences of follow-up optimal control functions in Susceptives and Vaccinated individuals, where feasible strategies in terms of the control maps are presented.
DROID: discrete-time simulation for ring-oscillator-based Ising design
Abstract Many combinatorial problems can be mapped to Ising machines, i.e., networks of coupled oscillators that settle to a minimum-energy ground state, from which the problem solution is inferred. This work proposes DROID, a novel event-driven method for simulating the evolution of a CMOS Ising machine to its ground state. The approach is accurate under general delay-phase relations that include the effects of the transistor nonlinearities and is computationally efficient. On a realistic-size all-to-all coupled ring oscillator array, DROID is nearly four orders of magnitude faster than a traditional HSPICE simulation and two orders of magnitude faster than a commercial fast SPICE solver in predicting the evolution of a coupled oscillator system and is demonstrated to attain a similar distribution of solutions as the hardware.
Goals of care discussions among critically Ill patients on vasopressor treatment
Background Goals of care (GOC) discussions are essential for aligning medical management with the values of critically ill patients, particularly those requiring vasopressors, such as dopamine. To evaluate GOC discussions in terms of prevalence, factors associated with documentation, and impact on survival among critically ill patients requiring vasopressors for hemodynamic support. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study at a tertiary healthcare facility in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, focusing on patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) and internal medicine (IM) wards. The study included adult in patients who received dopamine during their hospital stay. Factors associated with GOC documentation were identified using logistic regression analysis. The 30-day and 1-year survival rates according to GOC discussions were analyzed using Kaplan–Meier survival curves, which were compared using the log-rank test. Results Of 301 patients, 56.8% were men and 64.8% were aged ≥60 years. GOC discussions were documented in 61.8% of patients and were more frequent among older patients (≥60 years) than among younger patients (73.1% vs. 51.3%, p < 0.001) and in those with higher APACHE II scores (median 21.0 vs. 18.0, p = 0.001). Multivariable analysis identified age ≥ 60 years as independent precipitating factor of GOC discussions (odds ratio 2.41, 95% confidence interval 1.34–4.32, p = 0.003). The study found significantly lower survival rates at both 30 days and 1 year among patients who had documented GOC discussions. Conclusions GOCs were more prevalent among critically ill older patients. The study found significantly higher mortality rates at both 30 days and 1 year among patients who had documented GOC discussions. These findings highlight the need for institutional strategies to integrate GOC discussions into routine care and address their potential implications on patient outcomes.
Experimental study on loading combination of filling body and surrounding rock
Abstract To investigate the deterioration characteristics of filling body combinations and surrounding rock in excavating technology without coal pillars in the original roadway filling, uniaxial loading destructive tests and cyclic loading and unloading tests were conducted with various combinations of two, three, and four lithologies to analyze strength characteristics, energy storage, and dissipation laws. The results indicate that when the filling is combined with another lithology, strengthening degree of the filling is negatively correlated with the height of other lithology; the higher the strength of the material combined with the filling, the greater the amplitude of the weakening. The filling exhibits a faster speed and higher upper limit of elastic energy storage compared to mudstone. When filling is combined with two or three lithologies, the strength weakening degree is negatively correlated with their height ratio. However, under same cycles, elastic energy of coal-free combinations has a faster storage speed and a higher upper limit, while coal-containing combinations exhibit higher energy dissipation. During tests, the elastic energy of different lithological combinations is linearly related to the number of cycles, and the energy is divided into four stages. The damage variable is exponentially related to the height of the roof and floor. The intrinsic model was modified using the stress-strain relationship considering the internal damage factor in front of the peak and verified to accurately simulate the deformation damage of the combined body.
The efficacy of velar adhesion in unilateral cleft lip and palate patients: Cleft width and otitis media with effusion
Background Cleft lip and palate (CLP) is one of the most common congenital anomalies, affecting ~1 in 700 births worldwide. Patients with CLP often experience functional impairments due to the cleft palate, particularly related to feeding and speech. Surgical interventions are essential for addressing these issues, yet no standardized surgical procedure exists. Velar adhesion (VA) is a technique used to reduce the cleft width prior to a palatoplasty, potentially improving surgical outcomes, but its effectiveness remains unclear. Objective The impact of VA on cleft-width reduction and the incidence of otitis media with effusion (OME) were evaluated in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP). Patients and methods The cases of 45 patients with UCLP who underwent a palatoplasty at the University of Tokyo Hospital between January 2013 and December 2023 were analyzed retrospectively. We divided the patients into two groups: those who underwent VA during lip repair (VA group) and those who did not (non-VA group). The cleft width and alveolar cleft width were measured at birth, lip repair, and palatoplasty. The presence of OME was assessed the day before the palatoplasty. Pearson’s chi-square test and the two-tailed t-test were applied. Results Significant cleft-width reduction was observed in the VA group compared to the non-VA group at the time of palatoplasty (4.58 mm vs. 6.55 mm, p < 0.01). The incidence of OME was significantly lower in the VA group (60.00%) versus the non-VA group (90.91%, p < 0.01). No significant between-group differences were identified for the alveolar cleft width or maxillary growth. Conclusion VA significantly reduces the cleft width at the junction of the hard and soft palates, and it may decrease the incidence of otitis media with effusion in patients with UCLP. VA is a straightforward procedure with potential benefits for improving palatoplasty outcomes and mitigating complications such as OME.
Head kinematic variability is minimal near preferred cadence and independent of the vestibular control of locomotion
Correction: Fruit fly infestation of cucurbitaceous vegetables in Morogoro—Eastern Central Tanzania
Assessing vertebral bone density changes with phantomless QCT after posterior open reduction and internal fixation
Abstract This study was to investigate vertebral body bone mineral density (BMD) changes using a novel automatic phantom-less quantitative CT (PL-QCT) system in short and relatively long-term periods after posterior open reduction and internal fixation. 109 patients (77 men [70.6%]; median age, 48 [IQR 37, 55]) who underwent posterior open reduction and internal fixation for thoracolumbar fractures were enrolled into the study. The median follow-up duration was 441 days (IQR 377–553). Based on the median follow-up time, patients were divided into Group 1 (378 days [IQR 350–412]) and Group 2 (553 days [IQR 493–706]). Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured for the injured vertebrae, the upper and lowest instrumented vertebra, as well as the cranial and caudal adjacent vertebrae preoperatively and postoperatively. The postoperative BMD in all segments was significantly lower compared to the preoperative values (P < 0.05). There was no difference in BMD loss between Group1 and Group2 (P > 0.05). The BMD loss in the anterior region of the caudal adjacent vertebra was greater than that in the posterior region (− 13.0 mg/cm³ [IQR − 26.8, − 6.8] vs. − 12.0 mg/cm³ [IQR − 20.8, − 3.1], P = 0.006). Early monitoring and intervention for bone loss following surgery, particularly focusing on the anterior region of the adjacent vertebrae, could potentially aid in improving clinical outcomes with more follow-up studies.
The UK Biobank mental health enhancement 2022: Methods and results
Background This paper introduces the UK Biobank (UKB) second mental health questionnaire (MHQ2), describes its design, the respondents and some notable findings. UKB is a large cohort study with over 500,000 volunteer participants aged 40–69 years when recruited in 2006–2010. It is an important resource of extensive health, genetic and biomarker data. Enhancements to UKB enrich the data available. MHQ2 is an enhancement designed to enable and facilitate research with psychosocial and mental health aspects. Methods UKB sent participants a link to MHQ2 by email in October-November 2022. The MHQ2 was designed by a multi-institutional consortium to build on MHQ1. It characterises lifetime depression further, adds data on panic disorder and eating disorders, repeats ‘current’ mental health measures and updates information about social circumstances. It includes established measures, such as the PHQ-9 for current depression and CIDI-SF for lifetime panic, as well as bespoke questions. Algorithms and R code were developed to facilitate analysis. Results At the time of analysis, MHQ2 results were available for 169,253 UKB participants, of whom 111,275 had also completed the earlier MHQ1. Characteristics of respondents and the whole UKB cohort are compared. The major phenotypes are lifetime: depression (18%); panic disorder (4.0%); a specific eating disorder (2.8%); and bipolar affective disorder I (0.4%). All mental disorders are found less with older age and also seem to be related to selected social factors. In those participants who answered both MHQ1 (2016) and MHQ2 (2022), current mental health measure showed that fewer respondents have harmful alcohol use than in 2016 (relative risk 0.84), but current depression (RR 1.07) and anxiety (RR 0.98) have not fallen, as might have been expected given the relationship with age. We also compare lifetime concepts for test-retest reliability. Conclusions There are some drawbacks to UKB due to its lack of population representativeness, but where the research question does not depend on this, it offers exceptional resources that any researcher can apply to access. This paper has just scratched the surface of the results from MHQ2 and how this can be combined with other tranches of UKB data, but we predict it will enable many future discoveries about mental health and health in general.
Systematic synthesis of rare sugars and stereospecific conversion via photocatalysis
Abstract Rare sugars have gained attention as potential raw materials for pharmaceuticals and functional foods. Photocatalysis presents a promising approach for rare sugar synthesis due to its mild reaction conditions and environmental compatibility. While previous photocatalytic methods reported individual routes for specific rare sugars, systematic synthesis through a unified methodology has not been achieved, and control of optical isomers remains insufficiently explored. This study investigated a comprehensive photocatalytic approach for the systematic conversion of monosaccharides with stereochemical configuration preservation. When d-glucose in aqueous solution underwent photocatalytic treatment under UV irradiation, d-arabinose formation was confirmed through HPLC, LCMS, and ¹H NMR analyses. Similarly, d-lyxose, d-ribose, and d-xylose were produced from d-galactose, d-allose, and d-gulose, respectively. Further photocatalytic treatment of these aldopentoses yielded corresponding aldotetroses—d-erythrose from d-ribose and d-arabinose, and d-threose from d-lyxose and d-xylose. This demonstrated successful systematic conversion from aldohexoses to aldopentoses and subsequently to aldotetroses in a single reaction system. Moreover, when l-glucose and l-arabinose were used as starting materials, l-arabinose and l-erythrose were obtained, respectively, confirming stereochemical configuration preservation throughout the conversion process. This method provides a systematic approach for rare sugar synthesis while controlling stereochemical configurations.
Associations between age at natural menopause and risk of hypothyroidism among postmenopausal women from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA)
Menopause is a key period in women’s lives associated with major physiological changes. Early menopausal age has been linked to a range of adverse outcomes. Estrogen has been found to increase levels of thyroid binding proteins in the blood; however, its effect on hypothyroidism is not well investigated. To date limited studies were conducted to investigate the association between age at natural menopause and incidence of hypothyroidism, thus the objective of this study is to investigate the association between age at natural menopause and incidence of hypothyroidism among postmenopausal Canadian women. The study included women from the Canadian longitudinal study on aging that were followed for a 10-year period. Analysis was restricted to naturally postmenopausal women without hypothyroidism prior to menopause. Age at natural menopause was examined using the following categories 40–44, 45–49,50–54 (reference), and ≥55. Survival analysis was utilized to determine time to onset of hypothyroidism. Unadjusted and adjusted multivariable Cox regression models were used to assess the relationship between age at natural menopause and incidence of hypothyroidism. The multivariable Cox regression analysis showed no significant association between age at natural menopause and risk of hypothyroidism.
Lab life, seasons and chromosome fusions affect non-cell-autonomously proliferation and neurogenesis, but not oligodendrogenesis, in mice and voles
Abstract Environmental and behavioral factors have been shown, in experimental settings, to affect neurogenesis in the mouse brain. We found that the density of proliferating neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) and of neuroblasts was significantly lower in the Subependymal Zone stem cell niche of lab mice when compared with mice and pine voles captured in the wild, with seasonal variation observed only in voles. Moreover, levels of proliferation and neurogenesis were found to decrease in proportion to the decrease in the numbers of chromosomes (from the typical 2n = 40 down to 2n = 26) caused by Robertsonian fusions. In contrast, oligodendroglial progenitors and microglial cells were unaffected by wildlife, seasons and chromosomal fusions. When NSPCs were grown in cultures no differences were detected, suggesting that environmental and genetic effects are mediated by non-cell-autonomous mechanisms. These “real-world” data provide a platform for the identification of systemic factors and genetic loci that control postnatal brain neurogenesis.
School dietary habits & oral health experiences of primary school children in Johannesburg
Background & aim Understanding the impact of food exposures outside the home environment is pivotal for helping children establish healthy eating patterns, for the prevention and delay of dental caries and other non-communicable diseases. This study sought to assesses the dietary habits and oral health experiences of primary school children in Johannesburg. Methods This was a cross-sectional analytical study of grade three learners, aged 9–11 years old. The measurement tools used included an observational checklist, a questionnaire, an oral health examination and anthropometric measures for assessing the Body Mass Index (BMI). Correlation and regression analysis were undertaken to determine relationships between sugar intake, calories intake, dmft, DMFT and gingival index. Results Of the 107 eligible children participating, 68% were from a school with a feeding scheme and 31.8% with no feeding scheme. The mean (SD) of BMI, dmft, and DMFT were 18.19 (3.59), 3.14 (3.39), and 1.49 (2.10), respectively. The mean sugar content of meals served in schools with a feeding scheme was lower [11.65g (SD 9.6)] than the mean sugar content of food consumed at a schools with no feeding scheme [35.84g (29.9)]. The regression analysis in this population indicated that the low gingival score was associated with high BMI and sugar intake. Conclusion Although the sugar content of meals served at National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) schools was less that the sugar content accessed by children at Non-NSNP schools, both the schools had poor controls over sugar consumption and purchasing behaviour of the learners. The low gingival score was attributed to socio-economic status and access to toothbrushes and pastes.