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Background: Although the national-based policy implemented an initiative program to offer diabetes care management in Thailand, there are limited time trends of evidence to gauge whether the quality of diabetes care in primary care practice is improving. As such, we aimed to identify temporal trends in the quality of diabetes care performance among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients in primary care practice. Methods: Using assembled patient-level data from a suburban community in northern Thailand, this serial retrospective cross-sectional analytical study obtained adult T2DM patients from nine consecutive fiscal years 2013/14 (n = 976) to 2021/22 (n = 1,242). Based on international and national guidelines recommended, nine quality indicators were examined, namely, smoking cessation, hemoglobin A1c monitoring, foot and eye examinations, albuminuria testing, statin prescription, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin II receptor blocker (ACEI/ARB) prescription for chronic kidney disease (CKD)/albuminuria, and blood pressure and glycemic control. Rates and time trends achieved in each quality indicator performance were estimated. Differences in the rates of patients who met each quality indicator across reimbursement schemes were explored. Results: From 2013/14 to 2021/22, all quality indicators have increased over time (p for trend <0.05) except for smoking cessation, which remained steady. In 2021/22, only three out of nine quality indicators (i.e., smoking cessation, annual HbA1c monitoring, and annual foot examination) were successfully met at 70% or greater. Differences in quality indicators of diabetes performance were observed, particularly those under the Civil Servant Medical Benefit Scheme compared with other health insurance counterparts. For overall time trends analysis (compared with 2013/14), significant relative changes in the fiscal year 2021/22 were found in the annual foot examination (adjusted 12.1% increase; p = 0.048), annual albuminuria testing (adjusted 12.1% increase; p = 0.048), and ACEI/ARB prescription for persons with CKD or albuminuria (adjusted 22.2% increase; p = 0.025). Conclusion: Among adult T2DM patients from 2013/14 to 2021/22, overall quality indicators for diabetes performance have substantially improved over time. However, health inequity regarding diabetes care performance was found across different reimbursement schemes. Sustainable policy implementation and innovative strategies to narrow health inequity are warranted to optimize diabetes care in primary care practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information Architecture (IA) organises digital content ranging from web interfaces to ATM screens and car dashboards. Beyond structure, it encompasses the labelling and organisation of information within each interface. Presented through mind maps, IA is essential in both academic and professional environments. In complex products such as social networks, multiple IA patterns are employed simultaneously. This research introduces IA to Applied Communication Sciences, highlighting its significance for enhancing user experience in social networks. The study identifies standard patterns and new types of mental maps for digital creation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Nekor Watershed, situated in the northwest corner of Africa, experiences significant climatic variability, posing challenges for water management. This study assesses hydrological drought in the Nekor Watershed from 1945 to 2016 and analyzes its socio-economic impacts on agriculture and population distribution. The purpose of this research is to understand the extent and trends of hydrological drought in the Nekor Watershed and its socio-economic consequences, particularly on agriculture and population dynamics. The study employs the Standardized Runoff Efficiency Index (SDI), drought duration, severity (S), magnitude (M), and relative frequency (RF) metrics, along with the Mann-Kendall trend test and Sen's Slope analysis to evaluate hydrological drought. It integrates statistically representative data on cereal crop yields, livestock populations, and results from the General Population and Housing Census to understand the socioeconomic impacts. Analysis reveals substantial climatic variability with pronounced dry and wet periods. Notably, the autumn season exhibits a weak positive trend in hydrological drought, indicating a slight increase in severity over the years. Conversely, the spring season shows a negative trend in hydrological drought, indicating a decrease in severity over the years, especially in the month of May. A broader trend towards increasing hydrological drought emerges, particularly since the 1980s. These dry decades pose significant challenges for the region's socio-economic sectors, including agriculture and population distribution. The study is limited by the availability and quality of historical hydrological and socioeconomic data, which may affect the precision of trend analyses and impact assessments. Future research could benefit from more granular and continuous data sets. Understanding the trends and impacts of hydrological drought in the Nekor Watershed provides critical insights for water management policies and strategies, helping to mitigate socio-economic risks associated with drought. This study is novel in its comprehensive analysis of long-term hydrological drought trends in the Nekor Watershed and their socio-economic impacts. The integration of diverse data sets and advanced statistical methods enhances the robustness of the findings, contributing significantly to the scientific understanding of drought dynamics in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Livestock farming is vital to global food systems, but themisuse of antibiotics in this sector has raised concerns about its role in the emergence of antimicrobial resistance - now a public health issue. Addressing the misuse of antibiotics requires an understanding of usage patterns and determinants among livestock farmers. This study investigated antibiotic use among livestock farmers in Uganda, examining the frequency of use and factors influencing usage with data from the 2018 Uganda Annual Agricultural Survey. Descriptive results showed that on average one in every three livestock keepers had used antibiotics in the previous year, with 15% of them using antibiotics at least every month in the previous year. Regression analysis results revealed that, among other factors, production systems (keeping cattle, keeping exotic livestock, and herd size) and keepers' perceptions of the continued efficacy of antibiotics in controlling target diseases even with continuous use significantly influenced the decision to use antibiotics and the frequency with which they were used. The results of this study confirmed the growing concern that antibiotic use in Uganda is no longer limited to humans but has significantly expanded to the livestock sector too. The results further affirmed that antibiotic use in livestock production has reached significant levels that require streamlining from a public health perspective. The study recommends strengthening veterinary education and increasing public awareness of appropriate antibiotic use to combat wrong perceptions towards antibiotic use and encourage safe use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transportation industry is a key player in shaping today's economy and society, but the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 drastically reduced services as governments implemented containment measures which drastically reduced services offered by transportation systems. Developed countries are already analyzing the pandemic's impact on transportation and proposing sustainable solutions. However, little is known about how developing countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, with high urban population densities and unique mobility patterns, have responded. This study focuses on Cameroon, specifically Douala city, to examine the effects of COVID-19 restrictions on mobility patterns, transport operators, and provide recommendations to transport authorities in responding to future pandemics in the region. Interviews with 190 key informants, including taxi, bus drivers, and bike riders revealed a significant decrease in passenger demand, lower occupancy rates, reduced intra-urban and inter-urban mobility, and financial struggles for drivers, leading to layoffs. The study underscores the need for collaboration among stakeholders in the transport sector, involving public transport operators, government agents, policy makers, and the civil society in decision-making to create sustainable solutions for future pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth of social media has been suggested as a potential tool for teacher training and development. This study aims to identify patterns of SM use in the ongoing education of non-university teachers in Spain from a gender perspective. The research was based on a survey conducted between November 2021 and January 2022 involving 462 male and female non-university teachers. The data presented in this work reveals differences between teachers based on gender and associated patterns. It also highlights variables contributing to a better understanding of SM use and responsible use among female and male teachers. This study emphasizes teachers' role in implementing strategies to increase SM use among the studied population in Spain. This role requires promoting the dissemination and access to scientific knowledge from educational centres, training institutions, and university academic institutions. Actions should focus on providing relevant scientific content in appropriate and attractive formats to increase the use of SM as a continuous training resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensemble learning stands out as a widely embraced technique in machine learning. This research explores the application of ensemble learning, including ensemble clustering, to enhance the precision of cluster analysis for datasets with multiple attributes and unclear correlations. Employing a majority voting-based ensemble clustering approach, specific techniques such as k-means clustering, affinity propagation, mean shift, BIRCH clustering, and others are applied to defined datasets, leading to improved clustering results. The study involves a comprehensive comparative analysis, contrasting ensemble clustering outcomes with those of individual techniques. The process of improving cluster identification accuracy encompasses data collection, pre-processing to exclude irrelevant elements, and the application of standard clustering algorithms. The task includes defining the optimal number of groups before comparing clustering models. Additionally, a combined model is constructed by merging BIRCH clustering and mean shift clustering, leveraging their advantages to enhance overall clustering strength and accuracy. This research contributes to advancing ensemble learning and ensemble clustering methodologies, offering improved accuracy, and uncovering hidden patterns in complex datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the impact of utilizing generative artificial intelligence optimizations in automating the content generation process. This instance involves the identification of fraudulent content, which is often characterized by dynamic patterns, in addition to content production. The generated contents are constrained, which limits their dimensionality. In this scenario, duplicated contents are eliminated from the automatic creations. Furthermore, the generated ratios are utilized to discover current patterns with minimized losses and errors, hence enhancing the accuracy of generative contents. Furthermore, while analysing the created patterns, we detect a significant discrepancy in lead durations, resulting in the generation of high scores for relevant information. In order to test the results using generative tools, the adversarial network codes are employed in four scenarios. These scenarios involve generating large patterns and reducing the dynamic patterns with an enhanced accuracy of 97% in the projected model. This is in contrast to the existing approach, which only provides a content accuracy of 77% after detecting fraud. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document introduces methods for describing long texts as groups of repeating symbols or patterns. The process converts a series of real-number values into texts. Developed tailored algorithms for identifying repeated sequences in the text are applied to decompose the text into nested tree-like structures of repeating symbols and is called the Nested Repeated Sequence Decomposition Model (NRSDM). The NRSDM is especially valuable for extracting repetitive behaviors in oscillatory but non-periodic and chaotic processes where the classical Fourier transform has limited application. The NRSDM along with the two graphical representations proposed here form a promising tool for characterizing long texts configured to represent the behavior of unidimensional processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Townships in South Africa were designed and established when apartheid was at its peak. The challenge facing the democratic government in the developmental local sphere of government, is inefficient service provision, due to the continuous increase of local inhabitants, caused by an increased rate of rural-urban migration patterns. Urban planning focuses on city and town design and how the municipality delivers services to communities dwelling within these designed urban spaces. Rural-urban migration is the movement of people from rural to urban areas, with the main reason the pursuit of better opportunities to improve their socioeconomic conditions. Therefore, the pull and push factors of rural to urban migration are clearly defined and explained in order to assist the municipal administration and academia to improve urban service delivery. The study adopts a quantitative approach with the sample comprising 350 respondents, purposively selected through non-probability sampling and required to complete a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire. The researcher assisted in terms of questionnaire administration. The completed questionnaire provided the quantitative data for statistical analysis, using SPSS version 28.0. Study findings indicate that, among other factors, a strong significance exists regarding increased crime levels in urban areas as a result of rural-urban migration patterns, with suggestions that include more money needs to be prioritised from government for policing and crime in cities such as eThekwini Municipality. Since there are more informal settlements because of rural-urban migration, it is also shown as necessary to create network infrastructure in rural areas to improve communication for those working from home. To identify and explain migration to enhance service delivery at eThekwini Municipality, the study investigated the pull and push factors in migration patterns and their influence on service delivery, as well as examining the extent to which rural-urban migration can be used to deal with the current state of service delivery. In addition, the study determined the role of rural-urban migration in the overpopulation of urban areas at eThekwini Municipality, to suggest and recommend a conceptual framework that should be employed to improve the current state of service delivery in the municipality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Second graders used their own school-ground explorations, using journals and iPads for pictures and narrated videos, to create traditional, two-dimensional models of their school-grounds and all its natural and human-made features. These data collection techniques were built-upon by a classroom guest who brought his drone for demonstration and to provide additional picture and video footage for the students. Although location, orientation, and spacing initially posed major challenges, students soon became excellent cartographers with outstanding maps (models) to share. After analyzing a host of two-dimensional maps, they extended their map-making skills into the creation of three-dimensional maps using homemade modeling dough, paint, and other materials. Throughout the learning process, students continually practiced the skill of observing data (their school-grounds) and representing it with continually improved-upon models (maps). Throughout, the CCC of patterns was interwoven, with the teachers ultimately extending it to analyzing state road maps, for patterns, in the end. As a result of this learning sequence of creating 2D and 3D maps, the teachers agreed that the students truly experienced a three-dimensional learning experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating engineering into the science curriculum in a meaningful way requires planning that utilizes a three-dimensional approach. Using a "Gather, Reason, Communicate" framework provided me with an effective structure to guide the planning and facilitation of a phenomena-based design lesson. I found that this new approach led to high student engagement and a deeper understanding of the crosscutting concepts of patterns and cause and effect in my fourth-grade classroom. It also optimized my integration of engineering design into my Earth science curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After realizing the difficulty educators face with integrating the crosscutting concepts (CCCs) from the Next Generation Science Standards into their lessons and noticing missed opportunities for caregivers to engage children in scientific thinking, we posited that if the CCCs are presented in a more accessible way then children will have more opportunities to engage in sensemaking in science. This lesson is the thinking and learning from our attempt to bring this wondering to life. We are a museum educator, a teacher educator, and a first-grade teacher. We developed and taught this lesson with the hope that it engages all students in rich thinking by using a small, manageable lesson as an entry point to begin this work regardless of students' levels of conceptual understanding. This lesson focuses on patterns in students' everyday lives, particularly on the schoolyard. It demonstrates expansive teaching practice and is accessible to all learners and educators by centering CCCs in a decontextualized manner and using elements of photovoice to highlight students' thinking. We describe the lesson we taught using the 5E learning cycle format and provide reflections and recommendations for educators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a pervasive anti-money laundering regime worldwide and growing media attention, the scant academic attention on the threat side of money laundering has led to an insufficient understanding of the actors, processes, and behaviors involved. Existing empirical studies show that money launderers are not a set of unitary and homogenous actors. However, criminological literature still lacks a systematic analysis that links distinct types of offenders with specific practices for money laundering. To address this knowledge gap, the present study analyzes 348 money laundering investigations conducted by Italian law enforcement agencies over the period 2016–2022 by the means of a multiple correspondence analysis. Italian mafias tend to launder illicit proceeds by integrating them into the legitimate economy, whereas foreign organized crime groups often favor schemes that operate independently of the financial system. Concurrently, other organized crime groups operating in Italy, as well as non-organized crime offenders, exhibit a broader spectrum of laundering behaviors. The study concludes by discussing implications for both research and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Sessile drying droplets in various bio-related systems attracted attention due to the complex interactions between convective flows, droplet pinning, mechanical stress, wettability, and the emergence of unique patterns. This study focuses on the drying dynamics of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (chlamys), a versatile model algae used in molecular biology and biotechnology. The experimental findings shed light on how motility and nutrient availability influence morphological patterns– a fusion of macroscopic fluid dynamics and microbiology. This paper further discusses the interplay of two competing stressors during drying– nutrient scarcity (quantitative analysis) and mechanical stress (qualitative analysis), where the global mechanical stress does not induce cracks. Interestingly, motile chlamys form clusters under nutrient scarcity due to metabolic stress, indicating the onset of flocculation, a common feature observed in microbial systems. Moreover, non-motile chlamys exhibit an “anomalous coffee-ring effect” in the presence of nutrients, with an inward movement observed near the droplet edge despite sufficient water in the droplet. The quantitative image processing techniques provide fundamental insights into these behaviors in classifying the patterns into four categories (motile+with nutrients, motile+without nutrients, non-motile+with nutrients, and non-motile+without nutrients) across five distinct drying stages– Droplet Deposition, Capillary Flow, Dynamic Droplet Phase, Aggregation Phase, and Dried Morphology.

Interactions within the classroom are essential since a conducive learning atmosphere is necessary. This study explored the relationship between lecturer-teacher interactions and learning effectiveness at universities. The survey design used in this study was correlational research design. The participants in this study were selected from universities in Kwara State. Using multi-stage sampling approaches, 350 student-teachers participated in the study. Proformas and a questionnaire designed by the researchers titled “Teacher-Student Interaction Questionnaire” were utilized to gather data. A split-half approach was utilized to determine the questionnaire’s reliability, and the gathered data was analyzed using Cronbach Alpha, which has a reliability coefficient of 0.78.Mean was used to answer the research questions, and the PPMC and t-test at the 0.05 significant level were used to test the hypotheses. According to the study’s findings, lecturer-teacher interactions in universities in Ilorin are not often vertical, antagonistic, authoritarian, or laissez-faire. This study also reported that most respondents had above-average academic engagement levels in Ilorin. The researchers recommended that lecturers prioritise building positive relationships with their students. Establishing trusting, supporting relationships with their students fosters open communication and a sense of trust that increases student engagement and motivation, which is why lecturers should prioritise developing these relationships.

The Nekor Watershed, situated in the northwest corner of Africa, experiences significant climatic variability, posing challenges for water management. This study assesses hydrological drought in the Nekor Watershed from 1945 to 2016 and analyzes its socio-economic impacts on agriculture and population distribution. The purpose of this research is to understand the extent and trends of hydrological drought in the Nekor Watershed and its socio-economic consequences, particularly on agriculture and population dynamics. The study employs the Standardized Runoff Efficiency Index (SDI), drought duration, severity (S), magnitude (M), and relative frequency (RF) metrics, along with the Mann-Kendall trend test and Sen's Slope analysis to evaluate hydrological drought. It integrates statistically representative data on cereal crop yields, livestock populations, and results from the General Population and Housing Census to understand the socio-economic impacts. Analysis reveals substantial climatic variability with pronounced dry and wet periods. Notably, the autumn season exhibits a weak positive trend in hydrological drought, indicating a slight increase in severity over the years. Conversely, the spring season shows a negative trend in hydrological drought, indicating a decrease in severity over the years, especially in the month of May. A broader trend towards increasing hydrological drought emerges, particularly since the 1980s. These dry decades pose significant challenges for the region's socio-economic sectors, including agriculture and population distribution. The study is limited by the availability and quality of historical hydrological and socio-economic data, which may affect the precision of trend analyses and impact assessments. Future research could benefit from more granular and continuous data sets. Understanding the trends and impacts of hydrological drought in the Nekor Watershed provides critical insights for water management policies and strategies, helping to mitigate socio-economic risks associated with drought. This study is novel in its comprehensive analysis of long-term hydrological drought trends in the Nekor Watershed and their socio-economic impacts. The integration of diverse data sets and advanced statistical methods enhances the robustness of the findings, contributing significantly to the scientific understanding of drought dynamics in this region.

This study investigates the paracetamol removal efficiency by multi-tip pulsed corona discharges, highlighting the conditions avoiding mutual effects between two consecutive streamer branching discharges generated by each tip. The results show that the production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) in the liquid phase and the efficiency of paracetamol removal are influenced by the distance between two contiguous tips due to the mutual effects for small inter-tip distances between 4 mm and 8 mm in the case of a fixed inter-electrode distance of 5 mm (i.e. distance between the tip summit and the water surface). Beyond an inter-tip distance of 12 mm (over twice the gap distance), the mutual effects of branching discharges were no longer observed since the field lines did not overlap, making the production and absorption of liquid-phase species more efficient. Furthermore, RONS production was almost linear when moving from one to four tip electrodes: [H2O2]1tip: 0.52 mg l–1 versus [H2O2]4tips: 1.99 mg l–1, a ratio of 3.82. Optimum values were reached for an inter-tip distance of 16 mm. In this case, the enhancement factor in this reactor configuration is the surface integration between the plasma and the liquid surface to be treated. Furthermore, the results show a quasi-exponential increase in the percentage of paracetamol degradation as a function of the number of electrodes, from 4% with a mono-tip configuration to over 78% for a treatment with a four tip one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For humans to effectively work with robots, they must be able to predict the actions and behaviors of their robot teammates rather than merely react to them. While there are existing techniques enabling robots to adapt to human behavior, there is a demonstrated need for methods that explicitly improve humans' ability to understand and predict robot behavior at multi-task timescales. In this work, we propose a method leveraging the innate human propensity for pattern recognition in order to improve team dynamics in human–robot teams and to make robots more predictable to the humans that work with them. Patterns are a cognitive tool that humans use and rely on often, and the human brain is in many ways primed for pattern recognition and usage. We propose pattern-aware convention-setting for teaming (PACT), an entropy-based algorithm that identifies and imposes appropriate patterns over a robot's planner or policy over long time horizons. These patterns are autonomously generated and chosen via an algorithmic process that considers human-perceptible features and characteristics derived from the tasks to be completed, and as such, produces behavior that is easier for humans to identify and predict. Our evaluation shows that PACT contributes to significant improvements in team dynamics and teammate perceptions of the robot, as compared to robots that utilize traditionally 'optimal' plans and robots utilizing unoptimized patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Offshore and nuclear power plants use titanium condensers to cool exhaust steam from turbines. Preparation of robust superhydrophobic Titanium surfaces is necessary to protect these condensers from fouling and pitting phenomena. This study investigates the impact of various laser-textured Titanium grade 2 surface configurations followed by silicone oil heat treatment on enhancing its wettability and tribological properties. Seven distinct micropatterns were fabricated using a fiber laser with a laser power of 7.5 W, a scanning speed of 300 mm/s, a scan loop of 10, and a pulse frequency of 20 kHz. Patterned surfaces were characterized using different techniques, namely, micro-hardness, surface morphology, wettability, elemental analysis and wear. Improvement in wetting property was observed in laser textured samples after heating with silicone oil due to the adsorption of nonpolar groups (C=O, –CH3) resulting in a low energy surface. The grid pattern surface exhibited the highest water contact angle (WCA) of 151.01° due to a dense microstructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In 2020, the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 led to a pandemic that had a major impact on the global health care systems. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on nasal bone (NB) fracture patterns/distributions and circumstances in a German cranio-maxillofacial trauma center. Materials and methods: This retrospective study compared the nasal fracture patterns of patients in the PreCovid (PC) era (February 2019 - January 2020) with patients in the IntraCovid (IC) era (February 2020 - January 2021). In addition to baseline characteristics, the type of NB fractures, the circumstances leading to NB fracture and hospital admissions/treatments were analyzed. Results: The present study showed a significant decrease in the total number of NB fractures during the Covid-19 pandemic. In the IC period, a significant increase in falls and virus-/flu associated syncopes leading to NB fractures was detected. At the same time, a significant decrease in sports accidents, road traffic accidents and interpersonal violence leading to NB fractures was observed in the IC period. Under the influence of the Covid-19 pandemic, a significant increase in accidents at home, accidents during the weekdays and closed reductions under local anesthesia was detected when being compared to the PC period. The daytime of trauma leading to NB fractures also changed significantly from night-time (PC) to morning-time (IC). Conclusion: The Covid-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the NB fracture circumstances and treatment modalities. Therefore, the results of this study can serve as a baseline for further studies of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on NB fracture patterns among different countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Echocardiography can be used to screen, confirm, and assist in the management of some cardiovascular diseases in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (PLWH). Thus, complications from subclinical cardiovascular conditions or more apparent conditions, such as massive pericardial effusion with tamponade, can be promptly identified and managed to minimize cardiovascular morbidity and mortality associated with HIV infection. Since the introduction of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Ghana approximately two decades ago, studies on the prevalence and patterns of echocardiographic abnormalities among PLWH on ART have been limited. This study was designed to assess the prevalence and patterns of echocardiographic abnormalities among PLWH on ART. Methods This was a cross-sectional study. PLWH on ART (cases) attending the HIV clinic at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) and HIV-negative blood donors (controls) were consecutively recruited and enrolled in this study. The interviews were performed via a standardized questionnaire. After a clinical examination was performed, all patients underwent two-dimensional (2D) and Doppler transthoracic echocardiograms. The prevalence and patterns of echocardiographic abnormalities were characterized. Results There were 117 patients in each arm of the study. There were more females than males among both the cases (92 (78.6%) and controls (80 (68.4%)); however, the sex distribution was similar between the two groups (p = 0.075). For clinical characteristics such as age, weight, height and blood pressure, there were no statistically significant differences between the cases and controls. Echocardiographic abnormalities were more frequently observed and demonstrated a statistically significant difference between cases and controls, with an overall prevalence of 35.0% among cases and 19.7% among controls (p = 0.008). The echocardiographic abnormalities that demonstrated significant differences between the cases and controls were left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction (28.2% versus 8.6%; p = 0.000) and LV hypertrophy (7% versus 0.9%; p = 0.017). Conclusion Nearly 1 in 3 PLWH on ART had an echocardiographic abnormality in this Ghanaian study. Echocardiograms are recommended as helpful screening modalities for diagnosing cardiac abnormalities among PLWH on ART.

Abstract Background Due to the high prevalence of multimorbidity and realistic health service demands for fall prevention, there is growing interest in the association between multimorbidity and falls. Our study aimed to identify multimorbidity patterns among Chinese older adults and explore the association between multimorbidity patterns and falls. Methods Data from 4,579 Chinese community-dwelling older adults was included in this analysis. Information regarding falls and 10 chronic conditions was collected. An exploratory factor analysis was performed to determine multimorbidity patterns. Regression models were fitted to explore the associations of individual chronic disease or multimorbidity patterns with falls. Results Among 4,579 participants, 368 (8.0%) were defined as fallers, including 92 (2.0%) frequent fallers, and multimorbidity affected 2,503 (54.7%) participants. Older adults with multimorbidity were more likely to be fallers [odds ratio (OR) = 1.3, P = 0.02] and frequent fallers (OR = 1.7, P = 0.04). Three multimorbidity patterns were identified (i.e., cardiovascular-metabolic diseases, psycho-cognitive diseases and organic diseases), and the associations between psycho-cognitive diseases/organic diseases and prevalent falls or frequent falls were found to be significant. Conclusions The psycho-cognitive disease pattern and organic disease pattern are significantly associated with falls. Therefore, more attention should be paid to patients with psycho-cognitive diseases and timely, targeted diagnostic and treatment services should be provided in fall prevention.

Background: Injuries are important causes of morbidity and mortality in childhood. There is therefore a need, especially in developing countries, to determine the relative contributions made by injuries singly and in combinations, to childhood morbidity and mortality in hospital practice. Objectives: To determine the causes, patterns, and outcome of various childhood injuries resulting in hospital admissions over a 15-year period. Design: Retrospective analysis of hospital records. Patients and Methods: The case files of all children aged 16 years and below, admitted to the Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa, between 1984 and 1998 with burns, poisoning, animal bites and stings, bone, joint, head, soft tissue and other injuries, were analysed and the data on various injury types, compared. Results: Injuries accounted for 5.1 percent of total paediatric admissions and 5.4 percent of deaths during the study period, with males predominating in every injury type. Fractures, burns, poisoning, soft tissue and head injuries constituted 36.5, 23.4, 13.3, 12.2 and 10.6 percent respectively, of the 1,249 total injuries seen. Motor vehicle accidents and falls were responsible for 85.6 percent of all fractures, soft tissue and head injuries. Hot water caused 521 percent of all burns while 36.7 and 24.7 percent respectively, of poisoning were due to kerosene and traditional drug mixtures. Vehicle related injuries constituted a significant percentage of all injuries in the last decade of the review. Duration of hospitalisation was significantly longer for fractures than for any other injury type. Mortality rates were 9.2 and 12.7 percent respectively, for burns and poisoning, both of which accounted for 71.6 percent of deaths due to injuries. Conclusion: Health promoting and injury preventive interventions should be instituted to reduce the rate of injuries and their effects on children.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools become essential across industries, distinguishing AI-generated from human-authored text is increasingly challenging. This study assesses the coherence of AI-generated titles and corresponding abstracts in anticipation of rising AI-assisted document production. Our main goal is to examine the correlation between original and AI-generated titles, emphasizing semantic depth and similarity measures, particularly in the context of Large Language Models (LLMs). We argue that LLMs have transformed research focus, dissemination, and citation patterns across five selected knowledge areas: Business Administration and Management (BAM), Computer Science and Information Technology (CS), Engineering and Material Science (EMS), Medicine and Healthcare (MH), and Psychology and Behavioral Sciences (PBS). We collected 15 000 titles and abstracts, narrowing the selection to 2000 through a rigorous multi-stage screening process adhering to our study’s criteria. Result shows that there is insufficient evidence to suggest that LLM outperforms human authors in article title generation or articles from the LLM era demonstrates a marked difference in semantic richness and readability compared to those from the pre-LLM. Instead, it asserts that LLM is a valuable tool and can assist researchers in generating titles. With LLM’s assistance, the researcher ensures that the content is reflective of the finalized abstract and core research themes, potentially increasing the impact and accessibility and readability of the academic work.

Consider a general reaction-diffusion problem, $u_t = \Delta u + f(x, u, u_x)$, on a revolution surface or in an $n$-dimensional ball with Dirichlet boundary conditions. In this work, we provide conditions related to the geometry of the domain and the spatial heterogeneities of the problem that ensure the existence or not of a non-constant stationary stable solution. Several applications are presented, particularly with regard to the Allen–Cahn, Fisher–KPP and sine-Gordon equations.

Abstract Introduction Perforated peptic ulcer is the worst complication of peptic ulcer disease whose burden is disproportionately higher in low-income settings. However, there is paucity of published data on the patterns of perforated peptic ulcer in the region. The aim of this study was to determine the factors associated with anatomical patterns of peptic ulcer perforation, as well as the clinical, socio-demographic, and anatomical patterns among patients in Uganda. Methods This was a cross sectional study that enrolled 81 consecutive patients with perforated peptic ulcers. Using a structured pretested questionnaire the social demographic and clinical characteristics were obtained. At surgery, the patterns of the perforations were determined. Logistic regression was done in SPSS version 22 to determine the factors associated with the anatomical patterns. Results Perforated peptic ulcer disease was more prevalent among males (79.5%), peasants (56.8%) and those from rural areas (65.4%). Majority of study participants were of blood group O (43.2%). Gastric perforations were more common (74.1%). Majority of the perforations were found anteriorly (81.5%). Being a casual laborer was independently associated with lower odds of having a gastric perforation compared to being a peasant farmer (P

Although the long-term consequences of informal care provision have been well investigated, few studies have examined the trajectories of informal care provision among older people and the socioeconomic, demographic, health, and family characteristics associated with them. We use data from four waves of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, with 6561 respondents followed for 6 years (2012/3–2018/9). We used group-based trajectory modelling to group people's provision of care over time into a finite number of distinct trajectories of caregiving. Using multinomial logistic regressions, we then investigated the characteristics associated with these trajectories. Four distinct trajectories of caregiving were identified: "stable intensive", "increasing intensive", "decreasing", and "stable no care". Results suggest that although there are socioeconomic, demographic, and health differences across the trajectories of caregiving (with younger women in good health and poorer socioeconomic status more likely to care intensively throughout), family characteristics are their main drivers. Respondents who live alone, with no children, and no parents alive are more likely to never provide care, whereas those with older parents and who live with adults in poor health are more likely to provide stable intensive care. Also, changes in family characteristics (e.g. death of parents, widowhood, or deterioration of the partner's health) are associated with trajectories representing increases or decreases in caregiving over time. Overall, trajectories of informal caregiving undertaken by older people are varied and these patterns are mostly associated with both the availability and health of family members, suggesting that need factors represent the most immediate reason for caregiving commitments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Echocardiography can be used to screen, confirm, and assist in the management of some cardiovascular diseases in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (PLWH). Thus, complications from subclinical cardiovascular conditions or more apparent conditions, such as massive pericardial effusion with tamponade, can be promptly identified and managed to minimize cardiovascular morbidity and mortality associated with HIV infection. Since the introduction of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Ghana approximately two decades ago, studies on the prevalence and patterns of echocardiographic abnormalities among PLWH on ART have been limited. This study was designed to assess the prevalence and patterns of echocardiographic abnormalities among PLWH on ART. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. PLWH on ART (cases) attending the HIV clinic at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) and HIV-negative blood donors (controls) were consecutively recruited and enrolled in this study. The interviews were performed via a standardized questionnaire. After a clinical examination was performed, all patients underwent two-dimensional (2D) and Doppler transthoracic echocardiograms. The prevalence and patterns of echocardiographic abnormalities were characterized. Results: There were 117 patients in each arm of the study. There were more females than males among both the cases (92 (78.6%) and controls (80 (68.4%)); however, the sex distribution was similar between the two groups (p = 0.075). For clinical characteristics such as age, weight, height and blood pressure, there were no statistically significant differences between the cases and controls. Echocardiographic abnormalities were more frequently observed and demonstrated a statistically significant difference between cases and controls, with an overall prevalence of 35.0% among cases and 19.7% among controls (p = 0.008). The echocardiographic abnormalities that demonstrated significant differences between the cases and controls were left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction (28.2% versus 8.6%; p = 0.000) and LV hypertrophy (7% versus 0.9%; p = 0.017). Conclusion: Nearly 1 in 3 PLWH on ART had an echocardiographic abnormality in this Ghanaian study. Echocardiograms are recommended as helpful screening modalities for diagnosing cardiac abnormalities among PLWH on ART. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on midfacial fracture patterns/distributions and circumstances in a German craniomaxillofacial trauma center. Methods: This retrospective study compared the midface fracture patterns (excluding nasal fractures) of patients in the pre-COVID (PC) era (February 2019–January 2020) with patients in the intra-COVID (IC) era (February 2020–January 2021). In addition to baseline characteristics, the type of midface fractures, the circumstances leading to midface fractures, and hospital admissions/treatments were analyzed. Results: During the COVID-19 pandemic, a reduction in the total number of midface fractures was observed (PC = 88 vs. IC = 57). No significant differences were found regarding the midfacial fracture localization between both periods. During the pandemic, there was a significant increase in falls, accidents at home, and virus/flu-associated syncopes. At the same time, a significant decrease in sports accidents, interpersonal violence, and alcohol-related accidents leading to midface fractures was recorded. Furthermore, there was a significant increase in accidents during the morning time with a simultaneous reduction in accidents during the nighttime. In addition to that, a significant delay in days from trauma leading to midface fracture until hospital admission and surgical treatment (ORIF) was revealed. Conclusions: Despite the limitations of a monocentric retrospective study, the current findings lead to the conclusion that the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the patterns and circumstances leading to midface fractures. Analyzing the specific characteristics of patients suffering from midfacial fractures under the influence of the COVID-19 period can represent added value in order to treat facial fractures in future pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Due to the high prevalence of multimorbidity and realistic health service demands for fall prevention, there is growing interest in the association between multimorbidity and falls. Our study aimed to identify multimorbidity patterns among Chinese older adults and explore the association between multimorbidity patterns and falls. Methods: Data from 4,579 Chinese community-dwelling older adults was included in this analysis. Information regarding falls and 10 chronic conditions was collected. An exploratory factor analysis was performed to determine multimorbidity patterns. Regression models were fitted to explore the associations of individual chronic disease or multimorbidity patterns with falls. Results: Among 4,579 participants, 368 (8.0%) were defined as fallers, including 92 (2.0%) frequent fallers, and multimorbidity affected 2,503 (54.7%) participants. Older adults with multimorbidity were more likely to be fallers [odds ratio (OR) = 1.3, P = 0.02] and frequent fallers (OR = 1.7, P = 0.04). Three multimorbidity patterns were identified (i.e., cardiovascular-metabolic diseases, psycho-cognitive diseases and organic diseases), and the associations between psycho-cognitive diseases/organic diseases and prevalent falls or frequent falls were found to be significant. Conclusions: The psycho-cognitive disease pattern and organic disease pattern are significantly associated with falls. Therefore, more attention should be paid to patients with psycho-cognitive diseases and timely, targeted diagnostic and treatment services should be provided in fall prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theory based on numerical study of the system of hydrodynamic equations, which includes the director motion, shows that under the influence of crossed electric E and magnetic B fields, the director reorients in such a way that the transient symmetric quasi-periodic patterns may arise in microsized nematic volumes if the corresponding distortion mode has the fastest response and thus suppresses all other modes, including uniform ones. It has been shown that there is a threshold value of the amplitude of the thermal fluctuations of the director over the microsized nematic film which provides the nonuniform rotation mode rather than the uniform one, whereas the lower values of the amplitude dominate the uniform mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Embracing a "more global" urban comparison in scientific assessments of climate actions by cities is essential to drive greater and more inclusive participation in global efforts to curb climate change. This comparison needs to engage cities irrespective of their size and status: when we do so, distinctive patterns of urban climate mitigation actions across a diverse range of cities emerge. Employing K-means clustering as a pattern recognition method, this study compares cities based on selected aspects of their reported mitigation actions to the Carbon Disclosure Project. It explores whether the identified clusters facilitate the comparison of a socio-spatially diverse range of cities. The study identifies five clusters within two themes, namely the nature and finance–implementation of actions, shedding light on shared and distinct governance aspects of mitigation actions by cities. Notably, the study underscores how governance patterns transcend city size and global status. These findings offer valuable insights for broadening the comparative imagination of cities and inter-city networking opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Homicide remains a major cause of death globally. The global risk differentials are a persistent public health challenge. Africa's homicide rate of 13 victims per 100,000 people is markedly higher than the European average (2.2 per 100,000 people). To understand the causes of such large differences, homicide research needs to move from country-level rates to disaggregated analyses in which homicide is broken down by victim, offender, and incident characteristics. We conducted a pilot study in which the European Homicide Monitor (EHM) coding manual is applied to a South African research location and compared to an extreme point in the Global North, Finnish urban areas. We find differential patterns in the two locations. The high-rate context of South Africa manifests a younger offender and victim age structure, a higher share of criminal and revenge motives and the use of firearms, and incidents in public places. In contrast, the comparatively low-rate Finnish context shows a higher relative share of intimate partner violence and familial incidents taking place in private places. The role of alcohol and drugs appears more salient in Finnish urban homicide, a finding calling for replication. We conclude by discussing the methodological challenges revealed by the pilot comparison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: The COVID‐19 (Coronavirus Disease‐2019) pandemic confronted the global healthcare system with a variety of challenges. The pandemic and the associated lockdowns also had an impact on multiple medical disciplines (i.e. delay of surgery, change of hospital admissions). The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on mandible fracture patterns/distributions and circumstances in a German cranio‐maxillofacial trauma center. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study compared the mandible fracture patterns of patients in the PreCOVID (PC) era (February 2019–January 2020) with patients in the IntraCOVID (IC) era (February 2020–January 2021). In addition to baseline characteristics, the number/type of mandible fractures, location of the mandible fracture, circumstances leading to mandible fracture, and hospital admissions/treatments were analyzed. Results: A total of 127 patients was included in this study. In the IC period, the absolute frequencies of mandible fractures decreased (PC = 72 vs. IC = 55). There were minor changes in the mandible fracture locations. An increase of concomitant facial soft tissue injuries (IC = 69.1% vs. PC = 58.3%), as well as higher rates of traumatic tooth loss (IC = 32.7% vs. PC = 22.2%), was observed. Regarding the causes/accidents leading to mandible fractures, there were significant increases in falls and significant decreases in sports accidents as well as interpersonal violence during the IC period. A significant increase in accidents at home and domestic violence during the COVID‐19 pandemic, with a simultaneous decrease in weekend and night‐time trauma leading to mandible fractures was observed. Furthermore, a significant increase in days from trauma to surgery was recorded. Conclusion: The COVID‐19 pandemic had a significant impact on mandibular fracture patterns. The locations and types of mandibular fractures changed slightly. However, significant differences in the circumstances leading to mandible fractures (increased falls, decreased interpersonal violence) were recorded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reservoir operations are influenced by hydroclimatic variability, reservoir characteristics (i.e., size and purpose), policy regulation, as well as operators' experiences and justification. Data‐driven reservoir operation models based on long‐term historical records shed light on understanding reservoir operation rules and patterns. This study applies generic data‐driven reservoir operation models (GDROMs) developed for 452 data‐rich reservoirs with diversified operation purposes across the CONUS to explore typical operation rules and patterns. We find that the operating policies of any of these reservoirs can be modeled with a small number (1–8) of typical operation modules. The derived modules applied to different conditions of the 452 reservoirs can be categorized into five basic types, that is, constant release, inflow‐driven piecewise constant release, inflow‐driven linear release, storage‐driven piecewise constant release, and storage‐driven nonlinear (or piecewise linear) release. Additionally, a joint‐driven release module, constructed from these five basic types, has been identified. The analysis further shows the module application transition patterns featuring operation dynamics for reservoirs of different operation purposes, sizes, and locations. The typical module types can be used as "Lego" bricks to build operation models, especially for data‐scarce reservoirs. These module types and their application and transition conditions can inform Standard Operation Policy (SOP) and Hedging Policy (HP) with specific inflow, storage, and/or both conditions. Key Points: Five basic types of operation modules are categorized for 452 reservoirsSeasonal patterns for module application transition are identified for reservoirs with different sizes, operation purposes, and locationsThe basic types of modules and operation patterns inform reservoir operation modeling [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To analyze the patterns of occurrence of postoperative recurrent vertebral compression fractures (RVCF) depending on the location of the primary fracture after puncture vertebroplasty. Methods. 520 case histories of patients with osteoporotic fractures of the thoracic and lumbar spine of various locations were analyzed. The total number of treated vertebral bodies was 1,458 (thoracic 596 -- 40.88 %, lumbar 862 -- 59.12 %). Most often, compression fractures of the spine occurred in the thoracolumbar junction (784 -- 53.77 %). RVCF was diagnosed in 64 (12.31 %) people (95 % CI: 9.94-14.68 %) during follow-up examinations, after 1, 3, 6 or 12 months. since the operation. The study was carried out by 3 methods of forecasting: assessment of conditional probabilities, study of the significance of a primary fracture as a predictor of repeated fracture in a specific vertebra, analysis of associative rules and relationships Results. According to the 1st method, all conditional probabilities do not exceed 0.4 and the highest of them are the probabilities LI and LIV RVCF (0.39) with a primary Thy] fracture, and the probability of ThyVIII RVCF (0.38) with a ThV primary fracture. Method II found only two regularities that allow an interpretation that corresponds to the purpose of our research. The third method revealed the associative rules and connections of the primary fracture of ThV with RVCF LI, ThXII; according to ThVI with RVCF LI, LII; in the case of ThVIII with RVCFLI, ThXII; ThX fracture with ThX, ThXI, ThXII, LII RVCF; under ThXI conditions with ThV, ThyVII, ThVIII, ThIX, ThX, ThXII RVCF; for ThX with RVCF ThIX, ThXI, ThXII, LII; ThX fracture with ThX, ThXI, ThXII, LII RVCF. Conclusions. Prediction of repeated osteoporotic fractures is an important and topical problem of today's vertebrology. Our study shows the most vivid patterns that are characteristic of the general sample of patients, namely: with a primary fracture of ThXI -- a new deformation of ThVIII is possible; in the case of ThVII -- new fractures of ThIX, ThXII, LI; for ThXII -- injuries of ThXI; primary LI -- new ThXII, LIX, LV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nighttime fears are common among school-aged children and may be linked to psychological difficulties, while coping strategies may vary and affect their emotional well-being. This study aimed to identify patterns of nighttime fears and coping styles in school-aged children using Latent Profile Analysis. Subsequently, possible predictors of the latent profiles were tested through multinomial logistic regression analysis. Method: A sample of 786 Spanish-speaking children (aged 8 to 12; Mage = 9.66, SD = 1.20; 51.3% girls) participated and completed self-report measures of nighttime fears and coping responses. Results: The results revealed four latent profiles: (1)"low fears, low self-control" (24.2%), (2)"high fears (except for imaginary fears), maladaptive coping" (22.8%), (3)"moderate fears, adaptive coping" (44.9%), and (4)"high fears, maladaptive coping" (8.1%). The regression analysis revealed that sociodemographic characteristics and children's perceived helpfulness of coping strategies were predictors of the latent profiles. Conclusions: These findings suggest the presence of distinct patterns and heterogeneous subgroups, which may emerge as higher or lower risk profiles. It highlights the need to consider the existing patterns to provide tailored interventions targeting nighttime fears. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digital transformation of the last decades has brought many changes and challenges for education, teachers must be alert to all these developments and be in a continuous updating, therefore, it is important to create spaces where they can be trained and thus acquire technical and pedagogical skills to apply in their classes and thus strengthen the computational thinking of their students. Among these technical skills we find decomposition, pattern generalization, abstraction, and algorithmic thinking. Many research and efforts were found that are being made so that from the classroom the teacher contributes to student learning through computational thinking, these researches involve children, adolescents and young people, it is a creative challenge for everyone, as for those who disseminate these new techniques as for those who receive and apply them in all instances not only in the computational. In this article we sought to identify the experience of higher education teachers in their classrooms, to identify the strategies they use and how they perceive their students when receiving instruction; it is identified that most students still expect to receive masterly training, they are not very self-taught and as for the perception of the topics they tend to memorize and forget, since they do not use very often the explicit long-term memory where they make learning conscious and the implicit memory where they learn through experience, both can be strengthened by applying computational thinking. Students should be taught to analyze from computational thinking all the problems of the different subjects and thus their memorization will be explicit conscious, they will not forget, and they will be able to face many challenges of their area of study every day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local landscapes examined via web-based tools provide a natural arena on which students can analyze how humans modify and interact with their environment. These lessons guide students through an exploration of the natural and built environments both near and far, so students begin to understand how each of these environments compare and the role they play in our everyday lives. With this knowledge, students progress from natural and built environments to the concept of land cover classification, a system of dividing land cover into categories that describe its use and impact. Students then move toward examining the natural and built environment and each land cover classification in terms of environmental justice themes with the specific example of soil pollution. In each of these lessons, students examine a variety of categories and scales that their surrounding environment can be divided into to determine how we interact with the world and the results of those interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To describe the chest tomography findings of hospitalized patients with a diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia (SARS-CoV-2) in a high specialty hospital in northeastern Mexico. Method: Retrospective, cross-sectional and descriptive study in the Health Service Imaging, Diagnostics and Therapeutics of the High Specialty Regional Hospital of Ciudad Victoria Bicentenario 2010. Non-probabilistic sampling was carried out and descriptive statistics were applied for the sociodemographic data of the population and the tomographic findings. Results: Two hundred-fifty patient records were evaluated, 66% belonged to the male sex and 34% to the female sex, with an average age of 58 years, the most frequent age group was those over 60 years of age (53%). Conclusions: Chest tomography plays an important role in diagnosis, disease monitoring, detection of complications and prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pneumonia in Peru is a very serious problem. Its impact in recent years has been aggravated due to the Covid-19 pandemic, generating an increase in infections and deaths without distinguishing the age range, which placed this country on the mortality list due to the pandemic. That is why this research seeks the causes of this problem and evaluates what patterns were detected between the years 2019-2022 in patients with pneumonia in Peru from data set from the Comprehensive Health Insurance (SIS). The data presented values related to age, gender, medication and other significant values to understand the disease. The results of the research were achieved by using the PCA technique where the dimensionality of the data was reduced from 28 to 4 main features (Patient's year of health care, Age, BMI, Department). Finally, with this processed data set, the K-Means algorithm was used, where it was determined that patients in the 60 to 85 years range are the most affected by J189 pneumonia. In addition, an environmental pattern was found in J189 pneumonia. J128, resulting in a focus on patients on the Peruvian coast in places like Lima or La Libertad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This sequence of lessons has students observing erosion and creating ideas about factors that affect erosion. Then, as a class, students first explore the impact of vegetation on erosion. Then, groups of students more independently investigate the impact of slope and amount of water on erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In this paper, we present a mathematical study for the development of Multiple Sclerosis in which a spatio-temporal kinetic theory model describes, at the mesoscopic level, the dynamics of a high number of interacting agents. We consider both interactions among different populations of human cells and the motion of immune cells, stimulated by cytokines. Moreover, we reproduce the consumption of myelin sheath due to anomalously activated lymphocytes and its restoration by oligodendrocytes. Successively, we fix a small time parameter and assume that the considered processes occur at different scales. This allows us to perform a formal limit, obtaining macroscopic reaction–diffusion equations for the number densities with a chemotaxis term. A natural step is then to study the system, inquiring about the formation of spatial patterns through a Turing instability analysis of the problem and basing the discussion on the microscopic parameters of the model. In particular, we get spatial patterns oscillating in time that may reproduce brain lesions characteristic of different phases of the pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Perforated peptic ulcer is the worst complication of peptic ulcer disease whose burden is disproportionately higher in low-income settings. However, there is paucity of published data on the patterns of perforated peptic ulcer in the region. The aim of this study was to determine the factors associated with anatomical patterns of peptic ulcer perforation, as well as the clinical, socio-demographic, and anatomical patterns among patients in Uganda. Methods: This was a cross sectional study that enrolled 81 consecutive patients with perforated peptic ulcers. Using a structured pretested questionnaire the social demographic and clinical characteristics were obtained. At surgery, the patterns of the perforations were determined. Logistic regression was done in SPSS version 22 to determine the factors associated with the anatomical patterns. Results: Perforated peptic ulcer disease was more prevalent among males (79.5%), peasants (56.8%) and those from rural areas (65.4%). Majority of study participants were of blood group O (43.2%). Gastric perforations were more common (74.1%). Majority of the perforations were found anteriorly (81.5%). Being a casual laborer was independently associated with lower odds of having a gastric perforation compared to being a peasant farmer (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Public health campaigns aimed at prevention of peptic ulcer perforations should prioritize the males, peasants and those living in rural areas. When a patient in our setting is suspected to have a peptic ulcer perforation, the anterior part of the stomach should be considered as the most likely site involved more so in peasant farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ransomware, particularly crypto ransomware, has emerged as the go-to malware for threat actors aiming to compromise data on Android devices as well as in general. In this paper, we present a ransomware detection technique based on behaviours observed in the system calls performed by the malware. We first describe our repeatable and extensible methodology for extracting the system call log and patterns. We then identify and present some common high-level system call behavioural patterns exhibited by crypto ransomware, and evaluate these patterns. We further describe the implementation of a streaming implementation that utilises regular expressions for modelling malware behaviours and finite state machines for detecting crypto ransomware behaviours in real time. The success of our proof of concept evaluation allows us to envision our proposed technique applied as part of a self-protection system on Android phones against malware. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]