PLoS ONE最新文献

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308688.].

Introduction: Although late initiation of antenatal care has been linked with adverse pregnancy outcomes, a significant number of pregnant women in resource-limited regions are seeking this care late. There has been a lack of information on the extent and factors influencing late initiation of antenatal care in the African context following the implementation of the new antenatal care model in 2016. Thus, we aimed to determine the pooled prevalence of late antenatal care visit and its determinants among women in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) using national surveys conducted after the implementation of new guidelines.

Methods: We analyzed data from the recent demographic and health survey (DHS) conducted in 16 SSA between 2018 and 2022 using a weighted sample of 101,983 women who had antenatal care follow-up during their index pregnancy. A multilevel logistic regression models were fitted and likelihood and deviance values were used for model selection. In the regression model, we used adjusted odds ratios along with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals to determine the factors associated with late antenatal care visit.

Results: The pooled prevalence of late antenatal care visit among pregnant women in SSA was 53.8% [95% CI: 46.2% - 61.3%], ranging from 27.8% in Liberia to 75.8% in Nigeria. Women's age and education, working status, partner's education, health insurance coverage, birth order, household wealth, age at marriage, decision on health care, residence, and community-level women's illiteracy were the factors associated with late antenatal care visit.

Conclusion: More than half of pregnant women in SSA initiated attending antenatal care during late pregnancy, with significant differences seen among countries. These results underscore the necessity for focused interventions to tackle these issues and enhance prompt access to antenatal services for better maternal and child health outcomes in the area. Moreover, creating tailored interventions for younger women, those with multiple previous births, employed women, and those who experienced early marriage to address their specific challenges and obstacles in seeking care is crucial.

Herbivorous fishes play a crucial role in the conservation of coral reefs threatened by thermal stress (e.g., marine heatwaves and long-term ocean warming) by helping to maintain reefs in a coral-dominated state via the removal of algae. However, as thermally sensitive ectotherms, rising thermal stress may also pose a serious threat to these fishes and the critical ecosystem functions they deliver. Here we evaluate the consequences of thermal stress on the capacity of a common herbivorous coral reef fish (Acanthurus triostegus) to control finely filamentous matrices of Caulerpa sertularioides and C. verticillata algae in Hawai'i, by characterizing in-vivo changes in metabolic demands, diurnal foraging rates, activity patterns and individual condition in a laboratory setting during winter (24.0±0.1°C), summer (27.5±0.1°C), and at the peak of a representative marine heatwave, (31.0±0.1°C). Rising temperatures caused significant increases in standard metabolic rate (from ~135 O2 kg-1 h-1 in winter to 224 O2 kg-1 h-1 at the peak of a marine heatwave), but not in the proportion of time spent active (~83-96%) or foraging (~2.4 bites min-1). Consequently, A. triostegus gained body mass during summer and winter, but lost ~0.8% body mass per day during the marine heatwave. Given marine heatwaves can last for weeks to months, these results indicate that while herbivorous coral reef fishes may continue to remove algae during periods of thermal stress, their ability to control many macroalga may be limited due to precipitous reductions in individual performance. Therefore, in addition to algal types, the thermal sensitivity in herbivorous reef fishes will need to be considered for the successful implementation of coral-algal management strategies in a warmer world.

Dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) ideally requires a high spatial and a high temporal resolution, but hardware limitations prevent acquisitions from achieving both simultaneously-either high temporal resolution is exchanged for spatial resolution, or vice versa. Even state-of-the-art image reconstruction techniques that infer missing data in a sparse acquisition space cannot recover the loss of spatial detail, especially at high temporal acceleration rates. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the concept of spatial subspace reconstructions (SPARS) and demonstrate its ability to reconstruct high spatial resolution dynamic images from as few as one acquired k-space spoke per time frame in a dynamic series. Briefly, a low-temporal-high-spatial resolution organization of the acquired raw data is used to estimate the basis vectors of the spatial subspace in which the high-temporal-high-spatial ground truth data resides. This subspace is then used to estimate entire images from single k-space spokes. In both simulated and human in-vivo data, the proposed SPARS reconstruction method outperformed standard GRASP and GRASP-Pro reconstruction, providing a shorter reconstruction time and yielding higher accuracy from both a spatial and temporal perspective.

To solve the problems of low detection efficiency and inability to adapt to distributed measurement in traditional detection methods, a water temperature field detection system based on a fiber Bragg grating string was designed. In this system, six fiber Bragg gratings with different center wavelengths are connected in series on a single fiber optic cable based on wavelength division multiplexing technology. The fiber Bragg grating string is encapsulated in stainless steel tube and vertically fixed in the measured water body of the fish pond. The space division multiplexing technology is employed to collect information from multiple fiber Bragg grating strings. Water temperature measurement experiments were conducted in the summer pond environment. The experimental results show that the daily variation curve of temperature in each water layer of the fish pond is relatively smooth and approximates a cosine function with a 24-hour period. In summer, the daily average water temperature in the pond is no more than 1°C higher than the average air temperature. The difference between the maximum and the minimum water temperature is approximately 2°C. During the daytime, the temperature gradually decreases from the surface to the deeper water layers, whereas at night, the temperature variation among the water layers is minimal. As depth increases, the amplitude of the water temperature curve oscillations gradually decreases, exhibiting exponential decay. However, the peak time gradually lags behind. There is a correlation between the temperatures of the water layers in the fish pond, and the smaller the distance between the water layers, the stronger the correlation. The experimental results obtained in this study are highly significant for real-time services in aquatic planting and aquaculture. Additionally, this measurement method can provide valuable reference and guidance for measuring temperature fields in other fluids.

Water-soluble constituents in the root exudates of C. pilosula exhibit both allelopathic and auto-toxic properties, which substantially impede its growth. To mitigate the constraints associated with the continuous cropping of C. pilosula, this study examined the impact of aqueous extracts from the root exudates at various developmental stages on seed germination and seedling growth. Additionally, we isolated and characterized significant auto-toxic allelochemicals. Our findings revealed that the inhibitory effects on seed germination, seedling growth, and the activity of antioxidant enzymes-collectively referred to as a comprehensive effect-intensified progressively with increasing concentrations of the aqueous extracts from C. pilosula root exudates. The most pronounced auto-toxic comprehensive effect was observed with extracts at a concentration of 50 mL during the reproductive phase, diminishing SOD and POD activities, and MDA levels in C. pilosula seedlings by 72.3%, 71.7%, and 83.3% respectively, compared to the control (P<0.05). Three primary allelopathic compounds-acetic acid, hexamethyl cyclotrisiloxane, and methoxybenzene oxime were isolated and identified in the aqueous extracts. Acetic acid, constituting 44.1% of the total chemical profile, exhibited a significant inhibitory effect on seed germination and seedling growth (P<0.05). In conclusion, the aqueous extracts of C. pilosula root exudates significantly inhibit seed germination and seedling growth, especially during the plant's reproductive stage, with low molecular weight organic acids being the predominant allelopathic components.

Background: With the increasing utilization of anticoagulants, the selection of appropriate anticoagulants has emerged as a significant quandary. The objective of this study was to evaluate recent trend in the utilization and expenditure of anticoagulants within a specific region, aiming to provide valuable insights into the optimal choice of anticoagulants across other healthcare facilities.

Methods: The utilization of anticoagulants was retrospectively analyzed. The data on anticoagulant utilizations in tertiary-care hospitals within a district were collected from January 2019 to December 2023. The expenditure, defined daily doses (DDDs), and defined daily cost (DDC) were calculated. The trends in the utilization and expenditure of anticoagulants were examined using linear regression analysis.

Results: From 2019 to 2023, the DDDs of rivaroxaban demonstrated a significant annual increase in most hospitals (p < 0.05). Only a few hospitals exhibited a gradual rise in the consumption of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) over the same period (p < 0.05). The trend of heparin sodium and warfarin varied across different hospitals. The implementation of the centralized procurement policy, however, resulted in a decline in the consumption of rivaroxaban and LMWH in 2021 and 2022 respectively. The DDC value of rivaroxaban experienced a substantial decrease over the past five years (p = 0.020), declining from 55.20 Chinese Yuan (CNY) in 2019 to 4.28 CNY in 2023. Conversely, there was a slight increase noted in the DDC of heparin sodium during this time frame (p = 0.042).

Conclusion: Over the past five years (2019-2023), there has been an increase in the utilization of rivaroxaban and LMWH. However, their expenditure has decreased. In addition, the utilization and expenditure of warfarin and heparin sodium remained relatively stable. The application prospects of rivaroxaban and LMWH are promising.

Fibers have been widely adopted in asphalt mixture to improve its pavement performance. Lignin fiber and polyester fiber are the most popular two choices. Lignin fiber is derived from wood, which is not aligned with the principles of sustainable development. The production process for polyester fiber is more complex and costly, presenting both environmental and economic challenges in engineering applications. In contrast, basalt fiber is cost-effective, exhibit excellent wear resistance and impact toughness, and possess high mechanical strength. It is an ideal choice to improve pavement performance of asphalt mixtures. However, most of the existing studies focused on analyzing a single characteristic index of basalt fiber. They neglected the composite effects of geometric characteristics of basalt fiber, such as fiber diameter and length, on the pavement performance of asphalt mixtures at varying fiber contents. Therefore, taking the SMA-13 as an example, the combined effect of basalt fiber geometrical characteristics (fiber diameter, fiber length, and fiber content) on pavement performance are elucidated. Additionally, a random forest algorithm is adopted to perform a weight analysis of fiber characteristics and their correlation with pavement performance.

Background: Public primary healthcare workers (HCWs) face various psychosocial risks at workplace that can impact their mental health. However, little is known about their mental health service utilisation (MHSU). This study aimed to determine prevalence and predictors of MHSU among public primary HCWs in Negeri Sembilan, using Anderson Behavioural Model of Health Service Use.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2022 to April 2023, using a valid and reliable self-administered six sections questionnaire consisting of; (i) sociodemographic, (ii) work-related factors, (iii) MHSU, (iv) perception of stigmatisation by others, (v) enabling factors, and (vi) need factors. Respondents were selected through proportionate stratified random sampling based on job categories. Multiple Logistic Regression using SPSS version 26 was used to determine the predictors of MHSU.

Results: A total of 294 respondents participated in this study, with a response rate of 83.5%. The 12-months MHSU prevalence was 45.6%. Mental health services were predominantly utilised for screening (96.3%) and treatment purposes (28.4%), primarily accessed through health clinics (85.1%), and interaction with paramedics (44.0%) and medical officers (38.8%). Significant drivers predicting MHSU were B40 household income (aOR = 3.426, 95% CI: 1.588, 7.393, p-value = 0.002) and M40 household income (aOR = 3.781, 95% CI: 1.916, 7.460, p-value<0.001), low supervisor support (aOR = 2.302, 95% CI: 1.206, 4.392, p-value = 0.011), received mental health training (aOR = 2.058, 95% CI: 1.221, 3.469, p-value = 0.007) and high co-worker support (aOR = 1.701, 95% CI: 1.034, 2.798, p-value = 0.036).

Conclusion: Almost half of respondents used mental health services, predicted by lower and middle household income, received mental health training and high co-worker support. Conversely, MHSU was also predicted by low supervisor support. To sustain high levels of MHSU, it is essential to implement regular mental health training targeted HCWs with lower to middle household incomes and those experiencing low supervisor support, while simultaneously enhancing co-worker support and screening program for early detection of mental health problems.

Current research often overlooks anxiety symptoms in preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), focusing on older children. This study examines anxiety symptomatology primarily in young children with ASD by analyzing data from 82 Spanish children aged 3- to 6 years. Parents completed the Anxiety Scale for Children with ASD and the Social Communication Questionnaire. Results indicate that 30.48% of the children exhibit significant anxiety symptoms, "with anxious uncertainty" being the most prevalent. Factor analysis reveals three principal components of the Anxiety Scale, supporting its reliability. Regression analysis highlights stereotypical behaviors as significant predictors of anxiety levels. These findings underscore the importance of early assessment and adaptation of assessment tools for preschoolers with ASD. Stereotypical behaviors are identified as key predictors of anxiety in this population.