bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
THE POWER OF TAX INCENTIVES ON MOTORIZED VEHICLE TAX COMPLIANCE MODERATED BY TAX SOCIALIZATION IN EAST JAVA
Authors:   Universitas Airlangga, Limantoro Amedea Cristabel , Iswati Sri ,   Universitas Airlangga, Rahmiati Alfa ,   Universitas Airlangga
Published: April 2023

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Indonesian government issued tax incentive policies to ease the burden on the community while increasing revenue at the central and local tax levels. Due to the policy regarding the PKB (Pajak Kendaraan Bermotor or Motorized Vehicle Tax) tax incentive that was applied during the Covid-19 pandemic, the researchers aimed to examine the relationship of the PKB tax incentive on tax compliance of motorized vehicle users in East Java during the pandemic period from 2020 to 2021 moderated by tax socialization. This study used samples of taxpayers who own motorized vehicles, both two-wheeled or four-wheeled, whose domiciled in East Java. The samples were taken by using the purposive sampling technique. The data source was taken from primary data obtained from the questionnaires and was analyzed using simple linear regression and moderated regression analysis. The result of this study showed that the PKB tax incentive has relationship on motorized vehicle users’ tax compliance; meanwhile tax incentive which moderated by tax socialization weakening the relationship of the PKB tax incentive on motorized vehicle users’ tax compliance during the Covid-19 pandemic in East Java.
COVID-19 Risk by Workers’ Occupation and Industry in the United States, 2020‒2021
Authors: Gaffney Adam , Himmelstein David U. , McCormick Danny , Woolhandler Steffie
Published: April 2023

Objectives. To assess the risk of COVID-19 by occupation and industry in the United States.

Methods. Using the 2020–2021 National Health Interview Survey, we estimated the risk of having had a diagnosis of COVID-19 by workers’ industry and occupation, with and without adjustment for confounders. We also examined COVID-19 period prevalence by the number of workers in a household.

Results. Relative to workers in other industries and occupations, those in the industry “health care and social assistance” (adjusted prevalence ratio = 1.23; 95% confidence interval = 1.11, 1.37), or in the occupations “health practitioners and technical,” “health care support,” or “protective services” had elevated risks of COVID-19. However, compared with nonworkers, workers in 12 of 21 industries and 11 of 23 occupations (e.g., manufacturing, food preparation, and sales) were at elevated risk. COVID-19 prevalence rose with each additional worker in a household.

Conclusions. Workers in several industries and occupations with public-facing roles and adults in households with multiple workers had elevated risk of COVID-19.

Public Health Implications. Stronger workplace protections, paid sick leave, and better health care access might mitigate working families’ risks from this and future pandemics. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(6):647–656. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307249 )
Variation in End-of-Life Trajectories in Persons Aged 70 Years and Older, Sweden, 2018‒2020
Authors: Ebeling Marcus , Meyer Anna C. , Modig Karin
Published: April 2023

Objectives. To analyze variation in end-of-life trajectories with regard to elder care and medical care and how they relate to age, gender, and causes of death.

Methods. We analyzed all deaths of persons at age 70 years and older between the years 2018 and 2020 in Sweden, using a linkage of population registers. We applied latent class analysis to identify distinct types of end-of-life trajectories.

Results. We identified 6 different types of end-of-life trajectories. The types differed substantially in the amount of utilized elder care and medical care before death. Deaths characterized by high levels of elder care and medical care utilization become more common with age. The trajectory types show distinct cause-of-death profiles.

Conclusions. Most deaths today do not comply with what is often referred to as a “good” death (e.g., retaining control or requiring low levels of elder care). The results suggest that longer lifespans partly result from a prolonged dying process.

Public Health Implications. The current modes of dying call for a discussion about how we want to die in an era of increasing lifespans and aging societies. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(7):786–794. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307281 )
Buku Ajar Metode Penelitian Bisnis (Kuantitatif Dan Kualitatif )
Authors:   Universitas Muhammadiyah Sidoarjo, Hermawan Sigit , Hariyanto Wiwit
Published: April 2023

Segala puji penulis panjatkan kehadirat Allah SWT yang telah melimpahkan segala rahmat, taufiq dan hidayah-Nya atas karunia masa lalu, saat ini, dan akan datang serta atas tersusunnya buku “METODE PENELITIAN BISNIS (KUANTITATIF DAN KUALITATIF) Dilengkapi dengan Contoh Proposal dan Artikel” ini. Buku ini disusun dengan maksud untuk memberikan referensi pada matakuliah “METODE PENELITIAN BISNIS”. Buku ini selain memberikan konsep-konsep tentang metode penelitian bisnis baik secara kuantitatif dan kualitatif juga akan memberikan contoh proposal dan artikel yang sesuai. Penulis berharap semoga buku ini dapat bermanfaat bagi para mahasiswa dan pembaca pada umumnya. Penulis menerima kritik dan saran yang akan lebih menyempurnakan buku ini. Terima kasih dengan tulus penulis ucapkan dan sampaikan kepada rekan-rekan kami yang telah memberikan inspirasi, rekan sesama tenaga pengajar, para mahasiswa, guru dan dosen kami, serta UMSIDA Press yang bersedia menerbitkan buku ini.
Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt for Variceal Bleeding in Cirrhotic Patients with Severe Thrombocytopenia
Authors: Tang Haohuan , Zhong Bin-Yan , Liu Fang , Zhao Jian-Bo , Fan Chen , Zhu Xiao-Li , Wang Wei-Dong
Published: April 2023

BackgroundTo compare all-cause rebleeding rates and mortality after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) between severe thrombocytopenia (TCP) and non-severe TCP patients admitted for variceal bleeding.MethodsBetween January 2017 and June 2020, patients with severe TCP (platelets < 50 × 109/L) who received TIPS procedures for variceal bleeding at three medical centers were included. As controls, non-severe TCP patients were matched (1:1) by age, viral hepatitis, splenectomy, white blood cell, prothrombin time, international normalized ratio, total bilirubin, and acute variceal bleeding. Primary outcome was 6-week all-cause rebleeding. Secondary outcomes included 1-year all-cause rebleeding, 30-day and 1-year all-cause mortality and complications occurred during or after TIPS creation.ResultsA total of 373 patients were included in the study, with 84 patients in each cohort after matching. All-cause rebleeding rates at 6-week and 1-year post-TIPS were similar in cohorts with severe versus non-severe TCP (6.0% vs 4.8% at 6-week and 10.7% vs 10.7% at 1-year; P = 0.962; HR: 1.023; 95% CI, 0.406–2.577). One-year all-cause mortality was also comparable between the two cohorts (10.7% vs 9.5%, P = 0.754; HR: 1.164; 95% CI, 0.449–3.018). The comparison of 30-day post-TIPS mortality was inconclusive due to the relatively small number of positive outcome events. A trend toward slightly higher major complications was observed in the severe TCP cohort (8.3% vs 2.4%, P = 0.078).ConclusionsCompared with non-severe TCP, severe TCP did not increase the risk of early and late rebleeding after TIPS in patients with variceal bleeding.
Prediction of Earth Pressure Balance for EPB Machine: Application of Machine Learning and MVR techniques
Authors: Samadi Hanan , Hassanpour Jafar , Rostami Jamal
Published: April 2023

Face stability control of excavation with earth pressure balance machine (EPB) approach is the best available method to reduce the ground deformation and settlement of surface structures in a tunneling project in urban areas. In the present paper, several models have proposed through a statistical method, including multi-variable regression (MVR) and machine learning techniques such as support vector machine (SVM), Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy model (TS), and multilayer perceptron neural network (ANN-MLP), to provide a predictive strategy for EPB machine during the tunnel excavation. For this purpose, a monitoring dataset of machine performance parameters including advance speed, screw conveyor speed, screw conveyor torque, thrust force, and cutterhead rotation speed from Tehran Metro Line 6 Southern Extension Sector (TML6-SE) has been compiled. Then, the relation between the performance parameters and target values were investigated to analyze the available inputs and offer a new equation using the MVR. Moreover, statistical indices and loss functions were utilized for the evaluation of the developed models’ efficiency. The results proved the significance of the presented methods in this paper that could be used to predict the earth pressure balance operation with high efficiency.
Nutrient intake and dietary adequacy among infants in Kongwa District, Tanzania: A sub-study of the Mycotoxin Mitigation Trial
Authors: Kayanda Rosemary Alphonce , Phillips Erica , Kassim Neema , Ngure Francis , Stoltzfus Rebecca
Published: April 2023

Background: Early exposure to aflatoxin, a common toxin in global food systems, has been associated with child growth faltering. The Mycotoxin Mitigation Trial was a community-based cluster-randomized trial designed to assess the effect of dietary aflatoxin on stunting. The study provided low aflatoxin pre- blended porridge flour and groundnuts flour to the Intervention arm, while the same porridge recipe from home ingredients was promoted through education to the Standard of Care (SOC) arm. The objective was to isolate the effect of aflatoxin consumption while keeping dietary intake otherwise the same between the two arms.
Methods: To assess dietary intake, we performed a cross-sectional study on trial participants to evaluate and compare nutrient intake and adequacy of protein, energy, lipid, iron, zinc, calcium, and vitamin A between the randomized arms of the study. Twenty paired clusters (10 per trial arm) were selected, with up to 15 households per cluster randomly selected for a structured, multi-pass 24-h recall in three different rounds of data collection at 12 months of age.
Results: A total of 282 children participated. Nutrient intake was estimated from mixed models to account for clusters. The mean daily intakes of energy and lipid were 505 kcal and 13 mg respectively in the intervention and SOC while intervention children consumed slightly more proteins (13.7 g v 12.3 g, p= 0.02). There were no differences between the arms regarding the consumption of iron, zinc, calcium, or vitamin A. Generally, Iron and zinc consumption was very low.
Conclusion: At the midpoint of the trial intervention only protein consumption differed between arms. Both arms met RNI for energy, protein, and vitamin A but not for other nutrients assess.
Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03940547, registered April 24, 2019
Functional Janus liquids
Authors: Ghaffarkhah Ahmadreza , Hashemi Seyyed Alireza , Ahmadijokani Farhad , Goodarzi Milad , Riazi Hossein , Mhatre Sameer E. , Zaremba Orysia , Rojas Orlando , Soroush Masoud , Russell Thomas , Wuttke Stefan , Kamkar Milad , Arjmand Mohammad
Published: April 2023

Janus structures have unique properties due to their distinct functionalities on opposing faces, but have yet to be realized with flowing liquids. We demonstrate such Janus liquids with a programmable distribution of nanoparticles (NPs) throughout their structures by joining two aqueous streams of NP dispersions in an apolar liquid. Using this anisotropic integration platform, different magnetic, conductive, or non-responsive NPs can be spatially confined to opposite sides of the original interface using magnetic graphene oxide (mGO)/GO, Ti3C2Tx/GO, or GO suspensions. The resultant Janus liquids can be used as templates for programmable, responsive, and mechanically robust aerogels suitable for piezoresistive sensing, human motion monitoring, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding with a tuned absorption mechanism. The EMI shields outperform their current counterparts in terms of wave absorption, i.e., SET≈51 dB, SER≈0.4 dB, A = 0.91, due to their multi-scale porosity along with non-interfering magnetic and conductive networks imparted by the Janus architecture.
Co-creation of a complex, multicomponent rehabilitation intervention and feasibility trial protocol for the PostUraL tachycardia Syndrome Exercise (PULSE) study
Authors: Pearce Gemma , Holliday Nikki , Sandhu Harbinder , Eftekhari Helen , Bruce Julie , Timms Emma , Ablett Laura , Kavi Lesley , Simmonds Jane , Evans Rebecca , Magee Paul , Powell Richard , Keogh Shane , McGregor Gordon
Published: April 2023

Background: There is a dearth of research to support the treatment of people with Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS). Despite expert consensus suggesting exercise is recommended for this patient group, there are no randomised control trials examining this rigorously. The aim was to co-create a feasibility trial protocol and a rehabilitation intervention for people living with PoTS.
Methods: The intervention and feasibility trial design were co-created as part of the PostUraL tachycardia Syndrome Exercise (PULSE) study. We used the ‘three co’s framework’ of co-define, co-design and co-refine. Recruitment included key national charities and National Health Service Trusts treating people living with PoTS in the United Kingdom.18 Patient and Public Involvement members attended the co-define session, and 16 co-creators with a mix of expertise attended the subsequent co-design and co-refine sessions. Seven intervention practitioners were trained in the rehabilitation intervention, providing feedback for further co-refinement.
Results: The final co-created intervention comprises online physical activity, and lifestyle and behaviour change support sessions. It is based on functional movement activities using a patient-centred approach tailored to individual needs. Physical activity intensity is guided by individuals’ perception of effort rather than by objective measures. Recumbent bikes are provided for home use. Patients deemed randomisation to be acceptable because research in this area was considered important.
Conclusions: An innovative approach was used to co-create the PULSE intervention and feasibility trial protocol to meet the evidence-based and logistical needs of people living with PoTS, clinicians, service deliverers, third sector organisations, academics and funders. This can be used as a successful example and template for future research internationally. People living with PoTS were recognised as experts and involved in every aspect of conceptualisation, design and refinement. This complex rehabilitation intervention is currently being tested in a randomised feasibility trial comparing the PULSE intervention with best-practice usual care for people living with PoTS.
Trial registration: ISRCTN45323485 registered on 7 April 2020.
Application of Kernel-based Learning Algorithms in Survival Analysis: A Systematic Review
Authors: Rezaei Mansour , Montaseri Maryam , Mostafaei Shayan , Taheri Mohammad
Published: April 2023

BackgroundThe time until an event happens is the outcome variable of interest in the statistical data analysis method known as survival analysis. Some researchers have created kernel statistics for various types of data and kernels that allow the association of a set of markers with survival data. Multiple Kernel Learning (MKL) is often considered a linear or convex combination of multiple kernels. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the application of kernel learning algorithms in survival analysis.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review which involved an extensive search for relevant literature in the field of biomedicine. After using the keywords in literature searching, 435 articles were identified based on the title and abstract screening.ResultIn this review, out of a total of 56 selected articles, only 20 articles that have used MKL for high-dimensional data, were included. In most of these articles, the MKL method has been expanded and has been introduced as a novel method. In these studies, the extended MKL models due to the nature of classification or regression have been compared with SVM, Cox PH (Cox), Extreme Learning (ELM), MKCox, Gradient Boosting (GBCox), Parametric Censored Regression Models (PCRM), Elastic-net Cox (EN-Cox), LASSO-Cox, Random Survival Forests (RSF), and Boosting Concordance Index (BoostCI). In most of these articles, the optimal model’s parameters are estimated by 10-fold cross-validation. In addition, the Concordance index (C-index) and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) were calculated to quantitatively measure the performance of all methods for validation. Predictive accuracy is improved by using kernels.ConclusionOur findings suggest that using multiple kernels instead of one single kernel can make decision functions more interpretable and can improve performance.
Uncovering plant microbiomes using long-read metagenomic sequencing
Authors: Masuda Sachiko , Gan Pamela , Kiguchi Yuya , Anda Mizue , Sasaki Kazuhiro , Shibata Arisa , Iwasaki Wataru , Suda Wataru , Shirasu Ken
Published: April 2023

The microbiome of plants plays a pivotal role in their growth and health. Despite its importance, many fundamental questions about the microbiome remain largely unanswered, such as the identification of colonizing bacterial species, the genes they carry, and the location of these genes on chromosomes or plasmids. To gain insights into the genetic makeup of the rice leaf microbiome, we performed a metagenomic analysis using long-read sequences, and developed a genomic DNA extraction method that provides relatively intact DNA for long-read sequencing. 1.8 Gb reads were assembled into 26,067 contigs, including 136 circular sequences of less than 1 Mbp, as well as 172 large (≥ 1 Mbp) sequences, six of which were circularized. Within these contigs, 669 complete 16S rRNA genes were clustered into 166 bacterial species, 130 of which showed low identity to previously defined sequences, suggesting that they represent novel species. The large circular contigs contain novel chromosomes and a megaplasmid, and most of the smaller circular contigs (<1 Mbp) were defined as novel plasmids or bacteriophages. One circular contig represents the complete chromosome of an uncultivated bacterium in the candidate phylum Candidatus Saccharibacteria. Our findings demonstrate the efficacy of long-read-based metagenomics for profiling microbial communities and discovering novel sequences in plant-microbiome studies.
Genome-wide gene expression profiling analysis reveals bisphenol A interacts with seven prognosis-related genes to promote the progression of osteosarcoma
Authors: Liu Jin , Zhang Peng , Xu Meng , Chen Fan , Yu Wenjing , Xia Ting
Published: April 2023

With more and more application of the endocrine disruptors (EDCs) in the daily use, there is evidence that EDCs can cause cancer, and they can cause a variety of deleterious effects. It has been known for many years that bisphenol A (BPA), a xenoestrogen found in many consumer products, dysregulates a wide array of signaling pathways in the body. In this work, we discovered a new method to evaluate the role of BPA in human osteosarcoma (OS). An analysis of genes previously identified as associated with BPA was conducted from the CTD database, and we hypothesized that these genes might be useful as biomarkers, which was proved by protein-protein interactive network. In addition, the KEGG enrichment analysis demonstrated many cancers, including OS, are closely associated with the BPA. The single sample gene set enrichment analysis algorithm was further used to explore the genes that may play a key role in the OS. An in silico analysis was performed based on gene expression data extracted from Target database. On the basis of the BPA-based prognostic prediction model in OS cohort, we discovered that seven BPA-related genes (IHH, ELFN1-AS1, AL161909.1, IGHV4-39, CSAG1, ACTA2 and SSX1) are closely associated with the prognosis of the OS patients. The enrichment pathways analysis reveals these seven genes are closely associated with the many tumor-related pathways, such as TNFA signaling via NFKB, interferon alpha response, inflammatory response, IL6 JAK STAT3 signaling and IL2 STAT5 signaling pathways. Additionally, the exposure of 10 µM BPA was found to promote the proliferation ability of OS cells in vitro. Our findings suggest that BPA can promote the proliferation of osteosarcoma cells. IHH, ELFN1-AS1, AL161909.1, IGHV4-39, CSAG1, ACTA2 and SSX1 are among the most critical targets for BPA to act as a carcinogen.
Identification of novel spatially resolved markers of malignant transformation in Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasms
Authors: Carbone Carmine , Agostini Antonio , Piro Geny , Inzani Frediano , Quero Giuseppe , Esposito Annachiara , Caggiano Alessia , Priori Lorenzo , Larghi Alberto , Alfieri Sergio , Casolino Raffaella , Scaglione Giulia , Tondolo Vincenzo , Cammarota Giovanni , Ianiro Gianluca , Corbo Vincenzo , Biankin Andrew , Tortora Giampaolo
Published: April 2023

Objective The current IPMN risk stratification is based on clinical and histological features rather than molecular markers. We aimed to improve the current diagnostic criteria of IPMN performing spatial transcriptomic (ST) on lesions of different grade to identify novel markers that define IPMN degeneration to PDAC.
Design We performed ST on two independent cohorts of IPMN samples grouped by morphology and degree of dysplasia using two innovative technologies:
Visium ST on a discovery cohort of 18 samples from 14 patients: 4 low-grade IPMN (3 low-grade dysplasia (LGD), 1 intermediate dysplasia/Borderline), 9 high-grade IPMN characterized by a high-grade of dysplasia (HGD), including 4 invasive IPMN with associated PDAC, and 1 PDAC-associated normal duct).
GeoMx ST on a validation cohort of 57 IPMN samples: 23 low-grade IPMN (6 low-grade dysplasia (LGD), 17 intermediate dysplasia/Borderline), 34 High-grade IPMN (13 HGD Gastric IPMN and 21 HGD Intestinal IPMN) from 40 patients.
Results Novel subtype-specific markers were identified in the discovery cohort: HOXB3 and ZNF117 in LGD ; SPDEF, and gastric neck cell markers in Borderline; NKX6-2 and gastric isthmus cell markers in HGD Gastric IPMN. The spatial trajectory inference implicated NKX6-2 in progression of Gastric IPMN. Transcriptomic dissection highlighted the role of TNFα signalling and Myc activation in IPMN progression. The findings were confirmed in the independent validation cohort by GeoMx analysis.
Conclusions Our results identify novel markers associated with IPMN morphology and dysplasia to be explored for clinical utility, to better delineate progression in patients, improve risk stratification and clinical management.
Evolutionary games on multilayer networks: coordination and equilibrium selection
Authors: Raducha Tomasz , Miguel Maxi San
Published: April 2023

We study mechanisms of synchronisation, coordination, and equilibrium selectionin two-player coordination games on multilayer networks. We apply the approach from evolutionary game theory with threepossible update rules: the replicator dynamics (RD), the best response (BR), and the unconditional imitation (UI). Players interact on a two-layer random regular network. The population on each layer plays a different game, with layer I preferring the opposite strategy to layer II. We measure the difference between the two games played on the layersby a difference in payoffs ∆ S while the inter-connectedness is measured by a node overlap parameter q. We discover a critical value qc(∆ S) below whichlayers do not synchronise. For q>qc in general both layerscoordinate on the same strategy. Surprisingly, there is a symmetry breakingin the selection of equilibrium -- for RD and UI there isa phase where only the payoff-dominant equilibrium is selected. Our work is an example of previously observed differences between the update rules on a single network. However, we took a novel approach with the game being playedon two inter-connected layers. As we show, the multilayer structure enhances the abundance of the Pareto-optimal equilibrium in coordination games with imitative update rules.
Perceptions, knowledge and practices related to oral health in a group of pregnant women: A qualitative study
Authors: Velosa-Porras Juliana , Malagón Nelcy Rodríguez
Published: April 2023

Background It is known that the prevalence of dental caries and periodontal disease is increasing in pregnant women. Dental care is sufficient to prevent oral diseases and perform timely interventions. However, few pregnant women go to the dental office during this period due to a lack of knowledge. The perceptions, knowledge and oral health practices of pregnant women have been scarcely explored and should be taken into account to propose assertive interventions in this population.Aims To identify and explore the perceptions, knowledge, and practices in oral health in a group of pregnant women in Colombia.Methods Twenty-four semistructured interviews were conducted in different areas of Colombia. The interviews were conducted via telephone, and the calls were recorded with the consent of the participants. The recordings were transcribed in Word and checked for typing and transcription errors. The transcripts were analyzed using a hybrid approach combining inductive and deductive coding. The information was organized and encoded using NVivo12 software. We followed the SRQR checklist.Results Pregnant women reported having good oral health. One limitation mentioned for occupation was pregnancy. The appearance of the oral cavity has not negatively affected the relationships of the pregnant women.Conclusions The pregnant women had good oral hygiene habits but did not receive dental check-ups. Knowledge in this group was limited and diverse. The information given by health professionals should be standardized, and some beliefs should be demystified.
Molecular Epidemiology of Sars-CoV-2 in the Pityusic Islands, a Touristic Worldwide Hotspot in the Western Mediterranean
Authors: Viver Tomeu , López-Causapé Carla , Fraile-Ribot Pablo , Pérez-Mazón Carmen , López-Solé Dolors , Jiménez-Guerra Gemma , Taltavull Biel , López-López Aránzazu
Published: April 2023

The public health emergency caused by the Covid-19 outbreak in March 2020 encouraged worldwide initiatives to monitor the genetic diversity and features of the SARS-CoV-2 circulating variants, mainly based on the genomic surveillance. However, due to the impossibility to carry out extensive sequencing in resource-limited
hospitals, other PCR-based strategies could be applied to efficiently monitor the circulating variants without the need to greatly expand the sequencing capacity. In our case, overpassing the technical limitations inherent to a second level hospital, we were able to characterize the weekly distribution of SARS-CoV-2 by the amplification patterns visualization, genotyping, and sequencing of randomly selected samples. All these molecular approaches allowed us to trace the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 viruses circulating in Ibiza and Formentera (Balearic Islands, Spain) during the third to the sixth pandemic waves, in which three major lineages that were considered as VoCs (alpha, delta, and omicron), and many other non-VoC variants were detected and tracked.
Role of the Nrf2/ARE downregulation and mtDNA damage in the cognitive impairments in APP/PS1 mice
Authors: Gureev Artem P. , Babenkova Polina I. , Nesterova Veronika V. , Tsvetkova Arina D. , Sadovnikova Irina S. , Eremina Anna A. , Kryukova Vera A. , Popov Vasily N.
Published: April 2023

Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the key events in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) that mediates cognitive impairment. In this study, we examined the extent to which the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of APP/PS1 mouse strain is susceptible to damage accumulation and explored the potential relationship between mtDNA integrity and other physiological processes. The gut microbiome is known to largely determine the inflammatory status of the organism. However, although we found no significant differences in the bacterial composition of the gut microbiome at the phylum level between APP/PS1 and C57BL/6 mice strains, we found increased expression of the gene encoding the proinflammatory factor TNFα in the brain. This coincided with a decrease in expression of the transcription factor Nrf2, which is responsible for antioxidant protection of cells. We found decreased expression of genes responsible for glutathione and thioredoxin pathways of H2O2 utilization. In addition, we observed a decrease in the expression of some genes responsible for DNA repair. These processes appear to be the reason for the accumulation of oxidative damage in the mtDNA of the brain, and the damage accumulates predominantly in the cerebellum. Suppression of cerebellar output may facilitate freezing behavior, which we observed using the Barnes test. Freezing in APP/PS1 mice was a main reason for the increased average latency time to find the escape hole compared to C57BL/6 mice. Therefore, mitochondrial dysfunction at the level of changes in transcriptome and mtDNA integrity in some brain compartments may facilitate cognitive dysfunction in APP/PS1 mice.
Determinants of Household Payments for Drinking Water in Mexico, with Equity Considerations
Authors: Revollo-Fernández Daniel
Published: April 2023

The situation with non-payment of the drinking water services that households receive is an increasingly common problem with significant financial implications. The principal determinants of this lack of payment was estimated using a probabilistic model for the case of Mexico, with consideration of equity among household deciles. The results show that while this problem can be associated with households belonging to lower deciles, those in upper deciles are responsible for nearly the same share of the financial impact on water management organizations, and consequently, on the wellbeing of society. Nevertheless, households in the first deciles have more reasonable motives for deciding not to pay. Therefore, when wanting to develop policy incentives for households to pay for drinking water services, the incentives should be differentiated according to socioeconomic strata.
Determining the clinicopathological significance of the VI-RADS true-positive group: A retrospective study
Authors: Ikuma Shunsuke , Akatsuka Jun , Takeda Hayato , Endo Yuki , Hamasaki Tsutomu , Kimura Go , Kondo Yukihiro
Published: April 2023

Background The Vesical Imaging Reporting and Data System (VI-RADS) is widely used as a diagnostic method for predicting muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). This study aimed to determine the clinicopathological significance of the VI-RADS true-positive (TP) group.Methods We performed 333 transurethral resections of bladder tumors (TURBT) at our hospital between January 2019 and April 2021, and included 125 patients who underwent preoperative Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) into this study. The patients were pathologically diagnosed with urothelial carcinoma (UC). We first compared the results of patients with VI-RADS scores of 3 and 4 to determine the cut-off values for MIBC; thereafter, the 125 patients were divided into TP, false-positive (FP), true-negative (TN), and false-negative (FN) groups using VI-RADS. The clinicopathological significance of the TP group was examined by retrospectively comparing the characteristics of each group.Results A total of 125 cases were examined, out of which 29 were pathologically diagnosed with MIBC. Of the 29 MIBC cases, 4 (13.8%) had a VI-RADS score of ≤ 3 and 25 (86.2%) had a VI-RADS score of ≥ 4. Of the 96 Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) cases, 83 (86.5%) had a VI-RADS score of ≤ 3 and 13 (13.5%) had a VI-RADS score of ≥ 4. The diagnostic performance of the VI-RADS with a cutoff value of 4 was 87.1% for sensitivity, 86.5% for specificity, and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.87. In contrast, for a cutoff value of 3, the sensitivity was 90.3%, specificity was 61.5%, and AUC was 0.76. In this study, a VI-RADS score of ≥ 4 could predict MIBC. In the TP group, all 25 patients had high-grade tumors. The TP group had significantly more high-grade bladder cancers than the other groups (TP vs. TN, p = 0.001; TP vs. FP, p = 0.009; and TP vs. FN, p = 0.0278). In addition, the TP group had more tumor necrosis (TP vs. TN, p = 0.001; TP vs. FP, p = 0.0045) and more UC variant cases (TP vs. TN, p = 0.0012; TP vs. FP, p = 0.0217) than the TN and FP groups.Conclusion This study suggests that VI-RADS has a high diagnostic performance in predicting MIBC, and that VI-RADS could diagnose high-grade tumors, necrosis, and UC variants.
Intelligent transformation of financial services of agricultural cooperatives based on edge computing and deep learning
Authors: Zhongchen Ge , Jie Han , Chen Cai
Published: April 2023

An important component of rural finance includes agricultural cooperatives, which have become the main economic support for rural poverty alleviation due to their active participation in government targeted poverty alleviation activities, highlighting their socio-economic status. The only financial institution in rural finance - agricultural cooperatives, which have promoted positive effects on local economic development. As a new computing method, edge computing invades the cloud into the network through services, which ensures response time and efficient reliability, and reduces system delay by applying in-depth learning. It plays a good role in alleviating the pressure of bandwidth consumption in cloud networks, as well as protecting user privacy and data security. Through the research on edge computing and deep learning technology, this paper makes the rural capital allocation market produce new financial services, and demonstrates its significant advantages. By promoting the transformation of agricultural cooperatives, it is possible to more fully ensure that rural people enjoy the fruits of reform and development. At the same time, there is a problem of uneven income distribution in the social economy. While reducing social conflicts, it is also necessary to reduce factors of instability in society, in order to encourage people to work and live happily and safely. Through practical research on the intelligent financial service methods of agricultural cooperatives, the optimal allocation of rural economic resources has been determined, providing practical knowledge support for the economic and industrial development of rural areas, and providing reasonable support for the research on rural revitalization.
Mapping a comprehensive assesment tool to a holistic definition of health for person-centred care planning in home care: a modified eDelphi study
Authors: Fowokan Adeleke , Giosa Justine L , Saari Margaret , Holyoke Paul
Published: April 2023

Background Researchers in the Netherlands proposed the Pillars for Positive Health (PPH) as a broadly encompassing health definition to support more realistic and meaningful care planning for people living with chronic disease and other life-long health conditions. The PPH was subsequently converted to a My Positive Health (MPH) spider web visualization tool. The study sought to identify opportunities for more person-centred care planning at the point of care in home care, using the MPH tool as a framework to link comprehensive assessment and dialogue-based goal-setting.Methods A modified eDelphi method was used to conduct domain mapping with a purposively sampled expert panel (n = 25). The panel consisted of researchers, health care providers, older adults and caregivers. A two-stage Delphi process was conducted, with each stage consisting of three survey rounds. In the first stage, participants were asked to map 201 elements of the interRAI Home Care (interRAI HC) comprehensive assessment tool to the six MPH domains or “No pillar of best fit”. The second stage focused on identifying opportunities to adapt or expand comprehensive assessment as it relates to the MPH domains.Results In stage 1, 189 of 201 elements reached consensus in domain mapping. These included: 80 elements for Bodily Functions, 32 for Daily Functioning, 32 for Mental Wellbeing, 24 for Quality of Life, 10 for Participation, and 1 for Meaningfulness. Ten elements were identified to have no pillar of best fit. The 12 elements that did not reach consensus in stage 1 formed the basis for Stage 2, where expert panel participants proposed four new assessment elements in Meaningfulness and Participation and 11 additional descriptors across the six MPH domains. Of these, two elements, each in both the Meaningfulness and Participation domains, and 9 of the 11 descriptors reached consensus.Conclusion Findings show that elements in the interRAI HC are oriented toward the physical, functional, and mental health domains. Consequently, complementary assessment elements and/or tools may be needed to support comprehensive assessment of ‘Meaningfulness’ and ‘Participation’ in home and community care. Additional descriptors may also be needed to aid communication regarding the understanding and application of MPH domains.
Malware Detection in Embedded Devices using Artificial Hardware Immunity
Authors: Zareen Farhath , Amador Mateus Augusto Fernandes , Karam Robert
Published: April 2023

With the rapid proliferation of IoT devices and its growing usage in safety-critical systems, securing these devices from malicious attacks has become increasingly challenging. Due to the resource-constrained nature of IoT devices, real-time software-based malware detection is difficult or infeasible. Alternatively, a promising approach is utilizing hardware malware detection techniques. In this paper, we introduce a novel Hardware Immune System (HWIS), a stand-alone, hardware-supported malware detection approach for microprocessors that leverages Artificial Immune Systems for detecting botnet activity. This technique is suitable for low-power, resource constrained and network facing embedded devices. The proposed model is capable of detecting botnet behavior with an accuracy of 96.7%, false negative rate of 6.5%, and F1-score of 0.96. We implemented and simulated the proposed architecture using 32nm low power PTM SPICE models and the Synopsys 32nm EDK and found the power and area overhead to be 2.57% and 5.25%, respectively, with no impact on delay, using a 28nm RISC-V CPU as a baseline.
Comparison of Electronic Learning Versus Discussion-based learning Methods on learning rate of medical students about sedation in the emergency room: An Analytical Descriptive Prospective Study
Authors: Zeinaly Aidin , Kelvanagh Afsaneh Mouseli , Soleimanpour Maryam , Esfanjani Robab Mehdizadeh , Soleimanpour Hassan
Published: April 2023

Introduction: The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of two teaching models (e-learning and discussion-based learning) on the learning process of emergency department interns in relation to the use of the sedatives.
Methods: In this study, 129 interns introduced to the emergency medicine department were included in the study. These interns were randomly divided into two groups, I and II. For both groups, a pre-test based on standard parallel multiple-choice questions (MCQs) was prepared. Then, the electronic software which was prepared was distributed to the first group. For people of group II, six hours of discussion-based training was conducted for 3 consecutive weeks. At the end of the course (after 1 month), a post-test, which was the same questions as the pre-test, was obtained from interns in both groups.
Results: At the end of the study, we found a significant improvement in the learning rate of both groups all aspects of the knowledge including: science related to the use of narcotics in sedation (P = 0.01 for e-learning group and P < 0.001 for discussion based group), knowledge related to the use of intravenous anesthetics for sedation(P = 0.025 for e-learning group P < 0.001 for discussion based group), Knowledge related to definition and clinical judgments in sedation and Knowledge related to the use of Neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) for sedation (P < 0.001 for both groups). However, for all the investigated results, the learning rate was significantly better in the discussion-based learning group compared to the e-learning group (P < 0.001).
Conclusion
According to the results of this study, we found using either e-learning or discussion-based learning methods increase the acquisition of sedation knowledge for emergency department students. However, the discussion-based method have better results on the learning process of the interns.
Effects of 13C isotope-labeled allelochemicals on the growth of the invasive plant Alternanthera philoxeroides
Authors: Hua Zexun , He Mengying , Li Yue , Xie Qingsong , Wang Yan , Wu Hongmiao , Zhang Zhen
Published: April 2023

The secondary metabolites of indigenous plants have significant allelopathic inhibitory effects on the growth and development of invasive alien plants. Methyl palmitate (MP) and methyl linolenate (ML) of Humulus scandens root extracts were used as exogenous allelopathic substances. The research investigated the differences of allelopathic effects of MP and ML on the growth of seedlings of Alternanthera philoxeroides, and calculated their morphological characteristics, biomass, physiological indicators and the response index (RI). The synthetical allelopathic index (SE) of 1mmol/L MP was the smallest (-0.26) and the allelopathic inhibition was the strongest; therefore, it was selected as a 13C-labeled allelochemical. The distribution of 1mmol/L MP in different parts of A. philoxeroides and the correlation between the biomass ratios of roots, stems and leaves and the 13C content were studied by 13C stable isotope tracing experiments. Atom percent excess (APE) between roots, stems and leaves of A. philoxeroides treated with 1mmol/L MP were significantly different in terms of magnitude, with leaves (0.17%) > roots (0.12%) > stems (0.07%). The root, stem and leaf biomass ratios of invasive weeds had great significant positive correlation with 13C content (p < 0.01, R2 between 0.96 and 0.99). This current research provides a new idea and method for the control of A. philoxeroides, but large-scale popularization remains to be studied.
A novel defined apoptosis-related gene signature as a prognostic tool in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Yu Yunchi , Wang Qing , Shen Lu , Cao Xiaowen , Yuan Xiaosa , Liu Yufan , Wang Zihang , Zhong Lou
Published: April 2023

Background: Globally, lung cancer is one of the foremost reasons of death from malignancy. Despite recent improvements in 5-year OS, it is still not ideal despite the diversification of treatment options. The process of apoptosis refers to the death of cells by programmed death. Under normal circumstances, damaged cells can be removed by apoptosis. However, when cancer occurs, these damaged cells will not be removed due to the deficiency of apoptosis of cancer cells, thus leading to the formation of the cancer.
Results: As a result of the present study, 134 lung cancer-related genes were found to be differentially expressed between lung adenocarcinomas and normal lungs. There are two subtypes of LUAD on the basis of the DEGs. As a next step in the forecasting value evaluation of such apoptosis-related regulatory factors, in the process of developing an 8-gene risk signature, we conducted a Cox univariate analysis and a LASSO Cox regression analysis. The low- and high-risk sufferers were created for all patients with LUAD in TCGA cohort. Contrary to the high-risk sufferers, the low-risk LUAD sufferers held a remarkably ameliorated OS (P = 0.008). GSE72094 was used as verification and similar results were obtained. The risk score was determined to be a standalone predictor of OS among LUAD sufferers when combined with clinical features. Immuno-related genes were bounteous in high-risk patients, but their immune status was diminished based on the GO and KEGG analysis. Briefly, apoptosis-related genes are critical to cancer immunity and could be possible to foresee LUAD's medical prognosis.
Conclusions: Apoptosis-related genes play an important role in lung adenocarcinoma. This experiment provides a new gene marker for predicting the prognosis of LUAD patients.
Basic physics predicts stronger high cloud radiative heating with warming
Authors: Gasparini Blaž , Voigt Aiko , Mandorli Giulio , Stubenrauch Claudia
Published: April 2023

Radiative heating of clouds, particularly those in the upper troposphere, alters temperature gradients in the atmosphere, affecting circulation and precipitation in today's and future climates. However, the response of cloud radiative heating to global warming remains largely unknown. We study changes to cloud radiative heating profiles in a warmer climate, identify physical mechanisms responsible for these changes, and develop a theory based on well-understood physics to predict them. Our approach involves a stepwise procedure that builds upon a simple hypothesis of an upward shift in cloud radiative heating at constant temperature, gradually incorporating additional physical effects. We find that cloud radiative heating intensifies as clouds move upward, despite minimal changes in cloud properties and temperatures. We attribute this intensification to a decrease in air density, which often overcompensates the decrease in high cloud fraction with warming in idealized multi-model simulations in radiative-convective equilibrium. Furthermore, this mechanism is confirmed in a 15-year satellite-derived dataset. The density-mediated increment in cloud radiative heating may increase the role of high clouds in controlling atmospheric flows in a warmer climate. Moreover, a narrowing of the spread in model-simulated cloud radiative heating highlight an actionable path to reduce uncertainties in regional climate change projections.
Chaotic Vibration Control of a Composite Cantilever Beam
Authors: Liu Xiaopei , Sun Lin
Published: April 2023

In this research, an adaptive control strategy adapted from Fuzzy Sliding Mode Control is established and applied in chaotic vibration control of a multiple-dimension nonlinear dynamic system of a laminated composite cantilever beam. The 3rd order shearing effect on the vibration of the beam is considered in the nonlinear dynamic model establishment, and the Hamilton principle as well as the Galerkin method is employed. It is discovered that a multi-dimensional nonlinear dynamic system of the cantilever beam needs to be considered for accurate vibration estimation. Therefore, the control strategy appropriate for the chaotic vibration control of a multiple-dimension system of the laminated composite beam is necessary, and then proves to be effective in chaotic vibration control in numerical simulation.