bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
TACKLING CARBON INTENSITY WITH GREEN FINANCE IN THE COVID-19-ERA: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OECD ECONOMIES
Authors: LU LIJING , ZHENG HAIYANG , CHEN MEILAN , NAJAM HINA
Published: February 2022

Green financing has been examined in the literature. However, its impact on carbon intensity has not been fully investigated. This research sets out to fill this gap by using the dimensions of green loans, securities, insurance, and investment. In exploring the connections between green financing, nonfossil energy use, and carbon intensity, we utilized data from 2016 to 2020 to run an advanced quantile modeling. We applied the decision-making unit-method of data envelopment analysis for analyses. Our main findings are as follows. Rapid advances in the green finance sector in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries were coupled with an increase in nonfossil energy usage, resulting in a decline in carbon intensity. When the growth in nonfossil energy consumption was reduced, green investment was put on hold, and the green financing industry would be negatively impacted. The role of green financing and carbon intensity in nonfossil energy use is coupled with strong government policy interventions. Nonetheless, the effects of green finance initiatives often lag. Moreover, these effects are inconsistent. This research suggests new methods to increase the use of nonfossil energy, build a carbon trading market, and increase the consumption of green financing policies post COVID-19.
Policy Note: Systems Thinking for More Holistic Analysis of Low- and Middle-Income Country Water Utility Problems and Solutions
Authors: Jeuland Marc
Published: February 2022

Globally, billions of people rely on piped water and sanitation services delivered by municipal water utilities, but many of these systems, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are plagued by chronic problems of inequitable access, intermittent supply, and poor water quality. While improving service quality in these persistently underperforming systems will certainly require substantial infrastructure investment and supportive maintenance, a parallel strengthening of utilities and regulators’ capacity and management is at least as fundamental. And though prior research highlights the lack of capacity, misaligned incentives, and ineffective policies that lead LMIC utilities to perform so poorly, the identification of sustainable and replicable solutions to these problems, that extends beyond a small set of cases, has proven difficult. This paper argues for greater use of systems dynamics models to facilitate more holistic thinking about the potential of different intervention strategies, acknowledging that the behavior of utility-based water management systems is defined by complex interactions. This complexity plays out in reinforcing and balancing feedback between variables, lagged responses, and dynamics that often preclude moving past critical thresholds that define poverty or low performance traps. The paper then discusses how several basic archetypes relate to experiences of institutional reform failure and success described in the broader literature, with the goal of motivating future application of these methods for comparative analysis of different utility water system improvements.
Geoscience for CO
2
storage: an introduction to the thematic collection
Authors: Ringrose Philip S. , Yielding Graham
Published: February 2022

Thematic collection:
This article is part of the Geoscience for CO
2
storage collection available at:
https://www.lyellcollection.org/cc/geoscience-for-co2-storage
ER-phagy: mechanisms, regulation, and diseases connected to the lysosomal clearance of the endoplasmic reticulum
Authors: Reggiori Fulvio , Molinari Maurizio
Published: February 2022

ER-phagy (reticulophagy) defines the degradation of portions of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) within lysosomes or vacuoles. It is part of the self-digestion (i.e., autophagic) programs recycling cytoplasmic material and organelles, which rapidly mobilize metabolites in cells confronted with nutrient shortage. Moreover, selective clearance of ER subdomains participates in the control of ER size and activity during ER stress, the reestablishment of ER homeostasis after ER stress resolution, and the removal of ER parts in which aberrant and potentially cytotoxic material has been segregated. ER-phagy relies on the individual and/or concerted activation of the ER-phagy receptors, ER peripheral or integral membrane proteins that share the presence of LC3/Atg8-binding motifs in their cytosolic domains. ER-phagy involves the physical separation of portions of the ER from the bulk ER network and their delivery to the endolysosomal/vacuolar catabolic district. This last step is accomplished by a variety of mechanisms including macro-ER-phagy (in which ER fragments are sequestered by double-membrane autophagosomes that eventually fuse with lysosomes/vacuoles), micro-ER-phagy (in which ER fragments are directly engulfed by endosomes/lysosomes/vacuoles), or direct fusion of ER-derived vesicles with lysosomes/vacuoles. ER-phagy is dysfunctional in specific human diseases, and its regulators are subverted by pathogens, highlighting its crucial role for cell and organism life.
Taekwondo Action Recognition Method Based on Partial Perception Structure Graph Convolution Framework
Authors: Liang Jianqiao , Zuo Guocai
Published: February 2022

Action recognition in Taekwondo competitions and training is an important task, which can provide a very valuable reference factor for technicians, athletes, and coaches. We propose a graph convolution framework with part of the perception structure to recognize, decompose, and analyze Taekwondo actions. Taking advantage of the long short-term memory of a part of the perception structure, the recognized Taekwondo actions are marked in time series, and then features are extracted from the graph convolution level to obtain the spatial and temporal associations between joints. Predict the action category and perform score matching based on the manual tag database. Finally, it is verified on our self-made Taekwondo competition data set. Our method has an average accuracy of 90% in action recognition, and an average action score matching rate of 74.6%. The accuracy of action recognition is high, which provides great assistance to Taekwondo e training and competitions.
The Efficacy of Needle-Warming Moxibustion Combined with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Ischemic Stroke and Its Effect on Neurological Function
Authors: Zhu Yonggang , Zhu Xiuhua , Chen Zhitian , Cao Xueli , Wang Lu , Zang Lin , Cao Weiwei , Sun Tian , Bai Xinyu
Published: February 2022

Objective. To elucidate the therapeutic efficacy of needle-warming moxibustion (NWM) combined with hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in the treatment of patients with ischemic stroke and its effect on neurological function. Methods. One hundred patients with ischemic stroke admitted to the Xuzhou Medical University Affiliated Hospital of Lianyungang from January 2019 to July 2021 were enrolled. Among them, 45 patients treated with NWM were set as the control group, and the rest 55 patients treated by NWM combined with HBOT were included in the research group. The curative effect, neurological deficit score, activity of daily living (ADL), balance ability, and the levels of serum proinflammatory factors in both groups were observed and recorded. Of them, the neurological deficit of patients was evaluated by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NHISS), the ADL ability was determined by the Barthel index score, and the balance ability was assessed by the Berg balance scale. Results. The total effective rate of the research group was higher than that of the control group. Better ADL and balance ability and milder neurologic impairment were determined in the research group compared with the control group. After treatment, the secretion levels of proinflammatory factors such as C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in the serum of patients in the research group were statistically lower than those before treatment and the control group. Conclusions. NWM combined with HBOT is effective in the treatment of patients with ischemic stroke, which can not only improve patients’ neurological function, ADL, and balance ability but also inhibit serum inflammatory reactions.
[Retracted] Virtual Reality‐Based Digital Restoration Methods and Applications for Ancient Buildings
Authors: Wang Tianhang , Zhao Lu
Published: February 2022

At a time of rapid technological development, 3D stereoscopic images and virtual reality technology are being used in art and design, as well as in the digital conservation of ancient buildings and their restoration. Virtual reality art is a high degree of integration between art and digital technology and is a new form of digital art. As a means of presenting architectural art, digital restoration of ancient buildings is a form of expression that combines knowledge, art, and technology. The digital restoration of ancient buildings and the creation of a 3D interactive display system are of great value for the realization of real space and the preservation of ancient sites. In this paper, we design a system that combines 3D stereoscopic and virtual reality technologies for the restoration of ancient buildings. Through the research and practice of this system, it can be translated into relevant design application research in other art and design fields, which is of great practical significance for future virtual reality expansion space.
Effect of PUVA and NB-UVB Therapy on the Skin Cytokine Profile in Patients with Mycosis Fungoides
Authors: Karamova Arfenya E. , Verbenko Dmitry A. , Vorontsova Anastasiia A. , Zhilova Maryana B. , Nikonorov Alexandr A. , Gatiatulina Eugenia R. , Znamenskaya Ludmila F. , Kubanov Alexey A.
Published: February 2022

Background. Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common subtype of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. The aim of the present study was to produce up-to-date information on different phototherapy approaches on skin cytokines in patients with MF. Methods. A total of 27 patients with mycosis fungoides were treated with phototherapy: NB-UVB (narrow‐band ultraviolet B therapy) (10 patients) and PUVA (long-wavelength ultraviolet radiation of spectrum A with the use of skin-photosensitizing furocoumarins) therapy (17 patients). Evaluation of the effectiveness of treatment was carried out using BSA (body surface area) and the modified assessment of the severity of the skin lesions scale (mSWAT) used to quantify tumor mass in cutaneous T-cell lymphomas. Average numbers of procedures were 30.2 and 27.8 in the NB-UVB and PUVA groups, respectively. The median total dose of NB-UVB irradiation was 19.9 J/cm2 and PUVA therapy was 104.0 J/cm2. The overall response to therapy including complete and partial remission was 74.9% in the total group; 70% in the NB-UVB group, and 77.7% in the PUVA therapy group. In the obtained biopsies from lesions, surrounding tissue before treatment and skin samples of four healthy volunteers, the concentration of the IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-21, IL-22, IL-23, IL-25, IL-31, IL-33, IFN-γ, sCD40L, and TNF-α cytokines was studied. An increase in IL-4 and TNF-α levels was shown in the lesional skin of patients compared to the skin of healthy controls. After the treatment, positive correlations of mSWAT with the levels of IL22, IL33, and TNF-α in the tumor tissue were found. The levels of IL10 and IFN-γ after PUVA treatment were increased in comparison to baseline. There was no difference in cytokine levels before/after NB-UVB therapy.
Acute Kidney Injury in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis: Prevalence, Predictors, and In‐Hospital Mortality at a District Hospital in Ghana
Authors: Duah Amoako , Duah Francisca , Ampofo-Boobi Daniel , Addo Bright Peprah , Osei-Poku Foster , Agyei-Nkansah Adwoa
Published: February 2022

Background. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the most severe complications of cirrhosis and portends an ominous prognosis with an estimated mortality of about 50% in a month and 65% within a year. Infection and hypovolemia have been found to be the main precipitating factors of AKI in liver cirrhosis. Early detection and treatment of AKI may improve outcomes. AKI in patients with liver cirrhosis in Ghana and their impact on inpatient mortality are largely unknown. This study was aimed at determining the prevalence, precipitating factors, predictors, and in‐hospital mortality of AKI in patients with liver cirrhosis admitted to a district hospital in Ghana. Methods. Consecutive hospitalized patients with liver cirrhosis from 1 January 2018 to 30 April 2020 were recruited. Patient’s demographic data and clinical features were collected using a standardized questionnaire. Biochemical and haematological tests as well as abdominal ultrasound scans were done for all patients. All patients were then followed up until discharge or death. Results. There were 117 (65.4%) males out of the 179 patients with a mean age of 49.94 and 45.84 years for those with and without AKI, respectively. The prevalence of AKI was 27.9% (50/179). Out of 50 participants with AKI, 64.0% (32/50) died, contributing 41.0% of all in‐patient mortality amongst participants. There was a significant association between AKI and death (p ≤ 0.001). The major precipitating factors of AKI were infections (60.0%), hypovolemia (20.0%) due to gastrointestinal bleeding and gastroenteritis, and refractory ascites (16.0%). Alkaline phosphatase, INR, model for end‐stage liver disease sodium, sodium, and blood urea nitrogen were independent predictors of AKI. Conclusion. AKI was common among patients with liver cirrhosis with high in‐patient mortality. Identification of these precipitants and independent predictors of AKI may lead to prompt and targeted treatment with reduction in patient mortality.
Meloxicam Inhibits Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression and Enhances the Sensitivity of Immunotherapy via the MicroRNA-200/PD-L1 Pathway
Authors: Guangshun Sun , Guoqiang Sun , Xin Chen , Xiangyi Kong , Wubin Zheng , Zhitao Li , Zhiying Zheng , Hongyong Cao , Chengyu Lv , Yongxiang Xia , Weiwei Tang
Published: February 2022

Background. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has become the sixth most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer death in the world. Although the research achievements of tumor immunotherapy have made great progress, especially the combination of immune targeted therapy has achieved good curative effect in HCC, but only a few patients are suitable for it and benefit from it. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find new effective drugs to treat HCC or to enhance the sensitivity of immunotherapy. Methods. Meloxicam, a COX2 inhibitor with strong anti-HCC potential, was screened from 800 small molecules approved by FDA. The effect of meloxicam on the proliferation, invasion, and migration of HCC cell lines was evaluated by cell phenotype analysis. The Human Protein Atlas database and the TISCH database were used to analyze COX2 data in single cells, and the TISIDB database was used to analyze the correlation of COX2 with immune function. The real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot were used to evaluate the level of PD-L1 and CD155 in HCC cell lines treated with meloxicam and further explore its possible mechanism. In vivo experiments were applied to verify the effect of meloxicam combined with anti-PD1 therapy on HCC tumor growth in mice. Results. Meloxicam can significantly inhibit the proliferation, invasion, and migration of HCC cells. The TISIDB database indicated that the COX2 was strongly associated with immunoinhibitors and immunostimulators. Meloxicam upregulated the level of PD-L1 in HCC cell lines and animal models. In terms of mechanism, meloxicam inhibited microRNA-200, thereby upregulating PD-L1. In vitro experiments showed that both meloxicam and anti-PD1 had inhibitory effects on the growth of HCC tumors. Compared with meloxicam and anti-PD1 alone, the combination therapy showed stronger antitumor properties. Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed that meloxicam enhanced the antitumor immune activity in the tumor microenvironment. Conclusion. Our study showed meloxicam inhibited HCC progression and enhanced the sensitivity of immunotherapy via the microRNA-200/PD-L1 pathway.
Visual Corneal Photomechanical Analysis Is Combined with the Pentacam Correlation Index for the Diagnosis of Cone Corneas at Different Stages of Progression
Authors: Cheng Qiong , Zhang Feng , Tian Tixian , Wu Lan , Li Linna , Chen Meixia , Zhou Ye
Published: February 2022

Cone-shaped corneas are blinding eye diseases characterised by dilated and thinning corneal tissue and forward conical protrusions, most often in adolescents. Early detection and intervention can prevent further dilatation of the cornea. The prevailing examination methods and techniques are not difficult to diagnose clinical cone corneas, but there are limitations in the diagnosis of early cone corneas (static cone corneas and subclinical cone corneas). In this study, we investigated the diagnostic value of the combination of these two instruments in the diagnosis of clinical cone corneas and subclinical cone corneas by performing the Pentacam and Corvis ST examinations in healthy eyes and dystrophic cone corneas. This study provides a theoretical basis for early cone cornea screening and diagnosis. The analysis revealed that only TP, SPA1, ARTh, and bIOP were normally distributed among all included parameters, and only bIOP was normally distributed with equal variance. TBI and CBI indices have a certain sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of subclinical cone corneas, with a strong diagnostic ability, and can be used for screening and early diagnosis of cone corneas.
The Diagnostic Value of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound and Enhanced CT Combined with Tumor Markers AFP and CA199 in Liver Cancer
Authors: Kong Yunpeng , Jing Yan , Sun Hongmei , Zhou Shisheng
Published: February 2022

Background. Early screening and diagnosis are of great significance to the treatment and prognosis of patients with liver cancer. This study aims to explore the application value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound and enhanced CT combined with tumor markers alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and carbohydrate antigen 199 (CA199) in the diagnosis of liver cancer. Methods. Liver cancer group (n = 256), benign disease group (n = 110), and control group (n = 50) participated in this study. The liver cancer and benign disease groups were diagnosed pathologically by contrast-enhanced ultrasound and enhanced CT before operation. The electrochemiluminescence method was used to detect the content of AFP and CA199. And the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn. Results. The detection rate of contrast-enhanced ultrasound is higher than that of enhanced CT. Serum levels of AFP and CA199 in the liver cancer group were significantly higher than those in the benign lesion group and the control group. The ROC curve showed that the sensitivity, accuracy, and negative prediction rate of contrast-enhanced ultrasound and enhanced CT combined with tumor markers AFP and CA199 in the diagnosis of liver cancer were significantly higher than that of a single test. Conclusion. The combined detection of contrast-enhanced ultrasound and enhanced CT, AFP, and CA199 significantly improved the sensitivity and accuracy of liver cancer diagnosis. It has a significant effect on the early diagnosis of liver cancer and can be used as an important means of early screening.
Distributed Sound Transmission and Smart City Planning Management Based on Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Ma Yingchuan , Yu Yue , Ma Zhaoming
Published: February 2022

In this article, we provide a detection method based on a convolutional neural network algorithm. Preamble detection is very important in underwater acoustic communication. Only the preamble signal can trigger the receiving operation to effectively process the acoustic data received underwater. The prerequisite for specifying the joint position of the distributed acoustic multiarray is the mutual calibration calculation of each array. This paper designs and develops a prototype system for microphone array sound source positioning and provides an optimized system to obtain calibration source mapping points for distributed sound transmission mutual calibration, and for mutual distributed acoustic microphone arrays, use epipolar geometry and normalization algorithm for calibration to provide a basis for a mutual calibration calculation model and functional module design. Finally, perform numerical simulation verification. It provides a design plan and implementation method for the Internet-based smart city education system, aiming to achieve professional education and educational needs related to the Internet of Things. First, we will take Internet application technology as an example to analyze the functional requirements of the education system, including the positioning of human resource development, integrated sensors, C/C#/Java application development technology, and other technical means to realize the smart city education system. Based on the theory of business management, this paper studies the business planning issues of smart city construction. The main content is divided into three parts: business composition and management and planning management. This is an important part of business. It plays a decisive role in the overall planning and implementation stage and protects the implementation progress of the project and ensures the quality of the project by including important content.
Application of Mathematical Models in Economic Variable Input and Output Models under the Scientific Visualization
Authors: Zheng Kai , Liu Yisheng
Published: February 2022

At present, with the development of society and economy, some new problems have emerged continuously. Among them, the more serious problem is that enterprises pay too much attention to economic benefits, which leads to problems in the development of many enterprises. Therefore, the problem caused by too much emphasis on economic benefits is one of the major economic problems. After this problem, our country’s economy began to focus on economic input and output in the subsequent development process. And, related personnel have also studied the economic input-output technology and model, which is an economic quantitative analysis method that has been widely used in various aspects of the economic field since its emergence. This paper firstly elaborates the theoretical knowledge involved, such as economic data, economic variables, and visualization techniques. Secondly it analyzes the application of scientific visualization techniques in the processing of economic variable data, which includes the techniques of preprocessing, mapping, drawing, and displaying the data. Finally, this paper investigates the application of mathematical models in economic variables input and output and the application of mathematical models in economic research, which can help us to better understand and use the knowledge of economics, thus providing strong support for solving practical problems. Also, this helps people to understand and grasp more about the macroarea, microaspect, and even the country as a whole.
Interval Prediction Method for Solar Radiation Based on Kernel Density Estimation and Machine Learning
Authors: Zhao Meiyan , Zhang Yuhu , Hu Tao , Wang Peng
Published: February 2022

Precise global solar radiation (GSR) data are indispensable to the design, planning, operation, and management of solar radiation utilization equipment. Some examples prove that the uncertainty of the prediction of solar radiation provides more value than deterministic ones in the management of power systems. This study appraises the potential of random forest (RF), V‐support vector regression (V‐SVR), and a resilient backpropagation artiﬁcial neural network (Rprop‐ANN) for daily global solar radiation (DGSR) point prediction from average relative humidity (RHU), daily average temperature (AT), and daily sunshine duration (SD). To acquire more accurate predictions of DGSR and examine the inﬂuence of historical DGSR on the performance of point prediction models, two diﬀerent model inputs are considered: (1) three meteorological variables and (2) the lags of DGSR and three meteorological variables. Then, two interval prediction methods are developed by introducing the KDE to out‐of‐bag (OOB), introducing kernel density estimation (KDE) to split conformal (SC) based on the three machine learning models. The two methods for interval prediction are denoted as OOB‐KDE and SC‐KDE. The mean absolute error (MAE), mean relative error (MRE), and Kendall rank correlation (Kendall) are used to assess the point prediction models. The performance of interval prediction methods is evaluated by the prediction interval coverage probability (PICP), prediction interval normalized average width (PINAW), and coverage width criteria (CWC). The following conclusions are drawn from this study. First, the V‐SVR model performs best with the lowest mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.016 and mean relative error (MRE) of 0.001. Second, the lags of DGSR improve the prediction accuracy by about 30%. Third, the OOB‐KDE and SC‐KDE methods improved the quality of the prediction interval (PI). OOB‐KDE improved CWC by 81%, and SC‐KDE improved CWC by 99.99%. Fourth, the best interval prediction result is obtained using the SC‐KDE method using the V‐SVR model. The average diﬀerence between its PICP and prediction interval nominal coverage (PINC) is only 3% of the PINC, and its PINAW is less than 0.007.
MTA-Enriched Polymeric Scaffolds Enhanced the Expression of Angiogenic Markers in Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells
Authors: Alipour Mahdieh , Aghazadeh Zahra , Hassanpour Mehdi , Ghorbani Marjan , Salehi Roya , Aghazadeh Marziyeh
Published: February 2022

Revascularization of the pulp tissue is one of the fundamental processes and challenges in regenerative endodontic procedures (REPs). In this regard, the current study is aimed at synthesizing the mineral trioxide aggregate- (MTA-) based scaffolds as a biomaterial for REPs. Poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL)/chitosan (CS)/MTA scaffolds were constructed and evaluated by FTIR, SEM, XRD, and TGA analyses. Proliferation and adhesion of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) were assessed on these scaffolds by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and MTT assays, respectively. The expression of angiogenic markers was investigated in gene and protein levels by real-time PCR and western blotting tests. Our results indicated that the obtained appropriate physicochemical characteristics of scaffolds could be suitable for REPs. The adhesion and proliferation level of hDPSCs were significantly increased after seeding on PCL/CS/MTA scaffolds. The expression levels of VEGFR-2, Tie2, and Angiopoietin-1 genes were statistically increased on the PCL/CS/MTA scaffold. In support of these findings, western blotting results showed the upregulation of these markers at protein levels in PCL/CS/MTA scaffold (

P
<
0.05

). The current study results suggested that PCL/CS/MTA scaffolds provide appropriate structures for the adhesion and proliferation of hDPSCs besides induction of the angiogenesis process in these cells.
∗-Ricci Tensor onα-Cosymplectic Manifolds
Authors: Amruthalakshmi M. R. , Prakasha D. G. , Bin Turki Nasser , Unal Inan
Published: February 2022

In this paper, we study α-cosymplectic manifoldMadmitting∗-Ricci tensor. First, it is shown that a∗-Ricci semisymmetric manifoldMis∗-Ricci flat and aϕ-conformally flat manifoldMis anη-Einstein manifold. Furthermore, the∗-Weyl curvature tensorW∗onMhas been considered. Particularly, we show that a manifoldMwith vanishing∗-Weyl curvature tensor is a weakϕ-Einstein and a manifoldMfulfilling the conditionRE1,E2⋅W∗=0isη-Einstein manifold. Finally, we give a characterization for α-cosymplectic manifoldMadmitting∗-Ricci soliton given as to be nearly quasi-Einstein. Also, some consequences for three-dimensional cosymplectic manifolds admitting∗-Ricci soliton and almost∗-Ricci soliton are drawn.
A Stimulator of the Salivary Excretion Based on Physical Vibration of the Parotid Glands
Authors: Gómez-García Francisco , Diaz-Madrid José-Ángel , López-Jornet Pía , Guirao Juan L.G. , Guerrero-Sánchez Yolanda
Published: February 2022

Oral dryness causes significant health problems both functional (difficulty speaking, chewing and swallowing) and structural in teeth (increased number of infections) and oral mucosa. The main objective of this study is to show an alternative treatment to help stimulate the salivary secretion thus improving the quality of life of the patient. In this study, a salivary stimulation equipment using vibrotactile stimuli is shown. The system has been placed bilaterally in the parotid glands and assessed the efficacy of the salivary secretion by sialometry before and after the stimulation. The new proposal is capable of stimulating salivary secretion, in a significative way after 7 minutes of use, at least in the cases analyzed, and fulfills low-cost, easy-to-use, and safe technical restrictions. In this setting, this paper suggests the performance of a deep clinical trial to measure the exact efficacy of the prototype and the times and frequencies needed to state the optimal treatment depending in each case.
Stephania japonica Ameliorates Scopolamine-Induced Memory Impairment in Mice through Inhibition of Acetylcholinesterase and Oxidative Stress
Authors: Al-Amin Md. Yusuf , Lahiry Amitav , Ferdous Rafia , Hasan Md. Kamrul , Kader Md. Abdul , Alam AHM Khurshid , Saud Zahangir Alam , Sadik Md. Golam
Published: February 2022

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurological disorder characterized by loss of memory and cognition. Stephania japonica is being used as traditional medicine in the treatment of different neurological problems. In this study, we evaluated the anticholinesterase and antioxidant activities of the crude methanol extract of S. japonica and its fractions in vitro and the neuroprotective effect of the most active fraction in the scopolamine-induced mouse model of memory impairment. Among the crude extract and its fractions, chloroform fraction exerted strong inhibition of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase enzymes with IC50 values of 40.06 and 18.78 µg/mL, respectively. Similarly, the chloroform fraction exhibited potent antioxidant activity and effectively inhibited the peroxidation of brain lipid in vitro. The phytochemical profile revealed the high content of polyphenolics and alkaloids in the chloroform fraction. Pearson’s correlation studies showed a significant association of anticholinesterase and antioxidant activity with alkaloid and phenolic contents. Kinetic analysis showed that the chloroform fraction exhibited a noncompetitive type of inhibition. In experimental mice, the chloroform fraction restored the impaired learning and memory induced by scopolamine as evidenced by a significant decrease in latency time and increase of quadrant time in probe trial in Morris water maze task. The chloroform fraction also significantly reduced the activity of acetylcholinesterase and oxidative stress in mice. Our results suggest that the chloroform fraction of S. japonica may represent a potential candidate for the prevention and treatment of AD.
Significance of Visible Non-Invasive Risk Attributes for the Initial Prediction of Heart Disease Using Different Machine Learning Techniques
Authors: Ansarullah Syed Immamul , Saif Syed Mohsin , Kumar Pradeep , Kirmani Mudasir Manzoor
Published: February 2022

Introduction. Heart disease is emerging as the single most critical cause of death worldwide and is one of the costliest chronic conditions. Purpose. Stimulated by the increasing heart disease mortality rate incidents, an effective, low-cost, and reliable heart disease risk evaluation model is developed using significant non-invasive risk attributes. The significant non-invasive risk attributes like (age, systolic BP, diastolic BP, BMI, hereditary factor, smoking, alcohol, and physical inactivity) are identified by the help of medical domain experts, and their reliability in heart disease prediction is investigated through different feature selection techniques. Methodology. The enhancements of applying specific investigated techniques like random forest, Naïve Bayes, decision tree, support vector machine, and K nearest neighbor to the risk factors are tested. The heart disease risk assessment model is developed using the Jupyter Notebook web application, and its performance is tested not only through medical domain measures but also through the model performance measures. Findings. To evaluate heart disease risk evaluation model, we calculated measures of discrimination like error rate, AUROC, sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, precision, and so on. Experimental results show that the random forest heart disease risk evaluation model outperforms other existing risk models with admirable predictive accuracy and minimum misclassification rate. Originality. The heart disease risk evaluation model is developed based on novel non-invasive heart disease dataset, which consists of 5776 records. This dataset is collected from different heterogeneous data sources of Kashmir (India) through quantitative data collection methods. Research Implications. The risk model is applicable where people lack the facilities of integrated primary medical care technologies for untimely heart disease risk prediction. Future Work. To investigate deep learning and study the significance of other controlled attributes on different age and sex groups in the risk estimation of heart disease.
Cerebral Small-Vessel Diseases: A Look Back from 1991 to Today
Authors: Grosset Lina , Jouvent Eric
Published: February 2022

Background: Cerebral small-vessel diseases (cSVDs) encompass a number of causes involving, but not limited to, alterations in the intracranial microvasculature, leading to the accumulation of brain tissue damage and the development of various degrees of cognitive impairment, behavioral alterations, gait instability, and localization signs, often associated with the occurrence of ischemic or hemorrhagic strokes. Summary: In 2021, although key questions remain unanswered, there is general agreement on the construct, its main pathophysiological bases, and the terms used to describe its main clinical and radiological features. However, this has not always been the case, and the 30th anniversary of Cerebrovascular Diseases is an opportunity to look back from 1991 to the present to understand how a number of features, sometimes considered independent, have been progressively brought together by successive scientific breakthroughs, gradually leading to the definition of the now widely accepted concept of cSVDs. Key Messages: In the course of this journey, we will detail with particular attention the role of what we consider 2 crucial events: the advent of cerebral MRI and the building of large cohorts with monogenic forms of small-vessel disease of the brain.
A smart door prototype with a face recognition capability
Authors: Hutomo Ivan Surya , Wicaksono Handy
Published: February 2022

This research aimed to integrate a face recognition capability in a smart door  prototype. By using a camera - based face recognition, the house owner does  not need to make physical contact to open the door. Avoid physical contact  is  important  due  to  the  coro navirus  disease  2019  (COVID19)  pandemic.  Raspberry Pi 3B  was  used  as  the  main  controller,  while  a  servo motor  was  utilized as a locking door actuator. The program was developed using  Node - RED ,  Blynk ,  and  message  queue  telemetry  transport  ( MQTT ) platforms  which are very powerful for developing  internet of  things (IoT) devices. All  of  the  programs  were  coded  using  Python.  Haar  cascade  and  local  binary  pattern histogram methods were implemented on the face recognition stage. Google Assistant int egration was done by using  D ialogflow  and Firebase as  Google  Cloud  services.  Integration  of  face  recognition  and  the  smart  door  was  successful.  The  smart  door  was  unlocked  if  faces  were  recognized  (average threshold=60%). If a face was not recognized, an e mail notification  containing  a  face  image  is  sent  to  the  house  owner.  The  Google  Assistant  could  handle  user  requests  successfully  with  a  success  rate  of  92.8%  from  147 trials .
Recognizing facial emotions for educational learning settings
Authors: Kingsley Akputu Oryina , Inyang Udoinyang G. , Msugh Ortil , Mughal Fiza T. , Usoro Abel
Published: February 2022

Educational  learning  settings  exploit  cognitive  factors  as  ultimate  feedback  to  enhance  personalization  in  teaching  and  learning.  But  besides  cognition,  the  emotions  of  the  learner  which  reflect  the  affective  learning  dimension  also  play  an  important  role  in  the  learning  process.  The  emotions  can  be  recognized by tracking  explicit behaviors of  the  learner  like  facial  or vocal  expressions.  Despite  reasonable  efforts  to  recognize  emotions,  the  research  community  is  currently  constraints  by  two  issues,  namely : i)  the  lack  of  efficient   feature   descriptors   to   accurately   represent   and   prospectively  recogniz e (detecting)  the  emotions  of  the  learner ; ii)  lack  of  contextual  datasets to benchmark performances of emotion recognizers in the learning - speci fic  scenarios,  resulting  in  poor  generalizations.  This  paper  presents  a  facial emotion recognition technique  (FERT). The FERT is realized through  results  of  preliminary  analysis  across  various  facial  feature  descriptors.  Emotions  are  classified  using  the  m ultiple  kernel  learning  (MKL)  method  which  reportedly  possesses  good  merits.  A  contextually  relevant  simulated  learning emotion  ( SLE ) dataset is introduced to validate the FERT scheme.  Recognition performance of  the  FERT scheme generalizes to 90.3% on the  SLE  dataset.  On  more  popular  but  noncontextually datasets,  the  scheme  achi e ved 90.0% and 82.8% respectively  extended  Cohn Kanade (CK+) and  acted  facial  expressions  in  the  wild ( AFEW ) datasets.  A  test  for  the  null  hypothesis   that   there   is  no   significant   difference   in   the   performances  accuracies  of  the  descriptors  rather  proved  otherwise  ( x2 = 14 . 619 , df = 5 , p = 0 . 01212 ) for a model considered at  a  95% confidence interval.
A Educação Física na era Covid-19: as aulas remotas na graduação durante a pandemia
Authors: Jesus Eduarda Eugenia Dias de , Sierpinski Tatiane Cristine , Rosa Ricardo Clemente , Joaquim Victor Hugo Antonio , Morales Pedro Jorge Cortes , Magri Patricia Esther Fendrich
Published: February 2022

Esta pesquisa teve por objetivo analisar o impacto das atividades remotas nos cursos de Educação Física da Universidade da Região de Joinville/SC - Univille, durante o período pandêmico. O método adotado para investigação foi o descritivo e transversal. Participaram do estudo 110 estudantes, todos dos cursos de graduação em Educação Física da Univille. Como instrumento de pesquisa foi utilizado um questionário, organizado na plataforma Google Forms®, composto de 12 questões afrmativas, no modelo Escala Likert para mensuração das respostas. As perguntas foram organizadas em três categorias: Aprendizado, Caminho Profssional e Reconhecimento Intrínseco. Os dados depois de coletados foram organizados em uma planilha do programa SPSS® 16.0. Após a determinação da normalidade da distribuição dos dados, por meio do teste de Kolmogorov-Smirnov, foi aplicado o teste de correlação de Pearson e os valores de p<0,05 foram considerados signifcativos. Ao efetuarmos a análise estatística em cada categoria, os resultados revelaram cinco associações lineares signifcativas moderadas. Uma no domínio Aprendizado (p-valor<0,002), duas no Caminho Profssional (p-valor<0,0003 e p-valor<0,003), e duas no Reconhecimento Intrínseco (p-valor<0,005 e p-valor<0,002). Para a análise entre categorias foram encontradas sete correlações moderadas. Duas no componente “Aprendizado e Caminho Profssional” (p-valor<0,004 e p-valor<0,002), três no “Aprendizado e Reconhecimento Intrínseco” (p-valor<0,005, p-valor<0,004 e p-valor<0,001), e duas na “Caminho Profssional e Reconhecimento Intrínseco” com o mesmo valor (p-valor<0,003). Diante das evidências encontradas, foi possível constatar por intermédio do predomínio de associações lineares signifcativas, que as atividades remotas difcultaram o processo ensino-aprendizagem para os acadêmicosdos cursos de Educação Física, durante a pandemia.
Reflexões sobre o turismo de base comunitária e os povos indígenas à luz do caso Pataxó (Bahia, Brasil)
Authors: Neves Sandro Campos
Published: February 2022

Este trabalho discute aspectos do modelo de desenvolvimento brasileiro do turismo de base comunitária (TBC) à luz do caso dos índios Pataxó da aldeia de Coroa Vermelha em Santa Cruz Cabrália, na Bahia. A São retratados os modos como os princípios teóricos básicos do TBC se configuram na realidade empírica Pataxó, buscando repensar aspectos práticos de sua aplicação. A pesquisa etnográfica empreendida entre os Pataxó embasa a reflexão, bem como a análise dos documentos públicos sobre TBC no Brasil. Conclui-se que os princípios básicos do TBC – autogestão comunitária, princípios econômicos solidários e preservação do patrimônio cultural comunitário – se apresentam na realidade Pataxó de maneira bastante diferente daqueles previstos e propostos no modelo. Assim, são propostos elementos para uma avaliação sobre os princípios do TBC e seus modelos de aplicação de modo que venham a se tornar mais próximos das necessidades expressadas pelo estudo em campo de comunidades indígenas e as demais às quais o modelo se aplica.
O jornalismo televisivo no interior gaúcho: olhares para o jornal do almoço e para o Jornal NT SUL
Authors: Marques Paulo , Negrini Michele
Published: February 2022

O telejornalismo praticado pelas emissoras de televisão no Rio Grande do Sul vem passando por processos de reestruturação e diminuição dos espaços regionais de notícias. Até mesmo a emissora RBS TV, que ainda atendia de certa forma esta demanda, deixou de produzir consideravelmente conteúdos regionais a partir da pandemia de Covid19. Por outro lado, a TV Cachoeira pode ser considerada um exemplo de produção de jornalismo tipicamente local. O estudo tem por objetivo problematizar a importância do jornalismo regional televisivo do Rio Grande do Sul, analisar a redução da produção regional na RBS TV e refletir sobre a experiência da TV Cachoeira.  A análise será aprofundada nos programas “Jornal do Almoço”, da RBS TV, e “Jornal NT SUL”, da TV Cachoeira, com a observação de cinco edições dos dois noticiários durante uma semana. Como constatações, cabe ressaltar que enquanto a RBS TV está diminuindo o conteúdo para o público do interior, a TV Cachoeira cumpre com o objetivo de levar informação jornalística ao seu telespectador local.
An Interview with Robert Fox
Authors: Oliveira Raiany
Published: February 2022

The following interview with Professor Fox was conducted by Gildo Magalhães at the University of São Paulo’s Institute of Advanced Studies on November 16, 2017, with the participation of Raiany Oliveira, Flávio Magalhães, and Sara Albieri.
Editorial
Authors: Carvalho Lauro Fabiano Souza
Published: February 2022

Editorial número 05
Blood Pressure Drops During Hospitalization for Acute Heart Failure Treated With Serelaxin: A Patient-Level Analysis of 4 Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Grand Johannes , Miger Kristina , Sajadieh Ahmad , Køber Lars , Torp-Pedersen Christian , Ertl Georg , López-Sendón José , Pietro Maggioni Aldo , Teerlink John R. , Sato Naoki , Gimpelewicz Claudio , Metra Marco , Holbro Thomas , Nielsen Olav W.
Published: February 2022

Background:

Hypotensive events and drops in systolic blood pressure (SBP-drop) are frequent in patients hospitalized with acute heart failure. We investigated whether SBP-drops are associated with outcomes in patients treated with serelaxin.

Methods:

Patient-level retrospective analyses of 4 prospective trials investigating serelaxin in acute heart failure. Main inclusion criteria were SBP 125 to 180 mm Hg, pulmonary congestion, and elevated NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide). SBP-drops were prospectively defined as SBP<100 mm Hg, or, if SBP remained >100 mm Hg, a drop from baseline of 40 mm Hg from baseline. Outcomes were a short-term composite outcome (worsening heart failure, hospital readmission for heart failure or all-cause mortality through 14 days) and 180-day mortality.

Results:

Overall, 2559/11 226 (23%) patients had an SBP-drop. SBP-drop, versus no SBP-drop, was associated with a worse outcome: cumulative incidence of 180-day mortality (11% versus 9%, hazard ratio [HR]. 1.21 [95% CI, 1.05–1.39];
P
=0.009) and the short-term outcome (11% versus 9%, HR, 1.29 [95% CI, 1.13–1.49];
P
<0.001). Of the 2 SBP-drop components, an SBP<100 mm Hg was associated with the worst outcome compared with a 40 mm Hg drop: short-term outcome (11% versus 10%) and HRs of 1.32 (95% CI, 1.13–1.55;
P
=0.0005) and 1.22 (95% CI, 0.97–1.56;
P
=0.09), for each component respectively, with a
P
value for interaction of 0.05. SBP-drops were associated with a worse short-term outcome in the placebo group (HR, 1.46 [95% CI, 1.19–1.79];
P
=0.0003), but not in the serelaxin-group (HR, 1.18 [95% CI, 0.97–1.42];
P
=0.10);
P
interaction=0.003.

Conclusions:

SBP-drops in patients with acute heart failure and normal to high SBP at admission is associated with worse short- and long-term outcomes especially for SBP <100 mm Hg. However, in patients treated with the intravenous vasodilator serelaxin, SBP-drops seemed less harmful.

Registration:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifiers: NCT02064868, NCT02007720, NCT01870778, NCT00520806.
A nomenclator for Elaphoglossum section Polytrichia (Dryopteridaceae), with notes on the identification and biogeography of its species
Authors: MATOS FERNANDO B. , MORAN ROBBIN C. , PRADO JEFFERSON
Published: February 2022

Elaphoglossum section Polytrichia is one of the main clades of the fern genus Elaphoglossum. It is usually distinguished from the rest of the genus by the presence of subulate scales and lack of hydathodes. Here we provide a nomenclatural synopsis with notes on the species taxonomy and identification, along with comments on the clade’s biogeography. A total of 80 names were found to apply to species in the Polytrichia clade. Based on an examination of 3475 herbarium gatherings, we recognize in the group 53 species and two hybrids. The clade is almost entirely Neotropical, occurring from Mexico and the Antilles to Argentina and Brazil. The only exception is E. hybridum, which is widespread in South America but also occurs in Africa, Madagascar, and islands of the mid-Atlantic and Indian Oceans. We provide maps of geographic distribution and species richness for the section. Each species is provided with place and date of publication, information on types, complete synonymy, notes on geographic distribution, and other pertinent remarks. The following nomenclatural combinations are made: E. versatile and E. occidentale, comb. nov. Also, one epitype is designated for E. clathratum, lectotypes are designated for 13 names (Acrostichum barbatum, A. hybridum var. minor, A. mexicanum, A. nitidum, A. stramineum, E. angustioblongum, E. cinctum, E. cordifolium, E. demissum, E. erinaceum var. boliviense, E. lindbergii var. truncatum, E. reductum, E. truncatum), and neotypes are designated for E. hystrix and E. versatile. A list of the specimens examined is provided.