bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Utilization of Wood Vinegar as Nutrient Availability Enhancer in Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.)
Authors: De Guzman Ronel S. , Cababaro Alben C.
Published: November 2021

The study aims to evaluate the effect of different levels of wood vinegar as a nutrient availability enhancer in eggplant. The treatments used in the study were Treatment 1 (No application of wood vinegar), Treatment 2 (0.5% of wood vinegar), Treatment 3 (0.67% of wood vinegar), and Treatment 4 (1% of wood vinegar).

Based on the study results, the average height of plants showed a significant difference among the treatments. The other parameters, average growth increment, average stem diameter, average number of days to flower initiation, the average length of fruits, and an average weight of fruits, showed high significance among treatments. The result was supported by LSD that showed significant differences in control and among the treatments. Therefore, the application of Treatment 4 is the recommended ratio in eggplant production.

Hence, researchable areas need to be addressed, such as evaluating the continuous use of wood vinegar in eggplant production, and challenge literature stating that wood vinegar should be stopped one week before harvesting. Additional research on time and level of wood vinegar for insect control is recommended.
Unveiling Perceptions on Implementation of Madrasah Education Program: Basis for Action Plan
Authors: Tadeo Carl Patrick S.
Published: November 2021

Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education has been implemented since 2008 at Olongapo City National High School (OCNHS) as part of the Madrasah Education Program for our Filipino Muslim learners. This study aimed to assess the implementation of Madrasah Education Program in a national high school and to propose an action plan. A quantitative-descriptive research design was used in the study. A survey questionnaire was answered by six (6) teachers and (1) head teacher. Respondents were chosen using purposive sampling technique. Based on the findings of the study: 1) teachers have competence on knowledge, attitude and skills, 2) school facilities provide a conducive room for learning, 3) instructional materials were updated, 4) there is no enough support from LGU and 5) DepEd properly monitors and supports the program. Teachers’ competence, school facilities, instructional materials and DepEd support are present already but the school can still innovate to reach greater heights. On the other hand, LGU support should also be sought to further involve all stakeholders in the development of the program. It is hereby recommended that the action plan devised to address the findings of the study be implemented as part of the Improvement Plan of the ALIVE Program of OCNHS.
Code Switching In Instruction: Pre-Service Teachers’ Lived Experiences
Authors: Flores Iulus Rodolfo P. , Balmeo Myra Christine S.
Published: November 2021

Code switching is really needed in instruction and should be implemented to ensure students’ understanding towards various things (e.g. translating of difficult vocabulary, lessons to be acquired and even in giving instructions), especially for teaching students in lower levels. It can also help in teaching students with multiple intelligences, and in general, makes the pre-service teachers’ life easy inside the room in terms of clarifying things due to any confusion that may arise in the duration of the discussion. This survey interview research explored the Pre-Service Teachers of Ramon Magsaysay Technological University lived experiences in using code switching in instruction. The study found out that the Pre-Service teachers prefer to use code switching in instruction. The Pre-Service teachers believe that using code-switching in class can help them gain students’ interest, manage the class, and make their students understand a particular lesson. Aside from Mattson and Burenholt’s three functions of code-switching, pre-service teachers use code-switching in class so that they can express themselves more during class discussions. The Pre-Service Teachers believe that although code-switching might be useful in class, too much use of it can lead to students being used in speaking their native tongue, thus, weakening the chances to improve their skills in using the English language. The Pre-Service Teachers agreed that there is a higher success in students’ academic achievement when code switching is being applied in instruction. The study recommends that the Department of Education must set clear guidelines regarding the use of code-switching inside an English class. Schools, in all levels, must strengthen their curriculum so that students’ communicative competence will further be developed.
Private Investment and Economic Growth in Cameroon
Authors: Nina Yaoudey Dabal
Published: November 2021

The public authorities, in agreement with the private sector, are looking for the optimal solution that would enable the national economy to be more competitive in order to emerge by 2035. Indeed, one of the solutions lies in the country's ability to make private investment the growth factor. It is with this in mind that the purpose of this work is to analyze the effects of private investment on economic growth in Cameroon according to the nature of the transmission channel. To achieve this, we presented the concepts of the study as well as the literature on the relationship between them. Then we proceeded to empirical verification of the relationship between private investment and economic growth. A multiple linear regression model allowed us to relate these two concepts. Using the ordinary least squares (OLS) method in time series over the period 1990-2016, it appears that private investment has a positive influence on economic growth in Cameroon through the direct and indirect transmission channel.
Antecedents and Consequents of Multiculturalism and Social Diversity among Law Enforcement Workplace in Metro Manila
Authors: Gabon Melina G.
Published: November 2021

This study describes the antecedents and consequents of multiculturalism and social diversity, and the perceptions of law enforcement personnel towards the consequents of multiculturalism and social diversity in the law enforcement workplace. This quantitative descriptive research determined the perceptions of 100 law enforcement personnel from the purposively selected law enforcement workplaces in Metro Manila. Data were analyzed using frequency and percentage distribution, mean and rank. The majority of the respondents recognized the utmost importance of multiculturalism and social diversity in a Law Enforcement workplace. Managing diversity in the law enforcement workplace means creating conditions that maximize the potential of its personnel to enhance organizational performance; and Multiculturalism promotes the integration of different cultures and the sharing of one's ideas and perspectives that lead to innovations have the highest mean scores of 3.75, respectively. On the other hand, Inclusive organizations can screen out highly prejudiced individuals and will find it easy to manage diverse employees with a mean score of 2.69.  It can be gleaned that the majority of the respondents perceived that employing a culturally diverse law enforcement workforce has positive consequences to its people, workplace culture, and organizational climate. Therefore, law enforcement officers should support heterogeneous workplace advocacies, and that policymakers should reinvigorate the rigor of existing policies to sustain multicultural and social diversity in the entire organization.
Assessment of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Strand of the K-12 Program among Selected Public Schools in Zone 2 Division of Zambales
Authors: Honrado Lyra Castillo , Calimlim Adelia D.
Published: November 2021

The study determined the impact of the STEM Strand implementation of senior high schools in the Division of Zambales. The study was limited to fifty secondary public-school teachers in Zone II.The study revealed that majority teacher-respondents, are generally young with only a minimum number of trainings attended. STEM trends, there were more males than females and a larger are married. There were no significant differences in the success of the STEM schools in Palauig, Botolan and Iba in the following domains:college preparation;integrated and innovative technology use; STEM-rich informal experiences; connections with industry and the world of work; well-prepared STEM teachers and professionalized teaching staff and  positive school community and culture of high expectations  for all. Based on the summary of findings and the conclusions arrived at, the researcher has offered the following recommendations that professional learning in the form of learning action cells and lesson study should be provided to relatively novice STEM teachers in order to expose them to effective instructional strategies and impact their actual classroom practices as opposed to cascading in-service trainings. Greater involvement of these partners through planning, implementation, and review should be targeted instead of only involving them for immersion activities. A more intensive evaluation of the STEM implementation following the Context-Input-Process-Product approach should be conducted to strengthen and confirm the findings of the study. A more study that would monitor the whole system as opposed to the present investigation’s focus on teacher perception would lend greater credence to the results.
Increased Age and Long Working Period Associated with Increased Severi-ty of Pterygium Among Fishermen in Kedung Cowek Sub-District, Surabaya, East Java-Indonesia
Authors: Pasaribu Irma Andriani , Utami Prawesty Diah
Published: November 2021

Pterygium is a degenerative and invasive disorder of the subconjunctival tissue that can reach the cornea area which is become a worldwide health problem. UV exposure is the biggest risk factor for pterygium. A profession as a fisherman is one of the occupations that are often related to the appearance of pterygium, because of long-term exposure to UV rays. This study aimed to determine the correlation between age and duration as a fisherman with the degree of pterygium in Kedung Cowek village, Bulak Surabaya district, East Java - Indonesia. The research design was an analytic observational using consecutive sampling during March - July 2011; with the total number of respondents is 42 fishermen who met the inclusion criteria. The results of the statistical analysis test showed that there was a strong and significant relationship between the age of the fishermen (p = 0.007; coefficient correlation = 502) and the duration of working as a fisherman (p = 0.029; coefficient correlation = 409) with the severity of the pterygium. Based on these results it can be concluded that the age and duration of work as fishermen are related to the severity of the pterygium in fishermen in the Kedung Cowek sub-district, Surabaya, East Java-Indonesia.
UMKM, Kesetaraan Gender dan Pemberdayaan Perempuan di Indonesia
Authors: Sari Avid Leonardo , Irwandi Irwandi , Rochmansjah Heru Rochmansjah , Nurdiansyah Irfan , Aslam Diena Fanny
Published: November 2021

Mempromosikan kesetaraan gender telah menjadi kenyataan yang diakui secara global dan dapat diterima. Masalah gender juga telah diidentifikasi sebagai hal yang penting untuk pencapaian tujuan pembangunan nasional. Bahkan, pencapaian kesetaraan gender tidak hanya dilihat sebagai tujuan itu sendiri, tetapi juga sebagai katalisator, dan sine-qua-non bagi pencapaian pembangunan berkelanjutan. Penelitian ini mencoba menilai tingkat pencapaian kesetaraan gender dan pemberdayaan perempuan dengan menggunakan tiga indikator penting yaitu: partisipasi dalam pendidikan di tingkat dasar, menengah dan tinggi, pekerjaan dan pengambilan keputusan politik, memanfaatkan sumber data sekunder yang berharga. Studi ini menggunakan metode kualitatif yang dianalisis dengan pendekatan deksriptif. Narasumber adalah pemilik Cirebon Home Made. Inti masalah ketimpangan gender di Indonesia adalah dilema pemerintah Indonesia untuk mengambil keputusan untuk mengurangi masalah perluasan tingkat kapasitas yang diperlukan untuk meningkatkan kesempatan untuk mengakomodasi kebutuhan yang berbeda-beda dari keduanya. Para juga berpendapat bahwa pencapaian kesetaraan gender di Indonesia yang sudah dibatasi waktu, akan menjadi fatamorgana karena faktor penghambat multidimensi. Penelitian ini bertumpu pada aktualisasi kesetaraan gender dan pemberdayaan perempuan pada keinginan dan keniscayaan pendekatan pragmatis.
Centro de Referência de Álcool Tabaco e Outras Drogas: seis anos de uma intervenção
Authors: Ribeiro Marcelo , Perrenoud Luciane Ogata , Frajzinger Rosana , Alonso Ana Leonor Sala , Palma Sonia , Barbosa Antonio Pires
Published: November 2021

Objetivo: descrever a evolução dos modelos de intervenção e tratamento do Centro de Referência de Álcool, Tabaco e Outras Drogas do Estado de São Paulo, apresentando dados de produção dos últimos 6 anos. Método: estudo transversal, retrospectivo, com dados e registros dos atendimentos realizados entre 2013 e 2018 em diversos setores do CRATOD. Resultados: o serviço contabilizou nos últimos seis anos 204.933 registros de atendimentos sendo 31.807 de casos novos, 12.318 testes rápidos para HIV, Sífilis, Hepatite B e C e atendeu 69 pacientes na Moradia Monitorada. Conclusão: a linha de cuidados do serviço engloba três premissas: acolhimento com escuta qualificada, tratamento ambulatorial/hospitalar e reinserção social, nesse contexto, o profissional de enfermagem aparece como peça fundamental durante todas as fases do tratamento. A consistência desse trabalho em conjunto com a equipe multiprofissional resultou na consolidação e estruturação de um fluxo de atendimento que visa a constante motivação e cuidado do dependente químico.
Estimation of DAPT Study Treatment Effects in Contemporary Clinical Practice: Findings From the EXTEND-DAPT Study
Authors: Butala Neel M. , Faridi Kamil F. , Tamez Hector , Strom Jordan B. , Song Yang , Shen Changyu , Secemsky Eric A. , Mauri Laura , Kereiakes Dean J. , Curtis Jeptha P. , Gibson C. Michael , Yeh Robert W.
Published: November 2021

Background:

Differences in patient characteristics, changes in treatment algorithms, and advances in medical technology could each influence the applicability of older randomized trial results to contemporary clinical practice. The DAPT Study (Dual Antiplatelet Therapy) found that longer-duration DAPT decreased ischemic events at the expense of greater bleeding, but subsequent evolution in stent technology and clinical practice may attenuate the benefit of prolonged DAPT in a contemporary population. We evaluated whether the DAPT Study population is different from a contemporary population of US patients receiving percutaneous coronary intervention and estimated the treatment effect of extended-duration antiplatelet therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention in this more contemporary cohort.

Methods:

We compared the characteristics of drug-eluting stent–treated patients randomly assigned in the DAPT Study to a sample of more contemporary drug-eluting stent–treated patients in the National Cardiovascular Data Registry CathPCI Registry from July 2016 to June 2017. After linking trial and registry data, we used inverse-odds of trial participation weighting to account for patient and procedural characteristics and estimated a contemporary real-world treatment effect of 30 versus 12 months of DAPT after coronary stent procedures.

Results:

The US drug-eluting stent–treated trial cohort included 8864 DAPT Study patients, and the registry cohort included 568 540 patients. Compared with the trial population, registry patients had more comorbidities and were more likely to present with myocardial infarction and receive 2nd-generation drug-eluting stents. After reweighting trial results to represent the registry population, there was no longer a significant effect of prolonged DAPT on reducing stent thrombosis (reweighted treatment effect: –0.40 [95% CI, –0.99% to 0.15%]), major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (reweighted treatment effect, –0.52 [95% CI, –2.62% to 1.03%]), or myocardial infarction (reweighted treatment effect, –0.97% [95% CI, –2.75% to 0.18%]), but the increase in bleeding with prolonged DAPT persisted (reweighted treatment effect, 2.42% [95% CI, 0.79% to 3.91%]).

Conclusions:

The differences between the patients and devices used in contemporary clinical practice compared with the DAPT Study were associated with the attenuation of benefits and greater harms attributable to prolonged DAPT duration. These findings limit the applicability of the average treatment effects from the DAPT Study in modern clinical practice.
Community-Level Economic Distress, Race, and Risk of Adverse Outcomes After Heart Failure Hospitalization Among Medicare Beneficiaries
Authors: Mentias Amgad , Desai Milind Y. , Vaughan-Sarrazin Mary S. , Rao Shreya , Morris Alanna A. , Hall Jennifer L. , Menon Venu , Hockenberry Jason , Sims Mario , Fonarow Gregg C. , Girotra Saket , Pandey Ambarish
Published: November 2021

Background:

Socioeconomic disadvantage is a strong determinant of adverse outcomes in patients with heart failure. However, the contribution of community-level economic distress to adverse outcomes in heart failure may differ across races and ethnicities.

Methods:

Patients of self-reported Black, White, and Hispanic race and ethnicity hospitalized with heart failure between 2014 and 2019 were identified from the Medicare MedPAR Part A 100% Files. We used patient-level residential ZIP code to quantify community-level economic distress on the basis of the Distressed Community Index (quintile 5: economically distressed versus quintiles 1–4: nondistressed). The association of continuous and categorical measures (distressed versus nondistressed) of Distressed Community Index with 30-day, 6-month, and 1-year risk-adjusted mortality, readmission burden, and home time were assessed separately by race and ethnicity groups.

Results:

The study included 1 611 586 White (13.2% economically distressed), 205 840 Black (50.6% economically distressed), and 89 199 Hispanic (27.3% economically distressed) patients. Among White patients, living in economically distressed (versus nondistressed) communities was significantly associated with a higher risk of adverse outcomes at 30-day and 1-year follow-up. Among Black and Hispanic patients, the risk of adverse outcomes associated with living in distressed versus nondistressed communities was not meaningfully different at 30 days and became more prominent by 1-year follow-up. Similarly, in the restricted cubic spline analysis, a stronger and more graded association was observed between Distressed Community Index score and risk of adverse outcomes in White patients (versus Black and Hispanic patients). Furthermore, the association between community-level economic distress and risk of adverse outcomes for Black patients differed in rural versus urban areas. Living in economically distressed communities was significantly associated with a higher risk of mortality and lower home time at 1-year follow-up in rural areas but not urban areas.

Conclusions:

The association between community-level economic distress and risk of adverse outcomes differs across race and ethnic groups, with a stronger association noted in White patients at short- and long-term follow-up. Among Black patients, the association of community-level economic distress with a higher risk of adverse outcomes is less evident in the short term and is more robust and significant in the long-term follow-up and rural areas.
Effects of Sleep on Language and Motor Consolidation: Evidence of Domain General and Specific Mechanisms
Authors: Ben-Zion Dafna , Gabitov Ella , Prior Anat , Bitan Tali
Published: November 2021

The current study explores the effects of time and sleep on the consolidation of a novel language learning task containing both item-specific knowledge and the extraction of grammatical regularities. We also compare consolidation effects in language and motor sequence learning tasks, to ask whether consolidation mechanisms are domain general. Young adults learned to apply plural inflections to novel words based on morphophonological rules embedded in the input, and learned to type a motor sequence using a keyboard. Participants were randomly assigned into one of two groups, practicing each task during either the morning or evening hours. Both groups were retested 12 and 24 hours post-training. Performance on frequent trained items in the language task stabilized only following sleep, consistent with a hippocampal mechanism for item-specific learning. However, regularity extraction, indicated by generalization to untrained items in the linguistic task, as well as performance on motor sequence learning, improved 24 hours post-training, irrespective of the timing of sleep. This consolidation process is consistent with a frontostriatal skill-learning mechanism, common across the language and motor domains. This conclusion is further reinforced by cross-domain correlations at the individual level between improvement across 24 hours in the motor task and in the low-frequency trained items in the linguistic task, which involve regularity extraction. Taken together, our results at the group and individual levels suggest that some aspects of consolidation are shared across the motor and language domains, and more specifically, between motor sequence learning and grammar learning.
Data citation and the citation graph
Authors: Buneman Peter , Dosso Dennis , Lissandrini Matteo , Silvello Gianmaria
Published: November 2021

The citation graph is a computational artifact that is widely used to represent the domain of published literature. It represents connections between published works, such as citations and authorship. Among other things, the graph supports the computation of bibliometric measures such as h-indexes and impact factors. There is now an increasing demand that we should treat the publication of data in the same way that we treat conventional publications. In particular, we should cite data for the same reasons that we cite other publications. In this paper we discuss what is needed for the citation graph to represent data citation. We identify two challenges: to model the evolution of credit appropriately (through references) over time and to model data citation not only to a data set treated as a single object but also to parts of it. We describe an extension of the current citation graph model that addresses these challenges. It is built on two central concepts: citable units and reference subsumption. We discuss how this extension would enable data citation to be represented within the citation graph and how it allows for improvements in current practices for bibliometric computations, both for scientific publications and for data.
Lead Groups in EU Foreign Policy: The Cases of Iran and Ukraine
Authors: Alcaro Riccardo , Siddi Marco
Published: November 2021

Since the creation of the EU, there have been instances in which a restricted number of member states has handled an issue of international security on behalf of the Union. This article argues that, while controversial, these ‘lead groups’ have been a valuable practice. They have been effective in generating intra-EU consensus on specific issues and spurring the EU into action, thereby enabling a European response in the context of conflict management and complex international negotiations. Lead groups are sub-optimal arrangements compensating for the in-built institutional shortcomings of unanimity-based decision-making in EU foreign policy. As such, they do not bring integration further. They have nonetheless shown significant potential in giving initiative and content to EU foreign policy. This is shown through the analysis of two case studies, the Anglo-Franco-German trio involved in Iran’s nuclear issue and the Franco-German duo brokering a truce between Russia and Ukraine.
Freshwater and brackish water fishes of Sakhalin Island (Russia) in inland and coastal waters: an annotated checklist with taxonomic comments
Authors: DYLDIN YURY V. , FRICKE RONALD , HANEL LUBOMIR , VOROBIEV DANIL S. , INTERESOVA ELENA A. , ROMANOV VLADIMIR I. , ORLOV ALEXEI M.
Published: November 2021

Based on a critical analysis of scientific publications for the last 200 years and on the collected specimens, a complete annotated list of both typical freshwater ichthyofauna of Sakhalin Island, with the inclusion of marine species that can be found in brackish coastal waters, is reported for the first time. The annotated list includes 226 species classified in three classes, 26 orders, 68 families, 29 subfamilies, and 148 genera. For 160 species, information is provided on collection samples deposited in various museums around the world, 36 of which are type specimens. For each species, conservation status (according to IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and the Red Book of the Sakhalin region), zoogeographic characteristics (distribution within Sakhalin Island and globally), abundance and commercial value are given. For a number of species, more detailed information on synonymy and nomenclature is provided. The study area is located in the western North Pacific and includes the entire coast of Sakhalin Island in the Sea of Okhotsk and the northern Sea of Japan, as well as the adjacent Sea of Okhotsk coast of northern Hokkaido, Japan.
The genus Campoplex Gravenhorst, 1829 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Campopleginae) from China
Authors: HAN YUAN-YUAN , VAN ACHTERBERG KEES , CHEN XUE-XIN
Published: November 2021

The genus Campoplex Gravenhorst, 1829 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Campopleginae) from China is revised. Thirty-nine new species are proposed (C. absitus sp. nov., C. acarus sp. nov., C. adustantennalis sp. nov., C. angustaulacis sp. nov., C. apacicarinatus sp. nov., C. artivultus sp. nov., C. atricrus sp. nov., C. collucatus sp. nov., C. concretus sp. nov., C. confluentus sp. nov., C. cyclus sp. nov., C. densipunctatus sp. nov., C. exareola sp. nov., C. granalvus sp. nov., C. grandialphus sp. nov., C. grandicella sp. nov., C. granulosus sp. nov., C. galbipedis sp. nov., C. hei sp. nov., C. liuae sp. nov., C. lobatus sp. nov., C. longiclypeus sp. nov., C. maurotrochanter sp. nov., C. medicarinatus sp. nov., C. monochroma sp. nov., C. obtusoclypeus sp. nov., C. parassosae sp. nov., C. perpendicularis sp. nov., C. proportionis sp. nov., C. protenus sp. nov., C. plicopunctatus sp. nov., C. pseudocyclus sp. nov., C. pseudostrigatus sp. nov., C. shanxiensis sp. nov., C. strigatus sp. nov., C. taenius sp. nov., C. tanae sp. nov., C. xizangensis sp. nov., and C. xuthomelonus sp. nov.) and one species is recorded as new to Nepal (C. oriens Gupta & Maheshwary). A key to Chinese species of Campoplex is provided.
Contribution to morphology, biology and distribution of Mecolenus wahlbergi Schoenherr, 1847, a relict African apionine weevil (Coleoptera: Brentidae: Apioninae)
Authors: WANAT MAREK , PROCHEŞ ŞERBAN
Published: November 2021

Mecolenus wahlbergi Schoenherr, the sole member of the basal apionine tribe Mecolenini and one of the least known South African weevils, was re-discovered at a new locality at Umtamvuna River separating KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape provinces. It was found feeding on leaves of the Broad-leaved Wild-quince Cryptocarya latifolia Sond. (Lauraceae), which is the first record on the biology of this species. The distribution of M. wahlbergi is summarized and mapped, including unpublished records based primarily on the specimens deposited at the Durban Natural Science Museum. Concordance between the distribution of the weevil and its putative host C. latifolia is discussed. The adult morphology of M. wahlbergi is re-described and illustrated.
How I manage infection risk and prevention in patients with lymphoid cancer
Authors: Law Nancy , Taplitz Randy A.
Published: November 2021

Infections are a common cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with lymphoid cancer. Because cancer therapeutics, including new targeted therapies and immunotherapies, are evolving, clinicians need to be aware of additional risk factors and infections that may arise in patients treated with these agents. This article highlights fundamental issues in treating patients with lymphoid cancer, including risk factors for infection, screening for infectious diseases, and recommendations for antimicrobial prophylaxis in patients with lymphoid cancers. We present 4 scenarios of patients with lymphoid cancers who have various infections, and we describe a treatment approach based on a combination of evidence-based data and experience because objective data are limited regarding infections, especially with newer agents. The goal of this discussion is to provide a framework for institutions and health care providers to help them develop their own approach to preventing and treating infections in patients with lymphoid cancer.
Classification of age-related macular degeneration using convolutional-neural-network-based transfer learning
Authors: Chen Yao-Mei , Huang Wei-Tai , Ho Wen-Hsien , Tsai Jinn-Tsong
Published: November 2021

Background

To diagnose key pathologies of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME) quickly and accurately, researchers attempted to develop effective artificial intelligence methods by using medical images.

Results

A convolutional neural network (CNN) with transfer learning capability is proposed and appropriate hyperparameters are selected for classifying optical coherence tomography (OCT) images of AMD and DME. To perform transfer learning, a pre-trained CNN model is used as the starting point for a new CNN model for solving related problems. The hyperparameters (parameters that have set values before the learning process begins) in this study were algorithm hyperparameters that affect learning speed and quality. During training, different CNN-based models require different algorithm hyperparameters (e.g., optimizer, learning rate, and mini-batch size). Experiments showed that, after transfer learning, the CNN models (8-layer Alexnet, 22-layer Googlenet, 16-layer VGG, 19-layer VGG, 18-layer Resnet, 50-layer Resnet, and a 101-layer Resnet) successfully classified OCT images of AMD and DME.

Conclusions

The experimental results further showed that, after transfer learning, the VGG19, Resnet101, and Resnet50 models with appropriate algorithm hyperparameters had excellent capability and performance in classifying OCT images of AMD and DME.
General deep learning model for detecting diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Chen Ping-Nan , Lee Chia-Chiang , Liang Chang-Min , Pao Shu-I , Huang Ke-Hao , Lin Ke-Feng
Published: November 2021

Background

Doctors can detect symptoms of diabetic retinopathy (DR) early by using retinal ophthalmoscopy, and they can improve diagnostic efficiency with the assistance of deep learning to select treatments and support personnel workflow. Conventionally, most deep learning methods for DR diagnosis categorize retinal ophthalmoscopy images into training and validation data sets according to the 80/20 rule, and they use the synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE) in data processing (e.g., rotating, scaling, and translating training images) to increase the number of training samples. Oversampling training may lead to overfitting of the training model. Therefore, untrained or unverified images can yield erroneous predictions. Although the accuracy of prediction results is 90%–99%, this overfitting of training data may distort training module variables.

Results

This study uses a 2-stage training method to solve the overfitting problem. In the training phase, to build the model, the Learning module 1 used to identify the DR and no-DR. The Learning module 2 on SMOTE synthetic datasets to identify the mild-NPDR, moderate NPDR, severe NPDR and proliferative DR classification. These two modules also used early stopping and data dividing methods to reduce overfitting by oversampling. In the test phase, we use the DIARETDB0, DIARETDB1, eOphtha, MESSIDOR, and DRIVE datasets to evaluate the performance of the training network. The prediction accuracy achieved to 85.38%, 84.27%, 85.75%, 86.73%, and 92.5%.

Conclusions

Based on the experiment, a general deep learning model for detecting DR was developed, and it could be used with all DR databases. We provided a simple method of addressing the imbalance of DR databases, and this method can be used with other medical images.
Epidemic prediction of dengue fever based on vector compartment model and Markov chain Monte Carlo method
Authors: Lee Chien-Hung , Chang Ko , Chen Yao-Mei , Tsai Jinn-Tsong , Chen Yenming J. , Ho Wen-Hsien
Published: November 2021

Background

Dengue epidemics is affected by vector-human interactive dynamics. Infectious disease prevention and control emphasize the timing intervention at the right diffusion phase. In such a way, control measures can be cost-effective, and epidemic incidents can be controlled before devastated consequence occurs. However, timing relations between a measurable signal and the onset of the pandemic are complex to be discovered, and the typical lag period regression is difficult to capture in these complex relations. This study investigates the dynamic diffusion pattern of the disease in terms of a probability distribution. We estimate the parameters of an epidemic compartment model with the cross-infection of patients and mosquitoes in various infection cycles. We comprehensively study the incorporated meteorological and mosquito factors that may affect the epidemic of dengue fever to predict dengue fever epidemics.

Results

We develop a dual-parameter estimation algorithm for a composite model of the partial differential equations for vector-susceptible-infectious-recovered with exogeneity compartment model, Markov chain Montel Carlo method, and boundary element method to evaluate the epidemic periodicity under the effect of environmental factors of dengue fever, given the time series data of 2000–2016 from three cities with a population of 4.7 million. The established computer model of “energy accumulation-delayed diffusion-epidemics” is proven to be effective to predict the future trend of reported and unreported infected incidents. Our artificial intelligent algorithm can inform the authority to cease the larvae at the highest vector infection time. We find that the estimated dengue report rate is about 20%, which is close to the number of official announcements, and the percentage of infected vectors increases exponentially yearly. We suggest that the executive authorities should seriously consider the accumulated effect among infected populations. This established epidemic prediction model of dengue fever can be used to simulate and evaluate the best time to prevent and control dengue fever.

Conclusions

Given our developed model, government epidemic prevention teams can apply this platform before they physically carry out the prevention work. The optimal suggestions from these models can be promptly accommodated when real-time data have been continuously corrected from clinics and related agents.
Classifying chest CT images as COVID-19 positive/negative using a convolutional neural network ensemble model and uniform experimental design method
Authors: Chen Yao-Mei , Chen Yenming J. , Ho Wen-Hsien , Tsai Jinn-Tsong
Published: November 2021

Background

To classify chest computed tomography (CT) images as positive or negative for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) quickly and accurately, researchers attempted to develop effective models by using medical images.

Results

A convolutional neural network (CNN) ensemble model was developed for classifying chest CT images as positive or negative for COVID-19. To classify chest CT images acquired from COVID-19 patients, the proposed COVID19-CNN ensemble model combines the use of multiple trained CNN models with a majority voting strategy. The CNN models were trained to classify chest CT images by transfer learning from well-known pre-trained CNN models and by applying their algorithm hyperparameters as appropriate. The combination of algorithm hyperparameters for a pre-trained CNN model was determined by uniform experimental design. The chest CT images (405 from COVID-19 patients and 397 from healthy patients) used for training and performance testing of the COVID19-CNN ensemble model were obtained from an earlier study by Hu in 2020. Experiments showed that, the COVID19-CNN ensemble model achieved 96.7% accuracy in classifying CT images as COVID-19 positive or negative, which was superior to the accuracies obtained by the individual trained CNN models. Other performance measures (i.e., precision, recall, specificity, and F1-score) obtained bythe COVID19-CNN ensemble model were higher than those obtained by individual trained CNN models.

Conclusions

The COVID19-CNN ensemble model had superior accuracy and excellent capability in classifying chest CT images as COVID-19 positive or negative.
VPMBench: a test bench for variant prioritization methods
Authors: Ruscheinski Andreas , Reimler Anna Lena , Ewald Roland , Uhrmacher Adelinde M.
Published: November 2021

Background

Clinical diagnostics of whole-exome and whole-genome sequencing data requires geneticists to consider thousands of genetic variants for each patient. Various variant prioritization methods have been developed over the last years to aid clinicians in identifying variants that are likely disease-causing. Each time a new method is developed, its effectiveness must be evaluated and compared to other approaches based on the most recently available evaluation data. Doing so in an unbiased, systematic, and replicable manner requires significant effort.

Results

The open-source test bench “VPMBench” automates the evaluation of variant prioritization methods. VPMBench introduces a standardized interface for prioritization methods and provides a plugin system that makes it easy to evaluate new methods. It supports different input data formats and custom output data preparation. VPMBench exploits declaratively specified information about the methods, e.g., the variants supported by the methods. Plugins may also be provided in a technology-agnostic manner via containerization.

Conclusions

VPMBench significantly simplifies the evaluation of both custom and published variant prioritization methods. As we expect variant prioritization methods to become ever more critical with the advent of whole-genome sequencing in clinical diagnostics, such tool support is crucial to facilitate methodological research.
Genome-wide survey and identification of AP2/ERF genes involved in shoot and leaf development in Liriodendron chinense
Authors: Zong Yaxian , Hao Ziyuan , Tu Zhonghua , Shen Yufang , Zhang Chengge , Wen Shaoying , Yang Lichun , Ma Jikai , Li Huogen
Published: November 2021

Background

Liriodendron chinense is a distinctive ornamental tree species due to its unique leaves and tulip-like flowers. The discovery of genes involved in leaf development and morphogenesis is critical for uncovering the underlying genetic basis of these traits. Genes in the AP2/ERF family are recognized as plant-specific transcription factors that contribute to plant growth, hormone-induced development, ethylene response factors, and stress responses.

Results

In this study, we identified 104 putative AP2/ERF genes in the recently released L. chinense genome and transcriptome database. In addition, all 104 genes were grouped into four subfamilies, the AP2, ERF, RAV, and Soloist subfamilies. This classification was further supported by the results of gene structure and conserved motif analyses. Intriguingly, after application of a series test of cluster analysis, three AP2 genes, LcERF 94, LcERF 96, and LcERF 98, were identified as tissue-specific in buds based on the expression profiles of various tissues. These results were further validated via RT-qPCR assays and were highly consistent with the STC analysis. We further investigated the dynamic changes of immature leaves by dissecting fresh shoots into seven discontinuous periods, which were empirically identified as shoot apical meristem (SAM), leaf primordia and tender leaf developmental stages according to the anatomic structure. Subsequently, these three candidates were highly expressed in SAM and leaf primordia but rarely in tender leaves, indicating that they were mainly involved in early leaf development and morphogenesis. Moreover, these three genes displayed nuclear subcellular localizations through the transient transformation of tobacco epidermal cells.

Conclusions

Overall, we identified 104 AP2/ERF family members at the genome-wide level and discerned three candidate genes that might participate in the development and morphogenesis of the leaf primordium in L. chinense.
Effect of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on ischemic heart disease and cardiometabolic risk factors: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Xu Bayi , Xu Zhixia , Xu Duanmin , Tan Xuerui
Published: November 2021

Background

The cardioprotective ability of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) is controversial. Most studies suggest a specific role for PUFAs in cardioprotection from ischemic heart disease (IHD). However, few studies have used genetic biomarkers of n-3 PUFAs to examine their potential relationships with IHD. This study aimed to use Mendelian randomization to evaluate whether genetically-predicted n-3 PUFAs affect IHD and cardiometabolic risk factors (CRFs).

Methods

Genetic variants strongly (p < 5 × 10–8) and independently (r2 > 0.1) associated with n-3 PUFAs were derived from the CHARGE Consortium (including 8,866 subjects of European ancestry) and were used as instrumental variables (IVs) for evaluating the effect of n-3 PUFAs, including α-linolenic acid (ALA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Data on the associations between the IVs and IHD, myocardial infarction, and CRFs (including diabetes, lipids, blood pressure, body mass index, and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR)) were obtained from the UK Biobank SOFT CAD GWAS with the CARDIoGRAMplusC4D 1000 Genomes-based GWAS (113,937 IHD cases and 339,115 controls), the Myocardial Infarction Genetics and CARDIoGRAM Exome consortia (42,335 MI cases and 78,240 controls), the DIAbetes Genetics Replication And Meta-analysis consortium (26,676 diabetes mellitus cases and 132,532 controls), the Global Lipids Genetics Consortium (n = 196,475), the International Consortium for Blood Pressure (n = 69,395), and the meta-analysis of GWAS for body fat distribution in the UK Biobank and Genetic Investigation of Anthropometric Traits (n = 694,649).

Results

Genetically-predicted higher ALA was associated with lower risk of IHD, type 2 diabetes (T2D), and lower serum lipids. The effect size per 0.05-unit increase (about 1 standard deviation) in plasma ALA level) was − 1.173 (95% confidence interval − 2.214 to − 0.133) for IHD. DPA and EPA had no association with IHD but were associated with a higher risk of T2D, higher levels of lipids or WHR. DHA had no association with IHD or CRFs.

Conclusions

Our study suggests a benefit of ALA for IHD and its main risk factors. DHA, DPA, and EPA had no association with IHD but were partly associated with increasing cardiometabolic risk factors.
An alternative splicing signature in human Crohn’s disease
Authors: Li Daowei , Liang Yuanzi , Lu Jia , Tan Yue
Published: November 2021

Background

Although hundreds of risk loci for Crohn’s disease (CD) have been identified, the underlying pathogenesis of CD remains unclear. Recently, evidence has shown that aberrant gene expression in colon tissues of CD patients is associated with the progression of CD. We reasoned that post-transcriptional regulation, especially alternative splicing (AS), may also play important roles in the pathogenesis of CD.

Methods

We re-analyzed public mRNA-seq data from the NCBI GEO dataset (GSE66207) and identified approximately 3000 unique AS events in CD patients compared to healthy controls.

Results

“Lysine degradation” and “Sphingolipid metabolism” were the two most enriched AS events in CD patients. In a validation study, we also sequenced eight subjects and demonstrated that key genes that were previously linked to CD, such as IRF1 and STAT3, also had significant AS events in CD.

Conclusion

Our study provided a landscape of AS events in CD, especially as the first study focused on a Chinese cohort. Our data suggest that dysregulation of AS may be a new mechanism that contributes to the pathogenesis of CD.
Improving on estimates of the potential relative harm to health from using modern ENDS (vaping) compared to tobacco smoking
Authors: Wilson Nick , Summers Jennifer A. , Ait Ouakrim Driss , Hoek Janet , Edwards Richard , Blakely Tony
Published: November 2021

Background

Although the harm to health from electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) compared to smoked tobacco remains highly uncertain, society and governments still need to know the likely range of the relative harm to inform regulatory policies for ENDS and smoking.

Methods

We identified biomarkers with specificity of association with different disease groupings e.g., volatile organic compound (VOCs) for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; and tobacco-specific N´-nitrosamines (TSNAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) for all cancers. We conducted a review of recent studies (post January 2017) that compared these biomarkers between people exclusively using ENDS and those exclusively smoking tobacco. The percentage differences in these biomarkers, weighted by study size and adjusted for acrolein from other sources, were used as a proxy for the assumed percentage difference in disease harm between ENDS and smoking. These relative differences were applied to previously modelled estimates of smoking-related health loss (in health-adjusted life-years; HALYs).

Results

The respective relative biomarker levels (ENDS vs smoking) were: 28% for respiratory diseases (five results, three studies); 42% for cancers (five results, four studies); and 35% for cardiovascular (seven results, four studies). When integrated with the HALY impacts by disease, the overall harm to health from ENDS was estimated to be 33% that of smoking.

Conclusions

This analysis, suggests that the use of modern ENDS devices (vaping) could be a third as harmful to health as smoking in a high-income country setting. But this estimate is based on a limited number of biomarker studies and is best be considered a likely upper level of ENDS risk given potential biases in our method (i.e., the biomarkers used being correlated with more unaccounted for toxicants in smoking compared to with using ENDS).