bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cross-cultural Adaptation and Validation of the KOOS, JR Questionnaire for Assessing Knee Osteoarthritis in Spanish-speaking Patients
Authors: Guiloff Rodrigo , Iñiguez Magaly , Prado Tomás , Figueroa Francisco , Olavarría Nicolás , Carrasco Eduardo , Ergas Enrique , Lyman Stephen , Salgado Martín
Published: June 2023

Background
The Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, Joint Replacement (KOOS, JR), a validated short form (7 questions) from the original KOOS score (42 questions), has demonstrated higher response rate among other patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). However, there is no validated Spanish version. The present study aims to translate, adapt, and validate a Spanish version of the KOOS, JR, including a reliability and validity analysis.
Methods
Prospective validation study following the six stages of the "Guidelines for the Process of Cross-Cultural Adaptation of Self-Report Measures". Stage I: Translation from the original English version to Spanish by two native Spanish speakers. Stage II: Synthesis with linguistic and legibility test. Stage III: Back translation by two blinded native English speakers. Stage IV: Expert committee review of the final Spanish version. Stage V: Pretesting in 10 volunteers with similar demographic characteristics as the target study population. Stage VI: Approval by the expert committee and the original developer. Psychometric testing was conducted in a new group of participants: patients with knee OA. Subjects answered the Spanish KOOS, JR (S-KOOS, JR), and a validated Spanish Oxford Knee Score (S-OKS). Re-test were conducted at 10 days. Acceptability, floor and ceiling effect, internal consistency (Cronbach’s α), reproducibility (mixed-effect model coefficient [MEMC]), and construct validity (Spearman's correlation; p = 0.05) were assessed.
Results
41 patients (mean age: 65.6 ± 5.39; 48.8% female) participated in the study. All patients (100%) answered both scores during the first assessment and thirty-eight (92.7%) during the second assessment. All PROMs were answered completely (100%). The S-KOOS, JR resulted in 100% acceptability when answered. There were no ceiling or floor effects detected. The Cronbach's α for the S-KOOS, JR was 0.927, and its MEMC was 0.852 (CI 95%: 0.636–1.078). The Spearman's correlation between the S-KOOS, JR and the S-OKS was 0.711 (CI: 0.345–0.608; p < 0.001) and 0.870 (IC: 0.444–0.651; p < 0.001) for the first and second assessments, respectively.
Conclusion
The S-KOOS, JR has very high internal consistency and reproducibility, with a high correlation with the S-OKS; it is a reliable and valid instrument for characterizing Spanish-speaking patients suffering from knee OA.
Barriers and enablers for implementation of 4IR-linked diagnostics models at point-of-care in South Africa: Stakeholder engagement
Authors: Moetlhoa Boitumelo , Nxele Siphesihle R , Maluleke Kuhlula , Mathebula Evans , Marange Musa , Chilufya Maureen , Dzinamarira Tafadzwa , Duah Evans , Dzobo Matthias , Kekana Mable , Jaya Ziningi , Thabane Lehana , Dlangalala Thobeka , Nyasulu Peter , Hlongwana Khumbulani , Dlungwane Thembelihle , Kgatle Mankgopo , Gxekea Nobuhle , Mashamba-Thompson Tivani
Published: June 2023

Fourth industrial revolution (4IR) technologies may improve access to disease diagnosis and treatment at point-of-care (POC). Stakeholder engagements are an important step when implementing such interventions. In this study, we report the findings of a workshop that was held with key stakeholders to determine barriers and enablers for implementing 4IR-linked POC diagnostic models in South Africa. The workshop formed part of the 2022 REASSURED Diagnostics symposium. The nominal group technique (NGT) workshop was conducted in two phases: phase 1 and phase 2 focused on determining barriers and enablers, respectively, to implementing 4IR-linked POC diagnostic models in South Africa. Stakeholders identified connectivity, offline functionality, and load shedding as some of the most important barriers, while ease of use, subsidies by the National Health Insurance, and 24-hour assistance would enable the implementation 4IR-linked POC diagnostic models. The NGT workshop provided a suitable platform for identifying important barriers and enablers to the implementation of 4IR-linked POC diagnostic models. A follow-up study should identify the best strategies for implementing 4IR-linked POC diagnostics models in underserved populations.
Grand Weighted Variable Herz-Morrey Spaces Estimates for Higher Order Commutators of Fractional Integrals
Authors: Liu Ming , Yao Xiaobin
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we establish the boundedness for higher order commutators generated by fractional integral with BMO function Iβ,bm on weighted variable exponent Herz-Morrey spaces MḰq, p(·)}α,λ(ω). At the same time, we also get the boundedness for Iβ,bm on grand weighted variable exponent Herz-Morrey spaces MḰq, p(·)}α,λ(ω).
AMS Subject Classification(2020): 46E30, 47B38
Astragaloside IV inhibiting rotenone-induced α-syn presentation and CD4 T-cell immune response
Authors: Wang Mengdi , Sun Fengjiao , Han Xiaofeng , Wang Nan , Liu Yalan , Cai Jinfeng , Tong Shanshan , Wang Rui , Wang Hongcai
Published: June 2023

Background The increased α-synuclein (α-syn)-dependent activation of CD4 T cells leads to the progressive loss of Parkinson’s disease (PD) dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). Astragaloside IV (AS-Ⅳ) protects DA neurons against neuroinflammation. The effects of AS-IV on CD4 T-cell-mediated immune responses in PD remain to be defined.Methods Rotenone (ROT) injected unilaterally into the substantia nigra compact part (SNc) of rats induced PD. AS-Ⅳ (20 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected once a day for 14 days. The limb hanging test and rotarod test were performed to evaluate the alteration of behavior at 4 and 6 weeks. Total gastrointestinal transit tests were performed at 4 weeks. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of proinflammatory cytokine proteins. Immunofluorescence staining was conducted to test the expression and localization of major histocompatibility complex class Ⅱ (MHCⅡ), cleaved caspase-1 and α-syn in astrocytes. Flow cytometry analysis, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining were used to measure the expression of CD4 T-cell subsets in the SN.Results The application of AS-IV protected against the loss of DA neurons and behavioral deficits in ROT-induced PD rat models. AS-Ⅳ administration inhibited the aggregation of α-syn in DA neurons and the expression of proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-18 and IL-1β. AS-Ⅳ decreased the activation of CD4 T cells and three CD4 T-cell subsets: Tfh, Treg and Th1. AS-Ⅳ interrupted the ROT-induced interaction between astrocytes and CD4 T cells and the colocalization of MHCⅡ and α-syn in astrocytes. AS-Ⅳ inhibited the expression of α-syn in astrocytes and the colocalization of α-syn and cleaved caspase-1 in astrocytes.Conclusion AS-Ⅳ prevents the loss of DA neurons in PD by inhibiting the activation of α-syn-specific CD4 T cells, which is regulated by MHCⅡ-mediated antigen presentation in astrocytes.
Investigation of the Influence of a Single Fissure on the Heat Storage/Release Characteristics of Backfill Coupled Heat Exchangers in Underground Stopes
Authors: Zhang Bo , Zhan Rui , Liu Lang , Huan Chao , Zhao Yujiao , Zhang Xiaoyan
Published: June 2023

With the progressive depletion of shallow mineral resources and the increasing mining depth, the challenges posed by high well temperatures have become more prominent. To address this issue, both domestic and foreign research institutions have proposed a synergistic mining model that combines mineral deposits and geothermal resources. However, in deep mines, where high temperature, high stress, and high permeability pressures prevail, the long-term cyclic heat storage/release operations inevitably lead to fracture damage in the buried pipe filling body. Consequently, this damage alters the heat transfer performance of the system. This paper aims to establish a comprehensive three-dimensional mathematical model of a fissured buried tube-filler system by employing a combination of experimental tests and numerical simulations. The research focuses on the effects of fracture location, fracture width, and fracture cracking degree on various aspects, including temperature distribution, heat storage/release, outlet water temperature of the buried pipe, and the efficiency of the actual-sized buried pipe filler. Importantly, the study is conducted under the condition of no seepage flow. The results reveal several key findings. Firstly, in the case of bilateral heating, the proximity of the fissure to the heating side greatly influences the temperature distribution within the filling body, while the fissure located away from the heating side has a lesser impact. Secondly, the presence of fissures significantly hampers the heat transfer performance of the filling body. As the fissure width increases from 1mm to 10mm, the temperature drop during heat storage reaches 8.28%, and during heat release, it reaches 14.81%. Lastly, the average body temperature of the specimens decreases as the degree of cracking increases. After completing the heat release process, the average body temperature of fissure-free specimens and fully cracked specimens is recorded as 39.01°C and 35.82°C, respectively, representing a decrease of 8.17% in average body temperature.
Ultrasound Assessment of Infrapatellar and Sartorial Branches of the Saphenous Nerve: Establishing a Safety Zone for Preventing Nerve Injury in Knee Surgery and Injections
Authors: Kim Byungjun , Kang Kyung Hun , Yoon Joon Shik
Published: June 2023

Purpose
Our study aimed to illustrate the positional relationship of the two branches of the saphenous nerve: the infrapatellar branch of the saphenous nerve (IPBSN) and sartorial branch of the saphenous nerve (SBSN), as well as the anatomical landmarks using high-resolution ultrasound (HRUS) to help prevent iatrogenic nerve injury.
Methods
We used HRUS to explore the positional relationships among the anatomical landmarks, IPBSN, and SBSN in 40 knees of 20 participants. The distances from these branches to key reference points were recorded. Using the ultrasound caliper mode, we measured the depth from the skin surface to the nerves at four distinct points.
Results
The average distances between IPBSN and medial border of patella (MBP) and IPBSN and medial border of patellar ligament (MBPL) were 47 ± 7 mm and 42 ± 9 mm, respectively. SBSN showed mean distances of 94 ± 9 mm and 96 ± 9 mm to MBP and MBPL, respectively. The mean distance from the upper edge of pes anserine to IPBSN at the patellar apex (PA) level was 24 ± 10 mm and to SBSN was 34 ± 9 mm.
Conclusion
We used high-resolution ultrasound to evaluate IPBSN and SBSN and their positions relative to anatomical landmarks. The study results offer valuable insights into the course of these nerves, which can help establish a safety zone to prevent accidental nerve injuries during knee surgeries and injections.
Linguistic Characteristics in Bipolar Disorder Vs Borderline Personality Disorder
Authors: Santos-Muriel Noelia , López-Resa Patricia , Frontera Romina , Moraleda-Sepúlveda Esther
Published: June 2023

Scientific evidence has documented throughout the research carried out in recent years, the neuropsychological, behavioral and adaptive difficulties presented by people with Bipolar Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder at different stages of their development. However, little importance has been given to other factors such as communication and, therefore, its linguistic profile has been little developed throughout the studies carried out, especially in the adult population. There are few studies aimed at delving deeper into the level of language in groups of people with mental health problems. In this line, the objective and purpose of this research was to know the language characteristics presented by people from both groups and to delve into the differences that may exist between the two disorders at the level of linguistic development. The sample consisted of 60 participants between the ages of 17 and 42: 31 of them with a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder and the remaining 29 with a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder, all of them belonging to different psychological intervention centers and clinics of the Community of Madrid. The standardized evaluation instruments used to obtain the language level were mainly two: the Social Skills Scale (EHS) and the Pragmatic Competence Questionnaire (CCP) completed, in turn, by three different informants (families, professionals and the own person). Subsequently, the corresponding statistical analysis was carried out through the SPSS Statistical program 26.0 where we proceeded to obtain the descriptive indices of each area and compare the results in linguistic performance between both groups through the student test. In turn, a comparison has been made of the results obtained in the Pragmatic Competence Questionnaire in both populations based on the people who completed the questionnaire. The results obtained show that both populations manifest certain linguistic difficulties in adulthood and that there are differences depending on the perception of the agent involved in the language assessment. In addition, the relationship between social skills and communication skills in both disorders is discussed. These results are highly relevant since they provide up-to-date information about language level, support the need for language intervention in adulthood, and reflect a different communicative profile in Bipolar Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder. Finally, the results reflect the importance of taking into account the environment and the global context of the person, as is the case of the family and of the professionals who work with these groups.
Digitally-defined ultrathin transparent wireless sensor network for room-scale imperceptible ambient intelligence
Authors: Jin Yunixa , Yu Mengxia , Nguyen Dat T. , Yang Xin , Li Zhipeng , Xiong Ze , Liu Yuxin , Kong Yong Lin , Ho John
Published: June 2023

Wireless and battery-free radio-frequency (RF) sensors can be used to create physical spaces that ambiently sense and respond to human activities. Making such sensors ultra-flexible and transparent is important to preserve the aesthetics of living environments, accommodate daily activities, and functionally integrate with objects. However, existing RF sensors are unable to simultaneously achieve high transparency, flexibility, and the electrical conductivity required for remote room-scale operation. Here, we report 4.5 µm RF tag sensors achieving transparency exceeding 90% that provide capabilities in room-scale ambient wireless sensing. We develop a laser-assisted water-based adhesion-reversion process to digitally realize computer-aided RF design at scale. By individually tagging multiple objects and regions of the human body, we demonstrate multiplexed wireless tracking of human-environment interactions and physiological signals at a range of up to 8 m. These radio-frequency identification sensors open opportunities for non-intrusive wireless sensing of daily living spaces for applications in health monitoring and elderly care.
miR-590-3p attenuates atherosclerosis by preventing TNF-α-induced proliferation and migration of VSMCs via NF-κB pathway
Authors: Guo Ren , Yang Heng , Xiang Yuanyuan , Nie Fangqin , Wang Sai , Yan Xin , Fu Yangxia , Peng Xiangdong , Chen Ruifang
Published: June 2023

miR-590-3p displays protective effects in some cardiovascular diseases. However, the mechanisms by which miR-590-3p regulates vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) remain to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated the role of miR-590-3p/CD40/p21Cip1 pathway in VSMCs. The alterations of miR-590-3p, CD40 and /p21Cip1 were verified in atherosclerosis (AS) plaque and TNF-α treated VSMCs by quantitative Real-time PCR, EdU staining, wound healing test, and flow cytometry. The expression levels of miR-590-3p and p21Cip1 were decreased, whereas CD40 was increased in the AS plaques . TNF-α is a critical contributor of atherosclerosis and induces VSMCs proliferation and migration by upregulating CD40 and downregulating p21Cip1. miR-590-3p inhibits the proliferation and migration of VSMCs through up-regulating the expression of p21Cip1 and down-regulating the expression of CDK2/cyclin E1 by targeting CD40. The TNF-α-induced alterations were partially reversed by exogenous miR-590-3p mimic.The TNF-α-induced proliferation and migration of VSMCs were also prevented by miR-590-3p mimic . Thus, our study revealed a mechanism by which miR-590-3p attenuates atherosclerosis by preventing TNF-α-induced VSMCs proliferation and migration.
Sugar beet resistance to green peach aphid Myzus persicae (Sulzer) and black bean aphid Aphis fabae (Scop.): Mechanisms and Implications for breeding
Authors: Zhu Yunsheng , Stahl Andreas , Rostás Michael , Will Torsten
Published: June 2023

Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris ssp. vulgaris), a key crop for sugar production, faces significant yield losses by the green peach aphid Myzus persicae (Sulzer) and black bean aphid Aphis fabae (Scop.) as well as the transmission of virus by these aphids. The restriction on the use of neonicotinoids in Europe has intensified this problem, emphasizing the urgent requirement for breeding resistant crop varieties. This study evaluated sugar beet germplasm for resistance against these two aphid species. We investigated the performance and feeding behavior of both species on 26 sugar beet genotypes, using leaf disk bioassays and electropenetrography studies. Additionally, whole plant bioassays and semi-field experiments were carried out with M. persicae. Our findings demonstrate the presence of temporal resistance against both aphid species in the primary sugar beet gene pool. We also found that carrying the beet yellows virus (BYV) enhanced the aphids’ performance. Different plant defense mechanisms were involved: resistance against M. persicae primarily occurred prior to the stylet reaching the phloem, particularly in sugar beet line G3. While resistance against A. fabae turned out to be predominately phloem-located. A high incidence of black stomach symptoms in aphids, exceeding 85% across all genotypes, signified a general incompatibility between sugar beet and M. persicae. In conclusion, sugar beet resistance against aphids involved different mechanisms and was aphid-specific. The identification of these mechanisms and interactions represents a crucial milestone in advancing the breeding of sugar beet varieties with improved resistance.
Lymphocyte recovery from radiation-induced lymphopenia in locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: correlations with prognosis and lymphocyte-related organs
Authors: Tseng Ihsuan , Ai Dashan , Chen Yun , Zhu Hongcheng , Li Fangfang , Xu Yang , Yu Lu , Liu Qi , Deng Jiaying , Hao Shengnan , Zhu Zhengfei , Zhao Weixin , Fan Min , Li Ling , Su Fengtao , Zhao Kuaile
Published: June 2023

Background: Few studies investigate the relationship between lymphocyte recovery after definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (dCCRT) and prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).
Methods: ESCC patients undergoing dCCRT with obtainable absolute lymphocyte counts (ALCs) at 6 months after dCCRT were screened from prospective trials. Population were categorized according to the development of and recovery from G4 and G1-3 ALC nadir during radiotherapy. Prognostic value of lymphocyte recovery in survival outcomes was estimated by Cox analysis. Irradiated relative volumes of the bone marrow and spleen were collected. The effective dose to immune cells (EDIC) was also calculated. Cut-offs of dose-volume parameters were determined by the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). Logistic analysis was used to explore predictive factors of lymphocyte recovery.
Results: 232 patients were included. Among 69 patients with G4 ALC nadir during dCCRT, there were 27 patients with lymphocyte unrecovered (group A) and 42 patients with lymphocyte recovered (group B). As for patients with G1-3 ALC nadir, 67 patients were with lymphocyte unrecovered (group C) and 96 patients with lymphocyte recovered (group D). Cox multivariable analysis indicated that unrecovered lymphocyte after dCCRT was significantly correlated with worse overall survival (HR, 2.80 and 1.70) and a higher risk of local recurrence (HR, 4.11 and 1.83) whether in group A vs group B or group C vs group D. Logistic analysis displayed that bone marrow V5 (OR, 4.24 and 2.29) was an independent indicator associated with lymphocyte unrecovered from G4 or G1-3 ALC nadir during dCCRT, respectively.
Conclusions: Lymphocyte unrecovered at 6 months after dCCRT could be a significant prognostic factor for worse survival outcomes whether patients suffered from G4 or G1-3 ALC nadir during dCCRT. Moreover, a larger relative volume of bone marrow irradiated by more than 5 Gy led to a higher risk of lymphocyte unrecovery.
Evaluation of Genetic Diversity Using Ssr Markers and Link With Drought Response of Azerbaijani Durum Wheat (Triticum Durum L.) Genotypes
Authors: Mammadova Ruhangiz , AMRI AHMED , AKPAROV ZEYNAL , ALO FIDA YOSSEF , SHEIKHZAMANOVA FATMA , ABBASOV MEHRAJ , AMRAHOV NURLAN , HAJIYEV ELCHIN , ALIZADE SHADER
Published: June 2023

Genetic diversity of 46 azerbaijani durum wheat (triticum durum l.) Genotypes were screened using simple sequence repeats (ssrs). These accessions were collected from various bioclimatic regions of azerbaijan. Out of the used twenty-two primers, 13 primers showed polymorphism and were selected for the analyses. Among the genotypes under study, 31 alleles were detected. Highest number of alleles was detected in locus gwm 335 (on chromosome 5b) and on locus gwm 445 (on chromosome 2a) with 5 and 4 alleles, respectively. The lowest number of alleles was determined in locus gwm 617 with only 1 allele. For a, b and d genomes, the total number of alleles detected were 14, 15 and 2, respectively. Pic value between studied ssr markers was 0.912 and this result shows high genetic diversity between azerbaijani durum wheat genotypes. Therefore, these primers can be recommended for studying genetic diversity of azerbaijani durum wheat accessions. The genetic structure of the genotypes was analyzed and the upgma dendrogram revealed five major clusters using nei genetic distance index. The results revealed that ssr markers can efficiently evaluate genetic variation in the wheat samples. Based on the previous characterization of drought response of these genotypes, links could be established between the ssr markers and drought tolerance. If some of the ssr markers are confirmed for their association s with drought tolerance, then, they can be used as markers for identification of drought tolerant varieties needed to enhance wheat productivity for farmers dealing with harsh conditions.
Particle swarm optimization-based reduced-order controller for balancing control issues with a two-wheeled mobile robot
Authors: Duddeti Bala Bhaskar
Published: June 2023

Existing controllers for a two-wheel mobile robot (TWMR) are based on higher-order controller (HOC) structures, which are complex and challenging to analyze, synthesize, and implement on hardware. To address this issue, the authors propose a reduced-order controller (ROC) for the pre-specified HOC that can effectively handle unpredictable dynamics. The proposed approach involves two phases. In phase 1, the ROC is made using dominant poles and moment matching. In phase 2, the particle swarm optimization (PSO) method improves the ROC numerator coefficients by minimizing the root mean square error and integral square error between the step responses and Bode magnitude plots of the HOC and ROC. One benefit of this technique is that the PSO algorithm’s search space bounds are not entirely arbitrary. They are instead picked based on the numerator coefficients calculated in Phase 1. It overcomes issues with evolutionary algorithms, such as random search space selection, optimization of additional decision variables, and longer simulation duration. Comparisons are made between the performance of the proposed controller and controllers built using other approaches. The determinations reveal that the proposed ROC outperforms these current techniques, resulting in a more straightforward and effective solution for regulating the unstable TWMR system. The efficacy of higher- and lower-order controllers is evaluated using a perturbed two-wheeled mobile robot. This evaluation focuses on analyzing various time response parameters and performance indices, including integral time absolute error (ITAE), integral square error (ISE), and integral absolute error (IAE). The MATLAB environment is employed as the preferred tool to carry out these simulations.
Leveraging Feature Selection to Improve the Accuracy for Malware Detection
Authors: Smith Daryle , Khorsandroo Sajad , Roy Kaushik
Published: June 2023

Malware is becoming increasingly sophisticated and difficult to detect with traditional monitoring tools and antivirus software. As a result, machine learning has become a popular approach for classifying and detecting malware-related data. In this study, two distinct datasets, Malware-Exploratory and CIC-MalMem-2022, were subjected to a series of supervised and unsupervised learning procedures to gather information for observation. As this is an extension of a previous research, the developed model is enhanced to include feature selection using Pearson correlation coefficient and genetic algorithm. It is then tested against a created dataset SMITH and a GAN dataset produced from SMITH, along with the datasets Malware-Exploratory and CIC-MalMem-2022 from the previous work. The model still uses the three clustering algorithms for analysis, namely K-Means, Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise, and Gaussian Mixture Model, and seven classification algorithms for predicting malware, namely Decision Tree, Random Forest, Ada Boost, KNeighbors, Stochastic Gradient Descent, Extra Trees, and Gaussian Naïve Bayes. Previous results showed that the Malware-Exploratory raw dataset achieved an accuracy score of 90%, while the CIC-MalMem-2022 raw dataset achieved a score of 99%. The results from this research show that the genetic algorithm emerges as the best method for detecting malware in the Malware-Exploratory and CIC-MalMem-2022 datasets, while the Pearson correlation coefficient performs well against the SMITH dataset.
A Rate Splitting Approach For Multi-user MISO Communication Systems Using Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Nikpour Mohsen , Mobini Majid
Published: June 2023

Recent research efforts in the field of 6G communication systems shows that the Rate splitting (RS) technique is a promising strategy for non-orthogonal transmission and interference management. RS consists of dividing a user message into two parts, i.e., common and private messages, such that each of those parts can be decoded at one or multiple receivers. In this paper, we introduce a competent RS approach based on the Genetic Algorithm (GA) to maximize the sum rate of Multi-Input Single-Output Broadcast Channel (MISO BC) communication systems. Existing solutions for the sum rate maximization problem are often based on approximation algorithms that lead to poor solutions. We consider two scenarios to divide the power between the common and private messages. The objective of the first scenario is to evaluate the performance of the GA-based approach compared to the existing RS benchmarks. In this case, the power of private massages is assumed to be equal, and we deal with a single-variable optimization problem. In order to generalize the proposed method, the second scenario considers a case in which the private messages have different power coefficients. The simulation results indicate that the proposed algorithm achieves a better Ergodic Sum Rate (ESR) than the existing approximation algorithms.
Long-Term Effectiveness and Safety of Omalizumab in a Pediatric Patient With Severe Persistent Asthma: A Case Report
Authors: Majmudar Sonali P.
Published: June 2023

Omalizumab has emerged as a promising treatment option for severe persistent allergic asthma in children aged 6 years and older whose symptoms do not improve after conventional therapy with inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting beta-agonists. Omalizumab has been shown to reduce asthma exacerbations, improve lung function, and reduce the need for oral corticosteroids. However, clinical evidence regarding the long-term efficacy and safety of omalizumab in pediatric patients with severe persistent asthma is limited. In this report, we discuss the long-term effectiveness and safety of omalizumab in a pediatric patient with severe persistent asthma. Our objective is to highlight the potential benefits and risks of long-term use of omalizumab in pediatric patients with asthma.
Steroidogenic factor 1 promotes cuproptosis in renal tubular epithelial cells during acute kidney injury
Authors: Lin Lirong , He Shahong , Wu Zhifen , Zheng Luquan , Yang Xujia , Li Ke , Yang Jurong
Published: June 2023

Programmed cell death of renal tubular epithelial cells (RTECs) is the main pathophysiological mechanism of acute kidney injury (AKI). Copper-induced death is a newly discovered form of programmed cell death, mainly attributed to fatty acylation in the TCA cycle, which leads to mitochondrial stress and cell death. However, the role of copper-induced death in the occurrence and development of AKI remains unclear. In this study, we first identified that the expression of ferredoxin 1 (FDX1), a key gene for copper-induced death, was significantly increased in the renal tissues of patients with AKI. The expression of copper-induced death-related genes and copper transporter 1 (CTR1) was significantly increased in various animal models of AKI. Compared with the control group, in the hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R), lipopolysaccharide, and cisplatin injury groups, the concentration of copper ions increased in the NRK-52E cells, and the expression of FDX1 and CTR1 proteins increased significantly. After the NRK-52E cells were stimulated by copper (Cu2+), elesclomol (ES), and Cu2++ ES, the expression of CTR1 and FDX1 increased in the Cu2++ ES group, and that of lactate dehydrogenase increased significantly. In addition, the expression of CTR1 and FDX1 in the tubular epithelial cells in the H/R model and cell death reduced significantly after siRNA knockdown of the FDX1 gene or copper chelation therapy with tetrathiomolybdate. Preliminary mechanism investigation showed that the expression of CTR1 and FDX1 in H/R tubular epithelial cells and cell death was significantly reduced following siRNA knockdown of the steroidogenic factor 1 gene. Therefore, we speculate that copper-induced death in the RTECs may play an important role in the pathogenesis of AKI. Additionally, SF1 may be involved in the regulation of cuproptosis during AKI.
Variable neighborhood optimization for automatic warehouse in and out based on collaborative cooperation
Authors: Guo Zeyin , Wei Lixin , Liu Qingsong , Zhang Jinlu , Che Haijun , He Jinxian
Published: June 2023

In the process of warehouse automation, an efficient order picking strategy is one of the key factors affecting the efficiency of warehousing. Based on the characteristics of orders and stackers, the picking order model of stackers entering and exiting the warehouse is considered as a prize collection vehicle routing problem (PCVRP) for picking and delivering goods simultaneously. When solving this problem, The adaptive strength perturbation strategy is proposed to improve the convergence speed of the algorithm. In the process of population evolution, the random intensity perturbation strategy is introduced to ensure the diversity of the solution space. To balance the local search and global convergence capabilities of the algorithm, a hybrid iterative local search and variable neighborhood search (HILS-VND) collaborative optimization algorithm is designed. The experimental results indicate that, compared with several other existing algorithm, the proposed algorithm outperforms the comparison algorithms on standard evaluation indicators such as hypervolume, the number of non-dominated solutions and spacing metric.
Mitral Valve Repair for Degenerative Mitral Regurgitation with Carpentier’s functional classification Type II in Elderly Patients -A Single Center Experience-
Authors: Kawamura Masashi , Monta Osamu , Tsutsumi Yasushi
Published: June 2023

Objective
Mitral valve (MV) repair for Carpentier functional classification Type II (C-II) mitral regurgitation (MR) is widely accepted because of its efficacy. It is unclear whether MV repair has the same benefits in elderly patients as in younger patients because of their lower life expectancy. Herein, we examined the midterm results of MV repair for C-II mitral regurgitation, especially in patients aged > 70 years.
Method
A retrospective review was performed on 176 patients who underwent MV repair for C-II mitral regurgitation with a median age of 65 years; 55 (31%) patients were > 70 years, and 124 were male (71%). Lesions of the mitral valve were isolated from the anterior leaflet (48 patients), posterior leaflet (113 patients), and both leaflets (15 patients), and included seven patients with Barlow’s disease. We compared the outcomes between patients aged > 70 years (> 70 years; median age, 76 years) and those aged < 70 years (median age, 60 years).
Results
In terms of the durability of MV repair in elderly patients, there were no significant differences in the rates of freedom from reoperation or MR recurrence at 5 years between patients aged < 70 years and those aged > 70 years (reoperation:98% in < 70 years versus 89% in > 70 years; P = 0.4053; MR recurrence:95% in < 70 years versus 81% in > 70 years; P = 0.095). The mitral valve complexity was divided into two grades: Simple (isolated posterior mitral lesion) and Complex (isolated anterior lesion or both lesions). In patients aged < 70 years, there was no significant difference in the rate of freedom from MR recurrence at 5 years between the Simple and Complex groups (96% vs. 91%; P = 0.1029). In contrast, in patients aged > 70 years, the MR recurrence rate at 3 years in Complex was significantly higher in the Complex group than in the Simple (100% vs. 80%; P = 0.0265).
Conclusions
We studied the outcomes of MV repair for C-II in MR. In elderly patients, MR recurrence was higher in complex lesions than in simple lesions. MV replacement may be considered for elderly patients with complex mitral valve lesions, if appropriately selected.
Echocardiography predictors of sustained sinus rhythm after cardioversion of supraventricular arrhythmia in patients with septic shock
Authors: Balik Martin , Maly Michal , Brozek Tomas , Rulisek Jan , Porizka Michal , Sachl Robert , Otahal Michal , Brestovansky Petr , Svobodova Eva , Flaksa Marek , Stach Zdenek , Horejsek Jan , Volny Lukas , Jurisinova Ivana , Novotny Adam , Trachta Pavel , Kunstyr Jan , Kopecky Petr , Tencer Tomas , Pazout Jaroslav , Duska Frantisek , Krajcova Adela , Waldauf Petr
Published: June 2023

Background
Supraventricular arrhythmias (SVA) are associated with two to five times worse survival in septic shock. The objective of the study was to propose echocardiography parameters that could predict the maintenance of sinus rhythm and the feasibility of the rhythm control approach.
Methods
Patients in septic shock with an onset of an SVA, a normal to moderately reduced LV systolic function (EF_LV˃̳35%) and on a continuous noradrenaline of less than 1.0 ug/kg.min were included. Echocardiography was performed at the arrhythmia onset, 1h and 4h post cardioversion on an infusion of propafenone or amiodarone. There were no limits to electric cardioversions. Arrhythmia recurrences were analysed in relation to a complex of echocardiography parameters.
Results
Out of the 209 patients enrolled into the trial, 173 were analysed in sinus rhythm at 1h and 187 at 4h post cardioversion. Heart rate decreased from a median of 130(111;147)/min to 85(78;96)/min at 1h, p˂0.001, accompanied by an increase of stroke volume from 50(42;60)ml to 66(58;78)ml at 1h,p˂0.001. The left atrial end-systolic diameter (LA_ESD 40(35;45)mm) and indexed biplanar volume (LAVI 31(26;39)ml/m2) did not change, the left atrial emptying fraction (36 (29;45)% at 4h, p = 0.005), trans-mitral A-wave (p = 0.002) and the A-wave velocity-time integral (Avti 7.7(6.1;9.4)cm at 4h,p˂0.001) were gradually increased. Pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PAPs) did not change, while the right ventricular systolic function parameters increased with cardioversion (all p˂0.001). Vasopressor dosage at the start of arrhythmia, at 1h and 4h post cardioversion showed significant reductions for noradrenaline (p < 0.001) and vasopressin (p < 0.001). The feasible predictors of arrhythmia recurrence were LA_EF at 4h with the cut- off 38.4%, AUC 0.69, p˂0.001, and Avti at 4h with the cut-off 6.8cm, AUC 0.65, p = 0.001. The elevated PAPs at 4h (p = 0.007) and enlarged LA_ESD at arrhythmia onset (p = 0.04) predicted only multiple recurrences (˃3). LAVI (p = 0.06) and arrhythmia history (p = 0.09) were not useful.
Conclusion
There is a period of atrial functional recovery after restoration of electrical sinus rhythm in patients with septic shock complicated by an SVA. The associations of LA_EF and Avti at 4 hours post-cardioversion with sustained sinus rhythm suggest potential parameters to guide the choice between rhythm and rate control strategies.
Trial registration
: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03029169
Enhancing Tube Feeding Method for Neurosurgery: The Application of Improved PICC Technique
Authors: Wu Huiwen , Qiu Yuru , Wang Yucui , Li Jiarong , Qiu Yihong
Published: June 2023

Background and purpose
Peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) used in neurosurgical patients require changes in patients' head positions. However, such changes can worsen pressure on the brain tissue, lead to sudden acute brain herniation and respiratory arrest, resulting in a higher chance of patient death. This paper addresses the aforementioned problems by introducing a new PICC catheterization method.
Method
In a retrospective study, the records of patients with PICC from April 2020 to April 2023 were reviewed, and they were divided into three groups based on the methods employed. The first group as the conventional group, involved changing patients’ body positions during catheterization. The second group, as the intracavitary electrocardiographic (IECG) group, utilized intracavitary electrocardiographic monitoring and involved changing patients’ body positions during catheterization. The third group as the intracavitary electrocardiographic with improved body positioning (IECG-IBP) group, catheterization was performed with guidance from intracavitary electrocardiographs and without changing the patients’ body positions. The ECG changes among patients undergoing different catheter delivery methods were then compared, as well as the rate of catheter tip misplacement.
Result
The study encompassed a total of 354 cases. Our findings reveal distinct P wave amplitude percentages among the groups: 0% in the conventional group, 88.46% in the IECG group, and 91.78% in the IECG-IBP group. Furthermore, the following catheter tip misplacement rates were recorded: 11.54% for the conventional group, 5.39% for the IECG group, and 5.47% for the IECG-IBP group. Significantly notable differences were observed in these two key indicators between the conventional group and the IECG-IBP group. Notably, the IECG-IBP group demonstrated a more favorable outcome compared to the IECG group.
Conclusion
The study evidence that the PICC catheterization method, incorporating intracavitary electrocardiographic positioning technology and improved body positioning effectively mitigates the risk of induced sudden acute brain herniation and death in patients.
Could microcomputed tomography be a new method to distinguish between metastatic and non-metastatic lymph nodes in patients with non-small cell lung cancer as a decision support tool for pathological examination? A pilot study for method validation
Authors: CANGIR Ayten KAYI , ORHAN Kaan , GÜNEŞ Süleyman Gökalp , ÖZAKINCI Hilal , KAHYA Yusuf , KARASOY Duru , SAK Serpil
Published: June 2023

Background:Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) wihtout lymph node (LN) metastases (pN0) have different survival rates even when the T status is similar. This may be because excised mediastinal and bronchial LNs are currently examined using a 2D method. Because, despite the rules of 2D pathological examination, unfortunately, not all of the removed LN can be sampled, and there may be metastatic foci in these remaining and unsampled LN tissues. Whereas, evaluation with micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) provides detailed information on internal structures of all these LNs as a whole and and without damaging the sample. We used quantitative micro-CT parameters to evaluate the metastasis status of LNs embedded in paraffin blocks.MethodsTwelve paraffin blocks and the corresponding whole slide images from eight NSCLC patients with pathological mediastinal LN metastases were used. The formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) LN blocks were subjected to micro-CT. Forty-seven regions of interest (ROIs) (17 metastatic foci, 11 normal lymphoid tissues, 10 adipose tissues, and 9 anthracofibrotic areas) were marked. Quantitative structural variables obtained via micro-CT analysis from tumoral and non-tumoral ROIs were analyzed.ResultsLinear density, connectivity, connectivity density, and closed porosity all differed significantly between tumoral and non-tumoral ROIs (kappa coefficients: 1, 0.90, 1, and 1, respectively). Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that tumoral and non-tumoral ROIs differed in terms of thickness, linear density, connectivity, connectivity density, and percentage of closed porosity.ConclusionsQuantitative micro-CT parameters can distinguish between tumoral and non-tumoral areas in FFPE blocks of mediastinal LNs. These quantitative micro-CT parameters may facilitate the development of an artificial intelligence algorithm that can detect metastatic foci in the LN in FFPE LN blocks .
Management and restoration of degraded Agricultural Landscapes in the northwestern Ethiopian highlands: Good implications for climate change adaptive mechanism
Authors: Bitew Tadesse , Mekonnen Mulatie , Amare Tadele
Published: June 2023

Climate change is a pressing challenge globally, which needs adaptive strategies. This research was conducted to evaluate the role of soil and water conservation practices (SWCPs) as climate change adaptive strategies. The study was conducted in the northwest highland of Ethiopia that represents areas with high rainfall and high degradation. The effects of SWCPs were compared on cultivated farms and ex-closures. Sufficient soil samples and crop yield were collected to evaluate the performance of SWCPs to climate change adaptive mechanism. A total of 27 disturbed composite and 27 undisturbed soil samples at a depth of 0-20 cm were collected on cultivated land treated with different soil conservation practices along with 27 wheat yield samples. Similarly, 36 undisturbed soil samples at 0-15 and 15-30 cm were collected from ex-closure and adjacent grazing land. Collected data were subjected for the analysis of variance (ANOVA) for their significant differences followed by the mean separation for the treatments that showed significant difference using least significant difference (LSD). The result showed that SWCPs improved soil physico-chemical properties including soil organic carbon as well as wheat grain yield. Degraded grazing lands rehabilitated and resulted large stock of soil organic carbon by management interventions. Therefore, rehabilitation of degraded cultivated and grazing lands through SWCPs was found to improve soil properties, grain yield, and stock soil carbon and could be recommended as a climate change adaptive strategy.
LSTM neural network for pan-cancer classification & marker gene discovery by symmetrical occlusion method
Authors: Zhao Xing , Wang Huating , Sun Hao
Published: June 2023

RNA-Seq has been widely used for capturing the transcriptome profile of clinical samples. The quantitative measurement of RNA expression level provided by RNA-Seq is an ideal replacement for conventional cancer diagnosis of microscope examination with a more sensitive & automated approach. Accurate classification of the status and the tissue of origin of a clinical sample is crucial for the cancer diagnosis and helps clinicians to determine the appropriate treatment strategy. However, existing studies often use maker genes that exhibits statistical difference between healthy and cancer samples, neglecting genes with low expression level differences. To conduct pan-cancer classification, this paper employed normalized read count for gene expression level normalization. A baseline LSTM neural network was trained using RNA-Seq data containing a complete list of genes to distinguish 28 classes of samples with different origins and statuses. Most importantly, this paper introduces a novel maker gene discovery method named “Symmetrical Occlusion” (SO), which works in conjunction with the trained LSTM network by mimicking the “gain of function” and “loss of function” of genes to evaluate the importance of the gene in pan-cancer classification. This is achieved by calculating the change in the prediction score of the LSTM network. Furthermore, a new neural network would be trained using dataset containing only genes of high importance to achieve better classification performance with fewer genes. The baseline LSTM neural network achieves a validation accuracy of 96.59% in pan-cancer classification. After employing occlusion and selecting the top 33% of genes ranked by their importance, the accuracy of the second LSTM neural network with the same architecture is later improved to 98.30% with 67% fewer genes than the baseline. Our method successfully discovered many marker genes which are not differentially expressed. Compared with the existing methods, our neural network has more comprehensive prediction classes, and outperformed others in terms of classification performance, including metastasized cancer classification. In addition, our method may also be applied to marker gene discovery as well as novel cell type detection using single-cell RNA-Seq.
High-efficiency approximation of non-local dispersion model for light interaction with metallic nanostructures by modified two-grid method
Authors: Wang Mei , Yao Changhui
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we design a modified two-grid method (MTGM) for the Maxwell’s system by adding one correction on the coarse mesh, called postprocessing technique, to the classical two-grid method (TGM), which makes MTGM run smoothing for the edge element like Lagrange elements. The considered Maxwell’s system describes the non-local dispersion model for light interaction with metallic nanostructures. The main contributions of this paper have three parts. Firstly, we give the integral expansion formulas in order to set up supercloseness in the first step of MTGM. Secondly, we take a group of superconvergent solutions on the coarse mesh into the second step as the correction values. Such an algorithm overcomes the difficulties that the edge element can not be applied to the numerical electromagnetic system by TGM directly. Thirdly, we employ the Crank-Nicolson fully discrete scheme to obtain a convergent rate O(τ2 +h+H2) by using the lowest mixed N´ed´elec − Raviart − Thomas finite element, where τ is the time mesh size, and H, h is the course mesh size and fine mesh size in space, respectively. In the end, we present two numerical examples to verify our algorithm, which demonstrates that the MTGM can save about 30% CPU time.