bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Early stage nanocrystallization as a method of enhancement of electrical properties of lead/barium titanate doped vanadium borate glasses
Authors: Harby Amany E. , Hannora Ahmed E. , Ali Atif Mossad , El-Desoky M. M.
Published: April 2023

Glass-ceramic nanocomposites (GCNs) of (10x) BaTiO3 (BT)-xPbTiO3 (PT) -60V2O5-30B2O3 with x= 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 mol% were formed during heat treatment of conventional melt quenching glasses. X-ray diffraction was used to ensure glass and GCNs formation. Glasses and GCNs densities were measured by Archimedes principle. Fine polar clusters of lead titanate and/or barium titanate incorporation into vanadium borate glass matrix strongly depend on the composition. It was found out that the electrical conductivity of the initial glasses can be considerably improved by proper early stage of nanocrystallization at temperatures approaching the crystallization temperatures determined by DSC method. GCNs show massive increase in electrical conductivity (up to 6 orders of magnitude) as a function of BaTiO3 content. By increasing BaTiO3 content, the activation energy values have been found to increase. The enhancement in electrical conductivity of GCNs can be attributed to the increase in the crystalline phases in the glassy matrix which increases the concentrations of the V ion pairs.
Intravenous Immunoglobulin Use in Pediatric Intensive Care: A Single-Center Experience
Authors: Gurbanov Anar , Gün Emrah , Botan Edin , Balaban Burak , Kahveci Fevzi , Özen Hasan , Uçmak Hacer , Havan Merve , Kendirli Tanıl
Published: April 2023

Purpose: The clinical applications of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy in critically ill children are increasing. Here we share our single-center experience with the use of IVIG in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).
Methods: This retrospective study included patients treated with at least one dose of IVIG in the PICU between November 2019 and April 2022.
Results: A total of 68 patients (44 males) were included in the study. The most common indications for IVIG were rheumatologic (43%), infectious (34%), and neurological diseases (14.5%). Twenty-one patients (30%) died. The frequency of chronic disease was 28% among survivors and 76% among non-survivors (p=0.0001). The indication for IVIG was septic shock in 71% of non-survivors (p=0.0001) and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children in 57% of survivors (p=0.0001). Non-surviving patients had lower median IVIG dose per actual body weight (0.5 vs. 1 g/kg, p=0.02) and cumulative IVIG dose (30 vs. 60 g, p=0.04). In multivariate logistic regression analysis to determine mortality predictors in patients using IVIG, the presence of chronic disease was found to strongly increase mortality (odds ratio: 5.7, 95% confidence interval: 1.5-21, p=0.01). IVIG-related parameters (body weight, number of IVIG doses, cumulative IVIG dose) were not predictors of mortality (p>0.05).
Conclusions: Although we observed that the surviving patients in our study received more IVIG than non-survivors, the amount of IVIG was not found to be associated with mortality.
Spleen-preserving pancreatectomy with splenic vessels removal : impact on splenic parenchyma ?
Authors: LETE Coralie , BRICHARD Martin , ROSA Maria Luisa , SALAVRACOS Mike , HUBERT Catherine , NAVEZ Benoit , CLOSSET Jean , PEZZULLO Martina , NAVEZ Julie
Published: April 2023

Background While outcomes after spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy (SP-DP) are widely reported, the impact on splenic parenchyma is poorly studied. This study aimed to assess splenic imaging after SP-DP with splenic vessels removal or preservation, and to compare postoperative outcomes especially spleen-related.Methods All patients undergoing SP-DP with splenic vessels removal (Warshaw technique, WDP) or preservation (Kimura technique, KDP) between 2010 and 2022 in two tertiary centres were retrospectively analysed. Splenic ischemia and volume at early/late imaging and postoperative outcomes were reviewed.Results Ninety-five patients were included, 57 in WDP and 38 in KDP groups. The median age and Charlson’s Comorbidity Index were significantly higher in WDP group compared with KDP group. Postoperative morbidity was similar between groups. There was more splenic ischemia at early imaging in WDP compared to KDP groups (53% vs. 14%, p = 0.007), especially severe ischemia (22% vs. 0). Splenic partial atrophy was observed in 30% and 0% of WDP and KDP groups, respectively (p < 0.001); no complete splenic atrophy appeared. There was no significant difference between groups in haematological parameters (haemoglobin, platelets, white blood cells and CRP levels) until postoperative day 6. Charlson Comorbidity Index and postoperative day 6 platelets levels were prognostic factors of splenic atrophy at multivariate analysis. No episodes of overwhelming post-splenectomy infection or secondary splenectomy were recorded after a median follow-up of 9 and 11 months in WDP and KDP groups, respectively.Conclusions Splenic ischemia appeared in one half of patients undergoing SP-DP with splenic vessels removal at early imaging, and partial splenic atrophy in 30% at late imaging, without clinical impact neither complete splenic atrophy. Charlson Comorbidity Index and postoperative day 6 platelets levels could help to predict the occurrence of splenic atrophy.
Trust in Health Services After Covid-19: Believing to Trust, Knowing to Believe
Authors: KURŞUN Arzu
Published: April 2023

Aim This research aims to measure the multidimensional trust and health perception of individuals in health services through health literacy under the conditions of COVID-19.Method This research was a relational, descriptive and cross-sectional study. Also, SPSS 22.0 package program, R 4.2.2 package program and Rstudio were used for the statistical analysis of the study.Results 71.5% of the participants are female and 28.5% are male. 5.4% are married, 94.6% are single. The effect of health perception on multidimensional trust in health services was significant (B = .261 ± 0.031; β = 0.262; p = 0.000 < 0.05). Additionally, the effect of health literacy on multidimensional trust in health services was also significant (B = 0.072 ± 0.026; β = 0.083; p = 0.007 < 0.05). Finally, health literacy was found to have a significant effect on health perception (B = 0.192 ± 0.020; β = 0.272; p = 0.000 < 0.05).Conclusion Especially during the pandemic period, health literacy affected health perception and trust in health services. It showed a partial mediator variable feature on health literacy, health perception and multidimensional trust in health services.
The Impact of rapid urban growth on land use and land cover change and urban heat island: The case of Babuzai, Pakistan
Authors: Fahad Shah , Li Wei , Valjarević Aleksandar , Kavroudakis Dimitris , Sharifi Ayyoob
Published: April 2023

Land use and land cover (LULC) change is one of the consequences of rapid urbanization that has implications for the environment and climate change. This research aims to examine changes in LULC and the associated spatiotemporal impacts on the urban heat islands (UHI). For this purpose, we used Multi-temporal Landsat data and correlation analysis to track the LULC pattern and land surface temperature (LST) in the study area over the last 24 years. The study revealed that the built-up area and grass & agricultural land increased from 3.19% to 18.53% and 19.13 % to 26.81 %, respectively, from 1998 to 2022. The LULC change and anthropogenic causes influenced the spatial distribution of LST. LST increased by 0.37 ◦C per/year; areas with dense built-up areas had higher temperatures, while areas covered by vegetation cover, and forest land had lower temperatures. There is a strong correlation between LST and Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI), while a low correlation between LST and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). For the relationship between NDBI and LST and NDVI and LST scatterplots used, they had a value (R2) of 0.9939 in 1998 and 0.9583 in 2022 and 0.9872 in 1998 and 0.9835 in 2022, respectively. The study indicates that the development of UHI is influenced by urbanization and deforestation, which leads to an increase in LST. Urban planners and decision-makers can utilize the findings of this research to develop and implement sustainable land-use strategies and management practices for the city, which can have significant benefits.
Clinical features of severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome with hydrothorax
Authors: Wang Yang , Ma Xiaowei , Yang Rui , Yang Shuo , Li Jia , Pan Ningning , Li Rong
Published: April 2023

Research question: Does the presence of hydrothorax suggest that severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is associated with more severe conditions and worse pregnancy outcomes?Design: The clinical data for 868 hospital patients with severe OHSS following IVF-ET at Peking University Third Hospital between January 1, 2016, and July 21, 2021, were retrospectively analysed. The patients were divided into two groups: the ascites alone group (n = 417) and the ascites combined with hydrothorax group (n = 451) to investigate the clinical features and pregnancy outcomes of patients with severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) combined with hydrothorax plus ascites.Results The clinical data for 868 hospital patients with severe OHSS following IVF-ET were included. The patients were divided into two groups: the ascites alone group (n = 417) and the ascites combined with hydrothorax group (n = 451). 51.96% of patients with severe OHSS had hydrothorax plus ascites, mainly bilateral and moderate hydrothorax. Most cases with hydrothorax could be monitored and observed, and only 2.66% of the cases required thoracentesis and pleural drainage. Clinically, time to visit due to worsening symptoms was longer; hospital stay was shorter; and OHSS-related laboratory tests such as white blood cells (WBC), haematocrit (HCT), and ovarian diameter were less severe in the ascites combined with hydrothorax group than in the ascites alone group. For live-birth outcomes of IVF-ET, the presence and the volume of hydrothorax were not independent risk factors, while late onset of OHSS (odds ratio [OR]: 0.857 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.795, 0.925) and a history of foetal reduction (OR: 13.796 95% CI: 1.808, 105.288) were independent protective factors for live birth.Conclusion Patients with severe OHSS combined with hydrothorax plus ascites have less severe clinical manifestations and laboratory tests than those with ascites alone. The presence and the volume of hydrothorax are unrelated to live-birth outcomes following in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET).
WITHDRAWN: Fasting blood glucose level and all-cause mortality in peritoneal dialysis patients
Authors: Lim So Jin , Moon Ju Young , Jeong Kyung Hwan , Ko Gang-Jee , Choi Yun Jin , Hwang Hyeon Seok
Published: April 2023

Glycemic control is particularly important in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients with diabetes. Although fasting blood glucose (FBG) is the most commonly used index to measure blood glucose levels, there is currently no conclusive evidence to establish the target FBG level for PD patients. A total of 3,548 patients with diabetes who underwent PD between 2002 and 2018 were enrolled using data from the National Health Insurance Service database of Korea. We investigated the association between time-varying FBG levels and the risk of all-cause mortality. During an average follow-up period of 6.55 years, a total of 1,366 mortality events were identified. Patients with FBG levels 80–99 mg/dL exhibited the highest survival rates, while those with FBG levels ≥ 180 mg/dL had the lowest survival rates. Compared to patients with FBG levels of 80–99 mg/dL, the adjusted hazard ratios (HR) for all-cause mortality significantly increased with an elevation in FBG levels. Additionally, the HR for all-cause mortality was higher in patients with FBG levels < 80 mg/dL compared to those with FBG levels of 80–99 mg/dL. A J-shaped association was observed between FBG levels and the risk of all-cause mortality, which was the lowest at FBG 80–124 mg/dL in PD patients with diabetes.
Automated Document Orientation Correction Using Skew and Inversion Rectification with Hough Line Transformation and Machine Learning
Authors: Shafi Sadaf , Atif Amara , shafi Huzaib
Published: April 2023

Document deskewing is a fundamental problem in document image processing. While existing methods have limitations, such as Hough Line Transformation that can deskew images upside down, and Deep Learning models that require huge amounts of human labour and computational resources and still fail to deskew while taking care of orientation, OCR-based methods also struggle to read text when it is tilted. In this paper, we propose a novel, simple, cost-effective deep learning method for fixing the skew and orientation of documents. Our approach reduces the search space for the machine learning model to predict whether an image is upside down or not, avoiding the huge search space of predicting an angle between 0 and 360. We finetuned a MobileNetV2 model, which was pre-trained on imagenet, using only 1000 images and achieved good results. This method is useful for automation-based tasks, such as data extraction using OCR technology, and can greatly reduce manual labour.
A multi-year survey on aquatic avifauna consolidates the eligibility of a small significant peri-urban wetland in northeast Algeria to be included on the IBA network
Authors: Draidi Khalil , Djemadi Imed , Bakhouche Badis , Narsis Souad , Bouslama Zihad , Moussouni Abdenour , Tiar Ghoulem
Published: April 2023

To date, Algeria has twenty-two wetlands designated as Important Bird Areas (IBA). However, other wetlands are also eligible for this network but have not yet been classified due to a lack of comprehensive studies demonstrating their ornithological importance. In this study, we are interested in the Boussedra marsh, located on the Algerian coast in the far northeast. IBA categories A1 and A4i were found to be significant, confirming the international importance of this wetland for waterbirds. Five species inhabiting the site are listed as globally threatened on the IUCN red list, namely, Oxyura leucocephala (Endangered), Aythya nyroca (Near Threatened), Vanellus vanellus (Near Threatened), Aythya ferina (Vulnerable) and Marmaronetta angustirostris (Vulnerable). Interestingly, Oxyura leucocephala was recorded with more than 10% of the world's population. Overall, the avian community of Boussedra inventoried between September 2015 and August 2018, has reached a diversity of 42 species, i.e., one-third of the national aquatic avifauna, consisting mainly of surface ducks, Rallids, waders, gulls and raptors, making it one of the ten most diverse wetlands in the country. Although the monthly numbers of waterbirds in the marsh are low compared to the large Algerian sites (< 5000 individuals), they are still among the most important locally. Boussedra is a real wintering area, but it is also home to a diverse nesting population of 20 species, including four that are globally threatened according to the IUCN Red List, making it one of the most important nesting areas for waterbirds in Algeria.
Chinese Materia Medica preparation alleviates ocular surface inflammation after pterygium surgery
Authors: WANG Long-long , SONG Ruo-hui , HAN Zi-man , MENG Lei , ZHANG Li-sheng
Published: April 2023

AIM To investigate the effect of modified Chufeng Yisun Decoction on ocular surface inflammation after pterygium surgery.METHODS This prospective study included 60 patients with primary pterygium who underwent monocular surgery in the Ophthalmology Department of Bozhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine between January 2023 and March 2023 were included. The patients were randomly divided into study group and control group by computer RAND function, with 30 cases in each group. In the control group, 30 patients were treated with pranoprofen eye drops, tobramycin dexamethasone eye drops, and deproteinized calf blood extract eye gel after the surgery. In the study group, 30 patients were treated by oral modified Chufeng Yisun Decoction in addition to the treatments in the control group for 1 week. The changes of ocular irritation symptoms, ocular inflammatory signs, tear IL-6 level, and tear ferning test of patients in the two groups were assessed. SPSS 21 software was used for statistical analysis, and GraphPad Prism 9 software was used for plotting the graphs.RESULTS Compared with 1 d and 2 d after the surgery, the OISS in patients of both groups was significantly lower at 1 week after the surgery (P < 0.05). The OISS was not significantly different between 1 d and 2 d after the surgery in the control group (P > 0.05), but was significantly lower on 2 d after the surgery than 1 d after the surgery in the study group (P < 0.05). The OISS in the study group was significantly lower than in the control group at 2 d and 1 week after the surgery (P < 0.05). The OSI and tear IL-6 level were significantly lower at 1 week after the surgery than 1 d after the surgery in both groups (P < 0.05), and the OSI and tear IL-6 level were also significantly lower in the study group than in the control group at 1 week after the surgery (P < 0.05). The TFT was better in the study group than in the control group at 1 week after the surgery (P < 0.05).CONCLUSION The modified Chufeng Yisun Decoction has a better effect on improving the ocular surface inflammation after pterygium surgery than the use of anti-inflammatory eye drops only.
Efficacy of topical administration of prallethrin-permethrin-piperonyl butoxide (Bronco® Equine Fly Spray) for the treatment and control of flies and other nuisance insects of horses.
Authors: Genchi Marco , Kramer Laura , Valentini Gaia , Allevi Giulia , Ciuca Lavinia , Vismarra Alice
Published: April 2023

Numerous biting and nuisance insects are a noted cause of discomfort and stress to horses. Pyrethrins and pyrethroids have been used for many years in numerous formulations for the control of insect pests in animals, humans and in the environment. There are, however, few studies reporting their field efficacy in horses. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the repellent activity of a spray formulation based on prallethrin and permethrin synergized with piperonyl butoxide (BRONCO® Equine Fly Spray, Farnam Companies, Inc., USA) against annoying and harmful insects for horses in field conditions. Nine horses of mixed breed were divided into 2 groups (treatment and control). Pre-treatment insect counts were compared to daily counts for 4 days post-treatment (pt). One minute after the administration of the product (Day 0), all the horses were negative for the presence of insects. All counts up to the 6-hour pt check remained negative for H. equina, tabanid flies and Simulium spp., showing 100% efficacy. This remained above 90% throughout the study. For the H. equina the repellent efficacy remained > 99.7% for all 4 days pt, for tabanid flies > 93.3% and for Simulium spp. > 97.4%. The efficacy against Musca spp. decreased from 82.2% at Day 0 to 62.2% at Day 3. Treatment was well tolerated. In conclusion, despite the low number of tested horses, Bronco® has demonstrated high insecticide and repellent efficacy and a good persistence, maintained for up to 4 days post treatment, against the most common species of insects harmful for horses.
Magnetically oriented 3D-boron nitride nanobars enable highly efficient heat dissipation for 3D integrated power packaging
Authors: Wang Jian , Yang Chao , Ma Dezhi , Zhang Mowen , Li Xing , Li Zhiqiang , He Zhiyuan , Liu Linhua , Fu Zhiwei , Yang Jia-Yue
Published: April 2023

Increasing power density and miniaturization in 3D packaged power electronics demand innovative thermal management. Yet, the thermal performance of electrically insulated packages for power electronics is currently limited by the ultralow thermal conductivity of conventional thermal interface materials (TIMs) and their poor ability of directing heat to heat sink. Herein, we have prepared highly thermally conductive and electrically insulating TIMs composite based on boron nitride nanobars (BNNB). The polar characteristics of B-N bond in the BNNB outer tube wall-derived h-BN nanosheets facilitates the adsorption of magnetic particles. Modulating the arrangement of 3D-BNNB by an external magnetic field improves the thermal conductivity of composite up to 3.3 W m-1 K-1 at a concentration of 40 wt%, 17.8 times higher than the pure epoxy and also exhibiting significant anisotropy. Moreover, the composite shows a high stiffness of 510 MPa and a high resistivity of 27.2 MΩ·cm, demonstrating excellently mechanical and electrically insulating characteristics. Infrared thermography results show that the surface temperature of the composite depends on the orientation of BNNB and its interfacial interaction with the epoxy resin. The magnetic field-oriented modulation of 3D-BNNB can offer a promising solution to achieve the efficient thermal management of 3D integrated power packaging.
Bioinformatics Analysis Identifies Potential PANoptosis Key Gene in Psoriasis with Single-cell validation and screening of related natural drug
Authors: Zou Yue-Min , Wu Man-Ning , Jiang Ya-Nan , Zhou Dong-Mei
Published: April 2023

PANoptosis is a pivotal process in the pathway of cell death, which affects various cell types, including keratinocytes, and is linked to several autoimmune disorders. While apoptosis, necroptosis, and pyroptosis have been investigated in psoriasis, the precise involvement of PANoptosis in this condition remains largely unexplored. We gathered psoriasis-related data and PANoptosis-related genetic information from authoritative sources such as the GeneCards and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). In this particular study, we employed the reliable technique of robust rank aggregation to detect any notable alterations in gene expression (PEGs) between individuals with psoriasis and control subjects. Our approach involved the integration of six distinct gene expression datasets of PANoptosis. TCN1, S100A12, PRKCQ, and ABCC1 in four PRGs were subsequently identified as marker genes with tolerable diagnostic ability by LASSO and SVM-RFE. Following the analysis, it was revealed that the identified marker genes may potentially contribute to the cause of psoriasis by facilitating the regulation of various pathways, such as cell cycle, immune response, and several other pathways associated with this condition. In addition, the differentiated expressions of the marker gene in psoriasis and normal samples were confirmed by the validation set. And the enrichment of marker genes in keratin-forming cells was verified by single-cell validation. Ultimately, the validated genes were employed to prognosticate the efficacious pharmaceutical treatments for psoriasis by utilizing the DGIdb/CMap database. Herb database were used to find relevant natural agents. We have conceived a model that exhibits significant diagnostic efficacy and has yielded valuable insights for exploring the underlying mechanisms of psoriasis. However, additional research is necessary to verify its diagnostic potential for psoriasis before its implementation in clinical settings.
Correlation between lumbar vertebral compression fractures and lumbar spinal stenosis and the influence of surgical methods on prognosis
Authors: Zhu Yufeng , Gao Yu , Wang Haofan , Wang Zhuanghui , Ye Wu , Ge Xuhui , Wang Jiaxing , Ji Chengyue , Liu Wei , Tang Pengyu , Cai Weihua
Published: April 2023

Study Design: Retrospective Cohort StudyOBJECTIVE We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the correlation of lumbar compression fractures (LCF) and lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) ,and to explore the clinical outcomes of different surgical methods.METHODS A total of 134 eligible patients were divided into minor/moderate stenosis and severe/extreme stenosis groups .We counted the patients' age, sex, BMI, BMD, history of hypertension, diabetes, rheumatism and hormone used, symptom duration and history of trauma. The LLA, PI, lumbar spondylolisthesis, LSI(lumbar stenosis indexes) and fracture grades were calculated. The preoperative VAS, ODI and JOA scores of the patients were surveyed, and the clinical outcomes were followed up by telephone.RESULTS There is a clear correlation between the degree of LSS and the degree of fracture(r = 0.532,P < 0.0001). Severe/extreme stenosis groups was higher in BMI, proportion of trauma and lower extremity symptoms(P = 0.038, P = 0.023, P = 0.005) and lower PI(P < 0.001).There was no statistical difference in the improvement of VAS, ODI and JOA between different surgical methods (P = 0.093, P = 0.545, P = 0.576).Furthermore, for patients with preoperative lower extremity symptoms, the prognosis of decompression surgery is better than that of non-decompression surgery(improvement of VAS ,ODI ,JOA :P = 0.042, 0.032, 0.597,respective).CONCLUSIONS There is a clear correlation between LCF and LSS. For patients with severe LCF, it is necessary to perform relevant imaging examinations and pay attention to whether LSS is combined, especially for patients with trauma, obesity or low PI. If the patient has lower extremity symptoms, decompression surgery can be considered if the patient's general condition permits.
“Just another thing for me to stress off of:" Responses to Unintentional Fentanyl Use in a Community-based Study of People who Use Opioids
Authors: Lorvick Jennifer , Hemberg Jordana , George Madeleine , Piontak Joy , Comfort Megan
Published: April 2023

The unintentional consumption of fentanyl is a serious health risk for people who use illicit drugs. In an ongoing community-based study regarding polysubstance use among people who use opioids, we found that 17 of 58 (29%) of participants who did not endorse fentanyl use in the past thirty days tested positive for fentanyl during point-of-care urinalysis (UA). This paper describes the reactions and experiences of participants who were informed they had consumed fentanyl unintentionally, as well as how the research team handled the unanticipated occurrence of discordant results. Consistent with other recent studies, we found that people learning of unintentional fentanyl use expressed strong concerns about accidental overdose. It was common for participants to reflect on recent substance use experiences that were atypical and might have involved fentanyl, as well as to examine sources of recent drug purchases. While not all participants were surprised that they had unintentionally consumed fentanyl, all felt that learning their positive results was important due to risk of overdose. Research and medical staff who routinely conduct urinalysis have an opportunity to promote awareness of possible contamination by sharing and discussing UA test results with people who use drugs in non-judgmental manner. In addition to the widely promoted harm reduction strategy of testing drugs with fentanyl test strips, self-administered UA, particularly after an unexpected reaction to using a drug, could provide useful information for people buying and using illicit drugs.
A new formula for estimating insertion length of umbilical catheters in neonates: an observational study
Authors: Webb Jennifer , RN Sian Elliott , Watkins W. John , Stuttaford Laura , Banerjee Sujoy , Kayode-Adedeji Babatunde , FRCPCH Gautam Bagga , Sharma Neha , Chakraborty Mallinath
Published: April 2023

Objective
We aimed to derive a new model that would improve accuracy in estimating the insertion length of umbilical catheters.
Study Design
This was a multi-centre prospective observational study of neonates admitted to neonatal units and needing umbilical line(s) inserted for clinical reasons. Demographic data, catheter-related measurements and the new external length measurement were collected at three tertiary-level neonatal units in South Wales, UK. Generalised linear models were used to estimate fits of the external length, birthweight, gestation and head circumference with catheter length and to derive a formula. The best fit was estimated by comparing r2 values for each equation.
Results
Data from 113 infants for each venous and arterial line were analysed for the new mathematical formulae. For both UAC and UVC, a quadratic model based on birthweight was found to have the best fit for predicting the insertion length of the catheters, although the overall fit for UVCs was poorer for all explanatory variables.
Conclusion
Our prospective multi-centre observational study identified a quadratic model based on birthweight as the best fit for estimating the insertion length of umbilical lines in neonates.
Hydrogen generation from Red Sea water using CsSnI2 Cl lead-free perovskite/porous CuO nanomaterials: Coast of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Angari Yasser M Al , Ewais Hassan A , Rabia Mohamed
Published: April 2023

This study performed the preparation of inorganic CsSnI2Cl Lead-free perovskite material with a great optical behavior that qualifies these materials for photoelectrode application. CsSnI2Cl is prepared through the casting adding the perovskite solution on porous CuO that previously prepared under the combustion of Cu-foil. Through short heating, the CsSnI2Cl/CuO/Cu photoelectrode is prepared. This perovskite material is confirmed through the optical absorbance that has a great optical behavior with a band gap of 1.75 eV. The application of CsSnI2Cl/CuO/Cu for hydrogen generation is performed using red sea water as an electrolyte, in which the hydrogen generation rate is estimated using the produced current density (Jph) value. This Jph value is 20 mA/cm2 under a metal halide lamp. Moreover, this photoelectrode is estimated under various wavelengths, in which the optimum Jph (10.8 mA.cm-2) is achieved at 340 nm, in which the incident photon to electron conversion efficiency (IPCE) is 33 % at this wave lengths. This photoelectrode provides its qualified for hydrogen generation reaction under a wide optical range from 340 to 730 nm. Soon, our team is working on designing an electrochemical cell that can convert the red sea water into hydrogen gas directly.
Predictors of quality of life and mental health in breast cancer survivors in the Northern of Iran
Authors: Zolfaghary Fatemeh , MashaghiTabari Reza , Adib-Rad Hajar , Kheirkha Farzan , Bijani Ali , Dezhman Mobina
Published: April 2023

Background and purpose
The global incidence of breast cancer is the highest among all cancers and is the primary reason for cancer-related fatalities. Our study aimed to assess the predictors of quality of life (QOL) and mental health in breast cancer survivors in Northern Iran.
Methods
This cross-sectional study was done on 96 female breast cancer survivors between the ages of 20 and 65 and was based on convenience samples. We gathered information through demographic and fertility data, a QOL survey, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). A significance level of P < 0.05 was set for the analysis.
Results
Our results showed 11.5% of women had the optimal quality of life, 31.3% favorable quality of life, and 57.3% undesirable quality of life. The average HADS score was 20.14 ± 3.07, with anxiety scores of 10.21 ± 2.31 and depression scores of 9.93 ± 1.64. On multiple linear regression, marital relationship and the number of children were predictors of quality of life (β=-17.624, p = 0.023 and β=-7.427, p = 0.016, respectively), as well as the husband's education and having no history of other cancers in the woman, were the most important predictors of HADS (β = 0.763, p = 0.039 and β=-0.528, p = 0.016, respectively).
Conclusion
Based on the study outcomes, it is crucial to provide exceptional care to breast cancer patients during treatment and post-recovery. Emotional and psychological support is a fundamental requirement for their well-being.
A Comparative Analysis of Spine-Related Research Achievements between Authors in Neurology and Orthopedics: Differences in Productivity and Collaboration Patterns
Authors: Yeh Chao-Hung , Chou Willy , Chien Tsair-Wei , Chou Po-Hsin
Published: April 2023

Background Spinal surgeries are commonly performed by surgeons from the fields of neurology and orthopedics, and many articles related to the spine have been published by authors in both fields. However, there has been limited research that directly compares the research achievements(RAs) of these two groups of authors. This article conducted a comparative analysis of spine-related RAs between authors in neurology and orthopedics. This study examines differences in spine-related research productivity and impact between neurology and orthopedics authors using these measures, particularly with a novel clustering algorithm.Methods We gathered 2,148 articles written by authors in neurology and orthopedics from the Web of Science core collections, covering the period from 2013 to 2022. To analyze author collaborations(ACs), we employed the follower-leader algorithm (FLA) and conducted cluster analysis. A three-part analysis was carried out: (1) cluster analysis of ACs, (2) mean citation analysis, and (3) a CJAL score based on article category, journal impact factors, authorships, and L-indices. We then utilized R to create visual displays of our findings, including circle bar charts, heatmaps with dendrograms, 4-quadrant radar plots, and forest plots. The mean citations and CJAL scores were compared between authors in neurology and orthopedics.Results When considering first and corresponding authors, orthopedics authors wrote a greater proportion of the articles in the article collections, accounting for 75% (1,600 out of 2,148). The JCAL score based on the top 10 units each also favored orthopedics authors, with 71% (3,626 out of 6,139) of the total score attributed to them. Using the FLA, we observed that orthopedics authors tended to have more author collaborations across countries. Additionally, while citation per article favored orthopedics authors, the mean CJAL score favored neurology authors.Conclusion Authors in orthopedics have a higher number of publications, citations, and CJAL scores related to spine research than those in neurology. Authors in orthopedics tend to have more collaborations and coauthored papers in the field. The study highlights the differences in research productivity and collaboration patterns between the two fields in spine-related research and sheds light on potential contributing factors. The study recommends the use of FLA for future bibliographical studies.
Short-Course Antibiotic Therapy for Pneumonia in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Sanchez Pablo , Lewald Zachery , Prusakov Pavel , Magers Jacqueline , Kielt Matthew , Romero Concepcion de Alba , White Natalie , Miller Randy , Moraille Richard , Thiele Anthony
Published: April 2023

Objective. To determine the adherence and safety outcomes of a 5-day antibiotic course with a “time-out” for treatment of “blood culture-negative” pneumonia in the NICU
Study design. Prospective surveillance of all infants diagnosed with pneumonia at 7 NICUs from 8/2020-12/2021. Safety outcomes were defined a priori by re-initiation of antibiotic therapy within 14 days after discontinuation and overall and sepsis-related mortality.
Results. 128 infants were diagnosed with 136 episodes of pneumonia; 88% (n=119) were treated with 5 days of definitive antibiotic therapy. Antibiotics were restarted within 14 days in 22 (16%) of the 136 pneumonia episodes. Mortality was 5% (7/128); 5 of the 7 deaths were assessed as sepsis-related. There was no difference in the combined safety outcomes of antibiotic restart or mortality between ≤5 and 6-20 days of definitive antibiotic treatment.
Conclusion. Adherence to the 5-day definitive antibiotic treatment for “culture-negative” pneumonia was high and the intervention seemed safe.
To Analyse the Mechanical Performance of Concrete by Partially Substituting Plastic in Coarse Aggregate
Authors: Reddy B. Dileep Kumar , Anitha B. , Mohith P. , Madhavi K. , Naik D. Anil Kumar , Rahul E. , Eswar P.
Published: April 2023

A coin has two faces, and while concrete is without doubt the most beneficial material in the building business, it also has drawbacks. Concrete production uses raw ingredients that have detrimental environmental effects in one way or another. For example, the production of aggregates release dust into the environment, whereas the creation of cement produces carbon dioxide. The geology of the region where coarse aggregates are produced is also affected. A step in this direction is the use of waste materials in addition to or instead of cement. Many of these items, like rice husk and silica fume, are already in use. Plastic coarse aggregates are used in this study in place of natural coarse aggregates. Plastic garbage was only little processed to create plastic aggregates. The biggest environmental issue now is plastic, which is having an immediate. Due to certain of its characteristics, such as inert behaviour and resistance to deterioration, it can be employed in the construction business, according to some recent studies. Using left over plastic can also aid in the reduction of waste plastic. Several experiments were carried out to investigate the mechanical attributes of concrete using plastic coarse particles. Plastic coarse aggregates of varied plastic composition were used to produce concrete. Concrete was made using plastic coarse aggregates in various amounts of 0%, 2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5%, 10.0%, and 12.5%.
Retrospective Study of the Efficacy of Docetaxel/Carboplatin Combination Therapy as Postoperative Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Nonsquamous Cell Carcinoma of the Cervix
Authors: Koike Ryo , Yunokawa Mayu , Omatsu Kohei , Kurihara Nozomi , Nomura Hidetaka , Sekizawa Akihiko , Kanao Hiroyuki
Published: April 2023

Objective Optimal adjuvant chemotherapy for nonsquamous cervical carcinoma has not yet been established. This study investigated the efficacy and safety of docetaxel/carboplatin (DC) for early stage nonsquamous cell cervical carcinoma after radical hysterectomy (RH).Methods We evaluated 157 patients with stage IB-IIB nonsquamous cervical carcinoma with intermediate risk and high risk treated at our institution with DC after type II or III RH from 2007 to 2021. Patients received docetaxel (60–70 mg/m2) and carboplatin (area under the curve 5–6) every 3 weeks for six cycles. The primary endpoint was 2-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) and the secondary endpoint was adverse events (AEs).Results There were 106 intermediate-risk and 51 high-risk patients. The high-risk patients included 11 with positive parametrial involvement, 20 with pelvic lymph node metastases, and 20 with both parametrial involvement and pelvic lymph node metastases. The 2-year RFS rates for intermediate- risk, high-risk, and positive pelvic lymph nodes were 94.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 87.9–97.8), 80.1% (95% CI, 64.1–89.5), and 74.5% (95% CI, 55.4–86.4), respectively. Sixteen patients had recurrence, including local recurrence (n = 6), distant metastasis (n = 9), and local and distant metastasis (n = 1). Hematologic toxicity was the most frequent AE, especially leukopenia and neutropenia. Nausea and constipation were the most frequent nonhematologic toxicities.Conclusion DC therapy at our institution showed good 2-year RFS, and postoperative adjuvant therapy with DC therapy is suggested as a useful strategy for patients with nonsquamous cervical carcinoma.
Effect of different structure of Cu/Mn catalysts on ozone decomposition ability
Authors: Li Hao , Li Yunhe , Liu Mengyu , Wang Penghui , Zhao Baogang , Sun Tianjun
Published: April 2023

A simple co-precipitation method was utilized to synthesize Cu/Mn catalysts with different physiochemical properties for high humidity ozone decomposition. The catalysts were then tested for their activity and stability in decomposing ozone, and their physical and chemical properties were analyzed through various characterization techniques. Furthermore, the characterization after stability testing provided insights into the internal mechanism of the ozone reaction process. The Cu/Mn-NN catalyst demonstrated excellent ozone decomposition activity in the temperature of 25–100°C, maintaining the conversion above 91% for continuous ozone decomposition for 12 hours at room temperature, the relative humidity (RH) of 85%, and the weight space velocity of 300 L·g− 1·h− 1. Characterization revealed that the Cu/Mn-NN catalyst, exhibited the larger specific surface area, better reducibility and oxygen storage capacity, richer surface functional groups and oxygen vacancies. Additionally, characterization after the stability test confirmed the accumulation of oxygen intermediate species on the catalyst surface. The findings also suggested that the catalytic environment created by nitrate precursors played a vital role in preventing catalyst particle aggregation, facilitating electron transfer within the catalyst, ensuring uninterrupted migration of lattice oxygen, and timely regeneration of oxygen vacancies.
Human Risk Exposure Assessment Of Endocrine-Disrupting Heavy Metals Found In Microplastics and Microrubbers: Case Study-Ahvaz Metropolitan, Iran
Authors: Soltani ZHaleh Mahdavi , Cheraghi Mahboobeh , Jaafarzadeh Neematollah , Tavakkoli Haman
Published: April 2023

This study's objective is to investigate the type, concentration, and spectrometry analysis of six endocrine-disrupting heavy metals (based on World Health Organization/International Program on Chemical Safety (WHO/IPCS) proposal and list from 2002) detected on the surface of microplastics and microrubbers in the soils of municipal solid waste landfills in the Ahvaz metropolitan area. This study also seeks to evaluate the Human health risk posed by such pollutants. Ten sampling stations and two control stations were chosen using the systematic grid sampling method in both locations. Microplastics and microrubbers particles were recovered from samples utilizing density difference and flotation procedures Next, the samples were analyzed with a stereomicroscope, polarized light microscopy, and Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). Metals were also analyzed using various coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The existence of endocrine-disrupting heavy metals on the particles' surface was confirmed. According to the results of the noncarcinogenic risk assessment (HQ) of several exposure pathways to particles and pollutant compounds carrying them, the ingestion pathway posed a greater risk of exposure to children than other pathways. In addition, the noncarcinogenic risks of the majority of compounds examined do not exceed the permissible limit (HI ≤ 1), and there is no noncarcinogenic risk associated with the cumulative effects of these elements on humans.
Thyroid disease diagnosis based on feature interpolation and dynamic weighting ensemble model
Authors: Xie Yufei , Yu Weiwei , Song Shasha , Wang Wenlin , Gao Wenke , Jia Ying , Wen Shaotai , Wang Chongyang , Wang Sen
Published: April 2023

Medical diagnosis is the basis for modern medical treatment planning, rapid and accurate testing is responsible for patients’ lives and health. Thanks to increasingly sophisticated large-scale data collection techniques, the advantages of big data and artificial intelligence technologies for data analysis are gradually coming to the fore. However, medical data mostly have missing items and non-human biases, and common algorithms often show instability in learning data distribution patterns. In this paper, a feature interpolation algorithm based on feature importance is proposed for thyroid disease classification dataset, and a dynamic assignment integration model is designed to further optimize the weight assignment of the integration model in terms of distance and accuracy, which improves the accuracy and smoothness of the model. The classification accuracy reaches 94.75%, which is 2.45% higher than the original model, and the index AUC is almost the same as the original model. The generalization learning performance is poor because the deep learning algorithm lacks the support of a priori knowledge in learning data features. In this paper, the convolutional model is introduced to the sequence data prediction and propose a feature-enhanced small network EdcNet, and combine it with the feature interpolation algorithm to explore the role and effect of lightweight convolution in sequence analysis, and the final classification accuracy and AUC reach 95.6% and 99.1%, respectively.
Determination of the initial abstraction ratio and curve number of the upper catchment area of the Sawaga river watershed, Bukidnon
Authors: Perodes Jemima , Fornis Ricardo
Published: April 2023

The Curve Number (CN) method has been widely used for estimating runoff from rainfall. However, some uncertainties in the method have been recognized by various researchers all over the world. One of which is the NRCS-assumed initial abstraction ratio (Ia/S) of 0.20. In this study, the Ia/S and the CN for the upper catchment area of the local watershed of the Sawaga river in Bukidnon were determined using rainfall-runoff event analysis of rainfall events with a total precipitation depth ranging from 21.50 mm to 57.90 mm. The event Ia/S values ranged from 0.0019 to 0.4603. The representative values of Ia/S and CN are 0.03 and 62.3, respectively. Evaluating the performance of both the original NRCS and the locally derived values through their direct runoff prediction, the standard error, coefficient of determination, and Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency indicated that both are good and have predicted the direct runoff satisfactorily. However, these indicators showed that the locally derived values gained higher accuracy in general. The percentage of mean bias displayed the most significant difference between the two, classifying the original NRCS-CN values as unsatisfactory while the locally adapted values as very good. These findings suggest that the CN method with certain adjustments on Ia/S and CN values is appropriate for the direct runoff estimation in the upper catchment area of the Sawaga river, Bukidnon.
Optimal bounds for complete elliptic integral of the second kind from means
Authors: Shi Yong-Guo , Li Na
Published: April 2023

We give the new double inequalities for the quasi-arithmetic mean and Seiffert-like mean. As applications, two new optimal bounds are presented for the complete elliptic integral of the second kind. And numerical comparisons illustrate that some bounds of our results are better than before.
AMS(2020) subject Classification: 26E60, 33C75, 26D20.
On-line Evolutionary Identification Technology for Milling Chatter of Thin Walled Parts Based on the Incremental-Sparse K-Means and the Online Sequential Extreme Learning Machine
Authors: Wang Zhixue , Yue Caixu , Liu Xianli , Li Maoyue , Meng Boyang , Yong Liying
Published: April 2023

In the milling process of thin-walled parts, chatter is very easy to occur, which has a very adverse impact on the surface quality and machining efficiency of the workpiece. In order to solve the problem of low accuracy of milling state identification caused by few initial samples and dynamic changes in the milling process, a hybrid online evolutionary chatter identification model combining unsupervised learning and supervised learning is proposed. First of all, aiming at the problem that traditional K-Means algorithm is difficult to adapt to online dynamic clustering of milling chatter, an online Incremental-Sparse K-Means algorithm (ISK-Means) was proposed, and the dynamic incremental-sparse strategy of K-Means was designed. Secondly, aiming at the problem that the Online Sequential Extreme Learning Machine (OS-ELM) algorithm directly adds its predicted samples to the training sample set during the incremental learning process, and the pseudo-samples in the training sample set would lead to the degradation of the OS-ELM model, a hybrid online evolutionary chatter identification model combining the ISK-Means and the OS-ELM was proposed, and the online identification and evolution strategy was designed.Finally, the experimental results show that the ISK-Means algorithm can greatly improve the clustering efficiency and is suitable for milling chatter online dynamic clustering. Meanwhile, compared with the existing model, the recognition accuracy of the hybrid online evolutionary chatter recognition model combined with ISK-Means algorithm and OS-ELM algorithm is improved by 1.31%. This is of great significance for the online control of subsequent chatter.