bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and laboratory findings of 1,590 human brucellosis cases in Ningxia, China
Authors: Liu Bofei , Liu Guangtian , Ma Xueping , Wang Fang , Zhang Ruiqing , Zhou Pan , Liu Zhiguo , Li Zhenjun , Jiang Xuefeng
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Epidemiological and clinical analyses of brucellosis are vital for public health leaders to reinforce disease surveillance and case management strategies.

Methods

In this study, we aimed to analyse the epidemiology and clinical features of 1,590 cases of human brucellosis.

Results

Approximately 72.08% (1,146) of the patients were male and 27.92% (444) were female. At least 88.18% (1,402/1,590) of the patients had a history of contact with sheep/goats and cattle, which was identified as the main risk factor for infection. The most common age group affected was 30–69 years, comprising 83.90% of all cases, with a median age of 47.3 years. Meanwhile, 75.03% (1,193/1,590) of the patients were farmers, followed by workers (10.50%, 167/1,590). The spectrum of clinical manifestations varied, and the major symptoms were fatigue (42.96%), joint pain (37.30%), and fever (23.33%). Arthritis was diagnosed in 989 patients, spondylitis was diagnosed in 469 patients, and external genital complications were found in at least 53.96% (858/1,590) of patients. In addition, approximately 41.25% (625/1,515) and 24.53% (390/1,590) of cases exhibited elevated CRP and D-dimer levels, respectively. Conversely, a significant decrease was observed in fibrinogen, total protein, and albumin levels, affecting 48.36% (769/1,590), 77.30% (1,226/1,586), and 91.80% (1,456/1,586) of the patients, respectively. These data demonstrate that brucellosis is a severe wasting disease that leads to an imbalance in nutritional metabolism and a decline in immunity. In total, 86.73% (1,379/1,590) of patients showed improvement with antibiotic therapy, while 13.27% (211/1,590) of patients experienced relapses or treatment failure.

Conclusion

Brucellosis often presents with non-specific symptoms and laboratory findings, accompanied by multiple organ invasions, as well as being a vital challenge for diagnosis and treatment; thus, it is essential for a high degree of suspicion to be placed on brucellosis for a timely diagnosis and treatment. This study provides basic data and resources for developing tailored countermeasures to curb its further spread.
Exploring epigenetic drift and rare epivariations in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis by epigenome-wide association study
Authors: Brusati Alberto , Peverelli Silvia , Calzari Luciano , Tiloca Cinzia , Casiraghi Valeria , Sorce Marta Nice , Invernizzi Sabrina , Carbone Erika , Cavagnola Rebecca , Verde Federico , Silani Vincenzo , Ticozzi Nicola , Ratti Antonia , Gentilini Davide
Published: November 2023

During the last decades, our knowledge about the genetic architecture of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (sALS) has significantly increased. However, besides the recognized genetic risk factors, also the environment is supposed to have a role in disease pathogenesis. Epigenetic modifications reflect the results of the interaction between environmental factors and genes and may play a role in the development and progression of ALS. A recent epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) in blood identified differentially methylated positions mapping to 42 genes involved in cholesterol biosynthesis and immune-related pathways. Here we performed a genome-wide DNA methylation analysis in the blood of an Italian cohort of 61 sALS patients and 61 healthy controls. Initially, a conventional genome-wide association analysis was performed, and results were subsequently integrated with the findings from the previous EWAS using a meta-analytical approach. To delve deeper into the significant outcomes, over-representation analysis (ORA) was employed. Moreover, the epigenetic signature obtained from the meta-analysis was examined to determine potential associations with chemical compounds, utilizing the Toxicogenomic Database. Expanding the scope of the epigenetic analysis, we explored both epigenetic drift and rare epivariations. Notably, we observed an elevated epigenetic drift in sALS patients compared to controls, both at a global and single gene level. Interestingly, epigenetic drift at a single gene level revealed an enrichment of genes related to the neurotrophin signaling pathway. Moreover, for the first time, we identified rare epivariations exclusively enriched in sALS cases associated with 153 genes, 88 of whom with a strong expression in cerebral areas. Overall, our study reinforces the evidence that epigenetics may contribute to the pathogenesis of ALS and that epigenetic drift may be a useful diagnostic marker. Moreover, this study suggests the potential role of epivariations in ALS.
Acute effects of (–)-gallocatechin gallate-rich green tea extract on the cerebral hemodynamic response of the prefrontal cortex in healthy humans
Authors: Cha Jihyun , Kim Hyung-Su , Kwon Gusang , Cho Si-Young , Kim Jae-Myoung
Published: November 2023

Objective

The benefits of long-term consumption of green tea on the brain are well known. However, among many ingredients of green tea, the acute effects of (–)-gallocatechin gallate-rich green tea extract (GCG-GTE), have received comparatively less attention. Herein, we investigated the acute effects of oral ingestion of green tea with GCG-GTE, which contains close replicas of the ingredients of hot green tea, on task-dependent hemodynamics in the prefrontal cortex of healthy adult human brains.

Methods

In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group trial, 35 healthy adults completed computerized cognitive tasks that demand activation of the prefrontal cortex at baseline and 1 h after consumption of placebo and 900 mg of GCG-GTE extract supplement. During cognitive testing, hemodynamic responses (change in HbO2 concentration) in the prefrontal cortex were assessed using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).

Results

In fNIRS data, significant group x session interactions were found in the left (p = 0.035) and right (p = 0.036) dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). In behavioral data, despite the numerical increase in the GCG-GTE group and the numerical decrease in the Placebo group, no significant differences were observed in the cognitive performance measure between the groups.

Conclusion

The result suggests a single dose of orally administered GCG-GTE can reduce DLPFC activation in healthy humans even with increased task demand. GCG-GTE is a promising functional material that can affect neural efficiency to lower mental workload during cognitively demanding tasks. However, further studies are needed to verify this.
Overcoming the clinical challenges of traditional ayahuasca: a first-in-human trial exploring novel routes of administration of N,N-Dimethyltryptamine and harmine
Authors: Dornbierer Dario A. , Marten Laurenz , Mueller Jovin , Aicher Helena D. , Mueller Michael J. , Boxler Martina , Kometer Michael , Kosanic Davor , von Rotz Robin , Puchkov Maxim , Kraemer Thomas , Landolt Hans-Peter , Seifritz Erich , Scheidegger Milan
Published: November 2023

Recently, the Amazonian plant medicine “ayahuasca”—containing the psychedelic compound N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and numerous β-carboline alkaloids, such as harmine—has been suggested to exhibit beneficial effects in patients with affective and other mental health disorders. Although ayahuasca ingestion is considered safe, its pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics and tolerability profile pose some challenges and may limit the clinical applicability in vulnerable patient populations. While overdosing and the admixture of intolerable plant constituents may explain some of the common adverse reactions, the peroral route of administration may represent another relevant source of gastro-intestinal intolerabilities and unpredictable pharmacokinetics across users. To overcome these challenges, the present work aimed at creating ayahuasca-analogue formulations with improved pharmacokinetics and tolerability profiles. To this end, we developed peroral formulas and compared them with parenteral formulas specifically designed to circumvent the gastro-intestinal tract. In more detail, peroral administration of a capsule (containing purified DMT and harmine) was tested against a combined administration of an oromucosal harmine tablet and an intranasal DMT spray at two dose levels in an open-label within-subject study in 10 healthy male subjects. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles were assessed by means of continuous blood sampling, vital sign monitoring, and psychometric assessments. Common side effects induced by traditional herbal ayahuasca such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea were significantly attenuated by our DMT/harmine formulations. While all preparations were well tolerated, the combined buccal/intranasal administration of harmine and DMT yielded substantially improved pharmacokinetic profiles, indicated by significantly reduced variations in systemic exposure. In conclusion, the combined buccal/intranasal administration of harmine and DMT is an innovative approach that may pave the way towards a safe, rapid-acting, and patient-oriented administration of DMT/harmine for the treatment of affective disorders.

Clinical Trial Registration:clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT04716335
Inference to the best action and its basis in clinical expertise
Authors: Fedyk Mark , Draughon Moret Jessica , Sawyer Nicolas T.
Published: November 2023

Can contemporary cognitive science explain clinical expertise? We argue that the answer could be “no.” In support of this, we provide an analysis of two of the most essential expressions of clinical expertise in nursing and medicine, the ability to run a code blue and the ability to diagnose congestive heart failure. We show how it makes sense to treat both as examples of what we call inference to the best action, and we then argue that two of the standard explanatory paradigms of cognitive science — the Humean and Bayesian paradigms — are unable to provide a plausible analysis of inference to the best action.
The relationship between childhood maltreatment and social anxiety among Chinese male individuals with drug use disorders: a moderated mediation model of fear of negative evaluation and self-construals
Authors: Liu Yang , Zhang Hao , Miao Hualing , Zhang Jia , Guo Cheng
Published: November 2023

Background

Social anxiety (SA) is prevalent among individuals with drug use disorders, playing a significant role in the etiology and maintenance of drug addiction. The etiological model of SA suggests a link between the development of SA and childhood maltreatment. Childhood maltreatment not only acts as a complex trauma with negative effects on individuals’ selves and other cognitions but also exerts a negative influence through early negative parent–child interactions on individuals’ internal working models, leading to the development of fear of negative evaluation and SA. Furthermore, self-construals, as a personality trait that emerges from the framework of the theory of sociocultural models, may exert a moderating effect on these mechanisms. The present study utilized a moderated mediation model to examine how childhood maltreatment relates to SA in individuals with drug addiction, aiming to provide support for a comprehensive understanding and effective resolution of SA in this group.

Methods

A total of 618 Chinese male individuals with drug addiction (M = 34.13, SD = 8.76) participated, and they completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire Short Form, the Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale, the Self-Consciousness Scale’s Social Anxiety Subscale, and the Self-Construal Scale. SPSS PROCESS Macro was used to analyze the data.

Result

Correlation analysis revealed weak correlations among all variables but strong correlations between the SCS subscales. Mediation analyses revealed that fear of negative evaluation partially mediated the association between childhood maltreatment and SA. Moderated mediation analyses revealed that the link between fear of negative evaluation and SA was moderated by independent self-construal. The association was stronger among those with high independent self-construal than among those with low independent self-construal. An integrative moderated mediation analysis indicated that independent self-construal positively moderated the indirect association between childhood maltreatment and SA via fear of negative evaluation. However, interdependent self-construal did not show a moderated effect.

Conclusion

Fear of negative evaluation plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and SA, while independent self-construal enhances the association between fear of negative evaluation and SA. Decreasing the fear of negative evaluation and intervening in self-construals may attenuate the association between childhood maltreatment and SA among Chinese male individuals with drug addiction.
Free-recall retrieval practice tasks for students with ADHD: whole-text versus section recall
Authors: Stern Pnina , Halamish Vered
Published: November 2023

Introduction

The present study examined the relative effectiveness of two free-recall-based retrieval practice methods for text learning among students with ADHD.

Method

Participants with and without ADHD read texts and practiced them by freely recalling the information either after reading each section or after reading the whole text. Two days later, participants completed a free-recall criterion test on the texts.

Results

The results suggested that although more idea units were recalled during practice in the section recall condition than in the whole-text recall condition, the whole-text recall condition outperformed the section recall condition on the criterion test in terms of the proportion of idea units recalled, although neither retrieval practice conditions outperformed restudying. These findings were obtained for both groups. Exploratory analyses further demonstrated a benefit of the whole-text over section recall also in terms of the order in which idea unites were recalled and suggested that the recall of ADHD participants was less well ordered compared with participants without ADHD.

Discussion

Based on these findings, when using retrieval practice, whole-text free-recall can be recommended for students with ADHD, along with implementing strategies to enhance the mental organization of the studied materials.
Occupational outcomes of people with multiple sclerosis during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review with meta-analysis
Authors: Vitturi Bruno Kusznir , Rahmani Alborz , Montecucco Alfredo , Dini Guglielmo , Durando Paolo
Published: November 2023

Background

People with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS) are vulnerable to unfavorable occupational outcomes and the COVID-19 pandemic brought major consequences on people’s professional lives. In this view, we decided to investigate the occupational outcomes of PwMS during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

We performed a systematic review with meta-analysis searching key terms in four databases. We initially included any peer-reviewed original article that enrolled adult patients with the diagnosis of MS and assessed any occupational variable during the COVID-19 pandemic. There were no time limits and no language restrictions. The primary outcomes were the prevalence of unemployment, retirement and employment status change among people with MS during the COVID-19 pandemic. Other outcomes included the modality and characteristics of work: type of work, full-time work, part-time work and remote work. We also searched for data from studies that addressed any change in the work status due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Results

We identified 49 eligible articles comprising a total sample size of 17,364 individuals with MS. The pooled prevalence of unemployment and retirement was 0.47 (95% CI = 0.42–0.53). The pooled prevalence of PwMS who were unemployed or retired was positively associated with the progressive phenotype of the disease (p = 0.017) and the use of glatiramer acetate (p = 0.004), but negatively associated with hospitalization due to COVID-19 (p = 0.008) and the use of immunosuppressants (p = 0.032), siponimod (p < 0.001), and cladribine (p = 0.021). The pooled proportion of PwMS that reported any change of the employment status during the COVID-19 pandemic was 0.43 (95% CI = 0.36–0.50) while the pooled prevalence of PwMS who worked remotely during this period was 0.37 (95% CI = 0.15–0.58). The change in employment status was negatively associated with the duration of MS (p = 0.03) but positively associated with the progressive phenotype of the disease (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Our seminal review may serve as an example of how patients with neurological diseases or disabilities in general may have their jobs impacted in a pandemic and foster the context of global socio-economic crisis.
Characteristics of common pathogens of urogenital tract among outpatients in Shanghai, China from 2016 to 2021
Authors: Wang Su , Ding Li , Liu Yixin , Sun Zhaoyang , Jiang Wenrong , Miao Yingxin , Wang Shiwen , Meng Jun , Zhao Hu
Published: November 2023

Background

Ureaplasma urealyticum, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae are the prevalent causes of several genital diseases worldwide; however, their characteristics in different genders have not been well documented in Shanghai. The aim of this study is to describe the prevalence of common pathogens among outpatients, considering variations by gender and age.

Methods

From January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2021, the urogenital swabs of 16216 outpatients aged 3–95 years from two general hospitals in Shanghai were collected. All participants' swabs were investigated for U. urealyticum, C. trachomatis, and N. gonorrhoeae by isothermal RNA-based simultaneous amplification and testing. The basic information of all participants was also recorded, including age and gender. The chi-square test was used to compare the prevalence between different genders, age groups, and infection patterns.

Results

There were 5,744 patients (35.42%) with positive samples whose ages ranged from 7 to 80 years (33.23 ± 8.63 years), and 62.14% of them were women. The most common pathogen detected was U. urealyticum (85.08%). The highest prevalence rate of all three pathogens was found in patients aged ≤ 20 years (40.53%, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 33.80%-47.63%). The prevalent rate of U. urealyticum was higher in men (33.36%, 95% CI: 32.19%-34.55%). The overall prevalence rates of U. urealyticum, C. trachomatis, and N. gonorrhoeae were 30.14% (95% CI: 29.44%-30.85%), 6.00% (95% CI: 5.64%-6.38%), and 2.10% (95% CI: 1.89%-2.33%).

Conclusions

Ureaplasma urealyticum was the most prevalent pathogen in the population, and its prevalence decreased with age. Young men aged ≤ 20 years were more frequently infected. Regular screening for sexually transmitted pathogens in different genders and age groups are warranted, particularly in young men.
Socioeconomic and demographic factors predictive of missed appointments in outpatient radiation oncology: an evaluation of access
Authors: Chen Allen M.
Published: November 2023

Purpose

While missed patient appointments reduce clinic efficiency and limit effective resource allocation, factors predictive of “no shows” are poorly understood in radiation oncology.

Methods and materials

A prospective data registry of consecutive patients referred for initial consultation from October 2,018 to April 2022 was reviewed. Demographic characteristics recorded included age, gender, race, language preference, living situation, and insurance status. Zip code data linked to a patient’s residential address was used to determine socioeconomic status (SES) based on publicly available data on median household income. No show encounters were defined as all encounters where the patient failed to cancel their visit and did not sign-in to their scheduled appointment. Descriptive statistics were presented to identify factors predictive of missed appointments.

Results

A total of 9,241 consecutive patients were referred and logged into the database during the 4-year period, of which 5,755 were successfully scheduled and registered. A total of 523 patients (9%) failed to show for their appointments. Missed appointments were associated with low-income status, homeless living situation, and Black or Latino race (p < 0.05, for all). The proportion of White, Latino, Asian, and Black patients who missed appointments was 6%, 14%, 9%, and 12%, respectively (p < 0.001). Patient characteristics independently associated with higher odds of appointment non-adherence included low-income status ((OR) = 2.90, 95% CI (1.44–5.89) and Black or Latino race [(OR) = 3.31, 95% CI: 1.22–7.65].

Conclusions

Our results highlight the influence of demographic, financial, and racial disparities on proper health care utilization among patients with cancer. Future interventions aimed at reducing appointment no shows could channel resources to the at risk-populations identified in this analysis, improving access to care, and optimize clinic efficiency.
Connecting micro- and macroscopic variables in the design of a granular stirrer using simulations
Authors: Arévalo Roberto
Published: November 2023

Predicting the mixing or segregation of granular of dense materials is difficult due to their athermal nature and lack of general theories. The goal of this research is to improve the design (diameter of the cylinder) and operation (rotational frequency of the screw conveyor) of the stirrer to attain good mixing. We characterize the mixing by some macroscopic measures and relate its behavior with the design parameters. Afterward, we compute some microscopic measurements that characterize the movement of the spheres and relate them with the operating conditions. The quality of mixing is found to depend on the rotation frequency of the screw conveyor and the gap between the latter and the enclosing cylinder. Besides, some relationships between micro- and macroscopic measures are drawn. This approach can provide guidance on the design or operation of devices to handle granular media when their microscopic behavior is previously known.
Can universities catalyze social innovation to support their own rapid decarbonization? Assessment of community and governance readiness at the University of California
Authors: Rebich-Hespanha Stacy , Bales Roger C.
Published: November 2023

Universities aspire to lead on sustainable energy transitions, yet progress toward reducing their own emissions has been challenging. We assessed barriers and opportunities for engagement of University of California (UC) campus communities in stimulating more deliberate and rapid campus energy transformation, and our findings highlight the complexity of the socio-technical and governance systems that limit potential for transformative change for decarbonization. Through surveys, interviews, focus groups, and content analysis, we found strong interest among students, faculty, and staff in advancing decarbonization. We found a preference for local and on-campus solutions such as energy efficiency, behavioral change, renewable-energy production, and electrification, and much less support for market offsets and non-local investments. We also found that students and faculty had limited knowledge and sense of agency regarding campus-based decarbonization programs and options, which is consistent with the limited availability of data and information about these programs beyond the few who are directly involved. Weaving our findings with insights from social-innovation theory, we propose an action research agenda that conceives of university operations and governance systems as loci for socio-technical energy transition experiments. In alignment with higher education's long-standing commitments to catalyzing social innovation, opening university energy operations and governance to inclusive, community-led collaborative experimentation has strong potential to create the conditions necessary to produce the social innovation so desperately needed for energy system transformation within universities and beyond.
Quality and bioactive compound accumulation in two holy basil cultivars as affected by microwave-assisted hot air drying at an industrial scale
Authors: Wiset Lamul , Poomsa-ad Nattapol , Jindamol Hathairut , Thongtip Akira , Mosaleeyanon Kriengkrai , Toojinda Theerayut , Darwell Clive Terence , Saputro Triono Bagus , Chutimanukul Panita
Published: November 2023

Holy basil (Ocimum Tenuiflorum L.) contains several bioactive compounds useful to the pharmaceutical and food industries. Microwave drying (MD) is a powerful technique for rapid drying of food or plant materials while preserving bioactive compounds during the process. However, little is known about the optimal combination of MD power with hot air drying (HAD) that can preserve the quality and yet only consume reasonable energy when drying holy basils. For that purpose, the effects of drying methods using MD combined with HAD at 45°C were examined to prevent losses in quality, antioxidant activities, and volatile flavor compounds in two holy basil cultivars (green and red cultivars). Holy basil leaves were dried at different MD powers of 200, 400, and 600 W combined with HAD and compared with a traditional tray drying (TD) at 45°C. Drying using MD at 600 W with HAD displayed significantly high levels of color retention, chlorophyll, and carotenoid content in both cultivars. The green cultivar showed a greater accumulation of total phenolic compounds (TPC), terpenoids, and DPPH free radical scavenging at 400 W with HAD. However, the red cultivar had the highest TPC, flavonoid, and terpenoid content at 600 W with HAD. The accumulation of major volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was also affected, and treatment at 600 W exhibited the highest methyl eugenol and β-caryophyllene content in both cultivars. The use of the highest power of MD (600 W) with HAD for leaf drying reduced the effective drying time and energy consumption among both cultivars. Taking into consideration the dried quality of antioxidant accumulation and energy consumed for drying, we recommend using MD at 400 or 600 W with HAD for the green cultivar and 600 W for the red.
Case report: Scapulohumeral arthrodesis in a reindeer
Authors: Hankins Kimery L. , Reed Shannon K. , Ida Keila K. , Watkins Jeffrey P. , White Sarah A.
Published: November 2023

This case report describes the anesthetic, surgical, and postoperative management of scapulohumeral arthrodesis in a juvenile reindeer with severe lameness due to a chronic proximal humeral fracture and scapulohumeral luxation. The reindeer was managed with prolonged stall confinement and physical therapy and 9 months postoperatively was walking and bearing weight equally when standing. This case demonstrates that comparative techniques from other veterinary species coupled with considerations for reindeer anesthesia can be successful in restoring functional soundness after scapulohumeral arthrodesis.
Pathogenicity and immune modulation of porcine circovirus 3
Authors: Chen Dengjin , Zhang Lei , Xu Shengkui
Published: November 2023

Porcine circoviruses (PCVs) are members of the genus Circovirus of the family Circoviridae, and four species of PCVs have been discovered and named PCV1–PCV4, respectively. With the first report of PCV3 in America in 2016, the pathogenic variant was found to be associated with various clinical features, called porcine circovirus associated disease (PCVAD), including multisystemic inflammation, porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome (PDNS), reproductive disorders, respiratory or digestive disorders. Increasing experimental data have shown that PCV3 is widespread around the world, but the failure of virus isolation and propagation has put obstacles in the way of PCV3 research. Moreover, a large number of reports demonstrate that PCV3 usually co-infects with other pathogens in pigs. Thus, whether PCV3 alone causes clinical manifestations needs to be fully discussed. In addition, the host cell immune response was activated during PCV3 infection, and PCV3-encoded proteins may regulate immune responses to facilitate its replication. An in-depth understanding of PCV3 pathogenesis and immune regulation strategies is critical for PCVAD prevention. In this review, the advances in pathogenicity and innate immune modulation of PCV3 were summarized, which could deepen the understanding of this virus and PCV3-related diseases.
Heart Disease Prediction Using Concatenated Hybrid Ensemble Classifiers
Authors: Majumder Annwesha Banerjee , Gupta Somsubhra , Singh Dharmpal , Acharya Biswaranjan , Gerogiannis Vassilis C. , Kanavos Andreas , Pintelas Panagiotis
Published: November 2023

Heart disease is a leading global cause of mortality, demanding early detection for effective and timely medical intervention. In this study, we propose a machine learning-based model for early heart disease prediction. This model is trained on a dataset from the UC Irvine Machine Learning Repository (UCI) and employs the Extra Trees Classifier for performing feature selection. To ensure robust model training, we standardize this dataset using the StandardScaler method for data standardization, thus preserving the distribution shape and mitigating the impact of outliers. For the classification task, we introduce a novel approach, which is the concatenated hybrid ensemble voting classification. This method combines two hybrid ensemble classifiers, each one utilizing a distinct subset of base classifiers from a set that includes Support Vector Machine, Decision Tree, K-Nearest Neighbor, Logistic Regression, Adaboost and Naive Bayes. By leveraging the concatenated ensemble classifiers, the proposed model shows some promising performance results; in particular, it achieves an accuracy of 86.89%. The obtained results highlight the efficacy of combining the strengths of multiple base classifiers in the problem of early heart disease prediction, thus aiding and enabling timely medical intervention.
Improved Load Frequency Control in Power Systems Hosting Wind Turbines by an Augmented Fractional Order PID Controller Optimized by the Powerful Owl Search Algorithm
Authors: Amiri Farhad , Eskandari Mohsen , Moradi Mohammad Hassan
Published: November 2023

The penetration of intermittent wind turbines in power systems imposes challenges to frequency stability. In this light, a new control method is presented in this paper by proposing a modified fractional order proportional integral derivative (FOPID) controller. This method focuses on the coordinated control of the load-frequency control (LFC) and superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) using a cascaded FOPD–FOPID controller. To improve the performance of the FOPD–FOPID controller, the developed owl search algorithm (DOSA) is used to optimize its parameters. The proposed control method is compared with several other methods, including LFC and SMES based on the robust controller, LFC and SMES based on the Moth swarm algorithm (MSA)–PID controller, LFC based on the MSA–PID controller with SMES, and LFC based on the MSA–PID controller without SMES in four scenarios. The results demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed method compared to the other mentioned methods. The proposed method is robust against load disturbances, disturbances caused by wind turbines, and system parameter uncertainties. The method suggested is characterized by its resilience in addressing the challenges posed by load disturbances, disruptions arising from wind turbines, and uncertainties surrounding system parameters.
A Novel Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) Algorithm to Apply Artificial Intelligence-Based Maintenance in Electrolysers
Authors: Abiola Abiodun , Manzano Francisca Segura , Andújar José Manuel
Published: November 2023

Hydrogen provides a clean source of energy that can be produced with the aid of electrolysers. For electrolysers to operate cost-effectively and safely, it is necessary to define an appropriate maintenance strategy. Predictive maintenance is one of such strategies but often relies on data from sensors which can also become faulty, resulting in false information. Consequently, maintenance will not be performed at the right time and failure will occur. To address this problem, the artificial intelligence concept is applied to make predictions on sensor readings based on data obtained from another instrument within the process. In this study, a novel algorithm is developed using Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) to select the best feature(s) among measured data of the electrolyser, which can best predict the target sensor data for predictive maintenance. The features are used as input into a type of deep neural network called long short-term memory (LSTM) to make predictions. The DLR developed has been compared with those found in literatures within the scope of this study. The results have been excellent and, in fact, have produced the best scores. Specifically, its correlation coefficient with the target variable was practically total (0.99). Likewise, the root-mean-square error (RMSE) between the experimental sensor data and the predicted variable was only 0.1351.
Thymic Epithelial Tumor and Immune System: The Role of Immunotherapy
Authors: Perrino Matteo , Cordua Nadia , De Vincenzo Fabio , Borea Federica , Aliprandi Marta , Cecchi Luigi Giovanni , Fazio Roberta , Airoldi Marco , Santoro Armando , Zucali Paolo Andrea
Published: November 2023

Thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) comprise a rare group of thoracic cancers, classified as thymomas and thymic carcinomas (TC). To date, chemotherapy is still the standard treatment for advanced disease. Unfortunately, few therapeutic options are available for relapsed/refractory tumors. Unlike other solid cancers, the development of targeted biologic and/or immunologic therapies in TETs remains in its nascent stages. Moreover, since the thymus plays a key role in the development of immune tolerance, thymic tumors have a unique biology, which can confer susceptibility to autoimmune diseases and ultimately influence the risk–benefit balance of immunotherapy, especially for patients with thymoma. Indeed, early results from single-arm studies have shown interesting clinical activity, albeit at a cost of a higher incidence of immune-related side effects. The lack of knowledge of the immune mechanisms associated with TETs and the absence of biomarkers predictive of response or toxicity to immunotherapy risk limiting the evolution of immunotherapeutic strategies for managing these rare tumors. The aim of this review is to summarize the existing literature about the thymus’s immune biology and its association with autoimmune paraneoplastic diseases, as well as the results of the available studies with immune checkpoint inhibitors and cancer vaccines.
Emerging Precision Medicine Approaches for Lung Neuroendocrine Tumors
Authors: Mulvey Claire K.
Published: November 2023

Well-differentiated lung neuroendocrine tumors (LNETs) are heterogeneous cancers that are increasing in incidence. Treatment options for LNETs have expanded in recent years, and our knowledge of the molecular subtypes has also advanced. Multidisciplinary teams have an established role in personalizing the best treatment for individual patients. Other precision medicine approaches for the treatment of LNETs have lagged behind those for non-small-cell lung cancer, with only rare actionable molecular alterations identified and few established predictive factors to guide therapy selection. However, as summarized in this review, there is increasing potential for personalized treatment of patients with LNETs. In particular, advances in radiotheragnostics may allow us to tailor the treatment of individual patients with NETs in the coming years. These advances may soon deliver the promise of more effective, less toxic treatments and better outcomes for patients with these increasingly common cancers.
Proton Pump Inhibitors and Likelihood of Colorectal Cancer in the Korean Population: Insights from a Nested Case–Control Study Using National Health Insurance Data
Authors: Kwon Mi Jung , Han Kyeong Min , Kim Joo-Hee , Kim Ji Hee , Kim Min-Jeong , Kim Nan Young , Choi Hyo Geun , Kang Ho Suk
Published: November 2023

The potential connection between proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk remains unclear, with specific ethnic genetic backgrounds playing a role in PPI-induced adverse effects. In this nested case–control study, we investigated the risk of CRC in relation to preceding PPI use and the duration of use using data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service–National Sample Cohort database, including 9374 incident CRC patients and 37,496 controls. To assess the impact of preceding PPI exposure (past vs. current) and use duration (days: <30, 30–90, and ≥90) on incident CRC, we conducted propensity score overlap-weighted multivariate logistic regression analyses, adjusted for confounding factors. Our findings revealed that past and current PPI users had an increased likelihood of developing CRC. Regardless of duration, individuals who used PPIs also had higher odds of developing CRC. Subgroup analyses revealed that CRC occurrence increased independent of history or duration of prior PPI use, consistent across various factors such as age, sex, income level, and residential area. These findings suggest that PPI use, regardless of past or present use and duration of use, may be related to an increased risk of developing CRC in the Korean population.
Escherichia coli Infection Sepsis: An Analysis of Specifically Expressed Genes and Clinical Indicators
Authors: Shao Qingyi , Chen Danlei , Chen Simiao , Ru Xuanwen , Ye Qing
Published: November 2023

Since E. coli is the most prevalent sepsis bacterium, studying its pathogenic molecular pathways may help with its early diagnosis and individualized treatment. However, few studies have investigated the molecular characterization of E. coli infection only. We extracted E. coli infection-specific genes and indicators from published data and clinical laboratory results in this study. GSE65088 showed 277, 377, and 408 DEGs for E. coli and other bacteria, E. coli and healthy groups, and other bacteria and healthy groups, respectively. DEGs, the MEgreen module with the highest relevance in WGCNA, and the first three MCODE subnetworks were used to find E. coli infection-specific hub genes. HSPA1B and TNF were verified in GSE6269 with ROC-AUCs of 0.7038 and 0.7116, respectively. CIBERSORT showed increased B-cell naive and T-cell CD4 naive infiltration in E. coli infectious sepsis. Patients infected with E. coli were younger than those infected with other pathogens. Compared to the other bacterially infectious sepsis patients, the E. coli patients had low globulin, prealbumin, creatine kinase, and high bilirubin levels. The clinically significant difference indicator IL-2, in combination with hub genes, better differentiated the healthy and E. coli groups, with an ROC-AUC of 0.8793. The study suggested that HSPA1B and TNF may be E.-coli-infection-specific genes, which may help explain the molecular mechanism of infectious sepsis.
A New Methodology for Determination of Layered Injection Allocation in Highly Deviated Wells Drilled in Low-Permeability Reservoirs
Authors: Li Mao , Qu Zhan , Ji Songfeng , Bai Lei , Yang Shasha
Published: November 2023

During the water injection development process of highly deviated wells in low-permeability reservoirs, the water flooding distance between different layers of the same oil and water well is different due to the deviation of the well. In addition, the heterogeneity of low-permeability reservoirs is strong, and the water absorption capacity between layers is very different. This results in poor effectiveness of commonly used layered injection methods. Some highly deviated wells have premature water breakthroughs after layered water injection, which affects the development effect of the water flooding reservoirs. Therefore, based on the analysis and research of the existing layered injection allocation method and sand body connectivity evaluation method, considering the influence of sand body connectivity, the real displacement distance of highly deviated wells, reservoir physical properties, and other factors, a new methodology for determination of layered injection allocation in highly deviated wells drilled in low-permeability reservoirs is proposed. In this method, the vertical superposition and lateral contact relationship of a single sand body are determined using three methods: sand body configuration identification, seepage unit identification, and single sand body boundary identification. The connectivity coefficient, transition coefficient, and connectivity degree coefficient are introduced to quantitatively evaluate the connectivity of sand bodies and judge the connectivity relationship between single sand bodies. The correlation formula is obtained using the linear regression of the fracture length and ground fluid volume, and the real displacement distance of each layer in highly deviated wells is obtained. The calculation formula of the layered injection allocation is established by analyzing the important factors affecting the layered injection allocation, and a reasonable layered injection allocation is obtained. The calculation parameters of this method are fully considered, the required parameters are easy to obtain, and the practicability is strong. It can provide a method reference for the policy adjustment of layered water injection technology in similar water injection development reservoirs.
Sequence Impedance Modeling and Analysis of Modular Multilevel Converter Considering DC Port Characteristics
Authors: Yan Zheng , Xu Jianyuan
Published: November 2023

The extensive deployment of Modular Multilevel Converters (MMCs) in AC/DC systems can lead to complex resonance issues. Impedance modeling forms the foundation for analyzing the stability of interconnected system. Existing investigations primarily address resonance concerns on the AC side of MMC. In the process of impedance modeling, the DC system is generally approximated as an ideal voltage source, thereby neglecting its dynamic impact on the impedance characteristic of MMC. Such simplification may result in inaccuracies within stability analysis findings. Based on the multi-harmonic linearization method, this paper introduces an impedance modeling approach that takes into account the characteristics of the DC port. Taking DC voltage control as a case study, the impedance model for the AC side of the MMC is established. The results of programming calculation and simulation measurement of sequence impedance are mutually verified. Finally, the MMC impedance responses determined by different DC port characteristics are analyzed. Significant alterations in MMC impedance characteristics are introduced by DC side resistance and capacitance, which may result in negative damping effects and a decrease in system stability margins. The DC side inductance has a relatively minor impact on MMC impedance responses. The analysis results show that the sequence impedance model of MMC considering DC port characteristics can improve the accuracy of stability analysis results.
The Energy Poverty Status of Off-Grid Rural Households: A Case of the Upper Blinkwater Community in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
Authors: Lesala Mahali Elizabeth , Shambira Ngwarai , Makaka Golden , Mukumba Patrick
Published: November 2023

This paper analyses the energy poverty status in off-grid rural households and its underlying socioeconomic factors. Employing the Foster–Greer–Thorbecke Technique and Probit regression on data from 53 households, the study uncovers a diverse array of energy sources in use, including firewood, paraffin, LPG, candles, and generators. Despite this energy source diversity, the poverty line threshold, as measured by the per capita energy expenditure line (92.40 ZAR) (1 US Dollar = ZAR 18.20), reveals the prevalence of energy poverty. Approximately 15% of respondents are experiencing severe energy poverty and 22% are facing moderate vulnerability to energy poverty, while over 50% are not energy poor. This indicates that, although they may lack access to electricity, their energy usage and expenditure in other forms might still be sufficient to meet their basic energy needs. This distinction highlights the importance of assessing energy poverty, extending beyond a simplistic assessment of absolute poverty but taking into account the dynamic nature of income levels. Gender, household size, formal education, and social grants emerge as key indicators shaping the energy landscape in the area. The results clearly indicate that male-headed households and larger households are less susceptible to energy poverty, while increasing formal education and social grants increases the risk of households being exposed to energy poverty. These findings suggest that the problem of energy poverty in the area is uniquely linked to social, economic, and cultural issues. Therefore, interventions targeted at addressing energy poverty problems must address the underlying social, economic, and cultural factors.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Energy Conversion and Management
Authors: Mira Konstantinos , Bugiotti Francesca , Morosuk Tatiana
Published: November 2023

In the modern era, where the global energy sector is transforming to meet the decarbonization goal, cutting-edge information technology integration, artificial intelligence, and machine learning have emerged to boost energy conversion and management innovations. Incorporating artificial intelligence and machine learning into energy conversion, storage, and distribution fields presents exciting prospects for optimizing energy conversion processes and shaping national and global energy markets. This integration rapidly grows and demonstrates promising advancements and successful practical implementations. This paper comprehensively examines the current state of applying artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms in energy conversion and management evaluation and optimization tasks. It highlights the latest developments and the most promising algorithms and assesses their merits and drawbacks, encompassing specific applications and relevant scenarios. Furthermore, the authors propose recommendations to emphasize the prioritization of acquiring real-world experimental and simulated data and adopting standardized, explicit reporting in research publications. This review paper includes details on data size, accuracy, error rates achieved, and comparisons of algorithm performance against established benchmarks.
Optimizing Generation Maintenance Scheduling Considering Emission Factors
Authors: Prukpanit Panit , Kaewprapha Phisan , Leeprechanon Nopbhorn
Published: November 2023

Conventional generation maintenance scheduling (GMS) is a solution to increase the reliability of power systems and minimize the operation and maintenance costs paid by generation companies (GenCos). Nonetheless, environmental aspects, such as zero carbon emissions, have attracted global attention, leading to emission costs being paid by electricity generators. Therefore, to obtain GMS plans that consider these factors, this paper proposes multi-objective GMS models to minimize operation, maintenance, and emission costs by using lexicographic optimization as a mathematical tool. A demand response program (DRP) is also adapted to decrease emission generation and operational expenditures. The probability that no generation unit (GU) fails unexpectedly and the average net reserve value, comprising the system reliability with and without considering the GU failure rate, are demonstrated. Numerical examples are implemented for the IEEE 24-bus reliability test system. A GMS algorithm presented in a published work is run and compared to verify the robustness of the proposed GMS models. Our results indicate that this paper provides comprehensive approaches to the multi-objective GMS problem focusing on operation, maintenance, carbon, and DRP costs in consideration of technical and environmental aspects. The use of lexicographic optimization allows for the systematic and hierarchical consideration of these objectives, leading to significant benefits for GenCos.