bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of a Wearable Piezoelectric Bandage for Wound Healing
Authors: Shultis Natalie , Roberts Rita E. , Koh Timothy J. , Kineman Rhonda D. , Bilgen Onur
Published: October 2021

Chronic non-healing wounds due to diabetes and the associated amputations diminish quality of life and represent a major health problem for the US healthcare system, with higher incidence in the veteran population. A wearable piezoelectric bandage is proposed as an enhancer for wound healing, as low intensity vibrations (LIVs) have been shown to acutely increase perfusion in both humans and mice. Early studies by the authors indicate that a novel therapy utilizing LIVs promote tissue perfusion, granulation tissue formation and wound healing in diabetic mice. The data further indicate that LIV increases levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 in blood and wounds and thus IGF-1 may mediate LIV-induced healing.

This paper presents the preliminary design and development of a wearable prototype which consists of a piezoelectric disk element controlled by a microcontroller that can vary duty cycle, frequency, and amplitude. The user can control the device with a mobile app by the way of Bluetooth communication between the microcontroller and a mobile phone. The excitation parameters can be remotely changed by the use of the app. The app is saved as an Android application package, allowing it to be installed on any Android device that has developer mode enabled in the system settings. In addition, this paper serves at as a brief review article of former research relevant to the development of the piezoelectric bandage.
Towards Dynamic Characterization of Fully 3D Printed Capacitive Sensors for Footbed Pressure Sensing Applications
Authors: Gothard Andrew T. , Anton Steven R.
Published: October 2021

Currently, the analysis of an individual’s gait and foot pressure distribution is a valuable tool in orthopedics to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of gait disorders. Thanks to the development of pressure sensing insoles, gait and foot pressure distribution analysis has become more common in research focused on human locomotion. Typically, however, insoles containing pressure sensor arrays have limited customizability or are expensive to customize. The lack of affordable, patient-specific solutions can be problematic for patients with foot deformities. Past work has been done to mitigate the lack of customizability of pressure sensing insoles through the use of 3D printing to create insoles with embedded commercial capacitive pressure sensors. The use of 3D printing to fabricate insoles gives rise to the potential to create customized insoles rapidly and at low cost. However, at present, there are no wholly developed methods for integrating fully printed embedded capacitive sensors within pressure sensing insoles. This work focuses on the development and dynamic characterization of fully 3D printed capacitive sensors using flexible thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) filament and conductive polylactic acid (PLA) filament. Sinusoidal compressive tests are performed at 1, 3, 5, and 7 Hz for pressure levels of 25, 35, 55, and 75 N/cm2 in order to evaluate the sensitivity of the sensor over a range of cyclic pressures typical of the footbed environment. From the results of the experiments, the use of a fully 3D printed capacitive sensor to track dynamic changes in pressure is shown to be feasible. Representative calibration curves calculated for each load and frequency combination show that the sensor exhibits maximum hysteresis and linearity error of 68.9% and 34.9%, respectively. Due to the significant nonlinearity and hysteresis in the sensor output, a nonlinear model must be developed to accurately characterize the dynamic behavior of the sensor.
Validation of a Numerical-Experimental Methodology for Structural Health Monitoring on Automotive Components
Authors: Sisca Lorenzo , Messana Alessandro , de Carvalho Pinheiro Henrique , Ferraris Alessandro , Airale Andrea Giancarlo , Carello Massimiliana
Published: October 2021

In the recent years, the materials composing the traditional of aircrafts are being progressively replaced with lower density materials, as the Reinforced Plastics. The same trend has been highlighted in the Automotive field to assess the reduction of fuel consumption and CO2 emission.

In order to achieve an optimization of maintenance a variety of on-board systems has been applied for on-line SHM based on piezoelectric transducers earned a particularly high interest for continuous monitoring on metallic and composite structures. The application of this system in automotive could enhance passenger safety, through the monitoring of the vehicle composite material structure health status.

In this paper, six mathematical models for evaluating the electrical response of piezoelectric sensors have been implemented, with the aim of selecting the most effective model for damage identification. Experimental tests were carried out on three types of simpler specimens of different geometries made of different materials (steel, aluminum and carbon fiber). A correlation study has been carried on in order to support the positioning of sensors.

The proposed numerical-experimental methodology is an essential foundation for the introduction of monitoring systems based on piezoelectric transducers in the Automotive sector.
Combined Finite Element and Network Model of Embedded Shape Memory Alloy Actuators for Endoscopic Tools With an Efficient Dynamic Thermo-Electro-Mechanical Design Process
Authors: Mehner Philipp J. , Huettner Ronny , Henkel Konrad , Koerbitz Rene , Brinkmann Franz , Fischer Matthieu , Uhlig Kai , Mehner Jan , Hampe Jochen , Marschner Uwe , Richter Andreas
Published: October 2021

The mechanics of medical endoscopes have not fundamentally changed over the last 40 years. Most endoscopes are manually operated through Bowden cables to control the head of the device, which is known to have major limitations. We propose a shape memory alloy actuated setup to enable computer-aided control. Before a complex manufacturing of porotypes is established, the design needs to be evaluated for feasibility. In this work, an efficient design approach is highlighted, where the thermal properties for an asymmetric cross-section of the endoscope is modeled with finite elements in the transient electro-thermo-mechanical domain and the results are then transferred to a network model to efficiently evaluate operation procedures. With the proposed model approach, a fast but detailed description is established which focuses on the optimization of dimensional and material parameters and models efficiently the impact of complex dynamic operating regimes.
Description of all active life stages (except male) of the Pimeliaphilus lindquisti sp. nov. (Acari: Prostigmata: Pterygosomatidae) with review of host specificity and world distribution of the genus
Authors: Khadem-Safdarkhani Hamid , Hajiqanbar Hamidreza , Mehrabadi Mohammad
Published: October 2021

A new species of pterygosomatid mite, Pimeliaphilus lindquisti Khadem-Safdarkhani & Hajiqanbar sp. nov. (Acari: Trombidiformes: Pterygosomatidae) parasitizing Trachyderma (Trachyderma) christophi (Faust, 1875) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Pimeliinae: Pimeliini) from Yazd province, central Iran is described and illustrated based on adult female, deutonymph and larva. For all active life stages, legs setal designations are provided for the first time. Furthermore, host specificity and world distribution of the genus is reviewed and a key to world species of the Pimeliaphilus mites ectoparasitic on beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) is provided as well.
COVID-19 transmission dynamics underlying epidemic waves in Kenya
Authors: Brand Samuel P. C. , Ojal John , Aziza Rabia , Were Vincent , Okiro Emelda A. , Kombe Ivy K , Mburu Caroline , Ogero Morris , Agweyu Ambrose , Warimwe George M. , Nyagwange James , Karanja Henry , Gitonga John N. , Mugo Daisy , Uyoga Sophie , Adetifa Ifedayo M. O. , Scott J. Anthony G. , Otieno Edward , Murunga Nickson , Otiende Mark , Ochola-Oyier Lynette I. , Agoti Charles N. , Githinji George , Kasera Kadondi , Amoth Patrick , Mwangangi Mercy , Aman Rashid , Ng’ang’a Wangari , Tsofa Benjamin , Bejon Philip , Keeling Matt. J. , Nokes D. James , Barasa Edwine
Published: October 2021

SARS-CoV-2: To have or to have not

In June 2021, official records in Kenya showed fewer than 4000 confirmed deaths and 180,000 confirmed cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). These data tend to reflect the economically advantaged strata of society who can afford smartphones and have access to medical attention and tests. Brand
et al
. developed an epidemiological model to estimate the impact of the pandemic in Kenya, the population of which was split into two socioeconomic strata. The authors predicted that 75% of the Kenyan population (about 39 million people) had been exposed to the virus by June 2021. If a fourth wave of infection is observed in the future, it would likely be driven by a variant with enhanced transmissibility or natural immune escape. —CA
Macrophage migration inhibitory factor drives pathology in a mouse model of spondyloarthritis and is associated with human disease
Authors: Nakamura Akihiro , Zeng Fanxing , Nakamura Sayaka , Reid Kyle T. , Gracey Eric , Lim Melissa , Leng Lin , Jo Sungsin , Park Ye-Soo , Kusuda Masaki , Machhar Rohan , Boroojeni Shaghayegh F. , Wu Brian , Rossomacha Evgeny , Kim Tae-Hwan , Ciccia Francesco , Rockel Jason S. , Kapoor Mohit , Inman Robert D. , Jurisica Igor , Crome Sarah Q. , Bucala Richard , Haroon Nigil
Published: October 2021

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor produced by neutrophils worsens spondyloarthritis by inducing a pathogenic T
H
17 phenotype in T
regs
.
Dengue and Zika virus infections in children elicit cross-reactive protective and enhancing antibodies that persist long term
Authors: Katzelnick Leah C. , Zambrana Jose Victor , Elizondo Douglas , Collado Damaris , Garcia Nadezna , Arguello Sonia , Mercado Juan Carlos , Miranda Tatiana , Ampie Oscarlett , Mercado Brenda Lopez , Narvaez César , Gresh Lionel , Binder Raquel A. , Ojeda Sergio , Sanchez Nery , Plazaola Miguel , Latta Krista , Schiller Amy , Coloma Josefina , Carrillo Fausto Bustos , Narvaez Federico , Halloran M. Elizabeth , Gordon Aubree , Kuan Guillermina , Balmaseda Angel , Harris Eva
Published: October 2021

Unexpectedly, cross-reactive antibodies are stable or rise after primary dengue and Zika virus infection and wane slowly after secondary infection.
COVID-19 mRNA vaccines drive differential antibody Fc-functional profiles in pregnant, lactating, and nonpregnant women
Authors: Atyeo Caroline , DeRiso Elizabeth A. , Davis Christine , Bordt Evan A. , De Guzman Rose M. , Shook Lydia L. , Yonker Lael M. , Fasano Alessio , Akinwunmi Babatunde , Lauffenburger Douglas A. , Elovitz Michal A. , Gray Kathryn J. , Edlow Andrea G. , Alter Galit
Published: October 2021

Pregnant and lactating women develop distinct antibody Fc profiles in response to the mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2 vaccines compared to nonpregnant women.
Pregnancy influences immune responses to SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Ovies Cristian , Semmes Eleanor C. , Coyne Carolyn B.
Published: October 2021

Pregnancy and fetal sex influence the quality of antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection and immunization (Atyeo
et al.
, Bordt
et al.
).
Complete Genome Sequence of
Myxococcus
Phage Mx4
Authors: Wielgoss Sébastien
Published: October 2021

Myxococcus xanthus
is a bacterial model in microbial developmental biology and social evolution. Here, I present the 57.0-kb circular genomic sequence of the wild-type
Myxococcus
phage Mx4, with a GC content of 70.1%. Annotation predicted 97 protein-coding genes. Head-neck-tail protein classification assigns Mx4 to the tailed, Mu-like members of the family
Myoviridae
of type 1 (cluster 8).
Clinical Significance of Toxigenic Clostridioides difficile Growth in Stool Cultures during the Era of Nonculture Methods for the Diagnosis of C. difficile Infection
Authors: Lee Ching-Chi , Lee Jen-Chieh , Chiu Chun-Wei , Tsai Pei-Jane , Ko Wen-Chien , Hung Yuan-Pin
Published: October 2021

The importance of detecting toxins or toxin genes when diagnosing
Clostridioides difficile
infections (CDIs) or predicting the severity and outcomes of CDI has been emphasized in recent years. Although the yielding of
C. difficile
from stool cultures might implicate higher bacterial loads in fecal samples, in an era of nonculture methods for the standard diagnosis of CDIs, clinical significance of positive stool cultures of toxigenic
C. difficile
was analyzed in this study.
Supplemental Material: Differences between soil and air temperatures: Implications for geological reconstructions of past climate
Authors: Molnar Peter
Published: October 2021

The complete data used in text Figures 7–11.
Optimizing treatment goals for long-term health outcomes among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Shi Qian , Lin Yilu , Fonseca Vivian A , Shi Lizheng
Published: October 2021

Introduction

Considerable confusions on treatment target have resulted from recent changes in guidelines. Evidence in medical guidelines came from clinical trials with highly selected patients, whereas treatment goals may differ in some subgroups. This study aimed to assess optimal treatment goals (A1C, blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)) for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which lead to optimal health outcomes by different treatment strategies.

Research design and methods

A retrospective longitudinal study was conducted for veterans with T2DM by using US Veterans Affairs Administrative Database (2005−2015). Medical records were prepared for repeated evaluation performed at 6-month intervals and multivariate longitudinal regression was used to estimate the risk of microvascular and macrovascular complication events. Second-degree polynomial and splines were applied to identify the optimal goals in their associations with lowest risk of clinical outcomes, controlling for demographic characteristics, medical history, and medications.

Results

A total of 124 651 patients with T2DM were selected, with mean of 6.72 follow-up years. In the general population, to achieve the lowest risk of microvascular and macrovascular complication, the optimal goals were A1C=6.81%, LDL-C=109.10 mg/dL; and A1C=6.76%, LDL-C=111.65 mg/dL, systolic blood pressure (SBP)=130.60 mmHg, respectively. The optimal goals differed between age and racial subgroups. Lower SBP for younger patients and lower LDL-C for black patients were associated with better health outcomes.

Conclusions

Optimal treatment goals were identified and multi-faceted treatment strategies targeting hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia and hypertension may improve health outcome in veterans with T2DM. In addition to guidelines’ recommended goals, health systems may examine their own large diverse patients with T2DM for better quality of care.
Value of early critical care transthoracic echocardiography for patients undergoing mechanical ventilation: a retrospective study
Authors: Jiang Hao , Xu Wen , Chen Wenjing , Pan Lingling , Yu Xueshu , Ye Yincai , Fang Zhendong , Zhang Xianwei , Chen Zhiqiang , Shu Jie , Pan Jingye
Published: October 2021

Objectives

To evaluate whether early intensive care transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) can improve the prognosis of patients with mechanical ventilation (MV).

Design

A retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Patients undergoing MV for more than 48 hours, based on the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) database and the eICU Collaborative Research Database (eICU-CRD), were selected.

Participants

2931 and 6236 patients were recruited from the MIMIC-III database and the eICU database, respectively.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes were 30-day mortality from the date of ICU admission, days free of MV and vasopressors 30 days after ICU admission, use of vasoactive drugs, total intravenous fluid and ventilator settings during the first day of MV.

Results

We used propensity score matching to analyse the association between early TTE and in-hospital mortality and sensitivity analysis, including the inverse probability weighting model and covariate balancing propensity score model, to ensure the robustness of our findings. The adjusted OR showed a favourable effect between the early TTE group and in-hospital mortality (MIMIC: OR 0.78; 95% CI 0.65 to 0.94, p=0.01; eICU-CRD: OR 0.76; 95% CI 0.67 to 0.86, p<0.01). Early TTE was also associated with 30-day mortality in the MIMIC database (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.57 to 0.88, p=0.001). Furthermore, those who had early TTE had both more ventilation-free days (only in eICU-CRD: 23.48 vs 24.57, p<0.01) and more vasopressor-free days (MIMIC: 18.22 vs 20.64, p=0.005; eICU-CRD: 27.37 vs 28.59, p<0.001) than the control group (TTE applied outside of the early TTE and no TTE at all).

Conclusions

Early application of critical care TTE during MV is beneficial for improving in-hospital mortality. Further investigation with prospectively collected data is required to validate this relationship.
Video game therapy on mobility and dual tasking in multiple sclerosis: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Baroni Andrea , Fregna Giulia , Milani Giada , Severini Giacomo , Zani Giulia , Basaglia Nino , Straudi Sofia
Published: October 2021

Introduction

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the major causes of disability in young adults and affects mobility, compromising daily living activities and participation in social life. Cognitive domain is also frequently impaired in people with MS (PwMS), particularly the capacity to perform dual-task activities. Impaired cognitive processing abilities need to be treated, and motor and cognitive aspects need to be considered together. Recently, video game therapy (VGT) has been used in rehabilitation to improve motor outcomes and cognitive processing speed. The aim of this study is to test the efficacy of commercially available VGT on mobility and dual tasking in PwMS compared with standardised balance platform training (BPT).

Methods and analysis

This will be a parallel-assignment, double-blinded, randomised control trial. Forty-eight (24 per arm) PwMS with Expanded Disability Status Scale 4–5.5 will be randomly assigned to receive 1 hour training session over 4 weeks (three sessions/week) of either: (1) VGT on commercial video game console to train balance and mobility-related activities or (2) BPT to perform balance, postural stability and weight-shifting exercises with and without visual feedback. The same assessor will evaluate outcome measures at points: before and after the 12 training sessions and at 3 months of follow-up. The primary outcome will be functional mobility, assessed by the Timed Up and Go test. We will also evaluate gait, risk of fall, fatigue and health-related quality of life as well as cognitive and psychological aspects (depression, anxiety and attentional performance) and stability through posturographic evaluation. Dual-tasking assessment will be performed combining posturographic and neuropsychological tests. Data analysis will be performed to compare the efficacy of the two treatments.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval have been granted from the local Ethics Committee. Study results will be communicated through high-quality journals and national and international conferences.

Trial registration number

NCT03353974
PROMPT Wales project: national scaling of an evidence-based intervention to improve safety and training in maternity
Authors: Renwick Sophie , Hookes Sarah , Draycott Tim , Dey Madhuchanda , Hodge Frances , Storey Jane , Winter Cathy , Sengupta Niladri , Benjamin Fiona
Published: October 2021

Background

In healthcare, there is increasing recognition of the importance of developing and testing strategies to scale effective interventions. The NHS long-term plan (2019) acknowledges that often a gold standard approach to a problem already exists somewhere within the NHS, however, it has not been replicated widely across the system.

Methods

We describe the approach and process measures for national scaling of PROMPT (Practical Obstetric Multi-Professional Training) across 12 obstetric-led maternity units in Wales. PROMPT is an evidence-based training package for local maternity staff, previously associated with improvements in maternal and neonatal outcomes, reduction in litigation related to preventable harm and improved safety culture. PROMPT has previously been disseminated internationally using a train-the-trainer model. However, this has been associated with variations in uptake, fidelity and impact. In Wales, the project was supported by Welsh Government, and a structured scaling plan was developed, encompassing ongoing implementation support from a multi-professional team.

Results

PROMPT was successfully implemented in all obstetric led units in Wales, with 326 local PROMPT facilitators trained, and 82.5%–100% of maternity staff attended a local PROMPT course in the first 15 months of the project (January 2019–March 2020). All training courses included evidence-based authentic elements, and 93% of courses in the first year (100/107) were supported by a national implementation team, providing coaching, implementation support and quality assurance.

Conclusions

Authentically scaling up complex interventions is a significant challenge. To replicate the improved outcomes demonstrated by PROMPT, intervention reach and fidelity must first be demonstrated.

In this national scaling project, our scaling methodology led to the successful implementation of PROMPT across all health boards in Wales. Additionally, we demonstrated reduced variation in adoption, reach, timescale and intervention fidelity between maternity units with varying readiness for change, which had been difficult in two previous large-scale PROMPT implementation projects.
The Management of Rescued Shipwreck Survivors
Authors: Golden F. St. C.
Published: October 2021

A ship’s medical officer may be called upon at any time to attend to casualties from a shipwreck. This paper outlines some of the common problems which may be encountered in such a situation and gives advice on a possible course of procedure.
Dupuytren’s Disease of the Foot
Authors: Gibson P. H.
Published: October 2021

Based on a series of eight cases the incidence of Dupuytren’s disease of the foot is discussed and treatment by excision and primary skin graft is described.
Massive Congenital Pelvic Arteriovenous Fistula
Authors: Keenan R. A. , Wilkes F. R.
Published: October 2021

Pelvic arteriovenous fistulae, congenital or traumatic, are rare. The management of such problems are enormous and new approaches are being sought to improve results of both operative and non-operative techniques. A case is presented of a patient with a massive congenital pelvic arteriovenous fistula, emphasising the unusual clinical presentation and attempts at therapeutic embolisation.
67 Years Ago — The Journal of the Royal Naval Medical Service Vol 1, No. 1
Authors: Oliver T. P.
Published: October 2021

Author’s Note

This article, together with a proposed editorial, was written in March before the events in the South Atlantic were even contemplated. That editorial read in part:

“Volume 1 No 1, written in the terminology and current knowledge of its time. covers many of the problems we are still dealing with today — survival in hostile environments. combat casualty care, medical selection of aircrew. transport of casualties and epidemic outbreaks and control of infection. The image is of a professional service coping with difficulties of war of a type and scale not seen before. Today’s Navy and its Medical Branch have similar tasks, to prepare and, if all else fails, to cope and survive a conflict of whose nature none of us have had any experience.”
Abingdon vaporisers—a preliminary report
Authors: Howard R.
Published: October 2021

In order to reduce the cost of servicing, Abingdon vaporisers have replaced Cyprane ‘Tec’ vaporisers as the standard vaporiser for use in HM Ships and in the Anaesthetic Departments of the Royal Naval Hospitals.
Bilateral inguinal herniae—a reappraisal of dogma
Authors: Soul J. O. , Dewar E. P.
Published: October 2021

The results of a retrospective study have indicated that contrary to popular teaching, there is no evidence that there is an increase in the post-operative morbidity when bilateral inguinal herniae are repaired at one operation. This should be investigated by a prospective randomised study.
Coxsackie B infection in a Scottish general practice
Authors: Calder B. D. , Warnock P. J.
Published: October 2021

The authors describe 38 cases of protracted illness, characterized by varied multisystem symptomatology. Significant antibody titres to Coxsackie B viruses, suggesting recent infection, were found in these 38 patients (47% of 81 cases investigated). The syndrome has many of the features of myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), a condition which has frequently been found in closely clustered epidemics but seldom in sporadic or endemic form. The reported cases emerged over a four-year period and fresh cases continue to appear.
A study of in-patients aged 60 years and over treated in the Department of Plastic Surgery, Dundee Royal Infirmary, in 1983
Authors: Low C. D. T.
Published: October 2021

This study was conducted to determine the extent to which elderly patients constitute a special problem in plastic surgery. In 1983 patients aged 60 years and over accounted for 37% of all admissions to the plastic surgery ward at the Dundee Royal Infirmary and 52% of all patient-days there; they tended to stay longer than other patients and cost the Health Service more than £130000. About one-third of admissions were as a direct result of accidents; of the other two-thirds, the majority was for the treatment of malignancies. In the study, special consideration was given to delayed healing after surgery and other problems arising while these patients were in hospital, and the reasons for prolonged stays. The study confirms that there is a problem which is stretching available resources.
The first Antarctic winter in tents: The Joint Services Expedition to Brabant Island
Authors: Oakley E. H. N.
Published: October 2021

This second article covers aspects of the physiological research carried out during the JSE to Brabant Island, Antarctica. The major task in this was to investigate fluid balance in the 12 subjects whilst they lived in harsh field conditions through the Austral winter, to see if any acclimatisation occurred. The practical relevance of this to the prevention of cold injury, which is highly likely in those dehydrated by the climate, is discussed. Practical matters to enable such research to be carried out are described, and some of the findings tentatively presented. In particular, it would appear that the subjects did undergo cold dehydration, to be followed after six weeks or so by an apparent return to normal. Their cold diuresis appeared not to be the result of nocturnal changes in renal perfusion, but may have a hormonal basis.
Fracture of the calcaneus in a young child: A case report
Authors: Grant I. C. , Bertram J.
Published: October 2021

A case is presented of a fracture of the calcaneus in a boy of 33 months. This injury, whilst common in adults, is rare in young children. Previously reported cases are compared and management of these fractures in children is discussed.
Non-ulcer dyspepsia
Authors: Williams J. G.
Published: October 2021

Non-ulcer dyspepsia is a common, poorly understood but challenging clinical problem. There are many possible causes and a careful history is required to define the patient’s symptoms, determine the cause and plan rational management. Endoscopy is often required when the symptoms persist.
Does endoscopic sclerotherapy affect oesophageal function?
Authors: Williams J. G. , Turner J. R. , Beckly D.
Published: October 2021

The transit of a liquid radionuclide bolus down the oesophagus has been used to assess the effect of endoscopic sclerotherapy for variceal bleeding on oesophageal function. Oesophageal transit times are prolonged in patients with untreated varices and this abnormality is enhanced by sclerotherapy.
Disaster and Refugee Psychiatry: Guidelines for the Armed Forces Medical Officer
Authors: Vincenti G. E.
Published: October 2021

The basic principles in handling the psychological needs of disaster victims or war refugees are outlined. The similarity to the management of conventional battleshock is emphasised.
A review of the treatment and recurrence of varicose veins in the Royal Naval Hospital, Plymouth 1981–1985
Authors: Quaile A. , Rowland F. H.
Published: October 2021

In a retrospective study the accuracy of matching the treatment given to the recorded diagnosis was assessed. In those presenting with recurrent varicose veins the rate of saphenofemoral incompetence was no higher than in those attending for the first time.
Combined Pes Anserinus and Ellison procedures for co-existing antero-medial and antero-lateral instability of the knee
Authors: Walker A. J. , Osborne A. H.
Published: October 2021

Seven patients are assessed who underwent combined Pes Anserinus and Ellison procedures for severe co-existing antero-medial and antero-lateral instability of the knee. The results appear successful in the short term.
Interventional Radiology. Part II Vascular procedures
Authors: Hogg J. I. C.
Published: October 2021

The second of a series of three articles on Interventional Radiology reviews some of the Vascular procedures now undertaken.
Some haematopathological features of marathon running
Authors: Pipkin C.
Published: October 2021

Over the last decade marathon running has become an increasingly popular sport. There were over eighty thousand applicants for the 1987 London marathon and nearly twenty thousand runners eventually realised their ambitions and crossed the finishing line. The potential for scientific study of the effects of running for a little over twenty six miles on human physiology and metabolism has not gone unrealised and a large and increasing body of literature on this and related subjects can now be found. I was fortunate enough to run in the 1987 London marathon and undertook a simple study of the effect of the run on various haematological parameters. This article presents a brief review of some of the more important haematopathological features of long distance running together with my own personal observations.
Poisonous fish and seasnakes in the Arabian Gulf
Authors: Greenslade G. L. , Furnell M.
Published: October 2021

A case history is given, followed by a discussion of the management of seasnake bites and poisonous fish stings with guidance on differentiating between the two types of injury.
Determination of perturbative QCD coupling from ALEPH $$\tau $$ decay data using pinched Borel–Laplace and Finite Energy Sum Rules
Authors: Ayala César , Cvetič Gorazd , Teca Diego
Published: October 2021

We present a determination of the perturbative QCD (pQCD) coupling using the V+A channel ALEPH $$\tau $$
τ
-decay data. The determination involves the double-pinched Borel–Laplace Sum Rules and Finite Energy Sum Rules. The theoretical basis is the Operator Product Expansion (OPE) of the V+A channel Adler function in which the higher order terms of the leading-twist part originate from a model based on the known structure of the leading renormalons of this quantity. The applied evaluation methods are contour-improved perturbation theory (CIPT), fixed-order perturbation theory (FOPT), and Principal Value of the Borel resummation (PV). All the methods involve truncations in the order of the coupling. In contrast to the truncated CIPT method, the truncated FOPT and PV methods account correctly for the suppression of various renormalon contributions of the Adler function in the mentioned sum rules. The extracted value of the $${\overline{\mathrm{MS}}}$$

MS
¯

coupling is $$\alpha _s(m_{\tau }^2) = 0.3116 \pm 0.0073$$

α
s

(

m

τ

2

)

=
0.3116
±
0.0073

[$$\alpha _s(M_Z^2)=0.1176 \pm 0.0010$$

α
s

(

M
Z
2

)

=
0.1176
±
0.0010

] for the average of the FOPT and PV methods, which we regard as our main result. On the other hand, if we include in the average also the CIPT method, the resulting values are significantly higher, $$\alpha _s(m_{\tau }^2) = 0.3194 \pm 0.0167$$

α
s

(

m

τ

2

)

=
0.3194
±
0.0167

[$$\alpha _s(M_Z^2)=0.1186 \pm 0.0021$$

α
s

(

M
Z
2

)

=
0.1186
±
0.0021

].
From quantum field theory to quantum mechanics
Authors: Barros e Sá Nuno , Gomes Cláudio
Published: October 2021

The purpose of this article is to construct an explicit relation between the field operators in Quantum Field Theory and the relevant operators in Quantum Mechanics for a system of N identical particles, which are the symmetrised functions of the canonical operators of position and momentum, thus providing a clear relation between Quantum Field Theory and Quantum Mechanics. This is achieved in the context of the non-interacting Klein–Gordon field. Though this procedure may not be extendible to interacting field theories, since it relies crucially on particle number conservation, we find it nevertheless important that such an explicit relation can be found at least for free fields. It also comes out that whatever statistics the field operators obey (either commuting or anticommuting), the position and momentum operators obey commutation relations. The construction of position operators raises the issue of localizability of particles in Relativistic Quantum Mechanics, as the position operator for a single particle turns out to be the Newton–Wigner position operator. We make some clarifications on the interpretation of Newton–Wigner localized states and we consider the transformation properties of position operators under Lorentz transformations, showing that they do not transform as tensors, rather in a manner that preserves the canonical commutation relations. From a complex Klein–Gordon field, position and momentum operators can be constructed for both particles and antiparticles.
What Advertising Can Teach Us About Effective Writing and Speaking
Authors: Yaffe Philip
Published: October 2021

Each "Communication Corner" essay is self-contained; however, they build on each other. For best results, before reading this essay and doing the exercise, go to the first essay "How an Ugly Duckling Became a Swan," then read each succeeding essay.

As a form of writing, advertising copy has a poor reputation because in many minds its objective is to "sell people things they don't want and don't need." This is debatable. What is not debatable is that advertising copy represents some of the best writing you will ever see. It has to because its objective is to say a world of things in just a thimbleful of words. Writers of more meritorious texts (articles, essays, book reports, business reports, research papers, etc.) can learn a lot from understanding how these consummate wordsmiths go about their work.
22nd Workshop on Computer Algebra in Memory of Professor Vladimir Gerdt in Dubna
Authors: Abramov Sergei A. , Bogolubskaya Alla
Published: October 2021

The 22nd Workshop on Computer Algebra in memory of Professor Vladimir Gerdt was held in Dubna, Russia from May 24-25, 2021. Co-organized by the Dorodnicyn Computing Centre (Federal Research Center "Computer Science and Control") of Russian Academy of Sciences and the Meshcheryakov Laboratory of Information Technologies of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, it was devoted to computer algebra and related topics and included a memorial session. The workshop web-site is https://ca2021.jinr.ru.
Feminism in the House of Anthropology
Authors: Mahmud Lilith
Published: October 2021

Although early feminist insights about reflexivity and fieldwork relations have become core tenets of anthropological theories, feminism itself has been marginalized in anthropology. This review examines feminist contributions to American cultural anthropology since the 1990s across four areas of scholarship: the anthropology of science and medicine, political anthropology, economic anthropology, and ethnography as writing and genre. Treating feminist anthropology as a traveling theory capable of addressing critical social problems beyond gender, this article aims not merely to recredit feminism in anthropology, but also to show its potential to transform anthropology into an antiracist, decolonial, and abolitionist project.
Effects of Enzymatic Liquefaction, Drying Techniques, and Wall Materials on the Physicochemical Properties, Bioactivities, and Morphologies of Zinc-Amaranth (Amaranthus viridis L.) Powders
Authors: Amin Siti Faridah Mohd , Karim Roselina , Yusof Yus Aniza , Muhammad Kharidah
Published: October 2021

The demand for vegetable powder has been escalating considerably due to its various health benefits and higher shelf life compared to fresh green leafy vegetables. Thus, much research emphasised manufacturing vegetable powder at a lower operational cost and higher efficiency while preserving the nutritive values of the vegetables. In this study, zinc- (Zn-) amaranth puree was liquefied with three types of cell wall degrading enzymes (i.e., Viscozyme L, Pectinex Ultra SP-L, and Rapidase PAC) with varying concentrations (0–3% v/w) and incubation time (0.5–24 h) at pH 5 and 45°C before the drying process. The results showed that enzymatic liquefaction using 1% (v/w) of Viscozyme L for 3 h was the optimal procedure for the reduction of the viscosity of the puree. The liquefied puree was then microencapsulated through either spray- or freeze-drying with different wall materials, e.g., 10% of maltodextrin (MD) DE 10, resistant maltodextrin (RMD), N-octenyl succinate anhydride (OSA) starches from waxy maize, HI CAP 100 (HICAP), Capsul (CAP), and gum Arabic (GA). The results showed that all freeze-dried powders generally had higher process yield (except for that encapsulated by HICAP), higher moisture content (but similar water activities), higher retention of total Zn-chlorophyll derivatives, lower hygroscopicity with slab-like particles, larger particle size, and lower bulk density than those of spray-dried powders. In contrast, the spray-dried powders exhibited irregular spherical shapes with relatively high encapsulation efficiency and antioxidant activities. Nonetheless, encapsulation using different wall materials and drying methods had no significant effect on the powder’s cohesiveness and flowability.
Accessibility Assessment of Prehospital Emergency Medical Services considering Supply-Demand Differences
Authors: Shen Zhaoqing , Gao Ge , Wang Zhen
Published: October 2021

The reasonable accessibility assessment method is an important basis for the measurement of the level of prehospital emergency medical services. There is no general model for prehospital emergency care in traditional accessibility evaluation, and its supply-demand characteristics have also been ignored. Based on the three-step floating catchment area (3SFCA) model, the supply-demand three-step floating catchment area (SD3SFCA) model is proposed in this paper, which can express the difference between supply and demand of prehospital emergency medical services and accurately simulate unified dispatching of emergency centers. The unified dispatching behavior of emergency centers is simulated based on the potential service capacity of emergency stations with a supply-demand difference. The supply capacity of different emergency facilities is quantified from the perspective of infrastructure and technical quality. The needs of typical population densities are taken into account and adjusted by the weighting index. The validity of the model is verified, with the prehospital emergency medical service in the West Coast New District of Qingdao as an example. The results show that the model can effectively measure the accessibility level of prehospital emergency services and truly reflect the characteristics of supply and demand. Compared with previous models, the model has been significantly improved, which can provide an important reference for optimizing the allocation of prehospital emergency resources.
A Cell Cycle Progression-Derived Gene Signature to Predict Prognosis and Therapeutic Response in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Hui Yongfeng , Leng Junzhi , Jin Dong , Liu Di , Wang Genwang , Wang Qi , Wang Yanyang
Published: October 2021

Objective. Dysregulation of cell cycle progression (CCP) is one of the hallmarks of cancer. Here, our study is aimed at developing a CCP-derived gene signature for predicting high-risk population of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods. Our study retrospectively analyzed the transcriptome profiling and clinical information of HCC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) projects. Uni- and multivariate cox regression models were conducted for identifying which hallmarks of cancer were risk factors of HCC. CCP-derived gene signature was developed with LASSO method. The predictive efficacy was verified by ROC curves and subgroup analyses. A nomogram was then generated and validated by ROC, calibration, and decisive curves. Immune cell infiltration was estimated with ssGSEA method. Potential small molecular compounds were predicted via CTRP and CMap analyses. The response to chemotherapeutic agents was evaluated based on the GDSC project. Results. Among hallmarks of cancer, CCP was identified as a dominant risk factor for HCC prognosis. CCP-derived gene signature displayed the favorable predictive efficacy in HCC prognosis independent of other clinicopathological parameters. A nomogram was generated for optimizing risk stratification and quantifying risk evaluation. CCP-derived signature was in relation to immune cell infiltration, HLA, and immune checkpoint expression. Combining CTRP and CMap analyses, fluvastatin was identified as a promising therapeutic agent against HCC. Furthermore, CCP-derived signature might be applied for predicting the response to doxorubicin and gemcitabine. Conclusion. Collectively, CCP-derived gene signature was a promising marker in prediction of survival outcomes and therapeutic responses for HCC patients.
Attacks and Solutions for a Two-Factor Authentication Protocol for Wireless Body Area Networks
Authors: Chen Chien-Ming , Li Zhen , Chaudhry Shehzad Ashraf , Li Long
Published: October 2021

As an extension of the 4G system, 5G is a new generation of broadband mobile communication with high speed, low latency, and large connection characteristics. It solves the problem of human-to-thing and thing-to-thing communication to meet the needs of intelligent medical devices, automotive networking, smart homes, industrial control, environmental monitoring, and other IoT application needs. This has resulted in new research topics related to wireless body area networks. However, such networks are still subject to significant security and privacy threats. Recently, Fotouhi et al. proposed a lightweight and secure two-factor authentication protocol for wireless body area networks in medical IoT. However, in this study, we demonstrate that their proposed protocol is still vulnerable to sensor-capture attacks and the lack of authentication between users and mobile devices. In addition, we propose a new protocol to overcome the limitations mentioned above. A detailed comparison shows that our proposed protocol is better than the previous protocols in terms of security and performance.
Oridonin Alters Hepatic Urea Cycle via Gut Microbiota and Protects against Acetaminophen‐Induced Liver Injury
Authors: Hong Mu-keng , Liu Hai-hua , Chen Gui-hong , Zhu Jun-qing , Zheng Song-yuan , Zhao Di , Diao Jianxing , Jia Hui , Zhang Ding-ding , Chen Shi-xian , Gao Lei , Li Juan
Published: October 2021

Acetaminophen (APAP) hepatotoxicity is the leading cause of acute liver failure in the western world. Oridonin (OD), which is the major active ingredient of the traditional Chinese medicine Rabdosia rubescens, reportedly exerts anti‐inflammatory and antioxidative effects. Here, we first find that OD protects against APAP‐induced hepatotoxicity. The results of hepatic tissue‐associated RNA‐seq and metabolomics showed that the protective effects of OD were dependent upon urea cycle regulation. And such regulation of OD is gut microbiota partly dependent, as demonstrated by fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). Furthermore, using 16S rRNA sequencing, we determined that OD significantly enriched intestinal Bacteroides vulgatus, which activated the nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway to regulate redox homeostasis against APAP by urea cycle. In conclusion, our study suggests that the Bacteroides vulgatus‐urea cycle‐Nrf2 axis may be a potential target for reducing APAP‐induced liver injury, which is altered by OD.
Interactive Marketing E-Commerce Recommendation System Driven by Big Data Technology
Authors: Fu Yi , Yang Min , Han Di
Published: October 2021

This study combs through relevant literature, adopts a combination of typical sampling and random sampling, collects three big data technology-driven interactive marketing e-commerce companies in a specific period of Sina Weibo sample data for research, obtains historical information and data, and constructs a model. Through relevant analysis to eliminate invalid variables, we creatively selected three variables of Internet hot words, activities, and microtopics as independent variables and used marketing effects as dependent variables to carry out empirical analysis and study the marketing innovation of three representative companies based on big data technology. We discussed the use of self-media in interactive marketing e-commerce and the situation of marketing innovation based on self-media, focusing on the interactive relationship between marketing innovation and Internet word-of-mouth (brand image). Through research, we have derived the three-force model, which is the biggest result of this research, and provided a reference model for interactive marketing e-commerce companies to carry out follow-up marketing innovation based on the media. Limited to the level of research and ability, there are some deficiencies in the research, such as barrage marketing, big data marketing, and emotional computing, that have not been analyzed in depth. This article fully considers the dependence of small and medium e-commerce companies on e-commerce platforms in the era of big data and conducted detailed market research on their precision marketing strategies in the era of big data. This will be a new field that does not come from media marketing. This article intends to summarize a series of experiences and laws from special to general, from individuality to generality, so as to give full play to the role of personalized marketing in increasing website traffic and order conversion, in order to personalize the use of data by other e-commerce companies with marketing provides some valuable experiences and methods for reference.
Some Vertex/Edge-Degree-Based Topological Indices of
r
-Apex Trees
Authors: Ali Akbar , Iqbal Waqas , Raza Zahid , Ali Ekram E. , Liu Jia-Bao , Ahmad Farooq , Chaudhry Qasim Ali
Published: October 2021

In chemical graph theory, graph invariants are usually referred to as topological indices. For a graph

G

, its vertex-degree-based topological indices of the form

BID

G

=

∑

u
v
∈
E

G

β

d

u

,

d

v

are known as bond incident degree indices, where

E

G

is the edge set of

G

,

d

w

denotes degree of an arbitrary vertex

w

of

G

, and

β

is a real-valued-symmetric function. Those

BID

indices for which

β

can be rewritten as a function of

d

u

+

d

v

−
2

(that is degree of the edge

u
v

) are known as edge-degree-based

BID

indices. A connected graph

G

is said to be

r

-apex tree if

r

is the smallest nonnegative integer for which there is a subset

R

of

V

G

such that

R

=
r

and

G
−
R

is a tree. In this paper, we address the problem of determining graphs attaining the maximum or minimum value of an arbitrary

BID

index from the class of all

r

-apex trees of order

n

, where

r

and

n

are fixed integers satisfying the inequalities

n
−
r
≥
2

and

r
≥
1

.