bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aspen Plus(r) Process Simulation Model of the Biomass Ash-Based Treatment of Anaerobic Digestate for Production of Fertilizer and Upgradation of Biogas
Authors: Moure Abelenda Alejandro , Ali Abdikhani , Semple Kirk Taylor , Aiouache Farid
Published: March 2023

The use of the commercial simulator Aspen Plus® could bring an amelioration in the accuracy of the predictions of the chemical species composition in the output streams of the anaerobic digestion process, due to availability of a broad library of thermodynamic and phenomena transport properties in this commercial package. In the present investigation, the process simulation model for anaerobic digestion, which was originally developed by Rajendran et al. [1], has been modified by including a stoichiometric-equilibria reactor to calculate the extent of the ionization of the molecules present in the anaerobic digestate. The refined model offers a more accurate prediction of the composition of the biogas because it delves on the chemical equilibrium of the gaseous stream and the anaerobic digestate. Additionally, the refined model allows to assess the possibility of upgrading the gaseous stream to biomethane degree via manufacturing of ammonium bicarbonate. This processing pathway relies on the stabilization of the anaerobic digestate by means of biomass ash-based treatment. First of all, the titration of the manure digestate with the hydrochloric acid showed that a dose of 3.18 mEq/g would be required to attain the targeted pH of zero-point charge, upon addition of the sewage sludge ash in a ratio to the manure digestate of 0.6 ± 0.2 %. Secondly, the profiles of ammonia, carbon dioxide, and methane found in the biogas agree with both the pH of the treated digestate and the processes described in for the simultaneously upgrading the biogas and the production of ammonium bicarbonate. The refined Aspen Plus® model presented in this article needs to be further developed to ensure the standards are attained in all output streams of stabilized anaerobic digestate, biomethane, and isolated added-value chemical fertilizers.
Ensembles of Convolutional Neural Networks and Transformers for Polyp Segmentation
Authors: Nanni Loris , Fantozzi Carlo , Loreggia Andrea , Lumini Alessandra
Published: March 2023

In the realm of computer vision, semantic segmentation is the task of recognizing objects in images at the pixel level. This is done by performing a classification of each pixel. The task is complex and requires sophisticated skills and knowledge about the context to identify objects’ boundaries. The importance of semantic segmentation in many domains is undisputed. In medical diagnostics, it simplifies the early detection of pathologies, thus mitigating the possible consequences. In this work, we provide a review of the literature on deep ensemble learning models for polyp segmentation and we develop new ensembles based on convolutional neural networks and transformers. The development of an effective ensemble entails ensuring diversity between its components. To this end, we combine different models (HarDNet-MSEG, Polyp-PVT, and HSNet) trained with different data augmentation techniques, optimization methods, and learning rates, which we experimentally demonstrate to be useful to form a better ensemble. Most importantly, we introduce a new method to obtain the segmentation mask which is more suitable for combining transformers in an ensemble. In our extensive experimental evaluation, the proposed ensembles exhibit state-of-the-art performance.
Attenuation of Dopaminergic Neurodegeneration in a C. elegans Parkinson’s Model through Regulation of Xanthine Dehydrogenase (XDH-1) Expression by the RNA Editase, ADR-2
Authors: Starr Lindsey A. , McKay Luke E. , Peter Kylie N. , Seyfarth Lena M. , Berkowitz Laura A. , Caldwell Kim A. , Caldwell Guy A.
Published: March 2023

Differential RNA editing by adenosine deaminases that act on RNA (ADARs) has been implicat-ed in several neurological disorders, including Parkinson’s disease (PD). Here, we report results of an RNAi screen of genes differentially regulated in adr-2 mutants, normally encoding the only catalytically active ADAR in Caenorhabditis elegans, ADR-2. Subsequent analysis of candidate genes that alter the misfolding of human α-synuclein (α-syn) and dopaminergic neurodegenera-tion, two PD pathologies, reveal that reduced expression of xdh-1, the ortholog of human xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH), is protective against α-synuclein-induced dopaminergic neurodegenera-tion. Further RNAi experiments show that WHT-2, the worm ortholog of the human ABCG2 transporter and a predicted interactor of XDH-1, is the rate-limiting factor in the ADR-2, XDH-1, WHT-2 system for dopaminergic neuroprotection. Proteomic analysis indicates that the editing of one nucleotide in wht-2 RNA leads to the substitution of threonine with alanine at residue 124 in the WHT-2 protein, changing its structure. Thus, we propose a model where wht-2, is edited by ADR-2 which promotes optimal export of uric acid, a known substrate of WHT-2 and a product of XDH-1 activity. In the absence of editing, uric acid export is limited provoking a reduction in xdh-1 transcription to limit uric acid production and maintain cellular homeostasis. In turn, ele-vation of uric acid is protective against dopaminergic neuronal cell death. These data indicate that modifying specific targets of RNA editing may represent a promising therapeutic strategy for PD.
Source Apportionment of Ambient Particulate Matter (PM) in two Western Africa Urban Sites (Dakar in Senegal and Bamako in Mali)
Authors: Doumbia Thierno , Liousse Catherine , Galy-Lacaux Corinne , Ndiaye Seydi Ababacar , Gardrat Eric , Leumbe-Ouafo Marie Roumy , Zouiten Cyril , Yoboué Véronique , Granier Claire
Published: March 2023

The purpose of this study is to characterize atmospheric pollution and its sources in two West African urban sites during the dry season (January 2009 in Bamako, Mali, and December 2009 in Dakar, Senegal). Particulate Matter (PM) source apportionment was performed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF). Carbonaceous components, water-soluble inorganic compounds, and trace elements were analyzed from PM (TSP, PM10, and PM2.5) samples. The measured PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations were 5 to 10 times and 3 to 8 times higher than the 2005 WHO 24-hour standards, respectively. PCA and PMF analyses identify five sources in both cities. The sources contributing to aerosol concentrations (PM2.5 - PM10) in Bamako are motor vehicles (20-13%), solid fuel combustion (16-13%), crustal dust (24-30%), resuspended road dust (26-30%) and secondary aerosols (10-16%). During the sampling period in Bamako, dust was the most prevalent source, accounting for 63% of the total PM10 mass. In Dakar, the main identified sources were motor vehicles (28-19%), mineral dust (16-25%), industries and oil burn-ing (11-10%), sea salts (15-20%), and resuspended road particles (21-29%). The findings also indicate that anthropogenic emissions contribute significantly to the PM2.5 fraction, implying that populations are highly exposed to fine particles.
Working conditions at workplaces in finishing operations departments of foundries
Authors: Lazarenkov A. M. , Sadokha M. A. , Novik A. A.
Published: March 2023

The working conditions at the workplaces of foundry workers when performing finishing operations, production factors determining them are considered. The results of studies of the parameters of the working conditions of the considered professions of foundry workers in comparison with the standard values are presented. It has been established that in a comprehensive assessment of the working conditions of foundries working in the department of financial operations, it is necessary to take into account the duration of stay at the working equipment, the equipment and hand tools used, the type of alloy being smelted (steel, cast iron, non‑ferrous metals) and the nature of production.
Influence of the method of aerodynamic sound hardening on the hardness of cast iron
Authors: Ulitenok A. O.
Published: March 2023

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Philosophical aspect of the basis of the theory aerodynamic sound hardening
Authors: Karabanov D. R.
Published: March 2023

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Inactivated vaccine fueled adaptive immune responses to Omicron in 2-year COVID-19 convalescents
Authors: Liu Maoshun , Zhang Jie , Li Lei , Zhan Jianbo , Yang Mengjie , Shang Bingli , Wang Xin , Tian Jinmin , Li Min , Li Hongmei , Yue Can , Yao Sijia , Lin Ying , Guo Yuanyuan , Zong Kexin , Zhang Danni , Zhao Yingze , Cai Kun , Dong Shaobo , Xu Shengping , Jiang Yongzhong , Gao George , Liu William
Published: March 2023

For nearly three years, humans have experienced multiple rounds of global transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and its variant strains. In addition, the widely used vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 involve multiple strategies of development and inoculation, globally. Thus, the acquired immunity established among humans is quite complicated, and there is still a lack of understanding within a panoramic vision. Here, we provide the special characteristics of the cellular and humoral immune responses in 2-year convalescents after the inoculation of inactivated vaccine, in parallel to vaccinated COVID-19 naïve persons and unvaccinated controls. The decreasing trends of the IgG, IgA, and neutralizing antibodies (NAb), but not IgM of the convalescents were reversed by the vaccination. Both cellular and humoral immunity to SARS-CoV-2 in convalescents after vaccination were higher than the vaccinated COVID-19 naïve persons. Notably, the inoculation of inactivated vaccine fueled the NAb to Omicron BA.1, BA.2, BA.4, and BA.5 in the 2-year convalescents, much higher than the NAb during 6 months and 1 year after symptoms onset. And no obvious T cell escaping to the S protein was observed after the inoculation in the 2-year convalescents. The study provides insight into the complicated features of acquired immunity of humans to SARS-CoV-2 and variants in the real world, and indicated that promoting vaccine inoculation is an essential way to achieve herd immunity against emerging viral variants for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, including the convalescents.
Development of Fluorine Doped Tin Oxide Thin Films on Glass as TCOs by Spray Pyrolysis Method for Novel Optoelectronic Applications
Authors: Abbas Syed. Zaheer , Ahmed Riaz , Shahzadi Phool
Published: March 2023

TO family of TCOs is probably the most popular substrate for systems that need the electrical conductivity and transparency at the same time. Among them Fluorine doped Tin oxide (FTO) provides chemical stability, abrasion tolerance and resistant to high temperatures more than other materials. FTOs are mostly fabricated by CVD and such complex systems that raise many malicious issues of complexity, environment and high cost. Despite most sophisticated systems, the material can be easily fabricated in the form of thin films by low-cost methods including spray pyrolysis, solgel method etc. Low cost methods provide better and affordable solution with the comparable characterization results of deposited thin films. In present work, Fluorine doped tin oxide thin films (FTO) are developed on glass as TCO by a modified spray pyrolysis method and their opto-electronic properties are studied alongwith their structural morphology, crystalline nature and grain size. The modified approach in spraying showed excellent results as transparency value exceeds 90% with resistivity value of 1.8 x 10− 5 Ωcm for 500 nm thickness, evaluated by line analysis of AFM. The particle size calculated by Williamsons-Hall method complies with AFM analysis lies between 50–60 nm.
Time-to-death predictors on breast cancer patients in northern Ethiopia: a retrospective cross-sectional study
Authors: Hagos Bsrat Tesfay , Gebrerufael Gebru Gebremeskel
Published: March 2023

Background Breast cancer (BC) remains still is a community public health problem of world widely in both developed and under-developed countries. It is the greatest frequently happening cancer among women in sub-Saharan African countries, especially in Ethiopia. In spite of the overburden of difficulty, the predictors associated with mortality are not yet determined in Ethiopia. Besides, studies related to this area are sparse. Therefore, the main objective of this investigation was to determine the major significant predictors which influenced to shortened survival time of BC patients in Northern Ethiopia. Methods An institutional-based retrospective cross-sectional study design was conducted from September 12, 2015, to March 9, 2019, among 146 women who had BC in Northern Ethiopia. The statistical analysis was done by using STATA version 14 software. Kaplan-Meier curve for survival experience and a Log-normal regression model for predictor identification were applied. Results The overall prevalence of experiencing death rate was 18.5% in Northern Ethiopia. The selected patients were followed retrospectively for an overall estimated mean follow-up time of 28.12 months. The age range of patients was 23–78 years with a median of 48 years. The multivariable Log-normal model analysis revealed, being distant metastatic [ATR = 0.52, CI= (0.341, 0.787)], regional metastatic [ATR = 0.63, (0.423, 0.924)], Age [(ATR = 0.98, 95% CI: (0.968–0.997)], Baseline tumor size [(ATR = 0.98, 95% CI: (0.968, 0.996)], Clinical Stage IV [ATR = 0.48, 95% CI: (0.297–0.789)], illiterate [ATR = 0.52, 95% CI: (0.325–0.823)], and urban residence [ATR = 0.68, 95% CI: (0.516–0.904 )] were found to be critical risk factors of time to death breast cancer patients. Conclusion In conclusion, the findings showed that the prevalence death rate among BC patients in Northern Ethiopia still remains a critical public health problem. Being clinical stage IV, distant and regional metastasis, illiteracy education level, baseline tumor cell level, residence, and old Age were found to be the most important risk predictors for the time to death of patients. Therefore, the government and other stakeholders need to address educational opportunities; creating awareness about the diagnosis of late-stage disease and valuable counseling of screening programs on time would reduce the death rate and lengthen the survival time of patients.
Reversible Elastomer-Fluid Transitions for Metamorphosic Robots
Authors: Yang Yang , Yuan Sishen , Ren Hongliang
Published: March 2023

Endowing robots with reversible phase transition ability, especially between elastomer and fluid states, can significantly broaden their functionality and applicability. Limited attempts have been made to realize the reversible elastomer-fluid transition. Existing phase transition materials in robotics have over-hard (~4 GPa) or over-soft (~4 kPa) stiffness in the solid states, which should be further investigated to perform more compliant motions. Advanced reversible phase transitions for metamorphosic robots demand sufficient elasticity in the elastomer state, rapidity and reversibility of the transition state, and controllable fluidity in the fluid state. To address these challenges, we present a reversible elastomer-fluid transition mechanism for metamorphosic robots enabled by magnetically induced hot melt materials (MIMMs). The transition principle is explained by material analysis, and material characterizations are conducted to understand the reversible elastomer-fluid transition. MIMMs-based metamorphosic robots endow self-metamorphosing abilities, such as self-healing, spatial self-growing, self-division/assembly, and additive manufacturability. When interacting with external environments, MIMMs-based robots can perform further multifunctional abilities, such as collaborations for structure repairs, swimming by symbiosis with external objects, flowing through a narrow terrain by transiting to fluid, and working with elastomeric structures for stiffness-variable fluid soft actuators. Biomedical applications were demonstrated to present the multi-functionality of MIMMs-based robots. The proposed elastomer-fluid transitions may open a new path for robots to generate more flexible and metamorphosic motions, thereby addressing the cross-phase transformation challenges that soft robots face.
Clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of gastric malignancies based on the SEER database
Authors: Han Deng , Liu Keshuai , Zhang Zhiyu , Deng Jinyan , Du Hongbo
Published: March 2023

Introduction: Gastric malignancies are common worldwide, with a high incidence rate and mortality. Relevant studies are needed to further demonstrate the harmfulness of gastric malignancies to improve the awareness of its prevention.
Methods: The SEER database was used to obtain the clinical data of 122793 patients diagnosed with gastric malignancies from 2000 to 2019. Along with performing univariate and multivariate analyses, the associated survival rates of each variable were analyzed using SPSS software. Columnar line graph prediction models were developed and validated using R software.
Results: In total, 122793 gastric malignancy patients were included in this study, including 74303 males(60.51%) and 48490 females(39.49%). Most patients were aged 60-74 years old: 45603 patients(37.14%). The follow-up time was 0-239 months, the median follow-up time was 11 months, and 91869 patients(74.82%) died. Gastric adenocarcinoma was the main pathological type: 96259 patients(78.39%). The main disease site was the cardia of the stomach: 34019 patients(27.70%); Most patients lived in cities: 109706 patients(89.34%). Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that gender, age, tumor size, tumor location, AJCC stage, pathological type, rural/urban, and treatment were independent risk factors for prognosis(P<0.05). The C-index of the nomogram prognostic model was 0.763 ± 0.002, and the areas under the ROC curve of the 1-year, 3-year and 5-year survival rates were 0.76, 0.79 and 0.79,respectively. The calibration curve showed that the predicted survival rate of the nomogram was in good agreement with the observed survival rate.
Conclusion: The prognosis of tumors located in the greater curvature of the stomach is relatively good. The patient’s city level is proportional to the prognosis. The prognosis of gastric stromal tumors and gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms is significantly better than that of the other pathological types. The patients who reach the surgical indication should have surgery as early as possible to prolong the survival time.
Impact Assessment of Particulate matter (PM 10 ) by Cement Industry: A Case Study in Khrew& khanmoh (J&K), India
Authors: Qadri Syed Rizwana , Ahmed Mudasir
Published: March 2023

The concentration of pollutant particulate matter (PM10) associated with cement production in Kashmir valley (Khrew and Khanmoh; where currently nine cement plants are operational) and its effect on human health were assessed in this study. The air pollutant particulate matter was assessed using the Air Quality Index (AQI) methodology. By comparing the collected data with permissible limits given by National Environment quality (NEQ) we found that in the Khrew area of the valley, the concentration of PM10 was highest in 2017 (141.65 µg/m3) whereas the permissible limit for a year is 60 µg/m3, and the lowest was in 2018 and 2019 (112.55µg/m3, 116.58 µg/m3) respectively. The concentration of PM10 in the khanmoh area was also high in 2017 (171.87µg/m3) which is higher than the khrew area and the lowest was recorded in 2019 (119.8 µg/m3). By analyzing the concentration of PM10 in both areas (Khrew and khanmoh) the cement plants which are located in these two areas should use pollution control devices to overcome this pollution as this concentration of PM10 is not good for human health as it can cause respiratory illness to the people on prolonged exposure. The effect may be more pronounced in people with lung and heart diseases (IND. AQI) as both areas fall in the "poor" category (AQI).
Lung Cancer Prediction by Using Deep Learning method CNN
Authors: Gadikota Lithesh , Nunna Venkata Yuva Naga Sai , Tirumani Sai Teja , Padyala Venkata Vara Prasad
Published: March 2023

Lung cancer is a significant public health concern, and early identification can improve patient outcomes. Advanced machine learning approaches can increase the precision of computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) systems that use medical pictures to diagnose diseases, such as CT scans, which can help find lung cancer. In this paper, we examine the usage of image analysis and CAD while also proposing an unique method for predicting lung cancer using Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) approaches. Our study utilized a dataset of lung CT scans from patients with and without lung cancer. The lung regions' important characteristics were extracted from the preprocessed pictures using segmentation and feature extraction techniques. After that, we used these variables to train a CNN model to identify the likelihood of lung cancer. Our paper demonstrates the potential of CNN techniques and image analysis in predicting lung cancer with high accuracy rates. The suggested method might be utilized to create more precise and efficient CAD systems for diagnosing lung cancer, possibly resulting in early identification and better patient outcomes.Further research is required to examine the clinical applications of this technique and to confirm these findings in bigger datasets.
The value of the acromiohumeral distance in the diagnosis and treatment decisions of patients with shoulder pain: A retrospective case-control study
Authors: Xu Feng , Xie Na , Ji Dongxu , Gao Qian , Liu Chen
Published: March 2023

Background: The role of subacromial space reduction in causing shoulder pain / rotator cuff tears (RCTs) remains controversial. It is widely thought that extending the acromiohumeral distance (AHD) by subacromial decompression provides limited relief of shoulder pain. Herein, we assessed the differences in AHD between patients with shoulder pain treated with or without surgery and analyzed whether there was a linear relationship between AHD and Constant-Murley shoulder joint function score (CMS) and severity of RCTs.
Methods: A retrospective case-control study included patients from our hospital from 2019 to 2022 divided into surgical treatment (n=93) and non-surgical treatment (n=116) groups. The two groups were comparable in age, gender, and location of shoulder pain. Data, including the degree of RCTs, CMS, and AHD, were recorded. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare differences between groups in AHD, RCTs, and CMSs. Pearson correlation analysis was used to represent the correlation between AHD and CMS. Spearman correlation analysis was used for the correlation between AHD and RCTs grade and CMS and RCTs grade.
Results: AHD was smaller in the surgery group than the non-surgery group, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The CMS of the surgical group was significantly lower than the non-surgical group (P<0.001). The degree of RCTs was significantly more severe in the surgery group than in the non-surgery group (P<0.001). Pearson correlation analysis between AHD and CMS showed a weak or no correlation(P>0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed a significant correlation between CMS and RCTs (P<0.001). However, no significant difference was found between AHD and RCTs (P = 0.797).
Conclusions: Our results suggest that surgical or non-surgical management of patiens with shoulder pain or RCTs should focus on shoulder joint function and degree of rotator cuff tears, and a potential decrease in subacromial space/AHD has minimal value.
Within-Visit Systolic Blood Pressure Variability: An Indicator of Diabetic Retinopathy
Authors: Gao Lu , Liu Qian , Liu Wei , Liu Qi , Wang Guohong , Qin Mingzhao
Published: March 2023

Objective To discuss whether within-visit blood pressure variability (BPV) increases the risk of diabetic retinopathy (DR) after adjusting for the conventional metabolic risk factors and to evaluate the independent impact of BPV to DR in diabetic patients.
Methods The study featured 625 patients with T2DM based on physical and biochemical tests. Among them, 66 patients had DR, and 66 HbA1c matched subjects without the condition (NDR group) were therefore handpicked from the remaining 559 participants in a ratio of 1:1. Three systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) readings were recorded by physicians during a single medical assessment. Within-visit BPV for each subject was defined using the standard deviation of SBP (SBPSD) and DBP (DBPSD), coefficient of variation of SBP (SBPCV) and DBP (DBPCV).
Results No significant differences were found in laboratory testing parameters as well as general clinical data between the two groups (P＞0.05), but cases of DR had higher SBPSD (2.88±2.41 vs 3.76±2.63, P=0.046) and SBPCV (1.92±1.63% vs 2.29±1.56%, P=0.036) than NDR subjects. SBPSD and SBPCV were both independent statistical indicators of DR after adjusting for age, gender, smoking history, alcohol consumption, obesity, history of hypertension, SBPM, DBPM, HbA1c and TC [OR: 1.188, 95%CI: 1.030-1.370, P=0.018 and OR: 1.271, 95%CI: 1.031-1.566, P=0.025, respectively].
Conclusion In T2DM patients, elevated within-visit SBPV associates strongly with DR in spite of no statistical difference in metabolic indicators. Even to the same degree of blood glucose control, within-visit SBPV is an independent indicator of DR.
Trends in disease burden of hepatitis B infection in Jiangsu Province, China, 1990-2021
Authors: Fang Kang , Shi Yingying , Zhao Zeyu , Zhao Yunkang , Guo Yichao , Abudunaibi Buasivamu , Qu Huimin , Liu Qiao , Kang Guodong , Wang Zhiguo , Chen Tianmu , Hu Jianli
Published: March 2023

Background The incidence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) has decreased year by year in China after the expansion of vaccination, but there is still a high disease burden in Jiangsu Province of China.
Methods The incidence data of HBV in Jiangsu Province from 1990 to 2021 were collected. The incidence rates of males and females age groups were clustered by systematic clustering, and the incidence rates of each age group were analyzed and studied by using Joinpoint regression model and age-period-cohort effect model (APC).
Results Overall, HBV prevalence decreased in both sexes. In addition, the results of the APC model showed that the age, period, and cohort effects of patients all affected the incidence of HBV, and the incidence was higher in males than in females. The incidence is highest in the population between the ages of 15 and 30 years (mean: 21.76/100,000), another high-risk group is those over 60 years (mean: 21.40/100,000). The period effect of the APC model suggests that HBV vaccination is effective in reducing the incidence of HBV.
Conclusions The incidence of HBV in Jiangsu Province showed a gradual downward trend, but the disease burden in males was higher than that in females. The incidence is higher and increasing rapidly in the population between the ages of 15 and 30 years and people over 60 years of age. More targeted prevention and control measures should be implemented for males and the elderly.
Impact of Day 3 Cell Number on the Live Birth Rate of Vitrified-Warmed Single Blastocyst Transfer
Authors: Qiu Pingping , Ye Ronghui , Li Ping , Huang Hui , Ding Lu
Published: March 2023

Background: Previous studies have reported inconsistent results regarding blastocyst selection with high cell number of day 3 (D3) and the eventual pregnancy outcomes. Thus, this study investigated the relationship between the D3 cell number and clinical outcomes of single blastocyst transfer (SBT) in vitrified-warmed transfer cycles.
Methods: A total of 1144 vitrified-warmed cycles of SBT were retrospectively analyzed. Based on the D3 cell number, the cycles were divided into four groups: group A (3–7 cells, n = 130); group B (8–9 cells, n = 621); group C (10–12 cells, n = 328); and group D (13–16 cells, n = 65). The differences in live birth rate (LBR), clinicalpregnancy rate, and miscarriage rate were examined among the four groups.
Results: The LBR and clinical pregnancy rate increased with the D3 cell number (P < 0.01). No significant difference was found in the miscarriage rate among the groups (P= 0.055). After adjusting for confounding factors, the LBR was significantly higher in groups C (odds ratio [OR] = 1.506, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.148–1.976, P < 0.01) and D (OR = 2.081, 95% CI: 1.218–3.556, P< 0.01) than in group B.
Conclusions: A high D3 cell number (>9 cells) was associated with a high LBR in the vitrified-warmed SBT cycle. The cell number of D3 embryos can be an important reference indicator for blastocyst selection. Among blastocysts with the same morphological score, those with >9 cells on D3 can be preferentially selected for transplantation.
A cross-sectional study on the prediction model of fear of cancer recurrence in individuals with non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Liu Man , Liu Lu , Wang Hongjing , Song Peng , Li Jinghan , Guo Wei , Liu Yan
Published: March 2023

Objective
To study the fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) of individuals with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); this research focused on developing and validating a prediction model to identify which individuals with NSCLC were at high risk of relapse fear.
Methods
The sociodemographic and clinical variable data of 347 NSCLC patients from the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from December 2020 to September 2022 were collected by convenience sampling. The t-test, ANOVA, and nonparametric test were used to test the difference of a single factor in the disease fear scores of patients with NSCLC with different demographic characteristics and disease-related conditions. After the disease fear scores were converted into binary data (fear and no fear), the univariate logistic regression analysis was conducted according to the univariate analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted by adjusting the relevant covariates to establish a risk prediction model for NSCLC patients to fear disease progression.
Results
Gender, ethnicity, family per capita monthly income, and hope level were independent predictors of cancer recurrence fear in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. The model established by these predictors showed that the area under the curve was 0.891,95% confidence interval:0.858–0.924.
Conclusion
This study developed a validated and easy-to-use prediction algorithm that can be used to identify patients at high risk of recurrence fear with moderate accuracy.
Sustainable Solvent Recycling Strategy Toward Environmentally Viable Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Kim Hee Jung , Gong Oh Yeong , Kim Young Ju , Yoon Geon Woo , Han Gill Sang , Shin Hyunjung , Jung Hyun Suk
Published: March 2023

In the pursuit of eco-friendly and cost-effective commercialization of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), efforts have been made to develop recycling technologies. However, most current methods use toxic solvents that can potentially harm human health and the environment. Here, we introduce a novel approach that recovers and reuses toxic solvents used in the recycling process. Detailed evaluations were conducted to assess the effects of residual substances in PSC-dissolved solvents, and a two-step selective dissolution process was utilized for effective solvent recycling. PSCs were immersed in chlorobenzene and N,N′-dimethylformamide solvents in sequence, and each solvent was recovered for reuse in the re-fabrication of PSCs. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of a toxic solvent recycling process for PSC re-fabrication, which achieved a power conversion efficiency of 25.02%, comparable to that of the original PSCs (25.12%), as well as recycling of the dissolved hole conducting materials.
Indigenous knowledge and perception toward mental illnesses within Goma city in Democratic Republic of Congo
Authors: Kyolo Samuel Kule , Bbosa Godfrey S. , Odda John , Mwebaza Norah , Kibendelwa Zacharie Tsongo , Nakasujja Noeline , Katuura Esther
Published: March 2023

Background: Prevailing wars for more than two decades have been associated with the increased burden of mental illnesses (MIs) in North-Kivu province (NKP), in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The community perception of this claim has, however, not been fully documented.
Aims:To assess the knowledge and perception of Goma city residents on MI and their associated factors.
Methods: Cross sectional study, was conducted among 610 selected community residents including key informants of Goma city from April to July 2021. Quantitative data from semi-structured interviews was analyzed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression, while data from FGDs were analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis.
Results: Among residents of Goma city, rates of correct recognition of MIs namely schizophrenia, anxiety, depression and neurodevelopment disorders varied: 96.6%, 29.7%, 39.5% and 14.3%, respectively. The major causes of MIs perceived by respondents were spiritual (67.5%) and substance abuse (56.7%). Qualitative data from FGD’s revealed three major themes for poor perception of MI among residents as indigenous names of various MIs, reason of preferring traditional medicine versus conventional medicine (CM) and challenges faced in management of MIs using CM. Furthermore, demographic factors such as education, religion, occupation and age were not statistically significant (p˃0.05) in predicting one’s odds of MI perception among Goma city residents.
Conclusion:The findings revealed that residents of Goma city have poor knowledge and perception about MIs regardless of education, religion, occupation and age.
A phase II study of High-Flow Nasal Cannula for relieving dyspnea in advanced cancer patients.
Authors: Takase Eri , Akamatsu Hiroaki , Teraoka Shunsuke , Nakaguchi Keita , Tanaka Masanori , Kaki Takahiro , Furuta Katsuyuki , Sato Koichi , Murakami Eriko , Sugimoto Takeya , Shibaki Ryota , Fujimoto Daichi , Hayata Atsushi , Tokudome Nahomi , Ozawa Yuichi , Koh Yasuhiro , Nakanishi Masanori , Kanai Kuninobu , Shimokawa Toshio , Yamamoto Nobuyuki
Published: March 2023

Background: The efficacy and tolerability of high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) for relieving dyspnea in advanced cancer patients with limited prognosis requires elucidation.
Methods: Patients with advanced cancer who had dyspnea at rest (numeric rating scale, NRS≥3) and respiratory failure were enrolled. They were treated with HFNC for five days. Primary endpoint was change of mean modified Borg scale at 24 hours. Key secondary endpoints consisted of change in modified Borg scale during the study period and feasibility (Trial Identifier, UMIN000035738).
Results: Between February 2019 and February 2022, 25 patients were enrolled and 21 were analyzed. Twenty patients used inspired oxygen and the mean fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) was 0.34 (range, 0.21–1.0). At baseline, mean NRS (dyspnea) was 5.9 (range, 3–10). Median survival time was 19 days (range, 3–657).
The change of mean modified Borg scale was 1.4 (80% confidence interval [CI]: 0.8–1.9) at 24 hours, 11 patients showed 1.5 points improvement of modified Borg scale. Within 1 hour, nine patients showed 1.5 points improvement of modified Borg scale and such early responders were likely to maintain dyspnea improvement for 24 hours.­ Nineteen patients could continue HFNC for 24 hours and 11 patients completed five days of HFNC.
Conclusion: To our knowledge, this trial is the first prospective study to show the efficacy and tolerability of HFNC regarding dyspnea for five days in patients under palliative care. HFNC can be a palliative treatment option in advanced cancer patients with dyspnea.
Pharmacist-led medication reviews: A scoping review of systematic reviews
Authors: Craske Miriam E. , Hardeman Wendy , Steel Nicholas , Twigg Michael J.
Published: March 2023

Background

Medication reviews aim to support patients who take medicines, and they are often led by pharmacists. Previous research undertaken in 2015 found mixed evidence that medication reviews in community settings improve clinical outcomes, but further work needs to be undertaken to establish their impact on patient-orientated and economic outcomes.

Aim

To explore the extent and range of systematic reviews of medication reviews conducted by pharmacists, the nature of the intervention, the evidence for effectiveness, and reported research gaps.

Method

Data extracted included the design of included studies, population, setting, main results, description of interventions, and future research recommendations.

Results

We identified twenty-four systematic reviews which reported that medication review interventions were diverse, and their nature was often poorly described. Two high quality reviews reported that there was evidence of no effect on mortality; of these one reported an improvement in medicines-related problems (all studies reported an increase of identified problems), and another a reduction in hospital readmissions (Risk ratio 0.93). Other lower quality reviews reported evidence supporting intervention effectiveness for some clinical outcomes (odds ratio: achieving diabetes control = 3.11, achieving blood pressure target = 2.73, 3.50).

Conclusion

There is mixed evidence of effectiveness for medication reviews across settings and patient populations. The nature of the intervention is poorly reported therefore it is difficult to determine the components medication review. As medication reviews are widely implemented in practice, further research should explore the nature of the interventions and linking the components of these to outcomes.
WITHDRAWN: Exploring trend and forecasting of temperature and rainfall in Shimla district of Himachal Pradesh, India using non-parametric and bagging REPTree model
Authors: Sharma Aastha , Sajjad Haroon , Saha Tamal Kanti , Masroor Md , Sharma Yatendra , Kumari Geeta
Published: March 2023

The changing pattern of climate variables has caused extreme weather events and severe disasters especially in mountainous regions. Such events have a detrimental impact on resources, environment and society. Thus, it has become imperative to examine trends and forecast of meteorological variables using scientific modeling approach at micro level. This study makes an attempt to examine trend in temperature and rainfall using Modified Mann–Kendall test and Sen’s slope estimator during 1980–2021. A Bagging-REPTree machine learning model was utilized for forecasting temperature and rainfall trend for the next 20 years (2022–2041) to understand the temporal dynamics in Shimla district of Indian Himalayan state. Correlation coefficient (R), mean squared error (MSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and root mean squared error mean (RMSE) performance were determined to assess effectiveness and precision of the model. The findings revealed that the frequency of intense rainfall in the district has increased, especially during the monsoon season (June–September) during 1980–2021. Annual maximum, minimum, and mean temperatures have exhibited significant variability while annual rainfall has shown a decreasing trend. The forecast analysis revealed significant trend for rainfall during monsoon season and increasing trend in the maximum temperature has been observed during summer and winter seasons. The analysis has provided sufficient evidence of variability and uncertainty in the behavior of meteorological variables. The outcome of the study may help in devising suitable adaptation and mitigation strategies to combat the effect of climate change in the hilly regions. The methodology adopted in the study may help in future progression of the research in different geographical regions of Western Himalayas.
Study on the optimization of temperature uniformity in the oven under the forced convection mode
Authors: Yang Zongliang , Cheng Dongxu , Su Bin , Ji Chuang , Huang Jiayu , Li Haiyun , Zhang Kai
Published: March 2023

In order to study the temperature distribution in a multi-functional oven and optimize the structural parameters of the oven, the internal temperature uniformity was improved. The test was conducted and the numerical simulation was conducted in two ways. The distribution of temperature field in each layer of ovens was measured in real time using a 9-point distributed thermocouple, and the oven temperature uniformity index was measured and analyzed. The temperature field inside the oven was numerically simulated using computational fluid dynamics. Investigated the heat conduction, convection and radiation effects respectively, and found out the main heat transfer mode of the oven. Further through the test of temperature measurement, verify the accuracy of the numerical simulation method. According to the results of the experiment and simulation, the reason of the uneven temperature field in the original structure of the oven was revealed and analyzed. By changing the structure of the oven tailgate, adjusting the air volume distribution, changing the distribution of the air outlet and other measures, greatly improving the uniformity of the temperature field inside the oven.
Citrus sinensis agro-waste peels mediated CQDs-Ag nanocomposite potentiates numerous applications
Authors: Chugh Riya , Kaur Gurmeet
Published: March 2023

In chasing green nanoscale research, the reductive efficacy of a typical agro-waste product of the food industry, namely, orange peels, has been investigated to synthesize carbon quantum dots silver nanocomposites [CQDs-Ag NCs] via a greener route. CQDs-Ag NCs are having great importance for their diverse applications in the chemical, medical, biological and agricultural sector including their role in chemical reactions, sensing, catalysis, as nanopesticides or nanofertilizers, antifungal, antimicrobial, anti-bacterial, and antioxidant activity. The synthesis of CQDs-Ag NCs was conducted mainly in 4 steps, namely, composition of orange peels fine powder, phytochemical screening of precursor orange peel extract, orange peel derived fluorescent CQDs by green and facile microwave-assisted method and further biosynthesis of CQDs-Ag NCs. Structural characterization revealed that CQDs-Ag NCs exhibit cubic crystallinity belonging to Ag nanoparticles with few humps belonging to CQDs. The average sizes of orange peels mediated carbon quantum dots were around 5–8 nm. Microstructural analysis of CQDs-Ag NCs showed polydispersed grains with an average size of 15–20 nm. The agar well-diffusion test demonstrated that these nanocomposites are a promising material for antibacterial agents. This assertion was supported by the evidence showing that the diameter of the created clear zone ranges from 12–14 mm. Thus, nanotechnology (CQDs-Ag NCs) can be considered to have great potential in precision agriculture and bactericidal applications.
Epilepsy and Giardia intestinalis infection impact the gut microbiome of canine species.
Authors: Park Chan-Yeong , Lee Sung-Seok , Seo Hyun-Hee , Ha Dong-Uk , Jang Ha-Da , Yu Hyun-Ah , Kim San
Published: March 2023

The role of gut microbiome in the host health is a growing interest and they play various roles for the maintenance of homeostasis. It has been shown that the composition of the microbiome is associated with many factors such as age, race, gender, geographical distribution, and genetic features. Yet, the gut microbiome-host interaction fully remains unknown. Compared to the human, there were limited studies were carried out on the gut microbiome studies on the companion animals. In this study, we analyzed canine gut microbiome with National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) with SRA database. From the SRA database, total 982 SRA data with 1.22 TB from 8 countries were included. According to distance-based redundancy analysis (dbRDA), the Peptoclostridium and Fusobacterium were mostly correlated with disease of Epileptic and Giardia intestinalis, respectively. From the network analysis with spearman rank-based correlation coefficient (ρ), we identified interactions within genera lists as candidate biomarkers. The results showed that the composition of the canine gut microbiome differed with disease specific microbes, suggesting that these species lists are considered as biomarker candidate for epileptic and giardia intestinalis.
Research on Injection Molding Simulation and Process Parameter Optimization of Automobile Front Door Sill Press Plate
Authors: Wang Lu , Tang Lingfeng
Published: March 2023

With the continuous development of plastic strip steel technology, optimization of plastic part process parameters has become one of the hot research in the field of injection molding. This paper takes the automobile front door sill pressure plate as the research object, analysis of optimal gate position and design of three pouring systems by Moldflow, evaluation of each index of the three pouring systems using the integrated scoring method, determines the optimal gating system. Five parameters such as mold temperature and melt temperature were selected as experimental factors, volume shrinkage and warpage are used as evaluation indicators, design and completion of signal-to-noise ratio-based orthogonal tests, determining the optimal combination of process parameters using grey correlation analysis, the results showed that the volume shrinkage and warpage deformation of the two evaluation indexes were reduced by 22.27% and 20.82%, respectively, after optimization. The set of Pareto solutions for volume shrinkage and warping deformation is then obtained by building an Ellipsoidal Basis Function Neural Network (EBFNN) model combined with a Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (NSGA-II), and the relatively optimal five sets of Pareto solutions are selected for analysis and comparison, the optimum process parameters were determined as mold temperature 40.5°C, melt temperature 221.4°C, injection time 3.9s, packing pressure 54.8 MPa and packing time 39.s, the maximum volume shrinkage of the optimized part is 5.475%, the warpage deformation is 1.010mm, and the forming quality of the part is improved.
Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid -case report of a rare disease
Authors: Lévay Bernadett , Kiss Alexandra , Oberna Ferenc , Toth Erika
Published: March 2023

Introduction
Primary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the thyroid gland is a very rare entity. The prognosis is very poor with a short survival time. The aim of this article is to report a case of a SCC of the thyroid gland in a 68-year-old woman, emphasizing how complicate is the operation and the adequate treatment of this disease.
Case report
A 68-year -old woman presented with rapidly growing neck mass with hoarseness and compressive symptoms. Physical examination revealed a hard fixed tumor with right sided vocal cord palsy. Histopathological result confirmed the diagnosis of SCC of the thyroid. PET/CT scan excluded the possibility of other primary malignancies. A surgical intervention was performed, however the patient died in the middle of the palliative radiation therapy.
Conclusion
SCC of the thyroid gland is a great challenge for the surgeon and also for the multidisciplinary team to come up with the best treatment option which is suitable for the patient due to its unfavorable prognosis.
Medium-Voltage Drives (MVD) - Phase-Shifting Transformers Design and Configurations
Authors: ALAHMAD Adil , KAÇAR Fırat , UZUNOĞLU Cengiz Polat
Published: March 2023

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.