bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Germline mutations of TP53 gene can be a key factor in prostate cancer genesis
Authors: Aboulalaa Kawtar , Laraqui Abdelilah , Tagajdid Reda , Ennibi Khalid , Ennaji Moulay Mustapha
Published: March 2024

Background
The TP53 gene is one of the most important agent of the DNA repair pathway. Alterations of this gene have been found in more than 50% of human primary tumors including prostate cancer. The germline TP53 mutation is responsible for Li-Fraumeni syndrome, which is associated with a predisposition to several cancers.
Objective
The aim of this study is to investigate whether germline alterations of exon 5 of TP53 gene could be detected in the blood of known men with prostate cancer and to assess the potential association between the genomic alteration affecting this gene and clinico-pathological characteristics of the patients.
Material and methods
Fourty eight blood samples from men diagnosed with prostate cancer were analyzed for TP53 germline mutations and confirmed by Sanger sequencing. The frequency and distribution of high-frequency mutations were analyzed according to the pathological criteria of the patients and computational study was performed to assess the affect of new mutations.
Results
The Sanger sequencing revealed that 79% of the population studied carry mutations, and a total of 137 mutations were identified including 115 new mutations. Frameshift mutations were the most frequent ; the mutation c.392delA was recorded in fifteen cases (31%) ; the mutations c.383delC and c.432delG observed at a frequency of 12.5% and 10% respectively. The most frequent missense mutation was the variant c.502C > A (p.His168Asn) identified in eleven patients (23%). One nonsense mutation was identified in one patient and result to a stop codon in position 126 (tyrosine). All codons affected by these alterations are part of the DNA binding domain of the protein.
Conclusion
The germline mutation frequency observed in prostate cancer patient, and the new mutations recorded in TP53 gene, could be in favor of a potential association of genomic alterations in this gene and prostate cancer genesis, there by constituting a tool, similar to other genes in the DNA repair pathway such as BRCA1 and BRCA2. This could contribute to the advancement of diagnosis and therapeutic strategies for prostate cancer.
Deep Eutectic Solvents for Water Vapor Absorption: A New Strategy
Authors: Torkzadeh Sahar , Elhambakhsh Abbas , Keshavarz Peyman , Raeissi Sona
Published: March 2024

Gas dehydration plays a critical role in gas refining processes due to the potential problems caused by the presence of water vapor. The inclusion of water vapor can lead to issues such as hydrate formation, pressure drop, and pipeline corrosion. In this research, a deep eutectic solvent (DES) absorbent was employed to absorb water vapor and subsequently, its absorption results were compared with the absorption performance of tri-ethylene glycol (TEG) and lithium chloride as the most common absorbent used in water vapor separation processes. To do so, the influence of several effective parameters, including the inlet air flow rate, different ratios of choline chloride to urea (ChCl:Urea), the weight percentage of liquid water in the absorbent, and the viscosity of DES were investigated. The results revealed that DES is an efficient absorbent for water vapor separation and can separate water vapor from the gas phase far more than TEG and the aqueous solution of lithium chloride. The results also indicated that increasing the inlet air flow rate decreases the absorption recovery due to the reduction of the residence time. Furthermore, it was found that the ratio of 1:2 (ChCl: Urea) results in the highest absorption efficiency.
A new Version of Jensen's Mercer Inequality and Related Inequalities of Hermite--Hadamard Type for Interval-Valued Coordinated Convex Functions
Authors: Toseef Muhammad , Zhang Zhiyue , Zhao Dafang ,   Muhammad Aamir Ali1
Published: March 2024

In this article, we give Jensen Mercer Inequality for interval-valuedco-ordinated convex functions because this inequality was a challenging problem forresearchers working in the field of inequalities and set valued functions. By use of this new inequality, we establish Hermite--Hadamard-Mercer type inequalities for interval-valuedco-ordinated convex functions. These newly established inequalities forinterval-valued functions are the generalization of the existing Hermite-Hadamardinequalities. Moreover, we give numericalexamples to check the validity of newly established results. The results ofthe study shows that the inequalities hold for a wider range of functionsand provide very efficient bounds on the integrals of given functions. Theuse of new results can improve the accuracy of modelling and optimization ofsystems in the fields such as economics, engineering, and physics.
Mathematics Subject Classification: 26D10, 26D15, 26A51
Predictive Risk Factors for Osteoporosis in Older Overweight Adults
Authors: Li Liang , Zhou Zhenggang , Ma Jianlin
Published: March 2024

Purpose
To investigate significant risk factors for osteoporosis in older overweight adults, which primarily included clinical indicators and laboratory examinations.
Patients and Methods:
A total of 1173 participants (617 men and 556 postmenopausal women) with BMI ≥ 25 who were older than 50 and received bone density scans of the lumbar spine were enrolled in the present study. All participants had complete baseline data, including clinical indicators and biochemical indices. Participants were divided into three groups by the T-score of the lumbar spine. The Student’s t-test, Mann–Whitney U test, one-way analysis of variance, Kruskal-Wallis test and chi-square test were used to compare the continuous and categorical clinical variables among the different groups. Spearman correlation tests, Pearson correlation tests and linear regression analysis were performed to identify independent variables associated with bone mineral density (BMD) and their multicollinearity in older overweight adults. In addition, binary logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the independent risk factors associated with osteoporosis. A P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Result
Compared to those in the normal group and the osteopenia group, man and postmenopausal women with osteoporosis were older and had decreased BMI (p < 0.05, respectively). Correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the BMD values of the lumbar vertebrae were significantly positively correlated with BMI and serum uric acid (UA) and negatively correlated with age in men and postmenopausal women. Finally, binary logistic regression analyses revealed that after adjusting for many variables, osteoporosis was significantly and positively associated with age and inversely associated with BMI and serum UA in both men and postmenopausal women (p < 0.05, respectively).
Conclusions
This study demonstrates that osteoporosis might be associated with advanced age, increased BMI and higher levels of UA in older overweight adults.
Comprehensive Prognostic Assessment by Integrating Single-Cell and Bulk RNA-seq Signatures in Glioblastoma
Authors: Fang Qiuyue , Guo Jing , Liu Wenhao , Liu Chunhui
Published: March 2024

Background
Glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the most challenging malignancies in all cancers. The immune response in the tumor microenvironment has an important impact on the prognosis of GBM patients. Therefore, it becomes critical to correlate tumors with the immune response in their microenvironment and to screen for genes of potential prognostic value associated with the immune microenvironment.
Methods
We first evaluated the tumor microenvironment on bulk RNA-seq data using the Xcell and ESTIMATE algorithms, followed by an integrated analysis of single-cell and bulk RNA-seq data from the GEO database, with a special focus on GBM-related datasets. From this analysis, we identified a set of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that were consistently observed in scRNA-seq and bulk RNA-seq datasets. We then performed random forest analysis on these DEGs to identify core genes for our prognostic model. Findings regarding the function of IFI44 in the glioma cell line were validated by siRNA knockdown, overexpression, and transwell experiments.
Result
We ultimately identified 235 DEGs that were consistently observed in both single-cell and bulk RNA-seq datasets. Through Cox regression and random forest analysis, we further identified nine genes, namely AK5, ATP2B1, CNTN2, GABARAPL1, HK2, IFI44, PLP2, S100A11 and ST18, which exhibited a strong association with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) prognosis. Notably, these genes were predominantly expressed in macrophages, DC14 cells, and T cells within the single-cell dataset. Patients classified as low-risk demonstrated significantly better prognoses compared to those classified as high-risk. Importantly, these findings were robustly reproduced in the test dataset. The IFI44 could promote both glioma cells proliferation and migration in vitro. Higher levels of IFI44 expression are associated with poorer survival rates.
Conclusions
We identified nine genes as prognostic biomarkers in GBM. These results may provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying GBM progression.
Network Analysis Suggests Ovarian Insulin Hypersensitivity Contributes to Depressed Viability of Ovarian Cells in PCOS Women
Authors: Wang Xing , Wang Jun , Yang Lin quan , Xing Yuling , Yang Linlin , Ma Huijuan
Published: March 2024

Purpose Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a global health-threatening endocrinopathy that causes infertility in women. Although peripheral insulin resistance has been implicated as a risk factor of PCOS, its pathological mechanism is still merely elucidated. Aiming to systematically explore the molecular basis of PCOS, we conducted a network analysis on gene expression profiles of ovary from PCOS women.Methods Ovarian gene expression profiles of PCOS women were collected by searching keywords of “PCOS and human” in GEO database.Then differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by using Rankprod algorithm.Their primary functions were investigated by enrichment analysis based on KEGG and Gene Ontology.A core gene regulatory network in ovary of PCOS women was constructed as well, in which a significant role of the insulin signaling pathway in development of PCOS was highlighted.Result 269 up-regulated genes and 249 down-regulated ones (pfp < 0.05) were identified in ovary of PCOS patients.A PCOS ovarian gene regulatory network was constructed based on the above. By searching hub modules in this network, signaling process guided by two hub genes insulin receptor(INSR)and insulin receptor substrate 1(IRS1)was highlighted, which were elevated in PCOS subjects.Conclusions By integrating ovarian gene expression profiles, our network analysis revealed a significant role of insulin signaling pathway in Pathophysiology of PCOS. The elevated INSR and IRS1 would be a potential clue for insulin hypersensitivity in PCOS ovary, thereby inducing ovarian dysfunction by impairing the viability of granulosa cells.
Serum Uric Acid and Male Erectile Dysfunction: a Mendelian Randomization Study
Authors: Chi Wenyu , Jia Weihui , Zhang Chengrong , Sun Guobao
Published: March 2024

Purpose
To evaluate the potential causal relationship between serum uric acid levels and erectile dysfunction in men, this study performed a Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.
Methods
The exposure factor was serum uric acid, and the outcome factor was erectile dysfunction. All data come from genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and two-sample MR studies are conducted based on R Studio 4.3.2 and the "TwoSampleMR" R software package. The inverse-variance weighted (IVW) and MR-Egger methods are mainly used for analysis.
Results
Neither the IVW (Beta = 0.068; SE = 0.062; p = 0.274) nor the MR Egger (Beta = 0.079; SE = 0.101; p = 0.436) approaches demonstrated a causal association between the two variables.
Conclusions
According to this MR study, there is no causal relationship between serum uric acid levels and male erectile dysfunction, so medication to lower uric acid levels alone may not be effective in treating erectile dysfunction in patients with high serum uric acid.
The pattern of fractures in road traffic crashes; findings from the National Trauma Registry in Iran
Authors: Tabatabaei Mahgol Sadat Hassan Zadeh , Soleimani Mohammad , Shafiei Seyyed Hossein , Zafarghandi Mohammadreza , Rahimi-Movaghar Vafa , Baigi Vali , Fakharian Esmaeil , Saeed-Banadaky Seyed Houssein , Hoseinpour Vahid , Sadeghi-Bazargani Homayoun , Rad Reza Farahmand , Sadeghian Farideh , Isfahani Mehdi Nasr , Rahmanian Vahid , Ghadiphasha Amir , Shahidi Mohammad , Kogani Mohamad , Pourmasjedi Sobhan , Piri Seyed Mohammad , Mirzamohamadi Sara , Khavandegar Armin , Naghdi Khatereh , Salamati Payman
Published: March 2024

Purpose: Fractures constitute a significant concern in low- and middle-income countries, primarily due to road traffic crashes (RTCs), a leading cause of such injuries. This study aimed to analyze fracture patterns resulting from RTCs in Iran.
Methods: A registry-based study was conducted using data from the National Trauma Registry of Iran (NTRI) spanning 2016 to 2023. The study included 10,114 trauma patients involved in RTCs, encompassing car and motorcycle crashes with at least one fracture. International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) codes were used for data analysis, considering both orthopedic and non-orthopedic admissions related to RTCs. Fracture incidence was compared among pedestrians, drivers/riders, and passengers/pillions.
Results: Males constituted a significant majority in cars (90.1% drivers, 72.1% pedestrians, 47.0% passengers) and motorcycle crashes (99.6% riders, 77.0% pedestrians, 65.3% pillions) (p < 0.001). Drivers showed the highest frequency of head injuries (26.9%) (p <0.01), while pedestrians had the highest frequency of upper extremity injuries (73.1%) (p<0.001). Drivers also demonstrated a higher frequency of vertebral fractures compared to passengers (C3-C7: 3.2% vs. 1.4%, p < 0.05). Riders (33.5%) displayed a higher frequency of head and face fractures compared to pillions (24.8%) and pedestrians (17.4%) (p < 0.05). Pedestrians (3.7%) demonstrated a higher frequency of peritrochanteric fractures compared to passengers/pillions (1.9%) and drivers/riders (1.7%) (p < 0.01). Fractures of the tibia were significantly more frequent in pedestrians (20.9%) compared to drivers/riders (22.5%) and passengers/pillions (15.4%) (p < 0.01).
Conclusion: The study provided valuable information on the fracture patterns associated with RTCs among road user groups.
Privacy-Preserving Distributed Estimation via Laplacian and Gaussian Differential-Privacy Noise
Authors: Zayyani Hadi
Published: March 2024

In this paper, a private distributed estimation algorithm is proposed. In this algorithm, a differential-privacy noise is added to the intermediate estimation to be exchanged among nodes. Two types of differential noise is regarded in the paper which are Gaussian and Laplacian. Also, in each case, two approaches are used to recover the true intermediate estimations. In the first approach, we estimate the true intermediate estimation and in the second approach, we estimate the noise vector and then subtract it from the noise intermediate estimation. We show that both approaches lead to the same formula for denoised intermediate estimation. Simulation experiments corroborate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm when variance of added privacy noise is high and the privacy is guaranteed with high confidence.
Risk factors and prognosis of postoperative acute myocardial infarction in elderly hip fracture patients combined with coronary heart disease
Authors: Ran Saidi Ran , Yu Qili , Fu MingMing , Hou Zhiyong , Wang Zhiqian
Published: March 2024

Introduction: This article mainly studies the risk factors for postoperative acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in elderly hip fracture patients combined with coronary heart disease (CHD), constructs a prediction model, and evaluates the prognosis of all the patients. Methods This article retrospectively collected elderly patients with hip fracture and CHD who underwent hip fracture surgery at the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2019 to December 2021. Collect their demographic data, laboratory examination indicators, and imaging examination results from medical case system. Using univariate and multivariate logistic regression to determine the risk factors for postoperative AMI, establishing the nomogram prediction model, drawing ROC curves, calibration curves, and DCA decision curves by using R language. At the same time, the patients in the training set were followed up for 2 years to evaluate their survival situation. Results 1094 eligible patients divided into a training set (n = 824 from January 1, 2019 to September 31, 2021) and a validation set (n = 270 from October 1, 2021 to December 31, 2022). In the training set, women accounted for 58.6%; The average age of the patients was 79.4 years old; The main type of fracture was intertrochanteric fracture. There were 64.7% patients taken B receptor blockers; A total of 166(20.1%) patients underwent percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI); Hypertension accounted for 55.7%; 520(63.1%) patients had a preoperative waiting time greater than 3 days; The average hemoglobin value upon admission was 101.36g/L; The average intraoperative bleeding volume was 212.42ml; The average surgical time was 2.2 ± 0.3 hours; Reginal anesthesia accounted for 29.7%; 63 (68.5%) AMI patients had no obvious clinical symptoms; 68(73.9%) AMI patients did not show ST-segment elevation in ECG; The risk factors of postoperative AMI were age, hemoglobin at admission, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, intraoperative bleeding, and reginal anesthesia. The AUC of the nomogram prediction model was 0.729. The AUC in the validation set was 0.783. Survival analysis showed a significant statistical difference in 2-year mortality between patients with AMI and without AMI, what else, among all the patients with AMI, patients with ECG ST-segment elevation has higher mortality than patients without ECG ST-segment elevation. Conclusion Our research results found that the incidence of postoperative AMI in elderly patients with hip fractures and CHD was 11.1%. Age, diabetes, hemoglobin at admission, regional anesthesia, chronic kidney disease, and intraoperative bleeding are risk factors. The AUC of the training set is 0.729. The 2-year mortality rate of the patients with AMI is higher than that of patients without AMI.
Reflection and refraction of Gaussian beam by a biaxial anisotropic slab
Authors: Yan Bing , Zhang Huayong , Liu Chenhua , Chen Ping
Published: March 2024

An exact analytical solution is obtained to the reflection and refraction of a Gaussian beam by a biaxial anisotropic slab. The electromagnetic waves in different regions are expanded in terms of rectangular vector wave functions or represented as superposition of eigen plane waves, and the unknown expansion coefficients or angular spectrum amplitudes are determined by virtue of the boundary conditions. For a localized beam model, the normalized field intensity distributions are calculated, and the propagation characteristics are discussed briefly.
Association Rule Mining in Educational Data: Unveiling Patterns for Enhanced Learning Outcomes
Authors: NJIRU TERRENCE
Published: March 2024

Educational institutions are increasingly leveraging data-driven approaches to improve teaching and learning processes. This research paper delves into the application of association rule mining in Educational Data Mining (EDM) to uncover hidden patterns and relationships within educational datasets. The study focuses on how these associations can be utilized to enhance instructional strategies, student performance, and overall educational outcomes.
Using of AI as standardized patients in Pediatric Surgeon Training Program： A tentative exploration
Authors: Shen Wei , Liang Xingchi , Xiang Xuang
Published: March 2024

Purpose:
Traditional standardized patients (SP) are expensive and not so feasible. We tried to explore the prospective capacity of a natural language processing model (ChatGPT 4.0) as SP in pediatric surgeon training.
Methods: Using AI as a SP involves creating scenarios and interacting with the AI model to simulate patient-doctor interactions, developing conversational scripts, integrating medical knowledge, incorporating feedback mechanisms, considering ethical and privacy Issues.
Results:
We successfully create standardized patients for pediatric surgeon training with ChatGPT 4.0.
Conclusion:
Using ChatGPT as a standardized patient for pediatric surgeon training can be a feasible and valuable approach, but it comes with certain considerations and limitations.
Association between different hemoglobin glycation index and poor prognosis in patients with a first diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction-a study based on the MIMIC-IV database
Authors: Hu Ben , Hou Linlin
Published: March 2024

Background
The relationship between HGI and short-term mortality risk in patients with a first diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains unclear. This study sought to understand better the relationship between HGI and mortality risk in patients with a first diagnosis of AMI.
Methods
We conducted a cohort study using data from 1961 patients with a first diagnosis of AMI from the MIMIC-IV (version 2.2) database. Patients were divided into four groups based on HGI quartiles. The Cox proportional hazards model and a two-segmented Cox proportional hazards model were used to elucidate the nonlinear relationship between HGI in patients with a first diagnosis of AMI and mortality were used to elucidate the nonlinear relationship between HGI in patients with a first diagnosis of AMI and mortality.
Results
Of the surveyed population, 175 patients (8.92%) died within 90 days, and 210 patients (10.71%) died within 180 days. A low HGI was significantly associated with 90-day mortality [HR, 1.96; 95% CI, (1.26, 3.05); P < 0.001] and 180-day mortality [HR, 1.62; 95% CI, (1.10, 2.38); P < 0.001] in patients with a first diagnosis of AMI in the completely adjusted Cox proportional risk model, showing a non-linear correlation with an inflection point at 0.16 and 0.44. In the subgroup analysis, patients with pre-diabetes mellitus (pre-DM) and lower HGI levels had increased 90-day (HR 8.30; 95% CI 2.91, 23.68) and 180-day mortality risks (HR 6.84; 95% CI 2.86, 16.34).
Conclusion
There is a significant correlation between HGI and all-cause mortality in patients diagnosed with AMI, especially those with lower HGI. HGI can serve as a potential indicator for evaluating the 90 and 180-day death risk of such patients.
The application of “transfer learning” in optical microscopy: The petrographic classification of opaque minerals
Authors: Cai Yi-Wei , Qiu Kun-Feng , Petrelli Maurizio , Hou Zhao-Liang , Santosh M. , Yu Hao-Cheng , Armstrong Ryan T. , Deng Jun
Published: March 2024

The analysis of optical microscopic image data is crucial for the identification and characterization of mineral phases and, thus, directly relevant to the subsequent methodology selections of further detailed petrological exploration. Here, we present a novel application of Swin Transformer, a deep learning algorithm to classify mineral phases such as arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, gold, pyrite, and stibnite in images captured by optical microscopy. To speed up the training process and improve the generalization capabilities of the investigated model, we adopt the “transfer learning” paradigm by pre-training the algorithm using a large, general-purpose image data set named ImageNet-1k. Furthermore, we compare the performances of the Swin Transformer with those of two well-established Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) named MobileNetv2 and ResNet50, respectively. Our results highlight a maximum accuracy of 0.92 for the Swin Transformer, outperforming the CNNs. To provide an interpretation of the trained models, we apply the so-called Class Activation Map (CAM), which indicates a strong global feature extraction ability of the Swin Transformer metal mineral classifier that focuses on distinctive (e.g., colors) and microstructural (e.g., edge shapes) features. The results demonstrate that the deep learning approach can accurately extract all available attributes, which reveals the potential to assist in data exploration and provides an opportunity to carry out spatial quantization at a large scale (centimeters-millimeters). Simultaneously, boosting the learning processes with pre-trained weights can accurately capture relevant attributes in mineral classification, revealing the potential for application in mineralogy and petrology, as well as enabling its use in resource explorations.
Produção de materiais sustentáveis a partir da reutilização de cinzas de lodo de efluentes: uma revisão sistemática de literatura.
Authors: Viana Patricia Barros , Silva Glória Maria Marinho , Bastos Juceline Batista dos Santos , Mesquita Esequiel Fernandes Teixeira
Published: March 2024

Os lodos de efluentes, resíduos sólidos provenientes do tratamento de água residuais, demandam um gerenciamento efetivo, dada a considerável quantidade gerada nos centros urbanos e as condições exigidas necessárias para sua disposição final. A produção de materiais sustentáveis, que incorporem a reutilização de tais resíduos, contribui para a redução de emissões de CO₂. O objetivo deste trabalho consistiu em avaliar a produção de materiais sustentáveis utilizando as cinzas derivadas desses lodos. A metodologia sistemática de literatura tipo Methodi Ordinatio foi aplicada para classificar artigos com base no fator de impacto da revista, ano de publicação e número de citações. A análise dos artigos publicados nos últimos cinco anos (2018 a 2022) revelou duas tendências principais: a aplicação da tecnologia de solidificação/estabilização (S/E) para materiais perigosos à base de cimento e a fabricação de materiais como blocos de concreto, tijolos e compósitos cimentícios ecológicos. A reutilização de lodos, principalmente na forma de cinzas, apresenta potencial para a produção de materiais sustentáveis na construção civil e na infraestrutura, contribuindo assim para a gestão ambiental.
Evaluation of Pathology Results of Patients with a History of Breast Cancer who were Operated on for Gynecological Pathologies or Prophylaxis
Authors: Yalcin Necim , Ureyen İsin , Alci Aysun , Gokkaya Mustafa , Kahraman Alper , Sel Gorker , Ekin Sari Gulsum , Toptaş Tayfun
Published: March 2024

Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate the operation results of patients who were followed up due to breast cancer and were operated on due to gynecological pathologies or for prophylactic purposes, and determine the distribution of gynecological pathologies in breast cancer patients
Study design: Patients with breast cancer who had gynecological surgery in our institution between December 2015 and January 2023 were retrospectively analyzed in this cross-sectional study. The pathological reports and medical records of the included patients were obtained from the gynecologic oncology electronic database system and the patient files. The study is approved by the institution’s local ethics committee.
Results: Totally 57 patients with a history of breast cancer had gynecological operations between December 2015 and January 2023. The median age of the patients was 49. Benign pathologies were detected in the majority of patients with a history of breast cancer, this rate was found to be 87.7%. The pathology revealed malignant/premalignant disease in seven (12.2%) patients. Among these seven patients, four patients had malignant disease one patient had microinvasive cervical cancer, one patient had ovarian serous cancer, one patient had cervical and ovarian metastasis of breast cancer, and one patient had ovarian metastasis of breast cancer.
Conclusions: Patients with a history of breast cancer have increased rates of gynecological pathology development compared to the normal population.
Tolerance of free-floating aquatic macrophytes to sugarcane vinasse and its implications for phytoremediation strategies
Authors: Brito Luís Fernando Pereira de , Espíndola Evaldo Luiz Gaeta , Ogura Allan Pretti
Published: March 2024

Sugarcane vinasse is a byproduct of the ethanol industry that has been associated with environmental impacts, including ecotoxicity. However, several nature-based alternatives have been studied to attenuate environmental pollution, including phytoremediation. In such a scenario, this research aimed to evaluate the phytotoxicity of vinasse to aquatic plants, assessing the tolerance of three free-floating aquatic macrophytes, namely Eichhornia crassipes, Pistia stratiotes, and Salvinia auriculata. Five vinasse proportions (up to 20%) were considered to assess the short-term growth of aquatic plants. P. stratiotes and S. auriculata were more sensitive to vinasse than E. crassipes, which showed resistance at 10 and 20%. Lower dilutions were non-toxic and even stimulated the growth of macrophytes, which might contribute to the uptake of nutrients and potentially toxic elements. The selection of tolerant species contributes to the application of phytotechnologies, and the studied plants might have potential for the phytoremediation of vinasse.
Reminder on the Theory of Sets
Authors: Abderrahmane Horimek
Published: March 2024

Accidental events in chemical and process industries may have catastrophic
consequences. The present chapter aims to discuss the hazards and risks in chemical and
process industries, where chemical species are used and/or transformed. After defining the
concept of chemical risk, the possible accidental events in the process industry are presented
based on their probability of occurrence. Some examples of relevant chemical accidents that
occurred in the past are thoroughly discussed further. Safety measures (i.e., preventive and
protective procedures) in safety and process industries and primary and secondary reactions are
also described. Finally, a screening method capable of providing a hazard evaluation by
calculating the power released during the thermal decomposition of a substance (i.e., the
CHETAH method) is presented.
Wasmannia auropunctata (Roger) (Hym.: Formicidae), pequeña pero voraz depredador de Diaphorina citrí Kuwayama (Hem.: Liviidae)
Authors: Kondo Takumasa , Colorado Laura Isabel , Campos Patiño Yenifer , Arcila Ángela , Sotelo Paola
Published: March 2024

Muchas especies de hormigas se han reportado como depredadores del psílido asiático de los cítricos Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae) (e.g., Michaud 2004), aunque la depredación por parte de las hormigas no se ha observado. Según Way (1963), las hormigas que atienden hemípteros pueden alimentarse de sus trofobiontes cuando las fuentes de proteínas y lípidos son escasas. Navarrete et al. (2013) reportaron que la presencia de las hormigas Pheidole megacephala Fabricius, 1793, Brachymyrmex patagonicus Mayr, 1868, y Solenopsis invicta Buren, 1972, se correlacionó positivamente con altas tasas de parasitismo de T. radiata en un experimento de exclusión de hormigas realizado en Florida (EE.UU.). En ese estudio, Navarrete et al. (2013) no encontraron ningún comportamiento agresivo de las hormigas hacia las ninfas de D. citri, y el número de ninfas de D. citri no mostró diferencias estadísticas entre aquellas ninfas atendidas y no atendidas por hormigas, lo que sugiere que las hormigas no depredan a D. citri. En una casa de vidrio donde se mantiene una cría masiva de D. citri y su enemigo natural Tamarixia radiata (Waterston) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), la pequeña hormiga de fuego Wasmannia auropunctata (Roger) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), se observó depredando las ninfas (Figs. 1 y 2) y adultos (Fig. 3) de D. citri y causando pérdidas graves al pie de cría. El presente constituye uno de los pocos estudios donde se verifica la depredación de D. citri por hormigas.
Characterization of forage resources of Colombian highlands grazing systems using LOCAL algorithm with near-infrared spectroscopy
Authors: Ariza Nieto C. , Mojica B. , Mayorga O. L. , Sierra A. , Mancipe E. , Vargas J. , Afanador G.
Published: March 2024

Las fracciones de fibra y el contenido de proteína son características químicas importantes de los recursos de forraje debido a su estrecha relación con los factores que afectan el rendimiento de las vacas lecheras. Avances en metodologías para evaluar esas características y el uso de métodos indirectos como el la espectroscopia de infrarrojo cercano (NIRS) promueve la caracterización química del forraje como un elemento fundamental, y una herramienta para evaluar la eficiencia de la producción de leche bajo condiciones específicas en la producción.
Strains of Trichoderma spp. and their Capacity to Mobilize Phosphorus
Authors: Cruz Barrera Mauricio , Gómez Martha Isabel , Moreno Carlos Andrés , Eichler Loberman Bettina
Published: March 2024

Soil microorganisms enhance the plant availability of phosphorus (P). This ability is related to the production of organic acids and the activity of phosphatases. It is assumed that the production of organic acids solubilize insoluble phosphate forms to usable form such as orthophosphate, increasing its potential availability to plants (Vázquez et al. 2000). Filamentous fungi such as Trichoderma sp. have advantages in acid soils presenting morphological and metabolic characteristics that make them promising organisms (Nahas, 1996; Vera et al, 2002). On the other hand, inoculation of soil with phosphate solubilizing fungi has been shown to increase yields in crops like maize and wheat (Singh and Reddy, 2011), beans (Wahid and Mehana, 2000), chickpea (Kapri and Tewari, 2010).
Strategies to Mitigate Age-Related Bias in Machine Learning: Scoping Review
Authors: Chu Charlene , Donato-Woodger Simon , Khan Shehroz S , Shi Tianyu , Leslie Kathleen , Abbasgholizadeh-Rahimi Samira , Nyrup Rune , Grenier Amanda
Published: March 2024

Background

Research suggests that digital ageism, that is, age-related bias, is present in the development and deployment of machine learning (ML) models. Despite the recognition of the importance of this problem, there is a lack of research that specifically examines the strategies used to mitigate age-related bias in ML models and the effectiveness of these strategies.

Objective

To address this gap, we conducted a scoping review of mitigation strategies to reduce age-related bias in ML.

Methods

We followed a scoping review methodology framework developed by Arksey and O’Malley. The search was developed in conjunction with an information specialist and conducted in 6 electronic databases (IEEE Xplore, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, EMBASE, and the ACM digital library), as well as 2 additional gray literature databases (OpenGrey and Grey Literature Report).

Results

We identified 8 publications that attempted to mitigate age-related bias in ML approaches. Age-related bias was introduced primarily due to a lack of representation of older adults in the data. Efforts to mitigate bias were categorized into one of three approaches: (1) creating a more balanced data set, (2) augmenting and supplementing their data, and (3) modifying the algorithm directly to achieve a more balanced result.

Conclusions

Identifying and mitigating related biases in ML models is critical to fostering fairness, equity, inclusion, and social benefits. Our analysis underscores the ongoing need for rigorous research and the development of effective mitigation approaches to address digital ageism, ensuring that ML systems are used in a way that upholds the interests of all individuals.

Trial Registration

Open Science Framework AMG5P; https://osf.io/amg5p
Beyond the pandemic: The changing landscape of technology integration in higher education in Central Visayas, Philippines
Authors: Goles Charess , Sanchez Joje Mar , Sumalinog Gino , Mananay Janet , Alejandro Isidro Max
Published: March 2024

The pandemic has revealed the differences in how educators use technology to better serve students. This study explored teachers' lived experiences regarding technology use in their teaching functions before the pandemic altered the country's educational system and after the pandemic subsided. It employed descriptive phenomenology as a research design, involving eight college teachers from public and private higher education institutions in Central Visayas, Philippines. A semi-structured interview guide was used, and data were analyzed using the thematic analysis steps. After intensive interpretation and analysis of the data, six themes emerged: 1) pre-pandemic teaching and technology use; 2) changes in teaching and technology use during the pandemic; 3) post-pandemic teaching and technology use; 4) challenges in post-COVID teaching and technology use; 5) opportunities in post-COVID teaching and technology use; and 6) perceptions about the future of teaching and technology use. The results showed that technology has substantially enhanced teaching efficacy and improved technology skills. It is recommended that teachers equip themselves with technological knowledge to meet future demands. For future studies, researchers may focus on exploring how technology affects the health of both teachers and students.
Projective non-commuting graph of a group
Authors: Moraes Pezzott Julio Cesar
Published: March 2024

Let $G$ be a finite non-abelian group and let $T$ be a transversal of the center of $G$ in $G$. The non-commuting graph of $G$ on a transversal of the center is the graph whose vertices are the non-central elements of $T$ and two vertices $x$ and $y$ are joined by an edge whenever $xy \neq yx$. In this paper, we classify the groups whose non-commuting graph on a transversal of the center is projective.
Sentiment Analysis on Online E-commerce Product Reviews using NLP
Authors: Vamsi B Mohana
Published: March 2024

Abstract: Online shopping is routine in day-to-day life, and the preponderance of products at home is mostly from online shopping. But we can’t test or check the quality of products in online shopping. In those circumstances, product reviews play a vital role in purchasers purchasing a product. Sentiment analysis of the product makes the customer identify the best quality product effortlessly and gives perfect decision-making for the product choice. However, people across countries who speak different languages might find it arduous to analyze the situation. We proposed a solution in which we can do both language identification, translation, and analysis of the text review data. Using a Google Language translator, we can identify and translate the language to any destination language that we want to analyze the text. VADER makes that analysis and gives us the best result for the product reviews. The experimental results of the proposed solutions were well-defined and established in sentiment analysis tasks.
Pneumonia Detection using CNN, Resnet and DenseNet
Authors: Gundabatini Sanjay Gandhi
Published: March 2024

Abstract: Pneumonia is a prevalent respiratory infection that poses a significant threat to public health. Timely and precise diagnosis is essential for effective treatment and patient management. The proposed methodology involves training a CNN (Convolutional Neural Networks), ResNet-50 and DenseNet-121, on a large dataset of chest X ray images. CNNs play a crucial role in feature extraction from chest X-ray images for various computer vision tasks, including image recognition. The CNN model automatically learns and extracts essential visual features from the input images, capturing patterns and characteristics. On the other hand, ResNet-50 and DenseNet-121 leverage their effectiveness in handling deeper architectures and handling vanishing gradient problems. We compare our approach with existing methods to assess the quality and accuracy of the generated captions. The models undergo training and testing utilizing an extensive dataset comprising chest X-ray images, demonstrating high accuracy in detecting pneumonia, potentially offering a valuable tool for early diagnosis and treatment. The proposed pneumonia detection framework holds great promise for assisting healthcare professionals in diagnosing and treating pneumonia, thereby improving patient outcomes, and reducing healthcare costs.
Performance of Dual Chamber Microbial Fuel Cells with Waste Water for Power Production and Treatment
Authors: Manasa D. V. Vara
Published: March 2024

Abstract: Dual-chamber microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have garnered significant attention in recent years due to their promising potential for sustainable energy generation from organic waste. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the advancements, challenges, and future prospects of dual-chamber MFC technology. The paper begins with an introduction to the principles of microbial fuel cells and the rationale behind the dual-chamber configuration. It discusses the design considerations including electrode materials, membrane selection, and reactor configurations, highlighting recent innovations aimed at enhancing performance and scalability. Key advancements in dual-chamber MFCs are reviewed, focusing on improvements in power output, microbial community dynamics, and substrate utilization. Strategies such as microbial enrichment, biofilm engineering, and electrode modifications are discussed in detail, showcasing their impact on MFC performance and stability. Furthermore, the review explores the application of dual-chamber MFCs in various fields including wastewater treatment, bioenergy productions.
Reflection of Multiple Loading in The Deformation Model for Reconstructed Reinforced Concrete
Authors: Murashkin V. G.
Published: March 2024

During the reconstruction, or upon expiration of the service life, as well as after external impact, reinforced concrete structures require examination and verification calculations. Existing diagrams of concrete deformation are focused on designing new structures and are not adapted to the concretes of the reconstructed structures.

Using the exponential model of concrete deformation makes it possible to describe the resistance of concrete during reconstruction, including after repeated cyclic loading.

A technique for creating an individual deformations model under cyclic load during the reconstruction is demonstrated on a specific example.
Mechanism of forming Hanfu purchase intention: Authenticity of cultural elements and cultural compatibility perspectives
Authors: Li Xianyue , Niu Yongge , Xu Jiuping
Published: March 2024

We explored the psychological mechanisms through which the perceived authenticity of cultural elements and cultural compatibility of traditional Hanfu garments influence consumers' purchase intention. Using structural equation modeling, we analyzed data gathered in a two-wave survey
of 1,264 Chinese participants. We found that both the perceived authenticity of cultural elements and cultural compatibility positively influenced participants' purchase intention. Furthermore, these relationships were mediated by individuals' needs for social identity and self-pursuit. We
also examined the moderating effect of individuals' preference for collectivism. The findings could inform marketing managers in segmenting the Hanfu market based on consumers' internal psychological mechanisms and cultural values, and also enhance understanding of the driving forces underlying
consumer behavior in regard to purchase of cultural products.
Hadith Discourse on the Prohibition of Drawing in a Ma'na Cum Maghza Approach
Authors: Handary Nur , Al Husda Najwa
Published: March 2024

Today's reality, drawing is something that is commonly done by many people as a creative process to create works of art, some people even make it their livelihood or work. However, in Islam there is a hadith which states that the maker of the image will receive harsh punishment. This paper tries to discuss the hadith prohibiting drawing using ma'na cum maghza analysis to get the message (maghza) of the text of the hadith. This type of research is a qualitative research that is library (library search), with a descriptive-analytical method. After re-examining, it turns oout that the hadith contains a message (maghza) that the prohibition of drawing is aimed at makers of images that have the aim of associating partners with or emulating Allah's creation, while someone who draws with the aim of art, teaching and learning tools and children's toys is allowed as long as it does not violate religious and social norms.
Necesidades de información de los pacientes con cirrosis hepática y calidad de vida
Authors: Yepes Barreto Ismael de Jesús , Londoño Múnera Juan Pablo , Mejia Montoya Paola Andrea
Published: March 2024

Introducción: el conocimiento que los pacientes y sus cuidadores tengan de la enfermedad es fundamental en el proceso de autocuidado para evitar la progresión de la enfermedad y mejorar la calidad de vida. Conocer las necesidades de información de estos pacientes puede ser útil para diseñar estrategias educativas que mejoren los resultados clínicos.
Objetivos: identificar las necesidades de información de los pacientes con cirrosis hepática y su relación con la calidad de vida.
Métodos: estudio observacional, de corte transversal. Se diseñó un cuestionario teniendo en cuenta la información recogida en grupos focales y en publicaciones previas para determinar la prioridad de los pacientes y del personal sanitario para las necesidades educativas de los pacientes. Para determinar la relación entre las necesidades educativas y la calidad de vida se aplicó la encuesta SF36V2. De igual manera, se determinó la necesidad percibida de algunos servicios de apoyo y la utilización real de algunos de ellos para estimar su relación con la calidad de vida de los pacientes.
Resultados: las cinco necesidades priorizadas por los pacientes fueron: descompensaciones/complicaciones, progresión/pronóstico, tratamiento farmacológico, cáncer de hígado y trasplante hepático. No se observó una relación sólida entre las necesidades de información y la calidad de vida.
Conclusiones: las necesidades de información en los pacientes con cirrosis hepática pueden variar en función de la etiología, la presencia de comorbilidades y otras variables sociodemográficas como el sexo y la edad. Existen brechas entre las necesidades de información percibidas por el personal de salud y las necesidades reportadas por los pacientes.