bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Can a Nomogram Predict the Failure Risk of Internal Fixation Devices in Chinese Patients Undergoing Hip Arthroplasty?
Authors: Huang Chumin , Li Feilong , zeng Zisan
Published: June 2023

Background:In order to achieve more accurate and personalized patient risk assessments and further understand the superposition effect of multiple risk factors, it is imperative to develop and validate a nomogram for the risk of failure of hip arthroplasty in Chinese patients.
Methods:Data from 1198 patients who underwent hip arthroplasty in the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from February 2012 to January 2021 were collected. Then, 1014 cases were assigned to the normal group and 184 cases to the failure group. Patients were further divided into training and verification tests. The risk assessment of failure for hip arthroplasty comprised 18 variables. In the training test, LASSO regression was applied to optimize the characteristics of revision hip arthroplasty. Lastly, significant variables in the LASSO regression analysis were included in the multivariate logistic regression analysis.
Results:The C index was 0.715 (95% confidence interval: 0.667-0.763), and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.715. Decision curve analysis illustrated that the predictive value of the nomogram was high, and its net income was between 0.06 and 0.4 or 0.51 to 0.69. Moreover, the C index of the validation test was 0.680. The parameters in the risk nomogram included body mass index (BMI), collar or collarless femoral stem, sparse trabecular bone, presence or absence of screws and the number of screws, history of diabetes, and occupation.
Conclusion: The model had a satisfactory predictive ability. The higher the score, the higher the probability of failure. This will aid doctors in assessing the risk of failure of patients undergoing hip arthroplasty prior to the intervention.
Does Eating Fish Cause Cancer? A Case Study Metal Accumulation in Mackerel and Sardine Tissues from Iskenderun Bay, Türkiye
Authors: Ergen Şeyda Fikirdeşici , Altındağ Ahmet , Baş Yavuz Selim
Published: June 2023

Due to the increasing harmful effects of metals(loid)s over time, it has become an important issue in environmental studies carried out to increase environmental awareness. It is important to investigate the cumulative presence of metals in nature, their interactions with each other and the risks posed by fish consumption for human health. Total concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn were determined in muscle and gill tissues of sardine and horse mackerel. Fe and Zn concentrations were the highest and Cd, Cu and Pb concentrations were the lowest. Target hazard coefficient, estimated daily intake, target cancer risk, total target hazard coefficient and hazard indices were calculated to assess the risks to an individual's health from consuming fish. Hazard index and total target hazard coefficient values calculated for each fish exceeded 1 but were very close to 1. Target cancer risk values of As and Ni were found to be 10-6 and 10-4 for Pb. These limit values indicate the need for regular monitoring of the region. In addition, the interactions between the metals accumulated in the tissues were analysed and a high correlation was found between As-Ni, which poses a risk to public health.
Prioritizing Roadside Ditch Retrofitting to Improve Water Quality in a Mixed-use Watershed
Authors: Qiu Zeyuan , Testa Christopher , Obropta Christopher C.
Published: June 2023

Roadside ditches are one of the most common landscape features in an urbanizing landscape. Poorly maintained ditches exacerbate floods and degrade water quality. Roadside ditch retrofitting offers a unique opportunity to address both water quantity and quality issues related to stormwater. However, given the extensiveness of roadside ditches, it is challenging to determine where the retrofitting efforts should take place. The study proposed a three-step procedure to prioritize roadside ditches for retrofitting based on the hydrological sensitivity and connectiveness of a landscape and applied it to the Neshanic River watershed with mixed land uses in Central New Jersey. Specifically, we delineated the hydrologically sensitive areas (HSAs) in the watershed that have high propensity to runoff generation and accumulation, selected the ditches intersecting with HSAs for consideration of retrofitting and finally ranked the selected ditches for retrofitting with high, medium and low priority based on their physical conditions. There were 853 ditches in 40.3 km mapped in the watershed, 322 ditches in 29.7 km were intersected with HSAs. Among 322 ditches considered for retrofitting, only 125 ditches were ranked for retrofitting with high priority. The study also applied the propensity score matching method to compare the conditions of the ditches that did and didn’t intersect with HSAs and found the ditches intersecting with HSAs were more likely experiencing deterioration that those not intersecting with HSAs. The proposed procedure is very useful tool to scout and prioritize roadside ditches for maintenance and improvement when personnel, time and other resources are limited.
Evaluation and validation of reference genes for RT-qPCR gene expression in Naegleria gruberi
Authors: Martín-Pérez Tania , Köhsler Martina , Walochnik Julia
Published: June 2023

Naegleria fowleri is the etiologic agent of Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM). PAM occurs world-wide and it is considered a rare disease, but its fatality rate is high (96%) due to the delay in initiation of treatment due to misdiagnosis and lack of a specific treatment. The analysis of gene expression by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) could be a highly efficient means to understand the pathogenicity and also to find drug targets. Accurate RT-qPCR analysis requires correct normalization of gene expression data using reference genes (RG), whose expression should be constant under different experimental conditions. In this study, six genes, representing the most frequently used housekeeping genes, were selected for evaluation as reference genes in N. gruberi. The expression and stability of these genes was evaluated employing four algorithms (GeNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper and RefFinder). Moreover, in order to validate normalization with the two most promising reference genes, a target gene was used (HSP90), and its expression was studied.
Periodic Oscillations of Doppler Frequency Excited by the Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances Associated with the Tonga Eruption in 2022
Authors: Nakata Hiroyuki , Hosokawa Keisuke , Saito Susumu , Otsuka Yuichi , Tomizawa Ichiro
Published: June 2023

The explosive eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano on 15 January 2022 generated atmospheric waves traveling around the Earth, which caused ionospheric disturbances on various spatio-temporal scales. A HF Doppler (HFD) sounding system in Japan detected characteristic ionospheric disturbances showing periodic oscillations in the Doppler frequency with a period of ~ 4 minutes. In this study, such periodic oscillations were examined by comparing HFD data with those of GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) Total Electron Content (TEC) observation. The observed periodic oscillations in the Doppler Frequency were characterized by a S-letter shaped variation, implying the passage of the Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances (TIDs) through the reflection points of the HFD sounding system. It was also found that the periodic oscillations occurred prior to the arrival of the tropospheric Lamb wave excited by the Tonga eruption. From the GNSS TEC data, the TIDs causing the periodic oscillations were excited by the tropospheric Lamb waves at the conjugate point in the southern hemisphere, namely, the electric field perturbations due to the Lamb waves in the southern hemisphere mapped onto the sensing area of the HFD system in the northern hemisphere along the magnetic field lines. The periodic oscillations were observed only in the path between Chofu transmitter and Sarobetsu receiver, whose the radio propagation path is almost aligned in the north-south direction. This suggests that the TID has a structure elongating in the meridional direction. The variation in the Doppler frequency was reproduced by using a simple model of the TID propagation and the resultant motion of the reflection point. As a result, the vertical motion of the reflection point associated with the periodic oscillations was estimated to be about 1 km. It is known that ~ 4 minute period variations are sometime observed in association with earthquakes, which is due to resonances of acoustic mode waves propagating between the ground and the lower ionosphere. Therefore, a similar resonance structure in the southern hemisphere, that was caused by the passage of the tropospheric Lamb wave excited by the Tonga eruption, is the plausible source of the TIDs detected in the northern hemisphere.
Hearing for nursing home residents: Study protocol for development and testing of improved care and hearing aid provision in nursing care homes in Germany (zusammenHÖREN)
Authors: Buchholz Annika , Fleischmann Nina , Wittland Michael , Branding Melina , Brähler Jannik , Holte Anja Pähler von der , Krech Lisa , Bock Merle , Ricke Meike , Seidel Martin , Welkoborsky Hans-Jürgen , Lesinski-Schiedat Anke , Sgraja Sophia , Heitz Katharina
Published: June 2023

Background: Adequate hearing is an important component of quality of life due to its role in social interaction and community participation. Current evidence suggests that nursing home residents’ quality of life is significantly impacted by impaired sensory functions including hearing. The aim of the study is to improve hearing health of nursing home residents by creating effective structures of cooperation and clearly defined processes.
Methods: We perform an analyzation of residents’ hearing status and all care processes around hearing aids. Each resident will be physically examined by an ear, nose and throat specialist. Subjective and objective hearing tests will be carried out. The residents will also participate in a questionnaire-based survey. Interviews and focus group discussions with residents, relatives, nursing home staff and hearing experts will add qualitative data.
Discussion: The aim of this project is to identify and define personal and structural factors that impede optimal hearing care, concentrating on three focus groups: residents, caregivers (relatives, nursing home staff) and health care providers (audiologists, doctors). Within the project several approaches to solve smaller issues in the given setting / structure of the German health care system will be developed and tested. However, creating long-lasting, large-scale improvements of the hearing status in nursing homes will still require a lot of political effort.
Trial registration: Deutsches Register Klinischer Studien (DRKS00026809) "Untersuchung der Hörfähigkeit und dementieller Entwicklung von Personen in ausgewählten stationären Pflegeeinrichtungen in Niedersachsen/ Investigation on Hearing and Dementia in selected Nursing Homes in and around Hannover/Lower Saxony."
Contributing factor for the pirfenidone dose reduction in patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia in real-world settings—A dose-specific analysis
Authors: Takeshita Yuri , Sugimoto Naoya , Kobayashi Konomi , Toyota Hikaru , Ito Ayaka , Ujino Mariko , Ishizuka Mana , Hattori Saya , Uehara Yuuki , Suzuki Yuki , Koizumi Yuta , Nagase Hiroyuki
Published: June 2023

Background
Pirfenidone slows the progression of interstitial lung disease; however, in real-world settings, many patients discontinue or reduce its dosage owing to its adverse events. The contributing factors of low maintenance doses of pirfenidone have not been fully analyzed in a dose-specific manner. The aim of the current study is to identify the contributing factor of low-dose pirfenidone at < 1,200 or ≤ 1,200 mg/day in a dose-specific manner in real-world settings and to investigate the survival of patients stratified by the dose of pirfenidone as an exploratory analysis.
Methods
We retrospectively reviewed the clinical information and data from medical records of 85 patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia treated with different doses of pirfenidone at the University Hospital from April 2009 to August 2019. The contributing factors of the treatment dose were analyzed by performing a multivariate logistic regression analysis.
Results
The mean administered dose of pirfenidone was 1,242 mg/day, and the doses were 1,800, 1,200, and < 1,200 mg/day in 25.9%, 54.1%, and 20% of patients, respectively. The treatment doses in the ≤ 1,200 and < 1,200 mg/day groups were 1047.6 ± 255.8 and 635.3 ± 78.6 mg/day, respectively. Patients’ age was significantly related to the treatment dose of ≤ 1,200 mg/day, with most patients receiving 1,200 mg/day. Contrarily, pulmonary dysfunction and hypoalbuminemia were related to a dose of < 1,200 mg/day. Survival was significantly shorter in the < 1,200 mg/day group than in the 1,800 mg/day group. The pirfenidone dosage of < 1,200 mg/day and low forced vital capacity were independently associated with a poor prognosis.
Conclusions
Pulmonary dysfunction and hypoalbuminemia were identified as contributing factors of the maintenance of low-dose pirfenidone at < 1,200 mg/day. Early intervention is important before the progression to severe disease accompanied by decreased pulmonary function or malnutrition.
Fixed-Time Event-Triggered Obstacle Avoidance Control for Heterogeneous Multi-Agent Systems with Input Delay
Authors: Wang Linling , Xu Xiaoyan
Published: June 2023

An in-depth study on the fixed-time event-triggered obstacle avoidance consensus control in heterogeneous USV-AUV systems with input delay and uncertain disturbances are conducted in this paper. The desired heterogeneous USV-AUV formation can be achieved by fixed-time consensus control, within a fixed predetermined time, regardless of the initial states. Besides, an event-triggered communication strategy among the agents is introduced in the system, significantly reducing communication energy consumption. By employing the proposed control strategy, the Zeno behavior also can be avoided. Additionally, an obstacle avoidance control algorithm for the heterogeneous USV-AUV system based on improved artificial potential fields (IAPF) is designed, which helps in avoiding both static and dynamic obstacles. Compared to existing research, this algorithm reduces control input jitter, resulting in smoother obstacle avoidance paths. Through extensive simulation experiments and comparisons with other methods, effectiveness and superiority of the proposed algorithm is validated.
Application of warm saline injection combined with tube delivery in the prevention of PICC tube delivery difficulties and mechanical phlebitis caused by vasospasm
Authors: wang hui , jia hongyu , jiang guichun , qu huan , xu ning , li yongmin , yu lejing
Published: June 2023

Purpose The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of warm saline injection during PICC catheterization in preventing vasospasm and reducing mechanical phlebitis caused by vasospasm in tumor patients.
Methods The study included 262 inpatients in the colorectal surgery department of our hospital who required PICC placement between January and December 2022. They were randomly divided into two groups, with the experimental group (n=132) receiving warm saline injection during catheterization and the control group (n=130) receiving conventional catheterization. The incidence of vasospasm, catheterization time, and mechanical phlebitis during PICC catheterization were compared between the two groups.
Results The incidence of vasospasm in the experimental group was 1.52%, with 3.3% of patients taking more than 5 minutes to complete catheter delivery, and an incidence of mechanical phlebitis was 0.8%. In the control group, the incidence of vasospasm was 12.31%, with 15.3% of patients taking more than 5 minutes to complete catheter delivery, and an incidence of mechanical phlebitis of 9.2%. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05).
Conclusion Warm saline injection during PICC catheterization can effectively prevent vasospasm during PICC catheterization, shorten catheterization time, and reduce the incidence of mechanical phlebitis in tumor patients. This method is simple and feasible and can be considered for clinical application.
The role of hepatitis B core-related antigen in predicting the occurrence and recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic hepatitis B: a systemic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Cao Qi-Hang , Liu Hui , Yan Lun-Jie , Ding Zi-Niu , Yang Long-Shan , Mao Xin-Chen , Pan Guo-Qiang , Tian Bao-Wen , Han Chen-Long , Dong Zhao-Ru , Wang Dong-Xu , Yan Yu-Chuan , Li Tao
Published: June 2023

Background
The purpose of the current study was to investigate the predictive value of hepatitis B core-related antigen (HBcrAg) on the occurrence and recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).
Methods
Based on PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of original clinical literature. The primary outcomes were the occurrence and recurrence of HCC assessed by the hazard ratio (HR) or odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI).
Results
A total of 18 publications with 9039 CHB patients were included in the preliminary analysis. The pooled results suggest that HBcrAg positivity (adjusted HR = 3.10, 95%CI: 2.07–4.64, P < 0.001, I2 = 62.4%, P = 0.021; OR = 5.65, 95%CI: 3.44–5.82, P < 0.001, I2 = 0.00%, P = 0.42) was an independent risk factor for the occurrence of HCC. Further subgroup analysis revealed that 4.0 logU/ml may be the optimal cut-off value for HBcrAg to predict the occurrence of HCC. Our meta-analysis also suggests that HBcrAg is a predictor of HCC recurrence during antiviral therapy (adjusted HR = 1.71, 95%CI: 1.26–2.32; I2 = 78.6%, P = 0.031) and is closely related to recurrence-free survival (RFS) after curative treatment of HCC (P = 0.001).
Conclusion
For patients with CHB, serum HBcrAg level is closely associated with the occurrence of HCC, regardless of whether nucleoside/nucleotide analogues (NAs) are administered, may also serve as a novel prognostic biomarker of recurrence in HCC. Confirmation of these findings requires more research.
Dynamic rainfall thresholds for landslide early warning in Progo Catchment, Java, Indonesia
Authors: Satyaningsih Ratna , Jetten Victor , Ettema Janneke , Sopaheluwakan Ardhasena , Lombardo Luigi , Nuryanto Danang Eko
Published: June 2023

This study set out to derive empirical rainfall thresholds for landslides in the Progo Catchment, Indonesia, using high-resolution satellite-based precipitation products (SPPs) and rain gauge data. The SPPs are the gauge-adjusted version of the Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation (GSMaP-GNRT) and the bias-corrected version of the Climate Prediction Center morphing method (CMORPH-CRT). First, we evaluate the detection capacity and accuracy of each SPP. Then we determine rainfall events responsible for landslides by using a dynamic window that allows us to adapt rainfall events by extending or shortening their duration depending on the rainfall signal persistence. Based on 213 landslides that occurred in the Progo Catchment from 2012 to 2021, we derive multiple rainfall thresholds corresponding to various exceedance probability levels. Results indicate that both GSMaP-GNRT and CMORPH-CRT products fail to capture high-intensity rainfall in the Progo Catchment and overestimate light rainfall compared to rain gauge observations. Nevertheless, when accumulated to define the rainfall threshold, the overall performance of GSMaP-GNRT and gauge-based data in Progo Catchment is comparable. Gauge-based data performed slightly better than GSMaP-GNRT, while CMORPH-CRT performed the worst for all exceedance probabilities. By maximising true skill scores, the suitable exceedance probability for early warning purposes in Progo Catchment can be decided, e.g., 10% (15%) if using gauge-based data (GSMaP-GNRT). These findings can be viewed as an attempt to improve the landslide early warning system in Indonesia. Further study is required, using a numerical weather model that reliably forecasts weather systems producing the rainfall events triggering landslides.
The influence of laser pulse shape and cleanliness on two-photon microscopy
Authors: Chong Shau Poh , Török Peter
Published: June 2023

Nonlinear microscopy, including two-photon microscopy, requires pulsed lasers as light source. Typically, when choosing the appropriate pulsed laser for two-photon microscopy, the pulse repetition rate, pulse width, total power output, and output beam diameter are among the critical parameters which are often emphasised. Here, we demonstrate that the pulse shape, often overlooked, can have significant impact on the two-photon microscopy excitation efficiency and the effective signal brightness. We provide metrics to ease practical selection of pulsed laser sources for two-photon microscopy.
Variational quantum metrology for multiparameter estimation under dephasing noise
Authors: Le Trung Kien , Nguyen Hung Q. , Ho Le Bin
Published: June 2023

We present a hybrid quantum-classical variational scheme to enhance precision in quantum metrology. In the scheme, both the initial state and the measurement basis in the quantum part are parameterized and optimized via the classical part. It enables the maximization of information gained about the measured quantity. We discuss specific applications to 3D magnetic field sensing under several dephasing noise modes. Indeed, we demonstrate its ability to simultaneously estimate all parameters and surpass the standard quantum limit, making it a powerful tool for metrological applications.
ncDBCN: A Method for Family Prediction of Noncoding RNAs Based on Raw Sequence Data
Authors: Wang Jiahao , Zhu Xiaodong , Chen Kai , Hao Lei , Liu Yuanning
Published: June 2023

Background: Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) play a significant role in various biological processes. Despite the availability of a large quantity of ncRNA data through high-throughput technologies, only a few ncRNAs have been functionally validated. Existing evidence suggests that ncRNAs belonging to the same family often share similar functions, highlighting the crucial importance of predicting ncRNA families to understand their functionality. However, traditional biological methods for ncRNA family prediction are inadequate to meet the demands of high-throughput analysis and are cost-prohibitive. Although computational methods based on the secondary structure can predict ncRNA families, their processes are complex, and the accuracy of tools used for predicting secondary structure is limited. In comparison, prediction methods based on ncRNA sequences are not only operationally straightforward but also exhibit relatively higher accuracy. Nevertheless, current sequence-based prediction methods for ncRNA still have some limitations, and their accuracy needs further improvement.
Results: To address the aforementioned issues, this paper proposes an ncRNA sequence-based family prediction method called "ncDBCN". The ncDBCN method consists of four components: a word2vec encoding method combined with 3k-mer, dynamic bidirectional gated recurrent unit (dynamic Bi-GRU), attention mechanism, and ConvNeXt. Compared with existing computational methods, ncDBCN achieves significant improvements in five key performance metrics: accuracy, sensitivity, precision, F score, and MCC.
Conclusions: The proposed ncDBCN method not only reduces the cost of ncRNA family prediction but also significantly improves prediction accuracy, providing valuable assistance for the study of ncRNA functionality.
Post Recovery Impact of the Second and Third Sars-Cov-2 Infection Waves on Healthcare Resource Utilization in Lombardy, Italy
Authors: Harari Sergio , Mannucci Pier Mannuccio , Nobili Alessandro , Galbussera Alessia Antonella , Fortino Ida , Leoni Olivia , Remuzzi Giuseppe , D’Avanzo Barbara , Tettamanti Mauro
Published: June 2023

Background. The administrative claims database of the Italian region Lombardy, the first in Europe to be hit by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, was employed to evaluate the impact on healthcare resource utilization following recovery from the second (mainly alpha-related variant) and third (delta-related) infection waves.
Setting and design. 317.164 individuals recovered from the infection and became negative after the second wave, 271.180 after the third. Of them, 1571 (0.5%) and 1575 (0.6%) died in the first 6 post-negativization months. In the remaining cases (315.593 after the second wave and 269.605 after the third),hospitalizations, attendances to emergency rooms and outpatient visits were compared with those recorded in the same pre-pandemic time periods in 2019. Dispensation of drugs as well as of imaging, functional and biochemical diagnostic tests were also compared as additional proxies of the healthcare impact of the second and third SARS-CoV-2 infection waves.
Main results. Following both waves, hospitalizations, attendances at emergency rooms and outpatient visits were similar in number and rates to the pre-pandemic periods. However, there was an increased dispensation of drugs and diagnostic tests, particularly those addressing the cardiorespiratory and blood systems.
Conclusions. In a large region such as Lombardy taken as a relevant model because early and severely hit by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the post- COVID burden on healthcare facilities was mildly relevant in cases who recovered from the second and third infection waves regarding such pivotal events as deaths, hospitalizations and need for emergency room and outpatient visits, but was high regarding the dispensation of a few drug classes and types of diagnostic tests.
Maternal Obesity Effect on Offspring Pancreatic Endocrine Cells: Investigation of the Cell Transdifferentiation
Authors: Feyat Mehmet Sedat , Yanik Tulin
Published: June 2023

Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is a disease characterized by impaired functioning of pancreatic beta cells. In the later stages of the disease, beta cell dysfunction is defined as a decrease in functional cell count. Our hypothesis was that obesity-induced hyperglycemia of the mother could lead to dedifferentiation and/or transdifferentiation in their offspring's pancreatic beta cells. In our study, the mother Wistar rats whose obesity was brought on by the human-liked processed food which is called cafeteria diet (CAF), and their offspring were breastfed throughout the lactation phase and then given standard rat chow. Pancreatic tissues of both mother and offspring were obtained to elucidate the transformation profile with gene expression analysis, RT-qPCR. It was revealed that functional beta cell marker gene expressions decreased while progenitor marker gene expressions increased in the CAF group. We also discovered that dedifferentiation was partially presented at the protein level in the pancreas tissues of the CAF mother and offspring groups after analyzing glucagon and insulin protein expressions. Our findings suggest that processed food-induced maternal obesity and consequently T2D may have an impact on the dedifferentiation of pancreatic beta cells in offspring and may be a predisposing effect for diabetes.
The interplay between Diabetes Mellitus and Soft Tissue infections in general surgical patients
Authors: Cheng Stephanie , Poh Benjamin , Tay Vivyan Wei Yen , Mathur Sachin
Published: June 2023

Background
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a worldwide pandemic affecting 500 million people. It is known to be associated with increased susceptibility to soft tissue infections (STI). Despite being a major public health burden, the literature relating the effects of DM and the presentation, severity and healing of STIs in general surgical patients remain limited.
Method
We conducted a retrospective review of all patients admitted with STI in a tertiary teaching hospital over a 12-month period. Patient demographics and surgical outcomes were collected and analysed.
Results
During the study period, 1059 patients were admitted for STIs, of which 936 (88%) required surgical intervention. Diabetic patients presented with higher body-mass index (BMI) (28 vs 26), larger abscess size (24 vs 14 cm2) and had a longer length of stay (LOS)(4.4 days vs 2.9 days). They also underwent a higher proportion of wide debridement as well as application of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) (42% vs 35%). More diabetic patients underwent subsequent re-operation within the same sitting (8 vs 4). There were no differences in re-admission rates within 30 days nor subsequent abscess formation in those followed for 6 months.
Conclusion
The incidence of STIs among DM patients represent a significant disease burden, surgeons should consider intensive patient counselling and partnering with primary care providers in order to help reduce the incidence of future STI admissions based upon lifestyle modification and glucose control
Comparison of the effectiveness and efficiency of clear aligners and fixed appliances in the pre-surgical orthodontic treatment of skeletal class III: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Wei Zhi , Liu Linan , Gao Yanzi , Wu Zhouqiang , Wang Yan , Lai Wenli
Published: June 2023

Objective
This retrospective cohort study aims to compare the performance of clear aligners (CAs) with fixed appliances (FAs) in pre-surgical orthodontics of skeletal class III malocclusion patients.
Materials and Methods
Ninety-five patients were included in the study, and were divided into four groups: extraction with CA, extraction with FA, non-extraction with CA, and non-extraction with FA. The effectiveness of the treatments was measured using several parameters, including the PAR index, arch width coordination, incisor up-righting, root parallelism, root resorption, and bone dehiscence. The efficiency of the treatments was evaluated by comparing the duration of pre-surgical treatment and the number of follow-up visits.
Results
CAs were found to be as effective as FAs in the pre-surgical orthodontics of skeletal class III malocclusion. However, there are significant differences in treatment duration and follow-up visits between the two groups. The treatment duration was significantly shorter in CA groups than that in FA groups (409.21 ± 172.01 vs. 548.29 ± 208.14 days, P = 0.015 for non-extractions while 536.16 ± 195.78 vs. 768.32 ± 316.83 days, P = 0.009 for extractions). Similarly, the number of follow-up visits were statistically lower in the CA groups as well (7.58 ± 3.24 vs. 16.08 ± 5.28 visits, P = 0.001 for non-extractions, while 9.37 ± 3.73 vs. 22.39 ± 10.08 visits, P = 0.001 for extractions). Furthermore, the non-extraction with CA group showed better U1-SN reduction than the non-extraction with FA group (1.46 ± 5.57 VS -2.52 ± 6.11 degrees, P = 0.023).
Conclusions
CAs are an effective alternative to FAs for pre-surgical orthodontic treatment of skeletal class III malocclusion patients. Moreover, they offer high efficiency by shortening treatment duration and reducing the number of follow-up visits.
Clinical relevance
CAs can be a highly efficient and effective option in pre-surgical orthodontic of skeletal class III malocclusion.
Decreased filamentous actin and tight junction protein expression, and paracellular permeability in Frataxin-deficient human brain microvascular endothelial cells – implications for blood-brain barrier integrity in Friedreich's Ataxia
Authors: Smith Frances M. , Kosman Daniel J.
Published: June 2023

Background Friedreich’s Ataxia (FRDA) is the most prevalent inherited ataxia. FRDA results from loss of Frataxin (FXN), an essential mitochondrial iron trafficking protein. FRDA starts with an early burst of neurodegeneration of the dorsal root ganglion and cerebellar dentate nuclei, followed by progressive brain iron accumulation in the latter. End stage disease includes cardiac fibrosis that contributes to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The microvasculature plays an essential barrier role in both brain and heart homeostasis, thus an investigation of this tissue system in FRDA is essential to the delineation of the cellular dysfunction in this genetic disorder. Here, we investigate brain microvascular endothelial cell integrity in FRDA in a model of the blood-brain barrier (BBB).Methods We used lentiviral delivery of shRNA to knockdown FXN in a novel FRDA model in immortalized human brain microvascular endothelial cells (hBMVEC), which compose the microcapillaries of the BBB. We investigated known cellular pathophysiologies of FXN knockdown including energy metabolism, actin glutathionylation, and cell size. Furthermore, we investigated cytoskeletal architecture including the abundance and organization of filamentous actin (F-actin) and tight junction proteins, and quantified barrier physiology via transendothelial electrical resistance and fluorescent tracer flux.Results shFXN hBMVEC display the known FRDA cell morbidities including decreased energy metabolism, increased actin glutathionylation, and increased cell size. We also quantify a total loss of F-actin, and decreased abundance of F-actin at the cell membrane and in the cortical actin ring of shFXN hBMVEC. Furthermore, our model demonstrates a decreased production of the transmembrane tight junction proteins Claudin-5 and Occludin. Consistent with these phenotypes, we have identified increased paracellular permeability of a shFXN barrier system. These cells start with only 67% barrier integrity of the controls, and flux a paracellular tracer at 800% of physiological levels.Conclusion We identified that insufficient FXN levels in the hBMVEC BBB model causes changes in cytoskeletal architecture and tight junction protein abundance, co-incident with increased barrier permeability. Changes in the integrity of the BBB may be related to patient brain iron accumulation, neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, and stroke. Furthermore, our findings implicate other barrier cells, e.g., the cardiac microvasculature, likely contributory also to disease pathology in FRDA.
Conservation Laws, Solitary Wave Solutions, and Lie Analysis for the Nonlinear Chains of Atoms
Authors: Rehman Muhammad Junaid U , Awrejcewicz Jan , Kudra Grzegorz
Published: June 2023

Nonlinear chains of atoms(NCA) are complex systems with rich dynamics, influencing various scientific disciplines. Lie symmetry approach is considered to analyze the NCA. The Lie symmetry method is a powerful mathematical tool for analyzing and solving differential equations with symmetries, facilitating the reduction of complexity and obtaining solutions. After getting the entire vector field by using the Lie scheme, we find the optimal system of symmetries. Using the optimal system we have converted assumed PDE into nonlinear ODE. The new auxiliary scheme introduces novel approaches to complement existing techniques, enhancing accuracy and simplifying computations. Travelling wave solutions describe wave-like propagation in systems, while graphical behavior visually represents relationships and patterns in data or mathematical models. The multiplier method enables the identification of conservation laws, fundamental principles in physics that assert certain quantities remain constant over time. Understanding these concepts contributes to a deeper comprehension of nonlinear chains of atoms and their dynamics, fostering advancements in related fields.
Simplifying Multimodal Composition: A Novel Zero-shot Framework to Visual Question Answering and Image Captioning
Authors: Liu Ethan
Published: June 2023

In this work, we perform zero-shot image captioning and visual question answering on images using a simple model composition framework, composing the dense image captioning capabilities of a visual language model with the powerful reasoning abilities of a large language model, ChatGPT. The proposed method utilizes zero-shot learning to enable cross-modal integration of vision and language in order to create a comprehensive visual language model. We achieve zero-shot state-of-the-art performance on VQAv2, demonstrating its effectiveness and high accuracy. The method's simplicity makes it highly scalable and adaptable to a wide range of applications, including integration from OpenAI’s multimodal model, GPT-4, with audio language models in the future. The results demonstrate the vast potential of this simple zero-shot framework in improving the accuracy and relevance of vision and language applications, constituting an effective approach to image captioning and visual question answering, as well as future multimodal composition.
Reparameterized Multiobjective Control of BCG Immunotherapy
Authors: Yue Rongting , Dutta Abhishek
Published: June 2023

Bladder cancer is a cancerous disease that mainly affects elder men and women. The immunotherapy that uses Bacillus of Calmette and Guerin (BCG) effectively treats bladder cancer by stimulating the immune response of patients. The therapeutic performance of BCG relies on drug dosing, and the design of an optimal BCG regimen is an open question. In this study, we propose the Reparameterized Multiobjective Control (RMC) approach for seeking an optimal drug dosing regimen and apply it to the design of BCG treatment. This approach utilizes constrained optimization based on a nonlinear bladder cancer model with impulsive drug instillation. We compare the performance of RMC with Koopman Model Predictive Control (MPC) and validate the efficacy of optimal BCG dosing regimens through numerical simulations, demonstrating the efficient elimination of cancerous cells. The proposed control framework holds the potential for generalization to other model-based treatment designs.
Neutrophil extracellular traps melt Peyer’s patches following stroke and myocardial infarction
Authors: Tuz Ali , Ghosh Susmita , Gallert Markus , Ttoouli Dimitris , Sata Sai , Ulusoy Özgür , Kraus Andreas , Zwirnlein Franziska , Kaygusuz Viola , Lakovic Vivian , Beer Alexander , Qefalia Altea , Cibir Zülal , Antler Medina , Korste Sebastian , Michel Lars , Rassaf Tienush , Kaltwasser Britta , Abdelrahman Hossam , Mohamud-Yusuf Ayan , Wang Chen , Haeusler Lars , Lueong Smiths , Stenzel Martin , Soehnlein Oliver , Frank Benedikt , Köhrmann Martin Köhrmann , Siveke Jens , Totzeck Matthias , Hoffmann Daniel , Grüneboom Anika , Hagemann Nina , Hasenberg Anja , Sickmann Albert , Chen Jianxu , Hermann Dirk , Gunzer Matthias , Singh Vikramjeet
Published: June 2023

Sterile tissue injury after stroke causes lymphocyte contraction in lymphoid tissues and may decrease circulating IgA-levels. Intestinal Peyer’s patches (PP) harbor large numbers of IgA+ B cell precursors and plasma cells. Whether and how tissue injury triggers PP-B cell death, thereby mediating IgA-loss, is unknown. We found decreased circulating IgA levels in stroke and myocardial infarction patients. Experimental stroke and myocardial infarction in mice phenocopied the human situation. Decreased plasma and fecal IgA were accompanied by rapid and macroscopic shrinkage of PP caused by substantial losses of PP-resident IgA+ precursors and plasma cells in mice. Tissue injury induced neutrophil activation endowed with the release of toxic neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). Antibody-mediated or genetically-induced neutrophil loss, digestion of NETs, or inhibition of their release by the Gasdermin D blockade completely prevented lymphocyte loss and PP shrinkage. We also identified NETs in the plasma of stroke and myocardial infarction patients. Hence, tissue injury induces systemic NET-release, which might be targeted to maintain immune homeostasis at mucosal barriers.
Dissipative Control for Nonlinear Singularly Perturbed Systems with Dynamic Quantization and Actuator Failure
Authors: Chang Xiao-Heng , Jin Xue
Published: June 2023

The manuscript discusses the dissipative control of nonlinear singularly perturbed systems (SPSs) with dynamic quantization and actuator faults. The nonlinear singularly perturbed plant is described by a class of fuzzy SPSs with using Takagi–Sugeno (T–S) fuzzy model. Considering the impact of quantization and actuator failures may occur in the networked communication channel, the asymptotic stability and dissipativity for quantized closed-loop system are analyzed, and some sufficient conditions are given to synchronously design the -independent state feedback controller and the dynamic parameter. Furthermore, the maximum stability bound ¯ is found by giving a new short search algorithm. Finally, a tunnel diode circuit system is simulated in order to prove the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Broadening the genetic base of peanut breeding using incompatible wild species
Authors: Jiang Chun Jiao , Li Jia Kai , Sun Hao Jie , Wang Zhi Wei , Yang Zhen , Wang Chuan Tang
Published: June 2023

The cultivated peanut is a major edible oilseed crop. Remarkable success has been achieved in breeding new peanut varieties. The narrow genetic base of the cultivated peanut, as the result of a series of six bottlenecks in evolution, however, makes it increasingly difficult to develop breakthrough varieties solely by intraspecific hybridization. For this reason, research has been carried out to exploit incompatible wild Arachis species. In this paper, we report for the first time a genetic diversity assessment of 30 progenies from intersectional crosses between high-oleic peanut cultivar Huayu 665 and two wild species, A. paraguariensis or A. appresipilla, together with 32 cultivar materials, and 29 wild accessions using transposon element markers. The hybrids had higher genetic diversity than the cultivars, broadening the genetic base of peanut breeding. Hybrid progenies with improved insect pest resistance and both high oleic acid and high oil/protein were obtained. Hopefully, peanut varieties with high and stable yield and quality will be bred using crop wild relatives in the near future.
ACNN: Arbitrary Traces Attack based on LeakageArea Detection
Authors: Xiao Chong , Tang Ming
Published: June 2023

Deep Learning-based Profiled Side-Channel Analysis (DL-PSCA) has become an important research method in the field of Side-Channel Analysis (SCA). The current research of DL-PSCA is based on publicly available datasets. Both the training set and attack set are derived from the same batch of collected data and are well-organized, resulting in the disregard of differences arising from the condition of trace measurement that exists in actual attack scenarios. Specifically, the timing of measurement is inconsistent due to the fact that attackers have different levels of control in terms of profiling and attacking devices. To bridge the gap, we assert that it is necessary for a network to explicitly identify areas of leakage and subsequently predict the leaked values. By decomposing conventional DL-PSCA into tasks of finer granularity, we have been able to restructure DL-PSCA as a regression task that operates in asliding window manner. Therefore, we present Arbitrary Convolutional Neural Network (ACNN) that is composed of a feature extractor and a regressor, which scans the input trace of arbitrary length for leakage localization and leakage value prediction in a sliding window way. We use the public datasets DPAv4.2 and ASCAD respectively to simulate variable traces and verify the effectiveness of our approach on unmasked and masked devices. The experiments show that no matter if the implementation is protected with masking scheme, the network can accurately identify the leakage areas and predict the leaked values. In terms of key recovery performance, our architecture is on par with state-of-the-art.
Design of All Digital Phase Locked Loop with Digitally Controlled Oscillator Using 45nm for Low Power Consumption
Authors: Yadav Lalita , Duhan Manoj
Published: June 2023

A low-power consuming device All Digital Phase Locked Loop (ADPLL) has grown more appealing due to improved verifiability, flexibility, reliability, and portability over various processes as well as improved noise resistance. ADPLL is a negative feedback system that creates a high-frequency clock signal in the phase relationship to a low-frequency reference signal. In this proposed work, an ADPLL was developed using 45 nm CMOS technology with a Digital Control Oscillator (DCO) to fulfill the requirements of system implementation because the DCO can attain both better resolution and a large bandwidth spectrum. The Cadence Virtuoso software is employed for verification and simulation to affirm its features and functions. Control bits created by the Digital Loop Filter (DLF) are utilized to electronically regulate the DCO output frequency range. The loop is deemed to be held at 12ns once the reference signal and divided output clock frequency have been associated. The simulation results showed that the designed ADPLL achieves a (peak-to-peak) p2p jitter of 60 ps between 880 MHz − 1 GHz and a root means square (RMS) value of 1ps. The layout area estimated is 1.188 mm2. The DCO consumes 288 \(\mu\)W and the overall energy consumption is 2.66 mW with a power source of 1.2 V.
Discovery and clinical characteristics of obesity and non-obesity obstructive sleep apnoea hypertension syndromes
Authors: Hu Chunsong , Li Juxiang , Wu Yanqing , Wang Menghong , Tkebuchava Tengiz , Wu Qinghua
Published: June 2023

Background Obesity, obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), and hypertension are major clinical risk factors. The tripartite coexistence was referred to as OOH syndrome (OOHS) and that of non-obesity as NOOHS.
Objective This study reported the discovery and clinical characteristics of OOHS and NOOHS.
Methods A total of 163 patients, aged 23-74 years, were randomly enrolled at the outpatients department who were either obese or non-obese, suffered OSA and hypertension. Subjects with a body mass index (BMI) of ³25 (Chinese criteria), of ³27 (criteria of this study), and of ³30 (WHO criteria) were defined as obese or non-obese, respectively. Cases with snoring were classified as mild, moderate and severe OSA by using the apnoea-hypopnoea Index where mild is 5-15, moderate is 15-30, and severe is >30. Daytime blood pressure (BP) was measured to assess any correlation. And analysis of long-term follow-up outcomes.
Results Seven typical cases with OOHS and NOOHS were assessed and presented. 163 cases with OOHS and NOOHS have similar or different clinical characteristics. Both potentially suffer from major adverse cardiocerebrovascular events (MACCE), which are associated with increased BMI, OSA, and BP. Long-term follow-up showed the clinical outcomes consistently linked to patients’ lifestyle and adherence to treatment.
Conclusion This study suggested that both OOHS and NOOHS are high risk conditions in MACCE. There is an urgent need for early healthy lifestyle interventions and treatments. But whether these patients are easy to suffer from cardiovascular aging, heart failure, neurodegenerative diseases, or cardiovascular, diabetes, and cancer strips, it needs a longer-term follow-up.