bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An evolutionary game for the behavior of third-party evaluators in pension public-private partnership incorporating public participation
Authors: Yue Xianghua , Zhao Shikuan , Li Fuda
Published: January 2023

This studyanalyzes the impact of public participation on the choice of third-party evaluators' behavior strategies during the service quality supervision process of China's pension public-private partnership project.An evolutionary game model between third-party evaluators and government regulatorsis developed, wherein the evolution rule of the two sides and public participation’s influence on their behavior under the two different conditions are analyzed, and a numerical simulation is carried out using MATLAB 2016a. It is found that third-party evaluators may choose the false evaluation strategy in the absence of public participation because of the inducement of rent-seeking or insufficient government punishment when the regulatory revenue of the government regulatory agencies is less than the regulatory cost. In contrast, in the case of public participation, the true evaluation strategy is chosen with an improvement in the level of public participation or an increase in reputation incentive. This suggests the construction and improvement of a third-party evaluation system, which shows that the construction of the service quality supervision system in China’s pension PPP project has a large operating space.
Variability of the optic nerve sheath diameter on brain computed tomography in Turkish children based on sex and age
Authors: Bardak Şefika , Berksoy Emel , Çiçek Alper , Demir Gülşah , Pekçevik Yeliz , Elibol Pelin , Verdi Ezgi Güvel , Gökalp Gamze , Nalbant Tuğçe , Emir Büşra
Published: January 2023

Background: Optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) measurement is a noninvasive method that can be used for intracranial pressure monitoring. Several studies have investigated normal ONSD values in children, but no general consensus has been reached yet.
Objectives: The aim of our study was to reveal normal ONSD, eyeball transverse diameter (ETD), and ONSD/ETD values on brain Computed tomography (CT) in healthy children aged 1 month to 18 years.
Methods: Children admitted to the emergency department with minor head trauma and had normal brain CT were included in the study. The demographic characteristics of the patients (age and sex) were recorded, and the patients were divided into four age groups: 1 month to 2 years, 2 to 4 years, 4 to 10 years, and 10 to 18 years.
Results: The images of 332 patients were analyzed. When the median values of all measurement parameters (right and left ONSD, ETD, and ONSD/ETD) were compared between the right and left eyes, no statistically significant differences. When the same parameters were compared according to age group, the ONSD and ETD values differed significantly (values of males were found to be higher), but the ONSD proximal/ETD and ONSD middle/ETD values did not differ significantly.
Conclusion: In our study, normal ONSD, ETD, and ONSD/ETD values were determined according to age and sex in healthy children. As the ONSD/ETD index did not statistically significantly differ according to age and sex, diagnostic studies for traumatic brain injuries can be performed using the index.
Relationship of cerebral blood volume with arterial and venous flow velocities in extremely low-birth- weight infants
Authors: Imanishi Toshiyuki , Sumiya Wakako , Kanno Chika , Kanno Masayuki , Kawabata Ken , Shimizu Masaki
Published: January 2023

Purpose: Unstable cerebral blood flow is theorised to contribute to the occurrence of intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) in extremely low-birth-weight infants (ELBWIs), which can be caused by increased arterial flow, increased venous pressure, and impaired autoregulation of brain vasculature. This study aimed to investigate such instability by checking for correlations of cerebral blood volume (CBV), as measured by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), with the flow velocities of the anterior cerebral artery (ACA) and internal cerebral vein (ICV), as measured by Doppler ultrasonography.
Methods: Data were retrospectively analysed from 30 ELBWIs with a high likelihood of healthy development, uncomplicated by symptomatic patent ductus arteriosus, which can influence ACA velocity, or severe IVH (grade ≥3), which can influence ICV velocity and CBV.
Results: CBV was not associated with ACA velocity; however, it was significantly correlated with ICV velocity (Pearson’s R = 0.59 [95% CI: 0.29–0.78], P = 0.00061).
Conclusions: ICV flow velocity is difficult to continuously monitor using ultrasonography; however, CBV can be continuously monitored by computation from NIRS measurements. Our findings suggest that this technology could be useful in future research into how IVH can be prevented by neonatal monitoring.
Classic “PCH” genes are a rare cause of radiologic pontocerebellar hypoplasia
Authors: Zakaria Rohaya Binti Mohamad , Malta Maísa , Pelletier Felixe , Addour-Boudrahem Nassima , Pinchefsky Elana , Martin Christine Saint , Sr Myriam
Published: January 2023

Background: The term Pontocerebellar Hypoplasia (PCH) was initially used to designate a heterogeneous group of fetal-onset genetic neurodegenerative disorders. As a descriptive term, PCH refers to pons and cerebellum of reduced volume. In addition to the classic PCH types, many other disorders can result in a similar imaging appearance.
Objective: To review imaging, clinical and genetic features and underlying etiologies of a cohort of children with PCH on imaging.
Methods: We systematically reviewed brain images and clinical charts of 38 patients with radiologic evidence of PCH.
Results: Our cohort included 21 males and 17 females, with ages ranging between 8 days to 15 years. All individuals had pons and cerebellar vermis hypoplasia, and 63% had cerebellar hemisphere hypoplasia. Supratentorial anomalies were found in 71%. An underlying etiology was identified in 65% and included chromosomal (21%), monogenic (34%) and acquired (10%) causes. Only one patient had pathogenic variants in a “classic” PCH gene. Outcomes were poor regardless of etiology, though no one had regression. Approximately one third of patients deceased at a median age of 8 months. All individuals had global developmental delay, 50% were non-verbal, 64% were non-ambulatory and 45% required gastrostomy feeding.
Conclusion: Radiologic PCH has heterogenous etiologies and the “classic” PCH genes underlie only a minority of cases. Broad genetic testing, including chromosomal microarray and exome or multigene panels, is recommended in individuals with PCH-like imaging appearance. Our results strongly suggest that the term PCH should be used to designate radiologic findings, and not to imply neurogenerative disorders.
Incidence and Risk Factors of Abdominal Compartment Syndrome in Pediatric Oncology Patients: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Pinto Gabriela C C , Gaiga Laura C , de Moura Milena P , Troster Eduardo J
Published: January 2023

Purpose: Abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) has been the subject of increasing research over the past decade owing to its effects on morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. This study aimed to determine the incidence and risk factors of ACS in patients in an onco-hematological pediatric intensive care unit in a middle-income country and to analyze patient outcomes.
Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted between May 2015 and October 2017. Altogether, 253 patients were admitted at PICU, and 54 fulfilled the inclusion criteria for intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) measurements. IAP was measured using the intra-bladder indirect technique with a closed system (AbViser AutoValve®, Wolfle Tory Medical Inc., USA) in patients with clinical indications for indwelling bladder catheterization. Definitions from the World Society for ACS were used. The data were entered into a database and analyzed.
Results: The median age was 5.79 years, and the median pediatric risk of mortality score was 7.1. The incidence of ACS was 27.7%. Fluid resuscitation was a significant risk factor for ACS in the univariate analysis. The mortality rates in the ACS and non-ACS groups were 46.6% and 17.9%, respectively (P < 0.05). This is the first study of ACS in critically ill children with cancer.
Conclusions: The incidence and mortality rates were high, justifying IAP measurement in children with ACS risk factors.
MetaEdu: A New Framework for Future Education
Authors: Cui LuoBin , Zhu ChengZhang , Hare Ryan , Ying Tang
Published: January 2023

The potential of the metaverse in the field of education is gaining increasing attention. The goal is to reduce the cost of learning while increasing the efficiency and ease of learning. However, little work has been done on the systemic and technological aspects of metaverse education as of yet. In this paper, we propose a system to fill this technological gap, which includes a virtual learning system and Web3 blockchain technology in addition to the real world to ensure social interaction in the learning process. The utility and benefit of this system is that it not only provides users with a learning efficiency and environment superior to the physical world, but also ensures security, transparency and fairness of the learning process through an integrated framework.
Evaluation of some triticale genotypes under different salt concentrations at germination and early seedling stage
Authors: Ramadan Ebrahim , Freeg Haytham A. , Shalaby Nagwa , Rizk Mosa S. , Ma Jun , Du Wenhua , Ibrahim Omar , Korany Shereen , Alsherif Emad , AbdElgawad Hamada , El-Tahan Amira
Published: January 2023

The aim of the current investigation is to study the effect of salinity on triticale genotypes at germination and early seedling stage. Nine triticale genotypes were used. Six salt concentrations i.e. control, 40, 80, 120, 160 and 200 mM NaCl were applied. Results indicated that increasing salinity concentrations negatively affected the studied traits. The genotypes Zhongsi 10841048, C6, C23 and C25 had better performance for germination rate, germination vigor index, germination percentage, mean daily germination and relative salt injury. Highly significant positive correlations were revealed among the traits including germination rate, germination vigor index, germination percentage, mean daily germination, seedling vigor index and root length indicating the importance of these traits for selection of salt tolerance genotypes at germination stage. PCA was able to group the most desirable genotypes into two clusters.
Analysis of clinical and physical dosimetric factors that determine the outcome of severe acute radiation pneumonitis in lung cancer patients
Authors: Zhao Jing , Ma Chenying , Gan Guanghui , Xu Xiaoting , Zhou Juying
Published: January 2023

Objective: We conducted a preliminary statistical analysis of clinical and physical dosimetric factors of lung cancer patients who had previously undergone lung and/or mediastinal radiotherapy and died of or survived severe acute radiation pneumonitis (SARP). Our study was the first to reveal the heterogeneity in clinical factors, physical dosimetric factors, and SARP onset time that determined the clinical outcomes of lung cancer patients who developed SARP.
Materials and methods: The clinical characteristics, physical dosimetry factors, and SARP onset time of deceased and surviving patients were retrospectively analyzed. SPSS 20.0 was used for data analysis. A t-test was used for intergroup comparison, and a Mann–Whitney U test was used for data with skewed distribution. Qualitative data were represented using frequencies (%), and Fisher’s exact test or χ2 test was used for intergroup comparison of nonparametric data. Binary logistic analysis was used for univariate and multivariate analyses. Differences with a P<0.05 were considered statistically significant.
Results: Univariate analysis revealed that the potential predictors of SARP death were as follows: ipsilateral lung V5 and V30, contralateral lung V5, V10, and V30, total lung V5, V10, and V30, mean lung dose, mean heart dose, and maximum spinal cord dose. Multivariate analysis showed that ipsilateral lung V5 and total lung V5 were predictors that determined the final outcome of SARP patients. In addition, we analyzed the time from the completion of radiotherapy to SARP onset, and found significant difference between the two groups.
Conclusions: There was no decisive correlation between clinical characteristics and SARP outcome (i.e., death or survival) in lung radiotherapy patients. Ipsilateral lung V5 and total lung V5 were independent predictors of death in SARP patients.
The role of Advanced Practice Nurses in creating the Kidney Transplant candidate care map (APN-preKT): a convergent-parallel mixed methods research protocol
Authors: PEDREIRA-ROBLES Guillermo , MORÍN-FRAILE Victoria , BACH-PASCUAL Anna , REDONDO-PACHÓN Dolores , PÉREZ-SÁEZ María José , CRESPO Marta , FALCÓ-PEGUEROLES Anna , GARCIMARTÍN Paloma
Published: January 2023

Background. Waiting time for kidney transplants (KT) is an important health determinant for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). During this time, ongoing evaluation and participation is necessary in order to guarantee the quality and suitability of the proposed treatment. There is no existing literature on the potential impact of inclusion of an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) role in the hospital setting on care for CKD patients who are candidates for KT. The main objectives of this protocol are: to analyse outpatient nursing activity in the care of individuals with KT in Spain; to identify the needs of individuals who are KT candidates; and to measure the impact of the APN role through patient outcomes and experiences. These objectives are fulfilled through 5 specific related substudies.
Methods. A convergent parallel mixed methods approach will be conducted. Quantitative and qualitative data will be collected and analysed separately to ascertain whether the findings confirm or contradict one another. Each of the 5 substudies of the project require a specific design, sampling method, and data collection procedure in order to meet the overall objectives for the project.
Discussion. The results of the project are expected to inform the design of future nursing roles and contribute to future improvements in the quality of care provided. The data that may be obtained from this protocol are limited to the specific context of the study facility and may be extrapolated but not compared to other settings due to the variability of care pathways for KT candidates internationally.
Trial registration. This project was approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee (no.2020/9418/I). The study was supported by the “Strategic Plan for Health Research and Innovation” from the Generalitat de Catalunya, registration number SLT017/20/000001, with a contribution of 57,239 euros.
Perceived Sleep Quality in Individuals with Inborn Errors of Immunity
Authors: Sowers Kerri , Sawaged Adel , Bowen Brian
Published: January 2023

Purpose: Chronic sleep issues can lead to poor quality of life and increased mortality and patients with chronic health conditions often report impaired sleep quality. Higher levels of fatigue have been identified in patients diagnosed with Inborn Errors of Immunity (or Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases). This research sought to better understand perceived sleep quality in individuals diagnosed with IEI.
Methods: A survey, which included the validated Sleep Quality Scale, was shared across multiple social media groups for individuals with a diagnosis of IEI.
Results: Most of the participants were White/Caucasian females, between the ages of 30 to 74 years. The results of the Sleep Quality Scale suggest that this sample of individuals has moderate impairment of their sleep quality (71.8%), with a mean score of 43.0 (SD = 13.1). When comparing the results of the SQS to other patient populations and healthy control groups, the participants in this study had a poorer sleep quality score. Associations were identified between sleep quality and age, hours of sleep per night, time awake at night, times awake to urinate, attempted daytime naps, chronic pain, and mental health diagnoses.
Conclusion: This survey suggests that individuals with Inborn Errors of Immunity have a moderate degree of perceived impairment in sleep quality. Healthcare providers are strongly encouraged to incorporate sleep quality screening in their routine assessments of patients with a diagnosis of Inborn Error of Immunity. Patients who are identified as having impaired sleep quality should be referred for further testing and interventions.
Does A One-Session Sexual Health Education Program Improve Sexual Confidence in Patients with Cervical Cancer? A Transtheoretical Model‐based Clinical Study
Authors: Tung Tao-Hsin , Chen Hsiao-Wei , Chou Hung-Hsueh , Tsai Jia-Ling , Yang Ya-Chieh , Lee Jian Tao
Published: January 2023

Purpose The aim was to evaluate the effects of a one-session sexual health education program using transtheoretical model to enhance the sexual self-efficacy of patients with cervical cancer.
Methods This study recruited patients with cervical cancer from gynecological wards of a medical center in northern Taiwan. A total of 63 participants were divided into two groups: the control group (n=30) received traditional sexual health teaching. The intervention group (n=33) received a transtheoretical model (TTM)‐based sexual health education program. Scores from self-report instruments for variables of knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy about sexual health collected at 1 week and 6 weeks after the intervention were compared with baseline scores.
Results Patients who received a transtheoretical model (TTM)‐based sexual health education had significantly greater sexual knowledge (b= 3.794, P < .01), sexual attitudes (b= 9.226, P < .01), and sexual self-efficacy (b= 17.053, P < .01) than patients in the traditional sexual health teaching at 1- and 6- weeks.
Conclusion Our findings suggest that a one-session sexual health education using TTM-based model can enhance the sexual knowledge, attitudes, and sexual self-efficacy of patients with cervical cancer. This educational program could be translated into routine clinical practice to help patients with cervical cancer enhance their sexual health, which could improve confidence in their sexual well-being.
Comparison of drug-coated balloon angioplasty versus common balloon angioplasty in hemodialysis patients with arteriovenous fistula stenosis: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
Authors: Hu Xiang-Yang , Wang Qi-Bing , Zou Zhen-Wu , Zhang Yong
Published: January 2023

Drug-coated balloons (DCBs) have been used in dialysis patients with arteriovenous fistula (AVF) stenosis, but whether they have advantages over ordinary balloons is still controversial. A meta-analysis was designed to investigate the safety and efficacy of DCBs and common balloons (CBs) in the treatment of AVF stenosis, with a registration in INPLASY (INPLASY202280112). A total of 15 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in this meta-analysis. The results showed that the DCB group had a higher first-stage patency rate of the target lesion 6 months and 12 months after surgery, and the difference was statistically significant. There was no statistically significant difference in all-cause mortality between the two groups at 6 months and 12 months.
Sputum handling for rheology
Authors: Enjuto Lydia Esteban , Vincent Matthieu Robert Saint , Maurin Max , Degano Bruno , Bodiguel Hugues
Published: January 2023

The rheology of sputum is viewed as a powerful emerging biophysical marker for monitoring muco-obstructive pulmonary diseases such as cystic fibrosis (CF) and non-CF bronchiectasis (NCFB). However, there is no unified practice to process sputa from collection to analysis, which can lead to highly variable, and sometimes poorly consistent results. The main objective of this study is to bring light into the handling of sputum samples to establish a standardised and robust protocol before rheological measurements.
Sputum collected from 22 CF and 10 NCFB adults, was divided into control (vortexed and fresh: non-heated and non-frozen) and three treated conditions (either non-vortexed, heated or frozen). In addition, 6 CF expectorations were used to study the dynamics of ageing over 24 hours. Sputum’s mechanical properties were measured with a rotational rheometer to obtain their properties at rest, elastic (G′) and viscous moduli (G′′), and at the onset of flow, critical deformation (γc) and critical stress (σc). We demonstrate that heating sputum is completely destructive while freezing sputa at −80 °C has no discernible effect on their rheology. We also show that the dispersion of rheological measurements largely resulted from the sample’s macroscopic heterogeneity, and can be greatly reduced by non-destructive vortex homogenisation. Finally, we observed contrasted ageing effects as a fonction of purulence: while the viscoelasticity of purulent samples reduced by half within six hours after collection, semi-purulent samples did not evolve. These results guide towards a robust unified protocol for simple sputum handling in rheometry. We therefore suggest to vortex and snap freeze sputum samples immediately after collection when direct testing is not possible.
Analgesia Nociception Index (ANI) as a monitor of peri-operative nociception-antinociception balance in paediatric craniotomies- A prospective observational study
Authors: Sharma Prachi , Shwethashri Kondavagilu Ramaprasannakumar , Chakrabarti Dhritiman , Sadashiva Nishanth , Shah Keyur , Gopalakrishna Kadarapura Nanjundaiah
Published: January 2023

Introduction:
Analgesia Nociception Index (ANI) as a monitor of peri-operative nociception-antinociception balance has not been studied in paediatric neurosurgery. The objectives were to study the correlation between ANI (Mdoloris Education system) and revised-FLACC (r-FLACC) score for the prediction of acute postoperative pain in paediatric population undergoing elective craniotomies and to compare the changes in ANI values with Heart Rate (HR), Mean arterial pressure (MAP), and Surgical Plethysmographic Index (SPI) during various time points of intraoperative noxious stimulation and before and after opioid administration.
Methods:
This prospective observational pilot study included 14 patients between 2-12 years of age undergoing elective craniotomies. HR, MAP, SPI, ANI instantaneous (ANIi) and ANI mean (ANIm) values were recorded intra-operatively, and before and after opioid administration. Post-operatively HR, MAP, ANIi and ANIm, and pain scores (r-FLACC scale) were recorded.
Results:
There was a statistically significant negative correlation between ANIi and ANIm with r-FLACC during the time course of PACU stay (r= -0.89, P < 0.001 and r= -0.88 and P< 0.001 respectively)). Intra-operatively, in patients with ANIi values <50, with additional fentanyl administration, there was an increasing trend in values beyond 50, which was statistically significant (p<0.05) at 3,4,5 and 10 minutes. The trend in changes of SPI after opioid administration was not found to be significant for patients irrespective of the baseline SPI values.
Conclusion:
The ANI is a reliable tool for objective assessment of acute post-operative pain as assessed by r-FLACC in children undergoing craniotomies for intracranial lesions. It may be used as a guide to nociception-antinociception balance during the peri-operative period in this population.
Statistical modeling of the environmental sustainability of iron mining with a special attitude to Iran
Authors: Barati Mehrdad , Shirdarreh Hoda
Published: January 2023

Galali iron deposit is located in the Kurdistan province in western Iran, 2 km north far of the Galali village and is the largest skarn mine in this province. From a geological point of view, this mine is located in the Sanandaj-Sirjan zone. Several iron mines with different country rocks, shapes, dimensions and mineralogy are located in this zone. Open pit method is used for extraction in this mine and it is one of the largest iron mines in the western Iran. This article describes application of the Philips 2013 sustainability statistical model to Assess Environmental Impacts (EIA) as well as to determine the potential level and nature of sustainability in this mine. For this purpose, by field studies, receiving opinions of experts and using the statistical model of the Philips 2013, environmental components and nature of environmental sustainability in relation to extraction in this mine were determined. Results of studies identified, components of soil, landscape of the region, and audio tranquility, have the most damage to mining activity.In addition, with calculations, environmental parameters were more effective than human parameters, and as a result in terms of stability level, mine is stable, with a very poor class. Based on level of damage, necessary arrangements should be improved and implemented.
Spatiotemporal characteristics and trend analysis of rainfall and temperature in Sidama Regional State, Ethiopia
Authors: Ware Markos Budusa , Matewos Tafesse , Guye Mekuria , Legesse Abiyot , Mohammed Yimer
Published: January 2023

This study aims to investigate spatiotemporal variability, trends, and anomaly in rainfall and temperature in the Sidama region, Ethiopia. The TerraClimate gridded dataset on a monthly time scale for 30 years (1991–2020) with a horizontal resolution of approximately 4 km was used for the study. Trends in annual and seasonal rainfall and temperature were assessed using a nonparametric test (Mann-Kendal test) and Sen’s slope, to test the statistical significance and magnitude of trends (increase/decrease), respectively. Our findings revealed that annual rainfall, summer (Hawado), and spring (Badhessa) rainfall have shown an increasing trend in most parts of the region, except for its northwest parts. We found a low annual rainfall variability (CV < 13%) over the southeastern and northwestern parts of the region. Rainfall variability revealed the difference in both time and space across the region. Six drought years (1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2012, and 2019) with different magnitudes were identified across the region. Annual average maximum (up to 0.4°C decade–1) and minimum (up to 0.25°C decade–1) temperatures revealed significantly increasing trends across the region. The standardized anomaly in the mean annual temperature indicated that the years in the recent decade (2011–2020) are getting warmer compared to the past two decades (1991–2010) due to climate change and other local and regional factors that cause weather extremes in the region. The results of this study for rainfall contradict the other studies in the rift valley part of the region. Therefore, we suggest the design and implementation of locally driven climate change adaptation strategies so that there is high rainfall and temperature variability across the region and between seasons.
Clinical Implications, Risk Factors And Predictors with Mixed Candida/bacterial Bloodstream Infection (BSI), Especially in Cadiovascular Patients
Authors: Qin Yurong , Zhu Dandan , Sheng Mengqiu , Wu Sifan , Li Yafang , Li Dan , He Jiaxiang , Hu Fei , Hou Tieying , Zhang Yu
Published: January 2023

Background. To identify the clinical implications, risk factors and predictors with mixed candida/bacterial bloodstream infection (BSI) of cadiovascular patients in Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China (a third-class hospital with a strong focus on cardiovascular disease). We conducted a retrospective case-control study of patients complicated with candidaemia over the past 10-year period to identify the risk factors and clinical implications of mixed candidia/bacterial BSIs vs. monobacterial candidiasis.
Method. We searched all discharged patients' diagnoses for icd codes related to candida bloodstream infection. We have made two sets of comparisons:1. Two groups of patients were compared: all cadiovascular patients with mixed candida/bacterial BSI (cases1 n=86), and all no cadiovascular patients with mixed candida/bacterial BSI (control 2 n=45); 2. Two groups of patients were compared: all patients with mixed candida/bacterial BSI (cases1 n=69), and all patients with mono candida BSI (control 2 n=62). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 25.0 statistical software. The independent sample t-test and chi-square analysis was used.
Result. The median age of the patients who have mixed candida / bacterial BSI was 63 years old, and 70.42% of these patients were male. Cardiovascular disease was the most common underlying disease of mixed candida / bacterial BSI, followed by neurological disease, and followed by tumors and diabetes. In cases of mono candida bloodstream infection, infection with Candida tropicalis and Candida albicans dominated. In cases of mixed bloodstream infection with bacterial candida, the highest proportion is Candida albicans. In the cases of candida bloodstream infection without cardiovascular underlying disease, it is Candida tropicalis, followed by Candida albicans. Opposite, in the cases with an underlying cardiovascular disease, the highest proportion is Candida albicans.
Conclusion. Our data show that older adults（age＞65 years）, men are more susceptible to candida bloodstream infections. Bacterial candida mixed bloodstream infections mostly led by staphylococcus sp. Procalcitonin（PCT）, white blood cell（WBC）, neutrophilicgranulocyte（N） were predictive for mixed bloodstream infection with bacterial candida species. Among the cases in our hospital, patients with underlying cardiovascular disease were associated with mixed bacterial candida infections.
A Novel Medical Image Enhancement Algorithm Based on CLAHE and Pelican Optimization
Authors: Haddadi Yasser Radouane , Mansouri Boualem , Khoudja Fatima zohra Driss
Published: January 2023

Medical image enhancement is considered as a challenging image-processing framework because the low quality of images resulted after acquisition and transmission seriously affects the clinical diagnosis and observation. In order to improve the image visual quality, a novel medical image enhancement algorithm that is based on the contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization and pelican optimization algorithm is proposed in this work. The primary step of the process is the medical generation using Text-to-image generative model. Then, the estimation of the clip-limit, which controls the enhancing performance. Finally, the operation of enhancing the medical images using our proposed method. As a conclusion, the simulation experiments prove that our proposed algorithm achieves superior performance qualitatively and quantitatively, compared with the state-of-the-art experimental methods. Furthermore, the advantageous characteristic of this algorithm is its applicability in multiple types of images. In this basis, the improvement of the medical images’ quality using our algorithm allows attaining a superior visual impact on the processed image and increase the rate of conformity in the clinical diagnosis.
Anesthetic management of infant with dural sinus malformation and high-flow arteriovenous fistula
Authors: Demart Zeferino Jr , Beckhauser Mayara Thays , Ramos Marina Machado , Chaves Adriana Luma Valério , Cardoso-Demartini Adriane
Published: January 2023

Dural sinus malformations are rare congenital vascular abnormalities with variable anatomical features, and the lateral subtypes with arteriovenous fistulas may be difficult-to-treat. A perioperative particularity is that occlusion of high flow shunts in small children can cause hypertension and stroke, due to sustained shunt-induced high cardiac output. Therefore, anesthetic management focused on hemodynamic stability is crucial to avoid complications. Herein we report a successfully treated case of a 3-month-old infant with dural sinus malformations and high-flow arteriovenous fistula, evolving with periprocedural hypertension.
The pioneering study of Mass Drug Administration with Primaquine in Iran
Authors: Jaski Sajjad Fekri , Sadeghi Fatemeh , Raeisi Ahmad , Khosravani Mousa , Ghahremani Zerafat , Hosseini Baharolsadat
Published: January 2023

Mass drug administration (MDA) is considered one of the WHO's Global Strategies to eliminate malaria. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the impact of this achievement on reducing malaria transmission. Primaquine was chosen as an antimalarial drug for this purpose; then, a total of 168 Pakistani cases receiving MDA were examined from September to December 2021 (for 8 weeks) in the Lirdaf district of Jask county, Hormozgan province, south of Iran. Three asymptomatic vivax malaria carriers were detected. 30 out of the 168 people treated with primaquine, were excluded from the study; Considering that, 26 of them had G6PD deficiency. Three people were eliminated from the project, one due to family problems, and the other two due to access constraints. One person, who was positive and also asymptomatic at the beginning of the study, became positive again; so, this case was disregarded from the survey. All cases were followed up routinely; and interestingly, no relapse was observed in our target population. We suggested that MDA should be implemented in the elimination phase associated with other interventions.
Guizhi Fuling capsule relieves memory deficits by inhibition of microglial neuroinflammation through blocking JAK2/STAT3 pathway in presenilin1/2 conditional double knockout mice
Authors: Yang Guang , Tong Yuting , Wang Xingyu , Zhao Chenyi , Ba Zongtao , Ahelijiang Reaila , Liu Xinjuan , Gao Waimao , Zhao Yan , Gu Yining , Xu Ying
Published: January 2023

Background
Chronic neuroinflammation has been regarded as an important part of the pathological initiation of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which is associated with the regulation of microglial activation. Preventing of microglial activation to inhibit neuroinflammation may become a potential target for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Guizhi Fuling capsule (GZFL) has a strong repression on inflammatory responses. The phenotypes of presenilin1/2 conditional double knockout (PS cDKO) mice, which could well simulate a series of pathological characteristics in AD patients aggravated with age, were subject to behavioral tests and molecular biological analyses to evaluate the latent neuroprotective effects of GZFL on neuroinflammation-mediated cognitive deficits. Primary microglia induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were used to explore the possible mechanism of GZFL on the improvement of neuroinflammation via testing the production of pro-inflammatory mediators and activation of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) / signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway.
Materials and methods
PS cDKO mice were divided into: WT mice (WT), WT mice+GZFL (WT+GZFL), PS cDKO mice (cDKO), and PS cDKO mice+GZFL (cDKO+GZFL). Mice in the WT+GZFL and cDKO+GZFL group were fed standard chow containing 2000 ppm GZFL for 90 days. After 60 days of GZFL treatment, mice were given to behavioral tests for 30 days in order to explore the effects of GZFL on cognitive and motor function. Then, mice were sacrificed for examining the effects of GZFL on inflammation. Furthermore, primary microglia were obtained from neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats and pretreated with or without GZFL (50 μg/ml) for 1 h in the absence or presence of LPS (100 ng/ml) stimulation to speculate whether the underlying mechanism of GZFL’s anti-inflammatory potential was closely associated with JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.
Results
Our findings indicated that GZFL has the ability to alleviate memory deficits in PS cDKO mice, which attributes to the improvement of neuroinflammation by inhibiting microglial activation and the levels of pro-inflammatory mediators. In addition, GZFL can inverse the tau hyperphosphorylation and the lessened expression of synaptic proteins in hippocampus of PS cDKO mice. Furthermore, GZFL plays a key role in preventing LPS-induced neuroinflammatory responses in primary microglia by decreasing the levels of pro-inflammatory mediators. It is noteworthy that therapeutic effects of GZFL on memory impairment are depended on the inhibition of neuroinflammatory responses by the blockage of JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.
Conclusions
GZFL may be an effective compound Chinese medicine for the improvement and postponement of neurodegenerative progression in AD.
Novel Coil Design and Analysis for High-Power Wireless Power Transfer with Enhanced Q-Factor
Authors: Awuah Charles Marfo , Danuor Patrick , Moon Jung-Ick , Jung Young-Bae
Published: January 2023

The power transfer efficiency (PTE) is a crucial aspect for effective wireless power transfer (WPT) applications. The quality factor (Q) of the WPT coil plays a critical role in ensuring higher PTE. In this paper, a novel method of improving the Q of a WPT coil is proposed. Resistance reduction techniques are presented which involves variation of the trace pitch, width, and thickness. This approach targets the high AC losses centered in the inner turns, which subsequently results in an increased Q. Numerical analysis with respect to the inductance and resistance models are presented, analyzed, and compared to that of the EM simulation results. To verify the efficacy of the proposed coil structure, a prototype is fabricated where good agreement is achieved between the measured and simulated results. The proposed coil attained a quality factor increment of about 19.24% at 85 kHz in comparison to the conventional one. The proposed technique can be used to optimize planar spiral coils to attain higher Q.
Numerical Analysis and Experimental Validation of the Jet Impingement Cooling of a Turbine-Blade Leading Edge at Different Rotation Speeds
Authors: Safi Amin , Hamdan Mohammad O. , Omari Sala A. B. Al , Elnajjar Emad
Published: January 2023

Herein, experimental and numerical validation studies were conducted on internal channel cooling in which seven jets impinging inside a rotating semi-cylindrical channel. These studies were conducted by considering a Reynolds number of 7,500 for a jet at five rotation speeds (ranging from 0 to 200 rpm). Numerical analysis was performed using the shear stress transport (SST) k–ω turbulence model with a properly analyzed fine mesh containing eight million nodes. A test setup with required instrumentation was developed inhouse for this study. Two temperature measurement techniques, namely thermochromic liquid crystals (TLCs) and thermocouples, were adopted. Further, the target surface temperature contours were precisely analyzed by comparing the TLC temperature measurements with the numerical temperature results. The captured temperature contours indicated points of minimum-temperature regions, which corresponded to the jet impingement regions. By examining the temperature distribution along the axial centerline, a good agreement was established between the numerical results and the experimental measurements. For Reynolds number of 7,500, increasing ration speed from 0 to 250 rpm has reduced the variation in temperature between different jets. The size of inlet port to feeding duct has a strong imapact on jet formation, which led to different mass flow rate across jets. Furthermore, a small deviation between numerical and experimental data can be observed near the end side of the channel owing to the radial and lateral heat transfer losses and outlet flow restriction.
Finite Element Analysis of Low Profile Reconstruction Plates for Atrophic Mandibles: A Comparison of Novel 3D Grid and Conventional Plate Designs
Authors: Guerra Raphael Capelli , Pulino Bianca de Fátima Borim , Salomão Vitor , Pereira Rodrigo dos Santos , Thieringer Florian , Sacco Roberto , Sader Robert , Vieira Eduardo Hochuli
Published: January 2023

This study aimed to compare the reconstruction with type 2.4 and three-dimensional (3D) grid plates relating the areas of weakness to anatomical regions of force incidence in atrophic mandibles with and without segmentation using finite element analysis (FEA). Strength and force quality in the mandible were also determined. The atrophic mandible models with and without segmentation were divided into four groups, and the behavior of each plate was analyzed using finite element analysis. In the atrophic mandible without segmentation using the type 2.4 reconstruction plate, the highest stress concentration in the plate was observed in the posterior region of the mandibular body and in the grid type 3D reconstruction plate was observed in the mandibular angle. In the segmented atrophic mandible with the 2.4 reconstruction plate, higher stress concentration was observed in the mandibular segment defect. Analysis of the 3D grid-like reconstruction plate revealed that the geometry of the plate conferred greater stiffness to the assembly, as the most significant stress concentration was observed at the mandibular angle. The width of the plate design may influence the strength, not the thickness.
Nanodiamonds enable femtosecond-processed ultrathin glass as a hybrid quantum sensor
Authors: Dadhich Bhavesh K. , Panda Biswajit , Sidhu Mehra S. , Singh Kamal P.
Published: January 2023

The quantum properties of fluorescent nanodiamonds offer great promise for fabricating quantum-enabled devices for physical applications. However, the nanodiamonds need to be suitably combined with a substrate to exploit their properties. Here, we show that ultrathin and flexible glass (thickness 30 microns) can be functionalized by nanodiamonds and nano-shaped using intense femtosecond pulses to design cantilever-based nanomechanical hybrid quantum sensors. Thus fabricated ultrathin glass cantilevers show stable optical, electronic, and magnetic properties of nitrogen-vacancy centers including well-defined fluorescence with zero-phonon lines and optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) near 2.87 GHz. We demonstrate several sensing applications of the ultrathin glass cantilever by measuring acoustic pulses, external magnetic field, or CW laser-induced heating by measuring Zeeman splitting and thermal shifting of ODMR lines. This work demonstrates the suitability of the femtosecond-processed ultrathin glass as a new versatile substrate for multifunctional quantum devices.
Ce:LYSO, from scintillator to solid-state lighting as a blue luminescent concentrator
Authors: LOPEZ LISA , PICHON PIERRE , LOISEAU PASCAL , VIANA BRUNO , MAHIOU RACHID , DRUON FREDERIC , GEORGES PATRICK , BALEMBOIS FRANÇOIS
Published: January 2023

Cerium-doped lutetium-yttrium oxyorthosilicate (Ce:LYSO) is a well-known single crystal scintillator used in medical imaging and security scanners. Recent development of high power UV LED, matching its absorption band, questions the possibility to use Ce:LYSO in a new way: as LED-pumped solid-state light source. Since Ce:LYSO is available in large size crystals, we investigate its potential as a luminescent concentrator. This paper reports an extensive study of the performance in close relation to the spectroscopic properties of this crystal. It gives the reasons why the Ce:LYSO crystal tested in this study is less efficient than Ce:YAG for luminescent concentration: limited quantum efficiency and high losses coming from self-absorption and from excited-state absorption are playing key roles. However, we demonstrate that a Ce:LYSO luminescent concentrator is an innovative source for solid-state lighting. Pumped by a peak power of 3400 W in quasi-continuous wave regime (40 µs, 10 Hz), a rectangular (1×22×105 mm3) Ce:LYSO crystal delivers a broadband spectrum (60 nm FWHM) centered at 430 nm. At full output aperture (20×1 mm²), it emits a peak power of 116 W. On a squared output surface (1×1 mm2) it emits 16 W corresponding to a brightness of 509 W/cm2/sr. This combination of spectrum power and brightness is higher than blue LEDs and opens perspectives for Ce:LYSO in the field of illumination namely for imaging.
Lenvatinib with or without Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Portal Vein Tumor Thrombosis: a retrospective study
Authors: Ji Xiaoquan , Xu Zhe , Sun Jing , Li Wengang , Duan Xuezhang , Wang Quan
Published: January 2023

Background and objectives: Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) involving portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) are presently lacking effective treatment options. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of lenvatinib with or without SBRT for HCC with PVTT.
Materials and Methods: This retrospective analysis included 37 patients treated with lenvatinib in combination with SBRT and 77 patients treated with lenvatinib alone from August 2018 to August 2021. Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), intrahepatic PFS (IHPFS) and objective remission rate (ORR) were compared between the two groups, while adverse events (AEs) was analyzed between the two groups to assess safety profiles.
Results: Median OS, PFS and IHPFS were significantly prolonged in the combination treatment group compared with the single treatment group (median OS, 19.3 vs. 11.2 months, p < 0.001; median PFS: 10.3 vs. 5.3 months, p < 0.001; median IHPFS, 10.7 vs. 5.3 months, p < 0.001). Moreover, a higher ORR (56.8% vs. 20.8%, P < 0.001) were observed in the lenvatinib combined with SBRT group. In subgroup analyses of Vp1-2 and Vp3-4 group, median OS, PFS and IHPFS were also significantly longer in the lenvatinib combined with SBRT group than those in the lenvatinib alone group. AEs in the combined therapy group were mostly manageable and the incidence was not statistically significant compared to the monotherapy group.
Conclusion: Lenvatinib plus SBRT had a significantly better survival benefit than lenvatinib monotherapy in the treatment of HCC patients with PVTT and was well tolerated.
A Survey: An Efficient approach to improve the performance of anomalous detection using adaptive weight butterfly optimization based on traffic prediction
Authors: Vinod D. , Prasad M.
Published: January 2023

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
An envelope operator for full convexity to define polyhedral models in digital spaces
Authors: Feschet Fabien , Lachaud Jacques-Olivier
Published: January 2023

In a recent work, full convexity has been proposed as an alternative definition of digital convexity. It solves many problems related to its usual definitions, for instance: fully convex sets are digitally convex in the usual sense, but are also connected and simply connected. However, full convexity is not a monotone property hence intersections of fully convex sets may be neither fully convex nor connected. This defect might forbid digital polyhedral models with fully convex faces and edges. This can be detrimental since classical standard and naive planes are fully convex. In this paper we study several methods that builds a fully convex set from a digital set. One is particularly appealing and is based on an iterative process: this envelope operator solves in arbitrary dimension the problem of extending a digital set into a fully convex set, while leaving fully convex sets invariant. This extension naturally leads to digital polyhedra whose cells are fully convex. Then a relative envelope operator is proposed, which can be used to force digital planarity of fully convex sets. We provide experiments showing that our method produces coherent polyhedral models for any polyhedron in arbitrary dimension. Finally we study how we can speed up full convexity checks and envelope operations, with a worst-case complexity lowered by a factor 2d in Zd.