bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
BP Neural Network-Based Big Data Intelligent Travel Algorithm and Its Application
Authors: Huang Yan
Published: April 2022

With the increase of urbanization rate, a large number of people flood into cities, increasing pressure of urban traffic, and problems accumulated in the taxi industry are gradually prominent. The phenomenon of crowded queue for taxi is frequent in peak hours, and vehicles patrol and sweep streets during peak hours. The key to solve these problems lies in mastering the rules and patterns of taxi travel and finding the factors affecting the relationship between taxi supply and demand. It is difficult to effectively understand taxi travel as a whole due to the large number of taxis and their large scale and strong mobility. Comprehensive application of trajectory data mining method can extract the spatiotemporal characteristics of massive taxi trajectory data and reveal the nature of its occurrence. This paper mainly focuses on the problems faced by urban traffic governance, such as the mismatch between data sources and demand systems, the uncoordinated operation of comprehensive transportation system, and the difficulty in sharing big data resources between government and enterprises. With massive data resources across departments, this paper designed a networked intelligent computing platform for big data of urban transportation integrated with various modes of transportation to sense the operation situation of urban comprehensive transportation system in real time, accurately grasp the space-time distribution of urban transportation supply and demand, and significantly improve the ability of coordinated operation, organization, and management of transportation in large cities. It also effectively enhances the quality of transportation information sharing and integration services and comprehensively improves the efficiency and overall carrying capacity of the urban comprehensive transportation system.
Prevalence and Impact of Preexisting Comorbidities on Overall Clinical Outcomes of Hospitalized COVID‐19 Patients
Authors: Koyyada Rajeswari , Nagalla Balakrishna , Tummala Anusha , Singh Anula D. , Patnam Sreekanth , Barigala Ravikiran , Kandala Mahati , Krishna Vamsi , Manda Sasidhar V.
Published: April 2022

COVID‐19 risk increases with comorbidities, and the effect is magnified due to the contribution of individual and combined comorbidities to the overall clinical outcomes. We aimed to explore the influence of demographic factors, clinical manifestations, and underlying comorbidities on mortality, severity, and hospital stay in COVID‐19 patients. Therefore, retrospective chart reviews were performed to identify all laboratory‐confirmed cases of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection in Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, between March 2020 and August 2020.A total of 369 confirmed SARS‐CoV‐2 cases were identified: 272 (73.7%) patients were male, and 97 (26.2%) were female. Of the confirmed cases, 218 (59.1%) had comorbidities, and 151 (40.9%) were devoid of comorbidities. This study showed that old age and underlying comorbidities significantly increase mortality, hospital stay, and severity due to COVID‐19 infection. The presence of all four comorbidities, diabetes mellitus (DM) + Hypertension (HTN) + coronary artery disease (CAD) + chronic kidney disease (CKD), conferred the most severity (81%). The highest mortality (OR: 44.03, 95% CI: 8.64‐224.27) was observed during the hospital stay (12.73 ± 11.38; 95% CI: 5.08‐20.38) in the above group. Multivariate analysis revealed that nonsurvivors are highest (81%) in (DM + HTN + CAD + CKD) category with an odds ratio (95% CI) of 44.03 (8.64‐224.27). Age, gender, and comorbidities adjusted odds ratio decreased to 20.25 (3.77‐108.77). Median survival of 7 days was observed in the (DM + HTN + CAD + CKD) category. In summary, the presence of underlying comorbidities has contributed to a higher mortality rate, greater risk of severe disease, and extended hospitalization periods, hence, resulting in overall poorer clinical outcomes in hospitalized COVID‐19 patients.
Dynamic Sign Language Recognition Based on CBAM with Autoencoder Time Series Neural Network
Authors: Huang Yanglai , Huang Jing , Wu Xiaoyue , Jia Yu
Published: April 2022

The CNN-LSTM network has a low generalization ability, and the backward relevance of actions is not strong. In this work, a convolutional self-encoding timing network with a fusion of attention mechanism, namely, convolutional block attention module (CBAM), is proposed. The model first designs a convolutional self-encoding network for pretraining to obtain feature vectors of smaller dimensions. Second, it uses the BN network to speed up the training process and enhance the network generalization ability. Then, we use the encoder part of the pretrained convolutional autoencoder, embed the attention mechanism to further focus on the weight of important parts in image features, and use Bi-LSTM to form a CNN-Bi-LSTM network. As compared with the traditional CNN-LSTM model, the proposed method continuously expands the training samples through the pretrained network to improve the generalization performance. The experimental results show that the method proposed in this paper effectively recognizes the sign language video. The recognition rate reaches 89.90%, which is higher as compared to other methods. These results verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Transcriptome Sequencing and Bioinformatics Analysis of Ovarian Tissues from Pomacea canaliculata in Guangdong and Hunan
Authors: Liu Jing , Li Jian , Wang Zhi , Yang Hua
Published: April 2022

In this study, the fecundity of Pomacea canaliculata was studied by collecting egg masses from Guangdong and Hunan using field egg collection and indoor propagation. Through high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), we analyzed the ovarian tissue of the snails in Guangdong (G_O) and those in Hunan (H_O) using comparative analysis of transcription. Moreover, we used bioinformatics methods to screen the key pathways and genes that affect the fecundity of snails from the two locations. Results. The results showed that the absolute fecundity and weight-relative fecundity of Pomacea canaliculata in Guangdong were significantly higher than those in Hunan. We found 1,546 differential genes through differential gene screening (528 genes upregulated in snails from Guangdong and 1018 in snails from Hunan). The ribosomal signaling pathway and rpl23a, uba52 are critical pathways and essential genes that affect the fecundity of snails. Conclusions. The 27 differential genes in the ribosome signaling pathway, collected from H_O, were all downregulated. As a result, ovarian tissue protein synthesis is impaired, which is an important mechanism that affects snails’ ability to reproduce.
Knowledge, Consumption Pattern, and Adverse Effects of Energy Drinks among Asian Population: A Cross-Sectional Analysis from Malaysia
Authors: Mohammed Ali Haider , Blebil Ali , Selvaraj Amutha , Ang Zoena Jia Xuan , Chong Cui Yee , Chu Veronica Rui Sim , Ku Yi Qi , Hassan Bassam Abdul Rasool , Wayyes Abdulrasool M. , Madani Abdelhaleem Mustafa
Published: April 2022

Background. The frequent expansion of the energy drinks (EDs) market has caused an extensive increase in the consumption of EDs, especially among younger populations. However, the lack of knowledge on EDs and their perceived beneficial effects could lead to excessive EDs consumption, which is strongly associated with serious side effects. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and perceived beneficial effects of EDs consumers and determine the consumption patterns and side effects experienced by different EDs consumers among the Malaysian population. Methods. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Malaysia from February to April 2021. A structured and validated questionnaire, consisting of 5 sections with 46 items, was distributed online. Only 515 out of 591 invited participants agreed to participate in the study. Descriptive and inferential analysis were done using SPSS. Results. The median age of participants was 23 ± 7.3 years. The majority of participants (65%) were unaware of the active ingredients of EDs, and approximately 40% of them had no idea that EDs contain caffeine. The main reason for consuming EDs was to stay awake (43%), and Red Bull was the most preferred brand (57%). Lack of rest (57%), headache (53%), and nervousness (49%) were the most experienced side effects. A significant difference was observed between consumption patterns and knowledge and perceived beneficial effects (

p
<
0.05

). Our data showed a significant association between respondents’ demographic data (e.g., coffee intake, smoking, and alcohol status) and their consumption pattern. Conclusion. ED consumers in Malaysia were found to have limited knowledge on EDs. Therefore, attention should be drawn to the Ministry of Health regarding the significant side effects such as palpitation and nervousness experienced by ED consumers. Hence, awareness ought to be raised by adopting regulations or policies to regulate the sales and warning labels of EDs in Malaysia.
Genetic and Molecular Characterization Revealed the Prognosis Efficiency of Histone Acetylation in Pan-Digestive Cancers
Authors: Zhang Tao , Wang Bofang , Gu Baohong , Su Fei , Xiang Lin , Liu Le , Li Xuemei , Wang Xueyan , Gao Lei , Chen Hao
Published: April 2022

The imbalance between acetylation and deacetylation of histone proteins, important for epigenetic modifications, is closely associated with various diseases, including cancer. However, knowledge regarding the modification of histones across the different types of digestive cancers is still lacking. The purpose of this research was to analyze the role of histone acetylation and deacetylation in pan-digestive cancers. We systematically characterized the molecular alterations and clinical relevance of 13 histone acetyltransferase (HAT) and 18 histone deacetylase (HDAC) genes in five types of digestive cancers, including esophageal carcinoma, gastric cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, pancreatic cancer, and colorectal cancer. Recurrent mutations and copy number variation (CNV) were extensively found in acetylation-associated genes across pan-digestive cancers. HDAC9 and KAT6A showed widespread copy number amplification across five pan-digestive cancers, while ESCO2, EP300, and HDAC10 had prevalent copy number deletions. Accordingly, we found that HAT and HDAC genes correlated with multiple cancer hallmark-related pathways, especially the histone modification-related pathway, PRC2 complex pathway. Furthermore, the expression pattern of HAT and HDAC genes stratified patients with clinical benefit in hepatocellular carcinoma and pancreatic cancer. These results indicated that acetylation acts as a key molecular regulation of pan-digestive tumor progression.
IL-6 Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Invasion by Releasing Exosomal miR-133a-3p
Authors: Ren Xudong , Zhou Yu , Luo Yunling , Wang Chaoqun , Pan Anna , Ju Yanqin , Sun Haoting , Lin Zhifei , Hu Beiyuan , Sun Guangzheng , Zhu Wenwei , Hong Liang
Published: April 2022

Interleukin-6 (IL-6), an important inflammatory cytokine, is a key factor regulating cancer metastasis. Cancer cells can modulate their tumorigenic abilities by sorting specific microRNAs (miRNAs) as exosomes into the tumor microenvironment. The relationship between IL-6 and exosomal miRNAs related to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasis remains to be elucidated. We examined the metastatic ability of HCC cells after IL-6 treatment and found that miR-133a-3p was sorted into exosomes after IL-6 stimulation and was subsequently released into the tumor microenvironment. In vitro analysis confirmed that exosomal miR-133a-3p acted as a tumor suppressor in HCC. Bioinformatic analysis revealed several signaling pathways and hub genes (CREB1, VCP, CALM1, and YES1) regulated by miR-133a-3p. Survival curves further verified the important roles of hub genes in the prognosis of patients with HCC. It is envisaged that the IL-6/miR-133a-3p axis may be related to the activation of CREB1, VCP, CALM1, and YES1. Our findings provide new insights into the role of exosomal miRNA-mediated tumor progression under inflammatory conditions.
Vibration of a Thermoelastic Microbeam due to the Thermoelectrical Effect of a Strip of Graphene
Authors: Alahmadi Ahmed N. M.
Published: April 2022

In this work, an analysis of thermoelastic, homogeneous, and isotropic microbeams was conducted in the context of the non-Fourier heat conduction law. The first end of the microbeam was based on a graphene strip, which was connected to an electrical voltage source. Under simple boundary conditions maintained by fixed side ratios, the Lord–Shulman model of generalized thermoelasticity was applied. The microbeam was thermally loaded with a heat source due to the thermal effect of the electrical current that ran through the strip of graphene. Laplace transformation of the time variable was utilized to solve controlled differential equations. All the solutions were found in the Laplace transform domain. Tzou's approximation approach, which relies on an iteration formula, was used to numerically calculate the Laplace transform inversions. For different values of the electrical voltage and the resistance of the graphene strip, different graphs were used to show the numerical results. The electrical voltage and the electrical resistance were reported to have significant influences on all the studied functions of the microbeam. Thus, controlling a microbeam’s vibration and energy could be accomplished by tuning the electrical resistance and applied voltage.
Exploring the Effects of Prescribed Fire on Tick Spread and Propagation in a Spatial Setting
Authors: Fulk Alexander , Huang Weizhang , Agusto Folashade
Published: April 2022

Lyme disease is one of the most prominent tick-borne diseases in the United States, and prevalence of the disease has been steadily increasing over the past several decades due to a number of factors, including climate change. Methods for control of the disease have been considered, one of which is prescribed burning. In this paper, the effects of prescribed burns on the abundance of ticks present in a spatial domain are assessed. A spatial stage-structured tick-host model with an impulsive differential equation system is developed to simulate the effect that controlled burning has on tick populations. Subsequently, a global sensitivity analysis is performed to evaluate the effect of various model parameters on the prevalence of infectious nymphs. Results indicate that while ticks can recover relatively quickly following a burn, yearly, high-intensity prescribed burns can reduce the prevalence of ticks in and around the area that is burned. The use of prescribed burns in preventing the establishment of ticks into new areas is also explored, and it is observed that frequent burning can slow establishment considerably.
Argon Laser Synechiolysis for Irido-Corneal Adhesion
Authors: Shokoohi-Rad Saeed , Gholamhoseinpour-Omran Samaneh , Hosseinikhah-Manshadi Hamed , Baghi Yazdi Mohammad
Published: April 2022

Purpose. To introduce a new method for treating irido-corneal adhesion (ICA) by using argon laser. Case Presentation. A 60-year-old woman with advanced glaucoma who is undergoing trabeculectomy. In follow-up visits, choroidal effusion and iridocorneal adhesion were seen in the examination. The massive choroidal effusion was treated with medical therapy. In further follow-up examination, ICA was repaired with argon laser. Result. Early laser treatment prior to surgical management is suggested in postoperative synechia. Conclusion. Early argon laser synechiolysis is a less-invasive procedure which prevents probable surgical complications such as local detachment of Descemet’s membrane or bleeding in surgical synechiolysis.
Effects of Insulin Combined with Traditional Chinese Medicine Assisted Comprehensive Nursing Intervention on Oxidative Stress State, Cell Adhesion Factor, and Pregnancy Outcome of Patients with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Zhou Yanling , Yang Bei , Yao Rongrong , Sun Ping
Published: April 2022

Objectives. The changes of oxidative stress state, cell adhesion factor (sICAM-1) level, blood glucose, and blood lipid of patients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) assisted by insulin combined with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription were detected to explore the effect of TCM treatment on maternal and infant outcomes of GDM. Methods. A total of 60 patients diagnosed with GDM from January 2019 to December 2019 were selected. Among them, 30 patients were treated with insulin combined with TCM prescription (control group), and 30 patients were treated with nursing intervention based on control group (study group). Serum of maternal vein and fetal umbilical vein was collected. The contents of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and lipid oxide (MDA) were determined. The content of intercellular adhesion factor (ICAM-1) was measured, and the differences of fasting blood glucose (FPG), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), triglyceride (TG), cholesterol (CHO) and low density lipoprotein (LDL-C) between 2 groups were compared. The incidence of maternal and infant adverse outcomes was assessed. Results. After treatment, blood glucose indexes in 2 groups were decreased, and the study group was lower than the control group. After treatment, LDL-C, TC and TG in 2 groups were lower than before, and the study group was lower than the control group. HDL-C was higher than before treatment, and the study group was higher than the control group. After treatment, oxidation-related substances SOD and GSH-Px in 2 groups were higher than before, and those in study group were higher than those in control group. ROS and MDA were lower than before treatment, and the level of sICAM-1 in the study group was significantly higher than that in the control group. Clinical application of insulin combined with TCM prescription assisted comprehensive nursing intervention in the treatment of gestational diabetes, pregnancy outcome is improved. Conclusions. Oxidative stress imbalance exists in GDM and the causes of adverse pregnancy outcomes are closely related to oxidative stress and vascular endothelial injury. TCM can improve the oxidative stress imbalance and the pregnancy outcome of patients with GDM from the perspective of reducing vascular endothelial injury. Comprehensive nursing intervention for pregnant women with GDM can optimize the outcome of pregnancy and is worthy of clinical application.
A Reinforcement Learning Based Traffic Control Strategy in a Macroscopic Fundamental Diagram Region
Authors: Zheng Lingyu , Wu Bing
Published: April 2022

Urban traffic control systems (UTCSs) are deployed to a great number of urban cities despite lacking feedback when adjusting the traffic signals. The development of reinforcement learning (RL) makes it possible to apply feedback to UTCS, and great efforts have been made on RL-based traffic control strategies. However, those studies are regardless of the traffic flow theory of the network and the road users’ perspectives on the performance of traffic. This study proposes a multiagent reinforcement learning (MARL) based traffic control strategy, in which each intersection in a macroscopic fundamental diagram (MFD) region was controlled by one agent using the level of services (LOS) and MFD-based parameters as rewards. The proposed MARL strategy was evaluated by simulation in a 3×3 grid network compared with pretimed, actuated, and MFD-based traffic control strategies. The evaluation results showed that, at different demand levels, the proposed MARL strategy outperforms the other three traffic control strategies in terms of average intersection queue length and average intersection waiting time to a different extent. Results also showed that the proposed MARL dissipated the congestion faster than the other three control strategies. Results of the Friedman test indicated that the differences in performances between the proposed MARL and other strategies were statistically significant regardless of the demand level. The MFD in the testbed network controlled by the proposed MARL was different from that controlled by the pretimed strategy, especially the MFD scatter plot. It provides insights on considering the traffic flow theory of the network when applying MARL to traffic control strategies.
Microencapsulated Multifunctionalized Graphene Oxide Equipped with Chloroquine for Efficient and Sustained siRNA Delivery
Authors: Imani Rana , Prakash Satya , Vali Hojatollah , Presley John F. , Faghihi Shahab
Published: April 2022

A multifunctionalized graphene oxide (GO)‐based carrier with conjugation of aminated‐polyethylene glycol (PEG‐diamine), octaarginine (R8), and folic acid (FA), which also contains chloroquine (CQ), a lysosomotropic agent, is introduced. The cellular uptake mechanisms and intracellular targeting of FA‐functionalized nanocarriers are examined. The localized releases of CQ and siRNA intracellular delivery are evaluated. Microencapsulation of the nanocarrier complexed with genes in layer‐by‐layer coating of alginate microbeads is also investigated. The covalently coconjugated FA with PEG and R8 provides a stable formulation with increased cellular uptake compared to FA‐free carrier. The CQ‐equipped nanocarrier shows a 95% release of CQ at lysosomal pH. The localized release of the drug inside the lysosomes is verified which accelerates the cargo discharge into cytoplasm.
A Noninteractive Multireplica Provable Data Possession Scheme Based on Smart Contract
Authors: Li Zhengwen , Xin Yang , Zhao De , Yang Yixian
Published: April 2022

With the explosive growth of data, cloud storage has become a widely used storage method. To protect the integrity and availability of data in cloud storage systems, multireplica provable data possession has gradually become a research hotspot. This paper uses smart contracts to replace traditional third-party auditor (TPA) and proposes a noninteractive multireplica provable data possession scheme based on smart contracts, making the verification process public, immutable, traceable, and able to be carried out periodically and automatically. This paper introduces the concept of noninteractivity to reduce the transaction fees caused by the frequent operation of blockchain in the verification process. By stipulating payment rules in the smart contract, we can ensure the fairness of all parties. Finally, we give the correctness proof of the scheme and the security proof in the random oracle model, comparing it with other schemes and verifying the practicability of our scheme through experiments.
Chemical Characterization and Cytotoxic/Antibacterial Effects of Nine Iranian Propolis Extracts on Human Fibroblast Cells and Oral Bacteria
Authors: Yazdanian Mohsen , Motallaei Mohammad Nima , Tahmasebi Elahe , Tebyaniyan Hamid , Alam Mostafa , Abbasi Kamyar , Seifalian Alexander , Ranjbar Reza , Yazdanian Alireza , Hosseini Hamideh Mahmoodzadeh , Moghaddam Mehrdad Moosazadeh
Published: April 2022

Multimicrobial infections caused by pathobionts are called dysbiotic multimicrobial illnesses. Commercial mouthwashes, such as chlorhexidine, have negative side effects that can prevent tooth decay and infection. The present study aimed to determine the antifungal, antibacterial, and cytotoxicity characteristics of the propolis extracts from different areas (Iran). The ethanolic extract of propolis was prepared. GC/MS carried out the characterization to determine the thymol, carvacrol, and menthol extracts, and also, total phenol and flavonoid were assed for all samples. The antimicrobial and antibiofilm effects were evaluated against S. mutans, S. mitis, S. salivarius, L. acidophilus, E. coli, S. aureus, and C. albicans. The cytotoxic effect of extracts was measured on human fibroblast cells by MTT test. The MIC values in mg mL-1 were ranged as follows: S. salivarius (0.003 to 0.048), S. mutans (0.003 to 0.029), S. mitis (0.007 to 0.058), L. acidophilus (0.007 to 0.117), C. albicans (0.014 to 0.234), E. coli (0.007 to 0.058), and S. aureus (0.007 to 0.058), while MBC were, respectively, S. mutans (0.007 to 0.058), S. salivarius (0.007 to 0.117), S. mitis (0.007 to 0.117), L. acidophilus (0.014 to 0.234), C. albicans (0.029 to 0.468), E. coli (0.014 to 0.234), and S. aureus (0.007 to 0.117). Cariogenic bacteria and Candida albicans were demonstrated to be resistant to propolis extracts. Therefore, propolis extracts may make good mouthwashes.
Evolutionary Game and Simulation of Green Housing Market Subject Behavior in China
Authors: Qian Yingmiao , Yu Mengyuan , Wang Tao , Yuan Ruijia , Feng Zhenan , Zhao Xing
Published: April 2022

In China, driven by the national “3060” double carbon targets (i.e., reaching peak carbon emissions by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060), green housing has become one of the major fields to reduce carbon emissions, facilitating the achievement of the double carbon targets. Promoting the growth of green housing is an important way for the real estate industry to achieve low-carbon transformation and improve the quality of housing. Meanwhile, the construction industry also can benefit from green housing to achieve its energy conservation and emission reduction targets. Therefore, it is critical to boost and maintain the sustainable growth of the green housing market in China. However, the literature has not focused attention on the market behavior of the green housing market in China. This study proposes a tripartite evolutionary game model to investigate the subject behavior of the green housing market in China. This model consists of three major subjects in a green housing market: developers, consumers, and governments. Based on this model, this study analyzes the stability of the strategy options for each stakeholder and identifies the stable conditions of strategy portfolios to reach the equilibrium points of the game system. The validity of the proposed tripartite evolutionary game model is tested through the simulation of the impacts from various factors on system evolution. According to the impacts of factors and the stable conditions of strategies, this paper puts forward relevant policy suggestions for the healthy and sustainable growth of China’s green housing market.
Examining the Effect of Consuming C8 Medium-Chain Triglyceride Oil for 14 Days on Markers of NLRP3 Activation in Healthy Humans
Authors: Neudorf Helena , Jackson Garett , Little Jonathan P.
Published: April 2022

Chronic, low-grade inflammation is associated with the development of numerous diseases and is mediated in part by overactivation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. The ketone body beta-hydroxybutyrate (βHB) suppresses the NLRP3 inflammasome and alters intracellular signalling pathways in vitro and in animal models; however, this effect has not yet been shown in vivo in humans. The purpose of this single-arm pilot trial was to determine if consuming 15 mL of C8 medium-chain triglyceride (trioctanoin; MCT) oil, which induces mild elevation of βHB, twice daily (30 mL total) for 14 days would suppress markers of NLRP3 inflammasome activation in young, healthy humans while following their habitual diet. Consuming a single dose of 15 mL of C8 MCT oil significantly raised blood βHB from fasting at 60 minutes and 120 minutes post ingestion (both

P
<
0.05

). However, consumption of C8 MCT oil for 14 days did not impact markers of monocyte NLRP3 inflammasome activation compared to baseline. Specifically, caspase-1 activation and secretion of its downstream product interleukin (IL)-1β were unchanged following 14 days of C8 MCT oil supplementation when measured in unstimulated and LPS-stimulated whole blood cultures (all

P
>
0.05

). Acetylation of histone H3 on the lysine residue 9 was unchanged (

P
<
0.05

) and acetylation of lysine residue 14 was decreased (

P
<
0.05

) following 14 days of supplementation. Thus, adding twice daily C8 MCT oil supplementation to the habitual diet of young, healthy humans does not appear to suppress NLRP3 inflammasome activation.
Optimization of the Operation Rule Curves for Cascade Reservoirs Using the Cuckoo Search Algorithm
Authors: Ara Ismail , Yasar Mutlu
Published: April 2022

Reservoir operation optimization models are based on the hydrological cycle principle. These models determine the inflow and outflow necessary to meet the demands for drinking water, irrigation water, etc. Rather than optimizing each reservoir separately in cascaded reservoir systems, more efficient results are obtained if the reservoirs are optimized as a whole. In this study, the optimal operation rule curves for cascaded reservoirs were obtained by using the cuckoo search algorithm, which is a soft computing method. Both the irrigation and flood control constraints of the Adiguzel and Cindere dams in Denizli (Turkey) were satisfied by utilizing these rule curves, and the total energy production was maximized. In addition, these rule curves considered turbine efficiency, which significantly contributes to published literature. The total energy obtained with the proposed operation rule curves was 14% higher than that currently produced by the Adiguzel and Cindere dams.
Real-World Cataract Surgery Complications and Secondary Interventions Incidence Rates: An Analysis of US Medicare Claims Database
Authors: Terveen Daniel , Berdahl John , Dhariwal Mukesh , Meng Qian
Published: April 2022

Purpose. To characterize cataract patients and postoperative outcomes in the Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) population. Design. A retrospective observational cohort study. Methods. Medicare fee-for-service (A&B) databases were queried from October 2015 to December 2017. Patients with procedural claims using CPT codes (66982 or 66984) and with 1–12 months of postcataract follow-up data were included in the analysis. Results. 133,896 records of 82,246 CMS FFS claims were included in the analysis. The average patient age was 73.8, and 58.2% were females. The cataract surgery setting was ASC (71.3%) followed by HOPD (27.6%). The median time between first and second surgery was 15 days. The most common comorbidities included diabetes (28.6%), glaucoma (22.1%), and macular degeneration (21.7%). Posterior capsule rupture occurred in 0.2% of cases. The <6 months cumulative incidence of most common secondary surgical interventions was 4.7%, 0.2%, and 0.2% for Nd:YAG capsulotomy, IOL exchange, and IOL repositioning, respectively. Discussion. Real-world complication rates of cataract surgery may help reduce postcataract complications and procedure burden. Synopsis for Table of Contents. This study focused on a sample of the US Medicare beneficiary cataract population and describes its demographic characteristics and reports the cumulative incidence of common postcataract surgery complications and secondary surgical interventions (SSI).
The Analysis of the Fractional-Order Navier-Stokes Equations by a Novel Approach
Authors: Elsayed E. M. , Shah Rasool , Nonlaopon Kamsing
Published: April 2022

This article introduces modified semianalytical methods, namely, the Shehu decomposition method and q-homotopy analysis transform method, a combination of decomposition method, the q-homotopy analysis method, and the Shehu transform method to provide an approximate method analytical solution to fractional-order Navier-Stokes equations. Navier-Stokes equations are widely applied as models for spatial effects in biology, ecology, and applied sciences. A good agreement between the exact and obtained solutions shows the accuracy and efficiency of the present techniques. These results reveal that the suggested methods are straightforward and effective for engineering sciences models.
Exploring the Effect of Enbrel Softgels on PWI Indicators in VCIND Patients
Authors: Cui Lei , Li Pan , Zhang Jingchen , Li Xiaofang
Published: April 2022

Objective. To investigate the effect of Enbrel softgels on the head nuclear magnetic (PWI) indices in patients with vascular cognitive impairment-no dementia (vascular cognitive impairment-no dementia, VCIND). Methods. Patients with confirmed VCIND hospitalized in the Department of Neurology of the Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University from April 2017 to April 2019 were included in the study, and they were divided into experimental and control groups (30 patients in each group) according to the difference of interventions. The PWI examination and neuropsychological assessment were performed at the beginning of the experiment, 12 w after treatment, and 48 w after treatment in the two groups. Score differences between the two groups and the preliminary demonstration of the clinical value of the MMSE and ADAS-Cog in the diagnosis of VCIND. Results. (1) The difference in PWI positivity rate between the two groups at the beginning of the experiment was not statistically significant (

P
>
0.05

); the PWI positivity rate in the experimental group at 12 W was significantly lower than that in the control group (

P
<
0.05

); the difference in PWI positivity rate between the two groups at 48 W was not statistically significant (

P
<
0.05

); (2) the MMSE scores of patients in the experimental group at 12 W and 48 W were higher than those in the control group, and the ADAS-Cog scores were lower than those in the control group (

P
<
0.05

). (3) The diagnostic AUCs of MMSE and ADAS-Cog for VCIND were 0.7960 (95% CI = 0.6411–0.9508,

P
=
0.0037

) and 0.9291 (95% CI = 0.8390), respectively (95% CI = 0.8390–1.000,

P
<
0.0001

). Conclusion. The addition of Enbrel softgels to concomitant therapy in VCIND patients can lead to changes in their PWI imaging indicators, which in turn can have a significant impact on their neuropsychological indicators, and quantitative analysis scales such as the MMSE and ADAS-Cog can be considered for the diagnostic treatment of VCIND.
Outcomes and Learning Curve in Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection of Rectal Neoplasms with Severe Fibrosis: Experience of a Western Center
Authors: Félix Catarina , Barreiro Pedro , Mendo Rui , Mascarenhas André , Chagas Cristina
Published: April 2022

Introduction: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) of lesions with severe submucosal fibrosis has been associated with worse outcomes, such as lower curative resection rate and higher incidence of adverse events. This study aims to investigate its true impact on rectal ESD performed in the West and to assess predictive factors of severe fibrosis. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study including all rectal ESDs performed at our tertiary center from January 2013 to January 2021. Lesions were grouped as nonsevere fibrosis or severe fibrosis. ESD outcomes, predictors of severe fibrosis, and the learning curve were evaluated. Results: ESD was performed in 195 lesions, 45 with severe fibrosis. Three resections were interrupted (one due to severe fibrosis). The presence of severe fibrosis was related to a significantly lower resection speed (16.93 mm2/min vs. 24.66 mm2/min, p = 0.007), en bloc (86.4% vs. 96.6%, p = 0.019), R0 (61.4% vs. 79.7%, p = 0.013), and curative (54.5% vs. 78.4%, p = 0.003) resection rates and a higher rate of hybrid ESD required to complete resection (13.6% vs. 2.0%, p = 0.005). No significant difference was noted regarding adverse events rate (18.2% vs. 8.1%, p = 0.09). Male sex, ulcerative colitis, pelvic radiotherapy, a lesion on the anastomotic site, previous manipulation, and deep submucosal invasion were independent predictors for severe fibrosis. En bloc resection rate improved during time (60.0% vs. 94.1%, p = 0.018). Conclusions: Severe submucosal fibrosis is an important factor related to noncurative resections and challenging rectal ESD. Factors predicting its severity are extremely important and could allow more experienced endoscopists to be assigned to more difficult cases, allowing safer procedures.
Cytological Diagnosis of Aggressive Small-Cell Lymphomas
Authors: Caputo Alessandro , Ciliberti Valeria , Zeppa Pio , D’Antonio Antonio
Published: April 2022

Background: Despite their sometimes deceivingly bland appearance, some small-cell lymphomas are very aggressive and the prognosis of patients depends on a prompt diagnosis that allows the initiation of appropriate therapy. Summary: The present review discusses the salient cytological features of the most common aggressive small-cell lymphomas and then proceeds to analyze their main diagnostic criteria, including the usage of ancillary techniques. Key Messages: Lymph node fine-needle aspiration cytology is a fast, safe, cheap, minimally invasive, and accurate procedure that can be used for a prompt and accurate diagnosis of lymphomas.
Severity Assessment in Rats Undergoing Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Induction by Endovascular Perforation or Corresponding Sham Surgery
Authors: Bach-Hagemann Annika , Harder Ekaterina , Warner Laura , Conzen-Dilger Catharina , Schmidt Tobias Philip , Pinkernell Sarah , Palme Rupert , Lindauer Ute
Published: April 2022

Introduction: Animal models for preclinical research of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) are widely used as much of the pathophysiology remains unknown. However, the burden of these models inflicted on the animals is not well characterized. The European directive requires severity assessment-based allocation to categories. Up to now, the classification into predefined categories is rather subjective and often without underlying scientific knowledge. We therefore aimed at assessing the burden of rats after SAH or the corresponding sham surgery to provide a scientific assessment. Methods: We performed a multimodal approach, using different behavior tests, clinical and neurological scoring, and biochemical markers using the common model for SAH of intracranial endovascular filament perforation in male Wistar rats. Up to 7 days after surgery, animals with SAH were compared to sham surgery and to a group receiving only anesthesia and analgesia. Results: Sham surgery (n = 15) and SAH (n = 16) animals showed an increase in the clinical score the first days after surgery, indicating clinical deterioration, while animals receiving only anesthesia without surgery (n = 5) remained unaffected. Body weight loss occurred in all groups but was more pronounced and statistically significant only after surgery. The analysis of burrowing, open field (total distance, erections), balance beam, and neuroscore showed primarily an effect of the surgery itself in sham surgery and SAH animals. Only concerning balance beam and neuroscore, a difference was visible between sham surgery and SAH. The outcome of the analysis of systemic and local inflammatory parameters and of corticosterone in blood and its metabolites in feces was only robust in animals suffering from larger bleedings. Application of principal component analysis resulted in a clear separation of sham surgery and SAH animals from their respective baseline as well as from the anesthesia-only group at days 1 and 3, with the difference between sham surgery and SAH being not significant. Discussion/Conclusion: To our knowledge, we are the first to publish detailed clinical score sheet data combined with advanced behavioral assessment in the endovascular perforation model for SAH in rats. The tests chosen here clearly depict an impairment of the animals within the first days after surgery and are consequently well suited for assessment of the animals’ suffering in the model. A definitive classification into one of the severity categories named by the EU directive is yet pending and has to be performed in the future by including the assessment data from different neurological and nonneurological disease models.
Stress, Thyroid Dysregulation, and Thyroid Cancer in Children and Adolescents: Proposed Impending Mechanisms
Authors: Kyriacou Angelos , Tziaferi Vaitsa , Toumba Meropi
Published: April 2022

Stress is a potential catalyst for thyroid dysregulation through cross-communication of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axes. Stress and stressors exposure motivates molecular mechanisms affecting compound feedback loops of the HPT axis. While there is evidence of connection between stress and thyroid dysregulation, the question whether this connection is implicated in the development of thyroid cancer (TC) remains unanswered. In view of the rising incidence of TC in both adults and children alongside the increasing stress in our modern society, there is a need to understand possible interrelations between stress, thyroid dysregulation, and TC. Prolonged glucocorticoid secretion due to stress interferes with immune system response by altering the cytokines, inducing low-grade chronic inflammation, and suppressing function of immune-protective cells. Chronic inflammation is a risk factor linked to TC. The role of autoimmunity has been a matter of controversy. However, there is epidemiological connection between autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) and TC; patients with AITD show increased incidence in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), and those with TC show a high prevalence of intrathyroidal lymphocyte infiltration and thyroid autoantibodies. Timing and duration-dependent exposure to specific endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) has an impact on thyroid development, function, and proliferation, leading to thyroid disease and potentially cancer. Thyroid hormone imbalance, chronic inflammation, and EDCs are potential risk factors for oxidative stress. Oxygen free radicals are capable of causing DNA damage via stimulation of the mitogen-activating protein kinase or phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase and/or nuclear factor kB pathways, resulting in TC-associated gene mutations such as RET/PTC, AKAP9–BRAF, NTRK1, RAASF, PIK3CA, and PTEN. Stressful events during the critical periods of prenatal and early life can influence neuroendocrine regulation and induce epigenetic changes. Aberrant methylation of tumor suppressor genes such as P16INK4A, RASSF, and PTEN is associated with PTC; histone H3 acetylation is shown to be higher in TC, and thyroid-specific noncoding RNAs are downregulated in PTC. This review focuses on the above proposed mechanisms that potentially lead to thyroid tumorigenesis with the aim to help in the development of novel prognostic and therapeutic strategies for TC.
Piezo1 Is a Mechanosensor Channel in Central Nervous System Capillaries
Authors: Harraz Osama F. , Klug Nicholas R. , Senatore Amanda J. , Hill-Eubanks David C. , Nelson Mark T.
Published: April 2022

Capillaries are equipped to sense neurovascular coupling agents released onto the outer wall of a capillary, translating these external signals into electrical/Ca
2+
changes that play a crucial role in blood flow regulation and ensuring that neuronal demands are met. However, control mechanisms attributable to forces imposed onto the lumen are less clear. Here, we show that Piezo1 channels act as mechanosensors in central nervous system capillaries. Electrophysiological analyses confirmed expression and function of Piezo1 channels in brain cortical and retinal capillaries. Activation of Piezo1 channels evoked currents that were sensitive to endothelial cell–specific Piezo1 deletion. Using genetically encoded Ca
2+
indicator mice and an ex vivo pressurized retina preparation, we found that activation of Piezo1 channels by mechanical forces triggered Ca
2+
signals in capillary endothelial cells. Collectively, these findings indicate that Piezo1 channels are capillary mechanosensors that initiate crucial Ca
2+
signals and could, therefore, have a profound impact on central nervous system blood flow control.
Risk Estimates of Imminent Cardiovascular Death and Heart Failure Hospitalization Are Improved Using Serial Natriuretic Peptide Measurements in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease and Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Wolsk Emil , Claggett Brian , Diaz Rafael , Dickstein Kenneth , Gerstein Hertzel C. , Køber Lars , Lewis Eldrin F. , Maggioni Aldo P. , McMurray John J. V. , Probstfield Jeffrey L. , Riddle Matthew C. , Solomon Scott D. , Tardif Jean‐Claude , Pfeffer Marc A.
Published: April 2022

Background

Baseline and temporal changes in natriuretic peptide (NP) concentrations have strong prognostic value with regard to long‐term cardiovascular risk stratification. To increase the clinical utility of NP sampling for patient management, we wanted to assess the incremental predictive value of 2 serial NP measurements compared with a single measurement and provide absolute risk estimates for cardiovascular death or heart failure hospitalization (HFH) within 6 months based on 2 serial NP measurements.

Methods and Results

Consecutive NP samples obtained from 5393 patients with a recent coronary event and type 2 diabetes enrolled in the ELIXA (Evaluation of Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes After Acute Coronary Syndrome During Treatment With Lixisenatide) trial were used to construct best logistic regression models with outcome of cardiovascular death or HFH (136 events). Absolute risk estimates of cardiovascular death or HFH within 6 months using either BNP (B‐type natriuretic peptide) or NT‐proBNP (N‐terminal pro‐BNP) serial measurements were depicted based on the concentrations of 2 serial NP measurements. During the 6‐month follow‐up periods, the incidence rate (±95% CIs) of cardiovascular death or HFH for patients was 14.0 (11.8‒16.6) per 1000 patient‐years. Risk prediction depended on NP concentrations from both prior and current sampling. NP sampling 6 months apart improved the predictive value and reclassification of patients compared with a single sample (AUROC [Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve]: BNP,
P
=0.003. NT‐proBNP,
P
<0.0001), with a majority of moderate‐risk patients (6‐month risk between 1% and 10%) being reclassified on the basis of the second NP sample.

Conclusions

Serial NP measurements improved prediction of imminent cardiovascular death or HFH in patients with coronary artery disease and type 2 diabetes. The absolute risk estimates provided may aid clinicians in decision‐making and help patients understand their short‐term risk profile.
Effect of Tricuspid Regurgitation on the Reported Quality of Life and Subsequent Outcomes in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Fujisawa Taishi , Kimura Takehiro , Ikemura Nobuhiro , Miyama Hiroshi , Katsumata Yoshinori , Ueda Ikuko , Tanimoto Kojiro , Kanki Hideaki , Fukuda Keiichi , Kohsaka Shun , Takatsuki Seiji
Published: April 2022

Background

Atrial fibrillation and heart failure (HF) possess mutual risk factors and share a common pathophysiological pathway. Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is a known predictor of adverse events in patients with HF. However, its implications on patients with atrial fibrillation in its early stage remain unknown.

Methods and Results

Data of 2211 patients without previous HF diagnosis were extracted from a prospective, multicenter registry of newly diagnosed patients with atrial fibrillation. TR was categorized as absent, mild, moderate, and severe based on the American Society of Echocardiography recommendations. The primary outcome was time to first hospitalization for HF after enrollment. The Atrial Fibrillation Effects on Quality‐of‐Life scores were compared. Overall, 1107 patients (50.1%) had TR (42.3%, 7.2%, and 0.6% for mild, moderate, and severe, respectively). During follow‐up (median 730 [interquartile range, 366–731] days), 44 patients (2.0%) experienced HF hospitalization, and the incidence increased with severity of TR (
P
<0.001). TR was an associated predictor of the primary outcome (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.51,
P
=0.050; HR: 6.19,
P
=0.008; for moderate and severe TR versus no TR). Changes in AFEQT overall score were negatively related to TR severity (8.7±17.5 versus 8.5±17.0 versus 3.1±17.5 versus 1.4±11.8, absent versus mild versus moderate versus severe TR, respectively), although it was not an independent predictor after adjustments.

Conclusions

TR severity at atrial fibrillation diagnosis was an associated predictor of subsequent hospitalization for HF, which may warrant the need for a more intensive follow‐up and HF‐related management.