bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficacy, Safety, Cost, and Clinical Outcomes After the Switch to Generic Rosuvastatin Compared with Consistent Brand-Name Atorvastatin Treatment.
Authors: Huang Mu-shiang , Wu Chun-I , Su Pei-Fang , Liu Ping-Yen
Published: December 2021

Background: The efficacy, safety, and clinical outcomes for patients switch to generic rosuvastatin, compared with patients taking other brand-name atorvastatin, is unclear. Method: We retrospectively collected electronic medical records from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2020, of patients who switched medication, because of hospital policy, from brand-name to generic rosuvastatin after March 14, 2018. we only considered patients who had taken the medication at least 1 year prior to and 1 year after that date. We also collected records of patients who consistently used brand-name atorvastatin during the same period. The efficacy of lipid control, potential adverse effects, clinical outcomes of major cardiovascular events (MACE), and medical expenses were compared between the 2 groups. Propensity score matching (PSM) was conducted to balance potential cofounders. Result: After 1:1 PSM, 592 patients were enrolled in the rosuvastatin and atorvastatin groups, and no significant difference was observed in their total cholesterol (TC) level difference (−4.38 ± 23.0 vs. −3.72 ± 26.95 mg/dL, P = 0.702), low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) (−2.38 ± 19.89 vs. −2.42 ± 23.63 mg/dL, P = 0.976), or glycated hemoglobin (−0.05% ± 0.7% vs. −0.08% ± 0.76%, P = 0.543). No significant differences were noted in their cumulative MACE (2.70% vs. 3.89%, log-rank P = 0.265) after the switch date, and each person in the generic group had a 16% average reduction in their medical expenses. Conclusion: Switching to generic rosuvastatin led to comparable lipid-lowering efficacy, safety, and clinical outcomes and fewer medical expenses compared with consistently using brand-name atorvastatin.
Dialysis Access-Associated Steal Syndrome with Percutaneous Endovascular Arteriovenous Fistula Creation.
Authors: Varma Rakesh , Betancourt-Torres Manuel , Bready Eric , Al-Balas Alian
Published: December 2021

Background: Dialysis access-associated steal syndrome is an infrequent complication after hemodialysis access creation. Clinical symptoms depend on the degree of steal. Mild symptoms include coldness, numbness and pain during dialysis. Severe steal can present with rest pain, cyanosis and ulcerations, and may require surgical ligation of the fistula. With recent advances in arteriovenous fistula creation, percutaneous endovascular arteriovenous fistula creation has demonstrated better maturation and patency rates with lower risk of wound healing and infection rates as compared to surgically created hemodialysis access. Percutaneous creation offers a minimally invasive alternative, though complications have been reported. The following presents the first described case of DASS following the use of percutaneous endovascular arteriovenous fistula creation, and discusses risk factors and management. Case Presentation: Our case is that of a 27-year-old male with end stage renal disease due to congenital renal dysplasia, who underwent left percutaneous arteriovenous fistula creation for initiation of dialysis. Two months after the procedure the patient complained of coldness, pain, tingling, and numbness in the left arm during dialysis, concerning for steal syndrome. The patient subsequently underwent brachial artery angiogram, which showed predominant flow through the fistula and minimal antegrade flow through the ulnar and interosseous arteries towards the hand, with a focal, severe stenosis in the distal ulnar artery. Angioplasty of the stenosis was performed, though steal symptoms continued. Conclusions: DASS, though rare, can be seen with percutaneous arteriovenous fistula creation. Identification of the risk factors prior to creation, especially in patients who are at higher risk of peripheral vascular disease, can help avoid this complication. Management is largely guided by clinical presentation. As long as there is adequate collateral supply to the extremity, single vessel occlusion is not a contraindication to percutaneous arteriovenous fistula creation with the use of WavelinQ technology. Careful patient selection with pre-creation angiogram may reduce the risk of symptomatic steal.
Lauric Arginate/Cellulose Nanocrystal Nanorods-Stabilized Alkenyl Succinic Anhydride Pickering Emulsion: Enhancement of Stabilization and Paper Sizing Performance
Authors: Li Yucheng , Yu Dehai , Wang Xiangyu , Wang Qiang , Zhang Zhen , Liu Wenxia
Published: December 2021

Biodegradable colloidal particle materials are becoming attractive candidates as eco-friendly chemical additives in the low-carbon economy era. However, developing cheap, stable, and efficient paper-sizing agents is still a challenging issue both for paper making academic community and industry. Here, an easy-fabricating, stable, and high-performance alkenyl succinic anhydride (ASA) paper-sizing emulsion is developed, which is stabilized by lauric arginate (LAE)/cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) nanorods. Furthermore, the chemical crosslinking between ASA and LAE/CNC nanorods can adjust the wettability and interfacial adsorption of LAE/CNC, resulting in improved stability of ASA-sizing emulsion. This novel paper-sizing emulsion shows a small droplet size (0.8 μm), high hydrolysis resistance, and a high paper-sizing degree (300 s) along with a remarkable hydrophobicity contact angle of 110° for long-term storage. This work opens a door for realizing an interfacial self-assembled Pickering-stabilizer, which leads to an environmentally friendly, pervasive and cost-effective emulsification technique for the next-generation paper-sizing additives.
The Oxidative Status and Na +/K + -ATPase Activity in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Case Control Study
Authors: Mohammadi Amir Hossein , Balandeh Ebrahim , Hasani Jila , Karimian Mohammad , Pourfarzam Morteza , Bahmani Fereshteh , Namazi Gholamreza
Published: December 2021

Background: Oxidative stress is involved in pathogenesis of some psychiatric disorders. To examine the role of oxidative stress in the etiopathogenesis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), we aimed to determine oxidative stress indices, including MDA levels in serum and red blood cells (RBC) membrane, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), serum glutathione (GSH) levels, serum antioxidant vitamins (A and E) and Na+/K+-ATPase activity in patients with the mentioned disorder vs. healthy controls.Method: 39 OCD patients diagnosed based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), and 39 volunteers’ healthy subjects were included in this study. MDA levels in serum and RBC membrane were measured using fluorimetric method. Serum TAC level, serum GSH level and Na+/K+-ATPase activity were also measured using spectrophotometric methods. Serum levels of vitamins were calculated by Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC).Result: There was a significantly higher MDA level in serum (p<0.0001) and RBC membrane (p=0.002) of OCD patients compared with those in controls. A significant reduction in vitamin A (p=0.024) and vitamin E (p=0.001) levels was found in OCD patients vs. controls. There was significantly lower activity of erythrocyte membrane Na+-K+ ATPase in RBC membrane of OCD patients vs. controls (p<0.0001).Conclusion: Our findings indicate significantly higher levels MDA in both serum and RBC membrane, lower levels of serum vitamin A and E, and lower activity of membrane Na+-K+ ATPase in OCD patients compared to controls. These suggest an imbalance between oxidant and antioxidant factors in OCD patients that might play a fundamental role in the etiopathogenesis of OCD.
MulTiNet: Multimodal Neural Networks for Glaucoma Based on Transfer Learning
Authors: Li Yi , Han YuJie , Zhao XueSi , Li ZiHan , Guo ZhiFen
Published: December 2021

Background: Being one of the most serious causes of irreversible blindness, glaucoma has many subtypes and complex symptoms. In clinic, doctors usually need to use a variety of medical images for diagnosis. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), Visual Field (VF) , Fundus Photosexams (FP) and Ultrasonic BioMicroscope (UBM) are widely-used and complementary techniques for diagnosing glaucoma.Methods: At present, the field of intelligent diagnosis of glaucoma is limited by two major problems. One is the small number of data sets, and the other is the low diagnostic accuracy of Single-Modal Modal. In order to solve the above two problems, we have done the following work. First, we construct DualSY glaucoma multimodal data set. The four most important subtypes of glaucoma are discussed in this article which are Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG), Primary Angle Closure Glaucoma (PACG), Primary Angle Closure Suspect (PACS) and Primary Angle Closure (PAC). Each patient in the DualSY data set contains more than five medical images, as shown in the figure 4.And DualSY are labeled with image-level multi-labels. Second, We propose a new Multi-Modal classification network for glaucoma, which is a multiclass classification model with various medical images of glaucoma patients and text information as input. The network structure consists of three main branches to deal with patient metadata, domain-based glaucoma features and medical images. Transfer learning method is introduced into this paper due to the small number of medical image data sets. The flowchart is shown in Figure 5.Result: Our method on glaucoma diagnosis outperforms state-of-the-art methods. A promising average result of overall accuracy (ACC) of 94.7% is obtained. Our data set outperformed most data sets in glaucoma diagnosis with an accuracy of 87.8%.Conclusions: The results suggest that medical images such as Heidelberg OCT and three-dimensional fundus photos used in this paper can better express the high-level information of glaucoma and our modal greatly improve the accuracy of glaucoma diagnosis. At the same time, this data set has great potential, and we continue to study this data.
If We Build It, Will They Come? Perspectives on Pharmacy-Based Naloxone Among Family and Friends of People who use Opioids: A Mixed Methods Study
Authors: Slocum Susannah , Ozga Jenny E. , Walley Alexander Y. , Pollini Robin A. , Joyce Rebecca
Published: December 2021

Background: Expanding access to the opioid antagonist naloxone to reduce overdose mortality is a public health priority in the United States. Naloxone standing orders (NSOs) have been established in many states to increase naloxone dispensing at pharmacies, but increased pharmacy access does not ensure optimal uptake among those likely to witness an overdose. In a prior statewide purchase trial, we documented high levels of naloxone access at Massachusetts pharmacies under a statewide NSO. In this study, we characterize barriers to pharmacy-based naloxone uptake among potential opioid overdose “bystanders” (friends or family of people who use opioids) that may be amenable to intervention.Methods: Eligible bystanders were Massachusetts residents >18 years of age, did not use illicit opioids in the past 30 days, and knew someone who currently uses illicit opioids. We used a sequential mixed methods approach, in which a series of semi-structured qualitative interviews (N=22) were conducted to inform the development of a subsequent quantitative survey (N=260). Results: Most survey participants (77%) reported ever obtaining naloxone but few (21%) attempted to purchase it at a pharmacy. Qualitative participants revealed that barriers to utilizing the NSO included low perceived risk of overdose, which was rooted in misconceptions regarding the risks of prescription opioid misuse, denial about their loved one’s drug use, and drug use stereotypes; inaccurate beliefs about the impact of naloxone on riskier opioid use; and concerns regarding anticipated stigma and confidentiality. Many participants had engaged in mutual support groups, which served as a source of free naloxone for half (50%) of those who had ever obtained naloxone.Conclusions: Despite high levels of pharmacy naloxone access in Massachusetts, few bystanders in our study had attempted to obtain naloxone under the NSO. Low perceived risk of overdose, misinformation, stigma and confidentiality were important barriers to pharmacy naloxone uptake, all of which are amenable to intervention. Support groups provided a setting for addressing stigma and misinformation and provided a discreet and comfortable setting for naloxone access. Where these groups do not exist and for bystanders who do not participate in such groups, pharmacies are well-positioned to fill gaps in naloxone availability.
Effects of Metformin on Human Bone-derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cell – Breast Cancer Cell Line Interactions
Authors: Teufelsbauer Maryana , Lang Clemens , Plangger Adelina , Rath Barbara , Moser Doris , Staud Clemens , Radke Christine , Neumayer Christoph , Hamilton Gerhard
Published: December 2021

Metformin is used to treat patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and was found to lower the incidence of cancer. Bone metastasis is a common complication of advanced breast cancer. The present study investigated the effects of metformin on human bone-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSC) – breast cancer cell line interactions. BM-MSCs grown from box chisels were tested for growth-stimulating and migration-controlling activity on four breast cancer cell lines either untreated or after pretreatment with metformin. Growth stimulation was tested in MTT tests and migration in scratch assays. Furthermore, the expression of adipokines of BM-MSCs in response to metformin was assessed using Western blot arrays. Compared to breast cancer cell lines (3.6 ± 1.4% reduction of proliferation), 500 µM metformin significantly inhibited the proliferation of BM-MSC lines (12.3 ± 2.2 reduction). Pretreatment of BM-MSCs with metformin showed variable effects of the resulting conditioned media (CM) on breast cancer cell lines depending on the specific BM-MSC –cancer line combination. Metformin significantly impaired the migration of breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-436 in response to CM of drug-pretreated BM-MSCs. Assessment of metformin-induced alterations in expression of adipokines by BM-MSC CM indicated increased osteogenic signaling and possibly impairment of metastasis. In conclusion, the anticancer activities of metformin are the result of a range of direct and indirect mechanisms that lower tumor proliferation and progression. A lower metformin-induced protumor activity of BM-MSCs in the bone microenvironment seem to contribute to the positive effects of the drug in selected breast cancer patients.
Occupational Burn Injuries in Finland 2011-2015
Authors: Purola Lotta , Vuola Jyrki , Kavola Heli
Published: December 2021

IntroductionThis study comprises all hospitalized work related burn injuries in one country during 2011-2015. The purpose was to describe demographics, causes and risk factors of occupational burn injuries with special focus on the outcome of return to work. Material and methodsThis is a retrospective study on two data sources of which Finnish Workers’ Compensation Center´s (FWCC) register includes all work-related burn cases at a given time. Additional data has been obtained from those patients, who were referred to the National Burn Centre (NBC) during the same time according to the Emergency Management of Severe Burns (EMSB) criteria. We compare demographics, injury mechanisms and general burn data of these two patient groups. ResultsBased on FWCC register, in 2011-2015 occurred 11623 work related burn cases of whom 54% were men. During the study period NBC admitted 26 patients fulfilling EMSB criteria. The most severe patients treated in NBC had injuries affecting multiple body parts. In FWCC data hand was most injured body part. Kitchen/bakery work was the most common profession in FWCC register but in NBC material industrial and transport professions dominated. In FWCC register patients had lower mean age (37 years vs. 43 years). Most severe injuries occurred among older patients: in NBC data those with total body surface area 40% or over had mean age 53 years. Majority of patients returned to work. ConclusionSafety at work in Finland is good and the vast majority of work-related burn injuries are minor. Young adults working in kitchen and bakery work are susceptible to minor burn injuries whereas, unexpectedly, elderly men working in transports and industry sustain most severe burn accidents. Retirement after work related injury becomes very expensive for all parties and this data can be used in preventing those cases as well as the minor accidents.
Conformational heterogeneity of molecules physisorbed on a gold surface at room temperature
Authors: Kang Mingu , Kim Hyun Woo , Oleiki Elham , Koo Yeonjeong , Lee Hyeongwoo , Choi Jinseong , Eom Taeyong , Lee Geunsik , Suh Yung Doug , Park Kyoung-Duck
Published: December 2021

A quantitative single-molecule tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) study at room temperature remained a challenge due to the rapid structural dynamics of molecules exposed to air. Here, we demonstrate the hyperspectral TERS imaging of single or a few brilliant cresyl blue (BCB) molecules at room temperature, along with quantitative spectral analyses. Robust chemical imaging is enabled by the freeze-frame approach using a thin Al2O3 capping layer, which suppresses spectral diffusions and inhibits chemical reactions and contaminations in air. For the molecules resolved spatially in the TERS image, a clear Raman peak variation up to 7.5 cm-1 is observed, which cannot be found in molecular ensembles. From density functional theory-based quantitative analyses of the varied TERS peaks, we reveal the conformational heterogeneity at the single-molecule level. This work provides a facile way to investigate the single-molecule properties in interacting media, expanding the scope of single-molecule vibrational spectroscopy studies.
Isopropyl 3-(3, 4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2-hydroxypropanoate, A Novel Metabolite From Salvia Miltiorrhiza, Protects Against LPS-induced Acute Lung Injury in Mice by Attenuating the Canonical and Non-canonical Inflammatory Pathways of Pyroptosis
Authors: Zhang Mei-Ling , Wang Meng , Chen Jian , Liu Yan-Jie , Zheng Xiao-Hui , Xiao Ying-Chou , Zhao Xue-Yi , Zhao Ye , Niu Wen , Li Zhi-Chao
Published: December 2021

BackgroundThe pathological characteristics of acute lung injury (ALI) or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are pulmonary edema resulting from pulmonary permeability increasing. The main cause is uncontrolled inflammatory response leading to the damage of pulmonary vascular endothelial and alveolar epithelial barriers. However, there has not been effective drugs against ALI. In this study, we investigated the function of Isopropyl 3-(3, 4-dihydroxypheny l)-2-hydroxypropanoate (IDHP), a novel metabolite of Danshen dripping pill having anti-inflammatory effect, in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced ALI in mice, and its underlying mechanisms.MethodsPretreatment of IDHP in LPS-induced acute lung injury in mice were observed on survival rate, pulmonary morphologic changes, total protein content in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and inflammatory cytokines in lung tissue and BALF. To further explore its mechanism on ALI, THP-1 macrophages was studied to analyse pyroptosis related proteins and co-culture with epithelial or endothelial cells to assess protection function of IDHP in vitro.ResultsAs revealed by survival study, pretreatment with high dose of IDHP reduced the mortality of mice from ALI. IDHP pretreatment significantly improved LPS-induced lung pathological changes, reduced protein leakage and lung myeloperoxidase activity. IDHP also inhibited the release of inflammatory mediators TNFα, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-18 in BALF and lung tissue. Meanwhile, IDHP decreased the expression of active-caspase1 (in canonical pyroptosis pathway), caspase4/5 (non-canonical pyroptosis pathway), Nrlp3, mature IL-1β, mature IL-18, Asc speck formation, and cleaved Gsdmd, all these are required for pyroptosis, in LPS stimulated THP-1 macrophages. Moreover, IDHP also decreased ROS production in LPS-stimulated THP-1 macrophages, inhibited the expression of tight junction proteins (Occludin, Zo-1) in endothelial cells, and decreased lactate dehydrogenase activity in supernatants of epithelial or endothelial cells, co-cultured with LPS-stimulated THP-1 macrophages. ConclusionsPretreatment of IDHP improves survival rate and ameliorates LPS-induced ALI in mice possibly via inhibiting canonical and non-canonical pyroptosis pathways.
The Optimal Therapeutic Strategy for Patients with EGFR-Mutated Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer with Brain Metastasis: A Real-World Study from Taiwan
Authors: Cheng Wen-Chien , Shen Yi-Cheng , Chien Chun-Ru , Liao Wei-Chih , Chen Chia-Hung , Hsia Te-Chun , Tu Chih-Yeh , Chen Hung-Jen
Published: December 2021

ObjectiveThe treatment options for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with brain metastases (BMs) include EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT), brain surgery (BS), and anti-angiogenesis therapy. As treatment options evolve, the redefinition of optimal treatment strategies for improving survival is crucial.Methods150 EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients with BMs who received first- or second-generation EGFR-TKIs as first-line treatment between January 2012 and October 2019 were included in this analysis.ResultsAfter multivariate analysis, patients with graded prognostic assessments for lung cancer based on molecular markers (Lung-mol GPA) ≥ 3 (Hazard ratio (HR): 0.538, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.35-0.83); who received afatinib or erlotinib as first-line treatment (HR:0.521, 95%CI: 0.33-0.82); underwent SRS therapy (HR:0.531, 95%CI: 0.32-0.87); or were sequentially treated with osimertinib (HR:0.400, 95%CI: 0.23-0.71) were associated with improved overall survival (OS). Furthermore, SRS plus EGFR-TKI provided more OS benefits in patients with Lung-mol GPA ≥ 3 compared with EGFR-TKI alone in our patient cohort (44.9 vs. 26.7 months, p = 0.005). The OS among patients who received sequential osimertinib therapy was significantly longer than those without osimertinib treatment (43.5 vs. 24.3 months, p < 0.001), regardless of T790 mutation status (positive vs. negative/unknown: 40.4 vs. 54.6 months, p = 0.093).Conclusions﻿The study demonstrated that EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients with BMs could be precisely treated with SRS according to Lung-mol GPA ≥ 3. Sequential osimertinib was associated with prolonged survival, regardless of T790M status.
(3-Aminopropyl) Triethoxysilane (APTES) Functionalized Magnetic Nanosilica Graphene Oxide (MGO) Nanocomposite for the Comparative Adsorption of the Heavy Metal (Pb(II), Cd(II) and Ni(II)) ions from Aqueous Solution
Authors: Donga C , Mishra S , Aziz A , Ndlovu L , Kuvarega A , Mishra Ajay Kumar
Published: December 2021

(3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES) modified magnetic graphene oxide was synthesized and applied in the adsorption of three heavy metals, Pb(II), Cd(II) and Ni(II) from aqueous solution. An approach to prepare magnetic GO was adopted by using (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES) as a functionalizing agent on magnetic nanosilica coupled with GO to form the Fe3O4@SiO2-NH2/GO nanocomposite. FT-IR, XRD, BET, UV, VSM, SAXS, SEM and TEM were used to characterize the synthesized nanoadsorbents. Batch adsorption studies were conducted to investigate the effect of solution pH, initial metal ion concentration, adsorbent dosage and contact time. The maximum equilibrium time was found to be 30 min for Pb(II), Cd(II) and 60 min for Ni(II). The kinetics studies showed that the adsorption of Pb(II), Cd(II) and Ni(II) onto Fe3O4@SiO2-NH2/GO followed the pseudo-second-order kinetics. All the adsorption equilibrium data were well fitted to Langmuir isotherm model and maximum monolayer adsorption capacity for Pb(II), Cd(II) and Ni(II) were 13.46, 18.58 and 13.52 mgg-1, respectively. The Fe3O4@SiO2-NH2/GO adsorbents were reused for at least 7 cycles without the leaching of mineral core, showing the enhanced stability and potential application of Fe3O4@SiO2-NH2/GO adsorbents in water/wastewater treatment.
Lingering Impacts on Sleep Following the Daylight Savings Time Transition
Authors: Owen Zachary , Saeb Sohrab , Short Sarah , Ong Nicole , Angi Giulia , Ghoreyshi Atiyeh , Sullivan Shannon
Published: December 2021

Background: The “spring forward” change to Daylight Savings Time (DST) has been epidemiologically linked with numerous health and safety risks in the days following the transition, but direct measures of sleep are infrequently collected in community dwelling individuals. Methods: The Project Baseline Health Study (PBHS), a prospective, multicenter, longitudinal representative U.S. cohort study begin in 2017 launched a Sleep Mission in March 2021 to characterize sleep using patient-reported and wearable device measures, in free-living circumstances during the DST switch. Estimated sleep period duration, subjective restedness and quality, and watch metrics were compared before and after the DST transition during specified timeframes. Results: Of the total PBHS population of 2502 participants, 606 participants received an invitation and 419 participants opted in to the Sleep Mission (69.1%). The transition to DST resulted in both acute and lingering impacts on sleep. Acute effects included a 29.6 minute reduction in sleep period (p=0.01) and lower ratings of how well participants slept, as well as reduced next-day restedness. In the week following the time change, a persistent reduction in restedness scores, and a trend towards a decrease in sleeping heart rate variability were observed. Conclusion: The Daylight Savings Time transition is associated with an acute reduction in sleep period, and lingering impacts on self-reported restedness, as well as a trend towards reduced heart rate variability into the week following the transition. This work adds to a growing understanding of the persistence of impacts on sleep health metrics due to the DST transition.
Organophosphate Esters in Children and Adolescents in Liuzhou City, China: Concentrations, Exposure Assessment and Predictors
Authors: Yu Meng , Li Xiang , Liu Bingqing , Li Yaping , Liu Ling , Wang Limei , Song Lulu , Wang Youjie , Hu Liqin , Mei Surong
Published: December 2021

Dermal contact with dust is commonly considered an important pathway of exposure to organophosphate esters (OPEs), but the importance of OPE uptake from diet is unclear. Herein, we used hand wipes to estimate OPE exposure from indoor dust and examined whether urinary OPE metabolite concentrations were influenced by sociodemographic characteristics, OPE amount in hand wipes, and dietary factors. OPEs were measured in urine and hand wipes from 6–18-year old children and adolescents (n=929) in Liuzhou, China. Sociodemographic and dietary factors were obtained from questionnaire. Six OPE metabolites were detected in >70% of the urine samples, and seven OPEs were detected in >50% of the hand wipes. Estimated daily intakes (EDIs) were calculated using urinary OPE metabolites to investigate the total daily intake of OPEs, in which 0.36–10.1% of the total intake was attributed to the exposure from dermal absorption. In multivariate linear regression models, sex, age, and maternal education were significant predictors of urinary OPE metabolite concentrations. Urinary diphenyl phosphate (DPHP) is positively associated with its parent compounds 2-ethylhexyl-diphenyl phosphate (EHDPP) and triphenyl phosphate (TPHP) in hand wipes. High versus low vegetable intake was associated with a 23.7% higher DPHP (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.51%, 52.1%). Barreled water drinking was associated with a 30.4% (95% CI: 11.8%, 52.0%) increase in bis(1-chloro-2-propyl) 1-hydroxy-2-propyl phosphate (BCIPHIPP) compared to tap water drinking. Our results suggested the widespread exposure to OPEs in children and adolescents. In additional to dermal absorption, dietary intake may be an important exposure source of certain OPEs.
A Two-stage Cardiac PET and Late Gadolinium Enhancement MRI Co-registration Method for Improved Assessment of Non-ischemic Cardiomyopathies Using Integrated PET/MR
Authors: Zhang Zheng , Chen Xing , Wan Qing , Wang Haiyan , Qi Na , You Zhiwen , Yuan Jianmin , Hu Lingzhi , Sun Hongwei , Wang Zhe , Hu Chenxi , Zhao Jun
Published: December 2021

PurposeRespiratory motion causes mismatches between PET images of the myocardium and the corresponding cardiac MR images in cardiac integrated PET/MR. The mismatch may affect the attenuation correction and the diagnosis of non-ischemic cardiomyopathies. In this study, we present a two-stage cardiac PET and MR Late Gadolinium Enhancement (LGE) co-registration method, which seeks to improve diagnostic accuracy of non-ischemic cardiomyopathies via better image co-registration using an integrated whole-body PET/MR system.MethodsThe proposed PET and LGE two-stage co-registration method was evaluated through comparison with one-stage direct co-registration and no-registration. One hundred and ninety-one slices of LGE and forty lesions were studied. Two trained nuclear medicine physicians independently assessed the displacement between LGE and PET to qualitatively evaluate the co-registration quality. The changes of the mean SUV in the normal myocardium and the LGE-enhanced lesions before and after image co-registration were measured to quantitatively evaluate the accuracy and value of image co-registration.ResultsThe two-stage method had an improved image registration score (4.93±0.89) compared with the no-registration method (3.49±0.84, p value <0.001) and the single-stage method (4.23±0.81, p value <0.001). Furthermore, the two-stage method led to increased SUV value in the myocardium (3.87±2.56) compared with the no-registration method (3.14±1.92, p value <0.001) and the single-stage method (3.32±2.16, p value <0.001). The mean SUV in the LGE lesion significantly increased from 2.51±2.09 to 2.85±2.35 (p value<0.001) after the two-stage co-registration.ConclusionThe proposed two-stage registration method significantly improved the co-registration between PET and LGE in integrated PET/MR imaging. The technique may improve diagnostic accuracy of non-ischemic cardiomyopathies via better image co-registration.Registered No.DF-2020-085, 2020.04.30
Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Chionanthus virginicus
Authors: Wadl Phillip A. , Rinehart Timothy A. , Olsen Richard T. , Waldo Benjamin D. , Kirkbride Joseph H.
Published: December 2021

The genus Chionanthus, known as fringetrees, is a member of the olive family (Oleaceae). Chionanthus virginicus is an understory tree or shrub with a wide range in forests of the eastern United States and is used as an ornamental tree that is known to be free of insects and disease in the wild. The species is tolerant of a wide range of environmental conditions, and there is interest in developing new cultivars with improved horticultural traits, such as tree form or upright growth habit and superior flowering display that are widely adapted. To identify genepools in the native range of C. virginicus for use in breeding programs, the genetic diversity and population structure were assessed for 274 individuals from 12 locations in four states (Florida, Maryland, North Carolina, and Texas) using 26 simple sequence repeats (SSRs). An average of 12.54 alleles/locus were detected, allelic richness averaged 2.80. Genetic differentiation was 0.11, indicating moderate differentiation among subpopulations. Despite the high genetic diversity and low population differentiation, Bayesian clustering analysis identified six genetic groups that match the geographic distribution of collection sites. Analysis of molecular variance indicated that most (82%) of the variation is explained within individuals, and 11% and 7% of the variation is due to differences among individuals within populations and among populations. Analysis of isolation by distance across all samples showed a weak positive relationship between geographic distance and genetic distance. The C. virginicus samples analyzed in this study indicate there is sufficient diversity for germplasm collection for use in breeding programs. Given the relatively moderate genetic differentiation, there are not likely to be unique islands of genetic diversity that may be missed when gathering parental materials for a breeding program
Failure analysis of gas pipeline in a gas collecting station
Authors: Chen Yong , Wu Haochen , Li Jichuan , Chen Yanjun
Published: December 2021

The gas collecting line of a gas collecting station failed and had obvious corrosion pits. The failure reasons of the pipeline in this section are studied by means of macroscopic morphology analysis, mechanical property analysis, hardness analysis and microstructure analysis. The results show that the main reason is the mechanical damage caused in the construction process for the damage of the anticorrosive coating on the outer surface of the pipe section. The main reason for the failure of “corrosion pit” inside the pipe section is that the wet gas transported contains CO2, which dissolves in water to generate H2CO3, and the pipe section is corroded in H2CO3 solution by electrochemical corrosion, which gradually develops into a more serious corrosion pit. In order to prevent the occurrence of such failure, 13Cr (martensite) material can be used to meet the corrosion resistance requirements, but also can appropriately increase the gas temperature in the tube to reduce the solubility of CO2 in water to prevent corrosion.
Machine Learning Approach for Predicting Employee Attrition and Factors Leading to Attrition
Authors: ERSÖZ KAYA İrem , KORKMAZ Oya
Published: December 2021

In this study that aims to prevent the attrition of human resource which is so important for enterprises, as well as to prevent the leave of employment which is the natural result of such attrition, employee attrition and factors causing attrition are tried to be determined by predictive analytics approaches. The sample dataset which contains 30 different attributes of 1470 employees was obtained for the analysis from a database provided by IBM Watson Analytics. In the study, seven different machine learning algorithms were used to evaluate the prediction achievements. The gain ratio approach was preferred in determining the factors causing attrition. The key point of the study was to cope with the imbalanced data through resampling with bootstrapping. Thereby, even in the blind test, prospering prediction performances reaching up to 80% accuracy were achieved in robust specificity without sacrificing sensitivity. Therewithal, the effective factors causing attrition were investigated in the study and it was concluded that the first 20 attributes ranked according to their gain ratio were sufficient in explaining attrition.
WORKING-OUT OF THE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY IN PJSC "GAZPROM" IN AN UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT
Authors: Podlatova Kseniia Igorevna , Panfilova Elena Evgenevna
Published: December 2021

The article is devoted to the issues of working-out and adjustment of the development strategy in PJSC "Gazprom". The results of the strategic analysis of the macro- and microenvironment in the organization are presented. Key problems in the company's activities are identified. An approach to the implementation of multi-criteria assessment and the choice of the basic competition strategy of the organization is proposed.
Using Options and Futures as Tools of Capital Increase in Digital Economy
Authors: Boychenko I. I. , Lyandau Yu. V.
Published: December 2021

The article provides basic notions of derivative market, shows what these finance tools are, how they work and how capital can be increased with their help. By citing examples from historical development and simple conventional examples the mechanism of derivatives’ functioning was explained and their links with underlying assets were studied, for instance it was shown how the value of exchange tool can enter the negative zone. Exchange and OTC markets were analyzed, their value was investigated on the basis of historical statistics of international finance institutions and mechanisms of their interaction with regulators on the territory of the Russian Federation and abroad were researched. Strategies of using these finance tools for speculation, hedging and arbitration were demonstrated, their advantages and disadvantages were identified. As a result the authors put forward strategy of entering overestimated market with the help of options.
Conceptual Foundations of Modeling Tourist Service Market in Russia by Using Digital Technologies
Authors: Lochan S. A. , Korovin D. I. , Fedyunin D. V.
Published: December 2021

Big participants of IT market, whose profits can depend seriously on dynamics of tourist flows use today’s analytical systems in order to get information concerning tourist service providing. Such information can be used for efficient distribution of resources. In March 2021 spokespeople of such companies as ‘RZhD’, ‘Yandex’, ‘Megafon’, ‘MTS’, ‘Roscosmos’ and others delivered reports on possibility to use indirect data to analyze tourist flows at the round table discussion ‘Managing Tourist Industry on the Basis of Data’, that was arranged by the Analytical Center under the Government of the Russian Federation. Opportunities to use big data and advanced methods of data analysis were demonstrated. However, such systems are not meant to solve problems of social character. Moreover, a player cannot affect the steps and preferences of the considerable circle of people, which means that there is no need to test the community response on possible planned events that can increase usefulness of the entity. In view of state entities the latter is rather important, especially in case usefulness is considered in the social-economic aspect. As a conclusion the authors underline significance of tourist market modeling in Russia by using digital technologies.
Assessing Economic Security of the Russian Federation in Technological Field
Authors: Rubtsov A. G.
Published: December 2021

The article studies elements of technological sphere, such as science, technology and innovation. Appraisal of economic security of Russia was conducted by using methodology of utmost crucial indicators. The most important indicators and their crucial values based on the principle ‘resources – results’ were selected, which gave an opportunity to estimate the efficiency of resource investment and their use. The author substantiated the threshold values for each indicator The method of utmost crucial values together with zoning by the degree of risk can allow us to identify the possibility of threat arising and understand their degree for spheres being investigated. During the analysis the standing of values in accordance with zone distribution was estimated and general trends were found out. On the basis of estimation the general dynamics of indicators was plotted in the form of indexes of economic security and on their foundation the integral appraisal of the condition of economic security in technological field was built. In conclusion the author stated the overall level of technological sphere and described threats to economic security of Russia.
Information Opportunities of Administrative Data on Residential Real Estate Transactions for Calculating the House Prices in Russia’s Housing Market
Authors: Dukhon A. B. , Obraztsova O. I. , Epshtein N. D.
Published: December 2021

Purpose of the study. Development, justification and testing of a methodology for improving statistical monitoring of average prices in the Russian housing market, based on the use of registration information of the Unified State Register of Real Estate (USRN) on transactions for the purchase of residential real estate, in accordance with international statistical standards for Residential Property Price statistics.

Materials and methods. The theoretical basis of the study was the United Nations system of national accounts (version of 2008), including the European system of accounts as amended in 2010. The research methodological base was made up of official statistical sources: metadata and international statistics guidelines in the field of national accounting, Handbook on Residential Property Price Indices and related housing indicators, as well as methodological provisions and an album of Rosstat forms, and methodological materials of the administrative statistics of the Federal Service for State Registration, Cadastre and Cartography of the Russian Federation (Rosreestr). The depersonalized registration data on households’ market transactions of the Unified State Register of Property Rights and Transactions maintaining by Rosreestr were used as an information database of the research.

Results. The main result of the study is the design and substantiation of a system of indicators for the construction of an integrated information source for Residential Property Price statistics, on the base on interdepartmental information interaction.

Conclusion. The proposed system of indicators will provide a highquality database that could be used in order to construct constant quality House Prices for various types of homogeneous residential property in the housing market, complying with the concepts of international statistical standards.
Exploring the Lethality of Human-Adapted Coronavirus Through Alignment-Free Machine Learning Approaches Using Genomic Sequences
Authors: Yin Rui , Luo Zihan , Kwoh Chee Keong
Published: December 2021

Background:

A newly emerging novel coronavirus appeared and rapidly spread worldwide and World Health Organization declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020. The roles and characteristics of coronavirus have captured much attention due to its power of causing a wide variety
of infectious diseases, from mild to severe, on humans. The detection of the lethality of human
coronavirus is key to estimate the viral toxicity and provide perspectives for treatment.

Methods:

We developed an alignment-free framework that utilizes machine learning approaches
for an ultra-fast and highly accurate prediction of the lethality of human-adapted coronavirus using
genomic sequences. We performed extensive experiments through six different feature transformation and machine learning algorithms combining digital signal processing to identify the lethality
of possible future novel coronaviruses using existing strains.

Results:

The results tested on SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 datasets show an average 96.7% prediction accuracy. We also provide preliminary analysis validating the effectiveness
of our models through other human coronaviruses. Our framework achieves high levels of prediction performance that is alignment-free and based on RNA sequences alone without genome annotations and specialized biological knowledge.

Conclusion:

The results demonstrate that, for any novel human coronavirus strains, this study can
offer a reliable real-time estimation for its viral lethality.
HPV-mediated Cervical Cancer: A Systematic Review on Immunological
Basis, Molecular Biology, and Immune Evasion Mechanisms
Authors: Premkumar Kumpati , Vanajothi Ramar , Srikanth Natarajan , Vijayakumar Rajendran , Palanisamy Manikandan , Bhavaniramya Sundaresan
Published: December 2021

Background:

Human papillomavirus (HPV), one of the most frequently transmitted
viruses, causes several malignancies, including cervical cancer.

Aim:

Owing to its unique pathogenicity, the HPV virus can persist in the host organism for a
longer duration than other viruses to complete its lifecycle. During its association with the host,
HPV causes various pathological conditions affecting the immune system by evading the host's immune
mechanisms, thereby leading to the progression of various diseases, including cancer.

Method:

To date, ~ 150 serotypes have been identified, and certain high-risk HPV types are known
to be associated with genital warts and cervical cancer. As of now, two prophylactic vaccines are in
use for the treatment of HPV infection; however, no effective antiviral drug is available for HPVassociated
disease/infections. Numerous clinical and laboratory studies have been conducted to formulate
an effective and specific vaccine against HPV infections and associated diseases.

Result:

As the immunological basis of HPV infection and associated disease progress persist indistinctly,
deeper insights into immune evasion mechanism and molecular biology of disease would
aid in developing an effective vaccine.

Conclusion:

Thus, this systematic review focuses on the immunological aspects of HPV-associated
cervical cancer by uncovering immune evasion strategies adapted by HPV.
Phycocyanin: A Natural Antioxidant to Combat Free Radicals
Authors: Zhuang Dingling , Tang Doris Ying Ying , Chew Kit Wayne , Ling Tau Chuan
Published: December 2021

:

Various research showed that antioxidants can effectively overcome the damage caused
by free radicals to human health. Therefore, antioxidants are identified as one of the main directions
in the development of health care and cosmetics products due to high demand in the market.
This review mainly focuses on the phycocyanin, a type of natural antioxidant mainly found in
cyanobacteria. This mini review summarizes the phycocyanin sources and numerous extraction
methods of phycocyanin along with the analytical methods and determine its ability to suppress
free radicals. Phycocyanin has been proven to play an important role in scavenging free radicals
and enhancing the body’s antioxidant capacity. However, there is a lack of long-term randomized
clinical trial results that can be used as evidence in showing the benefits of phycocyanin. The existing
phycocyanin extraction methods using solvents, ultrasonic-assisted, freeze-thaw, etc. can extract
high-quality phycocyanin efficiently and quickly. Scientists are also trying to incorporate
advanced technologies, such as "Industry 4.0" to optimize and enhance the industrial production of
phycocyanin. Lastly, this review also describes the difficulties faced during the phycocyanin production
or extraction process and financial obstacles in order to achieve the popularization of phycocyanin.
Medicinal Plants for Glioblastoma Treatment
Authors: Datta Shreeja , Luthra Ritika , Bharadvaja Navneeta
Published: December 2021

:

Glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, demonstrates the least life expectancy among all brain cancers.
Because of the regulation of diverse signaling pathways in cancers, the chemotherapeutic approaches used to suppress
their multiplication and spread are restricted. Sensitivity towards chemotherapeutic agents has been developed because
of the pathological and drug-evading abilities of these diverse mechanisms. As a result, the identification and exploration
of strategies or treatments, which can overcome such refractory obstacles to improve glioblastoma response to
treatment as well as recovery, is essential. Medicinal herbs contain a wide variety of bioactive compounds, which could
trigger aggressive brain cancers, regulate their anti-cancer mechanisms and immune responses to assist in cancer elimination,
and cause cell death. Numerous tumor-causing proteins, which facilitate invasion as well as metastasis of cancer,
tolerance of chemotherapies, and angiogenesis, are also inhibited by these phytochemicals. Such herbs remain
valuable for glioblastoma prevention and its incidence by effectively being used as anti-glioma therapies. This review
thus presents the latest findings on medicinal plants using which the extracts or bioactive components are being used
against glioblastoma, their mechanism of functioning, pharmacological description, and recent clinical studies conducted
on them.