bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prognostic Value of Exercise Capacity In Incidence Diabetes: A Country With High Prevalence of Diabetes
Authors: Jamiel Abdelrahman A. , Ardah Husam , Ahmed Amjad M. , Al-Mallah Mouaz H.
Published: January 2022

Background: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a fast-growing health problem that imposes an enormous economic burden. Several studies demonstrated the association between physical inactivity and predicting the incidence of diabetes. However, these prediction models have limited validation locally. Therefore, we aim to explore the predictive value of exercise capacity in the incidence of diabetes within a high diabetes prevalence population.Methodology: A retrospective cohort study including consecutive patients free of diabetes who underwent clinically indicated treadmill stress testing. Diabetic patients at baseline or patients younger than 18 years of age were excluded. Incident diabetes was defined as an established clinical diagnosis post-exercise testing date. The predictive value of exercise capacity was examined using Harrell’s c-index, net reclassification index (NRI), and integrated discrimination index (IDI).Results: A total of 8,722 participants (mean age 46±12 years, 66.3% were men) were free of diabetes at baseline. Over a median follow-up period of 5.24 (2.17-8.78) years, there were 2,280 (≈26%) new cases of diabetes. In a multivariate model adjusted for conventional risk factors, we found a 12% reduction in the risk of incident diabetes for each one greater MET achieved (HR, 0.9; 95% CI, 0.88–0.92; P<0.001). Using Cox regression, exercise capacity improved the prediction ability beyond the conventional risk factors (AUC=0.62 to 0.66 and c-index= 0.62 to 0.68).Conclusion: Exercise capacity improved the overall predictability of incidence diabetes. Patients with reduced exercise capacity are at high risk for developing incidence diabetes. Improvement of both physical activity and functional capacity represents a preventive measure for the general population.
Identification of a Prognostic Six-Immune-Gene Signature and a Nomogram Model for Uveal Melanoma
Authors: Yang Binghua , Fan Yuxia , Liang Renlong , Wu Yi , Gu Aiping
Published: January 2022

Background: To identify an immune-related prognostic signature and find potential therapeutic targets for uveal melanoma. Methods: The RNA-sequencing data obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets. The prognostic six-immune-gene signature was constructed through least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and multi-variate Cox regression analyses. Functional enrichment analysis and single sample GSEA were carried out. In addition, a nomogram model established by integrating clinical variables and this signature risk score was also constructed and evaluated.Results: We obtained 130 prognostic immune genes, and six of them were selected to construct a prognostic signature in the TCGA uveal melanoma dataset. Patients were classified into high-risk and low-risk groups according to a median risk score of this signature. High-risk group patients had poorer overall survival in comparison to the patients in the low-risk group (p < 0.001). These findings were further validated in two external GEO datasets. A nomogram model proved to be a good classifier for uveal melanoma by combining this signature. Both functional enrichment analysis and single sample GSEA analysis verified that this signature was truly correlated with immune system. In addition, in vitro cell experiments results demonstrated the consistent trend of our computational findings.Conclusion: Our newly identified six-immune-gene signature and a nomogram model could be used as meaningful prognostic biomarkers, which might provide uveal melanoma patients with individualized clinical prognosis prediction and potential novel treatment targets.
Association between Time of Residence and OQ-45.2 and Self-Perception of Distress, Interpersonal Relationships, and Social Role in Venezuelan Immigrants in Lima, Peru 2018-19: Mixed-methods Study.
Authors: Delgado-Cáceres Frank Milton , Silva-Parra Kevin Angel , Torres-Slimming Paola A.
Published: January 2022

BackgroundImmigrants arriving in a new country face changes that affect their social, employment, and migratory status. We carried out a mixed methods study in the rapidly growing Venezuelan immigrant population in Lima, Peru. The objective was to determine whether there was an association between time in Peru and self-perception of symptom distress (SD), interpersonal relationships (IR), and social role (SR). MethodsThe quantitative central component consisted of a cross-sectional study, surveying 152 participants using the Outcome Questionnaire 45.2 (OQ-45.2). The qualitative component, based on phenomenology, explored experiences and challenges during the migration process. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were done in 16 informants.ResultsAn association that was observed was the increase in the risk of clinically significant SR score with additional years of age. All informants mentioned having witnessed or experienced xenophobia in Peru. Every informant stated that significant labor differences existed between the countries. The most reported somatic symptoms were symptoms of anxiety and alterations of sleep. Additionally, no informant expressed a desire to remain in Peru long term. ConclusionsA minority of participants registered a clinically significant total and domain score. No association between months in Lima and the self-perception of distress was found. However, this could be due to the short amount of time spent in Peru and any change in self-perception might only be perceived after years or decades spent in Peru. This study is one of the first to use mixed methods to explore the mental health of the immigrant Venezuelan population.
Spline-based specimen shape optimization for robust material model calibration
Authors: Chapelier Morgane , Bouclier Robin , Passieux Jean-Charles
Published: January 2022

Identification from field measurements allows several parameters to be identified from a single test, provided that the measurements are sensitive enough to the parameters to be identified. To do this, authors use empirically defined geometries (with holes, notches...). The first attempts to optimize the specimen to maximize the sensitivity of the measurement are linked to a design space that is either very small (parametric optimization), which does not allow the exploration of very different designs, or, conversely, very large (topology optimization), which sometimes leads to designs that are not regular and cannot be manufactured. In this paper, we propose an intermediate approach based on a non-invasive CAD-inspired optimization strategy which relies on the definition of univariate spline Free-Form Deformation boxes to reduce the design space and thus regularize the problem. Then, from the modeling point of view, we propose a new objective function that takes into account the experimental setup and we add constraint functions that ensure that the gain is real and the shape physically sound. Several examples show that with this method and at low cost, one can significantly improve the identification of constitutive parameters without changing the experimental setup.
A comprehensive single-cell map of T cell exhaustion-associated immune environments in human breast cancer
Authors: Tietscher Sandra , Wagner Johanna , Anzeneder Tobias , Langwieder Claus , Rees Martin , Sobottka Bettina , de Souza Natalie , Bodenmiller Bernd
Published: January 2022

Immune checkpoint therapy in breast cancer remains restricted to triple negative patients, and long-term clinical benefit is rare. The primary aim of immune checkpoint blockade is to prevent or reverse exhausted T cell states, but the causes and implications of T cell exhaustion in breast tumors are not well understood. Here, we used single-cell transcriptomics combined with imaging mass cytometry to comprehensively study exhausted and non-exhausted immune environments in human breast tumors, with a focus on Luminal subtypes. We found that the presence of a PD-1high exhaustion-like T cell phenotype was indicative of an inflammatory immune environment with a characteristic cytotoxic profile and spatial features. Accumulation of natural killer T cells and increased myeloid cell activation in exhausted immune environments provide further support for tissue inflammation in these environments. Consistent with this, our comprehensive map of cellular interactions within the breast tumor microenvironment revealed elevated immunomodulatory, chemotactic, and cytokine signaling in exhausted environments. These data reveal fundamental differences between exhausted and non-exhausted immune environments within Luminal breast cancer, and show that expression of PD-1 and CXCL13 on T cells, and MHC-I – but not PD-L1 – on tumor cells are strong distinguishing features between these environments; these factors are potential new biomarkers for patient stratification.
Spatio-temporal Evaluation of Gridded Precipitation and Evapotranspiration Products Over Balochistan Province in Pakistan
Authors: Jan Aman , Baez-Villanueva Oscar Manuel , Ribbe Lars
Published: January 2022

This study evaluated the performance of four state-of-the-art precipitation (P; CHIRPSv2, MSWEPv2.2, PERSIANN-CDR, and ERA5) and three state-of-the-art evaporation (Ea; GLEAMv3.3a, SSEBopv4.0, and ERA5) products in the data-scarce province of Balochistan, Pakistan. The P products were evaluated through a point-to-pixel comparison at the monthly, annual, and seasonal temporal scales using data from 17 gauges. The modified Kling-Gupta efficiency (KGE’) and the root mean square error (RMSE) were used as statistical indices to evaluate the performance of the P products. We used the Budyko framework to evaluate the Ea component due to unavailability of ground-based Ea data. For this purpose, we calculated the multi-annual mean Ea — defined as Ea_WB — for 12 defined catchments for a period of 16 years (2003–2018). Subsequently, the estimated Ea_WB was used as the reference to evaluate the performance of the Ea products. The results of the study revealed that among the P products generally MSWEPv2.2 closely followed by ERA5 presented the best spatio-temporal KGE’ performance over most of the stations and across the province. CHIRPSv2 and PERSIANN-CDR relatively showed poor KGE’ performance. Whereas, for the Ea component, ERA5 generally outperformed the other two products — i.e., GLEAMv3.3a and SSEBopv4.0 — in most of the evaluated catchments except for those located over the north-eastern region where GLEAMv3.3a performed the best. The results of this study can be beneficial to shift towards a proactive water management approach that can serve as a basis to improve the decision-making process in the region.
Efficacy and Safety of VNS Therapy or Continued Medication Management for Treatment of Adults with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Batson Sarah , Shankar Rohit , Conry Joan , Boggs Jane , Radtke Rodney , Mitchell Stephen , Barion Francesca , Murphy Joanna , Danielson Vanessa
Published: January 2022

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) Therapy® is an adjunctive neurostimulation treatment for people withdrug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) who are unwilling to undergo resective surgery, have had unsuccessfulsurgery or are unsuitable for surgery. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted todetermine the treatment effects of VNS Therapy as an adjunct to anti-seizure medications (ASMs) forthe management of adults with DRE.A literature search was performed in August 2020 of the Medline®, Medline® Epub Ahead of Print,Embase, and the Cochrane library databases. Outcomes examined included reduction in seizurefrequency, seizure freedom, ASM load, discontinuations, and serious adverse events (SAEs).Comparators included best medical practice, ASMs, low-stimulation or sham VNS Therapy.Four RCTs and six comparative observational studies were identified for inclusion. Against comparators,individuals treated with VNS had a significantly better odds of experiencing a ≥50% reduction in seizurefrequency (OR: 2.27 [95% CI: 1.47, 3.51]; p=0.0002), a ≥75% reduction in seizure frequency (OR: 3.56[95% CI: 1.59, 7.98]; p=0.002) and a reduced risk for increased ASM load (risk ratio: 0.36 [95% CI: 0.21,0.62]; p=0.0002). There was no difference in the odds of discontinuation or the rate of SAEs betweenVNS versus comparators.This meta-analysis demonstrated the benefits of VNS Therapy in people with DRE, which includedimprovement in seizure frequency without an increase in the rate of SAEs or discontinuations, therebysupporting the consideration of VNS Therapy for people who are not responding to ASMs and thoseunsuitable or unwilling to undergo surgery.
Multiple Trauma in Pregnant Women: Injury Assessment, Fetal Radiation Exposure and Mortality. A Multicentre Observational Study.
Authors: Abback Paër-sélim , Benchetrit Alison , Delhaye nathalie , Daire Jean-Luc , James Arthur , Neuschwander Arthur , Boutonnet Mathieu , Cook Fabrice , Vinour Hélène , Hanouz Jean-Luc , Cotte Jean , Pastene Bruno , Jouffroy Virdiana , Gauss Tobias
Published: January 2022

Purpose: Fetal radiation exposure in pregnant women with trauma is a concern. The purpose of this study was to evaluate fetal radiation exposure with regard to the type of injury assessment performed.Methods: It is a multicentre observational study. The cohort study included all pregnant women suspected of severe traumatic injury in the participating centres of a national trauma research network. The primary outcome was the cumulative radiation dose (mGy) received by the fetus with respect to the type of injury assessment initiated by the physician in charge of the pregnant patient. Secondary outcomes were maternal and fetal morbi-mortality, the incidence of haemorrhagic shock and the physicians’ imaging assessment with consideration of their medical specialty.Results: Fifty-four pregnant women were admitted for potential major trauma between September 2011 and December 2019 in the 21 participating centres. The median gestational age was 22 weeks [12-30]. Seventy-eight percent of women (n=42) underwent WBCT. The remaining patients underwent radiographs, ultrasound or selective CT scans based on clinical examination. The median fetal radiation doses were 38 mGy [23-63] and 0 mGy [0-1]. Maternal mortality (5.6%) was lower than fetal mortality (16.7%). Two women (out of 3 maternal deaths) and 7 fetuses (out of 9 fetal deaths) died within the first 24 hours following trauma.Conclusion: Immediate WBCT for initial injury assessment in pregnant women with trauma was associated with a fetal radiation dose below the 100 mGy threshold. Among the selected population with either a stable status with a moderate and nonthreatening injury pattern or isolated penetrating trauma, a selective strategy seemed safe.
The first epiphytic macrolichen and its implication to the interacting with Mesozoic forest ecosystem
Authors: Yang Qiuxia , Wang Yanyan , Lücking Robert , Lumbsch Thorsten , Wang Xin , Du Zhenyong , Chen Yunkang , Bai Ming , Ren Dong , Wei Jiangchun , Li Hu , Wang Yongjie , Wei Xinli
Published: January 2022

Lichens are well known as pioneer organisms or stress-tolerant extremophiles playing a core role in the early formation of terrestrial ecosystems, of which epiphytic lichens make a distinct contribution to the water-cycle and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystem. But due to the scarcity of relevant fossil records, the evolutionary history of epiphytic lichens is poorly documented. Herein, based on the new material of Daohugouthallus ciliiferus, we demonstrated that the hitherto oldest macrolichen inhabited a gymnosperm branch, representing the first unambiguous Jurassic epiphytic lichen. Combing the fossil and extant macrolichen representatives, we performed the geometric morphometric analysis and comprehensive comparison to infer the systematic status of this rare Jurassic macrolichen. The results declared that D. ciliiferus cannot be assigned to any known macrolichen lineages for its elder age and particular habits, and therefore a new family, Daohugouthallaceae was proposed. This work updated the current knowledge to the historical evolution of epiphytic lichens, implying the macrolichens may have diversified much earlier than the generally accepted K–Pg boundary. In addition, our new finding also provided direct evidence for tracing the continuing joint development of epiphytic lichens and forest ecosystem since the Jurassic of 165 Mya.
Monte-Carlo simulation for moderate seismic zones using artificial accelerograms
Authors: BOUNSIR ILIAS
Published: January 2022

The present technical note deals with a new method to generate seismic accelerograms based on statistical characteristics and the classification of seismic waves. A short heterogeneous sitebased analyse of these accelerograms is given with a seismic wave propagation code in 1D. After, a numerical simulation is done in order to obtain PGA using Newmark’s explicit scheme, and finally, Monte-Carlo simulation is used to determinate failure’s probability of structures localised in moderate seismic zones in hexagonal France.
Potential remediators in the rice production area of Zambales, Philippines contaminated with mine tailing
Authors: Ramos Perfecto Salvador , Manangkil Oliver Escaño
Published: January 2022

High concentration of cadmium and lead are hazardous to environment. The study isolated and identified potential fungal, bacterial and hyperaccumulating plants as bioremediators in contaminated rice ecosystem. Fungi were identified morphologically and with the use of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region sequencing. Bacteria were identified using 16S ribosomal RNA sequences. Plants were analyzed for Cadmium and Lead accumulation in root and shoot tissues using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). Fungal species including Penicillium janthinellum, Trichoderma hamatum, Trichoderma harzianum, and Curvularia lunata along with bacterial species such as Bacillus cereus, Bacillus thuringiensis, Pseudomonas gessardii, Lysinibacillus xylanilyticus, Lysinibacillus sphaericus, and two species of unidentified bacteria were identified. Plants predominant in the area includes Cyperus difformis, Scirpus juncoides, Fimbristylis miliacea, Centella asiatica, Sphagneticola trilobata, and Monochoria vaginalis. Cadmium was detected in the shoots of S. trilobata (3.2 mg kg−1) and roots of C. asiatica (3.6 mg kg−1). Lead was found in the shoots of C. asiatica (2.8 mg kg−1) and roots of both S. juncoides (15.00 mg kg−1) and F. miliacea (15.00 mg kg−1). Phytoremediation potential of S. juncoides, F. miliacea, C. asiatica and S. trilobata was observed. Heavy metal resistant microbes can be harnessed as a very useful biological tool for in-situ bioremediation.
Isolation of Clostridium Perfringens type C from a Neonatal Yangtze Finless Porpoise (Neophocaena Asiaeorientalis Asiaeorientalis)
Authors: Li Jia , McLaughlin Richard William , Liu Yingli , Zhou Junying , Hu Xueying , Wan Xiaoling , Xie Haixia , Hao Yujiang , Zheng Jinsong
Published: January 2022

The aim of this study was to culture pathogenic bacteria from the blowhole, lung, stomach and fecal samples of a neonatal crucially endangered Yangtze finless porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis) that died 27 days after birth. Bacteria were inoculated and representative isolates were identified through 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. A total of three Clostridium perfringens type C strains from the fecal samples were isolated. Toxin genes, including cpa, cpb and cpb2, were detected by PCR amplification, while the etx, iap and cpe genes were absent. Biofilm formation of the three strains was examined. Only one strain was able to form a biofilm. In addition, isolates showed strong resistance against the antibiotics amikacin (3/3), erythromycin (1/3), gentamicin (3/3), streptomycin (3/3), and trimethoprim (3/3), while sensitivity to ampicillin (3/3), bacitracin (3/3), erythromycin (2/3), penicillin G (3/3), and tetracycline (3/3). The results suggested C. perfringens type C could have contributed to the death of this neonatal porpoise.
Comparison of Easydo Activator, Ultrasonic and Needle Irrigation Techniques on Sealer Penetration in Extracted Human Teeth
Authors: Tan Li , Zhou Ying-Hui , Feng Yao , Ye Qin , Zhang Shao-Hui , Gao Zheng-Rong , Zhao Jie , Zhao Ya-Qiong , Hu Jing , Chen Yun , Liu Qiong , Aimee Dusenge Marie , Guo Yue , Feng Yun-Zhi
Published: January 2022

This study compared the effects of different irrigation systems on sealer penetration at the root apex. Forty-two single-rooted teeth were prepared and randomly divided into three groups (n = 14): group 1: needle irrigation (NI); group 2: passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI); and group 3: Easydo Activator (EA). A solution of 3% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) was used for irrigation. Nine teeth in each group were filled with AH Plus sealer mixed with CY5 fluorescent dye and a single gutta-percha cone. The sealer penetration area, maximum penetration depth and percentage of sealer penetration at 5 mm and 1 mm from the apex were analyzed by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The remaining 5 teeth in each group were subjected to test smear layer scores by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The CLSM evaluation showed that increases in the area, depth and percentage of sealer penetration were detected at 1 mm and 5 mm from the root apex in the PUI group compared with the NI group, and greater increases were observed in the EA group (P < 0.05). The SEM experiment showed that the lowest scores for the smear layer and debris removal were achieved by the EA group when compared with the PUI and NI groups (P < 0.05). Our study supports EA was superior to PUI and NI regarding sealer penetration at the root apex during endodontic treatment, and it could provide a new technical idea for clinical root canal therapy.
Over-whitening or Pre-whitening in Hydro-climatological Trend Analysis?
Authors: Sen Zekai
Published: January 2022

To meet the basic assumption of classical Mann-Kendall (MK) trend analysis, which requires serially independent time series, a pre-whitening (PW) procedure is proposed to alleviate the serial correlation structure of a given hydro-meteorological time series records for application. The procedure is simply to take the lagged differences in a given time series in the hope that the new time series will have an independent serial correlation coefficient. The whole idea was originally based on the first-order autoregressive AR (1) process, but such a procedure has been documented to damage the trend component in the original time series. On the other hand, the over-whitening procedure (OW) proposes a white noise process superposition of the same length with zero mean and some standard deviation on the original time series to convert it into serially independent series without any damage to the trend component. The stationary white noise addition does not have any trend components. For trend identification, annual average temperature records in New Jersey and Istanbul are presented to show the difference between PW and OW procedures. It turned out that the OW procedure was superior to the PW procedure, which did not cause a loss in the original trend component.
Introgression Progress for Phenotypic Traits and Parent-progeny Diversity at Advanced Segregation Population From Oryza Barthii and Oryza Glaberrima/oryza Sativa Crosses
Authors: Popoola Bosede , Adewale Daniel , Okonji Christopher , Balogun Morufat
Published: January 2022

Rice is a cereal staple of global fame and importance. Oryza barthii, a wild species holds significant traits and its utilization in rice breeding is rare. This study traced introgression trend of heritable traits in the offspring of O. barthii with an Africa-Asian progenitor to F8 and assessed diversity between the parents and the F8 population. Significant (P<0.05) genotypic variation existed for all the traits except tiller number, panicle/meter squared, grains/panicle and 1000 grain weight. Grains/panicle and days to 50% flowering had respective least (3.34%) and highest (96.32%) broad sense heritabilities. All traits had lower GCV compared to PCV. The least (5.28% and 8.05%) and the highest (90.8% and 98.1%) GCV and PCV were respectively from grains/panicle and tiller number. Clear variations on the panicles and grains include: variations in sizes, shapes, colours, presence or absence of awns. The total variance explained by five principal component axes was 80.1%. Plant height at maturity was the only trait with significant (p ≤ 0.01) correlation and regression between F6 and F7. Progenies resemblance to Parent 1(IRGC 104084) retrogressively declined but parent-offspring to parent 2 (TGS 25) progressively increased from F6 to F8. Three visible groups of rice type in this study were: the O. barthii (11%), O. sativa (67%) and the intermediate group (22%). This research has added to rice genetic resources; an investigation of the nutritional status of the progenies would be an interesting research.
Adequate Immunogenicity And Low Rate of Severe Adverse Events After SARS-CoV-2 mRNA-Based Vaccination In Patients With Solid Malignancies On Active Treatment Starts To Decline 3 Months After Complete Primary Course of Vaccination
Authors: Janzic Urska , Bidovec-Stojkovic Urska , Mohorcic Katja , Mrak Loredana , Dovnik Nina Fokter , Ivanovic Marija , Ravnik Maja , Caks Marina , Skof Erik , Debeljak Jerneja , Korosec Peter , Rijavec Matija
Published: January 2022

Background: SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in cancer patients is crucial since they are at increased risk of severe COVID-19 disease course, but data on efficacy and safety of vaccination are scarce.Methods: We performed a prospective observational study of patients with solid cancers on active anticancer treatment (chemotherapy, immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) or targeted therapy) that received mRNA-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccination at two institutions in Slovenia. The immunogenicity was assessed by the detection of anti-SARS-CoV-2 S1 IgG antibodies in serum; patients were sampled before, 2-3 weeks after the first dose, 2-3 weeks after the second dose, and 3 months after the complete primary course of vaccination. The results were also compared to controls, sampled at similar time points.Results: Between March and July 2021 112 patients were included in the analysis. The seroconversion rate in patients without prior COVID-19 infection was 96% after the complete primary course of vaccination with 2 doses, compared to 100% for healthy controls. The seroconversion rate after vaccination for patients on chemotherapy, ICI, and targeted therapy was 100%, 91%, and 97%, respectively. All controls and the majority of patients on chemotherapy and targeted therapy, but only 83% for patients on ICI were adequate responders (anti-SARS-CoV-2 S1 IgG ≥ 880 ng/ml). Three months after the vaccination, a significant drop in antibody levels was observed in patients receiving ICI compared to controls (P < 0.001). Adverse events were mostly mild and predictable, none of the patients experienced serious adverse events after vaccination.Conclusions: Immunogenicity after mRNA-based vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in cancer patients is only slightly impaired, but influenced by the type of anticancer therapy received. Patients on ICI have the slightest and gradual antibody production. Since antibody levels decline after three months, a third vaccination dose is reasonable to provide adequate protection against severe COVID-19 disease course.The study was approved by the National Ethics Committee (No. 0120-39/2021/6)
Estimating Hourly Full-Coverage PM2.5 Concentrations Based On MODIS Data Over The Northeast of Thailand.
Authors: Kumharn Wilawan , Pilahome Oradee , Ninsawan Wichaya , Jankondee Yuttapichai
Published: January 2022

Particulate matter (PM2.5) pollutants are a significant health issue with impacts on human health; however, monitoring of PM2.5 is very limited in developing countries. Satellite remote sensing can expand spatial coverage, potentially enhancing our ability in a specific area for estimating PM2.5; however, some have reported poor predictive performance. An innovative combination of MODIS AOD was developed to fulfill all missing aerosol optical depth (AOD) data obtained from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). Therefore, hourly PM2.5 concentrations were obtained in Northeastern Thailand. A Linear mixed-effects (LME) model was used to predict location-specific hourly PM2.5 levels. Hourly PM2.5 concentrations measured at 20 PM2.5 monitoring sites and 10- fold cross-validation were addressed for model validation. The observed and predicted concentrations suggested that LME obtained from MODIS AOD data and other factors are a potentially useful predictor of hourly PM2.5 concentrations (R2 >0.70), providing more detailed spatial information for local scales studies. Interestingly, PM2.5 along the Mekong River area was observed higher than in the plain area. The finding can infer that the monsoon wind brings polluted air into the province from sources outside the region. The results will be helpful to analyze air pollution-related health studies.
Design of Low Power Architecture for Approximate Parallel Mid-Point Filter
Authors: Thiagarajan Nelson Kingsley Joel Peter , N Vijeyakumar K , S Saravanakumar
Published: January 2022

Approximate computing is a modern techniques for design of low power efficient arithmetic circuits for portable error resilient applications. In this work, we have proposed a Adaptive Parallel Mid-Point Filter (APMPF) architecture using proposed imprecise Max-Min Estimator (MME)targeting digital image processing. Parallel architecture for the MME can trade-off hardware at the expense of accuracy are proposed and used in the proposed APMPF. In APMPF, we use three level of sorting to estimate the mid-point of 3 x 3 window. Switching based trimmed filter is proposed for precise estimation of the selected window. Experimental Results interms of Area, Power and Delay with 90nm ASIC technology exposed that to the least, Proposed filters demonstrate 7% and 9% Area Delay Product (ADP) and Power Delay Product (PDP) reductions, respectively, compared to precise filter design.
Impact of an Ambulatory Monitoring System on Deterioration Detection and Clinical Outcomes in Hospitalised Patients. A Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial Protocol.
Authors: Areia Carlos , Vollam Sarah , Roman Cristian , Santos Mauro , Young Louise , Biggs Christopher , Jarman Annika , Gerry Stephen , Tarrassenko Lionel , Watkinson Peter
Published: January 2022

BackgroundDespite the exponential growth of wearable technology, previous research indicates a lack of statistically significant evidence to support the hypothesis that implementation of wearable ambulatory vital sign monitoring systems impact early patient deterioration detection and clinical outcomes. This highlights the need for large, rigorous studies to address this gap. The objective of this feasibility trial is to assess the impact of an ambulatory monitoring system (AMS) on deterioration detection and clinical outcomes in hospitalised patients, compared to standard care. As a secondary objective we will assess the feasibility of conducting a full randomised controlled trial (RCT).MethodsBetween 120 and 240 patients will be recruited and randomised equally to either an AMS or standard care group. Wearable devices will include a pulse oximeter (monitoring pulse rate and oxygen saturation), a chest patch (monitoring heart rate, respiratory rate and temperature) and a wireless blood pressure cuff (monitoring systolic and diastolic blood pressure). Both groups will wear the devices during their ward length of stay, however only data and alerts from the AMS group will be visible to clinical staff.DiscussionRecruitment of participants is expected to start in January 2022, with an anticipated completion date of December 2022. This feasibility RCT will test the early impact of our AMS implementation in a non-intensive care ward and provide data to support the design and deployment of a full RCT which will provide much-needed evidence of the impact of AMS on early deterioration detection and clinical outcomes.
Analysis of cerebral glucose metabolism following experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage: an [18F]FDG-PET study over 7 days using an MRI-template based analysis tool
Authors: Schadt Fabian , Israel Ina , Beez Alexandra , Alushi Kastriot , Weiland Judith , Ernestus Ralf-Ingo , Westermaier Thomas , Samnick Samuel , Lilla Nadine
Published: January 2022

Little is known about changes in brain metabolism following SAH, possibly leading towards secondary brain damage. Despite sustained progress in the last decade, analysis of in vivo acquired data still remains challenging. The present interdisciplinary study uses a semi-automated data analysis tool analyzing imaging data independently from the administrated radiotracer. The uptake of 2-[18F]Fluoro-2-deoxy-glucose ([18F]FDG) was evaluated in different brain regions in 14 male Sprague-Dawley rats, randomized into two groups: (1) SAH induced by the endovascular filament model and (2) sham operated controls. Serial [18F]FDG-PET measurements were performed. Quantitative image analysis was performed by uptake ratio using a self-developed MRI-template based data analysis tool. SAH animals showed significantly higher [18F]FDG accumulation in gray matter, neocortex and olfactory system as compared to animals of the sham group, while white matter and basal forebrain region showed significant reduced tracer accumulation in SAH animals. All significant metabolic changes were visualized from 3 hours, over 24 hours, day 4 and day 7 following SAH/sham operation. This [18F]FDG-PET study provides important insights into glucose metabolism alterations following SAH - for the first time in different brain regions and up to day 7 during course of disease. The present tool improves PET image quantification and provides more flexible data analysis advocating its clinical application.
COVID-19 surveillance in the Flemish school system: development of systematic data collection within the Public Health School System and descriptive analysis of cases reported between October 2020 and June 2021
Authors: Merckx Joanna , Crèveceour Jonas , Proesmans Kristiaan , Hammami Naïma , Denys Hilde , Hens Niel
Published: January 2022

Background

The age specific distribution of SARS-CoV-2 cases in schools is not well described. The numbers recorded reflect the intensity of community transmission while being shaped by biases from age-dependent testing regimes and effective age-specific interventions. A case-surveillance system was introduced within the Flemish school and health-prevention network during the 2020-2021 school year. We present epidemiological data of in-school reported cases in pre-, primary and secondary schools based on the surveillance system, in conjunction with test data and community cases from October 2020 to June 2021.
Methods

We describe the development of the surveillance system and provide the number of reported cases and standardized rates per grade over time. We calculate absolute and relative differences between incidence cases by grade of primary (grades 1-6) and secondary-school (grades 7-12) and compare these to grades 7-8, relating them to non-pharmaceutical infection prevention interventions. Cumulative population incidences (IP) stratified by age, province and social-economic status (SES) of the school population are presented with their 95% confidence intervals (CI).
Results

A total of 59,996 COVID-19 cases were reported in the school surveillance system, with the highest population adjusted IP in grade 11-12 of 7.39% (95%CI 7.24-7.53) and ranging from 2.23–6.25% from pre-school through grade 10. Age-specific reduction in in-person teaching and introduction of masks, are temporally associated with decreases in incident cases by grades. Lower pupil SES is associated with increased cumulative cases (excess 2,739/100,000 pupils compared to highest SES tertile). Community testing volumes varied more for children compared to adults, with overall higher child test-positivity. Holidays influence capturing of cases by the system, however efficiency increased to above 75% after further automation and integration in existing structures.
Conclusion

Integration of case surveillance within an electronic school health system is feasible, provides data to follow up the epidemic evolution in schoolchildren and should be part of public health surveillance and pandemic preparedness. The relationship towards community transmission needs careful evaluation because of age-different testing regimens. In the Flemish region, case incidence within schools follows an age gradient that is mitigated through grade specific interventions, while differences by SES remain.
New insights in polydopamine formation via surface adsorption
Authors: Hemmatpour Hamoon , De Luca Oreste , Crestani Dominic , Lasorsa Alessia , Wel Patrick van der , Loos Katja , Giousis Theodosis , Asl Vahid Haddadi , Rudolf Petra
Published: January 2022

Polydopamine is a biomimetic self-adherent polymer, which can be easily deposited on a wide variety of materials. Despite the rapidly increasing interest in polydopamine-based coatings, the polymerization mechanism and the key intermediate species formed during the deposition process are still controversial. Herein, we report a systematic investigation of polydopamine formation on halloysite nanotubes; the negative charge and high surface area of halloysite nanotubes favour the capture of intermediates that are involved in polydopamine formation and decelerate the kinetics of the process, to unravel the various polymerization steps. Data from X-ray photoelectron and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies demonstrate that in the initial stage of polydopamine deposition, oxidative coupling reaction of the dopaminechrome molecules is the main reaction pathway that leads to formation of polycatecholamine oligomers as an intermediate and the post cyclization of the linear oligomers occurs subsequently. Furthermore, Tris molecules are incorporated into the initially formed oligomers.
The Deeper the Better? A Thermogeological Analysis of Medium-deep Borehole Heat Exchanger Efficiency in Crystalline Rocks
Authors: Piipponen Kaiu , Martinkauppi Annu , Vallin Sami , Arola Teppo , Leppäharju Nina , Korhonen Kimmo , Bischoff Alan
Published: January 2022

The energy sector is undergoing a fundamental transformation, with significant investment in low-carbon technologies to replace fossil-based systems. In densely populated urban areas, deep boreholes offer an alternative over shallow geothermal systems, which demand extensive surface area to attain large-scale heat production. This paper presents numerical calculations of the thermal energy that can be extracted from the medium-deep borehole heat exchangers of depths ranging from 600-3000 m. We applied the thermogeological parameters of three locations across Finland and tested two types of coaxial borehole heat exchangers to understand better the variables that affect heat production in low permeability crystalline rocks. For each depth, location, and heat collector type, we used a range of fluid flow rates to examine the correlation between thermal energy production and resulting outlet temperature. Our results indicate a trade-off between thermal energy production and outlet fluid temperature depending on the fluid flow rate, and that the vacuum-insulated tubing outperforms high-density polyethylene pipe in energy and temperature production. In addition, the results suggest that the local thermogeological factors impact heat production. Maximum energy production from a 600-m-deep well achieved 170 MWh/a, increasing to 330 MWh/a from a 1000-m-deep well, 980 MWh/a from a 2-km-deep well, and up to 1880 MWh/a from a 3-km-deep well. We demonstrate that understanding the interplay of the local geology, heat exchanger materials, and fluid circulation rates is necessary to maximize the potential of medium-deep geothermal boreholes as a reliable long-term baseload energy source.
Composition and community structure of mangroves distributed on the east coast of Marajó Island, Brazil
Authors: Faro Barbara Luzia Santos de Oliveira , de Medeiros-Sarmento Priscila Sanjuan , Beltrão Norma Ely Santos , Gomes Paulo Weslem Portal , Tavares-Martins Ana Cláudia Caldeira
Published: January 2022

Mangroves in the Amazon are influenced by several environmental conditions that determine the composition and structural development of the arboreal flora, which results in different distribution patterns. In this study, we sought to answer two questions: (1) what is the composition and structure of the mangroves near the mouth of the Amazon River in Marajó Island? (2) Are the fringe and inland mangroves more similar or dissimilar in terms of floristic composition? For this, we delimited a fringe zone and an inland zone about 1 km apart from each other. In each zone, we distributed five 400-m2 plots. The individuals were grouped into diameter and height classes and structural and phytosociological parameters were calculated. Ten species were recorded in the mangroves, of which seven are typical of white-water (várzea) and black-water (igapó) flooded forest ecosystems. We believed the adjacent ecosystems and the hydrological network are inducing the establishment of such species. The composition and structure of mangroves did not differ statistically between zones, and the degree of similarity may be a result of similar environmental factors in these zones such as low relief and high frequency of macrotides. We conclude that the vegetation of the studied mangroves has a major influence of the fluvial-marine system of the great rivers of the Amazon associated with a diversity of ecosystems that, together, generate greater floristic richness when compared to mangroves in other regions.
Comparative analysis of BNT162b2, mRNA-1273 and ChAdOx1 COVID-19 vaccine induced antibody responses and the 3rd BNT162b2 vaccine induced neutralizing antibodies against Delta and Omicron variants
Authors: Belik Milja , Jalkanen Pinja , Lundberg Rickard , Reinholm Arttu , Laine Larissa , Väisänen Elina , Skön Marika , Tähtinen Paula , Ivaska Lauri , Pakkanen Sari , Häkkinen Hanni , Ortamo Eeva , Pasternack Arja , Ritvos Mikael , Naves Rauno , Miettinen Simo , Sironen Tarja , Vapalathti Olli , Ritvos Olli , Osterlund Pamela , Kantele Anu , Lempainen Johanna , Kakkola Laura , Kolehmainen Pekka , Julkunen Ilkka
Published: January 2022

Two COVID-19 mRNA and two adenovirus vector vaccines have been licensed in Europe and various vaccine combinations and dosing strategies have been exploited to maximize the immunity against COVID-19. Here, we show that among health care workers (n=328) two doses of BNT162b2, mRNA-1273, or ChAdOx1 as also a combination of an adenovirus vector and mRNA vaccines induces equally high levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike antibodies and neutralizing antibodies against B.1 and B.1.617.2 when administrated with a long 12-week dose interval. Two doses of BNT162b2 with a short 3-week interval induce 2-3-fold lower titers of neutralizing antibodies compared to the long interval. Third mRNA vaccine dose for the short dose interval group increased the antibody levels 4-fold compared to the levels after the second dose. Importantly, sera from all three-times vaccinated neutralized B.1.1.529 (Omicron). The data indicates that a third COVID-19 mRNA vaccine dose efficiently induces cross-protective neutralizing antibodies against multiple variants.
Using Observational Study Data as an External Control Group for a Clinical Trial: an Empirical Comparison of Methods to Account for Longitudinal Missing Data
Authors: Norvang Vibeke , Haavardsholm Espen A. , Tedeschi Sara K. , Lyu Houchen , Sexton Joseph , Mjaavatten Maria D. , Kvien Tore K. , Solomon Daniel H. , Yoshida Kazuki
Published: January 2022

Background: Observational data are increasingly being used to conduct external comparisons to clinical trials. In this study, we empirically examined whether different methodological approaches to longitudinal missing data affected study conclusions in this setting. Methods: We used data from one clinical trial and one prospective observational study, both Norwegian multicenter studies including patients with recently diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis and implementing similar treatment strategies, but with different stringency. A binary disease remission status was defined at 6, 12, and 24 months in both studies. After identifying patterns of longitudinal missing outcome data, we evaluated the following five approaches to handle missingness: analyses of patients with complete follow-up data, multiple imputation (MI), inverse probability of censoring weighting (IPCW), and two combinations of MI and IPCW. Results: We found a complex non-monotone missing data pattern in the observational study (N=328), while missing data in the trial (N=188) was monotone due to drop-out. In the observational study, only 39.0% of patients had complete outcome data, compared to 89.9% in the trial. All approaches to missing data indicated favorable outcomes of the treatment strategy in the trial and resulted in similar study conclusions. Variations in results across approaches were mainly due to variations in estimated outcomes for the observational data. Conclusions: Five different approaches to handle longitudinal missing data resulted in similar conclusions in our example. However, the extent and complexity of missing observational data affected estimated comparative outcomes across approaches, highlighting the need for careful consideration of methods to account for missingness when using observational data as external controls to trial data.
A high accurate method for solving an inverse problem of the Laplace equation in detection of a Robin coefficient
Authors: Hadj Abdelhak
Published: January 2022

This study This work deals with an inverse problem for the harmonic equation to recover a Robin coefficient on a non-accessible part of a circle from Cauchy data measured on an accessible part of that circle. By assuming that the available data has a Fourier expansion, we adopt the Modified Collocation Trefftz Method (MCTM) to solve this problem. We use the truncation regularization method in combination with the collocation technique to approximate the solution, and the conjugate gradient method to obtain the coefficients, thus completing the missing Cauchy data. We recommend the least squares method to achieve a better stability. Finally, we illustrate the feasibility of this method with numerical examples.
Climate Projections Over Different Climatic Regions of Afghanistan for Shared Socioeconomic Scenarios
Authors: Sediqi Mohammad Naser , Hendrawan Vempi Satriya Adi , Komori Daisuke
Published: January 2022

The global climate models (GCMs) of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6) were used spatiotemporal projections of precipitation and temperature over Afghanistan for three shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP1-2.6, 2-4.5 and 5-8.5) and two future time horizons, early (2020-2059) and late (2060-2099). The Compromise Programming (CP) approach was employed to order the GCMs based on their skill to replicate precipitation and temperature climatology for the reference period (1975-2014). Three models, namely ACCESS-CM2, MPI-ESM1-2-LR, and FIO-ESM-2-0, showed the highest skill in simulating all three variables, and therefore, were chosen for the future projections. The ensemble mean of the GCMs showed an increase in maximum temperature by 1.5-2.5oC, 2.7-4.3 oC, and 4.5-5.3 oC and minimum temperature by 1.3-1.8 oC, 2.2-3.5 oC, and 4.6-5.2 oC for SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5, respectively in the later period. Meanwhile, the changes in precipitation in the range of -15-18%, -36-47% and -40-68% for SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5, respectively. The temperature and precipitation were projected to increase in the highlands and decrease over the deserts, indicating dry regions would be drier and wet regions wetter.