bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The resurrection of a species, Sarcocystis asinus Gadaev 1978, in donkeys that is distinct from Sarcocystis bertrami/fayeri currently found in horses based on mitochondrial cox1 sequences
Authors: Hu Junjie , Zhang Mingzhu , Wei Kaiwen , Wu Zhipeng , Sun Jun , Deng Shuangsheng , Tao Jianping
Published: April 2022

There is considerable confusion concerning the relationships among species of Sarcocystis found in donkeys and horses. Here, sarcocysts obtained from donkeys (Eqqus asinus) were morphologically and molecularly characterized. Sarcocysts were diagnosed in 12 of 32 (37.5%) Chinese donkeys and could be divided into two forms, thin-walled and thick-walled, with the aid of light microscopy (LM). The thin-walled sarcocysts were macroscopic (up to 4856 × 320 μm in size) and had short club-like protrusions of up to 2.7 μm; the thick-walled sarcocysts were microscopic (up to 3750 × 135 μm in size) and had hair-like protrusions of up to 5.4 μm. The ultrastructures of the two forms exhibited highly similar morphological characteristics, including bundled microtubules in the core of the villus protrusions penetrating diagonally into the ground substance, similar to wall type 11. Three genetic markers, 18S rDNA, 28S rDNA, and mitochondrial cox1, were sequenced and analyzed in the two forms. The three genetic markers presented high intraspecific similarity between the two forms, ranging from 97.2–99.5% (average 97.8%), 97.8-99.6% (average 98.4%) and 99.0−99.9% (average 99.4%), respectively. The comparison of these sequences with those of Sarcocystis spp. previously deposited in GenBank showed that the newly obtained sequences of 18S rDNA, 28S rDNA, and mitochondrial cox1 presented identities of 90.0−97.5% (average 94.7%), 94.7−95.1% (average 94.9%) and 82.6−84.5% (average 83.4%), respectively, with those of S. bertrami/fayeri obtained from horses. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) based on the mitochondrial cox1 sequences of donkey and horse sarcocysts revealed three fragments (196, 243 and 641 bp) and two fragments (416 and 644 bp), respectively, upon digestion with the restriction enzymes HinifI and EcorRI. Phylogenetic analysis based on 18S rDNA or mitochondrial cox1 sequences revealed that donkey sarcocysts formed an individual clade that clustered with Sarcocystis spp. obtained from horses. Based on the divergence of the three sarcocyst genetic markers, especially mitochondrial cox1, between donkeys and horses, Sarcocystis asinus should be resurrected and regarded as a valid species in donkeys. The cross-infection of Sarcocystis between donkeys and horses needs to be attempted for further confirmation in the future.
Experimental Investigation with Optimal Prediction of Emission in Diesel Engine Using Combined SCR-NSR Catalyzer
Authors: Durairaj Rekha , Subramanian Neelakrishnan , Duraiswami Divakar
Published: April 2022

An expanding requirement for clean air motivates the vehicle makers to contribute a lot of time and cash to reduce toxic emissions. The utilization of catalytic converters is one of the well-known strategies to clean the exhaust. The catalytic converters oxidize the destructive carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon emissions into harmless CO2 and water vapor. In this experiment, the essential objective is to develop a catalytic converter with combined methods like selective catalytic reduction, NOx storage and reduction (SCR-NSR) procedure and test its effectiveness towards the NOx reduction from the exhaust of diesel engine. The combination of the two systems is proposed in this experimentation for building up an effective catalytic converter and distinguishing the optimal emission processes. The fabricated SCR-NSR catalytic converter fitted to the exhaust system and the emission rates are estimated with the help of a gas analyzer. The testing is done by utilizing diesel as fuel in the Kirloskar TV1 engine with NSR, Non-filter and combined NSR-SCR system. The investigation is experiencing for 20 trials with different emission parameters is analyzed. For improving the discharge level in the engine, the test data are predicted with the proposed numerical model and tested in Mat Lab software. The invasive weed optimization and particle swarm optimization together with a recurrent neural network are utilized for the prediction and optimization process and parameters like compression ratio, input power, and load are utilized as input to the experimentation. In the 20 trial, a low level of discharge is attained in the 17th trial. Subsequently, the prediction goes for the 20 sets individually and compared with 17th set and the experimental results demonstrates that the discharge rates acquired for consolidated NSR-SCR observed to be 0.01% of CO, 3% of HC, 0.1% of CO2, 20.74% of O2, and 68 ppm of NOx. At the point when compared to predicted outcomes demonstrates the ideal level of 0.001% of CO, 0.5% of HC, 0% of CO2, 21.76% of O2, and 60.6ppm of NOx respectively. The proposed invasive weed optimization and particle swarm optimization obviously reduce the emission rates of diesel engine than the other comparative methods.
A Deep Learning Method for MiRNA/IsomiR Target Detection
Authors: Talukder Amlan , Zhang Wencai , Li Xiaoman , Hu Haiyan
Published: April 2022

Motivation: Accurate identification of microRNA (miRNA) targets at base-pair resolution has been an open problem for over a decade. The recent discovery of miRNA isoforms (isomiRs) adds more complexity to this problem. Despite the existence of many methods, none considers isomiRs, and their performance is still suboptimal. We hypothesize that by taking the isomiR-mRNA interaction into account and applying a deep learning model to study miRNA-mRNA interaction features, we may improve the accuracy of miRNA target predictions.Results: We developed a deep learning tool called DMISO to capture the intricate features of miRNA/isomiR-mRNA interactions. Based on 10-fold cross-validation, DMISO showed high precision (95%) and recall (90%). Evaluated on three independent datasets, DMISO had superior performance to five tools, including three popular conventional tools and two recently developed deep learning-based tools. By applying two popular feature interpretation strategies, we demonstrated the importance of the miRNA regions other than their seeds and the potential contribution of the RNA-binding motifs within miRNAs/isomiRs and mRNAs to the miRNA/isomiR-mRNA interactions. Availability: The source code and tool are available at http://hulab.ucf.edu/research/projects/DMISO.
Integrated analysis of LRP2 mutation to immunotherapy efficacy in pan-cancer cohort
Authors: Li Chunbo , Ding Yan , Zhang Xuyin , Hua Keqin
Published: April 2022

Background: Immunetherapy has emerged as a novel therapy, while many patients are refractory. Although, several biomarkers have been identifed as predictive biomarkers for immunotherapy, such as umor specific genes, PD-1/PD-L1, tumor mutation burn (TMB), and microsatellite instability (MSI), results remain unsatsficatiory. We investigated the characteristics of low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 2 (LRP2) mutation in the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) and explored the potential association of LRP2 mutation with immunotherapy. Methods: Characteristic of LRP2 mutation in 33 cancer types was analyzed using large-scale public data. The association of LRP2 mutation with immune cell infiltration and immunotherapy efficacy was evaluated. Finally, a LPR2 mutation signature (LMS) was developed and validated by TCGA-UCEC and pan-cancer cohorts. Furthermore, we demonstrated the predictive power of LMS score in independent immunotherapy cohorts by perfoming a meta-analysis. Results: Our results revealed that patients with LRP2 mutant had higher TMB and MSI compared with patients without LRP2 mutation. Meanwhile, LRP2 mutation was associated with higher infiltration level of immune cells and higher expression of immune-related genes and signaling pathways. Patients with LRP2 mutation presented long overall survival (OS) after immunotherapy. In endothelial cancer (EC), patients with LRP2 mutation belonged to the POLE and MSI-H type of EC molecular types, with a better prognosis. Finally, we developed a LRP2 mutation signature (LMS), that was significantly associated with prognosis in patients receiving immunotherapy. Conclusion: These results indicated that LRP2 mutation can serve as a biomarker for the personalization of cancer immunotherapy. Importantly, LMS is a potential predicator of patients prognosis after immunotherapy.
Study on the expression of c-Met in gastric cancer and its correlation with blood tumor markers and prognosis
Authors: Zhang Zhengchao , Miao Lele , Wang Song , Zhao Yang , Xie Yongqiang , Yun Heng , Ren Zhijian , Wang Guan , Teng Muzhou , Li Yumin
Published: April 2022

Background: Studies have found that c-Met plays a critical role in the progression of solid tumors. This study aimed to investigate the expression of c-Met in gastric cancer (GC) and its correlation with blood tumor markers and prognosis. In order to provide a new idea and method for targeting c-Met in the treatment of GC.Methods: Ninety-seven patients who underwent GC surgery in our hospital from December 2013 to September 2015 were included in this study. The tissue microchip was constructed by paraffin cutting, including 97 GC points and 83 para-cancer points. Then, it was used for c-Met immunohistochemical staining, followed by immunological H-score. The expression of c-Met was compared with clinicopathological features, blood tumor markers (AFP, CEA, CA199, CA153, CA125, CA50) and 5-year survival. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation test, Kaplan-Meyer survival curve and COX regression were used for statistical analysis.Results: The high expression rate of c-Met was 64.95% (63/97) in GC tissues, and 28.92% (24/83) in para-cancer tissues. There were prominent statistical differences in the M-stage and clinicopathological stage between the low and high expression groups (P<0.05), the c-Met high expression group also had a higher M-stage and clinicopathological stage of GC. The correlation test between the c-Met H-score and CA125 was statistically significant (P=0.004), indicating a positive correlation. High c-Met expression correlated with poor overall survival (OS) for 5 years (HR=2.103, P=0.005). After the clinicopathological classification of patients, it was found that the high expression of c-Met in stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ patients was correlative with poor OS for 5 years (HR=2.486, P=0.026), while stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ patients had no statistical significance (P>0.05). Univariate and multivariate COX regression analysis showed that age, clinicopathological stage, c-Met high expression and preoperative serum AFP might be independent risk factors for survival 5 years after surgery.Conclusion: This study found that the high expression of c-Met in GC was associated with poor 5-year OS in GC patients and was an independent risk factor for 5-year survival after GC surgery. The expression of c-Met in GC was positively correlated with preoperative serum CA125.
Preoperative albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio is an independent prognostic factor for postoperative survival after gallbladder carcinoma radical surgery
Authors: Zhang Die , Wan Tian , Xu Jing
Published: April 2022

Purpose: The relationships of the albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR) and the results in Gallbladder cancer (GBC) cases undergoing radical surgical process have been rarely discussed. The present work attempted to assess the prognosis implication of AAPR in GBC cases before operation.Methods: We retrospectively selected 202 consecutive GBC cases treated from 2010 to 2017. Through univariate and multivariate studies, elements impacting overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were explored.Results: Among the 202 cases, 93 (46%) achieved AAPR<0.4. The middle OS in cases with low AAPR before operation reached 26 months, less than that for high AAPR cases before operation (38 months, P<0.001). Low AAPR before operation displayed relationships to smaller surviving periods in univariate studies (HR, 2.738; 95%CI, 1.256-5.843; P<0.001). According to multivariate study, low AAPR cases achieved a lower OS (HR, 2.247; 95%CI, 1.483-3.404; P=0.028) and RFS (HR, 1.640; 95%CI, 1.037-3.210; P=0.041) than high AAPR cases.Conclusion: AAPR is an independent indicator of poor prognosis in GBC patients after GBC radical surgery.
Iranian Future Healthcare Professionals' knowledge and opinions about rare diseases: cross-sectional study
Authors: Jahanshahi Reza , Nasirzadeh Amirreza , Farzan Mahan , Domaradzki Jan , Jouybari Leila , Sanagoo Akram , Farzan Mahour , Aghazadeh-Habashi Komeil , Faraghe Ahmadreza Fallah , Bagheri Sadegh , Samiee Marziyeh , Ansari Arina , Eskandari Kimia , Namakkoobi Negar , Soltanimoghadam Fatemeh , Mashali Hadi , Yavari Erfan , Bay Saba , Memaripanah Nafiseh , Meftah Elahe , Amanzadeh Saeed , Talati Fatemeh , Bahramzadeh Sasan
Published: April 2022

Background: Rare diseases are a new global health priority, requiring evidence-based estimates of the global prevalence of diseases to inform public policymakers and provide a serious challenge to the healthcare system that must not be ignored. The purpose of this study is to investigate Iranian Future Healthcare Professionals' knowledge and opinions about rare diseases. Results: A total of 6,838 students responded to the questionnaire. Nursing and medical students had the highest participation. Almost 85% of participants rated their knowledge about rare diseases as poor or insufficient. While nearly 70 percent of participants took courses about rare diseases at university. Finally, 72.7% of future healthcare professionals did not feel ready to take care of a patient with a rare disease.Conclusion: The present study has indicated a gap in Iranian medical students’ knowledge on rare diseases. The researchers believe that health science policy makers should make a joint effort to improve knowledge about rare diseases. Including courses with regard to rare diseases would be of benefit to future healthcare professionals.
Reliable Gas-Phase Tautomer Equilibria of Drug-like Molecule Scaffolds and the Issue of Continuum Solvation
Authors: Göller Andreas H.
Published: April 2022

Accurate calculation of relative tautomer energies in different environments is a prerequisite to many parameters of relevance in drug discovery. This work provides a thorough benchmark of the semiempirical methods AM1, PM3 and GFN2-xTB, the force-field OPLS4, Hartree-Fock and HF-3c, the density functionals PBEh-3c, B97-3c, r2SCAN-3c, PBE, PBE0, TPSS, r2SCAN, ω-B97X-V, M06-2X, B3LYP, B2PLYP, and MP2 versus the coupled-cluster gold-standard DLPNO-CCSD(T) with def2-QZVPP basis sets applied. The outperforming method identified is M06-2X, whereas r2SCAN-3c is the best-perfoming method in the set of cost-optimized ones. Application of the identified methods on a challenging subset from the SAMPL2 challenge provides evidence that deviations from experiment is caused by deficiencies of current continuum solvation methods.
Airport Terminal Area Capacity Calculation Based on Supply and Demand Balance of Service Resources
Authors: MOU Qifeng , ZHANG Liming , FANG Ce , LI Mingjie , FENG Xiaolei
Published: April 2022

To effectively predict the hourly capacity of the airport terminal area, i.e., to measure the maximum number of aircraft that can receive air traffic services in a sector simultaneously under the condition that the capacity is known, this study proposes a model to calculate the terminal area capacity based on the perspective of service resources. Firstly, the supply and demand relationship between the terminal area capacity and service resource consumption was analyzed based on the configuration of the terminal area route network, traffic flow characteristics and airspace safety, and security capacity requirements. Secondly, by defining a flight service probability matrix, a demand service time model and a maximum available service time model for the terminal area were developed. Based on the balance between the supply and demand of service resources, a model was constructed to forecast the capacity of the terminal area. Finally, the validity of the model was verified by simulation. The example results indicated that the difference between the limit and correction capacities obtained from the model calculations and the simulation results is lesser than 0.3 vehicles/hour. Both the results are consistent with the actual operation, thus proving the validity and reliability of the calculation model used in this study. It was also found that when the capacity is known, the model can calculate the maximum number of aircraft receiving services simultaneously within the terminal area at peak times. These findings suggest that the proposed model can provide a theoretical basis and reference for terminal area sectoring and traffic alerting.
Geospatial Analysis of Malaria Prevalence among Children Under Five Years in Jigawa State, North West, Nigeria
Authors: Aliyu IShaq Abdulkarim
Published: April 2022

Malaria is one of the leading causes of illness and death in developing countries. Despite growing international concern and efforts to provide effective treatment through the development and improvement of vector control mechanisms, malaria infection continues to remain a leading health problem in Africa, particularly south of the Sahara. At present, however, very few studies have been undertaken that investigate the spatial distribution of malaria cases. This study, therefore, aims to employ geospatial tools to map out areas of high and low malaria prevalence among children under the age of five years. Annual malaria prevalence was computed using confirmed cases from 2014 to 2019 in Jigawa state. Spatial autocorrelation techniques using global Moran’s I and Getis-Ord Gi* statistics were applied. Overall malaria prevalence ranged between 2,743 and 12,916 per 100,000 populations. Results of the overall global Moran’s I indicate a statistically significant degree of positive autocorrelation (I = 0.358122, Z = 3.721018, P = 0.000198) and all the years under study showed clustered patterns. Hotspot analysis was further explored to show the location of clusters. The results of the analysis detected high prevalence clusters in central and north-western parts of the state. The study recommends targeting hotspot areas in the design and implementation of malaria control activities.
CD155 promotes radioresistance and malignancy of esophageal cancer by regulating Hippo-YAP pathway
Authors: Xin Huixian , Liu Yuchen , Chen Pengxiang , Yin Tianwen , Wang Meijie , Liu Tianyu , Wen Zhihua , Cheng Yufeng
Published: April 2022

The expression of CD155 has been observed to increase in various human cancers, but its role in the development of esophageal cancer (EC) is unclear. Radiotherapy is one of the primary therapeutic options for EC. However, radioresistance is still a severe issue in EC treatment. In this study, Oncomine database mining, immunohistochemistry, and survival analysis showed that higher expression of CD155 in patients with EC than in healthy controls. In vitro and in vivo, we found for the first time that irradiation increased the expression of CD155 in EC cells. CD155 knockdown inhibited cell proliferation and migration and tumor formation, and significantly increased radiosensitivity in EC. The in vivo model with high CD155 expression significantly promoted the proliferation and migration of EC cells. Furthermore, increased CD155 expression was associated with poor prognosis in patients with EC. CD155 regulated the Hippo-Yap pathway, influencing cell proliferation and migration. Therefore, CD155 is essential for the proliferation, migration, and radioresistance of EC. CD155 inhibition may be a viable strategy for improving radiation treatment efficacy in individuals with EC.
Evaluation of Modeling Strategies for Seismic Analysis of Confined Masonry Structures
Authors: Borah Bonisha , Kaushik Hemant B , Singhal Vaibhav
Published: April 2022

Numerical models are effective tools for nonlinear seismic analysis required for performance-based design of structures. However, their potential often falls short while simulating the behavior of masonry structures because of their complex anisotropic behavior. The complexity increases further for confined masonry (CM) where, in addition to masonry, RC confining members are constructed around the periphery of masonry walls such that the structure work in unison. Though some modeling schemes have been developed for linear and nonlinear analysis of CM walls, their applicability and accuracy are a matter of contention as they were based on different assumptions and theories. Most design codes do not specify modeling schemes due to limited research, especially considering the highly variable masonry properties. The limited modeling choices, some of which have not been validated sufficiently, pose difficulty for practicing engineers and limit their confidence in adopting them. The present work provides an understanding of the challenges on using different modeling strategies from an engineering practice perspective. Commonly adopted models were first used to simulate previously tested single-story CM wall specimens having different aspect ratios. The comparative assessment showed the efficacy of some schemes, while exhibiting ineffectiveness of others. The applicability of different methods was then assessed by analyzing a three-story CM building. The observed behavior clarified the characteristics and potentialities of different procedures, and provides direction to adopt better approaches for nonlinear analysis of CM walls.
Provision of specialized care in remote rural municipalities in Brazil: challenges for local managers
Authors: Nunes Fabiely Gomes Silva , Santos Adriano Maia , Carneiro Ângela Oliveira , Fausto Márcia Cristina Rodrigues , Cabral Lucas Manoel Silva , Almeida Patty Fidelis
Published: April 2022

This case study analyses the challenges to the provision of Specialized Care (SC) in remote rural municipalities (RRM) in Brazil. Interviews were conducted with managers from two Brazilian states (Piauí and Bahia). The distance between municipalities is a limiting factor for access; in addition, the significant care gaps contribute to different organizational arrangements for the provision and access to SC. In all the RRMs, periodically, physicians offer SC by direct disbursement to users or sale of procedures to managers, compromising municipal and family budgets. Health regions do not meet the demand for SC, accentuating the need for extensive travel. The managers of RRM have additional challenges for the provision of SC regarding the financing, the implementation of cooperative arrangements, the provision of care articulated in networks with a view to comprehensive care in search of solutions to the locoregional specificities.
A mesoscale self-assembly into bulk bassanite via delicate control of water activity to mimic biomineralization
Authors: Wang Chunli , Ma Xuelu , Zhang Zhihao , Xiao Hai , Zeng Xianlai , Zhang Jing , Lin Zhang
Published: April 2022

Metastable bassanite cannot usually be precipitated from aqueous solutions, yet easily taking up water to yield the gypsum. Although biological systems can mineralize this phase to micron sized crystals, a facile fabrication of bulk bassanite in vitro under ambient conditions remains a major challenge. Here, we unprecedentedly fabricated the bulk phase of bassanite by precisely controlling the water limited in the solution with polymer (polyvinyl pyrrolidone), suppressing the transformation into thermodynamically favourable gypsum. A new thermodynamic model of the non-classical crystallization process is described in terms of water-driven colloidal assembly, and molecular dynamics simulation demonstrates the role of water molecules to interact with the polymer ligands to initiate the assembly and growth of bassanite. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how the bassanite precipitates in vivo and may save us the procedure of thermally transforming about hundreds of millions of tons of dihydrate per year into hemihydrate
[Invited] Sparse reconstruction for integral Fourier holography using Dictionary Learning method
Authors: Sheridan John T , Kuruguntla Lakshmi , Dodda Vineela Chandra , Wan Min , Elumalai Karthikeyan , Chinnadurai Sunil , Muniraj Inbarasan
Published: April 2022

A simplified (i.e., single shot) method is demonstrated to generate a Fourier hologram from multiple two-dimensional (2D) perspective images (PIs) under low light level imaging conditions. It was shown that the orthographic projection images (OPIs) can be synthesized using PIs and then, following incorporation of corresponding phase values, a digital hologram can be generated. In this work, a fast dictionary learning (DL) technique, known as Sequential Generalised K-means (SGK) algorithm, is used to perform Integral Fourier hologram reconstruction from fewer samples. The SGK method transforms the generated Fourier hologram into its sparse form, which represented it with a linear combination of some basis functions, also known as atoms. These atoms are arranged in the form of a matrix called a dictionary. In this work, the dictionary is updated using an arithmetic average method while the Orthogonal Matching Pursuit algorithm is opted to update the sparse coefficients. It is shown that the proposed DL method provides good hologram quality, (in terms of peak signal-to-noise ratio) even for cases of ~ 90% sparsity.
Effect of ZYP on in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer outcomes in DOR
Authors: Li Xiufang , Wang Zhongqing , Xu Haiyan , Liu Hong , Xu Jin , Li Yuanmei , Lian Fang , Sheng Yan
Published: April 2022

Background: Zishen Yutai Pill (ZYP), a traditional Chinese patent medicine, is often used for the prevention of recurrent miscarriage and threatened abortion. However, ZYP’s beneficial role in embryo quality and pregnancy outcomes are unclear. At the same time, Bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) and Growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) play key roles in folliculogenesis. The expression of BMP15 and GDF9 is declined accompany with poorer oocyte quality in poor ovarian responders.The present prospective study attempted to explore ZYP’s role in oocyte quantity,embryos quality, pregnancy outcomes and the expression of the BMP15 and GDF9 genes in follicle fluid (FF)in patients in patients with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) receiving in vitro fertilisation-embryo transfer (IVF-ET).Methods: The present prospective randomised controlled study was conducted in 120 patients with DOR who received the treatment using different protocols. The treatment group (group A) comprising 60 women received ZYP from the mid-luteal phase in the former cycle for nearly 20 days by using the GnRH antagonist protocol, whereas the control group (group B) comprising 60 women received the same protocol without ZYP. The number of oocyte received and high-quality blastocysts,and pregnancy results were contrasted between groups. Pregnancy outcomes included the clinical pregnancy rate, embryo implantation rate, multiple pregnancy rate, ectopic pregnancy rate, early abortion rate,ongoing pregnancy rate,live birth rate and other pregnancy complications.FF was collected after oocyte retrieval. Expression of the BMP15 and GDF9 in the FF was determined with enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Results: The number of gathered oocytes and high-quality blastocysts was obviously greater in group A compared with that of group B (P < 0.05). These two groups shared a similar clinical pregnancy rate (both P > 0.05). The expression of BMP15 and GDF9 in the FF differed significantly among the two groups (P < 0.05). Conclusion: ZYP significantly influences the acquisition of prominent follicles, resulting in high-quality embryos. Meanwhile,ZYP can enhance the expression of BMP15 and GDF9 in the FF. Therefore, ZYP application may significantly promote ovarian response and improve embryos' quality among patients with DOR by upregulating the expression of BMP15 and GDP9 .Trial registration number: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2100048441)
Acoustic emission induced by sand liquefaction during vibration loading
Authors: Frid Vladimir , Shulov Semen
Published: April 2022

The article deals with the study of poorly graded sand samples of different grain content subjected to liquefaction. Eleven parameters of acoustic emission (AE) were studied during the process of sand liquefaction. The research results show the V-shaped behavior of the AE parameters that correspond to the three-stage sand behavior associated with the changes in its stress state as follows: the behavior of AE in phase A is due to microfractures/displacements between sand grains caused by an increase in pore pressure before the liquefaction point. Phase B (the stage of AE silence just before the liquefaction point) reflects the equality between pore pressure and cell pressure. Phase C (the stage of increase in AE parameters’ values) is explained by intense friction between sand grains during their movement caused by liquefaction. Despite the obvious signs of the V-shaped behavior of the AE excitation relative to the liquefaction point, changes in the AE parameters depend on the composition of the sand.‎ The results show that the change in the sand composition from the poorly graded dune sand to "extremely poorly graded sand" significantly increases the time for the creation of the liquefaction state while the larger the grain size, the longer the time needed to reach the liquefaction state. The last finding is explained by the increase in soil hydraulic conductivity, which complicates the conditions for the increase in pore pressure and hence makes longer the time till the liquefaction state is reached.
Cross-scale energy transfer of chaotic oscillator chain in stiffness-dominated range
Authors: Chen Jian-en , Sun Min , Zhang Wei , Li Shuang-bao , Wu Rui-qin
Published: April 2022

The investigations on the dynamics of hierarchical oscillator chains provide basic theories for the fields of acoustic metamaterial and passive guidance of energy flow. In the present study, the characteristics of stiffness-dominated energy transfer of a reduced cross-scale oscillator chain that generates chaotic vibrations are studied. The semi-analytical solutions are obtained by the complexification-averaging method and the least-square method for thoroughly searching the branches of responses. Then the energy transfer patterns of the oscillator chain are analyzed based on Runge-Kutta method. Moreover, chaotic responses are determined using the displacements and Lyapunov exponents of the system. The average energy and normalized energy flux are defined to evaluate the energy distribution in each oscillator and the energy transfer between oscillators, respectively. The semi-analytical results show that the oscillator chain produces complex unstable branches of response around the resonance frequency of the linear oscillator. It is found that the detached higher branches of response of the chain are similar to that of a system consisting of one linear oscillator and one cubic oscillator. When chaotic responses occur, the energy transfer patterns that reflected by average energy and normalized energy flux are similar in the same branch of response for different excitation frequencies. However, energy transfer patterns in different branches of response are quite different even at the same excitation frequency, and the higher branch generates the lower energy transfer. Furthermore, analyses of the input energy and the scale between cubic oscillators demonstrate that variations of the two parameters slightly affect the normalized energy flux.
Acceptance and challenges of online mode of homoeopathic medical education in India during current COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study
Authors: PAL GAUTAM , Chakrabarti Indrani , Singh Monisha , Michael James
Published: April 2022

Background:
During the current era of SARS-CoV-2, lockdown and physical distancing have compelled the use of digital education at all levels. None of the studies in India has reviewed the acceptance and effects of digital education of homoeopathy curriculum in the country. The objectives of the study were to assess the effectiveness, acceptance, challenges and gender-specific attitude towards online education in homoeopathy in India.
Methods:
This was a multicentric, cross-sectional study involving students and teachers of four homoeopathic colleges in India using survey questionnaires (December 2021- January 2022). Descriptive analysis was carried out for each study outcome (categorized for teachers, students and between the genders).
Results:
Students appreciated the quality of interaction, accessibility, and involvement in classes, quality of teaching and learning, feeling of comfort; while teachers raised concern about the quality of interactions and involvement in class. Though the majority supported online mode considering time flexibility, time-saving, cost-effectiveness, regularity of classes, ability to complete syllabus, many did not consider it as a good alternative academic platform for the future. Blended or hybrid learning was the most preferred mode to balance theory and clinical classes. Gender wise statistical analysis showed significant gender-specific trends and attitudes where males had a better approach towards this online education.
Conclusion:
Despite acceptance in general of online mode of education, there were significant differences in attitudes of students, teachers and gender-specificity towards it. During the crisis period, the majority of the homoeopathic fraternity of India preferred the hybrid or blended method.
Novel Pirfenidone Derivatives: Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation
Authors: Yao Maoling , Sangmao Gengga , Chen Congdi , Li Yong , Jin Liming , Yin Shufan , Yang Hongjun
Published: April 2022

In order to discover novel anti-pulmonary fibrosis agents, a series of new pirfennidone derivatives were designed and synthesized. All compounds have been investigated for their anti-pulmonary activity and confirmed by 13C and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance and high-resolution mass spectrometry. Preliminary studies on its biological activity showed that all target compounds showed different degrees of inhibition on pulmonary fibrosis, and most of the derivatives were significantly better than pirfenidone.
Breakage risk of different sacroiliac screws in unilateral sacral fractures A finite element analysis
Authors: Ma Yupeng , Zhao Yong , Zhao Yuchi , Wang Dan , Dong Shengjie , Sun Xiujiang , Cheng Gong , Zou Dexin , Lian Wei , Sun Tao , Zhang Shudong
Published: April 2022

To compare the risk of breakage of the lengthened sacroiliac screw and ordinary sacroiliac screw to treat unilateral vertical sacral fractures to provide a reference for clinical application. [Methods] A finite element model of Tile C pelvic ring injury (unilateral type Denis Ⅱ fracture of the sacrum) was produced. The sacral fractures were fixed with a lengthened sacroiliac screw and ordinary sacroiliac screw in 6 types of models, respectively. The maximal von Mises stresses and stress distribution of the two kinds of screws in the case of standing on both feet were measured and compared. [Results] The maximal Von Mises stress of lengthened screw is less than that of the ordinary screw. Compared with ordinary screws, the stress distribution in the lengthened screw is more homogeneous. [Conclusions] The breakage risk of screws fixed in double-segment is lower than that of screws fixed in single-segment, the breakage risk of lengthened screws is lower than that of the ordinary screw, and the breakage risk of screws fixed in S2 segment is lower than that of screws fixed in S1 segment.
Smoke Emission and Distribution Characteristics of Overloaded Wire Insulations under Microgravity
Authors: Zhuang Hanhan , Kong Wenjun
Published: April 2022

With the development of manned space technology, spacecraft safety and fire prevention have attracted more and more attention. Due to the disappearance of buoyancy in microgravity, the fire early monitoring, detection and alarm technologies designed based on ground experimental results are not suitable for spacecraft. It is necessary to develop fire early monitoring technology in microgravity. Smoke is an important early monitoring signal for fire prevention both in normal gravity and microgravity. Under microgravity, fire is mostly caused by overload or aging of wire insulations. In order to study the smoke emission characteristics of wire insulations under microgravity, we carried out the overload experiments of wire insulations on board the SJ-10 Chinese recoverable satellite. The smoke generation characteristics captured by laser extinction methods, and a large number of experimental data in the real microgravity environment were obtained for the first time. In this paper, the smoke volume fractions in the early and axisymmetric stages of smoke emission from the wire insulating layer are obtained by using the method of Abel transform and convolution, and the MATLAB algorithm program is compiled. In the later stage of smoke emission, it does not show axisymmetric distribution, but the laser extinction results can be used for obtaining the smoke emission trajectory. According to the results, two smoke emission modes in the early stage of ignition of wire insulation in microgravity are quantitatively analyzed. The effects of insulation thickness, overload current and insulation material on smoke emission are discussed.
A Novel Fuzzy Framework for Technology Selection of Sustainable Wastewater Treatment Plants based on TODIM Methodology in Developing Urban Areas
Authors: Eseoglu Gunes , Yapsakli Kozet , Tozan Hakan , Vayvay Ozalp
Published: April 2022

Optimum technology selection of wastewater treatments plants (WWTPs) necessitates the adoption of data-driven scientific approaches that satisfy the sustainability requirements of the urban ecosystem. Such approaches should be able to provide actionable insights to decision makers constrained by factors such as increasing population, scarcity of land, and loss of functionality of treatment plants. In this article, we present a criteria system based on the sustainability perspective, which is crucial for the selection of the treatment plant technology from the planning to the operation of the plants. We further suggest a hybrid fuzzy multi-criteria decision making framework (MCDM) under the concept of the alpha cut series which takes into account the risk aversion of decision makers to overcome uncertainties of environmental conditions. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to show how a systematic decision-making process is approached by interpreting the interaction of criteria for the selection of treatment plant technology through the membership function of Prospect Theory. The prominent reference criterion manages other sub-criteria according to the function of risk-aversion behavior. The alternatives are ranked by the fuzzy TODIM (an acronym in Portuguese of interactive and multi-criteria decision-making) based on α-cuts sets integrated into the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) including the aggregated weights. We verify usefulness of our approach through a case study conducted with four full-scale WWTPs in a metropolitan city of an EMEA country. The ranking results based on dominance degree of alternatives showed that anaerobic-anoxic-oxic (A2O) without pre-clarification was the most effective process according to sludge disposal cost (C25) calculated as reference criteria. Finally, we present how our framework can be utilized by reflecting the risk perception of decision makers in technology selection of WWTPs for developing urban areas.
Impact of population based indoor residual spraying with and without mass drug administration with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine on malaria prevalence in a high transmission setting: a controlled trial in northeastern Uganda
Authors: Echodu Dorothy C. , Yeka Adoke , Eganyu Thomas , Odude Wycliff , Bukenya Fred , Amoah Benjamin , Wanzira Humphrey , Colborn Kathryn , Elliott Richard C. , Powell Suzanne E. , Kilama Maxwell , Mulebeke Ronald , Nankabirwa Joaniter , Giorgi Emanuele , Roskosky Mellisa , Omoding Osborn , Gonahasa Samuel , Opigo Jimmy
Published: April 2022

Background:Declines in malaria burden in Uganda have slowed. Modelling predicts that indoor residual spraying (IRS) and mass drug administration (MDA), when co-timed, have synergistic impact. This study investigated additional protective impact of population-based MDA on malaria prevalence, if any, when added to IRS, as compared with IRS alone and with standard of care (SOC).Methods:The 32-month prospective controlled community trial enrolled an open cohort of residents (46,765 individuals, 1st enumeration and 52,133, 4th enumeration) in Katakwi District in northeastern Uganda. Consented participants were assigned to three arms based on residential subcounty: MDA+IRS, IRS, and SOC (insecticide treated bednets and case management). IRS with pirimiphos methyl and MDA with dihydroartemisinin- piperaquine were delivered in 4 co-timed campaign-style rounds 8 months apart. The primary endpoint was population prevalence of malaria, estimated by 6 cross-sectional surveys, starting at baseline and preceding each subsequent round.Results:Comparing malaria prevalence in MDA+IRS and IRS only arms over all 6 surveys (intention-to-treat analysis), roughly every 6 months, post-interventions, a geostatistical model found a significant additional 15.5% (95% confidence interval (CI): [13.7%, 17.5%], Z=9.6, p= 5e-20) decrease in the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) due to MDA for all ages, a 13.3% reduction in under 5's (95% CI: [10.5%, 16.8%], Z=4.02, p= 5e-5), and a 10.1% reduction in children 5-15 (95% CI: [8.5%, 11.8%], Z=4.7, p= 2e-5). All ages residents of the MDA + IRS arm enjoyed an overall 80.1% reduction (95% CI: [80.0%,83.0%, p<.0001] in odds of qPCR confirmed malaria compared with SOC residents. Secondary difference-in-difference analyses comparing surveys at different timepoints to baseline showed aOR (MDA + IRS vs IRS) of qPCR positivity between 0.28 and 0.66 (p<.001). Of three serious adverse events, one (nonfatal) was considered related to study medications. Limitations include the initial non-random assignment of MDA+IRS, which may have understated the impact of MDA, and lack of MDA-only arm, considered to violate equipoise.Conclusions:Despite being assessed at long timepoints 5-7 months post-round, MDA plus IRS provided significant additional protection from malaria infection over IRS alone. Future cohort studies of impact on incidence recommended. Trial registration: This trial was retrospectively registered July 7th, 2018 with the Pan African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR 201807166695568).
Toxic evaluation of Proclaim Fit ® on honey bee workers: lethal and sublethal effects
Authors: Ghasemi Vahid , Salehinejad Ali , Ghadamyari Mohammad , Jack Cameron J. , Sharifi Mahboobeh
Published: April 2022

Impacts to honey bees due to exposure to agricultural pesticides is one of the most serious threats to the beekeeping industry. Our research evaluated the lethal and sublethal toxicity of Lufenuron+Emamectin benzoate (Proclaim Fit®) on the European honey bee Apis mellifera L. at field-realistic (worst-case) dose. Newly emerged (≤ 24-h old) and forager (unknown age) worker bees were treated with the field recommended dose of Proclaim Fit® using three routes of exposure including residual contact, oral, and spray within the laboratory. We also assessed the sublethal effects of Proclaim Fit® on the specific activity of some well-known detoxifying enzymes including α-esterase, β-esterase, and Glutathione S-transferase (GST) in the honey bees. In addition, toxicity of the insecticide was tested on 4th instar larvae within the hive. Based on estimated median survival times (MSTs), Proclaim Fit® was highly toxic to the bees, especially when applied as spray. According to hazard ratios, newly emerged bees were 1.47× and 2.78× more susceptible than foragers to Proclaim Fit® applied as residual contact and oral, respectively. Enzyme assays revealed the considerable involvement of the enzymes, especially GST and α-esterase, in detoxification of the Proclaim Fit®, but their activities were significantly influenced by route of exposure and age of bee. Notably, Proclaim Fit® was highly toxic to 4th instar honey bee larvae. Our results generally indicate a potent toxicity of Proclaim Fit® toward honey bees. Therefore, its application requires serious consideration and adherence to strict guidelines, especially during the flowering time of crops.
Analysis of the Ecuadorian productive network in 2019, using network theory
Authors: Ramírez-Álvarez José , Chungandro-Carranco Vanessa , Guevara-Rosero Carolina , Montenegro Nathaly
Published: April 2022

The present study analyzes the centrality of the 70 productive sectors in Ecuador according to the Input-Output Table for the year 2019, in order to identify the most influential sectors in the diffusion of productivity shocks. For this purpose, four weighted centrality indices are used: Degree Centrality, Closeness Centrality, Betweenness Centrality and Alpha Centrality. The results suggest that the sectors of wholesale and retail trade, transportation and professional activities are the most influential in the Ecuadorian economy, due to their high centrality and participation in the commercial transactions. Furthermore, the distributions of the centrality indices hold the power law which remarks the high heterogeneity of the productive network. Given this, a microeconomic shock to any of these sectors could spread “downstream” cascade effects throughout the intersectoral links and generate aggregate fluctuations, as pointed out by the theory of shock diffusion.
Capacitive Humidity Sensing Properties of Freestanding Bendable Porous SiO 2 /Si Thin Films
Authors: Park Soobin , Seo Jinmyeong , Park Jungjoon , Hwang Inseong , Lee Han-Seung , Jung Hyunsung , Yoo Bongyoung
Published: April 2022

The fabrication of freestanding bendable films without polymer substrates is demonstrated as a capacitive humidity-sensing material. The bendable and porous SiO2/Si films are simply prepared by electrochemical-assisted stripping, metal-assisted chemical etching, followed by oxidation procedures. The capacitive humidity-sensing properties of the fabricated porous SiO2/Si film are characterized as a function of the relative humidity and frequency. The remarkable sensing performance is demonstrated in the wide RH range from 13.8–79.0%. The sensing behavior of the porous SiO2/Si film is studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis. Additionally, the reliability of the porous SiO2/Si sensing material is confirmed by cyclic and long-term sensing tests.