bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Home-Based Intermittent Pneumatic Compression Therapy: The Impact in Chronic Leg Lymphedema in Patients Treated for Gynecologic Cancer
Authors: Kim Yoon , Kim Seonghee , Lim Ji Young , Hwang Chea Min , Ko Myoung-Hwan , Hwang Ji Hye
Published: March 2022

We conducted a prospective study of cancer patients to investigate the efficacy, quality of life, satisfaction, and safety of a home-based intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) device during the maintenance phase of lower extremity lymphedema. This device has a unique mode designed to mimic the manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) technique and thereby gently facilitate lymphatic draining of proximal extremities. Thirty patients with stage 3 chronic secondary unilateral leg lymphedema in the maintenance phase underwent IPC and conventional compression therapy for 4 weeks at home. The participants were guided to use 1 h course (30 min of MLD-mimicking mode and 30 min of conventional mode) of IPC device twice a day for 4 weeks. We assessed the patients’ limb-volume measurement, quality of life (QOL), and satisfaction four times. There were no significant time-dependent interactions in the inter-limb volume difference ratio (Vratio). In a subgroup analysis, participants who used the home-based IPC device and maintained their routine self-maintenance program of short-stretch bandages (group B, n = 21) showed a more significant decline in Vratio than those who did not maintained their routine care (group A, n = 9). All scores of QOL decreased significantly after the intervention without subgroup difference. All participants were satisfied with the 4-week intervention. This study demonstrated that a home-based IPC device with an MLD-mimicking program is a useful option for maintaining the volume of limbs and improving the QOL of patients with stage 3 chronic leg lymphedema during the maintenance phase.
ELK3 Controls Gastric Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion by Regulating ECM Remodeling-Related Genes
Authors: Lee Minwook , Cho Hyeon-Ju , Park Kyung-Soon , Jung Hae-Yun
Published: March 2022

Current therapeutic strategies for gastric cancer, including surgery and chemotherapy improve patient survival; however, the survival rate of patients with metastatic gastric cancer is very low. The molecular mechanisms underlying the dissemination of gastric cancer cells to distant organs are currently unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the E26 transformation-specific (ETS) transcription factor ELK3 (ELK3) gene is required for the migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells. The ELK3 gene modulates the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling-related genes, such as bone morphogenetic protein (BMP1), lysyl oxidase like 2 (LOXL2), Snail family transcriptional repressor 1 (SNAI1), serpin family F member 1 (SERPINF1), decorin (DCN), and nidogen 1 (NID1) to facilitate cancer cell dissemination. Our in silico analyses indicated that ELK3 expression was positively associated with these ECM remodeling-related genes in gastric cancer cells and patient samples. The high expressions of ELK3 and other ECM remodeling-related genes were also closely associated with a worse prognosis of patients with gastric cancer. Collectively, these findings suggest that ELK3 acts as an important regulator of gastric cancer cell dissemination by regulating ECM remodeling.
Identification of Tartary Buckwheat Varieties Suitable for Forage via Nutrient Value Analysis at Different Growth Stages
Authors: Zhou Mengjie , Huo Mingxing , Wang Jiankang , Shi Tiantian , Li Faliang , Zhou Meiliang , Wang Junzhen , Liao Zhiyong
Published: March 2022

It is important to select buckwheat varieties suitable for foraging and determining their best harvest time as increasing attention was paid to the forage value of buckwheat. Here, eight tartary buckwheat varieties were identified as suitable for forage based on their potential forage value through assaying the contents of ash, crude protein, crude fiber, crude fat, acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, nitrogen free extract, calcium, phosphorus, total flavonoids, and rutin in these tartary buckwheat varieties at flowering, pustulation, and mature stages, respectively. In addition, analysis of relative feed value (RFV), relative forage quality (RFQ), and principal component analysis (PCA) based on the assayed contents was applied for comprehensive evaluation of these tartary buckwheat varieties. Results showed that all the eight tartary buckwheat varieties possessed potential high forage value as their RFV is from 121.31% to 217.39% and RFQ from 117.26% to 224.54% at all three stages. In particular, both RFV and RFQ values of PS-07 reached the highest at the flowering stage among the eight tartary buckwheat varieties, followed by CQ-3 and EWPS. Accordingly, the comprehensive scoring of principal component values of PS-07 and CQ-3 are relatively higher at the flowering stage. Our research thus revealed that the eight tartary buckwheat varieties are all suitable for forage, and also provided an experimental basis for selecting the eight tartary buckwheat varieties harvested at different growth stages for livestock forage.
Prediction of Enterprise Free Cash Flow Based on a Backpropagation Neural Network Model of the Improved Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Zhu Lin , Yan Mingzhu , Bai Luyi
Published: March 2022

Enterprises with good long-term free cash flow data often have better prospects than enterprises with good net profit but unstable free cash flow for a long time, and free cash flow prediction is an important part of evaluating the enterprise value of an enterprise. By determining the fitness function, algorithm formula, population, and Backpropagation (BP) neural network design, a BP neural network model based on the improved genetic algorithm is proposed to predict the free cash flow of enterprises. Taking the free cash flow data of G Company from 1 January 2019 to 30 June 2019 as an example, after evaluating the most neurons and the best population, analyzing the relative errors and comparing the average relative errors of different prediction models, the results show that the model has better prediction accuracy. Cash flow forecasting can effectively improve decision making on productions and operations and the investment financing of enterprises, and has important practical significance for studying enterprise fund management.
Num-Symbolic Homophonic Social Net-Words
Authors: Chung Yi-Liang , Hsu Ping-Yu , Huang Shih-Hsiang
Published: March 2022

Many excellent studies about social networks and text analyses can be found in the literature, facilitating the rapid development of automated text analysis technology. Due to the lack of natural separators in Chinese, the text numbers and symbols also have their original literal meaning. Thus, combining Chinese characters with numbers and symbols in user-generated content is a challenge for the current analytic approaches and procedures. Therefore, we propose a new hybrid method for detecting blended numeric and symbolic homophony Chinese neologisms (BNShCNs). Interpretation of the words’ actual semantics was performed according to their independence and relative position in context. This study obtained a shortlist using a probability approach from internet-collected user-generated content; subsequently, we evaluated the shortlist by contextualizing word-embedded vectors for BNShCN detection. The experiments show that the proposed method efficiently extracted BNShCNs from user-generated content.
Cyano-Bridged Dy(III) and Ho(III) Complexes with Square-Wave Structure of the Chains
Authors: Sasnovskaya Valentina D. , Zorina Leokadiya V. , Simonov Sergey V. , Talantsev Artem D. , Yagubskii Eduard B.
Published: March 2022

Four new cyano-bridged DyIII-CrIII, DyIII-FeIII, HoIII-CrIII and HoIII-FeIII bimetallic coordination polymers were synthesized by the reaction of [Ln(H2dapsc)(H2O)4](NO3)3 (Ln = Dy, Ho); H2dapsc = 2,6-diacetylpyridinebis(semicarbazone)) with K3[M(CN)6] (M = Cr, Fe) in H2O, resulting in the substitution of two water molecules in the coordination sphere of rare earth by paramagnetic tricharged hexacyanides of Fe and Cr. The complexes are isostructural and consist of alternating [Ln(H2dapsc)(H2O)2]3+ and [M(CN)6]3− units linked by bridges of two cis-cyano ligands of the anion to form square-wave chains. The ac magnetic measurements revealed that the DyCr and DyFe complexes are field-induced single molecule magnets, while their Ho analogs do not exhibit slow magnetic relaxation.
Optimal Anticoagulant Strategy for Periprocedural Management of Atrial Fibrillation Ablation: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis
Authors: Kino Tabito , Kagimoto Minako , Yamada Takayuki , Ishii Satoshi , Asai Masanari , Asano Shunichi , Yano Hideto , Ishikawa Toshiyuki , Ishigami Tomoaki
Published: March 2022

This network meta-analysis was performed to rank the safety and efficacy of periprocedural anticoagulant strategies in patients undergoing atrial fibrillation ablation. MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and Web of Science were searched to identify randomized controlled trials comparing anticoagulant regimens in patients undergoing atrial fibrillation ablation up to July 1, 2021. The primary efficacy and safety outcomes were thromboembolic and major bleeding events, respectively, and the net clinical benefit was investigated as the primary-outcome composite. Seventeen studies were included (n = 6950). The mean age ranged from 59 to 70 years; 74% of patients were men and 55% had paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Compared with the uninterrupted vitamin-K antagonist strategy, the odds ratios for the composite of primary safety and efficacy outcomes were 0.61 (95%CI: 0.31–1.17) with uninterrupted direct oral anticoagulants, 0.63 (95%CI: 0.26–1.54) with interrupted direct oral anticoagulants, and 8.02 (95%CI: 2.35–27.45) with interrupted vitamin-K antagonists. Uninterrupted dabigatran significantly reduced the risk of the composite of primary safety and efficacy outcomes (odds ratio, 0.21; 95%CI, 0.08–0.55). Uninterrupted direct oral anticoagulants are preferred alternatives to uninterrupted vitamin-K antagonists. Interrupted direct oral anticoagulants may be feasible as alternatives. Our results support the use of uninterrupted direct oral anticoagulants as the optimal periprocedural anticoagulant strategy for patients undergoing atrial fibrillation ablation.
Candidacy for Cochlear Implantation in Prelingual Profoundly Deaf Adult Patients
Authors: Lahlou Ghizlene , Daoudi Hannah , Ferrary Evelyne , Jia Huan , De Bergh Marion , Nguyen Yann , Sterkers Olivier , Mosnier Isabelle
Published: March 2022

Cochlear implantation is usually not recommended for prelingual profoundly deaf adults, although some of these patients might benefit from it. This study aims to define the candidates for cochlear implantation in this population. This retrospective study reviewed 34 prelingual profoundly deaf patients who had received a cochlear implant at 32 ± 1.7 years old (16–55), with at least 1 year of follow-up. Speech perception and quality of life were assessed before and 3, 6, and 12 months after cochlear implantation, then every year thereafter. According to the word speech intelligibility in quiet (WSI) 1 year after implantation, two groups were identified: good performer (GP) with WSI ≥ 50% (n = 15), and poor performer (PP) with WSI ≤ 40% (n = 19). At the 1 year mark, mean WSI improved by 28 ± 4.6% (−20–100) (p < 0.0001). In GP, the intelligibility for words and sentences, communication and quality of life scales improved. In PP, the communication scale improved, but not auditory performance or quality of life. GP and PP differed pre-operatively in speech production, communication abilities, and WSI in best-aided conditions. In prelingual profoundly deaf adults, a dramatic auditory performance benefit could be expected after cochlear implantation if the patients have some degree of speech intelligibility in aided conditions and have developed oral communication and speech production.
Prognostic Significance of the PROFUND Index on One Year Mortality in Acute Heart Failure: Results from the RICA Registry
Authors: Méndez-Bailon Manuel , Iguarán-Bermudez Rosario , Formiga-Pérez Francesc , Arévalo Lorido José Carlos , Suárez-Pedreira Iván , Morales-Rull Jose Luis , Serrado-Iglesias Ana , Llacer-Iborra Pau , Ormaechea-Gorricho Gabriela , Carrasco-Sánchez Francisco Javier , Casado-Cerrada Jesús , Andrès Emmanuel , Diez-Manglano Jesús , Lorenzo-Villalba Noel , Montero-Pérez-Barquero Manuel
Published: March 2022

Background: Heart failure (HF) is a syndrome with high prevalence, mainly affecting elderly patients, where the presence of associated comorbidities is of great importance. Methods: An observational study from a prospective registry was conducted. Patients identified from the National Registry of Heart Failure (RICA), which belongs to the Working Group on Heart Failure and Atrial Fibrillation of the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine (SEMI), were included. The latter is a prospective, multicenter registry that has been active since 2008. It includes individual consecutive patients over 50 years of age with a diagnosis of HF at hospital discharge (acute decompensated or new-onset HF). Results: In total, 5424 patients were identified from the registry. Forty-seven percent were men and mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 51.4%; 1132 had a score of 0 to 2 according to the PROFUND index, 3087 had a score of 3 to 6, and 952 patients had a score of 7 to 10 points. In the sample, 252 patients had a score above 11 points. At the end of the year of follow-up, 61% of the patients died. This mortality increased proportionally as the PROFUND index increased, specifically 75% for patients with PROFUND greater than 11. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve shows that survival at one year progressively decreases as the PROFUND index value increases. Thus, subjects with scores greater than seven (intermediate-high and high-risk) presented the worst survival with a log rank of 0.96 and a p < 0.05. In the regression analysis, we found a higher risk of death from any cause at one year in the group with the highest risk according to the PROFUND index (score greater than 11 points (HR 1.838 (1.410–2.396)). Conclusions: The PROFUND index is a good index for predicting mortality in patients admitted for acute HF, especially in those subjects at intermediate to high risk with scores above seven. Future studies should seek to determine whether the PROFUND index score is simply a prognostic marker or whether it can also be used to make therapeutic decisions for those subjects with very high short-term mortality.
Effects of Perceptual Learning on Deprivation Amblyopia in Children with Limbal Dermoid: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Zhong Jing , Wang Wei , Li Jijing , Wang Yiyao , Hu Xiaoqing , Feng Lei , Ye Qingqing , Luo Yiming , Zhu Zhengyuan , Li Jinrong , Yuan Jin
Published: March 2022

Limbal dermoid (LD) is a congenital ocular tumor that causes amblyopia and damages visual acuity (VA) and visual function. This study evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of perceptual learning (PL) toward improving contrast sensitivity function (CSF) and VA. A total of 25 children with LD and 25 normal children were compared in terms of CSF and VA. The LD group was further randomly allocated into two arms: nine underwent PL combined with patching and eight underwent patching only; eight patients quit the amblyopia treatment. The primary outcome was the area under log CSF (AULCSF), and the secondary outcome was the best corrected VA (BCVA). The CSF was obviously reduced in the LD group compared with that in the normal group. Moreover, the difference in the changes in the AULCSF between the PL and patching groups after 6 months of training was 0.59 (95% CI: 0.32, 0.86, p < 0.001), and the between-group difference in VA at 6 months was −0.30 (95% CI: −0.46, −0.14, p < 0.001). Children suffering from LD with amblyopia exhibited CSF deficits and VA loss simultaneously. PL could improve CSF and VA in the amblyopic eye better than patching.
Treatment of Patients with Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma
Authors: Li Claire Y. , Kennedy Timothy , Alexander Henry Richard
Published: March 2022

Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare malignancy arising from the serosa of the peritoneal cavity. It is diagnosed based on suspicious findings on cross sectional imaging and a tissue biopsy showing confirmatory histologic and immunohistochemical features. The disease is hallmarked by its propensity to progress mainly in the peritoneal cavity. In selected patients, surgical cytoreduction and hyperthermic intra-operative peritoneal chemotherapy has become the initial preferred treatment and is associated with provide prolonged in many patients. Systemic chemotherapy using a couplet of cisplatin or gemcitabine with pemetrexed has modest response rates and duration of response. Expression of PD-L1 has been demonstrated in peritoneal mesothelioma tumors and there has been significant interest in the use of check point blockade targeted against PD-L1 in this clinical setting. Future clinical research using a combination of check point blockade with surgical cytoreduction is a high clinical priority.
Impact of an Operating Room Nurse Preoperative Dialogue on Anxiety, Satisfaction and Early Postoperative Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Major Visceral Surgery—A Single Center, Open-Label, Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Dias Patricia , Clerc Daniel , da Rocha Rodrigues Maria Goreti , Demartines Nicolas , Grass Fabian , Hübner Martin
Published: March 2022

Background: Anxiety is common before surgery and known to negatively impact recovery from surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a preoperative nurse dialogue on a patient’s anxiety, satisfaction and early postoperative outcomes. Method: This 1:1 randomized controlled trial compared patients undergoing major visceral surgery after a semistructured preoperative nurse dialogue (interventional group: IG) to a control group (CG) without nursing intervention prior to surgery. Anxiety was measured with the autoevaluation scale State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI, Y-form) pre and postoperatively. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) In-Patsat32 questionnaire was used to assess patient satisfaction at discharge. Further outcomes included postoperative pain (visual analogue scale: VAS 0–10), postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), opiate consumption and length of stay (LOS). Results: Over a period of 6 months, 35 participants were randomized to either group with no drop-out or loss to follow-up (total n = 70). The median score of preoperative anxiety was 40 (IQR 33–55) in the IG vs. 61 (IQR 52–68) in the CG (p < 0.001). Postoperative anxiety levels were comparable 34 (IQR 25–46) vs. 32 (IQR 25–44) for IG and CG, respectively (p = 0.579). The IG did not present higher overall satisfaction (90 ± 15 vs. 82.9 ± 16, p = 0.057), and pain at Day 2 was similar (1.3 ± 1.7 vs. 2 ± 1.9, p = 0.077), while opiate consumption, PONV levels and LOS were comparable. Conclusion: A preoperative dialogue with a patient-centered approach helped to reduce preoperative anxiety in patients undergoing major visceral surgery.
Sensory Neurotization of the Ulnar Nerve, Surgical Techniques and Functional Outcomes: A Review
Authors: Nguyễn Mỹ-Vân , Pierrart Jérôme , Crenn Vincent
Published: March 2022

When ulnar nerve lesions happen above the wrist level, sensation recovery after acute repair or nerve grafting is often challenging. Distal sensory nerve transfers may be an option for overcoming these sequelae. However, little data has been published on this topic. This study aims to review the surgical procedures currently proposed, along with their functional results. Six donor nerves have been described at the wrist level: the palmar branch of the median nerve, the cutaneous branch of the median nerve to the palm with or without fascicles of the ulnar digital nerve of the index finger, the posterior interosseous nerve, the third palmar digital nerve, the radial branch of the superficial radial nerve, the median nerve, and the fascicule for the third web space. Three donor nerves have been reported at the hand level: the ulnar digital nerves of the index, and the radial or ulnar digital nerves of the long finger. Three target sites were used: the superficial branch of the ulnar nerve, the dorsal branch of the ulnar nerve, and the ulnar digital branch of the fifth digit. All the technical points have been illustrated with anatomical dissection pictures. After assessing sensory recovery using the British Medical Research Council scale, a majority of excellent recoveries scaled S3+ or S4 have been reported in the targeted territory for each technique.
Sensory Thresholds and Peripheral Nerve Responses in Chronic Tension-Type Headache and Neuropsychological Correlation
Authors: Romero-Godoy Rosalinda , Romero-Godoy Sara Raquel , Romero-Acebal Manuel , Gutiérrez-Bedmar Mario
Published: March 2022

Chronic tension-type headache (CTTH) is a common disease with no fully defined pathophysiological processes. We designed a study to value electrophysiological responses in these patients and their correlation with possible psychopathological manifestations in order to deepen understanding of central and peripheral mechanisms of CTTH. In 40 patients with CTTH and 40 healthy controls, we used electrical stimulation to determine sensory threshold (SPT) and pain perception threshold (PPT) and the characteristics of the electrophysiological sensory nerve action potential (SNAP): initial sensory response (ISR) and supramaximal response (SMR). We then calculated the intensity differences between thresholds (IDT), namely SPT-PPT, ISR-SMR and SMR-PPT, and correlated these IDTs with psychological characteristics: trait and state anxiety, depression, and emotional regulation. The SPT, together with the ISR and SMR thresholds, were higher (p < 0.01) in CTTH patients. The SMR-PPT IDT was smaller and correlated with significantly higher indicators of depression, state and trait anxiety, and poorer cognitive reappraisal. CTTH patients have less capacity to recognize non-nociceptive sensory stimuli, greater tendency toward pain facilitation, and a poor central pain control requiring higher stimulation intensity thresholds to reach the start and the peak amplitude of the SNAP. This is consistent with relative hypoexcitability of the Aβ nerve fibers in distant regions from the site of pain, and therefore, it could be considered a generalized dysfunction with a focal expression. Pain facilitation is directly associated with psychological comorbidity.
Endoscopic Combined Intrarenal Surgery Versus Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy for Complex Renal Stones: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Liu Yung-Hao , Jhou Hong-Jie , Chou Meng-Han , Wu Sheng-Tang , Cha Tai-Lung , Yu Dah-Shyong , Sun Guang-Huan , Chen Po-Huang , Meng En
Published: March 2022

Background: Endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery (ECIRS) adds ureteroscopic vision to percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), which can be helpful when dealing with complex renal stones. Yet, there is still no consensus on the superiority of ECIRS. We aimed to critically analyze the available evidence of studies comparing efficacy, safety, bleeding risk, and efficiency of ECIRS and PCNL. Methods: We searched for studies comparing efficacy (initial and final stone-free rate), safety (postoperative fever, overall and severe complications), efficiency (operative time and hospital stay) and bleeding risk between ECIRS and PCNL. Meta-analysis was performed. Results: Seven studies (919 patients) were identified. ECIRS provided a significantly higher initial stone-free rate, higher final stone-free rate, lower overall complications, lower severe complications, and lower rate of requiring blood transfusion. There was no difference between the two groups in terms of postoperative fever, hemoglobin drop, operative time, and hospital stay. In the subgroup analysis, both minimally invasive and conventional ECIRS were associated with a higher stone-free rate and lower complication outcomes. Conclusions: When treating complex renal stones, ECIRS has a better stone-free rate, fewer complications, and requires fewer blood transfusions compared with PCNL. Subgroups either with minimally invasive or conventional intervention showed a consistent trend.
Pooled Analysis of Complications with Transvenous ICD Compared to Subcutaneous ICD in Patients with Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Arrhythmia
Authors: Eckert Henrik , El-Battrawy Ibrahim , Veith Michael , Roterberg Gretje , Kowitz Jacqueline , Lang Siegfried , Zhou Xiaobo , Akin Ibrahim , Mügge Andreas , Aweimer Assem
Published: March 2022

Background: Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is associated with arrhythmic events which may lead to sudden cardiac death (SCD). A leading therapy for CPVT besides medical treatment with beta-blockers is the use of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). For this paper we compared data from a pooled analysis to get further evidence about the complications of transvenous and subcutaneous ICDs. Methods: We gathered data from a search of PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and Cinahl. For our analysis, we chose 30 studies with a total number of 784 patients. We compared the data regarding complications caused by different ICD device types. Results: During a mean follow up of 38.9 months for the patients with ICD implantation (n = 337), data showed a complication rate of 101 (30%). A total of 330 (98%) of them received a transvenous-ICD (T-ICD) and 7 (2%) a subcutaneous-ICD (S-ICD). A total of 97 (29.4%) of the T-ICD patients and 4 (57.1%) of the S-ICD patients had at least one complication. Of the 234 complications that occurred in T-ICD patients 152 (65%) were inappropriate shocks due to supraventricular arrhythmias, T/R-wave oversensing or electrode defect, 26 (11.1%) lead fracture/failure, 1 (0.4%) electrode defect, 46 were (19.7%) events of electrical storms, 1 (0.4%) thromboembolic event, 2 (0.8%) cases of endocarditis and 6 (2.6%) infections of the ICD-pocket. Ten (100%) of the complications for the four patients with the S-ICD were an event of an inappropriate shock due to supraventricular arrhythmias, T/R-wave oversensing or electrode defect. Conclusion: Subcutaneous ICDs (S-ICD) show a certain advantage over T-ICDs regarding lead-related complications. Nevertheless, they still show problems with inappropriate shocks and other ICD related complications. Therefore, a case-by-case decision is advised, but the continuous improvement of S-ICD might make it an overall advantageous therapy option in the future.
The Maintained Glycemic Target Goal and Renal Function Are Associated with Cardiovascular and Renal Outcomes in Diabetic Patients Following Stent-Supported Angioplasty for Renovascular Atherosclerotic Disease
Authors: Badacz Rafał , Kabłak-Ziembicka Anna , Rosławiecka Agnieszka , Rzeźnik Daniel , Baran Jakub , Trystuła Mariusz , Legutko Jacek , Przewłocki Tadeusz
Published: March 2022

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) constitute a large proportion of patients with atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (ARAS). However, the mechanism of impaired renal function and hypertension in this subset of patients is multifactorial. We aimed to investigate whether, in diabetic patients, renal function (RF), systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) values following stent-supported angioplasty (PTA) for ARAS have an impact on cardiovascular and renal outcomes. Methods: The study group included 93 patients with T2DM and resistant hypertension who underwent PTA for ARAS. The pre- and post-procedure (6 to 12, and 24 months) values of SBP, DBP, eGFR and glycaemia were obtained. The prospective follow-up of median 44 months was performed for combined outcome: major cardiac and cerebral events (MACCE) and progression to renal replacement therapy (RRT). Results: MACCE-RRT occurred in 46 (49.5%) patients, with higher incidence in patients with higher values of SBP (147.8 ± 25.8 vs. 136.7 ± 15.8 mmHg, p = 0.006), DBP (80.8 ± 13.3 vs. 74.4 ± 12.3 mmHg, p = 0.009), chronic kidney disease in stages 3B to 5 (p = 0.029) and those who have not obtained target glycemic goals compared to well-maintained T2DM (p = 0.007) at 24-months. On multivariate Cox analysis, well-maintained T2DM targets [Hazard Ratio (HR):0.27; 95% Confidence Interval (CI):0.13–0.57; p < 0.001], eGFR below 45 mL/min/m2 (HR: 2.20; 95%CI: 1.20–4.04; p = 0.011), previous stroke (HR:2.52; 95%CI:1.19–5.34; p = 0.015) retained their associations with MACCE-RRT, while BP values were not associated with the outcome. Conclusions: The post-procedural RF, maintained glycemic target goal and previous stroke are vital for the outcome in patients undergoing PTA for renovascular disease in diabetic patients.
The Effects of Carbon Emissions and Agency Costs on Firm Performance
Authors: Houqe Muhammad Nurul , Opare Solomon , Zahir-ul-Hassan Muhammad Kaleem , Ahmed Kamran
Published: March 2022

Carbon emissions and agency costs can have an impact on firms’ financial performance. However, limited attention has been paid to the combined and gradual effects of these two factors on firms’ performance. We explore the separate and combined effects of carbon emissions and agency costs on firms’ financial performance by utilizing data from 2323 US firms that disclosed their environmental information to CDP from 2007 to 2016. The results indicate that firms with higher carbon emissions experience lower performance as the market reacts negatively. Further, firms with both higher carbon emissions and higher agency costs have lower performance. We also investigated year-on-year change in firm performance and found that, keeping agency costs constant, a change in carbon emissions leads to lower performance. Overall, the findings suggest that when the market responds negatively to firms’ environmental decisions, high agency costs exacerbate the adverse effect of high carbon emissions on firm performance.
The Impact of ESG Ratings on the Systemic Risk of European Blue-Chip Firms
Authors: Eratalay Mustafa , Cortés Ángel Ariana
Published: March 2022

There are diverging results in the literature on whether engaging in ESG related activities increases or decreases the financial and systemic risks of firms. In this study, we explore whether maintaining higher ESG ratings reduces the systemic risks of firms in a stock market context. For this purpose we analyse the systemic risk indicators of the constituent stocks of S&P Europe 350 for the period of January 2016–September 2020, which also partly covers the COVID-19 period. We apply a VAR-MGARCH model to extract the volatilities and correlations of the return shocks of these stocks. Then, we obtain the systemic risk indicators by applying a principle components approach to the estimated volatilities and correlations. Our focus is on the impact of ESG ratings on systemic risk indicators, while we consider network centralities, volatilities and financial performance ratios as control variables. We use fixed effects and OLS methods for our regressions. Our results indicate that (1) the volatility of a stock’s returns and its centrality measures in the stock network are the main sources contributing to the systemic risk measure, (2) firms with higher ESG ratings face up to 7.3% less systemic risk contribution and exposure compared to firms with lower ESG ratings and (3) COVID-19 augmented the partial effects of volatility, centrality measures and some financial performance ratios. When considering only the COVID-19 period, we find that social and governance factors have statistically significant impacts on systemic risk.
Variation in Spanish /s/: Overview and New Perspectives
Authors: Núñez-Méndez Eva
Published: March 2022

The natural tendency for language variation, intensified by Spanish’s territorial growth, has driven sibilant changes and mergers across the Spanish-speaking world. This article aims to present an overview of the most significant processes undergone by sibilant /s/ in various Spanish-speaking areas: devoicing, weakening, aspiration, elision, and voicing. Geographically based phonetic variations, sociolinguistic factors, and Spanish language contact situations are considered in this study. The sibilant merger and its chronological development in modern Spanish, along with geographic expansion, have resulted in multiple contemporary dialectal variations. This historical lack of stability in these sounds has marked modern regional variations. Tracing and framing the sibilants’ geo-linguistic features has received much attention from scholars, resulting in sibilants being one of the most studied variables in Spanish phonetics. In this article, we provide a concise approach that offers the reader an updated sociolinguistic view of the modern cross-dialectal realizations of /s/. It is essential to study sibilant development to describe Spanish dialects, the differences between Transatlantic and Castilian varieties, and the speech features found in Spanish speaking communities in the Americas. Examining sibilance from different approaches with a representative variety of Spanish dialects as examples advances the importance of sociolinguistic phenomena to index language changes.
How and When to Sign “Hey!” Socialization into Grammar in Z, a 1st Generation Family Sign Language from Mexico
Authors: Haviland John B.
Published: March 2022

“Z” is a young sign language developing in a family whose hearing members speak Tzotzil (Mayan). Three deaf siblings, together with an intervening hearing sister and a hearing niece, formed the original cohort of signing adults. A hearing son of the original signer became the first native signer of a second generation. Z provides evidence for a classic grammaticalization chain linking a sign requesting attention (HEY1) to a pragmatic turn-initiating particle (HEY2), which signals a new utterance or change of topic. Such an emergent grammatical particle linked to the pragmatic exigencies of communication is a primordial example of emergent grammar. The chapter presents the stages in the son’s language socialization and acquisition of HEY1 and HEY2, starting at 11 months, through his subsequent bilingual development in both Z and Tzotzil, jointly deploying other communicative modalities such as gaze and touch. It proposes a series of stages leading, by 4 years of age, to his understanding of the complex sequential structure that using the sign involves. Acquiring pragmatic signs such as HEY in Z demonstrates how the grammar of a language, including an emergent sign language, is built upon the practices of a language community and the basic expected parameters of local social life.
Impact of Phosphatic Nutrition on Growth Parameters and Artemisinin Production in Artemisia annua Plants Inoculated or Not with Funneliformis mosseae
Authors: Todeschini Valeria , Anastasia Flavio , Massa Nadia , Marsano Francesco , Cesaro Patrizia , Bona Elisa , Gamalero Elisa , Oddi Ludovica , Lingua Guido
Published: March 2022

Artemisia annua L. is a medicinal plant appreciated for the production of artemisinin, a molecule used for malaria treatment. However, the natural concentration of artemisinin in planta is low. Plant nutrition, in particular phosphorus, and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi can affect both plant biomass and secondary metabolite production. In this work, A. annua plants were ino- culated or not with the AM fungus Funneliformis mosseae BEG12 and cultivated for 2 months in controlled conditions at three different phosphatic (P) concentrations (32, 96, and 288 µM). Plant growth parameters, leaf photosynthetic pigment concentrations, artemisinin production, and mineral uptake were evaluated. The different P levels significantly affected the plant shoot growth, AM fungal colonization, and mineral acquisition. High P levels negatively influenced mycorrhizal colonization. The artemisinin concentration was inversely correlated to the P level in the substrate. The fungus mainly affected root growth and nutrient uptake and significantly lowered leaf artemisinin concentration. In conclusion, P nutrition can influence plant biomass production and the lowest phosphate level led to the highest artemisinin concentration, irrespective of the plant mineral uptake. Plant responses to AM fungi can be modulated by cost–benefit ratios of the mutualistic exchange between the partners and soil nutrient availability.
Investigation of the Difference in the Pulse Current in the Double Pulsed Gas Metal Arc Welding of Aluminum Alloys
Authors: Jin Li , Yang Yuqing , Yao Ping , Chen Wenshi , Qian Zhiqiu , Xue Jiaxiang
Published: March 2022

In this paper, a double pulse gas metal arc welding (DP-GMAW) for an AA6061-T6 aluminum alloy based on fewer basic welding parameters than the traditional DP-GMAW is proposed. This study compared the difference in pulse base currents (ΔIb) and the difference in the pulse peak currents (ΔIp) by analyzing the electrical signal and morphology properties of welded samples. The results indicated that changing ΔIp caused welding defects or even welding failure easily. The welding stability after changing ΔIb was much better than that after changing ΔIp. The individual fish-scale width of the weld joint remained unchanged when  ΔIb was at different values. In addition, the average absorbed work, tensile strength, yield strength and elongation of the weld joints obtained by different ΔIb values reached 31.1%, 60.2%, 52.9% and 37.9% of the base metal, respectively.
Osteosarcoma MRI Image-Assisted Segmentation System Base on Guided Aggregated Bilateral Network
Authors: Shen Yedong , Gou Fangfang , Dai Zhehao
Published: March 2022

Osteosarcoma is a primary malignant tumor. It is difficult to cure and expensive to treat. Generally, diagnosis is made by analyzing MRI images of patients. In the process of clinical diagnosis, the mainstream method is the still time-consuming and laborious manual screening. Modern computer image segmentation technology can realize the automatic processing of the original image of osteosarcoma and assist doctors in diagnosis. However, to achieve a better effect of segmentation, the complexity of the model is relatively high, and the hardware conditions in developing countries are limited, so it is difficult to use it directly. Based on this situation, we propose an osteosarcoma aided segmentation method based on a guided aggregated bilateral network (OSGABN), which improves the segmentation accuracy of the model and greatly reduces the parameter scale, effectively alleviating the above problems. The fast bilateral segmentation network (FaBiNet) is used to segment images. It is a high-precision model with a detail branch that captures low-level information and a lightweight semantic branch that captures high-level semantic context. We used more than 80,000 osteosarcoma MRI images from three hospitals in China for detection, and the results showed that our model can achieve an accuracy of around 0.95 and a params of 2.33 M.
Impact of Stratum Composition Changes on the Accuracy of the Estimates in a Sample Survey
Authors: Krapavickaitė Danutė
Published: March 2022

The study is devoted to measuring the impact of the element changes on the bias and variance of the estimator of the total in a sample business survey. Stratified simple random sampling is usually used in business surveys. Enterprises may join, split or change the stratum between sample selection and data collection. Assuming a model for enterprises joining and a model for the enterprises changing the stratum with some probability, expressions for the adjusted estimators of the total and the adjusted estimators of their variances are proposed. The influence of the enterprise changes on the variances of the estimators of the total is measured by the relative differences, i.e., by comparing them with the estimators, if there were no changes. The analytic results are illustrated with a simulation study using modified enterprise data. The simulation results demonstrate a large impact of the enterprise changes on the accuracy of the estimates, even in the case of the low probability of changes. The simulation results justify the need for adjustment of the enterprise changes between the sample selection and data collection, in order to improve the accuracy of results and the adjustment method available.
On the Numbers of Particles in Cells in an Allocation Scheme Having an Even Number of Particles in Each Cell
Authors: Chuprunov Alexey Nikolaevich , Fazekas István
Published: March 2022

We consider the usual random allocation model of distinguishable particles into distinct cells in the case when there are an even number of particles in each cell. For inhomogeneous allocations, we study the numbers of particles in the first K cells. We prove that, under some conditions, this K-dimensional random vector with centralised and normalised coordinates converges in distribution to the K-dimensional standard Gaussian law. We obtain both local and integral versions of this limit theorem. The above limit theorem implies a χ2 limit theorem which leads to a χ2-test. The parity bit method does not detect even numbers of errors in binary files; therefore, our model can be applied to describe the distribution of errors in those files. For the homogeneous allocation model, we obtain a limit theorem when both the number of particles and the number of cells tend to infinity. In that case, we prove convergence to the finite dimensional distributions of the Brownian bridge. This result also implies a χ2-test. To handle the mathematical problem, we insert our model into the framework of Kolchin’s generalized allocation scheme.
A New Hybrid Synchronization PLL Scheme for Interconnecting Renewable Energy Sources to an Abnormal Electric Grid
Authors: Alturki Mansoor , Abbassi Rabeh , Albaker Abdullah , Jerbi Houssem
Published: March 2022

Today, and especially with the growing interest in distributed renewable energy sources (DRESs), modern electric power systems are becoming more and more complex. In order to increase DRES penetration, grid side converter (GSC) control techniques require appropriate synchronization algorithms that are able to detect the grid voltage status as fast and accurately as possible. The drawbacks of the published synchronization phase-locked loop (PLL) techniques were structured mainly around the slow dynamic responses, the inaccuracy of extracting the fundamental components of the grid voltages when they contain a DC offset, and the worsening of the imbalance rejection ability facing significant frequency changing. This paper proposes a new synchronization PLL technique ensuring efficient and reliable integration of DRESs under normal, abnormal, and harmonically distorted grid conditions. The proposed PLL uses the mixed second- and third-order generalized integrator (MSTOGI) in the prefiltering stage through its adaptability to power quality and numerous grid conditions and its low sensitivity to input DC and inter-harmonics. Moreover, a modified quasi type-1 PLL (MQT1-PLL), which integrates two compensation blocks for phase and amplitude errors, respectively, has been used in the control loop. The discussion of sizing requirements and the effectiveness of the so-called MSTOGI-MQT1-PLL are tested under grid voltage imbalances and distortions and confirmed through simulation results compared to double second-order generalized integrator PLL (DSOGI-PLL), cascaded delayed signal cancellation PLL (CDSC-PLL), and multiple delayed-signal cancellation PLL (MDSC-PLL).
Effect of Transient Thermal Conditions on Columnar-to-Equiaxed Transition during Laser Welding: A Phase-Field Study
Authors: Guo Lingyu , Han Chu , Ren Liangyuan , Yang Wen , Yin Annan
Published: March 2022

The columnar-to-equiaxed transition (CET) is commonly observed in laser welds. It is able to prevent the growth of large columnar grains and consequently improve the mechanical properties of welded joints. In this paper, the CET behaviors at different locations in the laser weld of an Al–Mg alloy are observed experimentally and studied systematically. In order to describe the dynamic CET behaviors, an integrated phase-field (PF) model coupled with transient thermal conditions and a Gaussian heterogeneous nucleation model is developed. Investigations on columnar growth under steady conditions are performed first. In particular, the effects of thermal conditions, i.e., solidification rate and temperature gradient, on the constitutionally undercooled degree and region ahead of the solidification front are quantitatively studied. In a laser weld, it is found that the CET behaviors vary significantly along the thickness direction. Our PF simulation results indicate that the CET depends strongly on the locally transient thermal conditions in the fusion zone. The transient thermal conditions affect CET behaviors by dynamically adjusting the constitutionally undercooled degree and region during the solidification process. The predicted CET behaviors under transient conditions exhibit reasonably good agreements with corresponding experimental results.
Study on the Grinding Kinetics and Magnetic Separation of Low-Grade Vanadiferous Titanomagnetite Concentrate
Authors: Liu Jinsheng , Xing Zhenxing , Cheng Gongjin , Xue Xiangxin , Ding Xueyong
Published: March 2022

In recent years, a low-grade vanadiferous titanomagnetite concentrate (LVTC) produced in the northwest area of Liaoning has attracted more and more attention. However, it is difficult to recover and utilize valuable minerals such as iron, titanium, and vanadium, due to their special physical and chemical properties and complex mineral composition. Grinding and magnetic separation are two important operational units for recovering valuable metal components from vanadiferous titanomagnetite. Therefore, the grinding kinetics of the LVTC in northwestern Liaoning were first studied by means of grinding kinetics equations in this paper. The results show that the grinding process of LVTC is consistent with the grinding kinetics equation, and the sieve residues of particles approached a constant value after grinding for 30 min, resulting from equilibrium between the fragmentation and agglomeration processes. In addition, equivalent particle size (EPS) and specific surface area (SSA) were linearly proportional to the double logarithm of grinding time, and the correlation coefficients for fitted data by the Rosin–Rammler–Bennet (RRB) model were slightly higher than those by the Swebrec model, and could reflect the dispersibility and uniformity of particle size distribution (PSD) quantitatively. Then, the grinding products were separated by magnetic separation, and the influence of grinding conditions on the grade and recovery ratio of Fe and TiO2 in the LVTC was analyzed. As a result, grinding time has a significant impact on the recovery ratio and grade of Fe and TiO2 during the magnetic separation process, and the LVTC grinding duration is not as prolonged as it might be, as the optimal grinding time is 20 min. Titanomagnetite, ilmenite, and titanite are still the predominant phases in all magnetic separation products at optimal grinding time, but the intensity or content of these three minerals varies between magnetic separation products, and 232 kA/m magnetic field intensity has a higher separation efficiency than 134 kA/m magnetic field intensity.