bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Constraining new physics in entangled two-qubit systems: top-quark, tau-lepton and photon pairs
Authors: Fabbrichesi Marco , Floreanini Roberto , Gabrielli Emidio
Published: February 2023

The measurement of quantum entanglement can provide a new and most sensitive probe to physics beyond the Standard Model. We use the concurrence of the top-quark pair spin states produced at colliders to constrain the magnetic dipole term in the coupling between top quark and gluons, that of $$\tau $$
τ
-lepton pair spin states to bound contact interactions and that of $$\tau $$
τ
-lepton pairs or two-photons spin states from the decay of the Higgs boson in trying to distinguish between CP-even and odd couplings. These four examples show the power of the new approach as well as its limitations. We show that differences in the entanglement in the top-quark and $$\tau $$
τ
-lepton pair production cross sections can provide constraints better than those previously estimated from total cross sections or classical correlations. Instead, the final states in the decays of the Higgs boson remain maximally entangled even in the presence of CP-odd couplings and cannot be used to set bounds on new physics. We discuss the violation of Bell inequalities featured in all four processes.
Photodissociation of small group-14 atomic clusters in a multi-reflection time-of-flight mass spectrometer
Authors: Fischer Paul , Giesel Paul F. , Schweikhard Lutz
Published: February 2023

Cationic and anionic clusters of the group-14 elements carbon, silicon, germanium, tin, and lead are produced by high-vacuum laser ablation and studied with a multi-reflection time-of-flight mass spectrometer. In-trap photodissociation is performed for cluster species in the size range $$n =$$

n
=

2–10. The clusters’ production rates as well as their dissociation pathways are used to probe the nonmetal–metal transition throughout the group. Carbon clusters show neutral-trimer break-off, while those of the other elements evaporate neutral monomers and, in some cases, form specific charged fragment sizes.

Graphic abstract
Integrated atmospheric microplasma with ultrasonic spray pyrolysis deposition of aluminum-doped zinc oxide
Authors: Shi Shih-Chen , Huang Po-Wei , Wang Chih-Chia , Chen Tao-Hsing
Published: February 2023

Aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) has electrical conductivity and visible light transmittance similar to those of indium tin oxide that is used in modern display devices at a lower price. Thus, many studies regarded it as an alternative material for transparent conductive oxide coating. This study has integrated atmospheric microplasma with an ultrasonic spray pyrolysis deposition system to prepare economically and rapidly AZO using zinc chloride and aluminum chloride as precursors. The low electrical resistivity of the coating prepared in this system is proposed to be due to free radicals and reactive oxygen. They are generated by the atmospheric plasma that is adsorbed to the layer, thereby decreasing oxygen vacancy and free carrier concentration. Vacuum annealing heat treatment was used to improve the properties of the coating; the resistivity of argon-annealed AZO was [Formula: see text]–cm with 80% transmittance, thus meeting the transparent conducting oxide requirements.
甲午战争后朝鲜华商同顺泰商业策略的转变 (1895–1905)
Authors: 冯 国林
Published: February 2023

甲午战争后，在朝鲜的华商经营环境日益恶化，在严重危机下接受多重挑战。首先，在面对日本势力直接干预的同时，也需应付朝鲜国内日益高涨的反华民族主义情绪。其次，来自本国山东帮的激烈竞争也带来不少经营上的压力。为适应战后严峻的环境，同顺泰经营的多元化及本地化趋势加强，开始插手金融和房地产行业。随着镇南浦、群山等地的开港通商，同顺泰在这些地区大量购置地产，或出租土地，或建房出租。除了经营商品类型的多元变通外，同顺泰还扩大放贷的规模。当日本完全吞并朝鲜后，华商的营业环境更为恶化，但随着城市人口的急剧增加，朝鲜国内对住房的需求也日益扩大，购置大量房产为同顺泰经营者谭杰生积聚了大笔财富，使同顺泰的资本规模能在短时间内迅速扩展。
“上海化” 的中国国货运动： 粤港视角下1930年代国民政府的经济民族主义与南洋贸易
Authors: 郭 慧英
Published: February 2023

本文以“经济民族主义” （economic nationalism） 的概念，从台北国史馆、香港历史档案馆、新加坡国立大学图书馆和台湾中央研究院所收集的南京国民政府档案和星、港、粤三地国货运动的纪录，分析 1929 到 1936 年之间宁粤对立的政治背景对南京国民政府国货运动的影响。广东在陈济棠的治理下，工业资本家寻求与香港华资制造业合作、以新加坡为基地向南洋拓展市场，亦因此与上海制造业形成竞争关系。 1936 年夏，陈济棠下野后，南京政府推动以上海为中心的各省国货公司组织，试图把广东的消费整合到中央政府的产销规划里。这是南京方面的官式民族主义 “重沪轻粤” 的历史基础。如此，中国国货运动强化了中央政权对贸易活动的管控，却助长了国内各政治派系的倾轧，并分化了跨国商业网络形成自发性公共空间的潜力。
从中山到海外
Authors: 温 柏坚
Published: February 2023

黎志刚教授的学术研究见著于中国近代经济史研究，倾向于近代企业和商人，他对香山（中山）侨乡、香山商人、海外香山商人网络等方面的研究，都可说是他对华侨史研究中的学术成就。香山虽然地处广东一隅，但因邻近澳门和香港而得西方现代化风气之先。艰难的生活条件和海外关系网使得中山人离乡别井，孕育他们的 “冒险”精神，逐渐形成所谓的进取的商业传统，令中山商人扬名于中外商界。血缘和宗族关系推动中山华侨在世界各地建立起坚韧的商业网络，马应彪和郭氏兄弟更是在回国投资后建成自己的商业王朝，影响遍及香港及中国大地。中山商人善于把海外的管理概念和营商技巧带回中国，为中国的经济和社会现代化作出了重大贡献。
The importance of facies, grain size and clay content in controlling fluvial reservoir quality – an example from the Triassic Skagerrak Formation, Central North Sea, UK
Authors: Aro Oluwafemi E. , Jones Stuart J. , Meadows Neil S. , Gluyas Jon , Charlaftis Dimitrios
Published: February 2023

Clay-coated grains play an important role in preserving reservoir quality in high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) sandstone reservoirs. Previous studies have shown that the completeness of coverage of clay coats effectively inhibits quartz cementation. However, the main factors controlling the extent of coverage remain controversial. This research sheds light on the influence of different depositional processes and hydrodynamics on clay-coat coverage and reservoir quality evolution. Detailed petrographic analysis of core samples from the Triassic fluvial Skagerrak Formation, Central North Sea, identified that channel facies offer the best reservoir quality; however, this varies as a function of depositional energy, grain size and clay content. Due to their coarser grain size and lower clay content, high-energy channel sandstones have higher permeabilities (100–1150 mD) than low-energy channel sandstones (<100 mD). Porosity is preserved due to grain-coating clays, with clay-coat coverage correlating with grain size, clay-coat volume and quartz cement. Higher coverage (70–98%) occurs in finer-grained, low-energy channel sandstones. In contrast, lower coverage (<50%) occurs in coarser-grained, high-energy channel sandstones. Quartz cement modelling showed a clear correlation between available quartz surface area and quartz cement volume. Although high-energy channel sandstones have better reservoir quality, they present moderate quartz overgrowths due to lesser coat coverage, and are thus prone to allowing further quartz cementation and porosity loss in ultra-deep HPHT settings. Conversely, low-energy channel sandstones containing moderate amounts of clay occurring as clay coats are more likely to preserve porosity in ultra-deep HPHT settings and form viable reservoirs for exploration.

Supplementary material:
of data and technique used in this study are available at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6438450
Matrix Quantization and LPC Vocoder Based Linear Predictive for Low-Resource Speech Recognition system
Authors: Bhatia Surbhi , Kumar Ankit , Reddy Thippa , Varshney Neeraj , Basheer Shakila
Published: February 2023

Over the last ten years, there has been significant progress in the use of low-rate speech coders in voice applications for computers, military communications, and civil communications. This advancement has been made possible by the development of new speech coders that can generate high-quality speech at low data rates. The majority of existing coders include spectral representation of speech, speech waveform matching, and ”optimization” of the coder’s performance for human hearing. The goal of this paper is to provide a thorough evaluation of voice coding methods for educational purposes, with a particular emphasis on the algorithms used in low-rate cellular communication standards. The algorithm we developed using a voice-excited LPC vocoder produces clear, low-distortion results. Ordinary LPCs, on the other hand, fall short of vocoders because they can handle signals other than speech, such as music. To improve quality, additional bandwidth is used to reduce the bit rate. To improve the quality, we tried two approaches. The first was to increase the number of bits required to quantize the DCT coefficients. This coefficient would outperform the inverse DCT in closer error rearrangements. The second possibility is to increase the total number of quantized coefficients. As a result, error array rearrangements would be more accurate. The goal is to identify the point at which a method improvement outperforms the previous, better result. Other coding methods become more complex, but this vocoder suffices.
Construction of a Novel Diagnostic Model Based on Ferroptosis-Related Genes for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using Machine and Deep Learning Methods
Authors: Yi Shiming , Zhang Chunlei , Li Ming , Wang Jiafeng
Published: February 2023

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most general malignant tumors. Ferroptosis, a type of necrotic cell death that is oxidative and iron-dependent, has a strong correlation with the development of tumors and the progression of cancer. The present study was designed to identify potential diagnostic Ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) using machine learning. From GEO datasets, two publicly available gene expression profiles (GSE65372 and GSE84402) from HCC and nontumor tissues were retrieved. The GSE65372 database was used to screen for FRGs with differential expression between HCC cases and nontumor specimens. Following this, a pathway enrichment analysis of FRGs was carried out. In order to locate potential biomarkers, an analysis using the support vector machine recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) model and the LASSO regression model were carried out. The levels of the novel biomarkers were validated further using data from the GSE84402 dataset and the TCGA datasets. In this study, 40 of 237 FRGs exhibited a dysregulated level between HCC specimens and nontumor specimens from GSE65372, including 27 increased and 13 decreased genes. The results of KEGG assays indicated that the 40 differential expressed FRGs were mainly enriched in the longevity regulating pathway, AMPK signaling pathway, the mTOR signaling pathway, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Subsequently, HSPB1, CDKN2A, LPIN1, MTDH, DCAF7, TRIM26, PIR, BCAT2, EZH2, and ADAMTS13 were identified as potential diagnostic biomarkers. ROC assays confirmed the diagnostic value of the new model. The expression of some FRGs among 11 FRGs was further confirmed by the GSE84402 dataset and TCGA datasets. Overall, our findings provided a novel diagnostic model using FRGs. Prior to its application in a clinical context, there is a need for additional research to evaluate the diagnostic value for HCC.
Circulating the HLA-DR+ T Cell Ratio Is a Prognostic Factor for Recurrence of Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Curative Surgery
Authors: Gao Rui-Qian , Sun Jing-Han , Ma Yong-Hui , Xie Yu-Wei , Shao Guan-Ming , Wang Cong , Tan Bin , Liu Kui , Li Kun , Li Na , Hu Wei-Yu , Cao Jingyu
Published: February 2023

Background. HLA-DR+ T cell, accounting for 1.2%–5.8% of peripheral lymphocyte, is a type of activated T lymphocyte. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of HLA-DR+ T cell for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients after curative surgery. Patients and Methods. Clinicopathological data of 192 patients who underwent curative resection for hepatocellular carcinoma in the affiliated hospital of Qingdao University between January 2013 and December 2021 were collected and analyzed. Statistical tests used in this study were the chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test. The prognostic value of the HLA-DR+ T cell ratio was analyzed using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. The Kaplan–Meier curves were drawn by the R programming language. Results. HCC patients were divided into high (≥5.8%) and low (<5.8%) HLADR+ T cell ratio groups. Cox regression analysis indicated that a high HLA-DR+ T cell ratio was positively related to the PFS in HCC patients (

P
=
0.003

) and AFP-positive (≥20 ng/ml) HCC patients (

P
=
0.020

). HCC patients and AFP-positive HCC patients in the high HLA-DR+ T cell ratio group were prone to have a higher T cell ratio, a higher CD8+T cell ratio, and a lower B cell ratio than the low HLA-DR+ T cell ratio group. However, the HLA-DR+ T cell ratio was not a statistically significant predictor for OS in HCC patients (

P
=
0.57

) as well as PFS (

P
=
0.088

) and OS (

P
=
0.63

) in AFP-negative HCC patients. Conclusions. This study confirmed that the HLA-DR+ T cell ratio was a significant predictor of PFS in HCC patients and AFP-positive HCC patients after curative surgery. This association may have guiding significance for the follow-up work of HCC patients after surgery.
Inverse Matrix Problem in Regression for High‐Dimensional Data Sets
Authors: Shakeel Namra , Mehmood Tahir
Published: February 2023

Forhigh‐dimensional chemometric data, the inverse matrix problem in regression models is a difficulty. Multicollinearity and identification result from the inverse matrix problem. The usage of the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and partial least squares are two existing ways of dealing with the inverse matrix problem (PLS). For regressing the chemometric data sets, we used extended inverse and beta cube regression. The existing and proposed methods are compared over near‐infrared spectra of biscuit dough and Raman spectra analysis of contents of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). For reliable estimation, Monte Carlo cross‐validation has been used. The proposed methods outperform based on the root mean square error, indicating that cube regression and inverse regression are reliable and can be used for diverse high‐dimensional data sets.
A Prospective Study on the Local Injection of Glucocorticoid and Gentamicin for Treating Ingrown Nails
Authors: Wang Xiao-qing , Jiang Jia-yi , Liu Meng-xi , Liu Zhen-ru , Li Fang , Huang Shu-dai , Wong Hoi Shiwn , Wang Da-guang
Published: February 2023

Background. Ingrown nails are a type of nonspecific inflammation of nail folds. Intralesional injection is a rarely reported nonsurgical therapy for ingrown nails. Objective. To observe the efficacy of treating ingrown nails with intralesional injection, and to evaluate at which stage ingrown nails are applicable for this therapy. Methods. Ingrown nails were randomly divided into treatment (n = 87) and control (n = 37) groups. The treatment group received local injections combined with basic nursing, whereas the control group was only treated with basic nursing. Patients were followed up at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after the first treatment. Results. A statistically significant difference of the efficacy rates was observed between the two groups (P < 0.05). The overall satisfaction rate was 83.91% in the treatment group and 64.86% in the control group (P = 0.019). Conclusion. Intralesional injection is an effective therapy for ingrown nails, especially in the short term. This therapy is more applicable for Martinez‐Nova stage I and IIA ingrown nails and can be used as a symptomatic treatment to relieve the acute inflammation of ingrown nails at stages IIB, III, and IV.
Analysis of Charcoal Producers Perceptions of Its Production, Forest Degradation, and Governance in Wolaita, Southern Ethiopia’s Dry Afromontane Forests
Authors: Hido Alemayehu , Teka Abebe , Alemayehu Asabeneh
Published: February 2023

The purpose of this study was to assess charcoal producers’ perceptions of forest degradation and investigate governance in the dry Afromontane forests of Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia. It also examines the socioeconomic contribution of charcoal production to livelihood improvement and the effect of charcoal production on forest degradation and biodiversity loss. Three Kebeles (smallest administrative subunits): Galda, Sere Esho, and Mancha Gugara were purposely selected based on their potential for charcoal production. Semistructured questionnaires were used for household surveys, while checklists were provided for the key informants and focus group discussions. From the total 4,739 charcoal producer households in the selected Kebeles, 98 households were randomly selected and interviewed considering time and budget limitations. Besides, 6 key informant interviews with elders, forestry experts, and farmers and 3 focus group discussions were conducted. A simple descriptive statistical tool was used to analyze descriptive statistical data and chi-square at

P
<
0.05

was used to describe the association of forest degradation with socioeconomic characteristics. The findings reveal that charcoal production is dominated by males (68.4%) compared to females, who were within the age range of 20‒43 years. About 59.18% did not attend any formal education and 18.37% attended elementary education. Charcoal production (32.7%) is second, following agricultural expansion (39.8%) in its negative contribution to forest degradation. The majority (76%) of charcoal producers participated in charcoal production at all times throughout the year. The chi-square result shows a significant relationship between monthly incomes, educational status, family size, and gender with charcoal production and forest degradation at (

P
<
0.05

). The indigenous trees, Acacia tortilis (34%), Combretum mole (22%), and Terminalia schimperiana (16%), were the most preferred tree species used for charcoal production. Overall, charcoal production has resulted in forest degradation. Charcoal producers have used traditional earth mound kiln technology. Providing alternative energy sources, training, starting rehabilitation programs, and implementing policies and legal frameworks are needed for the sustainable utilization of the resources and to improve the livelihood of the communities.
African Swine Fever Virus Load in Hematophagous Dipterans Collected in Outbreaks from Romania: Risk Factors and Implications
Authors: Balmoș O. M. , Supeanu A. , Tamba P. , Horváth C. , Panait L. C. , Sándor A. D. , Cazan C. D. , Ungur A. , Motiu M. , Manita F. A. , Ancuceanu B. C. , Bărbuceanu F. , Dhollander S. , Mihalca A. D.
Published: February 2023

African swine fever (ASF) is a contagious viral disease of swine that causes significant economic damage. The summer peaks and river courses have triggered the hypothesis that vectors may be involved in the transmission of the virus. In temperate climates, insect numbers increase in the late summer. Low temperatures and frosts decrease the number of active insects. Their presence is strongly associated with the nearby wetlands or swamps around the farms. The aim of our study was to evaluate the risk factors associated with the presence of ASFV DNA in hematophagous dipterans and to analyze the relevance of Ct values obtained following RT-PCR analysis of the positive samples in ASF outbreaks in Romania, as an indication for the viral load. The current study included 99 pools of stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans) and 296 pools of biting midges (Culicoides spp.), collected in June-September 2020, from 30 outbreaks of ASF in domestic swine from backyard farms (BF), type A farms (TAF), and commercial farms (CF). All extracted DNA was tested for the presence of the ASFV genome using a real-time PCR protocol. Ct values of 39.53 and below were considered as positive (min: 18.19; median: 31.41; max: 39.53). The blood meal source was identified in the hematophagous insects by using a PCR protocol targeting the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1. Data were analyzed using R software v. 4.0.5. In total, 3,158 insects (S. calcitrans n = 198 and Culicoides n = 2960) were collected in 23 farms of the 30 outbreak farms. Ten species of biting midges were identified. The total number of insect pools showed significant differences according to the month of sampling, with a higher number of pools collected in August and September. Overall, 137 pools out of the 395 examined were positive for the presence of ASFV DNA. There was a higher viral DNA load in farms where pigs were present at the moment of sampling compared to farms where pigs were already culled, in S. calcitrans compared to Culicoides spp. and in CF and TAF compared to BF.
Neonatal Disease Prediction Using Machine Learning Techniques
Authors: Robi Yohanes Gutema , Sitote Tilahun Melak
Published: February 2023

Neonatal diseases are among the main causes of morbidity and a significant contributor to underfive mortality in the world. There is an increase in understanding of the pathophysiology of the diseases and the implementation of different strategies to minimize their burden. However, improvements in outcomes are not adequate. Limited success is due to different factors, including the similarity of symptoms, which can lead to misdiagnosis, and the inability to detect early for timely intervention. In resource‐limited countries like Ethiopia, the challenge is more severe. Low access to diagnosis and treatment due to the inadequacy of neonatal health professionals is one of the shortcomings. Due to the shortage of medical facilities, many neonatal health professionals are forced to decide the type of disease only based on interviews. They may not have a complete picture of all variables that have a contributing effect on neonatal disease from the interview. This can make the diagnosis inconclusive and may lead to a misdiagnosis. Machine learning has great potential for early prediction if relevant historical data is available. We have applied a classification stacking model for the following four main neonatal diseases: sepsis, birth asphyxia, necrotizing enter colitis (NEC), and respiratory distress syndrome. These diseases account for 75% of neonatal deaths. The dataset has been obtained from the Asella Comprehensive Hospital. It has been collected between 2018 and 2021. The developed stacking model was compared to three related machine‐learning models XGBoost (XGB), Random Forest (RF), and Support Vector Machine (SVM). The proposed stacking model outperformed the other models, with an accuracy of 97.04%. We believe that this will contribute to the early detection and accurate diagnosis of neonatal diseases, especially for resource‐limited health facilities.
A Case of Castleman’s Disease during the Long-Term Course of Membranous Nephropathy
Authors: Nakajima Shuhei , Nagai Kei , Sakata Akiko , Usui Joichi , Yamagata Kunihiro , Ueda Atsushi
Published: February 2023

Concomitant with nephrotic syndrome and multicentric castleman’s disease (MCD) has only been described in a limited number of small studies and case reports. Among those, none confirmed the renal pathology prior to the onset of MCD, and none of the cases had a history of nephrotic syndrome. A 76 year-old Japanese man visited a nephrologist because of incident nephrotic syndrome. He had previously experienced three episodes of nephrotic syndrome, the last one 13 years ago, and had been diagnosed with membranous nephropathy by renal biopsy. Apart from these previous episodes, he also suffered from systemic lymphadenopathy, anemia, elevated C-reactive protein, polyclonal hypergammopathy, and elevated interleukin (IL)-6. An inguinal lymph node biopsy revealed CD138-positive plasma cells in the interfollicular region. Based on these findings, MCD was diagnosed. Renal biopsy indicated primary membranous nephropathy with spike lesions and bubbling in the basement membranes and deposition of immunoglobulin (Ig) G, IgA, IgM, and phospholipase A2 receptor along the glomerular basement membrane. Corticosteroid monotherapy successfully reduced the edema, proteinuria, and IL-6, but hypoalbuminemia was not sufficiently improved due to castleman’s disease and remission of the nephrotic syndrome was not achieved. Later, tocilizumab was administered for remission induction in another facility. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first report of Castleman’s disease with previously diagnosed membranous nephropathy. This case does not provide a causal mechanism for the pathophysiology, but it may be worth suggesting possible involvement of MCD as a trigger for recurrence of membranous nephropathy.
Experimental Investigation of the Thermal Expansion Characteristics of Anthracite Coal Induced by Gas Adsorption
Authors: Wang Ran , Su Xianbo , Yu Shiyao , Su Linan , Hou Jie , Wang Qian
Published: February 2023

The coal matrix can expand after gas adsorption, thus reducing the permeability of coal reservoirs and further affecting the coalbed methane production. Whether the heat released by coal adsorbing gas is a cause of the coal expansion has not yet been determined. Therefore, the anthracite coal with high gas adsorption capacity was used; under the conditions of 35°C and 1-6 MPa, the adsorption capacity and the adsorption heat of coal adsorbing CO2 and CH4 were tested. The specific heat capacity and thermal expansion coefficient of coal at 35°C were tested. The temperature change of the coal after being heated was calculated by combining the absorption heat and specific heat capacity; also, the thermal expansion rate was calculated by combining the temperature change and expansion coefficient. In addition, the cube law was used to calculate the permeability change of coal before and after the adsorption expansion. The results show that the changes in the gas adsorption capacity and adsorption heat of the coal obey the Langmuir equation, and those to CO2 are both higher than to CH4. The temperature of coal increases after the heat is released in the process of CO2 and CH4 adsorption, and the temperature change of coal adsorbing CO2 and CH4 reaches 102°C and 72°C, respectively, at 6 MPa. The thermal expansion rate of coal adsorbing CO2 and CH4 reaches 5.40% and 3.81%, at 6 MPa, respectively. It is found that a higher gas pressure could lead to a higher temperature change, a higher thermal expansion rate, as well as a higher thermal expansion and coal deformation. After the adsorption of CO2 and CH4, the coal permeability is reduced by 20.43% and 14.66%, respectively, at 6 MPa. Both the thermal expansion rate and the permeability change with the gas adsorption pressure obey the Langmuir equation. Therefore, the adsorption expansion of coal may be thermal expansion caused by the heat released by coal adsorbing gas.
Treatment Patterns and Survival in Patients with Intermediate, Advanced, or Terminal Stage of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in France over the Period 2015-2017: A Real-Life Study
Authors: Blanc Jean-Frédéric , Laurendeau Caroline , de Zélicourt Marie , Dhaoui Manel , Kelkouli Nadia , Fagnani Francis , Mathurin Philippe
Published: February 2023

Background. The prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) not eligible to curative treatment is poor. Little information is available on treatment modalities and outcomes of these patients in everyday practice. The aim of this analysis was to describe the characteristics of patients with a newly diagnosed intermediate, advanced, or terminal (IAT) stage of HCC (ICD-10: C220) between 2015 and 2017, either present at diagnosis of HCC or having occurred after disease progression; treatment patterns, HCC aetiologies, and the associated survival were determined using the nationwide claims database. Methods. Patients with HCC were identified using the ICD-10 code C220. IAT stages, defined according to the terminology used in the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer classification, were indirectly identified by the presence of at least one of the following treatments: transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), transarterial radioembolization (TARE), HCC systemic therapy, best supportive care (BSC), or an ICD-10 code of metastatic HCC. Treatment patterns were described with an algorithm based on a ranking of palliative treatments identified. Survival was analysed by using Kaplan-Meier curves. Results. 19,649 eligible patients were identified. Their mean age was 70.5 years (SD: 11.0), and 82.5% were males. For 68.8% of patients, the IAT stage was present at HCC diagnosis. On the whole population, 5,114 patients (26.0%) were treated initially with a TACE or TARE, and 4,681 (23.8%) received a targeted systemic therapy at any moment during follow-up with sorafenib in 99.5% of cases. About 7,628 patients (45.6%) received only BSC. Survival since the diagnosis of the AIT stage of HCC differed according to the type of the first received palliative treatment. Median overall survival was 23.8, 9.6, 7.4, and 1.0 months in patients initially receiving TACE, TARE, systemic therapy, and BSC only, respectively. Conclusion. Over the period 2015-2017, hepatocellular carcinoma was still often diagnosed in France at late-stage disease with a very poor prognosis.
Bioinformatics Analysis of the Inflammation-Associated lncRNA-mRNA Coexpression Network in Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Huang Linjuan , Xiong Shengxi , Liu Hanshuang , Li Min , Zhang Ranran , Liu Yan , Hu Xiaolei
Published: February 2023

Introduction. Diabetes is a chronic inflammatory state, and a key role of lncRNAs in diabetes complications is a new area of research. Methods. In this study, key lncRNAs related to diabetes inflammation were identified by RNA-chip mining and lncRNA-mRNA coexpression network construction and finally verified by RT-qPCR. Results. We ultimately obtained 12 genes, including A1BG-AS1, AC084125.4, RAMP2-AS1, FTX, DBH-AS1, LOXL1-AS1, LINC00893, LINC00894, PVT1, RUSC1-AS1, HCG25, and ATP1B3-AS1. RT-qPCR assays verified that LOXL1-AS1, A1BG-AS1, FTX, PVT1, and HCG25 were upregulated in the HG+LPS-induced THP-1 cells, and LINC00893, LINC00894, RUSC1-AS1, DBH-AS1, and RAMP2-AS1 were downregulated in the HG+LPS-induced THP-1 cells. Conclusions. lncRNAs and mRNAs are extensively linked and form a coexpression network, and lncRNAs may influence the development of type 2 diabetes by regulating the corresponding mRNAs. The ten key genes obtained may become biomarkers of inflammation in type 2 diabetes in the future.
Investigation of Structural, Electronic, and Optical Properties of Chalcogen-Doped ZrS2: A DFT Analysis
Authors: Hasan Sayedul , Ahmed Mohammad Tanvir , Roman Abdullah Al , Islam Shariful , Ahmed Farid
Published: February 2023

The electrical and optical characteristics of a ZrS2 monolayer doped with chalcogen atoms (O, Se, or Te), where dopants are introduced by substituting the S atom, are examined on the basis of the density functional theory. The semiconductors pristine ZrS2 and O, Se, and Te-doped ZrS2 monolayers possessed indirect band gaps of 1.187 eV, 1.227 eV, 1.146 eV, and 0.922 eV, respectively. According to the formation energy, the O-doped ZrS2 monolayer is more stable compared to Se-doped and Te-doped ZrS2 monolayers. The optical properties are very similar for both the undoped and doped ZrS2 monolayers. The absorption coefficient and optical conductivity are the highest in the ultraviolet energy region. The designed materials are potentially suitable for UV photodetection and UV filtering applications.
Remote Sensing Image Fusion Method Based on Progressive Cascaded Deep Residual Network
Authors: Li Jing , Hu Hongwu , Lei Lilan , Li Jin
Published: February 2023

With the rapid development of deep learning in recent years, it has shown excellent performance in various image and video processing tasks. In addition, it also has a great role in promoting the spatio-temporal fusion of remote sensing images. The reconstructed image can give people a good visual experience. The invention relates to a remote sensing image fusion method based on a progressive cascade deep residual network and provides an end-to-end progressive cascade deep residual network model for remote sensing image fusion. The use of the MSE loss function may cause oversmoothing of the fused image, so a new joint loss function is defined to capture finer spatial information to improve the spatial resolution of the fused image. Resize-convolution is used to replace the transposed convolution to eliminate the checkerboard effect in the fused image caused by the transposed convolution. Through the experiments on the remote sensing image fusion simulation and real datasets of multiple satellites, the data results of the proposed algorithm are more than 5.25% better than those of the comparative algorithm in the average quantification. The calculation time and system resource occupation are also reduced, which has important theoretical significance and application value in the field of artificial intelligence and image processing. It will play a certain role in promoting the theoretical research and application of remote sensing image fusion.
Insight into Caputo Fractional-Order Extension of Lotka–Volterra Model with Emphasis on Immigration Effect
Authors: El-Mesady A. , Bazighifan Omar , Araci Serkan
Published: February 2023

For over a hundred years, the model of prey–predator has been handled extensively. It has been proved that Lotka–Volterra (LV) models are not stable from all previous studies. In these models, there is divergent extinction of one species or cyclic oscillation. There is no solution for asymptotic stability for the prey–predator models. In this paper, a Caputo fractional-order one prey-two predators’ model with an immigration effect is investigated. Then, the effect of adding a small immigration term to the prey or predators’ populations is studied. The extension is both the inclusion of a second predator and the use of Caputo derivatives. Although LV systems have been extensively investigated, there are no previous studies on our proposed nonlinear modifications. The Grünwald–Letnikov method was applied to find numerical solutions for the proposed model to validate our findings. Several different cases were studied to reach confirmed conclusions. The effect of the variation of fractional-order derivative is handled in this study. From all the results, the effect of adding the small immigration terms is positive for stability. Hence, it can be concluded that the proposed small immigration terms can stabilize the natural populations of the one prey-two predators’ model. An optimal control strategy for the proposed model is shown at the end of the paper.
3D-Printed Models for Multidisciplinary Discussion of Congenital Heart Diseases
Authors: Song Mi Kyoung , Lee Sang Yoon , Yoon Soon Ho , Seo Jeong-Wook
Published: February 2023

Background. Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are complex three-dimensional (3D) lesions with variable anatomies that present therapeutic challenges. The application of a patient-specific3D-printed model in preoperative planning and communication in medical practice can contribute to a complete understanding of the intracardiac and vascular anatomy. This study aimed to prospectively investigate the clinical value of a 3D CHD model in multidisciplinary discussions. Methods. Between August 2019 and April 2021, 19 patients with complex CHDs before surgery were prospectively enrolled in this study. Eight to 14 medical specialists participated in multidisciplinary discussions using patient-specific 3D models. A subjective satisfaction questionnaire, comprising 12 questions to be answered on a 10-point scale, was distributed. Results. Twenty 3D-printed anatomic models of 19 patients were used. The median age and weight of the enrolled patients were 0.8 years (range, 5 days to 43 years) and 9.6 kg (range, 2.8–54 kg), respectively. The most common underlying disease was a double outlet of the right ventricle. The mean scores for understanding spatial orientation, ease of communication between clinicians during discussions, prediction of surgical complications, and information additional to conventional 2D imaging were 9.4 ± 1.1, 9.4 ± 0.9, 9.0 ± 1.1, and 9.2 ± 0.4, respectively. The competency and comfort scores for each patient’s surgical plan increased significantly after using the 3D-printed model (from 6.2 ± 1.6 to 9.2 ± 0.9,

p

 < 0.001 and from 6.3 ± 1.6 to 9.2 ± 0.8,

p

 < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions. Patient-specific 3D models, for patients with complex CHDs, improved the understanding of the disease and facilitated multidisciplinary discussions and surgical decision-making. However, because outcomes were mainly evaluated by subjective reports, the possibility of other unknown factors affecting the outcomes should be considered. Trial Registration. This trial is registered with D-1904-031-1024.
The First-Principles Investigation of Structural Stability, Mechanical, Vibrational, Thermodynamic, and Optical Properties of CaHfS3 for Optoelectronic Application
Authors: Kassa Mulugetta , Debelo Nebiyu , Woldemariam Menberu
Published: February 2023

In this study, the structural, electronic, elastic, phonon vibration, thermodynamic features, and optical properties of the orthorhombic phase of (space group Pnma)

C
a
H
f

S

3

were examined by first-principles calculations utilizing the plane wave ultrasoft pseudopotentials in generalized gradient approximations (GGAs) and with Hubbard on-site correction (DFT + U). To improve the value of the band gap, the exchange correlation potential is also approximated with Hubbard correction (GGA + U). The equilibrium state properties such as lattice parameters, unit cell volume, bulk modulus, and its derivative were calculated and are in good agreement with the existing data. The mechanical properties such as bulk modulus, shear modulus, Young’s modulus, and elastic anisotropy were determined from the obtained elastic constants. The ratio of bulk modulus to shear modulus confirms that the orthorhombic phase of

C
a
H
f
S

3

is a ductile material. In addition, the longitudinal sound velocity, transverse sound velocity, and Debye temperature for

C
a
H
f

S

3

have been computed. The absence of negative frequencies in the phonon dispersion curve and the phonon density of states confirm that

C
a
H
f
S

3

in the orthorhombic phase is dynamically stable. The thermodynamic parameters such as free energy, entropy, and heat capacity were examined with variations in temperature. Finally, the absorption coefficient, dielectric constant, energy loss function, reflectivity, and refractive index are discussed in detail in the spectral range 0–1.6 Ry (21.77 eV). The polarizations along (100), (010), and (001) directions significantly show different optical responses.
Androgen Deprivation Therapy for Intracranial Metastasis of a Salivary Duct Carcinoma: Case Report
Authors: Rösch Manuel , Bieg Christian , Savic Spasenija , Buess Martin
Published: February 2023

Salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) is a rare subtype of salivary cancers associated with androgen receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2/neu) overexpression. It shows a high propensity to give rise to distant metastases mainly to the lung, the bone, and the liver. Intracranial metastases are rare. We report the case of a 61-year-old male patient with SDC developing intracranial metastases. Unresponsive to radiotherapy and anti-HER/neu targeted therapy the intracranial metastases showed a very good partial remission to androgen deprivation therapy with goserelin acetate. This case demonstrates the potential of a highly targeted therapy with a relatively cheap and well-known drug in a patient with a rare disease without other good therapeutic options, which is a good example of modern, personalized medicine.
Development of a New Self-Assessment Tool for Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Screening in Singers (SVHI-12-LPR)
Authors: Nacci Andrea , Capobianco Silvia , Mazzoni Laura , Fattori Bruno , Barillari Maria Rosaria , Genovese Elisabetta , Berrettini Stefano , Bastiani Luca
Published: February 2023

Introduction: The present study aimed to develop a new tool for the evaluation of singers with self-reported symptoms suggestive of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) (the SVHI-12-LPR), by correlating RSI with SVHI in a population sample of 163 subjects (both professional and amateur singers), evaluated also by videolaryngostroboscopy. This study was a cross-sectional, double-observational study. Methods: RSI and SVHI were administered to 159 singers (amateurs, singing students, and professional singers). All subjects underwent videolaryngostroboscopy to objectively identify four subgroups: normal subjects (41.5%), subjects with organic lesions occupying the glottic space (17.6%), subjects with functional dysphonia (18.2%), and subjects presenting solely signs suggestive of LPR (22.6%). Using the validated RSI threshold, 33.9% of participants presented an RSI total score >13, suggestive of LPR. Results: Subjects with a suspected diagnosis of LPR at videolaryngostroboscopy presented a mean RSI significantly higher than other subgroups (p < 0.001). Moreover, the SVHI-36 score did not statistically differ between pathological subgroups. A significant positive relationship was observed between RSI and SVHI total score (Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient [ρ] = 0.474, p < 0.001). 12 SVHI items (items 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 20, 24, 25, 26, 30) showed a significant association with RSI pathology classification. Statistical analysis demonstrated for the 12 selected items (SVHI-12-LPR) acceptable specificity (0.691) and sensibility (0.833) for the suspected diagnosis of LPR with a cut-off of 15. Conclusions: From the SVHI-36, 12 items were extracted that correlated with the specific impact that LPR has on the singer’s voice (SVHI-12-LPR), as evaluated by RSI and videolaryngostroboscopy. Such questionnaire represents a new tool that could be applied to singers with symptoms suggestive of LPR to select which patients would benefit from a further phoniatric and videolaryngostroboscopic evaluation.
Effectiveness of SK Mandatory Training Conducted in Selected Barangays of Cebu City
Authors: Cal Ma. Sonia Fate C. , Abellanosa Melissa C. , Payao Ronald B. , Niere Marvin Ian E.
Published: February 2023

All SK Officials are mandated by the SK Reform Act and ordered by the Department of Interior and Local Government to undergo the SK Mandatory Training. This study is intended to assess the effectiveness of the SK Mandatory Training as conducted in selected barangays of Cebu City. It aims to check the extent of the variables. The method utilized in this study was the descriptive correlational design. Survey Questions were drawn from the five training modules, viz.: Decentralization and Local Governance, SK History, Meetings and Resolutions, Planning and Budgeting, Code of Conduct, and Ethical Standards. There were 160 respondents; 124 SK Councilors and 36 SK Chairpersons from different barangays of Cebu City. Based on Pearson product-moment correlation, it was revealed that there is a strong, positive correlation between knowledge and demonstration. It was also shown by the results that; SK Officials were very knowledgeable with a grand mean of 3.58 and have highly demonstrated a grand mean of 3.57.  Therefore, the researchers concluded that the SK Mandatory Training conducted for the SK Officials of Cebu City was effective.
Effectiveness of Home Tutoring in Mathematics 6 Under Modular Distance Learning in a Public Elementary School in the Philippines
Authors: Galay Jr. Feliciano C.
Published: February 2023

Various issues and concerns raised by parents, students, and teachers about the implementation of Modular Distance Learning were addressed during the Online Kamustahan at a public elementary school where the study was conducted. Parents were particularly concerned about how their children would learn the skills required in their subjects without proper instruction from teachers. The development and implementation of an intervention is one method for addressing students' learning gaps and overcoming learning barriers. This study evaluated the effectiveness of home tutoring as an intervention in teaching Mathematics 6 to modular students in a public elementary school in the Philippines. Experimental research design was used in this study. A set of teacher-made tests were given to fifteen (15) Grade 6 modular students enrolled for the Academic Year 2020-2021. The pre-test and post-test scores were interpreted using mean, mean percent score, summation of x, summation of square x, absolute range, standard deviation, and coefficient of relative variation. Results showed that home tutoring focusing on the students' least mastered skills is an effective intervention in teaching Mathematics 6, with a mastery increase of +44.67%. It is recommended that the school allocate funds for promotional materials, marketing expenses, signage, and incentives for program implementation. and that the school will develop another intervention program to address the students' deficiencies, with a committee in charge of developing, implementing, and evaluating the program.
Productivity and Nutritive Value of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) Larvae Fed with Different Waste Substrates
Authors: Barrera Janet , Salinas Erwin R. , Rivera Algie R. , Malalis Juneven S. , Bagaforo Engr. Roger O. , Araya Junas P. , Sulay Dr. Darwin Lloyd D.
Published: February 2023

Due to the unavailability and rising market price of fishmeal and soybean meal, insect larvae, such as black soldier fly larvae (BSFL: Hermetia illucens), are currently being investigated as an alternate source of protein for swine and poultry. The productivity and nutritional value of BSFL were examined in this study together with the effects of various waste substrates.

There were two experimental containers for every treatment and were replicated three times and laid out using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). A total of twenty-four (24) plastic containers (12 x 8.5 x 3 inches) were used which per container contained 100 grams/1000 of 4 days old BSF larvae.

The results showed that BSF larvae fed with T2-Fruit remains and T3 -Vegetable scraps yielded the highest production of 1230-1312 grams and an early maturation period of 18-19 days. Both T2-Fruit remains and T3 -Vegetable scraps have the highest nutritional value of around 43% to 47% of crude protein content, respectively as compared to the rest of the treatments.  The nutritional profile of BSF larvae fed fruit and vegetable waste suggests that it may be used as a less expensive and more sustainable source of protein for pigs and poultry.
Innovational Communication Strategy for Sustainable Farming Fisheries Development Bogor District
Authors: Riyantini Rini , Muljono Pudji , Diatin Iis , Gondasari Dyah
Published: February 2023

Identify the frequency, direction, content, communication channels, characteristics and stages of adoption of innovations for cultivators and development of sustainable aquaculture in Bogor Regency and analyze the effect of frequency, direction, content, communication channels on the stages of adoption of innovations for catfish enlargement cultivators in Bogor Regency. This study uses a pragmatic paradigm with a mixed approach or method because the innovation communication strategy for the development of sustainable aquaculture is not enough to answer only by measuring the influence between variables in a post-positivist manner, but needs to be traced through the process of communication of innovation between cultivators as actors. Data collected based on data sources consist of primary data and secondary data. Primary data is data obtained directly from respondents at the time the research was conducted, while secondary data is supporting data that is already available at the research location obtained from the Livestock and Fisheries Service of Bogor Regency, data available to extension workers and data available to extension workers. catfish rearing group. Research Results Based on the test results related to whether or not the influence of the independent variable on the dependent variable can be seen based on t count and significant value. From the table above, the ttable value is 13.843 > 2.042 (ttable obtained by finding df and looking at ttable, df = number of correspondents - 2 and a significance value of 0.00 <0.05. Based on these measurements, the R value is obtained at 0.930, and after interpretation it is known that there is a very high relationship between the variables x and y.The R Square test (R2) is used to determine how much influence the value of the regression coefficient (R) states there is a correlation between the independent and dependent variables.