bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In vivo evaluation of a novel 18F-labeled PET radioligand for translocator protein 18kDa (TSPO) in monkey brain
Authors: Yan Xuefeng , Siméon Fabrice G. , Liow Jeih-San , Morse Cheryl L. , Santamaria Jose A. Montero , Jenkins Madeline , Manly Lester S. , Buskirk Maia Van , Zoghbi Sami S. , Pike Victor W. , Innis Robert B. , Zanotti-Fregonara Paolo
Published: October 2022

Purpose: 18F-SF51 was previously found to have high binding affinity and selectivity for 18kDa translocator protein (TSPO) in mouse brain. This study sought to further evaluate the suitability of 18F-SF51 for absolute quantification of TSPO in monkey brain.
Methods: Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging was performed in monkey brain (n=3) at baseline and after pre-blockade with the TSPO ligands PK11195 and PBR28. TSPO binding was calculated as total distribution volume corrected for free parent fraction in plasma (VT/fP) using a two-tissue compartment model. Receptor occupancy and nondisplaceable uptake were determined via Lassen plot. Binding potential (BPND) was calculated as the ratio of specific binding to nondisplaceable uptake. Time stability of VT was used as an indirect probe to detect radiometabolite accumulation in the brain. In vivo and ex vivo experiments were performed in mice to determine the distribution of the radioligand.
Results: After 18F-SF51 injection, the concentration of brain radioactivity peaked at 2.0 standardized uptake value (SUV) at ~10 minutes and declined to 30% of the peak at 180 minutes. VT/fP at baseline was generally high (203±15 mL· cm-3) and decreased by ~90% after blockade with PK11195. BPND of the whole brain was 7.6 ± 4.3. VT values reached levels similar to terminal 180-minute values by 70 minutes and remained relatively stable thereafter with excellent identifiability (standard errors < 5%), suggesting that no significant radiometabolites accumulated in the brain. Ex vivo experiments in mouse brain showed that 96% of radioactivity was parent. No significant uptake was observed in the skull, suggesting a lack of defluorination in vivo.
Conclusion: The results demonstrate that 18F-SF51 is an excellent radioligand with a good ratio of specific to nondisplaceable uptake as well as good time stability of total receptor binding. Collectively, the results suggest that 18F-SF51 warrants further evaluation in humans.
Robust optimization of consistency in filling of rib-grooves for titanium alloy multi-rib eigenstructure
Authors: Ding Tong , Wei Ke , Yang Chao , Tang HaiBing
Published: October 2022

Isothermal forging is an effective method for forming and manufacturing large-scale titanium alloy components with multi-rib. However, successive filling of the rib-grooves and reverse flow of the material are prone to occur during the forming process, which makes those rib-grooves are difficult to be filled then resulting in disturbed material flow and excessive die loading. The variability of billet sizes and fluctuation of uncertain parameters during the forging process have the great impacts on the forming results and stability. To this end, the eigenstructure with multi-rib from large titanium alloy rib-web components was extracted, and the combined method of finite element simulation and physical simulation experiment was used based on isothermal forging technique. Firstly, the finite element model for the eigenstructure under isothermal forging is established, then the behavior of the material flow and rib-grooves filling in the die cavity are analyzed. Secondly, the variation pattern and fluctuation range of rib-grooves filling are investigated by considering the deterministic factors of billet sizes, as well as the uncertainties of die draft angle, forming temperature, forming speed, billet manufacturing deviation and die manufacturing deviation. Subsequently, the significate deterministic factors and uncertainty factors are screened out and the correlation between the mean value as well as the variance of the filling consistency of the rib-grooves and the deterministic factors i.e. billet sizes are established by the dual response surface method. Then, a robust optimization model is constructed and solved. Finally, the reliability of the robust optimization solution is compared and verified, to obtain the ideal and stable fully-filling of the rib-grooves by adjusting and regulating the deterministic factors to weaken the interference of the uncertainties and achieve the simultaneous filling of the rib-grooves.
Insufficient HtrA2 causes meiotic defects by inducing cytoskeletal disorganization in aging germinal vesicle oocytes
Authors: Gao Min , Qiu Yanling , Cao Tianqi , Li Dungao , Wang Jingwen , Jiao Yiren , Chen Zhiyun , Huang Junjiu
Published: October 2022

Background High-temperature requirement protease A2 (HtrA2/Omi) is a mitochondrial chaperone highly conserved from bacteria to humans. It plays an important role in mitochondrial homeostasis and apoptosis. In this study, we investigated the role of HtrA2 in mouse oocyte maturation. Methods The role of HtrA2 in mouse oocyte maturation was investigated by employing knockdown (KD) or overexpression (OE) of HtrA2 in young or old GV oocytes. We employed immunoblotting, immunostaining, fluorescent intensity quantification to test the HtrA2 knockdown on the GV oocyte maturation progression, spindle assembly checkpoint, mitochondrial distribution, spindle assembly, chromosome alignment, actin polymerization, DNA damage and chromosome numbers, the level of acetylated tubulin. Results We observed a significant reduction in HtrA2 protein levels in aging germinal vesicle (GV) oocytes. Young oocytes with low levels of HtrA2 due to siRNA knockdown were unable to complete meiosis and were partially blocked at metaphase I (MI). They also displayed significantly more BubR1 on kinetochores, indicating that the spindle assembly checkpoint was triggered at MI. Extrusion of the first polar body (Pb1) was significantly less frequent and oocytes with large polar bodies were observed when HtrA2 was depleted. In addition, HtrA2 knockdown induced meiotic spindle/chromosome disorganization, leading to aneuploidy at metaphase II (MII), possibly due to the elevated level of acetylated tubulin. Importantly, overexpression of HtrA2 partially rescued spindle/chromosome disorganization and reduced the rate of aneuploidy in aging oocytes. Conclusions Collectively, our data suggest that HtrA2 is a key regulator of oocyte maturation, and its deficiency with age appears to contribute to reproduction failure in females.
Improved adsorption of fluorine on three typical saline-sodic soils by increasing functional groups with Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 incorporation
Authors: Zang Jinyu , Wang Nan , Huang Ning , Wang Hongbin , Sui Biao , Zhao Chenyu , Zhao Xingmin , Liu Jinhua
Published: October 2022

Fluorine pollution in saline-sodic soils has become an important environmental problem, but little is known about the interaction between Al2(SO4)3 and fluorine when Al2(SO4)3 is used to improve saline-sodic soils. In this study, batch adsorption experiments were conducted to investigate the impacts of different saline-sodic soils with Al2(SO4)3 on fluorine adsorption, and the mechanisms of adsorption were characterized by SEM, BET, FTIR, and XPS analysis. The results showed that fluorine adsorption decreased with increasing soil salinity, and the addition of Al2(SO4)3 increased the adsorption of fluorine in soils. Among the three saline-sodic soils, Al2(SO4)3 contributed greatly to fluorine adsorption by mildly saline-sodic soils, with a range of 40.84%-69.70%. Fluorine adsorption isotherms could be properly described by the Langmuir and Freundlich models. At higher fluorine equilibrium concentrations, the adsorption amount of fluorine was greater for soils with Al→F. Both the soil porosity and the number of aggregates of saline-sodic soils were increased after adding Al2(SO4)3 for adsorption. Functional groups such as Si-O-Si, H-O-H, C-H, -OH, and Al-O-H were involved in the reaction process. Fluorine adsorption on saline-sodic soils refers to the ligand exchange and electrostatic adsorption, and F− replaces -OH on the soil surface. This work may provide a theoretical reference for the changes in fluorine chemical behavior when Al2(SO4)3 ameliorates saline-sodic soils.
Emotion recognition from gait using multi-scale directed adaptive spatio-temporal graph convolutional network
Authors: Zhang Jiabo , Gao Jie , Huang Zhongyu , Xu Guanghu
Published: October 2022

Graph convolutional network have been widely used for walking emotion recognition. However, the dependencies in the multi-scale,long-distance data and neighbor nodes can affect the efficiency of emotion feature extraction, and further impact the emotion identification accuracy. To this end, we propose i) a multi-scale spatio-temporal information directed aggregation method based on directed graphs, which considers not only the correlation between spatial and temporal features at the same time, but also the directionality of the temporal dimension; ii)a multi-scale directed adaptive spatio-temporal graph convolutional network (MSDAST-GCN), where the features of each spatio-temporal graph node are extracted according to the time span, aggregation scale and size. The MSDAST-GCN extracts motion data from a video, reasons about human emotions and classifies the emotions accurately into four categories: happy, sad, angry and normal. The MSDAST-GCN outperforms previous state-of-the-art methods on the latest dataset E-Gait, shows a 3.5% accuracy improvement. Specifically, the MSDAST-GCN achieves 1.4%, 0.4%, 2.9% and 7.5% accuracy enhancements on the happy, sad, angry and normal categories, respectively.
A Review of the Essential Visual Skills Required for Rugby: Beyond 20-20 Optometry
Authors: Millard Lourens , Breukelman Gerrit Jan , Burger Teriza , Nortje Joël , Schülz Jessica
Published: October 2022

Background: Vision is one of the most important qualities required of athletes. It provides players with an ability to perform sport-related drills, as well as applying decision-making skills. In order to accurately measure the visual ability of athletes, it is important to first identify the variety of visual skills involved in the sport, in this case rugby.
Objectives: The objectives of the review novelty are to identify the most important visual skills for rugby. To create a referencing point for future studies to be able to add additional visual skills essential to rugby players.
Methods: An electronic search was conducted to assess the scientific literature relating to the visual skills required for rugby. Only peer-reviewed articles written in English were included in the search. Data on the relationship with match performance, the problem definition or purpose of the study, and the inclusion of a theoretical definition of tactical behavior were extracted.
Discussion: The most important visual skills in rugby are: Visual acuity, Eye tracking, Eye focusing, Depth perception, Hand-eye coordination, Fixation, Fusion flexibility, Visual adjustability and Colour flexibility. Rugby players must pay attention to their teammates' positions, understand the opponent's actions and tactics, handle the ball, analyze the current situation, and predict what will happen.
Changes in HER3 expression profiles between primary and recurrent gynecological cancers
Authors: Kojima Yuki , Sudo Kazuki , Yoshida Hiroshi , Yazaki Shu , Tokura Momoko , Mizoguchi Chiharu , Okuma Hitomi S , Kita Shosuke , Yamamoto Kasumi , Nishikawa Tadaaki , Noguchi Emi , Shimoi Tatsunori , Tanase Yasuhito , Uno Masaya , Ishikawa Mitsuya , Kato Tomoyasu , Koyama Kumiko , Kobayashi Maki , Kakegawa Tomoya , Fujiwara Yasuhiro , Yonemori Kan
Published: October 2022

Background
Human epidermal growth factor receptor-3 (HER3) is a member of the epidermal growth factor receptor family of receptor tyrosine kinases, and its overexpression is associated with inferior prognosis in several cancers. However, it is unclear whether HER3 expression status changes in tumor tissue at recurrence. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the changes in HER3 expression between primary and recurrent status in gynecological cancers.
Methods
This retrospective study used matched-pair tissues of gynecological cancer patients at initial diagnosis and at recurrence. Immunohistochemical (IHC) scores of 3 + or 2 + were termed “HER3-high”, while IHC scores of 1 + or 0 were designated as “HER3-low/zero”.
Results
A total of 86 patients (40 with ovarian cancers, 32 with endometrial cancers, and 14 with cervical cancers) were included in this study. In ovarian cancer, 67.5% and 80.0% of the patients received a HER3-high at initial and recurrent diagnosis, respectively. The H-score was significantly increased at recurrence (p = 0.004). The proportion of HER3-high endometrial cancer patients increased from 46.9% at initial diagnosis to 68.8% at recurrence, and the H-score tended to increase at recurrence (p = 0.08). The fraction of HER3-high-rated cervical cancer patients remained unchanged at 85.7% both at initial and recurrent diagnosis. The discordance rate of HER3 expression detection in initial and recurrent diagnosis samples was 27.5%, 53.1%, and 14.3% for ovarian, endometrial, and cervical cancers, respectively. Ovarian and endometrial cancers with a HER3-high recurrent score tended to show shorter median survival time than those with a HER3-low/zero recurrent rating.
Conclusion
Our findings suggest that, in gynecological cancers, the proportion of patients having a HER3-high score increased from initial to recurrent diagnosis.
A Novel Nomogram for Predicting Malignant Cerebral Edema After Endovascular Thrombectomy in Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: He Yuxuan , Zuo Meng , Huang Jialu , Jiang Ying , Zhou Linke , Li Guangjian , Chen Lin , Liu Qu , Liang Dingwen , Wang Yu , Wang Li , Zhou Zhenhua
Published: October 2022

Background
Malignant cerebral edema (MCE) is a common and feared complication after endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). This study aimed to establish a nomogram to predict MCE in anterior circulation large vessel occlusion stroke (LVOS) patients receiving EVT.
Methods
In this retrospective cohort study, 381 patients with anterior circulation LVOS receiving EVT were screened from 636 hospitalized patients with LVOS in two stroke medical centers. Clinical baseline data and imaging data were collected within 2–5 days of admission to the hospital. The patients were divided into two groups based on whether MCE occurred after EVT. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the independent risk factors for MCE and to establish a nomogram.
Results
Sixty-six patients out of 381 (17.32%) developed MCE. The independent risk factors for MCE included admission NIHSS ≥ 16 (OR, 1.851; 95% CI: 1.029–3.329; P = 0.038), ASPECT score (OR, 0.621; 95% CI: 0.519–0.744; P < 0.001), right hemisphere (OR, 1.636; 95% CI :0.941–2.843; P = 0.079), collateral circulation (OR, 0.155; 95% CI: 0.074–0.324; P < 0.001), recanalization (OR, 0.223; 95% CI: 0.109–0.457; P < 0.001), hematocrit (OR, 0.937; 95% CI: 0.892–0.985; P = 0.010) and glucose (OR, 1.118; 95% CI: 1.023–1.223; P = 0.036), which were adopted as parameters of the nomogram. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of the nomogram in predicting MCE was 0.901(95%CI:0.848–0.940; P < 0.001). The Hosmer-Lemeshow test results were not significant (P = 0.685), demonstrating a good calibration of the nomogram.
Conclusion
The novel nomogram composed of admission NIHSS, ASPECT scores, right hemisphere, collateral circulation, recanalization, hematocrit and serum glucose provide a potential predictor for MCE in patients with AIS after EVT.
Registration:
URL: http://www.chictr.org.cn/; Unique Identifier: ChiCTR2200059412.
A novel mini-invasive step-up approach for the treatment of severe acute pancreatitis with extensive infected necrosis: a single center case series study
Authors: Zhang Beiyuan , Gao Tao , Wang Yan , Zhu Hao , Liu Song , Chen Ming , Yu Wenkui , Zhu Zhanghua
Published: October 2022

Background
Complete removal of necrosis is critical for treating patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) presenting infection of pancreatic necrosis (IPN). Frequently used mini-invasive methods include the surgical step-up approach suitable for necrosis extending laterally, whereas the endoscopic step-up approach is suitable for medial necrosis. This retrospective study evaluated a combined mini-invasive step-up approach for treating extensive IPN.
Methods
Seven patients with SAP and extensive IPN were enrolled. All patients underwent a combined step-up approach comprising four steps: percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD), continuous negative pressure irrigation (CNPI), percutaneous endoscopic necrosectomy (PEN), and transgastric necrosectomy (TN). A lumen-apposing metal stent was used in the TN to shorten the operative time, thereby improving patient tolerance. The details of each step, including timing, frequency, and duration, as well as clinical outcomes of study patients were analyzed.
Results
The median interval from symptom onset to PCD and CNPI was 11 days (range, 6–14) and 18 days (range, 14–26), and the median CNPI duration was 84 days (range, 54–116). The median interval from the onset of symptoms to PEN and TN was 36 days (range, 23–42) and 41 days (range, 34–48), respectively, and the median number of procedures was 2 (range, 1–2) and 3 (range, 2–4). Only a minor case of abdominal bleeding and a pancreatic-cutaneous fistula were reported, both resolved after conservative treatment. The median length of stay in the intensive care unit was 111 days (range, 73–133); all patients survived.
Conclusions
This mini-invasive step-up approach shows promising clinical effects and is relatively safe in critically ill patients with extensive IPN and high-risk surgical intervention. Future clinical studies with larger samples are needed to verify this approach.
Trial registration:
The study protocol was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital (number:2021-147-01). This study was retrospectively registered in the Clinical Trial Registry (www.clinicaltrials.gov) on August 16, 2022, and the identifier was NCT05508828.
Dietary organic acids on growth, immune response, hepatopancreatic histopathology and disease resistance in Pacific white shrimp, Penaeus vannamei against Vibrio harveyi
Authors: Sivakumar Muniasamy , Amirtharaj K. S. Vijay , Chrisolite B. , Sivasankar P. , Subash Palaniappan
Published: October 2022

The current study was conducted for 75 days to evaluate the impact of Potassium diformate (KDF), Sodium formate (SF) and organic acid blend (KDF + SF) on the growth, immunity and disease resistance in Penaeus vannamei against Vibrio harveyi. Pacific white shrimps (2.11 ± 0.01g) were fed with organic acids and organic acid blend in two different inclusion levels, such as 1 & 2%. After 60 days of feeding trial, the higher body weight gain and survival rate was observed in shrimps fed KDF 2% diet compared to the control groups. Challenge study conducted for 15 days with V. harveyi (108) has shown significantly lower cumulative mortality rate in shrimps fed KDF 2%, KDF 1% and SF 2% treatment groups compared to the control groups. At the end of challenge study, total cultivable bacteria and presumptive vibrio spp. count in shrimp fed KDF2 and all treatments were significantly lower than control diet. The histopathology results were observed with less hepatopancreatic damage in shrimps fed with KDF at 2% level compared to the control. The immune parameters, Total haemocyte count (THC), Prophenoloxidase activity (proPO), Respiratory burst activity (RBA), Superoxide dismutase (SOD), and Catalase activity (CAT) were found to be significantly higher than the control.
Analysis of the Critical Stick-slip Velocity of CNC Machine Tool Combining Friction Parameters Identification and Kinetic Model
Authors: Yang Jianzhong , Zhou Hao , Li Shuo , Chen Jihong , Xiang Hua
Published: October 2022

Stick-slip is a negative phenomenon caused by friction in servo feed systems, which is particularly prominent in low-speed and heavy-load conditions. At present, most research on the critical Stick-slip velocity (CSSV) ignores higher-order terms of the equivalent damping ratio, the calculation accuracy is greatly reduced when the system has a large equivalent damping ratio. Firstly, an Improved Stribeck Model based on Least Squares Genetic algorithm (ISM-LSG) is proposed for friction identification, At the same time, the identification of shape parameters of the traditional Stribeck model is extended instead of empirical values. Then, an improved Critical Velocity solving method based on the kinetic model is constructed, and the influence of the higher-order term of the equivalent damping ratio on the critical velocity identification accuracy is analyzed. Finally, this method is verified by the CNC end-face cylindrical grinder with a hard guideway. The friction force identification error with ISM-LSG is reduced 10% compared with the traditional method, and the error of the critical Stick-slip velocity with retaining higher-order term (CSSV-RHT) is reduced 37% compared with the critical Stick-slip velocity by ignoring higher-order term (CSSV-iHT).
A Study on Multi-agent Reinforcement Learning for Autonomous Distribution Vehicles
Authors: Ergün Serap
Published: October 2022

A self-driving car, also called an autonomous vehicle, is capable of sensing the environment and driving without any human intervention, utilizing software algorithms and a fully automated driving system. This allows the vehicle to manage external conditions similar to a human. Safe and efficient delivery services require road controls and road restrictions to prevent accidents and reduce damage from unexpected technical failures. This study formulates the Autonomous Delivery Vehicles optimization problem and proposes a multi-agent reinforcement learning method using the analytically calculated shortest path information.
Risk Analysis in Design of a Multi-Section Flood Control Levee System: Assessing the Components Coordination and Probability Distribution
Authors: Behrouz Masoume , Alimohammadi Saeed
Published: October 2022

The purpose of this study is risk analysis in optimum design of a composite multi-section flood control levee system along a river reach considering several uncertainties, and assessing the coordination between the system and its individual components. A stochastic optimization model was developed in which Latin Hypercube sampling and Cholesky decomposition was used for quantifying uncertainties. The results indicated that the multi-section model is more cost-effective than a single-section in such a way that total cost of developing system was reduced by 38%. It was also found that with the increase of the complexity of the model (one and multi-section), and with the separation of uncertainties (into epistemic and aleatory), the coordination of the system decreases 130% and 30% respectively. Finally, it was found that lower and upper tails of a component histogram may be completely differ from a fitted distribution.
Research on blasting cumulative dynamic damage of surrounding rock in step construction tunnel
Authors: Cui Yaozhong , Wu Bo , Meng Guowang , Xu Shixiang
Published: October 2022

In tunnel excavation by blasting, the reserved surrounding rock produces irreversible damage accumulation under the action of cyclic blasting. It is essential to clarify the characteristics of blasting dynamic cumulative damage of surrounding rock for safe drilling and blasting tunnel construction. Based on the ABAQUS simulation software and the data transfer method between solvers, the cumulative damage evolution of the reserved surrounding rock was calculated under the action of seven cyclic blasting excavations. The cumulative dynamic damage characteristics of the reserved surrounding rock were obtained by combining the field sonic wave test results. The results show that the whole reserved surrounding rock of the cyclic blasting excavation section has periodic damage characteristics. Each periodic damage area presents a funnel shape along the longitudinal direction of the tunnel, with a length of 160cm, which is 1.07 times the excavation footage. The blasting effect of the latter excavation footage on the damaged area of the reserved surrounding rock of the previous excavation footage is 40 cm in length, with three cumulative damage patterns. The research can provide relevant theoretical guidance for the blasting scheme design and support lining design of the step-blasting construction tunnel.
Time Series Prediction: Comparative Study of ML Models in the Stock Market
Authors: Goverdhan Gaurav , Khare Sarthak , R Manoov
Published: October 2022

Analyzing the Stock Market is a perpetual process and hard to grasp, especially for newcomers looking to invest in the market. This paper will be useful for novice investors to learn to invest in the stock market based on various factors that dictate prices. The paper’s target is to create a program that analyses previous stock data of companies. This also includes identifying factors affecting the share market. We generate the patterns from large data sets of data of the stock market and predict an approximate value of share price. The stock market can have a significant impact on individuals and the economy as a whole. Therefore, accurately predicting stock trends can minimize loss risk and maximize profit. The primary objective of this paper is to generate an approximate forecasting output and a general idea of future values by generating a pattern from historical data. The scope of this paper extends to model a suggestion tool based on ARIMA, XGBoost, and LSTM and give critical insights into their relative advantages and disadvantages, finally determining the best tool for forecasting the trend or even the future. The trend chart will adequately guide all prospective investors. We have analyzed data from the stock market collected from Yahoo Finance. The performance of the models was evaluated using metrics such as MSE, MAE, RMSE, and MAPE. During our trials, we found XGBoost to perform the best with an accuracy of 98.92%.
The hydroxyapatite modified 3D printed poly L-lactic acid porous screw in reconstruction of anterior cruciate ligament of rabbit knee joint: a histological and biomechanical study
Authors: Tian Ke , 王 亚飞 , Bi Fanggang , Wang Zhiyuan , Ren Chengzhen , Li Pengju
Published: October 2022

Background
To observe the changes of bone mass in bone tunnel and the healing of tendon-bone interface after reconstruction of anterior cruciate ligament with hydroxyapatite (HA) modified 3D-printed PLLA porous screw and autogenous tendon graft in rabbits.
Methods
The PLLA porous screws which meet the requirements of the experiment are prepared by 3D printing technology. The PLLA porous screws were prepared by surface modification of PLLA-HA porous screws by electrostatic layer by layer self-assembly (ELSA) technology. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to observe the surface morphology of scaffolds before and after modification. Determination of porosity of Screw support by liquid replacement method. Forty male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into two groups. The right ACL was reconstructed with autologous tendons and the tendons were fixed with porous screws in the lateral femoral tunnel: PLLA group was fixed with PLLA screw bracket, and PLLA-HA group was fixed with PLLA-HA porous screw. Micro-CT scans were performed at 12 weeks after operation to measure the osteogenesis of the femoral tunnel in each group. Histological examination was performed to observe the tendon bone healing in the femoral tunnel. Biomechanical experiments were carried out to observe and compare the failure load and stiffness after transplantation.
Result
The preparation of PLLA porous screws by 3D printer meets the design requirements, and the voids in the stents are uniformly distributed and interconnected. After surface modification, HA is uniformly distributed in PLLA screw stents. At 12 weeks after operation, the bone formation indexes (BV/TV, Tb.N,Tb.Th) in PLLA-HA group were higher than those in PLLA group, while Tb.Sp was lower than that in PLLA group. The new bone is uniformly distributed in the bone tunnel along the screw channel. Histology showed that there was more type I collagen bone in PLLA-HA group than in PLLA group. Biomechanical experiments showed that the failure load and stiffness of PLLA-HA group were significantly higher than those of PLLA group (P < 0.05).
Conclusion
HA modified 3D printed bioabsorbable screws can promote tendon healing in bone tunnel by increasing bone growth.
Study protocol for a feasibility study of an online educational programme for people working and living with persistent low back pain
Authors: Marley Joanne , Larsson Caroline , Piccininic Flavia , Howes Sarah , Casoni Elisa , Ekvall-Hansson Eva , McDonough Suzanne
Published: October 2022

Background

Low back pain (LBP) is the main cause of activity limitation and work absence across the world, leading to a high social and economic burden for individuals, families, the labour market and society. The overall aim of this multicenter study is to test the usability, acceptability and feasibility of an evidence-based, digital education programme for people living and working with persistent LBP who are in sedentary or physically demanding jobs, and need advice on ergonomics, self-management of pain and healthy behavioral strategies.

Methods

This is the protocol of a multinational, multicenter, prospective uncontrolled feasibility study targeting people with persistent LBP in Lithuania, Northern Ireland, Italy, Sweden and Portugal. Eligible participants will be offered the opportunity to use the MyRelief educational platform as part of their care and will undergo evaluations at baseline (enrollment) and one-month follow-up. Feasibility will be assessed using measures of recruitment and retention, intervention engagement, outcome measure completion rates and within group effect sizes in response to the digital education programme.

Discussion

This study will identify the challenges and implications of delivering a digital training program in advance of potentially delivering the programme via an online educational platform available on mobile devices. The findings will inform the design of a future randomised controlled trial if it proves feasible.
Trial registration: ClinicalTrial.gov, NCT04673773. Registered 17 December 2020, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04673773
Significance of distinct liquid biopsy compartments in evaluating somatic mutations for targeted therapy selection in cancer of unknown primary
Authors: Kolbinger Fiona R. , Bernard Vincent , Lee Jaewon J. , Stephens Bret M , Branchi Vittorio , Raghav Kanwal P.S. , Maitra Anirban , Guerrero Paola A. , Semaan Alexander
Published: October 2022

Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) account for 2-5% of all cancer diagnoses, wherein standard investigations fail to reveal the original tumor site. Basket trials allocate targeted therapeutics based on actionable somatic mutations, independent of tumor entity. These trials, however, mostly rely on variants identified in tissue biopsies from solid tumors. Since liquid biopsies (LB) represent the overall tumor genomic landscape, they may provide an ideal diagnostic source in patients with CUP. The most informative liquid biopsy compartment, however, remains to be identified. We aimed to compare the utility of genomic variant analysis for therapy stratification in CUP patients in two liquid biopsy compartments: circulating cell-free (cf) and extracellular vesicle (ev) DNA. CfDNA and evDNA from 23 patients with CUP were analyzed contemporaneously using a targeted gene panel covering 151 cancer-associated genes. LB revealed a total of 22 somatic mutations in evDNA and/or cfDNA in 11/23 patients. Out of the 22 identified somatic variants, 14 are classified as Tier I druggable somatic variants according to the MetaKB knowledgebase. Comparison of variants identified in evDNA and cfDNA revealed an overlap of 58% of somatic variants in both LB compartments, whereas over 40% of variants were only found in one or the other compartment. In our cohort, we observed substantial overlap between somatic variants identified in evDNA and cfDNA of CUP patients. Nonetheless, interrogation of both LB compartments can potentially increase the rate of druggable alterations, stressing the significance of liquid biopsies for possible primary-independent basket and umbrella trial inclusion.
Significance
Analysis of genomic variants in liquid biopsies has potential as a diagnostic tool for CUP samples. We compared cfDNA and evDNA by a targeted NGS approach and identified druggable targets that could help to stratify patients for inclusion into clinical trials.
Prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum among infants in Nsukka Metropolis, South East Nigeria and to ascertain reliability of available diagnostic techniques
Authors: Agu Ozioma P. , Ugwu Kenneth , Agu Ifunanya C.
Published: October 2022

Background
Malaria infection is of public health concern accounting for 90% annual deaths among under-5 children in sub-Saharan Africa region. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum among infants in Nsukka metropolis and also ascertain the more effective diagnostic choice.
Methods
Three private hospitals and one government hospital were purposively selected for the study. A total of 150 infants aged 2–12 months, were sampled between August to September, 2019 and January to March 2020 to represent the two main seasonal episodes in Nigeria. Demographic and health related data were obtained from the infants’ parents/guardians using a structured pre-tested questionnaire. Presence of P. falciparum was screened in the blood samples drawn from these infants using microscopy (thick and thin films) and the Rapid diagnostic test kit (RDT).
Results
Our findings showed that out of the 150 samples obtained from the infants, 47(31.3%) were positive to P. falciparum when counted all together (RDT and microscopy), 31(20.7%) were positive in both microscopy and RDT. However, 46(30.7%) and 32(21.3%) tested positive for RDT and microscopy respectively. For gender, 33(22.0%) males and 15(10.0%) females tested positive in both RDT and microscopy. The highest infection burden was seen in infants 8–12 months, 23(15.3%), majority of the positive results obtained in the rainy season, 39(26.0%) in both microscopy and RDT with no significant difference 150.000(0.000).
Conclusion
The prevalence of P. falciparum among infants in Nsukka was moderately high 47(31.3%) and the two diagnostic methods used in the study were equally effective.
Analysis of (sub-)Riemannian PDE-G-CNNs
Authors: Bellaard Gijs , Bon Daan L. J. , Pai Gautam , Smets Bart M. N. , Duits Remco
Published: October 2022

Group equivariant convolutional neural networks (G-CNNs) have been successfully applied in geometric deep learning. Typically, G-CNNs have the advantage over CNNs that they do not waste network capacity on training symmetries that should have been hard-coded in the network. The recently introduced framework of PDE-based G-CNNs (PDE-G-CNNs) generalises G-CNNs. PDE-G-CNNs have the core advantages that they simultaneously 1) reduce network complexity, 2) increase classification performance, and 3) provide geometric interpretability. Their implementations primarily consist of linear and morphological convolutions with kernels.
In this paper we show that the previously suggested approximative morphological kernels do not always accurately approximate the exact kernels accurately. More specifically, depending on the spatial anisotropy of the Riemannian metric, we argue that one must resort to sub-Riemannian approximations. We solve this problem by providing a new approximative kernel that works regardless of the anisotropy. We provide new theorems with better error estimates of the approximative kernels, and prove that they all carry the same reflectional symmetries as the exact ones.
We test the effectiveness of multiple approximative kernels within the PDE-G-CNN framework on two datasets, and observe an improvement with the new approximative kernels. We report that the PDE-G-CNNs again allow for a considerable reduction of network complexity while having comparable or better performance than G-CNNs and CNNs on the two datasets. Moreover, PDE-G-CNNs have the advantage of better geometric interpretability over G-CNNs, as the morphological kernels are related to association fields from neurogeometry.
Quadratic Costs and Innovation: The Role of Technology
Authors: Mishra Suryaprakash
Published: October 2022

In a Cournot oligopoly set up with constant marginal cost and linear demand, innovation is rewarding. In this paper we show that the same is not true when marginal costs are increasing. We endogenize the success probability of R&D and its response to the intensity of competition and specifically show that if the technology is already advanced and competition intensifies then firms wouldn’t innovate. We attempt to capture and explain the interaction of technology with the possibility of innovation via the intensity of competition. We finally suggest ‘monitored competition’, wherein initially (at initial stages of innovation) competition is encouraged and then (at later stages of innovation) curtailed, to encourage innovation and thus welfare, as a suitable policy measure. Thus, entry should be restricted in order to foster innovation while innovation itself encourages entry.
JEL Codes: L11; L13; L21.
Impact of anthropogenic changes and rainfall variability on river discharge in tropical central Africa
Authors: Ebode Valentin Brice
Published: October 2022

Climate variability and anthropogenic changes are key factors that influence river flow variability. However, understanding the simultaneous impact of these factors on flow variability remains limited in most parts of the world including central Africa. To shed light on this issue, the objective of this study is to investigate the effects of rainfall variability and anthropogenic changes on river discharge in the Benoue and the Logone river basins over the last 7 decades (1950–2018). To achieve this goal, hydro-meteorological data from these basins were analyzed using the Pettitt test. Likewise, land use change in these basins was also analysed using supervised classifications of Landsat satellite images over different periods (1987 and 2018). Our results show that the Sahel drought that occurred towards the end of the 1960s affected the Benoue and Logone basins, with remarkable persistence in streamflows. Negative rupture was observed in the hydro-meteorological timeseries of these basins at annual time step in 1970-71. The deficits associated with this rupture are estimated at -7% for rainfall, and − 28% for river flows. The wet season shows similar developments. However, from the 1990s onward, there has been a significant increase in the mean annual flows of the Benoue river, which coincides with that of the rainfall during the same decade. This increase over the recent decades could also be expected in response to an increase in impervious surface areas (ISA) in the catchment area, which could compensate the deficit generated by the post-1990s rainfall deficit through increasing in runoff. Since the filling of the Lagdo dam in 1983, an increase in all ranges of minimum flow, as well as an increase in the variability of extreme flows, has been detected. These results could be used for long-term planning of water demand and use in these basins, as well as for improving future simulations of the flow of these rivers. It also shows that due to the non-linearity of the rainfall-runoff relationships, it is very important to maintain observation networks operational, as the current situation might still evolve in the near future, requiring new adaptations for social response.
Risk Decomposition in BRICS-T Stock Markets
Authors: DOĞAN Özlem , KILIÇ Yunus
Published: October 2022

In this study, the measurement and decomposition of risk were examined and the risks of the national stock market indices of the BRICS-T countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and Turkey) were measured using the monthly closing data for the 2009-2018 period, based on the US market. S&P 500 index was chosen as the market index. Accordingly, the total risks of the national stock market indices of the BRICS-T countries are calculated and separated into systematic and non-systematic risks. In addition, beta coefficients that measure the sensitivity to market movements were calculated based on 120-month data. The study findings show that the non-systematic risks of national stock exchanges in the BRICS-T community are generally quite low, and most of the risk is the systematic risk factor.
BİREYLERİN TÜKETİM TERCİHLERİNDE ETKİLİ OLAN SOSYO-DEMOGRAFİK FAKTÖRLERİN BELİRLENMESİ: TÜRKİYE ÖRNEĞİ
Authors: KIRCI ÇEVİK Nüket , KIRAN Recep Emre
Published: October 2022

Günümüzde tüketim toplumlarının giderek çoğalması ve alışverişe olan tutku; toplumsal, dini, kültürel ve coğrafi sınırları aşarak küresel bir şekilde giderek artmaktadır. Literatürde yer alan tüketim ve tüketici davranışlarını etkileyen sosyo- demografik faktörler incelendiğinde, gelir, cinsiyet, yaş, eğitim, yerleşim yeri gibi boyutların ön plana çıktığı görülmektedir. Dünyada olduğu gibi ülkemizde de bireylerin ve toplulukların alışverişe yönelimleri sosyo-demografik faktörlere göre değişiklikler göstermektedir. Tüketim ve tüketici davranışlarının ortaya çıkardığı çeşitli sonuçlar söz konusudur. Yüksek tüketim düzeyindeki bireylerin mutluluklarının başlıca sebeplerinden biri alışveriş haline gelirken, düşük tüketim düzeyindeki bireylerin aynı tüketim seviyesine ulaşamamalarından kaynaklanan mutsuzluk duygusu ortaya çıkmaktadır. Dünyada ve Türkiye’de aşırı tüketimi engellemek adına çeşitli kampanyalar ve yasal düzenlemeler yapılmasına rağmen, yeterince başarı sağlanamamıştır. Bu bağlamda bu çalışmanın amacı, Türkiye’de yaşayan bireylerin tüketim harcamalarını etkileyen sosyo-demografik ve ekonomik faktörlerin bireyin tüketim tercihleri üzerindeki etkisini incelemektir. Çalışmada bu amaç kapsamında, bireylerin tüketim harcamalarını etkileyen faktörler öncelikle regresyon analizi ile araştırılmış, ardından tüketim harcamaları ile onu etkileyen faktörler arasındaki ilişkinin farklı tüketim harcama düzeylerinde değişip değişmediğini belirlemek amacıyla, kantil regresyon modeli tahmin edilmiştir. Son olarak, farklı harcama gruplarını etkileyen (12 alt grup) faktörlerin değişip değişmediğini belirlemek amacıyla tobit regresyon modelinden yararlanılmıştır.
The Mediating Role of Job Satisfaction on the Effect of Perception of Self Efficacy on Employee Performance
Authors: YALÇIN Aslı , HIRLAK Bengü
Published: October 2022

The aim of this research is to examine the direct and indirect relations between self-efficacy perception, job satisfaction and employee performance. In this direction, a face-to-face and online questionnaire was applied to 198 academics working at Kilis 7 Aralık University. After the factor and reliability analyses were made via the SPSS Program on the data as a result of the survey, the hypotheses were tested with the models created with the SPSS Process Macro plugin. According to the results of the regression analysis, it is determined that the effect of self-efficacy perception on internal and external satisfaction and employee performance is positive and statistically significant. The effect of internal satisfaction on employee performance is positive and statistically significant, but the effect of external satisfaction on employee performance is not statistically significant. According to the results obtained from the Bootstrap method, which is used to determine the direct and indirect effects between the variables, the indirect effect of self-efficacy perception on employee performance through internal satisfaction is statistically significant. The indirect effect of self-efficacy perception on employee performance through external satisfaction is not statistically significant. It has been determined that internal satisfaction has a moderate partial mediation role in the relation between self-efficacy perception and employee performance.
Employee Financial Participation Plan Implementation in the United States and the Netherlands: Lessons for Indonesia
Authors:   Leiden University, The Netherlands, Sari Brimanti
Published: October 2022

Employees have a major role in the sustainability of an organization. Employee satisfaction and business accomplishment are equally significant for the company’s sustainability. One of the strategies companies undertake to create a harmonious workplace and stimulate productivity is by giving recognition, awards and/or compensation to their employees. In recent years, equity-based compensation through employee financial participation plans has been becoming more popular. There are several tailor-made participation schemes which may vary among jurisdictions. There include Stock Grants, Direct Employee Stock Purchase Plans, Phantom Stock, Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs) and Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOP). Consequently, the employees could be the beneficiary owner of the shares or be actual shareholders in the company. When employees own shares, they will be treated as shareholders. Depending on the restrictions laid out in the employee financial participation plan. This means that employees could be involved in corporate governance in the company.
The Importance of Co-opetition of Corporate Social Responsibility in the Palm Oil Industry in Indonesia
Authors:   Department of Law, Universitas 17 Agustus 1945 Jakarta, Christiawan Rio , Limaho Handoko ,   Ph.D. Candidate, Universitas Pelita Harapan
Published: October 2022

The concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) first started from the enactment of Law No. 40 of 2007 on Limited Liability Company, in particular Article 74. Implementation of CSR in the Indonesian palm oil plantation industry has always been integrated into the industry standards as well as relevant government regulations. This article also analyzes the decisions of the constitutional court regarding CSR in the plantation industry. Despite fulfilling all the necessary requirements demanded by the market and regulatory bodies, the industry is still and always has been under attack by Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and the general public. Therefore, this paper attempts to conceptualize the importance of further research in developing co-opetition strategy among competitors in the palm oil industry and between the industry players with the NGOs as part of the stakeholder management. This paper is written using the normative-juridical method with focus on legal research regarding on legal aspect on CSR in plantation industry.
Limited Liability Principle to One-Tier System in Individual Company
Authors:   Doctoral Program of Law, Universitas 17 Agustus 1945 Semarang, l. Pemuda No.70, Pandansari, Kec. Semarang Tengah, Kota Semarang, Jawa Tengah 50133, Joyokusumo Winoto , Situmorang Samson Aprinaldi ,   Land Deed Official of Dumai City, Indonesia, Rahayuningsih Debora Endang ,   Doctoral Program of Law, Universitas 17 Agustus 1945 Semarang, l. Pemuda No.70, Pandansari, Kec. Semarang Tengah, Kota Semarang, Jawa Tengah 50133
Published: October 2022

The purpose of this study is to describe and analyze the characteristics of the one-tier system in an individual company following the enactment of Law Number 11 of 2020 concerning Job Creation (UU Cipta Kerja) and to analyze the legality of the principle of limited liability to the one-tier system in an individual individual company after the enactment of Law Number 11 of 2020 on Job Creation. The method used in this legal research is a normative method with a statute approach. Characteristics that can be seen from the one-tier system in this individual company includes, inter alia the establishment, capital, organs, shareholders and responsibilities. Meanwhile, the legality of the limited liability principal of the one tier system in an individual company can be seen in Article 153J paragraph (1) of the Job Creation Law, where it clearly states that principal. However, the limited liability system can only be apply to the one tier system in an individual company, as long as it obliges to the Article 153J paragraph (2) of the Job Creation Law.