bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unlocking the Potential of Quantum Machine Learning to Advance Drug Discovery
Authors: Avramouli Maria , Savvas Ilias K. , Vasilaki Anna , Garani Georgia
Published: May 2023

The drug discovery process is a rigorous and time-consuming endeavor, typically requiring several years of extensive research and development. Although classical machine learning (ML) has proven successful in this field, its computational demands in terms of speed and resources are significant. In recent years, researchers have sought to explore the potential benefits of quantum computing (QC) in the context of ML, leading to the emergence of Quantum Machine Learning (QML) as a distinct research field. The objective of the current study is twofold: first, to present a review of the proposed QML algorithms for application in the drug discovery pipeline, and second, to compare QML algorithms with their classical and hybrid counterparts in terms of their efficiency. A query-based search of various databases took place, and five different categories of algorithms were identified in which QML was implemented. The majority of QML applications in drug discovery are primarily focused on the initial stages of the drug discovery pipeline, particularly with regard to the identification of novel drug-like molecules. Comparison results revealed that QML algorithms are strong rivals against the classical ones and a hybrid solution is the recommended approach at present.
First Toxicological Analysis of the Pufferfish Sphoeroides Pach-Ygaster Collected in the Italian Waters (Strait of Sicily): Role of the Citizens Sciences in Monitoring Toxic Marine Species
Authors: Malloggi Chiara , Rizzo Biagio , Giusti Alice , Guardone Lisa , Gasperetti Laura , Dall’Ara Sonia , Armani Andrea
Published: May 2023

Pufferfish (Tetraodontidae) inhabiting the Mediterranean Sea can represent an emerging public health risk due to the possible accumulation of marine neurotoxins (TTXs and STXs) in their tissues. In this study, the presence of pufferfish species in the Strait of the Sicily (Lampedusa Island, Italy) was investigated using a Citizen Science (CS) approach involving local fishermen. A sub-group of specimens collected were sent to the National reference Laboratory on Marine Biotoxins for de-termining the presence of TTXs using a validated HILIC-MS/MS method on fish tissue. The STXs presence was also screened in some specimens. Overall, 56 specimens, identified as Sphoeroides pachygaster (Müller &Troschel, 1848) were collected. Data on specimen total length, body weight, fishing method, catch area (with relative depth temperature and salinity) were analyzed and compared with the S. pachygaster records reported in Guardone et al. (2018), which were appro-priately updated until 2022. All the analysed tissues were found to be negative for both TTXs and STXs. The key role of the CS in monitoring potentially toxic marine species was proved. Outcomes from this study, the first investigating the toxicity of S. pachygaster in Italian waters, may provide useful data for the proper assessment of this emerging risk
Association between Nutrigenomics and Incidence of Microbial Resistant Strains against Novel Antibiotics
Authors: Raslan Mohamed A. , Raslan Sara A. , Shehata Eslam M. , Mahmoud Amr S. , Lundstrom Kenneth , Barh Debmalaya , Azevedo Vasco , Sabri Nagwa A.
Published: May 2023

Nutrigenomics is the study of the interaction of nutrition and genes, focusing on the influence of nutrients on the genome, proteome, and metabolome, and how nutrition affects human health. In the context of nutrigenomics, bioactive components are dietary ingredients that may transmit information from the external environment and alter gene expression in the cell, and hence the overall function of the organism. It is critical to consider food not only as a source of energy and essential nutrients necessary for life and growth, but also as a factor impacting health/disease, biochemical processes, biochemical pathway activation and affecting the diversity of the gut microbiome. Antimicrobial resistance in pathogenic and commensal microorganisms has emerged as a major public health concern due to emerging antimicrobial resistance genes in E. coli isolates from pig, cattle, chicken, and turkey meat, against tetracycline, streptomycin, and sulfonamides. Also, Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. have shown antibiotic resistance at farms and slaughterhouses, and in animal-based food products. A correlation has been proven between a critical nutrient-responsive signaling system and catabolite control of gene expression, and a two-component signaling system that drives antibiotic resistance in E. faecalis, revealing a previously unknown integration between the nutritional status of the cell and intrinsic antibiotic resistance. Moreover, different nutrigenomic approaches can be applied to mitigate possible emergence of antimicrobial resistance against novel antibiotics. However, little progress has been achieved in converting nutrigenomics information into clinical advice, so far.
Organophosphorus Reinforced Poly(vinyl alcohol) Nanocomposites Doped with Silver-loaded Zeolite L Nanoparticles as Sustainable Materials for Packaging Applications
Authors: Vlad-Bubulac Tăchiță , Hamciuc Corneliu , Serbezeanu Diana , Suflet Dana Mihaela , Rusu Daniela , Lisa Gabriela , Anghel Ion , Preda Dana-Maria , Todorova Totka , Rîmbu Cristina Mihaela
Published: May 2023

The sustainable development of innovative eco-friendly multifunctional nanocomposites, possessing superior characteristics, is a noteworthy topic. Novel semi-interpenetrated nanocomposite films based on poly(vinyl alcohol) covalently and thermally crosslinked with oxalic acid (OA), reinforced with a novel organophosphorus flame retardant (PFR-4) derived from co-polycondensation in solution reaction of equimolar amounts of co-monomers, namely, bis((6-oxido-6H-dibenz[c,e][1,2]oxaphosphorinyl)-(4-hydroxyaniline)-methylene)-1,4-phenylene, bisphenol S, and phenylphosphonic dichloride, in a molar ratio of 1:1:2, and additionally doped with silver-loaded zeolite L nanoparticles (ze-Ag), have been prepared by casting from solution technique. The morphology of the as prepared PVA-oxalic acid films and their semi-interpenetrated nanocomposites with PFR-4 and ze-Ag was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while the homogeneous distribution of the organophosphorus compound and nanoparticles within the nanocomposite films has been introspected by means of energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). It was established that composites with a very low phosphorus content had noticeably improved flame retardancy. The peak of the heat release rate was reduced up to 55%, depending on the content of the flame retardant additive and the doping ze-Ag nanoparticles introduced into the PVA/OA matrix. The ultimate tensile strength and elastic modulus increased significantly in the reinforced nanocomposites. Considerably increased antimicrobial activity was revealed in the case of the samples containing silver-loaded zeolite L nanoparticles.
Causal Variables in the Association between Physical Well-Being and Chronic Pain: Results from a Cohort Study in Galicia (Northwest Spain)
Authors: Karimi Roya , Prego-Domínguez Jesús , Takkouche Bahi
Published: May 2023

Introduction: The relation between physical well-being and chronic pain is complex and involves several subjective and objective covariates. We aimed to assess the role of media-tor, confounder, or interactor played by covariates, including sleep quality, physical activity, perceived stress, smoking, and alcohol drinking in the relation between physical well-being and chronic pain.
Method: We used Poisson regression to obtain incidence rate ratios (IRR) of the associa-tion between physical well-being and chronic pain in a cohort study carried out among uni-versity students. We applied General Structural Equation Modeling (GSEM) to assess me-diation, and stratum-specific analysis to distinguish confounding from interaction. We computed Relative Excess Risks due to Interaction (RERI), Attributable Proportion (AP), and Synergy index (S) to measure additive interaction.
Results: High physical well-being is related to a large decrease in the risk of chronic pain (IRRTotal Effect= 0.58; 95%CI 0.50-0.81). Perceived stress mediates 12.5% of the total effect of physical well-being on chronic pain. The stratum-specific IRRs of current smokers and non-current smokers were different from each other and were larger than the crude IRR (IRR=1.49; 95% CI: 1.24-1.80), which indicates that smoking could be both confounder and interactor. Interaction analyses showed that physical activity could act as a potential interactor (RERI=0.25; 95% CI: 0.13, 0.60).
Conclusion: Perceived stress is an important mediator of the relation between physical well-being and chronic pain, while smoking is both a confounder and an interactor. Our findings may prove useful in distinguishing high-risk from low-risk groups, in the interven-tions aimed at reducing chronic pain.
Necrotic Urethral Prolapse Complicated by Urinary Retention: A Rare Case Report
Authors: Arıkan Mehmet Gürkan , Ecer Gökhan , Türk Semih , Özdemir İlker , Arda Ersan
Published: May 2023

Urethral prolapse (UP) is a rare condition in which the distal urethral mucosa protrudes circularly from the external urethral meatus. Urethral prolapse is seen in two age groups: prepubertal girls and postmenopausal women. The fact that it is seen in older women shows that it may be acquired. Causes of acquired UP include weakening of smooth muscle layers secondary to estrogen deficiency, chronic cough, chronic constipation, trauma, recurrent urinary tract infections, pelvic radiotherapy, and sexual abuse. The priority in treatment is conservative management, such as manual reduction, sitz baths, topical estrogen creams, and antibiotics. The general consensus is to switch to surgical treatment in patients who do not benefit from a conservative approach. In this case report, we describe the surgical treatment of a 56-year-old postmenopausal female patient with necrotic UP who presented with urinary retention.
Ant Colony Based Artificial Neural Network to Predict Spatial and Temporal Variation in Multiple Groundwater Quality Parameters
Authors: Ravinder Bhavya , Elango Lakshmanan
Published: May 2023

Data-driven models based on artificial intelligence are efficiently used to solve complex problems. The quality of groundwater is of utmost importance, as it directly impacts human health and the environment. In major parts of the world groundwater is the main source of drinking water, it is essential to periodically monitor water quality. Conventional water quality monitoring techniques involve periodical collection of water samples and analysis in the laboratory. This process is expensive, time consuming and involves lot of manual labor. The aim of our study is to build an ant colony optimized neural network for predicting groundwater quality parameters. We have proposed artificial neural network comprising of six hidden layers. The approach was validated using our groundwater quality dataset of a hard rock region in the northern part of Karnataka, India. Groundwater samples were collected by us periodically from March 2014 to October 2020 from 50 wells in this region. These samples where analysed for measuring the pH, Electrical Conductivity, Na+, Ca+, Na+, K+, Mg2+, F-, Cl- and U+. The temporal dataset was split for training, testing and validation of our model. Metrics such as R2 (Coefficient of Determination), RMSE (Root Mean Squared Error), NSE (Nash–Sutcliffe efficiencies) and MAE (Mean Absolute Error) were used to evaluate the prediction error and model performance. These performance evaluation metrics indicated the efficiency of our model in predicting the temporal variation in groundwater quality parameters. The method proposed by us can be used for prediction and the temporal frequency of sample collection can be reduced to save time and cost. The results also confirm that the combination of artificial neural network with ACO is a promising tool to optimize weights while training the network, and hence will help in reasonable prediction of groundwater quality parameters.
Environmental Assessment of External to Internal Wall Ratio for Rectangular Classrooms in Taif City, KSA
Authors: Shamseldin Amal Kamal
Published: May 2023

According to architectural standards, the common proportion of a rectangular-shaped classroom is the shallow proportion, which has a longer external room facade versus the perpendicular internal sides. Even in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the same proportion is used in school projects. Environmentally, this proportion is logical when considering the role of adequate natural lighting for classroom visual functions, which could be more easily achieved if its longest side is the external one. But, the environmental efficiency of any architectural space cannot be only judged according to a single human comfort achievement, especially with the diverse environmental characteristics of places around the world. This diversity can show a defect in other human comfort achievements or other environmental issues in different ways when achieving a certain function in a unified way. A holistic study should be done for any common architectural shape or proportion to ensure their priority among other options in achieving maximum green architectural principles for a specific location before confirming and using it. The manuscript compares a rectangular classroom of different external/internal wall proportions to search for their preference to be used in Taif city schools in KSA. The compared case studies have different window variations and similarities to include their effect too. According to the overall green principles assessment, the results showed that the common proportion of classrooms didn’t give the higher green credits, which alerts us that the traditional rectangular classroom proportion is not always optimum for all regions including Taif city in KSA.
Emerging Quantitative Biochemical, Structural and Biophysical Methods to Study Ribosome and Protein-RNA Complex Assembly
Authors: Gor Kavan , Duss Olivier
Published: May 2023

Ribosome assembly is one of the most fundamental processes in gene expression and has served as a playground to investigate the molecular mechanisms of how protein-RNA complexes (RNPs) assemble. The bacterial ribosome is composed of around 50 ribosomal proteins several of which are co-transcriptionally assembled on a ~4,500 nucleotides long pre-rRNA transcript that is further processed and modified during transcription, the entire process taking around 2 minutes in vivo and assisted by dozens of assembly factors. How this complex molecular process works so efficiently to produce an active ribosome has been investigated over decades and has resulted in the development of a plethora of novel approaches that can also be used to study the assembly of other RNPs. Here we review biochemical, structural and biophysical methods that have been developed and integrated to provide a detailed and quantitative understanding of this complex and intricate molecular process of assembly. We also discuss emerging cutting-edge approaches that could be used in the future to study how transcription, rRNA processing, cellular factors and the native cellular environment shape ribosome assembly and RNP assembly at large.
Influence of HIV/AIDS infection on Immunological and Nutritional Status. A Cross Sectional Study in Kingdom of Bahrain
Authors: Alabdulali Fatima , Freije Afnan , Al-Mannai Mariam , Alsalman Jameela , Buabbas Fatima , Rondanelli Mariangela , Perna Simone
Published: May 2023

Background and Objectives: HIV infection is a global public health problem that can lead to the progression of AIDS. Nutritional status and biochemical markers can significantly contribute to the progression of AIDS in HIV/AIDS patients. The main objective of this study is to examine the association between the nutritional and biochemical markers as well as BMI in HIV/AIDS patients in the kingdom of Bahrain. Methods: A retrospective cohort study, including 300 patients (248 males and 52 females) with HIV/AIDS in Bahrain. Various biochemical markers were collected from patients’ medical records including CD4^+ T cells counts, albumin, Hb, HCT, MCV, WBC, and creatinine. A semi-structured questionnaire using of a standardized food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used from which total energy and total macronutrients were calculate. Results: the mean BMI of participants was 27.20 kg/m2 with none of the participants had a BMI lower than 18.5 kg/m2 (underweight). The majority of patients’ dietary intake of macronutrients and total calories intake were either within or above the recommended RDA levels. The results also showed that all mean values of the nutritional and biochemical markers (CD4^+ T cells counts, albumin, Hb, HCT, MCV, WBC, and creatinine) are within the referenced normal ranges. A significant positive correlation of CD4^+ T cells counts, Hb, HCT and albumin at <0.05 level was found. There was no significant correlation between CD4^+ T cells counts and MCV, WBC and creatinine. A positive significant correlation was found between BMI, CD4^+ T cells counts, and WBC at <0.01 level. Conclusion: BMI values significantly correlated to biochemical markers of AIDS progression. Dietary pattern of participants was undiversified among participants, with high prevalence of obesity and overweight. Malnutrition among this study population was not present.
Understanding Feline Infectious Peritonitis: Serotypes, Patho-genicity, and Diagnostic Challenges
Authors: Li Siting , Cui Yongqiu , Zhou Jianwei , Hou Lei , Feng Xufei , Liu Jue
Published: May 2023

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), caused by the feline coronavirus (FCoV), is a devastating dis-ease in cats. Based on its antigenicity, FCoV can be divided into two serotypes: FCoV-I and FCoV-II. Furthermore, according to its pathogenicity, FCoV can be divided into feline enteric coronavirus (FECV) and feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV). There are numerous factors that affect the pathogenesis of FIP, among which host immunity and viral genetics can play an es-sential role in the development of FIP. Owing to the lack of specific symptoms, existing individual diagnostic methods can only support the suspicion of FIP, and multiple diagnostic methods and test data need to be combined to make a diagnosis. Although there are still no effective FIPV vaccines or commercial drugs available in the market, various studies have shown that some compounds can be used for treatment. Therefore, FIP is no longer incurable in cats
Lightning Network’s Evolution: Unraveling Its Present State and the Emergence of Disruptive Digital Business Models
Authors: Dasaklis Thomas , Malamas Vangelis
Published: May 2023

The Lightning Network (LN), a second-layer protocol built on top of the Bitcoin blockchain, is an innovative digital payment solution that offers increased convenience, speed, and cost-effectiveness to consumers and businesses alike. However, there is limited literature available on the characteristics of this nascent technology, the depth and breadth of the various business LN-related applications as well as relevant adoption/implementation challenges. This study aims to contribute to the understanding of the LN’s characteristics, its potential in enhancing business operations and its applicability across different sectors, while taking into account adoption and implementation challenges. We apply a narrative review methodology using a semi-systematic approach to examine new and emerging business models empowered by the LN and its characteristics, topology, performance, privacy, and security. We analyze the data to identify key themes and trends in the literature, offering a critical analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the existing literature. Based on the findings, we provide several clusters of fruitful areas for future research directions. The findings of this study will help businesses make more informed decisions about adopting and leveraging the LN to improve their operations and enhance customer experience.
Characterization and Optimization of Multiomic Single-Cell Epigenomic Profiling
Authors: Sandoval Leticia , Mohammed Ismail Wazim , Mazzone Amelia , Dumbrava Mihai , Fernandez Jenna , Munankarmy Amik , Lasho Terra , Binder Mortiz , Simon Vernadette , Kim Kwan Hyun , Chia Nicholas , Lee Jeong Heon , Weroha S. John , Patnaik Mrinal M. , Gaspar-Maia Alexandre
Published: May 2023

The snATAC + snRNA platform allows epigenomic profiling of open chromatin and gene expression with single-cell resolution. The most critical assay step is to isolate high-quality nuclei to proceed with droplet-base single nuclei isolation and barcoding. With the increasing popularity of multiomic profiling in various fields, there is a need for optimized and reliable nuclei isolation methods, mainly for human tissue samples. Herein we compared different nuclei isolation methods for cell suspensions, such as peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC, n=18) and a solid tumor type, ovarian cancer (OC) (n=18), derived from debulking surgery. Nuclei morphology and sequencing output parameters were used to evaluate the quality of preparation. Our results show that NP-40 detergent-based nuclei isolation yields better sequencing results than collagenase tissue dissociation for OC, significantly impacting cell identification and analysis. Given the utility of applying such techniques to frozen samples, we also tested frozen preparation and digestion (n=6). A paired comparison between frozen and fresh samples validated the quality of both specimens. Finally, we demonstrate the reproducibility of scRNA and snATAC + snRNA platform, by comparing the gene expression profiling of PBMC. Our results highlight how the choice of nuclei isolation methods is critical for obtaining quality data in multiomic assays. It also shows that the measurement of expression between scRNA and snRNA is comparable and effective for cell type identification.
About the Mechanical Strength of CPC Scaffolds
Authors: Bertrand Elisa , Zankovic Sergej , Vinke Johannes , Schmal Hagen , Seidenstuecker Michael
Published: May 2023

Background: For the treatment of bone defects, biodegradable compressive biomaterials are needed as a substitute, which degrade at the same rate as the bone regenerates. In this study, the compressive strength of CPC ceramics (with a layer thickness of more than 12 layers) should be compared with sintered ceramics. Methods: Round scaffolds with 20, 25, 30 and 45 layers were 3D printed the 3D Bioplotter, solidified in a water-saturated atmosphere for 3 days and then tested for compressive strength together with a sintered ceramic using a Zwick universal testing machine. Results: The 3D printed scaffolds are more compressive at 41.56 ± 7.12 MPa than the sintered ceramic at 24.16 ± 4.44. Conclusions: The round geometry sintered ceramics approach or exceed the upper limit of the compressive strength of cancellous bone in the direction of compacta (depending on the author).
Autoimmune Limbic Encephalitis in Patients With Hematologic Malignancies After Haploidentical Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation With Post-transplant Cyclophosphamide
Authors: Heo Bu Yeon , Lee Myung-Won , Choi Suyoung , Jung Yunju , Pham Thi Thuy Duong , Jang Yunseon , Park Jung-Hyun , Kang Sora , Koh Jeong Suk , Jo Deog-Yeon , Kwon Jaeyul , Song Ik-Chan
Published: May 2023

Autoimmune limbic encephalitis (LE) is a rare, but devastating complication of allogeneic hem-atopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). There is currently limited evidence describing the risk factors, laboratory features, and underlying mechanisms of this neurologic adverse event. We retrospectively reviewed available clinical, imaging, and laboratory data from adult patients with hematological malignancies who underwent haploidentical HSCT with cyclophosphamide (PTCy) at Chungnam National University Hospital from June 2016 to May 2020. Patients who developed LE were compared to those who did not based on clinical assessment, serum inflam-matory biomarkers, and reconstitution of various T cell populations. Of 35 patients, four devel-oped LE. There were no differences in patient demographics, donor demographics, or treatment conditions between patients that did and did not develop LE. Overall, patients with LE had worse clinical outcomes and overall survival than those without. In addition, they tended to have higher markers of systemic inflammation in the early post-transplant period, including fever, C-reactive protein (CRP), and cytokines. Remarkably, baseline interleukin-6 levels before HSCT were found to be higher in patients who developed LE than those who did not. In addition, analysis of T cell subsets showed impaired expansion of CD25+FOXP3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells in LE compared to non-LE patients despite appropriate reconstitution of the total CD4+ T cell population. Patients that developed LE within the first 30 days of HSCT were likely to have high serum IL-6 among other inflammatory cytokines coupled with suppression of regulatory T cell differentiation. Further work is needed on the mechanisms underlying impaired Treg expansion following HSCT and potential therapies.
Contrast-enhanced Liver MR Synthesis using Gradient Regularized Multi-Modal Multi-Discrimination Sparse Attention Fusion GAN
Authors: Jiao Changzhe , Ling Diane , Bian Shelly , Vassantachart April , Cheng Karen , Mehta Shahil , Lock Derrick , Zhu Zhenyu , Feng Mary , Thomas Horatio , Scholey Jessica E , Sheng Ke , Fan Zhaoyang , Yang Wensha
Published: May 2023

Purposes: To provide abdominal contrast-enhanced MR image synthesis, we developed an image gradient regularized multi-modal multi-discrimination sparse-attention fusion generative adversarial network (GRMM-GAN) to avoid repeated contrast injections to patients and facilitate adaptive monitoring.
Methods: With IRB approval, 165 abdominal MR studies from 61 liver cancer patients were retrospectively solicited from our institutional database. Each study included T2, T1 pre-contrast (T1pre), and T1 contrast-enhanced (T1ce) images. The GRMM-GAN synthesis pipeline consists of a sparse attention fusion network, an image gradient regularizer (GR), and a generative adversarial network with multi-discrimination. The studies were randomly divided into 115 for training, 20 for validation, and 30 for testing. The two pre-contrast MR modalities, T2 and T1pre images, were adopted as inputs in the training phase. The T1ce image at the portal venous phase was used as an output. The synthesized T1ce images were compared with the ground truth T1ce images. The evaluation metrics include peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), structural-similarity-index (SSIM), and mean-squared-error (MSE). A Turing test and experts’ contours evaluated the image synthesis quality.
Results: The proposed GRMM-GAN model achieved a PSNR of 28.56, an SSIM of 0.869, and an MSE of 83.27. The proposed model showed statistically significant improvements in all metrics tested with p-values <0.05 over the state-of-the-art model comparisons. The average Turing test score was 52.33%, close to random guessing, supporting the model's effectiveness for clinical application. In the tumor-specific region analysis, the average tumor contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the synthesized MR images was not statistically significant from the real MR images. The average DICE from real vs. synthetic images was 0.90, compared to the inter-operator DICE of 0.91.
Conclusion: We demonstrated the function of a novel multi-modal MR image synthesis neural network, GRMM-GAN, for T1ce MR synthesis based on pre-contrast T1 and T2 MR images. GRMM-GAN shows promise for avoiding repeated contrast injections during radiation therapy treatment.
A Novel Irrigation System to Reduce Heat Generation During Guided Implantology: An In Vitro Study
Authors: Parvizi Somayeh , Cameron Andrew , Tadakamadla Santosh , Figueredo Carlos Marcelo S. , Reher Peter
Published: May 2023

The purpose of this in vitro study is to evaluate the effectiveness of incorporating a new irrigation system into a surgical guide and monitor its effect on heat generation during implant bed preparation. A total of 48 surgically guided osteotomies were performed on 12 bovine ribs divided into 4 groups, using different irrigation techniques: Group A (test) had entry and exit channels incorporated into the guide; Group B had a similar design with an entry channel only; Group C had conventional external irrigation; Group D (control) had no irrigation. Heat generation during the osteotomies was measured using thermocouples placed at a depth of 2 mm and 6 mm. The lowest mean temperature was observed in Group A (22.1°C at 2mm and 21.4°C at 6mm), this was statistically significant when compared with Groups C and D (p<0.001). Group A showed a lower mean temperature compared with Group B as well, however statistically significant only at 6mm depth (p<0.05). In conclusion, the proposed guide has significantly reduced heat generation during implant osteotomy. The integration of an exit cooling channel can resolve limitations found in previously designed surgical guides and can be easily incorporated into computer designing and 3D printing software.
ECG Recordings as Predictors of Very Early Autism Likelihood: A Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Tilwani Deepa , Bradshaw Jessica , Sheth Amit P. , O'Reilly Christian
Published: May 2023

In recent years, there has been a rise in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The diagnosis of ASD requires behavioral observation and standardized testing completed by highly trained experts. Early intervention for ASD can begin as early as 1-2 years of age, but ASD diagnoses are not typically made until ages 2-5 years, thus delaying the start of intervention. There is an urgent need for non-invasive biomarkers to detect ASD in infancy. While previous research using physiological recordings has focused on brain-based biomarkers of ASD, this study investigated the potential of electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings as an ASD biomarker in 3-6-month-old infants. We recorded heart activity of infants at typical and elevated familial likelihood for ASD during naturalistic interactions with objects and caregivers. After obtaining the ECG signals, features such as heart rate variability (HRV) and sympathetic and parasympathetic activities were extracted from them. Then we evaluated the effectiveness of multiple machine learning classifiers for the classification of ASD likelihood. Our findings support our hypothesis that infant ECG signals contain a significant amount of information about ASD familial likelihood. Among the various machine learning algorithms tested, XGBoost performed best according to sensitivity (0.76±0.12), f1-score (0.75±0.12), precision (0.79±0. 12), classification accuracy (0.77±0.12, p-value = 0.01) and AUC (0.76±0.12, p-value = 0.02). These results suggest that ECG signals contains relevant information about the likelihood of an infant to develop ASD. Future studies should consider the potential of information contained in ECG, and other indices of autonomic control, for the development of biomarkers of ASD in infancy.
Unlocking the Secrets of Androgen Receptors in the Susceptibility, Progression, and Treatment of Prostate Cancer
Authors: Zakari Suleiman , Ekenwaneze Christogonus C. , Amadi Emmanuel C. , Ogunlana Olubanke O.
Published: May 2023

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a significant cause of cancer-related deaths globally, with an increasing incidence over the years. Our review article aims to unlock the secrets of androgen receptors in prostate cancer susceptibility, progression, and treatment by analyzing recent literature. Androgen receptor (AR) plays a crucial role in male development and maintains masculine characteristics. However, in prostate cancer, AR signaling pathway aberrations can lead to disease progression and treatment resistance. Understanding AR regulation and function in healthy and diseased states is essential for developing effective treatment strategies to combat this disease and improve patient outcomes. Our findings have significant implications for developing new treatments and identifying biomarkers for early detection and personalized treatment targeting the AR signalling pathway.
Anomaly Detection in Endemic Disease Surveillance Data Using Machine Learning Techniques
Authors: Eze Peter U. , Geard Nicholas , Mueller Ivo , Chades Iadine
Published: May 2023

Disease surveillance is critical to monitor ongoing control activities, detect early outbreaks and to inform intervention priorities and policies. Unfortunately, most data from disease surveillance remain under-utilised to support decision-making in real-time. Using the Brazilian Amazon malaria surveillance data as a case study, we explore unsupervised anomaly detection machine learning techniques to analyse and discover potential anomalies. We found that our models are able to detect early outbreaks, peak of outbreaks as well as change points in the proportion of positive malaria cases. Specifically, the sustained rise in malaria in the Brazilian Amazon in 2016 was flagged by several models. We also found that no single model detects all the anomalies across all health regions. The approaches using Clustering-based local outlier algorithm ranked first before Principal component analysis and Stochastic outlier selection in maximising the number of anomalies detected in local health regions. Because of this, we also provide the minimum number of machine learning models (top-k models) to maximise the number of anomalies detected across different health regions. We discovered that the top-3 models that maximise the coverage of the number and types of anomalies detected across the 13 health regions are: Principal component analysis, Stochastic outlier selection and Multi-covariance determinant. Anomaly detection approaches provide interesting solutions to discover patterns of epidemiological importance when confronted with a large volume of data across space and time. Our exploratory approach can be replicated for other diseases and locations to inform timely interventions and actions toward endemic disease control.
A Study of Roots of a Certain Class of Counting Polynomials
Authors: Ghorbani Modjtaba , Ravandi Razie AliDehi , Dehmer Matthias , Emmert-Streib Frank
Published: May 2023

Suppose G is a graph with vertex-orbits O1,1 O2, . . . ,Ot, and jOi j denotes the cardinallity
of Oi. Then OG (x) = åt
2 i=1 xjOi j is called as orbit polynomial. It is well-known that this polynomial
3 has a unique positive zero d in the interval [0, 1]. The aim of this paper is to study the specific
4 properties of this polynomial and then we determine the location of this root for several classes of
5 complex networks to compare with other graphical measures. Besides, we compare the unique
6 positive zero measure with several well-known centrality graph measures.
Carbon Monoxide Production During Bio-Waste Composting Under Different Temperature and Aeration Regimes
Authors: Sobieraj Karolina , Stegenta-Dąbrowska Sylwia , Zafiu Christian , Binner Erwin , Białowiec Andrzej
Published: May 2023

Despite the development of biorefinery processes, so far this area does not take into account the possibility of coupling the “conventional” composting process with the production of biochemicals. However, net carbon monoxide (CO) production has been observed during bio-waste composting. So far, O2 concentration and temperature have been identified as main variables influencing CO formation. This study aimed to investigate the CO net production during bio-waste composting under controlled laboratory conditions, depending on different aeration rates and temperatures. A series of composting processes were carried out in conditions ranging from ~psychrophilic to thermophilic (T=35, 45, 55, and 65°C) and an aeration rate of 2.7, 3.4, 4.8, and 7.8 L‧h-1. The highest concentrations of CO in each thermal variant was achieved with oxygen deficit (aeration rate 2.7 L‧h-1); additionally, CO levels increased with temperature, reaching ~300 ppm at 65°C. Production of CO in mesophilic and thermophilic conditions draws attention to the biological CO formation by microorganisms capable of producing the CODH enzyme. Further research on the CO production efficiency in these thermal ranges is necessary with the characterization of the microbial community and analysis of the ability of the identified bacteria to produce the CODH enzyme and convert CO from CO2.
Clinical Data and In Silico Analysis Provided New Insights About COVID-19 Behavior in smokers
Authors: Dias Luzia Soares , Alencar Nylane Maria Nunes , Mesquita Felipe Pantoja , Brito Daiane Maria da Silva , Ramos Márcio Viana , Souza Pedro Filho Noronha
Published: May 2023

Here, one hundred patients (50 smokers and 50 non-smokers) clinically diagnosed with COVID-19 were studied. Yet, bioinformatics was used to predict epitopes on Tobacco mosaic virus coat protein (TMV-CP) to produce antibodies towards SARS-CoV-2. Death was three times higher in non-smokers than in smokers. However, biochemical parameters did not separate the groups. Bioinformatics analysis predicted the presence of B-cell epitopes in TMV-CP, suggesting the production of antibodies anti-TMV-CP in smoker patients. Smokers may develop severe forms of COVID-19, but survival was superior in the evaluated group than in non-smokers. Anti-TMV-CP antibodies, potentially present in smokers, might act as a pro-immune agent against SARS-CoV-2 at earlier stages of infection. These data are helpful for future studies assessing COVID-19 in smokers.
Orders Between Channels and Some Implications for Partial Information Decomposition
Authors: Gomes André , Figueiredo Mário A.T.
Published: May 2023

The partial information decomposition (PID) framework is concerned with decomposing the information that a set of random variables has with respect to a target variable into three types of components: redundant, synergistic, and unique. Classical information theory alone does not provide a unique way to decompose information in this manner and additional assumptions have to be made. Inspired by Kolchinsky's recent proposal for measures of intersection information, we introduce three new measures based on well-known partial orders between communication channels and study some of their properties.
Determinant Factors of Voluntary or Mandatory Vaccination against COVID-19. A Survey Study among Students at Albanian University
Authors: Kongo Elona , Shpati Kleva , Dama Aida , Ymeraj Sibela , Murati Ema , Veliaj Uels , Xinxo Sonela
Published: May 2023

Introduction. Covid-19 faced the world with serious health and socioeconomic issues. At the very beginning of the pandemics, the vaccine was considered by health authorities and the medical community the only way to curb the spread of the virus. One of the measures that have been proposed to increase vaccinations was the mandatory policy. The purpose of this study was to compare determinants of voluntary and mandatory vaccination among students of Albanian University. Methodology: This cross-sectional study by means of an online survey, was conducted among students enrolled in the private University “Albanian University”, Tirana, Albania during the last week of winter semester 7-14 Feb 2022. Results: 878 students participated in this study, among them 612 (69.7%) were females, 266 (30%) were males. 506 (57%) of the participants were enrolled in Medical Sciences (MS), 372(42.3%) were Non-Medical Science (Non-MS) group. 773 (88%) was vaccinated against Covid-19, 105 (11.8%) were not vaccinated. 466 (53%) reported voluntary vaccination, 412 (46.9%) reported mandatory vaccination. Among students that vaccinated voluntary 266 (57%) were from MS group, 200(42.9%) from Non-MS group. 237(57.5%) of students in mandatory vaccination group were from MS group, 175 (42.4%) from Non-MS. Conlusion. Vaccine safety and efficacy were hindering factors of vaccination. Also, based on the results of this study, the students felt encouraged to vaccinate by the academic staff. This clearly demonstrates that the staff does not lack the skills to enhance stu-dents' knowledge about the risk of infectious diseases and the importance of vaccination. Therefore, to influence as much as possible students’ attitude toward vaccination, comprehensive educational programs including modification of existing curricula should be considered.
Sequential and Continuous Enriched Acoustic Environment as Customized Stimuli for Tinnitus Sound Therapy
Authors: Cuesta María , Cobo Pedro
Published: May 2023

Tinnitus is a heterogeneous auditory disorder without a pharmacological cure but with several palliative treatments. One of the most applied treatments for tinnitus relief combines counselling with sound therapy. The efficiency of this sound therapy depends on the type of sound stimulus and the exposition time. The fundamentals of a customized sound therapy that stimulates the auditory system with a continuous or sequential sound which compensates for the subject hearing loss are described here. A sample of 137 tinnitus subjects are treated with this sound therapy, named Enriched Acoustic Environment. 90% of these patients achieved a clinically relevant and statistically significant tinnitus-related distress relief quantified as a mean drop of their Tinnitus Handicap Inventory score of 24.3 points. These subjects exposed with sequential stimuli (31%) achieved greater distress relief (5.1 points more in their Tinnitus Handicap Inventory score) than those stimulated with continuous sound (69%). Therefore, this sound constitutes an optimized stimulus for tinnitus treatment.
Research on Marketing Strategy of Indonesian Tourism Facing Chinese Tourist Source Market 印尼旅游业面向中国客源市场的营销策略研究
Authors: Chaoxia SONG , Hua ZHANG , Jia YAN
Published: May 2023

How to grasp the development opportunities brought by the Belt and Road Initiative and further expand China's tourist source market is an issue worthy of the attention of the Indonesian government. In tourism development, Indonesia should give priority to the promoting role of tourism development in the growth of economic aggregate, attach great importance to the marketing and promotion of Chinese tourist source market, and pay special attention to the large scale of Chinese tourist source market, large number of tourists and high level of expenditure, as well as the characteristics of outbound tourism consumption behavior featuring large number of independent tourists, long stay, emphasis on destination safety and tourism experience. In order to further expand the Chinese tourist market, price strategies, scenic strategies, information strategies and visa strategies can be targeted in tourism marketing promotion, so as to better promote the healthy development of Indonesian tourism and promote the sustainable growth of Indonesian national economy.
Peran Pola Asuh Orang Tua dan Implikasinya terhadap Perkembangan Sosial-Emosional Anak
Authors: Lelo Kaleb , Liutani Dian Natalia
Published: May 2023

Parenting style plays a big role in aspects of children's self-development, one of which is the child's social-emotional development. This study aims to describe parenting practices and how they influence the social and emotional development of Bukit Sion PAUD children in Raeloro Village. The research method used is qualitative. There were 10 research informants consisting of 8 parents and 2 Bukit Sion PAUD teachers. The results of the study show that the role of parenting style has a major impact on the social-emotional development of children in the Bukit Sion PAUD. This can be seen when participating in learning activities at school, children have self-awareness in the form of an independent attitude in choosing activities and completing activities given by the teacher, have a sense of responsibility for themselves and others, want to share, help and assist friends who experiencing difficulties in learning activities and respecting the excellence of others in this case respecting the work of others, and having an enthusiastic attitude in completing assignments given by the teacher. The results of this study can be used as input for teachers in formulating appropriate learning methods to achieve children's social-emotional development and also become parenting guidelines for parents.
PENGARUH PROGRAM FIT TO WORK TERHADAP PRODUKTIVITAS KERJA PADA OPERATOR ALAT BERAT DI PT. PELABUHAN INDONESIA (PERSERO) SUB REGIONAL JAWA TIMUR
Authors: Nugroho Ivan Ardiansyah
Published: May 2023

Kegiatan bongkar muat barang memiliki potensi dan risiko bahaya sehingga dapat menyebabkan kecelakaan dan penyakit akibat kerja (PAK). Kecelakaan menyebabkan cedera yang mengakibatkan ketidakmampuan untuk melaksanakan tugas secara normal, sehingga memengaruhi produktivitas kerja. Mengatasi hal tersebut perusahaan memiliki program K3 yaitu program fit to work. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk menganalisis pengaruh program fit to work terhadap produktivitas kerja pada operator alat berat di PT. Pelabuhan Indonesia (Persero) Sub Regional Jawa Timur. Penelitian ini menggunakan desain survei analitik dengan pendekatan cross sectional. Populasi yang digunakan seluruh operator alat berat berjumlah 26 orang. Jumlah sampel seluruh operator alat berat berjumlah 26 orang menggunakan metode total sampling. Variabel penelitian ini adalah program fit to work dan produktivitas kerja. Instrumen yang digunakan berupa lembar kuesioner dan dianalisis menggunakan uji regresi ordinal. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa operator alat berat beranggapan program fit to work telah terlaksana sangat baik (70%) dan memiliki produktivitas kerja sangat tinggi (80%). Hasil uji regresi ordinal menunjukkan ada pengaruh program fit to work terhadap produktivitas pada operator alat berat di PT. Pelindo (Persero) Sub Regional Jawa Timur (0,000<0,05). Kesimpulan dalam penelitian ini adalah operator alat berat memiliki produktivitas kerja tinggi karena pelaksanaan program fit to work telah terlaksana sangat baik. Saran yang diberikan tetap mempertahankan produktivitas kerja dengan selalu mengikuti program fit to work setiap sebelum bekerja dan meningkatkan kepatuhan terhadap peraturan di perusahaan, mempertahankan pelaksanaan program fit to work serta melakukan pemanasan tubuh ketika pelaksanaan safety briefing. Kata Kunci: Produktivitas Kerja, Program Keselamatan dan Kesehatan Kerja, Program Fit to Work, Operator Alat Berat
Políticas Públicas e Conciliação de Classes, um Jogo de Forças na Sociedade Capitalista: Qual o caminho a construir?
Authors: Silva Reinaldo Antonio
Published: May 2023

Políticas públicas são instrumentos de governo que detêm certa excepcionalidade dentro da ação do governo e Estado. Não se inserem no escopo tradicional da ação política e administrativa de um governo, e são construídas quando se necessita minimizar/superar uma situação socioeconômica que se torna antagônica à missão do governo. Na rotina diária do funcionamento de governo, que não é naturalmente capacitado a visualizar situações distintas das políticas tradicionais no cotidiano do funcionamento da sociedade, quando observadas dadas situações que poderiam ser denominadas de estranhas ou alheias à sociedade, é que a governança lança mão de instrumentos políticos, no sentido de construir ações na direção de dar/construir resolução e encaminhamento àquela questão não prevista formalmente no funcionamento do Estado.