bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis and comparison of failure causes of minimally invasive surgical closure of ventricular septal defects in children
Authors: Yu Jin , Shi Zhuo , Qian Jingjing , Ma Lianglong , Zhang Baofu , Ying Liyang , Shu Qiang
Published: January 2023

Objectives

The aims of the present study were to explore the causes of minimally invasive surgical ventricular septal defect (VSD) closure failure under transesophageal echocardiography guidance and thus to improve the success rate of surgical VSD closure.

Methods

From January 2015 to December 2019, 522 children with VSD underwent minimally invasive surgical closure. Nineteen procedures (3.64%) were unsuccessful. The failure causes, VSD locations and surgical incision approaches were retrospectively analyzed.

Results

Among the 19 patients (3.64%) with unsuccessful outcomes, 18 were switched to cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) surgery, and 1 was closed successfully using an occlusion device a year later. The causes of failure included occlusion device shedding or shifting (n=6), failure of the guidewire (or the sheath) to pass through a small defect (n=5), device-related valve regurgitation (n=4), significant residual shunt (n=2), ventricular fibrillation (n=1), and continuous sharp blood pressure decreases (n=1). Patients with high VSD had a slightly higher failure rate than those with perimembranous VSD (p=0.049), and its key reason is the high proportion of occlusion device shedding or shifting (p=0.005). No significant difference in the failure rate was found between patients with different surgical incision approaches.

Conclusions

Minimally invasive surgery has a high success rate for perimembranous VSDs. Occlusion device shedding or shifting is the most common cause of failure. The shedding or shifting risk of eccentric occlusion devices being used only for high VSDs is much greater than that of concentric occlusion devices being used for perimembranous VSDs, which increases the risk of conversion to CPB surgery for high VSDs.
Maxwell extension of f(R) gravity
Authors: Cebecioğlu Oktay , Saban Ahmet , Kibaroğlu Salih
Published: January 2023

Inspired by the Maxwell symmetry generalization of general relativity (Maxwell gravity), we have constructed the Maxwell extension of f(R) gravity. We found that the semi-simple extension of the Poincare symmetry allows us to introduce geometrically a cosmological constant term in four-dimensional f(R) gravity. This symmetry also allows the introduction of a non-vanishing torsion to the Maxwell f(R) theory. It is found that the antisymmetric gauge field $$B^{ab}$$

B

ab

associated with Maxwell extension is considered as a source of the torsion. It is also found that the gravitational equation of motion acquires a new term in the form of an energy–momentum tensor for the background field. The importance of these new equations is briefly discussed.
Evolution of global polarization in relativistic heavy-ion collisions within a perturbative approach
Authors: Li Xiaowen , Jiang Ze-Fang , Cao Shanshan , Deng Jian
Published: January 2023

Extremely large angular orbital momentum can be produced in non-central heavy-ion collisions, leading to a strong transverse polarization of partons that scatter through the quark-gluon plasma (QGP) due to spin-orbital coupling. We develop a perturbative approach to describe the formation and spacetime evolution of quark polarization inside the QGP. Polarization from both the initial hard scatterings and interactions with the QGP have been consistently described using the quark-potential scattering approach, which has been coupled to realistic initial condition calculation and the subsequent $$(3+1)$$

(
3
+
1
)

-dimensional viscous hydrodynamic simulation of the QGP for the first time. Within this improved approach, we have found that different spacetime-rapidity-dependent initial energy density distributions generate different time evolution profiles of the longitudinal flow velocity gradient of the QGP, which further lead to an approximately 15% difference in the final polarization of quarks collected on the hadronization hypersurface of the QGP. Therefore, in addition to the collective flow coefficients, the hyperon polarization may serve as a novel tool to help constrain the initial condition of the hot nuclear matter created in high-energy nuclear collisions.
A Dixmier type averaging property of automorphisms on a C∗-algebra
Authors: Rørdam Mikael
Published: January 2023

In this study of the relative Dixmier property for inclusions of von Neumann algebras and of [Formula: see text]-algebras, Popa considered a certain property of automorphisms on [Formula: see text]-algebras, that we here call the strong averaging property. In this paper, we characterize when an automorphism on a [Formula: see text]-algebra has the strong averaging property. In particular, automorphisms on commutative [Formula: see text]-algebras possess this property precisely when they are free. An automorphism on a unital separable simple [Formula: see text]-algebra with at least one tracial state has the strong averaging property precisely when its extension to the finite part of the bi-dual of the [Formula: see text]-algebra is properly outer, and in the simple, non-tracial case the strong averaging property is equivalent to being outer.

To illustrate the usefulness of the strong averaging property we give three examples where we can provide simpler proofs of existing results on crossed product [Formula: see text]-algebras, and we are also able to extend these results in different directions.
A Novel Interactive Image Segmentation Algorithm Based on Maximization of Submodular Function
Authors: Tan Huang , Li Qiaoliang , Peng Zili
Published: January 2023

In this paper, an efficient interactive image segmentation method based on maximization of submodular function under user’s scribble constraint is presented. The problem of interactive image segmentation is formulated as the maximum entropy rate under user’s constraints. The objective function is submodular, and we solve the constrained submodular function maximization by incorporating a new data structure and some aggregating rules into the greedy algorithm. The main steps of our algorithm are as follows. First, the pixels scribbled by the user are clustered separately as target foreground and background clusters. Second, in the process of greedy algorithm, unscribbled pixels are aggregated to the corresponding target cluster according to the proposed aggregating rules. Finally, the segmentation result is presented by the two target clusters. The experiments and comparisons on three standard benchmarks show that our method has good performance. Our method is straightforward and efficient, and the time complexity of our method is between linear and polynomial. Furthermore, we analyze the influence of different scribbles, and propose some optimal scribble strategies.
FRACTIONAL VARIATIONAL PROBLEM INVOLVING INDEFINITE INTEGRALS AND NONSINGULAR KERNELS
Authors: JAFARI HOSSEIN , TAJADODI HALEH , KHATIR SEYED RABI MOUSAVIAN , NGUYEN VAN THINH
Published: January 2023

This paper deals with a class of fractional variational problems involving Atangana–Baleanu (AB) derivative. The problem under consideration is a graceful combination of AB derivative with indefinite integral. A proposed numerical technique based on the shifted Vieta–Lucas polynomials is utilized for obtaining the solutions to the given problem. Our numerical process is principally based on the operational matrix (OM) of fractional integral in the AB sense in order to approximate solutions of the problem under study. By utilizing the OM along with the Lagrange multiplier method, the given problems are converted into a problem easier to solve. The resultant problem can then be solved using standard methods. Convergence of the presented method is investigated. In order to ensure and display the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed technique, some examples are given.
SIMULATIONS AND ANALYSIS OF COVID-19 AS A FRACTIONAL MODEL WITH DIFFERENT KERNELS
Authors: YAO SHAO-WEN , FARMAN MUHAMMAD , AKGÜL ALI , NISAR KOTTAKKARAN SOOPPY , AMIN MARYAM , SALEEM MUHAMMAD UMER , INC MUSTAFA
Published: January 2023

Recently, Atangana proposed new operators by combining fractional and fractal calculus. These recently proposed operators, referred to as fractal–fractional operators, have been widely used to study complex dynamics. In this paper, the COVID-19 model is considered via Atangana–Baleanu fractal-fractional operator. The Lyapunov stability for the model is derived for first and second derivative. Numerical results have developed through Lagrangian-piecewise interpolation for the different fractal–fractional operators. We develop numerical outcomes through different differential and integral fractional operators like power-law, exponential law, and Mittag-Leffler kernel. To get a better outcome of the proposed scheme, numerical simulation is made with different kernels having the memory effects with fractional parameters.
ON FRACTAL-FRACTIONAL WATERBORNE DISEASE MODEL: A STUDY ON THEORETICAL AND NUMERICAL ASPECTS OF SOLUTIONS VIA SIMULATIONS
Authors: KHAN HASIB , ALZABUT JEHAD , SHAH ANWAR , HE ZAI-YIN , ETEMAD SINA , REZAPOUR SHAHRAM , ZADA AKBAR
Published: January 2023

Waterborne diseases are illnesses caused by pathogenic bacteria that spread through water and have a negative influence on human health. Due to the involvement of most countries in this vital issue, accurate analysis of mathematical models of such diseases is one of the first priorities of researchers. In this regard, in this paper, we turn to a waterborne disease model for solution’s existence, HU-stability, and computational analysis. We transform the model to an analogous fractal-fractional integral form and study its qualitative analysis using an iterative convergent sequence and fixed-point technique to see whether there is a solution. We use Lagrange’s interpolation to construct numerical algorithms for the fractal-fractional waterborne disease model in terms of computations. The approach is then put to the test in a case study, yielding some interesting outcomes.
APPLICATION OF HOSOYA POLYNOMIAL TO SOLVE A CLASS OF TIME-FRACTIONAL DIFFUSION EQUATIONS
Authors: JAFARI HOSSEIN , GANJI ROGHAYEH MOALLEM , NARSALE SONALI MANDAR , KGAROSE MALUTI , NGUYEN VAN THINH
Published: January 2023

In this paper, we study time-fractional diffusion equations such as the time-fractional Kolmogorov equations (TF–KEs) and the time-fractional advection–diffusion equations (TF–ADEs) in the Caputo sense. Here, we have developed the operational matrices (OMs) using the Hosoya polynomial (HP) as basis function for OMs to obtain solution of the TF–KEs and the TF–ADEs. The great benefit of this technique is converting the TF–KEs and the TF–ADEs to algebraic equations, which can be simply solved the problem under study. We provide error bound for the approximation of a bivariate function using the HP. Furthermore, comparison of the numerical results obtained using the proposed technique with the exact solution is done. The results prove that the proposed numerical method is most relevant for solving the TF–KEs and the TF–ADEs and accurate.
ON SYSTEMS OF FRACTIONAL-ORDER DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS FOR ORDER 1 < 𝜗 ≤ 2
Authors: XU CHANGJIN , TAHIR SANA , ANSARI KHURSHEED J. , UR RAHMAN MATI , AL-DUAIS FUAD S.
Published: January 2023

This work is devoted to establish a numerical scheme for system of fractional-order differential equations (FODEs) with order [Formula: see text]. The scheme is established by using Bernstein polynomials (BPs). Based on the said materials, some operational matrices are formed. With the help of obtained operational matrices, the considered system is reduced to some algebraic system of equations. On using MATLAB-16, the system is then solved to get the required numerical solution for the proposed system. Several examples are treated with the help of the proposed method for numerical solutions. Further, error analysis is also recorded for different fractional orders and various scale levels. The mentioned results are displayed graphically. Comparison with exact solution at traditional order derivative is also given. It should be kept in mind that the proposed method does not require any kind of discretization or collocation. Also, there is no external parameter which controls the method. Due to these features, the proposed method is powerful and efficient for different classes of FODEs to compute their numerical solutions. The efficiency of the proposed method can be enhanced by increasing the scale level.
THEORETICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE ROLL BONDING BEHAVIOR OF BILAYERS AL LAMINATES
Authors: MAHMOUD AISHA KAMAL , GATEA M. ABDULFADHIL , ALAWSI TAIF , KAREEM A. K. , VINI M. HEYDARI , DANESHMAND S.
Published: January 2023

In recent years, bimetallic strips have been progressively used in manufacturing to make collective purposes. Amongst cladding approaches, the rolling process is one of the most popular processes in making bimetallic strips. In this study, a new analytical model based on the slab method has been proposed to predict the bond strength of two layer strips. Results show that the bond strength of strips increases with increasing total rolling thickness reduction of the samples. Also, the finite element simulation and an experimental study were run to approve the results obtained from the new analytical model for producing AA1060/AA7075 bimetallic strips. Moreover, the planned analytical model is appropriate for modeling the roll bonding process of the two-layer strips and it is proficient to extend our information in engineering and production of bimetal strips. The bonding strength of bilayer samples enhanced by increasing the reduction in thickness ratio. The peeled surface of samples has been investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Stability Analyses of Cracked Functionally Graded Graphene-Platelets Reinforced Composite Beam Covered with Piezoelectric Layers
Authors: Guo Li-Jia , Mao Jia-Jia , Zhang Wei , Wu Meiqi
Published: January 2023

As cracks are unavoidable and always reduce structural local stiffness and strength, this paper pays attention to the effect of cracks on the stability of the cracked functionally graded (FG) graphene-nanoplates reinforced composite (GRC) beam covered with piezoelectric layers. Both the critical buckling loads and postbuckling paths of the novel structures with cracks are considered. The massless rotational spring model is employed to calculate the bending stiffness of the cracked section. Three different graphene platelets (GPLs) distribution patterns along the thickness direction of the FG-GRC core beam are studied. The effective material properties of the FG-GRC core beam are calculated by Halpin–Tsai model and the rule of mixture. The governing equations of stability of the cracked FG-GRC piezoelectric beam are established within the framework of the first-order shear deformation beam theory, von Kármán geometric nonlinearity and Ritz method. The direct iteration method is used to examine the effects of boundary conditions, crack parameters, piezoelectric layers and GPL parameters on the critical buckling loads and postbuckling responses of the cracked FG-GRC piezoelectric beams. Results clearly illustrate that GPLs can significantly improve the stability of the cracked FG-GRC piezoelectric beams, while the increasing crack depth has the opposite effect.
Some results on factorization of monoids
Authors: Balogh Zsolt Adam , Mesablishvili Tamar
Published: January 2023

Factorizations of monoids are studied. Two necessary and sufficient conditions in terms of the so-called descent 1-cocycles for a monoid to be factorized through two submonoids are found. A full classification of those factorizations of a monoid whose one factor is a subgroup of the monoid is obtained. The relationship between monoid factorizations and non-abelian cohomology of monoids is analyzed. Some applications of semi-direct product of monoids are given.
Quantitative Technology Forecasting: A Review of Trend Extrapolation Methods
Authors: Tsai Peng-Hung , Berleant Daniel , Segall Richard S. , Aboudja Hyacinthe , Batthula Venkata Jaipal Reddy , Duggirala Sheela , Howell Michael
Published: January 2023

Quantitative technology forecasting uses quantitative methods to understand and project technological changes. It is a broad field encompassing many different techniques and has been applied to a vast range of technologies. A widely used approach in this field is trend extrapolation. Based on the literature available to us, there has been little or no attempt made to systematically review the empirical evidence on quantitative trend extrapolation techniques. This study attempts to close this gap by conducting a systematic review of the technology forecasting literature addressing the application of quantitative trend extrapolation techniques. We identified 25 studies relevant to the objective of this research and classified the techniques used in the studies into different categories, among which the growth curves and time series methods were shown to remain popular over the past decade while the newer methods, such as machine learning-based hybrid models, have emerged in recent years. As more effort and evidence are needed to determine if hybrid models are superior to traditional methods, we expect a growing trend in the development and application of hybrid models to technology forecasting.
A Dense Representation Framework for Lexical and Semantic Matching
Authors: Lin Sheng-Chieh , Lin Jimmy
Published: January 2023

Lexical and semantic matching capture different successful approaches to text retrieval and the fusion of their results has proven to be more effective and robust than either alone. Prior work performs hybrid retrieval by conducting lexical and semantic matching using different systems (e.g., Lucene and Faiss, respectively) and then fusing their model outputs. In contrast, our work integrates lexical representations with dense semantic representations by densifying high-dimensional lexical representations into what we call low-dimensional dense lexical representations (DLRs). Our experiments show that DLRs can effectively approximate the original lexical representations, preserving effectiveness while improving query latency. Furthermore, we can combine dense lexical and semantic representations to generate dense hybrid representations (DHRs) that are more flexible and yield faster retrieval compared to existing hybrid techniques. In addition, we explore
jointly
training lexical and semantic representations in a single model and empirically show that the resulting DHRs are able to combine the advantages of the individual components. Our best DHR model is competitive with state-of-the-art single-vector and multi-vector dense retrievers in both in-domain and zero-shot evaluation settings. Furthermore, our model is both faster and requires smaller indexes, making our dense representation framework an attractive approach to text retrieval. Our code is available at
https://github.com/castorini/dhr
.
Managing Tasks across the Work–Life Boundary: Opportunities, Challenges, and Directions
Authors: Williams Alex C. , Iqbal Shamsi , Kiseleva Julia , White Ryen W.
Published: January 2023

Task management tools allow people to record, track, and manage task-related information across their work and personal contexts. As work contexts have shifted amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become important to understand how these tools are continuing or failing to support peoples’ work-related and personal needs. In this article, we examine and probe practices for managing task-related information across the work–life boundary. We report findings from an online survey deployed to 150 information workers during Summer 2019 (i.e., pre-pandemic) and 70 information workers at the same organization during Summer 2020 (i.e., mid-pandemic). Across both survey cohorts, we characterize these cross-boundary task management practices, exploring the central role that physical and digital tools play in managing task-related information that arises at inopportune times. We conclude with a discussion of the opportunities and challenges for future productivity tools that aid people in managing task-related information across their personal and work contexts.
Parameterized Complexity of Logic-based Argumentation in Schaefer’s Framework
Authors: Mahmood Yasir , Meier Arne , Schmidt Johannes
Published: January 2023

Argumentation is a well-established formalism dealing with conflicting information by generating and comparing arguments. It has been playing a major role in AI for decades. In logic-based argumentation, we explore the internal structure of an argument. Informally, a set of formulas is the support for a given claim if it is consistent, subset-minimal, and implies the claim. In such a case, the pair of the support and the claim together is called an argument. In this article, we study the propositional variants of the following three computational tasks studied in argumentation: ARG (exists a support for a given claim with respect to a given set of formulas), ARG-Check (is a given set a support for a given claim), and ARG-Rel (similarly as ARG plus requiring an additionally given formula to be contained in the support). ARG-Check is complete for the complexity class DP, and the other two problems are known to be complete for the second level of the polynomial hierarchy (Creignou et al. 2014 and Parson et al., 2003) and, accordingly, are highly intractable. Analyzing the reason for this intractability, we perform a two-dimensional classification: First, we consider all possible propositional fragments of the problem within Schaefer’s framework (STOC 1978) and then study different parameterizations for each of the fragments. We identify a list of reasonable structural parameters (size of the claim, support, knowledge base) that are connected to the aforementioned decision problems. Eventually, we thoroughly draw a fine border of parameterized intractability for each of the problems showing where the problems are fixed-parameter tractable and when this exactly stops. Surprisingly, several cases are of very high intractability (para-NP and beyond).
Synergic Effect of CdS Nano Additives and UV Exposure on Properties of PVA/CdS Nanocomposite
Authors: Nain Aditi , Dahiya Sanjay , Chahal Rishi Pal , Dhanda Ekta
Published: January 2023

PVA/CdS nanocomposites with varying amounts of CdS NPs in PVA were synthesized by chemical reduction method and these were UV irradiation for different time. Absorption peak around 450 nm observed in these films indicates presence of CdS NPs in PVA. UV irradiation causes red shift in wavelength in absorption spectra which suggests increase of particle size after UV exposure. Decrease in transmittance of PVA after embedding NPs and further with UV exposure suggests that these can be used for UV-blocking devices. Band gap of PVA was noticed to decrease with increase in amount of NPs and UV exposure time. Increase in refractive index of PVA after embedding CdS NPs was observed which further increases with increasing concentration of NPs and with increase of UV exposure. Structural induced changes in PVA after embedding NPs and with UV exposure were analyzed by FTIR. FE-SEM and EDS analysis confirmed presence and distribution of NPs. Photoluminescence spectrum exhibits quantum confinement effect of CdS NPs embedded in polymer matrix. Thermal nature of nanocomposite films was investigated by DSC and TG. Dependence of electrical parameters on concentration of NPs and UV exposure time were studied and explained on the basis of formation charge-transfer complexes inside matrix.
Fault Tolerant Gamma-Minus Network
Authors: Gupta S.
Published: January 2023

In large-scale supercomputers thousands of processors are connected together to their respective memory modules which are controlled by several control units connected in parallel. Large data streams have to be communicated between these processors and memories through interconnection networks. Multistage interconnection network (MIN) is an efficient way to provide these communications at a very reasonable cost. For such large systems MIN employed should be highly reliable and fast to meet the desired specifications of these high speed switch fabrics. In this paper two new architectures of MIN are proposed which are named as fault-tolerant Gamma-Minus (FTGM-1 & FTGM-2) networks. These proposed architectures are multipath MIN with totally disjoint paths and are highly reliable and fault tolerant. The routing algorithm proposed for these structures is simple distance tag routing with non-backtracking which overcomes rerouting overheads and hence improve communication delays. The proposed MIN ensures multiple fault tolerance at each stage including input and output stage with minimal horizontal distance between source node to destination node. For validating the results, a comparison has been presented between existing MINs with these proposed designs. The proposed MINs outperform the existing MIN in terms of reliability, fault tolerance and up to some extent cost as well.
Hemoglobin increases leukocyte adhesion and initiates lung microvascular endothelial activation via Toll-like receptor 4 signaling
Authors: Conger Adrienne K. , Tomasek Toria , Riedmann Kyle J. , Douglas Joel S. , Berkey Lucia E. , Ware Lorraine B. , Bastarache Julie A. , Meegan Jamie E.
Published: January 2023

Cell-free hemoglobin is a pathophysiological driver of endothelial injury during sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), but the precise mechanisms are not fully understood. We hypothesized that hemoglobin (Hb) increases leukocyte adhesion and endothelial activation in human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HLMVEC). We stimulated primary HLMVEC, or leukocytes isolated from healthy human donors, with Hb (0.5 mg/mL) and found that leukocyte adhesion to lung endothelium in response to Hb is an endothelial-dependent process. Next, we stimulated HLMVEC with Hb over time (1, 3, 6, and 24 h) and found increased transcription and release of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-8, and IL-6). In addition, Hb exposure variably upregulated transcription, total protein expression, and cell-surface localization of adhesion molecules E-selectin, P-selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). Since VCAM-1 was most upregulated by Hb, we further tested mechanisms for Hb-mediated upregulation of VCAM-1 in HLMVEC. Although upregulation of VCAM-1 was not prevented by hemoglobin scavenger haptoglobin, heme scavenger hemopexin, or inhibition of nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) signaling, blocking Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) with small molecule inhibitor TAK-242 (1 µM) prevented upregulation of VCAM-1 in response to Hb. Consistently, Hb increased nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), which were both prevented by TLR4 inhibition. Together, these data demonstrate that Hb increases leukocyte-endothelial adhesion and activates HLMVEC through TLR4 signaling, indicating a potential mechanism for Hb-mediated pulmonary vascular injury during inflammatory and hemolytic conditions.
Protective roles of adropin in neurological disease
Authors: Gunraj Rachel E. , Yang Changjun , Liu Lei , Larochelle Jonathan , Candelario-Jalil Eduardo
Published: January 2023

Adropin is a highly conserved secreted peptide encoded by the Energy Homeostasis Associated gene ( Enho). It is expressed in many tissues throughout the body, including the liver and brain, and plays a crucial role in maintaining lipid homeostasis and regulating insulin sensitivity. Adropin also participates in several other pathophysiological processes of multiple central nervous system (CNS) diseases. There is strong evidence of the protective effects of adropin in stroke, heart disease, aging, and other diseases. The peptide has been shown to reduce the risk of disease, attenuate histological alterations, and reduce cognitive decline associated with neurological disorders. Recent findings support its critical role in regulating endothelial cells and maintaining blood-brain barrier integrity through an endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)-dependent mechanism. Here we discuss current evidence of the protective effects of adropin in CNS diseases specifically involving the cerebrovasculature and highlight potential mechanisms through which the peptide exhibits these effects.
Nephronectin is required to maintain right lung lobar separation during embryonic development
Authors: Wilson Carole L. , Hung Chi F. , Burkel Brian M. , Ponik Suzanne M. , Gharib Sina A. , Schnapp Lynn M.
Published: January 2023

Nephronectin (NPNT) is a basement membrane (BM) protein and high-affinity ligand of integrin α8β1 that is required for kidney morphogenesis in mice. In the lung, NPNT also localizes to BMs, but its potential role in pulmonary development has not been investigated. Mice with a floxed Npnt allele were used to generate global knockouts (KOs). Staged embryos were obtained by timed matings of heterozygotes and lungs were isolated for analysis. Although primary and secondary lung bud formation was normal in KO embryos, fusion of right lung lobes, primarily the medial and caudal, was first detected at E13.5 and persisted into adulthood. The lung parenchyma of KO mice was indistinguishable from wild-type (WT) and lobe fusion did not alter respiratory mechanics in adult KO mice. Interrogation of an existing single-cell RNA-seq atlas of embryonic and adult mouse lungs identified Npnt transcripts in mesothelial cells at E12.5 and into the early postnatal period, but not in adult lungs. KO embryonic lungs exhibited increased expression of laminin α5 and deposition of collagen IV in the mesothelial BM, accompanied by abnormalities in collagen fibrils in the adjacent stroma. Cranial and accessory lobes extracted from KO embryonic lungs fused ex vivo when cultured in juxtaposition, with the area of fusion showing loss of the mesothelial marker Wilms tumor 1. Because a similar pattern of lobe fusion was previously observed in integrin α8 KO embryos, our results suggest that NPNT signaling through integrin α8, likely in the visceral pleura, maintains right lung lobe separation during embryogenesis.
Model of a 5-MA Linear-Transformer-Driver Accelerator: Comparison of MITL Performance for Bremsstrahlung Electron Beam Diodes and Z-Pinch Loads
Authors: Gong Zhenzhou , Wei Hao , Fan Siyuan , Yao Weibo , Wu Hanyu , Qiu Aici , Xinxin Wang
Published: January 2023

A transmission line circuit model was conducted to compare the performances of the two-level 2.5 Ω magnetically insulated transmission lines (MITLs) system of a 5-MA linear-transformer-driver (LTD) accelerator for two kinds of typical loads, including bremsstrahlung electron beam diodes and Z-pinch loads. Both the electron current loss in the pulse front during the magnetic insulation setup process and the electron flow distribution in the magnetic insulation steady state were analyzed. When the accelerator drives an electron beam diode load with impedance of 1.20 Ω (a single level), the duration of the magnetic insulation setup is about 12 ns, the current loss is about 130 kA in a single MITL level, the maximum electron flow current is about 50 kA in the end of MITL, and its amplitude decreases gradually after the steady magnetic insulation is established. When the accelerator drives a Z-pinch load with length of 1.5 cm, radius of 1.2 cm, and mass of 0.3 mg/cm, the duration of the magnetic insulation setup is almost zero, the maximum electron flow current in the end of MITL can reach about 55 kA (a single level), and the waveform of the electron flow resembles a saddle shape, which reaches the peak at the pinch stagnation time.
Ranking the Return on Assets of Tehran Stock Exchange by a New Method Based on Z‐Numbers Data
Authors: Farzam Maryam , Afshar Kermani Mozhdeh , Allahviranloo Tofigh , Aminataei Azim
Published: January 2023

Since real‐world data are often inaccurate and working with fuzzy data and Z‐numbers are very important and necessary, and in the real world, we need to rank and compare data, in this article, we introduce a new method for ranking Z‐numbers. This ranking algorithm is based on centroid point. We evaluate the distance between the centroid points, and based on this distance, we rank the Z‐numbers. The algorithm of this method has simple calculations and it provides satisfactory results for data in different conditions; we use this method in two practical examples. First, by ranking the return on assets of Tehran stock exchanges, with this method, we can choose the most risky stock and the least risky stock among the available stocks. The advantage of this method over conventional fuzzy methods is considering uncertainty and allocating credit in the opinion of experts to estimate fuzzy parameters, and in the second example, we ranked the factors which affect the productivity of tourism security. Then, by using the proposed algorithm, we introduce the most important and the least important factors for tourist security budgeting.
Primary Hereditary Haemochromatosis and Pregnancy
Authors: Shamas Ambrin Gull
Published: January 2023

Background. Haemochromatosis is a rare autosomal genetic disease that can cause multiple organ failure. In the past, this condition was not considered to affect pregnancy. The objectives of this study are to update the management of haemochromatosis in general as there are new treatments being investigated other than phlebotomy and to summarise the effects of the condition on pregnancy and vice versa. Methods. The initial search was in Ovid Medline® from 2002 to 2013. Review articles for haemochromatosis and case reports of its related complications in pregnancy were found. None of the reviews addressed pregnancy in detail. A second search in PubMed from 2014 to 2016 included studies regarding haemochromatosis and pregnancy and iron metabolism association with other metals and biomarkers, defining the mechanism of foetomaternal risks in maternal haemochromatosis. A third search at PubMed from 2017 to 2022 using key words haemochromatosis and pregnancy was done to look at the new data. Results. The results are qualitative indicating that even in the absence of abnormal iron parameters, haemochromatosis increases the risk of foetomaternal complications due to genetic predisposition, necessitating antenatal monitoring. Newer medications targeting the pathophysiology of the disease to eliminate it are being developed. The coabsorption of lead with iron causes increased risk of maternal preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, foetal congenital abnormalities, and growth problems. There is risk of neurodevelopmental delays, large for gestational age and childhood leukaemia in babies whose mothers and themselves have mutations for haemochromatosis. Conclusion. Previously, women with haemochromatosis were thought to have no higher risk of complications than the general population. However, there is evidence of foetomaternal complications. As a result, pregnancy with haemochromatosis necessitates additional monitoring for both mother and baby.
High Glucose-Induced Kidney Injury via Activation of Necroptosis in Diabetic Kidney Disease
Authors: Guo Man , Chen Qing , Huang Yongli , Wu Qi , Zeng Yan , Tan Xiaozhen , Teng Fangyuan , Ma Xiumei , Pu Yueli , Huang Wei , Gu Junling , Zhang Chunxiang , Long Yang , Xu Yong
Published: January 2023

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a major microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus (DM) and is closely associated to programmed cell death. However, the complex mechanisms of necroptosis, an alternative cell death pathway, in DKD pathogenesis are yet to be elucidated. This study indicates that necroptosis is involved in DKD induced by high glucose (HG) both in vivo and in vitro. HG intervention led to the activation of RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL signaling, resulting in renal tissue necroptosis and proinflammatory activation in streptozotocin/high-fat diet- (STZ/HFD-) induced diabetic mice and HG-induced normal rat kidney tubular cells (NRK-52E). We further found that in HG-induced NRK-52E cell, necroptosis might, at least partly, depend on the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Meanwhile, ROS participated in necroptosis via a positive feedback loop involving the RIPK1/RIPK3 pathway. In addition, blocking RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL signaling by necrostatin-1 (Nec-1), a key inhibitor of RIPK1 in the necroptosis pathway, or antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an inhibitor of ROS generation, could effectively protect the kidney against HG-induced damage, decrease the release of proinflammatory cytokines, and rescue renal function in STZ/HFD-induced diabetic mice. Inhibition of RIPK1 effectively decreased the activation of RIPK1-kinase-/NF-κB-dependent inflammation. Collectively, we demonstrated that high glucose induced DKD via renal tubular epithelium necroptosis, and Nec-1 or NAC treatment downregulated the RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL pathway and finally reduced necroptosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Thus, RIPK1 may be a therapeutic target for DKD.
Campylobacter jejuni Modulates Reactive Oxygen Species Production and NADPH Oxidase 1 Expression in Human Intestinal Epithelial Cells
Authors: Hong Geunhye , Davies Cadi , Omole Zahra , Liaw Janie , Grabowska Anna D. , Canonico Barbara , Corcionivoschi Nicolae , Wren Brendan W. , Dorrell Nick , Elmi Abdi , Gundogdu Ozan
Published: January 2023

Campylobacter jejuni is the major bacterial cause of foodborne gastroenteritis worldwide. Mechanistically, how this pathogen interacts with intrinsic defence machinery of human intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) remains elusive. To address this, we investigated how C. jejuni counteracts the intracellular and extracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in IECs. Our work shows that C. jejuni differentially regulates intracellular and extracellular ROS production in human T84 and Caco-2 cells. C. jejuni downregulates the transcription and translation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAPDH) oxidase (NOX1), a key ROS-generating enzyme in IECs and antioxidant defence genes CAT and SOD1. Furthermore, inhibition of NOX1 by diphenylene iodonium (DPI) and siRNA reduced C. jejuni ability to interact, invade, and intracellularly survive within T84 and Caco-2 cells. Collectively, these findings provide mechanistic insight into how C. jejuni modulates the IEC defence machinery.
Acute Peripheral Facial Paralysis Masquerading as Bell’s Palsy Is the First Presentation of COVID-19 Infection
Authors: Chongsuvivatwong Tabtim , Mueanchoo Panitta , Sathirapanya Praewchompoo , Sathirapanya Pornchai
Published: January 2023

Although Bell’s palsy is a common diagnosis of acute isolated peripheral facial palsy (PFP), acute isolated PFP can be the first presentation of various illnesses, including COVID-19 disease. A female with a known history of well-controlled diabetes mellitus presented initially with acute isolated PFP mimicking Bell’s palsy. A course of oral prednisolone was given to treat acute PFP. Severe fifth cervical radicular pain, which is unusual for Bell’s palsy followed 3 days later. The COVID-19 infection was finally diagnosed by a real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test 15 days after facial paralysis when typical pulmonary infection symptoms developed. Oral favipiravir was given for the treatment of COVID-19 infection, to which the symptoms completely responded. The COVID-19 infection as a cause of acute isolated PFP should be added to the differential diagnosis of acute isolated PFP, albeit without typical pulmonary infection symptoms, particularly during the global pandemic of the infection.
Subgroup State Prediction under Different Noise Levels Using MODWT and XGBoost
Authors: Zhao Xin , Nie Xiaokai
Published: January 2023

In medical states prediction, the observations of different individuals are generally assumed to follow an identical distribution, whereas precision medicine has a rigorous requirement for accurate subgroup analysis. In this research, an aggregated method is proposed by means of combining the results generated from different subgroup models and is compared with the original method for different denoising levels as well as the prediction gaps. The results using real data demonstrate the effectiveness of the aggregated method exhibiting superior performance such as 0.95 in AUC, 0.87 in F1, and 0.82 in sensitivity, particularly for the denoising level that is set to be 2. With respect to the variable importance, it is shown that some variables such as heart rate and lactate arterial become more important when the denoising level increases.
A Privacy Protection Framework for Medical Image Security without Key Dependency Based on Visual Cryptography and Trusted Computing
Authors: Zhang Denghui , Ren Lijing , Shafiq Muhammad , Gu Zhaoquan
Published: January 2023

The development of mobile Internet and the popularization of intelligent sensor devices greatly facilitate the generation and transmission of massive multimedia data including medical images and pathological models on the open network. The popularity of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies has greatly improved the efficiency of medical image recognition and diagnosis. However, it also poses new challenges to the security and privacy of medical data. The leakage of medical images related to users’ privacy is emerging one after another. The existing privacy protection methods based on cryptography or watermarking often bring a burden to image transmission. In this paper, we propose a privacy‐preserving recognition network for medical images (called MPVCNet) to solve these problems. MPVCNet uses visual cryptography (VC) to transmit images by sharing. Benefiting from the secret‐sharing characteristics of VC, MPVCNet can securely transmit images in clear text, which can both protect privacy and mitigate performance loss. Aiming at the problem that VC is easy to forge, we combine trusted computing environments (TEE) and blind watermarking technologies to embed verification information into sharing images. We further leverage the transfer learning technology to abate the side effect resulting from the use of visual cryptography. The results of the experiment show that our approach can maintain the trustworthiness and recognition performance of the recognition networks while protecting the privacy of medical images.
RRP Regulates Autophagy through the AMPK Pathway to Alleviate the Effect of Cell Senescence on Atherosclerosis
Authors: Liu Dekun , Song Yueyue , Song Tinging , Lin Lin , Zhang Lei , Yang Qiong , Niu Xingchen , Liang Dan , Yin Jiufeng , Yang Wenqing , Zhang Dan
Published: January 2023

Autophagy is closely associated with atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Compound Danshen prescription is widely used as a clinical antiatherosclerotic drug. In our previous studies, we have shown that the combined active component, ginsenoside Rg1-notoginsenoside R1-protocatechualdehyde (RRP), can effectively alleviate endothelial dysfunction and reduce atherosclerotic plaques. However, the association between cellular senescence, caused by reduced autophagy, and atherosclerosis remains unclear. In this study, we investigated whether RRP can enhance autophagy and alleviate cell senescence through the AMPK pathway. Our results showed that RRP reduced the secretion of inflammatory factors in the serum of atherosclerotic mice, enhanced autophagy, and alleviated aortic aging in mice, thus reducing atherosclerotic plaques. In human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs), RRP effectively enhanced autophagy and inhibited senescence by activating the AMPK pathway. When AMPKα was silenced, the effect of RRP was inhibited, thus reversing its antiaging effect. Overall, our results show that RRP regulates autophagy through the AMPK pathway, thereby inhibiting cell senescence and alleviating the progression of atherosclerosis, suggesting that RRP may be a potential candidate drug for the treatment of atherosclerosis.
Bilateral Radiofrequency Ventral Intermediate Thalamotomy for Essential Tremor
Authors: Horisawa Shiro , Nonaka Taku , Kohara Kotaro , Mochizuki Tatsuki , Kawamata Takakazu , Taira Takaomi
Published: January 2023

Introduction: With the advent of MR-guided focused ultrasound, the importance of the efficacy and safety of bilateral ventral intermediate (Vim) thalamotomy for essential tremor (ET) has increased. However, reports on bilateral Vim thalamotomy for ET remain scarce. Methods: To review the results and complications of bilateral Vim thalamotomy for the treatment of ET in the upper extremities, we retrospectively analyzed the patients with ET who underwent bilateral Vim thalamotomy with radiofrequency (RF) thermal coagulation. As bilateral simultaneous thalamotomy can cause surgical complications, thalamotomy was performed in stages. The interval between the first and second thalamotomies was 21.3 ± 14.7 months. We evaluated the efficacy using the Clinical Rating Scale for Tremor (CRST) before and after the first and second treatments, respectively. We also evaluated the complications before and after the first and second treatments, respectively. Moreover, we assessed the adverse events. Results: Seventeen patients were included in the study. The mean follow-up period following the second thalamotomy was 29.3 ± 15.0 months. The CRST part A + B scores were 34.9 ± 9.7, 20.8 ± 7.0, and 7.4 ± 6.8 before, following the first (40.4% improvement, p < 0.0001) and second thalamotomies (78.6% improvement, p < 0.0001), respectively. Nine patients presented with prolonged adverse events, including dysarthria, dysgeusia, dysphagia, tongue numbness, unsteady gait, and postural instability at the last available evaluation. All adverse events were mild and did not interfere with the patient’s daily activities. Discussion/Conclusions: Bilateral Vim thalamotomy with RF thermal coagulation was an effective treatment for ET in both upper extremities. Despite most possible complications being mild, additional studies with a larger sample size are required to ensure patient safety.