bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dysfunction in parkin aggravates inflammatory bone erosion by reinforcing osteoclast activity
Authors: Kim Eun-Young , Kim Ji-Eun , Kim Young-Eun , Choi Bongkun , Sohn Dong Hyun , Park Si-On , Chung Yeon-Ho , Kim Yongsub , Robinson William H. , Kim Yong-Gil , Chang Eun-Ju
Published: December 2022

Background: Parkin dysfunction associated with the progression of parkinsonism contributes to a progressive systemic skeletal disease characterized by low bone mineral density. However, the role of parkin in bone remodeling has not yet been elucidated in detail.
Result: We observed that decreased parkin in monocytes is linked to osteoclastic bone-resorbing activity. siRNA-mediated knockdown of parkin significantly enhanced the bone-resorbing activity of osteoclasts (OCs) on dentin without any changes in osteoblast differentiation. Moreover, Parkin-deficient mice exhibited an osteoporotic phenotype with a lower bone volume accompanied by increased OC-mediated bone-resorbing capacity displaying increased acetylation of α-tubulin compared to wild-type (WT) mice. Notably, compared to WT mice, the Parkin-deficient mice displayed increased susceptibility to inflammatory arthritis, reflected by a higher arthritis score and a marked bone loss after arthritis induction using K/BxN serum transfer, but not ovariectomy-induced bone loss. Intriguingly, parkin colocalized with microtubules and parkin-depleted-osteoclast precursor cells (Parkin-/- OCPs) displayed augmented ERK-dependent acetylation of α-tubulin due to failure of interaction with histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6), which was promoted by IL-1β signaling. The ectopic expression of parkin in Parkin-/- OCPs limited the increase in dentin resorption induced by IL-1β, accompanied by the reduced acetylation of α-tubulin and diminished cathepsin K activity.
Conclusion: These results indicate that a deficiency in the function of parkin caused by a decrease in parkin expression in OCPs under the inflammatory condition may enhance inflammatory bone erosion by altering microtubule dynamics to maintain OC activity.
SAMNA: Accurate Alignment of Multiple Biological Networks Based on Simulated Annealing
Authors: Chen Jing , Wang Zixiang , Huang Jia
Published: December 2022

Background:Protein is an important part of biological tissue and contains a lot of biological information. Protein-protein interaction network alignment is a method for analyzing proteins that helps discover conserved functions between organisms and predict unknown functions. In particular, multi-network alignment aims to find the mapping relationship among multiple network nodes, so as to transfer the knowledge of species. However, with the increasing complexity of PPI networks, how to perform network alignment more accurately and efficiently is a new challenge.Results:This paper proposes a new global network alignment algorithm called SAMNA (Simulated Annealing Multiple Network Alignment), using both network topology and sequence homology information. To generate the alignment, SAMNA first generates cross-network candidate clusters by a clustering algorithm on a k-partite similarity graph constructed with sequence similarity information, and then selects candidate cluster nodes as alignment results and optimizes them using an improved simulated annealing algorithm.Conclusion:The SAMNA algorithm was experimented on synthetic and real-world network datasets, and the results showed that SAMNA outperformed the state-of-the-art algorithm in biological performance.
Studies on Organic Mediated Synthesis of Y 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ Nanophosphors and its Temperature Dependent Photoluminescence Properties
Authors: Abhila S. R. , Lalan Veena , Sr T. S. , Krishna G. Dhanu , Gopchandran K. G.
Published: December 2022

In this work, thermally stable Y2O3:Eu3+ nanophosphors by organic mediated combustion technique using dilute citric acid / citric acid mixed with diethylene glycol as fuel was prepared. The structural analysis establishes that these oxides crystallize into body-centered cubic structure with a space group la3. The nanophosphor prepared by citric acid with diethylene glycol as fuel exhibits better surface morphology and enhanced photoemission. The addition of polymeric precursors greatly enhanced the photoluminescence intensity of Y2O3: Eu phosphor by reducing the surface defects via the morphological control and improvement of crystallite growth. Investigations on temperature dependent photoluminescence studies reveal that the materials are thermally stable and the respective activation energy was 0.130 and 0.143 eV. The nanophosphor, fueled with diethylene glycol, exhibit remarkable CIE chromaticity coordinates (0.655, 0.345),in agreement with the National Television System Committee standards, and good CCT values with high color purity (96.48%), making them potential red phosphor in the fabrication of white light-emitting diodes.
Influence of Uncertain Parameters on Machining Distortion of Thin-walled Parts
Authors: Li Xiaoyue , Qi Hao , Tao Qiang , Li Liang
Published: December 2022

Thin-walled parts refer to lightweight structural parts comprised of thin plates and stiffeners. During the machining process of thin-walled parts, machining distortion often occurs due to uncertain factors such as varying stiffness, cutting force, cutting temperature, residual stress and other factors. This paper studied the minimization of the failure probability of machining distortion by controlling the uncertainties of inputs. For this, a fuzzy inference model for the machining system was proposed to determine the effects of uncertain factors on the machining distortion errors, which was composed of rule frame and result frame. In the rule frame, machining parameters, outline size, and wall thickness were used as inputs. In the result frame, linear stiffness, cutter path, as well as cutting force were taken as the input parameters. The values of machining distortion were the output, taken into a threshold function. Comprehensive matching was defined to measure the importance of uncertain inputs to outputs. Machining distortion will exceed the specification (failure) with the increase in comprehensive matching. Therefore, the comprehensive matching index evaluates the effects of the uncertainties on the machining distortion and quantify the effects of given uncertain parameters. Two engineering examples were employed to illustrate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed approach. It revealed that the comprehensive matching of cutting force to the failure probability of machining distortion was the maximum, 0.040, which was 12 to 13 times greater than that of linear stiffness or cutter path.
Development of a nomogram for predicting 90-day mortality in patients with sepsis- associated liver injury: a clinical study of the MIMIC-IV database
Authors: Cui Liangwen , Bao Junjie , Yu Chao , Zhang Cheng , Huang Rui , Liu Lian , Shao Min
Published: December 2022

Background
The high mortality rate in sepsis patients is related to sepsis-associated liver injury (SALI). We sought to develop an accurate forecasting nomogram to estimate individual 90-day mortality in SALI patients.
Methods
Data from 34329 patients were extracted from the public Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC-IV) database. SALI was defined by total bilirubin (TBIL) > 2 mg/dL and the occurrence of an international normalized ratio (INR) > 1.5 in the presence of sepsis. Logistic regression analysis was performed to establish a prediction model called the nomogram based on the training set (n = 727), which was subsequently subjected to internal validation.
Results
Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that SALI was an independent risk factor for mortality in patients with sepsis. The Kaplan‒Meier curves for 90-day survival were different between the SALI and non-SALI groups after propensity score matching (PSM) (log rank: P < 0.001 versus P = 0.038), regardless of PSM balance. The nomogram demonstrated better discrimination than the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, Logistic Organ Dysfunction System (LODS) score, Simplified Acute Physiology II (SAPS II) score, and Albumin-Bilirubin (ALBI) score in the training and validation sets, with areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.778 (95% CI 0.730–0.799, P < 0.001) and 0.804 (95% CI 0.713–0.820, P < 0.001), respectively. The calibration plot showed that the nomogram was sufficiently successful to predict the probability of 90-day mortality in both groups.The DCA of the nomogram demonstrated a higher net benefit regarding clinical usefulness than SOFA, LODS, SAPSII, and ALBI scores in the two groups.
Conclusions
The nomogram performs exceptionally well in predicting the 90-day mortality rate in SALI patients, which can be used to assess the prognosis of patients with SALI and may assist in guiding clinical practice to enhance patient outcomes.
Targeting estrogen-mediated CYP4F2/CYP4F11-20-HETE metabolic disorder decelerates tumorigenesis in ER+ breast cancer
Authors: Yang Juan , Li Yin , Han Xiao , Li Tianjiao , Li Ding , Liu Qiao , Yan Lizhong , Li Fei , Pei Xiaolin , Feng Ya , Lin Zhoujun , Fu Zhenkun , Wang Changjun , Sun Qiang , Li Chenggang
Published: December 2022

Background
The female hormone estrogen (E2) is essential for mammary gland development and unequivocally drives 80% of breast malignancies. The elucidation of molecular events in the E2-estrogen receptor (ER) α signaling pathway in ER + BC progression is of major scientific and therapeutic importance.
Methods
Lipid metabolomics profiling was used to examine the membrane phospholipid stimulated by E2. Clinical BC samples were used to assess the association of CYP4F2, CYP4F11 expression with clinicopathological characteristics and patient outcomes. ER + and ER- BC cells were used to examine the positive correlation between E2-ERα and CYP4F2, CYP4F11. Some Inhibitors of main enzymes in AA metabolism were used combined with E2 to assess roles of CYP4F2/CYP4F11 in the progression of ER + BC. CYP4F2, CYP4F11 overexpression and knockdown BC cell lines were employed to examine the effects of CYP4F2, CYP4F11 on cellular proliferation, apoptosis and tumor growth. Western blotting, qPCR, Immunohistochemical staining and flow cytometry were also conducted to determine the underlying mechanisms related to CYP4F2, CYP4F11 function.
Results
The activation of the CYP450 signaling pathway in arachidonic acid metabolism contributed to ER + BC tumorigenesis. In ER + BC, CYP4F2 and CYP4F11 overexpression induced by E2 could promote cancer cell proliferation and resistance to apoptosis by producing the metabolite 20-HETE and activating the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2. CYP4F2 and CYP4F11 elevation correlates with poorer overall survival and disease-free survival in ER + BC patients.
Conclusion
CYP4F2, CYP4F11 and their metabolite 20-HETE could serve as effective prognostic markers and attractive therapeutic targets for novel anticancer drug development about ER + BC.
The role of tumor model in magnetic targeting of magnetosomes and ultramagnetic liposomes
Authors: Curcio Alberto , Perez Jose Efrain , Prévéral Sandra , Fromain Alexandre , Genevois Coralie , Michel Aude , de Walle Aurore Van , Lalatonne Yoann , Faivre Damien , Ménager Christine , Wilhelm Claire
Published: December 2022

The combined passive and active targeting of tumoral tissue remains an active and relevant cancer research field. Here, we exploit the properties of two highly magnetic nanomaterials, magnetosomes and ultramagnetic liposomes, in order to magnetically target prostate adenocarcinoma tumors, implanted orthotopically or subcutaneously to take into account the role of tumor vascularization in the targeting efficiency. Analysis of organ biodistribution in vivo analysis revealed that, for all conditions, both nanomaterials accumulate mostly in the liver and spleen, with an overall low tumor retention. However, both nanomaterials were more readily identified in orthotopic tumors, reflecting their higher tumor vascularization. Additionally, a 2- and 3- fold increase in nanomaterial accumulation was achieved with magnetic targeting. In summary, ultramagnetic nanomaterials show promise mostly in the targeting of highly-vascularized orthotopic tumors.
4-PBA inhibits endoplasmic reticulum stress to improve autophagic flux in the treatment of protamine/lipopolysaccharide-induced interstitial cystitis in rats
Authors: Jia Li , Jingzhen Zhu , Xinliang Yang , Bishao Sun , Xin Luo , Ji Zheng , Zhenqiang Fang
Published: December 2022

Interstitial cystitis (IC) has severe clinical symptoms with unclear mechanism. The continuous inflammatory response of the bladder is the basis of its pathogenesis. Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) is involved in the regulation and development of various inflammatory diseases. And autophagy plays an important role in IC. In this study, we mainly focus on the therapeutic effect of endoplasmic reticulum stress and autophagy on protamine/lipopolysaccharide-induced interstitial cystitis. Female Sprague–Dawley rats were randomized into three experimental groupsas follows: sham controls(N), IC alone, and IC+4-PBA.Rats in group IC received 10 mg/ml PS in the urinary bladder, followed by 2 mg/ml LPS instillation after 30 minutes, IC +4-PBA group SD rats received 4-PBA solution administered intragastrically once a day for 5days.ERS biomarker (GRP78), autophagy-related proteins (LC3I/II, and Beclin1), autophagic flux biomarker (P62), inflammatory biomarkers (IL-6, TNF-a, NF-kB) , apoptotic biomarkers (Caspase 3, Bax), anti-apoptotic biomarkers (Bcl-2) and oxidative stress biomarkers (HO-1 , NQO-1)revealed significantly different results among the groups. The histological score and mast cell count demonstrated most severe in the IC group than those in the IC+USC group. TUNEL assay examined the level of apoptosis in IC group was higher than in the IC+USC group. The bladder micturition function was significantly improved with4-PBA treatment.4-PBA inhibits ERS to recover autophagic flux, and then to suppress the bladder oxidative stress, the inflammatory reaction and apoptosis, finally improve the bladder urinary function in PS/LPS induced IC.
Projection of Groundwater Level Fluctuations Using Different Machine Learning Algorithms under Climate Change in the Mashhad Aquifer, Iran
Authors: Panahi Ghasem , Eskafi Mahya Hassanzadeh , Faridhosseini Alireza , Khodashenas Saeed Reza , Rohani Abbas
Published: December 2022

Due to population growth in recent years and climate change in arid and semi-arid regions, the lack of rainfall and the reduction of surface water flows required in various sectors, monitoring and projection of the climate change impact on the Groundwater Level (GWL) in the future is vital in the management and control of these resources. The purpose of this study is the projection of climate change impact on the GWL fluctuations in the Mashhad aquifer during the future period (2022-2064). In the first step, the climatic variables using ACCESS-CM2 under the Shared Socio-economic Pathways (SSPs) 5-8.5 scenario from the CMIP6 model were extracted. We used the CMhyd model to downscale the climatic data from the GCMs model. In the second step, different machine learning algorithms, including Multilayer Perceptron Neural Network(MLP), Adaptive Neuro-fuzzy Inference System Neutral Network(ANFIS), Radial Basis Function Neural Network(RBF), and Support Vector Machine(SVM) were used to predict the GWL fluctuations under climate change in the future period. Our results point out that temperatures and evaporation will increase in the autumn season, and precipitation will decrease by 26% in the future in the Mashhad aquifer. The results showed that the RBF model was an excellent performance in predicting GWL compared to other models. Based on the result of the RBF model, the GWL will decrease by 6.60 meters under the SSP5-8.5 scenario in the future. The findings of this research have a practical role in making helpful groundwater resources management decisions.
Design and Analysis of Efficient Exact and In-Exact reversible 4:2 Compressor using QCA
Authors: Seethur Rashmi , N Nithin , Karwa Raj
Published: December 2022

Quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) is a pioneer alternative solution for conventional Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology limitation in upcoming years. The major technology limitations of conventional CMOS are power dissipation and scaling which can be surpassed by QCA. In QCA loss of information plays dominant role in the power dissipation of the system design. The issue of power consumption is addressed by designing the system using reversible logic. Multiplier and adders are the two important blocks present in applications such as multimedia and artificial intelligence. 4:2 compressor is one of the vital components of any multiplier design. In applications such as multimedia since human eye is not able to identify small changes, approximate 4:2 compressor has gained the highest significance. Designing in-accurate 4:2 compressor with minimum error distance and improved electrical performance is highly demanded. In this paper a novel reversible inexact 4:2 compressor design is presented. The proposed design is based on majority-3 and majority-5 gates. The new compressor advances the existing design in terms of error distance in Carry out. The simulations were carried out in QCA Designer. The design exhibits the improvements in optimization parameters such as cell count and garbage output.
Fuel Cell-Based Hybrid Electric Vehicle Systems Multi-Input Bi-Directional DC to DC Converter Topology
Authors: Priyadharshini J , N ARCHANA
Published: December 2022

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Effects of Alt-RAMEC protocol with Facemask therapy in cleft lip palate patients in a sample of Pakistani population
Authors: Sami Qurrat-ul-ain , Ali Batool , Farooqui Waqas Ahmed
Published: December 2022

Objective: The objective of the study is to evaluate the skeletal, dentoalveolar and soft tissue changes before and after treatment with Alt-RAMEC protocol and protraction headgear in comparison to the controls.
Material and Methods: A quasi experimental study was conducted in orthodontic department on 60 patients of cleft lip and palate. These patients were divided into two groups. Group I was the treatment group that underwent Alt-RAMEC protocol followed by facemask therapy while group II was the control group that underwent RME followed by facemask therapy. Total treatment time in both groups was 6 -7months. Mean and standard deviation was calculated for all the quantitative variables. Pre and post treatment changes between treatment and control groups were made using paired t-test. Intergroup comparison between treatment and control group was analyzed using independent t-test. Significance for all tests was predetermined at a P-value of ≤ 0.05
Results: Treatment group showed significant forward movement of maxilla and improvement in the maxillary base. Remarkable improvement in SNA was seen. The overall result was better maxillo-mandibular relationship as shown by positive ANB values and angle of convexity. More effect on maxilla and least effect on mandible was notified with Alt-RAMEC protocol and facemask therapy. Improvement in transverse relationship was also evident in the treatment group.
Conclusion: Alt-RAMEC protocol in combination with protraction headgear is a better alternative to treat cleft lip and palate patient in comparison to the conventional protocol.
WITHDRAWN: CVDPF: A Hybrid Feature Selection Method with Data-Driven Approach for Cardiovascular Disease Prediction Framework using Machine Learning
Authors: Shilpa Thoutireddy , paul anal
Published: December 2022

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), a group of blood vessels and heart disorders, are the leading cause of death across the globe. Technological innovations in terms of machine learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are widely used to solve problems in the real world. Many existing ML-based supervised learning approaches have their utility in realizing the Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) for the automatic detection of CVDs. However, the problem with such models is that their performance deteriorates unless there is high quality in the training data. To overcome this problem, many feature selection algorithms came into existence. Nevertheless, there is a need for making hybrid approaches in feature selection towards leveraging training quality leading to enhanced prediction performance. We propose a CVD Prediction Framework (CVDPF) framework based on ML techniques in this work. In addition, we proposed a Hybrid Feature Selection (HFS) algorithm for dimensionality reduction. This algorithm combines multiple filter methods for more efficient feature selection. Another algorithm known as ML-based Cardiovascular Disease Prediction(ML-CVDP) is proposed to have a pipeline of ML models that exploit the Hybrid Feature Selection algorithm to improve accuracy in CVDs prediction. A CVD dataset is used to evaluate the proposed framework and algorithms. The empirical results showed that HFS with CVDPF outperforms existing feature selection algorithms.
A universal and improved mutation strategy for iterative wavefront shaping
Authors: Liu Hui , Zhu Xiangyu , Zhang Xiaoxue , Liao Yongquan , Chen Xudong , Lin Zhili
Published: December 2022

Recent advances in iterative wavefront shaping (WFS) techniques have made it possible to manipulate the light focusing and transport in scattering media. To improve the optimization performance, various optimization algorithms and improved strategies have been utilized. Here, a novel guided mutation (GM) strategy is proposed to improve optimization efficiency for iterative WFS. For both phase modulation and binary amplitude modulation, considerable improvements in optimization effect and rate have been obtained using multiple GM-enhanced algorithms. Because of its improvements and universality, GM will be beneficial for applications ranging from controlling the transmission of light through disordered media to optical manipulation behind them.
Predicting resting energy expenditure: a critical appraisal
Authors: Westerterp Klaas
Published: December 2022

Background The most commonly used prediction models for resting energy expenditure (REE) are Harris-Benedict (1919), Schofield (1985), Owen (1986), and Mifflin-St Jeor (1990), based on height, weight, age and gender, and Cunningham (1991), based on body composition. Methods Here, the five models are compared with reference data, consisting of individual REE measurements (n = 353) from 14 studies, covering a large range of participant characteristics. Results For white adults, prediction of REE with the Harris-Benedict model approached measured REE most, with estimates within 10% for more than 70% of the reference population. For some ethnicities like South Asian Indians or participants with an exceptional high physical activity level like athletes, measurement of body composition is recommended, using a fat-free mass based model. Discussion Sources of differences between measured and predicted REE include measurement validity and measurement conditions. Importantly, a 12- to 14-h overnight fast may not be sufficient to reach post-absorptive conditions and may explain differences between predicted REE and measured REE. In both cases complete fasting REE may not have been achieved, especially in participants with high energy intake. Conclusion In white adults, measured resting energy expenditure was closest to predicted values with the classic Harris-Benedict model. Suggestions for improving resting energy expenditure measurements, as well as prediction models, include the definition of post-absorptive conditions, representing complete fasting conditions with respiratory exchange ratio as indicator.
WITHDRAWN: Activation of the spontaneous brain and functional connectivity in patients with and without cognition impairment in coronary heart disease
Authors: sun zhaolei , chu tongpeng , liu wanchen , bi zhaojun , guo yuanqiao , sun mengna , mao ning , liu jing , xie haizhu , ma heng
Published: December 2022

Background/Aims: Patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) have a higher risk of developing cognitive impairment (CI) and dementia. The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in spontaneous brain activity and functional connectivity (FC) of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) in patients with and without CI in CHD patients. This will allow early diagnosis of cognitive impairment by detecting the relationships between these parameters and CI.
Materials and methods: A total of 46 CHD patients with cognitive impairment (CHD-CI), 40 CHD patients with normal cognition (CHD-NC), and 43 healthy controls (HCs) participated in the study. Each subject underwent an rs-fMRI examination and neuropsychological assessment. CHD-CI and CHD-NC patients, as well as healthy controls, were compared for regional homogeneity (ReHo) and seed-based FC. Further investigation was performed on the relationship between rs-fMRI data and cognitive performance.
Results: The bilateral SFGmed revealed a decrease in ReHo values in both CHD-CI and CHD-NC patients. The CHD-CI group illustrated decreased FC between the bilateral SFGmed and left MGT/left IGT. Furthermore, the ReHo and FC values were related to cognitive test score in CHD patients with CI. The duration of the CHD and the cognitive test score correlated positively with decreased ReHo/FC values in CHD-CI patients.
Conclusion: In our combined analyses, we found decreased spontaneous activity and FC primarily within the default mode network (DMN), which was correlated with specific cognitive impairment and a longer duration of impairment. As a result, this study sheds light on the neurophysiological mechanisms that contribute to cognitive impairment caused by CHD and may serve as a guideline for future clinical diagnoses.
Intergrated Analysis of the Prognostic and Immunological Role of an Oncogenic Protein Four Jointed Box 1(FJX1)
Authors: Huang Mei , Meng Yan , Ding Jian , Liu Side , Zhuang Kangmin
Published: December 2022

Background
Four jointed box 1(FJX1) has been reported to be up-regulated in many cancers, and has indicated the important role in oncology and immunity. In order to further explore the biological function of FJX1 and find a new immunotherapy targets for cancers, we performed a pan-cancer analysis of FJX1.
Methods
We used Genotype-Tissue Expression(GTEx), The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA), cBioPorta, Immune Cell Abundance Identifier(ImmuCellAI), The Tumor Immune Estimation Resource version2(TIMER2), IMvigor210CoreBiologies and Genomics For Drug Sensitivity In Cancer(GDSC) to explored the potential carcinogenesis and immunological role of FJX1. The FJX1 expression profiles, prognostic value, mutation status, immune cell infiltration, immune-related genes, immunosuppressive pathway-related genes, immunotherapy effect and the IC50 related to FJX1 were analyzed. Cell proliferation assay, transwell migration assay and wound healing assay were conducted in colon cancer cells.
Results
The results demonstrated that FJX1 was highly expressed in most cancers and was significantly associated with poor prognosis. FJX1 expression were significantly correlated with CNA, DNA methylation, TMB and MSI in various cancers. Tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) was positively correlated with FJX1 in several tumors. Immune-related genes including TGFB1, IL-10, and immunosuppressive pathway-related genes including TGFB1 and WNT1 were positively related to FJX1 expression in most cancers. Moreover, High FJX1 expression could also reduce the efficacy of immunotherapy and contribute to drug resistance. Knocking down FJX1 could inhibit proliferation and migration in colon cancer cells.
Conclusion
Our study confirmed that FJX1 is an oncogene, a potential novel prognostic biomarker and a new immunotherapy target in pan-cancer.
Identification of Salinization Processes in Coastal Aquifers Using a Fuzzy Logic and Data Mining Based Methodology. Study Case of Mediterranian Coastal Aquifer (Spain)
Authors: Renau-Pruñonosa Arianna , Esteller Mª Vicenta , Aroba Javier , Grande José Antonio , Morell Ignacio , Torre Mª Luisa de la , García-Menéndez Olga , Ballesteros Bruno J
Published: December 2022

In coastal aquifers, the seawater intrusion can mask the effects of high salinity regional flows, connate waters mobilization or contaminant process. Therefore, to discriminate between all the processes that have taken place in the coastal aquifer, is a complex task. Normally, traditional hydrogeochemical methods (e.g., Piper and Durov) together with statistical multivariate techniques (e.g., cluster and factorial analysis) and other methods (e.g., ionic deltas and isotopic studies) have been used to understand the hydrogeochemistry of aquifers and to confirm previous hypothesis.
This paper presents a characterization of the salinization process in coastal aquifers, by means a fuzzy logic and data mining based methodology, which has not been used before for this purpose in this environmental area. The proposed fuzzy methodology is based on the use of the data mining computer tool Predictive Fuzzy Rules Generator (PreFuRGe).
The results have been obtained by processing groundwater samples analyses with PreFuRGe. The parameters used for the experimentation have been: temperature, electric conductivity, redox potential, total dissolved solids, silicon dioxide, oxidability, major ions (chloride, sulfate, bicarbonate, nitrate, calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium), and minor ions (arsenic, bromide, lithium, boron, strontium, chromium and fluoride).
The application of this method has made it possible to differentiate several overlapping hydrogeochemical processes, such as seawater intrusion, the entry of regional groundwater flows with high concentrations of strontium, magnesium, lithium and sulfates, and the effect of contamination from agricultural activities, with the presence of nitrates.
The qualitative obtained results in this paper have been compared to previous researches carried out in the same environmental area, and it is proved that the used fuzzy methodology is a powerful tool for discriminating between overlapping geogenic and anthropogenic processes in coastal aquifers.
Ray tracing optimization: a new method for intraocular lens power calculation in regular and irregular corneas
Authors: Pérez-Merino Pablo , Aramberri Jaime , Quintero Andres Vásquez , Rozema Jos J.
Published: December 2022

To develop a novel algorithm based on ray tracing, simulated visual performance and through-focus optimization for an accurate intraocular lens (IOL) power calculation. Custom-developed algorithms for ray tracing optimization (RTO) were used to combine the natural corneal higher-order aberrations (HOAs) with multiple sphero-cylindrical corrections in 210 higher order statistical eye models for developing keratoconus. The magnitude of defocus and astigmatism producing the maximum Visual Strehl was considered as the optimal sphero-cylindrical target for IOL power calculation. Corneal astigmatism and the RMS HOAs ranged from − 0.64 ± 0.35D and 0.10 ± 0.04 µm (0-months) to -3.15 ± 1.38D and 0.82 ± 0.47 µm (120-months). Defocus and astigmatism target was close to neutral for eyes with low amount of HOAs (0 and 12-months), where 91.66% of eyes agreed within ± 0.50D in IOL power calculation (RTO vs. SRK/T). However, corneas with higher amounts of HOAs presented greater visual improvement with an optimized target. In these eyes (24- to 120-months), only 18.05% of eyes agreed within ± 0.50D (RTO vs. SRK/T). The power difference exceeded 3D in 42.2% while the cylinder required adjustments larger than 3D in 18.4% of the cases. Certain amounts of lower and HOAs may interact favourably to improve visual performance, shifting therefore the refractive target for IOL power calculation.
Welfare Effects of Commodity Taxation
Authors: Helmedag Fritz
Published: December 2022

In reality firms most often face negatively sloped demand curves. Then, for a given level of consumers’ surplus, levies on prices yield higher fiscal revenues than specific duties. Therefore, according to the prevailing view, the switch from unit to ad valorem taxation is supposed to generate more welfare; some even speak of an associated Pareto-improvement. However, this is not true because taxing prices merely transfers profits to the Treasury, while total rent remains unaffected. Since excise duties diminish the welfare gain in comparison with untaxed trade, an appropriately designed profit tax allows all parties to benefit. Sales should be taxed only exceptionally.
Hemispheric asymmetry in the sunspot cycle as a nonextensive phenomenon
Authors: Batista Leonardo F. G. , Santiago Thiago M. , Filho Paulo C. F. da Silva , Silva Cleo V. , de Freitas Daniel Brito
Published: December 2022

The appearance of dark sunspots over the solar photosphere is not considered to be symmetric between the northern and southern hemispheres. Among the different conclusions obtained by several authors, we can point out that the North-South asymmetry is a real and systematic phenomenon and is not due to random variability. In the present work, we selected the sunspot area data of a sample of 13 solar cycles divided by hemisphere extracted from the Marshall Space Flight Centre (MSFC) database to investigate the behavior of probability distributions using an out-of-equilibrium statistical model a.k.a non-extensive statistical mechanics. Based on this statistical framework, we obtained that the non-extensive entropic parameter q has a semi-sinusoidal variation with a period of ∼22 year (Hale cycle). Among the most important results, we can highlight that the asymmetry index q(A) revealed the dominance of the northern hemisphere against the southern one. Thus, we concluded that the parameter q(A) can be considered an effective measure for diagnosing long-term variations of the solar dynamo. Finally, our study opens a new approach to investigating solar variability from the nonextensive perspective.
Effectiveness of the Unified Protocol for the Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Online and Group format in Argentina: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Celleri Milagros , Cremades Camila , Garay Cristian
Published: December 2022

Background
The Unified Protocol (UP) is a transdiagnostic intervention based on emotional regulation for the treatment of emotional disorders. Its application in individual and group formats has been studied worldwide, obtaining similar results to specific protocols but with a lower drop-out rate and improving the cost-benefit ratio, since a larger number of patients can benefit from it. Moreover, the inclusion of digital technologies in psychotherapy aims to improve the accessibility of treatments, especially since the pandemic of Covid-19 that forced the implementation of treatments through teletherapy increasing its use. To date, no studies have been carried out in Argentina on the application of the UP in a group format and through teletherapy. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the efficacy of the UP in a group format and through teletherapy in the argentine population.
Methods
A parallel-group, controlled, randomized trial, with a pre-post and repeated follow-up measures intergroup design will be conducted. 180 patients will be randomized to one of the following conditions: an online, group-based UP intervention or a waiting list. The Beck Depression Inventory II and the Beck Anxiety Inventory will be used to compare primary outcomes and the Beck Hopelessness Scale, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale, and Multicultural Quality of life Index will be administered for secondary outcomes at baseline, post-intervention, and 3 months follow-up. Ad-doc questionnaires will be used to assess patients' experiences and treatment satisfaction.
Discussion
The purpose of this trial is to evaluate the efficacy of the online and group application of the UP in the Argentine population, as well as to evaluate the patient's experience and satisfaction with the treatment. It is expected that the findings of this study will be useful in reducing anxious and depressive symptomatology, will allow us to adapt the UP to our culture, and will improve accessibility to treatment.
Trial registration:
ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT05275322 Registered on 11 March 2022,
Quality of Life after Lung Cancer Surgery: sublobar resection versus lobectomy
Authors: Jiang Shuai , Wang Bao , Zhang Mengzhe , Liu Zuo , Xiao Zengtuan , Gong Jialin , Wang Xiaofei , Zhang Zhenning , Zhang Zhenfa
Published: December 2022

Background
This study aimed to compare the postoperative quality of life (PQOL) between non–small–cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who underwent video–assisted thoracoscopic sublobar resection (subsegment, segment or wedge) and lobectomy. Meanwhile, we developed a PQOL scale for patients with NSCLC after optimization.
Methods
Developing and evaluating the postoperative quality of life scale of non–small–cell lung cancer (NSCLC–PQOL) followed by the international principles for the development of quality-of-life scale. Therefor we used NSCLC–PQOL scale to evaluate the PQOL of patients who underwent different kinds of surgeries.
Results
The sublobar resection group showed better PQOL in chest tightness, breath shortness, breathlessness, cough and expectoration than the lobectomy group, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). But there was no statistically significant difference in pain during the postoperative period between the two groups. The final version of the NSCLC–PQOL contained three dimensions: “signs–symptoms”, “psychological and psychiatric”, and “social–life” dimensions.
Conclusion
The sublobar resection group showed better PQOL in “chest tightness”, “breath shortness”, “breathlessness”, “cough” and “expectoration” than the lobectomy group. 22 items formed a well–behaved PQOL scale after being validated satisfactorily. The scale was a suitable rating tool for evaluating NSCLC–PQOL of patients.
On-surface Ullmann coupling of halo-derivatives of arenes: Monte Carlo simulations for tetracene
Authors: Lisiecki Jakub , Szabelski Paweł
Published: December 2022

On-surface synthesis of C-C covalent low-dimensional nanomaterials is a promising method of obtaining structures with tailored and novel physicochemical and electric properties. In this contribution, the Monte Carlo simulation approach was proposed to predict the topology of metal-organic (MO) intermediates formed in the Ullmann homocoupling of halogenated isomers of tetracene. The coarse-grained model of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) haloderivatives and divalent copper adatoms on a metallic crystal surface (111) was used, where locations of substituents in the molecules were encoded as active centres with directional C-Cu interactions. The computations were performed for various structural isomers of tetracene, from disubstituted to tetrasubstituted units. As a result, diverse superstructures were obtained, such as dimers, trimers, and other oligomers, chains and ladders, and metal-organic networks, both chiral and achiral. Additionally, for the prochiral linkers, simulations of the racemic mixtures were performed. Our study provided useful insight into the influence of substituents’ position and the carbon backbone’s size on the topology of the modelled precursor architectures.
Internet-Based Self-Help Intervention for Procrastination: Randomized Control Group Trial Protocol
Authors: ZHOU YING , WANG JIANHUA
Published: December 2022

Background: Procrastination or "postponing until later" is a common phenomenon defined as the intentional delay in partaking in and finishing important activities despite negative outcomes potentially outweighing the positive. Procrastination adversely affects mental health, academic performance, and career achievement. Although studies on procrastination intervention methods and effectiveness exist, utility and cost-effectiveness are limited by various factors, including practitioner availability and skills, barriers to participant participation, and the time investment required by participants. Thus, internet-based interventions could increase the availability of evidence-based treatments for adult procrastination.
Methods: This study explored the efficacy of an online-based self-help intervention in the context of voluntary procrastination among undergraduate students. The study design is a randomized controlled trial. Participants who self-reported procrastination-related problems and behaviours were included in the trial consisting of two groups; specifically, one group undergoing a self-directed internet-based intervention for coping with procrastination (N=160) and (2) another group with delayed access to the intervention programs (waitlist control group; N=160). Follow-up assessments were scheduled 6 and 12 weeks after baseline, and the control group received the intervention after 12 weeks. Procrastination, measured by the Irrational Procrastination Scale and the Simple Procrastination Scale, was examined as the primary outcome. Meanwhile, secondary outcomes included susceptibility, stress, depression, anxiety, well-being, self-efficacy, time management strategies, self-control, cognition, and emotion regulation. Other measures comprised acceptability (e.g., intervention satisfaction, potential side effects, and expectations) and learning behaviour analysis to reflect adherence.
Discussion: This randomized controlled trial will provide data on the effectiveness of online interventions for adult procrastination. If deemed effective, this low-cost, high-coverage internet-based intervention could aid more people who seek to address their procrastination.
Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2200065752.
Diagnostic performance of [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 for periprosthetic hip joint infection
Authors: Wang Yiqun , Wang Ruimin , Zhang Xiaojun , Li La , Liu Honghong , Chang Yan , Li Qingxiao , Wang Yanmei , Qi Erpeng , Hao Libo , Chai Wei , Yao Shulin , Shi Yuanyuan , Yan Wenqiang , Shao Wuguo , Zhang Jinming , Chen Jiying , Tian Jiahe
Published: December 2022

Purpose
To assess the efficiency of [68Ga]GaDOTAFAPI04 in diagnosing periprosthetic hip joint infection and establish a diagnostic standard of clinical significance based on uptake pattern.
Methods
[68Ga]GaDOTAFAPI04 PET/CT was performed in patients with symptomatic hip arthroplasty from December 2019 to July 2022. The reference standard was based on the 2018 Evidence-Based and Validation Criteria. Two diagnostic criteria, SUVmax and uptake pattern, were used to diagnose PJI. Meanwhile, original data were imported into IKT-snap to draw the view of interest, A.K. was used to extract features of clinical cases, and unsupervised clustering analysis was applied according to the groups.
Results
A total of 103 patients were included, 28 of whom had PJI. The area under the curve of SUVmax was 0.8969, which was better than that of all of the serological tests. The cutoff value of SUVmax was 7.530, and the sensitivity and specificity were 72% and 100%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the uptake pattern were 100%, 93.10% and 95%, respectively. In radiomics analysis, the features of PJI were significantly different from aseptic failure.
Conclusion
The efficiency of [68Ga]GaDOTAFAPI04 PET/CT in diagnosing PJI showed promising results, and the diagnostic criteria of the uptake pattern were more clinically instructive. Radiomics also showed a certain application prospect in the field of PJI.
Trial registration number
Trial registration: ChiCTR2000041204. Registered 24 September 2019.
Spatial stoichiometric distribution trend of various nutrients around Lake Chamo basin, Ethiopian Rift Valley region in relation to wetland conversion to farm and grazing land sites
Authors: Dibar Dagne Tafa , Kushe Beyene , Zhou Zhongze , Tafa Dagne
Published: December 2022

Lake Chamo riparian wetland is currently subjected to intensive farmland expansion and over grazing more than previously experienced. These coupled threats are escalating primarily riparian vegetation deforestation and resulted in pronounced nutrient imbalance and shrinking wetland size. The current study investigated spatial soil stoichiometric distribution of C, N, P, S, K and Ca in wetland, farm and grazing land around Chamo Lake riparian wetland, Ethiopian Rift valley. Farm and grazing lands are included as a study site because they were identified part of riparian wetland previously. The results showed high total nitrogen, sulfur, calcium and potassium concentrations in farmland. Grazing land showed high total phosphorus but soil organic carbon. In farmland, available phosphorus was revealed low that justify phosphorus scarcity as a result of crop harvesting for animal feed. The N: P exhibited low in wetland site that implies the effect of crop cultivation and livestock production in the surrounding catchment that increases N input in the wetland site. Soil organic carbon, total nitrogen and potassium were positively correlated with moisture content. Soil organic carbon, potassium, C: N, N: P and C: K was negatively correlated with pH. Total nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, potassium, calcium and available nitrogen were related positively with clay contents. We recommended that conservation activities such as participatory wetland management and promoting none agricultural economy to the unemployed youths and creating wetland reserved areas as a buffer zone of the study area could enhance the rehabilitation of the degradation wetland in this study area.
Converging to Convergence: The Role of Human Capital
Authors: Castelló-Climent Amparo , Domenech Rafael
Published: December 2022

This paper analyses σ−convergence and absolute β−convergence in human capital indicators in a sample of 140 countries from 1970 to 2020. The literature has found some evidence of absolute convergence in per capita income since 2000s. As convergence in human capital preceded convergence in per capita income, human capital may have played a role in this process. We find that the coefficient of β−convergence in per capita income, conditional on the initial level of human capital, is twice as high as the β−coefficient of unconditional convergence. The difference between both coefficients accounts for the role of human capital in explaining absolute convergence in per capita income in recent decades. When we control for institutions, the difference between absolute and conditional convergence is very low, suggesting that human capital has played a greater role in the speed of convergence. The results hold with alternative measures of human capital and development, and are robust to the inclusion of fixed effects and regional dummies to account for omitted variables.
JEL Classification: O11, O15, O4, O47.