bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bivalence Fuzzified Decision Stump Bootstrap Aggregation for Energy and Cost-Efficient 6G Communication
Authors: Rahim Robbi , Ramalingam Parameshwaran , Ramachandran Manikandan , Bhaskar Vidhyacharan , Kumar Ambeshwar
Published: April 2021

Future Sixth generation (6G) wireless networks are anticipatedto offer entirecoverage, improved spectral, energyandcost-efficient communication.The 6G will enable a network collectivelyand offer seamless wireless connectionsbetween the devices. While the deployment of 5G is ongoing, mobile communication networks are still suffering many basic challenges such as high-energy consumption and operating costs. To address these issues, it is very important to consider and develop new technologies in next-generation mobile communication, namely 6G. Novel machine learning can potentially assist the 6G to obtain better communication. Bivalence Fuzzified Decision Stump Bootstrap Aggregating (BFDSBA) model is introduced for energy and cost efficient communication. The BFDSBA model considers the nodes i.e. devices in the forecasting process before the data communication in the 6G network. The Bootstrap Aggregative technique utilizes set of weak learners as Bivalence Fuzzified Decision Stump. For each device in the network, energy, signal strength, and bandwidth is measured. Based on the estimated resources, efficient devices are selected for the 6G network architectural design. This in turn helps to improvedata communication with lesser cost in6G networks. The result exposesimprovement of BFDSBA model than the conventional methods.
Impact of Valvular Heart Disease on Hip Replacement: A Retrospective Nationwide Inpatient Sample Database Study
Authors: Lian Qiang , Wang Jian , Yang Qinfeng , Lian Yun , Zhao Mingchen , Zhang Yang
Published: April 2021

BackgroundTo study the impact of valvular heart disease (VHD) on joint replacement, particularly the clinical impactions of aortic stenosis before total/partial hip arthroplasty. MethodsThis was a retrospective cohort study. Data on patients who had undergone joint replacement from 2005 to 2014 were extracted from the NIS database. Linear regression was used to analyze the essential characteristics of patients. Multivariate regression was used to estimate the correlation among demographics, comorbidities, complications, hospitalization costs, and time.ResultsOf the hip replacement surgeries, VHDs accounted for 5.56% and aortic stenosis (AS) accounted for 0.03% before surgery. VHD patients are related to the following characteristics: female patients (odds ratio [OR]=1.15 [1.12–1.18]), elective admission (OR=0.78 [0.76–0.80]), Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥3 (OR=1.06 [1.03–1.08]), large-volume hospitals (OR=1.13 [1.1–1.2]), teaching hospitals (OR=5 4.4 [2.9–6.7]), and hospital location in urban areas (OR=1.22 [1.2–1.3]). In addition, VHD is a risk factor for mortality and some acute postoperative medical complications, such as acute cardiac event (OR=2.96 [2.87–3.04]), acute pulmonary edema (OR=1.13 [1.06–1.21]), acute cerebrovascular event (OR=1.22 [1.16–1.74]), and acute renal failure (OR=1.22 [1.17–1.27]). It also has an impact on DVT/PE (OR=0.89 [0.8–0.99]). Patients with AS before hip replacement have basic demographic characteristics similar to those of TJA patients with valvular disease. Patients with AS are older (≥80 years) than those without AS before surgery (OR=3.28 [2.27–4.75) and have the following characteristics: female patients (OR=1.92 [1.32–2.8]) and elective admission (OR=0.51 [0.36–0.75]). The perioperative period is limited to acute postoperative complications, such as acute cardiac events (OR=2.50 [1.76–3.53]) and acute hepatic failure (OR=7.69 [1.8–32.89]). Both valvular diseases and AS are associated with a higher mortality rate and hospitalization cost. ConclusionValvular heart disease (VHD) independently predicted mortality rate and surgical and medical complications after total/partial hip arthroplasty.
Ultrafast and Stable Planar Photodetector Based on SnS2 Nanosheets/Perovskite Structure
Authors: Shooshtari Leyla , Esfandiar Ali , Orooji Yasin , Samadpour Mahmoud , Rahighi Reza
Published: April 2021

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are promising candidates of photodetectors where they are commonly grown parallel to the substrate due to their 2D characteristics in micrometer scales from exfoliation of bulk crystals or through high temperature chemical vapor deposition (CVD) methods. In this study, semi-hexagonal vertical nanosheets of SnS2 layered have been fabricated on FTO substrate without using Sn source through CVD method at relatively low temperature (500°C). Due to exceptional band alignment of triple cation lead perovskite with semi- hexagonal SnS2 nanosheets, an improved photodetector has been fabricated. This type of photodetectors fabricated through lithography-free and electrodes metallization free approach with remarkable fast response (20.7µs/31.4µs as rising /falling times), showed high photoresponsivity, external quantum efficiency and detectivity of 1.58 AW-1, 453% and 8.35 ×10 11, respectively under illumination of incident light ith 445nm. The stability of the photodetectors has been studied utilizing a protective PMMA layer on the perovskite layer in 100% humidity. The introduced growth and fabrication process of the planar photodetector, including one/two dimentional interface through the edges/ basal planes of layered materials with perovskite film, paves a way for the large scale, cost-effective and high-performance optoelectronic devices.
Emergy Based Ecological Efficiency Evaluation and Optimization Method for Logistics Park
Authors: Wang Cui , Zhang Cuixia , Hu Fagang , Wang Yuan , Yu Li’e , Liu Conghu
Published: April 2021

The rapid development of the economy and the change in transaction mode has promoted the development of logistics parks. How to evaluate and optimize the ecological efficiency of logistics park to achieve its sustainable development has been considered a challenge. Therefore, this paper puts forward an emergy based ecological efficiency evaluation and optimization method for Logistics Park. By constructing the ecological efficiency evaluation model of logistics park, it quantitatively evaluates the ecological efficiency and sustainable development of logistics park, and analyzes the correlation between various factors and ecological efficiency. The application results of H Logistics Park show that fuel oil, information technology, net profit, and waste gas are closely related to the ecological efficiency of logistics park, and the correlation coefficients are 0.8248, − 0.6949, 0.8544 and 0.7661 respectively. On this basis, the paper puts forward some suggestions to improve the ecological efficiency of the logistics park. This paper provides theoretical and methodological support for the evaluation and optimization of the ecological efficiency of the logistics park.
Comprehensive Analysis of the Prognostic Value of ITGB Superfamily Members in Gastric Cancer Using Bioinformatics Analysis
Authors: Lu Peixin , Jiang Jinying , Lu Jun
Published: April 2021

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide with a high incidence and mortality, making it urgent to search for potential biomarkers to improve the prognosis of patients. Integrin β (ITGB) superfamily members have been reported to participate in the biological process in various tumors. However, the expression and prognostic value of ITGBs in GC have not been clarified. In this study, the expression and roles of ITGBs in stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) were investigated with ONCOMINE, UALCAN, The Human Protein Atlas, GEPIA, Kaplan-Meier Plotter, NetworkAnalyst, cBioPortal, STRING, GeneMANIA, David 6.8 and TIMER. Results: The transcriptional levels of ITGB1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 8, and the protein expression of ITGB4, 5, 6 and 8 were significantly elevated while the transcriptional level of ITGB7 was significantly reduced in GC. High mRNA expression of ITGB1, 3 and 5, and low mRNA expression of ITGB4 were associated with short overall survival (OS), and high mRNA expression of ITGB6 was associated with short disease-free survival (DFS) in STAD patients. We also identified DAB2 as the potential transcription factor for ITGB3 and ITGB5, and TFAP2A for ITGB4 in STAD. Moreover, the functions of ITGB superfamily members were primarily related to regulation of actin cytoskeleton, focal adhesion and PI3K-Akt signalling pathway. The expression of ITGBs was significantly correlated with the infiltration of diverse immune cells, B cell, CD8+ T cell, CD4+ T cell, macrophage, neutrophil and dendritic cell.Conclusion: Taken together, our study indicated that ITGB superfamily members could be a potential prognostic target in the development of anti-STAD therapeutics. However, further experimental studies are still necessary to elucidate the mechanism of ITGBs.
Assessment of molecular diversity in doubled haploid lines of Camelina (Camelina sativa), as a new emerging oil crop
Authors: Sadeghikian Mozafar , Najaphy Abdollah , Kahrizi Danial , Rostami-Ahmadvandi Hossein
Published: April 2021

Camelina [Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz], an oilseed crop, belongs to Brassicaceae family. Two unique features of camelina in comparison with the main oil crops are adaptation to different environments and also its unique oil composition. Development of doubled haploid plants is one of the essential methods for the crop improvement. This research was conducted to evaluate the genetic variation of 81 Camelina doubled haploid (DH) lines obtained from fifteen crosses by ISSR markers. The total number of amplified bands was 243, of which 239 bands (98.3%) showed polymorphism. The percentage of polymorphic bands (PPB) varied between 93.75 and 100. The size of the bands ranged from 50 to 1,700 base pairs. The informative ISSRs were identified by estimating marker features: polymorphism information content (PIC), effective multiplex ratio (EMR), marker index (MI) and resolving power (RP). Three markers had higher RP values (9.88, 8.5 and 7.46) and were the most informative markers to identify the DH lines. Cluster analysis based on Complete algorithm divided the lines into five groups, indicating relatively clear configuration from the geographic distribution patterns of the parents of the doubled haploid lines. Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) classified the 81 camelina DH lines into six groups. The lines grouping by these two methods was similar to each other. The ISSR markers detected high polymorphism to reveal genetic variation of camelina DH lines. The findings of this research, along with biochemical traits, can improve classical and molecular breeding programs of camelina.
Knockout of miR-17-92 Cluster Protect Against Intervertebral Disc Degeneration by Inhibiting Apoptosis of Nucleus Pulposus Cells in Mice via the Activation of PI3K/Akt Pathway
Authors: Guo Yingjun , Meng Yang , Liu Hao , Wang Xiaofei , Hong Ying , Wang Beiyu , Ding Chen , Yu Xijie
Published: April 2021

Background: microRNA(miR)-17-92 cluster is involved in a variety of physiological and pathological processes, and the purpose of this study is to preliminarily explore the role of miR-17-92 cluster in disc degeneration and the corresponding mechanisms.Methods: Hematoxylin and Eosin (HE) and Safranin O Staining were used to evaluate the degeneration of intervertebral disc. qRT-PCR was applied to evaluate the mRNA level of miR-17-92 cluster and functional genes of nucleus pulposus (NP) tissues, whose protein level was evaluated with Western-blot. Terminal-Deoxynucleoitidyl Transferase Mediated Nick End Labeling (TUNEL) was used to evaluate the apoptotic level of nucleus pulposus cell (NPC).Results: The expression levels of members of the miR-17-92 cluster were significantly increased in the NP tissues from patients with intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD). Furthermore, in the 3-months and 24-months miR-17-92-ccKO mice, the degree of IVDD was significantly lower than that of the control group. At the same time, we also detected the expression levels of related functional genes in the NP tissues of mice in two groups. The results showed that the mRNA and protein levels of Bax and Caspase-3 in the knockout group were significantly lower than those in the control group, and the mRNA and protein levels of Bcl-2 were significantly higher. The TUNEL results showed that the apoptosis level of NPCs in the 3-month knockout mice was significantly lower than that in the control group. Finally, the assessment of pathway-related protein levels showed that p-Ser473-Akt expression ratio in the nucleus pulposus of mice in the knockout group were significantly increased, suggesting that the PI3K/Akt pathway was activated after miR-17-92 cluster knockout.Conclusion: To sum up, miR-17-92 cluster does play an important regulating role in IVDD, and the results showed that miR-17-92 cluster could inhibiting NPCs apoptosis by activating PI3K/Akt pathway, eventually producing protective effect against IVDD.
A Folate- and Vitamin B12-Deficient Diet Decreases the Latency and Increases the Incidence of Mammary Tumors in MMTV-ErbB2 Transgenic Mice
Authors: Xiao Zhengzheng , Yao Guoliang , Liu Yongxuan , Zhao Chunling
Published: April 2021

There has been controversy regarding folate- and vitamin B12-deficient diet (FVD)-induced hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) associated with breast cancer risk in most published epidemiological studies. Thus, the present study designed experiments to assess the causal association between FVD-induced HHcy and mammary tumor risk, as well as to identify the relative underlying mechanism. In this study, mammary tumor development was examined in mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV)-erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2 (ErbB2) mice fed with a control AIN-93G diet or a FVD diet. MMTV-ErbB2 mice fed with the FVD diet displayed elevated blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine, a shorter tumor latency and an increased tumor multiplicity compared with the controls. The expression levels of key markers in the receptor tyrosine kinase and estrogen receptor (ER) signaling pathways, including phosphorylated (p)-Akt, p-Erk, p-ERα and Cyclin D1, were elevated in mammary tissues from MMTV-ErbB2 mice fed the FVD diet compared with mice fed with control diet. These data suggested that FVD-induced HHcy may promote mammary tumor development and decrease tumor latency, possibly by activating the epidermal growth factor receptor/ErbB2 and ERα signaling pathways. Therefore, examining the signaling mechanisms and identifying the relative metabolic pathways underlying mammary tumor promotion following FVD-induced HHcy may provide a novel strategy for breast cancer prevention and treatment.
Clinical subtyping for patients with acute exacerbations of interstitial lung diseases guided by serum KL-6 measurement
Authors: Tagami Yoichi , Hara Yu , Murohashi Kota , Nagasawa Ryo , Nishikawa Yurika , Tanaka Meiro , Aoki Ayako , Tanaka Katsushi , Nakashima Kentaro , Watanabe Keisuke , Horita Nobuyuki , Kobayashi Nobuaki , Yamamoto Masaki , Kudo Makoto , Okudela Koji , Kaneko Takeshi
Published: April 2021

Introduction: Serum Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) measurement is widely used to assess disease activity or prognosis in patients with interstitial lung diseases (ILDs). However, the clinical differences between high and low serum KL-6 levels at the time of acute exacerbation (AE) of ILD are not well known.Methods: Clinical parameters including age, sex, Charlson Comorbidity Index score (CCIS), blood biomarkers, high-resolution CT findings, and disease mortality were retrospectively compared between high and low KL-6 (cut-off value: 1000 U/mL) patients at the time of diagnosis of AE of ILDs.Results: 38 high serum KL-6 and 57 low serum KL-6 patients were included. There was no significant difference in 6-month mortality between them (P = 0.685). Whereas serum lactate dehydrogenase was a significant predictor of 6-month mortality in the high serum KL-6 patients (odds ratio (OR), 1.006; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.003-1.009; P < 0.001), CCIS (OR, 1.502; 95% CI, 1.242-1.838; P < 0.001) and sex (OR, 5.751; 95% CI, 1.121-105.163; P = 0.033) were significant predictors in low serum KL-6 patients. In addition, the incidences of congestive heart failure, symptomatic chronic pulmonary disease, cerebrovascular disease, and second metastatic solid tumours were significantly higher in non-survivors with low serum KL-6 than in other groups (p < 0.05).Conclusions: The clinical features in patients with AEs of ILDs may differ depending on the serum KL-6 level, and clinicopathological examination according to this subtyping guided by the serum KL-6 level is essential.
CNN-AE: Convolution Neural Network combined with Autoencoder approach to detect survival chance of COVID-19 patients
Authors: Khozeimeh Fahime , Sharifrazi Danial , Izadi Navid Hoseini , Joloudari Javad Hassannataj , Shoeibi Afshin , Alizadehsani Roohallah , Gorriz Juan M. , Hussain Sadiq , Sani Zahra Alizadeh , Moosaei Hossein , Khosravi Abbas , Nahavandi Saeid , Islam Sheikh Mohammed Shariful
Published: April 2021

Today, the use of artificial intelligence methods to diagnose and predict infectious and non-infectious diseases has attracted so much attention. Currently, COVID-19 is considered a new virus which has caused so many deaths worldwide. Due to the pandemic nature of COVID-19, the automated tools for the clinical diagnostic of this disease are highly desired. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have shown outstanding classification performance on image datasets. Up to our knowledge, COVID computer aided diagnosis systems based on CNNs and clinical information have been never analyzed or explored to date. Moreover, Most of existing literature on COVID-19 focuses on distinguishing infected individuals from non-infected ones. In this paper, we propose a novel method named CNN-AE to predict survival chance of COVID-19 patients using a CNN trained on clinical information. To further increase the prediction accuracy, we use the CNN in combination with an autoencoder. Our method is one of the first that aims to predict survival chance of already infected patients. We rely on clinical data to carry out the prediction. The motivation is that the required resources to prepare CT images are expensive and limited compared to the resources required to collect clinical data such as blood pressure, liver disease, etc. We evaluate our method on a publicly available clinical dataset of deceased and recovered patients which we have collected. Careful analysis of the dataset properties is also presented which consists of important features extraction and correlation computation between features. Since most of COVID-19 patients are usually recovered, the number of deceased samples of our dataset is low leading to data imbalance. To remedy this issue, a data augmentation procedure based on autoencoders is proposed. To demonstrate the generality of our augmentation method, we train random forest and Naïve Bayes on our dataset with and without augmentation and compare their performance. We also evaluate our method on another dataset for further generality verification. Experimental results reveal the superiority of CNN-AE method compared to the standard CNN as well as other methods such as random forest and Naïve Bayes. COVID-19 detection average accuracy of CNN-AE is 96.05% which is higher than CNN average accuracy of 92.49%. To show that clinical data can be used as a reliable dataset for COVID-19 survival chance prediction, CNN-AE is compared with a standard CNN which is trained on CT images.
Trend and predictors of change of unmet need for family planning among reproductive age group women in Ethiopia, based on Ethiopian demographic and health survey from 2005-2016: Multivariate decomposition analysis
Authors: Tareke Abiyu Abadi , Bekele Ermias
Published: April 2021

Background: Family planning is a key method for reducing population growth and improving maternal and child health by spacing births and preventing unwanted pregnancies. have an unmet need for family planning is defined as women believed to be sexually involved but are not using some form of contraception, either do not want to have more children (Limiting) or want to delay their next birth for at least two years, (Spacing).Methods: The data for this study arrived from the Ethiopia Demographic Health Surveys (EDHS) in20005, 2011, and 2016 to investigate trends and Predictors of change of unmet need for family planning among reproductive age women in Ethiopia. A pooled weighted sample of 26,230 (7,761 in EDHS 2005, 9,136 in EDHS 2011 and 9,333 in EDHS 2016) reproductive-age women used for this study. For the overall trend (2005-2016) multivariate decomposition analysis for non-linear response outcome was calibrated to identify the factors contributed to the change of unmet need for family planning across the two surveys. The Logit based multivariate decomposition analysis utilizes the output from the logistic regression model to assign the observed change in in unmet need for family planning over time into components. Stata version 16.0 was used to analysis the data.Result: among reproductive age women in Ethiopia the magnitude of unmet need for family planning decreased from 39.6% in 2005 to 23.6% in 2016. From the decomposition analysis change of unmet need for family planning was due to change in characteristics and coefficients. About nine in ten changes in unmet need for family planning was attributable to the difference in coefficients. Factors that associated with the change of unmet need for family planning over the last 11 years were educational status, birth order, and desired number of children.Conclusion: Remarkable change in unmet need for FP was observed between the period of 2005 and 2016. Both change in characteristics and coefficient were the contributing to observed change. Majority of the change in unmet need for FP was due to difference in coefficient over the study period. Mainly the change of unmet need for FP was due to change in women having birth order of five and above, having secondary education and women who desired number of children below five.
Dexamethasone Priming Enhances Stemness and Immunomodulatory Property of Tissue-specific Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Rawat Sonali , Dadhwal Vatsla , Mohanty Sujata
Published: April 2021

Background: Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hMSCs) represent a promising cell source for cell-based therapy in autoimmune diseases and other degenerative disorders due to their immunosuppressive, anti-inflammatory and regenerative potentials. Belonging to a glucocorticoid family, Dexamethasone (Dex) is a powerful anti-inflammatory compound that is widely used as therapy in autoimmune disease conditions or allogeneic transplantation. However, minimal immunomodulatory effect of hMSCs may limit their therapeutic uses. Moreover, the effect of glucocorticoids on the immunomodulatory molecules or other regenerative properties of tissue-specific hMSCs remains unknown. ﻿Method: Herein, we evaluated the in vitro effect of Dex at various dose concentrations and time intervals, 1000 ng/ml, 2000 ng/ml, 3000 ng/ml and 24 h, 48 h respectively, on the basic characteristics and immunomodulatory properties of Bone marrow derived MSC (BM-MSCs), Adipose tissue derived MSCs (AD-MSCs), Dental Pulp derived MSC (DP-MSCs) and Umbilical cord derived MSCs (UC-MSCs). Results: The present study indicated that the concentration of Dex did not ramify the cellular morphology nor showed cytotoxicity as well as conserved the basic characteristics of tissue specific hMSCs including cell proliferation and surface marker profiling. However, quite interestingly it was observed that the stemness markers (Oct-4, Sox-2, Nanog & Klf-4) showed a significant upregulation in DP-MSCs and AD-MSCs followed by UC-MSCs and BM-MSCs. Additionally, immunomodulatory molecules, Prostaglandin E-2 (PGE-2), Indoleamine- 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) and Human Leukocyte Antigen-G (HLA-G) were seen to be upregulated in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, there was a differential response of tissue specific hMSCs after pre-conditioning with Dex during mixed lymphocyte reaction, wherein UC-MSCs and DP-MSCs showed enhanced immunosuppression as compared to AD-MSCs and BM-MSCs, thereby proving to be a better candidate for therapeutic applications in immune-related diseases. Conclusion: Dex preconditioning ameliorates the hMSCs immunomodulatory property and may void the challenge associated with minimal potency and strengthen their therapeutic efficacy.
Prospective Multicenter Trial of Cervical Arthroplasty With the ROTAIO® Cervical Disc Prosthesis
Authors: Fleck Steffen , Lang Anna Maria , Lehmberg Jens , Landscheidt Julia Fee , Gerlach Rüdiger , Rathert Julian , Schär Ralph T. , Ulrich Christian , Müller Jan-Uwe , Hartmann Sebastian , Thomé Claudius
Published: April 2021

ObjectiveAnterior Cervical Discectomy and Arthroplasty (ACDA) is an established treatment for degenerative cervical disc disease and seems to be an alternative to fusion in minimizing the risk of Adjacent Segment Disease (ASD). The ROTAIO® cervical disc prosthesis is a novel unconstrained implant with a variable center of rotation aiming at physiological motion. The objective of this multicenter prospective trial was to evaluate clinical outcome and complications within 2 years.Material and Methods120 patients (72 females and 48 males with a median age of 43.0 years; range: 23 to 60 years) underwent ACDA (ROTAIO®, SIGNUS Medical, Alzenau, Germany) and were prospectively followed for 24 months. Preoperative complaints were mainly associated with radiculopathy (n=104) or myelopathy (n=16). There were 108 monosegmental and 12 bisegmental procedures including 6 hybrid constructs. Clinical outcome was evaluated at 3, 12 and 24 months by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for head, neck and arm pain, the Neck Disability Index (NDI), the Work Limitation Questionnaire (WL-26), the Patient`s Satisfaction Index (PSI) and a Quality of Life Questionnaire (SF-36). The Nurick Score, the Modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association Score (mJOA) plus a Composite Success Rate have been additionally applied. Finally, complications, the patient`s overall satisfaction and the amount of analgesics were assessed. ResultsHighly significant clinical improvements were observed according to NDI and VAS (p<0.0001 (arm); p<0.001 (neck); p=0.002 (head)) at all postoperative time points. Analgetic medication could be reduced after 3 months in 91.3%, after 12 months in 87.1% and after 24 months in 95.2% of patients. Doctor`s visits for cervical spine problems have been reduced in 93.8% after 24 months.Patient`s overall satisfaction was high after 3, 12 and 24 months with 83.5%, 78.4% and 79.1% of patients, while 4.1%, 6.8% and 7.0% respectively were not satisfied. The composite success rate was 77.5% after 12 months and 76.9% after 24 months. There were no major complications in this series. Slight subsidence of the prosthesis was observed in 2 patients and 3 patients demonstrated fusion after 24 months. 2 patients developed symptomatic foraminal stenosis, so that implant removal and fusion was performed.ConclusionThe ROTAIO® cervical disc prosthesis is a safe and efficient treatment option for symptomatic degenerative disc disease demonstrating excellent clinical results at 2 years. Outcome proves to be stable over time with very low revision rates.
Host (dealumination Y zeolite)-guest (substituted heteropolyacid) nanocomposites as an efficient catalyst in the removal of methyl orange
Authors: Moosavifar Maryam , Mavadat Fariba , Avanes Armen
Published: April 2021

Substituted polyoxometal encapsulated into Y zeolite was synthesized with two ratios: H5PMo10W1Ti1O40.XH2O/Y (hereafter designated as SPY-1011, the numbers show the amount of Mo, W, Ti, respectively) and H5PMo1W10Ti1O40.XH2O/Y (hereafter designated as SPY-1101) was synthesized using the template synthesis method. The nanocomposite materials were characterized by XRD, FT-IR, UV-Vis, FESEM, and EDS techniques. The photocatalytic activity of systems was investigated within the photodegradation of methyl orange. The W, Mo, and Ti content of the catalyst was evaluated by the ICP method. The results showed that the photocatalyst performance depends on catalyst loading, pH effect, methyl orange concentration, the type, and the number of substituted species. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) experiment indicated mineralisation of the methyl orange with 83% after 120 min irradiation. The absences of hydrazine during degradation confirmed by the amperometric experiment, in turn, showed methyl orange converted to simple inorganic materials. Photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange follows a pseudo-first-order kinetic.
WITHDRAWN: Reflection of P53 Phenotype in Tumor Tissue by Genotypic Variants in Glutathione S-Transferases: An Association with DNA Damage in Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Pathak Anumesh Kumar , Husain Nuzhat , Shukla Saumya , Kant Surya , Bala Lakshmi
Published: April 2021

Background: Genetic deficiency of glutathione S-transferase (GST) enzymes results in accumulating carcinogens from tobacco smoke. Consequently, the elevated risk of lung carcinoma (LC) is due to increased DNA damage and mutational frequency of the P53 caretaker gene.Objective: To determine GST gene variants association with LUAD susceptibility and the relative risk of these variations developing the P53 mutation and DNA damageMethods: We analyzed genetic polymorphisms in GST-M1 (+/-), T1 (+/-), and P1 (Ile 105 Val) genes using restriction fragment length PCR. The P53 phenotype was categorized as the mutant type (>50% and 2-3 + intensity in IHC) in M1 (+/-), T1 (+/-), and P1 (Ile105Val) variants. Lymphocytic DNA damage was assessed using the comet assay. Results: The M1 (-/-) and P1 Val/Val (GG) genotypes were significantly associated with the risk of the P53 mutant phenotype (RR: 1.81, p=0.03) and (RR: 2.23, p=0.05), respectively. In contrast, GSTT1 was not associated with the P53 phenotype. GSTM1 (-/-)/ GSTP1 Ile/Ile (AA) combined genotypes showed a significant synergistic effect on the P53 phenotype (RR: 8.50, p=0.01). DNA damage was significantly associated with GST-M1 (-/-), T1 (-/-), and P1 Val/Val (GG) genotypes and smoking (p=0.001) as compared to GST-T1 (+/+)/M1 (+/+)/P1 Ile/Ile (AA) genotypes. However, P53 expression was not associated with DNA damage. Conclusion: The GSTM1 (-/-) and GSTT1 (-/-) null genotypes act as risk modifiers for LUAD and increase DNA damage. The GSTM1 (-/-)/ GSTP1 Ile/Ile (AA) combined genotype amplified 8-fold the risk of a P53 mutant phenotype.
Das geplante Bundesgesetz über polizeiliche Massnahmen zur Bekämpfung von Terrorismus (PMT) — Verfassungsgrundlage und Verfahrensrecht
Authors: Zumsteg Patrice Martin
Published: April 2021

Terrorismus stellt auch für die Schweiz eine ernstzunehmende Bedrohung dar. Dieser soll mit einem neuen Bundesgesetz über polizeiliche Massnahmen zur Bekämpfung des Terrorismus (PMT) begegnet werden. Der vorliegende Beitrag argumentiert, dass dem Bund für den Erlass der Massnahmen zur Verhinderung terroristischer Aktivitäten, welche den Kern des PMT bilden, eine hinreichende verfassungsrechtliche Grundlage fehlt. Hinzu kommt, dass die geplanten Massnahmen einen weiten und wenig präzisen Anwendungsbereich haben, aber gleichzeitig präventive und erhebliche Grundrechtseingriffe ermöglichen würden. Diese Belastung der Betroffenen wird auch nicht verfahrensrechtlich kompensiert. Vielmehr beherrscht eindeutig das Bundesamt für Polizei das Verfahren. Eine gerichtliche Prüfung der Massnahmen findet grundsätzlich nur im Nachhinein statt und wenn der angebliche terroristische Gefährder überhaupt ein Rechtsmittel ergreift.
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Le terrorisme est une menace sérieuse qui concerne également la Suisse. Ce risque devrait être contré grâce à la nouvelle loi fédérale sur les mesures policières de lutte contre le terrorisme (MPT). La présente contribution soutient que la Confédération ne dispose pas d’une base constitutionnelle suffisante pour édicter les mesures de prévention des activités terroristes qui constituent le cœur de la MPT. En outre, les mesures envisagées ont un champ d’application large et peu précis, mais permettraient toutefois des violations préventives et substantielles des droits fondamentaux. Dans le même temps, ces atteintes ne sont pas compensées sur le plan procédural. Au contraire, l’Office fédéral de la police domine clairement la procédure et un contrôle judiciaire des mesures n’a lieu qu’ex post, si le terroriste supposé engage une action en justice.
ANTIDIABETIC EFFECTS OF MEDICINAL PLANTS
Authors: Ojetunde A. O.
Published: April 2021

Diabetes is a chronic disorder that is characterized by an increase in blood glucose (hyperglycemia) with alteration of protein, carbohydrates, and fat metabolism. Consequently, it can lead to renal failure, atherosclerosis, nerve damage, blindness, and coronary heart disease. It is also known as the 5th leading cause of death. Although, there are numerous types of glucose-lowering drugs that exhibit anti-diabetic effects but results of treatment in patients are still not so perfect. Therefore, many treatments that include the use of medicinal plants are suggested and encouraged. Medical plants are believed to contain chemical substances with potential curative effects and can often have anti-diabetic effects. This study introduced about 23 effective medicinal plants reported by various experimental researchers with the curative potential to treat diabetes. Although, most of the research used animal models, there is a clear indication that medicinal plants with anti-diabetic potentials are being investigated by several researchers. However, there is a need for further research to be conducted with isolated bioactive ingredients present in these plants in order to have potential ingredients that could be used as a pharmacological agent in the treatment of diabetes mellitus with fewer adverse effects. Again, the mechanisms of action of these medicinal plants in ameliorating diabetes need to be investigated.
Knowledge, Awareness, Attitude and Preventive Behaviour on the Transmission of the Pandemic Novel Coronavirus Among Malaysians
Authors: Bachok Norsa’adah , Ghazali Anis Kausar , Hami Rohayu
Published: April 2021

Background: Restricted movement and preventive actions have been introduced to break the chain of transmission of a new coronavirus. This study was conducted to determine the level of knowledge, awareness, attitude and preventive behaviour regarding the transmission of the COVID-19.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among Malaysians aged 20 years old and over, who had accessed the internet and used the WhatsApp application. The sampling method was a convenient snowball from 14 Malaysian states. This study was conducted online using questionnaires during the Movement Control Order due to the pandemic.

Results: Approximately 40.0%, 46.1% and 47.4% of 1,290 participants had a score above the median (good score) for preventive behaviour, attitude and knowledge, respectively. Age was significantly associated with poor knowledge (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.98; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.97, 0.99; P = 0.026). Males (AOR 1.35; 95% CI: 1.05, 1.74; P = 0.021), Malays (AOR 1.41; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.98; P = 0.043) and Chinese (AOR 2.19; 95% CI: 1.17, 4.13; P = 0.015) were the associated factors for poor attitude. Chinese ethnicity was significantly associated with poor preventive behaviour (AOR 2.80; 95% CI: 1.39, 5.61; P = 0.004).

Conclusion: The level of knowledge, attitude and practices were high except for a few questions. The young, males and Malay and Chinese individuals need health education.
Workplace Bullying Among Junior Doctors in Malaysia: A Multicentre Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Samsudin Ely Zarina , Isahak Marzuki , Rampal Sanjay , Ismail Rosnah , Zakaria Mohd Idzwan
Published: April 2021

Background: Research suggests that junior doctors often experience workplace bullying, which may have adverse impacts on medical training and delivery of quality healthcare. However, evidence among local population has not been established. The present study aims to examine the prevalence of workplace bullying among Malaysian junior doctors and explore its associated sociodemographic and employment factors.

Methods: A multicentre cross-sectional study was conducted in 12 government hospitals accredited for housemanship training within the central zone of Malaysia. The study included a total of 1,074 house officers who had been working for at least 6 months in various housemanship rotations. The Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised (NAQ-R) was used to examine workplace bullying.

Results: The 6-month prevalence of workplace bullying among study participants was 13%. Work-related bullying such as ‘being ordered to do work below your level of competence’, person-related bullying such as ‘being humiliated or ridiculed in connection with your work’, and physically intimidating bullying such as ‘being shouted at or being the target of spontaneous anger’ were commonly reported by study participants. Medical officers were reported to be the commonest perpetrators of negative actions at the workplace. Study participants who graduated from Eastern European medical schools (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.27; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.27, 4.07) and worked in surgical-based rotation (AOR 1.83; 95% CI: 1.13, 2.97) had higher odds of bullying compared to those who graduated from local medical schools and worked in medical-based rotation, whereas study participants with good English proficiency (AOR 0.14; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.94) had lower odds of bullying compared to those with poor English proficiency.

Conclusion: The present study shows that workplace bullying is prevalent among Malaysian junior doctors. Considering the gravity of its consequences, impactful strategies should be developed and implemented promptly in order to tackle this serious occupational hazard.
Examining the Range of Motion of the Cervical Spine: Utilising Different Bedside Instruments
Authors: Ahmad Sukari Aiman Asyraf , Singh Sarwinder , Bohari Muhammad Hafiz , Idris Zamzuri , Ghani Abdul Rahman Izaini , Abdullah Jafri Malin
Published: April 2021

Background: This paper outlines a summary of examination technique to identify the range of movement of the cervical spine. Due to common difficulties in obtaining tools for cervical examination within the district, a standardised compilation of easy-to-replicate examination techniques are provided using different tools.

Methods: Bedside instruments that can be used includes a measuring tape, compass, goniometer, inclinometer and cervical range of motion (CROM) instrument.

Discussion: Cervical flexion-extension, lateral flexion and rotation will be assessed with bedside instruments. This would aid in increasing accuracy and precision of objective measurement while conducting clinical examination to determine the cervical range of motion.
How many particles make up a chaotic many-body quantum system?
Authors: Zisling Guy , Santos Lea , Bar Lev Yevgeny
Published: April 2021

We numerically investigate the minimum number of interacting particles,
which is required for the onset of strong chaos in quantum systems
on a one-dimensional lattice with short-range and long-range interactions.
We consider multiple system sizes which are at least three times larger
than the number of particles and find that robust signatures of quantum
chaos emerge for as few as 4 particles in the case of short-range
interactions and as few as 3 particles for long-range interactions,
and without any apparent dependence on the size of the system.
KRIOPRESERVASI MATA TUNAS UBI KAYU LOKAL INDONESIA: FAKTOR PENENTU KEBERHASILAN
Authors: Sudarmonowati Enny , Rahman Nurhamidar , Hartati N. Sri
Published: April 2021

Kriopreservasi (penyimpanan dalam -198ºC) merupakan pilihan untuk menyimpan dalam jangka panjang bahan tanaman ubi kayu yang selama ini menggunakan “shoot tips” atau “axilary buds” dari planlet in vitro. Penggunaan mata tunas dari batang ubi kayu merupakan yang pertama dan berhasil diregenerasikan menjadi tanaman setelah penyimpanan di tangki nitrogen. Beragam faktor yang mempengaruhi keberhasilan kriopreservasi yaitu jenis bahan tanaman ubi kayu (stek super mini, mata tunas tanpa atau dengan bagian batang, mata tunas belum merekah atau merekah) empat genotip ubi kayu lokal Indonesia (Manggu, Mentega 2, Kristal Merah, Nangka), komposisi larutan krioprotektan 87% gliserol, 5% DMSO atau 10% DMSO sendiri atau dikombinasikan, metoda pencairan (thawing), lama penyimpanan dalam nitrogen cair (45 menit atau 3 minggu) serta metode dan media regenerasi (secara in vitro dengan media MS, di tissue yang dibasahi air atau larutan hara makro MS). Daya hidup tertinggi (40%) adalah mata tunas merekah tanpa bagian batang genotip Manggu dan Nangka yang direndam dalam larutan kombinasi 87% gliserol dan 5% DMSO yang yang dicairkan cepat dalam water bath, dibiakkan pada tissue lembab setelah disimpan dalam nitrogen cair 3 minggu. Hasil penelitian ini mempermudah dan mempersingkat prosedur kriopreservasi bagian tanaman ubi kayu sehingga dapat mendukung pelestarian plasma nutfah dalam jangka panjang.
Feasibility of a Web-Based Psychoeducation Course and Experiences of Caregivers Living With a Person With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder: Mixed Methods Study (Preprint)
Authors: Laine Anna , Anttila Minna , Hirvonen Heli , Välimäki Maritta
Published: April 2021

BACKGROUND

Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness that burdens both patients and caregivers.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to examine the feasibility of a web-based psychoeducation course targeted at caregivers of persons with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) and to describe their experiences of living with a person with SSD based on the material caregivers produced during the web-based course.

METHODS

A convergent, parallel, mixed methods study design was used. First, caregivers’ engagement in the course was evaluated quantitatively. Second, the overview of the course feedback was evaluated using quantitative and qualitative methods. Third, the experiences of being a caregiver to a person with SSD were analyzed qualitatively with the thematic analysis of the writings caregivers produced during the web-based course.

RESULTS

A total of 30 caregivers participated in the study and a web-based psychoeducation course. Less than two-thirds (18/30, 60%) completed the course. Content was most often logged for the first module, Orientation (3465 log-ins), and the lowest number of log-ins was recorded for the Daily life module (1061 log-ins). Feedback on the course varied; over half (10/17, 59%) of the caregivers considered the content to be very good or good, about half (9/17, 53%) considered the website layout to be good, only 6% (1/17) felt that the usability of the website was poor, and no one felt that it was very poor. From the reported experiences of being a caregiver to a person with SSD, 3 themes were formed: the caregiver’s own well-being, relationship with the person with SSD, and experience of health care services.

CONCLUSIONS

The web-based psychoeducation course for caregivers living with a person with SSD seems to be especially suitable for those who have little experience as a caregiver. In the future, more planning and the consideration of aspects related to the needs of specific target groups, course content, practical arrangements, and scheduling should be taken into account. In addition, although caregivers can improve their own well-being in different ways, they need regular support and cooperation from health care professionals.

CLINICALTRIAL
The Effects of Online Learning on Alleviating Students’ Chinese Language Learning Anxiety: A Study in a Chinese University
Authors: Chen Chen
Published: April 2021

This study aims at investigating the effects of online learning on alleviating international Chinese as a Second Language students’ foreign language anxiety. Participants of the study were 240 international students enrolled in a Chinese university, being divided into two groups. In-class Group remained their routine Chinese learning by following a traditional textbook-based approach, while Online Group employed computers and the Internet. Data collection were administrated via two questionnaires with all 240 participants, in-depth individual interviews with eight student participants and their reflective reports. This study found that online learning could relieve international students’ listening, speaking and writing anxiety, but increase students’ reading anxiety. The study also revealed the sources of students’ anxieties in Chinese learning in both contexts. Implications for the employment of the online approach in Chinese language learning and teaching for further development are made on the base of these findings. Recommendations for future studies are also provided.
An Assessment of Communication Challenges during COVID-19
Authors: Odine, PhD Maurice
Published: April 2021

Communication for COVID-19 is to educate the public about protecting themselves from infections. Having sprung wildly from Wuhan, China, the virus has spread from the United States and 31 territories. Strazewski (2020) writes, “How Science Communication is failing during Covid-19,” published in the Journal of American Medical Association, regrets prevalent inadequacy of reporting. Organizations such as World Health Origination (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) admit communication is important, asserting that trust, transparency, public interest, and planning are crucial in messaging. Companies should, therefore, rethink advertising and promotion strategies and reassure shareholders and stakeholders of the volatility of the epidemic. In “Evolving Outbreaks and Evolving Communication,” the authors acknowledge that before an outbreak is recognized and an investigation begins, a limited number of persons might be exposed to health risks without experiencing illness. Unlike yesteryears, communicating health messages today during an outbreak calls for a mix of channels that include social media management. Furthermore, partnerships should be developed between the science community and communications specialist from a global perspective.
ULOGA HRVATSKIH MITOLOGEMA U GENERISANJU SRBOFOBIJE: HRVATSKA KAO „PREDZIĐE HRIŠĆANSTVA“ I SRBI KAO „VLASI“
Authors: Krsic Dario
Published: April 2021

Mnogobrojni su primeri istorijskih konstrukata, koji već vek i po služe ideologiji „hrvatskog državnog prava“. Ovaj rad predstavlja nastavak razmatranja najvažnijih mitologema ugrađenih u temelje nacionalnog identiteta Hrvata. Neke od njih, spomenute u prošlom broju ovog časopisa („Hrvatska do Drine“ i „Crvena Hrvatska“), evoluirale su davno u faktoide; utkane su u „kolektivno sećanje“ hrvatske nacije i anatomiju srbofobije. Kako bi struktura mržnje bila čvršća, a velikohrvatske težnje opravdane, srpski narod bio je podvrgnut doziranoj rasističkoj pogrdi od strane istaknutih hrvatskih istoričara, političara i katoličkog sveštenstva u 19. i 20 veku. Uporedo s instrumentalizacijom istorije, kreirane su i predrasude o krajiškim Srbima, koji su preimenovani u „posrbljene Vlahe“: narod antropološki pomalo stran i kulturno prilično udaljen od evropske civilizacije. Nižerasno „slavosrpsko smeće“, kako ga nazvaše „očevi hrvatske nacije“, smetalo je svekolikom napretku naroda i države otkako se „doteplo“ u Hrvatsku, i počelo se smatrati nedostojnim saživota s „pravim ljudima duha hrvatskog“ – tobožnjim „potomcima Gota“, Arijevaca, vojnika-osvajača iz drevnog Irana. Srbi, s druge strane, zadobiše epitet „sužanjske pasmine“, kojima Grci ili Mađari „dadoše ime“; postadoše „potomci martologa“, u kojima kipti „zlo i rđa“, pljačkaši i robitelji „svete zemlje Hrvatske“, „predziđa hrišćanstva“. Nestankom osmanlijske pretnje, iako je vekovima činio najveći deo krajiških vojnih trupa, srpski narod predstavljen je kao „vlaški nakot zreo za sekiru“, poslušnik „srbijanskih gegula“ i njihove „ciganske dinastije“. Time je mitomanisanje, potpomognuto hrvatskim naučnim i obrazovnim institucijama, uspešno završilo svoj srbomrzački zadatak: nadahnulo je pogrom u tri navrata za samo stotinu godina. Međutim, indukovalo je i kroatofobiju, omogućivši na neodređeno vreme „circulus vitiosus“ srpsko-hrvatskih konflikata.