bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction at Pyridine Functionalized Au Nanoparticles Supported by NanoCOT Electrode
Authors: Ashaduzzaman Md , Kang Xin , Strange Lyndi , Pan Shanlin
Published: November 2022

CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) is a promising technique for mitigating global warming and storing renewable energy if it can be obtained with a highly selective, efficient, and durable electrocatalyst. Here, we report CO2RR catalyzed by Au nanoparticles (NPs) stabilized by pyridines and pyrimidines (e.g., 2-mercaptopyridine (2Mpy), 4-mercaptopyridine (4Mpy), and 2-mercaptopyrimidine (2Mpym)) on a nanostructured carbon-doped TiO2 nanowire (NanoCOT) electrode, which has been previously reported by our team for electrocatalytic water oxidation. An online gas chromatography (GC) set-up with improved gaseous product sensitivity with real-time pressure monitoring is used to quantify CO and hydrogen products from the Au NP-modified NanoCOT electrode. High CO selectivity is observed at Au-2Mpy coated NanoCOT electrode. CO2 reduction products are not observed at bare NanoCOT suggesting CO2 is reduced at the Au nanoparticle sites of the electrode. Moreover, CH3OH is not detected at the Au-Mpy/Mpym NPs during rotating ring disk electrode (RRDE) analysis which implies pyridine attached to the Au NPs has no catalytic effects on CO2RR as claimed by others in the literature. A durable complete H-cell using a NanoCOT anode and Au NP-NanoCOT cathode electrodes is assembled for complete water splitting, CO2RR, and stability test.
Structural Control of Molybdenum Silicide by Electrolytic Silicification of a Mo Substrate
Authors: Suzuki Yuta , Matsuo Yu , Shimizu Yosuke , Fukunaka Yasuhiro , Goto Takuya
Published: November 2022

β-MoSi2 is one of the expected silicide candidates for thermoelectric material because of its semi-conductive and metastable characteristics. However, it is not easy to fabricate β-MoSi2 phase under low temperature condition as easily anticipated from the equilibrium Mo-Si binary phase diagram. In this study, the formation of β-MoSi2 by electrochemical silicification of a Mo substrate with a thickness of 0.5 mm in CaCl2-based melts containing SiO2 has been confirmed. Throughout XRD analysis, the formation of metastable β-MoSi2 phase was identified on a Mo substrate by potentiostatic electrolysis below 973 K. The results of TEM combined with EDS analysis at the Mo/β-MoSi2 interface showed the inverse concentration gradients of Mo and Si in the width of ca. 25 nm. In addition, we examined the growth process of β-MoSi2 by using a partially Pt-coated Mo substrate since the reduction of Si ions does not proceed at the Pt-coated area. The cross-sectional SEM image of the substrate demonstrated that a homogeneous film of β-MoSi2 was grown with almost the same thickness on both sides of the Mo substrate and the melt region. The results indicated that the growth of β-MoSi2 was caused by the mutual diffusion of Mo and Si atoms.
Loss of hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1 dysregulates metabolic responses to acute exercise but enhances adaptations to exercise training in mice
Authors: Rome Ferrol I. , Shobert Gregory L. , Voigt William C. , Stagg David B. , Puchalska Patrycja , Burgess Shawn C. , Crawford Peter A. , Hughey Curtis C.
Published: November 2022

Exercise training reduces hepatic steatosis partly through enhanced hepatic terminal oxidation. During acute exercise, hepatic gluconeogenesis is elevated to match the heightened rate of muscle glucose uptake and maintain glucose homeostasis. It has been postulated that the hepatic energetic stress induced by elevating gluconeogenesis during acute exercise is a key stimulus underlying the beneficial metabolic responses to exercise training. This study shows that hepatic gluconeogenesis is not necessary for exercise training to lower liver lipids.
Predictive steering: integration of artificial motor signals in self-motion estimation
Authors: van Helvert Milou J. L. , Selen Luc P.J. , van Beers Robert J. , Medendorp W. Pieter
Published: November 2022

Perception of self-motion is known to depend on the integration of sensory signals and, when the motion is self-generated, the predicted sensory reafference based on motor efference copies. Here we show, using a closed-loop steering experiment with a direct coupling between the steering movement and the vestibular self-motion feedback, that humans are also able to integrate artificial motor signals, like the motor signals that occur when driving a car.
Study of Differential Scattering Cross-Section Using Yukawa Term of Medium-Modified Cornell Potential
Authors: Solanki Siddhartha , Lal Manohar , Agotiya Vineet Kumar
Published: November 2022

In the present work, we have studied the differential scattering cross-section for ground states of charmonium and bottomonium in the frame work of the medium-modified form of quark-antiquark potential and Born approximation using the nonrelativistic quantum chromodynamics approach. To reach this end, quasiparticle (QP) Debye mass depending upon baryonic chemical potential (

μ

b

) and temperature has been employed, and hence the variation of differential scattering cross-section with baryonic chemical potential and temperature at fixed value of the scattering angle (

θ

=

9

0

o

) has been studied. The variation of differential scattering cross-section with scattering angle

θ

(in degree) at fixed temperature and baryonic chemical potential has also been studied. We have also studied the effect of impact parameter and transverse momentum on differential scattering cross-section at

θ
=

90

o

.
Flow Characteristics of a Fish-Like Body Based on Taguchi Method under Different Strouhal Numbers
Authors: Guo Baoquan , Xu Junjie , Zheng Shizhen , Wang Kai , Chang Jianlong
Published: November 2022

In the investigations of fish swimming, the relationship between fish swimming and the corresponding characteristics of flow field attracts lots of attention. In this paper, the influence of different Strouhal numbers on the flow field characteristics and mechanical characteristics of fish-like body is investigated. It is found that the strength of the anti-Karman vortex and the thrust on the fish-like body are affected by the Strouhal number. When the Strouhal number is small, the thrust coefficient is small but the propulsion efficiency is high. Similarly, when the Strouhal number is large, the thrust coefficient is large and the propelling efficiency is low. In order to better reveal the swimming status of the flexible body of the fish imitation, the effect of the Strouhal number is analyzed in detail in this paper. Besides, the influence of the three parameters in the Strouhal number formula on the flow field characteristics and thrust coefficient of the fish-like body is further investigated by the Taguchi method. The thrust coefficient is positively correlated with the swing amplitude and frequency, which is found to be negatively correlated with the inflow velocity. Swing amplitude and swing frequency are the main factors affecting the thrust coefficient; there is little effect of the inflow velocity on the thrust coefficient.
The Geometrical Formulation of Variational Principle under the Theory of Fiber Bundle
Authors: Alrebdi Reem A. , Altoum Sami H.
Published: November 2022

This work presents the geometrical formulation of variational principle and uses exterior calculus characterized by differential forms, smooth manifolds, and the theory of fiber bundle to deduce variational principle in particle field, and we show the difference between classical form and new form.
Successful Management of Coronavirus Disease 2019-Related Respiratory Failure Using High-Flow Nasal Cannula Therapy in a Patient with Underlying Pulmonary Artery Hypertension
Authors: Kotani Mariko , Kohyama Tomoki , Moriyama Kiyoshi , Yorozu Tomoko
Published: November 2022

A case involving a 50-year-old woman (height, 155 cm; weight, 79.6 kg), who was undergoing home oxygen therapy (3.5 L/min), with an oxygen saturation (SpO2) of approximately 91% due to pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) with mixed connective tissue disease, is reported. The patient developed coronavirus disease 2019- (COVID-19-) related respiratory failure, with an SpO2 of 78% on oxygen inhalation (3.5 L/min) and was admitted to the authors’ hospital. In accordance with remdesivir, dexamethasone, and heparin treatment, high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy was selected to avoid intubation. At an initial HFNC setting of 70% oxygen with a flow rate of 50 L/min, SpO2 improved to 92% and her subjective symptoms improved. She was weaned from HFNC on day 5 of admission (day 14 of COVID-19 onset) and discharged home on day 14 of admission. In patients with PAH, the beneficial effects of HFNC to avoid endotracheal intubation were evident in avoiding hemodynamic instability and worsening respiratory failure.
Predictive Power of Cognitive Biomarkers in Neurodegenerative Disease Drug Development: Utility of the P300 Event-Related Potential
Authors: Olichney John , Xia Jiangyi , Church Kevin J. , Moebius Hans J.
Published: November 2022

Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and their associated deterioration of cognitive function are common causes of disability. The slowly developing pathology of neurodegenerative diseases necessitates early diagnosis and monitored long-term treatment. Lack of effective therapies coupled with an improved rate of early diagnosis in our aging population have created an urgent need for the development of novel drugs, as well as the need for reliable biomarkers for treatment response. These issues are especially relevant for AD, in which the rate of clinical trial drug failures has been very high. Frequently used biomarker evaluation procedures, such as positron emission tomography or cerebrospinal fluid measurements of phospho-tau and amyloid beta, are invasive and costly, and not universally available or accessible. This review considers the functionality of the event-related potential (ERP) P300 methodology as a surrogate biomarker for predicting the procognitive potential of drugs in clinical development for neurocognitive disorders. Through the application of standardized electroencephalography (EEG) described here, ERP P300 can be reliably measured. The P300 waveform objectively measures large-scale neuronal network functioning and working memory processes. Increased ERP P300 latency has been reported throughout the literature in disorders of cognition, supporting the potential utility of ERP P300 as a biomarker in many neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders, including AD. Specifically, evidence presented here supports ERP P300 latency as a quantitative, unbiased measure for detecting changes in cognition in patients with AD dementia through the progression from mild to moderate cognitive impairment and after drug treatment.
Bitcoin Price Forecasting: An Integrated Approach Using Hybrid LSTM-ELM Models
Authors: Luo Changqing , Pan Lurun , Chen Binwei , Xu Huiru
Published: November 2022

In recent years, digital currencies have flourished on a considerable scale, and the markets of digital currencies have generated a nonnegligible impact on the whole financial system. Under this background, the accurate prediction of cryptocurrency prices could be a prerequisite for managing the risk of both cryptocurrency markets and financial systems. Considering the multiscale attributes of cryptocurrency price, we match the different machine learning algorithms to corresponding multiscale components and construct the ensemble prediction models based on machine learning and multiscale analysis. The Bitcoin price series, respectively, from 2017/11/24 to 2020/4/21 and 2020/4/22 to 2020/11/27, is selected as the training and prediction datasets. The empirical results show that the ensemble models can achieve a prediction accuracy of 95.12%, with better performance than the benchmark models, and the proposed models are robust in upward and downward market conditions. Meanwhile, the different algorithms are applicable for components with varying time scales.
Use of Novel Blunt Dissection Technique for Surgical Unroofing in Myocardial Bridging Patients
Authors: Wu Xiangyang , Zhu Jie , Mao Yong , Guan Xinqiang , He Xiaofeng , Ma Qi , Zhang Xiaopeng , Wang Shixiong , Li Yongnan
Published: November 2022

Background. Myocardial bridging (MB) is a congenital anomaly involving the myocardial tissue encasement of a segment of the coronary artery. The purpose of the present study was to assess safety and efficacy of two surgical methods used for treating MB patients at our institute. Methods. Off-pump MB unroofing was performed in 45 adult patients between January 2016 and December 2021 by traditional surgical unroofing techniques (conventional group, n = 26) and blunt dissection techniques (blunt dissection group, n = 19). We retrospectively reviewed our patients by examining the baseline clinical characteristics, risk factors, medications, and diagnostic data for coronary artery disease. The Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) was used to assess angina symptoms both preoperatively and 6 months postsurgery. Results. No significant difference in preoperative clinical characteristics was observed between the two groups. The blunt dissection group had shorter unroofed period (14.69 vs. 18.91 mins,

P
=
0.001

), less ventilator time (16.26 vs. 24.62 hours,

P
<
0.001

), and a shorter hospital stay (8.74 vs. 12.89 days,

P
<
0.001

). Although both traditional and blunt dissection techniques significantly improved postoperative SAQ scores including physical limitation due to angina, anginal stability, anginal frequency, treatment satisfaction, and quality of life (

P
<
0.001

), no significant difference was observed between the traditional and blunt dissection techniques for SAQ. No cases of left anterior descending (LAD) injury in the blunt dissection group were observed although seven patients in the conventional group had LAD injuries. Conclusions. In our single-center experience of MB unroofing, the blunt dissection technique is a safe, effective technique that significantly reduces surgical and ventilator time and hospital stay. MB patients with severe angina who underwent the blunt dissection for surgical unroofing experienced significant improvements in anginal symptoms and quality of life six months after the surgery.
Baicalin Mitigates the Neuroinflammation through the TLR4/MyD88/NF‐κB and MAPK Pathways in LPS‐Stimulated BV‐2 Microglia
Authors: Li Baojing , Wang Mingming , Chen Shuai , Li Manping , Zeng Jing , Wu Saichun , Tu Yuanqing , Li Yanping , Zhang Rongping , Huang Feng , Tong Xiaoyun
Published: November 2022

Baicalin (BA) is a major flavone from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and has showed significant curative effects in Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. In the present study, we investigated the effects of BA on antineuroinflammation and related signaling cascade in lipopolysaccharide‐ (LPS‐) induced BV‐2 microglial model. The results showed that BA significantly attenuated inflammatory mediators (NO, iNOS, IL‐1β, COX‐2, and PGE2) and suppressed the expression of miR‐155. More crucially, BA could regulate the expression of related proteins in Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4)/myeloid differentiation protein 88 (MyD88)/nuclear factor κB (NF‐κB) pathway and suppress the phosphorylation of mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) family. In addition, molecular docking analysis indicated that BA binds to the amino acids Lie 63 and Tyr 65 of TLR4 by π‐σ and π‐π T‐shaped interaction. Thus, BA suppressed the LPS‐stimulated neuroinflammation in BV‐2 microglia by blocking the TLR4‐mediated signal transduction through TLR4/MyD88/NF‐κB and MAPK pathways and inhibiting the miR‐155 expression. Our findings demonstrated that BA could be a valuable therapeutic for the treatment of neuroinflammation and neurodegenerative diseases.
Fractal Pore and Its Impact on Gas Adsorption Capacity of Outburst Coal: Geological Significance to Coalbed Gas Occurrence and Outburst
Authors: Feng Guangjun , Zhao Xinzhuo , Wang Meng , Song Yu , Zheng Sijian , He Ye , You Zhenjiang
Published: November 2022

Pore structure and methane adsorption of coal reservoir are closely correlated to the coalbed gas occurrence and outburst. Full-scale pore structure and its fractal heterogeneity of coal samples were quantitatively characterized using low-pressure N2 gas adsorption (LP-N2GA) and high-pressure mercury intrusion porosimetry (HP-MIP). Fractal pore structure and adsorption capacities between outburst and nonoutburst coals were compared, and their geological significance to gas occurrence and outburst was discussed. The results show that pore volume (PV) is mainly contributed by macropores (>1000 nm) and mesopores (100–1000 nm), while specific surface area (SSA) is dominated by micropores (<10 nm) and transition pores (10–100 nm). On average, the PV and SSA of outburst coal samples are 4.56 times and 5.77 times those of nonoutburst coal samples, respectively, which provide sufficient place for gas adsorption and storage. The pore shape is dominated by semiclosed pores in the nonoutburst coal, whereas open pores and inkbottle pores are prevailing in the outburst coal. The pore size is widely distributed in the outburst coal, in which not only micropores are dominant, but also, transition pores and mesopores are developed to a certain extent. Based on the data from HP-MIP and LP-N2GA, pore spatial structure and surface are of fractal characteristics with fractal dimensions [Formula: see text] (2.81–2.97) and [Formula: see text] (2.50–2.73) calculated by Menger model and Frenkel–Halsey–Hill (FHH) model, respectively. The pore structure in the outburst coal is more heterogeneous as its [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are generally larger than those of the nonoutburst coal. The maximum methane adsorption capacities ([Formula: see text]: 15.34–20.86 cm3/g) of the outburst coal are larger than those of the nonoutburst coal ([Formula: see text]: 9.97–13.51cm3/g). The adsorptivity of coal samples is governed by the micropores, transition pores, and [Formula: see text] because they are positively correlated with the SSA. The outburst coal belongs to tectonically deformed coal (TDC) characterized by weak strength, rich microporosity, complex pore structure, strong adsorption capacity, but poor pore connectivity because of inkbottle pores. Therefore, the area of TDC is at high risk for gas outburst as there is a high-pressure gas sealing zone with abundant gas enrichment but limited gas migration and extraction.
Determination of the Unilaterally Damaged Region May Depend on the Asymmetry of Carotid Blood Flow Velocity in Hemiparkinsonian Monkey: A Pilot Study
Authors: Seo Jincheol , Lim Kyung Seob , Jeon Chang-Yeop , Baek SeungHo , Yeo Hyeon-Gu , Choi Won Seok , Park Sung-Hyun , Jeong Kang Jin , Won Jinyoung , Kim Keonwoo , Park Junghyung , Cho Jiyeon , Seong Jung Bae , Kim Minji , Kim Yu Gyeong , Huh Jae-Won , Kim Samhwan , Lim Yong Hoon , Park Hyung Woo , Tak Hye Min , Heo Man Seong , Choi Ji-Woong , Paek Sun Ha , Lee Youngjeon
Published: November 2022

The hemiparkinsonian nonhuman primate model induced by unilateral injection of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) into the carotid artery is used to study Parkinson’s disease. However, there have been no studies that the contralateral distribution of MPTP via the cerebral collateral circulation is provided by both the circle of Willis (CoW) and connections of the carotid artery. To investigate whether MPTP-induced unilaterally damaged regions were determined by asymmetrical cerebral blood flow, the differential asymmetric damage of striatal subregions, and examined structural asymmetries in a circle of Willis, and blood flow velocity of the common carotid artery were observed in three monkeys that were infused with MPTP through the left internal carotid artery. Lower flow velocity in the ipsilateral common carotid artery and a higher ratio of ipsilateral middle cerebral artery diameter to anterior cerebral artery diameter resulted in unilateral damage. Additionally, the unilateral damaged monkey observed the apomorphine-induced contralateral rotation behavior and the temporary increase of plasma RANTES. Contrastively, higher flow velocity in the ipsilateral common carotid artery was observed in the bilateral damaged monkey. It is suggested that asymmetry of blood flow velocity and structural asymmetry of the circle of Willis should be taken into consideration when establishing more efficient hemiparkinsonian nonhuman primate models.
Comparative Evaluation of the Multilayer Perceptron Approach with Conventional ARIMA in Modeling and Prediction of COVID-19 Daily Death Cases
Authors: Qureshi Moiz , Daniyal Muhammad , Tawiah Kassim
Published: November 2022

COVID-19 continues to pose a dangerous global health threat, as cases grow rapidly and deaths increase day by day. This increasing phenomenon does not only affect economic policy but also international policy around the world. In this paper, Pakistan daily death cases of COVID-19, from February 25, 2020, to March 23, 2022, have been modeled using the long-established autoregressive-integrated moving average (ARIMA) model and the machine learning multilayer perceptron (MLP) model. The most befitting model is selected based on the root mean square error (RMSE), mean square error (MSE), and mean absolute error (MAE). Values of the key performance indicator (KPI) showed that the MLP model outperformed the ARIMA model. The MLP model with 20 hidden layers, which emerged as the overall most apt model, was used to predict future daily COVID-19 deaths in Pakistan to enable policymakers and health professionals to put in place systematic measures to reduce death cases. We encourage the Government of Pakistan to intensify its vaccination campaign and encourage everyone to get vaccinated.
Aucubin Impeded Preosteoclast Fusion and Enhanced CD31hi EMCNhi Vessel Angiogenesis in Ovariectomized Mice
Authors: Li Ziyi , Liu Chang , Liu Xiaoli , Wang Na , Gao Liu , Bao Xiaoxue , Liu Sijing , Xue Peng
Published: November 2022

Osteogenesis is tightly correlated with angiogenesis during the process of bone development, regeneration, and remodeling. In addition to providing nutrients and oxygen for bone tissue, blood vessels around bone tissue also secrete some factors to regulate bone formation. Type H vessels which were regulated by platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) were confirmed to couple angiogenesis and osteogenesis. Recently, preosteoclasts have been identified as the most important source of PDGF-BB. Therefore, inhibiting osteoclast maturation, improving PDGF-BB secretion, stimulating type H angiogenesis, and subsequently accelerating bone regeneration may be potent treatments for bone loss disease. In the present study, aucubin, an iridoid glycoside extracted from Aucuba japonica and Eucommia ulmoides, was found to inhibit bone loss in ovariectomized mice. We further confirmed that aucubin could inhibit the fusion of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)+ preosteoclasts into mature osteoclasts and indirectly increasing angiogenesis of type H vessel. The underlying mechanism is the aucubin-induced inhibition of MAPK/NF-κB signaling, which increases the preosteoclast number and subsequently promotes angiogenesis via PDGF-BB. These results prompted that aucubin could be an antiosteoporosis drug candidate, which needs further research.
Improved Harmony Search Algorithm to Compute the Underfrequency Load Shedding Parameters
Authors: Riquelme-Dominguez Jose Miguel , Acosta Martha N. , Gonzalez-Longatt Francisco , Andrade Manuel A. , Vazquez Ernesto , Rueda José Luis
Published: November 2022

The power system continuously deals with frequency fluctuations. When a power disturbance occurs, the transmission system operators rely on the underfrequency load shedding (UFLS) scheme to address severe underfrequency (UF) events to maintain the frequency at the permissible level and prevent blackouts. Defining settings of a conventional UFLS scheme is a very complex problem due to the nonlinear nature of the frequency response, and the size of the problem is vast because of the number of UF-relays spread on the power system. The under or over total load disconnection produced by the wrong setting of the UF-relays can create secondary frequency events or even a total blackout. This paper introduces a novel method to compute an optimally parametrized conventional UFLS scheme in specific given operating conditions by formulating it as a constrained problem and using the Improved Harmony Search (IHS) algorithm to solve it. Since there is no previous knowledge of using IHS to solve the UFLS scheme, a numerical parameter sensitivity analysis (PSA) is developed to tune the parameter of the IHS algorithm. The IEEE 39-bus system was modelled in DIgSILENT® PowerFactory™ and used as a test system. The optimally parametrized conventional UFLS methodology presented in this paper reveals superior results against the conventional UFLS scheme, and the suitability of using the IHS algorithm is confirmed.
Distinct Gut Microbiota Structure and Function of Children with Idiopathic Central and Peripheral Precocious Puberty
Authors: Huang Congfu , Liu Haiying , Yang Wei , Li Yinhu , Wu Bin , Chen Junru , Yang Zhenyu , Liao Cuifang , Liu Limei , Zhang Xiaowei
Published: November 2022

Precocious puberty (PP) is one of the most common endocrine diseases in children, and the pathogenesis is currently unknown. Recent studies on the gut-brain axis have shown that there is a correlation between childhood endocrine diseases and the gut microbiota (GM). To explore the GM characteristics of children with different types of PP, we recruited 27 idiopathic central precocious puberty children (ICPP group), 18 peripheral precocious puberty children (PPP group), and 23 healthy children of the same age (HC group). Their stool samples were subjected to 16S rDNA sequencing. In this study, we found that the OTUs numbers, the annotated genera, and α-diversity of GM of the ICPP and PPP group were all significantly higher than that in the HC group (

P
<
0.05

). The abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria Prevotella, Lachnospiracea incertae sedis, Roseburia, Ruminococcus, and Alistipes was significantly higher in the ICPP group and the PPP group, and Bacteroides and Faecalibacterium showed significantly higher abundance in the HC group. The GM symbiosis network showed that both Bacteroides and Faecalibacterium were negatively correlated with these butyrate-producing bacteria. The abundances of most significantly changed genera were gradually increased from HC to PPP, and to the ICPP group, while only Bacteroides was gradually decreased. After the prediction of the metabolic pathways of the GM, the cell motility, signal transduction, and environmental adaptation were significantly enriched in the ICPP and the PPP groups (

P
<
0.05

), while the carbohydrate metabolism pathway was significantly lower (

P
<
0.001

). Overall, this study showed that the GM composition and predicted functional pattern of children with ICPP and PPP are different from healthy children, and PPP may be a transitional stage between ICPP and HC children, which provide a theoretical basis for clinical intervention based on GM in the treatment of PP.
Evaluating Soil Loss for Identification of Land Risk Area in the Kabe Watershed of Ethiopia
Authors: Assefa Fikru , Elias Eyasu , Soromessa Teshome , Aneseyee Abreham Berta
Published: November 2022

Soil erosion is the main cause of topsoil loss in farming land, which results in reduction in cropland productivity. Soil loss estimation is crucial for developing soil and water conservation strategies for Ethiopia. The investigation aimed to estimate the soil loss in various intensifications of land use patterns, including slope categories, using the soil estimation model associated with the ArcGIS process. It is analyzed in Ethiopian conditions based on erosivity, soil erodibility, vegetative cover (C) remote sensing data, slop-length factor (LS), and management practices (P). The mean soil loss was relatively high (20.01 t ha−1yr−1) in the cultivated land, whereas it was lowest (0.17 t ha−1yr−1) under forest land. Soil loss in the watershed shows a significant variation under slope classification. Moreover, the land having a greater slope angle, or the upper slope of the watershed, contains maximum soil erosion, while the lower slope position has a minimum soil erosion rate. The validation shows that there is an insignificant variation between the predicted model and the experimental data. Therefore, this confirms that the model can be applied in the study watershed or elsewhere with similar agroecology to the study area. This research is also used to prepare an erosion management strategy for the conservation of soil and water in the watersheds.
A Novel Method for Hand Movement Recognition Based on Wavelet Packet Transform and Principal Component Analysis with Surface Electromyogram
Authors: Huo Yingda , Li Fubao , Li Qin , He Enqiu , Chen Jichi
Published: November 2022

As an input method of signal language, the hand movement classification technology has developed into one of the ways of natural human-computer interaction. The surface electromyogram (sEMG) signal contains abundant human movement information and has significant advantages as the input signal of human-computer interaction. However, how to effectively extract components from sEMG signals to improve the accuracy of hand motion classification is a difficult problem. Therefore, this work proposes a novel method based on wavelet packet transform (WPT) and principal component analysis (PCA) to classify six kinds of hand motions. The method applies WPT to decompose the sEMG signal into multiple sub-band signals. To efficiently extract the intrinsic components of the sEMG signal, the classification performance of different wavelet packet basis functions is evaluated. The PCA algorithm is used to reduce the dimension of the feature space composed of the features reflecting hand motions extracted from each sub-band signal. Besides, to ensure higher classification performance while reducing the dimension of the feature space by the PCA algorithm, the classification performance of different dimensions of the feature space is compared. In addition, the effects of the variability of the sEMG signal and the size of the window on the proposed method are further analyzed. The proposed method was tested on the sEMG for Basic Hand Movements Data Set and achieved an average accuracy of 96.03%. Compared with the existing research, the proposed method has better classification performance, which indicates that the research results can be applied to the fields of exoskeleton robot, rehabilitation training, and intelligent prosthesis.
On the Maximum Sombor Index of Unicyclic Graphs with a Fixed Girth
Authors: Senthilkumar B. , Venkatakrishnan Y. B. , Balachandran S. , Ali Akbar , Alraqad Tariq A. , Hamza Amjad E.
Published: November 2022

Let G be a graph having the set of edges E(G). Represent by dG(u) the degree of a vertex u of G. The Sombor (SO) index of G is defined as . The length of a shortest cycle in a graph G is known as the girth of G. A connected graph with the same order and size is usually referred to as a (connected) unicyclic graph. This paper reports the characterization of the graphs possessing the first‐two maximum values of the SO index in the class of all (connected) unicyclic graphs with a fixed girth and order.
Federated Learning Optimization Algorithm for Automatic Weight Optimal
Authors: Yu Xi , Li Li , He Xin , Chen Shengbo , Jiang Lei
Published: November 2022

Federated learning (FL), a distributed machine-learning framework, is poised to effectively protect data privacy and security, and it also has been widely applied in variety of fields in recent years. However, the system heterogeneity and statistical heterogeneity of FL pose serious obstacles to the global model’s quality. This study investigates server and client resource allocation in the context of FL system resource efficiency and offers the FedAwo optimization algorithm. This approach combines adaptive learning with federated learning, and makes full use of the computing resources of the server to calculate the optimal weight value corresponding to each client. This approach aggregated the global model according to the optimal weight value, which significantly minimizes the detrimental effects of statistical and system heterogeneity. In the process of traditional FL, we found that a large number of client trainings converge earlier than the specified epoch. However, according to the provisions of traditional FL, the client still needs to be trained for the specified epoch, which leads to the meaningless of a large number of calculations in the client. To further lower the training cost, the augmentation FedAwo

 
∗

algorithm is proposed. The FedAwo

 
∗

algorithm takes into account the heterogeneity of clients and sets the criteria for local convergence. When the local model of the client reaches the criteria, it will be returned to the server immediately. In this way, the epoch of the client can dynamically be modified adaptively. A large number of experiments based on MNIST and Fashion-MNIST public datasets reveal that the global model converges faster and has higher accuracy in FedAwo and FedAwo

 
∗

algorithms than FedAvg, FedProx, and FedAdp baseline algorithms.
Triptonide Inhibits the Cervical Cancer Cell Growth via Downregulating the RTKs and Inactivating the Akt-mTOR Pathway
Authors: Zhou Li-na , Peng Shi-qing , Chen Xue-Lian , Zhu Xiao-ren , Jin An-qi , Liu Yuan-yuan , Zhu Li-xia , Zhu Ya-qun
Published: November 2022

The high incidence and mortality of cervical cancer (CC) require an urgent need for exploring novel valuable therapeutics. Triptonide (TN) is a small molecule monomer extracted from the Chinese herb Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. Our results showed that TN, at only nanomolar concentrations, strongly inhibited growth, colony formation, proliferation, migration, and invasion of established and primary human cervical cancer cells. TN induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in cervical cancer cells. Moreover, cervical cancer cell in vitro migration and invasion were suppressed by TN. It was however noncytotoxic and proapoptotic to normal cervical epithelial cells and human skin fibroblast cells. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) of RNA sequencing data of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in TN-treated cervical cancer cells implied that DEGs were enriched in the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling and PI3K-Akt-mTOR cascade. In cervical cancer cells, RTKs, including EGFR and PDGFRα, were significantly downregulated and Akt-mTOR activation was largely inhibited after TN treatment. In vivo, oral administration of TN significantly inhibited subcutaneous cervical cancer xenograft growth in nude mice. EGFR and PDGFRα downregulation as well as Akt-mTOR inactivation was detected in TN-treated HeLa xenograft tumor tissues. Thus, TN inhibits human cervical cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Its anticervical cancer activity was associated with RTK downregulation and Akt-mTOR inactivation.
Use of Cidofovir for Safe Transplantation in a Toddler with Acute Liver Failure and Adenovirus Viremia
Authors: Christian Vikram J. , Sarwar Raiya , Resch Joseph C. , Lim Sarah , Somani Arif , Larson-Nath Catherine , McAllister Shane , Thielen Beth K. , Adeyi Oyedele , Chinnakotla Srinath , Bhatt Heli
Published: November 2022

Background. Since October 2021, there have been more than 500 cases of severe hepatitis of unknown origin in children reported worldwide, including 180 cases in the U.S. The most frequently detected potential pathogen to date has been adenovirus, typically serotype 41. Adenovirus is known to cause a self-limited infection in the immunocompetent host. However, in immunosuppressed individuals, severe or disseminated infections may occur. Method. We present the case of a two-year-old female who presented with cholestatic hepatitis and acute liver failure (ALF). Work up for etiologies of ALF was significant for adenovirus viremia, but liver biopsy was consistently negative for the virus. The risk for severe adenoviral infection in the setting of anticipated immunosuppression prompted us to initiate cidofovir to decrease viral load prior to undergoing liver transplantation. Result. Our patient received a successful liver transplant, cleared the viremia after 5 doses of cidofovir, and continues to maintain allograft function without signs of infection at the time of this report, 5 months posttransplant. Conclusion. Recent reports of pediatric hepatitis cases may be associated with adenoviral infection although the exact relationship is unclear. There is the possibility of the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 environment, or other immunologic modifying factors. All patients presenting with hepatitis or acute liver failure should be screened for adenovirus and reported to state health departments. Cidofovir may be used to decrease viral load prior to liver transplantation, to decrease risk of severe adenoviral infection.
On Complex Differential‐Difference Equations of Malmquist Type
Authors: Zhang Jianjun
Published: November 2022

In this paper, we shall give some properties of complex differential‐difference equation of the form where and are non‐negative integers, ci(i = 1,2, …, t) are distinct, nonzero complex numbers, αμ(z)(μ = 1,2, …, n) and βν(z)(ν = 1,2, …, m) are small functions relative to f(z), and R(z, f(z)) is a rational function in f(z) with coefficients, which are small functions of f(z). We also consider related complex functional equations in the paper. These results are improvements of some several previous results.
Molecular Characterization and the Antimicrobial Resistance Profile of Salmonella spp. Isolated from Ready-to-Eat Foods in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Authors: Soubeiga Adama Patrice , Kpoda Dissinviel Stéphane , Compaoré Muller K. A. , Somda-Belemlougri Asseto , Kaseko Ndamiwe , Rouamba Sibiri Sylvain , Ouedraogo Sandrine , Traoré Roukiatou , Karfo Paulette , Nezien Désiré , Nikiéma Fulbert , Kabre Elie , Zongo Cheikna , Savadogo Aly
Published: November 2022

The emergence of antimicrobial-resistantfood-borne bacteria is a great challenge to public health. This study was conducted to characterize and determine the resistance profile of Salmonella strains isolated from foods including sesames, ready-to-eat (RTE) salads, mango juices, and lettuce in Burkina Faso. One hundred and forty-eight biochemically identified Salmonella isolates were characterized by molecular amplification of Salmonella marker invA and spiC, misL, orfL, and pipD virulence genes. After that, all confirmed strains were examined for susceptibility to sixteen antimicrobials, and PCR amplifications were used to identify the following resistance genes: blaTEM, temA, temB, StrA, aadA, sul1, sul2, tet(A), and tet(B). One hundred and eight isolates were genetically confirmed as Salmonella spp. Virulence genes were observed in 57.4%, 55.6%, 49.1%, and 38% isolates for pipD, SpiC, misL, and orfL, respectively. Isolates have shown moderate resistance to gentamycin (26.8%), ampicillin (22.2%), cefoxitin (19.4%), and nalidixic acid (18.5%). All isolates were sensitive to six antibiotics, including cefotaxime, ceftazidime, aztreonam, imipenem, meropenem, and ciprofloxacin. Among the 66 isolates resistant to at least one antibiotic, 11 (16.7%) were multidrug resistant. The Multiple Antimicrobial Resistance (MAR) index of Salmonella serovars ranged from 0.06 to 0.53. PCR detected 7 resistance genes (tet(A), tet(B), blaTEM, temB, sul1, sul2, and aadA) in drug-resistant isolates. These findings raise serious concerns because ready-to-eat food in Burkina Faso could serve as a reservoir for spreading antimicrobial resistance genes worldwide.
Genetic Ancestry Inference from Cancer-Derived Molecular Data across Genomic and Transcriptomic Platforms
Authors: Belleau Pascal , Deschênes Astrid , Chambwe Nyasha , Tuveson David A. , Krasnitz Alexander
Published: November 2022

Genetic ancestry–oriented cancer research requires the ability to perform accurate and robust genetic ancestry inference from existing cancer-derived data, including whole-exome sequencing, transcriptome sequencing, and targeted gene panels, very often in the absence of matching cancer-free genomic data. Here we examined the feasibility and accuracy of computational inference of genetic ancestry relying exclusively on cancer-derived data. A data synthesis framework was developed to optimize and assess the performance of the ancestry inference for any given input cancer-derived molecular profile. In its core procedure, the ancestral background of the profiled patient is replaced with one of any number of individuals with known ancestry. The data synthesis framework is applicable to multiple profiling platforms, making it possible to assess the performance of inference specifically for a given molecular profile and separately for each continental-level ancestry; this ability extends to all ancestries, including those without statistically sufficient representation in the existing cancer data. The inference procedure was demonstrated to be accurate and robust in a wide range of sequencing depths. Testing of the approach in four representative cancer types and across three molecular profiling modalities showed that continental-level ancestry of patients can be inferred with high accuracy, as quantified by its agreement with the gold standard of deriving ancestry from matching cancer-free molecular data. This study demonstrates that vast amounts of existing cancer-derived molecular data are potentially amenable to ancestry-oriented studies of the disease without requiring matching cancer-free genomes or patient self-reported ancestry.

Significance:

The development of a computational approach that enables accurate and robust ancestry inference from cancer-derived molecular profiles without matching cancer-free data provides a valuable methodology for genetic ancestry–oriented cancer research.
Outcomes of Monoamniotic Twin Pregnancies from the First Trimester Onward
Authors: Van Audenhove Charlotte , Russo Francesca Maria , van der Merwe Johannes , Eerdekens An , Ortibus Els , Lewi Liesbeth
Published: November 2022

Introduction: Monochorionic monoamniotic (MCMA) twins are rare, and information is lacking on pregnancy outcomes from the first trimester onward. This study compares the pregnancy and neonatal outcomes between MCMA and monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) twin pregnancies from the first trimester onward. We also report on the outcomes of MCMA twin pregnancies continuing after 28 weeks and on the neurodevelopmental outcomes of MCMA twins. Methods: A retrospective single-center cohort study of MCMA and MCDA twin pregnancies followed from the first trimester with a fortnightly ultrasound scan. We excluded pregnancies with a major anomaly diagnosed on the first-trimester ultrasound scan. MCMA twin pregnancies were offered inpatient monitoring from 28 weeks onward, and an elective cesarean section was advised between 32 and 33 weeks. MCDA pregnancies were managed as inpatients only if medically indicated, and an elective birth between 36 and 37 weeks was recommended. Results: We analyzed the outcomes of 52 MCMA and 671 MCDA twin pregnancies. In MCMA twins, the fetal and neonatal survival rate was 81/104 (78%) versus 1,192/1,342 (89%) in MCDA twins (p = 0.016). Double intrauterine demise (IUD) was more common in MA than in DA pairs (13% vs. 3%) (p = 0.002). No IUD occurred in the 40 MCMA pregnancies that continued after 28 weeks, but five women (13%) required an urgent cesarean section for fetal distress. Thirty-eight of 52 eligible infants (73%) underwent a neurodevelopmental assessment. Thirty-three (87%) had cognitive and motor development scores within normal limits. Four infants had mild cognitive or motor impairment, and one infant was diagnosed with spastic diplegia. Conclusion: MCMA twins are associated with decreased survival rates compared to MCDA due to increased rates of double IUD. After 28 weeks, about one in eight women required an urgent delivery for fetal distress. Most infants had normal neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Comparison of Lung, Lobe, and Airway Volumes between Supine and Upright Computed Tomography and Their Correlation with Pulmonary Function Test in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Authors: Yamada Yoshitake , Chubachi Shotaro , Yamada Minoru , Yokoyama Yoichi , Tanabe Akiko , Matsuoka Shiho , Niijima Yuki , Murata Mitsuru , Fukunaga Koichi , Jinzaki Masahiro
Published: November 2022

Background: Correlations between upright CT and pulmonary function test (PFT) measurements, and differences in lung/lobe/airway volumes between supine and standing positions in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remain unknown. Objectives: The study aimed to evaluate correlations between lung/airway volumes on both supine and upright CT and PFT measurements in patients with COPD, and compare CT-based inspiratory/expiratory lung/lobe/airway volumes between the two positions. Methods: Forty-eight patients with COPD underwent both conventional supine and upright CT in a randomized order during inspiration and expiration breath-holds, and PFTs within 2 h. We measured the lung/lobe/airway volumes on both CT. Results: The correlation coefficients between total lung volumes on inspiratory CT in supine/standing position and PFT total lung capacity and vital capacity were 0.887/0.920 and 0.711/0.781, respectively; between total lung volumes on expiratory CT in supine/standing position and PFT functional residual capacity and residual volume, 0.676/0.744 and 0.713/0.739, respectively; and between airway volume on inspiratory CT in supine/standing position and PFT forced expiratory volume in 1 s, 0.471/0.524, respectively. Inspiratory/expiratory bilateral upper and right lower lobe, bilateral lung, and airway volumes were significantly higher in the standing than supine position (3.6–21.2% increases, all p < 0.05); however, inspiratory/expiratory right middle lobe volumes were significantly lower in the standing position (4.6%/15.9% decreases, respectively, both p < 0.001). Conclusions: Upright CT-based volumes were more correlated with PFT measurements than supine CT-based volumes in patients with COPD. Unlike other lobes and airway, inspiratory/expiratory right middle lobe volumes were significantly lower in the standing than supine position.
Relationships between Cataract Surgery Patient-Perceived Discharge Teaching Quality, Discharge Readiness, and Post-Discharge Outcomes: A Cross-Sectional Study Based on Regression Modeling Analysis
Authors: Qiu Chujin , Feng Xianqiong , Zeng Jihong , Jiang Yan
Published: November 2022

Introduction: A short hospital stay makes discharge planning services especially critical for patients undergoing cataract surgery. Studies on discharge teaching quality, discharge readiness, and post-discharge outcomes for patients with cataracts are lacking. Our study aimed to explore the relationships between the perceived discharge teaching quality, discharge readiness, and post-discharge outcomes of cataract surgery patients and to conduct a differential analysis between inpatient and day ward patients. Methods: We recruited 387 patients from the ophthalmology ward of a top-tier hospital in western China through convenience sampling. Data were collected on the day of discharge and at 2 weeks post-discharge. Statistical methods included multiple linear regression analysis, χ2 test, and the Mann-Whitney U test. Results: Regression models indicated that discharge teaching quality was the key factor of discharge readiness, while post-discharge outcomes were influenced by discharge readiness and discharge teaching quality. Further, inpatients’ discharge teaching quality, discharge readiness, and post-discharge subjective feelings were better than those of day ward patients. Conclusions: The effect of discharge planning services on patients undergoing cataract surgery was generally satisfactory. High-quality discharge teaching can enhance patients’ discharge readiness, further improving their post-discharge outcomes. When conducting discharge teaching, day ward medical staff should pay more attention to patients’ demands and explore a more effective teaching delivery method.