bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dynamics of the gut microbiome in FAP patients undergoing intensive endoscopic removal of polyps
Authors: Yachida Shinichi , Mizutani Sayaka , Shiba Satoshi , Salim Felix , Yamada Masayoshi , Takamaru Hiroyuki , Nakajima Takeshi , Yoshida Naohisa , Ikuta Shoko , Yachida Tatsuo , Shibata Tatsuhiro , Soga Tomoyoshi , Saito Yutaka , Fukuda Shinji , Ishikawa Hideki , Yamada Takuji
Published: October 2023

To elucidate the intestinal environment in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and any association of the microbiome with high-risk factors for developing colorectal cancer, we performed shotgun metagenomic sequencing and metabolome analyses on a total of 287 fecal samples collected from 130 FAP patients without colectomy and 53 healthy subjects. Partial resemblance with the microbiome of other inflammatory bowel diseases was established. Notably, colorectal cancer-associated bacteria such as Fusobacterium nucleatum, Solobacterium moorei, and Gemella morbillorum were also increased along with tumor progression. Furthermore, FAP with high histological grade of polyps, large polyp size, and high polyp density was associated with the Prevotella-dominated gut microbiome. This first comprehensive analysis of the relationship between pre-cancerous lesions and intestinal microbiota in FAP provided novel insights into gut microbiome's roles in colorectal cancer.
Clinical characteristics of Chinese children with liver function test abnormalities: A single-center retrospective study
Authors: Wang Jiabing , Wang Shijian , Zhang Huating
Published: October 2023

Objectives: To study the clinical features of Chinese children with liver function test abnormalities to provide a reference for early clinical diagnosis and timely treatment.
Methods: This retrospective single-center cohort study included 133 children with unknown liver function abnormalities, who were hospitalized from January 2020 to December 2021 at Taizhou municipal hospital, and analyzed their clinical characteristics, etiology, and prognosis.
Results: Among the 133 children with abnormal liver function in this study, 68 were male (51.13%) and 65 were female (48.87%). The abnormal liver function was related to age, and it was most common in infants aged 0–12 months. Among the etiologies of the primary diseases, liver dysfunction caused by acute respiratory tract infection was the most common, followed by pathogenic infections, including virual, bacterial, mycoplasma, and chlamydia infections, with virual and bacterial infections being most common. Alanine aminotransferase was elevated in children with liver dysfunction, and the severity of liver dysfunction differed with different causes. Children with abnormal liver function only showed the manifestations of the primary disease. Sex and age did not affect abnormal liver function. Medical histories of implicated agents before hospital admission were reported in 72.39% of children; however, intrinsic etiologies were the main cause of abnormal liver function rather than the implicated agents.
Conclusion This retrospective single-center cohort study showed that routine liver function testing in children is important, especially for infants aged <12 months. Intrinsic etiologies were the main cause of liver dysfunction, and other factors should be detected and treated early. The etiological and liver protection treatments can ensure effective prevention and treatment of liver injury.
Abundant chaos in a mixer model with a hysteretic iron core inductance
Authors: Aminou Mahamat , Domguia Ulrich Simo , Abo Oumarou Sanda , Woafo Paul
Published: October 2023

Industrial mixers are equipment used in food, drug, chemical and semiconductor industries. Chaotic mixing has been proposed to improve the degree of homogeneity and reduce the energy consumption. This paper deals with dynamical studies of a mixer model with complex rotational movements. The complexity is generated by an inductance with hysteretic characteristics. Mathematical methods and numerical simulations are used to display the different dynamical states which are period-nT, pulse, bursting and chaotic signals. Good agreement is found between the mathematical and numerical results. In general, it is found that chaos is highly abundant in the model.
An unprecedented Cationic, [1,5]-aryl migrations through novel trihomologous-phenonium ion intermediates.
Authors: Baire Beeraiah , Sadhukhan Santu , Nair Sindoori R
Published: October 2023

Herein, we report the discovery and development of the first example of a cationic [1,5]-aryl migration reaction, through an unprecedented six-membered ring fused phenonium ions (which we termed as a trihomologous-phenonium ion). This reaction does not require any acid, base, transition metal-based catalyst or promoter, instead promoted by the water activated NXS reagents. It provides highly diastereoselective and rapid access to the medicinally and biologically important tetra-substituted olefins (allyl alcohols) as well as 2-oxaspiro[5.5]undecane-9-ones. The involvement of an ipso-carbon, as well as the trihomologous-phenonium ion during this novel, cationic [1,5]-aryl migration was strongly supported by the isolation of 2-oxaspiro[5.5]undecane-9-ones. This methodology is highly tolerable for a wide range of propargyl-benzyl ethers, resulting in a selective construction of structurally divergent library of mono-halo-tricarbon-substituted alkenes as well as 2-oxaspiro[5.5]undecane-9-ones. Synthetic application has also been demonstrated by converting two isomeric-iodo-olefins to respective E- and Z-isomers of tamoxifen in a stereospecific manner.
Enhanced production of α-galactosidase from novel strain Bacillus megaterium VHM1 in solid state fermentation by using citrus waste
Authors: Patil Aravind Goud G , Kote Nagangoud V , Mulimani Veerappa H , Kadakol Gurushantappa
Published: October 2023

A high yeild of α-galactosidase was achieved by citrus waste based solid state fermentation (SSF) using a novel strain Bacillus megaterium VHM1. The maximum production of α-galactosidase was obtained at 72 hours of fermentation. The optimal temperature and pH was 350C, 6.0 respectively. Higher enzyme production at 90% (58 U/g) was obtained with increase in inoculum volume upto 100% (w/v). With increase in moisture content 50-100%, the production of α-galactosidase was concomitantly enhanced from 28 to 56 U/g. Among the inorganic nitrogen source tested, yeast extract yielded higher enzyme production (52 U/g). The enzyme production was maximum when raffinose used as additional corbon source. Forcefully aereated packed bed bioreactor was constructed for enhanced production of α-galactosidase. This enzyme could potentially be used for processing of legumes in food processing industries to remove raffinose family oligosaccharides.
Characterization of Klebsiella pneumoniae carrying the bla NDM-1 gene in IncX3 plasmids and the rare In1765 in an IncFIB-IncHI1B plasmid
Authors: Ma Liman , Qu Ying , Wang Wenji , Wang Dongguo
Published: October 2023

Background
Today, the blaNDM gene is widely distributed on several plasmids from a variety of Gram-negative bacteria, primarily in transposons and gene cassettes within their multidrug-resistant (MDR) regions. This has led to the global spread of the blaNDM gene.
Methods
The determination of class A beta-lactamase, class B and D carbapenemases was performed according to the recommendations of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using both the BioMerieux VITEK2 system and antibiotic paper diffusion methods. Plasmid transfer was then evaluated by conjugation experiments and plasmid electroporation assays. To comprehensively analyze the complete genome of K. pneumoniae strain F11 and to investigate the presence of mobile genetic elements associated with antibiotic resistance and virulence genes, Nanopore and Illumina sequencing platforms were used, and bioinformatics methods were applied to analyze the obtained data.
Results
Our findings revealed that K. pneumoniae strain F11 carried class B carbapenemase and exhibited resistance to commonly used antibiotics, particularly tigecycline and ceftazidime/avibactam, due to the presence of relevant resistance genes. Plasmid transfer assays demonstrated successful recovery of plasmids pA_F11 and pB_F11, with average conjugation frequencies of 2.91×10− 4 and 1.56×10− 4, respectively. However, plasmids pC_F11 and pD_F11 failed in both conjugation and electroporation experiments. The MDR region of plasmid pA_F11 contained rare In1765, TnAs2, and TnAs3. The MDR2 region of plasmid pB_F11 functioned as a mobile genetic “island” and lacked the blaNDM−1 gene, serving as a “bridge”connecting the early composite structure of bleMBL and blaNDM−1 to the recent composite structure. Additionally, the MDR1 region of plasmid pB_F11 comprised In27, TnAs1, TnAs3, and Tn2; and plasmid pC_F11 harbored the recent composite structure of bleMBL and blaNDM−1 within Tn3000 which partiallycontained partial Tn125.
Conclusions
This study demonstrated that complex combinations of transposons and integron overlaps, along with the synergistic effects of different drug resistance andvirulence genes, led to a lack of effective therapeutic agents for strain F11, therefore its spread and prevalence should be strictly controlled.
Reduction of pulsed eddy current probe footprint using sequentially excited multiple coils
Authors: Xu Zhiyuan , Zhu Changchun , Jin Junqi , Song Kai
Published: October 2023

In the detection of corrosion under insulation (CUI) using pulsed eddy current testing (PECT) method, it is of great significance to reduce the footprint of the probe for improving the spatial resolution to local corrosion. This paper presents a novel method to reduce the probe footprint by modifying the excitation coil into multiple sub-coils and driving them with sequential pulses of different delay time. Finite element simulations are conducted to reveal the underlying mechanism. It is found that by using the sequential excitation scheme, the diffusion and decay of eddy currents in the test piece are regulated, and both the footprint reduction and signal enhancement can be achieved. Afterwards, the effects of the sequence and the delay amount of the applying pulses on the probe footprint are analyzed. Results show that the optimal excitation sequence is to apply pulses with increasing delay time to the sub-coils from outside to inside; the probe footprint decreases with the increase of the delay amount. Experimental work is finally performed to verify the simulation results. A graphical method for measuring the probe footprint is proposed by moving the probe on a step wedge plate and plotting the evaluated thickness against the probe position. Footprint measurement results of a conventional probe and the presented 4-subcoil probe are compared. The effectiveness of the proposed method are validated and the differences between experimental and simulation results are analyzed.
Exploring the Mechanism of Epimedium on Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head through Network Pharmacology
Authors: Qi Yuxin , Hu Wei , Meng Chenyang , Jiang Enze , Ge Zhe , Wang Pei , Wang Jianzhong
Published: October 2023

BACKGROUND
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has consistently demonstrated promise in the prevention and management of ONFH. Epimedium, historically revered in Chinese medicinal recipes, has been utilized for mitigating conditions such as osteonecrosis and symptoms of kidney yang deficiency.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to forecast the drug targets and associated pathways through which Epimedium exerts its therapeutic effects against osteonecrosis of the femoral head. Additionally, we sought to delve deeper into its mechanism at the molecular level.
METHODS
In this study, we identified the active constituents and targets of Epimedium using the TCMSP database. The GEO database (with accession number GSE123568) was consulted to pinpoint targets associated with ONFH. Differential gene expression was visually represented through volcano and heat maps, crafted using the R software. GO and KEGG analyzes of these target genes were also subsequently performed using R software.
RESULTS
Five pivotal target genes were identified: PTGS2, KCNH2, BCL2L1, ABCG2, and E2F2. An exhaustive topological analysis was performed encompassing eight pathways and three genes.
CONCLUSION
This study elucidates the fundamental constituents, specific targets, and molecular pathways that underlie the effectiveness of Epimedium in the treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head.
Design of mock-ups for ultrasonic testing in civil engineering using numerical simulations
Authors: Dethof Fabian , Keßler Sylvia
Published: October 2023

The major objective when applying non-destructive testing (NDT) in civil engineering is the detection of defects such as honeycombs. Defects can impair the service life of structures and could lead in the worst case to fatal failures. All structures such as bridges, tunnels, locks etc. are unique objects with variation in geometry, dimensions, materials, environmental condition, load scenarios etc. Thus, the interpretation of NDT data is challenging and the validation of the NDT method, the training of inspectors and the reliability analysis of NDT rely on mock-ups with known defect situations mimicking the type of defect as realistic as possible. The considered defect sizes should cover the transition zone between detectable and non-detectable to properly evaluate the capability of the inspection system. However, knowledge about the limits of an inspection system is mostly non-existent. To overcome this limitation, this study applies numerical simulations for ultrasonic testing in reinforced concrete performed with the elastodynamic finite integration technique (EFIT) to identify this transition zone. First, the study shows the development and the validation of a numerical representation of concrete considering the implementation of a qualitatively realistic noise level. Additionally, the accurate representation of the sources during ultrasonic testing is confirmed by an investigation of the radiation characteristic for dry point contact ultrasonic transducers. The simulation outcome enabled the design of a mock-up for the detection of honeycombs applying ultrasonic testing considering major influencing factors. A case study completes the study demonstrating the applicability of the design scheme based on numerical simulation. In the real specimen, \(68\text{\%}\) of the implemented defects are detectable proving the effectiveness of the design method.
Absence of genetic structure among ecologically diverse populations indicate high plasticity in a pantropical seabird
Authors: Mazzochi Mariana Scain , Muraro Vitória , Fagundes Nelson Jurandi Rosa , Bugoni Leandro
Published: October 2023

Genotype and phenotype in mobile organisms can be defined by various factors such as environmental, biological and geographical. Brown noddies Anous stolidus are pan-tropical seabirds breeding at different times, with migratory and resident populations in six islands throughout 20° of latitude in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean. If environmental heterogeneity plays a key role in their population biology, we would expect significant genetic structure and/or phenotypic variation among colonies. However, absence of genetic structure between phenotypically different populations could play a scenario of ecological plasticity. To test these hypotheses, we used a model-based integrative approach combining genetic (mtDNA and ultraconserved elements) and morphological data of the brown noddy (n = 122) along with environmental variables and isotopic niches. We uncovered low levels of genetic structure, with 16 haplotypes for mtDNA and a signal of an ancient population expansion. Ultraconserved elements indicated that all colonies belong to the same genetic population (K = 1) and revealed substantial endogamy. However, phenotype differed both by biometric measures and isotopic niches between most pairs of populations. Although individuals from the northernmost colony are larger than the others, they are genetically similar, indicating a wide reaction norm for this species. Our results indicate the Southwestern Atlantic populations of the brown noddy are panmictic, but ecologically and morphologically diverse.
Prognostic analysis of peritoneal washing cytology during interval debulking surgery in advanced ovarian cancer
Authors: Takasaki Kazuki , Ichinose Takayuki , Nishida Haruka , Miyagawa Yuko , Hashimoto Kei , Watanabe Saya , Takahashi Yuko , Hirano Mana , Hiraike Haruko , Sasajima Yuko , Nagasaka Kazunori
Published: October 2023

Background
Interval debulking surgery (IDS) following neoadjuvant chemotherapy is a treatment option for advanced ovarian cancer. Optimal surgery is required for better survival; however, while peritoneal washing cytology (PWC) has been identified as a prognostic factor, its comprehensive assessment during IDS remains unexplored. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate PWC efficacy during IDS, alongside other factors including residual disease and the modeled CA-125 ELIMination rate constant K (KELIM), by retrospectively reviewing the medical records of 25 patients with advanced ovarian cancer underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy and IDS between January 2017 to June 2023.
Results
Twelve (48.0%) patients were PWC-positive, and the remainder were PWC-negative. PWC was performed at laparotomy during IDS, after which five (41.7%) PWC-positive and four (30.8%) PWC-negative patients received bevacizumab, an anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody, for maintenance treatment. Four (33.3%) PWC-positive and 10 (76.9%) PWC-negative patients received poly ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitors. In patients who received bevacizumab and poly ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitors, overall survival and progression-free survival did not significantly differ between those who were PWC-positive and PWC-negative (p = 0.27 and 0.20, respectively). Progression-free survival significantly differed between those with favorable and unfavorable CA-125 KELIM (p = 0.02). Multivariate analysis indicated that optimal surgery and favorable CA-125 KELIM were associated with better progression-free survival (p < 0.01 and 0.02, respectively), with only optimal surgery associated with better overall survival (p = 0.04).
Conclusions
A positive PWC at IDS was not associated with survival in advanced ovarian cancer. Our findings indicate that although PWC status at IDS should be one of the factors determining survival in patients with advanced ovarian cancer, CA-125 KELIM may be a more useful prognostic factor than PWC status due to recent improvements in maintenance treatment. Further studies are needed to validate these results, highlighting the potential importance of maintenance treatment after IDS and the need for further research to validate the clinical significance of a positive PWC.
Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors associated hepatotoxicity: An Analysis of the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System
Authors: Zheng Hanrui , Zhou Kexun , Zheng Zhuoya , Xiao Min , Wen Feng , Wu Fengbo , Wu Bin
Published: October 2023

Vascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGFR-TKIs) are widely used in cancer. Despite the growing number of reported cases of hepatotoxicity resulting from the use of these drugs, there is a lack of information regarding the specific features and severity of hepatotoxicity associated with VEGFR-TKIs. We conducted disproportionality analyses using the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) to evaluate the potential association between hepatotoxicity and ten VEGFR-TKIs. The reporting odds ratios (ROR) and the information component (IC) were calculated to determine the presence of signals for severe liver injury. A total of 10,236 hepatotoxicity events cases with VEGF-TKIs as primary suspected drugs were collected. Apatinib, axitinib, cabozantinib, lenvatinib, pazopanib, regorafenib, sorafenib and sunitinib generated significant signals for liver injury. Significant signals indicating severe liver injury were detected with sorafenib, regorafenib, pazopanib, sunitinib and lenvatinib. The prognosis of drug-related liver injury was poor, sometimes resulting in death.
Epithelioid Hemangioma of the Nasal Cavity: A Diagnostic Challenge
Authors: Khan Adil Aziz , Ahuja Sana , Zaheer Sufian
Published: October 2023

Epithelioid hemangioma also known as angio-lymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia is a rare benign vascular neoplasm of unknown etiology. It always poses a diagnostic challenge for clinicians and is usually misdiagnosed as Kimura’s, IgG4-related disease or malignant vascular tumors. The present case report describes an extremely rare presentation of epithelioid hemangioma inside the left nasal cavity causing complete obstruction and nasal septal deviation towards the right side in a young male. The case highlights a non-conventional presentation of epithelioid hemangioma and the importance of histo-morphological features in the diagnosis of this entity.
Perspectives of key interest groups regarding Supervised Consumption Sites (SCS) and novel Mobile Overdose Response Services (MORS): A qualitative Canadian study.
Authors: Seo Boogyung , Rioux William , Teare Adrian , Rider Nathan , Jones Stephanie , Taplay Pamela , Ghosh Sumantra Monty
Published: October 2023

Background
Supervised consumption sites (SCS) are proven effective for preventing drug poisoning deaths during the opioid epidemic. Despite their successes, SCS still contend with structural and logistical barriers that limit their accessibility. Mobile Overdose Response Services (MORS) are novel technologies reminiscent of informal “spotting” methods that may address some of the limitations of SCS. Here, we strove to qualitatively examine the factors that may encourage or deter utilization of MORS compared to SCS.
Methods
A total of 52 participants across Canada were recruited using convenience, purposive, and snowball methods. A semi-structured interview was conducted by evaluators from a third-party research organization. Inductive thematic analysis informed by grounded theory was utilized to identify the major themes.
Results
Participants viewed MORS as an opportunity to consume substances without being hindered by fear of apprehension/criminalization, stigma, and invasion of privacy. They also noted that MORS provided more flexibility for clients who could not easily access the physical sites (e.g., due to location, weather concerns, time of day). There was some ambivalence as to whether MORS or physical sites provided more social connection and relationship building. Some viewed physical SCSs to be safer due to perceived shorter overdose response times.
Conclusion
In sum, participants viewed SCS and MORS as filling different needs and gaps. This study adds to a growing body of literature which informs how virtual services can serve as useful adjunct services to SCS.
Multilayer Meta-Surface Low-Profile Antenna Using Artificial Intelligence Processing for 5G and optical Communication
Authors: Rentapalli Vanitha Rani , Roy Bappadittya
Published: October 2023

In this article, a low-profile high-gain meta-surface artificial intelligence process-based broadband microstrip patch antenna, for 5G wireless communications is presented. The FR4 epoxy substrate material with a dielectric constant of 4.4 and a thickness of 1.6, is used for the antenna to operate at a 20 GHz resonating frequency. The proposed antenna is simulated using the HFSS to design a simple antenna with a low profile and proper operational characteristics. Moreover, a new type of meta surface antenna with a modified patch is elongated on the surface of the antenna. The simulation of the proposed antenna highlights that the studied antenna has a maximum reflection coefficient of -34 dB, with a bandwidth of 17GHz to 23GHz. The perfect results, with a low profile and antenna size of 1.33λ0 × 1.33λ0 × 0.106 λ0, were measured and fabricated. The meta surface appeared in the form of a mesh type of structure, fed by a microstrip patch antenna with coaxial feed cells, revealing a good arrangement with the simulated one. Moreover, the meta surface with artificial technology has empowered the arrival of new ideas and explanations in the strategy of antennas for the control of electromagnetic waves. The measured results show that the proposed antenna has the perfect axial ratio, along with a 10dB impedance bandwidth achieved with a valued stable gain of 9 to 10 dBi.
A novel Magnetic Fe-Co-Zn composite as an effective and recyclable adsorbent for dyes adsorption from wastewater
Authors: Ren Zongli , Zhang Weiwei , Ma Xin , Yang Xuan , Fang Yali
Published: October 2023

Removal of pollutants from wastewater has always been a concern. Adsorbent materials formed on the basis of activated carbon are promising adsorbents for the removal of organic pollutants from the aqueous phase as a result of their rich pore structure and high chemical activity. However, the majority of ACs exist as micro-crystalline powders, making them complicated to segregate and recycle. Therefore, in this paper, a new magnetic adsorbent (AC-CN-Fe-Co-Zn) doped with iron, cobalt and zinc was prepared by impregnation and calcination for the adsorption of Methylene blue (MB) and Acid blue (AB80). The prepared AC-CN-Fe-Co-Zn was characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD, BET, and Raman. For the ensuing series of experiments, the effects of pH, binding time, temperature and initial concentration on the adsorption behaviors of MB and AB80 by AC-CN-Fe-Co-Zn were investigated. The results demonstrate that the inorganic ions in the magnetic material display excellent dispersion on the surface of carbon material and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model is an accurate representation of the adsorption data. The thermodynamic adsorption curves are consistent with the Langmuir model. The adsorption mechanism involves the critical contribution of hydrogen bonding interaction, π-π interaction, pore adsorption, and electrostatic attraction. The maximum adsorption capacities of MB and AB80 were 83.40 mg/g and 35.36 mg/g respectively. Following 5 iterations of utilization, the eradication effectiveness for MB and AB80 were 79.82% and 61.54% respectively. The results confirmed that the comprehensive properties of AC-CN-Fe-Co-Zn make it an excellent and efficient adsorbent for the removal of dyes. This paper provides a new sight on the synthesis of high efficiency adsorbents for dyes pollutant separation.
Assessment of the health impacts of air pollution exposure in East African Countries
Authors: Baharane Valérien , Shatalov Andrey Borisovich
Published: October 2023

The health effects of air pollution remain a public concern worldwide. Using data from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 report, we statistically analysed total mortality, Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALY), and Years of Life Lost (YLL) attributable to air pollution in eight East African countries between 1990 and 2019. We acquired ambient ozone (O3), PM2.5 concentrations and Household Air Pollution (HAP) from the solid fuel from the State of Global Air report. The multilinear regression model was used to evaluate the predictability of YLLs by the air pollutants. We estimated the ratio rate for each health burden attributable to air pollution to compare the country's efforts in the reduction of air pollution health burden. This study found that the total number of deaths attributable to air pollution decreased by 14.26% for 30 years. The drop came from the reduction of 43.09% in mortality related to Lower Respiratory tract Infection (LRI). However, only five out of eight countries managed to decrease the total number of deaths attributable to air pollution with the highest decrease observed in Ethiopia (40.90%), and the highest increase in Somalia (67.49%). The linear regression model showed that HAP is the pollutant of the most concern in the region, with a 1% increase in HAP resulting in a 31.06% increase in regional YLL (R2 = 0.93; p < 0.05). With the increasing ground-level ozone, accompanied by the lack of adequate measures to reduce particulate pollutants, the health burdens attributable to air pollution are still a threat in the region.
An Ensemble Novel Deep Learning Technique for Chest Radiograph-Based Pneumonia Prediction
Authors: J PREMALATHA , D KAYETHRI
Published: October 2023

Pneumonia continues to be a prominent treatable cause of global mortality, stressing the importance of early identification to enable prompt intervention. Chest X-rays (CXRs) are an essential diagnostic tool, however determining their exact interpretation is still very difficult. By addressing both medical experts and individuals who are new to the area, the proposed work aims to improve prediction of pneumonia. The Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique has been utilised to cope with imbalanced dataset because the used dataset does not have balanced distribution among all classes. A pneumonia prediction model that makes use of convolutional neural networks including CustomVGG19, CustomResNet-50 and CustomDenseNet121 and the proposed ensemble model to improve diagnosis of pneumonia has been proposed. These models are trained and improved in experiments. The optimization of each model's performance was achieved through the systematic exploration of diverse configurations and hyperparameters. The ultimate outcomes were derived by employing the ensemble technique, which involved amalgamating the predictions of CNN models during the analysis. Results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed model, which achieved a 97.68% prediction accuracy.
A hybrid Gaussian Mixture/DSMC approach to study the Fourier thermal problem
Authors: Nejad Shahin Mohammad , Peters Frank , Nedea Silvia , Frijns Arjan , Smeulders David
Published: October 2023

In rarefied gas dynamics scattering kernels deserve special attention since they contain all the essential information about the effects of physical and chemical properties of the gas-solid surface interface on the gas scattering process. However, to study the impact of the gas-surface interactions on the large-scale behavior of fluid flows, these scattering kernels need to be integrated in larger-scale models like Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC). In this work, the Gaussian mixture (GM) model, an unsupervised machine learning approach, is utilized to establish a scattering kernel for monoatomic (Ar) and diatomic (H\textsubscript{2}) gases directly from Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations data. The GM scattering kernel is coupled to a pure DSMC solver to study isothermal and non-isothermal rarefied gas flows in a system with two parallel walls. To fully examine the coupling mechanism between the GM scattering kernel and the DSMC approach, a one-to-one correspondence between MD and DSMC particles is considered here. Benchmarked by MD results, the performance of the GM-DSMC is assessed against the Cercignani-Lampis-Lord (CLL) kernel incorporated into DSMC simulation (CLL-DSMC). The comparison of various physical and stochastic parameters shows the better performance of the GM-DSMC approach. Especially for the diatomic system, the GM-DSMC outperforms the CLL-DSMC approach. The fundamental superiority of the GM-DSMC approach confirms its potential as a multi-scale simulation approach for accurately measuring flow field properties in systems with highly nonequilibrium conditions.
Spillover effects of COVID-19 on USA Education Group stocks
Authors: Fernandes Leonardo H S , de Araujo Fernando H. A. , Silva José W. L. , Leite Urbanno P. S. , Muniz Lucas M. , Fernandes José P. V. , Paiva Ranilson O. A. , Pinto Ibsen M. B. S. , Taba Benjamin Miranda
Published: October 2023

We explore the price dynamics of 16 representative records of USA Education Group stocks, encompassing two non-overlapping periods (before, during and after COVID-19). Based on information theory and cluster analysis techniques, our study provides insights into the disorder, predictability, efficiency, similarity and resilience/weakness considering the most diverse financial stakeholders. Our results show that nine assets were weak during the COVID-19 crisis (AACG, APEI, ATGE, CHG, LINC, LRN, PRDO, STRA and UTI). In this way, the most significant negative impact on their price dynamics was AACG (−6.617%), followed by LINC (−5.236%). Otherwise, the most significant positive effects on their price dynamics resulting from the COVID-19 crisis were TWOU (5.973%) and EDU (2.612%). Our findings contribute significantly to understanding price dynamics in the education sector, encompassing non-crisis and crisis periods and provide valuable information for financial risk management, highlighting the importance of considering financial assets’ efficiency and resilience/weakness during economic turbulence, such as the COVID-19 crisis.
Outcome of Remdesivir on Mortality in Patients with COVID-19 Pneumonia
Authors: Yayan Josef , Rasche Kurt , Windisch Wolfram , Franke Karl-Josef
Published: October 2023

Introduction:
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has become a major health issue worldwide. Of all the available antiviral agents, remdesivir, an antiviral nucleoside analog, has the highest anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. However, relevant studies have reported that remdesivir provides only minor additional benefits in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. Here, we assessed the effectiveness of remdesivir on the survival of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.
Methods
In this single-center, retrospective study, we evaluated data of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 pneumonia at the Lüdenscheid Clinic in Germany from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020. Specifically, we compared mortality, length of hospital stay, intensive care unit use, laboratory test results, symptoms, and comorbidities among COVID-19 pneumonia patients who received and did not receive remdesivir.
Results
Throughout 2020, 154 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia were hospitalized at the study hospital. Of these, 38 (24.7%) were treated with remdesivir; these patients were also significantly (approximately 10 years) older than those who did not receive remdesivir (P = 0.0011). Of all 26 deaths, only 10 (38.5%) were noted in remdesivir recipients; this indicated that remdesivir effectiveness is 73.7% in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. Remdesivir significantly reduced the length of hospital stay until 1 week after treatment initiation (P = 0.0041). Compared with nonrecipients, remdesivir recipients had a significantly higher respiratory distress prevalence (21.4%; P = 0.0288) as well as a significantly higher prevalence of neurological disorders (n = 9; P = 0.0025) and mental (n = 6; P = 0.0048) disorders.
Conclusion
In patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, remdesivir has low (73.7%) effectiveness against mortality.
A Study on the Propagation of Online Public Opinion by Internet Water Army
Authors: Nian Fuzhong , Wang Chongpei , Zhang Duan , Dang Zhongkai
Published: October 2023

In the dissemination of information on the Internet, internet water armies have gradually become an important influencing factor in the direction of public opinion. This paper takes Weibo as the research background, obtains real data, establishes a communication dynamics model, and quantitatively researches the influence of internet water armies on the dissemination of public opinion in social networks. Firstly, this paper obtains real hot events in Weibo, analyzes the number of retweets and comments under the same hot topics, and finds the users of the internet water armies. Secondly, this paper establishes a new social network S S propagation model based on the propagation mechanism among users in Weibo, combining with the SIS infectious disease model, and introducing the impulse effect, the heat effect, and the herd effect, to realize the research of public opinion propagation in Weibo. After that, the S S propagation model is applied to small-world and scale-free networks to simulate the propagation of public opinion in social networks and analyze the influence of internet water armies on the propagation. The experimental results summarize the influence of network water armies on the propagation of public opinion. Finally, the acquisition of real data is utilized to verify the rationality and validity of the model. This paper quantitatively considers the driving nature of internet water armies on the trend of public opinion in the communication dynamics model, which provides a reasonable decision-making basis for the dissemination and control of public opinion in social networks, and has important theoretical and practical significance.
The new definition of metabolic syndrome including hyperuricemia improves its prognostic value: results from NHANES database
Authors: Hao Chuanzhen , Lei Zhijun , Zhang Jiaxin , Hu Qingxiang , Guo Feng , Mo Zongyang , Huang Bo , Liu Chang
Published: October 2023

Background
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) remains a major health problem worldwide and is strongly associated with an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). MetS was proposed to identify more high-risk individuals and facilitate early intervention. Hyperuricemia has not been included in the current definition of MetS yet, despite its strong association with MetS. We aimed at exploring the prognostic value of adding hyperuricemia into the definition of MetS.
Methods
Data derived from NHANES (1999–2018) was analyzed. The old version of MetS (MetSold) is consistent to NCEP-ATP III criteria, while the new version of MetS (MetSnew) included hyperuricemia as the sixth criterion. Baseline characteristics were compared between participants with and without MetS, and outcomes were assessed by multivariate analyses.
Results
Of 36,363 participants analyzed, 12,594 (34.6%) and 14,137 (38.9%) met MetSold and MetSnew criteria respectively. Compared to MetSold, MetSnew identified additional 1534 participants with metabolic risk. Both MetSold and MetSnew were significantly associated with long-term all-cause and CVD mortality (all P < 0.001). Furthermore, the additional participants identified by MetSnew displayed the similar risk of all-cause and CVD mortality as participants met MetSold. MetSnew provided a better identification and reclassification ability (all-cause mortality: C-index improvement = 0.06, NRI = 0.03, IDI = 0.55; CVD mortality: C-index improvement = 0.02, NRI = 0.01, IDI = 0.61) when compared with MetSold.
Conclusions
The inclusion of hyperuricemia in the MetS criteria could identify a greater proportion of people at metabolic risk, thereby allowing for early intervention to prevent long-term adverse events.
Virtual Reality in Education: An Emerging Paradigm in Contemporary India
Authors: SWARGIARY KHRITISH
Published: October 2023

Virtual Reality (VR) technology has gained significant traction in educational
settings worldwide, with its potential to revolutionize the learning experience. This experimental research article explores the current landscape of VR in education in India,
focusing on its implementation, challenges, and outcomes. We conducted a comprehensive
study involving educators, students, and VR developers to assess the efficacy of VR
technology in Indian classrooms. Our findings suggest that while VR holds great promise for
enhancing education in India, there are several hurdles that must be overcome to fully harness
its potential.
Stress analysis for a lip-shaped crack in a thermoelectric plate under combined electrical and thermal loadings
Authors: Yu Chuanbin , Du Chaofan , Xing Shichao , Gao Cun-Fa
Published: October 2023

This study focuses on analyzing a slanted lip-shaped crack within a thermoelectric plate that experiences both a temperature gradient and an electric potential gradient. Based on the electrically insulated and thermally permeable crack model, we derive analytical solutions for the thermoelectric field and the associated thermal stress field in the cracked thermoelectric material by employing the complex variable method. Subsequently, we evaluate the stress intensity factors at the tips of the lip-shaped crack. Under the impact of thermoelectric loading, both mode-I and mode-II stress intensity factors occur at the tips of a slanted lip-shaped crack. Numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the influence of crack width, crack angle, and thermal conductivity of the filling medium on the stress intensity factors at the crack tip.
Millimeter-deep micron-resolution vibrational imaging by shortwave infrared photothermal microscopy
Authors: Cheng Ji-Xin , Ni Hongli , Yuan Yuhao , Li Mingsheng , Zhu Yifan , Ge Xiaowei , Yin Jiaze , Dessai Chinmayee Prabhu , Wang Le
Published: October 2023

Deep-tissue chemical imaging plays a vital role in biological and medical applications. Here, we present a shortwave infrared photothermal (SWIP) microscope for millimeter-deep vibrational imaging with sub-micron lateral resolution and nanoparticle detection sensitivity. By pumping the overtone transition of carbon-hydrogen bonds and probing the subsequent photothermal lens with shortwave infrared light, SWIP can obtain chemical contrast from polymer particles located millimeter-deep in a highly scattering phantom. By fast digitization of the optically probed signal, the amplitude of the photothermal signal is shown to be 63 times larger than that of the photoacoustic signal, thus enabling highly sensitive detection of nanoscale objects. SWIP can resolve the intracellular lipids across an intact tumor spheroid and the layered structure in millimeter-thick liver, skin, brain, and breast tissues. Together, SWIP microscopy fills a gap in vibrational imaging with sub-cellular resolution and millimeter-level penetration, which heralds broad potential for life science and clinical applications.
Building and Evaluating an Ethernet-based Interconnection Network Prototype using Open-Hardware Designs and FPGAs
Authors: Moran-Munoz Antonio , Escudero-Sahuquillo Jesus , Garcia Pedro J. , Quiles Francisco J.
Published: October 2023

The interconnection network is a subsystem evermore important in current Datacenters and supercomputers where data- and computing-hungry applications, used in high-performance computing (HPC), artificial intelligence (AI), or Cloud fields, demand a growing number of communication operations among the server hosts. These demands require that the network subsystem guarantees high communication bandwidth and low latency, otherwise becoming the bottleneck of the entire system. There are numerous interconnection network technologies that are evolving their architectures to accomplish these demands, such as InfiniBand or Ethernet-based networks. In particular, Ethernet-based interconnection networks have improved in the last few years their performance, in terms of latency and throughput, so they have become a competitive and popular choice for Datacenters and Supercomputers.Indeed, there are several open hardware projects, such as Corundum and NetFPGA, which provide interconnection network models that can be implemented in commodity FPGAs. Thanks to these projects the community is contributing to developing novel and efficient network functionalities. In this paper, we describe the process of building an FPGA-based prototype for an Ethernet-based interconnection network.Specifically, we use development boards from the NetFPGA platform, composed of a Xilinx Virtex-7 690T FPGA, internal flash memory, 10GbE transceivers, etc.In these FPGAs, we have implemented open-source designs (NICs and switches) from NetFPGA and Corundum projects. The cabling of the prototype is flexible so it allows measuring the performance of NIC-to-NIC and NIC-to-switch communication. We have also evaluated several transport protocols (i.e., TCP and UDP) using commonly used benchmarks and tools, and analyzed the different configurations of the software stack to reduce the packet dropping in the communication.
Study on the Spatial Distribution Patterns and Influencing Factors of Dai settlements in Yunnan Province
Authors: Tao Hong-fei , Zhou Jingfan
Published: October 2023

This study employs the ArcGIS spatial analysis platform to examine the spatial distribution pattern of 3504 Dai settlements in Yunnan Province, China. To this end, the nearest-neighbor index and imbalance index are calculated, and geographic probes are utilized to explore the underlying influence mechanism. The findings demonstrate that: (1) the overall spatial distribution of Dai settlements in Yunnan Province tends to be cohesive; however, at the provincial scale, it displays an uneven distribution pattern, with many dense areas in the province and a spatial distribution pattern of "two cores, one belt, one area, and two points"; (2) The majority of Dai settlements are found in an area with an elevation between 500 and 2000 meters, a slope between 0 and 15 degrees, entire slope, high temperatures, and high humidity, which indicats a "near traffic" and "along the river" distribution pattern, but the distribution of the settlements is influenced by the percentage of Dai people living there. (3) The detector probe's findings indicate that among the variables affecting the geographic distribution of Dai settlements, racial and cultural factors have the greatest explanatory power, followed by socioeconomic and environmental variables, while transportation variables have a smaller impact.
Study Protocol: Infectious Diseases Consortium (I3D) for Study on Integrated and Innovative Approaches for Management of Respiratory Infections: Respiratory Infections Research and Outcome study (RESPIRO)
Authors: Ng Dorothy Hui Lin , Chia Travis Ren Teen , Young Barnaby Edward , Sadarangani Sapna , Puah Ser Hon , Low Jenny Guek Hong , Yan Gabriel Zherong , Mo Yin , Ngiam Nicholas Jinghao , Wang Samuel Sherng Young , Loo Yan Tong , Ong Faith Evangeline Jie Qi , Li Andrew Yunkai , Ho Sharlene , Ng Lisa , Tambyah Paul Anantharajah , Yeo Tsin Wen
Published: October 2023

Background
Community-acquired respiratory infections are a leading cause of illness and death globally. The aetiologies of community-acquired pneumonia remain poorly defined. The RESPIRO study is an ongoing prospective observational study aimed at developing pragmatic logistical and analytic platforms to accurately identify the causes of moderate-to-severe community-acquired pneumonia in adults and understand the factors influencing disease caused by individual pathogens. The study is currently underway in Singapore and has plans for expansion into the broader region.
Methods
RESPIRO is being conducted three major tertiary hospitals in Singapore. Adults hospitalised with acute community-acquired pneumonia or lower respiratory tract infections, based on established clinical, laboratory and radiological criteria, will be recruited. Over the course of the illness, clinical data and biological samples will be collected longitudinally and stored in a repository for future analysis.
Discussion
The RESPIRO study is designed to be hypothesis generating, complementary to and easily integrated with other research projects and clinical trials. The detailed clinical database and biorepository will yield insights into the epidemiology and outcomes of community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections in Singapore and the surrounding region and offers the opportunity to deeply characterise the microbiology and immunopathology of community-acquired pneumonia.
193 words