bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Retratamento endodôntico cirúrgico de dente com extensa lesão periapical: relato de caso
Authors: Andrade Larissa Paula Pessoa Dias , Pereira João Jaime Vasconcelos , Oliveira Marina Fontenele , Magalhães Marcelle Melo , Magalhães Maria Larissa Pontes , Souza Tamara de Abreu , Viana Francisca Lívia Parente
Published: May 2022

Este trabalho tem como objetivo descrever um caso clínico de retratamento endodôntico cirúrgico de um incisivo lateral superior (dente 12) apresentando sobreobturação e extensa lesão periapical. Paciente do sexo masculino, foi encaminhado para realizar retratamento endodôntico do dente 12. Ao exame intra-oral observou-se a presença de fistula próximo aos dentes 11 e 12; e obteve-se resposta positiva para os testes de percussão vertical e mobilidade no dente 12. O exame radiográfico mostrou sobreobturação e área radiolúcida extensa associada ao ápice radicular dos dentes 11 e 12. Diante do histórico e dos achados radiográficos, foi solicitado uma tomografia computadorizada de feixe cônico, o qual mostrou grande reabsorção óssea na região apical do dente 12 com perda da cortical óssea vestibular e sobreobturação com transpasse de guta percha pelo ápice dos dentes 11 e 12. Após consultas para retratamento endodôntico falhos, optou-se por realizar um retratamento endodôntico cirúrgico com curetagem apical, apicetomia, obturação retrógrada e obturação intracanal transoperatória no dente 12 e apicetomia com curetagem apical no dente 11. Utilizou-se um cimento reparador biocerâmico Bio-C Repair no selamento apical. Durante acompanhamento radiográfico de 10 meses, podemos observar ausência de sintomatologia dolorosa, de fistula e regressão da lesão periapical. Diante de sintomatologias persistentes após terapias endodônticas convencionais, o endodontista deve considerar o tratamento cirúrgico como solução. Dada as limitações, o correto manejo desse caso pode ser atribuído a técnica cirúrgica escolhida associada ao material reparador utilizado, o qual apresenta excelentes propriedades físico-químicas e biológicas, que, juntos ajudaram a obter o melhor resultado possível.
Epitheliocystis caused by a novel Chlamydia emerging in Spinibarbus denticulatus in China
Authors: Liu F , Feng Y , Geng Y , Chen D , Ou Yang P , Huang X , Guo H , Zuo Z , Deng H , Fang J
Published: May 2022

Epitheliocystis is an emerging and global aquaculture disease caused by a diverse range of bacteria of the order Chlamydiales. Here we report a case of epitheliocystis caused by a novel Chlamydia bacterium, which resulted in 40% mortality in cultured cyprinids (Spinibarbus denticulatus). The affected fish exhibited lethargy, were observed swimming near the oxygen pump and subsequently died. Histopathology analysis revealed that lesions were concentrated mainly on the gills. The epithelial cells of the damaged gill lamellae showed hyperplasia, fusion and adhesion, and were characterized by inflammation and necrosis. Inclusion bodies were observed in some proliferating epithelial cells at the tips of the gill lamellae and were accompanied by different degrees of mucous cell proliferation. Transmission electron microscopy examination clearly showed the morphological characteristics of chlamydia-like bacteria in epithelial cells. In addition, 16S rRNA sequencing (752 bp) and molecular phylogenetic analyses revealed that epitheliocystis agents detected in S. denticulatus belonged to a novel family, Chlamydiaceae. This is the first report of epitheliocystis in cultured fish in China, and the findings in this study increase the range of hosts affected by epitheliocystis.
Body condition and migration timing of east Australian humpback whales
Authors: Russell G , Colefax A , Christiansen F , Russell G , Fowler Z , Cagnazzi D
Published: May 2022

In order to exploit seasonally favourable habitats for feeding and breeding, humpback whalesMegaptera novaeangliaeundertake one of the longest migrations in the animal kingdom. Stored energy is crucial for a successful migration, but few studies have investigated the relationship between migration timing and body condition in baleen whales. Using unmanned aerial vehicles, we quantified the body condition of east Australian humpback whales. We collected data on 513 individuals (48 calves, 166 juveniles, 251 adults, and 48 lactating females) during their northbound and southbound migrations between June and October 2020. For adults and juveniles, we explored the loss of body condition between migration direction (north versus south) as well as the relationship of migration timing (day of year) and body condition. We found a significant loss in body condition between the northbound and southbound migrations for both adults (9.8%) and juveniles (18.3%). However, migration timing did not influence body condition for either reproductive class. Cow/calf pairs were analysed using relative calf length (percentage of maternal length) as a proxy for days postpartum. We found a positive curvilinear relationship between migration timing and calf body condition. However, lactating females showed no relationship between migration timing and body condition. Whilst body condition is important for capital breeding whales, the lack of a correlation found for adults and juveniles suggests that body condition is not the main driver of migration timing from feeding or breeding grounds. However, calf body condition may be a significant factor for the migration timing of cow/calf pairs.
ANALISIS KUALITATIF PENGENDALIAN COVID-19 BERDASARKAN KEKUATAN PENTAHELIX DI WILAYAH PARIWISATA KABUPATEN PANGANDARAN
Authors: Astuti Endang Puji
Published: May 2022

Kasus COVID-19 tidak hanya tanggung jawab bidang kesehatan saja, dalam penanganannya perlu kerjasama berbagai lintas sektor. Kabupaten Pangandaran sebagai lokasi wisata dan Kabupaten baru di Jawa Barat membutuhkan optimalisasi peran pentahelix dalam upaya pengendalian COVID-19. Tujuan dari penelitian yaitu mengidentifikasi peran pentahelix dalam implementasi penanganan COVID-19 di Kabupaten Pangandaran. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian kualitatif dengan teknik wawancara mendalam (indepth interview). Informan kunci dalam penelitian ini terdiri dari 50 informan yang berasal dari leading sektor (Dinas Kesehatan, Labkesda, Rumah Sakit dan Puskesmas), lintas sektor (Kecamatan, Desa), dan Satuan Tugas (Satgas) COVID-19. Hasil menunjukkan, implementasi kebijakan merujuk pada kebijakan pusat, dengan menerbitkan Keputusan Bupati Kabupaten Pangandaran Nomor 443/Kpts.92-Huk/2020 tentang Gugus Tugas (Satgas) Percepatan Penanggulangan COVID-19. Peran dan kerjasama telah berjalan dengan baik dengan memanfaatkan wadah Satgas COVID-19 dengan semua pihak mengambil peran masing-masing dalam mendukung upaya tersebut. Faktor pendukung meliputi penerbitan Keputusan Bupati, pemberian insentif dan pemahaman masyarakat yang bagus. Sedangkan faktor penghambat berupa kekurangan SDM, sarana dan prasarana serta stigma negatif yang diterima oleh tenaga medis dan pasien COVID-19 khususnya pada awal-awal pandemi. Kegiatan pemberdayaan masyarakat telah dilakukan dengan melibatkan tim Satgas tingkat kecamatan dan desa melalui kegiatan Musyawarah Masyarakat Desa. Peran pentahelix dalam implementasi penanganan COVID-19 di Kabupaten Pangandaran secara umum telah berjalan dengan baik terlihat dengan penerbitan Keputusan Bupati yang menjadi kekuatan hukum pelaksanaan kerjasama dan kolaborasi pentahelix dalam pelaksanaan pengendalian COVID-19 di Kabupaten Pangandaran. Semua pihak mengambil peran masing-masing dalam mendukung upaya tersebut. Faktor hambatan berupa kekurangan SDM, sarana dan prasarana serta stigma negatif pada awal pandemi telah berkurang meskipun tetap ada beberapa yang masih menjadi penghambat. Kegiatan pemberdayaan melalui Musyawarah Masyarakat Desa belum mengerucut pada rencana kegiatan yang menjadi inisiatif desa sehingga perlu upaya dalam menggerakan masyarakat untuk bersinergi dalam peningkatan peran serta dan menginisiasi proses tahapan pemberdayaan masyarakat.

Kata kunci: pentahelix, penanganan, COVID-19, Pangandaran
Pamiri Ethnic Nationalism in Tajikistan; a Rising Threat against Future of Gilgit-Baltistan and Pak-China Economic Corridor (CPEC)
Authors: Zaheer Muhammad Akram , Asim Muhammad , Ali Junaid
Published: May 2022

Pamiri ethnic nationalism in Post-Soviet Tajikistan has led to short-lived sovereign status in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region from 1992 to 1997 that has now been transmitted in the remaining parts of entire Badakhshan Region / Pamir Mountain Range; covering Badakhshan Province of Afghanistan, Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County of Tajikistan, and, Chitral District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province and Gilgit-Baltistan Autonomous Region of Pakistan. As Pak-China Economic Corridor is crossing through Gilgit-Baltistan, anti-Pakistan elements can not only trigger Pamiri ethnic nationalism on the basis of former historical sovereignty, separate linguistic identity, or unique sectarian believes. This study discusses the ways of the Pamiri ethnic community in the entire Badakhshan Region that has little been inspiring from the ethnonational separatism in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region of Tajikistan. Similarly, anti-Pakistan and anti-CPEC elements are also analyzed in this study that is trying to disturb the socio-political and religious environment of Gilgit-Baltistan to disrupt CPEC. Future assessments of the region after completing CPEC, historical background and economic worth of the Gilgit-Baltistan, and, developmental opportunities for Afghanistan and Tajikistan are also observed in this study.
The Impact of Economic Reforms on Poverty: A Case Study of Pakistan
Authors: Javed Maria Faiq , Bashir Dr. Furrukh , Nawaz Dr. Muhammad Atif , Hussain Altaf
Published: May 2022

Poverty alleviation has been a major concern of governments and international institutions in developing countries over the past few decades. In Pakistan, government and international organizations have implemented several economic reforms in the country to mitigate poverty and improve the living standards of the masses. Present study investigates the effects of these economic reforms on poverty reduction in Pakistan. Using time series data over the period of 1975-2019, the study constructs indices of social reforms, trade reforms and financial reforms following the methodology of Morris and McAlpin (1983). An econometric model is formulated to explore the link between poverty and economic reforms. Results of the model are obtained using ARDL technique. It is found that trade reforms significantly reduce poverty in the long run while social and financial reforms remained insignificant for poverty eradication. Other important factors determining poverty in the long run are unemployment and real output. On the basis of the findings, it is suggested that trade restrictions should be minimized and there should be focus towards increasing trade at international level. Furthermore, long term financial and social sector planning is required to increase the effectiveness of economic reforms.
REDD+ Strategy for forest carbon sequestration in India
Authors: Verma Pragati , Kumar Ghosh Prashant
Published: May 2022

Deforestation and forest degradation due to land use, land cover change (LULCC) have become one of the prime contributors to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, after fossil fuel combustion. Greenhouse gas emission from forestry is occurring in the atmosphere as a result of forest biomass combustion, forest fires and decomposition of deadwood materials. This is how increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is adding to the global warming and climate change. Many worldwide recognized studies have measured that forest ecosystems have the capacity to absorb more than 1/3rd of total carbon dioxide from the atmosphere which is the minimum requirement for keeping the atmospheric temperature under 2 °C by 2030. One of the commonly accepted methods for reducing carbon is carbon sequestration through forests. India has committed to capture 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 by enhancing forest and tree cover through 2030. To achieve this target, India has adopted REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) strategy which aims to mitigate climate change by enhancing forest carbon sequestration through incentivizing forest conservation. Furthermore, this strategy strives to address the drivers of forest degradation and deforestation and also provides a roadmap for forest carbon stocks enhancement and sustainable forest management through REDD+ actions. This study investigates REDD+ contribution against global warming and climate change in India through forest carbon sequestration.
Long-Tailed Characteristics of Neural Activity Induced by Structural Network Properties
Authors: Nobukawa Sou
Published: May 2022

Over the past few decades, neuroscience studies have elucidated the structural/anatomical network characteristics in the brain and their associations with functional networks and the dynamics of neural activity. These studies have been carried out at multiple spatial-temporal scale levels, including spikes at the neural microcircuit level, neural activity at the intra-brain regional level, and neural interactions at the whole-brain network level. One of the structural and functional neural characteristics widely observed among large spatial-temporal scale ranges is long-tail distribution, typified as power-low distribution, gamma distribution, and log-normal distribution. In particular, long-tailed distributions found in excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSP) induce various types of neural dynamics and functions. We reviewed recent studies on neural dynamics produced by the structural long-tailed characteristics of brain neural networks. In particular, the spiking neural network with a log-normal EPSP distribution was first introduced for the essential factors to produce spontaneous activity and was extended and utilized for studies on the association of neural dynamics with the network topology depending on EPSP amplitude. Furthermore, the characteristics of the response to a steady stimulus and its dependence on E/I balance, which are widely observed under pathological conditions, were described by the spiking neural networks with EPSP long-tailed distribution. Moreover, this spiking neural network has been utilized in modeling studies of mutual interactions among local microcircuit circuits. In future studies, the implementation of more global brain network architectures in modeling studies might reveal the mechanisms by which brain dynamics and brain functions emerge from the whole brain network architecture.
SingleCAnalyzer: Interactive Analysis of Single Cell RNA-Seq Data on the Cloud
Authors: Prieto Carlos , Barrios David , Villaverde Angela
Published: May 2022

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq) enables researchers to quantify the transcriptomes of individual cells. The capacity of researchers to perform this type of analysis has allowed researchers to undertake new scientific goals. The usefulness of scRNA-Seq has depended on the development of new computational biology methods, which have been designed to meeting challenges associated with scRNA-Seq analysis. However, the proper application of these computational methods requires extensive bioinformatics expertise. Otherwise, it is often difficult to obtain reliable and reproducible results. We have developed SingleCAnalyzer, a cloud platform that provides a means to perform full scRNA-Seq analysis from FASTQ within an easy-to-use and self-exploratory web interface. Its analysis pipeline includes the demultiplexing and alignment of FASTQ files, read trimming, sample quality control, feature selection, empty droplets detection, dimensional reduction, cellular type prediction, unsupervised clustering of cells, pseudotime/trajectory analysis, expression comparisons between groups, functional enrichment of differentially expressed genes and gene set expression analysis. Results are presented with interactive graphs, which provide exploratory and analytical features. SingleCAnalyzer is freely available at https://singleCAnalyzer.eu.
Knowledge Domain and Hotspots Predict Concerning Electroactive Biomaterials Applied in Tissue Engineering: A Bibliometric and Visualized Analysis From 2011 to 2021
Authors: Xiong Wentao , Wang Sheng , Wei Ziheng , Cai Yibo , Li Bo , Lin Feng , Xia Demeng
Published: May 2022

Objective: Electroactive biomaterials used in tissue engineering have been extensively studied. Electroactive biomaterials have unique potential advantages in cell culture and tissue regeneration, which have attracted the attention of medical researchers worldwide. Therefore, it is important to understand the global scientific output regarding this topic. An analysis of publications on electroactive biomaterials used in tissue engineering over the past decade was performed, and the results were summarised to track the current hotspots and highlight future directions.

Methods: Globally relevant publications on electroactive biomaterials used in tissue engineering between 2011 and 2021 were extracted from the Web of Science database. The VOSviewer software and CiteSpace were employed to visualise and predict trends in research on the topic.

Results: A total of 3,374 publications were screened. China contributed the largest number of publications (995) and citations (1581.95, actual value ×0.05). The United States achieved the highest H-index (440 actual values ×0.05). The journal Materials Science & Engineering C-materials for Biological Applications (IF = 7.328) published the most studies on this topic (150). The Chinese Academy of Science had the largest number of publications (107) among all institutions. The publication titled Nanotechnological strategies for engineering complex tissues by Dir, T of the United States had the highest citation frequency (985 times). Regarding the function of electroactive materials, the keyword “sensors” emerged in recent years. Regarding the characterisation of electroactive materials, the keyword “water contact angle” appeared lately. Regarding electroactive materials in nerve and cardiac tissue engineering, the keywords “silk fibroin and conductive hydrogel” appeared recently. Regarding the application of electroactive materials in bone tissue engineering, the keyword “angiogenesis” emerged in recent years. The current research trend indicates that although new functional materials are constantly being developed, attention should also be paid to their application and transformation in tissue engineering.

Conclusion: The number of publications on electroactive biomaterials used in tissue engineering is expected to increase in the future. Topics like sensors, water contact angle, angiogenesis, silk fibroin, and conductive hydrogels are expected to be the focuses of research in the future; attention should also be paid to the application and transformation of electroactive materials, particularly bone tissue engineering. Moreover, further development of the field requires joint efforts from all disciplines.
Cytotoxicity and Bonding Property of Bioinspired Nacre-like Ceramic-Polymer Composites
Authors: Sun Hui , Gao Kefeng , Yi Zhe , Han Chengwei , Liu Zengqian , Wang Qiang , Zhou Qing , Zhang Zhefeng
Published: May 2022

For clinical applications, non-cytotoxicity and good bonding property of dental restorative materials are the most essential and important. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential for clinical applications of two novel bioinspired nacre-like ceramic (yttria-stabilized zirconia)-polymer (polymethyl methacrylate) composites in terms of the cytotoxicity and bonding property. The relative growth rates (24 h) of the Lamellar and Brick-and-mortar composites measured by CCK8 were 102.93%±0.04 and 98.91%±0.03, respectively. According to the results of cytotoxicity and proliferation experiments, the two composites were not cytotoxic to human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (HPDLFs) in vitro. Both composites exhibited improved bonding strength as compared to the Control group (Vita In-Ceram YZ). As the polymer content in the composite material increases, its bonding strength also increases, which enhances the application potential of the material in the field of dental restoration. Meanwhile, by controlling the direction of loading force in the shear test, the effect of microstructure on the bonding strength of anisotropic composites was studied. After sandblasted, the bonding strengths of the Lamellar group in the longitudinal and transverse shear directions were 17.56±1.56 MPa and 18.67±1.92 MPa, respectively, while of the Brick-and-mortar group were 16.36±1.30 MPa and 16.99±1.67 MPa, respectively. The results showed that the loading direction had no significant effect on the bonding strength of the composites.
Traditional Structures in Turkey and Greece in 30 October 2020 Aegean Sea Earthquake: Field Observations and Empirical Fragility Assessment
Authors: Aktas Yasemin D , Ioannou Ioanna , Malcioglu Fatma Sevil , Vatteri Ahsana Parammal , Kontoe Maria , Donmez Kokcan , Black Jacob , Kazantzidou-Firtinidou Danai , Dermanis Panagiotis , Diri‐Akyildiz Filiz
Published: May 2022

On 30th October 2020, an earthquake of magnitude 6.9 hit the Aegean coasts of Turkey and Greece. The epicentre was some 14 km northeast of Avlakia settlement on Samos Island, and 25 km southwest of Turkish town Seferihisar, Izmir. The destruction the earthquake caused concentrated mainly on the mid-rise RC buildings in certain districts of Izmir city. Among the diverse building typologies affected by the event are the traditional/vernacular hybrid timber-masonry and masonry buildings that are common to Turkey and Greece. This paper summarises and discusses the damage levels and mechanisms observed in these types of buildings, based on an extensive field and remote reconnaissance survey in the affected areas in both countries conducted by the Earthquake Engineering Field Investigation Team (EEFIT) of the United Kingdom Institute of Structural Engineers (IStructE). The observed damage is then discussed in light of the level of maintenance and occupancy status. The collected data are also used to empirically construct fragility curves, to assess whether a small sample can be used to describe the overall performance of the buildings in the area and how these compare to the outcomes of previous studies on comparable building stocks.
Stem Cell Therapy in Limb Ischemia: State-of-Art, Perspective, and Possible Impacts of Endometrial-Derived Stem Cells
Authors: Khodayari Saeed , Khodayari Hamid , Ebrahimi-Barough Somayeh , Khanmohammadi Mehdi , Islam Md Shahidul , Vesovic Miko , Goodarzi Arash , Mahmoodzadeh Habibollah , Nayernia Karim , Aghdami Nasser , Ai Jafar
Published: May 2022

As an evidence-based performance, the rising incidence of various ischemic disorders has been observed across many nations. As a result, there is a growing need for the development of more effective regenerative approaches that could serve as main therapeutic strategies for the treatment of these diseases. From a cellular perspective, promoted complex inflammatory mechanisms, after inhibition of organ blood flow, can lead to cell death in all tissue types. In this case, using the stem cell technology provides a safe and regenerative approach for ischemic tissue revascularization and functional cell formation. Limb ischemia (LI) is one of the most frequent ischemic disease types and has been shown to have a promising regenerative response through stem cell therapy based on several clinical trials. Bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells (BM-MNCs), peripheral blood CD34-positive mononuclear cells (CD34+ PB-MNCs), mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and endothelial stem/progenitor cells (ESPCs) are the main, well-examined stem cell types in these studies. Additionally, our investigations reveal that endometrial tissue can be considered a suitable candidate for isolating new safe, effective, and feasible multipotent stem cells for limb regeneration. In addition to other teams’ results, our in-depth studies on endometrial-derived stem cells (EnSCs) have shown that these cells have translational potential for limb ischemia treatment. The EnSCs are able to generate diverse types of cells which are essential for limb reconstruction, including endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, muscle cells, and even peripheral nervous system populations. Hence, the main object of this review is to present stem cell technology and evaluate its method of regeneration in ischemic limb tissue.
Xenotransplantation of Human Spermatogonia Into Various Mouse Recipient Models
Authors: Liang Dongli , Sun Qi , Zhu Zijue , Wang Chuanyun , Ye Shicheng , Li Zheng , Wang Yuan
Published: May 2022

Spermatogonial stem cells are the foundation of continuous spermatogenesis in adult mammals. Xenograft models have been established to define human SSCs, mostly using infertile and immune-deficient mice as the recipients for human germ cell transplantation. However, it is time-consuming to prepare such recipients using irradiation or chemotherapeutic agents, and this approach may also introduce confounding factors when residual endogenous germ cells recover in transplanted recipients. It remains to be determined whether immune-competent genetically infertile mice can be suitable recipients for xenotransplantation. In this study, we observed similar engraftment efficiencies when using spermatogonia from human biopsied testes across immune-deficient nude mice, immune-competent ICR mice, and genetically infertileKitw/w-vmice, suggesting minimal immunological rejection from immune-competent mouse recipients upon xenotransplantation of human germ cells. More importantly, we derived EpCAM negative and TNAP positive spermatogonia-like cells (SLCs) from human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), which highly expressed spermatogonial markers including PLZF, INTERGRINα6, TKTL1, CD90, and DRMT3. We found that upon transplantation, these SLCs proliferated and colonized at the basal membrane of seminiferous tubules in testes of both immune-deficient nude mice andKitw/w-vmice, though complete spermatogenesis would likely require supporting human signaling factors and microenvironment. Taken together, our study functionally defined the cell identity of PSC-derived SLCs, and supported xenotransplantation using genetically infertile recipients as a convenient model for functionally evaluating spermatogonia derived from different species.
Mechanisms and Trends of Guaiacol Hydrodeoxygenation on Transition Metal Catalysts
Authors: Morteo-Flores Fabian , Roldan Alberto
Published: May 2022

Understanding the mechanisms of guaiacol’s catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) is essential to remove the oxygen excess in bio-oils. The present work systematically examines guaiacol’s HDO mechanisms to form benzene on six transition metal (TM) catalysts using density functional theory calculations. The results suggested a preferable Caryl−O bond scission on Ni (111) and Co (0001), whereas on Fe (110), the Caryl–OH bond scission is the most likely pathway. The C−O scission on Pd (111) and Pt (111) is not energetically feasible due to their high activation barriers and endothermic behaviour. Fe (110) also demonstrated its high oxophilic character by challenging the desorption of oxygenated products. A detailed analysis concludes that Co (0001) and Ni (111) are the most favourable in breaking phenolic compounds’ C−O type bonds. Brønsted-Evans-Polanyi (BEP) and transition state scaling (TSS) models were implemented on the catalytic results to derive trends and accelerate the catalyst design and innovation. TSS demonstrated a reliable trend in defining dissociation and association reaction energies. The phenyl ring-oxo-group and the metal-molecule distances complement the catalysts’ oxophilicity as selectivity descriptors in the HDO process.
Tp-Te Interval and Tp-Te/QT Ratio Are Valuable Tools in Predicting Poor Outcome in Sepsis Patients
Authors: Li Duo , Weng Yibing , Zhen Genshen , Jiang Li
Published: May 2022

Objective

About 50% of patients with sepsis have different degrees of myocardial inhibition, known as sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction (SMD), which increases the mortality rate of sepsis. Tp-Te interval and Tp-Te/QT ratio reflect ventricular transmural dispersion repolarization (TDR), and have good predictive value for death in patients with heart disease. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of Tp-Te and Tp-Te/QT in patients with sepsis.

Methods

The current study included a total of 625 participants: 201 patients with sepsis, 213 patients with heart failure, and 211 healthy participants. According to the severity and outcome, the patients with sepsis were divided into the sepsis group and the septic shock group, and the death group and the survival group to explore the differences of indicators among subgroups of sepsis. The ROC curve was used to analyze the predictive value of the indicators for deaths of patients with sepsis and calculate the cutoff point. Then, we investigated the incidence of arrhythmia in patients with sepsis with different TDR. The correlation between Tp-Te/QT and the commonly used predictive indicators in ICU was also discussed.

Results

(1) Tp-Te and Tp-Te/QT in patients with sepsis and heart failure (HF) were significantly higher than the control group (p < 0.01). (2) Compared with patients with sepsis, the increase of Tp-Te and Tp-Te/QT is more prominent in patients with HF. Especially, the increase of the Tp-Te/QT was statistically significant (p < 0.001). (3) compared with patients with sepsis (no shock), the Tp-Te, Tp-Te/QT, and SOFA were increased in patients with septic shock (p < 0.05). (4) In the death group, Tp-Te /QT, SOFA, and Apache-II were higher; LVEF was lower than the survival group (p < 0.05). (5) ROC curves showed that Tp-Te/QT, SOFA, and LVEF have predictive values for death (p < 0.05; AUC = 0.808, 0.716, 0.412). The cutoff point of Tp-Te/QT was 0.32. (6) The incidence of arrhythmia is different in patients with sepsis with different TDR. (7) There is a significant correlation between Tp-Te/QT and SOFA (p < 0.001, r = 0.79).

Conclusion

TDR in patients with sepsis is significantly increased, which was between healthy population and patients with HF. Tp-Te and Tp-Te/QT are effective indicators to reflect the severity and poor outcome of patients with sepsis.
Echocardiography-Guided Percutaneous Patent Ductus Arteriosus Closure: 1-Year Single Center Experience in Indonesia
Authors: Siagian Sisca Natalia , Prakoso Radityo , Putra Bayushi Eka , Kurniawati Yovi , Lelya Olfi , Sembiring Aditya Agita , Atmosudigdo Indriwanto Sakidjan , Roebiono Poppy Surwianti , Rahajoe Anna Ulfah , Harimurti Ganesja Moelia , Mendel Brian , Christianto Christianto , Setiawan Moira , Lilyasari Oktavia
Published: May 2022

Introduction

Since the first successful percutaneous closure under transesophageal echocardiographic (TEE) guidance, many centers explored transcatheter procedures without fluoroscopy. This single-center study is aimed to show the feasibility and safety of percutaneous patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closure under echocardiography-only guidance during our 1-year experience.

Methods

Patients with PDA were recruited for percutaneous PDA closure guided by either fluoroscopy or echocardiography-only in National Cardiovascular Center Harapan Kita (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05321849, clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05321849). Patients were evaluated clinically and radiologically using transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) at 6, 24, and 48 h after the procedure. The primary endpoint was the procedural success. Secondary endpoints were the procedural time and the rate of adverse events.

Results

A total of 60 patients underwent transcatheter PDA closure, 30 patients with fluoroscopy and 30 patients with echocardiography guidance. All patients had successful PDA closure. There were only residual shunts, which were disappeared after follow-up in both groups, but one patient with a fluoroscopy-guided procedure had moderate tricuspid regurgitation with suspected thrombus in the tricuspid valve. The procedural time was not significantly different between the fluoroscopy and echocardiography groups.
Comparative Risks of Fracture Among Direct Oral Anticoagulants and Warfarin: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis
Authors: Tsai Sung Huang Laurent , Hu Ching-Wei , Shao Shih-Chieh , Tischler Eric H. , Obisesan Olufunmilayo H. , Vervoort Dominique , Chen Wei Cheng , Hu Jiun-Ruey , Kuo Liang-Tseng
Published: May 2022

Importance

Previous studies have shown the effectiveness and safety of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), including lower fracture risks, compared to warfarin. However, direct or indirect comparisons between different DOACs are scarce in the literature.

Objective

This study aims to compare fracture risks among different DOACs and warfarin, including apixaban, rivaroxaban, dabigatran, and edoxaban, in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) or venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Methods

We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Web of Science for randomized controlled trials and cohort studies comparing the fracture risks among patients who used warfarin or DOACs, up to March 2021. Two authors extracted data and appraised the risk of bias of included studies. The primary outcome was fracture risk. We performed pairwise meta-analyses to compare differences between medications and network meta-analyses using frequentist random-effects models to compare through indirect evidence. We used surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) and mean ranks to determine the probability of a DOAC ranking best in terms of fracture risk.

Results

Thirty-one studies were included in the final analysis. Twenty-four randomized controlled trials and seven cohort studies with 455,343 patients were included in the systematic review and network meta-analysis. Compared to warfarin, the risk of any fractures was lowest with apixaban [relative risk (RR) = 0.59; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.48–0.73], followed by rivaroxaban (RR: 0.72; 95% CI: 0.60–0.86), edoxaban (RR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.62–1.23), and dabigatran (RR = 0.90; 95% CI: 0.75–1.07). No substantial inconsistency between direct and indirect evidence was detected for all outcomes.

Conclusions

All DOACs were safer than warfarin concerning the risk of fracture; however, apixaban had the lowest relative risk of fracture within the class of DOACs. Further head-to-head prospective studies should confirm the comparative safety profiles of DOACs regarding fractures.
Addressing Antibiotic Failure—Beyond Genetically Encoded Antimicrobial Resistance
Authors: Haney Evan F. , Hancock Robert E. W.
Published: May 2022

Antibiotic failure can be defined as any clinical situation where treatment with antibiotics fails to cure the patient and remove the infection. Genetically-determined antibiotic resistance certainly contributes to antibiotic failure in the clinic, but this is not the only reason why antibiotics fail and it is likely not the most common cause of antibiotic failure. In this perspective article, we outline several widespread examples of situations where antibiotic treatment fails, even in the absence of formal resistance, including biofilm associated-infections (65% of all infections) as well as infections in sepsis (19.7% of all deaths) and immune compromised individuals. We then discuss various strategies that are being employed to address the issue of antibiotic failure and emphasize that antibiotic failure should be given increased awareness and resources to address this underappreciated but critical issue.
Data Governance Facilitate Digital Transformation of Oil and Gas Industry
Authors: Su Jian , Yao Shanglin , Liu He
Published: May 2022

Data gradually becomes a critical concern for the strategic resources in enterprises. Massive amounts of data with different types involved in the oil and gas industry can be obtained through IoT (Internet of Things) devices, supported by Blockchain technology with characteristics of immutability and credibility in distributed storage. Hence, credible data will be rationally used in Big Data analysis and Artificial Intelligence implementation. The global mutual trust protocol of Blockchain technology is the bridge among IoT devices, Big Data analysis and Artificial Intelligence implementation, and enables effective coordination of participation of multiple parties and ultimately break isolated island of information. Data governance is the prerequisite for data sharing. As a basic project, Data Sharing breaks data islands and business barriers, improving Data Governance capabilities in Digital Transformation and promoting high-quality development of the oil and gas industry) From the perspective of Digital Transformation, this paper reviews the current situation and problems of Data Governance by evaluating the Data Governance ability of oil and gas enterprises. Furthermore, a proposal is put forward to apply Blockchain technology to improve the Data Governance system and capabilities as the overall program of the oil and gas industry Data Governance system.
Preliminary Study on Post-Peak Behavior and Fracture Characteristics of Hard Rock Under True Triaxial Stress
Authors: Zeng Feng , Gao Meiben , Chen Fujiang , Yang Yongyi , Zhang Yan
Published: May 2022

The post-peak behavior and fracture characteristics of hard rock are correlated with the stability and bearing capacity of engineering rock mass. However, there are relatively few research studies on the post-peak mechanical behavior and fracture characteristics of hard rock under true triaxial stress. Therefore, this study carried out relevant true triaxial compression tests and acoustic emission (AE) monitoring. It is concluded that under a true triaxial condition, the number of post-peak steps increases first and then decreases with the increasing σ2, which implies that the rock failure evolves from shear failure to a more complex tension–shear mixed failure and finally evolves into a failure mode dominated by tensile failure. The overall level of the rock fracture angle (θ) at low σ3 is higher than that at high σ3. In the range of stress level in this study, when σ3 is high, the fracture angle of granite increases with increasing σ2, and its regularity is obvious, while when σ3 is low, the regularity of the fracture angle increases with the increasing σ2 is not obvious. It is found that there are three different types of cracking processes in granite. Meanwhile, the expansion rates of three different racking types are calculated by simplified treatment, which are about the order of 10−5–10–4 m/s. The research results of this study could supply a useful reference for the understanding of deep hard rock fracture behavior.
Composition and Characteristics of Rock Vibration Generated in Blasting Excavation of Deep Tunnels
Authors: Yang Jianhua , Sun Jinshan , Jia Yongsheng , Yao Yingkang , Zhang Weipeng , Tao Tiejun
Published: May 2022

During blasting excavation in deep rock masses, the in situ stress initially exerted on blast-created free surfaces is rapidly released along with rock cracking by blasting. The rapid stress release can initiate seismic waves transmitting through the medium. In addition to explosion loading, the rapid stress release occurring on blast-created free surfaces is another excitation source of the rock vibration generated in blasting excavation of deep rock masses. In this paper, a theoretical model of seismic wave radiation from a circular blasting excavation in a deep rock mass is first developed to study the frequency differences between explosion seismic waves and stress release-induced seismic waves. Based on this, variational mode decomposition (VMD) is then introduced to separate explosion seismic waves and stress release-induced seismic waves from coupled vibration signals in the frequency domain. By utilizing the VMD separation, the composition and the amplitude and frequency characteristics of the rock vibration monitored in an actual deep tunnel blasting are investigated. The theoretical analysis and field investigation show that the vibration frequency of stress release-induced seismic waves is significantly lower than that of explosion seismic waves. Due to the existence of stress release-induced seismic waves with lower frequency, the coupled vibration amplitude is increased and vibration frequency is reduced. The monitored rock vibration in the near field is dominated by explosion seismic waves. However, in the far field, stress release-induced seismic waves become the major component due to their lower frequency and slower attenuation with distance. Extra care should be taken for the stress release-induced seismic waves in the far field. The stress release-induced seismic waves can be effectively reduced through shortening blast-created free surface sizes and increasing blasthole lengths moderately.
Investigation of Modern n-Alkanes in Daihai Lake Basin, Northern China: Implications for the Interpretation of Paleoclimate Research
Authors: Shen Zhongwei , Zhang Zhiping , Chen Jie , Chen Lin , Pang Xin , Chen Ruijin , Liu Jianbao , Chen Shengqian
Published: May 2022

n-Alkanes are one of the most used proxies in lake sediments to reconstruct past climate change. However, the distribution and concentration of n-alkanes are controlled by multiple factors, and their interpretation across northern China has revealed obvious discrepancies. It is therefore important to investigate the controlling factors of n-alkane proxies before using them for paleoclimate reconstruction. In this study, we collected fresh plant leaves, basin surface soils, lake surface sediments, and a short sediment core (DH20B) in the Daihai Lake basin to analyze the paleoclimate implications of n-alkanes. Our results show that long-chain (C27–C35) n-alkanes in Daihai Lake are dominated by allochthonous sources. The average chain length of long-chain n-alkanes (ACL27–35) and total long-chain n-alkane concentration (∑alklong-chain) of DH20B are significantly correlated with regional summer temperature (r = 0.54, p < 0.01) and summer precipitation (r = 0.41, p < 0.05) over the past 60 years. These results indicate that ACL27–35 and ∑alklong-chain from Daihai Lake sediments have the potential to reconstruct past summer temperature and summer precipitation, respectively, because higher summer temperature promotes the synthesis of longer-chain n-alkanes to reduce water loss (leading to higher ACL27–35) and increased summer precipitation promotes plant growth (leading to higher ∑alklong-chain). Moreover, we found that human activity significantly affected ∑alklong-chain through cultivation and grazing after 2005. Our findings may have broad significance for paleoclimate reconstruction of other hydrologically closed lakes, highlighting the importance of proxy validation studies.
Ablation of the miR-465 Cluster Causes a Skewed Sex Ratio in Mice
Authors: Wang Zhuqing , Meng Nan , Wang Yue , Zhou Tong , Li Musheng , Wang Shawn , Chen Sheng , Zheng Huili , Kong Shuangbo , Wang Haibin , Yan Wei
Published: May 2022

The X-linked miR-465 cluster is highly expressed in the testis, sperm, newborn ovary, and blastocysts as well as in 8-16 cell embryos. However, the physiological role of the miR-465 cluster is still largely unknown. This study aims to dissect the role of the miR-465 cluster in murine development. Despite abundant expression in the testis, ablation of the miR-465 miRNA cluster using CRISPR-Cas9 did not cause infertility. Instead, a skewed sex ratio biased toward males (60% males) was observed among miR-465 KO mice. Further analyses revealed that the female conceptuses selectively degenerated as early as embryonic day 8.5 (E8.5). Small RNA deep sequencing, qPCR, and in situ hybridization analyses revealed that the miRNAs encoded by the miR-465 cluster were mainly localized to the extraembryonic tissue/developing placenta. RNA-seq analyses identified altered mRNA transcriptome characterized by the dysregulation of numerous critical placental genes, e.g., Alkbh1, in the KO conceptuses at E7.5. Taken together, this study showed that the miR-465 cluster is required for normal female placental development, and ablation of the miR-465 cluster leads to a skewed sex ratio with more males (~60%) due to selective degeneration and resorption of the female conceptuses.
Validation of Aeroelastic Actuator Line for Wind Turbine Modelling in Complex Flows
Authors: Hodgson Emily L. , Grinderslev Christian , Meyer Forsting Alexander R. , Troldborg Niels , Sørensen Niels N. , Sørensen Jens N. , Andersen Søren J.
Published: May 2022

The actuator line method is a widely used technique to model wind turbines in computational fluid dynamics, as it significantly reduces the required computational expense in comparison to simulations using geometrically resolved blades. Actuator line coupled to an aeroelastic solver enables not only the study of detailed wake dynamics but also aeroelastic loads, flexible blade deformation and how this interacts with the flow. Validating aeroelastic actuator line predictions of blade loading, deflection and turbine wakes in complex inflow scenarios is particularly relevant for modern turbine designs and wind farm studies involving realistic inflows, wind shear or yaw misalignment. This work first implements a vortex-based smearing correction in an aeroelastic coupled actuator line, and performs a grid resolution and smearing parameter study which demonstrates significant improvement in the blade loading and in the numerical dependencies of predicted thrust and power output. A validation is then performed using a 2.3 MW turbine with R = 40 m radius, comparing against blade resolved fluid-structure interaction simulations and full-scale measurement data, in both laminar and turbulent inflows including both high shear and high yaw misalignment. For an axisymmetric laminar inflow case, the agreement between blade resolved and actuator line simulations is excellent, with prediction of integrated quantities within 0.2%. In more complex flow cases, good agreement is seen in overall trends but the actuator line predicts lower blade loading and flapwise deflection, leading to underpredictions of thrust by between 5.3% and 8.4%. The discrepancies seen can be attributed to differences in wake flow, induction, the reliance of the actuator line on the provided airfoil data and the force application into the computational domain. Comparing the wake between coupled actuator line and blade resolved simulations for turbulent flow cases also shows good agreement in wake deficit and redirection, even under high yaw conditions. Overall, this work validates the implementation of the vortex-based smearing correction and demonstrates the ability of the actuator line to closely match blade loading and deflection predictions of blade resolved simulations in complex flows, at a significantly lower computational cost.
Insulator Fouling Monitoring Based on Acoustic Signal and One-Dimensional Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Hao Li , Zhenhua Li , Ziyi Cheng , Xingxin Chen , Xu Yanchun
Published: May 2022

Aiming at the problem of pollution insulator discharge mode monitoring in high voltage line, a new one-dimensional convolutional neural network structure (1D-CNN) was designed, and a pollution insulator discharge mode monitoring method based on acoustic emission signal and 1D-CNN was proposed. Firstly, the data was collected in laboratory of acoustic emission signal under different discharge after sliding access way to expand the sample quantity. Thereafter, the sample time and frequency domain was used along with a third octave data as input, using convolution neural network to discharge signal samples adaptive feature extraction and feature dimension reduction. Then, appropriate stride convolution alternative pooling layer was used in order to reduce the training model parameters and the amount of calculation. Finally, Softmax function was used to classify the predicted results. The identified results show that the model can achieve a recognition rate of more than 99.84%, which effectively solves the process of manual data preprocessing in the traditional insulator pollution degree monitoring method. Moreover, at the same time it can be effectively applied to the pollution insulator discharge mode monitoring task.