bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
List Scheduling Algorithm Based on Virtual Scheduling Length Table in Heterogeneous Computing System
Authors: Zhou Naqin , Liao Xiaowen , Li Fufang , Feng Yuanyong , Liu Liangchen
Published: December 2021

Edge computing needs the close cooperation of cloud computing to better meet various needs. Therefore, ensuring the efficient implementation of applications in cloud computing is not only related to the development of cloud computing itself but also affects the promotion of edge computing. However, resource management and task scheduling strategy are important factors affecting the efficient implementation of applications. Therefore, aiming at the task scheduling problem in cloud computing environment, this paper proposes a new list scheduling algorithm, namely, based on a virtual scheduling length (BVSL) table algorithm. The algorithm first constructs the predicted remaining length table based on the prescheduling results, then constructs a virtual scheduling length table based on the predicted remaining length table, the current task execution cost, and the actual start time of the task, and calculates the task priority based on the virtual scheduling length table to make the overall path the longest task is scheduled first, thus effectively shorten the scheduling length. Finally, the processor is selected for the task based on the predicted remaining length table. The selected processor may not be the earliest for the current task, but it can shorten the finish time of the task in the next phase and reduce the scheduling length. To verify the effectiveness of the scheduling method, experiments were carried out from two aspects: randomly generated graphs and real‐world application graphs. Experimental results show that the BVSL algorithm outperforms the latest Improved Predict Priority Task Scheduling (IPPTS) and RE‐18 scheduling methods in terms of makespan, scheduling length ratio, speedup, and the number of occurrences of better quality of schedules while maintaining the same time complexity.
New Trends and Advancement in Next Generation Mobile Wireless Communication (6G): A Survey
Authors: Ali Sher , Sohail Muhammad , Shah Syed Bilal Hussain , Koundal Deepika , Hassan Muhammad Abul , Abdollahi Asrin , Khan Inam Ullah
Published: December 2021

As the commercial implementations of 5G networks have been initiated in different regions of the world, the focus of the researchers is bending towards the next generation of wireless communication. This research study intends to investigate the requisites of the fast establishment of the theoretical and practical measures for sixth generation (6G) wireless communication. To this end, this paper first outlined the existing research works that have considered different aspects of 6G, and then based on this existing works, the future vision is established. Then, the 6G vision is based on four types of connectivity and is summarized as “Wherever you think, everything follows your heart.” To fill the gap between the market requirements after one decade and the limited capabilities of 5G, different specifications of 6G that make it an appropriate replacement are discussed. Furthermore, different candidate technologies that can potentially realize the 6G communication are studied, followed by discussion on different challenges in the realization and possible research directions to cope with these challenges. By exploring the vision of future, its specification, and key candidate technologies, this paper attempts to summarize the general 6G framework. In addition, with mentioned challenges in realization of 6G, the aim of this paper is to guide the researcher and attract their interest to consider them.
Utilitarianism and the Westernization of Modern Mohist Studies
Authors: Nie Tao , Wu Manyi
Published: December 2021

The term “utilitarianism” in English translates into Chinese as gongli zhuyi. When Liang Qichao and Hu Shi first imported the concept of utilitarianism into the study of Mohist thought, the term was initially translated as shili zhuyi or leli zhuyi. The use of gongli zhuyi in Mohist studies was established only through the efforts of Yan Fu and Wu Yu to break down the negative connotations of gongli in traditional Chinese culture and through the systematic research and scholarly influence of Feng Youlan. The study of Mohist thought within the framework of utilitarianism as gongli zhuyi is now common practice throughout academia with few scholars objecting to the use of this term.
Interpretations of Mohism’s “Impartial Love” in the Republic of China: A Comparative Approach to Confucianism and Mohism
Authors: Ding Sixin , Wu Xiaoxin
Published: December 2021

Since the reign of Qianlong and Jiaqing in the Qing dynasty, there have been signs of a resurgence of interest in Mohism. Intellectuals became particularly invested in Mozi’s teachings during the period of the Republic of China. “Impartial love,” the notion of equity advocated by Mozi, received the most attention. At the time, most discussions primarily attempted to respond to Mencius’s criticism of Mozi’s doctrine. Some scholars stressed Mohism’s high regard for filial piety and demonstrated persuasively that the concept of impartial love did not closely correspond to Mencius’s labelling of it as “disregarding one’s father.” Other scholars drew a distinction between Mozi and his disciples and identified only the latter as deserving of Mencius’s criticism. Some thinkers affirmed impartial love’s practical significance and saw it as a significant tool for condemning the autocracy and saving the country from imminent downfall. Others vehemently denounced the principle’s impracticability. A close look at these different trends can provide us with a better understanding of the different attitudes of intellectuals in the period of the Republic of China regarding Confucianism and the relationship between Confucianism and Mohism.
On the Mohist Critique of Other Pre-Qin Schools of Philosophy
Authors: Gao Huaping
Published: December 2021

Mohism was the first ideology in the pre-Qin period to engage in open critique. Although it shared a common origin with Confucianism, Mohists criticized Confucianism by claiming that “in the teaching of the Confucians there are four elements sufficient to ruin the empire.” Later students of Mohism went so far as to launch personal attacks against Confucius, the founder of Confucianism. Mohist discourse on the concepts of “universal love,” “exalting worthiness,” “reverence for ghosts,” and “opposition to fatalism” mostly aimed at criticizing the philosopher Yang Zhu, especially his concepts of “action in one’s self-interest,” “not exalting worthiness,” “disbelief in ghosts,” and “resting content in the dispositions of one’s inborn nature.” Although, at the time of the Mohists, the schools of thought on yin-yang, diplomacy, legalism, names or logic, agriculture, and syncretism had not officially formed, some of their concepts and ideologies had already begun to emerge. As a result, the Mozi contains many criticisms of them.
Considering the Present from the Past: On Mohist Thought and Its Modern Transformation
Authors: Lee Hsien-chung
Published: December 2021

Pre-Qin era Mohist thought was endowed with a Confucian legacy as well as a critical eye and a unique set of ideas. These ideas later affected Legalist thought and attracted criticism from Mencius, Xunzi, and Zhuangzi, and many disputes arose thereafter between the later Mohists. Mohist thought can be broadly characterized as possessing distinctively ethical, rational, and practical features, and we can identify three main aspects of the modern transformation of Mohist philosophy. The first derives from Mozi’s statement on “[the endeavor to] procure benefits for the world and eliminate its calamities,” which can be interpreted as calling on humanity to resolve regional issues from a global viewpoint. The second draws upon Mozi’s statement on “universal love and mutual aid” to promote a manner of thinking that embraces peace at a global level and cultivates strong worldwide environmental awareness. The third draws upon Mozi’s ideas of “identification with the superior” and “Mohist methods of thinking” to promote a type of technological integration that incorporates cultural and social approaches and scientific thought to establish a global teaching system.
Mozi’s Doctrines of “Opposing Military Aggression” and “Impartial Love” and Kant’s “Perpetual Peace”
Authors: Qin (秦彥士) Yanshi
Published: December 2021

Mozi and Immanuel Kant are two of the best-known philosophers in history to have meditated on the topics of war and peace. Their philosophical outlooks on the origins of conflict and on ways to prevent war and preserve peace for all humankind are similar. But conceptual differences reveal the distinct cultures from which they emerged. Governed by a clear-cut opposition to war, Mozi’s thought remains unique. The propositions of “impartial love” and “opposing military aggression” are grounded in this belief, and so are Mozi’s effective defense theories and his practice of pacifism, as well as his rational and reflective approach to overcoming warfare – that is, how to go from a state of passive peace to active peace. Kant’s program of “perpetual peace” is similar in many regards to Mozi’s thinking, but it is also more revealing of the modernity of its own logic, especially because it refers to notions such as democracy, government, and institutions, which are in turn rooted in the more systematic theories advanced in Kant’s Three Critiques. The ideas of both philosophers profoundly influenced human history, and their value and brilliance are still celebrated today. However, many regions of the world remain afflicted by unceasing conflict between religious or ethnic groups. This is precisely why it can still prove valuable for us to carefully consider the intellectual legacy of two of the greatest thinkers in history. The limitations of their philosophies, especially when it comes to the new challenges now faced by humanity, offer an opportunity for pondering historical issues and modern solutions.
Consequentialism and the Possibility of a Confucian-Mohist Encounter
Authors: Fang Xudong
Published: December 2021

Mohism and Confucianism are usually characterized as utilitarian and anti-utilitarian, respectively. This article argues that although Confucians do not espouse the kind of utilitarianism found in the Mozi, both Confucianism and Mohism qualify as forms of consequentialism in emphasizing that the outcome of a given behavior or action constitutes the basis for determining whether the latter qualifies as morally good. Through an analysis of the classical texts of the Analects and the Mengzi, I demonstrate that the similarities between the Confucian and Mohist perspectives on yi 義 and li 利 are much greater than their supposed differences, which have generally been taken for granted. Like Mohism, Confucianism upholds what we might call a “deliberated utilitarianism.”
On the English Translation of Jian’ai by Late Qing Missionary-Sinologists
Authors: Chu Lijuan
Published: December 2021

With an increasing volume of research being conducted on the transmission of premodern Chinese thought in the Western world, a plethora of studies have been published on the English translation of the ancient text Mozi, primarily through the lens of cross-cultural translation studies. Discussions on how the concept of jian’ai – often rendered as “universal love” – should be expressed in English have also taken place in this framework, while the topic has rarely been examined hermeneutically or with reference to histories of knowledge transfer, intellectuals, or scholarship. This article discusses the translation of jian’ai into English by the missionary-sinologists Joseph Edkins and James Legge during the mid-to-late 1800s. It points out that, while both scholars used the term “universal” to translate the concept, they differed on whether “equal” could be used. The author also demonstrates how differences in translation can signify differences in thinking. Using the “unit of thought” of hermeneutics as a methodology to study the translators’ conception of jian’ai via a comparison of common structural levels, a case can be made that both of them used the criticism by Mengzi of Mozi as a kind of “situational construction”. However, in terms of “situational processing”, Edkin’s demonstrated the necessity and equality of jian’ai by quoting the words of ancient sages and wise rulers just as Mozi did, while Legge focused on the “Teng Wen Gong I” chapter of the Mengzi, arguing that the idea of “equality” was not espoused by Mozi himself but rather his later followers. From the perspective of “situational fusion”, Edkins pointed out that, while jian’ai is similar in form to the love of Christ, it in fact shares more similarities with utilitarianism. By contrast, Legge believed that jian’ai was more in line with the thought of Confucius, while he also discussed the similarities and differences between jian’ai and the love of Christ. The differing understandings of jian’ai arrived at by these two scholars demonstrates that missionaries sent to China after the mid-nineteenth century underwent a transition from amateur to professional sinologists. Moreover, by examining how Mohism was introduced to the West in modern times, it can be shown how Legge’s interpretation of jian’ai coined a longstanding translated name for the concept.
There Was So Much Silence Growing Up…: Artistic Interventions of Tomie Arai and Flo Oy Wong
Authors: Desai Dipti
Published: December 2021

This essay explores the specific artworks of Asian American artists Tomie Arai and Flo Oy Wong as complex articulations between culture, identity, history, and memory. Based on oral history interviews that were integral parts of their artistic processes, Arai and Wong created works that explored the family histories and memories of Asian immigrants and Asian Americans living in New York City’s Chinatown and California. Their artworks open up a space to explore memory as a way of knowing that is shaped not only by what is said, but more importantly by what is not said—by silences and secrets.
Cut-Out Calligraphy from the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries: Discussion of Its Origins and Significance and Observations on the Techniques and Tools Used
Authors: Couvrat Desvergnes Amélie
Published: December 2021

Through the study of the materiality of three works from collections in Doha, Paris and Amsterdam, this paper intends to fill a gap in the knowledge of découpage calligraphy in Iran and shed light on its production processes. First, the origins and the context of the art will be explored through ancient and modern sources, followed by an examination of the tools used and the techniques of production, and finally an insight into the purpose or la raison d’être of the découpage technique will be presented.
Alphabets and “Calligraphy” in the Section on Prayers, Special Characteristics of the Quran and Magic Squares in the Inventory of Sultan Bayezid II’s Palace Library
Authors: Burak Guy
Published: December 2021

This essay is an attempt to read the section on invocations, prayers, the unique qualities of the Quran and magic squares of the palace library of the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid II (d. 918/1512) along with several works by ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Bisṭāmī (d. c. 858/1454 or 1455) to cast light on underexamined perceptions of calligraphic styles and alphabets/scripts employed to inscribe talismanic objects and manuscripts. Methodologically, the intention is to situate the inventory of the palace library in the intersection of prescriptive texts, on the one hand, and talismanic objects and manuscripts of invocations, on the other. By taking the inventory as a document of practice, the essay seeks to illustrate the importance of paying attention to other elements of the talismanic compound in general, and to the use of alphabets/scripts with their specific talismanic attributes in particular.
Flirting with the Radical: Intertextuality, Intervisuality, and Gendered Subversions in Manuscripts of Sūz u Gudāz
Authors: Chagnon Michael
Published: December 2021

This essay focuses on a corpus of eight mid- to late eleventh-/seventeenth-century illustrated manuscripts of the poem Sūz u Gudāz by the poet Nawʿī (d. c. 1019/1610). The text describes the struggle of a Hindu maiden, whose fiancé has died, to commit satī on his funeral pyre despite the interventions of various figures in her life. The essay discusses how later Safavid painters adapted and transformed established pictorial compositions associated with mas̱navīs from the Khamseh (“Quintet”) of Neẓāmī to illustrate Nawʿī’s poem, reflecting its status as a javāb (pointed response) to Neẓāmīan romances. The illustrators often altered the compositional models to draw attention to the gendered dimensions of Nawʿī’s subversive poetics.
“Talking” Tiles from Vanished Ilkhanid Palaces (Late Thirteenth to Early Fourteenth Centuries): Frieze Luster Tiles with Verses from the Shah-nama
Authors: Porter Yves
Published: December 2021

Luster tiles in Ilkhanid palace decoration are repeatedly linked with the site of Takht-i Sulaiman (Iran). However, the collection and analysis of ninety-two frieze luster tiles (or frag-ments) characterized by a similar scheme indicates the existence of other palatial locations. Sorting the tiles results in at least eight different friezes. Consequently, possible locations of other Ilkhanid palaces are investigated. Textual contents mainly originate from Firdausi’s Shah-nama. However, the excerpts found on tiles are seldom narrative but allude to the enjoyment of nature, drinking, and beauty. The suitability of these poetic quotes for Ilkha-nid palace decoration is thus further analyzed.
A Religious and Economic Stopover in the Middle of Khorasan-e Razavi
Authors: Rante Rocco , Labbaf-Khaniki Meysam
Published: December 2021

Robat-e Sefid/Bazeh Hur is the name of two modern villages giving the name to a valley located in a strategic geographical point traversed by a main north-south caravan road. Archaeological evidence brought to light the meaning of this valley, in which religious and economic aspects show and testify to development of this region during the Sasanian and early Islamic epochs. They highlight its role as a stopover for caravans in the past as today.
Excavations on the Coral Mosques of the Maldives
Authors: Pradines Stéphane , Balestra Fabien
Published: December 2021

This report presents the results of an archaeological mission done in the Maldives archipelago located to the south-west of India, in the Indian Ocean. In November 2017, we carried out archaeological excavations and surveys as well as collected oral traditions on two sites, the Fandiyaaru Mosque and Koagannu Cemetery in Hulhumeeddhoo town on Addu Atoll and the Friday Mosque of Fenfushi on Alifu Dhaalu Atoll. Two outcomes were expected from our mission: first, to provide new scientific data on the coral mosques of the Maldives in order to improve the chances of success of nomination of the mosques on the World Heritage List of UNESCO; then to support the conservation project of the Maldivian government and international organisations such as UNESCO and the World Monuments Fund (WMF). One major question during our excavation was the continuity of the settlements from pre-Islamic cultures and influences from Buddhist architecture on local Islamic architecture.
A new species of red toad, Schismaderma Smith, 1849 (Anura: Bufonidae), from central Angola
Authors: BAPTISTA NINDA L. , PINTO PEDRO VAZ , KEATES CHAD , EDWARDS SHELLEY , RÖDEL MARK-OLIVER , CONRADIE WERNER
Published: December 2021

A new species of red toad, from the previously monotypic genus Schismaderma, is described. The new species was found in Malanje Province, and seems endemic to central Angola, occurring approximately 500 km west of the closest known records of Schismaderma carens. Unusual adult colouration and geographical distance to remaining S. carens populations suggested specific differentiation. In an integrative approach, we compared the red toads from central Angola with S. carens from across the entire range, including molecular data, morphology of adults and tadpoles, and male advertisement calls. Phylogenetic analysis based on mitochondrial (12S, 16S, COI) and nuclear (CXCR4, RAG1) markers, retrieved the Angolan clade as monophyletic, and revealed intra-specific substructuring among the remaining Schismaderma. Genetic distances supported specific differentiation of the central Angolan material compared with other S. carens. Adults from the new Angolan species have bolder ventral patterning and smaller body size than S. carens. No obvious differences were detected between the tadpoles and the advertisement calls of the two Schismaderma species. This discovery adds to the knowledge of the herpetofauna of the Angolan Miombo woodlands, a poorly understood ecoregion, and likely more biodiverse than previously assumed. The result of past river basin dynamics in central Angola likely led to the evolution of this new species of Schismaderma.
Revision of the European species of the genus Hincksina Norman, 1903 (Bryozoa, Cheilostomatida, Flustridae)
Authors: BERNING BJÖRN , JONES MARY E. SPENCER , VIEIRA LEANDRO M.
Published: December 2021

Four Atlantic species of the flustrid genus Hincksina Norman, 1903, which were introduced during the 19th and early 20th century, are redescribed and imaged: Hincksina flustroides (Hincks, 1877) from Great Britain, Hincksina sceletos (Busk, 1858) from Madeira as well as Hincksina neptuni (Jullien in Jullien & Calvet, 1903) n. comb. and Hincksina alice (Jullien in Jullien & Calvet, 1903) n. comb. from the Azores, the latter two of which were hitherto placed in the cribrilinid genus Membraniporella Smitt, 1873. Lectotypes are designated for all species. A new species, Hincksina synchysia n. sp., is introduced for the Mediterranean taxon previously referred to as Hincksina flustroides f. crassispinata Gautier, 1962. In contrast to species from the continental shelf, which have simple cylindrical or flattened spines, some of the species from the oceanic islands of Madeira and the Azores are particularly characterised by falciform and variably formed palmicorn spines. Moreover, whilst most Hincksina species have avicularia with a relatively short, (sub)rounded rostrum and mandible, the two Azorean species have elongated, curved and pointed avicularia. The relationship between Gregarinidra Barroso, 1949, which also has pointed avicularia, and Hincksina is commented upon. Based on several shared diagnostic characters, the genus Cribralaria Silén, 1941 is here transferred from the Cribrilinidae Hincks, 1879 to the Flustridae Fleming, 1828.
A review of the worldwide distribution of Marenzelleria viridis, with new records for M. viridis, M. neglecta and Marenzelleria sp. (Annelida: Spionidae)
Authors: RADASHEVSKY VASILY I. , PANKOVA VICTORIA V. , MALYAR VASILY V. , CERCA JOSÉ , STRUCK TORSTEN H.
Published: December 2021

Marenzelleria Mesnil, 1896 is a small group of spionid polychaetes comprising five valid species, all of which appear similar to each other. The identification of worms based on morphological features is often confusing, and thus molecular data have been suggested as providing crucial additional diagnostic characters. Here we summarize and map available records of M. viridis (Verrill, 1873) worldwide, and, based on the analysis of fragment sequences of COI, 16S, 18S, 28S and Histone 3, report this species for the first time from Norway. We also summarize and map the records of Marenzelleria from North America, distinguishing those based on morphology and molecular data. We report new records for Marenzelleria sp. from Baffin Is., Nunavut, Canada, and for M. neglecta Sikorski & Bick, 2004 from Washington, USA.
Three new species of Sternaspidae (Annelida: Sedentaria) from Thailand
Authors: PLATHONG JINTANA , PLATHONG SAKANAN , SALAZAR-VALLEJO SERGIO I.
Published: December 2021

In this contribution, three new species of sternaspids collected from sediments along the coast of southern Thailand are described: Petersenaspis apinyae sp. nov. from a depth of 50–80 m offshore in the Gulf of Thailand; P. narisarae sp. nov. from 9 m depth in the Songkhla Sea, Gulf of Thailand; and P. pakbaraensis sp. nov. from tidal mudflats on the Andaman Coast. All three species resemble P. palpallatoci Sendall & Salazar-Vallejo, 2013. They differ mainly in the pigmentation and shape of the shield, the number of ventral chaetae and chaetae at the posterior shield, body papillae, and size of the abdomen. Further, P. apinyae sp. nov. is clearly distinguished from other species of the genus by having dark orange to red butterfly wing-shaped shields, with strongly curved anterior margins. P. narisarae sp. nov. differs from other species by having concentric colored bands over shields and an expanded oval abdomen. P. pakbaraensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from other species by its dark brown-purple shield and laterally expanded fan. These three species have a unique character in their branchial plates: long brownish filaments. A key to the identification of all species of Petersenaspis is included.
An annotated synopsis of the powder post beetles (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) of Mainland China
Authors: LIU LAN-YU
Published: December 2021

An updated and annotated synopsis of the family Bostrichidae of mainland China is presented, including sixty-eight species belonged to seven subfamilies (including eight tribes), and twenty-nine genera. Thirteen species are new records for mainland China, and numerous new provincial records are given. Four species, Dolichobostrychus yunnanus Lesne, 1913, Heterobostrychus ambigenus Lesne, 1920, Sinoxylon eucerum Lesne, 1932 and S. rejectum (Hope, 1845) are endemic to mainland China. The faunal elements present and their composition are discussed, and the zoogeographical distribution of species within mainland China.
Richness and composition of the Cladocera community (Crustacea: Branchiopoda) from the Maranhão State, Northeast Brazil
Authors: SANTOS ARIELLY S. , SOUSA FRANCISCO DIOGO R. , ELMOOR-LOUREIRO LOURDES M. A. , ANDRADE DANIEL S. , MUGNAI RICCARDO
Published: December 2021

The state of Maranhão, northeast Brazil, has four different biomes. The water bodies in Maranhão belongs to three hydrographic regions. Thus, the state potentially contributes to a high biodiversity. Despite that, in the state, the study of cladocerans can still be considered incipient. This work aims to summarize the list of species of cladocerans in the state of Maranhão, including the results of new fauna surveys. We report ten new species records for the state, two species represent the new record of the genus Pseudosida Herrick, 1884. The results found point to the occurrence of 82 valid taxa in the state of Maranhão.
Two new species and additional records of mainland Chinese Domene (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae)
Authors: LIN XIAO-BIN , PENG ZHONG
Published: December 2021

Material of the genus Domene Fauvel, 1873 from the Chinese provinces Heilongjiang, Gansu, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan and Guizhou is examined. Eight species were identified, six of them described previously and two are newly described: D. hui sp. n. (Guangdong: Shimentai); D. leigongensis sp. n. (Guizhou: Leigong Shan). The genus is now represented in mainland China by 23 species.
A cross-sectional overview of the second 4000 incidents reported to webAIRS, a de-identified web-based anaesthesia incident reporting system in Australia and New Zealand
Authors: Gibbs Neville M , Culwick Martin D , Endlich Yasmin , Merry Alan F
Published: December 2021

This cross-sectional overview of the second 4000 incidents reported to webAIRS has findings that are very similar to the previous overview of the first 4000 incidents. The distribution of patient age, body mass index and American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status was similar, as was anaesthetist gender, grade, location and time of day of incidents. About 35% of incidents occurred during non-elective procedures (vs. 33% in the first 4000 incidents). The proportion of incidents in the various main categories was also similar, with respiratory/airway being most common, followed by cardiovascular, medication-related and medical device or equipment-related incidents. Together these categories made up about 78% of all incidents in both overviews. The immediate outcome was comparable with reports of harm in about a quarter of incidents and a similar rate of deaths (4.7% vs. 4.2%). However, the proportion of patients who had received total intravenous anaesthesia was higher (17.6% vs. 7.7%) and the proportion of patients who received combined intravenous and inhalational anaesthesia was lower (52.3% vs. 58.4%), as was the proportion receiving local anaesthesia alone (1.6% vs. 6.7%). There was a small increase in the number of incidents resulting in unplanned admission to a high dependency or intensive care unit (18.1% vs. 13.5%). It is not clear whether these differences represent trends or random observations. About 48% of incidents were considered preventable by the reporters (vs. 52% in the first 4000). These findings support continued emphasis on human and system factors to promote and improve patient safety in anaesthesia care.
Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Is Associated With Reduced Glomerular Filtration Rate in Patients With Chronic Plaque Psoriasis
Authors: Bellinato Francesco , Goio Isotta , Malara Giovanna , Rosato Alessio , Targher Giovanni , Girolomoni Giampiero , Gisondi Paolo
Published: December 2021

Background

Chronic plaque psoriasis has been associated with metabolic comorbidities, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). A causal relationship between NAFLD and chronic kidney disease (CKD) is debated.

Objectives

To assess whether NAFLD is associated with impaired renal function in patients with psoriasis.

Methods

A multicenter, retrospective, observational study including 337 patients with moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis, who had no history of excessive alcohol consumption or other secondary causes of chronic liver and renal diseases was conducted. NAFLD was diagnosed by ultrasonography, and CKD stage ≥2 or stage ≥3 were defined by an estimated glomerular filtration rate (e-GFR) of <90 ml min-1 1.73 m-2 or <60 ml min-1 1.73 m-2, respectively. Logistic and linear regression analyses were undertaken to assess the independent association of NAFLD with CKD or eGFR levels.

Results

Patients with NAFLD ( n = 212, 62.9% of total) had significantly lower e-GFR levels (83.4 ± 18.0 vs. 93.5 ± 15.8 ml min-1 1.73 m-2, P<.001) and a remarkably higher prevalence of both CKD stage ≥2 (56.1% vs. 30.4%, P<.0001) and CKD stage ≥3 (10.4% vs. 3.2%, P<.0001) compared with their counterparts without NAFLD. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that NAFLD was associated with a nearly 2.5-fold increased risk of prevalent CKD stage ≥2 (adjusted-odds ratio= 2.60 95% confidence intervals 1.4–4.8, P=.02), independently of components of metabolic syndrome, psoriasis severity, and psoriatic arthritis.

Conclusions

Ultrasound-diagnosed NAFLD is strongly associated with a reduced eGFR in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis, independently of cardiometabolic risk factors and psoriasis-related variables.
Analysis of zero inflated dichotomous variables from a Bayesian perspective: application to occupational health
Authors: Moriña David , Puig Pedro , Navarro Albert
Published: December 2021

Background

Zero-inflated models are generally aimed to addressing the problem that arises from having two different sources that generate the zero values observed in a distribution. In practice, this is due to the fact that the population studied actually consists of two subpopulations: one in which the value zero is by default (structural zero) and the other is circumstantial (sample zero).

Methods

This work proposes a new methodology to fit zero inflated Bernoulli data from a Bayesian approach, able to distinguish between two potential sources of zeros (structural and non-structural).

Results

The proposed methodology performance has been evaluated through a comprehensive simulation study, and it has been compiled as an R package freely available to the community. Its usage is illustrated by means of a real example from the field of occupational health as the phenomenon of sickness presenteeism, in which it is reasonable to think that some individuals will never be at risk of suffering it because they have not been sick in the period of study (structural zeros). Without separating structural and non-structural zeros one would be studying jointly the general health status and the presenteeism itself, and therefore obtaining potentially biased estimates as the phenomenon is being implicitly underestimated by diluting it into the general health status.

Conclusions

The proposed methodology is able to distinguish two different sources of zeros (structural and non-structural) from dichotomous data with or without covariates in a Bayesian framework, and has been made available to any interested researcher in the form of the bayesZIB R package (https://cran.r-project.org/package=bayesZIB).
8DEstablishment and validation of a hypoxia-related signature predicting prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Cai Congbo , Yang Lei , Zhou Kena
Published: December 2021

Background

Hypoxia plays a crucial role in immunotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by changing the tumor microenvironment. Until now the association between hypoxia genes and prognosis of HCC remains obscure. We attempt to construct a hypoxia model to predict the prognosis in HCC.

Results

We screened out 3 hypoxia genes (ENO1, UGP2, TPI1) to make the model, which can predict prognosis in HCC. And this model emerges as an independent prognostic factor for HCC. A Nomogram was drawn to evaluate the overall survival in a more accurate way. Furthermore, immune infiltration state and immunosuppressive microenvironment of the tumor were detected in high-risk patients.

Conclusion

We establish and validate a risk prognostic model developed by 3 hypoxia genes, which could effectively evaluate the prognosis of HCC patients. This prognostic model can be used as a guidance for hypoxia modification in HCC patients undergoing immunotherapy.
Evaluation of recombinant human erythropoietin responsiveness by measuring erythrocyte creatine content in haemodialysis patients
Authors: Hasegawa Shun , Nakamura Seishi , Sugiura Tetsuro , Tsuka Yoshiaki , Takahashi Nobuyuki , Matsumura Koichiro , Okumiya Toshika , Baden Masato , Shiojima Ichiro
Published: December 2021

Background

One of the main causes of anaemia in patients with end-stage renal disease is relative deficiency in erythropoietin production. Eythropoiesis stimulating agent (ESA), a potent haematopoietic growth factor, is used to treat anaemia in haemodialysis patients. The effect of ESA is usually assessed by haematological indices such as red blood cell count, haemoglobin concentration and haematocrit, but erythrocyte indices do not provide information of the rapid change in erythropoietic activity. As erythrocyte creatine directly assess erythropoiesis, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ESA in haemodialysis patients by measuring the erythrocyte creatine content.

Methods

ESA dose was fixed 3 months prior to the enrollment and was maintained throughout the entire study period. Erythrocyte creatine was measured with haematologic indices in 83 haemodialysis patients. Haemoglobin was also measured 3 months after.

Results

ESA dose (152.4 ± 62.9 vs. 82.2 ± 45.5 units/kg/week, P = 0.0001) and erythrocyte creatine (2.07 ± 0.73 vs. 1.60 ± 0.41 μmol/gHb, p = 0.0003) were significantly higher in 27 patients with haemoglobin <10 g/dL compared to 56 patients with haemoglobin ≥10 g/dL. There was a fair correlation between ESA dose and the concentration of creatine in the erythrocytes (r = 0.55, P < 0.0001). Increase in haemoglobin (>0.1 g/dL) was observed in 37 patients, whereas haemoglobin did not increase in 46 patients. Erythrocyte creatine levels were significantly higher in those patients with an increase in haemoglobin compared to those without (2.04 ± 0.64 vs. 1.52 ± 0.39 μmol/gHb, p < 0.0001). When 8 variables (ESA dose, erythropoietin resistance index, C-reactive protein, intact parathyroid hormone, iron supplementation, presence of anaemia, erythrocyte creatine and reticulocyte) were used in the multivariate logistic analysis, erythrocyte creatine levels emerged as the most important variable associated with increase in haemoglobin (Chi-square = 6.19, P = 0.01).

Conclusion

Erythrocyte creatine, a useful marker of erythropoietic capacity, is a reliable marker to estimate ameliorative effectiveness of ESA in haemodialysis patients.
Development and validation of a prognostic scoring model for mortality risk stratification in patients with recurrent or metastatic gastric carcinoma
Authors: Ma Tai , Wu Zhijun , Zhang Xiaopeng , Xu Hui , Feng Ying , Zhang Cheng , Xie Minmin , Yang Yahui , Zhang Yi , Feng Chong , Sun Guoping
Published: December 2021

Background

Survival times differ among patients with advanced gastric carcinoma. A precise and universal prognostic evaluation strategy has not yet been established. The current study aimed to construct a prognostic scoring model for mortality risk stratification in patients with advanced gastric carcinoma.

Methods

Patients with advanced gastric carcinoma from two hospitals (development and validation cohort) were included. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was conducted to identify independent risk factors for survival. A prognostic nomogram model was developed using R statistics and validated both in bootstrap and external cohort. The concordance index and calibration curves were plotted to determine the discrimination and calibration of the model, respectively. The nomogram score and a simplified scoring system were developed to stratify patients in the two cohorts.

Results

Development and validation cohort was comprised of 401 and 214 gastric cancer patients, respectively. Mucinous or non-mucinous histology, ECOG score, bone metastasis, ascites, hemoglobin concentration, serum albumin level, lactate dehydrogenase level, carcinoembryonic antigen level, and chemotherapy were finally incorporated into prognostic nomogram. The concordance indices were 0.689 (95% CI: 0.664 ~ 0.714) and 0.673 (95% CI: 0.632 ~ 0.714) for bootstrap and external validation. 100 and 200 were set as the cut-off values of nomogram score, patients in development cohort were stratified into low-, intermediate- and high-risk groups with median overall survival time 15.8 (95% CI: 12.2 ~ 19.5), 8.4 (95% CI: 6.7 ~ 10.2), and 3.9 (95% CI: 2.7 ~ 5.2) months, respectively; the cut-off values also worked well in validation cohort with different survival time in subgroups. A simplified model was also established and showed good consistency with the nomogram scoring model in both of development and validation cohorts.

Conclusion

The prognostic scoring model and its simplified surrogate can be used as tools for mortality risk stratification in patients with advanced gastric carcinoma.
Transient hypertriglyceridemia: a common finding during Epstein-Barr virus-induced infectious mononucleosis
Authors: Páez-Guillán Emilio-Manuel , Campos-Franco Joaquín , Alende Rosario , Garitaonaindía Yago , González-Quintela Arturo
Published: December 2021

Background

Hypertriglyceridemia can occur in lymphoproliferative disorders. Infectious mononucleosis is a self-limiting, benign lymphoproliferative disorder. This study aimed to investigate the serum triglyceride concentrations and their change over time in patients with infectious mononucleosis.

Methods

We evaluated an adult patient with severe hypertriglyceridemia (>1000 mg/dL) during infectious mononucleosis and reviewed the records of 360 patients admitted to our hospital because of infectious mononucleosis (median age, 19 years; range, 15-87 years; 51.4% male). We compared the serum triglyceride concentrations with those of a control sample from the general population (n=75). A second triglyceride measurement, obtained during convalescence (median of 30 days after the initial determination), was available for 160 patients.

Results

The triglyceride concentrations in the acute phase (median: 156 mg/dL) were significantly higher than those of the controls (median, 76 mg/dL; P<0.001). A total of 194 (53.9%) patients presented with hypertriglyceridemia (>150 mg/dL), which was more common in the patients older than 30 years than in the younger patients (78.6% vs. 50.6%; P<0.001). A significant correlation (P<0.005) was observed between the triglyceride levels and white blood cell counts, total cholesterol levels, and liver damage markers. The triglyceride concentrations decreased during convalescence (P<0.001) and were lower than the initial measurement in 83.7% of the cases. Conversely, the total cholesterol concentrations during the acute phase were lower than those of the controls and increased during convalescence (P<0.001).

Conclusions

Patients with severe infectious mononucleosis frequently show mild, transient hypertriglyceridemia. Further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying this finding.
CT radiomics nomogram for the preoperative prediction of severe post-hepatectomy liver failure in patients with huge (≥ 10 cm) hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Xiang Fei , Liang Xiaoyuan , Yang Lili , Liu Xingyu , Yan Sheng
Published: December 2021

Background

This study aimed to establish a radiomics-based nomogram for predicting severe (grade B or C) post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) in patients with huge (≥ 10 cm) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

One hundred eighty-six patients with huge HCC (training dataset, n = 131 and test dataset, n = 55) that underwent curative hepatic resection were included in this study. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) approach was applied to develop a radiomics signature for grade B or C PHLF prediction using the training dataset. A multivariable logistic regression model was used by incorporating radiomics signature and other clinical predictors to establish a radiomics nomogram. Decision tree analysis was performed to stratify the risk for severe PHLF.

Results

The radiomics signature consisting of nine features predicted severe PHLF with AUCs of 0.766 and 0.745 for the training and test datasets. The radiomics nomogram was generated by integrating the radiomics signature, the extent of resection and the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score. The nomogram exhibited satisfactory discrimination ability, with AUCs of 0.842 and 0.863 for the training and test datasets, respectively. Based on decision tree analysis, patients were divided into three risk classes: low-risk patients with radiomics score < -0.247 and MELD score < 10 or radiomics score ≥ − 0.247 but underwent partial resections; intermediate-risk patients with radiomics score < − 0.247 but MELD score ≥10; high-risk patients with radiomics score ≥ − 0.247 and underwent extended resections.

Conclusions

The radiomics nomogram could predict severe PHLF in huge HCC patients. A decision tree may be useful in surgical decision-making for huge HCC hepatectomy.
Down-regulation of SOCS6: an unfavorable prognostic factor for gastrointestinal stromal tumor proven by survival analysis
Authors: Ouyang Jun , An Tailai , Wang Yan , Lu Xiaofang , Zhang Yawei , Wang Xiaokun , Zhang Xinhua , Zhang Changhua
Published: December 2021

Background

Many studies reporting that down-regulation of SOCS6 plays vital roles in promoting progression of malignant tumors have been published. The present study was performed to evaluate whether SOCS6 was significantly associated with prognosis of GIST patients.

Methods

Immunohistochemical staining was accomplished to evaluate the expression levels of SOCS6 among GIST patients. The impacts of SOCS6 expression on overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) of GIST patients were assessed by Cox proportional hazard regression model analysis and Kaplan-Meier curve analysis.

Results

It was demonstrated that the expression level of SOCS6 was significantly associated with tumor size (P=0.001). Then according to Kaplan-Meier curve analysis, low expression of SOCS6 was significantly correlated with worse OS and RFS of GIST patients. Ultimately, it was revealed by Cox proportional regression model analysis that low expression of SOCS6 was an independent predictive factor for OS and RFS.

Conclusions

Low expression of SOCS6 was an independent prognostic factor for GIST, suggesting its potential as a novel biomarker predicting survival of GIST patients.
Clinicopathological and molecular genomic features of monomorphic epitheliotropic intestinal T-cell lymphoma in the Chinese population: a study of 20 cases
Authors: Chen Chunni , Gong Yuxi , Yang Yefan , Xia Qiuyuan , Rao Qiu , Shao Yang , Zhu Liuqing , Zhang Junli , Li Xiao , Ji Pan , Zhai Boya , Zhang Xiang , Zhang Zhihong
Published: December 2021

Background

Monomorphic epitheliotropic T-cell lymphoma (MEITL) is an aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma with a high fatality rate. This study was aimed to explore the clinicopathological and molecular genetic features of MEITL in the Chinese population.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was performed based on the clinical manifestations and pathological features of 20 Chinese MEITL. 9 cases with paired diseased-normal tissues were also analyzed for molecular information by whole-exome sequencing.

Results

There were 14 men and 6 women with a median age of 58.5 (28-81) years. 17(17/20) lesions were located in the jejunum or ileum; 13(13/20) cases had ulcers or perforations. Microscopically, except for 1(1/20) case of pleomorphic cells, the monomorphic, middle-sized tumor cells infiltrating into the intestinal epithelial and peripheral intestinal mucosa recess could be seen in the other 19 cases. Immunohistochemistry showed that most of the tumor cells in MEITL were positive for CD3(20/20), CD8(17/20), CD43(19/20), and CD56(15/20), but negative for CD5(20/20). The most frequently mutated genes of these Chinese cases were STAT5B (4/9) and TP53 (4/9), not SETD2(2/9). JAK3 mutations (3/9) were also detected with a high mutated frequency. We demonstrated that mutations of JAK-STAT pathway-related genes and the amplification of Chromosome 9q appeared at the same time in most cases(5/9).

Conclusions

The clinicopathological features were consistent with that in previous western studies, but a special case with pleomorphic cells was found in this study. The co-occurrence of JAK-STAT pathway-related gene mutations and the amplification of Chr9q is a molecular feature of MEITL.