bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on 5G millimeter wave dynamic rain attenuation and adaptive modulation coding scheme
Authors: yang ruike , Jinxiu Han , xia gao , Linlin Liang , Fuping Wu
Published: March 2023

In order to study the effect of rainfall on 5G millimeter-wave (MMW) communication, a new modified MMW dynamic rain attenuation time series model based on the Weibull distribution rainfall model and the EMB time series model is proposed. The analysis for the subtropical Haikou 78GHz rainfall link performance shows that the simulating time series by newly modified model can effectively characterize the dynamic and statistical properties of MMW rain attenuation. According to this model, an adaptive modulation coding scheme (MCS) is induced which can be applied to rainfall fading links. On the 78G MMW rainfall link, the BER, the spectral efficiency are analyzed. The MCS transform algorithm is presented. Through the simulation analysis, the adaptive MCS for mitigating the effects of rain attenuation is recommended. The scheme can effectively mitigate the effect of rainfall on the MMW link and improve the system spectrum utilization and availability.
Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG encapsulation with milk proteins-based matrix preserves SpaCBA pili integrity after spray-drying and improves resistance to subsequent in vitro gastrointestinal digestion
Authors: GAIANI claire , Morais Raphael Dos Santos , BORGES Frederic , AMARA Sawsan , Mohamed Loubiana Cvetkovska-Ben , SEILER Aurélie , Burgain Jennifer
Published: March 2023

Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG, or LGG, is one of the most studied probiotic bacterium worldwide. The health benefit properties of LGG are mainly ensured by SpaCBA pili, which are polymeric proteins located at the cell surface. These pili confer the ability to interact with the surrounding environment and notably to adhere to intestinal cells mainly through interactions with mucin glycoproteins. For an expected probiotic effect, cell viability is an essential parameter. Nevertheless, the stability and the integrity of the pili is of paramount importance, from the conservation process of bacteria to the subsequent gastrointestinal digestion. One way to preserve bacterial viability is to encapsulate them within a matrix made of milk proteins where bacteria-matrix interactions occur and play an essential role. In the present study, nanoDSF and MST analyses revealed the remarkable thermal and detergent stability, respectively, of purified native SpaCBA pili and of the corresponding recombinant pilins. Crosslinking experiments have shown that SpaC can directly interact with β-lactoglobulin, the most abundant whey protein in the matrix with a dissociation constant (Kd) around 100 µM. The preservation of SpaCBA pili on protected LGG after spray drying was evidenced. Finally, the improved survival rate of protected LGG by resisting to simulated human digestion was shown compared to unprotected LGG. This study demonstrated that LGG encapsulation in a relevant matrix is mandatory to preserve bacteria viability and functionality after spray drying and to guarantee its preservation during the subsequent human digestion.
How the Experience of California Wildfires Shapes Twitter Climate Change Framings
Authors: Ko Jessie W. Y. , Ni Shengquan , Taylor Alexander K. , Chen Xiusi , Huang Yicong , Kumar Avinash , Alsudais Sadeem , Wang Zuozhi , Liu Xiaozhen , Wang Wei , Li Chen , Hopfer Suellen
Published: March 2023

Climate communication scientists search for effective message strategies to engage the ambivalent public in support of climate advocacy. The personal experience of wildfire is expected to render climate change impacts more concretely, pointing to a potential message strategy to engage the public. This study examined Twitter discourse related to climate change during the onset of 20 wildfires in California between years 2017-2021. We content analyzed tweets geographically and temporally proximal to the occurrence of wildfires to discover framings and examined how mean frequencies in climate framings changed before and after fires. Results identified three predominant climate framings: making explicit links between wildfire and climate change, suggesting climate actions, and attributing climate change to adversities besides wildfires. Mean tweet frequencies linking wildfire with climate change and attributing adversities increased significantly after the onset of fire while urging climate action tweets did not. Temporal analysis of tweet frequencies of tweets linking wildfires to climate change showed that discussion increased after the onset of a fire but persisted typically no more than one to two weeks. External real-world events happening simultaneously during wildfires also triggered climate discussions. Our findings contribute to identifying how the personal experience of wildfire shapes Twitter discussion related to climate change, and how these narratives change over time before and after wildfires, leading to insights into critical time points after wildfire for implementing message strategies to increase public engagement on climate change impacts and policy.
Improving lake chlorophyll-a interpreting accuracy by combing spectral and texture features of remote sensing
Authors: Yang YuFeng , Zhang Xiang , Gao Wei , Zhang Yuan , Hou XiKang
Published: March 2023

Cyanobacterial blooms in lakes fueled by increasing eutrophication have garnered global attention, and high-precision remote sensing retrieval of chlorophyll-a (Chla) is essential for monitoring the blooms. Previous studies have focused on the spectral features extracted from remote sensing images and their relationship with chlorophyll-a concentrations in water bodies, ignoring the texture features in remote sensing images which is beneficial to improve interpreting accuracy. This study explores the texture features in remote-sensing images. It proposes a retrieval method for estimating lake Chla concentration by combining spectral and texture features of remote sensing images. Remote sensing images from Landsat 5, and 8 were used to extract NIR-Red, GREEN-BLUE, MNDWI, and KIVU bands ratio. The gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) of remote sensing images was used to obtain a total of 8 texture features; then three texture indices were calculated using texture features. Finally, a random forest regression was used to establish a retrieval model of in-site Chla concentration from texture and spectral index. Results showed that texture features are significantly correlated with lake Chla concentration, and they can reflect the temporal and spatial distribution change of Chla. The retrieval model combining spectral and texture indices has better performance (R2 = 0.801, RMSE = 16.0 µg·L− 1) than the model without texture features(R2 = 0.746, RMSE = 16.2 µg·L− 1). The proposed model performance varies in different Chla concentration ranges and is excellent in predicting higher concentrations. This study evaluates the potential of incorporating texture features of remote sensing images in lake water quality estimation and provides a novel remote sensing method to better estimate lake Chla concentration.
Gait characteristics of individuals with incomplete cervical spinal cord injury by the wearable gait analysis system
Authors: Tanaka Yousuke , Kadoya Ken , Harmon Satoko Matsumoto , Kikuchi Jun , Nakamura Sachiko , Sato Kiichi , Suda Kota
Published: March 2023

Study design: Quantitative cross-sectional study.
Objectives: Individuals with incomplete cervical spinal cord injury (ICSCI) have balance function. However, the details of the correlation between spatiotemporal gait variables and balance function in ICSCI people remain to be clarified. The objectives of this study were to investigate (1) the difference in gait performance between individuals with ICSCI and control participants, and (2) the correlation between the gait variables and walking speed or the balance function in the ISCI group.
Setting: Hokkaido Spinal Cord Injury Center, Japan.
Methods: Nineteen CSCI individuals who can walk without any devices or assistance and nine control participants performed a 15m walking test and/or the mini-BESTest. The wearable sensor system (Physilog®5) were attached on feet for the analysis of the spatiotemporal gait variables.
Results: While walking speed was not significantly different between the groups, the phase times of loading, foot-flat, and pushing were significantly different. The results of correlation and multivariate regression analysis revealed the loading and foot-flat phases were associated with the balance function, and the pushing phase was an important factor in producing propulsion.
Conclusion: The findings of the present study suggest that individuals with CSCI increased dynamic stability rather than propulsion during the stance phase to achieve a comparable walking speed to healthy individuals.
Identification of key genes associated with age difference in osteoarthritis under weight loss intervention: based on bioinformatics analysis
Authors: Luo Ziyu , Sun Yuyan , Ling Huixian , Zhou Haiqi , Wu Sha , Ngo Namanh , Zhang Changjie , Shen Hongwei , Kong Ying
Published: March 2023

Background
The aim of this study was to identify the key genes that changed after weight loss intervention in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) at different ages by identifying differentially expressed genes (DEGs).
Methods
GSE114007 and GSE158850 gene expression data were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, DEGs were found using R software, and overlapping DEGs were obtained. The results were screened and validated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and boxplot. The immune cell infiltration and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) of the two genes were analyzed.
Results
There were two overlapping DEGs between OA dataset with the young group of obese men who had weight loss intervention, after screening, MAFB was remaining. There were two overlapping DEGS with the aged group, and the remaining one was BPGM. The results of immunological cell infiltration showed that these two genes were associated with macrophages. Enrichment analysis showed that MAFB was associated with the “Linoleic acid metabolism” pathway in both datasets.
Conclusion
MAFB and BPGM may be the therapeutic targets for obese patients with OA, and may be the indicators for evaluating the effectiveness of intervention.
South Asian women’s lived experiences of health care after disclosure of family violence: A qualitative meta-synthesis review
Authors: Baloch Surriya , McLindon Elizabeth , Hameed Mohajer , Hegarty kelsey
Published: March 2023

Introduction: Given the high prevalence of family violence (FV) amongst South Asian women, the experiences and expectations of addressing FV in health care settings is of policy, practice and research interest. Whilst FV is shaped and influenced by various interconnected sociodemographic and cultural factors, it can be addressed in health care settings through identification and response. Methods: This review utilized a systematic methodology to search nine databases up to July 2022. A total of 6,685 records were screened by two reviewers independently based on a priori inclusion and exclusion criteria. A thematic analytical approach guided integration of findings from thirteen qualitative studies. Results: Thematic synthesis of the articles generated three themes (1) I was afraid to share, (2) They just walk away, (3) Understand and listen to my pain. These themes represented the perspectives, feelings, and expectations of South Asian women survivor participants living in South Asia as well as migrant South Asian women. Cultural factors and social obstacles may prevent South Asian women from seeking and using appropriate support services. Additional barriers may include health care providers’ reluctance to address FV with South Asian women because of a lack of cultural knowledge and/or appropriate methods to address FV. South Asian women participants reflected they want health care providers to understand them, acknowledge their discomfort, and provide culturally appropriate strategies and solutions. Conclusion: It is highly recommended that policymakers and health-care providers continue to be mindful of the social and cultural challenges which face South Asian women who experience family violence.
Inhibition of DNMT3B expression in activated hepatic stellate cells overcomes chemoresistance in the tumor microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Song Yeonhwa , Kim Namjeong , Heo Jinyeong , Shum David , Heo Taemoo , Seo Haeng Ran
Published: March 2023

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a complex disease associated with a plethora of environmental and genetic/hereditary causative risk factors, more so than other oncological indications. Additionally, patients with HCC exhibit fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver-related disease. This complicated etiology can affect the disease course and likely contributes to its poor prognosis. In this study, we aimed to improve HCC therapy by evaluating combination treatment using anti-cancer and anti-fibrosis drugs via identification of novel anti-fibrosis drugs. We performed high-throughput screening of 10,000 compounds to identify hepatic fibrosis inhibitors through morphometry analysis of multicellular hepatic spheroid (MCHS) models and identified CHIR-99021 as a candidate anti-fibrotic drug. Treatment with CHIR-99021 induced loss of cell-cell interactions and suppression of extracellular matrix-related protein expression via reprogramming of hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation in MCHSs. In particular, CHIR-99021 regulated DNMT3B expression only in activated HSCs. Moreover, CHIR-99021 markedly improved the efficacy of sorafenib in HCC- multicellular tumor spheroids in vitro and through induction of apoptosis by decreasing DNMT3B expression in vivo. In summary, these findings suggest that targeting HSC reprogramming by attenuation of DNMT3B expression in the tumor environment might represent a promising therapeutic strategy for liver fibrosis and HCC.
Engineering of the temperate Burkholderia phage Milagro for use as a therapeutic
Authors: Yao Guichun , Le Tram , Korn Abby , Peterson Hannah , Liu Mei , Gonzalez Carlos , Gill Jason
Published: March 2023

The Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) causes life-threatening respiratory tract infections in persons with cystic fibrosis (CF). In CF patients, end-stage pulmonary disease often requires lung transplantation. However, pre-transplant colonization with antibiotic-resistant strains of Burkholderia is predictive of poor post-transplant outcomes. To address this issue, phage therapy has been proposed as a treatment of multiple drug resistant bacterial infections. However, the majority of characterized Bcc phages are temperate and are therefore unsuitable for phage therapeutics. Moreover, the few virulent (obligately lytic) phages that have been isolated have extremely limited host ranges, usually restricted to the original host used for isolation. To overcome this limitation, we have engineered a virulent, broad-host range derivative of the temperate phage Milagro, designated Milagro vir gp20:Milo Δcl. The engineered phage has a mutation in the predicted lysogenic repressor binding site, a deletion of the lysogenic repressor gene, and a fusion of the phage tail fiber with the receptor-binding domain of the broad-host range tailocin (bacteriocin) BceTMilo. Phage Milagro vir gp20:Milo Δcl has a substantially expanded host range and is able to infect multiple Bcc species including B. cenocepacia, B. multivorans, B. gladioli and B. vietnamensis. To establish a platform for phage engineering, a CRISPR/Cas9 system was developed in Burkholderia that system allows for direct gene editing of virulent phage.
Assessment of some urban ornamental plants in southern Iran revealed that they choose one of the two enzymatic or non-enzymatic antioxidants defensive strategies against heavy metals
Authors: Amareh Reza , Kaviani Behzad , Sedaghathoor Shahram , Allahyari Mohammad Sadegh
Published: March 2023

Heavy metals (HMs) are one of the most important environmental contaminants. One of the effective approaches to reduce this contamination is phytoremediation. The concentration of ten heavy metals (HMs) including arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), tin (Sn), and zinc (Zn) were measured in ten ornamental plants consisting Ficus religiosa, Ficus elastica, Syzygium cumini, Azadirachta indica, Clerodendrom inerme, Conocarpus erectus, Bougainvillea sp., Delonix regia, Dodonaea viscosa, and Phoenix sp. grown in the city of Bushehr, located in southern Iran. The concentration of HMs was determined by ICP-MS. Some physiological parameters (relative leaf water, dry matter, vitamin C, pH, chlorophyll a, b, and total, carotenoid, anthocyanin, total flavonoid, total protein, total soluble carbohydrates, and proline), and antioxidant enzymes [peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD)] activity were measured. Bougainvillea had greater amount of Zn (61.86 mg/kg D.W.), Cu (45.52 mg/kg D.W.), and Cr (14.71 mg/kg D.W.) than the other HMs. Greatest amount of Co (0.686 mg/kg D.W.), Fe (428.00 mg/kg D.W.), and Ni (6.44 mg/kg D.W.) was obtained in C. erectus. Also, C. inerme had maximum As (0.0087 mg/kg D.W.) and Sn (2.516 mg/kg D.W.). The highest percentage of dry matter (46.03%) in Phoenix, the highest amount of vitamin C (8.50 mg/100 g F.W.), chlorophyll b (7.63 µg/ml), and total flavonoid (3.92 M/g) in S. cumini, and the highest amount of chlorophyll a (14.61 µg/ml), total chlorophyll (21.86 µg/ml), carotenoid (20.83 µg/g F.W.), and anthocyanin (18.81 mg/100 g F.W.) in F. elastica were obtained. The POD activity (1.462 and 1.214 U/g F.W./min) was highest in leaves of C. inerme and F. elastica containing the highest concentrations of As, Sn and Pb, respectively. The SOD activity was high in these two species. Synthesis of osmolytes increased under Co and Sn stresses. D. viscosa was found to contain most total soluble carbohydrates (24.94%) and proline (1.14 µM/g F.W.) concentration compared to other species. The selected plant species followed a defensive strategy (enzymatic or non-enzymatic) against excess of HMs. Overall, shrubs were much more suitable than trees for absorption of HMs, and C. inerme, F. elastica and Bougainvillea are the best plant species in this connection, respectively.
Determinants of Implementing Deprescribing for Older Adults in English Care Homes: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Warmoth Krystal , Rees Jessica , Day Jo , Cockcroft Emma , Aylward Alex , Pollock Lucy , Coxon George , Craig Trudy , Walton Bridget , Stein Ken
Published: March 2023

Background
Care home residents often have multiple long-term conditions and experience polypharmacy. However, some medicines may be unnecessary or may cause more harm than good, especially as residents develop increasing frailty. Previous research has found that deprescribing (the reduction or stopping of prescription medicines that may no longer be providing benefit) is generally safe, but it is not known how to make it work well in care homes. Implementation of deprescribing for care home residents can be challenging due to different stakeholders’ concerns and differences in management structures. The paper reports on an investigation of factors that may help or hinder deprescribing practice within care homes.
Methods
Semi-structured interviews with care home staff, residents, family members, and healthcare professionals were conducted regarding their experiences and perceptions of deprescribing. The design, data collection, and framework analysis were informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research.
Results
Thirty-six semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 care home staff, 8 residents, 4 family members, and 1 general practitioner. Major themes concerned deprescribing as a complex process and internal and external contextual factors influencing deprescribing practice, including beliefs, abilities, and relationships. The quality of local relationships with and support from healthcare professionals were more crucial factors than the type of care home management structure.
Conclusions
Several influencing factors need to be considered for implementing deprescribing for older adults in care homes. Further work is warranted to design and implement a deprescribing approach which addresses these determinants. Deprescribing implemented safely and successfully in care homes can benefit residents and the wider health economy.
Under Pressure: an integrated assessment of human activities and their potential impact on the ecosystem components of the Southern Brazilian continental shelf
Authors: Scherer Marinez E. G. , Sardinha Gabriela Decker , Souza Vitor , Gandra Tiago Borges Ribeiro , Floeter Sergio R. , Liedke Ana M. R. , Rodrigues Amanda Ricci , Bonetti Jarbas , Gomes Vicente , Fernandes Lohengrin , Ferrari Débora S. , Silva Fernanda , Conti Luís Americo , Gasalla Maria A.
Published: March 2023

The economic activities at the South Brazilian Shelf (SBS) are concentrated on the coast causing several impacts. To reconcile biodiversity and habitat conservation in the coastal and marine areas with human activities it is important to identify those sectors and pressures. We conducted an analysis to assess ecosystem risks from multiple drivers and pressures in the continental shelf that extends from the Southernmost point of Brazil (Chuí) to Cabo Frio cape, in Rio de Janeiro State. We used the Integrated Ecosystem Assessment (IEA) methodology, a framework for implementing ecosystem-based management grounded on five steps: scoping, indicator development, ecosystem assessment, risk analysis, and management strategy evaluation. This work developed the scoping step consisting of an assessment tracing sector–pressure–ecological component pressure pathways. Subsequently, links were scored regarding their level of overlap on each ecosystem component, frequency and degree of impact, estimating the magnitude of impact risk of each one of the sectors. The assessment was done involving 20 experts from several backgrounds. In order to validate the results, a literature review was conducted and further discussion with relevant stakeholders took place. As a result, 16 sectors and 19 pressures were assessed to impact 18 ecological components. Fishing, land-based industry, tourism and recreation, the lack of wastewater treatment and coastal infrastructure represented the main economic sectors impacting the area. The major associated pressures were the incidental catch of species, the introduction of contaminants and organic matter into the water, and the generation of waste. The most affected ecosystems, in turn, were those located closer to the coast, such as mangroves, saltmarshes and rocky reefs while the preeminent impacted taxonomic groups were the elasmobranchs, seabirds, reptiles, mammals and bony fish. The literature review corroborated the scenario projected by the experts and the stakeholders’ workshop endorsed the results found. The methodology indicated the most relevant pressures caused by human activities, with more significant impacts related to activities closest to the coastline. Also, it draws attention to the need for the elaboration of public policies that contemplate and support impact reduction of the most important sectors, identifying the priorities for coastal and marine management.
An interesting case of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome with pre-excited atrial fibrillation
Authors: Agrawal Naman , Ameena Salva , Joshi Shrirang , Agarwal Radhika
Published: March 2023

Background: Atrial fibrillation with accessory pathway can present with confounding ECG findings leading to inaccurate diagnosis sometimes leading to fatal outcomes. Treatment with AV nodal blockers is contra-indicated in pre-excited atrial fibrillation as it can lead to fatal ventricular arrythmia.
Case Presentation: A 72-year-old female presenting with acute onset palpitations, chest discomfort, shortness of breath and light-headedness with similar past episodes was initially diagnosed to have atrial fibrillation. An ECG after metoprolol administration revealed the features of pre-excitation and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. A repeat episode of tachyarrhythmia was terminated with electrical cardioversion and patient was followed-up in cardiology for radiofrequency ablation.
Conclusion: A bizarre ECG with irregular wide complex tachycardia with QRS of varied shape and amplitude and sustained rates surpassing 200 beats per minute, suspicion of WPW syndrome with pre-excited AF should be considered. It is difficult to distinguish from polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, although electrical cardioversion is the primary therapy when hemodynamically unstable.
Power Quality Improvement in Distribution System Using Solar Fed Cuk Integrated Boost Converter
Authors: R Senthil Kumar , Joseph Deepthi , B Kavya Santhoshi , k Prabaakaran
Published: March 2023

Recently, Power Quality (PQ) issues have emerged to be acritical problem faced by the distributed power system on account of its several forms and frequencies of occurrence. Thereby, the integration of the distributed generation of Photovoltaic (PV) with Unified Power Quality Conditioner (UPQC) is recommended in this work with the intension towards improvement of quality of power delivered to the customers. Also leading to the development of a novel grid tied PV design that avoids any unfavourable voltage or current situation in distributed power system. The series compensator of the UPQC addresses voltage-related challenges, while the shunt compensator of the UPQC handles current-related challenges. The interfacing of the PV to the UPQC is accomplished using the Cuk Integrated Boost Converter (CIBC)and the optimum extraction of PV power is ensured with the application of Cascaded Type-2 Fuzzy Logic Controller (CT2FLC) based Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) technique. The control of the UPQC is done using Fuzzy tuned Adaptive PI controller in addition to Convolution Neural Network (CNN) assisted DQ theory. The dynamic nature of the presented approach in terms of compensation capability and dc-bus stability is assessed through MATLAB simulation and experimental verification.
Delayed impact of El Niño on the spring Surface Air Temperature over India
Authors: Sambasivarao Velivelli , Satyanarayana G China , Chowdary Jasti S , Rao K Koteswara , Parekh Anant , Gnanaseelan Chellappan
Published: March 2023

Air temperature variability and prediction is important considering the potential implications on human health, water resources management, agriculture and land–atmosphere interaction. In this paper, we investigate the delayed influence of El Niño on spring Surface Air Temperature (SAT) variability over India using observations and assessed its predictability in coupled climate models. Analysis suggests that El Niño, at its decaying phase, exerts strong influence on the spring SAT over India. It is found that SAT over India is abnormally warmer, especially over southern peninsular India in the El Niño decaying spring. It is found that this strong SAT warming is mainly induced by anomalous anticyclonic circulation extending from the Western North Pacific (WNP) region to southern peninsular India. This anomalous anticyclone induced downdraft reduces the specific humidity anomalies in the lower troposphere and leads to decreased cloud cover over the southern peninsular India. As a result of this, shortwave radiation is enhanced at the surface, which causes anomalous SAT warming over India. It is found that 60% years out of top 10 warmest years over the southern peninsular India correspond to the decaying phase of El Niño, suggesting the importance of the present study. It is also found that the strong SAT warming over southern peninsular India aids to increase Discomfort Index (above 28 and 30oC hours/day) and Universal Thermal Climate Index during El Niño decaying spring years. Further, we have examined the predictability of the spring SAT during decaying El Niño years based on the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Climate Center (APCC) models. It is noted that most of the APCC models reasonably well predicted the spatial distribution of warm SAT over India during the El Niño decaying spring season at 1 and 3 month leads. This study highlights the predictability of spring SAT a season in advance over India, which would in turn help in planning better adaptation and mitigation strategies.
De-Identification of Clinical Notes with Pseudo-labeling using Regular Expression Rules and Pre-trained BERT
Authors: An Jiyong , Kim Jiyun , Sunwoo Leonard , Baek Hyunyoung , Yoo Sooyoung , Lee Seunggeun
Published: March 2023

Background: De-identification of clinical notes is essential to utilize the rich information in unstructured text data in medical research. However, only limited work has been done in removing personal information from clinical notes in Korea.
Objective: In this study, we aimed to perform de-identifying of radiology reports in Seoul National University, Bundang Hospital, a tertiary university hospital in South Korea.
Methods: We used two de-identification strategies to improve performance with limited and few annotated data. First, a rule-based approach is used to construct regular expressions on the 1,112 notes annotated by domain experts. Second, by using the regular expressions as label-er, we applied a semi-supervised approach to fine-tune a pre-trained Korean BERT model with pseudo-labeled notes.
Results: Our rule-based approach achieved 97.2% precision, 93.7% recall, and 96.2% F1 score from the department of radiology notes. For machine learning approach,KoBERT-NER that is fine-tuned with 32,000 automatically pseudo-labeled notes achieved 96.5% precision, 97.6% recall, and 97.1% F1 score.
Conclusion: By combining a rule-based approach and machine learning in a semi-supervised way, our results show that the performance of de-identification can be improved.
A multi-PR&PSGS approach for distributed multi-project scheduling
Authors: HU FANG-YONG , Guo Xiaojian , Xiao Shunan
Published: March 2023

The research on the Distributed Resource Constrained Multi-Project Scheduling Problem (DRCMPSP) has gained significant importance. As a result, a Multi-PR&PSGS approach has been proposed. During the decision stage, a LFT & CPM algorithm is developed from the local decision-making perspective of each local project manager to generate a set of activities that can be scheduled while satisfying local resource constraints. Then, a Multi-PR heuristic algorithm that takes into account historical optimal simulation results of the Total Tardiness Cost (TTC) is used by the global project manager to obtain an optimal set of activities for scheduling. The proposed approach was tested using 140 benchmark problem instances from the Multi-Project Scheduling Problem Library (MPSPLIB). The computational results demonstrate that the proposed approach, consisting of a LFT & CPM algorithm and a Multi-PR & Simulation algorithm, can achieve a lower TTC compared to other existing methods for the DRCMPSP. Additionally, the longest CPU running time for the problem instances of MP120_20AC is 164.33s, making the approach a good choice for managing the DRCMPSP.
Helicobacter pylori infection accelerates gastric cancer development by acting on the miR-146a-5p/FHL1 axis
Authors: Ju Feng , Peng Jin-bang , Zhang Ying-ying , Zhou Lu , Yao Shang-zhi , Wang Dong , Zhu Yan-hong , Liu Jun , Li Lei , Bao Jun-feng , Tang Shuan
Published: March 2023

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is a common malignancy globally. The main risk factor for GC is Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. miR-146a-5p regulates vital functions in numerous human cancers. However, miR-146a-5p's impacts on H. pylori-associated GC have not been fully elucidated.
Objective This study aim to explore the role of miR-146a-5p in H. pylori-associated GC and identify the downstream pathway through which it facilitates the progression of GC.
Methods: miRNAs relevant to H. pylori and GC were obtained from the GeneCards, miRTarBase, and ENCORI databases. Its expressions in H. pylori-induced GC were examined using quantitative real-time PCR. Cell Counting Kit-8, clone formation analysis, scratch wound healing analysis, Transwell analysis, flow cytometry, and western blot assays were performed to assess the role of miR-146a-5p in H. pylori-associated GC. Besides, a dual-luciferase reporter assay was carried out to assess the mechanism of miR-146a-5p in GC.
Results: miR-146a-5p was highly expressed in H. pylori-infected GC cell lines. Functionally, H. pylori infection induced the proliferation, metastasis, and migratory abilities of GC cell lines via increasing the expression level of miR-146a-5p. Mechanistically, miR-146a-5p targets the "Four and a Half LIM Domains 1 (FHL1) gene. Subsequent assays further authenticated that H. pylori increased GC cells' proliferation by enhancing the expression of miR-146a-5p and decreasing the expression of FHL1.
Conclusion:miR-146a-5p could be the future diagnostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target for H. pylori-induced GC as it aggravates GC development via upregulation of miR-146a-5p.
Illegal Trade of Pangolins in India With International Trade Links: An Analysis of Seizures From 1991 to 2022
Authors: Gomez Lalita , Joseph Tito , Heinrich Sarah , Wright Belinda , D’Cruze Neil
Published: March 2023

Pangolins have become one of the most intensely poached and trafficked mammal species, exploited mainly for the food and traditional medicine trade. Intense and continued illegal exploitation for commercial trade has become the leading cause of pangolin declines in parts of Asia and Africa. Recent research has illustrated the growing threat this poses to pangolins in India. India is home to two species of pangolin, the Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata and the Chinese Pangolin M. pentadactyla, which have been assessed as Endangered and Critically Endangered respectively. Pngolin seizures in India between 1991 and 2022 were analysed to gain a better understanding of illegal trade dynamics. A total of 426 seizures were collated, involving an estimated 8,603 pangolins. The frequency of pangolin seizures increased over time as did the volume of estimated pangolins seized. This could be due to a range of different factors including rising poaching and trade levels, increased law enforcement and reporting, as well as awareness. Nevertheless, Wildlife Protection Society of India's investigations strongly indicate that the escalating poaching and trade in pangolins is driven by lucrative market demands from beyond India’s borders, with a growing focus on the trade in live pangolins. Enforcement efforts appear to be undermined by low prosecution rates with only 1.4% of recorded seizures resulting in successful convictions. Asian pangolins have rapidly disappeared from their natural range and been locally extirpated in many parts of East and Southeast Asia. India’s pangolin species are at similar risk if poaching and trafficking levels continue unmitigated.
Electrocardiographic markers of adverse left ventricular remodeling and myocardial fibrosis in severe aortic stenosis
Authors: Balčiūnaitė Giedrė , Rudinskaitė Ieva , Palionis Darius , Besusparis Justinas , Žurauskas Edvardas , Valevičienė Nomeda , Janušauskas Vilius , Zorinas Aleksejus , Ručinskas Kęstutis , Sogaard Peter , Glaveckaitė Sigita
Published: March 2023

Background.
The optimal timing for aortic valve replacement (AVR) in aortic stenosis (AS) is still controversial and may be guided by markers of adverse left ventricular (LV) remodeling. We aim to assess electrocardiographic (ECG) strain patterns in relation to adverse LV remodeling and myocardial fibrosis.
Methods.
A total of 83 symptomatic severe AS patients (age 66.5 ± 8.6, 42% male) scheduled for surgical AVR underwent preoperative cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) with T1 mapping and echocardiography with global longitudinal strain (GLS) analysis. Collagen volume fraction (CVF) was measured in myocardial biopsies (71) sampled at the time of AVR. The 12-lead ECG was performed preoperatively and 3 and 12 months postoperatively.
Results.
ECG strain-positive patients (prevalence of 43.4%) had more severe AS, increased LV mass, higher levels of brain natriuretic peptides (BNP) and high-sensitivity troponin I, lower GLS, and lower LV ejection fraction (LVEF). Patients with ECG strain had more diffuse fibrosis, as evident by higher native T1 values (974.8 ± 33.6 ms vs 946.5 ± 28.2 ms, p < 0.001). ECG strain was the only predictor of increased LV mass index on multivariate regression analysis (OR = 7.10, 95% CI 1.46–34.48, p = 0.015). Patients with persistent ECG strain at 1 year following AVR had larger LV volumes and mass, lower GLS, lower LVEF, higher BNP levels, and more histological fibrosis (CVF 12.5% vs. 7.3%, p = 0.009) at baseline assessment.
Conclusion.
ECG strain is a marker of adverse structural and functional LV remodeling and interstitial myocardial fibrosis. Lack of improvement in ECG strain following AVR indicates more advanced baseline LV injury and higher levels of myocardial fibrosis.
Multi-armed Bandits for Performance Marketing
Authors: Gigli Marco , Stella Fabio
Published: March 2023

This paper deals with the problem of optimising bids and budgets of a digital advertising portfolio. We improve on the current state of the art by introducing support for multi-ad group marketing campaigns and developing a highly data efficient parametric contextual bandit. The bandit, which exploits domain knowledge to reduce the exploration space, is shown to be effective under the following settings; few clicks and/or small conversion rate, short horizon scenarios, rapidly changing markets and low budget. Furthermore, a Bootstrapped Thompson Sampling algorithm is adapted to fit the parametric bandit. Extensive numerical experiments, performed on synthetic and real world data, show that, on average, the parametric bandit gains more conversions than state of the art bandits. Gains in performance are particularly high when an optimisation algorithm is needed the most, i.e. with tight budget or many ad groups, though gains are present also in the case of a single ad group.
Unconventional Products for COVID-19 Prevention: Practices, Experiences and Perceptions of Frontline Workers in Borno State, Nigeria
Authors: Balami Ahmed Dahiru , Mustapha Mohammed Abba , Nikau Jamilu , Akor Salamatu Silvia , Abiola Olubiyi Olubunmi
Published: March 2023

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic had come with a lot of rumours, some of which had suggested the use of unconventional methods for self-protection against the disease. With regards to health behaviour, people in the community generally consider health workers as role models, occasionally using the behaviour of health workers to validate even unhealthy practices. This study aimed at exploring the misuse of unconventional products for self-protection against COVID-19 by frontline health workers.
Methods: Questionnaire surveys as well as in-depth interviews were conducted among COVID-19 frontline health workers in Maiduguri, Nigeria. Standardised questionnaire and interview guides developed based on the health belief model were used to collect information from the respondents. The quantitative data obtained from the survey were analysed statistically to determine the predictors of using those products while thematic analysis was conducted for the qualitative data from the interviews.
Results: A total of 225 frontline workers answered the survey, majority (65.3%) were males. Almost all of them (89.3%) had education above secondary school level, with 45.8% having over 10 years of working experience. Regarding perceived susceptibility, 92.4% of the respondents believed that their work placed them at a higher risk of contracting the disease and 89.3% believed that COVID-19 was a severe disease. As for perceived benefits and barriers, 49.3% believed that those unconventional products could be beneficial and 48.9% believed that they could result in harmful consequences. During the interviews however, none of them agreed that taking those products were beneficial.
Half of the respondents (50.7%) reported they had taken some unconventional medications/products, majorly garlic, Chloroquine, and Vitamin C to protect themselves from COVID-19. Belief that those unconventional products were beneficial (OR = 2.37; 95% CI: 1.29 – 4.37) and having had COVID-like symptoms (OR = 3.63, 95% CI: 1.87 – 7.03), were predictors of unconventional medications/products misuse.
Conclusions: The prevalence of misuse of unconventional products for COVID-19 prevention was high among the frontline workers in this study. This could adversely affect efforts by health authorities in discouraging the public from abusing them. Intervention programmes aimed at promoting desirable health behaviours should thus start by targeting frontline workers.
Controlling large numbers with smaller ones in the Collatz conjecture: an outline
Authors: Çiftçi Ünver
Published: March 2023

We report on our observations and progress on the 3n + 1 problem, and then point out keys to a proof. Our consideration depends on keeping track of the number of digits of binary numbers by looking at examples. We show that for a large number, it is possible to understand the long time behaviour by looking at the ending digits.
2010 MSC: 00A05, 11-04
Ethyl tetratriacontanoate and non-polar compounds from Mitragyna inermisstem bark
Authors: Ouédraogo Relwendé Justin , Shaheen Farzana , Ouattara Lassina , Ouedraogo Georges Anicet
Published: March 2023

Mitragyna inermis is widely reported for its biological activities and phytochemical components. In this report, we investigated, the non-polar compounds from stem bark by thin layer chromatography and GC-MS analysis. The thin layer chromatography on DCM fraction yielded ethyl tetratriacontanoate (1’). That compound is on the first isolation from M. inermis. Besides, gas chromatography allowed identification of thirteen major compounds as well as alkanes, phytol, esters, ester-alcohol, carboxylic acids, ester-carboxylic acids and cyanate. All compounds are on the first report on M. inermis and most are fatty acids and essential oils. These compounds might contribute to stem potent antioxidant, antidiabetic and antimicrobial effects. Further investigation for drug research with these non-polar compounds might allow to know their specific activities.
Performance of Concrete Using Shredded Waste Plastics as Replacement for Coarse Aggregate
Authors: Afrifa Russel Owusu , Nanor Ezekiel Sackitey , Aboah Armstrong
Published: March 2023

Plastic waste management remains a challenge for city authorities in Ghana. This is due to high usage of plastic products coupled with the inadequate infrastructure for waste management. Utilization of some of these waste plastic materials in different fields could have numerous benefits including the reduction in the environmental challenges associated with the disposal of plastics. This paper presents an experimental investigation into the workability and strength properties of concrete using different percentages of shredded waste plastics as partial replacement for natural coarse aggregate. To achieve this, a standard mix design for a 25MPa concrete was used. One control mix and four different concrete mixes with varying percentages of shredded waste plastic (5%, 10%, 15% ,20%) by weight of coarse aggregate were used to produce 72 cubes, 36 cylindrical specimens and 18 beams. These specimens were cured and tested for compressive strength, split tensile strength and flexural strength respectively per the standards. From the experimental results obtained, workability of concrete decreased significantly with increase in proportion of shredded waste plastic aggregates. The results on strength properties indicate that compressive strength, split tensile strength and flexural strength also decreases with increase in proportion of shredded waste plastics. However, at 28 days, the target strength of 25MPa was achieved by the control concrete mix and the 5% shredded waste plastic concret. Also, concrete beam specimens containing shredded waste plastic aggregates exhibited a more ductile failure behaviour compared to the concrete without waste plastics aggregate.
DNA extraction method from a seed without damaging to germination ability in maize (Zea mays L.)
Authors: Kim Jae-Hong , Kim Ji Won , Jung Minah , Yi Gibum
Published: March 2023

Background: In order to preserve excellent genetic resources and exploit them to breed better cultivars for global food security, various studies on maize are underway. Maize also provide great materials for genetic studies which are accompanied with genotyping and phenotyping. DNA extraction is an essential process for those studies. Extracting DNA from young leaves in seedling stage is advantageous because it causes less damage to remaining plant which can be further used for phenotypic analysis. Seed DNA extraction is even more advantageous in terms of saving time, labor, space, and cost for germination.
Results: We present seed DNA extraction method which does not cause damage the seed’s germination ability. DNA was extracted using CTAB method or a commercial DNA extraction kit from the seed fragment, and the quantity and quality of the DNA were examined. Seed germination was tested for proportional seed cuts at 0%, 10%, 30%, and 50% of the distal end of a seed, proportionally by weight. Extracting DNA from the distal seed fragments resulted in high-quality and sufficient amount of DNA. Germination rates were not significantly reduced when seed cuts were made at 10% or 30% of seed’s weight.
Conclusions: The DNA extraction method from seeds can be an efficient way to obtain samples for genotyping and phenotyping, and this method can be applied to high-throughput DNA extraction in maize and possibly to other smaller seeds.
Grzegorczyk and Whitehead points: the story continues
Authors: Gruszczyński Rafał , Martinez Santiago Jockwich
Published: March 2023

One of the main goals of region-based theories of space is to formulate a geometrically appealing definition of points. The paper is devoted to the analysis of two such seminal definitions: Alfred N. Whitehead’s (1929) and Andrzej Grzegorczyk’s (1960). Relying on the work of Loredana Biacino’s and Ginagiacomo Gerla’s (1996), we improve their results, solve some open problems concerning the mutual relationship between Whitehead and Grzegorczyk points, and put forward open problems for future investigation.
MSC: 00A30, 03G05, 06E25.
Contour integration for the exchange of radiant energy between rectangular geometries
Authors: Camaraza-Medina yanan , hernandez-Guerrero abel , Luviano-Ortiz Jose L
Published: March 2023

View factor calculation is a key point in radiation heat transfer between surfaces. In thermal engineering it is required to compute the view factor between complex geometries, which include several parallel and inclined surfaces. Currently, no analytical expressions are available for this purpose, so the use of Summation and Reciprocity Rules (SR) is required, however, when analyzing complex geometries, the handling of SR is extremely laborious. Therefore, this work aims to develop an equation for the calculation of the view factor in the radiative heat transfer of two arbitrary rectangular inclined or parallel surfaces, using the advantages provided by vector calculus. The exact solutions obtained with contour integration were compared with the values calculated via the Algebra Factor (AF) using the Hottel and Hamilton-Morgan Solution and with the results computed from numerical integration of the quadruple integral using Simpson's rule 1/3 with five intervals. The lack of similar precedents in the technical literature reinforces the practical and scientific nature of the proposed method of analysis.