bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An endpoint visualization loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for detecting bubaline theileriosis
Authors: Kumar Sanjeev , Paliwal Sanjhi , Sudan Vikrant , Shanker Daya , Singh Shanker Kumar
Published: May 2022

Background

Tropical theileriosis is a significant disease affecting the health and production levels of buffaloes in India. It is caused by an apicomplexan—Theileria annulata.The timely and accurate detection of infection is vital for implementing a mass vaccination or control programme in a given area under outbreak. Most of the literature concerned with diagnosis of theileriosis revolves around cattle, and practically, there are very limited assays available for detecting bubaline theileriosis. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay certainly amplifies the targeted deoxyribosenucleic acid (DNA) with a comparatively higher efficacy, rapidity and sensitivity. Alongside, minimal use of sophisticated instruments in performing LAMP assay is certainly an add on. The present study describes the application of LAMP assay in diagnosing tropical theileriosis in buffaloes alongside, its comparison with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and blood microscopical examination.

Results

No cross-reaction was seen with DNA of other haemoprotozoan. LAMP was compared with blood microscopy and PCR. LAMP detected infection in 27 out of 100 buffaloes, while blood microscopy and PCR detected disease in 16 and 24 buffaloes, respectively.

Conclusion

The sensitivity, specificity and kappa value prediction of LAMP were found to be much higher than the PCR and blood microscopy. The present communication reports the first use of LAMP in detecting theileriosis in buffaloes in the world.
Future climate change impacts on common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) phenology and yield with crop management options in Amhara Region, Ethiopia
Authors: Mohammed Adem , Feleke Estifanos
Published: May 2022

Food insecurity is a recurrent feature of the Ethiopian drylands. The risk of food insecurity has been aggravated by climate variability, climate change, population pressure, and subsistence agricultural practices. In Ethiopia, common bean is the main source of protein for people who do not get access to animal protein. The national average yield in Ethiopia is 1600 kg ha−1 which is far below yield at research sites (3000 kg ha−1) mainly due to drought, low soil fertility and lack of improved agronomic practices. A simulation study was conducted with the objectives (1) to calibrate and evaluate the CROPGRO-dry bean model of DSSAT for simulating phenology, growth and yield of common bean (2) to assess impacts of future climate on phenology and yield (3) to explore climate adaptive strategies for common bean. Three sowing dates (early, normal and late) and two water regime (rainfed and irrigated) were evaluated as climate adaptive measures. Results of model calibration indicated that the crop genetic coefficients were properly estimated. The RMSE, R2 and d-index values for days to flowering in the model evaluation phase were 2.42 days, 0.76 and 0.82, respectively. The RMSE, R2 and d-index values for days to physiological maturity were 3.19 days, 0.70 and 0.87, respectively while the values for grain yield were 113.7 kg ha−1, 0.95 and 0.89 for the respective parameters. The impact analysis showed that both days to flowering and days to maturity may decrease in 2030s and 2050s at both sites and under both RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios as compared to the simulated values for the baseline period (1981–2010) but the decrease is not statistically significant. On the other hand, grain yield may significantly increase by 11% in 2030s under RCP8.5 scenario and by 9.2% and 21.1% in 2050s under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 climate scenarios respectively. The highest significant increase in grain yield may be obtained from the early sowing (SSD − 15 days) combined with supplemental irrigation which may increase yield by 89%, 71% and 56% for the baseline period, 2030s and 2050s, respectively. However, the pattern of climate changes and the nature of crop stressors may change overtime. Thus, understanding the cumulative effects of these factors may help to develop climate resilient cropping systems in the study region.
Fluid pressure monitoring during hydraulic testing in faulted Opalinus Clay using seismic velocity observations
Authors: Grab Melchior , Rinaldi Antonio P. , Wenning Quinn C. , Hellmann Sebastian , Roques Clément , Obermann Anne C. , Maurer Hansruedi , Giardini Domenico , Wiemer Stefan , Nussbaum Christophe , Zappone Alba
Published: May 2022

Carbon capture and storage in geologic reservoirs is essential to mitigate carbon dioxide emissions, but it is only effective if long-term storage is ensured and no leakage occurs, for example, through unknown faults in the caprock that seals the reservoir. To test how the integrity of a caprock can be monitored noninvasively, the authors conducted an injection experiment directly into a faulted caprock analog at the Mont Terri Rock Laboratory. The authors monitored the experiment using active seismic techniques, along with strain, fluid pressure, and microseismicity measurements. Pulse injection with pressures of up to 4.8 MPa caused a perturbation of effective stress, which we observed through a reduction of seismic P-wave velocities by approximately 1%. This perturbation was not sensed by means of microseismicity, even though a sudden pressure drop indicated that the injection caused the opening of some fractures within the fault zone. Substantial rock deformation also was only detected at the injection borehole but not in surrounding monitoring boreholes. Thus, with seismic velocity monitoring, processes can be detected within a faulted caprock for which other methods may be blind. This demonstrates the value of seismic velocity monitoring as a tool to complement a monitoring system.
Telehealth, Social Media, Patient Empowerment, and Physician Burnout: Seeking Middle Ground
Authors: Mano Max S. , Morgan Gilberto
Published: May 2022

The digital revolution is an ongoing process that has nevertheless profoundly affected century-old medical practice. Digitalization has many facets, ranging from telehealth to social media and even new instant communication devices, each of which affect both patients’ and physicians’ realities. Although the benefits of developments such as telehealth and novel applications of social media to medicine are more easily perceived by all stakeholders, they still have their own hurdles and risks, such as coldness and impersonal treatment in telehealth, and misinformation on social media. The widespread digitalization of health records has greatly facilitated patient access to health information, becoming a major patient empowerment tool; however, some forms of unrestricted access, such as to test results—in particular, prior to consultations—have unclear benefits to patients with cancer and have also become a hurdle for care teams. In addition, the advent of instant messaging, which is revolutionizing personal communication in many cultures, is gradually affecting patient-physician communication and, combined with unrestricted patient access to test results, is creating new challenges for physicians. How these transformations are affecting patients themselves and physicians’ well-being and mental health are matters addressed in this text. Last, to address potential biases in an article written by two oncologists, and in line with this year’s ASCO presidential theme of including a diversity of voices, we decided to give voice to patients with cancer by collecting the opinions of high-profile patient advocates about the controversial topics addressed in this text.
New Directions for Mantle Cell Lymphoma in 2022
Authors: Kumar Anita , Eyre Toby A. , Lewis Katharine L. , Thompson Meghan C. , Cheah Chan Y.
Published: May 2022

Mantle cell lymphoma is a rare B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma that is clinically and biologically heterogeneous. Risk stratification at the time of diagnosis is critical. One of the most powerful prognostic indices is the Mantle Cell Lymphoma International Prognostic Index-Combined, which integrates an estimate of proliferation (Ki67 index) with the standard Mantle Cell Lymphoma International Prognostic Index clinical factors. In addition, the presence of TP53 mutation is associated with suboptimal response to intensive chemoimmunotherapy and particularly dismal survival outcomes. Given their excellent activity in the relapsed/refractory setting, increasingly, biologically targeted therapeutics—such as covalent Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors, lenalidomide, and venetoclax—are being incorporated into “chemotherapy-free” regimens and in combination with established chemoimmunotherapy backbones for treatment-naïve mantle cell lymphoma. In addition, risk-adapted treatment programs are increasingly being studied. These programs tailor treatment according to baseline prognostic factors (e.g., presence of TP53 mutation) and may incorporate biomarkers of response such as minimal residual disease assessment. Although still investigational, these studies present an opportunity to move beyond the biology-agnostic, historical fitness-based treatment selection paradigm and toward a more personalized, tailored treatment approach in mantle cell lymphoma. After Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor failure, many promising standard or investigational therapies exist, including CAR T-cell therapy (including brexucabtagene autoleucel and lisocabtagene maraleucel), bispecific antibody therapy targeting CD20-CD3, zilovertamab vedotin (an antibody-drug conjugate that targets ROR1), and the noncovalent Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor pirtobrutinib. These new therapies show promising efficacy, even among high-risk patients, and will likely translate to improvements in survival outcomes for patients with progressive mantle cell lymphoma following treatment with a Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor.
More to the RAS Story: KRASG12C Inhibition, Resistance Mechanisms, and Moving Beyond KRASG12C
Authors: Lietman Caressa D. , Johnson Melissa L. , McCormick Frank , Lindsay Colin R.
Published: May 2022

Despite the discovery of RAS oncogenes in human tumor DNA 40 years ago, the development of effective targeted therapies directed against RAS has lagged behind those more successful advancements in the field of therapeutic tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting other oncogenes such as EGFR, ALK, and ROS1. The discoveries that (1) malignant RAS oncogenes differ from their wild-type counterparts by only a single amino acid change and (2) covalent inhibition of the cysteine residue at codon 12 of KRASG12C in its inactive GDP-bound state resulted in effective inhibition of oncogenic RAS signaling and have catalyzed a dramatic shift in mindset toward KRAS-driven cancers. Although the development of allele-selective KRASG12C inhibitors has changed a treatment paradigm, the clinical activity of these agents is more modest than tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting other oncogene-driven cancers. Heterogeneous resistance mechanisms generally result in the restoration of RAS/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway signaling. Many approaches are being evaluated to overcome this resistance, with many combinatorial clinical trials ongoing. Furthermore, because KRASG12D and KRASG12V are more prevalent than KRASG12C, there remains an unmet need for additional therapeutic strategies for these patients. Thus, our current translational standing could be described as “the end of the beginning,” with additional discovery and research innovation needed to address the enormous disease burden imposed by RAS-mutant cancers. Here, we describe the development of KRASG12C inhibitors, the challenges of resistance to these inhibitors, strategies to mitigate that resistance, and new approaches being taken to address other RAS-mutant cancers.
Treatment Sequencing in Resectable Lung Cancer: The Good and the Bad of Adjuvant Versus Neoadjuvant Therapy
Authors: Provencio Mariano , Calvo Virginia , Romero Atocha , Spicer Jonathan D. , Cruz-Bermúdez Alberto
Published: May 2022

The treatment scenario for patients with resectable non–small cell lung cancer has changed dramatically with the incorporation of immunotherapy. The introduction of immunotherapy into treatment algorithms has yielded improved clinical outcomes in several phase II and III trials in both adjuvant (Impower010 and PEARLS) and neoadjuvant settings (JHU/MSK, LCMC3, NEOSTAR, Columbia/MGH, NADIM, and CheckMate-816), leading to new U.S. Food and Drug Administration approvals in this sense. Different treatment options are now available for patients, making the optimal treatment scenario a matter of intense debate. In this review, we summarize the main results concerning treatment sequencing in resectable non–small cell lung cancer from the past 30 years in the preimmunotherapy era, focusing on recent advances after incorporation of immunotherapy. Finally, the utility of several parameters (PD-L1, tumor mutational burden, radiomics, circulating tumor DNA, T-cell receptor, and immune populations) as predictive biomarkers for therapy personalization is discussed.
Long-Term Outcomes and Safety Trends of Autologous Stem-Cell Transplantation in Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Report From A Tertiary Care Center in India
Authors: Kumar Sudhir , Sharma Atul , Pramanik Raja , Pathak Neha , Gogia Ajay , Kumar Akash , Kayal Smita , Sharma Vinod , Sahoo Ranjit Kumar , Thulkar Sanjay , Sharma M.C. , Gupta Ritu , Mallick Soumya , Thomas Mercy , Raina Vinod
Published: May 2022

PURPOSE

Published experience with autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) from the Indian subcontinent is extremely limited. Here, we describe the activity and outcomes of this treatment modality at a large tertiary care center in India.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed adult patients with NHL who were eligible for ASCT and autografted between January 1, 2002, and December 15, 2020, at our transplant unit. Toxicities, complications, and long-term outcomes were compared between patients who underwent transplant during 2002-2012 (group A) and 2013-2020 (group B).

RESULTS

Overall, 80 patients (group A, n = 37; group B, n = 43) underwent ASCT using peripheral blood stem cells. At a median follow-up of 57.6 months, the 5-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were 43.5% and 47.6%, respectively, for all patients. More recently (group B), patients had reduced 100-day transplant-related mortality (2.3% v 21.6%, P < .01), improved 3-year EFS (52.9% v 37.3%, P = .04), and superior OS (at 3-year; 63.4% v 43.2%, P = .02). Patients in group B also tolerated the procedure better, with improved resource utilization. In multivariate analysis, an International Prognostic Index (IPI) ≥ 3 at diagnosis adversely affected EFS (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.82, P = .009) and OS (HR = 2.84, P = .01) after ASCT. Low pretransplant serum albumin levels were associated with inferior EFS (HR = 2.68, P = .02) and transplant-related mortality (odds ratio = 10.80, P = .02) after ASCT.

CONCLUSION

It is feasible to achieve comparable short- and long-term outcomes in patients with NHL undergoing ASCT in a resource-poor country with improved supportive care and expertise of the transplant team and center.
The PCOS GWAS Candidate Gene ZNF217 Influences Theca Cell Expression of DENND1A.V2, CYP17A1, and Androgen Production
Authors: Waterbury Jamaia S , Teves Maria E , Gaynor Alison , Han Angela X , Mavodza Grace , Newell Jordan , Strauss Jerome F , McAllister Jan M
Published: May 2022

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a common endocrine disorder of women, is characterized by increased ovarian androgen production and anovulatory infertility. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified more than 20 PCOS candidate loci. One GWAS candidate locus encompasses ZNF217, a zinc finger transcription factor. Immunohistochemical staining of ovarian tissue demonstrated significantly lower staining intensity for ZNF217 protein in PCOS theca interna compared to ovarian tissue from normal ovulatory women. Immunofluorescence staining of normal and PCOS theca cells demonstrated nuclear localization of ZNF217, with lower intensity in PCOS cells. Western blotting showed reduced ZNF217 protein in PCOS theca cells compared to normal theca cells, and that treatment with forskolin, which mimics the action of luteinizing hormone (LH), reduces ZNF217 expression. Lower ZNF217 expression in PCOS theca cells was confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Notably, there was an inverse relationship between ZNF217 messenger RNA (mRNA) levels and theca cell androgen (dehydroepiandrosterone; DHEA) synthesis. The abundance of mRNA encoding a splice variant of DENND1A (DENND1A.V2), a PCOS candidate gene that positively regulates androgen biosynthesis, was also inversely related to ZNF217 mRNA levels. This relationship may be driven by increased miR-130b-3p, which targets DENND1A.V2 transcripts and is directly correlated with ZNF217 expression. Forced expression of ZNF217 in PCOS theca cells reduced androgen production, CYP17A1 and DENND1A.V2 mRNA, while increasing mIR-130b-3p. Conversely, knockdown of ZNF217 in normal theca cells with short hairpin RNA–expressing lentivirus particles increased DENND1A.V2 and CYP17A1 mRNA. These observations suggest that ZNF217 is part of a network of PCOS candidate genes regulating thecal cell androgen production involving DENND1A.V2 and miR-130b-3p.
ALKBH5 regulates somatic cell reprogramming in a phase-specific manner
Authors: Khodeer Sherif , Klungland Arne , Dahl John Arne
Published: May 2022

Establishment of the pluripotency regulatory network in somatic cells by introducing four transcription factors [octamer binding transcription factor 4 (OCT4; also known as POU5F1), sex determining region Y (SRY)-box 2 (SOX2), Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) and cellular myelocytomatosis (c-MYC)] provides a promising tool for cell-based therapies in regenerative medicine. Nevertheless, the mechanisms at play when generating induced pluripotent stem cells from somatic cells are only partly understood. Here, we show that the RNA-specific N6-methyladenosine (m6A) demethylase ALKBH5 regulates somatic cell reprogramming in a stage-specific manner through its catalytic activity. Knockdown or knockout of Alkbh5 in the early reprogramming phase impairs reprogramming efficiency by reducing the proliferation rate through arresting the cells at G2/M phase and decreasing the upregulation of epithelial markers. On the other hand, ALKBH5 overexpression at the early reprogramming phase has no significant impact on reprogramming efficiency, whereas overexpression at the late phase enhances reprogramming by stabilizing Nanog transcripts, resulting in upregulated Nanog expression. Our study provides mechanistic insight into the crucial dynamic role of ALKBH5, mediated through its catalytic activity, in regulating somatic cell reprogramming at the post-transcriptional level.

This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
Development and optimization of orally disintegrating tablets containing Centella asiatica solid lipid nanoparticles for supportive therapies of Parkinson's disease
Authors: Khotimah Husnul , Aulanni'am Aulanni'am , Nandar Kurniawan Shahdevi , Eka Puspita Oktavia , Rahayu Adianingsih Oktavia , Mardhiyah Mardhiyah , Setiawan Andri
Published: May 2022

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is the most common chronic progressive neurodegenerative disorder in the older population. In this work, we have developed a formulation of orally disintegrating tablets (ODTs) containing Centella asiatica (CA) encapsulated solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) with rapid disintegration and dissolution, thereby providing greater convenience and ease of use to older patients with PD or dysphagia.

Methods: The absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) properties of CA compounds were evaluated using QikProp module of Schrödinger. CA-SLNs were prepared using hot homogenization method. The physicochemical properties and quality control of the pre-compressed powder were characterized. The direct compression method was used to prepare ODTs, and post-compression physical properties were evaluated.

Results: In silico study of ADMET properties revealed the CA compounds can follow the criteria for an orally active drug and are within the standard range in terms of "Rule of Five" and "Rule of Three”. The characteristics of CA-SLNs developed in a lipid-based nanocarrier showed monodispersed particles with an average particle size of about 37.91±1.55 nm, zeta potential of -10.27±1.37 mV, encapsulation efficiency, and loading capacity of 95.07±1.14%, and 3.99±0.06%, respectively. The results obtained for the pre-compression characterization showed that the CA-SLNs powder mixture had excellent flowability properties and compressibility. Furthermore, these results affected the physical properties of CA-SLNs ODTs with a disintegration time of 14.5s, the acceptance value of content uniformity was 3.2%, and the in vitro dissolution test fulfilled the tolerance limits recommended in the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) monograph.

Conclusions: Overall, these results suggest that CA-SLNs ODTs developed with lipid-based nanocarriers can be considered an alternative delivery system to protect the active compound from instability while enhancing permeability through the blood brain barrier (BBB) and can be used in the management of PD in older patients with dysphagia.
Case Report: Delayed treatment of tuberculosis of the elbow joint
Authors: Desdiani Desdiani , Rizal Hidayat , Basuki Anindita , Fadilah Fadilah
Published: May 2022

Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is known to occur in the musculoskeletal system, including the elbow joints. These cases are rarely found because the signs and symptoms are not specific to extrapulmonary TB or other diseases. We report a case of a 24-year-old male, who complained about pain in his left elbow and noticed swelling. Initially, he complained about pain all over his left arm, after several reflexology massages to alleviate his toothache. However, instead of seeking medical treatment, he visited a traditional massage therapist every week without improvement in his left arm pain including his left elbow for almost one year. Examination showed skin perforation with discharge. He also had fever during the first few days when the elbow became swollen. Weight loss and a decreased appetite were also noticed by the patient. The patient went to the orthopedic department and underwent surgery. Radiological examination indicated bone erosion on the left humerus and radius, while posteroanterior chest X-ray did not show any abnormality. Histopathological examinations from biopsy and fluid aspiration showed granulomas and datia Langhans cells. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was found on acid-fast bacteria smear and culture. The patient was administered multidrug tuberculosis therapy, which consisted of two months of an intensive phase and seven months of a continuation phase, in accordance with the World Health Organization’s guidelines for extrapulmonary tuberculosis treatment. He has currently undergone the continuation phase of the treatment and his condition has improved. Early detection of tuberculosis of the elbow can prevent damage to joint structure and impairment of joint function.
A Method for Preserving Battery Life in Wireless Sensor Nodes for LoRa Based IOT Flood Monitoring
Authors:   Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Kulliyah of Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia, 53100 Jalan Gombak, Selangor, Yazid Mohd Aizat Mohd , Jazlan Ahmad , Rodzi Mohd Zuhaili Mohd , Husman Muhammad Afif , Afif Abdul Rahman
Published: May 2022

A common challenge in the implementation of Internet of Things (IOT) Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) is that the sensor nodes are known to be power hungry devices. The energy stored in the batteries which power up these sensor nodes deplete quickly especially when more data is transmitted to the cloud or when multiple sensors are attached to a single sensor node. In the context of flood and environmental monitoring, increasing the number of sensor nodes in a Wireless Sensor Network is desirable in order to increase the spatial resolution of the data and hence achieve better representation about rising water levels and overall water quality in a particular city. However, having more sensor nodes in a Wireless Sensor Network results in more challenges for the power supply management of the overall Wireless Sensor Network. A drawback of the sensor nodes which are usually powered by Lithium Ion batteries is that there is a limited number of cycles in which a battery can be charged and discharged before the battery is considered to be fully degraded and therefore methods which can lengthen the duration of each charging and discharging cycle will be useful to increase the overall battery longevity. In this paper, a method which combines solar energy harvesting together with a fuzzy logic based algorithm for adaptive sampling is proposed in order to achieve a continuous source of energy for the sensor nodes and also increase the duration between each charging and discharging cycle resulting in batteries which can last for a longer duration. The developed sensor nodes have been deployed to measure river water levels and dissolved oxygen.
Improving Load Balancing and Scalability by Implementing Path Selection on BGP Using Multi SD-WAN
Authors:   Universiteti Kadri Zeka University, Gjilan, Kosovo, Demaku Nysret , Dermaku Artan
Published: May 2022

This research paper introduces three key problems relevant to data movement across the multi-domains. They are (1) delays in data transmission because of the failures of the links, (2) high throughput data transfer over large networks due to the worst path selection using the BGP, and (3) the efficient distribution of data (Load balancing and scalability). All three problems introduce scalability, load balancing and fail-over concerns with respect to the network architecture. The recent steps taken by SDN due to the introduction and popularity of OpenFlow provide a new way to approach these problems. This research paper proposes and demonstrates solutions to the aforementioned problems using scalable approaches introduced in SDN Controller. This research paper details the elements that influence BGP decisions on path selection using SDN infrastructure. Based on the features, a testbed using NS3 has been designed and implemented which explores ideas related to the domain-to-domain data transmission using SDN. The implementation of the Mesh topology of wires Domains was completed using NS3. This paper discusses also OpenFlow Service and the SDN involvement on BGP improvement over long-distance networks and the end users who wish to obtain the data in a timely manner with minimal effort.
Indonesian Spectrum Valuation of 5G Mobile Technology at 2600 MHz, 3500 MHz, and 26 GHz and 28 GHz
Authors:   Dept. of Electrical Engineering, Universitas Indonesia, Indonesia, Hikmaturokhman Alfin , Ramli Kalamullah , Suryanegara Muhammad
Published: May 2022

Spectrum valuation is necessary to help regulators set up new technology regulations to overcome specific conditions, such as area-particular treatment in industrial estates, to support vertical industries with wider spectrum bands and various frequencies. This paper delivers the results of a study on spectrum band valuation at various frequencies to speed up Indonesia's Industry 4.0. This work utilised a case study of industrial estates in Jakarta, Indonesia's capital, and research on the impact of frequency bands at 2600 MHz, 3500 MHz, 26 GHz and 28 GHz on three factors of an economic engineering model: Factor 1, the engineering side to maximise fifth generation (5G) cellular coverage; Factor 2, the economic side for a financial aspect in terms of capital expenditures (CAPEX) and operating expenditures (OPEX) per square kilometre and Factor 3, the economic side for spectrum value per MHz per population. This paper will be helpful for both mobile network operators (MNOs) and regulators. For MNOs, this study provides perceptions about spectrum valuation methods and provides data on the value of various frequencies in 5G. For regulators, it provides perceptions of the economic value of various frequencies in 5G, which aids in the assignment of costs for spectrum licenses and the establishment of reserve prices and intended budgets for future spectrum auctions. This work found that using 26 GHz/28 GHz (mmWave) for 5G services necessitates a greater investment in infrastructure than using 2600 MHz and 3500 MHz (midband). In the midband and mmWave bands, the population density has a major impact on the spectrum valuation for 5G.
Implementation Dual Parallelism Cybersecurity Architecture on FPGA
Authors:   Advanced Computing (ADVCOMP) CoE, Faculty of Electronic Engineering Technology University Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), Arau, Malaysia, Mohammed Nada Qasim , Amir Amiza , Salih Muataz Hammed , Arrfou Hana , Hussein Qasim Mohaammed , Ahmad Badlishah
Published: May 2022

This paper presents an efficient parallelism architecture that uses a dual-computing engine architecture to better throughput using both spatial and temporal parallelism on FPGA technology. This architecture will enhance the performance in terms of operating frequency and throughput and reduces the power consumption that meets applications with huge data processing such as Internet of Things .in this design, two boards are used, "DE1_Soc and NEEK board" with Altera Quartus Prime 18 for synthesis and simulation. The proposed design architecture gives better resource usage and throughput through fewer hardware redundancies using a frequency of 600MHZ with 64 bits for each engine from the dual-engine. Furthermore, the proposed architecture implementation results show the reduction in the time delay by 40 % and achieves a throughput of 153.6 Gb/s
Communication Science in the Midst of New Discoveries
Authors: Goncharova Lyubov
Published: May 2022

The journal presents the works of Russian scientists reflecting the research of intercultural, advertising, professional communication, issues of educational activities in the field of communication studies, as well as general humanitarian problems of communication science.
Working together to promote and celebrate the diversity of nursing
Authors: McMahon Alex , Tranka Sue
Published: May 2022

This year has been particularly challenging for nurses around the world. As the commemorations take place for International Nurses Day on 12 May, the Chief Nursing Officer for Scotland and Chief Nursing Officer for Wales share their priorities and hopes for the coming year
Consent, capacity and minors aged 16 and over
Authors: Griffith Richard
Published: May 2022

Richard Griffith, Senior Lecturer in Health Law at Swansea University, considers the requirements for consent for minors who are 16 and 17 and whether the Courts have the right to overrule a young person with capacity
Common dental anomalies affecting patients with cleft lip and palate
Authors: Sanghvi Risha , Bhujel Nabina
Published: May 2022

Patients with cleft lip and/or palate (CLP) have increased experience of dental anomalies compared to unaffected individuals. This article describes the common dental anomalies, namely, enamel defects, hypodontia, anomalies in tooth shape or form, supernumerary teeth, ectopic and impacted teeth, and tooth transposition. The respective prevalence and potential implications on dental health are also discussed alongside the role of the general dental practitioner.

CPD/Clinical Relevance: This article highlights the common dental anomalies for those with cleft lip and/or palate, and identifies clinical presentations that require GDPs' contribution to patients' dental care.
Surgical endodontics under the microscope: principles and practice
Authors: Javed Faizan , Habib Saqib , Ghafoor Robia
Published: May 2022

The direct operating microscope has completely revolutionized the field of endodontics, leading to increased success in both non-surgical and surgical cases. In low- and middle-income countries, microsurgical endodontics is still a developing field and procedures that fall within this category employ higher magnification. Currently, less than 25% of dentists in developing countries employ any sort of magnification in their practice. Basic concepts, such as microscope positioning and operator's ergonomics, are still confusing to many dentists, novice or experienced alike. This article introduces the benefits and general principles of direct operating microscope use in endodontic microsurgeries.

CPD/Clinical Relevance: A better understanding of the use of dental operating microscopes in endodontic microsurgical techniques may facilitate a more efficient workflow.
Challenges in prescribing practice
Authors: Robertson Deborah
Published: May 2022

Deborah Robertson provides an overview of recently published articles that may be of interest to non-medical prescribers. Should you wish to look at any of the papers in more detail, a full reference is provided
The dangers of online pharmacies
Authors: Winter George
Published: May 2022

As we continue to embrace the internet in our day-to-day lives, the use of online pharmacies also continues to grow. George Winter examines their dangers and how they can be more effectively regulated
Field Performance of Refractory Softwoods Treated with CA or ACQ after 10 Years of Exposure in Korea and Canada
Authors: Stirling Rod , Ra Jong Bum , Ryu Jae-Yun , Wang Jieying
Published: May 2022

Korean wood preservation standards require deep penetration, which precludes the use of many refractory species. However, such treatments of refractory species have been shown to be effective in other parts of the world. A field test was therefore initiated to evaluate the performance of western hemlock, a moderately refractory species, and white spruce, a highly refractory species, pressure treated with either copper azole or alkaline copper quaternary under Korean field conditions that included both decay and termite hazards. After 10 years of exposure in a ground proximity and field stake test in Jinju, Korea, the treated materials remained largely sound, while untreated controls failed much earlier, largely due to termite attack. These data suggest that material that does not meet current Korean penetration requirements could still provide effective protection against biodegradation under Korean conditions. Decay was more advanced in matched treated stakes exposed at a test site in Canada than at the site in Korea.
All-fiber high-power erbium-doped laser system generating optical
pulses with a duration of 200  µs to 5  ms for fractional
photo-rejuvenation
Authors: Koptev M. Yu. , Morozov A. N. , Shatilova K. V. , Muravyev S. V. , Zapryalov A. E. , Likhachev M. E. , Kim A. V.
Published: May 2022

An all-fiber high-power erbium-doped fiber laser (EDFL) source generating optical
pulses from 200 µs to 5 ms with a stable rectangular envelope for
fractional photo-rejuvenation is proposed and experimentally
demonstrated. A master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) configuration
composed of a master oscillator, an acousto-optic modulator (AOM), and
a one-stage amplifier is designed and employed in the EDFL to serve as
an efficient laser system with excellent output performance. To avoid
multistage amplifiers, the master oscillator generates 1.5 W, and a
Yb-free Er-doped large-mode-area (LMA) active fiber is used for a
one-stage power amplifier. There are two benefits to this approach:
first, modulation of both pump and seed pulses is used to achieve
clear rectangular shaped pulses without amplified spontaneous emission
(ASE) growth; and second, there are no power limitations in the
amplifier and undesirable 1 µm ASE compared to Er/Yb systems. We have
reached 28.6 W of peak power with 26% slope efficiency limited only by
available pump power, so the system can be easily scaled for achieving
a higher peak power.
Dual-band selective circular dichroism in mid-infrared chiral metasurfaces
Authors: Tang Haotian , Rosenmann Daniel , Czaplewski David A. , Yang Xiaodong , Gao Jie
Published: May 2022

Most chiral metamaterials and metasurfaces are designed to operate in a single wavelength band and with a certain circular dichroism (CD) value. Here, mid-infrared chiral metasurface absorbers with selective CD in dual-wavelength bands are designed and demonstrated. The dual-band CD selectivity and tunability in the chiral metasurface absorbers are enabled by the unique design of a unit cell with two coupled rectangular bars. It is shown that the sign of CD in each wavelength band can be independently controlled and flipped by simply adjusting the geometric parameters, the width and the length, of the vertical rectangular bars. The mechanism of the dual-band CD selection in the chiral metasurface absorber is further revealed by studying the electric field and magnetic field distributions of the antibonding and bonding modes supported in the coupled bars under circularly polarized incident light. Furthermore, the chiral resonance wavelength can be continuously increased by scaling up the geometric parameters of the metasurface unit cell. The demonstrated results will contribute to the advance of future mid-infrared applications such as chiral molecular sensing, thermophotovoltaics, and optical communication.
Shared genetic loci between depression and cardiometabolic traits
Authors: Torgersen Kristin , Rahman Zillur , Bahrami Shahram , Hindley Guy Frederick Lanyon , Parker Nadine , Frei Oleksandr , Shadrin Alexey , O’Connell Kevin S. , Tesli Martin , Smeland Olav B. , Munkhaugen John , Djurovic Srdjan , Dammen Toril , Andreassen Ole A.
Published: May 2022

Epidemiological and clinical studies have found associations between depression and cardiovascular disease risk factors, and coronary artery disease patients with depression have worse prognosis. The genetic relationship between depression and these cardiovascular phenotypes is not known. We here investigated overlap at the genome-wide level and in individual loci between depression, coronary artery disease and cardiovascular risk factors. We used the bivariate causal mixture model (MiXeR) to quantify genome-wide polygenic overlap and the conditional/conjunctional false discovery rate (pleioFDR) method to identify shared loci, based on genome-wide association study summary statistics on depression (n = 450,619), coronary artery disease (n = 502,713) and nine cardiovascular risk factors (n = 204,402–776,078). Genetic loci were functionally annotated using FUnctional Mapping and Annotation (FUMA). Of 13.9K variants influencing depression, 9.5K (SD 1.0K) were shared with body-mass index. Of 4.4K variants influencing systolic blood pressure, 2K were shared with depression. ConjFDR identified 79 unique loci associated with depression and coronary artery disease or cardiovascular risk factors. Six genomic loci were associated jointly with depression and coronary artery disease, 69 with blood pressure, 49 with lipids, 9 with type 2 diabetes and 8 with c-reactive protein at conjFDR < 0.05. Loci associated with increased risk for depression were also associated with increased risk of coronary artery disease and higher total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein and c-reactive protein levels, while there was a mixed pattern of effect direction for the other risk factors. Functional analyses of the shared loci implicated metabolism of alpha-linolenic acid pathway for type 2 diabetes. Our results showed polygenic overlap between depression, coronary artery disease and several cardiovascular risk factors and suggest molecular mechanisms underlying the association between depression and increased cardiovascular disease risk.
Validation of Friedewald, Martin-Hopkins and Sampson low-density lipoprotein cholesterol equations
Authors: Ertürk Zararsız Gözde , Bolat Serkan , Cephe Ahu , Kochan Necla , Yerlitaş Serra İlayda , Doğan Halef Okan , Zararsız Gökmen
Published: May 2022

Background

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is an important biomarker for determining cardiovascular risk and regulating lipid lowering therapy. Therefore, the accurate estimation of LDL-C concentration is essential in cardiovascular disease diagnosis and prognosis. Sampson recently proposed a new formula for the estimation of LDL-C. However, little is known regarding the validation of this formula.

Objectives

This study aimed to validate this new formula with other well-known formulas in Turkish population, composed of adults.

Methods

A total of 88,943 participants above 18 years old at Sivas Cumhuriyet University Hospital (Sivas, Turkey) were included to this study. LDL-C was directly measured by homogeneous assays, i.e., Roche, Beckman and Siemens and estimated by Friedewald’s, Martin-Hopkins’, extended Martin-Hopkins’ and Sampson’s formulas. The concordances between the estimations obtained by the formulas and the direct measurements were evaluated both in general and separately for the LDL-C, TG and non-HDL-C sublevels. Linear regression analysis was applied and residual error plots were generated between each estimation and direct measurement method. Coefficient of determination (R2) and mean absolute deviations were also calculated.

Results

The results showed that the extended Martin-Hopkins approach provided the most concordant results with the direct assays for LDL-C estimation. The results also showed that the highest concordances were obtained between the direct assays with the extended Martin-Hopkins formula calculated with the median statistics obtained from our own population. On the other hand, it was observed that the results of the methods may differ in different assays. The extended Martin-Hopkins approach, calculated from the median statistics of our population, gave the most concordant results in patients with “low LDL-C level (LDL-C levels < 70 mg/dL) or hypertriglyceridemia (TG levels ≥ 400 mg/dL)”.

Conclusions

Although the results of the formulas in different assays may vary, the extended Martin-Hopkins approach was the best one with the highest overall concordances. The validity of the Martin Hopkins’ and Sampson’s formulas has to be further investigated in different populations.
Rough set based information theoretic approach for clustering uncertain categorical data
Authors: Uddin Jamal , Ghazali Rozaida , H. Abawajy Jemal , Shah Habib , Husaini Noor Aida , Zeb Asim
Published: May 2022

Motivation

Many real applications such as businesses and health generate large categorical datasets with uncertainty. A fundamental task is to efficiently discover hidden and non-trivial patterns from such large uncertain categorical datasets. Since the exact value of an attribute is often unknown in uncertain categorical datasets, conventional clustering analysis algorithms do not provide a suitable means for dealing with categorical data, uncertainty, and stability.

Problem statement

The ability of decision making in the presence of vagueness and uncertainty in data can be handled using Rough Set Theory. Though, recent categorical clustering techniques based on Rough Set Theory help but they suffer from low accuracy, high computational complexity, and generalizability especially on data sets where they sometimes fail or hardly select their best clustering attribute.

Objectives

The main objective of this research is to propose a new information theoretic based Rough Purity Approach (RPA). Another objective of this work is to handle the problems of traditional Rough Set Theory based categorical clustering techniques. Hence, the ultimate goal is to cluster uncertain categorical datasets efficiently in terms of the performance, generalizability and computational complexity.

Methods

The RPA takes into consideration information-theoretic attribute purity of the categorical-valued information systems. Several extensive experiments are conducted to evaluate the efficiency of RPA using a real Supplier Base Management (SBM) and six benchmark UCI datasets. The proposed RPA is also compared with several recent categorical data clustering techniques.

Results

The experimental results show that RPA outperforms the baseline algorithms. The significant percentage improvement with respect to time (66.70%), iterations (83.13%), purity (10.53%), entropy (14%), and accuracy (12.15%) as well as Rough Accuracy of clusters show that RPA is suitable for practical usage.

Conclusion

We conclude that as compared to other techniques, the attribute purity of categorical-valued information systems can better cluster the data. Hence, RPA technique can be recommended for large scale clustering in multiple domains and its performance can be enhanced for further research.
The impact of COVID-19 on music consumption and music spending
Authors: Denk Janis , Burmester Alexa , Kandziora Michael , Clement Michel
Published: May 2022

COVID-19 induced restrictions ordered by governments around the world have been an exogenous shock to the music industry, which we divide into two affected groups: 1) live music events and 2) recorded music. While the impact on live music events is rather obvious, it is unclear how the current pandemic is affecting the recorded music market. Hence, we study consumers’ pre- and post-pandemic shifts in consumer spending (in euros) and music consumption (in hours) across live music events, as well as the digital and physical submarkets of recorded music, in the world’s fourth largest music market, Germany. Relying on an online bi-annual panel capturing five waves between winter 2018/19 and winter 2020/21, we find that the COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating the continuous trend towards digitalization of the music landscape with premium streaming being the biggest beneficiary. However, total monthly consumer spending on music decreased by more than 45% compared to pre-pandemic, with live music events and physical sales being the most severely affected. Surprisingly, music consumption in hours also decreased during the lockdown even though consumers spent more time at home.