bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Unplanned Reoperation Following Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery
Authors: Pellisé Ferran , Bayo Maria Capdevila , Ruiz de Villa Aleix , Núñez-Pereira Susana , Haddad Sleiman , Barcheni Maggie , Pizones Javier , Valencia Manuel Ramírez , Obeid Ibrahim , Alanay Ahmet , Kleinstueck Frank S. , Mannion Anne F. ,   on behalf of the European Spine Study Group
Published: March 2024

Background:

The long-term impact of reoperations following adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery is still poorly understood. Our aim was to identify the relationship between unplanned reoperation and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) gain at 2 and 5 years of follow-up.

Methods:

We included patients enrolled in a prospective ASD database who underwent surgery ≥5 years prior to the start of the study and who had 2 years of follow-up data. Adverse events (AEs) leading to an unplanned reoperation, the time of reoperation occurrence, invasiveness (blood loss, surgical time, hospital stay), and AE resolution were assessed. HRQoL was measured with use of the Oswestry Disability Index, Scoliosis Research Society-22, and Short Form-36. Linear models controlling for baseline data and index surgery characteristics were utilized to assess the relationships between HRQoL gain at 2 and 5-year follow-up and the number and invasiveness of reoperations. The association between 5-year HRQoL gain and the time of occurrence of the unplanned reoperation and that between 5-year HRQoL gain and AE resolution were also investigated.

Results:

Of 361 eligible patients, 316 (87.5%) with 2-year follow-up data met the inclusion criteria and 258 (71.5%) had 5-year follow-up data. At the 2-year follow-up, 96 patients (30.4%) had a total of 165 unplanned reoperations (1.72 per patient). At the 5-year follow-up, 73 patients (28.3%) had a total of 117 unplanned reoperations (1.60 per patient). The most common cause of reoperations was mechanical complications (64.9%), followed by surgical site infections (15.7%). At the 5-year follow-up, the AE that led to reoperation was resolved in 67 patients (91.8%). Reoperation invasiveness was not associated with 5-year HRQoL scores. The number of reoperations was associated with lesser HRQoL gain at 5 years for all HRQoL measures. The mean associated reduction in HRQoL gain per unplanned reoperation was 41% (range, 19% to 66%). Reoperations resulting in no resolution of the AE or resolution with sequelae had a greater impact on 5-year follow-up HRQoL scores than reoperations resulting in resolution of the AE.

Conclusions:

A postoperative, unplanned reoperation following ASD surgery was associated with lesser gain in HRQoL at 5 years of follow-up. The association did not diminish over time and was affected by the number, but not the magnitude, of reoperations. Resolution of the associated AE reduced the impact of the unplanned reoperation.

Level of Evidence:

Prognostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Effect of Postoperative Kinesio Taping on Knee Edema, Pain, and Range of Motion After Total Knee Arthroplasty and Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Azimi Amirali , Dizaji Shayan Roshdi , Tabatabaei Fatemeh-sadat , Safari Saeed , Nakhaei Amroodi Morteza , Azimi Amir Farbod
Published: March 2024

Background:

Kinesio taping (KT) has been shown to be clinically effective in a wide range of musculoskeletal disorders. Despite evidence supporting KT, there still needs to be more certainty regarding its clinical worthiness in managing postoperative conditions. This study aims to assess the effect of postoperative KT on knee edema, pain, and range of motion (ROM) when added to routine physiotherapy after knee surgery.

Methods:

In this systematic review and meta-analysis, MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and CENTRAL databases were searched from their inception to July 2023. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing routine physiotherapy with and without KT were included. Random-effect models were used to calculate the standardized mean difference (SMD), confidence interval, and heterogeneity (I2).

Results:

Sixteen RCTs on 842 operated knees were included. KT reduced knee edema in first week (SMD, −0.59, p < 0.001), 14th postoperative day (POD) (SMD, −0.78, p < 0.001), and 28 to 42 days postop (SMD, −0.66, p < 0.001). The KT demonstrated significant pain improvement in second week (SMD, −0.87, p < 0.001) and the fourth week (SMD, −0.53, p < 0.001). The KT groups demonstrated ROM improvement within second week (SMD, 0.69, p = 0.010) and in the 28th POD (SMD, 0.89, p = 0.009). Subgroup analysis demonstrated minimal heterogeneity in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) cases. However, it did not show significant superiority regarding ankle, calf, or thigh edema and Lysholm scale.

Conclusion:

This study suggests that adding KT to routine postoperative physiotherapy reduces pain and knee edema after total knee arthroplasty or ACLR. Low to very low certainty of evidence for all outcomes and the limited number of studies emphasize the need for more high-quality primary studies to explore the optimal method of KT application and its effectiveness in specific knee surgeries.

Level of Evidence:

Level I. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
THE ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS' UNDERSTANDING TOWARD ENGLISH SPEAKING LEARNING MATERIAL DURING THE PANDEMIC ERA IN 8TH GRADE OF JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 3 NGADIROJO IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2020/2021
Authors: Tina Noni Agus , Rahayu Dwi , Kurniawan Agung Budi
Published: March 2024

This research aims to know the students' understanding of English-speaking learning material during the pandemic era in the 8th grade of Junior High School 3 Ngadirojo. It is case study research that focused on the students' understanding of speaking learning material. The research used a descriptive qualitative approach. The research subject is students in the 8th grade of SMPN 3 Ngadirojo. The research was conducted from March-May 2021 in an online way. The data collecting techniques used in this research are tests and interviews. The research instruments used to collect the data are material sheets and cell phones. Techniques that are used to analyze data are data reduction, data display, and conclusion. The result showed that most of the students in the 8th grade of Junior High School 3 Ngadirojo can understand the speaking learning material well during online learning in the pandemic era. But not all students could understand the material caused by problems such as internet network connection, learning communication tools, teacher learning techniques, students' ability to understand the material, and other issues. Online learning is one of the most used learning strategies during the pandemic era, even though it could not reach the curriculum target.
Kahoot! and EFL Learners' Confidence in A Vocabulary Classroom: A Correlative Study
Authors: Prasodjo Pandu , Ponto Glenn
Published: March 2024

The prevalence of English in recent years cannot be understated and this very sentiment rings true for almost every country worldwide. Among the various tools that are available for teaching, gamification tools of learning such as the application Kahoot! is seeing prominence in usage. Kahoot! promotes engagement and adds a fun factor in learning due to its interactive nature. Kahoot! also encourages competitiveness as it is a quiz-based application. A previous research found mentioned that Kahoot! decreases students’ confidence because of the competitiveness that stems from the quiz aspect of the application. The present study wishes to challenge the statement into test. The participants of this research are 36 first-year EFL students from a private university in Batam, Indonesia. The research conducted a correlational research design, providing quantitative data through the use of questionnaire and observation, which will be triangulated with a qualitative data gathered by the means of a guided interview. Spearman rule was used to analyse the correlation between the students’ ranking confidence and finding the correlation between both cycles. The study found that student’s confidence in learning vocabulary through the use of Kahoot! is initially positive and it grows with the passage of time.
PRETEST AND POSTTEST TECHNIQUE TO CONTROL STUDENTS MASTERY IN ONLINE LEARNING OF ENGLISH FOR COMMUNICATION COURSES AT VOCATIONAL STUDIES OF IPB UNIVERSITY
Authors: Marithasari Harries , G Barus Irma , Resmayasari Ira , Suriaatmaja Suwanda Bayu
Published: March 2024

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the pretest and posttest on learning English, the English for Communication course at the Vocational School of IPB University. The methodology used is a case study. This type of research is quantitative research. Data collection was carried out by conducting tests and interviews. The subjects of this research were students of the Digital Communication and Media Study Program at the Vocational School of IPB University, totaling 300 students. From the results of this study, it shows that there was an increase in the value of the pretest and posttest. The average pretest score is 61, while the average posttest score is 80. From this process, it is known that the pretest can be used as a learning control tool. Lecturers can see that the learning techniques used can increase students' understanding of English. In addition, from the interview process, it is known that the pretest and posttest can be used by lecturers to find out students who have weak abilities and students who have high abilities.
USING FLASHCARDS AS MEDIA TO IMPROVE ENGLISH VOCABULARY MASTERY AT SD NEGERI 2 SAMBONG
Authors: Puspitasari Indah , Apriyanti Chusna , Illona Pembayun Partawidjaja R.Vania
Published: March 2024

This study aims to investigate the use of flashcards as a teaching tool or media to improve English vocabulary acquisition at SD Negeri 2 Sambong. The qualitative description method was used to describe the use of flashcards in the context of English language learning at the school. This research was conducted by collecting data through direct observation, and documentation related to the use of flashcards at SD Negeri 2 Sambong. Flashcards help students in remembering, adding new vocabulary and understanding what they do not know in an interactive and fun way. The interaction between teachers and students was also seen to be more active and engaged during the use of flashcards. However, some constraints were also identified, such as the limited number of human resources who lack the understanding of English vocabulary and also the diversity of students' learning styles. This research provides a deeper understanding of the use of flashcards as a tool to improve the mastery of English vocabulary at SD Negeri 2 Sambong. The results of this study can be a reference for teachers and schools in developing effective learning strategies to improve students' mastery of English vocabulary at SD Negeri 2 Sambong
Breast Cancer Local Recurrence in Patients with and without Post-Mastectomy Immediate Breast Reconstruction: Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis Protocol
Authors: Chao Melissa , Long David , Woo Kellan , Toameh Dana , Isaac Kathryn
Published: March 2024

Introduction: Today mastectomy and breast reconstruction are often coupled for women with breast cancer, where mastectomy has the chance to remove the tumour and reconstruction improves the aesthetic appearance. While rates of post-mastectomy immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) are on the rise, there remains fears of local recurrence (LR).1,2
Purpose: This systematic review aims to compare long-term LR rates in a group of patients with mastectomy and IBR (Mast + IBR) to a group of patients with mastectomy without IBR (Mast – IBR).
Methods: The online databases Medline, Embase, and Web of Science will be searched for relevant articles. Articles published between January 2000 to December 2020 that report LR rates for groups patients who underwent mastectomy for stage I or II breast cancer with or without IBR with stage will be included. The risk of bias will be assessed using the Johanna Briggs Institute scale for observational studies. A fixed-effects meta-regression model will calculate the pooled odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval, adjusted for age and follow-up time.
Implications: Moreover, this review will synthesis the literature surrounding the study factors, patient factors, reconstructive factors, and outcome factors associated with LR. Finally, the findings will be used to develop clinical recommendations for breast cancer reconstruction.
Ethics and dissemination: Ethics approval is not required. The systematic review will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
RETRACTED: Change in Smoking Outcome Expectation And Anti-Smoking Self-Efficacy Of The Students During Unıversity Education And Effect Of Covid -19 Pandemic, Repeted Cross Sectional Study
Authors: Kurçer Mehmet Ali , Bektaş Merve , Katar Ebru
Published: March 2024

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Agile robotic fish based on direct drive of continuum body
Authors: Iguchi Keisuke , Shimooka Taiki , Tanaka Hiroto , Ikemoto Yusuke , Shintake Jun
Published: March 2024

Fish-like agile movements, such as fast forward swimming and rapid turning, are essential for robots to perform a wide variety of tasks in aquatic environments. However, achieving these locomotion capabilities simultaneously in existing biomimetic underwater robots has proven challenging. Here, we present a self-contained robotic fish capable of swimming at a speed of 6.3 body length per second and pivot turning at an angular speed of 1450° per second. These fast motions, which compare well with those of real fish, are realized by directly oscillating a flexible body using an electromagnetic motor. This direct-drive (DD) method eliminates the need for transmission parts, simplifies the robotic structure, improves mechanical robustness, and enables the use of a flexible continuum body that passively interacts with water, generating fish-like body deformations and subsequent rapid swimming. This also allows the robot to have the Strouhal and swimming numbers that match the typical values observed in nature. Moreover, the observed frequency peaks in swimming are similar to computed values using a model, which guides the design of the robot. These results illustrate the DD method as a promising framework for the creation of highly versatile biomimetic underwater robots.
The contribution of posterior corneal astigmatism to ocular residual astigmatism
Authors: Yan Dongmei , Lin Jian , An Dexiang , Wu Haiqian , Lu Yun
Published: March 2024

Objectives
To determine the main sources of ocular residual astigmatism (ORA) and the contribution of posterior corneal astigmatism (PCA) to ORA.
Methods
This cross-sectional study was conducted on 177 right eyes of 177 patients. Anterior corneal astigmatism (ACA) and PCA were obtained from Pentacam. ORA was calculated by the vector difference between refractive astigmatism (RA) and ACA. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to assess relationships between variables. The contribution of PCA to ORA was evaluated by a physical method.
Results
Mean magnitude of PCA was 0.40 ± 0.15 D (rang 0.10 to 0.70 D). Mean amount of ORA was 0.69 ± 0.33 D (rang 0.05 to 1.63 D). There was a statistically significant correlation between the magnitudes of PCA and ORA (r = 0.38, P < 0.001). The PCA in 171 eyes (96.61%) supplemented ORA. The mean superimposed value (SV) was 0.37 ± 0.16 D (rang 0.01 to 0.70 D). The against-the-rule PCA can not only superimpose but also counteract with-the-rule and oblique ORA. The against-the-rule ORA can be superimposed by with-the-rule, against-the-rule and oblique PCA. Of the 171 eyes, the SV of 85 eyes(49.71%) were larger than half of the magnitude of ORA. In a minority of eyes, PCA can have a negative effect on ORA and may be greater than it.
Conclusions
Approximately half of the magnitude of ocular residual astigmatism comes from posterior corneal astigmatism. The SV/ORA ratio may be used to personalize the surgical
Effects of Bio-Fertilizers and Different Levels of Phosphorus on Biochemical Traits, Essential Oils, and Antioxidant Enzymes in Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia) Under Water Stress
Authors: sattarzadeh Elnaz , Yarnia Mehrdad , Behrouzyar Ebrahim Khalilvand , Mirshekari Bahram , Rashidi Varahram
Published: March 2024

To investigate the effects of biological fertilizers and phosphorus on the effects of reduced irrigation in medicinal plant lavender, a split-split plot experiment based on randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications was conducted during two cropping years of 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 at The Research Station, Islamic Azad University of Tabriz. The studied treatments in this research included irrigation levels (irrigation after 60, 90, and 120 mm of class A evaporation pan) as the main factor, four levels of seed inoculations (inoculation with Thiobacillus, inoculation with Pseudomonas, combined inoculation (Thiobacillus + Pseudomonas) and control (non-inoculation) as a sub-factor and the amount of phosphorus chemical fertilizer (0 and 50 kg/ha) was as a sub-sub-factor. The experiment assessed several traits, including dry weights of flowers, the quantity of cell membrane leakage, leaf relative water content, soluble sugars content, proline content, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase activities. This two-year experiment measured the following traits: Wet weight of the flower, quantity of cell membrane leakage, leaf relative water content, proline, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase activities. The wet weight of flowers increased compared to the control during the first year of the investigation due to all irrigation levels, phosphorus application, and inoculation with integrated biological fertilizers. Results showed that in the first year of measuring, all irrigation levels, phosphorus application, and integrated biological fertilizer inoculation increased the wet weight of the flower compared to the control. The greatest amount of proline, catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase enzymes was obtained at 60 ml of evaporation with a consumption of 50 kg of phosphorus per hectare and applying Thiobacillus + Pseudomonas. This study also showed that the interactions between irrigation levels, phosphorus fertilizer, and biological fertilizer on the characteristics of cell membrane leakage rate and leaf-relative water content were not significant. The results of the second-year experiment showed that the highest amount of catalase, superoxide dismutase, and peroxidase was obtained as a result of the irrigation combination after 120 mm of evaporation pan and the application of Thiobacillus + Pseudomonas and phosphorus fertilizers and proline content (5.48 mg/g wet weight) were determined by irrigation treatment after evaporation of 120 mm and without application of bacteria and phosphorus fertilizers. It appears that plant growth-promoting bacteria and phosphorus increased the yield of lavender flowers by reducing the negative effects of drought stress.
Epigenetic erosion of H4K20me1 induced by inflammation drives aged stem cell ferroptosis.
Authors: Blanc Romeo S , Shah Nidhi , Salama Noah A.S. , Meng Fanju W. , Mousaei Alireza , Yang Benjamin A. , Aguilar Carlos A. , Chakkalakal Joe V. , Onukwufor John O. , Murphy Patrick J. , Calvi Laura , Dirksen Robert
Published: March 2024

Aging is associated with a decline in stem cell functionality and number across the organism. In this study, we aimed to further unravel Muscle Stem Cells (MuSCs) aging by assessing how systemic factors influence MuSC fate decisions through long-term epigenetic landscape remodelling. As aging is intricately linked to a pro-inflammatory shift, we studied the epigenetic effects of inflammatory signals in MuSCs and measured decreased H4K20me1 levels. This loss disrupts MuSC quiescence, largely through epigenetic silencing of Notch target genes. In the setting of inflammatory signals or aging, the lack of Kmt5a and the subsequent absence of de novoH4K20me1 culminate in cell death by ferroptosis. Aged MuSCs manifest abnormal iron metabolism and reduced Gpx4 levels, resulting in the accumulation of intracellular iron, increased reactive oxygen species, genomic instability, and lipid peroxidation. We showed that ferroptosis is the predominant mode of cell death in aged MuSCs, with remarkably high levels of lipid peroxidation; a phenomenon we also observed in aged hematopoietic stem cells. Implementing preventative strategies to inhibit systemic inflammation prevented aged MuSC ferroptosis, preserving their numbers and regenerative capabilities. This intervention significantly enhanced aged muscle regeneration and strength recovery and extended both lifespan and healthspan in mice. This study delineates a previously underappreciated fate trajectory for stem cell aging, and offers meaningful insights into the treatment of age-related disorders.
Response of radial growth of tree species Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii) and Mongolian pine (Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica) to extreme climate in the northern part of the Greater Khingan Range, China
Authors: Zhang Xiaohan , Zhang Dongyou , Wang Zhaopeng , Luo Taoran , Wang Xinrui
Published: March 2024

In this study, we adopted tree ring climatology to understand the differences in the response of the radial growth of two typical tree species to extreme climate indices in the Greater Khingan Mountains region, Northeast China. In particular, we collected 231 samples of Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii) and Mongolian pine (Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica) from four sampling points in the in the Genhe region of the Greater Khingan Range Mountains to establish a standardized chronology of Dahurian larch and evaluate extreme climate indices and their trends. Pearson correlation analysis was employed to analyze the growth response of Dahurian larch and Mongolian pine pine to extreme climatic factors at each sampling point, and the similarities and differences in the radial growth characteristics of each tree species and their response to climatic factors before and after a sudden change in temperature were investigated. The results revealed that after the sudden change in climate, the radial growth of larch and Mongolian pine pine exhibited the same upward trend that was more significant at high altitudes, while the radial growth of Mongolian pine pine had a more obvious upward trend at low altitudes. Correlation analysis with climate elements demonstrated that in May of the current year, the radial growth of high-elevation Dahurian larch was significantly positively correlated (p < 0.05)with the minimum temperature minima, while the radial growth of larch was significantly positively correlated with temperature, and the minimum temperature minima, maximum temperature minima and number of warm night days were significantly positively correlated with the number of cold day days. Following the sudden change in temperature, in May of that year, the radial growth of low elevation larch exhibited a significant positive correlation with temperature, a significant positive correlation with the maximum temperature minima and number of warm night days, and a significant negative correlation with the number of cold day days. Moreover, the radial growth of Mongolian pine showed a significant positive correlation with the number of warm night days and minimum temperature minima. After the abrupt climate change, the radial growth of trees in the low elevation areas of Greater Khingan Range were all inhibited by the high temperature in summer, while with the continuous increase of global temperature, the drought stress induced by the high temperature was the main factor inhibiting the growth of high-elevation larch. This study demonstrates that under global warming, the Greater Khingan Range area is becoming increasingly unsuitable for the growth of larch, the distribution area of the natural forest of Mongolian pine may expand, and the distribution area of natural larch forests may decline.
Mutated opposition-based learning and Nelder-Mead simplex enhanced grey wolf optimizer for photovoltaic model parameter estimation
Authors: Wu Huangying , Chen Yi , Cai Zhennao , Heidari Ali Asghar , Chen Huiling , Liang Guoxi
Published: March 2024

Accurate assessment of solar cell conversion efficiency relies heavily on the precise determination of unobserved parameters within photovoltaic (PV) cell models. To address this need, we present a novel approach named MOLNMGWO in this paper. This method aims to streamline the process of identifying latent parameters in PV models. MOLNMGWO ingeniously combines the Nelder-Mead simplex method with a mutated opposition-based learning mechanism derived from the gray wolf optimizer (GWO).Gaussian-Cauchy mutation in mutated opposition-based learning mechanism provides the ability to jump out of the local optimum. The opposition-based learning ensures that the local exploitation ability of the algorithm guarantees that it always obtains a better solution. In addition, the introduced Nelder-Mead simplex method also enhances its capability for local search and convergence precision. Evaluating the efficacy of MOLNMGWO involved a comprehensive comparison with various cutting-edge algorithms using the CEC2014 function set. The findings underscore the remarkable superiority of MOLNMGWO over these diverse algorithms. Subsequently, the application of MOLNMGWO to discern enigmatic PV parameters in the context of the single-diode model (SDM), double-diode model (DDM), and three-diode model (TDM) was pursued under consistent temperature and illumination circumstances.The MOLNMGWO can identify these parameters accurately and reliably. Finally, MOLNMGWO was used to identify the three commercial PV module parameters under diverse temperature and light conditions, and satisfactory results were obtained. All the above three experimental results show that MOLNMGWO has excellent competitiveness and that MOLNMGWO can accurately and efficiently identify photovoltaic parameters even in harsh environments. Overall, the MOLNMGWO is a novel, reliable and effective method to overcome the problem of the estimation of parameters for solar cell PV models.
Measurement of the reaction enthalpy of CO2 in aqueous solutions with thermographic and gravimetric methods
Authors: Jung-Fittkau Jessica , Diebold Josef , Kruse Andrea , Deigner Hans-Peter , Schmidt Magnus
Published: March 2024

In this work, a new concept for the approximate determination of the reaction enthalpy of the reaction between CO2 and ethanolamine (MEA) in aqueous solution was developed. For this purpose, a CO2 gas stream was fed into aqueous MEA solutions of different concentrations and ∆T was determined using a thermographic camera and ∆m using a balance. The deviation from the values from the literature known data was less than 5% in all experiments.
Developing a Competency Model for Racket Sports Officials
Authors: Kong Mingmin
Published: March 2024

The purpose of this article is to describe the construction and validation of a competency model for training and selection. The study involved 920 racket sports officials from 29 provinces in China, who were surveyed through an online questionnaire. In Phase 1, the Behavioral Event Interview (BEI) technique was used to interview 23 top international racket sports officials. In total, 422 valid questionnaires were collected during the initial survey. A competency model was developed through investigation and exploratory factor analysis. In Phase 2, the competency model was tested using confirmatory factor analysis, and the results showed that 42 competencies were identified. The investigator grouped them into the following five categories: (1) learning and improvement, (2) professional ethics, (3) officiating abi lity, (4) professional knowledge, and (5) communication ability. The results of this study are expected to facilitate research on this topic and be useful for developing training and evaluation programs for racket sports officials.
Antibacterial Activity Of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (IO-Nps) Prepared From Chitosan Extraction, Green Method
Authors: kadhim Faisal J . , Bedoui Mohamed Hedi
Published: March 2024

This study used a hydrothermal (autoclave) method to successfully prepare iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe2O3-NPs) by combining (Fe2NO3) salt with chitosan extract. In the antibacterial process, the IO-NPs are crucial in getting rid of germs and creating a healthy environment. IO-NPs were investigated using XRD spectra ,FE-SEM, UV-visible and, PL. According to the XRD results, Fe2O3 NPs have a face center cubic (FCC) structure and a crystal size of 10 to 25 nm. The diffraction peaks for Fe2O3 NPs can be assigned with good crystal quality. Furthermore, the FE-SEM results showed that the Fe2O3-NPs had grain size of 66 to 88 nm. The energy band gap, according to UV-visible spectra, is 4.2 eV. The inhibition of zones, which were 20 to 26 mm for gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus), was used to determine the antibacterial qualities of Fe2O3-NPs.
Persistence of viral RNA in North American elk experimentally infected with an ancestral strain of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)
Authors: Boggiatto Paola , Buckley Alexandra , Cassmann Eric , Seger Hannah , Olsen Steven , Palmer Mitchell
Published: March 2024

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have emerged as a potential reservoir host for SARS-CoV-2 given their susceptibility to infection and demonstrated high rates of seroprevalence across the United States. As SARS-CoV-2 circulates within free-ranging white-tailed deer populations, there is the risk of transmission to other wildlife species and even back to the human population. The goal of this study was to determine the susceptibility, shedding, and immune response of North American elk (Cervus elaphus canadensis) to experimental infection with SARS-CoV-2, to determine if another wide-ranging cervid species could potentially serve as a reservoir host for the virus. Here we demonstrate that while North American elk do not develop clinical signs of disease, they do develop a neutralizing antibody response to infection, suggesting the virus is capable of replicating in this mammalian host. Additionally, we demonstrate SARS-CoV-2 RNA presence in the medial retropharyngeal lymph nodes of infected elk three weeks after experimental infection. Consistent with previous observations in humans, these data may highlight a mechanism of viral persistence for SARS-CoV-2 in elk.
New and interesting records of rare caddisflies (Trichoptera, Insecta) from Slovakia with comments on their ecology and conservation status
Authors: Navara Tomáš , Endel Branislav , Kokavec Igor , Lukáš Jozef , Majzlan Oto , Samay Ján , Thomková Katarína , Vidlička Ľubomír , Chvojka Pavel
Published: March 2024

The distribution and diversity of insects are crucial conservation issues. The order Trichoptera comprises numerous endangered species, but the rarity of some makes it challenging to determine their conservation priority. Research in Slovakia in recent decades has focused mainly on limnological studies, resulting in more frequent data on caddisfly larvae. Our research focused mainly on adult caddisflies, resulting in more reliable and accurate identification of many species that cannot be identified in the larval stage. We combined several entomological methods, including sweeping, Malaise traps, and UV light attraction, to increase the likelihood of catching rare species. The text lists and discusses the discoveries of caddisfly species that are particularly important for faunistics or biodiversity in Slovakia, as well as in the Central European context. Enoicyla reichenbachii (Kolenati, 1848), Limnephilus incisus Curtis, 1834, Ptilocolepus granulatus (Pictet, 1834) and Oecetis testacea (Curtis, 1834) were recorded for the first time in Slovakia. The rare species Hagenella clathrata (Kolenati, 1848) and Adicella balcanica Botosaneanu and Novák, 1965, previously found in Slovakia, were also recorded. Additionally, a new locality of Adicella syriaca Ulmer, 1907 indicates a further northward shift of this Mediterranean species. We further discussed the faunistically important records of Beraeamyia hrabei Mayer, 1937, Allotrichia pallicornis (Eaton, 1873), Ceraclea riparia (Albarda, 1874), Grammotaulius nitidus (Müller, 1764) and Limnephilus fuscicornis Rambur, 1842 from Slovakia. The conservation status of each species is proposed and discussed based on our faunistic records, in accordance with the forthcoming update of the Slovak Red Book.
Stability from subspace rotations and traveling waves
Authors: Miller Earl , Batabyal Tamal , Brincat Scott , Donoghue Jacob , Lundqvist Mikael , Mahnke Meredith
Published: March 2024

Cortical activity shows stability, including the ability to recover from disruptions. We analyzed spiking from the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of monkeys performing working memory tasks with mid-memory-delay distractions. Perturbation of cortex by events (a gaze shift or visual inputs) caused rotational dynamics in subspace that could return spiking to patterns similar to those before the perturbation. In fact, after a distraction, rotations were fuller when the task was correctly performed vs when errors were made. We found a direct correspondence between state-space rotations and traveling waves rotating across the surface of the PFC. This suggests a role for subspace rotations in cortical stability and a correspondence between subspace trajectories and traveling waves.
Analysis of driving moment characteristic of multi-section wing based on the centroid self- trim compensation morphing
Authors: Ma Hang , Zhou Zhongbin , Zhang Dingshan
Published: March 2024

Based on the research of sweep and reverse angle deformation laws of the elbow and hand wing sections during the flight of large birds, a multi-section variable-sweep wing structure adapted to large-size UAVs is proposed in this paper. The feasibility of the centroid self-trim compensation morphing process by using collaborative deformation of inner and outer sections is ex-plored. Firstly, a calculation and evaluation method of the driving moment required for morphing based on the vortex lattice method is established. Then, five preselection models with different span ratios of the inner and outer sections of the multi-section variable sweep-wing UAV are constructed. Finally, from the aspects of static stability margin, changes in aerodynamic characteristics, and performance requirements of the drivers during the collaborative morphing process, the influence of multi-parameters on the comprehensive performance of the multi-section morphing wing is analyzed, and the reasonable design range of the span ratio of the inner and outer wing sections of the research object is given. The results show that the multi-section morphing wing proposed in this paper has a significant advantage in solving the problems of drastic changes in aerodynamic, dynamic, and operational characteristics caused by large-size wing morphing. The maximum output power requirement of the drivers in the symmetrical self-trim compensation morphing process can be reduced by increasing the ratio of the inner wing section to the preselected model, and the efficiency of the driver can be improved. The preselection model of the multi-section variable swept-wing UAV with optimal driving moment performance is determined by the comprehensive analysis results, and the corresponding span ratio of the inner and outer wing sections in the morphing sections is about 64.03% and 35.97%, respectively.
Clean synthesis of silicon carbide whiskers using recycled carbon black and waste silicon dioxide
Authors: Ie Iau-Ren , Chen Wei-Cheng , Dai Yung-Dun , Yuan Chung-Shin , Yuan Ching
Published: March 2024

This study aimed to synthesize a high-value product, silicon carbide (SiC) whickers, using carbon black from recycled tires and waste silicon dioxide obtained from the photovoltaic industry via mechanical and thermal activation (IMTA) technology. Diverse whisker morphologies, including needle-like, nanowire-like, bamboo-like, and bead-like structures, were obtained. Furthermore, the effects of the synthesis parameters, such as the ball milling time, carbon‒silicon molar ratio, pyrolysis temperature, and pyrolysis time, on the quality of the SiC whiskers were investigated. The results showed that the carbon‒silicon ratio had the greatest impact on whisker formation, followed by the pyrolysis temperature, pyrolysis time, and ball-milling time. The purity of the synthesized silicon carbide whiskers was observed in the range of 42.63%-54.84%. Both the pyrolysis temperature and time improved the properties of the SiC. Additionally, the strength, hardness, abrasion resistance of the rubber and wear-resistant paint could be improved by adding less than 4% synthesized SiC whiskers, as confirmed via commercial product testing. The excellent performance of the synthesized SiC whiskers and the competitive market advantage of improving the product quality at a low economic cost were confirmed in this study.
Comparative Analysis of Dexmedetomidine, Midazolam, and Propofol Impact on Epilepsy- Related Mortality in the ICU: Insights from the MIMIC-IV Database
Authors: Li Xun , Yue Wei
Published: March 2024

Background
Dexmedetomidine (Dex), midazolam, and propofol are three distinct sedatives characterized by varying pharmacological properties. Previous literature has indicated the positive impact of each of these sedatives on ICU patients. This study aimed to assess the impact of Dex, midazolam, and propofol on the survival of PWE.
Methods
Retrospective data were obtained from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-IV database (version 2.0). PWE were categorized into Dex, midazolam, and propofol groups based on intravenously administered sedatives. PWE without standard drug therapy were included in the control group. Comparative analyses were performed on the data among the groups.
Results
Kaplan-Meier curves demonstrated a significant improvement in survival rates for the Dex group compared to the control group (p = 0.025). Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) revealed no significant differences in survival rates among the Dex, midazolam, and propofol groups (F = 1.949, p = 0.143). The nomogram indicated that compared to midazolam and propofol groups, Dex was more effective in improving the survival rate of PWE.
Conclusion
Dex might appear to outperform midazolam and propofol in improving the survival rate in nomogram.
The importance of real-world data in evaluating the safety of biosimilars: a descriptive study of clinical practice in an oncohematological population.
Authors: Urru Silvana Anna Maria , Mayer Flavia , Alegiani Stefania Spila , Paoloni Francesca , Guella Anna , Murru Roberta , Bucaneve Giampaolo , Formoso Giulio , Racanelli Vito , Ferrarini Isacco , Fozza Claudio , longo Giuseppe , Musicco Felice , Campomori Annalisa
Published: March 2024

Background
Safety concerns are often raised when switching from reference to biosimilar products and between different biosimilars.
Objective
The objective of this multicenter observational study is to provide an objective and representative Italian-level picture of RTX use in individuals with oncohematologic diseases during the period 2018-2022.
Results
505 patients naïve to RTX treatment with NHL (n=453), CLL (n=33) or one of the diseases included in the list of Law 648/96 (n=19) were analyzed. Patients, 42% women, had a median age at baseline of 66.8 years (IQR 57.5-73.9 years); median follow-up of patients was 311 days (IQR 217-461 days).
During the study period, patients received 3,681 infusions of RTX; the median number of infusions per patient was 7.3 (standard deviations 3.8).
The majority of patients started therapy with the biosimilars Tru (n=298) and Rix (n=139), followed by the originator Mabiv (n=64). Seventy-eight percent (n=392) of patients did not switch during the study period, 98% of whom continued treatment with the same biosimilar (n=257) with Tru and n=130 with Rix). Those who did switch were 22% (n=113), most of whom switched from intravenous RTX to Mabsc (n=75, 67%).
Conclusions
This study describes the use of RTX in real clinical practice of Italian oncohematology centers. The results show that patients with switch are the minority (22%), while most remain on treatment with Rix and Tru biosimilars. Our shared approach has increased clinicians and patients confidence in biosimilars with respect to efficacy and safety, generating at the same time significant cost savings.
A Model for Building English Training Corpora from Scanned Documentation
Authors: Vaddadi Vasudha rani , Gembali Sushmitha , Rout Ajit Kumar
Published: March 2024

Related to various fields like Academia, Government Organizations, Hospitals, and Mythology, where a lot of information is available in hard copies. These documents need to get digitized to text, to make the hard copies data more accessible and maintainable. To create a paperless environment Automatic handwritten text recognition system plays a major role which is possible through digitizing and processing handwritten copies. The proposed Automatic text recognition system works on image input to generate digital output. To develop Automatic handwritten text recognition system various domains like machine learning with computer vision and deep learning techniques are required to create abstract models for recognizing letters and words initially. The proposed model uses sequence to sequence architecture to generate the sequential output of digitized lines of text. The proposed model uses Conventional Neural Network model to perform feature extraction from the handwritten image. The extracted features are modeled with a sequence-to-sequence methodology and submit to ResNet-Transformer for encoding and decoding from the Input Image of visual features and the sequence of letters. The proposed model uses synthetic data augmentation for image preprocessing. The IAM dataset which contains a large amount of data will be used for the implementation of proposed model.
Cost of Cardiovascular Disease Events in Patients With and Without Type 2 Diabetes and Factors Influencing Cost: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Puteh Sharifa Wan , Kamarudin Noor ‘Adilah , Hussein Zanariah , Adam Noorlita , Shahari Mohd Ridzwan
Published: March 2024

Background:Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are non-communicable diseases that impose a significant economic burden on healthcare systems, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the hospital treatment cost for cardiovascular disease events (CVDEs) in patients with and without diabetes and identify factors influencing cost.
Method:We conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional study using administrative data from three public tertiary hospitals in Malaysia. Data for hospital admissions between 1 March 2019 and 1 March 2020 with International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD-10) codes for acute myocardial infarction (MI), ischaemic heart disease (IHD), hypertensive heart disease, stroke, heart failure, cardiomyopathy, and peripheral vascular disease (PVD) were retrieved from the Malaysian Disease Related Group (Malaysian DRG) Casemix System. Patients were stratified by T2DM status for analyses. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors influencing treatment costs.
Results: Of the 1,183 patients in our study cohort, approximately 60.4% had type 2 diabetes. The most common CVDE was acute MI (25.6%), followed by IHD (25.3%), hypertensive heart disease (18.9%), stroke (12.9%), heart failure (9.4%), cardiomyopathy (5.7%) and PVD (2.1%). Nearly two-thirds (62.4%) of the patients had at least one cardiovascular risk factor, with hypertension being the most prevalent (60.4%). The treatment cost for all CVDEs was RM 4.8 million and RM 3.7 million in the T2DM and non-T2DM group, respectively. IHD incurred the largest cost in both groups, constituting 30.0% and 50.0% of the total CVDE treatment cost for patients with and without TD2DM, respectively. Predictors of high treatment cost included male gender, minority ethnicity, IHD diagnosis and severity level.
Conclusion: This study provides real-world cost estimates for CVDE hospitalisation and quantifies the combined burden of two major non-communicable disease categories at the public health provider level. Our results confirm that CVDs are associated with substantial health utilisation in both T2DM and non-T2DM patients.
Smell detection of whole fruit in a natural environment using an electronic nose (e-nose)
Authors: Lawal Olarewaju Mubashiru
Published: March 2024

The smell of fruit is a dynamic concept that changes and is used to determine the type and quality of fruit. However, the detection of fruit smells using an electronic nose (e-nose) faces numerous obstacles, as fruit samples are often destroyed, isolated in a reaction chamber, and not often exposed to their natural environments, making it unpracticable for storage and a real-life scenario. With special attention to natural indoor and outdoor conditions for day and night, polyethylene (PE) bag packaging, and packed and unpacked fruit samples recorded in the office and home, a robust smell dataset of whole fruit forms of apples, bananas, mangoes, oranges and pears was developed using an e-nose smell inspector. The preprocessed smell dataset contains 7 classes of smell with 11 different conditions each, 47 features, including temperature and humidity, and 3555 samples, for a total of 234630 observations. The Pearson correlation analysis between features and temperature and humidity as influencers of smell shows that ch36 is the most indicative feature for the emitted smell of fruit. The experimented results of classifier algorithms on the fruit smell dataset demonstrated that Random Forest (RF) is best suited for fruit smell detection for having the highest accuracy of 0.99 compared to Decision Tree (DT) at 0.95, Artificial Neural Network (ANN) at 0.93, K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) at 0.93, Stochastic Gradient Descent (SGD) at 0.31, Logistic Regression (LR) at 0.29, Support Vector Machines (SVM) at 0.23, and Gaussian Naive Bayes (GNB) at 0.14. Available online at https://github.com/larrywal-express/fruit-smell-analysis
A Grounded Theory-Based Model of Information Communication in Cultural Heritage Digital Reading on the Social Media from the Perspective of the Embodied Theory
Authors: Zhang Jingwen , Xu Chenyu
Published: March 2024

New media technologies have opened up new possibilities for the communication of cultural heritage, and digital reading aligns with the participatory shift in museums, becoming an indispensable part of information communication. Currently, there exists a certain contradiction between the specialized, non-linear, and immersive narrative style of cultural heritage content and the need to find a balance between content and form. This article introduces the theory of embodied cognition, combines the characteristics of cultural heritage information content, and systematically explores the impact of embodied factors on audience reading behavior using semi-structured interviews and grounded theory. The research reveals that embodied cognition, situational cognition, and interactive cognition have a significant impact on the digital reading information communication of cultural heritage on social media. This includes six factors: platform user experience, sensory experience, interactive experience, social experience, scene simulation, and emotional elevation.