bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘We are not going to shut down, because we cannot postpone pregnancy’: a mixed-methods study of the provision of maternal healthcare in six referral maternity wards in four sub-Saharan African countries during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Semaan Aline , Banke-Thomas Aduragbemi , Amongin Dinah , Babah Ochuwa , Dioubate Nafissatou , Kikula Amani , Nakubulwa Sarah , Ogein Olubunmi , Adroma Moses , Anzo Adiga William , Diallo Abdourahmane , Diallo Lamine , Cellou Diallo Mamadou , Maomou Cécé , Mtinangi Nathanael , Sy Telly , Delvaux Thérèse , Afolabi Bosede Bukola , Delamou Alexandre , Nakimuli Annettee , Pembe Andrea B , Benova Lenka
Published: February 2022

Introduction

Referral hospitals in sub-Saharan Africa are located in crowded urban areas, which were often epicentres of the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper prospectively assesses how maternal healthcare was provided in six referral hospitals in Guinea, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Mixed-methods design using three data sources: (1) qualitative data from repeated rounds of semi-structured interviews conducted between July 2020 and February 2021 with 22 maternity skilled heath personnel (SHP) on perceptions of care provision; (2) quantitative monthly routine data on caesarean section and labour induction from March 2019 to February 2021; and (3) timeline data of COVID-19 epidemiology, national and hospital-level events. Qualitative and quantitative data were analysed separately, framed based on timeline analysis, and triangulated during reporting.

Results

We identified three periods: first wave, slow period and second wave. The first wave was challenging for SHP given little knowledge about COVID-19, lack of infection prevention and control training, and difficulties reaching workplace. Challenges that persisted beyond the first wave were shortage of personal protective equipment and no rapid testing for women suspected with COVID-19. We noted no change in the proportion of caesarean sections during the pandemic, and a small increase in the proportion of labour inductions. All hospitals arranged isolation areas for women suspected/confirmed with COVID-19 and three hospitals provided care to women with suspected/confirmed COVID-19. Breastfeeding was not discouraged and newborns were not separated from mothers confirmed with COVID-19. Care provision was maintained through dedication of SHP, support from hospital management and remote communication between SHP.

Conclusion

Routine maternal care provision was maintained in referral hospitals, despite first wave challenges. Referral hospitals and SHP contributed to guideline development for pregnant women suspected/confirmed with COVID-19. Maternity SHP, women and pregnancy must always be included in priority setting when responding to health system shocks, including outbreaks.
Nurse-led home-visitation programme for first-time mothers in reducing maltreatment and improving child health and development (BB:2-6): longer-term outcomes from a randomised cohort using data linkage
Authors: Robling Michael , Lugg-Widger Fiona V , Cannings-John Rebecca , Angel Lianna , Channon Sue , Fitzsimmons Deborah , Hood Kerenza , Kenkre Joyce , Moody Gwenllian , Owen-Jones Eleri , Pockett Rhys D , Sanders Julia , Segrott Jeremy , Slater Thomas
Published: February 2022

Objectives

Measure effectiveness of family nurse partnership (FNP) home-visiting programme in reducing maltreatment and improving maternal health and child health, developmental and educational outcomes; explore effect moderators, mediators; describe costs.

Design

Follow-up of BB:0–2 trial cohort (ISRCTN:23019866) up to age 7 years in England using record linkage.

Participants

1618 mothers aged 19 years or younger and their firstborn child(ren) recruited to BB:0–2 trial at less than 25 weeks gestation and not mandatorily withdrawn from trial or opted out. Intervention families were offered up to a maximum of 64 home visits by specially trained nurses from pregnancy until firstborn child was 2 years old, plus usually provided health and social care support. Comparator was usual care alone.

Outcome measures

Primary outcome: state-verified child-in-need status recorded at any time during follow-up. Secondary outcomes: referral to social services, child protection registration (plan), child-in-need categorisation, looked-after status, recorded injuries and ingestions any time during follow-up, early childcare and educational attendance, school readiness and attainment at key stage 1 (KS1), healthcare costs.

Results

Match rates for 1547 eligible children (1517 singletons, 15 sets of twins) were 98.3% (NHS Digital) and 97.4% (National Pupil Database). There was no difference between study arms in the proportion of children being registered as in need (adjusted OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.74 to 1.31), or for any other measure of maltreatment. Children in the FNP arm were more likely to achieve a good level of development at reception age (school readiness) (adjusted OR 1.24, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.52). After adjusting for birth month, children in FNP arm were more likely to reach the expected standard in reading at KS1 (adjusted OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.57). We found no trial arm differences for resource use and costs.

Conclusions

FNP did not improve maltreatment or maternal outcomes. There was evidence of small advantages in school readiness and attainment at KS1.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN23019866.
Improving Asthma Care Together (IMPACT) mobile health intervention for school-age children with asthma and their parents: a pilot randomised controlled trial study protocol
Authors: Sonney Jennifer , Ward Teresa , Thompson Hilaire J , Kientz Julie A , Segrin Chris
Published: February 2022

Introduction

Asthma is an incurable, lifelong condition that places children at increased risk for exacerbation, hospitalisation and school absences. Most paediatric asthma interventions target parents alone and are overly prescriptive. Improving Asthma Care Together (IMPACT) is a novel shared management system comprised of a mobile health (mHealth) application, symptom watch and tailored health intervention that pairs parent and child together as an asthma management team. IMPACT helps families monitor asthma status, tailor asthma management strategies and facilitate intentional transition of asthma management to the child. The purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary efficacy of the IMPACT intervention.

Methods and analysis

This pilot randomised controlled trial will recruit 60 children with asthma (7–11 years) and one parent. All parent–child dyads will complete data collection sessions at baseline, postintervention and follow-up. Dyads randomised to the intervention group (IMPACT) will complete the 8-week intervention comprised of weekly activities including symptom monitoring, goal setting and progress monitoring. Dyads randomised to the control group will receive usual care but then be provided access to IMPACT at the end of the study. Feasibility will be measured by the proportion of eligible dyads enrolled and retained. Acceptability of IMPACT will be assessed using the Acceptability of Intervention Measure, the System Usability Scale and a semistructured interview. Preliminary efficacy is determined based on change in primary outcomes, parent-reported and child-reported asthma responsibility and asthma self-efficacy scores, from baseline.

Ethics and dissemination

This study has been approved by the University of Washington Institutional Review Board; study ID: STUDY00010461. Participants gave informed consent to participate in the study before taking part. Study results will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. A lay summary will be provided to study participants.

Trial registration number

NCT04908384 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier).
Artificial intelligence for the echocardiographic assessment of valvular heart disease
Authors: Nedadur Rashmi , Wang Bo , Tsang Wendy
Published: February 2022

Developments in artificial intelligence (AI) have led to an explosion of studies exploring its application to cardiovascular medicine. Due to the need for training and expertise, one area where AI could be impactful would be in the diagnosis and management of valvular heart disease. This is because AI can be applied to the multitude of data generated from clinical assessments, imaging and biochemical testing during the care of the patient. In the area of valvular heart disease, the focus of AI has been on the echocardiographic assessment and phenotyping of patient populations to identify high-risk groups. AI can assist image acquisition, view identification for review, and segmentation of valve and cardiac structures for automated analysis. Using image recognition algorithms, aortic and mitral valve disease states have been directly detected from the images themselves. Measurements obtained during echocardiographic valvular assessment have been integrated with other clinical data to identify novel aortic valve disease subgroups and describe new predictors of aortic valve disease progression. In the future, AI could integrate echocardiographic parameters with other clinical data for precision medical management of patients with valvular heart disease.
First report of male–male combat in free-ranging Amazonian Common Lanceheads (Bothrops atrox)
Authors: da Fonseca Wirven Lima , Correa Radraque Rodrigues , de Souza Oliveira Andesson , Braz Henrique Bartolomeu , de Almeida-Santos Selma Maria , Bernarde Paulo Sérgio
Published: February 2022

In many snakes, males engage in agonistic interactions (male–male combat) apparently to establish dominant–subordinate relationships to gain priority access to reproductive females. In the Neotropical genus Bothrops Wagler, 1824 (∼45 species), male–male combat has been recorded only in three species of the monophyletic Bothrops atrox group. However, most male combats recorded in this clade occurred in captivity, an environment that facilitates the emergence of agonistic interactions. Here, we provide the first record of male–male combat in free-ranging Amazonian Common Lanceheads (Bothrops atrox (Linnaeus, 1758)) and discuss the implications of this observation for the species mating system. During fieldwork, we found one immature female and five active adult males, two of them fighting. These observations suggest that reproductive male B. atrox actively search and compete for widely dispersed and scarce receptive females.
A case study of variational quantum algorithms for a job shop scheduling problem
Authors: Amaro David , Rosenkranz Matthias , Fitzpatrick Nathan , Hirano Koji , Fiorentini Mattia
Published: February 2022

Combinatorial optimization models a vast range of industrial processes aiming at improving their efficiency. In general, solving this type of problem exactly is computationally intractable. Therefore, practitioners rely on heuristic solution approaches. Variational quantum algorithms are optimization heuristics that can be demonstrated with available quantum hardware. In this case study, we apply four variational quantum heuristics running on IBM’s superconducting quantum processors to the job shop scheduling problem. Our problem optimizes a steel manufacturing process. A comparison on 5 qubits shows that the recent filtering variational quantum eigensolver (F-VQE) converges faster and samples the global optimum more frequently than the quantum approximate optimization algorithm (QAOA), the standard variational quantum eigensolver (VQE), and variational quantum imaginary time evolution (VarQITE). Furthermore, F-VQE readily solves problem sizes of up to 23 qubits on hardware without error mitigation post processing.
Experimenting quantum phenomena on NISQ computers using high level quantum programming
Authors: Tran Duc M. , Nguyen Duy V. , Le Bin Ho , Nguyen Hung Q.
Published: February 2022

We execute the quantum eraser, the Elitzur–Vaidman bomb, and the Hardy’s paradox experiment using high-level programming language on a generic, gate-based superconducting quantum processor made publicly available by IBM. The quantum circuits for these experiments use a mixture of one-qubit and multi-qubit gates and require high entanglement gate accuracy. The results aligned with theoretical predictions of quantum mechanics to high confidence on circuits using up to 3 qubits. The power of quantum computers and high-level language as a platform for experimenting and studying quantum phenomena is henceforth demonstrated.
Brain Network Organization Following Post-Stroke Neurorehabilitation
Authors: Naro Antonino , Pignolo Loris , Calabrò Rocco Salvatore
Published: February 2022

Brain network analysis can offer useful information to guide the rehabilitation of post-stroke patients. We applied functional network connection models based on multiplex-multilayer network analysis (MMN) to explore functional network connectivity changes induced by robot-aided gait training (RAGT) using the Ekso, a wearable exoskeleton, and compared it to conventional overground gait training (COGT) in chronic stroke patients. We extracted the coreness of individual nodes at multiple locations in the brain from EEG recordings obtained before and after gait training in a resting state. We found that patients provided with RAGT achieved a greater motor function recovery than those receiving COGT. This difference in clinical outcome was paralleled by greater changes in connectivity patterns among different brain areas central to motor programming and execution, as well as a recruitment of other areas beyond the sensorimotor cortices and at multiple frequency ranges, contemporarily. The magnitude of these changes correlated with motor function recovery chances. Our data suggest that the use of RAGT as an add-on treatment to COGT may provide post-stroke patients with a greater modification of the functional brain network impairment following a stroke. This might have potential clinical implications if confirmed in large clinical trials.
Investigation of chirp-free dromions to higher-order nonlinear Schrödinger equation with non-Kerr terms
Authors: Rizvi S. T. R. , Seadawy Aly R. , Hanif M. , Younis M. , Ali K. , Althobaiti Ali
Published: February 2022

In this paper, we study chirp-free solitons (dromions) for the higher-order nonlinear Schrödinger equation (HNLSE) having non-Kerr terms with the aid of sub-ODE scheme. We find bright and singular dromion with domain walls, rational and periodic solitons, Weierstrass elliptic functions (WEFs), Jacobi elliptic solutions (JESs) and other solitary wave solutions for our governing model. The Sub-ODE scheme is very useful scheme, providing so many new solitary wave solutions especially JES and WEF solutions. We will also construct graphs of our results in different dimensions along with constraint conditions.
Alternative characterization of a black hole boundary
Authors: Dahal Pravin Kumar
Published: February 2022

After reviewing the shortcomings of existing definitions used to characterize the boundary of a black hole, we present a new method for its characterization. This definition could potentially be applied to locate the boundary of general black hole solutions of the Einstein field equations. Using our definition in general spherically symmetric spacetimes, we argue that an observer falling into a black hole encounters an infinite energy density, pressure, and flux at the black hole boundary. This result is interpreted as a firewall that prevents the growth of classical black holes. However, the possibility of black hole growth via quantum mechanical tunneling cannot be ruled out.
The fuzzball hair removal
Authors: Virmani Amitabh
Published: February 2022

The gravitational description of black hole microstructure via the fuzzball proposal suggests a vast space of solutions called fuzzballs. This idea together with the 4d and 5d microscopic counting formulas necessitates that each supersymmetric 4d fuzzball admits an infinite number of hair. The hair removed fuzzballs are the true horizon degrees of freedom. We discuss how to construct/identify, count, and remove fuzzball hair.
Multimodal Emotion Recognition and State Analysis of Classroom Video and Audio Based on Deep Neural Network
Authors: Li Mingyong , Liu Mingyue , Jiang Zheng , Zhao Zongwei , Zhang Jiayan , Ge Mingyuan , Duan Huiming , Wang Yanxia
Published: February 2022

In the process of learning, learners will express their emotions through a variety of forms, facial expressions and voice are more obvious, which are most easily obtained through computers. In the previous methods, it is mainly based on a single modal, such as expression, speech, text and so on. Due to the diversity of information, the accuracy rate of multimodal recognition is higher than that of single modal recognition. Therefore, this paper proposed a DNN-based multimodal learning emotion analysis method which combines video and speech to detect students’ learning emotion in real time. We use this method to automatically identify learning emotions in primary school English classroom. According to different learning emotions, the PAD emotion scale was used to correspond learning emotions with learning states. Teachers can judge students’ learning state according to the change of students’ learning emotions, so as to adjust teaching methods and strategies in time.
Singular limits of the quasi-linear Kolmogorov-type equation with a source term
Authors: Kuznetsov Ivan , Sazhenkov Sergey
Published: February 2022

Existence, uniqueness and stability of kinetic and entropy solutions to the boundary value problem associated with the Kolmogorov-type, genuinely nonlinear, degenerate hyperbolic–parabolic (ultra-parabolic) equation with a smooth source term is established. In addition, we consider the case when the source term contains a small positive parameter and collapses to the Dirac delta-function, as this parameter tends to zero. In this case, the limiting passage from the original equation with the smooth source to the impulsive ultra-parabolic equation is investigated and the formal limit is rigorously justified. Our proofs rely on the use of kinetic equations and the compensated compactness method for genuinely nonlinear balance laws.
Different types of drug abusers prefrontal cortex activation patterns and based on machine-learning classification
Authors: Yang Banghua , Gu Xuelin , Gao Shouwei , Yan Lin Feng , Xu Ding , Wang Wen
Published: February 2022

Drug addiction can cause abnormal brain activation changes, which are the root cause of drug craving and brain function errors. This study enrolled drug abusers to determine the effects of different drugs on brain activation. A functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) device was used for the research. This study was designed with an experimental paradigm that included the induction of resting and drug addiction cravings. We collected the fNIRS data of 30 drug users, including 10 who used heroin, 10 who used Methamphetamine, and 10 who used mixed drugs. First, using Statistical Analysis, the study analyzed the activations of eight functional areas of the left and right hemispheres of the prefrontal cortex of drug addicts who respectively used heroin, Methamphetamine, and mixed drugs, including Left/Right-Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (L/R-DLPFC), Left/Right-Ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (L/R-VLPFC), Left/Right-Frontopolar prefrontal cortex (L/R-FPC), and Left/Right Orbitofrontal Cortex (L/R-OFC). Second, referencing the degrees of activation of oxyhaemoglobin concentration (HbO[Formula: see text], the study made an analysis and got the specific activation patterns of each group of the addicts. Finally, after taking out data which are related to the addicts who recorded high degrees of activation among the three groups of addicts, and which had the same channel numbers, the paper classified the different drug abusers using the data as the input data for Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). The average three-class accuracy is 67.13%. It is of great significance for the analysis of brain function errors and personalized rehabilitation.
Accurate Estimation of Service Rates in Interleaved Scratchpad Memory Systems
Authors: Wittig Robert , Schulz Philipp , Matus Emil , Fettweis Gerhard P.
Published: February 2022

The prototyping of embedded platforms demands rapid exploration of multi-dimensional parameter sets. Especially the design of the memory system is essential to guarantee high utilization while reducing conflicts at the same time. To aid the design process, several probabilistic models to estimate the throughput of interleaved memory systems have been proposed. While accurately estimating the average throughput of the system, these models fail to determine the impact on individual processing elements. To mitigate this divergence, we extend three known models to include non-uniform access probabilities and priorities.
Touching Our Breathing through Shape-Change: Monster, Organic Other, or Twisted Mirror
Authors: Karpashevich Pavel , Sanches Pedro , Garrett Rachael , Luft Yoav , Cotton Kelsey , Tsaknaki Vasiliki , Höök Kristina
Published: February 2022

We report on a soma design process, where we designed a novel shape-changing garment—the Soma Corset. The corset integrates sensing and actuation around the torso in tight interaction loops. The design process revealed how boundaries between the garment and the wearer can become blurred, leading to three flavours of cyborg relations. First, through the lens of the monster, we articulate how the wearer can adopt or reject the garment, resulting in either harmonious or disconcerting experiences of touch. Second, it can be experienced as an organic “other”-with its own agency-resulting in uncanny experiences of touch. Through mirroring the wearer’s breathing, the garment can also be experienced as a twisted version of one’s own body. We suggest that a gradual sensitisation of designers-through soma design and reflection on the emerging human-technology relations-may serve as a pathway for uncovering and articulating novel, machine-like, digital touch experiences.
Review—A Review of the Corrosion Behaviour of Graphene Coatings on Metal Surfaces Obtained by Chemical Vapour Deposition
Authors: Naghdi Samira , Mišković-Stanković Vesna
Published: February 2022

Outstanding characteristics of graphene are its high thermal conductivity, inherent high capacity, extremely large specific surface area, high strength, ductility, and remarkable chemical inertness, making it an attractive candidate in the corrosion barrier field. Since graphene coating does not change the thickness and appearance of the substrate, it is an ideal coating for protecting a metal substrate from destructive effects. Between various deposition procedures of graphene coatings on metal surfaces, i.e., electrophoretic deposition, dip coating, spray coating, spin coating, etc., chemical vapour deposition (CVD)-grown graphene coatings have been shown to improve the corrosion resistance of graphene-coated metals significantly. This review is focused on the protective properties of graphene coatings deposited by CVD on different metal substrates and exposed to corrosive environments.
Perspective—Trends in the Recognition of Women in Electrochemistry
Authors: Oliveira Alexandra M. , Beswick Rebecca R. , Yan Yushan
Published: February 2022

Like many science and engineering fields, electrochemistry has historically been dominated by male researchers. This perspective celebrates the contributions of female electrochemists and studies trends in the number of women recognized by the International Society of Electrochemistry (ISE), the Electrochemical Society (ECS), the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), and the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) for their work in electrochemical fields. In recent years, women are being recognized more frequently for impactful electrochemical research, signaling the beginning of a journey toward more equal representation in a field in which men and women together can solve the world’s greatest energy challenges.
Electrochemical Potentiostatic Activation for the Improvement of 270 nm AlGaN-Based UV-C Light-Emitting Diodes
Authors: Lee Koh Eun , Choi Rak Jun , Kang Hyunwoong , Shim Jong In , Ryu Sang-Wan , Cho Jaehee , Lee June Key
Published: February 2022

The electrochemical potentiostatic activation (EPA) method was performed by removing hydrogen atoms from the inside of the Mg-doped p-GaN/p-AlGaN multilayer of 270 nm AlGaN-based UV-C light-emitting diodes (UV-C LEDs). The EPA evaluation was controlled among the applied voltages of 2, 3, and 4 V for 10 min under 1.0 M HCl solution, and the hole concentration inside the p-GaN/p-AlGaN multilayer was decreased. To evaluate the characteristics and reliability of UV-C LEDs, the basic flip chip process was applied and then mounted on the AlN ceramic package by AuSn eutectic bonding. Compared to the as-fabricated LED, we demonstrated an increase of over 8% in light output power at 350 mA in UV-C LEDs by improving internal quantum efficiency (IQE) with EPA treatment at 3 V. The enhanced IQE and higher EQE contributed to improving the reliability of the LEDs, thus resulting in a ∼7% lifetime extension.
Hypoxia Tumor Microenvironment Activates GLI2 through HIF-1α and TGF-β2 to Promote Chemotherapy Resistance of Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Huang Kun , Zhang Xin , Hao Yanhui , Feng Ruixing , Wang Haojie , Shu Zhiwan , Li An , Du Minghu
Published: February 2022

Background. A majority of relapse cases have been reported in colorectal cancer patients due to cancer stem cell progenitors. The factors responsible for chemoresistance have yet to be discovered and investigated as CSCs have reported escaping from chemotherapy’s killing action. Objective. In this study, we have investigated the effects of HIF-1α and TGF-β2 in hypoxia conditions on the expression of GLI2, which is a potential factor for causing chemoresistance. Material and Methods. Colorectal samples of treated patients were collected from the Hospital Biological Sample Library. Culture of patient-derived TSs and fibroblasts was performed. The collected patient samples and cells were used for immunohistochemistry, quantitative PCR, and western blotting studies which were performed. Results. It was reported that HIF-1α (hypoxia-inducible factor) and TGF-β2 secreted from cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) synergistically work to express GLI2 in cancer stem cells. Hence, it increased the stemness as well as resistance to chemotherapy. Conclusion. The HIF-1α/TGF-β2-mediated GLI2 signaling was responsible for causing chemoresistance in the hypoxia environment. High expressions of HIF1α/TGF-β2/GLI2 cause the relapsing of colorectal cancer, thus making this a potential biomarker for identifying the relapse and resistance in patients. The study uncovers the mechanism involved in sternness and chemotherapy resistance which will help in targeted treatment.
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Artificial Neural Network Based on Correcting Scoliosis and Improving Spinal Health in University Students
Authors: Peng Jiefu
Published: February 2022

In recent years, spinal disorders, spinal deformities, and scoliosis have become more frequent, especially chronic systemic inflammatory diseases, such as early-onset scoliosis, idiopathic scoliosis, and ankylosis spondylitis, which have unknown causes, insidious onset, and progressive development, resulting in irreversible spinal joint deformities and stiffness at advanced stages and high disability rates. As one of the traditional Chinese health and fitness qigong exercises, Taijiquan has the effect of strengthening the waist and kidneys, sparing the tendons and softening the body, unblocking the meridians, unblocking the qi and blood, and strengthening the body and increasing intelligence. To this end, this paper proposes a data enhancement method that uses the spine line as the control curve to deform the human contours, drawing on the moving least squares deformation method to fit a variety of scoliosis cases and increase the diversity of the dataset, thereby improving the generalisation capability of the network. The colour map and depth map information are then integrated using a four-channel method and a dual feature extraction network structure to improve the accuracy of segmentation.
Bioinformatics Analysis and Experimental Verification Identify Downregulation of COL27A1 in Poor Segmental Congenital Scoliosis
Authors: Hu Zongshan , Xu Yanjie , Li Jie , Zhu Zezhang , Qiu Yong , Liu Zhen
Published: February 2022

Background. Congenital scoliosis (CS) represents the congenital defect disease, and poor segmental congenital scoliosis (PSCS) represents one of its types. Delayed intervention can result in disability and paralysis. In this study, we would identify the core biomarkers for PSCS progression through bioinformatics analysis combined with experimental verification. Methods. This work obtained the GSE11854 expression dataset associated with somite formation in the GEO database, which covers data of 13 samples. Thereafter, we utilized the edgeR of the R package to obtain DEGs in this dataset. Then, GO annotation, KEGG analyses, and DO annotation of DEGs were performed by “clusterProfiler” of the R package. This study performed LASSO regression for screening the optimal predicting factors for somite formation. Through RNA sequencing based on peripheral blood samples from healthy donors and PSCS cases, we obtained the RNA expression patterns and screen out DEGs using the R package DESeq2. The present work analyzed COL27A1 expression in PSCS patients by the RT-PCR assay. Results. A total of 443 genes from the GSE11854 dataset were identified as DEGs, which were involved in BP associated with DNA replication, CC associated with chromosomal region, and MF associated with ATPase activity. These DEGs were primarily enriched in the TGF-β signaling pathway and spinal deformity. Further, LASSO regression suggested that 9 DEGs acted as the signature markers for somite formation. We discovered altogether 162 DEGs in PSCS patients, which were involved in BP associated with cardiac myofibril assembly and MF associated with structural constituent of muscle. However, these 162 DEGs were not significantly correlated with any pathways. Finally, COL27A1 was identified as the only intersected gene between the best predictors for somite formation and PSCS-related DEGs, which was significantly downregulated in PSCS patients. Conclusion. This work sheds novel lights on DEGs related to the PSCS pathogenic mechanism, and COL27A1 is the possible therapeutic target for PSCS. Findings in this work may contribute to developing therapeutic strategies for PSCS.
Antiretroviral (ARV) Drug Resistance and HIV-1 Subtypes among Injecting Drug Users in the Coastal Region of Kenya
Authors: Ng’ong’a Gabriel O. , Ayodo George , Kawaka Fanuel , Knight Veronicah , Ngayo Musa , Lwembe Raphael M.
Published: February 2022

HIV-1 genetic diversity results into the development of widespread drug-resistant mutations (DRMs) for the first-line retroviral therapy. Nevertheless, few studies have investigated the relationship between DRMs and HIV-1 subtypes among HIV-positive injecting drug users (IDUs). This study therefore determined the association between HIV-1 genotypes and DRMs among the 200 IDUs. Stanford HIV Drug Resistance Database was used to interpret DRMs. The five HIV-1 genotypes circulating among the IDUs were A1 (25 (53.2%)), A2 (2 (4.3%)), B (2 (4.3%)), C (9 (19.1%)), and D (9 (19.1%)). The proportions of DRMs were A1 (12 (52.2%)), A2 (1 (4.3%)), B (0 (0.0%)), C (5 (21.7%)), and D (5 (21.7%)). Due to the large proportion of drug resistance across all HIV-1 subtypes, surveillance and behavioral studies need to be explored as IDUs may be spreading the drug resistance to the general population. In addition, further characterization of DRMs including all the relevant clinical parameters among the larger population of IDUs is critical for effective drug resistance surveillance.
Optimization of “Internet +” Agricultural Product Industry Chain Based on Partial Differential Equation Inversion Layer by Layer
Authors: Hu Tunglai , Li Yizi , Le Cai
Published: February 2022

With the popularization and maturity of Internet technology, it has become an inevitable trend of agricultural development to transform the way of agricultural development and connect the Internet with agricultural products. The development of “Internet + agriculture” is rearranging the entire agricultural product industry chain and it also affects the direction of agricultural development. In this article, we make full use of Internet technology, aiming at the development status of the agricultural product industry chain, and design a layer-by-layer inversion model based on partial differential equations to construct an “Internet +” agricultural product industry chain optimization system. This research strives to achieve the coupling of hardware infrastructure and software service systems. A system platform consisting of one platform, two modules, five services, and twelve functional submodules is designed, and a layer-by-layer inversion method of partial differential equations is introduced. The optimization of the agricultural product industry chain from the control of the production side and the sales side is realized. On this basis, further analysis of the accuracy of partial differential equations, system response time, greenhouse climate change control, agricultural product production capacity, and brand value are further analyzed. The following five conclusions are drawn: first, the response time of each interface is 1 to 2 seconds and in the interval of 500 milliseconds, the intensive range is the densest, and the system performance is further improved. Second, for the three spatial fractional partial differential equations, the equations used in this system basically achieved the best accuracy results. Third, at 13: 00, the maximum temperature difference between indoor and outdoor is 6.3°C, which is the moment when the outdoor solar radiation is strongest. The average temperature in the greenhouse is higher than that outdoors, and the trend of the two changes is the same. Fourth, after the optimization of the industrial chain, the highest utilization rate of agricultural product production capacity is 97% and the net profit can reach 150%. Fifth, the brand value of agricultural products has increased from 560 million Yuan in 2010 to 3.153 billion Yuan in 2020, and the quality value has achieved rapid growth. The results show that the “Internet +” agricultural product industry chain optimization system in this article has a reasonable structure, stable operation, easy expansion, and strong applicability and further accelerates the process of modern agriculture.
Study on the Wettability and Spontaneous Imbibition Characteristics of Lacustrine Shale
Authors: Xue Haitao , Ding Guozhi , Dong Zhentao , Zhao Rixin , An Ce , Li Boheng , Zhou Yuan , Yan Penglei , Yan Jinliang , Li Chunlei , Jin Yuxi
Published: February 2022

Wettability plays a significant role in the exploration and development of shale oil. The wettability affects the oil enrichment and restricts the selection of fracturing fluids. Shale is composed of complex minerals and organic matter. The pores composed of inorganic minerals have water wettability, while the pores composed of organic matter show the characteristics of oil wetting. The contact angle experiment and the spontaneous imbibition experiment are the most commonly used methods for characterizing wettability. The Qingshankou Formation in the Songliao Basin has thick source rocks, which is a favorable interval for shale oil exploration and development. Strengthening the wettability research in this area is of great significance for the exploration of shale oil. The wettability of different lithofacies shale in the northern Songliao Basin is seldom characterized, and there is a lack of comparative studies on contact angle and imbibition characteristics. In view of this situation, the shale of the Qingshankou Formation in the northern Songliao Basin has been classified. This article used the method of spontaneous imbibition combined with nuclear magnetic resonance to characterize the wettability of shale and analyze the influencing factors of the wettability of different shale lithofacies. Six samples with different lithological characteristics were used for this experiment. The study found that the imbibition results of samples with different lithofacies are different. The imbibition of sandy interlayer is less affected by the direction, while the imbibition of shale is more affected by the direction. The water imbibition volume of the sample is related to the content of clay minerals. The relationship of water imbibition volume in different lithofacies samples is as follows: low organic matter laminated siliceous shale > high organic matter massive clay shale > sandy interlayer > high organic matter laminated siliceous shale > high organic matter massive siliceous shale. Excessive content of clay minerals will cause shale to absorb water and expand and block pores, which is not conducive to further water imbibition by shale. The volume of oil imbibed is related to the organic carbon content. The relationship of oil imbibition volume in different lithofacies samples is as follows: high organic matter massive clay shale > high organic matter laminated siliceous shale > sandy interlayer > low organic matter laminated siliceous shale > high organic matter massive siliceous shale. The higher the total organic carbon content, the more developed the lipophilic pore network, and the more the volume of oil imbibed by the sample.
Boundary Stabilization of Underground Multirobot System with Virtual String Constraints
Authors: Su Lingling , Zheng Xianhua , Song Yongshi , Feng Shang , Zhang Lin
Published: February 2022

The manipulation of multiple physical connected objects can be described by virtual connected string system. We proposed a Lyapunov‐based stabilization control approach for virtual connected string with midway discontinue vertical force. The system is with Riemannian boundary. We use the backstepping method to transform the system into a stable system with Dirichlet boundary. In this way, we get the controller to make sure the closed‐loop system converge to the zero point exponentially. Then, we construct a Lyapunov function to analyze the stability for the closed‐loop system. We also show the system is well‐posedness. Also, we use the active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) to reject the disturbance when disturbance is present. Some numerical stimulations show that the control law is the effective.
Solving Integral Equations by Means of Fixed Point Theory
Authors: Karapinar E. , Fulga A. , Shahzad N. , Roldán López de Hierro A. F.
Published: February 2022

One of the most interesting tasks in mathematics is, undoubtedly, to solve any kind of equations. Naturally, this problem has occupied the minds of mathematicians since the dawn of algebra. There are hundreds of techniques for solving many classes of equations, facing the problem of finding solutions and studying whether such solutions are unique or multiple. One of the recent methodologies that is having great success in this field of study is the fixed point theory. Its iterative procedures are applicable to a great variety of contexts in which other algorithms fail. In this paper, we study a very general class of integral equations by means of a novel family of contractions in the setting of metric spaces. The main advantage of this family is the fact that its general contractivity condition can be particularized in a wide range of ways, depending on many parameters. Furthermore, such a contractivity condition involves many distinct terms that can be either adding or multiplying between them. In addition to this, the main contractivity condition makes use of the self-composition of the operator, whose associated theorems used to be more general than the corresponding ones by only using such mapping. In this setting, we demonstrate some fixed point theorems that guarantee the existence and, in some cases, the uniqueness, of fixed points that can be interpreted as solutions of the mentioned integral equations.
Network Pharmacology Prediction and Molecular Docking-Based Strategy to Discover the Potential Pharmacological Mechanism of Wen-Yu-Jin against Pulmonary Fibrosis in a Mouse Model
Authors: Wang Lu , Zhu Wenxiang , Sun Rui , Liu Jing , Ma Qihong , Zhang Binbin , Shi Yuanyuan
Published: February 2022

Background. Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a devastating lung disease, resulting in gas exchange dysfunction until death. The two drugs approved by the FDA, pirfenidone and nintedanib, have obvious side effects. Wen-yu-jin (WYJ), one of the commonly used herbs in China, can treat respiratory diseases. The potential effects and the underlying mechanism of WYJ against PF are unclear. Purpose. Employing network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in vivo and in vitro experiments to explore the potential effects and underlying mechanisms of WYJ in the treatment of PF. Methods. Ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography combined with linear ion trap-orbital tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-LTQ-orbital trap) was used to identify compounds of WYJ. We got PF-related targets and WYJ compounds-related targets from public databases and further completed critical targets exploration, network construction, and pathway analysis by network pharmacology. Molecular docking predicted binding activity of WYJ compounds and critical targets. Based on the above results, in vivo and in vitro experiments validated the potential effects and mechanisms of WYJ against PF. Results. 23 major compositions of WYJ were identified based on UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap. According to the results of network pharmacology, STAT3, SRC, IL6, MAPK1, AKT1, EGFR, MAPK8, MAPK14, and IL1B are critical therapeutic targets. Molecular docking results showed that most of the compounds have good binding activities with critical targets. The results of in vivo and in vitro experiments showed that WYJ alleviated the process of fibrosis by targeting MAPK and STAT3 pathways. Conclusion. Network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in vivo and in vitro experiments showed the potential effects and mechanisms of WYJ against PF, which provides a theoretical basis for the treatment of WYJ with PF.
Decision-Making System for the Diagnosis of Syndrome Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine Knowledge Graph
Authors: Yang Rui , Ye Qing , Cheng Chunlei , Zhang Suhua , Lan Yong , Zou Jing
Published: February 2022

The clinical informatization of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) focuses on serving users and assisting in diagnosis. The rules of clinical knowledge play an important role in improving the TCM informatization service. However, many rules are difficult to find because of the complexity of the data in the current TCM syndrome prediction. Therefore, we proposed an end-to-end model, called Decision-making System for the Diagnosis of Syndrome (DSDS), which is based on the knowledge graph (KG) of TCM. This paper introduces the link prediction for the diagnosis of syndrome by dismantling medical records into multiple symptoms. In addition, based on the symptoms and predicted syndromes, the most relevant syndrome could be determined by the scoring and voting method in this paper. The results show that the accuracy of DSDS is 80.6%.
Overexpression of CAPG Is Associated with Poor Prognosis and Immunosuppressive Cell Infiltration in Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Jiang Senwei , Yang Yuebo , Zhang Yu , Ye Qingjian , Song Jiao , Zheng Min , Li Xiaomao
Published: February 2022

Historically, immunotherapies have only resulted in a partial response from patients with advanced ovarian cancer, resulting in poor clinical efficacy. A full understanding of immune-related gene expression and immunocyte infiltration in ovarian cancer would be instrumental for the improved implementation of immunotherapy. The Capping Actin Protein, Gelsolin-Like (CAPG) gene encodes an actin-regulatory protein, which plays important roles in tumor progression and immune regulation. This study is aimed at identifying the potential therapeutic and prognostic roles of CAPG in ovarian cancer. CAPG expression and clinical information were investigated in the data collected from TCGA, Oncomine, GEPIA, UALCAN, and Kaplan-Meier plotter. CAPG coexpression networks were evaluated by LinkedOmics, GeneMANIA, and NetworkAnalyst. The correlation of CAPG with immune infiltrates was analyzed via TIMER, ImmuCellAI, and GEPIA. Our result showed that patients with high tumoral CAPG expression had significantly shorter 5-year overall survival. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that CAPG-related phenotypes were largely involved in inflammatory response, chemokine and cytokine signaling, cell adhesion, and Toll-like receptor signaling pathways. CAPG expression was positively correlated with infiltrating levels of regulatory T cells (Tregs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), and exhausted T cells (Texs) while being negatively correlated with infiltrating levels of natural killer T cells (NKTs) and neutrophils in ovarian cancer. Moreover, the expression of FOXP3, CD25, CD127, CCR8, and TGFβ in respect to Tregs; CCL2 and CD68 in respect to TAM; CD163, VSIG4, and MS4A4A in respect to M2 macrophages; CD33 and CD11b in respect to myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs); and PD1, CTLA4, LAG3, TIM3, GZMB, 2B4, and TIGIT in respect to Texs was significantly correlated with CAPG expression in ovarian cancer. These findings suggest that CAPG may contribute to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in ovarian cancer, leading to an exhausted T cell phenotype and tumor progression. Therefore, CAPG can be used as a potential biomarker for determining prognosis and immunotherapy effectiveness in ovarian cancer.
A New Class of Function with Finitely Many Fixed Points
Authors: Oluwayemi Matthew O. , Fadipe-Joseph Olubunmi A.
Published: February 2022

The study introduced a generalized multiplier operator used as a tool to define and investigate a new class of function,TSQσ,ξ,ω,εμ,λ,ηϖ,nand its subclassTSQσ,ξ,ω,εμ,λ,ηϖ,n;Mi. Various properties of the class of functions were investigated. The results extend some known results in literature.
Novel Mutations Identified in the Chinese Han Population with Keratoconus by Next-Generation Sequencing
Authors: Chen Binbin , Yu Xiaoning , Zhang Xin , Yang Hao , Cui Yilei , Shentu Xingchao
Published: February 2022

Aim. To identify novel mutations in keratoconus (KC) susceptibility genes in the Chinese Han population. Methods. A total of fifty-two patients with primary KC were recruited. Blood samples were collected, and genomic DNA was isolated from peripheral blood leukocytes. The entire coding region, intron-exon junctions, and promoter regions of sixteen known KC susceptibility genes were screened with next-generation sequencing technology. All identified variants were further confirmed using the Sanger sequencing technology. The Sorting Intolerant from Tolerant (SIFT), MutationTaster, and PolyPhen 2 programs were used to predict the effect of amino acid substitution on protein. Results. After removing twelve known SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) and three variants predicted to be harmless, nine novel mutations were identified in eight of the fifty-two patients, including c.455C > T:p.P152L in FNDC3B; c.3636_3637del:p.R1212fs in COL4A4; c.5015G > T:p.R1672L, c.3798dupA:p.P1267fs, and c.28G > A:p.A10T in MPDZ; c.1940C > T:p.P647L in DOCK9; c.127_128insGGC:p.Q43delinsRQ in POLG; c.3019G > A:p.V1007I in IPO5; and c.624 + 7− > A in TGFBI. All nine mutations in the patients with KC were heterozygote. Conclusion. This study enlarged the gene profile of KC and should be further confirmed by well-powered, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of Han Chinese patients.