bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Study of Qualitative Correlations Between CrucialBio-markers and the Optimal Drug Regimen of Type-I LepraReaction: A Deterministic Approach
Authors: Nayak Dinesh , Vilvanathan Sangeetha Anamalamudi , Dasu Krishna Kiran Vamsi
Published: July 2023

Mycobacterium leprae is a bacteria that causes the disease Leprosy (Hansen’s disease), whichis a neglected tropical disease. More than 200000 cases are being reported per year world wide.This disease leads to a chronic stage known as Lepra reaction that majorly causes nerve damageof peripheral nervous system leading to loss of organs. The early detection of this Lepra reactionthrough the level of bio-markers can prevent this reaction occurring and the further disabilities.Motivated by this, we frame a mathematical model considering the pathogenesis of leprosy andthe chemical pathways involved in Lepra reactions. The model incorporates the dynamics of thesusceptible schwann cells, infected schwann cells and the bacterial load and the concentrationlevels of the bio markers IF N − γ, T N F − α, IL − 10, IL − 12, IL − 15 and IL − 17. We considera nine compartment optimal control problem considering the drugs used in Multi Drug Therapy(MDT) as controls. We validate the model using 2D - heat plots. We study the correlationbetween the bio-markers levels and drugs in MDT and propose a optimal drug regimen throughthese optimal control studies. We use the Newton’s Gradient Method for the optimal control studies.
Expression level of miR-146a correlates with the coronary lesion severity and clinical prognosis in UA patients
Authors: Shi Binbing , Wang Xiaotong , Xue Tongneng , Liu Jie , Wu Wanling , Luo Yuanyuan , Pan Defeng , Zhu Hong
Published: July 2023

Objective
To investigate whether there is a connection between the plasma expression level of miR-146a and both the severity of coronary lesion and clinical prognosis in patients with unstable angina pectoris (UA).
Methods: 100 unstable angina pectoris(UA group) and 100 healthy controls (Control group) were selected to detect the plasma miRNA-146a expression level. To assess the coronary lesion severity in UA patients by Gensini score, analyze the correlation between miR-146a expression level and the degree of coronary artery stenosis in UA patients. The incidence of major cardiovascular adverse events (MACE) were followed up for 48 months after hospitalization and discharge in UA patients. Using the median grouping method to divide the miR-146a expression level in 100 UA patients into high and low expression groups, analyzing the incidence of MACE in patients with different miRNA-146a expression level by the Kaplan-Meier method.
Results: The plasma expression level of miR-146a in the UA group was 1.8 times higher than in the control group (Z=6.970, P <0.001), and was correlated with the severity of coronary lesion; the high expression level was associated with a higher Gensini score (P<0.05). Patients with high miR-146a expression level had a significantly higher incidence of MACE compared to those with low miR-146a expression level (Log-rank: P=0.004).
Conclusion: The plasma miR-146a expression level of UA patients was correlated with the severity of coronary lesion, and patients with higher miR-146a expression level had a poor clinical prognosis than those with lower expression level.a pectoris (UA group) and 100 healthy controls (Control group) were selected to detect the plasma miRNA-146a expression level. To assess the coronary lesion severity in UA patients by Gensini score, analyze the correlation between miR-146a expression level and the degree of coronary artery stenosis in UA patients. The incidence of major cardiovascular adverse events (MACE) were followed up for 48 months after hospitalization and discharge in UA patients. Using the median grouping
Origin of non-uniform tooth flank hardening distribution in SCM440 mobile induction heat treated steel spur gears – a parametrical study with experimental-numerical coupled investigation
Authors: Saputro Imang Eko , Chiang Chih-Pin , Huang Hung-Chieh , Fuh Yiin-Kuen
Published: July 2023

The design of a hardening process that can achieve the desired level of hardening quality is paramount for spur gear teeth, as a poorly executed process may result in a variety of defect schemes. The mobile induction hardening technique has emerged as a promising and cost-effective method for large spur gears. However, achieving the desired output quality remains challenging. This study aims to comprehensively evaluate the results of gear tooth hardening using the tooth-to-tooth mobile induction hardening process. The evaluation process focuses on the tooth flank, which is the area most prone to failure. The study investigates the effects and interactions of crucial process parameters, such as flank length, scanning speed, and air gap, on the hardening results. Numerical and experimental measurements are used to characterize the hardening results. The study's results demonstrate high accuracy in the modeled numerical simulation, with prediction errors ranging from 3.02–4.05% across different experiment-numerical validation scenarios. The induction heating and spray cooling design employed in the study generate sufficient heating energy to achieve an average austenite distribution of 97.13% in the heat-affected zones and an average martensite phase of 82.21% during the quenching process. A tempering process is then carried out as a standard procedure to enhance the material's ductility, resulting in a decrease in material hardness from a maximum of 64.77 HRC initially to a maximum of 61.98 HRC. Multivariable nonlinear regression analysis confirms the significant influence of the studied process parameters on flank hardening quality, with the scanning speed parameter having the most substantial impact. The quantitative results indicate that reducing the scanning speed, air gap, and flank length leads to better hardening quality in terms of longer hardened flank, deeper hardening depth, and smaller edge effects. Insights provided in this study is very beneficial to build intuitions in obtaining desired hardening quality of tooth flank using mobile induction hardening.
What interaction between income Inequality and Structural Transformation in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Atangana Simeon Serge , Nzepang Fabrice , Anya Saturnin Bertrand Nguenda
Published: July 2023

The aim of this article is to study the interaction between income inequality and structural transformation in Sub-Saharan Africa. Using a sample of 18 countries over the period 1996-2015, we successively perform the panel causality test in the Granger sense developed by Dumitrescu and Hurlin (2012) and Juodis et al. (2021) on income inequality and Overall labor productivity, inter industry productivity (structural change effect), and finally intra industry productivity (internal or intra effect). The empirical results show that income inequality is at the root of structural transformation and labor productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa. This confirms the contemporary view that income inequality benefits development by acting as an incentive or means of self-transcendence. At the same time, we find that migration of both highly-skilled and unskilled workers leads to income inequalities between native and migrant workers internationally, and between rural and urban workers within countries.
Study on Articular Surface Morphology of Atlantoaxial Lateral Mass Based on Differential Manifold
Authors: Zhang Zeyuan , Zhao Yao , Chou Dean , Wang Yuqiang , Zhang Shuhao , Zhou Ruifang , Ma Zeyu , Wang Limin , Yu Zhong , Liu Yilin
Published: July 2023

Objectives
To propose a surface reconstruction algorithm based on a differential manifold (a space with local Euclidean space properties), which can be used for processing of clinical images and for modeling of the atlantoaxial joint. To describe the ideal anatomy of the lateral atlantoaxial articular surface by measuring the anatomical data.
Methods
Computed tomography data of 80 healthy subjects who underwent cervical spine examinations at our institution were collected between October 2019 and June 2022, including 46 males and 34 females, aged 37.8 ± 5.1 years (28-59 years). A differential manifold surface reconstruction algorithm was used to generate the model based on DICOM data derived by Vision PACS system. The lateral mass articular surface was measured and compared in terms of its sagittal diameter, transverse diameter, articular surface area, articular curvature and joint space height.
Results
There was no statistically significant difference between left and right sides of the measured data in normal adults (P > 0.05). The atlantoaxial articular surface sagittal diameter length was（15.83±1.85）and（16.22±1.57）mm on average respectively. The transverse diameter length of the articular surface was (16.29±2.16) and (16.49±1.84) mm. The lateral articular surface area was (166.53±7.69）and (174.48±6.73) mm2 and the curvature was (164.03±5.27) and (153.23±9.03)°respectively. The joint space height was 3.05±0.11mm respectively. There is an irregular articular space in the lateral mass of atlantoaxial, and both upper and lower surfaces of the articular space are concave. A sagittal plane view shows that the inferior articular surface of the atlas is mainly concave above; however the superior articular surface of the axis is mainly convex above. In the coronal plane, the inferior articular surface of the atlas is mostly concave above, with most concave vertices located in the medial region, and the superior articular surface of the axis is mainly concave below, with most convex vertices located centrally and laterally.
Conclusion
Differential manifold algorithms can effectively process atlantoaxial imaging data, fit and control mesh topology, and reconstruct curved surfaces to meet clinical measurement applications with high accuracy and efficiency; The articular surface of the lateral mass of atlantoaxial mass in normal adults has relatively constant sagittal diameter, transverse diameter and area. The distance difference between joint spaces is small, but the shape difference of articular surfaces differs greatly.
Sensitivity of Benzene Biodegradation to Variations in Kinetic Parameters in a Brazilian Residual Soil
Authors: Santos Gabrielle de Assumpção Oliveira , RomeroVelásquez Lizardo Glorioso , Österreicher-Cunha Patricia , Vargas Eurípedes do Amaral
Published: July 2023

The research reported in the present paper contemplated the study of an undisturbed block of gneissic residual soil moulded in situ and subjected to contamination by petroleum hydrocarbons. The block was instrumented, monitored and submitted to a horizontal flow of a solution composed of water, benzene and toluene to assess the compounds' mobility and decay. For the experiment, 11 monitoring points were assessed for about 3 months. The results showed retention of the compounds and the presence of microbial activity suggesting the occurrence of biodegradation. This article presents the results of a numerical study conducted to simulate the experiment performed with the soil block and assess the model parameters’ sensitivity. The multiplicative Kinetic Model Monod was selected to represent the contaminant biodegradation process. The kinetic parameters were calibrated based on one of the monitoring points previously selected. Results indicated increasing discrepancies with the experimental data as the distance between the sample points and the source increased. The monitoring point presenting the best estimates was selected to calibrate the parameters and assess the sensitivity of the kinetic and transport parameters used in the model. The parameters with the highest sensitivity were bacterial maximum specific growth and death rate, as well as the half-saturation coefficient of benzene. The least sensitive parameters were bacteria concentration and dispersivity.
Effectiveness and Optimal Timing of Azvudine in COVID-19 Patients: A Multi-center Retrospective Study in Beijing, China
Authors: Han Xinjie , Han Xiaobo , Wang Yongqian , Wang Ze , Cui Junchang , Zhao Weiguo , Mo Guoxin , Liu Yuhong , Zheng Mengli , Xie Fei , Wang Kaifei , Meng Jiguang , Yuan Xin , Han Zhihai , Xiao Kun , Pan Pan , Sun Junping , Zhang Mingyue , Zhang Xinxin , Cheng Haibo , Xie Wuxiang , Xie Lixin
Published: July 2023

Background: Clinical effectiveness of Azvudine against coronavirus infection and optimal time for initiation of Azvudine treatment to hospitalized COVID-19 patients are not fully understood.
Methods: This is a multi-center retrospective cohort study, and five clinical centers of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital participated. From omicron pandemics, 6218 hospitalized patients confirmed with COVID-19 from December 10, 2022, to February 20, 2023, were retrieved for this study. After exclusions and propensity score matching , 428 Azvudine recipients and 428 controls were included with a follow-up of 28 days. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality during 28 days of hospitalization, and the secondary outcome was the proportion of patients with clinical improvement up to day 28.
Results: The Azvudine group had a lower crude all-cause death rate when compared to the control group (2.82 per 1000 person-days vs. 4.52 per 1000 person-days; HR: 0.63, 95%CI: 0.40-1.00; P=0.038). Notably, the incidence rate of clinical improvement outcome was significantly higher in patients who received Azvudine within 5 days from the onset of symptoms, compared to the control group (Median days: 9 vs. 10; P=0.007). Subgroup analyses showed that chronic lung disease and corticosteroid treatment acted as protective factors (P=0.010; P=0.050).
Conclusions: Clinical effectiveness of Azvudine in improving all-cause mortality in COVID-19 patients was seen, and initiation of Azvudine treatment within 5 days of the onset of symptoms was found to be significant. Additionally, the findings revealed the protective effect of Azvudine in COVID-19 patients with chronic lung disease.
Characterization of plant growth promoting and antagonistic bacteria associated with the rhizosphere and phyllosphere of Platanus mexicana and Persea shiedeana trees natural hosts of ambrosia beetle.
Authors: Ferrera-Rodriguez Ofelia , Alarcón-González Brian Arturo , Caballero-Reyes Gerardo Emmanuel , Hernández-Melchor Dulce , Alarcón Alejandro , Ferrera-Cerrato Ronald , Ortiz-Castro Randy
Published: July 2023

It is well known that bacteria belonging to the microbiota of plants, contribute to the better development of their hosts by different mechanisms, such as, growth promotion, nutrient facilitation, stimulation of plant defenses, antagonizing pathogens or pests, and some of them are also, some microorganisms show enzymatic activities with biotechnological application in the agricultural and industrial sector. In the present study we identified and characterized fourteen bacterial strains isolated from the rhizosphere and phyllosphere of Platanus mexicana and Persea schiedeana trees; the aim of this research was to evaluate bacterial biological activities over plant growth promotion on Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings and antagonistic activity against the phytopathogenic fungus Fusarium sp., besides studying their lytic ability when confronted with cellulose, pectin, or chitin as carbon sources. These strains were classified into the genera Curtobacterium, Plantibacter, Bacillus, Brevibacterium, Carnobacterium, Staphylococcus, Erwinia, Serratia, Exiguobacterium and Yersinia. Each individual strain exhibited revealed at least one of the characteristics evaluated. Yersinia sp. strain PsH3-014(14D) and Bacillus sp. strain Hay2-01H(7) stand out from the other strains due to their ability to promote plant growth in A. thaliana seedlings as well as their antagonistic activity against of Fusarium sp. In addition, PsH3-014(14D) also degrades pectin and chitin, while Hay2-01H (7) degrades cellulose and pectin. In contrast, Carnobacterium gallinarum strain Chi2-3Ri was detrimental for the development of Arabidopsis seedlings but it can degrade cellulose. Erwinia sp. strain Hay2-1H was the only strain capable of degrading all three biopolymers tested (cellulose, pectin, and chitin). Further research could be directed towards the isolation and characterization of key enzymes produced by the these strains, as well as further exploration of other metabolic capacities.
Active rTMS not superior to Sham for Treating Cognitive Impairment in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Moussavi Zahra , Uehara Maria , Rutherford Grant , Lithgow Brian , Millikin Colleen , Wang Xikui , Saha Chandan , Mansouri Behzad , Omelan Craig , Fellows Lesley , Fitzgerald Paul B , Koski Lisa
Published: July 2023

Background-
We report results of a large multisite double-blind randomized trial investigating the short and long-term efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) applied to patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) at mild to moderate stages, in doses of either 2 or 4 weeks of treatment (5 days/week), whilst compared with 4 weeks of sham TMS. Randomization to treatment group was stratified based on age and severity. The objectives of this study were to: 1) investigate the efficacy of active rTMS versus sham, 2) investigate the effect of dose of treatment (2 or 4 weeks), and 3) investigate the length of benefits from treatment.
Methods
- The rTMS pulses (20 Hz, 30 pulses/train, 25 trains, 10-s intertrain interval) were applied to the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex bilaterally using neuro-navigation. We compared the primary outcome measure’s (ADAS-Cog) score changes from pre- to post-treatment, with assessments at baseline and 4 more times up to 6 months post-treatment.
Results-
Data of 135 patients were analyzed. The mean total ADAS-Cog score at baseline did not differ between the active and sham treatment groups, nor across the three study sites. The overall results show significant cognitive improvement after treatment with either sham or active coils.
Conclusion-
The results do not support the benefit of active rTMS versus sham for cognitive treatment of mild/moderate AD. We discuss this finding in the context of the existing literature on rTMS therapy for AD, as well as evidence of the sham coil’s potential to induce a low-level current in the brain.
Relationship between tumor thickness and GATA3 immunoexpression in lip and tongue squamous cell carcinomas
Authors: Vital Arthur Geovanni Borges , Carvalho Maria Carolina Magalhães , Maia Caio Rodrigues , Galvão Hébel Cavalcanti , Souza Lélia Batista , Santos Pedro Paulo Andrade
Published: July 2023

Objectives
Our aim was to evaluate tumor thickness in cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and to correlate it with histological grade of malignancy and GATA3 immunoreactivity.
Materials and Methods
Sixty specimens (30 lower lip SCCs [LLSCCs] and 30 oral tongue SCCs [OTSCCs]) were scanned and digitized for the subsequent measurement of tumor thickness, histopathological examination, and quantitative analysis of GATA3 in the parenchyma and stroma of the tumors.
Results
Tumor thickness was lower in LLSCC cases compared to OTSCCs (p: 0.000). Immunohistochemical analysis of GATA3 in parenchyma, stroma and both compartments showed higher immunoreactivity in LLSCCs compared to OTSCCs (p: 0.000). We observed a negative correlation between tumor thickness and GATA3 expression in parenchyma (p: 0.014), stroma (p: 0.032), and both compartments (parenchyma and stroma) (p: 0.012).
Conclusions
Our results revealed the presence of GATA3 in all cases both in the parenchyma and in the stroma. Higher expression was more related to LLSCCs, which are known to be less aggressive tumors than OTSCCs. A greater tumor thickness was found in OTSCCs, which was correlated with lower expression of GATA3, suggesting that this protein is involved in the inhibition of proliferative, migratory, and invasive capacity.
Clinical relevance:
These findings can provide a basis for the identification of new therapeutic targets for OSCC, reinforcing the use of GATA3 as a biomarker in the neoplasms studied.
Structural features of the South-East of the Saghro inlier (Eastern Anti-Atlas, Morocco): Insights from aeromagnetic data
Authors: AAFIR Zineb , HAHOU Youssef , OUSAID Lahcen , COURBA Said , IDRISSI Assia , BOUFKRI Hafsa , MANAR Ahmed , LAMCHAIMECH Aziza
Published: July 2023

The Anti-Atlas fold and thrust belt is considered an important metallogenic province on the northern margin of the West African Craton (WAC). This structural domain is mainly controlled by structural features inherited from many orogeneses that underwent evolution from the Paleoproterozoic onward. Geophysical investigation is considered an effective tool for studying fracturing and establishing structural maps of sedimentary basins and inaccessible area. The Saghro massif of the Eastern Anti-Atlas is a large Precambrian inlier including the highest peak in the range, Jbel Mansour, reaching 2600 meters, along with many other inaccessible areas. In this work, we highlight the use of airborne magnetic data in the South-East part of the Saghro inlier to depict the tectonic framework and to establish the structural map of this part of the Pan African belt. We particularly focused on determining the local structures and tectonic units by applying many derivatives filters on the magnetic data reduced to pole. The superposition of all magnetic lineaments obtained from various edge detection techniques. The results outline directions that are the same as the general tectonic structures of the area. NE-SW and E-W directions corresponding mainly to Hercynian faults, while the NW-SE to ESE-WNW directions are related to the late Pan-African phase. The interpreted magnetic lineament maps identified new profound faults in this region, in addition to confirming other linear structures already highlighted by previous geophysical investigations. Our synthetic structural map of magnetic lineaments serves as a framework for future mining exploration.
Intrusion Anomaly Detection Based on Pseudo-Count Exploration
Authors: Cao Feifei
Published: July 2023

With the increase in cyber-attacks, the issue of risk to web services is of great concern, making it particularly important to apply new techniques to improve the performance of intrusion detection systems. This study presents a novel application of a deep reinforcement learning algorithm based on pseudo-count exploration for network intrusion anomaly detection. We describe how to introduce a pseudo-count exploration (PCE) approach for supervised intrusion anomaly detection based on deep reinforcement learning (DRL) algorithms and construct an exploration space based on their architecture. For intrusion detection systems (IDSs), setting up dense extrinsic rewards consistent with intrusion detection is very difficult because the identifications are all manual and cannot be automatically identified and these identified intrusion events are stored to form a network feature dataset. We select the NSL-KDD and AWID datasets and compare our proposed new models based on the pseudo-count exploration of double deep Q networks (PCE-DDQN) and Proximal Policy Optimization (PCE-PPO) with existing machine learning and traditional DRL techniques. Our models significantly outperform the other two types of models in terms of detection performance, especially on the AWID dataset where the anomaly distribution is highly unbalanced. In addition, in terms of training cost, our model is faster than the traditional DRL model. We also discuss the effect of discount factor size on the detection ability of the models, and our models achieve excellent performance on all three types of metrics.
Analyzing Antibiotic Utilization Patterns and Antibiogram Assessment in Viral Fever, Lower Respiratory Infections, and Dengue cases: A Clinical Study
Authors: Nilay Solanki , Shreya Patel , Vivek Siddhpura
Published: July 2023

Background: Antibiotics are successful in combating most types of infections. Irrational use and higher consumption of antibiotics can give rise to antibiotic resistance globally.
Objectives: To evaluate antibiotic prescribing patterns and antibiograms in infectious disease cases admitted to hospitals.
Methodology: This was a cross-sectional, observational study conducted from the period of July 2019 to February 2020 among in-patients at the hospital. Data was analysed by the mean and percentages using Microsoft excel tool.
Results: Out of 250 admitted patients Males and females were 156 (62%) and 85 (43%), respectively. The majority of patients (79, or 32%) belonged to the age group of 20–40 years. Majority of prescriptions reported in the Viral fever (48), lower respiratory tract infection (40) and Dengue (33). Antibiotics administered through intravenous route and by oral route were 301 and 63 respectively. The most frequently utilized antibiotics were beta-lactams such as Ceftriaxone (60%) and the fixed dose combination amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid (26%). The next-highest percentages were metronidazole (52%), azithromycin (36%), and levofloxacin (24%). In Gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli (6, 30%) contributed major growth, while in Gram-positive Coagulase-negative staphylococci (6, 30%) contributed the highest growth of bacteria for the specific infections in the admitted cases.
Conclusions: Ceftriaxone (60%) and amoxicillin + clavulanic acid (29%) were highly prescribed among all antibiotics followed by metronidazole (21%). Infectious agents such as Escherichia coli (6–30%) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (6–30%) contributed majorly as causative factors for infectious diseases.
Ambulance Clinicians with ‘Research Skills’: Alien Concept or Artificial Intelligence? Attitudes, perceptions and experiences of evidence-based practice learning and implementation by student paramedics.
Authors: Newton Jon , Smith Andrew
Published: July 2023

Background: Evidence-Based-Practice (EBP) is regarded as the conscientious and judicious use of the best contemporaneous evidence in partnership with patient values and clinical expertise to guide healthcare professionals in clinical practice [Titler, 2008]. As a result, EBP is a recommended component of healthcare education [Lehane et al, 2018; Ramis et al, 2019] and considered fundamental for improving patient outcomes [Leufer & Cleary-Holdforth, 2009]. The subjects teaching and learning principles have thus become deeply-rooted in higher education curricular [European University Association, 2022]; but only in recent years has EBP begun to permeate the world of paramedic practice [Simpson et al, 2012]. Despite this paradigm, the impact of EBP may be limited in real-world practice because students (and qualified staff) can struggle to implement these skills [Emms & Armitage, 2010; Warren, et al. 2016] and whilst the concept may be considered favourable amongst graduates [Wilson et al. 2021] a variety of barriers impact translation and application [Jones & Jones. 2013; Lehane et al. 2018; Leufer & Cleary-Holdforth 2009; European University Association 2022].
Methods: Using an evaluation style methodology an educational enquiry was conducted to better understand the attitudes, perceptions and experiences of EBP learning and implementation amongst student paramedics. This pilot study aimed to gain insight into the epistemological and metacognitive barriers impacting student experience in order to help improve teaching and learning practices.
Results: 70% of BSc (Hons) students versus 33% of DipHE students agreed to some extent or greater, that EBP represented minimal benefit in real-world practice due to the guidelines set-out by the Joint Royal College Ambulance Liaison Committee and the presence of Trust policy (Welch’s t = 2.571, df = 26, p=0.016 two-sided). 25% felt ambulance service guidelines and standard operating procedures negatively impacted their ability to implement EBP; although 39% reported EBP improved their ability to implement improved patient care.
Conclusion: A strong likelihood that EBP does not dovetail well with standard operating procedures in the ambulance service is apparent; and an evident disparity between theoretical learning and its application is present within this population.
Abnormalities in the SIRT1-SIRT3 axis promote myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury through ferroptosis caused by silencing the PINK1/Parkin signalling pathway
Authors: Liao Yunfei , Ke Ben , Long Xiaoyan , Xu Jianjun , Wu Yongbing
Published: July 2023

Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) is the main reason for the poor prognosis of patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM). To date, the mechanism of MIRI remains unknown. As members of the silent information regulator 2 (SIR2) family, SIRT1 and SIRT3 have been shown to play critical roles in protecting cardiomyocytes against MIRI, but whether SIRT1 and SIRT3 interact to regulate mitophagy and their association with ferroptosis during MIRI have not been reported. Hence, in this study, we investigated the role and specific mechanism of SIRT1 and SIRT3 in protecting cardiomyocytes against MIRI through bioinformatics analysis and cell experiment methods. Meanwhile, we also elucidated the interaction between SIRT1 and SIRT3 during MIRI. We found that the expression of SIRT1 and SIRT3 in myocardial tissues and the peripheral blood of patients with ICM was abnormal, and SIRT1 was significantly negatively correlated with SIRT3 during MIRI. Further analysis revealed that the SIRT1-SIRT3 axis was closely correlated with ferroptosis, and its silencing could effectively increase the incidence of ferroptosis. Furthermore, SIRT1-SIRT3 axis silencing was accompanied by changes in PINK1, Parkin, P62/SQSTM1 and LC3 expression. PINK1 silencing significantly increased the incidence of ferroptosis, while resveratrol (Res) and/or honokiol (HKL) effectively reversed the outcome. These results suggests that abnormalities in the SIRT1-SIRT3 axis promote MIRI through ferroptosis caused by silencing the PINK1/Parkin signalling pathway, which may provide promising therapeutic prospects for patients with ICM.
Impact Assessment of SSI on the Structural Performance of RC Buildings under Lateral Forces
Authors: mani Pandi , Sankar Tanikonda Siva , Priyatham BPRVS , Ramkumar BAV
Published: July 2023

The performance of RC multistory buildings is significantly impacted by the interaction of soil-structure under lateral loads. The vulnerability of foundation soil to seismic vibration or wind force on the superstructure is typically overlooked in the structural design. This study examines the effects of a multi-story RC building's soil-superstructure interaction (SSI) under the impact of wind and seismic forces. This study implements the linear Winkler foundation model by assuming that the subsurface soil was medium soil and clay soil, idealized with a spring system to analyze the SSI effect. The self-weight, live-load, wind-load, and earthquake are used as the design forces in the ETABS software to carry out the 3-D simulation. The IS 1893:2016 and IS 875:2015 code provisions are used to carry out the EL and WL analyses. In this study, the structural performance of buildings is characterized in terms of storey displacement, drift ratio, base shear, and time-period. The maximum displacement for the SSIE-clay model has increased by 25.13% and 15.60% under earthquake forces compared to the FBE and SSIE-medium soil models. The fundamental period for building rests in medium soil and fixed bases models under EQ forces decreased by 15.63 and 10.36 percent when compared to the clay base model. In comparison to the FBW model under WL analysis, the maximum base shear of the FBE model under EQ analysis exhibits a 35.38 percent increment. When compared to earthquake forces, this study's findings show that the behavior of buildings with SSI is less vulnerable to wind forces.
Factors Influencing Cloud Computing Adoption in a Zero-Trust Environment
Authors: Vang Tom , Lind Mary L
Published: July 2023

Explore the driving factors affecting cloud computing adoption in zero-trust environments using the extended TOE and TAM conceptual framework. The study addresses developed research questions using multiple regression models to investigate the correlation of the variables' relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, organizational competency, top management support, and training and education influencing cloud services' perceived ease of use (PEOU) and perceived usefulness (PU). Furthermore, it evaluates the competitive pressure and trading partner support variables' direct influence on cloud adoption intention. The study uses statistical data from a survey questionnaire measurement tool and applies the quantitative predictive correlation research design to describe and measure the variables' relationship. The data sampling consists of IT professionals with cloud computing technology and zero-trust security experience employed by government and public agencies. The findings interpret the research questions' context using correlation and regression analysis to determine the extended TOE and TAM variables' statistical significance in influencing IT professionals' perspectives of cloud services acceptance. The study contributes to the literature on cloud technology and zero trust security for future studies.
Impact Of The COVID-19 Pandemic on Time To Treatment Initiation For Colorectal Cancer In Japan
Authors: Tamura Koichi , Ozawa Satoru , Hirokawa Fumitoshi , Shigekawa Yoshinobu , Kimura Masamichi , Tabata Hirotaka , Nakamura Kensuke , Nakamori Mikihito
Published: July 2023

Purpose
This retrospective study aims to evaluate potential differences of diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer between the two years before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods
Retrospectively enrolled in this study were consecutive patients with colorectal cancer who underwent surgery at our institution between April 2018 and March 2022 (Trial registration number: UMIN000051148 on May 23, 2023). Clinicodemographic data and short-term postoperative outcomes were collected for statistical analysis.
Results
This study included 383 patients (203 patients before the pandemic, 180 patients during the pandemic). During the pandemic, the time between initial symptoms and referral was 2 months or less in significantly fewer patients than before the pandemic. Patients who required at least 2 months to initial referral were significantly associated with the COVID-19 pandemic (OR 2.89, 95%CI 1.70–4.93, P˂ 0.001) and absence of fecal occult blood testing (OR 2.44, 95%CI 1.32–4.52, P = 0.005) in multivariate analysis.
Conclusions
This study demonstrated short-term outcomes of colorectal cancer surgery and risk factors of delay from initial symptoms to referral during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Specific risk stratification and guidance are recommended in the event of future pandemics to prevent poorer oncological outcomes in patients with colorectal cancer.
Memetic Salp Swarm Algorithm for Economic Load Dispatch Problems
Authors: Awadallah Mohammed A. , Al-Betar Mohammed Azmi , Braik Malik , Zitar Raed Abu , Assaleh Khaled , Alkoffash Mahmud Salem , Al-Khawaldah Mustafa
Published: July 2023

This paper presents a hybridized version of the Salp Swarm Algorithm (SSA) for Economic Load Dispatch (ELD) problems with severe constraints. The Adaptive β-hill climbing optimizer (ABHCO) and a recently evolved local search method is hybridized with SSA as a novel operator. This hybridization scheme is known as a memetic algorithm where the SSA serves as a natural selection agent (general refinement) in a genotype environment, while ABHCO serves as a culture selection agent (local refinement) in the phenotype environment. In other words, The SSA is served as a gene notation in biology while AβHCO serves as a meme in a cultural context. In an intelligent optimization environment, gene and meme notations from natural biology and cultural selection act as search agents to achieve generality (gene) and problem specificity (meme). ELD is a crucial optimization problem in electrical engineering that is non-convex, multi-modal, and severely constrained. The proposed method, which is named MSSA, is evaluated against several types of ELD problems that vary in terms of the constraints considered. The first problem is tackled by considering two types of constraints related to load balance and output. It includes five real-world ELD generator cases that vary in number of units and load demands: 3-unit generator with 850 MW (3UG-850MW), 13-unit generator with 1800 MW (13UG-1800MW), 13-unit generator with 2520 MW (13UG-2520MW), 40-unit generator with 10500 MW (40UG-10500MW), and large scaled 80-unit generator with 21000 MW (80UG-21000MW). Two additional constraints-Prohibited Operating Zones and Ramp Rate Limits-are used to address the second problem. A 6-unit generator with 1263 MW (6UG-1263MW) and a 15-unit generator with 2630 MW (40UG-2630MW) are the two real-world cases that are discussed. In comparison to other current algorithms, the comparative findings showed the feasibility and usefulness of the proposed MSSA.
Impact of an oral nutritional supplement enriched in leucine, EPA, DHA, and β-glucans on the increase of muscle mass in patients with cancer and malnutrition: the Alisenoc trial
Authors: Casariego Alfonso Vidal , Luna Pedro P. García , González Francisco Villazón , Folgueras Tomás Martín , Milla Samara Palma , Gómez Juan José López , Navarro Irene González , Fernández Alicia Calleja , Quintana Tamara Casañas , Román Daniel A. de Luis
Published: July 2023

Background: Cancer negatively affects nutritional status, causing changes in body composition, functional status, and quality of life (QoL). The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a specific oral nutritional supplement (ONS) enriched in EPA, DHA, leucine, and β-glucans on the nutritional status, body composition, functional status, and QoL of patients with cancer and malnutrition.
Methods: A randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, controlled, multicenter clinical trial was conducted in patients with cancer and malnutrition during outpatient treatment. Patients were randomized to receive either a specific high-calorie (400 kcal per package), high-protein (20 g/package) ONS enriched with leucine, EPA, DHA, and β-glucans or an isocaloric, isonitrogenous standard ONS for eight weeks. Malnutrition was diagnosed using the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA), body composition was evaluated using bioimpedance, and QoL was assessed using the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) scale.
Results: 57 patients were recruited and 37 completed the intervention period (19 in the enhanced ONS group and 18 in the standard ONS group). There were no differences between the groups in terms of baseline characteristics. After the nutritional intervention, patients who received the enhanced ONS showed a significant increase in muscle mass, which was not detected with the standard ONS [1.92 (4.31) kg vs -0.68 (1.45) kg); p=0.009)], and there was no significant reduction in the percentage of patients with severe and moderate malnutrition. In both groups, fewer patients had the worst ECOG score.
Conclusion: an enhanced ONS enriched in EPA, DHA, leucine, and β-glucans increases muscle mass and could promote nutritional and functional status recovery in patients with cancer and malnourishment.
Trial registration: NCT04184713
Diagnostic delay in oral cancer mimicking oral cenesthopathy: A case report
Authors: Takao Chihiro , Kuroshima Takeshi , Watanabe Motoko , Nayanar Gayatri , Nakamura Shin , Maeda Chizuko , Tominaga Risa , Kimura Yasuyuki , Tu Trang Thi Huyen , Harada Hiroyuki , Toyofuku Akira
Published: July 2023

Oral cenesthopathy (OC) is characterized by bizarre sensations in the oral region. The complaints and appearance of patients with this disorder are so strange and messy that proper diagnosis becomes difficult. Herein, we present a case of diagnostic delay in oral cancer which was very closely mimicking OC. A 50-year-old divorced female complained of presence of pus or oil like liquid and sticky sensations somewhere around the inside of the right ear, neck and mouth. She also complained of trismus and pain on the right side of the throat, neck and upper right gingiva. She reported that these sensations occurred after she stopped using cooking oils for her hair washing 5 months before the first examination. At physician and dentist, she could not be found any organic abnormalities, so she was referred to our clinic. Her overall appearance seemed strange and messy and she could hardly talk because of oral symptoms. On examination an egg-sized fixed lymph node with tenderness was found on her right lateral cervical region. The computed tomography revealed an extensively spread mass from the oropharynx to the sphenoid and multiple enlarged lymph nodes with internal necrosis. She was clinically diagnosed with advanced oral cancer with lymph node metastasis. Her complains also suggested symptoms of oral cancer in retrospect. Accurate diagnosis might be difficult due to bizarre complaints, strange appearance, complicated psychosocial backgrounds, and some communication barriers. This case report instructively suggested that practitioners should make an effort to understand patients' complaints and avoid prejudice.
Cooperative Genomic Lesions in HRAS-Mutant Cancers Predict Resistance to Farnesyltransferase Inhibitors
Authors: Nigam Aradhya , Krishnamoorthy Gnana , Chatila Walid , Berman Katherine , Saqcena Mahesh , Walch Henry , Ho Alan , Schultz Nikolaus , Fagin James , Untch Brian
Published: July 2023

The clinical development of farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTI) for HRAS-mutant tumors showed mixed responses dependent on cancer type. Co-occurring mutations may affect response. We aimed to uncover cooperative genetic events specific to HRAS-mutant tumors and study their effect on FTI sensitivity. Using targeted sequencing data from MSK-IMPACT and DFCI-GENIE databases we identified co-mutations in HRAS- vs KRAS- and NRAS-mutant cancers. HRAS-mutant cancers had a higher frequency of co-altered mutations (48.8%) in MAPK, PI3K, or RTK pathways genes compared to KRAS- and NRAS-mutant cancers (41.4% and 38.4%, respectively; p < 0.05). Class 3 BRAF, NF1, PTEN, and PIK3CA mutations were more prevalent in HRAS-mutant lineages. To study the effect of comutations on FTI sensitivity, HrasG13R was transfected into ‘RASless’ (Kraslox/lox;Hras−/−;Nras−/−) mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) which sensitized non-transfected MEFs to tipifarnib. Comutation in the form of Pten or Nf1 deletion or Pik3caH1047R or BrafG466E transduction led to relative resistance to tipifarnib in HrasG13R MEFs in the presence or absence of KrasWT. Combined treatment of tipifarnib with MEK inhibition sensitized cells to tipifarnib, including in MEFs with PI3K pathway comutations. HRAS-mutant tumors demonstrate lineage demonstrate lineage-dependent MAPK/PI3K pathway alterations that confer relative resistance to tipifarnib. Combined FTI and MEK inhibition is a promising combination for HRAS-mutant tumors.
Impact of stone density on the total laser time and other surgical outcomes in flexible ureteroscopy
Authors: Rashid Aso Omer , Mahmood Sarwar Noori , Ismaiel Mohammed
Published: July 2023

Several preoperative factors are assessed for the evaluation of operative time and fragmentation efficacy during retrograde intrarenal surgery. Due to limited energy capabilities, stone density is regarded as an important factor contributing to procedural time. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of stone density on the total laser time (TLT) in lithotripsy. A total of 52 patients who underwent flexible ureteroscopy (fURS) using the Cyber Ho 60 holmium laser system (Quanta System) from October 2017 to November 2020 were prospectively analyzed. These patients were divided into groups according to their stone attenuation values (Hounsfield units [HU]) and were followed up for 3 months to determine the success of stone clearance. Differences in the TLT, patient demographics, stone characteristics, intraoperative maneuvers, and complications were analyzed. The mean stone size and density were 14.44 mm and 1043 HU, respectively. Furthermore, the mean TLT was 26.58 min, whereas the mean operative time was 41.44 min. The TLT did not significantly differ between stones with attenuation > 1000 HU and those with attenuation < 1000 HU (p = 0.486). Stones measuring > 13 mm in size required considerably longer TLT than their smaller counterparts (p = 0.008). In conclusion, in the era of rapid laser technology and instrumental developments, our findings suggest that stone density has no value on the outcomes of fURS, including the TLT, stone-free rate, and overall complications, whereas stone size significantly influences the TLT and stone-free rate.
The index sAGP is valuable for distinguishing atypical hepatocellular carcinoma from atypical benign focal hepatic lesions
Authors: Luo Qing-Qing , Cai Dan , Jiang Song , Liu Shao-Song , Liu Mao-Sheng , Lv Cong , Li Qiao-Nan , Wang Jin-Ke , Wang Ting , Zhang Kun-He
Published: July 2023

Objective
The differential diagnosis of atypical hepatocellular carcinoma (aHCC) and atypical benign focal hepatic lesions (aBFHL) usually depends on pathology. This study aimed to develop non-invasive approaches based on conventional blood indicators for the differential diagnosis of aHCC and aBFHL.
Methods
Hospitalized patients with pathologically confirmed focal hepatic lesions and their clinical data were retrospectively collected, in which patients with HCC with serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels of ≤ 200 ng/mL and atypical imaging features were designated as the aHCC group (n = 224), and patients with benign focal hepatic lesions without typical imaging features were designated as the aBFHL group (n = 178). The performance of indexes (both previously reported and newly constructed) derived from conventional blood indicators by four mathematic operations in distinguishing aHCC and aBFHL was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and diagnostic validity metrics.
Results
Among previously reported derived indexes, the index GPR, the ratio of γ-glutamyltransferase(GGT) to platelet (PLT), showed the best performance in distinguishing aHCC from aBFHL with the area under ROC curve (AUROC) of 0.853 (95% CI 0.814-0.892), but the other indexes were of little value (AUROCs from 0.531 to 0.700). A new derived index, sAGP [(sAFP+sGGT)/sPLT], was developed using standardized three conventional blood indicators and exhibited AUROCs of 0.905, 0.894, 0.891, 0.925, and 0.862 in differentiating overall, BCLC stage 0/A, TNM stage I, small, and AFP-negative aHCC from aBFHL, respectively.
Conclusion
The sAGP index is an efficient, simple and practical metric for the non-invasive differentiation of aHCC from aBFHL.
Design of an Adaptive Auto-tuned Proportional-Integral (PI) Adaptive MPPT Controller for a Solar Photovoltaic System
Authors: Maddikari Jagadeshwar , Das Dushmanta Kumar
Published: July 2023

To improve the efficiency of a photovoltaic (PV) system, maximum power extraction from the solar panel is needed. There will be a particular voltage (V mpp) at which a solar panel generates maximum power in any changing environmental conditions. This voltage must be precisely tracked online in order for the solar panel to perform at maximum efficiency. This study demonstrates how to reliably track this voltage. The power-voltage (P-V) properties of the solar panel alter when the sun irradiation changes. Using these differences in the characteristic P-V curve, the V mpp is obtained. The recursive least squares (RLS) estimate method is used to find the polynomial P-V characteristic curve parameters. The maximum point of the curve is calculated using Newton’s Raphson method (NRM) as V mpp. A boost converter is used to operate the solar panel at V mpp. To successfully implement the control action, an auto tuned proportional integral (PI) maximum point controller is presented.