bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Data Quality and Quantity on Deep Learning for Protein-Ligand Binding Affinity Prediction
Authors: Fan Frankie J. , Shi Yun
Published: May 2022

Prediction of protein-ligand binding affinities is crucial for computational drug discovery. A number of deep learning approaches have been developed in recent years to improve the accuracy of such affinity prediction. While the predicting power of these systems have advanced to some degrees depending on the dataset used for model training and testing, the effects of the quality and quantity of the underlying data have not been thoroughly examined. In this study, we employed erroneous datasets and data subsets of different sizes, created from one of the largest databases of experimental binding affinities, to train and evaluate a deep learning system based on convolutional neural networks. Our results show that data quality and quantity do have significant impacts on the prediction performance of trained models. Depending on the variations in data quality and quantity, the performance discrepancies could be comparable to or even larger than those observed among different deep learning approaches. In particular, the presence of proteins during model training leads to a dramatic increase in prediction accuracy. This implies that continued accumulation of high-quality affinity data, especially for new protein targets, is indispensable for improving deep learning models to better predict protein-ligand binding affinities.
Circular Economy of Plastics - A comprehensive Analysis
Authors: Khan Irfan Mahmood , Gill Yasir Qayyum
Published: May 2022

The Circular Economy of plastics is a promising concept that has the potential to reduce pollution and
close the loop on plastic waste. However, further research is needed to develop more efficient and
environmentally friendly methods of recycling plastic. This review article discusses the Circular
Economy of plastics, its potential benefits and drawbacks, and the challenges that need to be addressed
to make it a reality. Some case studies are also examined to explore how the Circular Economy of
plastics has been implemented across the globe.
Energy Economics in the GCC: A Synergistic Product of Engineering and Economics at Missouri S&T
Authors: Zhou Yishu , Smith Joseph D. , Gelles Greg
Published: May 2022

Issues related to safe and abundant energy production have been prominent in recent years. This is particularly tr ue when society considers how to increase the quality of life by providing low-cost energy to citizens. A significant concern of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) relates to the environmental effects of energy production and energy use associated with climate change. Efforts to reduce fossil fuel use and increase the use of renewable energy, together with the price volatility of fossil fuels, have seriously impacted the economics of many of the oil-producing countries, particularly the Gulf States, which has led to efforts to make their economies more diverse and less dependent on oil production.
PCSK9 Inhibitors: Pharmacology and Therapeutic Potential
Authors: Singh Kuldeep , Gupta Jeetendra Kumar , Kumar Shivendra , Singh Krishanveer , Meenakshi Km , Kumar Karan
Published: May 2022

Proprotein convertase subtilisin/Kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is a proteolytic enzyme that indirectly regulates serum LDL cholesterol by destroying LDL receptors. In clinical studies, the main role of the proprotein convertase subtilisin/Kexin type9 (PCSK9) inhibitor in cholesterol regulation was elucidated. It is produced in the liver but is also present in the kidney and intestine. It prevents HMGCo from synthesizing cholesterol. SREBP-2 is a reductase that is induced by statins. In a dose-dependent manner, increasing SREBP-2 levels enhanced LDL-R and PCSK9 gene expression. At the minimum, two procedures have been developed to overcome the plasma level of PCSK9. This is the LDLR test, polyclonal antibodies, and sentience oligonucleotide. Lower dosage statin treatment with a proprotein convertase subtilisin/Kexin type9 inhibitor will be most efficient in lowering LDL and avoiding statin adverse effects. In multiple long-term trials, statins have been found to reduce cardiovascular mortality by 30% and stroke incidence by 20%. In this way, we conclude the role of PCSK9 in hypercholesterolemia.
Review of Boron Compounds in Lithium Batteries: Electrolyte, Anode, Cathode, Separator, and Battery Thermal Management System (BTMS)
Authors: Zheng Changlin
Published: May 2022

Lithium batteries and an increasing focus on CO2 reduction have become an integral part of daily life and business for many people. Boron and boron compounds have been widely studied together in the history and development of lithium batteries. With a broad examination of battery components and systems but a boron-centric approach to raw materials, this review seeks to summarize past and recent studies on the following: which boron compounds are studied in lithium battery, in which parts of lithium batteries, what improvements are offered for battery performance, and what improvement mechanisms can be explained. The uniqueness of boron and its extensive application beyond batteries contextualizes the interesting similarity with studies on batteries. The paper predominantly focuses on lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) but also mentions other lithium batteries. At the end, the article aims to predict prospective trends for future studies that may lead to the successful and extensive use of boron compounds on a commercial scale.
Combined CMOS-Memristor-Based Phase Frequency Detector
Authors: Hosseini Kamran , Ebrahimabadi Fateme
Published: May 2022

This paper presents the first demonstrations of the memristor-CMOS logic family for phase-frequency detection. We systematically design and simulate basic AND, OR, NOT, and more complex XOR and D flip-flop (DFF) cells that use a set of basic logic functions. The results obtained from the outputs show the correct operation of the designed PFD block. The proposed memristor-based cell can have significant advantages over other similar transistor-based cells in terms of low power dissipation, lower number of devices, chip area and dense fabrication. This PFD can be used to design phase-locked circuits with charge pump (CP-PLL) at high-frequency input clocks up to a few GHz. Our simulations are performed in 50nm process with the KNOWM memristor model at VDD=1V supply voltage.
DNA Identification and Diversity of The Vector Mosquitoes Culex Pipiens S.S. and Culex Torrentium in Belgium (Diptera: Culicidae)
Authors: Vanderheyden Ann , Smitz Nathalie , De Wolf Katrien , Deblauwe Isra , Dekoninck Wouter , Meganck Kenny , Gombeer Sophie , Vanslembrouck Adwine , De Witte Jacobus , Schneider Anna , Verlé Ingrid , De Meyer Marc , Backeljau Thierry , Müller Ruth , Van Bortel Wim
Published: May 2022

This survey reports on the DNA identification and occurrence of Culex torrentium and Cx. pipiens s.s. in Belgium. These native disease vector mosquito species are morphologically difficult to separate and the biotypes of Cx. pipiens s.s. are morphologically indistinguishable. Culex torrentium and Cx. pipiens s.s. were identified using the COI and ACE2 loci. We recorded 1,248 Cx. pipiens s.s. and 401 Cx. torrentium specimens from 24 locations in Belgium (collected between 2017 and 2019). Culex pipiens biotypes pipiens and molestus, and their hybrids, were differentiated by fragment size analysis of the CQ11 locus (956 pipiens and 227 molestus biotype specimens, 29 hybrids). Hybrids were observed at 13 out of 16 sympatric sites. These results confirm that both species are widespread in Belgium, but while Cx. torrentium revealed many COI haplotypes, Cx. pipiens s.s. showed only one abundant haplotype. This latter observation may either reflect a recent population-wide demographic or range expansion, or a recent bottleneck, possibly linked to a Wolbachia infection. Finally, new evidence is provided for the asymmetric but limited introgression of the molestus biotype into the pipiens biotype.
Pneumococcal Carriage in Infants Post-PCV10 Introduction in Pakistan: Results from Serial Cross-Sectional Surveys
Authors: Khan Amala , Shahid Shahira , Nisar Muhammad Imran , Khalid Farah , Qazi Muhammad Farrukh , Ahmed Sheraz , Kabir Furqan , Hotwani Aneeta , Muneer Sahrish , Ali Syed Asad , Whitney Cynthia G. , Zaidi Anita K.M. , Jehan Fyezah
Published: May 2022

The 10-valent pneumococcal vaccine was introduced in Pakistan’s Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) in 2013 as a 3+0 schedule without catchup. We conducted three annual cross-sectional surveys from 2014-2016 to measure vaccine-type (VT) carriage in infants from a rural part of Pakistan. Nasopharyngeal specimens were collected by random sampling of infants from 2 union councils of Matiari. Samples were then transported to Infectious Disease Research Laboratory (IDRL) at the Aga Khan University within 6-8 hours of collection. Serotypes were established using sequential multiplex PCR. Of the 665 children enrolled across three surveys, 547 were culture positive for pneumococcus. VT carriage decreased from 21·8% in 2014 to 12·7% in 2016 (p-value for trend <0·001). Those who were not vaccinated or partially vaccinated were found to be at higher risk of carrying a VT serotype (aOR 2·53, 95% CI 1·39, 4·63 for non-vaccinated) and (aOR 3·35, 95% CI 1·82, 6·16 for partially vaccinated). On the other hand, being enrolled in the most recent survey was negatively associated with VT-carriage (aOR 0·51, 95% CI 0·28, 0·93). We found that PCV10 was effective in decreasing the carriage of vaccine-type serotypes in Pakistani infants.
On the Pull-out Mechanical Properties of the Diabolical Ironclad Beetle Bionic Jigsaw Connection
Authors: Wei Jie , Sun Bohua
Published: May 2022

In engineering, connections between components are often weak areas. Unreasonable connection methods can easily reduce the strength of components, resulting in unpredictable failure modes. In nature, numerous connection methods for biological structures with excellent mechanical properties have evolved. Studying the connection methods of organisms in nature can inspire new ideas for bionic connection methods. When the diabolical ironclad beetle is under pressure, the elytra are not easy to separate, which ensures the stability of the beetle's external structure, thus making the beetle extremely resistant to pressure. The reason for this is the interlocking and toughening effect of the unique jigsaw connection between the elytra. Therefore, in this paper a theoretical analysis model is established and used to analyze the mechanical behavior of the diabolical ironclad beetle's jigsaw connection during the drawing process and determine the influence of factors such as quantity, angle, and geometric characteristics on the mechanical properties of the jigsaw connection. The results of the theoretical analysis are then compared with the results of experiments and ABAQUS finite element simulation.
An Exploration of Rural-Urban Residence on Self-Reported Health Status with UK Cancer Survivors following Treatment: A Brief Report
Authors: Nelson David , McGonagle Ian , Jackson Christine , Kane Ros
Published: May 2022

Objective: To explore the effect of rural-urban residence on self-reported health status with UK cancer survivors. Design: A cross-sectional postal questionnaire that collected data on demographics, post-code and self-reported health status. Methods: Independent Samples t test was used to detect differences in health status between rural and urban respondents. Pearson’s χ2 was used to control for confounding variables and multivariate analysis was conducted using Stepwise linear regression. Setting: East Midlands of England. Participants: Adult cancer survivors who had undergone primary treatment in the last five years. Participants were excluded if they had recurrence or metastatic spread, started active oncology treatment in the last twelve months and were in receipt of palliative or end of life care. Main Outcome: Residence was measured using the UK ONS RUC2011 Rural-Urban Classifications and Health Status via the UK ONS self-reported health status measure. Results: 227 respondents returned a questionnaire. Forty-five per cent (N=103) were resident in a rural area and fifty-three per cent (N=120) in an urban area. Rural (4.11±0.85) respondents had significantly (p<0.001) higher self-reported health status compared to urban (3.65±0.93) respondents (MD 0.47; 95% CI 0.23, 0.70). Conclusion: Rural respondents had significantly higher self-reported health status compared to their urban counterparts. It is hoped that the results will stimulate further work in this area and that researchers will be encouraged to collect data on rural-urban residency where appropriate.
Variant Allele of ALDH2, rs671 Associates with Attenuated Post-Vaccination Response in Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein IgG: A Prospective Study in the Japanese General Population
Authors: Matsumoto Akiko , Hara Megumi , Ashenagar Mohammad Said , Tokiya Mikiko , Sawada Takeshi , Iwasaka Chiharu , Furukawa Takuma , Kitagawa Kyoko , Miyake Yasunobu , Hirota Yoshio
Published: May 2022

Uncovering the predictors of vaccine immunogenicity is essential for infection control. We have reported that the most prevalent polymorphism of the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) gene, rs671, may be associated with an attenuated immune system. To test the inverse relation between rs671 and antibody production after COVID-19 vaccination, the levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein S1 subunit (S1) IgG were repeatedly measured for four months before and after vaccination with BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273, in 88 Japanese workers and students (including 45 females, aged 21–56 years, with an rs671 variant allele frequency of 0.3). The mixed model including fixed effects of the vaccine type, weeks post vaccination (categorical variable), sex, age, body height, smoking status, ethanol intake, exercise habit, perceived stress, steroid use, allergic diseases, and dyslipidemia, indicated an inverse association between log-transformed anti-S1 IgG levels and the number of rs671 variant alleles (partial regression coefficient = -0.15, p = 0.002). Our study indicated for the first time that the variant allele of ALDH2, rs671, is associated with the attenuated immunogenicity of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. Our finding may provide a basis for personalized disease prevention based on a genetic polymorphism that is prevalent among East Asians.
Toxicity of Dose-Escalated Radiotherapy up to 84 Gray for Prostate Cancer
Authors: Rosenbrock Johannes , Baues Christian , Kreis Marius , Fouassi Redouane , Celik Eren , Paffenholz Pia , Pfister David , Heidenreich Axel , Marnitz Simone
Published: May 2022

Introduction The outcome of radiotherapy (RT) for prostate cancer (PCA) depends on the delivered dose. While the evidence for dose-escalated RT up to 80 Gy is well established, there have been only few studies examining dose escalation above 80 Gy. We initiated the presented study to assess the safety of dose escalation up to 84 Gy. Patients and methods In our retrospective analysis, we included patients who received dose-escalated RT for PCA at our institution between 2016 and 2021. We evaluated acute genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity as well as late GU and GI toxicity. Results A total of 86 patients could be evaluated, of whom 24 patients had received 80 Gy and 62 patients had received 84 Gy (35 without pelvis- and 27 with pelvis-radiotherapy). Regarding acute toxicities, no adverse events > grade 2 occurred. 12.5% of patients treated with 80Gy, in 25.7% of patients treated with 84 Gy excluding pelvis, and in 51.9% of patients treated with 84Gy including pelvis suffered from Grade 2 GU acute toxicity (80 Gy versus 84 Gy: p=0.186; with pelvis versus without pelvis: p=0.032). Grade 2 GI toxicity occurred in 12.5% of patients irradiated with 80Gy, in 14.3% of patients treated with 84 Gy excluding pelvis, and in 12.9% of patients treated with 84Gy including pelvis (80 Gy versus 84 Gy: p=0.582; with pelvis versus without pelvis: p=0.510).GU late toxicity of grade ≥ 2 occurred in 4.2% of patients treated with 80 Gy, in 7.1% of patients treated with 84 Gy excluding pelvic RT, and in 18.2% of patients treated with 84 Gy including pelvic RT (logrank-test p=0.237). 8.3% of patients treated with 80 Gy, in 3.6% of patients treated with Gy excluding pelvic RT, and in 0% of patients treated with 84 Gy including pelvic RT suffered from GI late toxicity of grade ≥ 2(logrank-test p=0.358). Conclusion We were able to show that dose-escalated RT in PCA up to 84 Gy is feasible and safe without asubstantial increase in toxicity. Further follow up is needed to assess survival.
Demokrasi dan ketimpangan pendapatan di Indonesia
Authors: Bariyah Nurul
Published: May 2022

Abstract: The concept of democracy and income inequality has become a topic of study by many economists around the world, both in isolation and in conjunction with other concepts in the field of economics. The fifth principle of Pancasila states "Social justice for all Indonesian people". When viewed from the aspect of income, justice means equality. This study aims to analyze the effect of the Indonesian Democracy Index on Income Inequality in 34 provinces in Indonesia from 2009 to 2019. The Democracy Index is examined through its three aspects (Civil Liberties, Political Rights, and Democratic Institutions), and Income Inequality is measured by the Indonesian Gini Index. The effect of IDI on IGI was analyzed by using the Fixed Effect Model using data quoted from official sources, which is the Central Bureau of Statistics. The results of the Multiple Linear Regression estimation show that 15 provinces get a positive value where the rise in IDI is followed by a rise in IGI and 19 provinces show a negative value which means that the rise in IDI is not followed by a rise in IGI (Income Inequality). The disaggregation of the democracy index in this study is expected to provide a clear picture of the relationship between civil liberties, political rights and democratic institutions with income inequality, so that appropriate policies can be formulated to address income inequality in Indonesia.

Abstrak: Konsep demokrasi dan ketimpangan pendapatan telah menjadi topik kajian dari banyak ahli ekonomi di seluruh dunia, baik secara sendiri maupun dalam hubungannya dengan konsep-konsep lain dalam bidang ekonomi. Jika dilihat dari Sila Kelima Pancasila yang berbunyi “Keadilan sosial bagi seluruh rakyat Indonesia”, maka keadilan adalah pemerataan atau equality dalam memperoleh pendapatan yang adil, sesuai dengan kegiatan yang dilakukannya. Penelitian ini bertujuan menganalisis pengaruh Indeks Demokrasi Indonesia terhadap Ketimpangan Pendapatan pada 34 provinsi di Indonesia dari tahun 2009 sampai 2019. Indeks Demokrasi diteliti melalui ketiga aspeknya (Kebebasan Sipil, Hak-hak Politik, dan Lembaga Demokrasi), dan Ketimpangan Pendapatan diukur dengan Indeks Gini Indonesia. Pengaruh IDI terhadap IGI dianalisis dengan menggunakan Fixed Effect Model dengan menggunakan data yang dikutip dari sumber resmi Biro Pusat Statistik. Hasil estimasi Regresi Linier Berganda menunjukkan bahwa 15 provinsi memperoleh nilai positif di mana kenaikan IDI diikuti kenaikan IGI dan 19 provinsi menunjukkan nilai negatif yang berarti kenaikan IDI tidak diikuti kenaikan IGI (Ketimpangan Pendapatan). Disagregasi indeks demokrasi dalam penelitian ini diharapkan dapat memberikan gambaran yang jelas mengenai keterkaitan kebebasan sipil, hak politik dan kelembagaan demokrasi dengan ketimpangan pendiapatan, sehingga dapat diformulasikan kebijakan yang tepat untuk mengatasi ketimpangan pendapatan di Indonesia.
Keterpilihan justin adrian dalam pemilu legislatif DPRD DKI Jakarta 2019 (studi strategi kampanye dan modal sosial)
Authors: Syafrudin Iqbal , Casmana Asep Rudi
Published: May 2022

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to determine the campaign strategy in the DKI Jakarta Legislative general election held in 2019. The research method used is qualitative with a case study approach. This method is appropriate because it tries to examine the main strategies for the publication process and win Justin Adrian. The data collection technique used was in-depth interviews with 10 people consisting of one elected DPRD member and nine party administrators. The results of this study indicate that there are two main strategies, namely social capital and a door-to-door campaign strategy to direct voters. The conclusion is that in order to win the election, one needs to have a special strategy. This research has an impact on the community to be able to find out about strategies when conducting legislative elections

Abstrak: Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui strategi kampanye dalam pemilihan umum Legislatif DKI Jakarta yang dilaksanakan pada tahun 2019. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah Kualitatif dengan pendekatan studi kasus. Metode ini tepat karena mencoba menelaah strategi utama untuk proses publikasi dan memenangkan Justin Adrian. Teknik pengumpulan data yang digunakan adalah dengan wawancara yang mendalam terhadap 10 orang yang terdiri dari satu orang anggota DPRD terpilih dan sembilan orang pengurus partai. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukan bahwa terdapat dua strategi utama, yaitu modal sosial dan strategi kampanye door-to-door terhadap pemilih secara langsung. Kesimpulannya adalah untuk dapat memenangkan pemilu, maka seseorang perlu memiliki strategi khusus. Penelitian ini memiliki impact terhadap masyarakat untuk dapat mengetahui tentang strategi ketika melakukan pemilihan umum legislative.
The Institute of Scientific Philosophy in the Creative Biography of Aleksei F. Losev
Authors:   The Pontifical University of John Paul II, Obolevich Teresa , Takho-Godi Еlena А. ,   Lomonosov Moscow State University, Tsygankov Aleksandr S. ,   Institute of Philosophy, Russian Academy of Sciences
Published: May 2022

The article reconstructs the historical and philosophical cooperation between Alexei F. Losev and the Institute of Scientific Philosophy in the early 1920s; on the basis of archival materials (Archive of the RAS, Archive of the Institute of Philosophy of the RAS, Archive of the State Academy of Art Sciences, State Archive of the Russian Federation, Central State Archive of Moscow) and per­sonal correspondence, we reconstruct the history of Alexey F. Losev’s crea­tive communication with the staff of the Institute (G.G. Shpet, I.N. Diakov, N.I. Ginkin, S.L. Frank, and others) and attempts to employ the philosopher as senior fellow researcher in 1921 and 1922. Special attention is paid to A.F. Lo­sev’s connections in the 1930s with the Institute of Philosophy of the Communist Academy, and then with the Institute of Philosophy of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, and his participation in publishing projects initiated by the Insti­tute: preparation of the works of Nicholas of Cusa in 1937, creation of a new textbook of logic in 1941–1946, and the Encyclopedia of Philosophy in 1960–1970s. The question of the philosopher’s interaction with the staff of the Insti­tute of Philosophy of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR (V.V. Bibikhin, L.A. Gogotishvili, A.V. Gulyga, D.V. Dzhokhadze, M.F. Ovsyannikov, A.G. Spir­kin, A.A. Stolyarov, P.S. Trofimov) is touched upon, and the contribution of the Institute to the perpetuation of A.F. Losev’s memory in the 1990s and 2000s is underlined.
Construction of an lncRNA–mRNA co-expression regulatory network mediating inflammation and regeneration following acute pancreatitis injury
Authors: Wang Jing , Chen Tianjie , Wang Ruixia , Zhao Shulei
Published: May 2022

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in the occurrence and development of many diseases and can be used as targets for diagnosis and treatment. However, the expression and function of lncRNAs in the injury and repair of acute pancreatitis (AP) are unclear. To decipher lncRNAs’ regulatory roles in AP, we reanalyzed an RNA-seq dataset of 24 pancreatic tissues, including those of normal control mice (BL), those 7 days after mild AP (D7), and those 14 days after mild AP (D14). The results showed significant differences in lncRNA and mRNA expression of D7/D14 groups compared with the control group. Co-expression analysis showed that differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs were closely related to immunity- and inflammation-related pathways by trans-regulating mRNA expression. The lncRNA–mRNA network showed that the lncRNAs Dancer, Gmm20488, Terc, Snhg3, and Snhg20 were significantly correlated with AP pathogenesis. WGCNA and cis regulation analysis also showed that AP repair-associated lncRNAs were correlated with extracellular and inflammation-related genes, which affect the repair and regeneration of pancreatic injury after AP. In conclusion, the systemic dysregulation of lncRNAs is strongly involved in remodeling AP’s gene expression regulatory network, and the lncRNA–mRNA expression network could identify targets for AP treatment and damage repair.
Differential diagnosis of common etiologies of left ventricular hypertrophy using a hybrid CNN-LSTM model
Authors: Hwang In-Chang , Choi Dongjun , Choi You-Jung , Ju Lia , Kim Myeongju , Hong Ji-Eun , Lee Hyun-Jung , Yoon Yeonyee E. , Park Jun-Bean , Lee Seung-Pyo , Kim Hyung-Kwan , Kim Yong-Jin , Cho Goo-Yeong
Published: May 2022

Background: Differential diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is often obscure on echocardiography and requires numerous additional tests. We aimed to develop a deep learning algorithm to aid in the differentiation of common etiologies of LVH (i.e., hypertensive heart disease [HHD], hypertrophic cardiomyopathy [HCM], and cardiac amyloidosis [CA]) on echocardiographic images. Methods: Echocardiograms in 5 standard views (parasternal long-axis, parasternal short-axis, apical 4-chamber, apical 2-chamber, and apical 3-chamber) were obtained from 930 subjects: 112 with HHD, 191 with HCM, 81 with ALCA, and 546 normal subjects. The study population was divided into training (n=620), validation (n=155), and test sets (n=155). A convolutional neural network-long short-term memory (CNN-LSTM) algorithm was constructed to independently classify the 3 diagnoses on each view, and the final diagnosis was made by an aggregate network based on the simultaneously predicted probabilities of HCM, HCM, and ALCA. Diagnostic performance of the algorithm was evaluated by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), and accuracy was evaluated by the confusion matrix.Results: The deep learning algorithm was trained and verified using the training and validation sets, respectively. In the test set, the average AUC across the five standard views was 0.962, 0.982, and 0.996 for HHD, HCM, and CA, respectively. The overall diagnostic accuracy was significantly higher for the deep learning algorithm (92.3%) than for echocardiography specialists (80.0% and 80.6%). Conclusions: We developed a deep learning algorithm for the differential diagnosis of 3 common LVH etiologies (HHD, HCM, and ALCA) by applying a hybrid CNN-LSTM model and aggregate network to standard echocardiographic images.
A Simple Scoring Model Based on Machine Learning Predicts Intravenous Immunoglobulin Resistance in Kawasaki Disease
Authors: Sunaga Yuto , Watanabe Atsushi , Katsumata Nobuyuki , Toda Takako , Yoshizawa Masashi , Kono Yosuke , Hasebe Yohei , Koizumi Keiichi , Hoshiai Minako , Kawakami Eiryo , Inukai Takeshi
Published: May 2022

In Kawasaki disease (KD), accurate prediction of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) resistance is crucial to reduce a risk for developing coronary artery lesions. To establish a simple and accurate scoring model predicting IVIG resistance, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of 996 KD patients that were diagnosed at 11 facilities for 10 years, in which 108 cases (23.5%) were resistant to initial IVIG treatment. We performed machine learning with random forest model using 30 clinical variables at diagnosis in 796 and 200 cases for training and test datasets, respectively. Random forest model accurately predicted IVIG resistance (AUC: 0.75, sensitivity: 0.54, specificity: 0.80). Next, using top five influential features (days of illness at initial therapy, serum levels of C-reactive protein, sodium, total bilirubin, and total cholesterol) in the random forest model, we designed a simple scoring system. In spite of its simplicity, the scoring system predicted IVIG resistance (AUC: 0.73, sensitivity: 0.55, specificity: 0.83) as accurately as the random forest model itself. Moreover, accuracy of our scoring system with five clinical features was almost identical to that of Gunma score with seven clinical features (AUC: 0.73, sensitivity: 0.53, specificity: 0.83), a well-known logistic regression scoring model, and superior to that of two widely used scores (Kurume score: 0.67, 0.46 and 0.76, respectively, and Osaka score: 0.69, 0.33 and 0.84, respectively). Conclusions: Our simple scoring system based on the findings in machine learning, as well as machine learning itself, seems to be useful to accurately predict IVIG resistance in KD patients.
Consequence of Fibonacci quasiperiodic sequences in 1-D photonic crystal refractive index sensor for the blood plasma and cancer cells detections
Authors: Singh Bipin Kumar , Rajput Priyanka S , Dikshit Ashutosh K , Pandey Praveen C , Bambole Vaishali
Published: May 2022

We present the consequences of different Fibonacci quasiperiodic sequences on the sensing performance of a one-dimensional (1D) photonic crystal (PC) based sensor to detect the blood plasma and cancer cells. We demonstrate that the sensitivity and figure of merit (FOM) of the sensor can be modulated, respectively, from 427.5 nm/RIU to 530 nm/RIU and from 162.5 RIU− 1 to 2983.33 RIU− 1 by utilizing the pertinent sensor structures with Fibonacci generation and structural parameters for the analyte refractive index from 1.31 to 1.41. We have also shown that the operational sensing wavelengths and sensitivity can be changed significantly by introducing the different Fibonacci sequences in the proposed sensor. The sensing peaks separation, FWHM, and sensitivity can also be tuned by changing the analyte and PC stacked layers' thicknesses. We also introduce the sensing performances for the Blood plasma and Cancer cells detection using the proposed Fibonacci quasiperiodic PC sensor. We observe that the maximum sensitivities and FOM of the proposed sensor are 552.5 nm/RIU and 2986.93 RIU− 1 for cancer cells and 553.55 nm/RIU and 2214.21 RIU− 1 for blood plasma, respectively. The proposed structure reveals the tunable sensing performances and stimulates the fabrication interest.
Airway management in “tubeless” spontaneous-ventilation video-assisted thoracoscopic tracheal surgery: A Retrospective Observational Case Series Study
Authors: liu yuying , Liang Lixia , Yang Hanyu
Published: May 2022

Background: Surgeon and anesthetist need not share the airway in the resection and reconstruction phase of tracheal surgery in spontaneous-ventilation video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (SV-VATS).Methods: Tubeless SV-VATS to anesthesiologist means tubeless in the resection and reconstruction phase under stable spontaneous ventilation, and unobstructed surgical field to surgeon. What is the ideal airway management strategy during “Visual Field tubeless” SV-VATS for intrathoracic tracheal surgery? Here we retrospectively reviewed the cases of 33 patients whose initial strategy manage with spontaneous ventilation for the common and simpler proximal tracheal resection and reconstruction, but did not discuss sleeve and carina resections, during the study period (2018–2020) in our hospital. To evaluate the device failure rate for tracheal resection in Tubeless SV-VATS, medical records obtained from our institution’s clinical medical records system and reviewed. Results: Between 2018 and 2020, SV-VATS was first attempted in 33 patients who had intrathoracic tracheal surgery, sleeve and carina resections were not included. All patients underwent bronchoscopy (33/33) or partial resection (8/33) before surgery. During the surgery, the airway device comprised either a laryngeal mask airway (n = 27) or single lumen endotracheal tube (n = 6). During the resection and reconstruction phase, Visual Field tubeless SV-VATS failed in 9 patients, and breathing support switched to plan B smoothly: traditional ventilation including a single lumen endotracheal tube for crossfield intubation (n = 4) or a laryngeal mask airway alongside a high-frequency catheter (high-frequency jet ventilation, HFJV) (n = 5) into the distal trachea ventilation. Preoperative respiratory failure or other ventilation-related complications were not observed in this cohort. Conclusion: The choice of a supraglottic airway device or endotracheal tube is an effective strategy for tubeless SV-VATS with appropriate patient selection, and provides breathing support conversion.
Dimensionally Consistent Learning with Buckingham Pi
Authors: Bakarji Joseph , Callaham Jared , Brunton Steven , Kutz J. Nathan
Published: May 2022

In the absence of governing equations, dimensional analysis is a robust technique for extracting insights and finding symmetries in physical systems. Given measurement variables and parameters, the Buckingham Pi theorem provides a procedure for finding a set of dimensionless groups that spans the solution space, although this set is not unique. We propose an automated approach using the symmetric and self-similar structure of available measurement data to discover the dimensionless groups that best collapse this data to a lower dimensional space according to an optimal fit. We develop three data-driven techniques that use the Buckingham Pi theorem as a constraint: (i) a constrained optimization problem with a non-parametric input-output fitting function, (ii) a deep learning algorithm (BuckiNet) that projects the input parameter space to a lower dimension in the first layer, and (iii) a technique based on sparse identification of nonlinear dynamics (SINDy) to discover dimensionless equations whose coefficients parameterize the dynamics. We explore the accuracy, robustness and computational complexity of these methods as applied to three example problems: a bead on a rotating hoop, a laminar boundary layer, and Rayleigh-Benard convection.
Port Scan Identification Through Regression Applying Logistic Testing Methods to Balanced Data
Authors: Tojeiro Carlos Alexandre Carvalho , Reis Carlos De Jesus , Costa Kelton Augusto Pontara Da , Lucas Thiago José
Published: May 2022

Due to the large volume of software and applications required for data communication which works with different ports, technicians maintain a wide range of open ports on the network. With this, they can open vulnerabilities that are exploited by criminals. Thus, network administrators increasingly need information that can assist them in discovering future attacks. In this work, we used logistic regression to identify Port Scan attacks and did some tests with data balancing techniques to seek better results. Keywords: port scan; network-security; data balancing; intrusion; data visualization; logistic regression
Contribution to Improving hydrodynamics method for hot strip rolling application
Authors: mimoune derrez , Zaaf Mohamed , AMIRAT Abdelaziz
Published: May 2022

The present work is a contribution to the improvement of the hydrodynamic method proposed by Si Li et al [2016] used to predict the pressures and the rolling speeds during hot rolling of aluminum strips. The hydrodynamic model gives good prediction however it is based on empirical coefficients that must be identified for each rolling case. Therefore, a critical analysis of the method has been first made and then a methodology for improving it has been presented. The improvement consists in coming out of the empiric coefficients and considering the variation of viscosity as a function of pressures. Results are much better in good agreement with the experimental data. The validated model can then be admitted as an improved hydrodynamic model for predicting pressures and velocities during hot rolling of thin strips.
Disaster chain effects on landscape evolution following earthquakes in mountainous areas
Authors: Li Congrong , Chen Fang , Wang Lei
Published: May 2022

Landslides and debris flows frequently occur in mountainous areas following earthquakes and, in turn, affect the evolution of the terrain. Following an earthquake, geological disasters no longer occur individually or sporadically and are instead typically clustered and chain-like. However, little attention has been given to the long-term effects of these disaster chains on landscape evolution processes following earthquakes. In this study, an earthquake-stricken area was selected as an example to study the disaster chain effects on landscape evolution. We predicted landslide occurrences in the long-term landscape evolution process and analyzed mass movements in response to future rainfall scenarios under disaster chain effects. The results showed that disaster chain effects are expected to directly affect the spatial material redistribution pattern under extreme rainfall conditions with increased sediment yields compared to the results derived without landslide effects under the same rainfall scenario; the difference in the cumulative sediment yield showed a positive linear correlation with time (\({R}^{2}\) = 0.8688) over the 50-year landscape evolution process. Regarding the landslide risk, the landslide-susceptible area tended to move upwards to the relatively high-elevation area, and the rainfall intensity expected to lead to great risks in the study area was the 20-year-return-period extreme rainfall amount; this finding was expected to remain unchanged over a long period of time. Thus, disaster chain effects greatly alter the locations at which landslides are most likely to occur. The results obtained in this research can provide scientific information for hazard management and mitigation.
Electronic structure and optical properties of B-, N-, and BN-doped black phosphorene using the First-Principles
Authors: He Jianlin , Liu GuiLi , Li Xinyue , Zhang Guoying
Published: May 2022

The structural stability, electronic structure, and optical properties of BN-doped black phosphorene systems at different concentrations were investigated using a density generalized theory approach based on the first principles. It was found that BN-doped black phosphorene was more stable compared with B and N atom doping. With the increase of doping concentration, the stability of the structure gradually decreases, and the structure of the system with 25% doping concentration is the most stable. The intrinsic and N-doped black phosphorene are direct bandgap semiconductors, and B and BN doping make the black phosphorene change from direct bandgap to indirect bandgap. The total density of states is mainly contributed by the p-state electrons of the B and P atoms, and the N atoms have a role in the local density of states with little contribution to the overall one. The black phosphorene undergoes charge transfer between the B and N atoms. The amount of charge transfer increases with the increase of doping concentration. The BN-doped black phosphorene system is blue-shifted at the absorption and reflection peaks compared to the intrinsic black phosphorene system. The doping makes the dielectric function peaks are shifted to the high energy direction, which leads to an increase in the intensity of the electric field generated by light, which is beneficial to improve the efficiency of photovoltaic power generation, and the peak of photoconductivity is slightly reduced and shifted to the low energy direction, which is more favorable to the leap of photons, with the most obvious performance when the BN doping concentration is 12.5% and 25%.
Modeling Spatio-temporal Assessment of Land Use Land Cover of Lahore and its impact on Land surface Temperature Using Multi-Spectral Remote Sensing Data
Authors: Tariq Aqil , Mumtaz Faisal
Published: May 2022

Urban sprawl, also widely known as urbanization, is one of the significant problems in the world. This research aims to assess and predict the urban growth and impact on Land Surface Temperature (LST) of Lahore as well as Land-Use and Land-cover (LULC) with a Cellular–Automata–Markov–Chain (CA–Markov–Chain). LULC and LST distributions were mapped using Landsat (5, 7, and 8) data from 1990, 2004, and 2018. Long–term changes to the landscape were simulated using a CA-Markov model at 14-year intervals from 2018 to 2046. Results indicate that the built-up area was increased from 342.54 (18.41%) km2 to 720.31 (38.71%) km2. Meanwhile, barren land, water and vegetation area was decreased from 728.63 (39.16%) km2 to 544.83 (29.28%) km2, from 64.85 (3.49%) km2 to 34.78 (1.87%) km2 and from 724.53 (38.94%) km2 to 560.63 (30.13%) km2 respectively. In addition, Urban Index, a non-vegetation index, accurately predicted LST, showing the maximum correlation R2 = 0.87 with respect to retrieved LST. According to CA–Markov Chain analysis, we can predict the growth of built-up area from 830.22 km2 to 955.53 km2 between 2032 and 2046, based on the development from 1990 to 2018. As Urban Index as the predictor anticipated that the LST 20–23°C, and 24–27°C, regions would all decline in coverage from 5.30–4.79% and 15.79–13.77% in 2032 and 2046, while the temperature 36–39°C regions would all grow in coverage from 15.60–17.21% of the city. These findings are significant for the planning and development division to ensure the long-term usage of land resources for urbanization expansion projects in the future.
Improving working relationships with families in German early childhood intervention home visitors: A quasi-experimental training study
Authors: Georg Anna , Hauschild Sophie , Schröder-Pfeifer Paul , Kasper Lea , Taubner Svenja
Published: May 2022

Background: Home visitation services within the early childhood intervention program (ECI) for families with a child aged 0-3 in Germany are mainly provided by frontline pediatric nurses and family midwifes. Home visitors are often challenged by difficult interactions with families. Mentalizing, the ability to understand mental states of oneself and others, is a key skill for building effective working relationships, which in turn positively affect intervention outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate if a mentalizing skills training offered to home visitors active in German ECI contributes to continued professional development. We investigated, whether the training positively affected the quality of the working relationships with families as well as home visitors’ empathy, self-efficacy, and mentalizing. Methods: To test the effects of a single day mentalizing skills training on the working relationship in N = 73 ECI home visitors, we used a quasi-experimental design with repeated measures (T0, T1, T2, T3) across seven weeks in order to assess immediate change from baseline (T0) after the training (T2) and stability of changes at follow up (T3). A literature-based intervention was implemented before the training to estimate possible repeated measurement and expectational effects (T1). Primary outcome was the quality of the working relationship experienced by the home visitors. Secondary outcome criteria were empathy, work-related self-efficacy, self-reported and observer-rated mentalizing. Results: Significant positive change in the working relationship quality was observed at T2 and at T3. Results on the secondary outcomes were less consistent, with data indicating improvement in empathy and increase on some but not all components of mentalizing. Conclusions: This study provides preliminary evidence that brief mentalizing skills trainings may be an effective method for continuous professional qualification in frontline ECI home visitors who afterwards, experience better working relationships with families. Thus, training participation may positively impact efficacy and implementation of home visitations in ECI.
Essential oils of plants and their combinations as an alternative adulticides against Anopheles gambiae (Diptera: Culicidae) populations
Authors: Balboné Mahamoudou , Sawadogo Ignace , Soma Dieudonné Diloma , Drabo Samuel Fogné , Namountougou Moussa , Bayili Koama , Romba Rahim , Meda Georges Benson , Nebié Honorat Charles Roger , Dabire Roch K , Bassolé Imaël H N , Gnankine Olivier
Published: May 2022

The persistence of malaria and the increasing of resistance of Anopheles gambiae species to chemicals remain major public health concerns in sub-Saharan Africa. Faced to these concerns, the search for alternative vector control strategies as use of essential oils need to be implemented. Here, the five essential oils (EOs) from Cymbopogon citratus, Cymbopogon nardus, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Lippia multiflora, Ocimum americanum obtained by hydro distillation were tested according to WHO procedures on Anopheles gambiae “Kisumu” and field strains collected in “Vallée du Kou”. Also, the binary combinations of C. nardus and O. americanum were examined. As results, among the EOs tested, L. multiflora was the most efficient regarding KDT50 and KDT95 and rate of morality values. Our current study showed that C8 (C.n 80% : O.a 20%) and C9 (C.n 90% : O.a 10%), were more toxic to Anopheles gambiae strain VK with the mortality rates reaching 80.7 and 100% at the 1% concentration, respectively. These two binary combinations shown a synergistic effect on the susceptible population. However, only C9 showed a synergistic effect on VK population. The bioactivity of the two EOs, Cymbopogon nardus and Ocimum americanum, was improved by the combinations at certain proportions and may constitute an alternative to pyrethroid resistance.
Hypertension and diabetes mellitus are associated with high FIB-4 index in a health checkup examination cohort without known liver disease
Authors: Sato Shunsuke , Kawai Hidehiko , Sato Sho , Iwasaki Hirohiko , Omori Masashi , Kita Yuji , Ikeda Yuji , Awatsu Takahito , Murata Ayato , Taniguchi Gentaro , Shimada Yuji , Genda Takuya
Published: May 2022

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is usually asymptomatic and lacks a specific biomarker; therefore, many individuals might remain undiagnosed even with advanced liver fibrosis. The aim of this study was to clarify the prevalence and clinical features of subjects with a high risk of advanced liver fibrosis in the general population, using the Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index.Methods: We retrospectively investigated 6,183 subjects without known liver disease who had participated in an annual health checkup examination. We analyzed the factors associated with high FIB-4 index (≥2.67) using a logistic regression analysis. Results: Among the 6,183 subjects, 76 (1.2%) had high FIB-4 index. Multivariate analysis identified hypertension (odds ratio [OR]=8.926; 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.031-19.768; P<0.001) and diabetes mellitus (OR=4.045; 95% CI 1.694-9.660; P=0.002) as important risk factors for high FIB-4 index. The rates of hypertension and diabetes mellitus in subjects with high FIB-4 index were 78.9% and 23.7%, respectively. No significant association was observed between obesity or large waist circumference and a high FIB-4 index. A history of cardiovascular disease was significantly more common in subjects with high FIB-4 index. These results were also observed in subjects with normal aminotransferase (ALT) levels. Conclusions: The present study revealed that approximately 1% of the general Japanese population has a high risk of advanced liver fibrosis. Many of these patients had hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus. Our findings suggest that there are many undiagnosed NAFLD patients with risk of advanced liver fibrosis in the general population.