bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ethical issues in expanding latent TB management in high burden countries
Authors: Basu Saurav , Sharma Nandini , Mase Sundari , Sachdeva KS
Published: November 2022

Global efforts are being made to eliminate tuberculosis (TB) as a public health problem by 2030. These efforts are being thwarted by the challenge of effective management to minimise the progression of latent TB infection (LTBI) to TB, thereby interrupting the chain of transmission. Approximately 5%–10% LTBI cases eventually develop TB in their lifetime with the risk being higher in children, people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV), undernourished people, and patients with diabetes, chronic kidney disease, silicosis, and other comorbid conditions. Apart from operational barriers, complex ethical issues govern decision-making processes in either retaining current LTBI management practices or advocating implementation of the latest World Health Organization guidelines, which suggest extending treatment to vulnerable groups who have a higher risk of progression to TB. Newer LTBI treatment regimens have a diminished risk of toxicity that allays threats to patient safety. Public health justification for treating LTBI can also override patient autonomy, but the lack of a patient-centred approach is associated with poor adherence and treatment outcomes. Cost-effectiveness studies need to evaluate the gains and losses accruing from funding treatment of LTBI versus similar costs in nutritional interventions for managing undernutrition. Similarly, the impact of diverting resources available for management of the existing active TB control programmes to expanding LTBI treatment also needs to be assessed. In conclusion, a comprehensive LTBI treatment strategy built on the basis of high-quality evidence is the best way forward for resolving the ethical considerations at the heart of LTBI management in the developing world.
Race and Ethnicity in the Pandemic
Authors: Pulla Venkat , Bhattacharyya Rituparna , Lafain Rachel
Published: November 2022

This study begins with the historical understanding of race and its modern perspectives as a social construct amid social identity and critical race theories. Next, race and ethnicity are explored within the context of COVID-19, whereby those of non-white backgrounds are seeing different disastrous health outcomes and experiencing heightened levels of racism in the pandemic. Examples and analyses from around the world are then provided, which have resulted in health disparities and increased racism against non-white people, such as the high-rise apartment building disasters, rural Indigenous communities, and the Black Lives Matter movement. Adding fuel to the fire, there have been rumours internationally of certain ethnic groups carrying and spreading COVID-19.
Fatty Acid Metabolism in Endothelial Cell
Authors: Liu Bin , Dai Zhiyu
Published: November 2022

The endothelium is a monolayer of cells lining the inner blood vessels. Endothelial cells (ECs) play indispensable roles in angiogenesis, homeostasis, and immune response under normal physiological conditions, and their dysfunction is closely associated with pathologies such as cardiovascular diseases. Abnormal EC metabolism, especially fatty acid (FA) dysfunctional metabolism, contributes to the development of many diseases including pulmonary hypertension (PH). In this review, we focus on discussing the latest advances in FA metabolism in ECs under normal and pathological conditions with an emphasis on PH. We also highlight areas of research that warrant further investigation.
Performance of Wedge-Shaped Block Armoring for Embankment Dams and Levees in a Singular Testing Facility at Quasi-Prototype Size
Authors: Caballero Francisco Javier , Toledo Miguel Ángel , Morán Rafael , Peraita Javier
Published: November 2022

The article presents the results and conclusions of a series of tests of wedge-shaped blocks armoring carried out on a new experimental facility (‘Hydraulic Experimentation Facility - Luis Ruano’) in quasi-prototype conditions. The article describes the singular testing facility that was built at the inlet channel of the Acequia de Sora channel, immediately upstream of the Laverné reservoir (Zaragoza, Spain). The inflow of the testing facility has a maximum discharge of 9 m3s-1. The aim is to perform experimental research on technologies to protect embankment dams and dikes against overflowing erosion under quasi-prototype conditions. The results of the tests showed the ability of the WSBs to withstand high unit discharges under extremely negative conditions. Furthermore, conclusions were drawn about potential threats to the sound behavior of the armor.
Economic Analysis of Thermal Catalytic Process of Palm Oil (Elaeis Guineesensis, Jacq) and Soap Phase Residue of Neutralization Process of Palm Oil (Elaeis Guineensis, Jacq)
Authors: Amaral Anderson Rocha , Bernar Lucas Pinto , Ferreira Caio Campos , Pereira Anderson Matias , Dos Santos Wenderson Gomes , Pereira Lia Martins , Santos Marcelo Costa , Assunção Fernanda Paula da Costa , Mendonça Neyson Martins , Pereira José Almir Rodrigues , Da Mota Sílvio Alex Pereira , Mâncio Andréia de Andrade , Jr. Sergio Duvoisin , Borges Luiz Eduardo Pizarro , Machado Nélio Teixeira , De Castro Douglas Alberto Rocha
Published: November 2022

This work aims to investigate systematically the tecno-economic feasibility of ther-mos-catalytic cracking process for two solid waste materials, a lipid-base material (re-sidual fat/scum from retention box of the University Restaurant of UFPA) and a lig-nin-cellulosic material Açaí seed (Euterpe oleracea. Mart). The thermo-catalytic process-es were carried out in pilot scale (THERMTEK/LEQ/UFPA/IME/RJ), and their economic feasibility analyzed. The yields of biofuels produced by fractional distillation were al-so studied. The physicochemical characteristics of the raw materials, the organic liquid product (bio-oil) and the chemical composition of kerosene, light-diesel and heavy-diesel from the lipid-base material, as well as those of kerosene and light-diesel from the Açaí seed were also determined. The economic indicators for the evaluation of the most viable cracking (pyrolysis) and distillation process of bio-oils were: a) the sim-ple payback criterion, b) discounted payback, c) net present value (NPV), d) internal rate of return (IRR), and e) index of profitability (IP). The analysis of the indicators showed the economic viability of crude palm oil (Elaeis guineensis, Jacq) and unfeasibil-ity for the palm oil neutralization. The minimum fuel selling price (MFSP) obtained is this work for the biofuels was of 1.34 US$/L) and the breakeven point obtained was of 1.28 US$/L. The sensibility analysis demonstrated that the pyrolysis and distillation yields are the most important variables to affect the minimum fuel selling price (MFSP).
Assessment of a Low-cost Portable Device for the Gas Concentration Monitoring in Livestock Housing
Authors: D’Urso Provvidenza Rita , Arcidiacono Claudia , Cascone And Giovanni
Published: November 2022

The increasing regulatory pressure to monitor and reduce GHG emissions and air pollutants requires cost-effective methods for their surveillance. The most common technique used for scientific investigations on gas concentration monitoring in barns are accurate but expensive and with a complex maintenance. This research study analysed the potential use of a low-cost portable measurement devices for the measurement of ammonia (NH3) and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in an open dairy barn. A comparison between gas concentrations acquired at different heights from the floor by using portable devices and those acquired by a photoacoustic infrared multigas spectroscope (i.e., reference measurement) in the same sampling locations was carried out to determine the precision of the low-cost portable devices. The performance of low-cost portable devices was statistically analysed by the application of the one-way analysis of variance, correlation analysis and regression analysis. The results showed a significant difference between gas concentration values at various heights from the floor for both NH3 and CO2. The correlations between concentrations acquired by the low-cost portable device and the INNOVA were statistically significant (r=0.83; P<0.001) for gas concentrations monitored at 0.4 m from the floor. Compared with the reference measurement device, the low-cost devices were effective in the monitoring of NH3 concentrations at 0.40 m from the floor though it underestimated them in the barn at increasing of the height from the floor, whereas the device was not adequate for CO2 concentrations. In detail, the relative measurement error of the low-cost devices compared to INNOVA was reduced close to the floor during NH3 concentration measurements. Within these limitations, this device could be useful for monitoring NH3 concentration in the barn and to assess variation in NH3 concentrations mainly related to the animal occupied zone. Further efforts are needed in this field of research to identify low-cost device that could simplify emission estimation from open dairy barns.
New Insights into the Structural Requirements of Isatin-derived Pro-apoptotic Agents against Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Hamdy Ahmed K. , Sakamoto Takashi , Toma Tsugumasa , Sakamoto Masaharu , Abourehab Mohammed A.S , Otsuka Masami , Fujita Mikako , Tateishi Hiroshi , Radwan Mohamed O.
Published: November 2022

Searching for bioactive compounds within the huge chemical space is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Isatin is a unique natural compound which is endowed with different biopertinent activities specially in cancer therapy. Herein, we envisaged that adopting a hybrid strategy of isatin and α,β-unsaturated ketone would afford new chemical entities with strong chemotherapeutic potential. Of interest, compounds 5b and 5g demonstrated significant antiproliferative activities against different cancer genotypes according to NCI assay. Concomitantly, their IC50 against HL-60 cells were 0.38 ± 0.08 and 0.57 ± 0.05, respectively, demonstrating remarkable apoptosis and mod-erate cell cycle arrest at G1 phase. Intriguingly, an impressive safety profile for 5b was reflected by a 37.2 times selectivity against HL-60 over PBMC from a healthy donor. This provoked us to further explore their mechanism of action by in vitro and in silico tools. Conclusively, 5b and 5g stand out as strong chemotherapeutic agents that hold a clinical promise against acute myeloid leukemia.
Methylation Profile of Small Breast Cancer Tumors
Authors: Krasnyi Aleksey M. , Sadekova Alsu A. , Kometova Vlada V. , Rodionov Valeriy V. , Sukhikh Gennadiy T.
Published: November 2022

The DNA methylation profile of breast cancer differs from that in healthy tissue and can be used as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker. Aim of the study: to compare gene methylation in small malignant breast tumors less than 2 cm and in healthy tissue and fibroadenoma. Methylation of the following 15 genes was studied: MAST1, PRDM14, ZNF177, DNM2, SSH1, AP2M1, CACNA1E, CPEB4, DLGAP2, CCDC181, GCM2, ITPRIPL1, POM121L2, KCNQ1, TIMP3. Methods: analysis was made by our modified MS-HRM method followed confirmation of the results by pyrosequencing. The genes were selected from publications that studied DNA methylation in breast cancer with high genome coverage. The study group included 48 samples of breast cancer, the control group included 24 samples of fibroadenoma and 24 samples of healthy tissue. Results: significant differences were found in methylation of 8 genes: CCDC181, GSM2, ITPRIPL1, ZNF177, CACNA1E, DLGAP2, TIMP3 (all р<0.001), and PRDM14 (р=0.002). The most accurate diagnostic value, based on logistic regression, was shown with the compound of two genes – CCDC181 and ZNF177 (AUC=0.99) in pyrosequencing analysis. Conclusion: small breast cancer tumors have a specific DNA methylation profile that distinguishes them from healthy tissue and benign proliferative lesions.
Patellar Instability
Authors: Perry Allison K. , Maheshwer Bhargavi , DeFroda Steven F. , Hevesi Mario , Gursoy Safa , Chahla Jorge , Yanke Adam
Published: November 2022

» Certain anatomic factors, such as patella alta, increased tibial tubercle-trochlear groove distance, rotational deformity, and trochlear dysplasia, are associated with an increased risk of recurrent patellar instability.

» The presence of a preoperative J-sign is predictive of recurrent instability after operative management.

» Isolated medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction may be considered on an individualized basis, considering whether the patient has anatomic abnormalities such as valgus malalignment, trochlear dysplasia, or patella alta in addition to the patient activity level.

» More complex operative management (bony or cartilaginous procedures) should be considered in patients with recurrent instability, malalignment, and certain anatomic factors.
Hot or Fertile Origin for Continental Break-Up Flood Basalts: Insights from Olivine Systematics
Authors: Borchardt Jackson Stone , Lee Cin-Ty
Published: November 2022

The break-up of supercontinents is often temporally and spatially associated with large outpourings of basaltic magmas in the form of large igneous provinces (LIPs) and seaward dipping reflectors (SDRs). A widespread view is that the upwelling of hot mantle plumes drives both continental break-up and generation of associated LIPs. This is supported by petrologic estimates of the temperature from olivine-melt thermometers applied to basaltic magmas. These thermometers must be applied to a primary mantle-derived magma, requiring the selection of an appropriate primitive magma and an assumption of how much olivine is to be back-added to correct for fractional crystallization. We evaluated the effects of these assumptions on formation temperatures by compiling and analyzing a database of North Atlantic igneous province (NAIP) and Central Atlantic magmatic province (CAMP) lavas and olivines. Ni and FeOT systematics suggest that many picrite magmas have undergone olivine addition and are not true liquids, requiring careful selection of primitive magmas. The maximum amount of back-added olivine was determined by constraining mantle peridotite melt fractions for a range of possible mantle potential temperatures and continental lithosphere thicknesses. Using an empirical relationship between melting degree and forsterite (Fo) content, we show that the possible maximum olivine forsterite content in equilibrium with NAIP magmas is 90.9, which is lower than the maximum olivine forsterite content observed in the NAIP olivine population. We infer primary magmas that lead to mantle potential temperatures of 1420°C for the NAIP and 1330°C for CAMP. Using a similar approach for consistency, we estimate a mantle potential temperature of 1350°C for mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB). Our results suggest that LIPs associated with continental break-up are not significantly hotter than MORB, which suggests that continental break-up may not be driven by deep-seated thermal plumes. Instead, we suggest that such voluminous magmatism might be related to preferential melting of fertile components within the lithosphere triggered by far-field extensional stresses.
Face Recognition Emotions Detection Using Haar Cascade Classifier and Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Rasheed Laraib , Khadam Umair , Majeed Saqib , Ramzan Shabana , Bashir Muhammad Salman , Iqbal Muhammad Munwar
Published: November 2022

Nowadays, Face recognition and emotion detection are the most pop- ular area of research. In the past two decades, many applications related to facial emotions have been developed and different methods are used to detect human facial emotions. The goal of this research is to detect human facial emotions i.e. happy, sad, disgust, anger, fear, neutral, or surprise. In this paper, we proposed Haar Cascade classi- fier for face detection emotions detection. The Haar-like features have different types, the edge feature is used to detect edges around the object while the line and rectangle features are used to detect the slanted line of the object. The proposed technique recognizes facial emotions through deep-learning- convolutional neural networks based on FER2013. The FER2013 dataset contains 35887 entries of seven facial emotions and is categorized as 28709 training images, 3589 vali- dation images, and 3589 test images. The proposed method consists of six convolutional layers, three max-pooling layers, and four fully con- nected layers. The output layer is softmax is used to calculate the result from the convolutional neural networks. Through the experimental results, our proposed method achieved a validation accuracy of 65.59 %.
GMO: Geometric Mean Optimizer for Solving Engineering Problems
Authors: Rezaei Farshad , Safavi Hamid R. , aziz Mohamed abd el , Mirjalili Seyedali
Published: November 2022

This paper introduces a new meta-heuristic technique, named Geometric Mean Optimizer (GMO) that emulates the unique properties of the geometric mean operator in mathematics. This operator can simultaneously evaluate the fitness and diversity of the search agents in the search space. In GMO, the geometric mean of the scaled objective values of a certain agent’s opposites is assigned to that agent as its weight representing its overall eligibility to guide the other agents in the search process when solving an optimization problem. Furthermore, the GMO has no parameter to tune, contributing its results to be highly reliable. The competence of the GMO in solving optimization problems is verified via implementation on 52 standard benchmark test problems including 23 classical test functions, 29 CEC2017 test functions as well as nine constrained engineering problems. The results presented by the GMO are then compared with those offered by several newly-proposed and popular meta-heuristic algorithms. The results demonstrate that the GMO significantly outperforms its competitors on a vast range of the problems.
Quantum Based Buzzard Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Arshaghi Ali , Norouzi Mohsen , razmjooy navid
Published: November 2022

This paper proposes an evolutionary computing method called quantum buzzard optimization algorithm (QBUZO). The QBUZO algorithm is a modification of the BUZO algorithm based on quantum system. In quantum, the particle can be represented by its instantaneous motion and the energy of its wave function. In QBUZO, each particle is defined with quantum state in this system and is established with a wave function instead of the position and capability vector in BUZO algorithm. The idea is to allow all particles to have quantum behavior instead of the classical Newtonian random motion. We present the individual particle of a BUZO system moving in quantum multidimensional space, and create a quantum delta potential well model for BUZO. The effectiveness of QBUZO is demonstrated by experimental results on some benchmark mathematical functions in optimization. The comparison of performances with six other optimization algorithms represents that QBUZO is superior to other algorithms.
A better alignment between chronotype and school timing is associated with lower grade retention in adolescents
Authors: Ferrante Guadalupe Rodríguez , Goldin Andrea , Sigman Mariano , Leone Maria
Published: November 2022

Schools start early in the morning all over the world, contrasting with adolescents’ late chronotype. These early school timings have negative consequences on academic performance (i.e. grades), which are worse for students with later chronotypes. This academic disadvantage has been associated with the misalignment between school schedule and adolescents’ internal timing, but it is unclear how this affects students’ academic success beyond their grades. To address this gap in knowledge, we studied how school timing and chronotype affect grade retention in a unique sample of students randomly assigned to one of three different school timings (starting at 07:45, 12.40 or 17:20). Even when controlling for academic performance, we found that later chronotypes exhibit higher odds of grade retention only in the morning, but not in later school timings. Altogether, ensuring a better alignment between school timing and students’ biological rhythms might enhance future opportunities of adolescents.
Changing Positive and Negative Affects Through Music Experiences: a Study With University Students
Authors: Blasco-Magraner José Salvador , Bernabe-Valero Gloria , Marin-Liebana Pablo , Botella-Nicolas Ana Maria
Published: November 2022

Background: Currently, there are few empirical studies that demonstrate the effects of music on specific emotions, especially in the educational context. For this reason, this study was carried out to examine the impact of music to identify affective changes after exposure to three musical stimuli.
Methods: The participants were 71 university students engaged in a music education course and none of them were musicians. Changes in the affective state of non-musical student teachers were studied after listening to three pieces of music. An inter-subject repeated measures ANOVA test was carried out using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) to measure their affective state.
Results: The results revealed that: i) the three musical experiences were beneficial in increasing positive affects and reducing negative affects, with significant differences between the interaction of Music Experiences x Moment (pre-post); ii) listening to Mahler’s sad fifth symphony reduced more negative affects than the other experimental conditions; iii) performing the blues had the highest positive effects.
Conclusions: These findings provide applied keys aspects for music education and research., as they show empirical evidence on how music can modify specific affects of personal experience.
Predictive value of 4’-[methyl-11C]-thiothymidine PET volumetric parameters for local control in p16-negative oropharyngeal, hypopharyngeal, and supraglottic squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Ouchi Yohei , Kishino Takehito , Miyashita Takenori , Mori Terushige , Mitamura Katsuya , Norikane Takashi , Nishiyama Yuka , Hoshikawa Hiroshi
Published: November 2022

Purpose:We investigated the potential of baseline 4′-[methyl-11C]-thiothymidine ([11C]4DST) PET for predicting loco-regional control with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed using volumetric parameters, such as SUVmax, proliferative tumor volume (PTV), and total legion proliferation (TLP), of pretreatment [11C]4DST PET for 91 patients with HNSCC with primary lesions in the oral cavity, hypopharynx, supraglottis, and oropharynx. As for the oropharynx, p16-negative cases were included. PTV and TLP were calculated for primary lesions and metastatic lymph nodes combined. We examined the association among the parameters and recurrence-free survival (RFS) and whether case selection focused on biological characteristics improved the accuracy of prognosis prediction.Results:The area under the curve (AUCs) using PTV and TLP for the oropharyngeal/hypopharyngeal/supraglottis groups were high (0.91 and 0.87, respectively), whereas that of SUVmax was 0.66 (p< 0.01). On the other hand, the oral group had lower AUCs for PTV and TLP at 0.72 and 0.77. When all cases were examined, the AUC values using PTV and TLP were 0.84 and 0.83, respectively.Conclusion:Baseline [11C]4DST PET/CT volume-based parameters can provide important prognostic information with p16-negative oropharyngeal, hypopharyngeal, and supraglottic cancer patients.
Puricelli biconvex arthroplasty: an experimental study in sheep
Authors: Langie Renan , Pacheco Viviane Neves , Szydloski Vinícius Matheus , Corsetti Adriana , de Quevedo Alexandre Silva , Silva Fábio Pinto da , Collares Fabrício Mezzomo , Visioli Fernanda , Ponzoni Deise , Puricelli Edela
Published: November 2022

Objectives
The aim of this study was to establish a sheep model of the Puricelli biconvex arthroplasty (ABiP) technique in sheep for evaluation of its functional, biological and histological parameters.
Materials and methods
Ten Corriedale black sheep were submitted to TMJ total reconstruction with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) using ABiP and euthanized after 45 (n = 5) or 90 (n = 5) days. Control animals (n = 2) underwent sham operations and were euthanized after 45 days. Variables were assessed before the surgery (T0), immediately after (T1), and at 45 or 90 postoperative days (T2).
Results
Histological analyses showed regression of inflammatory cells over the follow-up period. PMMA showed reduced porosity and roughness in the articular contact area. PMMA temporal components showed linear and volumetric wear in comparison to control, but no foreign body reaction was observed. The reconstructions were stable in all animals. The amplitude of mouth opening and left lateral movements were maintained, except for a reduction in the range of right lateral movements at day 90 in the experimental group. Clinical, macroscopic and radiographic observations showed stability of the reconstructions.
Conclusions
The analysis of functional, biological and histological parameters in sheep submitted to ABiP showed stable results of the procedure, with maintenance of body weight and all mandibular movements, save contralateral mandibular movement, suggesting that joint function was completely maintained following the procedure.
Clinical relevance
This experimental study gives support to clinical results previously reported of the ABiP technique in TMJ reconstruction procedures.
PSMA PET/CT Patterns of Recurrence After Mono-Brachytherapy in Men with Low and Intermediate Prostate Cancer and Subsequent Management
Authors: Loos Genevieve , Buteau James Patrick , Oh Justin , Koo Kendrick , Dyk Sylvia Van , Lawrentschuk Nathan , Murphy Declan , Hofman Michael S , Willimas Scott , Chander Sarat
Published: November 2022

Purpose
Brachytherapy as monotherapy is a recommended treatment option for men with low to intermediate risk prostate cancer, achieving biochemical progression-free survival rates >95% at 5 years. Local recurrence is difficult to identify due to sensitivity of conventional imaging and post-brachytherapy artefacts. Biochemical recurrence (BCR) in this setting is often considered as systemic recurrence, treated with androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) as primary salvage therapy. This study investigated PSMA PET/CT for recurrence after low-dose rate (LDR) and high-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy as monotherapy in men with low or intermediate prostate cancer, as well as subsequent management when recurrence occurred only within the prostate.
Methods
We performed a retrospective single-centre analysis for patients who were treated with brachytherapy as monotherapy for prostate cancer from May 2002 to May 2021 to identify men who underwent [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 or [18F]DCFPyL PET/CT (PSMA PET/CT) for BCR. We report the findings on PSMA PET/CT, quantitative parameters, as well as the subsequent management of the patients.
Results
Forty patients were identified who underwent PSMA PET/CT (26 LDR and 14 HDR) to investigate a rising PSA at a median (IQR) of 7 years (3.0-10.8) after initial therapy. Median (IQR) PSA at time of PSMA PET/CT was 6.6 ng/mL (3.9 - 15.5). On PSMA PET/CT, 20/40 (50%) men had prostate-only recurrence, 5/40 (12.5%) had nodal recurrence, 2/40 (5%) had bone-only metastases, 10/40 (25%) had multiple sites of recurrence and 3/40 (7.5%) had no visible sites of recurrence.
Of the 20 patients with prostate-only recurrence, 8/20 (40%) had recurrence in a high-dose radiation zone, such as within the brachytherapy seeds, versus 7/20 (35%) in an under-covered zone, such as seminal vesicles or prostate base. On PSMA PET/CT, recurrence within the prostate had median (IQR) SUVmax 10.4 (5.1-15.7) and volume 2.9 mL (2.0-11.2). Subsequent management of these patients with local recurrence included surveillance followed by ADT (9/20, 45%), salvage SBRT (3/20, 15%), salvage brachytherapy (2/20, 10%), salvage radical prostatectomy (1/20, 5%) and not treated/lost to follow-up (5/20, 25%). For those with surveillance followed by ADT, the mean time before introduction of ADT was 4.1 years (range 1 to 8 years).
Conclusion
In the setting of BCR following mono-brachytherapy, PSMA PET/CT effectively identified local recurrence occurring within the prostate, including within high-dose radiation zones. It may be safe to delay the introduction of ADT, though more research is required.
Could Virtual Reality be the Next Approach for International Students Learning Maltese?
Authors: Żammit Jacqueline
Published: November 2022

Although Virtual Reality (VR) technology is becoming increasingly popular, little is known about the prospect of using VR tools for educational purposes in the context of teaching Maltese. The current study used a mixed research methodology to explore this issue. The qualitative approach and a focus group technique were applied to collect data from 25 teachers about the usage of VR in language learning settings. To collect data on the potential efficacy of VR technologies in the Maltesecontext, the research's quantitative phase involved completing an online survey among the same respondents. The study's findings shed light on the effectiveness of VR in teaching and learning Maltese as a second language. The study offers a detailed discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of VR for international students learning Maltese based on the results of NVivo thematic analysis and the quantitative data collected by using the survey method. Educators laud VR for engaging students in an immersive environment and enriching the learning context with vital entertainment features. According to thisresearch, VR tools are not currently being employed to help learners learn Maltese, and there is still a lot of uncertainty about the principles that guide how these tools should be used in ML2 contexts. Thisstudy critically discusses the most important aspects of this uncertainty and outlines a number of challenges related to VR, including high costs, bulky headsets, and technical issues.
Prediction of Surface Runoff for Mosul Dam Reservoir from Different Regional Catchment Areas Using Arc SWAT Model
Authors: Muhaisen Nasser Kh. , Khayyun Thair Sh. , Al-Mukhtar Mustafa
Published: November 2022

Due to the lack of surface runoff data in that area, the Mosul dam reservoir watershed was modeled by using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool, which has an interface with the geographical information system (ArcGIS). This model was calibrated for the period extended from 1979–1991 with a monthly intervals and validated for the period from 1992–1999. A SUFI – 2 algorithm procedure within the SWAT- CUP program was applied in the calibration and validation process and sensitivity analysis. The accuracy of this model for the studied area was classified as very good for the calibration period and good for validation according to the statistical parameters. The results of the sensitivity analysis showed that there are eight parameters that have the greatest impact on the hydrological processes in the study area. Results illustrated that the area of the Mosul Dam watershed was 11108 km2. Results showed that the average annual net runoff that entered the Mosul dam reservoir was 2565 MCM. This represents 13.5% of the average annual total runoff volume. Due to the shortage of water during the dry seasons, this amount is more relevant. As a result, it is necessary to improve the groundwater reservoirs during the rainy seasons and reuse water, as well as increase the effectiveness of water distribution for all uses. Furthermore, the sub-basins in the Iraq region contribute 57.8% of that percentage, 38% of those in Turkey, and 4.2% from sub-basins in Syria.
Construction of low-hit-zone frequency-hopping sequence sets with strictly optimal partial Hamming correlation based on Chinese Remainder Theorem
Authors: Tian Xinyu , Han Hongyu , Parampalli Udaya
Published: November 2022

Frequency hopping sequence (FHS) sets with low-hit-zone (LHZ) are frequently used in quasi-synchronous (QS) frequency-hopping multiple-access (FHMA) systems to reduce multiple-access interferences. Due to the short synchronization time or sophisticated hardware, the correlation window is typically less than the period of the selected FHS set. Therefore, it is particularly important to analyze the partial Hamming correlation of the LHZ FHS set. Using the Chinese Remainder Theorem(CRT), we construct a class of LHZ FHS sets with strictly optimal partial Hamming correlation (PHC) that meet the Niu-Peng-Fan bound.
Accelerated Gradient Methods for Sparse Statistical Learning with Nonconvex Penalties
Authors: Yang Kai , Asgharian Masoud , Bhatnagar Sahir
Published: November 2022

Nesterov’s accelerated gradient (AG) is a popular technique to optimize objective functions comprising two components: a convex loss and a penalty function. While AG methods perform well for convex penalties, such as the LASSO, convergence issues may arise when it is applied to nonconvex penalties, such as SCAD. A recent proposal generalizes Nesterov’s AG method to the nonconvex setting. The proposed algorithm requires specification of several hyperparameters for its practical application. Aside from some general conditions, there is no explicit rule for selecting the hyperparameters, and how different selection can affect convergence of the algorithm. In this article, we propose a hyperparameter setting based on the complexity upper bound to accelerate convergence, and consider the application of this nonconvex AG algorithm to high-dimensional linear and logistic sparse learning problems.We further establish the rate of convergence and present a simple and useful bound to characterize our proposed optimal damping sequence. Simulation studies show that convergencecan be made, on average, considerably faster than that of the conventional proximal gradientalgorithm. Our experiments also show that the proposed method generally outperforms the current state-of-the-art methods in terms of signal recovery.
Pseudotumoral reaction against oxidized cellulose (Surgicel®) in a post-COVID19 tracheostomy scar
Authors: Castillo-Gázquez Lidia , Pacios Eduardo , Largo Paloma , Báscones Inés , Jimenez-Heffernan Jose A
Published: November 2022

Cytology has demonstrated that it is capable of a specific recognition of pseudotumoral reactions induced by oxidized cellulose. This is an important observation because image studies do not allow such recognition. We report a case in a tracheostomy scar from a post-COVID19 patient that mimicked a thyroid nodule. We have found no other reports describing this complication after tracheostomy procedures. During the pandemic, the number of patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation and tracheostomies has been high. Therefore, we believe that the phenomenon we describe is likely to be observed more frequently. The presence of a tumor lesion near a tracheostomy bed should raise the possibility of this complication and alert pathologists to the possibility of reaction to hemostatic agents.
Blast from the past II: Constraints on heavy neutral leptons from the BEBC WA66 beam dump experiment
Authors: Barouki Ryan , Marocco Giacomo , Sarkar Subir
Published: November 2022

We revisit the search for heavy neutral leptons with the Big European
Bubble Chamber in the 1982 proton beam dump experiment at CERN,
focussing on those heavier than the kaon and mixing only with the tau
neutrino, as these are far less constrained than their counterparts with
smaller mass or other mixings. Recasting the previous search in terms of
this model and including additional production and decay channels yields
the strongest bounds to date, up to the tau mass. This applies also to
our updated bounds on the mixing of heavy neutral leptons with the
electron neutrino.
Carbon accounting, management quality, and bank performance in East Africa
Authors: Maama Haruna , Gani Shenaaz
Published: November 2022

Does it pay to report green activities? This question has dominated academic discussion and has further spiraled into the industry. Questions exist about the value relevance of carbon accounting, given that such practice is voluntary and consumes resources. The question becomes more legitimate when banks whose activities do not negatively affect the environment adopt carbon accounting. Given this perplexing phenomenon, the study examined the impact of carbon accounting on the performance of banks in East Africa. Moreover, the effect of management quality on such a relationship was analyzed. The study relied on eight years of integrated, sustainability, and annual reports of 79 banks in East Africa, collecting the carbon accounting data. A multiple regression estimation technique was employed to estimate the models. The study demonstrated that carbon reporting had a negative and insignificant relationship with the financial performance of banks. In addition, the study showed that management quality turned the relationship between carbon disclosure and firm performance positive, suggesting that the banks with high quality of management benefited financially from carbon reporting. The study concludes that carbon accounting does not benefit East African banks. However, banks that had high quality of management financially benefited from carbon accounting. The significant implication of these results is that banks can benefit from adopting carbon accounting but only when they have high management quality. This study contributes to the debate on the conflicting empirical findings on the value relevance of carbon accounting in Africa, which is scarce.
Orange peel activated carbon produced from waste orange peels for adsorption of methyl red
Authors: Deshmukh Sneha , Topare Niraj S. , Raut-Jadhav Sunita , Thorat Prashant V. , Bokil Shantini A. , Khan Anish
Published: November 2022

The existence of pollutants in the water is a very significant environmental problem that needs to be addressed. This work describes the development and testing of activated carbon made from orange peels, which is effective at removing methyl red (MR) from aqueous solutions, and thus provides a solution to this problem. Adsorbents made in the lab can be characterized by their bulk density, particle size, surface area, and proximate analysis. The surface area of the prepared adsorbent was 512.2 m2g−1. Standard procedures such as XRD, SEM, and FTIR analysis are also used to characterize prepared orange peel-activated carbon. Adsorbent dosage (0.25 to 1.25 g/L), MR concentration (100 to 400 mg/L), temperature (40 to 60 °C), contact time (10 to 60 minutes), and pH (3 to 11) were all examined in this experiment. At an amount of adsorbent of 1 g/L adsorbent, MR concentration of 100 mg/L, and a pH of 11, maximum adsorption has been observed. In order to analyze the results, adsorption models such as the Langmuir and Freundlich were applied. At 60 °C, the adsorption isotherm was found to fit the Langmuir model with 111.11 mg/g. The linear regression correlation coefficient, the R2 value is 0.999. Analytical results showed that MR could be effectively removed by using AC made from waste orange peels as an adsorbent.
Rural water project planning and evaluation in Ghana: a new methodological perspective
Authors: Abunyewah Matthew , Erdiaw-Kwasie Michael Odei , Arhin Patrick , Acheampong Michael Yaw , Okyere Seth Asare
Published: November 2022

Community water projects offer an economically attractive and physically accessible solution for livelihoods. Piase Community Water Project (PCWP) was initiated in 2005 to provide potable water to the rural communities surrounding Piase. Using data from a field survey with sampled participants in the Bosomtwe district, where this rural water project was implemented, the paper analyses challenges encountered during the project's progress. An advanced SWOT matrix approach is used to analyse the cascading effects of both internal and external factors on the PCWP's planning and evaluation. Following an analysis of existing rural water planning and evaluation issues, the paper explores possible solutions and long-term strategies to provide rural communities with a reliable water supply. This study provides significant insight for policymakers to develop effective strategies that promote a balance between strengths and weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in rural water projects in the future.
Investigation of an electrolysis system with boron-doped diamond anode and gas diffusion cathode to remove water micropollutants
Authors: Issa Mohammad , Haupt Dennis , Moddemann Thorben , Kunz Ulrich , Sievers Michael
Published: November 2022

Using electrolysis systems to degrade organics in wastewater encourages utilizing this technique to remove micropollutants (MPs) in different types of water. In this work, a cell consisting of an anode as a boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode combined with a gas diffusion (GDE) cathode without a separator showed that MPs degradation can be effectively achieved. Investigating different operating parameters, it was stated that applying a low current density (2 mA/cm2) and setting the Reynolds number of the electrolyte flow through the cell at the laminar range raised the treatment time by 3 folds at the same energy demand. This arrangement increased the MPs removal. Some substances like diclofenac were removed up to 84% at a longer treatment time of 180 min coupled with an increase in energy demand. The results at the mentioned parameters indicated an adequate generation rate of radicals needed to remove MPs and the oxidation reactions were promoted. The results show high practicability to the investigated electrolysis system in removing MPs in wastewater under considering the need to further reduction of the energy demand.
Effect of Fe and Al based coagulants and disinfectants on polyethylene microplastics removal in coagulation process through response surface methodology
Authors: Tabatabaei Fatemeh , Mafigholami Roya , Moghimi Hamid , Khoramipoor Sanaz
Published: November 2022

Microplastic (MP) pollution has been rising as a threatening risk and recently has appealed to the attention of more researchers. In this study, influential parameters affecting the removal rate of polyethylene microplastics (PEMPs) were optimized through response surface methodology (RSM). In Box Behnken Design (BBD), independent parameters were pH, PEMP size, coagulant dosage and polyacrylamide dosage. Two experimental sets were conducted, one with ferric chloride and the second with poly aluminum chloride as two commonly applied coagulants in drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs). Comparing the results of optimized parameters, PAC was a better coagulant with the predicted removal rate of 58.19%, while the removal rate with ferric chloride as a coagulant was predicted to be 56.37%. Moreover, some experiments were conducted to analyze the effect of ozone gas and sodium hypochlorite as disinfectants on removal rate. The highest removal rate was observed when 2 ppm of O3 was added to the solution coagulated with optimal dosage of PAC, reaching the removal rate of 76.8%.
Development of Neuroprotective Agents for the Treatment
of Alzheimer's Disease using Conjugates of Serotonin with
Sesquiterpene Lactones
Authors: Neganova Margarita , Liu Junqi , Aleksandrova Yulia , Vasilieva Natalia , Semakov Alexey , Yandulova Ekaterina , Sukocheva Olga , Balakin Konstantin , Klochkov Sergey , Fan Ruitai
Published: November 2022

Background:

Sesquiterpene lactones are secondary plant metabolites with a wide variety
of biological activities. The process of lactone conjugation to other pharmacophores can increase the
efficacy and specificity of the conjugated agent effect on molecular targets in various diseases, including
brain pathologies. Derivatives of biogenic indoles, including neurotransmitter serotonin, are of
considerable interest as potential pharmacophores. Most of these compounds have neurotropic activity
and, therefore, can be used in the synthesis of new drugs with neuroprotective properties.

Aim:

The aim of this experimental synthesis was to generate potential treatment agents for
Alzheimer's disease using serotonin conjugated with natural sesquiterpene lactones.

Methods:

Three novel compounds were obtained via the Michael reaction and used for biological testing.
The obtained conjugates demonstrated complex neuroprotective activities. Serotonin conjugated
to isoalantolactone exhibited strong antioxidant and mitoprotective activities.

Results:

The agent was also found to inhibit β-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1
(BACE-1), prevent the aggregation of β-amyloid peptide 1-42, and protect SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma
cells from neurotoxins such as glutamate and H2O2. In a transgenic animal model of Alzheimer's disease
(5xFAD line), the conjugated agent restored declined cognitive functions and improved learning
and memory.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the obtained results indicate that serotonin conjugates to sesquiterpene
lactones are promising agents for the treatment of symptoms associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Lesion Location Predicts Early Neurological Deterioration in Single
Subcortical Infarction
Authors: Gao Yuan , Zhang Ke , Liu Hongbing , Zong Ce , Yang Hongxun , Wang Anran , Wang Yunchao , Pei Lulu , Liu Kai , Li Yapeng , Fang Hui , Zhao Lu , Ji Yan , Li Yusheng , Song Bo , Xu Yuming
Published: November 2022

Background:

A certain number of patients with single subcortical small infarction (SSSI) in the lenticulostriate artery (LSA) territory present with early neurological deterioration (END).

Objective:

We sought to identify a more specific predicting imaging marker for END in lenticulostriate SSSI patients.

Methods:

We screened patients in a prospective hospital-based registry of stroke in the first Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2015 to December 2020. Lesion locations were defined as posterior type when more than half of the lesion was located in the posterior part of the corona radiata divided by the midline, which was drawn between the tangents of the anterior and posterior horns of the lateral ventricle and was adjacent to the lateral ventricle at the same time. END was defined as an increase of ≥2 points in total National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score or ≥1 point. A multivariate logistic analysis was used to assess the imaging predictors for END.

Results:

418 patients were enrolled in the final data analysis. Among them, 206 (49. 3％) cases were rated as the posterior type and71（17. 0％）cases had to END. A multivariate logistic analysis showed that only the posterior type (adjusted odds ratio, 2. 126; 95% confidence interval, 1. 250–3. 614; P = 0. 005) was independently associated with the risk of END.

Conclusion:

The posterior type of lesion location represented an imaging marker predicting END in lenticulostriate SSSI patients.