bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microbiota in mesenteric adipose tissue from Crohn’s disease promote colitis in mice
Authors: He Zhen , Wu Jinjie , Gong Junli , Ke Jia , Ding Tao , Zhao Wenjing , Cheng Wai Ming , Luo Zhanhao , He Qilang , Zeng Wanyi , Yu Jing , Jiao Na , Liu Yanmin , Zheng Bin , Dai Lei , Zhi Min , Wu Xiaojian , Jobin Christian , Lan Ping
Published: November 2021

Background

Mesenteric adipose tissue (mAT) hyperplasia, known as creeping fat is a pathologic characteristic of Crohn’s disease (CD). The reserve of creeping fat in surgery is associated with poor prognosis of CD patients, but the mechanism remains unknown.

Methods

Mesenteric microbiome, metabolome, and host transcriptome were characterized using a cohort of 48 patients with CD and 16 non-CD controls. Multidimensional data including 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing (16S rRNA), host RNA sequencing, and metabolome were integrated to reveal network interaction. Mesenteric resident bacteria were isolated from mAT and functionally investigated both in the dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) model and in the Il10 gene-deficient (Il10−/−) mouse colitis model to validate their pro-inflammatory roles.

Results

Mesenteric microbiota contributed to aberrant metabolites production and transcripts in mATs from patients with CD. The presence of mAT resident microbiota was associated with the development of CD. Achromobacter pulmonis (A. pulmonis) isolated from CD mAT could translocate to mAT and exacerbate both DSS-induced and Il10 gene-deficient (Il10−/−) spontaneous colitis in mice. The levels of A. pulmonis in both mAT and mucous layer from CD patients were higher compared to those from the non-CD group.

Conclusions

This study suggests that the mesenteric microbiota from patients with CD sculpt a detrimental microenvironment and promote intestinal inflammation.
Evaluating the effects of Bt protein Vip3Aa on immature Propylea japonica (Thunberg) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)
Authors: Ali Intazar , Zhang Shuai , Sajjad Asif , Khaliq Ghulam , Basit Muhammad , Bugti Ghulam Ali , Abbas Hafiz Tassawar , Abbas Naeem , Cui Jin-Jie
Published: November 2021

Background

Genetically modified (GM) crops have become a common tool for managing insect pests of economic importance. However, before their commercialization, bio-safety evaluation on non-target arthropods such as pollinators and biological control agents is a pre-requisite to save services rendered by them in agro-ecosystem.

Results

In the present experiment, the potential adverse effects of Bt protein (Vip3Aa) were studied on the life table parameters (pupation and emergence rates, 7-day larval weights, larval development time, and adult weight) of a predatory beetle, Propylea japonica (Thunberg) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in the laboratory. P. japonica was exposed to Bt protein incorporated in synthetic diet at the rate of 200 µg/g of fresh weight of diet. Temporal stability, bioactivity and the uptake of insecticidal protein were confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and a sensitive insect bioassay. The results indicated that pupation and adult emergence rates did not differ significantly from that of negative control (pure synthetic diet). Similarly, the fresh weight of male and female adults emerged in Vip3Aa treatment (2.87 mg and 3.86 mg, respectively) did not vary significantly from that of the negative control treatment (2.66 mg, 3.75 mg). However, the time taken by the larvae to complete their development (12.70 days) was significantly extended than that of the negative control (10.21 days). In contrast, the tested life-table parameters of P. japonica were adversely affected when fed on synthetic diet containing boric acid (positive control) indicating experimental fitness to detect adverse effects.

Conclusions

On the basis of the results, it is suggested that GM crops expressing Bt protein (Vip3Aa) are safe for non-target insects such as P. japonica and are compatible with other biological programs for the integrated management of insect pests.
Framework for automated sorting of neural spikes from Neuralynx-acquired tetrode recordings in freely-moving mice
Authors: Strohl Joshua J. , Gallagher Joseph T. , Gómez Pedro N. , Glynn Joshua M. , Huerta Patricio T.
Published: November 2021

Background

Extracellular recording represents a crucial electrophysiological technique in neuroscience for studying the activity of single neurons and neuronal populations. The electrodes capture voltage traces that, with the help of analytical tools, reveal action potentials (‘spikes’) as well as local field potentials. The process of spike sorting is used for the extraction of action potentials generated by individual neurons. Until recently, spike sorting was performed with manual techniques, which are laborious and unreliable due to inherent operator bias. As neuroscientists add multiple electrodes to their probes, the high-density devices can record hundreds to thousands of neurons simultaneously, making the manual spike sorting process increasingly difficult. The advent of automated spike sorting software has offered a compelling solution to this issue and, in this study, we present a simple-to-execute framework for running an automated spike sorter.

Methods

Tetrode recordings of freely-moving mice are obtained from the CA1 region of the hippocampus as they navigate a linear track. Tetrode recordings are also acquired from the prelimbic cortex, a region of the medial prefrontal cortex, while the mice are tested in a T maze. All animals are implanted with custom-designed, 3D-printed microdrives that carry 16 electrodes, which are bundled in a 4-tetrode geometry.

Results

We provide an overview of a framework for analyzing single-unit data in which we have concatenated the acquisition system (Cheetah, Neuralynx) with analytical software (MATLAB) and an automated spike sorting pipeline (MountainSort). We give precise instructions on how to implement the different steps of the framework, as well as explanations of our design logic. We validate this framework by comparing manually-sorted spikes against automatically-sorted spikes, using neural recordings of the hippocampus and prelimbic cortex in freely-moving mice.

Conclusions

We have efficiently integrated the MountainSort spike sorter with Neuralynx-acquired neural recordings. Our framework is easy to implement and provides a high-throughput solution. We predict that within the broad field of bioelectronic medicine, those teams that incorporate high-density neural recording devices to their armamentarium might find our framework quite valuable as they expand their analytical footprint.
Hammertime!
Authors: Lange Jennifer
Published: November 2021

This memoir recounts Barbara Hammer's relationship to the Wexner Center for the Arts and its Film/Video Studio residency program, which supported a number of her films between 1994 and 2018. It offers some personal insight into the evolution of Hammer's final work, Evidentiary Bodies (2018), from single-channel video to multichannel video installation. The author describes working with Hammer during the last year of her life and explains the process of organizing the 2019 exhibition Barbara Hammer: In This Body at the Wexner Center for the Arts, which premiered the installation of Evidentiary Bodies and included additional works in other mediums and made throughout Hammer's career around themes of illness, aging, and death.
Thoughts on Making Films with Barbara Hammer
Authors: Sachs Lynne
Published: November 2021

This personal essay articulates filmmaker Lynne Sachs's experiences working with experimental filmmaker Barbara Hammer. Sachs conveys the journey of her relationship with Hammer when they were both artists living in San Francisco in the late 1980s and 1990s and then later in New York City. Sachs initially discusses her experiences making Carolee, Barbara and Gunvor (US, 2018), which includes Hammer, the conceptual and performance artist Carolee Schneemann, and the experimental filmmaker Gunvor Nelson. She then discusses her 2019 film, A Month of Single Frames, which uses material from Hammer's 1998 artist residency in a Cape Cod shack without running water or electricity. While there, she shot film, recorded sounds, and kept a journal. In 2018, Hammer began her process of dying by revisiting her personal archive. She gave all of her images, sounds, and writing from the residency to Sachs and invited her to make a film with the material. Through her own filmmaking, Sachs explores Hammer's experience of solitude. She places text on the screen as a way to be in dialogue with both Hammer and her audience. This essay provides context for the intentions and challenges that grew out of both of these film collaborations.
Interview with Florrie Burke
Authors: Keller Sarah , White Patricia
Published: November 2021

In this interview, Patricia White and Sarah Keller talk with Barbara Hammer's partner for over thirty years, Florrie Burke, who in multiple ways has helped keep Hammer's work present in the art world after her death in 2019. In the interview, Burke discusses life with Hammer and her drive to complete projects during the last years of her life. Outlining the variety of outlets for Hammer's work after her death, Burke describes her own role in ensuring the continuation of Hammer's legacy.
Environmental impact of Aposelemis dam and tunnel water supply project in NE Crete, Greece
Authors: Vogiatzi Chrysanthi , Loupasakis Constantinos
Published: November 2021

The current investigation concerns the impact observed at natural and human environment, due to the implementation of the Aposelemis water supply project, as additional aqueduct of Heraklion and Agios Nikolaos cities, as well as other important tourist areas, in NE Crete, Greece. Aposelemis project is differentiated from standard water supply dam projects, through a special component of an underground tunnel that diverts uphill surface water from Lasithi Plateau into the reservoir. The study concerns the first years of project’s operation, and focuses at four affected areas, namely the Lasithi Plateau upland area, dam’s region, river estuary and water supplied cities. The investigation was based on various site visits, while a significant aspect involves local stakeholders’ observation, opinion and perception on the environmental impact of the project in everyday life, through four detailed questionnaires posed to the affected areas’ population. The recorded consequences were characterized as positive or negative and evaluated according to their size and importance, estimated for the current period and also for the future. Among the main positive effects are urban areas’ drinking water supply and improved upland plateau’s flood water drainage, while among the negative consequences appear multiple water resources’ impacts and feelings of downstream lakeside residents. The investigation indicates the initial environmental impact and sets the basis for further future research towards sustainability.
Case Report: Electroencephalography in a neonate with isolated sulfite oxidase deficiency – a case report and literature review
Authors: Pavel Andreea M , Stephens Carol M , Mathieson Sean R , Walsh Brian H , McNamara Brian , McSweeney Niamh , Boylan Geraldine B
Published: November 2021

Isolated sulfite oxidase deficiency (ISOD) is a rare autosomal recessive neuro-metabolic disorder caused by a mutation in the sulfite oxidase (SUOX) gene situated on chromosome 12. Due to the deficiency of this mitochondrial enzyme (sulfite oxidase), the oxidative degradation of toxic sulfites is disrupted. The most common form of this disease has an early onset (classical ISOD) in the neonatal period, with hypotonia, poor feeding and intractable seizures, mimicking hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy. The evolution is rapidly progressive to severe developmental delay, microcephaly and early death. Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment and the prognosis is very poor.

In this article, we described the evolution of early continuous electroencephalography (EEG) in a case of ISOD with neonatal onset, as severely encephalopathic background, with refractory seizures and distinct delta-beta complexes. The presence of the delta-beta complexes might be a diagnostic marker in ISOD. We also performed a literature review of published cases of neonatal ISOD that included EEG monitoring.
Moving beyond formulae: a review of international population-based resource allocation policy and implications for Ireland in an era of healthcare reform
Authors: Johnston Bridget M. , Burke Sara , Kavanagh Paul M. , O'Sullivan Caoimhe , Thomas Steve , Parker Sarah
Published: November 2021

Background:Population-based resource allocation is a specific approach to population health planning that is used to address differences in population need to promote equity and efficiency in health and health system outcomes. However, while previous studies havedescribedthis type of funding model, they have not comparedhowsuch policies and practices have been implemented across jurisdictions. This research examined the impacts and outcomes of population-based resource allocation across six high-income countries, with a view to informing strategic decision-making as Ireland progresses its universal healthcare reform agenda.

Methods:A concurrent multi-method approach was employed to examine the experiences of six jurisdictions selected for analysis: Australia (New South Wales), Canada (Alberta), England, New Zealand, Scotland and Sweden (Stockholm). A documentary analysis of key policy, strategy and planning publications was combined with a narrative rapid review of peer-reviewed and grey literature (n = 8) to determine how population-based resource allocation is specified and implemented. The findings were checked and verified by national experts.

Results:Notable differences were observed across countries in terms of the stated objectives and descriptions of models as well as the criteria for choosing variables and the variables ultimately used in funding formulae. While population-based resource allocation can help improve equity related to healthcare outcomes and access, a number of tensions were revealed between the need to ensure alignment between policy goals and model design; transition between models; support regionalisation policies; and develop robust governance and monitoring mechanisms to maximise outcomes.

Conclusions:The review progresses ‘thinking’ about population-based resource allocation beyond the technical aspects of model or formulae construction. Population-based resource allocation should be viewed as just one lever of large-scale health system reform that can be thoughtfully developed, monitored and adjusted in a way that supports the goals of Sláintecare and the delivery of universal healthcare.
The Index of Evidence: speculative methodologies in response to the post-truth era
Authors: Partington Gill , Salisbury Laura , Hinchliffe Steve , Michael Mike , Choksey Lara
Published: November 2021

The past year has shown that even the fundamental idea of ‘evidence’ – in health contexts, but also more broadly - is coming under increasing strain. This open letter argues that the current crises of evidence and knowledge in which we find ourselves demands new speculative methodologies. It introduces the Index of Evidence – a Beacon Project funded by Exeter University’s Wellcome Centre for Cultures and Environments of Health - as one example of such a methodology, outlining its theoretical foundations and process. The key innovation of this project is to rethink the form and presentation that research can take. Using the conceptual and material affordances of the index, it merges the creative and critical in ways that aim to make an important contribution to more inter-connected, theoretically sophisticated thinking around evidence.
The genome sequence of the red-headed cardinal beetle, Pyrochroa serraticornis (Scopoli, 1763)
Authors: Sivell Duncan ,   Natural History Museum Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life programme,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: DNA Pipelines collective,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: November 2021

We present a genome assembly from an individual male Pyrochroa serraticornis (the red-headed cardinal beetle; Arthropoda; Insecta; Coleoptera; Pyrochroidae). The genome sequence is 249 megabases in span. The majority (97.92%) of the assembly is scaffolded into 10 chromosomal pseudomolecules, with the X and Y sex chromosome assembled.
E-administration in Poland in an audit perspective
Authors: Witkowska-Chrzczonowicz Katarzyna , Serowaniec Maciej
Published: November 2021

E-administration is a relatively new concept related to the broader technological progress and development of modern technologies, as well as a key condition for the development of an effective information society. E-administration means that the state provides as much of its own public services as possible via the Internet in order to facilitate numerous entities, including its own citizens, enterprises, the academia, etc., as well as to guarantee access to various public services and make the access more affordable. Thanks to such measures, citizens’ satisfaction with the administration increases, and the competitiveness of countries and enterprises increases as well.
Wojewoda jako organ nadzoru nad działalnością jednostek samorządu terytorialnego
Authors: Bułajewski Stanisław
Published: November 2021

W ramach artykułu została przeprowadzona analiza wybranych kwestii, związanych z problematyką nadzoru nad działalnością samorządu terytorialnego. Problematyka ta została scharakteryzowana w konfrontacji z najważniejszym konstytucyjnym podmiotem do tego powołanym, tj. z wojewodą. Swoje rozważania rozpocząłem od analizy nadzoru w kontekście konstytucyjnym. Następnie przeszedłem do próby przedstawienia poglądów na temat dwóch ściśle powiązanych ze sobą pojęć, a mianowicie do pojęcia kontroli i pojęcia nadzoru. Kolejnym elementem artykułu było przedstawienie wojewody – jego umiejscowienia w strukturze władzy, z jednoczesnym zaprezentowaniem wybranych uprawnień i obowiązków, głównie w kontekście nadzoru, jaki ten organ pełni w stosunku do jednostek samorządu terytorialnego. Niezwykle istotnym elementem pracy była również krótka charakterystyka przedmiotu nadzoru, kryterium nadzoru oraz środków nadzorczych, jakie w stosunku do jednostek samorządu terytorialnego wojewodzie przysługują. Niemal każda część artykułu odnosiła się do licznych poglądów doktryny, aktualnego prawodawstwa i orzecznictwa. Bez prezentacji owego orzecznictwa nie byłoby możliwe prawidłowe zinterpretowanie spornych kwestii. Całość zwieńczyło krótkie podsumowanie.
Expression of opinion through Acts. A brief analysis of the Hungarian Constitutional Courts practice
Authors: Stock Szabolcs
Published: November 2021

The aim of the article is to present how one can excercise their freedom of expression through acts. I focus ont the decisions of the Hungarian Constitutional Court, the European Court of Human Rights and the U. S. Supreme court. I analyze these decisions, and compare the fundamental rights that can collide, such as freedom of expression versus the right to property, which one should prevail when they come into collision. I also study how one can decide, whether the act should fall within the protected circle of the freedom of expression, or it should be penalized as a crime, or misdemeanor.
Inconsciente en revolución: Superficie, contingencia y ontología en el psicoanálisis freudiano
Authors: Caranci Sáez Carlos
Published: November 2021

Este texto plantea un retorno a la obra de Sigmund Freud concibiendo la terapia y la cura analítica como una práctica antihermenéutica y performativa, antes que arqueológica. Tras un breve repaso de la evolución de la técnica analítica, y desarrollando los términos de imagen, deseo y superficie, se pretende mostrar la radicalidad de la dimensión filosófica del psicoanálisis y su alcance emancipador más allá de la consulta, que no solo afecta al deseo específico del individuo sino al entero marco de posibilidad de su desear como sujeto histórico.
La idea de comunidad digital y el uso político de las redes sociales en España
Authors: Lagares Díez Nieves , Lagares Díez Nieves , López-López Paulo Carlos , Jaráiz Gulías Erika
Published: November 2021

El presente artículo analiza los usos políticos de las redes sociales en España y las funciones de las comunidades digitales que se generan a través de ellas. Para esto se han utilizado la Encuesta Social Europea del año 2018 para España, así como el Estudio Postelectoral Elecciones Generales de noviembre 2019 y el Barómetro Postelectoral del CIS de esa misma elección. Además, se analizan casi medio millón de tweets como respuesta a los mensajes emitidos en Twitter por los principales candidatos en los meses anteriores a las elecciones celebradas en abril. Como principales resultados, se constata un uso polarizado de las redes sociales para informarse y participar, así como la existencia de dos grupos dentro de las comunidades digitales que realizan el proceso de orientación o discusión. Igualmente, a medida que se acerca la fecha de las elecciones, las dinámicas de competición no se construyen en función de la lógica izquierda-derecha, sino en clave gobierno-oposición.
A modo de praxis filosófica. La solidaridad entre el hacernos las paces y la creatividad como preámbulo de las paces creativas.
Authors: París Sonia
Published: November 2021

La creatividad es una pieza fundamental para hacernos las paces. Tanto es así que el texto resalta la importancia de motivar para atrevernos a arriesgar en lo que a la construcción de la paz y la transformación pacífica de los conflictos se refiere. Con este objetivo, incide en un giro pedagógico que ha de tender hacia una educación creativa en la creatividad y favorecer, al mismo tiempo, el cultivo de las competencias pacíficas que son favorables al establecimiento de las paces creativas desde las acciones más sencillas y cotidianas. Unas paces creativas que, como epílogo de la solidaridad entre la paz y la creatividad, seguirán los presupuestos de la Filosofía para hacer las paces a modo de praxis filosófica.
La Integración jurídico-institucional de Sudamérica en el campo de la defensa el Consejo de Defensa Suramericano
Authors: Fernández Rodríguez Manuela
Published: November 2021

Estudio sobre la creación del Consejo de Defensa Suramericano en 2008 en el marco de Unión de Naciones Suramericanas como un organismo de cooperación en materia de defensa de la región. En el texto se tratan cuestiones como la membresía de doce Estados, el papel destacado de Brasil en su creación que buscaba consolidar su liderazgo regional, la buena acogida por parte de Estados Unidos, su funcionamiento, las actuaciones principales –cooperación militar, acciones humanitarias, operaciones de paz, desarrollo de tecnología, formación– y la crisis que llevó a la suspensión de sus actividades, menos de diez años después de su creación.
La tendencia a la espectacularización como criterio periodístico: el caso de los refugiados
Authors: Serrano Oceja José Francisco , Solano Altaba María
Published: November 2021

Los fenómenos de la inmigración y los refugiados están presentes en la agenda social y mediática de nuestro mundo globalizado. Los procesos de integración personal y social dependen de los imaginarios creados a través d ellos medios de comunicación en la sociedad receptoras. Las imágenes marcadas por la espectacularización y el dramatismo provocan incrementos puntuales informativos y desenfoques estructurales en el volumen de contenido periodístico dedicado a esta cuestión. El punto de inflexión sobre el tratamiento informativo dado a la cuestión de los inmigrantes y refugiados está condicionado por los fenómenos de la espectacularización y el emotivismo. Así lo demuestran las referencias a la información sobre el conflicto armado en Siria que dio lugar a la mayor crisis de desplazados del territorio de la historia del siglo XXI. La información suministrada por los medios de comunicación sobre el desarrollo del conflicto tuvo presencia permanente.
España-África:un análisis pasado, presente y futuro de nuestras relaciones bilaterales en cooperación
Authors: del Prado Higuera Cristina
Published: November 2021

El artículo aborda y presenta los resultados de una investigación sobre las relaciones de cooperación que han existido entre España y África y su evolución en un momento clave para nuestras políticas de emigración. África debería ser por su situación estratégica, su alta tasa de natalidad y sus riquezas naturales una de las prioridades políticas, económicas y sociales para Europa, pero la realidad con la que nos enfrentamos es muy distinta. España como frontera del norte de África y también por su posición de frontera sur de la Unión Europea no es sólo un país de destino de importantes flujos migratorios extracomunitarios, sino también un país de tránsito de emigrantes a otros Estados europeos comunitarios, siendo uno de los grandes retos a los que se tiene que enfrentar. Nuestro país a través de sus políticas de cooperación tanto por parte del Jefe de Estado como del gobierno ha tenido y tienen como objetivo primordial fortalecer su presencia diplomática, política, empresarial y contribuir a su transformación económica y desarrollo político del contiente.
Slivers of Hope: Women in Dystopian Trilogy
Authors: Famoso Josephine May Grace Aclan
Published: November 2021

This paper explores the struggles, goals, and motivations of the women characters in The Hunger Games Trilogy. In detail, the study employs Elaine Showalter’s Feminist theory to reveal the women characters’ categories in terms of three stages: feminine, feminist and female. In the study, some of the women characters living in the dehumanized society of Panem have attained the last stage of feminism which is the female stage. However, other women characters are not able to fulfill their goals. Still, due to the women characters’ demand to change the system, they start an uprising. For example, the main character, Katniss Everdeen, contributes to the collapse of the ruling government in power as she accepts being the Mockingjay, the symbol of revolution. Another woman character to exemplify such a noble act is Johanna Mason who becomes part of the rebellion and survives the war against the unjust ruling of the Capitol. These women characters are slivers of light amidst the chaos. In conclusion, it is discovered that women characters play pivotal roles in society. This suggests that women characters recognize their power to accelerate societal advancement. For this dystopian trilogy, in particular, women become symbols of hope.
‘Ergopaedics’: the future of ergonomics in orthopaedics
Authors: Neal-Smith Gregory , Butler Katherine , Patel Bhavi , Huntley Daniel , Wood Alexander
Published: November 2021

Ergonomics is the scientific study of people and their working conditions, aiming to improve effectiveness. Improved ergonomics of orthopaedic theatres and equipment would reduce the risk of occupational injury and help to encourage more women into an underrepresented specialty.
A Review of Korean Medicine Treatment for Postherpetic Neuralgia
Authors: Kim Min Ju , Cha Hyun Ji , Lee Young Rok , Kim Beom Seok , Sung Ki Jung , Choi Hyeon Kyu , Lee Ye Ji , Jeon Ju Hyun , Kim Young Il
Published: November 2021

The purpose of this study was to analyze the Korean medicine treatment methods for Postherpetic Neuralgia (PHN) in Korea. There were 5 online databases searched (OASIS, NDSL, RISS, KISS and KMBASE) for studies which were related to PHN. A total of 12 studies were selected. Various treatments such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, and moxibustion were reported treatments for PHN, some of which included Western medicine and Korean medicine treatment. Korean herbal medicine was the most frequently used treatment method, followed by manual acupuncture. Sipjeondaebotanggami was the most frequently used prescription. Poria Sclerotium was the most frequently used principal herb, followed by Angelicae Gigantis Radix, Zingiberis Rhizoma, and Ginseng Radix. GB44, LI4, LR3 were the common acupoints used for the treatment of PHN. CV12 was the most frequently used moxibustion point, and gabapentin was the most frequently used concomitant Western drug. Additional research on Korean medicine treatment of PHN is expected in the future.
An Economic Evaluation of Thread Embedding Acupuncture for the Treatment of Lumbar Herniated Intervertebral Disc in a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial
Authors: Kim Ha-Na , Kim Jun-Yeon , Park Kyeong-Ju , Hwang Ji-Min , Jang Jun-Yeong , Jo Min-Gi , Ko Min-Jung , Chae Sang-Yeup , Kim Jung-Hyun , Goo Bonhyuk , Park Yeon-Cheol , Seo Byung-Kwan , Baek Yong-Hyeon , Nam Sang-Soo
Published: November 2021

Background: Lumbar herniated intervertebral disc (LHIVD) is a frequently presented condition/disease in Korean medical institutions. In this study, the economics of thread embedding acupuncture (TEA) was evaluated in a randomized controlled trial comparing TEA with sham TEA (STEA).Methods: This economic evaluation was analyzed from a limited social perspective, and the per-protocol set was from a basic analysis perspective. The cost-effectiveness analysis was based on the change in visual analog scale score, and the cost-utility analysis was based on the quality-adjusted life years. The final results were expressed as the average cost-effectiveness ratio and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, and furthermore sensitivity analysis was performed to confirm the robustness of the results observed.Results: The cost-effectiveness analysis showed that TEA was 9,908 won lower than STEA, while the decrease in 100 mm visual analog scale score was 8.5 mm greater in the TEA group compared with the STEA group (p > 0.05). The cost-utility analysis showed that TEA was 9,908 won lower than STEA, while the quality-adjusted life years of TEA was 0.0026 years higher than STEA (p > 0.05). These results were robust in the sensitivity analysis, but were not statistically significant.Conclusion: In treating LHIVD, TEA appeared to have cost-effectiveness and cost-utility compared with STEA. However, there were no significant differences between the groups in terms of cost, effectiveness, and utility indicators. Therefore, results must be interpreted prudently; this study was the 1st to conduct an economic evaluation of TEA for LHIVD.
Semi-supervised learning for optical fiber sensor road intrusion signal detection
Authors: He Jun , Hu Xing , Zhang Dawei , Kong Yong , Cheng Jing , Xiao Wenzhe
Published: November 2021

This paper proposes a road intrusion detection model based on distributed optical fiber vibration sensors signals. Considering that the existing unsupervised classification method often has a high false alarm rate when meeting the new non-intrusion samples, we propose a one-dimensional semi-supervised generative adversarial network (1D-SSGAN) model for intrusion signal recognition. The 1D-SSGAN is composed of a generator and a discriminator. The output layer of the discriminator is mapped to

N

+

1

classes, and the generator and discriminator are trained on the

N

class dataset. During the learning process of the generator against the discriminator, many new samples are generated based on a small number of samples, which effectively expands the datasets and assists the training of the discriminator. Experimental result analysis demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed model.
TDNet: transformer-based network for point cloud denoising
Authors: Xu Xueli , Geng Guohua , Cao Xin , Li Kang , Zhou Mingquan
Published: November 2021

This study proposes a novel, to the best of our knowledge, transformer-based end-to-end network (TDNet) for point cloud denoising based on encoder–decoder architecture. The encoder is based on the structure of a transformer in natural language processing (NLP). Even though points and sentences are different types of data, the NLP transformer can be improved to be suitable for a point cloud because the point can be regarded as a word. The improved model facilitates point cloud feature extraction and transformation of the input point cloud into the underlying high-dimensional space, which can characterize the semantic relevance between points. Subsequently, the decoder learns the latent manifold of each sampled point from the high-dimensional features obtained by the encoder, finally achieving a clean point cloud. An adaptive sampling approach is introduced during denoising to select points closer to the clean point cloud to reconstruct the surface. This is based on the view that a 3D object is essentially a 2D manifold. Extensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed network is superior in terms of quantitative and qualitative results for synthetic data sets and real-world terracotta warrior fragments.
Incandescent lamp performance and design parameters
Authors: Kykta Martin
Published: November 2021

Simple non-empirical equations can predict current versus voltage, power versus voltage, and temperature versus voltage for a tungsten incandescent light bulb using the filament length and radius. These equations match empirical equations.
Small obstacle size prediction based on a GA-BP neural network
Authors: Ning Yu , Jin Yongping , Peng Youduo , Yan Jian
Published: November 2021

Accurate and effective acquisition of obstacle size parameters is the basis for
environment perception, path planning, and autonomous navigation of
mobile robots, and is the key to improve the walking performance of
mobile robots. In this paper, a generic algorithm-back propagation
(GA-BP) neural network-based method for small obstacle size prediction
is proposed for mobile robots to perceive the environment
quantitatively. A machine vision-based small obstacle size measurement
experiment was designed, and 228 sets of sample data were obtained. A
genetic algorithm optimized back propagation neural network was used
to build a small obstacle size prediction model with obstacle pixel
width, pixel height, pixel area, and obstacle-to-camera distance as
input parameters and actual obstacle width, actual height, and actual
area as output parameters. The results show that the correlation
coefficient (

R
2

) between the predicted and expected
values of the test data is higher than 0.999, the root mean square
error is lower than 5.573, and the mean absolute percentage error is
lower than 2.84%. The good agreement between its predicted and
expected values indicates that the model can accurately predict the
size of small obstacles. The GA-BP neural network-based small obstacle
size prediction method proposed in this paper is simple to execute,
has good real-time performance, and provides a new, to the best of our
knowledge, way of thinking for mobile robots to acquire environmental
data.
FEM analysis of a λ3/125 high sensitivity graphene plasmonic biosensor for low hemoglobin concentration detection
Authors: Seyyedmasoumian Sevda , Attariabad Asma , Farmani Ali
Published: November 2021

A highly sensitive plasmonic refractive index biosensor for hemoglobin protein detection in blood is presented in the near-infrared region. The proposed Au split-ring resonator structure with an extra arm is used to increase electric field enhancement intensity in the vicinity of the nanostructure, which excites localized surface plasmon resonances in the metal-dielectric interface and leads to unity absorption. The footprint of the proposed structure is

λ
3

/

125

(

λ

denoting center wavelength). Through the results from the finite element method (FEM), by variation of the spacer material, and inserting a graphene layer between the spacer and the gold nanostructure, maximum sensitivities of 1804.1 nm/RIU and 2448.45 nm/RIU are achieved, respectively.
Dynamic full-field refractive index distribution measurements using total internal reflection terahertz digital holography
Authors: Wang Dayong , Ma Duoxuan , Li Kunlun , Zhang Yaya , Zhao Jie , Wang Yunxin , Rong Lu
Published: November 2021

Massive usage scenarios prompt the prosperity of terahertz refractive index (THz RI) measurement methods. However, they are very difficult in measuring the full-field dynamical RI distributions of either solid samples without a priori thickness or liquid samples. In this study, we propose total internal reflection THz digital holography and apply it for measuring RI distributions for both solid and liquid samples dynamically. An RI measurement model is established based on an attenuated total reflection prism with a pitching angle. The pitching angle and the field of view can be numerically calculated from the spectrogram of the off-axis Fresnel hologram, which solves the adjustment of the visually opaque prism irradiated by the invisible THz beam. Full-field RI distributions of the droplets of solid-state soy wax and distilled water are obtained and compared with THz time-domain spectroscopy. The evaporation of an ethanol solution droplet is recorded, and the variation of the RI distribution at the sample–prism interface is quantitatively visualized with a temporal resolution of 10 Hz. The proposed method greatly expands the sample range for THz RI measurements and provides unprecedented insight into investigating spontaneous and dynamic THz phenomena.
Diversity and distribution of the tick-borne relapsing fever spirochete Borrelia turicatae
Authors: Krishnavajhala Aparna , Armstrong Brittany A. , Kneubehl Alexander R. , Gunter Sarah M. , Piccione Julie , Kim Hee J. , Ramirez Rosa , Castro-Arellano Ivan , Roachell Walter , Teel Pete D. , Lopez Job E.
Published: November 2021

Borrelia turicatae is a causative agent of tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) in the subtropics and tropics of the United States and Latin America. Historically, B. turicatae was thought to be maintained in enzootic cycles in rural areas. However, there is growing evidence that suggests the pathogen has established endemic foci in densely populated regions of Texas. With the growth of homelessness in the state and human activity in city parks, it was important to implement field collection efforts to identify areas where B. turicatae and its vector circulate. Between 2017 and 2020 we collected Ornithodoros turicata ticks in suburban and urban areas including public and private parks and recreational spaces. Ticks were fed on naïve mice and spirochetes were isolated from the blood. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was performed on eight newly obtained isolates and included previously reported sequences. The four chromosomal loci targeted for MLST were 16S ribosomal RNA (rrs), flagellin B (flaB), DNA gyrase B (gyrB), and the intergenic spacer (IGS). Given the complexity of Borrelia genomes, plasmid diversity was also evaluated. These studies indicate that the IGS locus segregates B. turicatae into four genomic types and plasmid diversity is extensive between isolates. Furthermore, B. turicatae and its vector have established endemic foci in parks and recreational areas in densely populated settings of Texas.
Objective bayesian analysis for multiple repairable systems
Authors: D’Andrea Amanda M. E. , Tomazella Vera L. D. , Aljohani Hassan M. , Ramos Pedro L. , Almeida Marco P. , Louzada Francisco , Verssani Bruna A. W. , Gazon Amanda B. , Afify Ahmed Z.
Published: November 2021

This article focus on the analysis of the reliability of multiple identical systems that can have multiple failures over time. A repairable system is defined as a system that can be restored to operating state in the event of a failure. This work under minimal repair, it is assumed that the failure has a power law intensity and the Bayesian approach is used to estimate the unknown parameters. The Bayesian estimators are obtained using two objective priors know as Jeffreys and reference priors. We proved that obtained reference prior is also a matching prior for both parameters, i.e., the credibility intervals have accurate frequentist coverage, while the Jeffreys prior returns unbiased estimates for the parameters. To illustrate the applicability of our Bayesian estimators, a new data set related to the failures of Brazilian sugar cane harvesters is considered.
Reactive oxygen species prevent lysosome coalescence during PIKfyve inhibition
Authors: Saffi Golam T. , Tang Evan , Mamand Sami , Inpanathan Subothan , Fountain Aaron , Salmena Leonardo , Botelho Roberto J.
Published: November 2021

Lysosomes are terminal, degradative organelles of the endosomal pathway that undergo repeated fusion-fission cycles with themselves, endosomes, phagosomes, and autophagosomes. Lysosome number and size depends on balanced fusion and fission rates. Thus, conditions that favour fusion over fission can reduce lysosome numbers while enlarging their size. Conversely, favouring fission over fusion may cause lysosome fragmentation and increase their numbers. PIKfyve is a phosphoinositide kinase that generates phosphatidylinositol-3,5-bisphosphate to modulate lysosomal functions. PIKfyve inhibition causes an increase in lysosome size and reduction in lysosome number, consistent with lysosome coalescence. This is thought to proceed through reduced lysosome reformation and/or fission after fusion with endosomes or other lysosomes. Previously, we observed that photo-damage during live-cell imaging prevented lysosome coalescence during PIKfyve inhibition. Thus, we postulated that lysosome fusion and/or fission dynamics are affected by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Here, we show that ROS generated by various independent mechanisms all impaired lysosome coalescence during PIKfyve inhibition and promoted lysosome fragmentation during PIKfyve re-activation. However, depending on the ROS species or mode of production, lysosome dynamics were affected distinctly. H2O2impaired lysosome motility and reduced lysosome fusion with phagosomes, suggesting that H2O2reduces lysosome fusogenecity. In comparison, inhibitors of oxidative phosphorylation, thiol groups, glutathione, or thioredoxin, did not impair lysosome motility but instead promoted clearance of actin puncta on lysosomes formed during PIKfyve inhibition. Additionally, actin depolymerizing agents prevented lysosome coalescence during PIKfyve inhibition. Thus, we discovered that ROS can generally prevent lysosome coalescence during PIKfyve inhibition using distinct mechanisms depending on the type of ROS.
Knowledge of and preparedness for COVID-19 among Somali healthcare professionals: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Alawa Jude , Walz Lucas , Al-Ali Samir , Harle Nikhil , Wiles Eleanor , Awale Mohamed Abdullahi , Mohamed Deqo , Khoshnood Kaveh
Published: November 2021

Background

Somalia is considered severely underprepared to contain an outbreak of COVID-19, with critical shortages in healthcare personnel and treatment resources. In limited-resource settings such as Somalia, providing healthcare workers with adequate information on COVID-19 is crucial to improve patient outcomes and mitigate the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This study assessed the knowledge of, preparedness for, and perceptions toward COVID-19 prevention and treatment among Somali healthcare workers.

Methods

A descriptive, cross-sectional survey was completed by 364 Somali healthcare workers in summer of 2020 utilizing a convenience sampling method.

Results

Participants’ most accessed sources of COVID-19 information were from social media (64.8%), official government and international health organization websites (51.1%,), and traditional media sources such as radio, TV, and newspapers (48.1%). A majority of participants demonstrated strong knowledge of treatment of COVID-19, the severity of COVID-19, and the possible outcomes of COVID-19, but only 5 out of 10 symptoms listed were correctly identified by more than 75% of participants. Although participants indicated seeing a median number of 10 patients per week with COVID-19 related symptoms, access to essential medical resources, such as N95 masks (30.2%), facial protective shields (24.5%), and disposable gowns (21.4%), were limited. Moreover, 31.3% agreed that Somalia was in a good position to contain an emerging outbreak of COVID-19. In addition, 40.4% of participants agreed that the Somali government’s response to the pandemic was sufficient to protect Somali healthcare professionals.

Conclusion

This study provides evidence for the need to equip Somali healthcare providers with more information, personal protective equipment, and treatment resources such that they can safely and adequately care for COVID-19 patients and contain the spread of the virus. Social media and traditional news outlets may be effective outlets to communicate information regarding COVID-19 and the Somali government’s response to frontline healthcare workers.
Generative adversarial networks for generating synthetic features for Wi-Fi signal quality
Authors: Castelli Mauro , Manzoni Luca , Espindola Tatiane , Popovič Aleš , De Lorenzo Andrea
Published: November 2021

Wireless networks are among the fundamental technologies used to connect people. Considering the constant advancements in the field, telecommunication operators must guarantee a high-quality service to keep their customer portfolio. To ensure this high-quality service, it is common to establish partnerships with specialized technology companies that deliver software services in order to monitor the networks and identify faults and respective solutions. A common barrier faced by these specialized companies is the lack of data to develop and test their products. This paper investigates the use of generative adversarial networks (GANs), which are state-of-the-art generative models, for generating synthetic telecommunication data related to Wi-Fi signal quality. We developed, trained, and compared two of the most used GAN architectures: the Vanilla GAN and the Wasserstein GAN (WGAN). Both models presented satisfactory results and were able to generate synthetic data similar to the real ones. In particular, the distribution of the synthetic data overlaps the distribution of the real data for all of the considered features. Moreover, the considered generative models can reproduce the same associations observed for the synthetic features. We chose the WGAN as the final model, but both models are suitable for addressing the problem at hand.
Using ultra-widefield red channel images to improve the detection of ischemic central retinal vein occlusion
Authors: Sato Akinori , Asaoka Ryo , Tanaka Shin , Nagura Koichi , Tanaka Yui , Arasaki Rei , Okawa Kazuyoshi , Kitahata Shohei , Nakamura Kentaro , Ikeda Shouko , Inoue Tatsuya , Yanagi Yasuo , Maruyama-Inoue Maiko , Kadonosono Kazuaki
Published: November 2021

Purpose

To examine the usefulness of red channel fundus imaging to detect the ischemic status in eyes with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO).

Methods

Ultra-widefield (UWF) fundus images were obtained from 42 eyes with CRVO. Twenty-one eyes were ischemic, and 21 eyes were non-ischemic. Rubeosis was found in 11 ischemic eyes. UWF images were split into red and green channels using ImageJ software. Both the color and red channel images were used to predict the presence or absence of ischemia when examined by masked graders. The sensitivity and specificity of UWF imagings for the detection of ischemia were calculated in Group A (total 42 eyes), Group B (32 eyes excluding non-rubeotic ischemic CRVO) and Group C (31 eyes excluding rubeotic ischemic CRVO), respectively. Moreover, a linear mixed model was conducted to investigate the relationship between the type of images and the accuracy of prediction in each group.

Results

No significant difference in the sensitivity of color fundus imaging was seen between Group A and Group B. By contrast, a significant difference in the sensitivity of red channel imaging was seen between Group A and Group B (p = 0.031). The accuracies of the predictions were not associated with the type of image in Group A and Group B, but were significantly associated in Group C (p = 0.026).

Conclusions

UWF red channel imaging enabled more accurate detection of the ischemic status, compared with color fundus images, especially in non-rubeotic CRVO eyes.