bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preoperative predictive factors for positive peritoneal cytology results in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas: A retrospective study
Authors: Shimane Gaku , Nakano Yutaka , Kitago Minoru , Yagi Hiroshi , Abe Yuta , Hasegawa Yasushi , Soga Shigeyoshi , Okuda Shigeo , Ishii Ryota , Kitagawa Yuko
Published: January 2024

Background
The clinical importance of positive peritoneal cytology results in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas remains controversial. We evaluated the prognosis of these patients and the predictive preoperative risk factors for positive peritoneal cytology results.
Methods
We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent curative-intent surgery at our institution between May 2010 and June 2020. Preoperative risk factors for positive peritoneal cytology results were identified using logistic regression analysis. A scoring model was constructed using the total number of significant independent predictors for positive peritoneal cytology results.
Results
Of 233 patients, 18 (7.7%) had positive peritoneal cytology results. The recurrence-free survival and cancer-specific survival were markedly worse in patients with positive peritoneal cytology results than in those with negative peritoneal cytology results (recurrence-free survival: 6.0 months vs. 16.6 months, p = 0.050; cancer-specific survival: 19.4 months vs. 47.5 months, p = 0.034). Tumor location (odds ratio: 3.760, 95% confidence interval: 1.099–11.818, p = 0.023), tumor size > 25 mm (odds ratio: 3.410, 95% confidence interval: 1.031–11.277, p = 0.046), preoperative serosal invasion (odds ratio: 5.193, 95% confidence interval: 1.099–24.531, p = 0.038), and preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen level > 5.6 ng/mL (odds ratio: 3.816, 95% confidence interval: 1.248–10.667, p = 0.019) were identified as significant independent predictive factors. The optimal cutoff and positive predictive values of our predictive model for positive peritoneal cytology results were 3 and 27.9%, respectively.
Conclusions
The indications for curative-intent surgery should be carefully considered in patients with high-risk factors for positive peritoneal cytology results.
Harnessing Thermogel Actuation for Driving Directional Stromal Cell Communication and Migration into Columnar Arrays
Authors: Vernengo Andrea , Pylostomou Athanasia , Wychowaniec Jacek , Tognato Riccardo , Egger Sarah , Ursin Gion , Edwards-Gayle Charlotte , Weiser Jennifer , Loca Dagnija , Deste Matteo , Serra Tiziano
Published: January 2024

During developmental processes, cells frequently condense along a preferred axis, creating columnar arrangements—a pivotal step in shaping elongating tissue structures and facilitating gradual building of tissue complexity. Despite advances in biofabrication technology that has allowed researchers to recreate these axial arrangements in vitro in 3D culture, maintaining these patterns for periods of cultivation beyond 7 days has proven challenging, given cells' tendency to exhibit random migratory patterns. In this study, we introduce EXPECT (EXtrusion Patterned Embedded ConstruCTs), a thermosensitive hydrogel based on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) designed with specific rheological properties enabling the creation of embedded, macroscopic, cell-laden channels within the hydrogel using 3D printing. EXPECT, coupled with mild temperature changes at regular intervals, suppressed the random migratory tendencies of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), guiding the cells to laterally intercalate and aggregate longitudinally. This resulted in the formation of continuous stacked arrangements of MSCs sustained over 36 days of culture. Additionally, EXPECT led to the elongation of initially spaced MSC spheroids toward each other, culminating in their fusion into narrowed, columnar assemblies. Our study presents a versatile and readily applicable approach for orchestrating and maintaining cell communication and movements along a preferred axis outside the developmental niche. By addressing a key limitation in current in vitro 3D culture systems and inducing cell movements reminiscent of both convergent extension and directed chemotaxis, we present a novel tool for studying various facets of development, disease, and repair.
On-line surface defects detection of Engine blocks based on Improved CNN+GAN Networks
Authors: Zeng Zhilin , Qu Hao , Lv Jun , Du Zhengchun
Published: January 2024

In this paper, a machine vision system for surface defect detection on engine blocks in an engine manufacturing line is proposed. This system employs deep learning algorithms to address the issues of high defect omission rate, high false alarm rate, and slow detection speed in the current inspection process. Specifically, an improved pix2pix GAN model is proposed by introducing a ResNet network to improve the feature expression capability and generate images with lower Frechet Inception Distance (FID) score. Furthermore, the generated images are used to augment the training dataset and combined with the YOLOv5 CNN network to enhance the training effect on small sample data. This method is compared with Faster-RCNN and SSD detection networks to validate its superiority in defect recognition performance. Experiments show that the proposed system achieves higher accuracy and robustness, with an average recognition accuracy of 98.4% and a detection time less than 0.5 seconds per image. The system has been applied in the actual production line and achieved good performance, demonstrating its feasibility and potential for practical use in the manufacturing industry.
Polygenic scores stratify ND-CNV carrier cognitive outcomes in the UK Biobank
Authors: Dinneen Thomas , Ghrálaigh Fiana Ní , Ormond Cathal , Heron Elizabeth , Kirov George , Lopez Lorna , Gallagher Louise
Published: January 2024

Carriers of rare copy-number variants associated with neurodevelopmental conditions (ND-CNVs) show variable expressivity of clinical, physical, behavioural phenotypes. Findings from clinically-ascertained cohorts indicate that this may in part be explained by additional genetic variation associated with neurodevelopmental conditions. Here, the effects of additional genetic variants on ND-CNV carrier fluid intelligence (FI) scores in the UK Biobank were assessed. Polygenic scores (PGS) for cognition (PSCog), educational attainment (PSEA), and autism (PSASD) were generated using genome-wide imputation data to investigate additional common genetic variants (MAF >1%). Similarly, rare variants (MAF ≤1%) in loci associated with intellectual disability, autism, or intolerant to loss-of-function, brain expressed loci were investigated. Increased PSCog is associated with increased FI scores in all ND-CNVs (n = 1,274; P=4.92x10-7), 15q11.2 del. (n = 514; P=1.8x10-5), and 16p13.11 dup. carriers (n = 258; P=0.044). Similarly, greater PSEA is associated with increased FI scores in all ND-CNV carriers (P = 0.022), but not in the subgroups of specific ND-CNV loci. Additionally, we tested the positive predictive value of PScog and PSEA in ND-CNV carriers. Comparing the first and tenth deciles of PScog and PSEA, 13% versus 2% and 11% versus 2% of ND-CNV carriers were correctly identified with low FI scores. Furthermore, ND-CNVs in the first decile of PSCog showed a two- to five-fold increase in probability for a low FI score compared to the baseline pre-test probability. We do not observe any association of rare additional genetic variants in loci associated with intellectual disability, autism, or intolerant to loss-of-function, brain expressed loci with FI scores in ND-CNV carriers. These findings demonstrate that PGS contribute to and can stratify ND-CNV carrier cognitive outcomes in a population-based cohort.
Beyond endocrine resistance: estrogen receptor (ESR1) activating mutations mediate chemotherapy resistance through the JNK/c-Jun MDR1 pathway in breast cancer
Authors: Taya Marwa , Merenbakh-Lamin Keren , Zubkov Asia , Honig Zohar , Kurolap Alina , Mayer Ori , Shomron Noam , Wolf Ido , Rubinek Tami
Published: January 2024

Purpose
All patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) expressing estrogen receptor-α (ESR1) will eventually develop resistance to endocrine therapies. In up to 40% of patients, this resistance is caused by activating mutations in the ligand-binding domain (LBD) of ESR1. Accumulating clinical evidence indicate adverse outcomes for these patients, beyond that expected by resistance to endocrine therapy. We hypothesized that ESR1 mutations may also confer resistance to chemotherapy.
Experimental Design:
MCF-7 cells harboring Y537S and D538G ESR1 mutations (mut-ER) were employed to study response to chemotherapy using viability and apoptotic assay in vitro, and tumor growth in vivo. JNK/c-Jun/MDR1 pathway was studied using qRT-PCR, western-blot, gene-reporter and ChIP assays. MDR1 expression was analyzed in clinical samples using IHC.
Results
Cell harboring ESR1 mutations displayed relative chemoresistance, evidenced by higher viability and reduced apoptosis as well as resistance to paclitaxel in vivo. To elucidate the underlying mechanism, MDR1 expression was examined and elevated levels were observed in mut-ER cells, and in clinical BC samples. MDR1 is regulated by the JNK/c-Jun pathway, and indeed, we detected higher JNK/c-Jun expression and activity in mut-ER cells, as well as increased occupancy of c-Jun in MDR1 promoter. Importantly, JNK inhibition decreased MDR1 expression, particularly of D538G-cells, and reduced viability in response to chemotherapy.
Conclusions
Taken together, these data indicate that ESR1 mutations confer chemoresistance in BC through activation of the JNK/MDR1 axis. Targeting this pathway may restore sensitivity to chemotherapy and serve as a novel treatment strategy for MBC patients carrying ESR1 mutations.
Can green infrastructure investment influence low-carbon urbanization: Empirical evidence from China
Authors: Feihu Yang , Xing Huang , Yating Li
Published: January 2024

Promoting new urbanization based on the concept of green development is an essential path and inherent requirement for China's modernization, and the impact of green infrastructure investment on low-carbon urbanization development urgently needs to be explored. This article, based on panel data from 203 prefecture-level cities and above in China from 2010 to 2020, employs a two-way fixed effects model to investigate the impact of green infrastructure investment on enhancing low-carbon urbanization development and its potential channels. The study finds that: (1) Investment in green infrastructure significantly promotes the development of low-carbon urbanization, a result that remains robust after a series of tests. (2) The impact of green infrastructure investment on low-carbon urbanization development varies across cities with different geographical locations, sizes, and resource endowments. The role of green infrastructure investment is more pronounced in promoting low-carbon urbanization in eastern cities, medium-sized cities, and non-resource-based cities, while its impact is relatively weaker in central and western cities, large and small cities, and resource-based cities. (3) Mechanism analysis indicates that green infrastructure investment promotes low-carbon urbanization development by enhancing total factor energy efficiency and facilitating industrial structure upgrading.
Correlation Between Maternal Factors and Birth Weight of Newborns in Uganda
Authors: Natukunda Pheobe , Kadubira Eriot , Nzabona Abel
Published: January 2024

Background
Birth weight is an important determinant of infant's well-being. It is an indicator of both short and long term health consequences. Infants born with low weight are more than 100 times more likely to die in the first year of life than infants of normal birth weight. Neonatal death among infants weighing 1500–2500 grams is 20 times higher than among infants of normal weight.
Method
The study used 2016 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey data. It focused on mothers with recorded birth weight from either written records or through a mother’s recall forming a sample size of 7,101 mothers. Generalized structural equation modeling was used to measure the direct and indirect relationships between maternal factors and birth weight of newborns.
Results
The results indicated that the prevalence of low birth weight was 9 percent and mean birth weight of 3,345g. Belonging to the rich wealth index reduced odds of giving birth to babies with low birth weight compared to the poor wealth index (OR = 0.7, p = 0.001). A mother who had at least 4 antenatal visits had reduced odds of having a baby with low birth weight (OR = 0.7, p = 0.001). Mothers with higher level education, occupation categories of sales and services were indirect predictors of birth weight through antenatal care (p = 0.016, p = 0.012 and p = 0.039 respectively). Therefore, more antenatal care centers need to be established, advocacy for prenatal care needs to be intensified to enroll all expectant mothers. Urgently, interventions targeted on empowering mothers economically need to be established.
Intracellular CIRP promotes liver regeneration while extracellular CIRP induces ER stress after partial hepatectomy in mice
Authors: Wang Tao , Wang Mengzhou , Liu Wuming , Zhang Lin , Zhang Jia , Bi Jianbin , Zhao Junzhou , Wu Zheng , Lv Yi , Wu Rongqian
Published: January 2024

Background
Cold-inducible RNA-binding protein (CIRP) is a cold shock protein implicated in the regulation of multiple biological processes depending on its cellular localization. However, its role in liver regeneration and injury after hepatectomy has not been investigated. This study was therefore designed to explore whether CIRP was involved in liver regeneration after hepatectomy and its specific role and underlying molecular mechanism.
Methods
Male adult mice were subjected to two-thirds partial hepatectomy. Hepatic and serum levels of CIRP were measured after hepatectomy. The overall involvement of CIRP in liver regeneration and injury after hepatectomy was evaluated in CIRP-deficient mice. C23, an antagonist of extracellular CIRP, was used to assess the effect of extracellular CIRP on liver regeneration and injury after hepatectomy. CIRP overexpression and shRNA plasmids were transfected to HepG2 cells to study the effect of intracellular CIRP on cell proliferation. The effect of extracellular CIRP on cell proliferation and injury was determined using recombinant CIRP protein to stimulate HepG2 cells in vitro.
Results
Both hepatic and serum CIRP levels were significantly increased after partial hepatectomy. CIRP deficiency impaired liver regeneration, while alleviated liver injury after partial hepatectomy in mice. C23 administration attenuated liver injury, suppressed ER stress and oxidative stress. However, it had no effects on liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy. Loss- and gain-of-function analyses in hepG2 cells indicated that upregulation of intracellular CIRP promoted cell proliferation via activation of the STAT3 signaling pathway. On the other hand, recombinant CIRP had no effects on cell proliferation and STAT3 phosphorylation, but induced ER stress via a TLR4-dependent pathway in hepG2 cells.
Conclusion
Taken together, our results demonstrated that intracellular CIRP promotes liver regeneration by activating the STAT3 pathway, while extracellular CIRP induces ER stress via interacting with TLR4 after hepatectomy.
WITHDRAWN: Structural analysis, molecular dynamics simulation and thermodynamic modification of the antifreeze protein type IV mutant under subfreezing temperatures
Authors: Eskandari Azadeh , Leow Thean Chor , Rahman Mohd Basyaruddin Abdul , Salleh Abu Bakar , Khanlarkhani Ali , Lim Wui Zhuan , Oslan Siti Nurbaya
Published: January 2024

Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) are expressed by numerous organisms for their survivability in polar regions due to their special functions; ice recrystallization inhibition (IRI) and thermal hysteresis (TH). Nevertheless, the inherent employment of AFPs proves to be an expensive and difficult process because of their limited effectiveness. Hence, a newly designed AFP with enhanced efficiency becomes essential to meet the needs of industries and the healthcare sector. In this study initially, the modified helix afp1m from yeast (Glaciozyma antarctica) was incorporated into the multi-helices of AFPIV with a new linker to boost the stability of the newly designed AFPIV (AFP1m3). To examine the physical and chemical qualities as well as the structural attributes various tools including ExPASy Prot-Param, Pep-Wheel, SWISS-MODEL, and Phyre2 were employed. Ultimately, the assessment and evaluation of the models as well as the exploration modification in the AFP1m3 model and AFPIV were conducted thermodynamically at melting and freezing temperatures using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The structural analysis carried out through computer simulation and subsequent validation revealed that the AFP1m3 model demonstrated hydrophobic properties and existed in a fully helical configuration with an exceptional structural integrity. The results of MD simulation indicated that AFP1m3 exhibited superior ice interaction energy, measuring at -950 kcal/mol, and displayed enhanced stability with a hydrogen bond lifetime of 60 ns when compared to AFPIV. Examining the behavior of AFP1m3 thermodynamically at four different temperatures (273 K, 269 K, 263 K, and 253 K) discovered that AFP1m3 exhibited greater effectiveness in subzero circumstances due to the hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions, contrasting with AFPIV. This research provides a glimpse into the newly developed AFPIV, which exhibits remarkable effectiveness and shows substantial promise for utilization in diverse fields.
Development and evaluation of an index assessing adherence to the Norwegian food-based dietary guidelines: the Norwegian Dietary Guideline Index (NDGI)
Authors: Totland Torunn Holm , Øvrebø Bente , Brantsæter Anne Lise , Holvik Kristin , Bere Elling Tufte , Torheim Liv Elin , Abel Marianne Hope
Published: January 2024

Background: Monitoring adherence to the Norwegian food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs) could provide valuable insight into current and future diet-related health risks. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate an instrument for measuring adherence to the Norwegian FBDGs as a tool in nutrition surveillance, which can be suitable for inclusion in large public health surveys covering multiple health- and lifestyle factors.
Methods: A Norwegian Dietary Guideline Index (NDGI) was designed to reflect adherence to the Norwegian FBDGs on a scale from 0-100, with a higher score indicating higher adherence. Dietary intakes were surveyed by 19 questions, reflecting 15 dietary components covered by the Norwegian FBDGs. The NDGI was applied and evaluated using nationally representative dietary data from the cross-sectional web-based Norwegian Public Health Survey among 8,558 adults.​
Results: The population-weighted mean NDGI score was 65 (SD 11), and the scores were normally distributed across a range of 21-99. Mean score varied with background factors known to be associated with adherence to a healthy diet, for example women scored higher than men (67.2 vs 63.5) and the score increased with age in both sexes. The index was multidimensional and captured various dietary patterns that contribute to a healthy diet.
Conclusion: The NDGI is a compact tool for assessing diet that may be used for monitoring trends in adherence to the Norwegian FBDGs, to identify target groups for interventions, and for priorities in public health policies.​ The tool is transparent and flexible and may as such be applicable in other countries or settings with similar guidelines.
“Correlation of Anthropometric Parameters and Family History of Hypertension with Inter-arm Blood Pressure Difference among Normotensive Adults in Ginchi Town, Western Ethiopia: A Community-based Cross- sectional Study”
Authors: Tadesse Habtamu , Mulat Elias , Dereje Diriba , Berhanu Abdi , Abera Mengistu
Published: January 2024

Background The risk factors and condition of cardiovascular disease have been associated with raised inter-arm blood pressure differences. Globally, the primary risk factor for cardiovascular death is hypertension. Regardless of a blood pressure differences between the arms, one-arm blood pressure readings are frequently performed in clinical settings. This practice has been related to poor control of hypertension and a higher rate of hypertension diagnosis delays. This study aims to determine the correlation between the inter-arm blood pressure difference and anthropometric parameters as well as a family history of hypertension.Methods From September 25 to November 15, 2022, a community-based cross-sectional study was carried out among adult normotensive residents of Ginchi town. 567 study participants were chosen using a multistage sampling technique. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to gather information on socio-demographic characteristics and family history of hypertension. Anthropometric parameters and blood pressure were measured using non-stretching tape, a combined digital weight and height scale, and a digital blood pressure apparatus, respectively. The correlation between continuous variables was shown by Pearson's correlation coefficient, while the correlation between continuous variables and categorical variables was examined using a one-way ANOVA and a two independent sample t-test.Results The study found that 52.96% of participants had increased blood pressure differences between arms; 39.2% (95% CI, 35.1–43.3) had increased systolic blood pressure differences between arms, and 13.76% (95% CI, 11-16.9) had increased diastolic blood pressure differences between arms.. Increased diastolic inter-arm blood pressure difference was statistically correlated with weight, arm circumference, waist circumference, body mass index, and family history of hypertension; elevated systolic inter-arm blood pressure difference was correlated with height, arm circumference, body mass index, and family history of hypertension.Conclusion Among persons with normotension, the increased interarm blood pressure difference was 52.96%, and it was significantly correlated with anthropometric parameters and a family history of hypertension. Thus, it is important to measure blood pressure in both arms as part of standard clinical practice. Additionally, more investigation is needed to elucidate the mechanism and causal relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and IAD.
LLIN Evaluation in Uganda Project (LLINEUP2) – Association between housing and malaria burden in 32 districts
Authors: Gonahasa Samuel , Nassali Martha , Maiteki-Ssebuguzi Catherine , Namuganga Jane , Opigo Jimmy , Nabende Isaiah , Okiring Jaffer , Epstein Adrienne , Snyman Katherine , Nankabirwa Joaniter , Kamya Moses , Dorsey Grant , Staedke Sarah
Published: January 2024

Well-built housing limits mosquito entry and can reduce malaria transmission. The association between community-level housing and malaria burden in Uganda was assessed using data from randomly selected households near 64 health facilities in 32 districts. Houses were classified as ‘improved’ (synthetic walls and roofs, eaves closed or absent) or ‘less-improved’ (all other construction). Associations between housing and parasitaemia were made using mixed effects logistic regression (individual-level) and multivariable fractional response logistic regression (community-level), and between housing and malaria incidence using multivariable Poisson regression. Between November 2021 and March 2022, 4,893 children aged 2–10 years were enrolled from 3,518 houses; of these, 1,389 (39.5%) were classified as improved. Children living in improved houses had 58% lower odds (adjusted odds ratio = 0.42, 95% CI 0.33–0.53, p < 0.0001) of parasitaemia than children living in less-improved houses. Communities with > 67% of houses improved had a 63% lower parasite prevalence (adjusted prevalence ratio 0.37, 95% CI 0.19–0.70, p < 0.0021) and 60% lower malaria incidence (adjusted incidence rate ratio 0.40, 95% CI 0.36–0.44, p < 0.0001) compared to communities with < 39% of houses improved. Improved housing was strongly associated with lower malaria burden across a range of settings in Uganda and should be utilised for malaria control.
Topological transformation of synthetic ferromagnetic skyrmions: thermal assisted switching of helicity by spin-orbit torque
Authors: Zhao Yuelei , Wu Kai , Hao Hongyuan , Yang Sheng , Li Shuang , Liu Qingfang , Zhang Senfu , Zhang Xixiang , Åkerman Johan , Zhou Yan
Published: January 2024

Electrical manipulation of topological spin textures, such as magnetic skyrmions, and their transitions between different topological states have attracted significant attention due to their potential applications in future spintronic devices. The helicity of a magnetic skyrmion, a crucial topological degree of freedom, is usually determined by the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI). Although there are methods to facilitate helicity flipping by choosing materials that lack DMI, in these materials, helicity reversal tends to occur in a random manner, which makes it unsuitable for practical applications. As of now, controlling the helicity of a skyrmion remains a challenging task. In this work, we successfully demonstrate a controllable switching of the helicity of skyrmion using spin-orbit torque, aided by thermal effects. When electric current pulses are applied to a magnetic multilayer stripe consisting of [Pt/Co]3/Ru/[Co/Pt]3, we observe that skyrmions move in the direction opposite to the current. Upon continuously applying pulses, we observe an unexpected reversal in the motion direction of the particles. Our investigation, which includes both experimental and micromagnetic simulation analyses, reveales that skyrmions in the upper and lower ferromagnetic layers of our multilayers exhibit distinct helicities, resulting in the formation of a hybrid synthetic ferromagnetic (SF) skyrmion. We discover that as Joule heating builds up during the current application process, the spin-orbit torque disrupts the balance between various energy factors, including DMI, Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interaction, dipolar interaction, and others. This disruption leads to a helicity flip in the skyrmions, causing a sudden reversal in their motion. Our findings pave the way for new methods to control skyrmion helicity, offering enhanced versatility for future spintronic devices, such as advanced data storage systems and quantum computation technologies, that rely on skyrmion helicity.
External validation of population pharmacokinetic models of tacrolimus in Thai adult liver transplant recipients
Authors: Komenkul Virunya , Sukarnjanaset Waroonrat , Kolmolmit Piyawat , Wattanavijitkul Thitima
Published: January 2024

Objective
Several population pharmacokinetic models of tacrolimus in liver transplant patients were built and the predictability was evaluated in their own setting. However, the extrapolation in the prediction was unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the predictive performance of published tacrolimus models in adult liver transplant recipients using data from the Thai population as an external dataset.
Methods
The selected published models were systematically searched and evaluated for their quality. The external dataset of patients who underwent the first liver transplant and received immediate-release tacrolimus was used to evaluate the predictive performance of each selected model. Trough concentrations between 3 and 6 months were retrospectively collected to evaluate the predictability of each model using prediction-based diagnostics, simulation-based diagnostics, and Bayesian forecasting.
Results
Sixty-seven patients with 360 trough concentrations and 8 selected published models were included in this study. None of the models met the predictive precision criteria in prediction-based diagnostics. Meanwhile, there were four published population pharmacokinetic models that showed a normal distribution in NPDE testing. Regarding Bayesian forecasting, all models improved their forecasts with at least one prior information data point.
Conclusion
Bayesian forecasting is more accurate and precise than other testing methods for predicting drug levels. However, no model provides satisfactory predictive performance that meets all the testing criteria when generalized to Thai liver transplant patients. Therefore, appropriate population pharmacokinetic models for the Thai population should be developed in the future.
Hyper-pool: pooling private trips into high-occupancy transit-like attractive shared rides
Authors: Kucharski Rafal , Cats Oded
Published: January 2024

Ride-pooling offers a promising alternative in the context of urban mobility, being an intermediate mode between private rides and public transport. However, its full potential to contribute towards sustainability and efficiency has arguably not been yet unlocked neither in practice nor in theory. We propose a novel hyper-pool algorithm for addressing the computational complexity issues associated with pooling passengers into high-occupancy rides. In our Amsterdam 2000 trip case-study we identify 40 hyper-pooled rides with an average occupancy 5.8 passengers per vehicle.
Hyper-pool is an analytical, offline, utility-driven ride-pooling algorithm for bundling individual trip requests into attractive shared rides of high-occupancy. We depart from the ride-pooling ExMAS algorithm where single rides are pooled into attractive door-to-door rides and propose two novel demand-side algorithms for further bundling individual demand towards more compact pooling. First, we generate stop-to-stop rides, with a single pick-up and drop off points optimal for all the travellers. Second, we bundle the stop-to-stop rides again, resulting with hyper-pooled rides which are compact enough to resemble public transport operations.
The algorithm is publicly available and reproducible. It is applicable for real-size demand datasets and opens new opportunities for unlocking the potential of ride-pooling.
Telemetry without collars: performance of fur- and ear-mounted satellite tags for evaluating the movement and behaviour of polar bears
Authors: Ross Tyler R. , Thiemann Gregory W. , Kirschhoffer BJ , Kirschhoffer Jon , York Geoffrey , Derocher Andrew E. , Johnson Amy C. , Lunn Nicholas J. , McGeachy David , Trim Vicki , Northrup Joseph M.
Published: January 2024

The study of animal movement provides insights into underlying ecological processes and informs analyses of behaviour and resource use, which have implications for species management and conservation. The tools used to study animal movement have evolved over the past decades, allowing for data collection from a variety of species, including those living in remote environments. Satellite-linked radio and GPS collars have been used to study polar bear (Ursus maritimus) ecology and movements throughout the circumpolar Arctic for over 50 years. However, due to morphology and growth constraints, only adult female polar bears can be reliably collared for long durations. Further, collars have proven to be safe and reliable but there has been opposition to their use, resulting in a deficiency in data across much of the species’ range. To bolster knowledge of movement characteristics and behaviours for polar bears other than adult females, while also providing an alternative to collars, we tested the use of fur- and ear-mounted telemetry tags that can be affixed to polar bears of any sex and age. We also used data collected from the tags to quantify the amount of time subadult and adult males spent resting versus traveling while on land. Our results show fur tags remained functional for shorter durations than ear tags, but had comparable positional error estimates and provided sufficient data to model different behavioural states. Further, as hypothesized, subadult and adult male polar bears spent the majority of their time resting while on land, likely as a means of conserving energy until the sea ice reforms in early winter. Fur tags provide promise as a shorter-term means of collecting movement data from free-ranging polar bears.
Augmenting SQL Injection Attack Detection via Deep Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Sneha Sneha Baral BK , Singh Hakam
Published: January 2024

Advancing the systematic methods or algorithms is necessary because SQL injection attacks can be hazardous for the security of databases and various web applications. SQL injection can be a destructive security risks which targets vulnerable web applications. There were many techniques which was previously developed which is also known as traditional methods or techniques. Those techniques used to generally rely on the signature-based methods which struggle to adjust into new attack patterns. Therefore, different new techniques were introduced with integration of machine learning. SQL injection attack detection with the blend of machine learning facilitates improvement in cybersecurity providing the scalable and the proficient defense mechanism against the developing cyber-attack. This research paper provides a potential technique to the danger of SQL injection which is based on Machine Learning i.e. Deep Convolutional Neural Network (DCNN). The proposed model was trained on the large datasets which includes genuine as well as malicious SQL queries for assuring its ability to adapt different types of evolving attacks. We have used embedding layers and tokenization techniques for demonstrating SQL queries as numerical input for the model. It is made up of many convolutional layers and fully linked layers which is able to illustrate the complex patterns and the complex correlation that can be observed in SQL queries. Our approach to detect a SQL injection attack utilizing a DCNN illustrates the remarkable accuracy, precision, recall as well as F1 score. Additionally, we also had a look at the significances of using deep learning techniques in real-world scenarios along with the existing web application and the framework.
A Reference Current Control Strategy Based on SOGI and FBD Method for Shunt Active Power Filter
Authors: liu jijun , wan liang
Published: January 2024

In this paper, a reference current control strategy based on second-order generalized integrator and FBD method for shunt active power filter is proposed. The method uses the second-order generalized integrator and the symmetrical component method to obtain the fundamental sequence component of the grid voltage. And then the FBD method is used to decompose the load current under the fundamental positive-sequence voltage reference to obtain the reference value of the compensation current. This method does not need coordinate transformation, is simple to calculate, and has clear physical meaning. It can compensate harmonic current, reactive current and negative-sequence current at the same time even under complex grid voltage and load and frequency offset. The proposed method is compared with the existing method under a variety of experimental conditions. The experimental results prove the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed method.
The picture theory of seven pathways associated with COVID-19 in the real world
Authors: Lee Jong hoon , Sergi Consolato , Kast Richard E. , Kanwar Badar A. , Altschuler Eric L. , Bourbeau Jean , Oh Sangsuk , Sohn Mun-Gi , Lee Kun Ho , Coleman Michael D.
Published: January 2024

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) induces immune-mediated diseases. Interactions between the host and virus govern induction, resulting in multiorgan impacts In 2021, as normal life was challenging during the pandemic era, we analyzed SCI journals according to L. Wittgenstein's Tractatus Logi-co-Philosophicus. The pathophysiology of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) involves 1) the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE2) and Toll-like receptor (TLR) pathways starting with eight, from 2022.01.14., and rediscovered with nineteen, to 2024.01.10., 2) the neuropilin (NRP) pathway with seven and successful with twenty four, 3) the sterile alpha motif (SAM) and histidine-aspartate domain (HD)-containing protein 1 (SAMHD1) tetramerization pathway with two and successful with thirteen, 4) inflammasome activation pathways with five and successful with thirteen, 5) the cytosolic DNA sensor cyclic-GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)/stimulator of interferon genes (STING) (cGAS–STING) signaling pathway with six and successful with eleven, 6) the spike protein pathway with fourteen and successful with twenty three, 7) the immunological memory engram pathway with thirteen and successful with eighteen, and 8) the excess acetylcholine pathway with three and successful with nine. We reconfirmed that COVID-19 involved seven (1–7) pathways and a new pathway involving excess acetylcholine. Therefore, it is necessary to therapeutically alleviate and block the pathological course harmoniously with modulating innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) if subsequent diverse SARS-CoV-2 variants are encountered in the future.
Anticancer effect of Epigallocatechin Gallate Loaded Nanoparticles on Head and Neck Cancer
Authors: Zadeh Zahra Khatib , Arab Samaneh , Kazemi Sohrab , Arabhalvaee Mohadeseh , Afraz Elham Sadat , Bahraminasab Marjan
Published: January 2024

Introduction:
Head and neck cancer, as one of the most common cancers, causes the death of many people worldwide every year. The current approaches to treat this cancer have not been successful, and recurrence, drug resistance development, side effects, and high treatment costs are important problems necessitating the need for more effective drugs and treatment approach. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is the most plentiful and biological-active catechin in green tea with proved anticancer effect. However, the stability, low bioavailability, and short half-life, limits its clinical use. The nanocarrier development may overcome these deficiencies by improving pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the polyethylene glycol (PEG) nanoparticles containing EGCG for their anticancer activity.
Materials and methods
First, PEG nanoparticles loaded with EGCG were prepared, which were then characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The toxicity of nanoparticles on the TSCC-1 cancer cell line was assessed by MTT and LDH assays. Cell migration rate, colony formation ability, the apoptosis rate, and the expression level of BAX, BCL2, and VEGF genes after treatment of cancer cells with drug-loaded particles were assessed. Moreover, the effect of nanoparticles on the spheroid growth of TSCC-1 cells in three-dimensional (3D) culture was investigated.
Results
The results of the FTIR assay demonstrate the presence of PEG nanoparticles containing EGCG. The size and zeta potential of the drug-loaded nanoparticles and nanoparticles without EGCG were 1.62 ± 17.53 nm and − 0.166 ± 0.169 mv, and 14 ± 2.3 nm and − 0.266 ± 0.169 mv, respectively. The synthesized nanoparticles showed sustained release of the drug. Moreover, the MTT assay showed the cytotoxicity of the nanoparticles was significant at a concentration of 80 µg/ml on TSCC-1 cells. The colony formation assay showed no colonies in the groups treated with nanoparticles containing EGCG compared to the control group. The scratch test also revealed the ability of the nanoparticles to inhibit cell migration. Furthermore, the induction of delayed apoptosis by 88.3 ± 3.18% was observed in the group treated with nanoparticles at a concentration of 80 µg/ml. In addition, the expression of BCL2 and VEGF gene significantly decreased and BAX gene increased. Furthermore, the study of cultivation in the 3D environment showed a decrease in the size and growth of cell spheroids in the nanoparticle-treated group compared to the control group.
Conclusion
The results show that PEG nanoparticles containing EGCG have significant anticancer activity (TSCC-1) and may be a suitable treatment option for the management of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
Artificial Intelligence Algorithms For Object Detection and Recognition In video and Images
Authors: Dakshinamoorthy Prabakar , Rajaram Gnanajeyaraman , garg Shruti , Murugan Prabhu , Manimaran A. , Sundar Ramesh
Published: January 2024

The usage of machine learning and deep learning algorithms have necessitated Artificial Intelligence'. AI is aimed at automating things by limiting human interference. It is widely used in IT, healthcare, finance, and agriculture. It is achieved through several deep learning algorithms that reflect the human brain's intelligence. These AI algorithms can be manipulated according to changing needs and improved efficiency. This paper tries to utilize the developments made in AI technology to classify the images and recognize the objects present in them. One widely used AI algorithm is CNN (Convolutional Neural Networks). The CNN is a deep learning-based algorithm that consists of various layers that extract and filters the parameters present in the images. Some additional layers of ResNet50 and the CNN algorithm are used to extract the parameters to improve image recognition accuracy. The image dataset taken for training and testing the proposed model is imageNet. The images are initially processed before sending them to the proposed model. The proposed model is trained, validated, and tested through the images obtained after the initial processing. The same process is repeated several times until getting the maximum accuracy. The accuracy of the proposed model in terms of image recognition is recorded. The obtained results are compared with other image classification algorithms like VGG16 and VGG19. It is concluded that the proposed model outperforms other traditional methods in terms of accuracy.
Association of Renin-angiotensin pathway gene polymorphisms with COVID-19 susceptibility and severity in the Moroccan cohort
Authors: Yousfi Fatima-Zahra El , Hilali Samia El , Belayachi Jihane , Ennibi Khalid , Razine Rachid , Abouqal Redouane , Bouhouche Ahmed
Published: January 2024

Infection by the recent SARS-Cov-2 virus causes the COVID-19 disease with variable clinical manifestations ranging from asymptomatic or mild respiratory symptoms to severe respiratory distress and multiorgan failure. The renin-angiotensin system, responsible for maintaining homeostasis and governing several critical processes, has been considered the main system involved in the pathogenesis and progression of COVID-19. Here, we aimed to assess the possible association between variants in the RAS-related genes and COVID-19 susceptibility and severity in a sample of the Moroccan population. A total of 325 individuals were recruited in this study, with 105 outpatients, 107 hospitalized patients, and 118 healthy controls negative for SARS-CoV-2 infection, and subjected to NGS gene panel sequencing containing eleven RAS pathway genes. A total of 65 functional variants were identified including 63 missenses, 1 splice, and 1 INDEL. Most of them were rare, with 47 (72%) found in a single individual. According to the common disease/common variant hypothesis, five common candidate variants with MAF > 10% were identified (ACE2 rs2285666, TMPRSS2 rs12329760, AGT rs699 genes, ACE rs4341, and ACE rs4343). Statistical analysis showed that the ACE rs4343 AA genotype was associated with a 2.5-fold increased risk of severe COVID-19 (p = 0.026), and the T genotype of the ACE2 rs2285666 variant showed a borderline association with susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 in males (p = 0.092). In conclusion, our results showed that the RAS pathway genes are highly conserved among Moroccans, and most of the identified variants are rare. Among the common variants, the ACE rs4343 polymorphism would lead to a genetic predisposition for severe COVID-19.
SRA-E-ABCO: Terminal Task Offloading for Cloud-Edge-End Environments
Authors: Jiao Shun , Wang Haiyan , Luo Jian
Published: January 2024

With the rapid development of Internet technology, the cloud-edge-end computing model has gradually become an essential new computing model. Under this model, terminal task offloading is crucial to task allocation and processing. Existing terminal task offloading solutions mainly focus on optimizing the offloading strategy to minimize system delay, transmission energy consumption, and computation energy cost. However, there are some problems such as the lack of a basis for judging whether to offload or not, the lack of analysis on the attributes of the terminal devices and the edge nodes, and the lack of optimization of load balancing. To address these issues, a Service Reliability Analysis and Elite-Artificial Bee Colony Offloading model (SRA-E-ABCO) is proposed for cloud-edge-end environments. Specifically, a Service Reliability Analysis (SRA) method is proposed to assist in predicting the offloading necessity of terminal tasks and analyzing the attributes of terminal devices and edge nodes. Subsequently, a set of vectors is derived based on the analysis. An Elite Artificial Bee Colony Offloading (E-ABCO) method is proposed, which optimizes offloading decisions by combining elite populations with improved fitness formulas, position update formulas, and population initialization methods. Experiments show that the proposed model has better performance in convergence, delay and energy consumption.
Comparison of the market share of public and private hospitals under different Medical Alliances: an interrupted time-series analysis in rural China
Authors: Xiong Yingbei , Lin Kunhe , Yao Yifan , Zhong Zhengdong , Xiang Li
Published: January 2024

Background
China initiated the Medical Alliances (MAs) reform to enhance resource allocation efficiency and ensure equitable healthcare. In response to challenges posed by the predominance of public hospitals, the reform explores public-private partnerships within the MAs. Notably, private hospitals can now participate as either leading or member institutions. This study aims to evaluate the dynamic shifts in market share between public and private hospitals across diverse MAs models.
Methods
Data spanning April 2017 to March 2019 for Dangyang County's MA and January 2018 to December 2019 for Qianjiang County's MA were analyzed. Interrupted periods occurred in April 2018 and January 2019. Using independent sample t-tests, chi-square tests, and interrupted time series analysis (ITSA), we compared the proportion of hospital revenue, the proportion of visits for treatment, and the average hospitalization days of discharged patients between leading public hospitals and leading private hospitals, as well as between member public hospitals and member private hospitals before and after the reform.
Results
After the MAs reform, the revenue proportion decreased for leading public and private hospitals, while member hospitals saw an increase. However, ITSA revealed a notable rise trend in revenue proportion for leading private hospitals (p < 0.001). Member public and private hospitals experienced decreasing revenue proportions, with outpatient visits declining in member public hospitals (p < 0.05) and inpatient admissions dropping in member private hospitals (p < 0.001). The average length of stay in member private hospitals increased from 15.29 to 16.16 days post-reform, maintaining a monthly growth of 0.321 days (p < 0.01).
Conclusions
This study underscores the imperative to reinforce oversight and constraints on leading hospitals, especially private leading hospitals, to curb the trend of diverting patients from member hospitals. At the same time, for private hospitals that are at a disadvantage in competition and may lead to unreasonable prolongation of hospital stay, this kind of behavior can be avoided by strengthening supervision or granting leadership.