bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predicting stone composition via machine-learning models trained on intra‐operative endoscopic digital images
Authors: 朱 冠华 , Li Chengbai , Guo Yinsheng , Sun Lu , Jin Tao , Wang Ziyue , Li Shiqing , Zhou Feng
Published: September 2023

Objectives
The aim of this study was to use deep learning (DL) of intraoperative images of urinary stones to predict the composition of urinary stones. In this way, the laser frequency and intensity can be adjusted in real time to reduce operation time and surgical trauma.
Materials and methods
A total of 490 patients who underwent holmium laser surgery during the two-year period from March 2021 to March 2023 and had stone analysis results were collected by the stone laboratory. A total of 1658 intraoperative stone images were obtained. The eight stone categories with the highest number of stones were selected by sorting. Single component stones include calcium oxalate monohydrate (W1), calcium oxalate dihydrate (W2), magnesium ammonium phosphate hexahydrate, apatite carbonate (CH) and anhydrous uric acid (U). Mixed stones include W2 + U, W1 + W2 and W1 + CH. All stones have intraoperative videos. More than 20 intraoperative high-resolution images of the stones, including the surface and core of the stones, were available for each patient via FFmpeg command screenshots. The deep convolutional neural network (CNN) ResNet-101 (ResNet, Microsoft) was applied to each image as a multiclass classification model.
Results
The composition prediction rates for each component were as follows: calcium oxalate monohydrate 99% (n = 142), calcium oxalate dihydrate 100% (n = 29), apatite carbonate 100% (n = 131), anhydrous uric acid 98% (n = 57), W1 + W2 100% (n = 82), W1 + CH 100% ( n = 20) and W2 + U 100% (n = 24). The overall weighted recall of the cellular neural network component analysis for the entire cohort was 99%.
Conclusion
This preliminary study suggests that DL is a promising method for identifying urinary stone components from intraoperative endoscopic images. Compared to intraoperative identification of stone components by the human eye, DL can discriminate single and mixed stone components more accurately and quickly. At the same time, based on the training of stone images in vitro, it is closer to the clinical application of stone images in vivo. This technology can be used to identify the composition of stones in real time and to adjust the frequency and energy intensity of the holmium laser in time. The prediction of stone composition can significantly shorten the operation time, improve the efficiency of stone surgery and prevent the risk of postoperative infection.
A disulfidptosis-related LncRNAs index predicting prognosis and tumor microenvironment in colorectal cancer
Authors: Xiao Lijun , Yin Wen , Chen Xuanqin , Zhang Xu , Zhang Chao , Yu Zehui , Lü Muhan
Published: September 2023

Colorectal cancer(CRC) is a common and deadly cancer in the world with a high lethality rate. Disulfidptosis has been found to be an emerging mode of death in cancer, and the purpose of this study to explore the relationship between disulfidptosis-related lncRNAs and CRC, developing a prognostic model for CRC. The gene expression data and clinicopathologic information of colorectal cancer patients was from The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA) and screened for disulfidptosis-related lncRNAs based on correlation analysis. Using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO) and Cox regression to construct the prognostic modeling, and its validation was carried out by PCA and receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curves. Also, we constructed the nomograms combining with the model. Finally, the possible mechanisms how to affect CRC by lncRNAs were explored by functional enrichment analysis, immune infiltration and immune escape analysis. In a word, we developed a prognostic marker consisting of lncRNAs associated with disulfidptosis to help clinicians predict the survival of different CRC patients and use different therapies depending on the conditions.
Endothelial Calcium Dynamics Elicited by ATP Release from Red Blood Cells
Authors: Nayak Ananta Kumar , Das Sovan Lal , Misbah Chaouqi
Published: September 2023

Red blood cells (RBCs) exhibit an interesting response to hydrodynamic flow, releasing adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Subsequently, these liberated ATP molecules initiate a crucial interaction with endothelial cells (ECs), thereby setting off a cascade involving the release of calcium ions (Ca2+). Ca2+ exerts control over a plethora of cellular functions, and acts as a mediator for dilation and contraction of blood vessel walls. This study focuses on the relationship between RBC dynamics and Ca2+ dynamics, based on numerical simulations under Poiseuille flow within a linear two-dimensional channel. It is found that the concentration of ATP depends upon a variety of factors, including RBC density, channel width, and the vigor of the flow. The results of our investigation reveals several features. Firstly, the peak amplitude of Ca2+ per EC escalates in direct proportion to the augmentation of RBC concentration. Secondly, increasing the flow strength induces a reduction in the time taken to reach the peak of Ca2+ concentration, under the condition of a constant channel width. Additionally, when flow strength remains constant, an increase in channel width corresponds to an elevation in calcium peak amplitude, coupled with a decrease in peak time. This implies that Ca2+ signals should transition from relatively unconstrained channels to more confined pathways within real vascular networks. This notion gains support from our examination of calcium propagation in a linear channel. In this scenario, localized calcium release initiates a propagating wave that gradually encompasses the entire channel. Notably, our computed propagation speed agrees with observations.
Effects of simulated atmospheric nitrogen deposition on the bacterial community sructure and diversity of four distinct biocolonization types on stone monuments: a case study of the Leshan Giant Buddha, a World Heritage Site
Authors: Chen Xuli , Song Huixing , Sun Bo , Yang Tianyu
Published: September 2023

Atmospheric nitrogen deposition may affect the biodeterioration process of stone monuments through direct and indirect pathways, but relevant studies are lacking. Therefore, taking the biologically colonized rocks around the Leshan Giant Buddha (World Heritage - Mixed Property) as the research objects, we studied the effects of multiple nitrogen addition levels (0, 9, 18, 36, 72 kg N hm-2 a-1; N0, N1; N2 ; N3; N4) on the bacterial community structure and soil nutrients on the surfaces of stones with four biocolonization types, including naked rock (NR), and lichen (LR), bryophyte (BS) and vascular plant (VS) colonization, to investigate the potential effect of atmospheric nitrogen deposition on the rock weathering of the Leshan Giant Buddha. The results demonstrated that nitrogen addition impacted soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients, as well as bacterial community structure and composition, but the responses to nitrogen input varied among different colonization types. Nitrogen fertilization promoted the accumulation of total organic carbon and total nitrogen in NR and LR, and increased the content of total phosphorus but decreased the content of total nitrogen in VS. Bacterial α-diversity decreased with nitrogen addition in NR but increased with nitrogen addition in VS. Nitrogen addition significantly (R > 0.9, p < 0.01) changed the bacterial community composition in the four biocolonization types, and the changes were dominated by species replacement (contributed to 60.98%, 76.32%, 67.27% and 72.14% for bacterial diversity in NR, LR, BS and VS, respectively). Total nitrogen, dissolved organic nitrogen, dissolved organic nitrogen and total phosphorus were the most important ecological factors affecting bacterial community structure in NR, LR, BS and VS, respectively. Nitrogen addition enriched different bacterial taxa in the four biocolonization types. The results of this study provide basic data for the protection of stone monuments and the formulation of sustainable development strategies under a changing climate.
A qualitative study exploring the self-reported training and education needs of primary care pharmacists with a recent background in community pharmacy
Authors: Campbell Ian , Harrison Heather , Kurdi Amanj
Published: September 2023

Background
Pharmacists are an increasing part of the primary care health care team in Scotland. Recruitment to this expanding sector has largely come from community pharmacy. However, it is unknown if these pharmacists require specific training needs to fulfil their role within the primary care team.
Aim
To explore the training needs of primary care pharmacists who had joined the sector from community pharmacy in the last 6-24 months.
Method
Eight pharmacists across Scotland’s largest regional health board participated in a one off, recorded, semi-structured interview via Microsoft Teams®. Recordings were transcribed, verified, and thematic analysis then undertaken.
Result
Eight participants (5 female, 3 male, median age 32) were interviewed. Five themes were identified: challenging transition, transferable skills, transferable training from community pharmacy, training needs for primary care role, and benefits of structured learning. Participants reported lack of opportunity to apply their clinical knowledge and for professional development in community pharmacy. Themes were consistent across the range of gender, age and professional experience in pharmacists interviewed.
Conclusion
Primary care pharmacists in our study reported a range of needs (such as examination skills, improved clinical and therapeutics knowledge) required to practice in primary care. Previous sectors of work should be taken into consideration when inducting pharmacists into the new role and background specific inductions may need to be implemented to support these pharmacists work autonomously at an advanced level.
Assessing Visitors' Preferences and Willingness to Pay for Ecosystem Services in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu, India: Insights from a Contingent Valuation Study for Conservation Policy
Authors: Rajkumar V , Boopathi S
Published: September 2023

Tiger reserves provide a wide range of ecosystem services, many of which are not traded in the market. Unfortunately, the economic significance of these reserves is often underestimated, resulting in insufficient resource allocation for tiger conservation and a loss of valuable ecosystem services. Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) in Tamil Nadu, India, the nation's first Biosphere Reserve and a significant protected area, is increasingly vulnerable due to negative externalities that affect the quantity and quality of ecosystem services benefiting society. To address this issue and enhance ecosystem services through tiger reserve conservation, it is crucial to understand the adverse impacts of these externalities and consider people's preferences. This study employed a dichotomous choice-contingent valuation method, surveying 372 visitors, to investigate the factors influencing their willingness to pay for improved ecosystem services through the conservation of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in The Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu. The study findings reveal that 64% of surveyed visitors express concerns about mitigating adverse impacts and are willing to provide financial support for preserving ecosystem services and human well-being. A Logit regression result shows a positive association between respondent education, monthly family income, and environmental awareness with willingness to pay (WTP). Conversely, family size and bid price have a negative impact on the likelihood of WTP. Incorporating these factors into conservation policies can significantly contribute to the sustainability of ecosystem benefits in the MTR and advance its long-term conservation goals. Policy recommendations include measures to enhance ecosystem benefits within the MTR, mitigate human-animal conflicts, and reduce invasive species.
The barriers and enablers to the integration of a clinical decision support systems into general practice medical software: A narrative review using a systematic approach
Authors: Hallinan Christine Mary , GP Libby Dai , Canaway Rachel , Hegarty Kelsey , Boyle Douglas
Published: September 2023

Background Clinical decision support systems (CDSS) have become an integral part of clinical software management systems in Australian general practices. These systems encompass a range of tools that support patient data management, medication management, patient diagnosis, decision support, pharmacovigilance, drug control, and clinical guidance. They provide functionalities such as computerised alerts, recalls, reminders, clinical guidelines, patient data reports, documentation templates, clinical workflow tools, and prescribing guidance. In this research we aim to explore the enablers and barriers related to the integration of clinical decision support tools into existing clinical management software systems, by undertaking a systematic search of the literature.Methods For this narrative review, MEDLINE (Web of Science) and Scopus databases were searched for peer reviewed articles published in English between January 1980 and March 2023. All study types that examined clinical decision support in medicine were included in the review.Results Thirty-nine studies were included in this review. Of these studies, most reported CDSS varied widely in application, scope, functionality, type, and complexity. Differences in CDSS technical and clinical interface functionality provide options around the type of prompts delivered to a general practitioner (GP). Passive prompts provide clinical guidance to the GP end-user without requiring any action on their part, while active prompts are automated clinical actions or alerts, which the user must either accept or override to proceed with their workflow. CDSS applications include those for the detection and management of cancer, sepsis, acute pain, hypertension, asthma, diabetes, alcohol and tobacco use, antibiotic prescribing, vaccination, medication adverse events, and pregnancy care. For CDSS to provide maximum utility, co-design between the GP end-user and developer needs to be embedded in the functionality.Conclusion Implementation of an integrative multidisciplinary CDSS is not static, it involves multiple iterations of development and re-design that is based on both staged and ad-hoc usability evaluations. This narrative review found the use of co-design provides opportunities for a deeper understanding of the barriers and enablers to the integration of CDSS in clinical practice. Co-design also facilitates the development of more individualised ‘bespoke’ CDSS so the specific needs of clinician end-users can be fulfilled.
Causal impacts of Helicobacter pylori infection on coronary atherosclerosis and the mediating pathways: A Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Yu Jiang , Shen Yue , Wu Lingling , Zhang Ronglin
Published: September 2023

Background While numerous studies have indicated that infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) may elevate the risk of coronary atherosclerosis, the potential causal relationship remains uncertain. Therefore, we used Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to investigate the causal association between H. pylori infection and coronary atherosclerosis. And quantify the potential mediating pathways.Methods We employed a two-step Mendelian randomization model to evaluate the intermediate effects of risk elements such as inflammatory markers, lipid characteristics, and glucose levels on the causal connections between H. pylori infection and the development of coronary atherosclerosis. A multivariable Mendelian randomization (MVMR) study was designed to estimate potential mediators and their corresponding mediation proportions.Results H. pylori infection has a positive causal relationship with coronary atherosclerosis (n = 11 SNPs, OR = 1.162, 95% CI: 1.006–1.342, p = 0.041). Two causal mediators, C-X-C motif chemokine 10 and HDL-C, were identified after a thorough screening of all potential causal mediators, which accounted for 17.8% and 9.07% of the mediating effect, respectively. Importantly, these results remained robust in sensitivity analyses.Conclusion Our study substantiates a causal relationship between H. pylori infection and coronary atherosclerosis, which is, to some extent, mediated by the influence of CXCL10 and HDL-C. Intervening on CXCL10 and HDL-C may reduce the susceptibility to coronary atherosclerosis.
Determinants of routine immunizations dropout among children less than five years of age in Ethiopia: A further multilevel analysis from mini 2019 EDHS
Authors: Tolera Moti , Birhanu Abdi , Regassa Lemma Demissie , Getachew Tamirat , Negash Abreham , Jibro Usmael , Deressa Alemayehu , Abdurahman Dureti , Motuma Aboma , Gamachu Mulugeta , Mohammed Fethia , Balis Bikila , Mussa Ibsa
Published: September 2023

Background
Globally, immunization prevents an estimated 2–3 million deaths from illnesses that can be prevented by vaccination. The burden of Pentavalent and Measles immunizations dropout was not investigated sufficiently. Therefore, this analysis is meant to determine the coverage, burden, and predictors of Pentavalent and Measles immunizations in Ethiopia.
Materials and methods
this study is a further analysis of Mini EDHS 2019 which was conducted with a nationally representative sample. In this study immunization data was collected from a total sample of 3208 and 2004 (34.8%) children who received pentavalent 1 were considered for this study. Univariate, Bi variate and multilevel mixed effect analysis was done using STATA version 17 Software. The mixed-effect model with the lowest AIC and BIC (information criteria) was chosen and a factor was designated as a significant predictor of immunization dropout if its p-value was less than 0.05 at 95% CI. The best-fitting model among the fitted models was ultimately chosen using the Akaike and Bayesian Information Criteria (AIC and BIC).
Result
The mean age of the head of the house hold is 37.6. Majority (68.9%) of the residents were from rural area. of the total population 64.9% have no formal education. The immunization coverage of Ethiopian children is 72.85% and 60.68% for Pentavalent 1 and Measles (fully vaccinated) respectively. From Children who started pentavalent 1 vaccination, 26.7% and 39.3% of the children dropped from taking Pentavalent 3 and measles vaccination respectively. Factors such as household wealth indexes, marital status being married, being in an age group of above 6 months, and living in Addis Ababa reduced the likelihood of pentavalent 3 vaccine dropout and living in Afar compared to Tigray. expose a child to drop from Pentavalent 1. Religion, family size, and living in the Afar region increased the likelihood of measles dropouts compared to their counterparts whereas, children aged above one year was prevented from dropping from measles dropout compared to those aged nine months to one year.
Conclusions
Immunization coverage among Ethiopian children was low and the dropout from pentavalent 1 and measles vaccination is high compared the national and international targets to improve immunization coverage and reduce dropout. So different cost-effective interventions like Education provision for community, decision-making facilitation, behavioral change support, multi-system participation were requited to increase vaccination coverage and reduce the vaccine dropout among children in Ethiopia.
Reversal of Bertrand-Cournot Ranking for Optimal Privatization Level
Authors: Paul Arindam , De Parikshit
Published: September 2023

We analyze a mixed duopoly market with a public and a private firm competing in the downstream market. The public firm is partially privatized and a regulator decides on the privatization level to maximize welfare. A foreign monopolist supplies a key input for producing the final commodity, and may use uniform or discriminatory pricing; we observe the presence of a foreign monopolist that practices price discrimination can lead to the privatization of a public firm. The overall findings show, that under uniform pricing, Cournot competition leads to higher privatization levels, while under discriminatory pricing, Bertrand competition leads to higher privatization levels. The sensitivity of Cournot-Bertrand rankings to substitutability depends on the pricing regime.
JEL classification code: D4, D6, H4, L1,L2
A New Hybrid Particle Swarm Optimization-Teaching Learning Based Optimization for Solving Optimization Problems
Authors: Matoušová Ivana , Trojovský Pavel
Published: September 2023

This research paper develops a novel hybrid approach, called hybrid Particle Swarm Optimization-Teaching Learning Based Optimization (hPSO-TLBO), by combining two metaheuristic algorithms to solve optimization problems. The hPSO-TLBO approach integrates the exploitation capabilities of PSO with the exploration abilities of TLBO, resulting in a synergistic combination. The algorithm is presented in detail, accompanied by a comprehensive mathematical model. A group of benchmarks is used to evaluate the effectiveness of hPSO-TLBO, covering various types such as unimodal, high-dimensional multimodal, and fixed-dimensional multimodal. In addition, CEC 2017 benchmark problems are also utilized for evaluation purposes. The optimization results clearly demonstrate that hPSO-TLBO performs remarkably well in addressing the benchmark functions. It exhibits a remarkable ability to explore and exploit the search space while maintaining a balanced approach throughout the optimization process. Furthermore, a comparative analysis is conducted to evaluate the performance of hPSO-TLBO against twelve widely recognized metaheuristic algorithms. The evaluation of the experimental findings illustrates that hPSO-TLBO consistently outperforms the competing algorithms across various benchmark functions, showcasing its superior performance. The successful deployment of hPSO-TLBO in addressing four engineering challenges highlights its effectiveness in tackling real-world applications.
A Robust High Gain Integrated Z source SEPIC Converter for PV Applications
Authors: Purushothaman S K , Sattianadan D
Published: September 2023

In this research article, the technique of integration is considered to enhance the performance and voltage gain of the Single Ended Primary Inductor Converter (SEPIC). Since, the current energy scenario focuses on maximizing the usage of Photovoltaics (PV) systems and Electric Vehicles (EVs), which support low-to-zero carbon emission. The role of an effective DC-DC converter design becomes crucial owing to their significance as power regulators in both these applications. So far, numerous high-gain converter topologies have been published, but these topologies have complex structures, which are bulky and expensive. Hence a cost-effective converter design capable of achieving high voltage gain is proposed in this work by integrating a Z-source converter to SEPIC. The Z-source converters are highly reliable with a wide voltage conversion range, lower ripple current, and minimum in-rush current, whereas the SEPIC converter comes with the benefits of input-output isolation, non-inverted output voltage polarity, and continuous input current. Moreover, the mathematical modeling, modes of operation, and voltage stress of the suggested converter design are also presented in the article. Additionally, the Cascaded Fuzzy Logic Controller (CFLC), effective in delivering quick accurate error compensation is employed in this work for sustaining the constant converter output. The results from MATLAB simulation and lab-scaled prototype execution credibility to the operation of the suggested converter as it achieves an impressive 97% efficiency.
Housing Quality Index Analysis at the Urban Axis Level in Eastern and Western Europe Using Ses Analysis Case Study: Bistrita-Cluj-Napoca -Debrecen-Békéscsaba- Bourges- Chateauroux -Pamplona -Zaragoza
Authors: Tătar Marius Alexandru , Bâca Ioan
Published: September 2023

The size of the home is considered the most critical issue affecting the quality of life. This can be measured by the quality of the house and its environment. This paper highlights the housing quality index at the urban axis level the urban axes of Western and Eastern Europe and the impact of socioeconomic activities on the index. The Household Quality of Life Index (HQLI) was calculated using 11 variables. Household quality of life comprises two distinctive indices: the Housing Conditions Index (HCI) and the Asset Possession Index (API). The study found a variation in the housing condition variables across the urban focus areas. The impact of the socioeconomic environments is disproportionately dependent on the social-economic profile of the urban environments that make up the Urban Axis and the related economic activities that take place in the area of influence in the administrative-territorial units and the variability of the Housing Conditions Index This can be measured by the quality of the house and its environment. This paper highlights the housing quality index at the urban axis and the impact of socioeconomic activities on this index.
The study area comprises territories in the urban axis in Western Europe and the urban axis in Eastern Europe. The socio-economic context of the area has been the basis for understanding the patterns of evolution identified in the urban landscape and being a driver in ongoing urban transformations and processes. The impact of the socio-economic is disproportionate to the socioeconomic profile of the urban environments that make up the Urban Axis and the economic activities related to the economic activities taking place in the catchment area in the administrative-territorial units, hence the variability of the Housing Conditions Index which is a system Housing Quality Indicator (HQI) is a tool for measuring and evaluating housing systems based on quality and not just cost.
Antibacterial mechanism of rose essential oil against Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, a metabolomic study
Authors: Yuan Yu-Han , Wang Wen-Liang , Liu Ling-Xiao , Guo Li , Li Xing-Jiang , Liu Yun-Guo
Published: September 2023

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (S. maltophilia) is a spoilage microorganism widely distributed vegetables, dairy products, and various environments, and can cause serious foodborne illnesses. Rose essential oil is widely recognized as an exceptional natural antibacterial agent, renowned for its environmentally friendly, safe, and non-toxic properties. In the present study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis to elucidate the inhibition mechanism of rose essential oil against S. maltophilia, encompassing cellular and metabolic levels. The results demonstrated that treatment of cells with rose essential oil resulted in the disruption of cell structure and leakage of cellular contents. Remarkable changes in the morphology of bacterial cells were observed under both scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. At the metabolic level, multiple metabolic pathways were disrupted after rose essential oil treatment, including amino acid metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, and aminoacyl tRNA biosynthesis. These results guide the inhibition mechanism of rose essential oil against S. maltophilia and provide some theoretical basis for developing effective essential oil preservatives.
Adversarial Robustness Improvement for Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Eleftheriadis Charis , Symeonidis Andreas , Katsaros Panagiotis
Published: September 2023

Deep neural networks (DNNs) are key components for the implementation of autonomy in systems that operate in highly complex and unpredictable environments (self-driving cars, smart traffic systems, smart manufacturing etc.). It is well known that DNNs are vulnerable to adversarial examples, i.e. minimal and usually imperceptible perturbations, applied to their inputs, leading to false predictions. This threat poses critical challenges, especially when DNNs are deployed in safety or security-critical systems, and renders as urgent the need for defences that can improve the trustworthiness of DNN functions. Adversarial training has proven effective in improving the robustness of DNNs against a wide range of adversarial perturbations. However, a general framework for adversarial defences is needed that will extend beyond a single dimensional assessment of robustness improvement; it is essential to consider simultaneously several distance metrics and adversarial attack strategies. Using such an approach we report the results from extensive experimentation on adversarial defence methods that could improve DNNs resilense to adversarial threats. We wrap up by introducing a general adversarial training methodology, which according to our experimental results, opens prospects for an holistic defence against a range of diverse types of adversarial perturbations.
Area of hydronephrosis is a useful predictive factor of impacted ureteral stones
Authors: Iwahashi Yuya , Deguchi Ryusuke , Kawabata Hiroki , Muraoka Satoshi , Wakamiya Takahito , Yamashita Shimpei , Kohjimoto Yasuo , Hara Isao
Published: September 2023

Ureteroscopic lithotripsy for impacted stones is challenging, but it is important to predict impacted stones preoperatively. Hydronephrosis, which is evaluated by a grading system, is often apparent in impacted stones. However, the grading system is a qualitative evaluation. We therefore focused on a quantitative evaluation: the area of hydronephrosis. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the area of hydronephrosis could predict impacted stones more accurately than Society for Fetal Urology grade. Between January 2014 and April 2022, 160 patients who underwent ureteroscopic lithotripsy for ureteral stones were retrospectively identified. Impacted stones were defined as stones fixed to the ureteral wall that did not move by means of ureteroscopic manipulation or water pressure. Of the 160 patients, 54 (33.8%) had impacted stones. Comparing patient characteristics, there were significant differences in stone size, ureteral wall thickness, Society for Fetal Urology grade, renal pelvic width and area of hydronephrosis (all P < 0.01). Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that area of hydronephrosis was the more significant predictive value (area under the curve 0.781, P < 0.01) compared with Society for Fetal Urology grade (area under the curve 0.676, P < 0.01). Multivariate analysis revealed that significant independent predictive factors of impacted stones were thicker ureteral wall thickness and larger area of hydronephrosis (both P < 0.01). Area of hydronephrosis and ureteral wall thickness were significant predictors of impacted stones in patients undergoing ureteroscopic lithotripsy for ureteral stones. These factors may be useful for selecting the treatment and preoperative settings.
Theoretically designing and evaluation of highly efficient small donor molecules for organic solar cells
Authors: Mubarik Adeel , Shafiq Faiza , Wang Hao-Ran , Jiang Jun , Ju Xue-Hai
Published: September 2023

The development of High-efficiency photovoltaic devices are the need of time with increasing demand for energy. Herein, we designed seven small molecule donors (SMDs) with A-π-D-π-A backbones containing various acceptor groups for high-efficiency organic solar cells (OSCs). The molecular engineering was performed through substituting the acceptor group in the synthesized compound (BPR) with another highly efficient acceptor group to improve the photoelectric performance of the molecule. The photovoltaic, optoelectronic, and photophysical properties of the proposed compounds (BP1–BP7) were investigated in comparison to BPR using theoretical approaches (DFT and TD-DFT). The key element for effective OSCs is SMDs' red-shifted absorption. All molecules we designed have red-shifted absorption spectra. The modification of the acceptor fragment of the BPR resulted in a reduced HOMO-LUMO energy gap; thus, the designed compounds (BP1–BP7) had improved optoelectronic responses as compared with the BPR molecule. The various key factors are crucial for efficient SMDs such as exciton binding energy, frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs), absorption maximum (λmax), open circuit voltage (VOC), dipole moment (µ), excitation charge nobilities, and transition density matrix of (BPR, BP1‒BP7) have also been studied. High charge mobility is provided by low reorganizational energy (holes and electrons) values, and all the designed compounds were enhanced in this regard. Low excitation energies, large dipole moment, and high open-circuit voltage suggest that our proposed SMDs are appropriate for high-efficiency OSCs. The superiority of the envisioned molecules is also superior, to experimenters to anticipate future developments in extremely effective OSC devices.
WITHDRAWN: The Impact of COVID-19 in Software Design Activities in the Global Software Engineering-Security Prospective
Authors: Nabi Faisal
Published: September 2023

Background: Global Software Engineering (GSE) extends geographical, temporal, and cultural boundaries in distributed environments. Over the past two decades, GSE research has evolved to manage software development for distributed teams. The COVID- 19 pandemic highlights the need for comprehensive research, particularly during the software design phase, to support team collaboration in distributed development.
Aim: This study systematically analyzes the evolution of research emphasis in the GSE field, specifically exploring on whether the research focuses increasing on software design due to the global pandemic.
Method: We systematically analyzed the existing literature in two phases. In the first phase of our study, we mapped GSE research over the two decades leading to the pandemic (2000-2020). In the second phase, we used the forward snowballing approach to examine the literature on the software design phase published between 2020 and 2022.
Results: The analysis of 592 research studies in the two phases reveals various trends in GSE research. Evaluation research is the most explored research type in methods and processes, and human aspects of development. Despite the paradigm shift caused by the COVID-19 pandemic that increased reliance on distributed teams, results show that while software organizations are extensively studied across all software engineering phases, the software design phase remains one of the least explored areas.
Conclusion: This work highlights the evolving GSE research trends, emphasizing the rising significance of collaborative software design in distributed settings. Our findings address current research gaps and underscore the need for further research on software design activities. This contribution envisions a more collaborative, adaptable GSE field, guiding future research to support distributed teams.
Half dome-shaped carbon nitride nanostructures
Authors: Torre Alessandro La
Published: September 2023

We report on a new form of nanoscale carbon nitride in the shape of single layer half dome structures grown on the step edges of boron nitride sheets. The half dome structures are formed spontaneously at high temperature using Fe2O3 capped with N(CH3)4OH supported on BN sheets. During the combustion process the support, firstly, acted as a reducing agent for the transformation of the iron oxide in metallic iron, secondly, as a source of nitrogen that permitted the transformation of the organic capping agent in sp1 CN chains linked with sp2 CN domains. During the Ostwald ripening processes smaller nanoparticles migrates towards bigger nanoparticle, when the nanoparticles come across the step edges of few layer boron nitrides sheets the half dome structure is formed. This new method of synthesis has demonstrated for the first time the formation of half dome structures containing cyanopolyynes sp1 CN chains which link with CN sp2 domains.
Examining the Intersection of Ethnoracial Disparities and HIV Status in Substance Use Risks among U.S. Adults
Authors: Hai Audrey Hang , Batey David Scott , Lee Christina S , Li Stacey , Schnall Rebecca
Published: September 2023

Background
Black and Hispanic Americans experience HIV-related disparities. Substance use might be a contributing factor to these disparities, but there is limited research on this topic. This study investigated various substance use risks by HIV status and race/ethnicity (Black, Hispanic, White) among U.S. adults.
Methods
We used data from the 2005–2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (N = 541,921). In each racial/ethnic group, the prevalence rates of past-year and past-month tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine use, and past-year alcohol and illicit drug use disorders were estimated by HIV status. A series of logistic regressions with the interaction term of HIV x race/ethnicity were performed to examine race/ethnicity’s moderating effect on the HIV-substance use associations, while controlling for sociodemographic factors and survey year.
Results
Moderation analysis showed that HIV status’s association with the risks of past-year tobacco use (AOR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.01–2.75), past-year cocaine use (AOR = 3.80, 95% CI = 1.91–7.57), past-month cocaine use (AOR = 5.34, 95% CI = 2.10–13.60), and past-year alcohol use disorder (AOR = 2.52, 95% CI = 1.29–4.92) differed significantly between Black and White adults. Between the Hispanic and White groups, HIV status’s association with the risks of past-year alcohol use (AOR = 2.00, 95% CI = 1.09–3.69), past-year cocaine use (AOR = 2.40, 95% CI = 1.06–5.39), and past-month cocaine use (AOR = 3.69, 95% CI = 1.36–10.02) also differed significantly.
Conclusions
It is well-established that individuals with HIV face an elevated risk of substance use. Our study added valuable insights by highlighting that this phenomenon is particularly more significant among Black and Hispanic adults for several substances when compared to White adults. Implications for practice are discussed.
Local Dynamic Update Methods for 3D Geological Body Structure Model and Voxel Model
Authors: Tian Yiping , Xiao Shengkun , Zhang Rui , Weng Zhengping , Wu Xuechao , Wu Yongjin
Published: September 2023

Due to the complexity of geological structures, the uncertainty of geological phenomena, the massive amount of geological data, and the diversity of geological models, local dynamic updates of 3D geological body models are very difficult. Based on the analysis of the current research status of 3D geological modeling and local dynamic update of 3D geological body model, the local dynamic update methods of geological body models considering geometric, topological, semantic relationships, and geological feature features for different data sources based on the B-Rep (boundary representation) structure model and the CPG (corner-point grid) voxel model are studied in this paper. The local dynamic update methods for the 3D geological bodies based on the B-Rep structure model for new local drilling and profile data are proposed and implemented. Also the local dynamic update methods for 3D geological bodies based on the CPG voxel model for local new drilling data, new profile data, and new multi-source mixed data are proposed and implemented. Finally, dynamic updates for different algorithms and comparative analysis were completed through experiments.
Malignant Teratoma Arising From Mediastinal Non-Seminomatous Germ Cell Tumor: A Rare Case Report
Authors: Verma Nisha , Mahajan Saurabh
Published: September 2023

Introduction: Primary mediastinal non-seminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGCT) have a worse prognosis than gonadal germ cell tumors (GCTs). Malignant transformation of teratomatous components of GCT to a somatic malignancy is rare.

Materials and methods: A case of primary mediastinal NSGCT with malignant transformation of a teratoma was seen in a 23 years old male. Resected tumor specimen was received. Tissue processing was done and sections were prepared for Histo Pathological Examination.

Results: Histopathology confirmed NSGCT with yolk sac and teratomatous components. Chemotherapy for GCT transiently normalized serum tumor markers with little effect on the mediastinal mass. Incomplete resection of the residual tumor revealed intermediate grade chondosarcoma. Here we discuss this rare case.

Conclusion: malignant transformation to chondrosarcoma is a rare possibility which needs to be considered while managing the patient of Primary Mediastinal Germ Cell Tumors (PMGCT)
Semen Analysis: An Update
Authors: Santosh Tummidi
Published: September 2023

Male factor for infertility is responsible in 50% of cases. In recent times there has been a significant deterioration in semen quality due to various lifestyle factors. In the year 2021 WHO has released the 6th ed. of semen analysis manual. The main highlight of the edition is to provide a step-by-step guide for the evaluation of the semen sample for calculation and interpretation of results.
A 4-Year Retrospective Study Of Dengue And Chikungunya In Tertiary-Care Hospital Of East Delhi
Authors: Meena Manoj Kumar , Mohapatra Subhashree , Das Shukla , Singh N P
Published: September 2023

Backgound

Dengue is a vector-borne disease caused by the dengue virus (DENV, 1–4 serotypes), an arbovirus from flaviviridae family and chikungunya virus is an alphavirus.

Material and Methods

A 4 year retrospective study was conducted from January 2017 to December 2020 to determine the prevalence of the disease among in-patients and OPD patients. NS1 ELISA for invitro diagnostic kit was used to detect anti-dengue immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies from 2017-2018. Bio-Rad Dengue NS1 Ag ELISA kit was employed for 2019-2020.

Results

There were 5110 samples were received of which 1269 (24.8%) were laboratory-confirmed as DEN infections. The most common affected age group was 21-40 years old. In terms of gender distribution females were more affected with both dengue and chikungunya as compared to males. Results showed that 28.74% of patients were seropositive in 2017. The maximum seropositivity was observed in 2018 with 36.97% and minimum seropositivity observed in 2020 with 3.43%.

Conclusion

Further epidemiological studies are required to determine the true burden of these infections.
Numerical Study on Flexural Behavior of Alkali-Activated Slag Concrete Beam by ANSYS
Authors: S Reshma , Joy Chinsu Mereena , Raju Thushara , P Ramaswamy K
Published: September 2023

Geopolymer concrete is a type of concrete that is made by reacting aluminate and silicate-bearing materials with a caustic activator, such as fly ash or slag from iron and metal production. It can be a suitable substitute for ordinary Portland cement (OPC). Geopolymer concrete is considered green concrete because of the reduced CO2 emission and due to the usage of waste materials for manufacturing. Several investigations are happening on the topic of geopolymer concrete in structural members like beams, columns and slabs. This work focuses on the numerical analysis of the flexural behaviour of alkali-activated reinforced slag concrete beam under cyclic loading. Numerical study was conducted using finite element tool, ANSYS. For this, a numerical model was developed and modeled. Thereafter, cyclic load was applied on the same beam to obtain the load-deformation curve. From this curve, the first crack load, ultimate load, maximum deformation, ductility index and energy absorption capacity were obtained.
Multiscale Analysis of Drought Teleconnections of West Central India Using Wavelet Coherence
Authors: V Sreedevi , S Shamna , S Adarsh , B Amina , Suresh Surya , J Arun Krishna P
Published: September 2023

Drought is a natural climate variability that emerged as a result of the prolonged decrease in precipitation. This study used Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) to evaluate the drought variability over West Central India (WCI) and its association with various climatic oscillations (COs) like Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). The dominant periodicities of the drought index and climatic oscillations were analyzed using Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT). Partial Wavelet Coherence (PWC) was used to understand the standalone effect of a specific CO on drought, excluding the role of other climatic oscillations. The study investigated the individual and combined influences of the large-scale climatic oscillations at different time scales using Bivariate Wavelet Coherence (BWC) and Multiple Wavelet Coherence (MWC). To identify the most influential climatic driver for the meteorological and hydrological drought of WCI, various multi-factor combinations were considered. The ENSO-PDO combination gave maximum coherence in the case of a two-factor combination for short-term and long-term drought. The maximum coherence value was obtained for the three-factor combination of ENSO-PDO-IOD for all drought conditions. In short, PDO was found to be the most influencing driver in the drought experienced in WCI.
Subgrade Stabilisation using Alkali Activated Materials: A Review
Authors: Zayan Mohammed , G. Anandu V.
Published: September 2023

The performance of pavement construction is determined by the behaviour of the subgrade soil and its bearing capacity. Expansive subgrade soil is problematic to pavement and other types of construction activities because of its high swelling and shrinkage, necessitating stability with various materials. Soil stabilization using different chemicals has been used to enhance soil qualities to make them suitable for the desired engineering purpose. Expansive subgrade can be stabilized using alkali-activated slag, fly ash and other industry by-products and this also helps in solving disposal difficulties. A review of the literatures on this issue demonstrates the significance of studies on alkali activated materials to stabilize soil. It also demonstrates changes in the characteristics of soil following stabilization with alkali activated materials and this method is cost effective. It also contains several chemicals that, in various combinations, reduce the expansive tendency of soil. Based on the available literature, this paper examines the behaviour of soil following stabilization with alkali activated materials.
Study on the Factors Causing Rework of Building Construction in Kerala using Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM)
Authors: R. Gouthami , Ittyeipe Alan Verghese , P Ramaswamy K
Published: September 2023

The construction industry is one of India's most important and fastest-growing sectors. However, the construction industry is plagued with problems of cost and time overruns. Rework is one of the major causes of cost overrun and time overrun in the construction industry. This study investigates the factors causing the rework of building construction in Kerala. To compile a list of the factors that lead to rework, a thorough analysis of the literature was done. A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect the opinions from contractors, engineers, and design consultants and the factors were ranked using the relative importance index (RII). Lack of project funding, poor monitoring and control, and poor communication or coordination among stakeholders were identified as the significant causes of rework in building construction in Kerala. In order to establish an interrelationship between the top fourteen critical factors influencing rework, Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) method was used. Based on the ISM, a hierarchical structure was created, and it was found that the client's ignorance of the planning and construction processes was the primary cause of the rework in building construction. Matrice d’ Impacts Croise’s Multiplication Appliquee a Classement (MICMAC) analysis was done to classify the factors based on driving and dependence power and those factors with high driving power have to be given attention to control the rework of building construction in Kerala. The significance of each critical cause and its interrelationships can create a better awareness among the stakeholders involved and thereby reduce the extent of rework in building construction.