bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Doing today’s work today: real-time data recording and rolling audit in an IVF clinic
Authors: Wood Lucy , Proudlove Nathan
Published: September 2022

The assisted conception unit at Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides in vitro fertilisation treatment. A team of seven embryologists provides a routine clinical laboratory service, involving culture and storage of embryos. This requires a series of management and statutory data administration and communication tasks.

We were aware that these were often done many days after clinical tasks, resulting in delays sending patient correspondence and unavailability of clinical notes for multidisciplinary team (MDT) cycle-review meetings. Embryologists also complained that transcribing data were time-consuming and duplicated across ourIDEASsoftware, spreadsheets and paper.

We process-mapped our processes and gathered staff views on problems and potential solutions. The baseline average total cycle time (TCT) for completion of all administrative steps was around 17 days; data administration time (DAT, data ‘touch time’) was around 30 min per patient.

We embarked on this Quality Improvemen (QI) project to reduce waste in TCT and DAT, and to have data available for patient communication and MDT deadlines. Exploration ofIDEAS’capabilities led to progressive realisation of how much could be transferred to this single data system, removing a lot of off-putting redundancy. Through this we developed a ‘to-be’ vision of all data entry being real time, as part of the clinical ‘jobs’. We conducted five Plan–Do–Study–Act cycles plus two more to test performance and sustainability as changes bedded-in and an external constraint disappeared.

We have cut TCT to 0 or 1 days and DAT to around 18 min. All project metrics are reliably within our targets, and data are now always available for timely patient letters and the MDT. Other benefits include easy access for all staff to patient records and removal of paper and spreadsheets. A further, unanticipated, benefit was a switch from a tedious 2 yearly storage tank audit to a more-agreeable and safer rolling audit.
Postinfective bowel dysfunction followingCampylobacter enteritisis characterised by reduced microbiota diversity and impaired microbiota recovery
Authors: Jalanka Jonna , Gunn David , Singh Gulzar , Krishnasamy Shanthi , Lingaya Melanie , Crispie Fiona , Finnegan Laura , Cotter Paul , James Louise , Nowak Adam , Major Giles , Spiller Robin C
Published: September 2022

Objectives

Persistent bowel dysfunction following gastroenteritis (postinfectious (PI)-BD) is well recognised, but the associated changes in microbiota remain unclear. Our aim was to define these changes after gastroenteritis caused by a single organism,Campylobacter jejuni, examining the dynamic changes in the microbiota and the impact of antibiotics.

Design

A single-centre cohort study of 155 patients infected withCampylobacter jejuni. Features of the initial illness as well as current bowel symptoms and the intestinal microbiota composition were recorded soon after infection (visit 1, <40 days) as well as 40–60 days and >80 days later (visits 2 and 3). Microbiota were assessed using 16S rRNA sequencing.

Results

PI-BD was found in 22 of the 99 patients who completed the trial. The cases reported significantly looser stools, with more somatic and gastrointestinal symptoms. Microbiota were assessed in 22 cases who had significantly lower diversity and altered microbiota composition compared with the 44 age-matched and sex-matched controls. Moreover 60 days after infection, cases showed a significantly lower abundance of 23 taxa including phylum Firmicutes, particularly in the order Clostridiales and the familyRuminoccocaceae,increased Proteobacteria abundance and increased levels of Fusobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria. The microbiota changes were linked with diet; higher fibre consumption being associated with lower levels of Gammaproteobacteria.

Conclusion

The microbiota of PI-BD patients appeared more disturbed by the initial infection compared with the microbiota of those who recovered. The prebiotic effect of high fibre diets may inhibit some of the disturbances seen in PI-BD.

Trial registration number

NCT02040922.
Rebound of clinical disease activity after fingolimod discontinuation? A nationwide cohort study of patients in Denmark
Authors: Framke Elisabeth , Pontieri Luigi , Bramow Stephan , Sellebjerg Finn , Magyari Melinda
Published: September 2022

Objective

We investigated whether clinical rebound occurred after fingolimod discontinuation in a complete population of patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in Denmark. We further identified clinical and demographical factors associated with disease reactivation after fingolimod discontinuation.

Methods

The population comprised 992 RRMS patients treated with fingolimod for 6 months or more. We estimated annualised relapse rates (ARR) before, during and after treatment. We estimated overall ARRs and ARRs stratified by disease activity before discontinuation. We calculated the proportion of patients with a higher clinical disease activity after discontinuation than before treatment start. Finally, we analysed the association between variables at discontinuation and time to first relapse after discontinuation.

Results

The ARR 3 months after discontinuation (ARR=0.56; 95% CI=0.47 to 0.66) was statistically significantly lower (p<0.01) than the ARR 1 year before treatment (ARR=0.74; 95% CI=0.69 to 0.80). Results were similar when repeating analyses in patients with and without disease activity before discontinuation. In total, 124 patients (12.5%) had clinical rebound. Of those, 36 had no disease breakthrough before discontinuation (3.6% of total population). On treatment disease activity (HR=1.98, p<0.01), lower age (HR=0.98, p=0.01) and female sex (HR=1.68, p=0.02) were associated with a higher relapse risk after discontinuation.

Conclusions

Based on average ARR levels, there was no evidence of clinical rebound after fingolimod discontinuation. In total, 12.5% of patients had clinical rebound. Only 3.6%, however, had clinical rebound without disease activity before discontinuation. Disease activity before discontinuation, female sex and younger age were statistically significantly associated with a higher relapse risk after discontinuation.
Comparative performance of composite measures from two phase III clinical trials of ixekizumab in psoriatic arthritis
Authors: Coates Laura C , Smolen Josef S , Mease Philip J , Husni M. Elaine , Merola Joseph F. , Lespessailles Eric , Kishimoto Mitsumasa , Macpherson Lisa , Bradley Andrew J , Bolce Rebecca , Helliwell Philip S.
Published: September 2022

Background/objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate relative performance of composite measures in psoriatic arthritis and assess the impact of structural damage and functional disability on outcomes during ixekizumab treatment.

Methods

Data from SPIRIT-P1 and SPIRIT-P2 were analysed to evaluate the effect of ixekizumab on achievement of low disease activity (LDA) and remission with the minimal disease activity (MDA) and very low disease activity (VLDA) composite, Disease Activity index for Psoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA), Psoriatic Arthritis Disease Activity Score, GRAppa Composite ScorE and modified Composite Psoriatic Disease Activity Index (mCPDAI). Performance was compared by quantifying residual symptom burden and the impact of structural damage and functional disability.

Results

Significantly more ixekizumab-treated patients achieved treatment targets at week 24 versus placebo assessed with all composites. More patients achieved targets assessed by mCPDAI and DAPSA than other composites. Residual disease activity was similar between composites, but residual high patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and functional disability were more frequent when assessed with mCPDAI and DAPSA. Achievement of treatment targets was reduced by high baseline levels of structural damage and functional disability.

Conclusion

Residual disease activity was similar in patients achieving treatment targets assessed with all composites, but residual high PROs and functional disability were more common when assessed with mCPDAI and DAPSA, most likely due to the absence/attenuated functional assessment in these composites. High baseline levels of structural damage and functional disability attenuated response rates with all composites, affecting MDA/VLDA most prominently; LDA may be the most appropriate target in these patients.

Trial registration number

NCT01695239.
The Seventeenth International Conference on Endothelin (ET-17)
Authors: Gumz Michelle L. , Hyndman Kelly A.
Published: September 2022

The Seventeenth International Conference on Endothelin (ET-17) was held during 4–7 October 2021 and because of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic it was held virtually. Sponsored by the American Physiological Society, ET-17 was held over 4 half-days, with exciting studies related to all organ systems presented. Since the Lancet article reporting the successful SONAR clinical trial with endothelin receptor A blockade in diabetic nephropathy, there has been renewed interest in the use of endothelin receptor antagonists in the treatment of a variety of diseases. From the rigorous preclinical studies to the latest clinical trials, ET-17 was full of exciting science, some of which is reported in this special issue. We welcomed new labs to the meeting and everyone left with the impression that ET-related research is a vibrant field with very significant discoveries being made.
Search for noncommutative interactions in $$\gamma \gamma \rightarrow \gamma \gamma $$ process at the LHC
Authors: İnan S. C. , Kisselev A. V.
Published: September 2022

The noncommutative QED (NCQED) has a non-Abelian nature due to the presence of 3- and 4-photon vertices in the lagrangian. Thus, NCQED predicts a new physics contribution to the $$\gamma \gamma \rightarrow \gamma \gamma $$

γ
γ
→
γ
γ

scattering already at the tree level. We have examined NCQED by studying the light-by-light process at the 14 TeV LHC with intact protons. Our results show that the NC scale up to $$\Lambda _{\mathrm {NC}} = 1.64(1.35)$$

Λ
NC

=
1.64

(
1.35
)

 TeV can be probed in the $$pp\rightarrow p(\gamma \gamma )p \rightarrow p'(\gamma \gamma )p'$$

p
p
→
p

(
γ
γ
)

p
→

p
′

(
γ
γ
)

p
′

collision for the time-space (space-space) NC parameters. These bounds are stronger than the limits that can be obtained in the light-by-light scattering at high energy linear colliders.
Advancing Pluralism in Impact Assessment Through Research Capacity: Lessons from the Yukon Territory, Canada
Authors: Darling Samantha , Harvey Blane , Hickey Gordon M.
Published: September 2022

Impact assessment (IA) involves complex interactions among societal actors with diverse knowledge systems and worldviews (ontological pluralism) that ideally combine to both define and support societal goals, such as sustainable development. An often acknowledged but rarely explored concept in these efforts is research capacity — the ability of a group to engage, produce, maintain and use knowledge — and associated implications for pluralistic process outcomes. This paper presents an embedded case study of the IA policy network in the Yukon Territory, Canada, to explore the various roles of research capacity in a well-established IA process where Indigenous and public representation are guaranteed, as is financial support for boundary spanning and knowledge brokering roles to support pluralism. Using Rapid Policy Network Mapping, we examine the formal and informal connections amongst IA policy actors and identify sources and flows of knowledge throughout the network. Results indicate that while research capacity is critical to well-functioning IA processes in the Yukon Territory, the ability of the IA policy network to source, disseminate and engage new knowledge is limited. Important boundary spanning ‘choke points’ can act as both facilitators and barriers, based on the capacity of the knowledge brokers occupying these spaces. The findings inform policy efforts to ensure inclusion and advance pluralism in IA processes.
Guidelines for Artifacts to Support Industry-Relevant Research on Self-Adaptation
Authors: Weyns Danny , Gerostathopoulos Ilias , Buhnova Barbora , Cardozo Nicolás , Cioroaica Emilia , Dusparic Ivana , Grunske Lars , Jamshidi Pooyan , Julien Christine , Michael Judith , Moreno Gabriel , Nejati Shiva , Pelliccione Patrizio , Quin Federico , Rodrigues Genaina , Schmerl Bradley , Vieira Marco , Vogel Thomas , Wohlrab Rebekka
Published: September 2022

Artifacts support evaluating new research results and help comparing them with the state of the art in a field of interest. Over the past years, several artifacts have been introduced to support research in the field of self-adaptive systems. While these artifacts have shown their value, it is not clear to what extent these artifacts support research on problems in self-adaptation that are relevant to industry. This paper provides a set of guidelines for artifacts that aim at supporting industry-relevant research on selfadaptation. The guidelines that are grounded on data obtained from a survey with practitioners were derived during working sessions at the 17th International Symposium on Software Engineering for Adaptive and Self-Managing Systems. Artifact providers can use the guidelines for aligning future artifacts with industry needs; they can also be used to evaluate the industrial relevance of existing artifacts. We also propose an artifact template.
Micro-Frontends
Authors: Taibi Davide , Mezzalira Luca
Published: September 2022

Micro-Frontends is an emerging approach aimed at decomposing the frontend into individual and semi-independent micro applications. Micro-Frontends enable teams to develop the full-stack, from the database to the back-end to the frontend part. Teams are independent and can follow the same guardrails and can make technical decisions associated with their business domain. Many companies, such as SAP, Springer, Zalando, NewRelic, Ikea, Starbucks, and DAZN adopted Micro-Frontends. Micro-Frontends have several advantages, but also drawbacks. In this article, we introduce Micro-Frontends describing the main principles, and presenting the approaches to decompose a web page into Micro- Frontends. Moreover, we report our experience in developing Micro-Frontends describing pros, cons, and issues we faced at DAZN.
Hardness Characterisations and Size-width Lower Bounds for QBF Resolution
Authors: Beyersdorff Olaf , Blinkhorn Joshua , Mahajan Meena , Peitl Tomáš
Published: September 2022

We provide a
tight characterisation of proof size in resolution for quantified Boolean formulas (QBF) via circuit complexity.
Such a characterisation was previously obtained for a hierarchy of QBF Frege systems [
16
], but leaving open the most important case of QBF resolution. Different from the Frege case, our characterisation uses a new version of decision lists as its circuit model, which is stronger than the CNFs the system works with. Our decision list model is well suited to compute countermodels for QBFs. Our characterisation works for both
Q-Resolution and QU-Resolution.

Using our characterisation, we obtain a
size-width relation for QBF resolution
in the spirit of the celebrated result for propositional resolution [
4
]. However, our result is not just a replication of the propositional relation—intriguingly ruled out for QBF in previous research [
12
]—but shows a different dependence between size, width, and quantifier complexity. An essential ingredient is an improved relation between the size and width of term decision lists; this may be of independent interest.

We demonstrate that
our new technique elegantly reproves known QBF hardness results
and unifies previous lower-bound techniques in the QBF domain.
Trauma and Prospects for Reentry
Authors: Pettus Carrie A.
Published: September 2022

Trauma is an almost universal experience for those with incarceration histories. Lifetime traumatic experiences begin in childhood, continue in adulthood, and persist during and after incarceration. For centuries, the capacity for trauma to have a deleterious impact on social, mental, and biological functioning has been a topic of inquiry, and for years empirical work has connected trauma to crime and justice system involvement. Trauma-responsive reentry is the future state of the art for reentry. This review examines the prevalence and consequences of lifetime traumatic experiences for individuals releasing from incarceration and returning home. Extant research on trauma interventions for individuals with incarceration histories is discussed. The review ends with a vision for trauma-responsive reentry, strategies to implement trauma-responsive reentry, a proposed research agenda, and cautions and considerations for debate.
Personalized Therapeutics for KATP-Dependent Pathologies
Authors: Nichols Colin G.
Published: September 2022

Ubiquitously expressed throughout the body, ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels couple cellular metabolism to electrical activity in multiple tissues; their unique assembly as four Kir6 pore-forming subunits and four sulfonylurea receptor (SUR) subunits has resulted in a large armory of selective channel opener and inhibitor drugs. The spectrum of monogenic pathologies that result from gain- or loss-of-function mutations in these channels, and the potential for therapeutic correction of these pathologies, is now clear. However, while available drugs can be effective treatments for specific pathologies, cross-reactivity with the other Kir6 or SUR subfamily members can result in drug-induced versions of each pathology and may limit therapeutic usefulness. This review discusses the background to KATP channel physiology, pathology, and pharmacology and considers the potential for more specific or effective therapeutic agents.
Coupling Between Mechanical Pressure and Electron Transport/Transfer Impedances at the Interface of Sandwich Solar Cell
Authors: Liu Weiqing , Lu Bingjun , Chen Wenhao , Duan Junhong , Wang Yixiao
Published: September 2022

This communication is based on electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) to detect the impedance response of sandwich solar cell components under external pressure. It reveals a new mechanism by which external pressures and internal electrochemical processes interact. The results show that the series resistance of the device increases with pressures and cannot be recovered by pressure withdrawal. The impedance properties of the Pt-electrode/electrolyte interface are insensitive to external pressures. The impedance of the Dye-TiO2/electrolyte is relatively complex and is related to the pressure-induced microstructure of the thin film and the ion distribution of the electrolyte.
High-Fidelity Strain and Temperature Measurements of Li-Ion Batteries Using Polymer Optical Fiber Sensors
Authors: Bonefacino Julien , Ghashghaie Sasan , Zheng Tianye , Lin Chun-Pang , Zheng Wenwei , Blanquer Laura Albero , Huang Jiaqiang , Gervillié Charlotte , Tam Hwa-Yaw , Tarascon Jean-Marie , Boles Steven T.
Published: September 2022

The convergence of fiber optic sensing with lithium-ion batteries holds great promise for observing key cell parameters in real time, which is essential to every level of decision making, from design and engineering to finance and management. Optical sensors based on fiber Bragg gratings have recently been demonstrated as an ideal tool for measuring these metrics with sufficient temporal and spatial resolution. In this work, we extend the use of fiber Bragg gratings to polymeric optical fibers which have notably greater thermal and strain coefficients than their common silica counterparts. We demonstrate that a polymer optical fiber sensor paired with a silica-based sensor, both affixed to the external package of a lithium battery, can concurrently generate high fidelity temperature and volumetric expansion data through this non-invasive approach. The quality of this data allows for further assessments as mechanical characteristics associated with dimensional changes of cells may indicate more than simple charging or discharging during cycling. While internal monitoring remains essential for future diagnostics, external monitoring using polymer fiber sensors offers a straightforward, superficial, and cost-effective sensing solution that opens a new avenue for real-time cell assessment, prognostics, and packaging considerations.
Diazotization Grafting Phenol for Improving the Electrochemical Performance of Graphite Anode
Authors: Yang Haohua , Lu Yanmin , Li Zhan , Wu Xuena , Liu Libin , Ban Qing , Gai Ligang
Published: September 2022

Capacity fading resulting from graphite exfoliation is a thorny problem for real application of the graphite anodes in lithium-ion batteries. In this paper, we report on diazotization grafting phenol for graphite flakes to settle this issue, using 4-aminophenol and tert-butyl nitrite as the diazonium reagents. Diazotization grafting phenol enables expansion of graphite interlayer spacing and formation of surface protective layer, yielding modified graphite anodes with improved electrode kinetics, and significantly improved cycling stability. Also, the phenol modifier contributes additional specific capacity to the anode through reversible redox reaction of phenol hydroxyls with Li+ ions. The modified graphite anode with mole percent of 4-aminophenol to graphite being 5% retains a discharge specific capacity of 361 mA h g‒1 after 300 cycles at 1C, presenting capacity retention of 90.5% relative to the initial cycle, much higher than that of 156 mA h g‒1 and 54.2% for pristine graphite.
Development of Effective Bimetallic Electrocatalysts for Glucose Electrooxidation
Authors: Ulas Berdan , Yılmaz Yonca , Kıvrak Hilal , Erünal Ebru
Published: September 2022

Vulcan XC-72 supported PdCo and PtCo electrocatalysts were synthesized via supercritical deposition method and designed as anode catalyst for direct glucose fuel cells (DGFCs). As-prepared electrocatalysts were characterized by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometer (ICP-MS), scanning electron microscopy energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) while electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA) methods were used for the electrochemical characterization of PdCo/Vulcan XC-72 and PtCo/Vulcan XC-72 catalysts. PdCo/Vulcan XC-72 anode catalyst showed higher electrocatalytic activity for glucose electrooxidation than PtCo/Vulcan XC-72. In addition, chronoamperometry results showed that PdCo/Vulcan XC-72 possessed better stability within 1000 s than PtCo/Vulcan XC-72. The improvement in electrocatalytic activity and stability has been attributed to the alteration of the electronic properties of Pd with the addition of Co. The PdCo/Vulcan XC-72 catalyst is a good candidate for use as an anode catalyst in DGFCs.
The Influence of the Coordination on the Kinetic Behavior of the Anion Intercalation/De-Intercalation into the Graphite Electrode
Authors: Sagane Fumihiro , Suzuki Takumi
Published: September 2022

The effect of Li-salt concentration on the anion intercalation/de-intercalation reaction is studied. In LiN(CF3SO2)2
–or LiClO4/propylene carbonate cases, the interfacial activation energy for (E
a) does not show the concentration dependency in the case of dilute solutions, while higher E
a is obtained in the concentrated solutions. The result means that the activation barrier changes from the electrode side to the solution side by increasing the salt concentration. In addition, E
a for the concentrated solutions continuously increase with the Li-salt concentration, although the activation barrier by the cleavage of the ion pair should be independent from the salt concentration. From the results, it is concluded that the charge of anion will not be shielded enough and the interaction from the wide range will influence the activation barrier.
Three simple steps to improve the interpretability of EEG-SVM studies
Authors: Joucla Coralie , Gabriel Damien , Ortega Juan-Pablo , Haffen Emmanuel
Published: September 2022

Machine-learning systems that classify electroencephalography (EEG) data offer important perspectives for the diagnosis and prognosis of a wide variety of neurological and psychiatric conditions, but their clinical adoption remains low. We propose here that much of the difficulties translating EEG-machine-learning research to the clinic result from consistent inaccuracies in their technical reporting, which severely impair the interpretability of their often-high claims of performance. Taking example from a major class of machine-learning algorithms used in EEG research, the support-vector machine (SVM), we highlight three important aspects of model development (normalization, hyperparameter optimization, and cross-validation) and show that, while these three aspects can make or break the performance of the system, they are left entirely undocumented in a shockingly vast majority of the research literature. Providing a more systematic description of these aspects of model development constitute three simple steps to improve the interpretability of EEG-SVM research and, in fine, its clinical adoption.
Exploration of Predictive Biomarkers for Postoperative Recurrence in Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps Based on Serum Multiple-Cytokine Profiling
Authors: Wang Gang , Zheng Huiyuan , Chen Xiaoqian , Zheng Jing , Zhan Jiabin , Li Rui , Qi Yanyan , Ye Yi , Zeng Min , Wei Xin
Published: September 2022

Background. Functional nasal endoscopic surgery (FESS) is an effective treatment approach for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) patients, but some patients still suffer from postoperative recurrence. This study is aimed at investigating the expression of multiple cytokines in CRSwNP and revealing their relationships with postoperative recurrence. Methods. A total of 72 patients with CRSwNP, including 36 primary and 36 recurrent patients, were enrolled. Serum samples were obtained, 30 cytokine levels were measured by multiplex analysis, and the association between cytokine levels and recurrence was assessed. The most potential cytokines were further validated in another independent cohort with 60 primary and 60 recurrent CRSwNP patients. Results. The results of multiple cytokine profiling exhibited that the levels of eotaxin, G-CSF, IFN-α, IL-13, IL-17A, IL-5, MCP-1, and RANTES were vastly changed in the recurrent group in comparison with the primary group. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves highlighted that serum levels of eotaxin, IL-17A, and RANTES were strongly predictive of postoperative recurrence (

area
 
under
 
the
 
curve
 

AUC

>
0.7

,

P
<
0.05

). Further validation results showed that elevated serum eotaxin, IL-17A, and RANTES levels were enhanced in the recurrent group. The ROC curve showed that serum eotaxin (

AUC
=
0.729

,

P
<
0.001

) and RANTES (

AUC
=
0.776

,

P
<
0.001

) exhibited stronger ability than serum IL-17A (

AUC
=
0.617

,

P
=
0.027

) in predicting CRSwNP recurrence. Conclusion. Our data suggested that serum multiple cytokine profiling was associated with postoperative recurrence of CRSwNP, and eotaxin and RANTES might serve as potential biomarkers for predicting postoperative recurrence. These results might contribute to the understanding of the underlying mechanisms of recurrence and provide novel clues for precision therapy in CRSwNP.
Efficacy of Moxibustion for Primary Osteoporosis: A Trial Sequential Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Li Xiang , Yin Zihan , Li Xiao , Yin Bingzun , Liu Yixiang , Qi Wenchuan , Liang Fanrong
Published: September 2022

Background. Primary osteoporosis (PO) is a systemic metabolic skeletal disease. Previous studies have shown that moxibustion can reduce pain intensity and enhance response rate, bone mineral density (BMD), and living function of the patients with PO. However, consensus on its efficacy does not exist, and evidence of moxibustion for PO is also insufficient. Methods. We searched five English and four Chinese databases with various additional sources and published reviews through December 1, 2021, to evaluate potentially concerned randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Two independent researchers addressed selection screening, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment. The data of this meta-analysis were analyzed using the RevMan v.5.4 software. Additionally, the trial sequential analysis v.0.9.5.10 β was used to estimate the sample size. In contrast, the quality of evidence from the RCTs was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation tool. Results. The current meta-analysis included 14 RCTs containing 898 participants. The methodological quality of the RCTs was moderate. The review demonstrated that a combination of moxibustion and conventional medicine (CM) significantly reduced pain intensity and improved the BMD compared with CM. Furthermore, it was found that moxibustion plus CM/moxibustion could improve response rates compared with CM. However, it was found that the reduction of pain intensity and improvement of BMD by moxibustion showed no significant difference compared with CM. It was also evident that the sample size of most outcomes was inadequate. Moreover, all evidence obtained in this study was ranked as low to critically low. Conclusions. In conclusion, it was demonstrated that moxibustion is a potentially effective agent for treating PO. However, high-quality studies should be implemented in the future because this study only obtained low-quality evidence. This study was registered in the PROSPERO platform (CRD42021291310).
Prevalence of Emergence Delirium in Children Undergoing Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy
Authors: Liu Katie , Liu Christopher , Ulualp Seckin O.
Published: September 2022

Objective. Emergence delirium (ED) is associated with behavioral disturbances and psychomotor agitation, increased risk of selfinjury, delayed discharge, and parental dissatisfaction with quality of care. Otolaryngology procedures are associated with an increased risk of ED. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of ED in children who had tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (T&A), assess the characteristics of children who had ED, and ascertain the recovery times of patients with ED. Methods. Charts of patients who had tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy between Jan 1, 2018 and March 26, 2020 at a tertiary children’s hospital were reviewed. Data collection included demographics, body mass index, indication for T&A, Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium (PAED) score, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status classification, total anesthesia time, postanesthesia care phase I time, and postanesthesia care phase II time. Results. Of the 4974 patients who underwent T&A, ED occurred in 1.3% of patients. Toddlers (2.9%) and male children (1.6%) had a significantly higher prevalence of ED. Prevalence of ED was similar amongst patients with recurrent tonsillitis, patients with obstructive sleep disordered breathing, and patients with both obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and recurrent tonsillitis. The prevalence of ED was not different amongst ASA I, ASA II, and ASA III. Males with ED had longer total anesthesia times (41

v

. 34 minutes,

p
=
0.02

) and ASA I patients with ED had longer phase I times (

p
=
0.04

) in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU). There was no significant difference in total anesthesia time, phase I time, or phase II time when compared across the subgroups of gender, age, indication for T&A, severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and ASA score. Conclusions. Males, toddlers, and preschool-age children were more likely to have ED. Males with ED had longer total anesthesia times. ED was associated with longer phase I times in ASA I patients.
Spectroscopic Study on the Species and Color Differences of Gem-Quality Red Garnets from Malawi
Authors: Li Ming
Published: September 2022

To reveal the species of gem-grade red garnets with similar colors, especially the mechanisms underlying their subtle color differences, a series of tests, including conventional gemological tests, X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, were performed on gem-grade red garnets mined from Malawi. The results demonstrated that the color difference is not caused by the difference in species, and both the purplish-red and maroon-red garnets were magnesium-aluminum garnets (pyrope). They both contained the transition metal ions Fe2+, Mn2+, Fe3+, and Cr3+, with Fe2+ and Mn2+ occupying crystal site A and Fe3+ and Cr3+ occupying crystal site B. Cr3+ absorption peaks were observed at 367 and 690 nm; Fe3+ absorption peaks were observed at 502, 528, and 570 nm; and Mn2+ absorption peaks were observed at 400, 423, and 460 nm, which contributed to their respective colors. However, while the maroon-red pyrope had a larger Fe2+/Fe3+ ratio than the purplish-red pyrope, it lacked Mn2+ ions, which is the cause of the color difference between the two pyrope garnets. To date, the study of color differences in red garnets remains a major controversial topic. This study proposed an innovative spectroscopic approach, particularly the combination of ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thus providing a novel methodology for investigating color differences in red garnets.
A Three-Gene Signature for Predicting the Prognosis of Patients Treated with Transarterial Chemoembolization (TACE) and Identification of PD-184352 as a Potential Drug to Reverse Nonresponse to TACE
Authors: Xia Zicong , Zhao Wenjing , Liu Jibin , Zhang Jing , Pan Jing , Chen Kang , Wang Lele , Zhao Hui , Chen Xiaoqing
Published: September 2022

Background. Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is a first-line treatment for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Owing to differences in its efficacy across individuals, determining the indicators of patient response to TACE and finding approaches to reversing nonresponse thereto are necessary. Methods. Transcriptome data were obtained from the GSE104580 dataset, in which patients were marked as having TACE response or nonresponse. We identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and performed Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis. We screened genes with a prognostic value for TACE in the HIF-1 signaling pathway by univariate regression analysis. By using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression, we established a multigene signature in GSE14520, which we verified using a drug sensitivity test. The Connectivity Map (CMap) database was used to find potential drugs to reverse nonresponse to TACE. Results. We constructed a prognostic signature consisting of three genes (erythropoietin (EPO), heme oxygenase 1 (HMOX1), and serine protease inhibitor 1 (SERPINE1)) that we validated by drug sensitivity test. After dividing patients treated with TACE into high- and low-risk groups based on this new signature, we showed that overall survival (OS) of the high-risk group was significantly lower than that of the low-risk group and that the risk score was an independent predictor of OS in patients treated with TACE. Based on our CMap findings, we speculated that PD-184352, an inhibitor of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK), had potential as a drug treatment to reverse nonresponse to TACE. We confirmed this speculation by using PD-184352 in a cell promotion experiment in a TACE environment. Conclusion. We constructed a TACE-specific three-gene signature that could be used to predict HCC patients’ responses to and prognosis after TACE treatment. PD-184352 might have potential as a drug to improve TACE efficacy.
Analysis of the Coupling Coordination and Spatiotemporal Evolution of High‐Tech Industrial Technological Innovation and Regional Economic Development
Authors: Yuan Xu-Mei , Wei Fu-Li , Li Hui , An Ying
Published: September 2022

Improving the coordination between technological innovation in high‐tech industries and regional economic development is an important measure for all provinces (cities) to implement the innovation‐driven development strategy. Based on the analysis of the mechanism of high‐tech industrial technological innovation and regional economic development, this paper constructs the measurement index system of high‐tech industrial technological innovation and regional economic development, and the chain network DEA model, entropy weight method, coupling coordination model, and exploratory spatial data analysis technology are comprehensively used to empirically analyze the technological innovation efficiency of high‐tech industries, regional economic development level, and the coupling coordination relationship between them and the spatiotemporal evolution trend in 24 provinces (cities) of China from 2009 to 2018. The results show that (1) there are significant differences in the average level of technological innovation efficiency of high‐tech industry in each stage, which is the most prominent in the technology research and development stage, followed by the industrialization stage, and finally in the technology transformation stage. (2) The degree of coupling and coordination between high‐tech industrial technological innovation and regional economic development is increasing year by year, which is in the adaptation stage of high‐tech industrial technological innovation and regional economic development. (3) From the perspective of spatial pattern, there is a positive spatial autocorrelation between the coupling coordination degree of high‐tech industrial technological innovation and regional economic development. The number of provinces (cities) with low coupling coordination degree is much larger than that with high coupling coordination degree, showing a serious imbalance of regional heterogeneity and forming two spatial aggregation areas of “high‐high” diffusion effect and “low‐low” low‐speed growth.
On the Solution of Region-Based Straight-Line Mechanism Design Optimization
Authors: Qian Weixiang , Yang Yinshuo , Gong Xiaoyan , Jin Zhichao , Qu Zhuocheng
Published: September 2022

A universal design method for synthesis problems of mechanisms that realize the approximate straight-line trajectory is presented in this paper. First, given the expected straight line and prescribed fixed pivots, a general mathematics model with angles as design parameters to determine the initial position of two side links is established, through which all infinite possible straight-line mechanisms are obtained. Then, kinematic constraints are imposed, including type, transmission angle, size, straightness, and defect. All feasible solution mechanisms that meet the constraints are calculated and can be expressed in solution regions. It is intuitive and comprehensive for designers to observe the distribution pattern of the solution. In the end, an optimal high-precision straight-line mechanism can be selected in the feasible solution regions by setting an optimization aim. The second-order osculating mechanism synthesis method can provide more solutions for designers, but designers can use the third-order osculating mechanism synthesis method when a higher straightness requirement is imposed. This method addresses the synthesis problem of this kind of mechanism for straight-line guidance and the problem of choosing an optimal solution from an infinite number of solutions.
Green and Energy‐Saving Ecological Reconstruction Design of Existing Buildings in Cities in Severe Cold Areas
Authors: Zhang Huan , Yang Tao
Published: September 2022

In order to improve the overall structural stability and thermal insulation capacity of existing buildings in severe cold areas, green energy‐saving ecological transformation methods of existing buildings in severe cold areas are proposed. The concrete stress analysis method of the joints in the frame is used to calculate the bearing capacity and prestress of the beam‐column joints. Based on the method of parameter analysis, the calculation model of shear capacity is established. The embedded anchoring method is adopted to realize the equal strength connection of beam‐column joints. Increase the unbalanced moment between reinforcement and steel plate, and improve the stability and reliability of beam‐column joint fixation. The overall structural optimization method of joint shear performance is adopted to reduce the distance between lap reinforcement and steel plate, so as to realize the green energy‐saving ecological transformation design of existing urban buildings in severe cold areas. The test results show that the service stress and tensile resistance of the reconstructed existing building area are higher than 60, the tensile capacity is good, and the slip of the lap reinforcement is effectively controlled. At the same time, this method improves the stability of beam‐column elements and the overall thermal insulation performance of existing buildings in cities in severe cold areas. The next research will focus on the transformation of other structures.
A High-Efficiency Deep-Learning-Based Antivibration Hammer Defect Detection Model for Energy-Efficient Transmission Line Inspection Systems
Authors: Zhou Fangrong , Wen Gang , Qian Guochao , Ma Yutang , Pan Hao , Liu Jing , Li Jiaying
Published: September 2022

Automated inspection using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is an essential means to ensure safe operations of the power grid. Defect detection for antivibration hammers on transmission lines in inspection imagery is one of the critical tasks for automated UAV inspection. It needs a machine interpretation system to automatically detect numerous inspection images. In this paper, a high-efficiency model based on Cascade RCNN (region-convolutional neural network) is proposed to detect antivibration hammer defects with reduced costs and speedier response, which applies in energy-efficient transmission line inspection systems. Firstly, to reduce computational costs, this study modifies the Cascade RCNN with a probabilistic interpretation to achieve the best trade-off between the inference time and average precision. Secondly, an antivibration hammer defect detector (AVHDD) model is proposed that uses a deep layer aggregation-based feature extraction network and a highly effective weighted bidirectional feature fusion network to replace the original ResNet and FPN on the modified Cascade RCNN to further enhance the model performance. Finally, a fine classification (FC) scheme for the types of antivibration hammer defects is proposed based on defect features to rationalize the model. The AVHDD reached an experimental mAP of 97.24% when IoU = 0.75, which is 2.93% higher than the original Cascade RCNN, and the defect recall was 98.9% while also significantly improving the inference speed. Moreover, the experimental results indicate that the overall performance of the proposed model is superior to typical models, confirming its suitability for energy-efficient transmission line inspection systems.
Cardioprotective Mechanism and Active Compounds of Folium Ginkgo on Adriamycin-Induced Cardiotoxicity: A Network Pharmacology Study
Authors: Sun Xue , Zhu Yiming , Li Fang , Li Min , Wan Guoxing
Published: September 2022

Objective. To investigate the mechanism of Folium Ginkgo (FG) against adriamycin-induced cardiotoxicity (AIC) through a network pharmacology approach. Methods. Active ingredients of FG were screened by TCMSP, and the targets of active ingredient were collected by Genclip3 and HERB databases. AIC-related target genes were predicted by Genecards, OMIM, and CTD databases. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed by STRING platform and imported into Cytoscape software to construct the FG-active ingredients-targets-AIC network, and CytoNCA plug-in was used to analyze and identify the core target genes. The Metascape platform was used for transcription factor, GO and signaling pathway enrichment analysis. Results. 27 active ingredients of FG and 1846 potential targets were obtained and 358 AIC target genes were retrieved. The intersection of FG and AIC targets resulted in 218 target genes involved in FG action. The top 5 active ingredients with most targets were quercetin, luteolin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, and sesamin. After constructing the FG-active ingredients-targets-AIC network, CytoNCA analysis yielded 51 core targets, of which the top ranked target was STAT3. Ninety important transcription factors were enriched by transcription factor enrichment analysis, including RELA, TP53, NFKB1, SP1, JUN, STAT3, etc. The results of GO enrichment analysis showed that the effective active ingredient targets of FG were involved in apoptotic signaling, response to growth factor, cellular response to chemical stress, reactive oxygen species metabolic process, etc. The signaling pathway enrichment analysis showed that there were many signaling pathways involved in AIC, mainly including pathways in cancer, FOXO signaling pathway, AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications, signaling by interleukins, and PI3K-AKT signaling pathway,. Conclusions. The study based on a network pharmacology approach demonstrates that the possible mechanisms of FG against AIC are the involvement of multicomponents, multitargets, and multipathways, and STAT3 may be a key target. Further experiments are needed to verify the results.
Diagnostic Value of IGFBP-2 in Predicting Preeclampsia before 20 Weeks of Pregnancy: A Prospective Nested Case-Control Study
Authors: Gao Fei , Yin Jiaye , Long Yan , Zhu Sufei , Huang Zhenting , Wang Jielin , Zheng Hao , Wang Wen , Zheng Lei
Published: September 2022

Backgroud. Preeclampsia (PE) is a critical type of hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, which seriously affects maternal and infant health. The etiology of PE is unclear, and there is no clear prediction model. In this study, new biomarkers were identified before 20 weeks of gestation to construct an early PE prediction model. Purpose. To identify novel biomarker insulin-like growth factor binding protein-2 (IGFBP-2) associated with preeclampsia (PE) before 20 weeks of gestation and to explore the predictive value of plasma IGFBP-2 in PE. Methods. A prospective nested case-control investigation involving 122 PE patients and 122 normal controls (NC) that were matched 1 : 1 in terms of age and week of pregnancy was carried out in Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center (Guangzhou, China, 2018030306) from April 2016 to December 2019. At 8 to 20 weeks, blood samples from the mother were taken. To calculate the correlations, univariate conditional logistic regression was employed. Results. Herein, 12 clinical indices were significantly different between the PE and NC groups (uric acid (UA), cystatin C (Cys C), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT), total bilirubin (TB), prothrombin time (PT), red blood cell (RBC), hematocrit (HCT), red cell distribution width (RDW), platelets (PLT), mean platelet volume (MPV), and thrombocytocrit (PCT)). Compared with the NC group (

36.79
±
19.91

 pg/mL), the expression level of IGFBP2 in the PE group (

19.76
±
19.40

 pg/mL) before 20 weeks of pregnancy was significantly decreased (

P
<
0.01

). Two high-risk factors were found to be significantly associated with PE independently of confounders: anemia 4.35 (2.20-8.45) (

P
<
0.01

) and cesarean section history 8.25 (2.67-26.67) (

P
<
0.01

). As a result of the univariate logistic regression analysis, the following three variables were included in the final logistic regression model.:

Y
=
−
18.841
−
0.085
×

IGFBP
‐
2

+
0.630
×

RDW

+
0.165
×

AST

+
0.863
×

MPV

. In comparison to IGFBP-2 alone as an independent predictor of PE (

AUC
=
0.897

, 95% CI 0.830–0.964), the model’s discriminatory power was considerably higher (

AUC
=
0.953

, 95% CI 0.911–0.995). Conclusion. Plasma IGFBP-2 before 20 weeks of pregnancy combined with high-risk factors and routine blood indexes has a high early predictive value for PE.