bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Establishing the Need for Anticipatory Symptom Guidance and Networked Models of Disease in Adaptive Family Management Among Children With Medical Complexity: Qualitative Study
Authors: Keim-Malpass Jessica , Lunsford Christopher , Letzkus Lisa C , Scheer Eleanore , Valdez Rupa S
Published: October 2023

Background

Caregivers of children with medical complexity navigate complex family management tasks for their child both in the hospital and home-based setting. The roles and relationships of members of their social network and the dynamic evolution of these family management tasks have been underexamined.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to explore the structures and processes of family management among caregivers of children with medical complexity, with a focus on the underlying dynamic nature of family management practices and the role of members of their social network.

Methods

This study used a qualitative approach to interview caregivers of children with medical complexity and members of their social network. Caregivers of children with medical complexity were recruited through an academic Children’s Hospital Complex Care Clinic in the mid-Atlantic region and interviewed over a period of 1 to 3 days. Responses were analyzed using constructivist grounded theory and situational analysis to construct a new conceptual model. Only caregiver responses are reported here.

Results

In total, 20 caregivers were included in this analysis. Caregiver perspectives revealed the contextual processes that allowed for practices of family management within the setting of rapidly evolving symptoms and health concerns. The dynamic and adaptive nature of this process is a key underlying action supporting this novel conceptual model. The central themes underpinning the adaptive family management model include symptom cues, ongoing surveillance, information gathering, and acute on chronic health concerns. The model also highlights facilitators and threats to successful family management among children with medical complexity and the networked relationship among the structures and processes.

Conclusions

The adaptive family management model provides a basis for further quantitative operationalization and study. Previously described self- or family management frameworks do not account for the underlying dynamic nature of the disease trajectory and the developmental stage progression of the child or adolescent, and our work extends existing work. For future work, there is a defined role for technology-enhanced personalized approaches to home-based monitoring. Due to the disparities caregivers and the children in this population already experience, technology-enhanced approaches must be built alongside key stakeholders with an equity orientation to technology co-development.

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

RR2-10.2196/14810
Reasons for Crown Failures in Primary Teeth: Protocol for a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (Preprint)
Authors: Lampl Stephan , Gurunathan Deepa , Krithikadatta Jogikalmat , Mehta Deepak , Moodley Desigar
Published: October 2023

BACKGROUND

There is a tendency nowadays to restore large defects in primary dentition with pediatric crowns instead of conventional restorations. Thus, understanding the factors contributing to the survival or failure of dental crowns in pediatric dentistry is essential for optimizing treatment outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective of this protocol is to outline the methodological approach for analyzing data from observational studies and randomized controlled trials to investigate reasons for the failure of dental crowns in primary teeth and to compute their survival and failure rates.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature review will be performed in electronic databases, including PubMed (MEDLINE), Cochrane, Embase, and Web of Science. As per predefined inclusion criteria, we will include observational studies (prospective clinical studies) and randomized clinical trials that have an English abstract and involve children aged 1-10 years undergoing crown restorations. Two independent reviewers will independently screen all retrieved records and full-text articles and extract data. The study’s methodological quality will be appraised using suitable tools. Assessments of publication bias will be performed using funnel plots. The findings will be described qualitatively for the systematic review. If possible, a meta-analysis will be performed to estimate failure rates by dividing the number of failures by the total exposure time. A Poisson regression model, assuming constant event rates, will be used to compute 3-year and 5-year survival proportions. The Pearson goodness-of-fit statistics will be used to assess the heterogeneity of the model. A P value <.05 will be considered significant. All analyses will be performed using R Statistical software (version 4.1.2; R Core Team).

RESULTS

This systematic review and synthesis aim to assess the survival and failure rates of dental crowns in pediatric dentistry. By following this rigorous methodology, we seek to provide valuable insights into the factors contributing to the success or failure of these restorations. The results of our full review will have implications for pediatric dentists, researchers, and policy makers, helping to improve dental care for children.

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review protocol helps in establishing a thorough approach for reviewing failures in pediatric crowns. By following this methodology, standardization and transparency of the process as well as accountability for the stated methods and outcomes will be ensured. The findings of this review and analysis will provide useful data on the survival of crowns to pediatric dentists and researchers.

CLINICALTRIAL

PROSPERO CRD42023442266; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=442266

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT

PRR1-10.2196/51505
Progressive Collapse Analysis of Reinforced Concrete Multistoried Frame Structure
Authors: Jadhav Shubham M. , Gosavi Prof. S. A. , Deshmukh Dr. M. G.
Published: October 2023

Abstract: The objective of this project is to analyze the progressive collapse behavior of 10 story reinforced concrete frame structures by removing column suddenly from different locations, as per the GSA guidelines. To achieve this, a structural model of the building has been developed in ETABS version 18.1.1 and loads are applied as per GSA guidelines. The design and detailing of the structure are done in accordance with IS codes, using the special moment-resistant frame linear static analysis method. In accordance with GSA guidelines, three-column removal scenarios have been studied on the ground floor, including the removal of a Corner column, Middle column of longer and Middle column of shorter side. The Demand/Capacity ratios (DCR) for each member have been calculated using the linear static analysis method. Members with a DCR ratio greater than 2 are expected to fail in a similar column removal case. Past studies have revealed that shear in a beam and columns are not crucial in progressive collapse. However, the linear static analysis method has demonstrated that beams are prone to fail in flexure.
A Research Paper on Crop Disease Detection Using Deep Learning Model
Authors: Batham Suraj , Sharma Avdesh Kumar , Rathore Dr. Abhishek Singh
Published: October 2023

Abstract: Crop disease detection is the process of identifying and classifying plant diseases from images or other data. This can be done manually or using automated methods. Manual methods typically involve a human expert visually inspecting the plant and identifying the disease. Automated methods use computer vision algorithms to identify the disease from images or other data. Crop diseases pose a significant threat to global food security by causing substantial yield losses and reduced quality in agricultural production. Timely and accurate detection of crop diseases is crucial to mitigate these losses and ensure sustainable agricultural practices. In recent years, advancements in sensor technology, data analysis techniques, and machine learning algorithms have enabled the development of various methods for crop disease detection. This survey paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art techniques, methodologies, and challenges in the field of crop disease detection. The paper begins by introducing the importance of crop disease detection in modern agriculture and its impact on both economic and environmental aspects. It then categorizes the existing detection methods into several key approaches, including visual inspection, spectroscopy, image analysis, and sensor-based techniques. For each approach, the paper discusses its underlying principles, advantages, limitations, and representative studies.
Preconditions for radiomics-based approach in differential diagnosis of pancreatic cystic lesions: critical evaluation of meta-analyses and international guidelines
Authors: Kovalenko A. A. , Karmazanovsky G. G.
Published: October 2023

INTRODUCTION: Pancreatic cystic lesions (PCLs) are a heterogenous group of lesions ranging from benign to malignant with variable histological, pathomorphological and prognostic characteristics. The development and improvement of radiation methods provides a great opportunity to diagnose such neoplasms. However, there are still difficulties in differential diagnosis and prediction malignant potential in pancreatic cyst subtypes due to their similar radiation characteristics.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the diagnostic performane and difficulties of differentiating PCLs by invasive and non-invasive radiological methods. To determine the preconditions for radiomics-based approach in differential diagnosis of pancreatic cystic lesions based on a review and analysis of international guidelines.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched for scientific publications in the PubMed and Springer information and analytical systems for 2009–2023 by keywords: «pancreatic tumors», «pancreatic cyst», «pancreatic cystic lesion», «pancreatic radiomics», «intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm», «pancreatic cystadenoma». As a result, 49 articles were selected for analysis.

RESULTS: Despite the high potential of modern non-invasive radiation methods in the detection of pancreatic cysts, differentiation of PCLs subtypes is still very difficult. Due to the variability of international guidelines and a lack of their specificity, there is no universal consensus for management PCLs. In this regard, introduction new alternative diagnostic methods and markers is an important direction of research. At the moment, the assessment of the malignant potential of PCLs is comes down to only two main signs — the main pancreatic duct diameter and the vascularized solid component.

CONCLUSION: Currently, common semiotic features, limitations of invasive diagnostic methods and increasing risks of recurrence and malignancy dictate the need to apply new diagnostic approaches to evaluation of PCLs. Searching and introduction new markers will allow us to analyze the lesion structure, to stratify risks and long-term prognosis more accurately. Textural image analysis is a new and promising noninvasive method with high power. This tool plays an important role to estimate those structural parameters which are impossible to judge according to the standard radiologic features, and to offset the problems of traditional diagnostic approach.
The intraoperative visualisation technique during lead implantation into the cardiac conductive system: aspects of computed tomography: prospective study
Authors: Medved M. S. , Rud S. D. , Trufanov G. E. , Lebedev D. S.
Published: October 2023

INTRODUCTION: The lead implantation into the cardiac conduction system (CCS) is the most physiological method of pacing nowadays. «The method of intraoperative visualization and control of the lead position for permanent electrocardiostimulation during implantation of the lead in the CCS» has been developed for reduce the number of non-targeted implantations. This method based on the integration into the angiograph system 3D-reconstruction of the heart converted to computed tomography (CT) in the form of a mask against the background of fluoroscopy. CT is an important stage of the intraoperative visualization technique (IVT).

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to adapt the protocol of CT examination of the heart with contrast to construct a partially segmented 3D-reconstruction of the heart on an angiographic complex for subsequent use during of the lead implantation in the CCS within the framework of the author’s IVT.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: As part of the development of the IVT, 21 CT studies of the heart were selected from own database. The step of the gradient of the density difference of the contrasted blood is about 10 HU, the range of the difference of densitometric parameters of the «left ventricle (LV) — right ventricle (RV)» from 0 HU to 200 HU. As well as selected 11 CT studies of the heart. The step of the gradient of the difference of densitometric indicators the contrasted blood in «the RV cavity  — myocardium» is about 10 HU, the range is from 0 HU to 100 HU. All CT scans are alternately loaded into the angiograph, followed by the creation of a 3D model of the heart using basic software.

RESULTS: It’s necessary to exceed the degree of contrast of the LV cavity over the RV cavity by at least 80 HU to perform partial segmentation on the left and right chambers of a 3D-model of the heart in an angiographic complex that does not have a specialized segmentation module. A sufficiently large part of the left ventricular cavity (LV) disappears with a smaller gradient when the right ventricular cavity (RV) is suppressed. The minimum gradient of «the ventricular cavity — myocardium» is at least 20 HU. The boundaries of the right ventricular edge of the interventricular septum (IVS) are not visualized with a smaller contrast gradient. It’s important for determining the insertion place of the lead into the IVS.

CONCLUSION: It’s necessary to exceed the contrast of the LV cavities above the RV cavity by at least 80 HU, the RV cavity above the myocardium by at least 20 HU to perform partial segmentation on the left and right chambers of a 3D-model of the heart in an angiographic complex that does not have a specialized segmentation module
Мысовой «фасад» Затверечья в столице Верхневолжья: от средневековья до наших дней
Authors: Салимов Алексей , Салимова Марина
Published: October 2023

В статье рассматривается один из ключевых градоформирующих комплексов Твери - созданный в конце XX века на базе приходского храма ансамбль Екатерининского монастыря, расположенного в месте слияния рек Тверцы и Волги. История этой территории прослеживается, начиная с эпохи средневековья, затем фиксируется её расцвет в конце XVIII - на­чале XIX века, говорится о причинах стагнации во второй половине XIX - начале XX столетия и об утрате значительного числа сооружений мысового комплекса во время Великой Отечественной войны. Особое внимание в работе уделяется роли этого места в деле создания пристани в районе церкви Екатерины Великомученицы ещё в средневековье, обусловленной удобным причалом и, как следствие, наличием здесь немалого числа лоцманов для проводки судов по реке Тверце до Вышнего Во­лочка, а затем к строящемуся Петербургу. Отсюда - не только концентрация торговых и ремесленных функций, численный рост представителей этих профессий, но и приоритет в застройке данного узла каменными домами после кардинального реформирования Затверечья зодчими екатерининского времени на основе новых, «регулярных» градостроительных прин­ципов. Предлагаемая читателю статья лишь первая часть большой работы, посвящённой мысовому ансамблю в Затверечье.
Памяти Кристофера Александера
Authors: Бембель Ирина
Published: October 2023

В статье предпринята попытка окинуть цельным взглядом наследие известного теоретика архитектуры Кристофера Александера спустя год после его кончины. Автор раскрывает значимость его без преувеличения революционных идей и анализирует причины отсутствия полноценной научной дискуссии вокруг них. В основу рассуждений положены апелляции к базовой работе Александера «Природа порядка», важнейшей для понимания других, более конкретных положений Александера – в частности, тех, что содержатся в «Языке шаблонов». Ориентиром для Александера является природа как сложно организованное целое, критерием – её красота. В своей критике современной архитектуры Александер выстраивает многоуровневую систему причинно-следственной связи, охватывающую практически все уровни бытия. Автор считает этот уникальный подход одним из факторов, затрудняющих «диалог» с Александером: его сложно охватить, а охватив, сложно отрицать строгую логику концепции. В итоге положения Александера остаются практически «под спудом» и всё ещё ожидают своего подлинного открытия.
Bryozoans in fouling communities on artificial substrates in Kazachya bay of the Black Sea
Authors: Lebedovskaya Margarita V.
Published: October 2023

Study of the formation of fouling communities on artificial substrates is actual due to the development of mariculture in the Black Sea. Some representatives of macrofoulers are able to influence the process of colonization and development of cultivated organisms. Purpose of work. The main tasks of the study are the revealing the peculiarities of the formation of the fouling community on the experimental plates of the various materials in the environment of the Kazachya bay in the Black Sea and the role of bryozoans in the fouling community. Materials and methods. The experimental plates which were made from the different materials (plastic, aluminum, rubber, galvanized iron) were installed in September 2017 at a depth of 5 m in Kazachya bay (Black Sea). The plates were lifted every month during the year, a total of 480 plates were examined. Results. The peculiarities of the formation of the fouling community on the experimental plates of different materials in the Kazachya bay (Black Sea) were studied. Totally, 22 species were found in the macrofouling community formed on the experimental plates in the Kazachya bay during the year, comprising the following 8 taxa: hydroid polyps - 1, barnacles - 1, sea anemones - 1, bryozoans - 4, polychaetes - 4, bivalve mollusks - 1, tunicates - 2, macrophytes - 8. During the year, the succession of the fouling community of the experimental plates developed through the stage of dominance of microorganisms - barnacle Amphibalanus improvisus , and then - bryozoan Cryptosula pallasiana. Conclusion: the bryozoan Cryptosula pallasiana is the dominant species in the fouling community at four to twelve months old at a depth of five meters.
Study and analysis of the resistance of Enterococcus bacteria to antibiotics
Authors: Uskova Svetlana S. , Martynova Alina V. , Kim Aleksandra V.
Published: October 2023

Enterococci have acquired resistance to almost all classes of antibiotics. The purpose of this study was to study and analyze the resistance of Enterococcus bacteria to antibiotics isolated from Vladivostok water bodies. The antibiotic resistance of 70 strains of the genus Enterococcus to such antibiotics as tetracycline, streptomycin, erythromycin, ampicillin, levofloxacin, rifampicin, gentamicin, vancomycin was studied by disco diffusion. It turned out that in b. In the b. Zolotoy Rog, more than half of the isolated strains were resistant to streptomycin, erythromycin, and levofloxacin, and in the r. Vtoraya Rechka, more than 50 % of the strains were resistant to streptomycin and rifampicin. The isolated population of enterococcal strains was characterized by multiple resistance to two antibiotics (41 %) in the Second River and three or more antibiotics (45 %) in the Golden River. The most common was resistance to a combination of antibiotics such as streptomycin, rifampicin and erythromycin.
Assessment of ecosystem services for climate regulation: case study of the Madu Ganga wetlands
Authors: Kirsanov Trofim S. , Popkova Anna V. , Ranasinghe Hemanthi
Published: October 2023

The ecosystem services assessment plays one of the key role in the modern concept of sustainable development, including combat climate change and achievement carbon neutrality, since the value assessment of all benefits and risks from ecosystem services is the most visible for decision makers (business and government). Mangrove forests in developing countries, such as Sri Lanka, are important factor in achieving carbon neutrality. The purpose of present investigation was the economic assessment of climate regulation services on the example of the Madu Ganga wetlands (Sri Lanka). The carbon stock was calculated as the marginal cost of reducing carbon emissions, and the sequestration was assessed through the calculation of the carbon social cost or the marginal cost of damage. As a result, the high cost of carbon storage by the Madu Ganga wetlands was revealed - approximately, it amounted to $153,341,221. The cost of the ES for carbon sequestration was $2,153,424. The total cost of services to regulate the carbon cycle of the Madu Ganga wetlands was $155,494,645, or 0.18% of the nominal GDP of the island of Sri Lanka for 2021. The high value of the mangrove forests of Madu Ganga shows their crucial role in achieving carbon neutrality within the framework of the concept of sustainable development.
Ecological and chemical assessment of the state of the Desna river by bottom sediments on the example of the Bryansk region, Non-Chernozem region of the Russian Federation
Authors: Plakhotin Aleksey S. , Anishchenko Lidia N.
Published: October 2023

Studies of the state of bottom soils of the city Desna river (Bryansk) were carried out as part of the recommended studies of state environmental monitoring. The purpose of the work is to identify the current state of the urban watercourse on the basis of ecological and analytical indicators of bottom soils for diagnosing the state of the surface waters of the Desna river. The study of the bottom sediments of the Desna river in the reference areas (cross-sections) showed that the content of heavy metals is within the normal range. The exception is the section of the river in the background region. The excess of concentrations for cobalt and chromium is 8.0 and 1.1 times from the established standards. The highest content of titanium oxide, chromium and cobalt was noted in samples on the right bank of the Desna river in the background area, which indicates that the area is silty. On average, the excess of chromium in spring was 7.5 times, and in summer - 8 times. For cobalt, the excess of the indicator compared to the maximum allowable amounted to 1.1 times throughout the entire spring-summer period. For the first time, the data of three-year studies on the state of bottom sediments are summarized, allowing the development of effective environmental programs and the creation of a constantly updated monitoring base.
Keteladanan Guru dan Implikasinya terhadap Kecerdasan Emosional Siswa SDIT Teuku Umar Meulaboh Kabupaten Aceh Barat
Authors: ND Ruslan
Published: October 2023

Teachers are educators who can become role models for students and their environment. Teachers’ exemplary attitudes in educating are part of powerful and effective methods in preparing and shaping the moral, spiritual, and social aspects of the students. Teachers are an ideal example in the view of their students, with their behavior and manners often imitated. Whether the students realize it or not, all of these exemplary behaviors will be instilled within themselves and their feelings and manifested both in words and actions. This study used a qualitative approach. The data came from primary and secondary sources, collected through observation and interview. The subjects in this study included male and female students, homeroom teachers, and school principals at SDIT (integrated Islamic elementary school) Teuku Umar Meulaboh, West Aceh District. The results of the study showed that: 1) The actualization of role modeling carried out by the teachers at the SDIT included courtesy, greetings, interpersonal acts, discipline, handshaking, and establishing rapport with the students; 2) The obstacles in developing the emotional intelligence of the students at the SDIT consisted of bad influences from non-educational entertainment, family, and friends as well as environment. The solutions for these included collaboration of teachers and parents, in which both the school and the parents were open to receiving input/opinions; and 3) The implication of teachers’ role-modeling in learning on the emotional intelligence of the students at the SDIT is that the teachers as role models motivate the students to learn and behave well so that the students can have a capital for developing exemplary daily behaviors.
Parásitos gastrointestinales con potencial zoonótico en caninos con propietario que asisten a la clínica veterinaria UDES-Valledupar
Authors: Petro Hernández Victor Gerardo , Cotes Saucedo Arianny Juliza , Paul Blanco Angélica María , Acosta Usta María Adelaida , Portillo Paba Jenny Alexandra
Published: October 2023

Contextualización: Los parásitos gastrointestinales son comunes en perros y pueden representar un riesgo para la salud pública debido a la transmisión potencial a los humanos. Estos parásitos son un desafío en la medicina veterinaria debido a sus graves signos clínicos en perros infectados. Vacío de conocimiento: a partir de la necesidad de estudios continuos y diversificados en diferentes poblaciones caninas para comprender mejor la prevalencia de parásitos gastrointestinales y su impacto en la salud pública. Propósito: El propósito principal del estudio fue analizar la prevalencia de parásitos gastrointestinales zoonóticos en perros atendidos en una clínica veterinaria específica (UDES). El estudio busca identificar los parásitos presentes y su potencial para afectar la salud pública. Metodología: El estudio se llevó a cabo mediante un enfoque descriptivo de corte transversal que implicó la recopilación y análisis de muestras de heces caninas para determinar la presencia de parásitos. Las técnicas utilizadas se incluyeron en Excel y el programa SPSS. Resultados y Conclusiones: Los resultados mostraron una prevalencia del 38.2% de parásitos gastrointestinales en los perros estudiados, con un 30.9% de estos parásitos siendo potencialmente zoonóticos. Los nematodos, como Toxocara canis y Anquilostomas spp., fueron los más destacados en términos de zoonosis. Se destaca la necesidad de realizar más estudios, incluyendo diferentes poblaciones de perros, y se sugiere la implementación de enfoques One Health para abordar eficazmente el diagnóstico, tratamiento, control y prevención de estos parásitos.
Performance Analysis and Comparison of Node.Js and Java Spring Boot in Implementation of Restful Applications
Authors: S Shyam Mohan J , Goswami Krishanu
Published: October 2023

The response time of a website has an impact on the overall user
experience. Slow-loading or unresponsive applications can quickly
frustrate and alienate users, leading to dissatisfaction and potentially
driving them away. Conversely, fast and efficient applications can
greatly enhance user engagement, satisfaction, and ultimately contribute
to the success of an online business. The main objective of this work is
to check and compare the performance between Node.js and Java Spring
Boot, in the context of implementing RESTful applications. REST
(Representational State Transfer) has emerged as a dominant
architectural style for building web services due to its simplicity,
scalability, and compatibility with the stateless nature of the web. To
achieve this objective, both implementations were created with an
identical business use case, aiming to provide the fundamental CRUD
operations (Create, Read, Update, and Delete). To conduct the
performance analysis, Apache JMeter tool is used that enables the
creation of a diverse set of concurrent virtual users, simulating
real-world scenarios to load both applications at regular intervals. By
subjecting the applications to varying user loads, it can be assessed
how each platform performs under different workloads and identify
potential bottlenecks and areas for improvement. The results obtained
suggest that Node.js excels in faster response times for HTTP GET, ideal
for read operations. However, Spring Boot outperforms Node.js for
complex operations like POST, PUT, and DELETE under higher user loads.
Both faced challenges at 64000 virtual users, with error rates from 10%
to 75%, but Spring showed better error handling. Spring required fewer
lines of code, benefiting from its environment and dependencies.
Resource utilization in Node.js proved to be efficient with CPU load
below 40% even under heavy loads. Spring on the other hand provided
better response times, exhibited higher CPU usage at times, suggesting
more resource-intensive optimization. The comparison emphasizes the
importance of technology stack choice in development, speed and
performance. The findings serve as a basis for developers to make
informed decisions when selecting the appropriate technology stack based
on specific project requirements, workload considerations, and
performance expectations.
Optimization of catalyst layer thickness in CO2 electroreduction
Authors: Hu Qing , Yan Shenglin , Lin Jing , Wei Zhihang , Wu Yurong , Cheng Zhenmin
Published: October 2023

As a complex system involving three phases, the performance of CO2
electroreduction (CO2ER) is commonly constrained by mass transfer
limitations originated from the low solubility of CO2 in aqueous
electrolytes. Although some work has been carried out on mass transfer
limitation, the underlying mechanism remains ambiguous. In this paper, a
mass transfer model based on the Nernst-Planck equation was established
to provide species concentration profiles within the catalyst layer and
the internal effectiveness factor η was calculated to quantify the
severity of mass transfer restrictions. The effects of catalyst layer
thickness, diffusion layer thickness, and buffer concentration on CO2ER
were evaluated based on η. Results show that the internal mass transfer
is obvious in the catalyst layer. Increasing catalyst layer thickness
only has a marginal benefit on current density — a thin catalyst layer
(of about 15 μm) can give an excellent performance under an acceptable
mass transfer limitation.
The Skin Microbiome in Pediatric Atopic Dermatitis and Food Allergy
Authors: Tham Elizabeth Huiwen , Chia Minghao , Riggioni Carmen , Nagarajan Niranjan , Common John E. , Kong Heidi H
Published: October 2023

The skin microbiome is an extensive community of bacteria, fungi, mites,
and viruses colonizing the skin. Fluctuations in the composition of the
skin microbiome have been observed in atopic dermatitis (AD) and food
allergy (FA), particularly in early life, established disease, and
associated with therapeutics. However, AD is a multifactorial disease
characterized by skin barrier aberrations modulated by genetics,
immunology, and environmental influences, thus the skin microbiome is
not the sole feature of this disease. Future research should focus on
mechanistic understanding of how early life skin microbial shifts may
influence AD and FA onset, to guide potential early intervention
strategies or as microbial biomarkers to identify high-risk infants who
may benefit from possible microbiome-based biotherapeutic strategies.
Harnessing skin microbes as AD biotherapeutics is an emerging field, but
more work is needed to investigate whether this approach can lead to
sustained clinical responses.
Insights into risk factors of medical abortion: A Mendelian randomization study
Authors: shao Fengping
Published: October 2023

Objective: To explore the potential factors that contribute to
the occurrence of medical abortion(MA) through a Mendelian
randomization(MR) study. Design: Univariate MR(UVMR) and
multivariate MR(MVMR) analyses. Setting: Genetic variants from
European populations. Population or Sample: Instrumental
variants for MA were obtained from FinnGen with 36,232 cases and 149,622
controls. Methods: The inverse variance weighting method was
adopted as the primary analysis. Main outcome measures: The
associations of MA with household income(HI), education attainment(EA),
cognitive performance(CP), risky behaviors: smoking behavior(SB),
alcohol consumption(AC), and reproductive traits: age at first sexual
intercourse(AFS), lifetime number of sexual partners(LNSP), age at first
birth(AFB), age at last birth(ALB). Results: In the UVMR,
increasing HI, EA, AFS and AFB appeared to reduce MA risk(HI, OR=0.569,
P = 7.93E-08; EA, OR=0.875, P = 6.02E-21; AFS, OR=0.439, P = 5.17E-25;
AFB, OR=0.815, P = 5.46E-12), whereas SB and LNSP appeared to add to MA
risk((SB, OR=1.424, P =8.32E-11; LNSP, OR=2.777, P =2.14E-11). In the
MVMR, EA, SB, LNSP and AFS seems to be the predominant risk factor for
MA risk with the independent effect, while HI had no effect after
controlling EA(HI in model 1, OR=0.890, P = 5.78E-01). AFB functioned as
mediators in the causal chain of MA risk reduction by EA, with the
mediated proportion of AFS and AFB being 57.8%. Conclusions:
Our MR study demonstrated the causal potential of the associations of
HI, EA, SB, LNSP, AFS and AFB with medical abortion.
Boring systematics: a genome skimmed phylogeny of ctenostome bryozoans and their endolithic family Penetrantiidae with the description of one new species
Authors: Decker Sebastian Hellmuth , Saadi Ahmed , Baranyi Christian , Hirose Masato , Lemer Sarah , Sombke Andy , Aguilera-Muñoz Felipe , Vieira Leandro , Smith Abigail , Waeschenbach Andrea , Schwaha Thomas
Published: October 2023

Ctenostomes are a group of gymnolaemate bryozoans with an uncalcified
chitinous body wall having few external, skeletal characters. Hence,
species identification is challenging and their systematics remain
poorly understood, even more so when they exhibit an endolithic (boring)
lifestyle. Currently, there are four Recent families of endolithic
bryozoans that live inside in mineralized substrates like mollusk
shells. In particular, Penetrantiidae Silén, 1946 has received
considerable attention and its systematic affinity to either
cheilostomes or ctenostomes has been debated. Species delimitation of
penetrantiids remains difficult, owing to a high degree of colonial and
zooidal plasticity. Consequently, an additional molecular approach is
essential to unravel the systematics of penetrantiids, their
phylogenetic placement and their species diversity. We therefore
sequenced the mitochondrial (mt) genomes and two nuclear markers of 27
ctenostome species including nine penetrantiids. Our phylogeny supports
the Penetrantiidae as a monophyletic group placed as sister taxa to the
remaining ctenostomes alongside paludicellids and arachnoidids. Our
results also suggest that the endolithic lifestyle evolved at least
twice independently within ctenostomes, since the boring families
Terebriporidae d’Orbigny, 1847 and Penetrantiidae are well separated.
Ctenostome paraphyly is supported by our data, as the cheilostomes nest
within them. A Multiporata clade is also well supported, including the
former victorelloid genus Sundanella. Altogether, this study provides
new insights into ctenostome systematics, assists with species
delimitation and contributes to our understanding of the bryozoan tree
of life.
Functional reorganization of North American wintering avifauna
Authors: Quimbayo Juan Pablo , Murphy Stephen , Jarzyna Marta
Published: October 2023

Wintering birds serve as vital climate sentinels, yet they are often
underrepresented in comprehensive surveys and overlooked in studies of
avian diversity change. Here, we provide a continental-scale
characterization of change in multiple facets of wintering avifauna and
examine the effects of climate change on these dynamics. We reveal a
strong functional reorganization of wintering bird communities marked by
a distinct east-west gradient in functional diversity change, along with
a superimposed north-south gradient in trait composition change.
Assemblages in the eastern US saw an expansion of the functional space
and increases in functional originality, evenness, and divergence, while
the western US saw contractions of the functional space. Shifts in
functional diversity were underlined by significant reshuffling in trait
composition, particularly pronounced in the northern US. Finally, we
find strong contributions of climate change to this functional
reorganization, underscoring the importance of wintering birds in
tracking climate change impacts on biodiversity.
Continuous Biosynthesis of Myo-inositol by Hydrogel Based Multi-Enzyme System
Authors: Zheng Bo , Wu Xue , Ouyang Yinghan
Published: October 2023

We developed a multi-enzyme system to enhance the biosynthesis of
inositol by covalently immobilizing four purified enzymes on the
polyacrylamide hydrogel microparticles. The four purified enzymes form
an in vitro enzymatic pathway that converts starch to inositol.
Employing a continuous flow column reactor, inositol was produced
steadily for 360 hours with the continuous supply of maltodextrin. To
examine the effect of the enzyme immobilization on biosynthesis of
inositol, the four-enzyme system, either immobilized in hydrogel
microparticles or in solution phase, was encapsulated in a continuous
flow membrane reactor and continuously catalyzed the conversion of
maltodextrin to inositol. The conversion reaction using the multi-enzyme
system in the hydrogel lasted for 72 hours longer than the reaction in
solution phase. The results showed that immobilization of the
multi-enzyme system on the hydrogel polymer backbone substantially
improved the function lifetime and the tolerance of enzymes to different
pH and high temperature. We expect the immobilized multi-enzyme system
combined with the continuous flow reactor provides an economical
approach for biosynthesis.
Design and implementation of PID based flow rate control using PLC
Authors: Shaikh Muhammad Zakir , Hussain Majid , Kumar Dileep , Memon Fayaz Ahmed , Rustam Baber , Baro Enrique Nava
Published: October 2023

Industrial systems require efficient techniques to observe the stable operation of various industrial processes and to achieve optimal control. Considering the importance of industrial processes, Proportional Integral and Derivative (PID), Adaptive PID, and fuzzy logic are the most utilized control systems. Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) is a low-cost solution for the industrial processes requiring control and having the flexibility of graphical user interface. In this paper, an experimental study on flow rate control system for water flowing in a vessel is realized and implemented using Proportional (P), Proportional Derivative (PD), Proportional Integral (PI), and PID controllers with Programming Logic Controller (PLC). For optimal control, the constants for the PID controller are calculated based on Zeigler-Nichols (ZN) rules. ZN tuning rules can be used to find controller constants where the plant dynamics are not available. The experimental analysis is performed to validate the theoretical concepts. The achieved results and analysis demonstrate that the process variable, which is water inflow rate 4.92L/minute, is equal to the set point without any overshoot and remains controllable at every set point change.
Capturing the role of rural consumers in sensitive price indicator through geometric consistency check on urban and rural market prices
Authors: Faraz Humaira , Raees Fahim , Baig Mirza Mahmood
Published: October 2023

This paper focuses on capturing price movement and price stability in rural and urban markets. Pakistan collects prices from both markets, but only for the computation of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which is calculated on a monthly basis. It is proposed to include rural markets by widening the scope of the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), computed by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). The inconsistency in the prices of rural markets is observed on the basis of different measures, including descriptive and inferential statistics. Therefore, it is suggested to include rural markets as well in the SPI computation. Large numbers of head counts make transactions in rural areas, which may be taken into account for capturing the accurate weekly consumption pattern of the consumers. Prices of all SPI items were taken from urban and rural markets and checked for normality through the Kolmogorov-Smirnovand Shapiro-Wilk tests. Further, the normality was checked graphically by the Q-Q plot (Quantile-Quantile plot) and histogram. Due to the skewness of the data, non-parametric methods like the geometric coefficient of variation and the coefficient of mean deviation from the median have been applied to check the consistency of the prices in rural markets. The prices of rural markets for further framing of policy to widen the scope of capturing the movement of prices.
Investigation into shrinkage of stretchable denim fabric and its consumption in marker making by varying drying temperatures
Authors: Amir Muhammad , Naqvi Shenela , Naeem Farhana
Published: October 2023

This investigation was carried out to minimize Cotton and Cotton–polyester stretchable denim fabrics consumption for garment development through marker making. It was achieved by controlling fabric shrinkage by reducing drying temperature after washing in fixed processing time, without compromising properties of denim; Tensile strength, Stretch (growth and recovery at constant and cyclic loading) and colour strength (K/S) of required shade. warp faced 3x1 and 2x1 denim containing elastin were constructed and then washed using same recipe as per industrial practice however drying temperatures were set at 50oC, 60oC and 70oC, separately. After measuring shrinkage and evaluating tensile strength, Stretch, Growth and recovery at constant and cyclic loading and colour strength (K/S) using standard test methods; trouser marker layout was developed by employing Gerber technology to investigate fabrics consumption. The obtained shrinkage % demonstrated a significant coefficient of determination (R2=0.9931) against drying temperatures. Relation of tensile strength, colour strength and growth were insignificant however stretch, growth and recovery at static and cyclic loading were significantly affected by changing temperatures. Average shrinkage % of stretchable denim fabric was 1.71% in warp and 8.24% in weft at 50oC. It increased to 12.05% in weft at 60oC however remained same in warp while against 70oC it was 1.82% in warp and 14.08% in weft. 10 minutes drying time was kept same for selected drying temperatures. It was found that fabric consumption reduced to 1.25 m per trouser from 1.32 m per trouser by setting drying temperature at 50oC. Present research work provides guideline to denim industries to process stretchable denim at lower drying temperature i.e., 50oC because it not only reduced consumption of elastin containing denim fabric, but it also makes process cost effective as well as environmentally friendly.
Covid 19 image classification using hybrid averaging transfer learning model
Authors: Abbas Qamar , Mahmood Khalid , Ur Rehman Saif , Imran Muhammad
Published: October 2023

The outbreak of Corona Virus 2019(Covid-19) is a great threat to the whole world. It is crucial to early detect patients infected with covid-19 and treat them to mitigate the rapid spread of this disease. It is an immediate priority to overcome the traditional screening and develop an accurate as well as speedy covid-19 automatic diagnosis system. Computer Tomography (CT) and Chest X-Ray imaging coupled with deep learning models to develop and test Computer Aided Screening (CAS) of covid-19 images from the normal images. In this paper classification and screening of covid-19 disease are performed by using pre-trained convolutional neural networks and a proposed hybrid model on an available standard dataset of chest X-Ray images. The proposed hybrid model employs the pre-trained Convolutional Neural Network models and Transfer Learning models. Our proposed model consists of three stages where extraction of features is performed in first stage by using pre-trained machine learning model. Deep features are extracted by using the infusion of the Transfer Learning Technique in the second stage of the model. The third stage uses Flatten and Classification layers to diagnose of Covid-19 patients. In order to assure the consistency of the proposed model, by considering standard dataset X-Ray images. Simulation results of performance metrics of Accuracy, F1 Score, Precision, Recall, ROC, and AUC curve, and training and testing loss are used to evaluate and compare the proposed model with existing models. Experimental result demonstrates that the hybrid model improves the screening process for Covid-19 disease by achieving higher accuracy.
Cattaneo-Christov heat flux effect on Sakiadis magnetohydrodynamic boundary-layer transport phenomena in the Jeffrey fluid
Authors: Othman Zarith , Siri Zailan , Aziz Muhamad , Naganthran Kohilavani
Published: October 2023

This study aims to perform a numerical simulation of the boundary flow with the characteristic Sakiadis flow of the MHD Jeffrey fluid under the Cattaneo-Christov heat flux model over the horizontal plate. The similarity transformation for the local similarity solution was used to reduce the set of governing equations to non-linear ODE. The equations were solved by using ?dsolve? command with the numeric option for the boundary value problem in MAPLE. Simulations have been carried out for different values of the relaxation retardation times, the Deborah number, the magnetic field parameter, the heat flux relaxation time, the Prandtl number, and the Schmidt parameter. A comparative study of the numerical results from the previously published paper with the present result for the dimensionless velocity gradient over the horizontal plate shows excellent agreement. It has been found that the growth of the Deborah number leads to the dimensionless velocity gradient enhancement, while the increment of the relaxation retardation times parameter and the magnetic field parameter indicates the opposite trend. The heat transfer rate noticeably decreased with an increment in the Prandtl number and thermal relaxation time at the fluid regime. Also, fluid concentration decreases with larger values of the Schmidt parameter.
Effects of methane addition on the laminar burning velocity and Markstein length of methanol/air premixed flame
Authors: Shen Haiqing , Liao Huihong , Wang Qiyang , Xu Cangsu , Liu Kai , Zhou Wenhua
Published: October 2023

Adding methane to methanol can solve the problem of difficult cold starts of methanol engines. Therefore, it is important to understand the combustion of methane and methanol fuel blends. Because of this, this study explores the effect of methane addition on the laminar burning velocity and Markstein length of methanol/methane premixed flames under stoichiometric conditions at the initial temperatures of 353 K, 373 K, and 393 K, initial pressures of 1 bar, 2 bar, and 4 bar, using methane addition ratios of 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% in a constant volume combustion chamber. The results show that the laminar burning velocity decreases linearly with the increase of methane addition ratio due to the linear decrease of the Arrhenius factor. The sensitivity analysis revealed that the kinetic effect is the main reason for the inhibition of laminar burning velocity, which is insensitive to initial temperature but enhanced at a high initial pressure. The Markstein length decreases with the addition of methane and the increase of initial pressure, which is mainly caused by the high mass diffusivity of methane and the decrease of flame thickness due to the increase of initial pressure.