bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A VISÃO DOS TRIBUNAIS SOBRE A REVISÃO DAS DECISÕES AUTOMATIZADAS À LUZ DO ART. 20 DA LGPD
Authors: Silva Roseli Rego  Santos Cunha , Silva Neide  Costa da
Published: December 2023

As decisões automatizadas estão cada vez mais presentes na sociedade, podendo gerar efeitos positivos, ou impactar na vida do cidadão negativamente, pela ausência de transparência no funcionamento dos algoritmos, o que torna difícil a identificação de práticas abusivas e discriminatórias. Para mitigar essa situação, o art. 20 da Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados Pessoais – LGPD estabeleceu a possibilidade de pedido de revisão de decisões tomadas unicamente com base em tratamento automatizado de dados pessoais, que afetem seu interesse. Contudo, com a supressão da obrigatoriedade da revisão por pessoa natural e a falta de previsão expressa na LGPD, sobre quem caberia realizar tal revisão, se por uma pessoa natural ou o ser pelo próprio sistema, gera insegurança jurídica. Este artigo, a partir uma abordagem teórica e qualitativa, com revisão bibliográfica; e exploratória, com análise de decisões judiciais, busca verificar o posicionamento do Judiciário relacionado a conflitos que envolvam decisões automatizadas previstas no art. 20 da LGPD, com o objetivo de propor soluções para sanar a omissão deixada pelo legislativo. Assim, ao ser chamado a decidir uma lide e para assegurar uma devida proteção de direitos fundamentais decorrentes da necessidade de proteção dos dados pessoais, o magistrado deve se pautar nos princípios e direitos fundamentais, previstos na Constituição Federal, principalmente o da dignidade da pessoa humana.
Pied Imperial Pigeon numbers on North Brook Island, Queensland, after Cyclone Yasi: Do they reflect forest recovery on the Australian mainland?
Authors:   P.O. Box 1485, Atherton QLD 4883, Australia, Winter John , Murphy Judy ,   Project Support Natural Environment, Cassowary Coast Regional Council Nursery, 3/431 East Feluga Road, Tully QLD 4845, Australia, Dawson Nina ,   197 Alexander Drive, Mission Beach QLD 4852, Australia
Published: December 2023

Eleven years after Category 5 Tropical Cyclone Yasi caused extensive structural damage to coastal rainforest of north-eastern Queensland, Pied Imperial Pigeons Ducula bicolor, counted in the evening return flight to their North Brook Island breeding colony from their mainland feeding grounds, are still significantly fewer. Counts were made from a boat anchored off the north-western spit of the island, starting at 1530 h and continuing until dusk. We consider that the most likely explanation is that the rainforest in the Pigeon’s mainland feeding grounds has not recovered to pre-Yasi maturity, thus reducing the crop of fruit, which is the primary food source for the Pigeons.
Satisfacción laboral en relación a factores generados por un entorno del COVID-19
Authors: Castillo Paredes Santos Ever , Huamán Espejo Marisol Yolanda
Published: December 2023

Este estudio determina la satisfacción laboral en relación a factores generados por un entorno del COVID-19, en el ámbito de una empresa peruana del sector de prestación de servicios de seguridad. Bajo un contraste empírico de corte transversal no experimental, se hace evidente una satisfacción laboral promedio, con altos niveles de insatisfacción en cuanto al reconocimiento personal o social percibido respecto a los logros laborales de este sector dentro del actual entorno social. Se resalta que, el establecimiento de normas para el cumplimiento de protocolos, la existencia de riesgos en el desempeño del trabajador y la situación económica generada por el COVID-19 se relacionan significativamente con la satisfacción laboral de los trabajadores del sector de seguridad. Por tanto, se debe tener en cuenta que existen nuevos factores relacionados a la satisfacción laboral en el actual entorno y tomar medidas necesarias que conlleven a un mejor desenvolvimiento en el trabajo de este sector, abriéndose camino a otros estudios con mayor profundidad, incluyendo otros sectores y diferentes regiones.
Formación de los colaboradores en las empresas del sector minero-energético en Colombia.
Authors: Garzón Rodríguez Yaqueline , Niño Villamizar Yeny Andrea , Nieves Plata Manuel Enrique , Rojas Sánchez Germán Mauricio
Published: December 2023

El presente estudio tiene como objetivo reflexionar sobre la formación de los colaboradores en las empresas del sector minero-energético en Colombia, el cual tiene gran relevancia para la economía del país. La investigación es de tipo descriptivo con corte propositivo, estableciendo lineamientos y recomendaciones para fortalecer el proceso formativo dentro del sector objeto de estudio. Para cumplir con estos propósitos, se realizó una revisión de la literatura del contexto sectorial, apoyados en un panel de profesionales y una encuesta en línea realizada a más de 100 colaboradores de seis empresas multinacionales del sector. Los hallazgos más representativos refieren sobre la importancia y los retos que plantean la formación y su transferencia para todos los interesados: por una parte, la percepción de los colaboradores que establece como principales dificultades el tiempo, la flexibilidad, la metodología y los factores económicos para participar en el proceso formativo, y otorgan a las universidades la preferencia tanto del diseño como de la ejecución de los contenidos; por otra parte, las empresas del sector que reconocen las necesidades de formación en las áreas administrativas y operativas para armonizar el logro de los objetivos organizacionales; y por último, las universidades e instituciones educativas en general, preocupadas por responder a las necesidades reales de las empresas y de la sociedad, con modelos de formación que se transformen y que se adapten a las nuevas exigencias. Como resultado final, se estructura una propuesta de formación bajo el ciclo PHVA que articula a las empresas, los colaboradores y las universidades, reconociéndolo como un proceso sistemático, flexible y sostenible, de manera que generen valor para las partes interesadas.
High circulating MIF levels indicate the association with atypical antipsychotic-induced metabolic adverse effects
Authors: Qi Dake , Chen Xi , Gao Pingyi , Qi Yadan , Li Zezhi , Huang Hongna , Shi Yuan , Wang Lijun , Cui Donghong
Published: December 2023

Atypical antipsychotics (AAPs) are first-line medications for schizophrenia (SZ). However, their use is frequently associated with the development of metabolic adverse effects, and the mechanisms behind these negative effects remain inadequately elucidated. To investigate the role of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) in regulating antipsychotic-induced metabolic abnormalities, we recruited 142 healthy individuals and 388 SZ patients who had been receiving either typical antipsychotic (TAP) or AAP treatments. Subsequently, we conducted assessments of metabolic indices and measured plasma MIF levels, followed by a comprehensive statistical analysis to investigate the connection between MIF levels and metabolic dysfunction. A significant increase in plasma MIF levels was observed in groups receiving monotherapies with five major AAPs in comparison to healthy controls (all p < 0.0001). There was no such increase shown in the group receiving TAP treatment (p > 0.05). Elevated plasma MIF levels displayed a notable correlation with insulin resistance (β = 0.024, p = 0.020), as well as with the levels of triglycerides (β = 0.019, p = 0.001) and total cholesterol (β = 0.012, p = 0.038) in the groups receiving AAPs. However, while the TAP group also displayed some degree of metabolic dysfunction compared to healthy controls, no significant association was evident with plasma MIF levels (all p > 0.05). In conclusion, Plasma MIF levels exhibit a distinctive correlation with metabolic abnormalities triggered by AAPs. Thus, MIF could be further developed as a unique marker to monitor AAP-induced metabolic adverse effects in clinical settings.
TRPML1 ion channel promote HepaRG cells differentiation under simulated microgravity conditions
Authors: Gao Ming , Fan Huancai , Lü Dongyuan , Lu Zheng , Li Hangyu , Qi Zijuan , Sun Shujin , Guan Dongshi , Long Mian , Liu Sijin
Published: December 2023

Stem cell differentiation must be regulated by intricate and complex interactions between cells and their surrounding environment, ensuring normal organ and tissue morphology such as the liver 1. Though it is well acknowledged that microgravity provides necessary mechanical force signals for cells fate 2, how microgravity affects growth, differentiation, and communication is still largely unknown due to the lack of real experimental scenarios and reproducibility tools. Here, we used Rotating Flat Chamber (RFC) to simulate ground-based microgravity effects to study how microgravity affects the differentiation of HepaRG (hepatic progenitor cells) cells. Unexpectedly, we found that simulated microgravity could promote HepaRG cells differentiation which was exhibited as increased expression of Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), albumin (ALB), and Recombinant Cytokeratin 18 (CK18). Through screening a series of mechanical receptors, we identified that ion channel TRPML1 was critical for the differentiation promotion effect of microgravity. Once TRPML1 was activated by microgravity, the concentration of lysosomal calcium ions was increased to activate the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, which finally led to the enhanced cell differentiation of HepaRG cells. In addition, the cytoskeleton was remodeled under microgravity conditions and then influenced the expression of PI (3,5) P2, which is the best-known activator of TRPML1. In summary, our findings have established a mechanism by which microgravity promotes the differentiation of HepaRG cells through the TRPML1 signaling pathway, which may provide a potential target for the regulation of hepatic stem/progenitor cells differentiation and embryonic liver development under microgravity conditions.
A novel neuroprotective derived peptide of erythropoietin improved cognitive function in vascular dementia mice
Authors: Zhou Zhiyuan , Ma Yuanyuan , Wu Tingting , Xu Tongtong , Wu Shengju , Yang Guo-Yuan , Ding Jing , Wang Xin
Published: December 2023

Background: The effective therapeutics for vascular dementia are still lacking. Here, we designed a novel derived peptide of erythropoietin-DEPO and evaluated its safety, erythropoiesis effect and neuroprotective effects in mice of vascular dementia.
Methods: DEPO was injected to C57BL6 mice (n=5) for 4-8 weeks, venous blood was collected at 1, 2, and 4 weeks after DEPO treatment for evaluating the safety of DEPO. Neuroprotective effects of DEPO were studied in both cultured neurons and vascular dementia mice (n=10/group). After 4-week DEPO administration, neurobehavioral tests and histology were applied to evaluate cognitive function and brain tissue damage of mice, respectively. Molecule docking, western blotting, pharmacological or genetic interference with EPOR and JAK/STAT/AKT pathway were used to determine the mechanism of neuroprotective effects of DEPO.
Results: DEPO did not increase the hemoglobin concentration or red blood cell number in mice after 4-week treatment compared to the vehicle group (p>0.05). DEPO treatment alleviated spatial reference memory impairment and the anxiety level in mice. Both gray and white matter injuries were significantly alleviated by DEPO treatment (p<0.05). DEPO activated JAK2/STAT5/AKT pathway in cultured neurons and protected neurons against chronic ischemia (p<0.05). Pharmacological or genetic interference with JAK2 signaling or EPOR inhibited the pro-survival effect of DEPO on chronic ischemia neurons (p<0.05).
Conclusions: DEPO is a novel safe erythropoietin-derived peptide and exerted its neuroprotective effects in vascular dementia mice through activating EPOR and its downstream JAK2/STAT5/AKT signaling pathway. DEPO is a potential alternative agent for treatment of vascular dementia or chronic cerebral ischemia.
Computationally Efficient and Stable Real-World Synthetic Emergency Room EHR Data Generation: High Similarity and Privacy Preserving Diffusion Model Approach
Authors: Aguirre Javier , Yu Jae Yong , Jung Kyu-Hwan , Yoon Jinsung , Cha Won Chul
Published: December 2023

Objective: This study aims to develop real-world synthetic electronic health record (EHR) for emergency departments using computationally efficient and stable diffusion probabilistic models.
Materials and Methods: In this research, we compare the performance of diffusion models and state-of-the-art generative adversarial networks (GANs) in terms of statistical similarity, privacy, medical usefulness, and the feasibility of using the synthetic data for machine learning purposes.
Results: Our results demonstrate that diffusion models are significantly more computationally efficient than GANs and perform comparably or slightly better in terms of similarity, privacy, and utility. We also found that the data quality of the diffusion model is statistically very similar for both categorical and continuous values and can address class imbalance precisely. Moreover, the machine learning usefulness of the synthetic data is almost identical to real EHR data. Our privacy analysis shows that the synthetic data generated by diffusion models is private.
Discussion: These findings have significant implications for improving the efficiency of emergency settings such as disasters and enabling real-time emergency room data modeling. Therefore, it demonstrates the potential of diffusion models to generate computationally efficient high-quality synthetic data.
Conclusion: The study concludes that diffusion models can generate real-world synthetic EHRs that are computationally efficient, private, and high-quality, which can be used for machine learning purposes in emergency settings.
CXCL13 determines superior prognosis and immunoactive tumor microenvironment in patients with colorectal cancer
Authors: Guo Fangfang , Chen Weiwei , Yan Yuqing , Cheng Yao , Zhang Rui , Shen Chaoqing , Cui Yun , Peng Yanshen , Hong Jie , Chen Haoyan , Ji Linhua , Xuan Baoqin , Zhu Xiaoqiang
Published: December 2023

Immunotherapy yields limited results in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), emphasizing the need for a deeper comprehension of the immune landscape within the tumor microenvironment (TME). The precise immune function and prognostic significance of chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 13 (CXCL13) in CRC have remained uncertain, despite its known ability to attract B cells and contribute to tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS). Our study uncovered a positive correlation between CXCL13 expression and improved survival among CRC patients. Heightened levels of CXCL13, along with CXCL13+CD8+ T cells, were linked to a favorable immune contexture that impeded tumor growth in CRC. Moreover, CXCL13 expression was more prevalent in MSI-H/MMRd tumors, demonstrating potential in enhancing the response to anti-PD-L1 treatment. These findings emphasize the crucial role of CXCL13 in shaping the tumor microenvironment. Nevertheless, further investigation is required to fully elucidate the mechanisms through which CXCL13 regulates CD8+ T cells within the antitumor immune microenvironment.
Evaluation of Biaxial Flexural Strength and Shear Bond Strength of a Novel Chair-Side Cad/Cam Pre-crystalized Zirconia Reinforced Lithium Silicate (In-Vitro Study)
Authors: AlShahalii AbdulRahman A. , Kader Sanaa H. Abel , AboElhassan Rewaa G.
Published: December 2023

Statement of problem.
Lithium disilicate has been the gold standard for esthetic restorations, however several materials have been introduced to improve the strength without compromising esthetics.
Purpose.
The objective of this study was to perform a comparison between a newly introduced chair-side pre-crystalized zirconia reinforced lithium silicate material containing virgilite crystals (CEREC Tessera) and lithium disilicate ceramic material (LDS) regarding biaxial flexural strength and shear bond strength.
Materials and Methods.
For biaxial flexural strength, Twenty disc-shaped specimens, measuring 10 mm in diameter and 1.5 mm in thickness, were manufactured from both Tessera and LDS, with each group consisting of 10 specimens (n = 10The biaxial flexural strength was evaluated using the piston-on-ring method on a universal testing machine. For Shear Bond Strength, 20 cuboid specimens (3x3mm and 5 mm thickness) were fabricated from Tessera and LDS (n = 10). Specimens of both groups were bonded to natural human teeth with dual cured resin cement after appropriate surface treatment for both human natural teeth and specimen discs. The shear bond strength was assessed using a universal testing machine, and the testing was conducted at a cross-head speed of 1 mm/min.
Results.
The data obtained was statistically analyzed using appropriate tests. As for BFS, difference in results was statistically significant. The mean BFS value was higher for Tessera group (274.58 ± 22.26) compared to the LDS group (243.31 ± 24.98), however the difference in SBS values were not statistically significant between Tessera group (20.97 ± 1.59), although slightly higher, and LDS group (19.18 ± 2.99). The independent t test was used as the test of significance among the groups.
Conclusion.
Tessera material (zirconia reinforced lithium silicate material containing virgilite crystals) performed better overall than the more time-consuming e.max material ( lithium disilicate ceramic).
Bivariate Extreme Value Analysis of Extreme Temperature and Mortality in Canada, 2000-2020
Authors: Zhang Yuqing , Wang Kai , Ren Junjie , Liu Yixuan , Ma Fei , Li Tenglong , Chen Ying , Ling Chengxiu
Published: December 2023

Climate change increases the risk of illness through rising temperature,severe precipitation and worst air pollution. This paper investigates howmonthly excess mortality rate is associated with the increasing frequencyand severity of extreme temperature in Canada during 2000–2020. Theextreme associations were compared among four age groups across fivesub-blocks of Canada based on the datasets of monthly T90 and T10,the two most representative indices of severe weather monitoring mea-sures developed by the actuarial associations in Canada and US. Weutilize a combined seasonal Auto-regressive Integrated Moving Average(ARIMA) and bivariate Peaks-Over-Threshold (POT) method to inves-tigate the extreme association via the extreme tail index χ and Pickandsdependence function plots. It turns out that it is likely (more than 10%) to occur with excess mortality if there are unusual low temperature withextreme intensity (all χ > 0.1 except Northeast Atlantic (NEA), North-ern Plains (NPL) and Northwest Pacific (NWP) for age group 0–44),while extreme frequent high temperature seems not to affect health signif-icantly (all χ ≤ 0.001 except NWP). Particular attention should be paidto NWP and Central Arctic (CAR) since population health therein ishighly associated with both extreme frequent high and low temperatures(both χ = 0.3182 for all age groups). The revealed extreme depen-dence is expected to help stakeholders avoid significant ramifications withtargeted health protection strategies from unexpected consequences ofextreme weather events. The novel extremal dependence methodology ispromisingly applied in further studies of the interplay between extrememeteorological exposures, social-economic factors and health outcomes.
A Three-Dimensional Extension of the Slope Chain Code: Analyzing the Tortuosity of the Flagellar Beat of Human Sperm
Authors: Bribiesca-Sánchez Andrés , Guzmán Adolfo , Montoya Fernando , Díaz-Guerrero Dan S. , Hernández Haydeé O. , Hernández-Herrera Paul , Darszon Alberto , Corkidi Gabriel , Bribiesca Ernesto
Published: December 2023

In the realm of 3D image processing, accurately representing the geometric nuances of line curves is crucial. Building upon the foundation set by the Slope Chain Code (SCC), which adeptly represents intricate two-dimensional curves using an array capturing the exterior angles at each vertex, this study introduces an innovative 3D encoding method tailored for polygonal curves. This 3D encoding employs parallel slope and torsion chains, ensuring invariance to common transformations like translations, rotations, and uniform scaling, while also demonstrating robustness against mirror imaging and variable starting points. A hallmark feature of this method is its ability to compute tortuosity, a descriptor of curve complexity or winding nature. By applying this technique to biomedical engineering, we delved into the flagellar beat patterns of human sperm. These insights underscore the versatility of our 3D encoding across diverse computer vision applications.
Correlation analysis and predictive value of insulin resistance index on heart function in newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients
Authors: Li Shengnan , Chen Run , Cao Yan , Hu Zhongshun , Ni Danfeng , Du Zihui , Zhang Chaoxue
Published: December 2023

Background In recent years, simpler and more practical indicators based on routine biochemical tests or anthropometric measurements have been widely utilized for the assessment of insulin sensitivity. However, limited research has been conducted to investigate the predictive value of these novel simplified measures in relation to subclinical left ventricular systolic dysfunction.Methods A total of 160 newly diagnosed patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and 70 healthy subjects matched by age and sex were included in the study. Left ventricular function parameters were assessed using AFI echocardiography. Four indicators of insulin resistance (IR) were computed: Triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL-c), the product of fasting triglycerides and glucose levels(TyG), TYG multiplied by the body mass index(TyG-BMI)and the Insulin resistance metabolic score(METS-IR). The binary logistic regression analysis identified clinical and ultrasonic risk factors associated with abnormal GLPS-AVG in patients with T2DM. Develop a multiple-index-based log P model for integrated application. The diagnostic efficacy of the log P model in predicting left ventricular systolic function impairment was assessed using ROC analysis.Results Competing risk regression revealed that BMI, IVSD, SPB, LA and LVPWD were significant risk factors for the reduction of GLPS-AVG in individuals with T2DM. Additionally, two IR index models were found to be closely associated with abnormal GLPS-AVG: TyG-BMI (6.227,p = 0.000); METS-IR(7.436,p = 0.000). ROC analysis results indicate that TyG-BMI, METS-IR, IVSD, SBP, LA and a combination of five other indexes have demonstrated certain efficacy in predicting and evaluating diabetic heart function reduction. Its ROC-AUC (0.95CI) are 0.750 (0.564 ~ 0.934), 0.774 (0.582 ~ 0.944), 0.702 (0.461 ~ 0.948), 0.737 (0.478 ~ 0.983), 0.726 (0.483 ~ 0.951), 0.878 (0.770 ~ 0.987) respectively.Conclusion Approximately 20% of newly diagnosed patients with T2DM exhibit early-stage left ventricular systolic dysfunction.The Log P model exhibited the highest predictive efficiency when applied in combination, with significantly higher sensitivity, specificity and accuracy than each individual application.
Research on Recognition and Localization of Cucumber Based on Complex Environment
Authors: Junjie Kang , Jian-hong Zheng , Long Xue , Yi-wen Chen , LIU Mu-hua , Jing Li
Published: December 2023

Lighting variations, leaf occlusion, and fruit overlap make it difficult for mobile picking robots to detect and locate cucumber fruits in complex environments. This paper proposes a novel detection method based on the YOLOv4-tiny-SCE model for cucumbers in a complex environment. It combines the attention mechanism and adaptive spatial feature pyramid method to improve the detection effect of blocked and overlapping cucumbers. Additionally, the method also incorporates a loss function and clustering algorithm to enhance the accuracy and robustness of cucumber detection. On this basis, the 3D spatial coordinate model of cucumber is established using a Realsense depth camera to obtain the target image. To validate the cucumber detection and location method based on the YOLOv4-tiny-SCE model, a comparison experiment between YOLOv4-tiny-SCE and other lightweight models is conducted on the dataset. The results indicate that the YOLOv4-tiny-SCE model achieves an average detection accuracy of 99.7%. The average detection time per image is 0.006s, and there is a 2.5% increase in the F1 score. The average positioning errors of cucumber in X, Y, and Z three-dimensional space are 1.77mm, 2.9mm and 1.8 mm, respectively. This method balances target detection accuracy and model size, which is helpful in realizing the detection and location of cucumbers on low-performance airborne terminals in the future.
Asymmetry of Winter Precipitation Event Predictions in South China
Authors: Zhen Shixin , Hou Zhaolu , Li Jianping , Diao Yina , Zhang Yazhou
Published: December 2023

Winter precipitation anomalies in South China (SC) frequently result in severe disasters. However, the evaluation of prediction performance and distinctions between positive precipitation anomaly events (PPA, wet condition) and negative precipitation anomaly events (NPA, dry condition) in current operational models remains incomplete. This study employed the Climate Forecast System version 2 (CFSv2) to assess winter precipitation prediction accuracy in SC from 1983 to 2021. Differences in predicting PPA and NPA events and the underlying physical mechanisms were explored. The results indicate that CFSv2 can effectively predict interannual variations in winter precipitation in SC, as there is a significant time correlation coefficient of 0.68 (0.62) between observations and predictions, with a lead time of 0 (3) months. The model revealed an intriguing asymmetry in prediction skills: PPA outperformed NPA in both deterministic and probabilistic prediction. The higher predictability of PPA, as indicated by the perfect model correlation and signal-to-noise ratio, contributed to its superior prediction performance when compared to NPA. Physically, tropical signals from the ENSO and extratropical signals from the Arctic Sea ice anomaly, were found to play pivotal roles in this asymmetric feature. ENSO significantly impacts PPA events, whereas NPA events are influenced by a complex interplay of factors involving ENSO and Arctic Sea ice, leading to low NPA predictability. The capability of the model to replicate Arctic Sea ice signals is limited, but it successfully predicts ENSO signals and reproduces their related circulation responses. This study highlights the asymmetrical features of precipitation prediction, aiding in prediction models improvement.
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Utilization and Cost for Care of Pediatric ALL
Authors: Hoover Alex , Watson Dave , Reimche Paige , Tanner Lynn , Gilchrist Laura , Finch Mike , Messinger Yoav , Turcotte Lucie
Published: December 2023

Objective
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood malignancy and requires a unique pattern of healthcare utilization including an acute/emergent presentation and an intensive initial 8 months of therapy followed by two years of outpatient treatment. The COVID-19 pandemic caused massive global disruptions in healthcare use and delivery. This report aims to examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the presentation, diagnosis and continued management of childhood ALL in regard to utilization and cost of care.
Results
Utilizing a commercial insurance claims database, 529 pediatric patients were identified who were diagnosed with ALL and completed their initial 8 months of treatment between January 2016 and December 2021. New diagnoses were evaluated by era and demographics. Utilization was measured by COVID-related era as number of inpatient and outpatient encounters, inpatient days, and cumulative cost. None of these cost or utilization factors changed significantly during or shortly after the pandemic. These findings reinforce that the necessary care for pediatric ALL is largely inflexible and was unwavering despite the massive shifts in the healthcare system caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This provides a valuable benchmark as we further examine the factors that influence the pandemic’s impact on health equity and access to care, especially in vulnerable pediatric populations. This is the first investigation of the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on utilization and cost of care in pediatric cancer.
Bio-stimulated synthesis of Zinc oxide Nanoparticles from Andrographis echioides (L.) Nees., characterization and its anti diabetic activity
Authors: Palempalli Uma Maheswari Devi. , Draksha Niveditha , Mathakala Vani , chitta Suredsh kumar
Published: December 2023

Green synthesis is based on plant compounds' ability to reduce metal ions and stabilise them into nanoparticles, and it is gaining a lot of attention in recent years. It has been shown to be a reliable and alternate method for the development of novel Nanoparticles. Andrographis echioides (L.) Nees is a used to synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles. UV-visible spectroscopy, FTIR, Zeta potential, particle size analysis, XRD, SEM, AFM analysis were adopted to characterise the capped ZnONPs. The intense surface Plasmon resonance bands of ZnONPs at 340 nm confirmed the green synthesis of ZnONPs. The various functional groups of A.echioidesinvolved in the synthesis and crystalline nature of ZnO Nanoparticles were identified using FTIR and X-ray diffraction respectively. The average particle size was found to be 4.0 nm, and the zeta potential value was -11 mV. Administration of ZnONPs significantly reduced the blood glucose level and HbA1C when compared with standard drug glibenclamide in STZ- induced in-vivo models. The antidiabetic potential of ZnONPs was confirmed by numerous biochemical parameters like serum lipid profiles, liver and renal functional markers and regeneration β- cells of islets of Langerhans in STZ- induced diabetic rats. Thus, the ZnONPs synthesized from A. echioideswere found to be effective anti-hyperglycemic agent in the management of diabetes.
Moisture as key for understanding the fluorescence of lignocellulose in wood
Authors: Peters Frank B. , Rapp Andreas O.
Published: December 2023

The fluorescence behaviour of lignocellulose in Pinus sylvestris L. was studied under the influence of moisture. Fluorescence excitation-emission-matrices (EEMs) of the solid wood surfaces were recorded. Two emission peaks were identified, one attributed to lignocellulose, the other to pinosylvin. The 2 peaks were successfully modelled with PARAFAC2-deconvolution. Lignocellulose showed excitation-dependent emission. Its emission was quenched and blue-shifted by moisture, while pinosylvin showed none of these properties. The quenching efficiency was proportional to the moisture content (linear Stern-Volmer plot), a phenomenon first demonstrated for wood in this study. Potential mechanisms for the moisture quenching are discussed, with clustering-triggered emission best explaining most of the observed peculiarities. The strong influence of moisture on the fluorescence of pine wood suggests that carbohydrates play an important role in lignocellulose fluorescence.
Genotype-Phenotype Correlation in CLCN4-Related Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathy
Authors: Sahly Ahmed N. , Sierra-Marquez Juan , Bungert-Plümke Stefanie , Franzen Arne , Mougharbel Lina , Berrahmoune Saoussen , Dassi Christelle , Poulin Chantal , Sr Myriam , Guzman Raul E. , Myers Kenneth A.
Published: December 2023

CLCN4-related disorder is a rare X-linked neurodevelopmental condition with a pathogenic mechanism yet to be elucidated. CLCN4 encodes the vesicular 2Cl-/H+ exchanger ClC-4, and CLCN4 pathogenic variants frequently result in altered ClC-4 transport activity. The precise cellular and molecular function of ClC-4 remains unknown; however, together with ClC-3, ClC-4 is thought to have a role in the ion homeostasis of endosomes and intracellular trafficking. We reviewed our research database for patients with CLCN4 variants and epilepsy, and performed thorough phenotyping. We examined the functional properties of the variants in mammalian cells using patch-clamp electrophysiology, protein biochemistry, and confocal fluorescence microscopy. Three male patients with developmental and epileptic encephalopathy were identified, with differing phenotypes. Patients #1 and #2 had normal growth parameters and normal-appearing brains on MRI, while patient #3 had microcephaly, microsomia, complete agenesis of the corpus callosum and cerebellar and brainstem hypoplasia. The p.Gly342Arg variant of patient #1 significantly impaired ClC-4’s heterodimerization capability with ClC-3 and suppressed anion currents. The p.Ile549Leu variant of patient #2 and p.Asp89Asn variant of patient #3 both shift the voltage dependency of transport activation by 20 mV to more hyperpolarizing potentials, relative to the wild-type, with p.Asp89Asn favouring higher transport activity. We concluded that p.Gly342Arg carried by patient #1 and the p.Ile549Leu expressed by patient #2 impair ClC-4 transport function, leading to epilepsy and developmental impairment without clear brain malformation. In contrast, p.Asp89Asn variant results in a gain-of-transport function in ClC-4, causing severe brain malformation with associated developmental impairment, epilepsy, microcephaly, and microsomia.
Comparative Assessment of Eight Empirical and Four Hybrid Machine Learning Models for Estimating Daily Reference Evapotranspiration in Sub-Humid and Semi-Arid Climates
Authors: Acharki Siham , Raza Ali , Alshehri Fahad , Tegos Aristoteles , Amharref Mina , Bernoussi Abdes Samed , Singh Sudhir Kumar , Elbeltagie Ahmed
Published: December 2023

Improving reference evapotranspiration (RET) estimation accuracy contributes to effective water resource management, irrigation planning, and climate change assessments in agricultural systems. The widely recommended FAO-56 Penman-Monteith (PM-FAO56) model for RET estimation often faces limitations due to incomplete meteorological data availability. To address this, we evaluate the ability of eight empirical models, four machine learning (ML) models and their hybrid models to estimate daily RET in Gharb and Loukkos irrigated perimeters in Morocco. These ML and hybrid models include Random Forest (RF), M5 Pruned (M5P), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM), RF-M5P, RF-XGBoost, RF-LightGBM and XGBoost-LightGBM. Additionally, six input combinations (based on Tmax, Tmin, RHmean, Rs and U2) were designed, with PM-FAO56 model considered as a target to models. Four statistical indicators including Kling Gupta Efficiency index (KGE), Coefficient of determination (R2), Mean Squared Error (RMSE), and Root relative squared error (RRSE) were applied to assess the models’ performance, across both training and testing phases. The findings reveal that Valiantzas 2013 (VAL2013b) model outperformed the other empirical models for all station, exhibiting high KGE and R2 (0.95–0.97), low RMSE (0.32–0.35 mm.day-1) and RRSE (8.14–10.30%). Additionally, the Hargreaves and Samani 1985 (HargS1985) model performed well in Gharb's stations, while the Valiantzas 2013 (VAL2013a) model showed good results in Loukkos' stations. Besides, the ML model’s performance RET estimation was higher when Tmax, Tmin, RHmean, Rs and U2 were used as inputs (combination 6). Among the ML and hybrid models, the XGBoost-LightGBM and RF-LightGBM achieved the highest accuracy (on average RMSE 0.015–0.097 mm.day-1), closely followed by the LightGBM and XGBoost models. However, M5P model had the lowest estimation accuracy RMSE ranged from 0.022 to 0.108 mm.day-1 on average. In summary, our study highlights the potential of ML models for RET estimation in subhumid and semi-arid areas, providing vital insights for improving water resource management, helping climate change research and optimizing irrigation scheduling for optimal agricultural water usage in the region.
Revisiting a COVID-19 seroprevalence cohort survey among health care workers and their household members in Kinshasa, DR Congo, 2020-2022
Authors: Madinga Joule , Mbala Placide , Nkuba Antoine-Jeremy , Baketana Leonel , Matungulu Elysé , Vanlerberghe Veerle , Lupola Patrick Mutombo , Seghers Caroline-Aurore , Smekens Tom , Ariën Kevin K. , Damme Wim Van , Kalk Andreas , Peeters Martine , Muyembe Jean-Jacques , Ahuka Steve
Published: December 2023

Serological surveys provide the most direct measurement to define the immunity landscape for many infectious diseases, including COVID-19, yet this methodology remains underexploited to clarify transmission dynamics. This is specifically the case in the context of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where COVID-19 case presentation was apparently largely oligo- or asymptomatic, and vaccination coverage remained extremely low. A cohort of 635 health care workers from 5 health zones of Kinshasa and 670 of their household members was followed up between July 2020 and January 2022, with 6- to 8-week intervals in the first year and 4- and 8-month intervals in the last year. At each visit, information on risk exposure and a blood sample were collected. Serology was defined as positive when binding antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 spike and nucleocapsid proteins were simultaneously present. The anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence was high at baseline, at 17.3% (95% CI 14.4–20.6) and 7.8% (95% CI 5.5–10.8) for health care workers and household members, respectively, and fluctuated over time, between 9% and 62.1%. Seropositivity was heterogeneously distributed over the health zones (p < 0.001), ranging from 12.5% (95% CI 6.6–20.8) in N’djili to 33.7% (95% CI 24.6–43.8) in Bandalungwa at baseline for health care workers. Seropositivity was associated with increasing rounds aOR 1.75 (95% CI 1.66–1.85), with increasing age aOR 1.11 (95% CI 1.02–1.20), being a female aOR 1.35 (95% CI 1.10–1.66) and being a health care worker aOR 2.38 (95% CI 1.80–3.14). There was no evidence that health care workers brought the COVID-19 infection back home, with increased seropositivity risk among household members in subsequent surveys. There was much seroreversion and seroconversion detected over the different surveys, and health care workers had a 40% lower probability of seroreverting than household members (aOR 0.60 (95% CI 0.42–0.86)). Based on the WHO guidelines on the potential use of sero-surveys, the results of this cohort were revisited, and evidence provided by such studies in a ‘new disease’ epidemic and in a setting with low molecular testing capacities, such as COVID-19 in DRCongo, was insufficient to guide policy makers for defining control strategies.
Alveolar Proteinosis: Bronchoalveolar Lavage Experience and Current Literature Review
Authors: Aydin Sercan , Yavuz Hasan , Ergonul Ayse Gul , Akcam Tevfik Ilker , Turhan Kutsal , Cakan Alpaslan , Cagirici Ufuk
Published: December 2023

Objective: Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is considered as the first-line therapy for pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP). The points to be kept in mind about the disease and its treatment were reviewed with current research and presented together with our clinical experience on the effectiveness of the BAL procedure.
Methods: Patients with diagnosis of PAP were included. Total of 15 BALs were applied to 6 patients. Preoperative and 3rd postoperative hour arterial blood gas values were recorded. In addition to the partial oxygen pressures (PaO2), the ratio of the difference to the preoperative value was also evaluated and the lavage volumes of all patients were recorded.
Results: A general significant increase in PaO2 was observed compared to pre-treatment. The correlation between the PaO2 change and the lavage volume per side was interpreted as a remarkable result even though statistical significance was not determined.
Conclusion: An increase in PaO2 values post-lavage and a positive correlation between PaO2 change rate and lavage volume were observed. This may be a precursor to the idea that continuing lavage for a while after the lavage fluid has cleared improves the quality of the process. We believe that meta-analyses or studies with larger series are needed on this topic.
A Joint Ensemble Framework for the Detection of Acute Exacerbations in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Authors: Wang Xuchun , Zhang Yudong , Cui Yu , Ren Hao , Qiao Yuchao , Hao Chongqi , Qiu Lixia
Published: December 2023

Objective
The purpose of this study was to create a joint ensemble framework for identifying AECOPD and providing a plausible explanation of model predictions.
Methods
From MIMIC-III, we extracted and organized records for COPD and AECOPD patients. Furthermore, we integrated missing value imputation, joint feature selection, advanced ML algorithms, Bayesian optimization techniques, and the SHAP interpretable method to construct a joint optimized ensemble framework, serving as the predictive model for AECOPD risk identification. The efficacy of the model's prediction was evaluated using a composite score of six evaluation measures.
Results
CAD and 19 other variables significantly impacted AECOPD. Various resampling methods and classifiers yielded diverse prediction accuracies. LightGBM and LR models with NC processing showcased optimal combined performance pre-heterogeneous combination. The Voting ensemble with MWMOTE achieved superior balanced classification.
Conclusion
The joint ensemble framework improved AECOPD risk identification performance in clinically relevant data of COPD patients admitted in the ICU.
Feasibility of the manufacturing process of cork stoppers for spirits using vegetable and textiles fibers
Authors: Suffo Miguel , Martín-Alconchel Iván
Published: December 2023

Traditionally, cork stoppers composed of a plastic crown and a cork spike, usually agglomerated or technical, are used to seal the bottles. The use of synthetic plastic for crown caps derived from petroleum generates well-known environmental problems; therefore, it is of great interest to seek substitutes, deepen research, and develop new products and production methods focused on this powerful industry. This work aims to develop alternatives to the products currently available on the market, not only in terms of design and materials, but also by exploring alternative manufacturing methods such as compression molding and the possibility it offers for the incorporation of recycled materials into the product. The use of adhesives to bind other materials such as metals or wood provides numerous advantages in terms of durability, lightness, and design versatility. Through this work, adhesive binders will be tested to manufacture agrocomposites, which are blends of natural fibers and textiles functionalized as closures for spirits bottles. Likewise, the adhesion of the cork spike to the agrocomposite crown will be tested. The incorporation of materials previously considered as waste into resin matrix is being investigated. The designed mold has made it possible to manufacture prototypes with different resin-residue ratios.
Late Preterm Antenatal Steroid Use and Infant Outcomes in a Single Center
Authors: Go Mitzi , Wahl Madison , Kruss Tova , McEvoy Cindy
Published: December 2023

Objective
To characterize late preterm antenatal steroids (AS) use and associated neonatal outcomes in a single academic center.
Study Design
Retrospective study of 503 singleton, mother-infant dyads delivered between 34 0/7 to 36 6/7 weeks gestation between January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2020.
Results
43% did not receive AS (No AS) prior to delivery. Among AS treated, 50% were sub-optimal dosing. No AS had higher preterm premature rupture of membranes and maternal diabetes. AS group had lower mean gestational age and birthweight and longer time from admission to delivery and longer NICU study. There was no difference in neonatal hypoglycemia.
Conclusions
Sub-optimal AS dosing in late preterms remains high in our center. AS did not improve neonatal outcomes. Studies are needed to evaluate the impact of AS in diabetics delivering late preterm, to optimize the timing of AS dosing, and evaluate the longer term impact on late preterm infants.
Synthesis of glycerol carbonate from glycerol and dimethyl carbonate by transesterification using Mg/Al/La catalyst
Authors: Malyaadri M. , Jagadeeswaraiah K. , murthy T. Narasimha , reddy PRG. Nallappa
Published: December 2023

A series of Mg/Al/La mixed oxide catalysts were synthesized using an alkali-free coprecipitation method and calcined at a variety of temperature. The catalysts were characterized by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and temperature-programmed desorption of CO2. These catalysts are evaluated for transesterification between glycerol and dimethyl carbonates to give the glycerol carbonates. The catalyst with an Mg/Al/La weight ratio 3:1:1 is showing optimum performance toward formation of glycerol carbonates and it exhibits excellent activity even at 75 ºC temperature. The catalyst shows decrees activity during recycling. The effect of various parameters such as reaction temperature, catalyst concentration, and molar ratio of glycerol to dimethyl carbonates are studied to optimise the reaction conditions.
MPTD: Optimizing Multi-Path Transport with Dynamic Target Delay in Datacenters
Authors: Li Mingyan , Wang Shuo , Huang Tao , Liu Yunjie
Published: December 2023

In contemporary datacenter networks, various applications experience the challenge of incast occurrences. Data-intensive applications, particularly in distributed scenarios such as distributed deep learning, frequently encounter incast. While single-path transport protocols are widely deployed in datacenter networks, the available bandwidth is often severely underutilized. MP-RDMA, as a state-of-the-art multi-path transport protocol, has been implemented; however, it faces performance issues during large-scale incast communications. MP-RDMA employs insufficient congestion feedback and fixed rate adjustment for congestion management, making the scheme hardly scalable. In this paper, we introduce MPTD, an RTT-based multi-path transport protocol. MPTD encompasses two primary aspects: (1) a novel congestion control algorithm based on the setting of target delay; (2) an optimized packet scheduling mechanism. Specifically, the receiver dynamically updates the target delay in real-time based on network conditions, and the sender adjusts the sending rate accordingly. A categorized implementation for paths is added to achieve a more accurate identification of path characteristics. Our evaluation demonstrates that, in comparison to MP-RDMA, MPTD can achieve speedups of 1.35x/1.40x in flow completion time for two traffic patterns.
Propagation properties of partially coherent vortex cosine-hyperbolic-Gaussian beams through oceanic turbulence
Authors: Lazrek M. , Hricha Z. , Belafhal A.
Published: December 2023

In this paper, we investigated the propagation properties of a partially coherent vortex cosine-hyperbolic-Gaussian beam (PCvChGB) propagating in weak oceanic turbulence. We established the analytical expression of the average intensity of the PCvChGB based on the Huygens-Fresnel integral and Rytov theory. The obtained numerical results indicate that the PCvChGB may propagate within longer distances when the dissipation rate of mean-square temperature or the ratio of temperature to salinity contribution to the refractive index spectrum is increased as well as the dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy per unit mass of seawater is increased. The influence of oceanic turbulence on the spreading properties of a PCvChGB is related to the initial beam parameters, such as the decentered parameter b, topological charge M, and coherence length. A comparison of the beam profile evolution in oceanic turbulence and free space is presented in detail for the different parameters involved. The obtained results can be beneficial for applications in optical underwater communication and remote sensing domains.