bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Utility of 3D-T2 space MRI sequence in diagnosing a rare cause of lower backache: horseshoe cord and meningocoele manqué in a case of composite split cord malformation
Authors: Khaladkar Sanjay , Ajmera Pranav , Rathi Snehal
Published: March 2022

Diastematomyelia is the asymmetric or symmetric lateral duplication of the spinal cord into two hemicords. Pang divided it into three types: type-1, type-2 and composite split cord malformation (SCM). Composite SCMs are uncommon and are defined by the coexistence of multiple types of split cord with normal cord in between. When partially bridged, they are called a horseshoe cord. We report a case of a young woman who presented with backache and was diagnosed with composite SCM with horseshoe cord and type-2 SCM with intervening normal cord. In our case, 3D-SPACE due to its superior topographical evaluation, allowed us to visualise and characterise the thin meningocoele manque bands and detect horseshoe cords, asymmetric cords and demarcate the precise extent of syrinx, which were suboptimally imaged on isolated T2 and T1WI sequences. If left untreated during surgery, bands can be the potential cause for persistent backache.
R&D during public health emergencies: the value(s) of trust, governance and collaboration
Authors: Katz Rachel Alberta , Salamanca-Buentello Fabio , Silva Diego S , Upshur Ross EG , Smith Maxwell J
Published: March 2022

In January 2021, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director–general of the WHO, warned that the world was ‘on the brink of a catastrophic moral failure [that] will be paid with lives and livelihoods in the world’s poorest countries’. We are now past the brink. Many high-income countries have vaccinated their populations (which, in some cases, includes third and even fourth doses) and are loosening public health and social measures, while low-income and middle-income countries are struggling to secure enough supply of vaccines to administer first doses. While injustices abound in the deployment and allocation of COVID-19 vaccines, therapies and diagnostics, an area that has hitherto received inadequate ethical scrutiny concerns the upstream structures and mechanisms that govern and facilitate the research and development (R&D) associated with these novel therapies, vaccines and diagnostics. Much can be learnt by looking to past experiences with the rapid deployment of R&D in the context of public health emergencies. Yet, much of the ‘learning’ from past epidemics and outbreaks has largely focused on technical or technological innovations and overlooked the essential role of important normative developments; namely, the importance of fostering multiple levels of trust, strong and fair governance, and broad research collaborations. In this paper, we argue that normative lessons pertaining to the conduct of R&D during the 2014–2016 Ebola epidemic in West Africa provide important insights for how R&D ought to proceed to combat the current COVID-19 pandemic and future infectious disease threats.
Cost-effectiveness analysis of human-centred design for global health interventions: a quantitative framework
Authors: Liu Chen , Lee Jae Hyoung , Gupta Amanda J , Tucker Austin , Larkin Chris , Turimumahoro Patricia , Katamba Achilles , Davis J Lucian , Dowdy David
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Human-centred design (HCD) is a problem-solving approach that is increasingly used to develop new global health interventions. However, there is often a large initial cost associated with HCD, and global health decision-makers would benefit from an improved understanding of the cost-effectiveness of HCD, particularly the trade-offs between the up-front costs of design and the long-term costs of delivering health interventions.

Methods

We developed a quantitative framework from a health systems perspective to illustrate the conditions under which HCD-informed interventions are likely to be cost-effective, taking into consideration five elements: cost of HCD, per-client intervention cost, anticipated number of clients reached, anticipated incremental per-client health benefit (ie, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) averted) and willingness-to-pay. We evaluated several combinations of fixed and implementation cost scenarios based on the estimated costs of an HCD-informed approach to tuberculosis (TB) contact investigation in Uganda over a 2-year period to illustrate the use of this framework.

Results

The cost-effectiveness of HCD-informed TB contact investigation in Uganda was estimated to vary from US$8400 (2400 clients reached, lower HCD cost estimate) to US$306 000 per DALY averted (120 clients reached, baseline HCD cost estimate). In our model, cost-effectiveness was improved further when the interventions were expected to have wider reach or higher per-client health benefits.

Conclusion

HCD can be cost-effective when used to inform interventions that are anticipated to reach a large number of clients, or in which the cost of HCD is smaller relative to the cost of delivering the intervention itself.
Inequities in vulnerable children’s access to health services in Australia
Authors: Bull Claudia , Howie Peta , Callander Emily J
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Children born into families at risk of becoming or remaining poor are at significant risk of experiencing childhood poverty, which can impair their start to life, and perpetuate intergenerational cycles of poverty. This study sought to quantify health service utilisation, costs and funding distribution amongst children born into vulnerable compared to non-vulnerable families.

Methods

This study used a large linked administrative dataset for all women giving birth in Queensland, Australia between July 2012 and July 2018. Health service use included inpatient, emergency department (ED), general practice, specialist, pathology and diagnostic imaging services. Costs included those paid by public hospital funders, private health insurers, Medicare and out-of-pocket costs.

Results

Vulnerable children comprised 34.1% of the study cohort. Compared with non-vulnerable children, they used significantly higher average numbers of ED services during the first 5 years of life (2.52±3.63 vs 1.97±2.77), and significantly lower average numbers of specialist, pathology and diagnostic imaging services. Vulnerable children incurred significantly greater costs to public hospital funders compared with non-vulnerable children over the first 5 years of life ($16 053 vs $10 247), and significantly lower private health insurer, Medicare and out-of-pocket costs.

Conclusion

There are clear inequities in vulnerable children’s health service utilisation in Australia. Greater examination of the uptake and cost-effectiveness of maternal and child services is needed, as these services support children’s development in the critical first 1000 days of life.
Prevalence and comorbidity of psychiatric disorders among treatment-seeking elite athletes and high-performance coaches
Authors: Åkesdotter Cecilia , Kenttä Göran , Eloranta Sandra , Håkansson Anders , Franck Johan
Published: March 2022

Objectives

Few studies have evaluated the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among treatment-seeking elite athletes (EA) or high-performance coaches (HPC) in psychiatric outpatient settings.

Methods

Descriptive overview of EA and HPC with psychiatric disorders at two publicly funded psychiatric outpatient treatment clinics in Stockholm and Malmö, Sweden. Co-occurring psychiatric disorders were illustrated using Venn diagrams for EA and HPC, and male and female EA separately, among patients from the Stockholm clinic (SC) that used standardised diagnostic interviews.

Results

Overall, most patients were EA (n=221) compared with HPC (n=34). The mean age was 23.5 (±5.9) years for EA and 42.8 (±8.8) for HPC. Anxiety disorders were most common at the SC in EA and HPC (69% vs 91%, respectively). Stress-related disorders were found in 72% of HPC compared with 25% of EA. Affective disorders were found in 51% of EA and 52% of HPC. Eating disorders were common among EA (26%), especially females (37%). Substance use disorders were found in 17% of HPC. Comorbidity was generally common between affective and anxiety disorders.

Conclusion

Stress and adjustment disorders were found in nearly three of the four HPC compared with one in four EA. Eating disorders were prevalent in around one in four athletes and about one in six HPC had a substance use disorder.
eEF2K promotes PD-L1 stabilization through inactivating GSK3β in melanoma
Authors: Chen Xisha , Wang Kuansong , Jiang Shilong , Sun Hongyin , Che Xuanling , Zhang Minghui , He Jiaying , Wen Ying , Liao Mengting , Li Xiangling , Zhou Xiaoming , Song Jianxun , Ren Xingcong , Yi Wenjun , Yang Jinming , Chen Xiang , Yin Mingzhu , Cheng Yan
Published: March 2022

Background

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) targeting programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1)/programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) pathway has become an attractive strategy for cancer treatment; however, unsatisfactory efficacy has limited its clinical benefits. Therefore, a more comprehensive understanding of the regulation of PD-L1 expression is essential for developing more effective cancer immunotherapy. Recent studies have revealed the important roles of eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF2K) in promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), angiogenesis, tumor cell migration and invasion; nevertheless, the exact role of eEF2K in the regulation of tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) remains largely unknown.

Methods

In this study, we used a cohort of 38 patients with melanoma who received anti-PD-1 treatment to explore the association between eEF2K expression and immunotherapy efficacy against melanoma. Immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry analysis and in vitro assays were used to examine the role and molecular mechanism of eEF2K in regulating PD-L1 expression. We also determined the effects of eEF2K on tumor growth and cytotoxicity of CD8+T cells in TIME in a mouse melanoma model. We further investigated the efficacy of the eEF2K inhibition in combination with anti-PD-1 treatment in vivo.

Results

High eEF2K expression is correlated with better therapeutic response and longer survival in patients with melanoma treated with PD-1 monoclonal antibody (mAb). Moreover, eEF2K protein expression is positively correlated with PD-L1 protein expression. Mechanistically, eEF2K directly bound to and inactivated glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3β) by phosphorylating it at serine 9 (S9), leading to PD-L1 protein stabilization and upregulation, and subsequently tumor immune evasion. Knockdown of eEF2K decreased PD-L1 expression and enhanced CD8+T cell activity, thus dramatically attenuating murine B16F10 melanoma growth in vivo. Clinically, p-GSK3β/S9 expression is positively correlated with the expressions of eEF2K and PD-L1, and the response to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. Furthermore, eEF2K inhibitor, NH125 treatment or eEF2K knockdown enhanced the efficacy of PD-1 mAb therapy in a melanoma mouse model.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that eEF2K may serve as a biomarker for predicting therapeutic response and prognosis in patients receiving anti-PD-1 therapy, reveal a vital role of eEF2K in regulating TIME by controlling PD-L1 expression and provide a potential combination therapeutic strategy of eEF2K inhibition with ICB therapy.
Smoking, alcohol consumption and disease-specific outcomes in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs): systematic reviews informing the 2021 EULAR recommendations for lifestyle improvements in people with RMDs
Authors: Wieczorek Maud , Gwinnutt James Martin , Ransay-Colle Maxime , Balanescu Andra , Bischoff-Ferrari Heike , Boonen Annelies , Cavalli Giulio , de Souza Savia , de Thurah Annette , Dorner Thomas Ernst , Moe Rikke Helene , Putrik Polina , Rodríguez-Carrio Javier , Silva-Fernández Lucía , Stamm Tanja A , Walker-Bone Karen , Welling Joep , Zlatkovic-Svenda Mirjana , Verstappen Suzanne MM , Guillemin Francis
Published: March 2022

Background

A EULAR taskforce was convened to develop recommendations for lifestyle behaviours in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). The aim of this paper was to review the literature on the relationship between smoking and alcohol consumption with regard to RMD-specific outcomes.

Methods

Two systematic reviews were conducted to identify systematic reviews and meta-analyses, published between 2013 and 2018, related to smoking and alcohol consumption in seven RMDs: osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus, axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), systemic sclerosis (SSc) and gout. Two additional systematic reviews were performed to identify original longitudinal studies on smoking and alcohol consumption and disease-specific outcomes.

Results

Nine reviews and 65 original studies on smoking as well as two reviews and 14 original studies on alcohol consumption met the inclusion criteria. While most studies were moderate/poor quality, smoking was significantly associated with poorer outcomes: cardiovascular comorbidity; poorer response to RA treatment; higher disease activity and severity in early RA; axSpA radiographic progression. Results were heterogeneous for OA while there was limited evidence for PsA, SSc and gout. Available studies on alcohol mainly focused on RA, reporting a positive association between alcohol intake and radiographic progression. Five studies assessed alcohol consumption in gout, reporting a significant association between the number and type of alcoholic beverages and the occurrence of flares.

Conclusion

Current literature supports that smoking has a negative impact on several RMD-specific outcomes and that moderate or high alcohol consumption is associated with increased risk of flares in RA and gout.
Classical and quantum energies for interacting magnetic systems
Authors: Amour L. , Nourrigat J.
Published: March 2022

The purpose of this paper is to give different interpretations of the first non-vanishing term (quadratic) of the ground state asymptotic expansion for a spin system in quantum electrodynamics, as the spin magnetic moments go to 0. One of the interpretations makes a direct link with some classical physics laws. A central role is played by an operator [Formula: see text] acting only in the finite-dimensional spin state space and making the connections with the different interpretations, and also being in close relation with the multiplicity of the ground state.
Determining excitation forces acting on the interior surface of an enclosure. Part II: Numerical simulations
Authors: Zhou Pan , Wu Sean F. , Lu Yazhong
Published: March 2022

Part II of this study presents numerical simulations of reconstructing the excitation forces acting on the interior surface of an enclosure, based on the vibroacoustic information collected in the exterior region. Various types of excitation forces such as distributed, line, and point forces are considered. Moreover, fluid loading inside the enclosure is considered in the numerical simulations. Analytical proofs show that fluid loading has no impact on excitation forces, but has significant impacts on structural vibrations. This is especially true when the density of fluid medium inside an enclosure is high. Results demonstrate that when excitation forces are continuous, the accuracy in reconstruction may be very high. When excitation forces contain abrupt changes or discontinuities, for example, line and point force, the accuracy in reconstruction may be significantly reduced. This is because many expansion terms are required to properly describe the discontinuities of excitations. On the other hand, discretization grids are fixed a priori. When fixed discretization grids are used together with an increasing number of expansion terms, aliasing may occur that may completely distort the reconstructed excitation forces.
Dealing with Security Alert Flooding: Using Machine Learning for Domain-independent Alert Aggregation
Authors: Landauer Max , Skopik Florian , Wurzenberger Markus , Rauber Andreas
Published: March 2022

Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS)
secure all kinds of IT infrastructures through automatic detection of malicious activities. Unfortunately, they are known to produce large numbers of alerts that often become overwhelming for manual analysis. Therefore, aggregation methods have been developed for filtering, grouping, and correlating alerts. However, existing techniques either rely on manually defined attack scenarios or require specific alert formats, such as IDMEF that include IP addresses. This makes the application of existing aggregation methods infeasible for alerts from host-based or anomaly-based IDSs that frequently lack such network-related data. In this paper, we therefore present a domain-independent alert aggregation technique. We introduce similarity measures and merging strategies for arbitrary semi-structured alerts and alert groups. Based on these metrics and techniques we propose an incremental procedure for the generation of abstract alert patterns that enable continuous classification of incoming alerts. Evaluations show that our approach is capable of reducing the number of alert groups for human review by around

\( 80\% \)

and assigning attack classifiers to the groups with true positive rates of

\( 80\% \)

and false positive rates lower than

\( 5\% \)

.
Do Smart Glasses Dream of Sentimental Visions?
Authors: Zhao Yingying , Chang Yuhu , Lu Yutian , Wang Yujiang , Dong Mingzhi , Lv Qin , Dick Robert P. , Yang Fan , Lu Tun , Gu Ning , Shang Li
Published: March 2022

Emotion recognition in smart eyewear devices is valuable but challenging. One key limitation of previous works is that the expression-related information like facial or eye images is considered as the only evidence of emotion. However, emotional status is not isolated; it is tightly associated with people's visual perceptions, especially those with emotional implications. However, little work has examined such associations to better illustrate the causes of emotions. In this paper, we study the emotionship analysis problem in eyewear systems, an ambitious task that requires classifying the user's emotions and semantically understanding their potential causes. To this end, we describe EMOShip, a deep-learning-based eyewear system that can automatically detect the wearer's emotional status and simultaneously analyze its associations with semantic-level visual perception. Experimental studies with 20 participants demonstrate that, thanks to its awareness of emotionship, EMOShip achieves superior emotion recognition accuracy compared to existing methods (80.2% vs. 69.4%) and provides a valuable understanding of the causes of emotions. Further pilot studies with 20 additional participants further motivate the potential use of EMOShip to empower emotion-aware applications, such as emotionship self-reflection and emotionship life-logging.
FlowSense
Authors: Chhaglani Bhawana , Zakaria Camellia , Lechowicz Adam , Gummeson Jeremy , Shenoy Prashant
Published: March 2022

Proper indoor ventilation through buildings' heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems has become an increasing public health concern that significantly impacts individuals' health and safety at home, work, and school. While much work has progressed in providing energy-efficient and user comfort for HVAC systems through IoT devices and mobile-sensing approaches, ventilation is an aspect that has received lesser attention despite its importance. With a motivation to monitor airflow from building ventilation systems through commodity sensing devices, we present FlowSense, a machine learning-based algorithm to predict airflow rate from sensed audio data in indoor spaces. Our ML technique can predict the state of an air vent---whether it is on or off---as well as the rate of air flowing through active vents. By exploiting a low-pass filter to obtain low-frequency audio signals, we put together a privacy-preserving pipeline that leverages a silence detection algorithm to only sense sounds of from HVAC air vents when no human speech is detected. We also propose the Minimum Persistent Sensing (MPS) as a post-processing algorithm to reduce interference from ambient noise, including ongoing human conversation, office machines, and traffic noises. Together, these techniques ensure user privacy and improve the robustness of FlowSense. We validate our approach yielding over 90% accuracy in predicting vent status and 0.96 MSE in predicting airflow rate when the device is placed within 2.25 meters away from an air vent. Our approach can be generalized to environments with similar vent dimensions and geometry outlets. Additionally, we demonstrate how our approach as a mobile audio-sensing platform is robust to smartphone models, distance, and orientation. Finally, we evaluate FlowSense privacy-preserving pipeline through a user study and a Google Speech Recognition service, confirming that the audio signals we used as input data are inaudible and inconstructible.
Analysis of the Heterogeneity of the Tumor Microenvironment and the Prognosis and Immunotherapy Response of Different Immune Subtypes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Hu Jian , Mao Feifei , Li Lifang , Wang Xiaoqian , Cai Depei , He Longmei , Wu Qian , Wang Cong , Zhang Ning , Ma Yanfen , Wu Xia , Qu Kai , Wang Xiaoqin
Published: March 2022

Purpose. The current clinical classification of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cannot well predict the patient’s possible response to the treatment plan, nor can it predict the patient’s prognosis. We use the gene expression patterns of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma to reveal the heterogeneity of hepatocellular carcinoma and analyze the differences in prognosis and immunotherapy response of different immune subtypes. Methods. Firstly, using the hepatocellular carcinoma expression profile data of TCGA, combined with the single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) algorithm, the immune enrichment of the patient’s tumor microenvironment was analyzed. Subsequently, the spectral clustering algorithm was used to extract different classifications, and the cohort of hepatocellular carcinoma was divided into 3 subtypes, and the correlation between immune subtypes and clinical characteristics and survival prognosis was established. The patient’s risk index is obtained through the prognostic prediction model, suggesting the correlation between the risk index and various types of immune cells. Results. We can divide the liver cancer cohort into three subtypes: stromal cell activated immune-enriched type (A-IS), general immune-enriched type (N-IS), and non-immune-enriched type (non-IS). The 3-year survival rate of TCGA’s A-IS is higher than that of N-IS and non-IS, and the three components are significantly different (

p
=
0.017

). The 3-year survival rates of ICGC’s A-IS and N-IS groups were higher than those of the non-IS group. The analysis of the correlation between the risk index and immune cells showed that the patient’s disease risk was significantly positively correlated with cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) stimulated cell, activated stroma cell, and anti-PD-1 resistant cell. Conclusion. The tumor gene expression characteristics of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma can be used as a basis for clinical patient classification. Different immune subtypes are closely related to survival prognosis. Different immune cell states of patients may lead to different disease risk levels. All these provide important references for the clinical identification and prognosis prediction of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Use of Favipiravir for the Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in the Setting of Hospitel
Authors: Surapat Bhitta , Kobpetchyok Warissa , Kiertiburanakul Sasisopin , Arnuntasupakul Vanlapa
Published: March 2022

Objective. In a setting with a limited capacity for hospitalization, “hospitels” have been developed by using hotels as extension healthcare facilities for patients with mild illness. This study examined the clinical evidence of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who were treated with favipiravir, the main medication for treating COVID-19, in the hospitel setting in Thailand. Methods. We retrospectively collected demographic and clinical information, medication treatment, and outcome data for all patients who received favipiravir for COVID-19 during admission to a hospitel from April 27, 2021, to July 2, 2021. Risk factors for adults who could not complete treatment in a hospitel and who required hospitel transfer were analyzed. Results. In total, 421 patients were included in the study. Most patients (94.5%) received favipiravir to treat COVID-19 pneumonia. Adjunctive corticosteroids were prescribed to 42.3% of patients. Concerning the treatment outcome, 83.6% of patients completed treatment at a hospitel, and only two deaths occurred. No serious adverse drug reactions were observed. On multivariate analysis, age (odds ratio (OR) = 1.06; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.02–1.10,

P
=
0.002

), dyspnea (OR = 2.84; 95% CI = 1.25–6.44,

P
=
0.013

), loss of taste (OR = 107.63; 95% CI = 1.24–9337.39,

P
=
0.040

), corticosteroid use (OR = 12.56; 95% CI = 3.65–43.18,

P
<
0.001

), and an extended duration of favipiravir use (OR = 16.91; 95% CI = 7.29–39.24,

P
<
0.001

) were associated with a higher risk of hospitel transfer. Conclusions. Low rates of hospitel transfer and mortality were observed in mild-to-moderate COVID-19 patients treated with favipiravir at hospitel. Caution might be required in elderly patients, patients with dyspnea or a loss of taste, and patients receiving a 10-day course of favipiravir or adjunctive corticosteroids because these patients might require further management in the hospitel.
IoT Communication for Grid-Tie Matrix Converter with Power Factor Control Using the Adaptive Fuzzy Sliding (AFS) Method
Authors: Kumar A. Suresh , Kumar S. Jerald Nirmal , Gupta Subhash Chandra , Shrivastava Anurag , Kumar Keshav , Jain Rituraj
Published: March 2022

In this work, we propose and encourage the sending of an IoT-based domestic systems conditions small scale programmable framework for grid-tie matrix converter that can efficiently be executed with low-control equipment plan with quick execution capacity. The proposed framework for matrix grid-tie converter has been performed based on an adaptive fuzzy sliding technique and furthermore monitors the grid status through an IoT server. The adaptive fuzzy sliding method was connected to the framework, and a unity power factor was fulfilled alongside the wanted sinusoidal input and output results. The proposed AFS-based matrix converter has been validated through simulation using MATLAB software. The control clock signals are generated for the positive and negative clock pulses of the sequence. Here the sinusoidal reference signal is compared with the switching frequency of the triangular carrier frequency. The hardware results were also verified to validate the simulation. When diverged from other standard techniques, the proposed AFS technique has achieved 97.23% efficiency in full load conditions.
Intelligent on Demand Clustering Routing Protocol for Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Khan Muhammad Amir , Awan Adnan Anwar
Published: March 2022

WSNs have become one of the most widely used approaches in a range of applications, including agriculture, smoke detectors, health care, and factory monitoring. WSN provides a number of benefits, including low cost, compact size, multifunctionality, self-organization, and the ability to be routed via WSN protocols. WSN is being used in more practical applications than ever before. Nonetheless, one of the most critical problems is energy shortage. It limits WSN technology from being fully utilized. Sensors are typically powered by batteries, which have a short lifespan. Even if renewable energy sources (such as solar or piezoelectric devices) are used as additional energy in wireless sensor networks, there is still room for efficient energy consumption. In our research, we identify the shortcomings of the existing LEACH protocol, suggest a novel methodology that improves the LEACH protocol, and compare it to the basic LEACH approach. Our research aims to increase network lifespan by reducing energy consumption, primarily based on limitations of the LEACH and its related algorithms.
Spatial-Temporal Graph Convolutional Framework for Yoga Action Recognition and Grading
Authors: Wang Shu
Published: March 2022

The rapid development of the Internet has changed our lives. Many people gradually like online video yoga teaching. However, yoga beginners cannot master the standard yoga poses just by learning through videos, and high yoga poses can bring great damage or even disability to the body if they are not standard. To address this problem, we propose a yoga action recognition and grading system based on spatial-temporal graph convolutional neural network. Firstly, we capture yoga movement data using a depth camera. Then we label the yoga exercise videos frame by frame using long short-term memory network; then we extract the skeletal joint point features sequentially using graph convolution; then we arrange each video frame from spatial-temporal dimension and correlate the joint points in each frame and neighboring frames with spatial-temporal information to obtain the connection between joints. Finally, the identified yoga movements are predicted and graded. Experiment proves that our method can accurately identify and classify yoga poses; it also can identify whether yoga poses are standard or not and give feedback to yogis in time to prevent body damage caused by nonstandard poses.
Evaluation of Interest Balance of Low-carbon Collaborative Innovation Subjects
Authors: Hong Liu , Lin Li
Published: March 2022

The most important subsystem of regional low-carbon innovation capability is low-carbon technology innovation system. It is necessary to objectively evaluate the balance of interest among low-carbon technology innovation subjects. This paper constructs the theoretical framework model of benefit balance evaluation of low-carbon collaborative innovation (LCCI). It also explores the main content and index system of evaluation and makes a specific evaluation with TOPSIS method. Our study shows the follow conclusions: ① The interest balance of the subjects of LCCI includes not only the interest balance among subjects, but also the balance of interests within the subject. ② Subjects have different motivations for cooperation. ③ The benefit distribution of LCCI includes the distribution of all tangible and intangible benefits. ④ The equilibrium state is dynamic. When it is unbalanced, it can be adjusted according to the evaluation results to achieve equilibrium. Finally, according to the research conclusions, three suggestions are put forward for LCCI management practice.
MAML2-Rearranged Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma of the Parotid Gland: A Report in a 20-Month-Old Toddler
Authors: Owosho Adepitan A. , Olatunji Abiodun S. , Adejobi Adewale F. , Fatusi Olawumi A. , Okunade Toluwaniyin , Maddux Kelly , Shaw Justin , Summersgill Kurt F.
Published: March 2022

Malignancies of salivary gland origin are rare in children. Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) is the most common histologic type of salivary gland neoplasm in pediatrics. We report a rare case of parotid MEC in a 20-month-old female patient. The tumor was composed of nests of epidermoid cells with nuclei appearing vesicular, pleomorphic, and hyperchromatic with an admixture of mucous cells and cystic spaces within a prominent connective tissue stroma. Immunohistochemically, the epidermoid cells showed cytokeratin 7 and P63 positivity, and mucous cells were positive for mucicarmine. Molecularly, this case was positive for MAML2 rearrangement by FISH. To our knowledge, this is one of the youngest cases of MEC of the parotid gland reported in the English literature.
Fast Screening Method for an Important Transmission Line in Electrical Power System Uniting Internet Thinking and Physical Features
Authors: Geng Junqi , Liu Xinghua , Sun Xianming , Sun Peng , Liu Yan , Gao Xinye
Published: March 2022

In the electrical power system, a few transmission lines may have cascading failures and even lead to severe blackout accidents. In order to further prevent the electrical power system from cascading failures and being enlightened by Internet thinking, based on the complex network theory, this paper proposes the TL-SALSA (transmission line-stochastic approach for link structure analysis) algorithm combining Internet thinking and physical characteristics of the electrical power system for screening the important transmission lines. The TL-SALSA algorithm not only retains the low-computational complexity advantage of the SALSA (stochastic approach for link structure analysis) algorithm but considers the impact relational among transmission lines and the electrical power system operation mode. The IEEE 39-bus power system and IEEE 118-bus power system are simulated and compared with the electric betweenness algorithm, and the results further evidence the effectiveness of the TL-SALSA algorithm. The results also show that the TL-SALSA algorithm can improve the screening efficiency by nearly three orders of magnitude compared with the electric betweenness algorithm, which proves the potential of the TL-SALSLA algorithm for screening important transmission lines in large-scale electrical power systems.
VPRBP Functions Downstream of the Androgen Receptor and OGT to Restrict p53 Activation in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Poulose Ninu , Forsythe Nicholas , Polonski Adam , Gregg Gemma , Maguire Sarah , Fuchs Marc , Minner Sarah , Sauter Guido , McDade Simon S. , Mills Ian G.
Published: March 2022

Androgen receptor (AR) is a major driver of prostate cancer initiation and progression. O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT), the enzyme that catalyzes the covalent addition of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) to serine and threonine residues of proteins, is often highly expressed in prostate cancer with its expression correlated with high Gleason score. In this study, we have identified an AR and OGT coregulated factor, Vpr (HIV-1) binding protein (VPRBP) also known as DDB1 and CUL4 Associated Factor 1 (DCAF1). We show that VPRBP is regulated by the AR at the transcript level, and stabilized by OGT at the protein level. VPRBP knockdown in prostate cancer cells led to a significant decrease in cell proliferation, p53 stabilization, nucleolar fragmentation, and increased p53 recruitment to the chromatin. In human prostate tumor samples, VPRBP protein overexpression correlated with AR amplification, OGT overexpression, a shorter time to postoperative biochemical progression and poor clinical outcome. In clinical transcriptomic data, VPRBP expression was positively correlated with the AR and also with AR activity gene signatures.

Implications:

In conclusion, we have shown that VPRBP/DCAF1 promotes prostate cancer cell proliferation by restraining p53 activation under the influence of the AR and OGT.
Wernicke Encephalopathy following Gastric Bypass: A Case Report
Authors: Glisan Sarah , Khan Nazim
Published: March 2022

Bariatric surgery is used as a treatment for morbid obesity and often results in rapid weight loss. This procedure has been associated with postoperative nutritional deficiencies. Neurological complications due to nutritional deficiencies include Wernicke encephalopathy, a disorder that affects the central and peripheral nervous system due to thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency. Wernicke encephalopathy can lead to irreversible consequences if not treated early. Here, we present a case of a 40-year-old woman that developed Wernicke encephalopathy 2 months after gastric bypass surgery, with additional findings of flat affect and concurrent polyradiculopathy. Her diagnosis was delayed due to unique symptoms and an initial workup with negative imaging findings, making the identification of this disorder more complex.
Hemodialysis-Related Vision Loss from Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy
Authors: Eshtiaghi Arshia , Micieli Jonathan A.
Published: March 2022

Vision loss from nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) is a rare complication of hemodialysis. Here, we present a case in a young woman and discuss the pathophysiology and implications for the nephrologist. A 24-year-old woman with end-stage renal disease developed unilateral, painless vision loss following treatment with hemodialysis. Fundoscopy revealed severe left inferior chalky-white opticdisc edema, a presentation consistent with NAION. Her intradialytic blood pressure was reviewed and found to be significantly lower than her baseline, and a multidisciplinary meeting took place between her ophthalmologist and nephrologist to modify her dialysis sessions to minimize the chance of progression or involvement of her fellow eye. At the 2-month follow-up, the opticdisc edema resolved, and her visual function remained stable. Overall, NAION is a rare complication of hemodialysis and may be a result of intradialytic hypotension, platelet and endothelial dysfunction, anemia, and accumulations of toxins such as urea. As there are no established treatments for NAION, management should focus on optimizing modifiable risk factors to prevent further vision loss in the other eye. These factors include increasing the number of dialysis sessions and duration of sessions, reducing the temperature of the dialysate, discouraging eating, and increasing the dialysate’s calcium concentration. Prompt recognition of NAION and multidisciplinary teamwork can minimize the risk of NAION progression and involvement of the contralateral eye.
The Many Faces of Blurry Vision in Parkinson’s Disease: An Illustrative Case Series
Authors: Borm Carlijn D.J.M. , Bloem Bastiaan R. , Hoyng Carel , de Vries Nienke M. , Theelen Thomas
Published: March 2022

Ocular disorders constitute a major component of the non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Blurry vision is commonly associated with PD, but often challenging to interpret. The clinical spectrum of blurred vision is broad, and finding the underlying aetiology can be challenging. An incomplete diagnosis impedes therapeutic successes. We report two persons with PD who both experienced blurry vision, but each with a different underlying pathology that called for specific ophthalmological and neurological treatments. In case 1, the blurry vision was presumably caused by strabismus and convergence insufficiency, while case 2 had blurry vision partly due to palinopsia, a higher order visual processing deficit. Adequate treatment improved vision in both cases. Neurologists should be aware of the different underlying causes of blurred vision, should master the basic therapeutic approaches, and know when to refer a patient to the ophthalmology department.
Twenty Years of Neonatal Screening for Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia in North-Eastern Italy: Role of Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry as a Second-Tier Test
Authors: Cavarzere Paolo , Camilot Marta , Palma Laura , Lauriola Silvana , Gaudino Rossella , Vincenzi Monica , Antoniazzi Franco , Teofoli Francesca , Piacentini Giorgio
Published: March 2022

Background: Newborn screening for congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) based on 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) concentration in dried blood spots has been taking place in North-Eastern Italy since 2001. Since 2017, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) has been introduced, for the first time in Italy, as a second-tier test. Aims: Our study aims to evaluate, on the one hand, the effectiveness of the newborn screening for CAH after 20 years of testing and, on the other, the impact that the introduction of the second-tier test had on the diagnostic accuracy of the screening program. Methods: Since 2001 dried blood spots taken from newborns have been screened with a time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay for 17-OHP determination. Over the years, the cut-off levels of 17-OHP were adjusted according to gestational age. Since 2017, a second-tier test in LC-MS/MS was introduced for samples displaying fluoroimmunoassay 17-OHP exceeding the cut-off. Results: In total, 862,521 newborns have been screened over a period of 20 years. The total incidence of 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21-OHD) was 1:25,368, moreover, a case of 11-β-hydroxylase deficiency was identified. All these diagnoses were genetically confirmed. The sensitivity and specificity of the screening program were 97% and 99.4%, respectively. The use of LC-MS/MS as a second-tier test significantly reduced the recall rate and increased the positive predictive value. Conclusions: Screening for CAH is useful in the neonatal diagnosis of a classic form of 21-OHD, allowing a precocious treatment of affected children. The introduction of an LC-MS/MS second-tier reduced the recall rate, avoiding unnecessary blood withdrawal and medical evaluations and preventing stress to families. Furthermore, it helped identify rarer forms of CAH.
OMEGA-3 CONTENT OF BLACK SOLDIER FLY PREPUPA (Hermetia illucens) FED WITH MARINE FISH OFFAL AND TOFU DREG
Authors: Putra Ramadhani Eka , Fatmalasari Yenyen , Permana Agus Dana , Kinasih Ida , Rosmiati Mia
Published: March 2022

One of the materials with great potency for future nutrition source for animal feed is prepupae of black soldier fly larvae (BSFP) (Hermetia illucens) which is fed on organic wastes. This study was designed to observe the accumulation of specific substance (omega-3) of organic wastes (marine fish offal and tofu dregs) inside harvested biomass of BSFP. A total of 150 gram food consist of marine fish offal and tofu dreg with different proportion (10:90, 25:75, 50:50, and 100% tofu dregs) was fed to black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) for 21 days.At the end of feeding trial, all BSFL were harvested, weighed, and then analyzed for omega-3 fatty acids content. Fatty acid content was analyzed using Gas Cromatography with Flame Ionization Detector (GC-FID). Result of the experiment showed BSFL reared with 25% marine fish offal produced highest biomass (8.1 g / 50 larvae) with least development time (19 days). The total of omega-3 recorded from application of 0%, 10%, 25%, and 50% of marine fish offal was 0.02%, 0.87%, 2.16% and 2.61% in 100 g of dry weight, respectively. This result showed the possibility of transferring specific nutrient from organic wastes biomass of BSFP which provides base knowledgement for further application in design of specific animal feed from BSFP.
Soil physical properties and slope stability in Serra do Mar, southeastern Brazil
Authors: Coelho Rebeca Durço , Gramani Marcelo Fischer , Vieira Bianca Carvalho
Published: March 2022

Soil physical properties play an important role in landslide rupture mechanisms, since changes in soil texture, structure, and porosity can affect slope permeability. This study characterized a granitic weathering profile and assessed the changes in the properties of the materials related to the main mechanisms that trigger landslides. The study identified three layers with distinctive particularities in macromorphological and micromorphological terms: mature residual soil (well-developed), young residual soil (saprolitic soil), and saprolite. Morphological characterization was carried out in addition to textural analysis, and soil porosity and saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) tests. The weathering profile presented clear differences in morphology, pore size and soil texture, which  could indicate distinct weathering grades. The results suggested that continuous heavy rainfall could contribute to the increase in pore-water pressure between mature residual soil and young residual  soil, favoring the occurrence of slope failure.
Impact of Left Ventricular Morphology on Adverse Outcomes Following Stage 1 Palliation for Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome: 20 Years of National Data From Sweden
Authors: Fricke Katrin , Mellander Mats , Hanséus Katarina , Tran Phan‐Kiet , Synnergren Mats , Johansson Ramgren Jens , Rydberg Annika , Sunnegårdh Jan , Dalén Magnus , Sjöberg Gunnar , Weismann Constance G. , Liuba, Petru
Published: March 2022

Background

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We aimed to assess the influence of left ventricular morphology and choice of shunt on adverse outcome in patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and stage 1 palliation.

Methods and Results

This was a retrospective analysis of patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome with stage 1 palliation between 1999 and 2018 in Sweden. Patients (n=167) were grouped based on the anatomic subtypes aortic‐mitral atresia, aortic atresia‐mitral stenosis (AA‐MS), and aortic‐mitral stenosis. The left ventricular phenotypes including globular left ventricle (Glob‐LV), miniaturized and slit‐like left ventricle (LV), and the incidence of major adverse events (MAEs) including mortality were assessed. The overall mortality and MAEs were 31% and 41%, respectively. AA‐MS (35%) was associated with both mortality (all other subtypes versus AA‐MS: interstage‐I: hazard ratio [HR], 2.7;
P
=0.006; overall: HR, 2.2;
P
=0.005) and MAEs (HR, 2.4;
P
=0.0009). Glob‐LV (57%), noticed in all patients with AA‐MS, 61% of patients with aortic stenosis‐mitral stenosis, and 19% of patients with aortic atresia‐mitral atresia, was associated with both mortality (all other left ventricular phenotypes versus Glob‐LV: interstage‐I: HR, 4.5;
P
=0.004; overall: HR, 3.4;
P
=0.0007) and MAEs (HR, 2.7;
P
=0.0007). There was no difference in mortality and MAEs between patients with AA‐MS and without AA‐MS with Glob‐LV (
P
>0.15). Patients with AA‐MS (35%) or Glob‐LV (38%) palliated with a Blalock‐Taussig shunt had higher overall mortality compared with those palliated with Sano shunts, irrespective of the stage 1 palliation year (AA‐MS: HR, 2.6;
P
=0.04; Glob‐ LV: HR, 2.1;
P
=0.03).

Conclusions

Glob‐LV and AA‐MS are independent morphological risk factors for adverse short‐ and long‐ term outcome, especially if a Blalock‐Taussig shunt is used as part of stage 1 palliation. These findings are important for the clinical management of patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
Timing of Pubertal Development in Boys and Girls With Congenital Heart Defects: A Nationwide Cohort Study
Authors: Udholm Louise F. , Gaml‐Sørensen Anne , Arendt Linn H. , Brix Nis , Lunddorf Lea L. H. , Ernst Andreas , Knudsen Ulla B. , Hjortdal Vibeke E. , Ramlau‐Hansen Cecilia H.
Published: March 2022

Background

Children with congenital heart defects (CHD) have an increased risk of developmental delay. It remains sparsely investigated if these patients also have a delayed pubertal development. In this nationwide cohort study, we evaluated if CHD was associated with timing of puberty using longitudinally collected data on pubertal milestones.

Methods and Results

We used data from the Danish nationwide Puberty Cohort. Information on CHD was obtained from the Danish National Patient Register. Information on pubertal development was obtained from 15 780 children through questionnaires answered half‐yearly from 11 years until 18 years or full maturity. Using a multivariable regression model for censored time‐to‐event data, mean difference in age at attaining each pubertal milestone was estimated, including a combined pubertal marker. Compared with children without CHD, analyses were performed for both CHD overall and subdivided into simple and complex CHD. In a subanalysis, analyses were repeated in children born at term. In total, 137 children (62 boys and 75 girls) had a CHD diagnosis. Overall, no difference in age at pubertal timing was observed for children with CHD compared with unaffected children. The average differences were small for both boys (1.6 [95% CI, −2.6 to 5.7] months) and girls (1.0 [95% CI, −2.5 to 4.4] months). The same differences were observed when subdividing into simple or complex CHD and when restricting to children born at term.

Conclusions

We found no association between CHD and pubertal timing. For the group of children with complex CHD, we were unable to exclude a later pubertal timing.