bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bayesian modeling of the temporal evolution of seismicity using the ETAS.inlabru package
Authors: Naylor Mark , Serafini Francesco , Lindgren Finn , Main Ian G.
Published: March 2023

The epidemic type aftershock sequence (ETAS) model is widely used to model seismic sequences and underpins operational earthquake forecasting (OEF). However, it remains challenging to assess the reliability of inverted ETAS parameters for numerous reasons. For example, the most common algorithms just return point estimates with little quantification of uncertainty. At the same time, Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo implementations remain slow to run and do not scale well, and few have been extended to include spatial structure. This makes it difficult to explore the effects of stochastic uncertainty. Here, we present a new approach to ETAS modeling using an alternative Bayesian method, the integrated nested Laplace approximation (INLA). We have implemented this model in a new R-Package called ETAS.inlabru, which is built on the R packages R-INLA and inlabru. Our study has included extending these packages, which provided tools for modeling log-Gaussian Cox processes, to include the self-exciting Hawkes process that ETAS is a special case of. While we just present the temporal component here, the model scales to a spatio-temporal model and may include a variety of spatial covariates. This is a fast method that returns joint posteriors on the ETAS background and triggering parameters. Using a series of synthetic case studies, we explore the robustness of ETAS inversions using this method of inversion. We also included runnable notebooks to reproduce the figures in this article as part of the package's GitHub repository. We demonstrate that reliable estimates of the model parameters require that the catalog data contain periods of relative quiescence, as well as triggered sequences. We explore the robustness of the method under stochastic uncertainty in the training data and show that the method is robust to a wide range of starting conditions. We show how the inclusion of historic earthquakes prior to the modeled time window affects the quality of the inversion. Finally, we show that rate-dependent incompleteness of earthquake catalogs after large earthquakes have a significant and detrimental effect on the ETAS posteriors. We believe that the speed of the inlabru inversion, which includes a rigorous estimation of uncertainty, will enable a deeper exploration of how to use ETAS robustly for seismicity modeling and operational earthquake forecasting.
Translating desktop success to the web in the cytoscape project
Authors: Pratt Dexter , Pillich Rudolf T. , Morris John H.
Published: March 2023

Cytoscape is an open-source bioinformatics environment for the analysis, integration, visualization, and query of biological networks. In this perspective piece, we describe our project to bring the Cytoscape desktop application to the web while explaining our strategy in ways relevant to others in the bioinformatics community. We examine opportunities and challenges in developing bioinformatics software that spans both the desktop and web, and we describe our ongoing efforts to build a Cytoscape web application, highlighting the principles that guide our development.
Current global research on mandibular defect: A bibliometric analysis from 2001 to 2021
Authors: Li Yongdi , Li Duchenhui , Tang Zhenglong , Wang Dongxiang , Yang Zhishan , Liu Yiheng
Published: March 2023

Background: Mandibular defects can result from congenital deformities, trauma, tumor resection, and osteomyelitis. The shape was irregular because the lower jaw was radians. This involves teeth and jaw functions; therefore, the difficulty of bone repair is greater than that in other body parts. Several standard treatments are available, but they result in various problems, such as difficulties in skin flap transplantation and possible zone dysfunction, artificial material boneless combining ability, and a long treatment period. This study aimed to introduce the present status of research on mandibular defects to analyze the current introduction and predict future research trends through a bibliometric study.

Methods: From 2001 to 2021, publications on mandibular defects were collected for bibliometric visualization using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and Scimago Graphica software based on the Web of Science Core Collection.

Results: This study analyzed 4,377 articles, including 1,080 published in the United States, 563 in China, and 359 in Germany, with an increase in the number of articles published over the past 20 years. Wikesjoe and Ulf Mai E had the most publications (p = 36) and citations (citations = 1,553). Shanghai Jiaotong University published the highest number of papers among the research institutions (p = 88). The most productive journal was Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and the cited literature was primarily classified as dentistry, dermatology, and surgery. Cluster Analysis of Co-occurrence Keywords revealed that highest number of core words were mandibular defects, mandibular reconstruction, and bone regeneration. The highest cited words were head and neck cancer, accuracy, and osteogenic differentiation. High-frequency terms of Cluster Analysis of References were osteosynthesis plate, tissue engineering, and rapid distraction rate.

Conclusion: Over the past 20 years, the number of studies on mandibular defects has gradually increased. New surgical procedures are increasingly being used in clinical practice. Current frontier topics mainly focus on areas such as computer-aided design, 3D printing of osteotomy and reconstruction guide plates, virtual surgical planning, and bone tissue engineering.
Development of stromal differentiation patterns in heterotypical models of artificial corneas generated by tissue engineering
Authors: Blanco-Elices Cristina , Morales-Álvarez Carmen , Chato-Astrain Jesús , González-Gallardo Carmen , Ávila-Fernández Paula , Campos Fernando , Carmona Ramón , Martín-Piedra Miguel Ángel , Garzón Ingrid , Alaminos Miguel
Published: March 2023

Purpose: We carried out a histological characterization analysis of the stromal layer of human heterotypic cornea substitutes generated with extra-corneal cells to determine their putative usefulness in tissue engineering.

Methods: Human bioartificial corneas were generated using nanostructured fibrin-agarose biomaterials with corneal stromal cells immersed within. To generate heterotypical corneas, umbilical cord Wharton’s jelly stem cells (HWJSC) were cultured on the surface of the stromal substitutes to obtain an epithelial-like layer. These bioartificial corneas were compared with control native human corneas and with orthotypical corneas generated with human corneal epithelial cells on top of the stromal substitute. Both the corneal stroma and the basement membrane were analyzed using histological, histochemical and immunohistochemical methods in samples kept in culture and grafted in vivo for 12 months in the rabbit cornea.

Results: Our results showed that the stroma of the bioartificial corneas kept ex vivo showed very low levels of fibrillar and non-fibrillar components of the tissue extracellular matrix. However, in vivo implantation resulted in a significant increase of the contents of collagen, proteoglycans, decorin, keratocan and lumican in the corneal stroma, showing higher levels of maturation and spatial organization of these components. Heterotypical corneas grafted in vivo for 12 months showed significantly higher contents of collagen fibers, proteoglycans and keratocan. When the basement membrane was analyzed, we found that all corneas grafted in vivo showed intense PAS signal and higher contents of nidogen-1, although the levels found in human native corneas was not reached, and a rudimentary basement membrane was observed using transmission electron microscopy. At the epithelial level, HWJSC used to generate an epithelial-like layer in ex vivo corneas were mostly negative for p63, whereas orthotypical corneas and heterotypical corneas grafted in vivo were positive.

Conclusion: These results support the possibility of generating bioengineered artificial corneas using non-corneal HWJSC. Although heterotypical corneas were not completely biomimetic to the native human corneas, especially ex vivo, in vivo grafted corneas demonstrated to be highly biocompatible, and the animal cornea became properly differentiated at the stroma and basement membrane compartments. These findings open the door to the future clinical use of these bioartificial corneas.
Prescribing patterns of statins and associated factors among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients attended at Jugol General Hospital in eastern Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Nigussie Shambel , Demeke Fekade
Published: March 2023

Background

Most clinical practice guidelines support the use of statins in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, nothing is known about the prescribing patterns of statins at Jugol General Hospital in eastern Ethiopia.

Objective

This study aimed to assess the prescribing patterns of statins and associated factors among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients attended at Jugol General Hospital in eastern Ethiopia

Methods

A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted among 423 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who received follow-up care from 1 June 2017 to 1 June 2022. The study participants were enrolled consecutively using a convenience sampling technique. The data were extracted from patients’ medical records using a data abstraction checklist. The extracted data were entered into EpiData, version 3.1, and exported to Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 22, for analysis. Associations were considered to be statistically significant at a p-value < 0.05 and presented as adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals.

Result

The medical records of 423 patients were reviewed. The review revealed that medical records were complete for 410 of these patients, and these records were included in the analysis. The majority of the study participants were female (72.2%) and between the age of 40 and 65 years (61.2%). All of the study participants were eligible for statin prescription; however, statins were prescribed for only 257 (62.7%) study participants. Of the statins prescribed, moderate-dose-intensity statins were prescribed for 40 (15.6%) participants who were at high risk of cardiovascular disease. Atorvastatin was the most commonly (93.3%) prescribed statin. The presence of hypertension, coronary artery disease, and cerebrovascular events was significantly associated with statin prescribing.

Conclusion

The magnitude of prescribing statins for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus was low in comparison with the clinical practice guidelines recommendation. This finding is alarming and is a call for action to improve the execution of clinical practice guidelines for the benefit of this high-risk population.
Male-specific roles of lincRNA in C. elegans fertility
Authors: Shabtai Reut , Tzur Yonatan B.
Published: March 2023

The testis is the mammalian tissue with the highest expression levels of long intergenic non-coding RNAs (lincRNAs). However, most in vivo models have not found significant reductions in male fertility when highly expressed lincRNA genes were removed. This suggests that certain lincRNAs may act redundantly or lack functional roles. In the genome of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, there is an order of magnitude fewer lincRNA genes than in mammals. This characteristic lowers the potential for redundancy, making it an ideal model to test these possibilities. We identified five highly and dynamically expressed lincRNAs in male C. elegans gonads and quantified the fertility of worm strains in which these genes were removed. In contrast to the hermaphrodites of deletion strains, which exhibited no significant reductions in broods, smaller brood sizes were observed in the progeny of males of three of the lincRNA deleted strains. This demonstrates reduced male fertility in worms with those genes removed. Interestingly, reduced brood size was statistically significant only in the last days of egg laying in two of these strains. This suggests the effect is due to early deterioration and aging of the transferred sperm. We detected a mild increase in embryonic lethality in only one of the strains, supporting the possibility that these lincRNAs do not affect fertility through critical roles in essential meiotic processes. Together our results indicate a sexually dimorphic outcome on fertility when lincRNA are removed and show that, unlike mammals, individual lincRNAs in C. elegans do play significant roles in male fertility.
Competing interests during the key N-glycosylation of 6-chloro-7-deaza-7-iodopurine for the synthesis of 7-deaza-2′-methyladenosine using Vorbrüggen conditions
Authors: Naciuk Fabrício Fredo , Nascimento Andrey Fabricio Ziem , Rocha Rebeca Paiva Froes , Rustiguel Joane Kathelen , Coimbra Lais Durço , Marques Rafael Elias , Bruder Marjorie
Published: March 2023

A short 3-step synthesis of the antiviral agent 7DMA is described herein. The nature of a major by-product formed during the key N-glycosylation of 6-chloro-7-deaza-7-iodopurine with perbenzoylated 2-methyl-ribose under Vorbrüggen conditions was also investigated. Spectroscopic analyses support that the solvent itself is converted into a nucleophilic species competing with the nucleobase and further reacting with the activated riboside in an unanticipated fashion. These findings call for a revision of reaction conditions when working with weakly reactive nucleobases in the presence of Lewis acids. 7DMA thus obtained was evaluated for its efficacy against an emerging flavivirus in vitro.
A social bot in support of crisis communication: 10-years of @LastQuake experience on Twitter
Authors: Bossu Rémy , Corradini Marina , Cheny Jean-Marc , Fallou Laure
Published: March 2023

Social media such as Facebook or Twitter are at present considered part of the communication systems of many seismological institutes, including the European–Mediterranean Seismological Center (EMSC). Since 2012, the EMSC has been operating a hybrid Twitter system named @LastQuake comprising a bot for rapid information on global felt earthquakes and their effects, which is complemented by manual moderation that provides quasi-systematic and rapid answers to users' questions, especially after damaging earthquakes and earthquake sequences. The 2022 release of @LastQuake transcends a mere alert service and possessess additional capabilities, including fighting against misinformation and enhancing earthquake risk awareness and preparedness by exploiting the teachable moments opened by widely felt but non-damaging earthquakes. @LastQuake significantly increases the visibility and audience of the European–Mediterranean Seismological Center services, even in regions where its smartphone application (app) and websites are well known. It also contributes to increasing the volume of crowdsourced eyewitness observations that are collected, notably through the publication of rapid non-seismic-wave-based detections, as well as by reaching out to Twitter users who post about felt experiences through individual invitation messages. Although its impact, especially in raising awareness and preparedness is difficult to evaluate, @LastQuake efficiently supports crisis communication after large earthquakes and receives positive feedback from users for satisfying identified information needs of eyewitnesses automatically and in a timely manner. This study shares the experience gained over the last 10 years of operating the bot, presents the impact of users' feedback on empirically driving its evolution, and discusses the ways by which we can move toward a more data-driven assessment of its impact.
Transesophageal echocardiography-guided percutaneous closure of multiple muscular ventricular septal defects with pulmonary hypertension using single device: A case report
Authors: Siagian Sisca Natalia , Prakoso Radityo , Mendel Brian , Hazami Zakky , Putri Valerinna Yogibuana Swastika , Zulfahmi  , Sakti Damba Dwisepto Aulia , Kuncoro Ario Soeryo
Published: March 2023

Background

Surgery is typically used to correct challenging ventricular septal defects (VSDs), such as VSD with pulmonary hypertension and multiple defects. In this case report, we would like to highlight the feasibility of multiple defects VSD closure with single device percutaneously using zero-fluoroscopy technique.

Case presentation

A 7-year-old child was referred with the main symptom of shortness of breath. She started experiencing repeated respiratory tract infections, feeding issues, and failure to thrive at the age of six months. Her body weight was only 18 kg. TEE revealed several muscular VSD with 2–3 mm and 12 mm diameters, 3 mm spacing between VSD, L to R shunt, AR (-), and TR mild with septal leaflet tricuspid prolapse. Following right heart catheterization (Qp:Qs 3.5, PVRi 5.23WUmsq, PVR 4.55 WU, PVR/SVR 0.16), we made the decision to correct the defect using an Amplatzer Septal Occluder (AGA) No. 16 mm using transjugular method. Full device deployment was successfully performed with several episodes of PVC storm and severe bradycardia. One and a half years after the procedure, her TVG dropped to only 18 mmHg, her visible indicators of PH subsided, and the PA dilator treatment was discontinued. Her body weight had increased to 28 kg, and she had no complaints.

Conclusions

Our experience demonstrated that percutaneous closure of multiple VSD with a single device is possible, even with pulmonary hypertension.
Two-Year clinical outcomes after coronary bifurcation stenting in older patients from Korea and Italy
Authors: Kim Ju Hyeon , Franchin Luca , Hong Soon Jun , Cha Jung-Joon , Lim Subin , Joo Hyung Joon , Park Jae Hyoung , Yu Cheol Woong , Lim Do-Sun , De Filippo Ovidio , Gwon Hyeon-Cheol , Piroli Francesco , Kim Hyo-Soo , Wanha Wojciech , Choi Ki Hong , Song Young Bin , Patti Giuseppe , Nam Chang-Wook , Bruno Francesco , Kang Jeehoon , Bocchino Pier Paolo , De Ferrari Gaetano Maria , Koo Bon-Kwon , D’Ascenzo Fabrizio
Published: March 2023

Background

Older patients who treated by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are at a higher risk of adverse cardiac outcomes. We sought to investigate the clinical impact of bifurcation PCI in older patients from Korea and Italy.

Methods

We selected 5,537 patients who underwent bifurcation PCI from the BIFURCAT (comBined Insights from the Unified RAIN and COBIS bifurcAtion regisTries) database. The primary outcome was a composite of target vessel myocardial infarction, clinically driven target lesion revascularization, and stent thrombosis at two years.

Results

In patients aged ≥75 years, the mean age was 80.1 ± 4.0 years, 65.2% were men, and 33.7% had diabetes. Older patients more frequently presented with chronic kidney disease (CKD), severe coronary calcification, and left main coronary artery disease (LMCA). During a median follow-up of 2.1 years, older patients showed similar adverse clinical outcomes compared to younger patients (the primary outcome, 5.7% vs. 4.5%; p = 0.21). Advanced age was not an independent predictor of the primary outcome (p = 0.93) in overall patients. Both CKD and LMCA were independent predictors regardless of age group.

Conclusions

Older patients (≥75 years) showed similar clinical outcomes to those of younger patients after bifurcation PCI. Advanced age alone should not deter physicians from performing complex PCIs for bifurcation disease.
Data processing pipeline for cardiogenic shock prediction using machine learning
Authors: Jajcay Nikola , Bezak Branislav , Segev Amitai , Matetzky Shlomi , Jankova Jana , Spartalis Michael , El Tahlawi Mohammad , Guerra Federico , Friebel Julian , Thevathasan Tharusan , Berta Imrich , Pölzl Leo , Nägele Felix , Pogran Edita , Cader F. Aaysha , Jarakovic Milana , Gollmann-Tepeköylü Can , Kollarova Marta , Petrikova Katarina , Tica Otilia , Krychtiuk Konstantin A. , Tavazzi Guido , Skurk Carsten , Huber Kurt , Böhm Allan
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Recent advances in machine learning provide new possibilities to process and analyse observational patient data to predict patient outcomes. In this paper, we introduce a data processing pipeline for cardiogenic shock (CS) prediction from the MIMIC III database of intensive cardiac care unit patients with acute coronary syndrome. The ability to identify high-risk patients could possibly allow taking pre-emptive measures and thus prevent the development of CS.

Methods

We mainly focus on techniques for the imputation of missing data by generating a pipeline for imputation and comparing the performance of various multivariate imputation algorithms, including k-nearest neighbours, two singular value decomposition (SVD)—based methods, and Multiple Imputation by Chained Equations. After imputation, we select the final subjects and variables from the imputed dataset and showcase the performance of the gradient-boosted framework that uses a tree-based classifier for cardiogenic shock prediction.

Results

We achieved good classification performance thanks to data cleaning and imputation (cross-validated mean area under the curve 0.805) without hyperparameter optimization.

Conclusion

We believe our pre-processing pipeline would prove helpful also for other classification and regression experiments.
Case report: Acute right ventricular dysfunction after surgery in a pregnant patient with congenital heart disease and aortic dissection
Authors: Hao Junhai , Liu Siyi , Sun Tucheng , Lei Liming
Published: March 2023

Pregnant women with aortic dissection are hemodynamically outmost complex patients. The two major diagnoses that should be considered in pregnant patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) and acute type A aortic dissection presenting with postoperative right ventricular dysfunction are pulmonary thromboembolism and right ventricular infarction. We present a rare case of postoperative right ventricular dysfunction in pregnant women with CHD and acute aortic dissection, which was diagnosed by pulmonary computed tomography angiography and treated by percutaneous coronary intervention.
A novel nomogram for predicting risk of malnutrition in patients with heart failure
Authors: Liu Jian , Xu Shengjia , Wang Jiurui , Liu Jing , Yan Zeping , Liang Qian , Luan Xiaorong
Published: March 2023

Background and aims

This study aimed to explore the risk factors of malnutrition in patients with heart failure and construct a novel nomogram model.

Methods and results

A cross-sectional study based on the STROBE checklist. Patients with heart failure from July 2020 to August 2021 were included. Patients were divided into a malnutrition group and a normal nutrition group based on the Society's recommended AND-ASPEN standard. Logistic regression was used to analyze the independent risk factors for malnutrition. A new prediction model of nomogram was constructed based on the risk factors, and its fit and prediction performance were evaluated. Of 433 patients, 66 (15.2%) had malnutrition and 367 (84.8%) had normal nutrition, Logistic regression analyses showed that the risk factors for malnutrition were total protein, hemoglobin, triglyceride, and glucose levels. The regression model based on the above four variables showed an area under the curve of 0.858. The novel nomogram model had a sensitivity of 78.5% and a specificity of 77.3%. After 2000 bootstrap resampling iterations, AUC was 0.852.

Conclusions

The novel nomogram model can predict the odds of malnutrition in patients with heart failure at the early stage of admission, and can provide a reference for nursing staff to optimize nutritional care for inpatient with heart failure and to develop a discharge nutritional care plan.
Study on the clogging mechanism of upward inclined drainage holes in cut slopes
Authors: Meng Jian , Chen An , Yin Kexin , Zhou Caihui
Published: March 2023

Since groundwater is one of the main factors that affect the stability of highway slopes in mountainous regions, a smooth drainage is of importance for the safety of cut slopes. After years of service, the cut slopes of highway are often characterized with drainage problems or even drainage failures that threaten the stability and safety. In this paper, the clogging mechanism of drainage holes in highway cut slopes is firstly clarified through on-site survey. The soil and blockage samples are collected from typical slopes for laboratory tests and analysis, and the results reveal that all the blockages are made of fine-grained particles from the slopes. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images indicate that the blockages penetrate the drainage pipe wrappings to form the clogging. The combined effect of clayey soil, chemicals, and biological clogging exacerbate the clogging process around the drainage pipes. Laboratory tests are also performed to simulate the CaCO3 crystal clogging around the drainage holes, and the microstructure of the clogged geotechnical screens and geotextiles is observed by scanning electron microscope as well. The results confirm that the amount of CaCO3 crystal attached to the drainage pipe surface increases with the time. The single-layer structure of screens does not facilitate the three-dimensional clogging as in the case of geotextiles. After soaking in diluted hydrochloric acid at a pH of 5.0, there is no significant decrease of CaCO3 crystals attached on the screens and geotextiles. However, the CaCO3 decrease is apparent after soaking in the hydrochloric acid at a pH of 3.0. The clogging of drainage holes can be classified into two stages according to the laboratory tests and acid soaking, and the relationship and characteristics between the two stages are summarized.
Impact of climate change on the long-term water balance in the Yarlung Zangbo basin
Authors: Deng Yukun , Yao Yingying , Zhao Yufeng , Luo Dongliang , Cao Bin , Kuang Xingxing , Zheng Chunmiao
Published: March 2023

The Himalayan and Tibetan Plateau (TP) region serves as the “Asian water tower”. Yarlung Zangbo basin (YZB) is one of most important major rivers originating from TP sustaining billions of lives in the downstream alluvial plain. Climate change has impacted the hydrological cycle in this alpine region; however, the temporal and spatial trends of runoff and the water balance has not been quantified adequately. Here, we have optimized the snowmelt module of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) for the YZB to quantify the historical and future variability in the runoff, snowmelt water, and water balance components. According to the results of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Five and Six (CMIP5 and CMIP6) the future precipitation (2020–2099) projected by the CMIP6 will increase by 2.7% when compared to historical reference (1980–2019), while the precipitation will increase by 10.2% when projected by the CMIP5. The increase in average air temperature (2.4°C) projected by CMIP6 exceeds that of CMIP5 (1.9°C). The runoff between 2020 and 2050 will decrease by −12.7% compared with historical reference, and it will further decline by −9.2% during 2060 and 2099. Based on the average results of CMIP5 and CMIP6, the water balance deficit will increase primarily due to an increase in evaporation of 42.4%, whereas snowmelt (−32.1%), water yield (−9.4%), soil water (−19.8%), and groundwater recharge (−17.8%) will decrease. Long-term water balance evaluation implicates that middle and upper reaches will face a higher risk of drought, implying a potential threat to the sustainability of grassland ecosystems upstream.
Study on influencing factors of slope stability and evolution law of safety factor in coal measure strata
Authors: Li Hongru , Yang Min
Published: March 2023

Aiming at the influence factors and their action regulation of the slope stability in the coal measure strata of Beijing–Hong Kong & Macao Expressway, the influence characteristics of injection dip angle of rock stratum, thickness and strength parameters of the soft interlayer, slope height and size of slope angle on the slope safety factor are systematically studied by using the limit equilibrium method theory. The influence of slope height, thickness of weak interlayer and shear strength parameters on the stability of slope in coal measure strata with different dip angles is that the safety factor decreases first and then increases with the increase of strata dip angle. The minimum safety factor of slope under the action of each factor is near the strata dip angle of 30°, which indicates that the stability of slope in coal measure strata is poor when the dip angle of rock stratum is about 30°. With the increase of slope angle, the minimum safety factor decreases. However, when the slope angle is less than 40°, the slope is in a stable state and the dip angle of the strata do not affect the stability of the slope. Slopes with different slope angles have the minimum safety factor that is not affected by slope height. The difference between analytical solution and numerical solution is analyzed. The research provides a theoretical basis for the treatment of slopes in coal measure strata and has certain practical significance.
We learned we can do something to reduce bullying: Children designing anti-bullying mobile apps to empower their peers
Authors: Hartikainen Heidi , Ventä-Olkkonen Leena , Iivari Netta , Sharma Sumita , Lehto Essi , Molin-Juustila Tonja , Holappa Jenni
Published: March 2023

Mobile applications have thoroughly pervaded the lives of today's children, who live and learn through and with them. However, limited research has been conducted on children designing such apps and not only using those designed by adults. Inviting children to design such apps is the focus of our study. Moreover, in contemporary society, it is emphasized that children should be empowered to take civic action and engage in making the world a better place. In the literature, however, less emphasis has been placed on how children can be invited to do so through the means of digital technology, particularly mobile application design. In this study, 13–15-year-old children are invited to take civic action to address the serious societal problem of bullying through the design of mobile apps. We discussed the design process and analyzed the applications the children designed from the viewpoint of how they aim to tackle bullying. We examined how their app designs aim at empowering other children in the context of bullying, and thus considered what kinds of opportunities emerge for children to learn skills related to the prevention or management of bullying in the apps they have designed. We showed that the children's app designs informed us of the seriousness of bullying in children's lives and that they advocate for the empowerment of other children in different ways. Hence, we have increased our understanding of how smart, interactive technologies designed by children address the learning and empowerment of other children, i.e., application users. We also studied the children's learning from both their and their teachers' perspectives. This study showcases an alternative way educators can integrate digital technologies and apps in school settings to educate children on important societal matters and digital technology.
Integrating COIL in teacher training: An estimation of learners´ motivational attitudes
Authors: Quintana-Ordorika Amaia , Camino-Esturo Edorta , Portillo-Berasaluce Javier , Garay-Ruiz Urtza
Published: March 2023

Collaborative Online International Learning experiences have gained popularity and presence in the last years, but the motivational impact they have on future Primary Education teachers in the field of teacher training education is to be researched. We present a quantitative study that tries to estimate the level of motivation of teacher training students that are in the trilingual degree in the Basque Country. This study examines the level of confidence, attention, satisfaction and relevance of learners in higher education according to Keller’s ARCS model of motivation. It compares the results obtained between learners that have taken part in the Collaborative Online International Learning project, from now on COIL, and those that did not have the opportunity to take part in the virtual exchange and that had to develop the project in the traditional way. It also reflects the opinions they have regarding the general satisfaction of the project. The study involved 43 students from the UPV/EHU (University of the Basque Country) and students from Masaryk University. The data was collected through a validated questionnaire IMMS created in Google Forms. Key findings include that this faculty driven intervention that in all the dimensions, except Satisfaction, show significance results. Therefore, it is confirmed that the dimensions of Attention, Relevance, Confidence, as well as the overall score of the instrument (Global IMMS), show significant differences between the two groups analyzed. The exceptionality of the Satisfaction dimension is very close to the rejection zone of the null hypothesis. This helps us to underline the positive value of the implementation of virtual exchanges and it is therefore concluded that the greater motivation, the higher the degree of positive attitudes towards taking part in virtual exchanges. These results allow decisions to be taken with regard to implementing these experiences in the initial training of teachers, since the data that has been collected has direct implications for global learning engagement level and as an effective pedagogical approach to prepare all students to cope with the requirements that a 21st century society has.
Social robotics in music education: A systematic review
Authors: Martinez-Roig Rosabel , Cazorla Miguel , Esteve Faubel José María
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Social robotics applied to the educational context deals with proposals that start from the present to shape the future of what training in a specific subject can be. On this occasion, the aim is to investigate the connection between the utilization of social robots and the teaching–learning processes that take place within a formal music education environment at any stage of education.

Methods

To carry out this research, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) model served as a reference to perform a systematic review of articles published in two of the most important scientific databases, Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus, since 2015.

Results

A total of four articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria.

Discussion

Our findings attest that social robotics still remains a practically unknown topic. Hardly any experiences have been developed in classrooms. In general, it is considered necessary for education, and more specifically for music, not to be left out of the developments in social robotics. This technology, which is increasingly present in various areas of our society, responds to the objective of defining the 21st century, and musical education is part of it.
Correlation analysis of larger side bone cement volume/vertebral body volume ratio with adjacent vertebral compression fractures during vertebroplasty
Authors: Zhou Chengqiang , Huang Shaolong , Liao Yifeng , Chen Han , Zhang Yazhong , Li Hua , Zhu Ziqiang , Wang Yunqing
Published: March 2023

Objective

To investigate the correlation analysis of larger side bone cement volume/vertebral body volume ratio (LSBCV/VBV%) with adjacent vertebral compression fracture (AVCF) in percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) for osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF).

Methods

A retrospective analysis of 245 OVCF patients who underwent PVP treatment from February 2017 to February 2021, including 85 males and 160 females. The age ranged from 60 to 92 years, with a mean of (70.72 ± 7.03) years. According to whether AVCF occurred after surgery, they were divided into 38 cases in the AVCF group (fracture group) and 207 cases in the no AVCF group (non-fracture group). The correlation between gender, age, bone mineral density (BMD), body mass index (BMI), thoracolumbar segment fracture, bone cement disc leakage, LSBCV, bone cement volume (BCV), VBV, LSBCV/VBV ratio (LSBCV/VBV%), and BCV/VBV% and AVCF were analyzed in both groups. Risk factors for AVCF after PVP were analyzed by multifactorial logistic regression, and then the receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC curves) were plotted to identify the critical value of LSBCV/VBV%.

Results

38 patients (15.5%) developed AVCF postoperatively. Univariate analysis showed that BMD, bone cement disc leakage, LSBCV, and LSBCV/VBV% were risk factors for AVCF after PVP (P<0.05), while gender, age, BMI, thoracolumbar segment fracture, BCV, VBV, and BCV/VBV% were not significantly different in both groups (P>0.05). Multifactorial logistic regression analysis revealed that BMD, bone cement disc leakage, and LSBCV/VBV% were independent risk factors for AVCF after PVP (P<0.05). According to the ROC curve, the LSBCV/VBV% had an area under the curve of 71.6%, a sensitivity and specificity of 89.5% and 51.7%, respectively, and a critical value of 13.82%.

Conclusion

BMD, bone cement disc leakage and LSBCV/VBV% are independent risk factors for AVCF after PVP. With LSBCV/VBV at 13.82%, the incidence of AVCF significantly increased.
Integrating single-cell analysis and machine learning to create glycosylation-based gene signature for prognostic prediction of uveal melanoma
Authors: Liu Jianlan , Zhang Pengpeng , Yang Fang , Jiang Keyu , Sun Shiyi , Xia Zhijia , Yao Gang , Tang Jian
Published: March 2023

Background

Increasing evidence suggests a correlation between glycosylation and the onset of cancer. However, the clinical relevance of glycosylation-related genes (GRGs) in uveal melanoma (UM) is yet to be fully understood. This study aimed to shed light on the impact of GRGs on UM prognosis.

Methods

To identify the most influential genes in UM, we employed the AUCell and WGCNA algorithms. The GRGs signature was established by integrating bulk RNA-seq and scRNA-seq data. UM patients were separated into two groups based on their risk scores, the GCNS_low and GCNS_high groups, and the differences in clinicopathological correlation, functional enrichment, immune response, mutational burden, and immunotherapy between the two groups were examined. The role of the critical gene AUP1 in UM was validated through in vitro and in vivo experiments.

Results

The GRGs signature was comprised of AUP1, HNMT, PARP8, ARC, ALG5, AKAP13, and ISG20. The GCNS was a significant prognostic factor for UM, and high GCNS correlated with poorer outcomes. Patients with high GCNS displayed heightened immune-related characteristics, such as immune cell infiltration and immune scores. In vitro experiments showed that the knockdown of AUP1 led to a drastic reduction in the viability, proliferation, and invasion capability of UM cells.

Conclusion

Our gene signature provides an independent predictor of UM patient survival and represents a starting point for further investigation of GRGs in UM. It offers a novel perspective on the clinical diagnosis and treatment of UM.
Decentralized power grid fault traceability system based on internet of things and blockchain technology
Authors: Ji Qingqing , Hu Chunying , Duan Qiao , Huang Chunli , Zhao Xu
Published: March 2023

With the economic and social development of China, the scale of the power grid continues to expand. Rapid location and diagnosis of power failures have become significant for China to maintain its stable development of power system. In recent years, the Internet of Things (IoT) based on 5G technology has been applied to power grid more widely. Meanwhile, given the fact that the blockchain is traceable and tamper-resistant, the combination of the blockchain and IoT is considered to locate power failures quickly and assist professional maintenance personnel to deduce the cause of failures, minimizing economic loss. With the foundation of IoT sensor node data, this paper designs a decentralized electronic certificate scheme based on blockchain and Interplanetary File System (IPFS) to collect data of each node of the power system and store it in the blockchain. The model of data sharding, storage and certificate optimizes the utilization of storage space of the blockchain, reducing the time required for system access to nodes. Traceability of data stored on blockchain data is employed to quickly and accurately trace faults of the power system, providing strong technical support for the safe and stable operation of China’s power system.
A combinatorial model for natural gas industrial customer value portrait based on value assessment and clustering algorithm
Authors: Liu Sicong , Gong Chengzhu , Pan Kai
Published: March 2023

Frequent geopolitical events have reduced the stability of natural gas supply and caused drastic price fluctuations, which poses a new challenge to the natural gas consumer market. To improve the anti-risk ability of the natural gas industrial market, this study constructs a new customer value portrait framework to discern the industrial customer value based on different types of behavioral features and the emerging trends of the natural gas market. Specifically, we rediscover the value composition of natural gas industrial customers and establish a set of indicators to reflect the customer value in different dimensions with mixed data types. Then, a visualizable customer value classification model has been established by combining Gower’s dissimilarity coefficient with the PAM clustering algorithm. To ensure the accuracy of the clustering results, the optimal number of clusters is determined by gap statistics and elbow point, and the average silhouette method is used to detect the clustering effect as well as used in misclassified sample identification. To verify the applicability of the model, we used a certain amount of natural gas industrial customer data from a large state-owned oil and gas enterprise for application analysis and effectively divided customer value into three groups, demand-serving, demand-potential, and demand-incentive, according to their value characteristics and behavioral features. The results indicate that the framework proposed in this study can reasonably reflect and better characterize natural gas industrial customers’ value with different types of behavioral feature data, which can provide technical support for big data smart natural gas consumer marketing.
Removal of endosulfan from water by municipal waste incineration fly ash-based geopolymers: Adsorption kinetics, isotherms, and thermodynamics
Authors: Luttah Isaac , Onunga Daniel O. , Shikuku Victor O. , Otieno Benton , Kowenje Chrispin O.
Published: March 2023

Alkali-activated municipal waste incineration fly ash (MWFA)-based geopolymers (GPA, GPB, and GPC) were synthesized under different sodium silicate to sodium hydroxide (SS/SH) ratios. The geopolymers were applied in the removal of endosulfan, a persistent and toxic chemical, from water. The adsorbents were characterized by XRD, SEM-EDX, and FTIR. Variation of SS/SH ratios resulted in morphologically distinguishable geopolymers with different compositions. The adsorption equilibrium data were best described by the Langmuir isotherm. The maximum adsorption capacities increased with an increase in SS/SH ratios in the order 1.87, 15.89, 16.97, and 20.01 mg/g for MWFA, GPA, GPB, and GPC, respectively. The kinetic data were best described by the pseudo-first-order model wherein the adsorption rate (k1) was independent of the SS/SH ratios and the geopolymer composition. The thermodynamic parameters, that is, enthalpy (∆H > 0), Gibbs free energy (∆G < 0), entropy (∆S > 0), and activation energy (Ea > 0), show that the processes were endothermic, spontaneous, physical (Ea and ∆H < 40 kJ/mol), and entropy-driven. Alkalination was beneficial since the geopolymers had a higher adsorption capacity (∼8–10 times) and affinity for endosulfan (∼30 times) than the precursor material (MWFA). The adsorption mechanism entailed electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding. The MWFA-based geopolymers are, therefore, potential alternative low-cost adsorbents for the removal of endosulfan from water and a strategy for the valorization of MWFA.
The quantification of the extent of flooding on selected major Afrotropical lakes to guide management implications
Authors: Aura Christopher Mulanda , Nyamweya Chrisphine , Musa Safina , Ogari Zachary , Owoko Winnie , Osore Melckzedeck , May Linda , Njiru James M.
Published: March 2023

The extent of flooding in vulnerable inland and lacustrine systems can demonstrate the coverage and the magnitude of such phenomenon for policy enhancement. This study examined the extent of flooding due to rising water levels in selected Afrotropical lakes to guide interventions that would sustain the livelihoods of communities affected. The years that were most prone to flooding (2010 and 2020) were used as a baseline in the extraction of changes in spatial extent and area of lacustrine shoreline, and rainfall and satellite altimetry data, using geospatial and remote sensing technologies. The extent of flooding was strongly but insignificantly related (R2 = 0.63; p = 0.07) to the sizes of the studied lakes and the amount of rainfall. Lakes with the smallest surface areas such as Baringo and Naivasha showed the greatest increase in flooding of 52.63% and 42.62%, respectively. Larger lakes such as Lakes Victoria (1.05%), Turkana (3.77%), and Tanganyika (0.07%) had the lowest increases in areal extent. Furthermore, the topography of the lakes studied further determined the residence time and the extent of flooding, such that lakes such as Edward (−0.09%) and Rukwa (−3.25%) receded during the period when other lakes were flooding. The information and data presented here provides the most up-to-date quantification of flooding to support adaptation strategies for inland lake systems and guide policy implementation.
Carbon storage and sequestration in Southeast Asian urban clusters under future land cover change scenarios (2015–2050)
Authors: Kamarajugedda Shankar Acharya , Johnson Justin Andrew , McDonald Robert , Hamel Perrine
Published: March 2023

Land-use land-cover (LULC) changes are occurring rapidly in Southeast Asia (SEA), generally associated with population growth, economic development and competing demands for land. Land cover change is one of the vital factors affecting carbon dynamics and emissions. SEA is an important region to study urban-caused LULC emissions and the potential for nature-based solutions (NBS) and nature climate solutions (NCS), as it is home to nearly 15% of the world’s tropical forests and has some of the world’s fastest rates of urban growth. We present a fine-scale urban cluster level assessment for SEA of current (2015) and future (2050) scenarios for carbon sequestration service and climate mitigation potential. We identified 956 urban clusters distributed across 11 countries of SEA. Considering the urban expansion projected and decline in forests, this region could see a carbon loss of up to 0.11 Gigatonnes (Scenario SSP4 RCP 3.4). Comparing carbon change values to urban emissions, we found that the average offset value ranging from −2% (Scenario SSP1 RCP 2.6) to −21%. We also found that a few medium and large urban clusters could add to more than double the existing carbon emissions in 2050 in the SSP3 and SSP4 RCP 3.4 scenarios, while a minority of clusters could offset their emissions under SSP1. Our study confirms that NCS, and particularly reforestation, are in many cases able to offset the direct emissions from land cover conversion from SEA urban clusters. Hence, documenting the plausible LULC transitions and the associated impacts gains significance in the SEA region as the results can be useful for informing policy and sustainable land management.