bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Malaria positivity rate trend analysis from 2013-2021 at water resources development project of Wonji Sugar Estate Oromia, Ethiopia
Authors: Lelisa Kidane , Hailemeskel Elifaged , Bekele Damtew , Dugassa Sisay
Published: November 2022

Background: Evidence on the trends of the proportion of malaria infections detected by routine passive case detection at health facilities is important for public health decision making especially in areas moving towards elimination. This study assessed nine years of trends on clinical malaria infections detected at health facility and its associated climate factors, in the water resource development set up of Wonji sugar estate, Oromia, Ethiopia.
Methods: From January, 2013 to December 2021, retrospective data were collected from malaria suspected patient recording logbook at Wonji sugar factory’s primary hospital. Monthly average mereological data were obtained from the estate meteorological station.
Results: Over the last nine years, 34,388 cases were legible for analysis with complete data. Of these, 11.75% (4,039/34,388) were positive for clinical malaria. Plasmodium vivaxtest positivity was the highest proportion (8.2%, n=2,820) followed by Plasmodium falciparum (3.48%, n=1,197) and mixed infections (P. falciparumand P. vivax, 0.06%, n=21). The odds of being positive for malaria was highest in males (AOR = 1.46; 95%CI: 1.36-1.52; P<0.001) compared to females, in older individuals of above 15 years old (AOR=4.55, 95%CI=4.01-5.17, P<0.001) followed by school-age children (5–15 years old) (AOR=2.16; 95%CI: 1.88–2.49, P<0.001). There was no significant variation in the proportion of malaria-positive cases in the dry and wet seasons (P=0.059). Malaria test positivity rates were associated with average monthly rainfall (AdjIRR=1.00; 95%CI=1.00-1.001, P<0.001) while negatively associated with average monthly minim temperature (adjIRR=0.94; 95%CI=0.94–0.95; P<0.001) and average monthly relative humidity (adjIRR=0.99, 95%CI=0.99- 1.00, P=0.023).
Conclusion: There was year-round malaria transmission, adults especially males and school children frequently tested malaria positive. Hence, alternative vector management tools like larval source management have to be deployed besides ITNs and IRS in such water development areas to achieve the malaria elimination goals.
Antibiotic sensitivity pattern of bacterial pathogens in two tertiary care hospitals in Damascus, Syria: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Abdelwahed Rawan N. K. , Jassem Manaf , Kakaje Ameer , Kharat Mohammed , Alkhoury Michael , Kanaan Mohammad
Published: November 2022

Antibiotics resistance is a major concern as it renders antibiotics ineffective, which would have disastrous effects on patient care. The contribution of the Middle Eastern countries in limiting antimicrobial resistance is diminished due to instability and deteriorating healthcare infrastructure. This study aims to report on the antimicrobial resistance pattern in two tertiary care hospitals in Damascus, the capital of Syria in samples of blood, sputum, urine and other. A cross-sectional study based on reports of bacterial cultures was performed between April and November in 2020 in microbiology labs of Damascus Hospital and Al-Razi Hospital. Identification of bacteria was performed using standard microbiological procedures. Susceptibility testing was performed using disk diffusion method. Interpretation of the results was done according to the guidelines of the Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute. Data were analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences version 26. 412 cultures were positive for pathogens. Most frequently isolated pathogens were Enterobacter, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli. Enterobacter was completely sensitive to doripenem and cefoperazone-sulbactam. The resistance rates of Staphylococcus aureus to vancomycin and linezolid were 23.5% and 24.5%, respectively. Escherichia coli was resistant to ciprofloxacin in 72.4% of samples. Klebsiella pneumonia had shown various resistance rates to all used antibiotics. Females had significantly higher frequency of Escherichia coli, Enterobacter, and Klebsiella pneumoniae in urine samples, while males had significantly higher frequency of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus mirabilis. This study showed the high prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in Damascus Hospital and Al-Razi Hospital, two of major hospitals in Damascus. The decreasing potency of antimicrobials is concerning and may require urgent interventions, such as effective surveillance, and development of national guidelines for prescribing antibiotics.
Utilization of carob bean pulp and seeds in preparing some functional bakery products
Authors: Hafez Hoda , Mahgoub Saad
Published: November 2022

This study aimed to (i) utilize roasted carob powder (130° C/ 30 min) from carob bean pulp as a natural sweetener in replacement with cane sugar at 0, 25, 50, and 75% in cacao cupcakes formula; (ii) utilize carob bean gum from carob bean seeds as a by-product of pods in gluten-free bread at 0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5%, (iii) assess the chemical, viscosity and antioxidant properties of the raw materials, (iv) evaluate the sensory, physicochemical and texture properties of the produced cupcakes and gluten-free bread. Roasted carob powder hadP≤0.05 values of fiber (7.11%), ash (2.73%), Fe (38.7%), Ca (228.5%), Zn (3.1%), Total phenol (205.53 mg/100g) and antioxidant activity (91.78%). The aqueous dispersion (1%) of carob bean gum showed pseudoplastic behavior with apparent viscosity (η) from 2110-438.33 cP. Both cupcakes and gluten-free bread had water activity (aw) < 0.94. Roasted carob powder could be used as a natural sweetener in replacement with cane sugar up to 50% in cacao cupcakes formula, with nop≥0.05 increase in appearance, crust color, crumb texture, odor, and acid value compared with the control sample, which can suit low glycemic diet. Carob bean gum could be used as a binder up to 1.0% in gluten-free bread withP≤0.05 soft texture, shape symmetry, bright color, and higher overall acceptability, which can meet celiac patient needs.
AI-based smart water leak detection using hydrophones ​
Authors: Bakhtawar Beenish , Fares Ali , Zayed Tarek
Published: November 2022

Acoustic technologies are popular for the detection of leak detriments in water pipelines. However, problems of false alarms, missed leaks, limited site information, and the high cost of long-term monitoring remain prevalent. These issues demand a more sophisticated testing approach suitable for real-world applications. Hydrophone technology has a strong promise for precision leak detection. However, acoustic leak detection is mostly focused on detection using controlled testbed experiments. The practical application of hydrophones for leak detection has not been well reported in the literature. The current study presents a smart real-time leak detection system that uses real-time acoustic data collection. AI-based data-driven models were developed to identify leaks based on limited site information. Different classification models were trained using various feature combinations to identify the most significant model and feature set. ensemble-based classifiers of Adaboost, and Random Forest demonstrated the most promising performance for the leak detection application. Results reveal hydrophones to be more effective as compared to other acoustic devices like accelerometers and noise loggers in detecting leaks.
Single-voxel MR spectroscopy of gliomas with s-LASER at 7T
Authors: Prener Martin , Opheim Giske , Shams Zahra , Søndergaard Christian Baastrup , Lindberg Ulrich , Larsson Henrik BW , Ziebell Morten , Larsen Vibeke Andrée , Vestergaard Mark Bitsch , Paulson Olaf B.
Published: November 2022

Background and Purpose: Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) – a method to analyse metabolites in vivo – has been utilized in several studies of brain glioma biomarkers at lower fields strengths. At ultrahigh field strengths, MRS provides improved signal-to-noise-ratio and spectral resolution, but 7T studies on patients with gliomas are sparse. The purpose of this exploratory study was to evaluate the potential clinical implication of single-voxel MRS at 7T to assess metabolic information of lesions in a pilot cohort of patients with grade II and III gliomas.
Methods: We scanned seven patients and seven healthy controls using the semi-localization by adiabatic-selective refocusing sequence on a Philips Achieva 7T system with a standard dual-transmit head coil. The metabolic ratios were calculated relative to water and total creatine. Additionally, 2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG) MRS was carried out in four of the patients and 2-HG concentration was calculated relative to water.
Results: When comparing tumour data to control regions in both patients and healthy controls, we found that choline/creatine and myo-inositol/creatine was significantly increased and that N-acetylaspartate/creatine and the neurotransmitter glutamate/creatine was significantly decreased. N-acetylaspartate/water and glutamate/water were also significantly decreased. Lactate/water and lactate/creatine showed an increase, although not significant. GABA/water was significantly decreased, but GABA/creatine was not. MRS spectra showed the presence of 2-HG in three of the four patients studied. Three of the patients, including the MRS 2-HG negative one, were operated and all of them had the IDH mutation.
Conclusion: Our findings were consistent with existing literature on 3T- and 7T-MRS.
A study of the effect of retirement on depression among female workers: Empirical evidence from China
Authors: Yang Hua-lei , Tao Yiwen , Cheng Si-Meng , Ti Shi-ming
Published: November 2022

As a major event in the later stages of women's lives, retirement affects the mental health status and quality of life of female retirees. Based on data from the second, fourth, and fifth rounds of the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), this paper empirically examined the effect of retirement on depression levels among Chinese female workers using regression discontinuity and found that retirement significantly reduced female depression levels. On average, female depression scores would decrease by 3.399 points after retirement, and this result is robust. Further heterogeneity analysis found that retirement did not significantly improve depression levels and may even exacerbate depression among retired women with smaller family size, no spouse, and no intimate relationship; women with less than high school education and better self-rated health significantly reduced their depression due to the occurrence of retirement behaviors; and women working in corporate units or manual laborers possessed lower depression levels after retirement. Additionally, this paper further compared and analyzed the change in depression in men before and after retirement and found that retirement did not significantly reduce the level of depression in men. The significance of this paper is that, based on the fact that retirement is more beneficial to women's mental health, the mental health of working women should be fully considered when implementing a delayed retirement policy, and corresponding supporting policies should be implemented to minimize the negative effects of extended working hours. Considering the differences in the effects of retirement on depression levels of different groups of people, more social support can be given to those groups lacking social support and family support, such as women with smaller families, no spouse or no intimate relationships; for female workers in enterprises and manual laborers, their willingness to delay retirement can be respected.
Prevalence of bacterial respiratory infections and antimicrobial susceptibility profile among outpatients visiting Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital, Meru County, Kenya
Authors: Miriti Dinah Muthoni , Muthini John Maingi , Nyamache Anthony Kebira
Published: November 2022

Objective:Respiratory tract infections cause significant morbidity and mortality globally and are the most common infectious diseases in humans. This study aimed at determining the prevalence of bacterial respiratory infections and antimicrobial susceptibility profile among outpatients presenting with respiratory tract infections in Meru teaching and referral hospital.Methods:The study was conducted in Meru teaching and referral hospital, Meru County from April 2017 to August 2018. A total of 175 sputum and throat samples were collected aseptically from patients who were clinically suspected to have respiratory infections and cultured in blood agar, MacConkey agar and chocolate agar. Bacterial isolates were identified by colonial morphology, Gram stain and confirmed by biochemical tests. Antimicrobial susceptibility profile was determined using agar disc diffusion method.Results: Respiratory bacterial pathogens were isolated in 43.6 % of the samples. The prevalence of the bacteria species isolated were as followsPseudomonasspecies(30.9 %),Staphylococcus aureus(22.2 %),Klebsiellaspecies(19.8 %), Streptococcus pyogenes(14.8 %) andStreptococcus pneumoniae (12.4 %). The susceptibility test showed that both Gram positive and Gram-negativeisolates were highly susceptible to gentamicin, cefuroxime and amikacin while resistance was recorded for amoxicillin and ampicillin. However, resistance to more than two antibiotics was recorded in 54 (66.7 %) of the isolates.Conclusion: Many of the isolates obtained showed resistance to some antibiotics used hence there is need for a continuous surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in management of respiratory infections in Meru County.Ethical approval and consent to participate: This study obtained approval from Kenyatta University ethics review committee (KUERC) and ethics review committee of Meru teaching and referral hospital. Informed consent was obtained from all the subjects and their legal guardians. The patients voluntarily consented to participate in the study. All methods were carried out in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations (declaration of helsinki). The ethics review committee of Meru teaching and referral hospital approved the study protocol.
Genetic Risk Factors for ME/CFS Identified using Combinatorial Analysis
Authors: Das Sayoni , Taylor Krystyna , Kozubek James , Sardell Jason , Gardner Stephen
Published: November 2022

Background: Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a debilitating chronic disease that lacks known pathogenesis, distinctive diagnostic criteria, and effective treatment options. Understanding the genetic (and other) risk factors associated with the disease would begin to help to alleviate some of these issues for patients.
Methods: We applied both GWAS and the PrecisionLife combinatorial analytics platform to analyze ME/CFS cohorts from UK Biobank, including the Pain Questionnaire cohort, in a case-control design with 1,000 cycles of fully random permutation. Results from this study were supported by a series of replication and cohort comparison experiments, including use of disjoint Verbal Interview CFS, post-viral fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia cohorts also derived from UK Biobank, and results compared for overlap and reproducibility.
Results: Combinatorial analysis revealed 199 SNPs mapping to 14 genes, that were significantly associated with 91% of the cases in the ME/CFS population. These SNPs were found to stratify by shared cases into 15 clusters (communities) made up of 84 high-order combinations of between 3-5 SNPs. p-values for these communities range from 2.3 x 10-10 to 1.6 x 10-72. Many of the genes identified are linked to the key cellular mechanisms hypothesized to underpin ME/CFS, including vulnerabilities to stress and/or infection, mitochondrial dysfunction, sleep disturbance and autoimmune development. We identified 3 of the critical SNPs replicated in the post-viral fatigue syndrome cohort and 2 SNPs replicated in the fibromyalgia cohort. We also noted similarities with genes associated with multiple sclerosis and long COVID, which share some symptoms and potentially a viral infection trigger with ME/CFS.
Conclusions: This study provides the first detailed genetic insights into the pathophysiological mechanisms underpinning ME/CFS and offers new approaches for better diagnosis and treatment of patients.
WITHDRAWN: Deep Learning Based Approach for Plant Disease Detection
Authors: Yadav Ravindra , Seth Anita
Published: November 2022

Plant disease detection has a huge impact on plant farming. Early diagnosis of plant illness can help control disease spread and reduce loss. It is a soil-borne disease that affects leaves of plants. In the current research, the emphasis is on the early diagnosis and prevention of plant leaf disease. In this paper, strawberry, tomato, pepper bell, and potato disease detection network (STPP- DDN) based on Faster R-CNN and multi-task learning. STPP-ddn is developed which leverages attention mechanisms in feature extraction. STPP-DDN detects disease based on plant symptoms. Unlike other approaches for diagnosing disease from the total plant look, the STPP-DDN automatically classifies the petioles and young leaves. A large dataset with number of photos divided into various groups is constructed to serve as a basis for analyzing and testing our proposed technique. Each image also includes a label that indicates whether or not the plants has been affected. With the proposed STPP-DDN, we achieved a mAP of 77:54% on object detection of 4 categories and 99:95% accuracy for strawberry verticillium wilt detection.
Compensatory gene expression potentially rescues impaired brain development in Kit mutant mice
Authors: Minei Ryuhei , Aoki Hitomi , Ogura Atsushi , Kunisada Takahiro
Published: November 2022

While loss-of-function mutations in the murine dominant whitespotting/Kit (W)locus affect a diverse array of cell lineages, the brain and organs with the highest expression show the least number of defective phenotypes. We performed transcriptome analysis of the brains ofKitWembryos and found prominent gene expression changes specifically in the E12.5KitW/Whomozygous mutant. Although other potentially causative changes in gene expression were observed, uniform downregulation of ribosomal protein genes and oxidative phosphorylation pathway genes specifically observed in the E12.5 brain may comprise a genetic compensation system exerting protective metabolic effects against the deleterious effect ofKitW/Wmutation in the developing brain.
Hormone Measurements and Histomorphological Observations in Male Bactrian Camels
Authors: Hasi Gaowa , Sodnompil Tserennadmid , Na Haya , Liu Hejie , Ji Musi , Xie Wangwei , Nasenochir Narenhua
Published: November 2022

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Bactrian camel age on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis hormone and to determine the morphological changes of the testis. The Bactrian camels were divided into two groups based on their ages, including three years old (puberty) and six years old (adult). The results showed that the testicular weight was significantly heavier in adult male camels than in pubertal male camels (p <0.05). There were also significant differences between testicular length, testicular width and testicular volume (p < 0.05). In the testes of both pubertal and adult male camels, Sertoli cells, spermatogonia, spermatocytes, round spermatids and elongated spermatids were observed. Adult male camels had more Sertoli cells (p<0.01) and elongated spermatids (p <0.05). The concentrations of testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) were higher in the plasma and testes of camels than in pubertal camels (p <0.05), and E2 concentrations were lower in adult camels than in pubertal camels (p <0.05). Plasma testosterone levels were significantly higher in adults than in puberty, and testosterone levels in testicular tissue were also higher than in plasma in both adult and pubertal stage (p <0.05). In conclusion, these findings provide supportive knowledge and show the significant differences in terms of testicular volume, testicular hormone concentrations, and testicular morphology between different developmental stages in Bactrian camels.
Lung ultrasound to evaluate pulmonary changes in patients with cardiogenic shock undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation:A retrospective study
Authors: Wang Rongguo , Zhou Meiyan , Man Yuanyuan , Zhu Yangzi , Ding Wenping , Liu Qian , Sun Bin , Yan Li , Zhang Yan , Zhou Hai , Wang Liwei
Published: November 2022

Purpose: The aim of the study was to evaluate the value of lung ultrasound (LUS) in patients with cardiogenic shock treated by venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO).
Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in Xuzhou Central Hospital from September 2015 to April 2022. Patients with cardiogenic shock who received VA-ECMO treatment were enrolled in this study. The LUS score was obtained at the different time points of ECMO.
Results: Twenty-two patients were divided into a survival group (n=16) and a nonsurvival group (n=6). The ICU mortality was 27.3% (6/22). The LUS scores in the nonsurvival group were significantly higher than those in the survival group after 72 h (P<0.05). There was a significant negative correlation between LUS scores and PaO2/FiO2 and LUS scores and Cdyn after 72 h of ECMO treatment (P<0.001). ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the ROC curve (AUC) of T72-LUS for predicting ICU mortality was 0.964 (95% CI 0.887~1.000, P<0.01).
Conclusion: LUS is a promising tool for evaluating pulmonary changes in patients with cardiogenic shock undergoing VA-ECMO. Moreover, T72-LUS can effectively predict the ICU survival status of patients.
Trial registration:The study had been registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry(NO.ChiCTR2200062130 and 24/07/2022).
Kinds of Attacks: European Championship 2020 / 2021
Authors: Zivanovic Vladimir
Published: November 2022

Background: Scoring of goals determines whether a team wins or loses a game.
Aims The aims to analyze the characteristics of the goals scored at the tournament, and derive the latest tactical-technical innovations.
Methods: In a sample of 51 games and the participation of 24 national teams, this study was based on the personal observation of the researcher i.e., the analysis was based on the live monitoring of games domestic cable channels, database of UEFA Euro 2020 official website, and on UEFA's official YouTube channel. Two-way between-groups ANOVA were used for the data.
Results: A total of 142 goals were scored. The fixed factor showed the highest representation of goals was in the period of 45-60 minutes (30), while the fixed factors included attack types and the number of goals scored: (80) continuous attacks (Mean = 53.7 minutes), (13) quick attacks (59.5 minutes), (14) counter-attacks (55.7 minutes), and (35) set plays (51.8 minutes). The highest number way of goals (37) was yielded inside of the foot (Mean = 53.5 minutes) as compared to (27) header (54.4 minutes), and (21) middle ridge of the foot (49.5 minutes). The most of the goals (90) were achieved through the penalty area (54.1 minutes).
Conclusion: The results reveal that coaches should the most focus on quick attacks, and counter-attacks which consequently leads to goal scoring. Also attention must be given to the more outside kicks of the foot, and ridge outside of the foot.
Correlative cryo-soft X-ray tomography reveals defective lysosomes in amyloid-β oligomer treated hippocampal neurons
Authors: Marshall Karen E. , Mengham Kurtis , Spink Matthew C. , Vania Lyra , Pollard Hannah Jane , Darrow Michele C. , Duke Elizabeth , Harkiolaki Maria , Serpell Louise C.
Published: November 2022

Protein misfolding is common to neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which is characterized by self-assembly and accumulation of Amyloid-beta in the brain. Furthermore, impaired proteostatic mechanisms have been implicated in NDs. Lysosomes are a critical component of the proteostasis network required to degrade and recycle material from outside and within the cell. Using a model of AD neurodegeneration where toxic amyloid beta oligomers are applied exogenously to primary hippocampal neurons, we have previously established that oligomers are endocytosed and trafficked to lysosomes where they accumulate and prevent further endocytosis. Here, we use pioneering correlative cryo-structured illumination microscopy and cryo-soft X-ray tomography imaging techniques to reconstruct 3D cellular architecture in the native state. We demonstrate that lysosomes in oligomer treated neurons are less X-ray dense suggesting they contain less carbon-rich material than untreated cells. Furthermore, we observe an increase in carbon dense lipid vesicles in oligomer treated cells. This work provides unprecedented and critical visual information on the changes to neuronal architecture inflicted by amyloid beta oligomers using advanced methods in structural cell biology.
Chaotic fluctuations in heart rate variability associated with interaction of large-scale brain networks: experiments and hypotheses
Authors: Mao Tomoyuki , Okutomi Hidetoshi , Umeno Ken
Published: November 2022

Heart rate variability (HRV) caused by the involvement of the autonomic nervous system is analysed for evaluation of autonomic nervous activity using methods standardized by time-domain and frequency-domain analysis. Conventional HRV analysis captures only a limited aspect of HRV, and in recent years new attention has been focused on analysis from the perspective of chaos/complexity. To clarify the characteristics of these analyses, we comprehensively compared the time-domain, frequency- domain, and chaos/complexity indices in RRIs measured under physical and mental load. In contrast to conventional indices, the indices of chaos/complexity increased significantly in mental load. From this result, we proposed the model, which is consistent with previous studies, explains that chaotic/complexity of HRV is an important quantity that deeply related to brain activity.
Polystyrene/Silicone Rubber Blends with Improved Dielectric Properties
Authors: Abd-Elhady Amr M. , Sleet Amira Y. , Izzularab Mohamed A. , Ibrahim Mohamed E.
Published: November 2022

In this study, the dielectric properties of unfilled as well as nanofilled polystyrene-silicone rubber blends are evaluated. Accordingly, the preparation of polystyrene-silicone rubber blends is carried out considering three different concentrations of polystyrene (3, 7 and 10%wt). Also, the preparation of polystyrene-silicone rubber nanocomposites is carried out considering different two types of nanoparticles. These nanoparticle types are TiO2 and SiO2 with the same average particle size of 20 nm. Different nanoparticle concentration levels of 1.5, 2 and 3%wt are studied. The effect of thermal aging on the dielectric properties of unfilled and nanofilled polystyrene-silicone rubber samples is evaluated. The samples are subjected to thermal aging for two months at a temperature of 130 oC. The average breakdown strength as well as the breakdown voltages at 10% and 50% probabilities is evaluated before and after the thermal aging process. The dielectric response includes relative permittivity and dissipation factor are measured and evaluated under thermal aging. The obtained results show that adding small amount of polystyrene to silicone rubber improves its dielectric properties. Finally, adding small amount of TiO2 and SiO2 nanoparticles to polystyrene-silicone rubber blends gives more improvements in its dielectric properties.
Formability Characterization of Stitched Preform Toward Applying for Composite Structures
Authors: Saboktakin A.
Published: November 2022

Characterization of the stitched textile preform is required for the prediction of textile preforms forming in the fabrication of composite structures for aerospace applications. The behavior of the preform in compression during resin injection into the preform is one of the critical issues in achieving a high-quality composite for space structures. This paper concentrates on the experimental and finite element analysis of compaction for textile preform. The investigation of mechanical properties of preforms during compression tests revealed that formability parameters of a preform can be altered by the stitching process. The load-deformation response, which is depicted in detail, had the greatest influence on the preform deformation. Compression of the stitched preform resulted in less tow undulation in the plane direction and more stitching thread undulation in the thickness direction, while the stitching thread stimulated the preform to endure more pressure. The results provided more detailed insights into the effects of compaction on other properties such as permeability and composite mechanical behavior, which is based on the internal geometry of 3D textile preforms.
Percutaneous ventriculoatrial shunting as a salvage method in the pediatric hydrocephalus patients with peritoneal problems
Authors: Oktay Kadir , Sozutok Sinan , Pehlivan Umur Anil , Yildirim Dogu Cihan , Akbaba Mevlana , Ozsoy Kerem Mazhar , Cetinalp Nuri Eralp
Published: November 2022

Purpose Ventriculoperitoneal shunt is preferred and widely applied method in patients who require shunt procedures. However in cases with abdominal complications, another body compartment should be used for the distal catheters and ventriculoatrial shunt is the preferred second-line treatment method. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of percutaneous ventriculoatrial shunting as a salvage method in the pediatric patients with abdominal complications.
Methods Data obtained from 9 patients with ventriculoperitoneal shunt dysfunctions due to abdominal complications, who underwent ventriculoatrial shunting as a salvage treatment at a single institution between January 2019 and September 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. All of the operations were performed under the guidance of intraoperative fluoroscopy and ultrasound.
Results The mean age of the patients was 8.1 ± 1.2 years (2-15 years). Six patients (67%) were male and 3 patients (33%) were female. The mean number of the patients’ ventriculoperitoneal shunt revisions until atrial catheter placement was 7.5 times. Reasons for intraperitoneal catheter failure were; peritoneal adhesions in 4 patients (44.5%), pseudocyst formation in 3 patients (33.3%), and peritonitis in 2 patients (22.2%). Seven patients of the study cohort had no problem after ventriculoatrial shunt placement. Only 1 patient had shunt dysfunction related to ventricular catheter, and ventricular catheter and shunt valve revision was performed 26 months after ventriculoatrial shunt placement. Atrial catheter of the patient was intact. One patient died because of the progression of her primary disease (medulloblastoma in the 4th ventricle), not related to her ventriculoatrial shunt.
Conclusion Percutaneous ventriculoatrial shunting under the guidance of intraoperative fluoroscopy and ultrasound provides a safe, effective and easy alternative in the patients with peritoneal complications and multiple operations history.
Phase diagrams of graphene-metal systems
Authors: Chang Keke , Chen Leilei , Zhang Zhenyu , Zhou Ruonan , Xu Kai , Lou Ming , Du Yujie , Wang Liping
Published: November 2022

Graphene-metal composites have attracted tremendous interests due to their promising applications in electronics, optics, energy-storage devices and nano-electromechanical systems. However, seldomly have the phase diagrams of graphene-metal systems been depicted since graphene was first extracted from graphite in 2004. Here, we utilized ab initiocalculations and the CALPHAD (Calculation of Phase Diagrams) approach to obtain the graphene-metal phase diagrams. A total of thirty-four binary systems have been calculated in the present work, in which the existence or shapes of intermediate phases show significant differences. Accordingly, the phase diagrams of graphene-transition metal systems have been divided into three major types: no compound formed (Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Re, Pt, and Au), linear compounds formed (Cr, Mn, Mo, and W), or secondary solid solutions formed (Ti, V, Y, Zr, Nb, Hf, and Ta). Thus, we propose a general formation rule for intermediate phase by analyzing the calculated the phase diagrams and formation enthalpy of carbides, indicating that elements with smaller ordinal numbers in the same period are more likely to form secondary solutions with graphene.
Dietary branched chain amino acids relationship with cancer and mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Tabesh Mahdieh , Teymoori Farshad , Ahmadirad Hamid , Mirmiran Parvin , Rahideh Seyedeh Tayebeh
Published: November 2022

Background
Dietary branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) are proposed as a potential related factor in various diseases, including cancer. We aimed to investigate the relationship between dietary intake of BCAAs and their components with cancer and all-cause mortality in a meta-analysis study of observational studies.
Methods
To identify relevant studies, a comprehensive search was conducted between electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) until September 2022. Odds ratios (OR), hazard ratios (HR), and relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were extracted from eligible studies, and a meta-analysis was performed to calculate the combined effect size.
Results
Eight articles (3 case-control and 5 cohorts) were included in this meta-analysis. 6 studies reported effect sizes for cancer risk and 3 for cancer or all-cause mortality. Overall, we did not observe any statistically significant association between dietary intake of BCAAs and their components with cancer (RRBCAA: 0.87, 95%CI: 0.68–1.10, RRLeucine: 0.74, 95%CI: 0.52–1.04, RRIsoleucine: 0.98, 95%CI: 0.93–1.04, RRValine: 0.76, 95%CI: 0.55–1.05). Also, we observed any significant relationship between dietary BCAAs and their components with both cancer mortality (RRBCAA: 0.95, 95%CI: 0.68–1.33, RRLeucine: 0.95, 95%CI: 0.79–1.15, RRIsoleucine: 0.95, 95%CI: 0.79–1.14, RRValine: 1.01, 95%CI: 0.84–1.21) and all-cause mortality (RRBCAA: 0.98, 95%CI: 0.73–1.32, RRLeucine: 1.02, 95%CI: 0.81–1.29, RRIsoleucine: 0.96, 95%CI: 0.73–1.27, RRValine: 1.02, 95% CI: 0.79–1.32).
Conclusions
The findings of the present study showed no significant association between dietary intake of BCAA and its components with cancer, cancer mortality, and all-cause mortality.
Identification of lncRNA, miRNA and mRNA expression profiles and ceRNA Networks in small cell lung cancer
Authors: Zhang Chenxi , Zhou Ying , Zhang Bin , Sheng Zhihong , Sun Nan , Yuan Baiyin , Wu Xiaoyuan
Published: November 2022

Background
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a highly lethal malignant tumor. It accounts for approximately 15% of newly diagnosed lung cancers. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) can regulate gene expression and contribute to tumorigenesis through interactions with microRNAs (miRNAs). However, there are only a few studies reporting the expression profiles of lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs in SCLC. Also, the role of differentially expressed lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs in relation to competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNA) network in SCLC remain unclear.
Results
In the present study, we first performed next generation sequencing (NGS) with six pairs of SCLC tumors and adjacent non-cancerous tissues obtained from SCLC patients. Overall, 29 lncRNAs, 48 miRNAs, and 510 mRNAs were found to be differentially expressed in SCLC samples (|log2[fold change] | > 1; P < 0.05). Bioinformatics analysis was performed to predict and construct a lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA network, which included 9 lncRNAs, 11 miRNAs, and 392 mRNAs. Four up-regulated lncRNAs and related mRNAs in the ceRNA regulatory pathways were selected and validated by quantitative PCR. In addition, we examined the role of the most upregulated lncRNA, TCONS_00020615, in SCLC cells. We found that TCONS_00020615 may regulate SCLC tumorigenesis through the TCONS_00020615–hsa-miR-26b-5p–TPD52 pathway.
Conclusions
Taken together, our findings may help identify some potential biomarkers and therapy targets for SCLC. Also, our study may provide new evidence for the underlying regulatory mechanism in SCLC.
Intelligent Spectrum Sensing Algorithm for Cognitive Internet of Vehicles Based on KPCA and Improved CNN
Authors: Duan Yanyan , Xu Lingwei , Gulliver T. Aaron
Published: November 2022

With the acceleration of economic globalization and integration, the global trade is becoming more frequent, which promotes the vigorous development of transportation industry. In recent years, the Internet of Vehicle (IoV) has developed rapidly in the transportation industry, and the number of IoV users has exploded. The requirements for IoV communication services are very high, resulting in the lack of spectrum resources. Rather than utilizing traditional spectrum resource allocation methods, cognitive radio technology makes full use of idle frequency bands, improving the IoV communication spectrum’s utilization rate. Spectrum sensing is the primary link to realize a cognitive radio. However, IoV mobile communication environment is characterized by complexity, dynamism, and substantial noise interference, thus imposing significant challenges to spectrum sensing. Thus, this paper proposes an intelligent spectrum sensing algorithm based on kernel principal component analysis (KPCA) and an improved convolutional neural network (CNN). Since the wireless signal cannot distinguish the signal and noise linearly, KPCA maps the sampled signal to a high-dimensional space, creates a covariance matrix, and obtains eigenvector data of the signal and noise through matrix decomposition. A spectrum sensing classifier based on improved CNN is proposed, and the dynamic threshold is obtained via offline training. Compared with the traditional algorithm, the designed deep CNN improves the model’s training speed, enables parameter sharing, and reduces the number of model parameters, effectively reducing the computational complexity. Additionally, due to the extracted signal feature’s small dimension, the algorithm reduces the number of pooling layers and avoids the effective features’ loss, thus increasing the detection probability. Finally, the proposed algorithm achieves a 10% higher sensing accuracy than support vector machine (SVM), Elman, and LeNet5 algorithms, signaling its robustness.
Design of Experiments optimisation of Scottish wood biochars and process parameter significance for target applications
Authors: Jamal Mohammad Umair , Fletcher Ashleigh J.
Published: November 2022

Biochar production from sustainable materials through pyrolysis remains a key area of research, where additional value can be gained by understanding the influence of initial operating parameters to create optimised carbon products with different characteristics. In this study, native Scottish wood samples were used to produce biochars. Softwood and hardwood samples were investigated to determine feedstock importance, with a focus on the influence of process conditions on the final characteristics of biochars. Screening experiments helped to determine that the softwood feedstock resulted in enhanced product characteristics and identified the optimal pyrolysis temperature. A design of experiments approach was used to scope process variables for softwood feedstock: contact time with activating agent, gas flowrate, and influence of ramp rate during pyrolysis were studied. The response variables were product yield and biochar surface area. As expected, product yield decreased with increasing pyrolysis temperature, and increased ramp rates decreased biochar yield. Pore structure was a combination of micro- and mesopores, and high gas flowrate and pyrolysis temperature produced biochars with the greatest surface areas, while morphological analysis suggests a layered carbon structure. Contact angle analysis suggested hydrophilicity, suggesting compatibility with aqueous media, while a neutral surface charge demonstrates easy application in drinking water treatment systems. The results show the potential of parameter optimisation and insight into the interplay of these variables in biochar development, with characteristics that can be tailored to a range of applications.
Manufacturing time estimator based on kinematic and thermal considerations: application to WAAM process
Authors: VIOLA Ricardo , Poulhaon Fabien , BALANDRAUD Xavier , MICHAUD Pierre , DUC Emmanuel
Published: November 2022

Metal additive manufacturing has been pointed as the answer to reduce manufacturing time and cost for aeronautic parts with a high buy to fly ratio. The manufacturability of a part by additive manufacturing depends on important indicators that would allow it to be cost effective. One key indicator is the manufacturing time, which is highly dependent on an important factor: the interlayer time. The interlayer time is the time needed by the material to cool down to a chosen temperature, called interlayer temperature, that allows a new deposition of molten material. The interlayer temperature is defined by using time-temperature-transformation (TTT) diagrams, the final goal being to avoid the appearance of detrimental phases that could lead to a decrease in the material’s mechanical properties. The interlayer temperature is intimately correlated with the cooling curve. The difficulty of predicting the cooling time is due to the influence of the part geometry, the deposition strategy, and the dimensions of the substrate. Their correlation needs to be understood in order to minimize the deposition time (Dt) while ensuring an acceptable material quality. This paper presents a methodology to estimate manufacturing time that combines kinematic and thermal criteria for Wire and Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) process. Application is performed for stainless steel 316L. In this first step toward an advanced manufacturing time estimator, only the first layer attached to the building plate is analyzed from a thermal point of view. The thermal analysis is based on an analytical model enabling the evaluation of the preheating temperature (PhT) in a first approach and providing an adequate framework for the evaluation of cooling curves in a second time. The model includes an accurate description of robot kinematics through the consideration of a realistic travel speed variation along the toolpath. It is used to evaluate an indicator that quantifies the thermal influence of a given deposition strategy. The results show the dependency relationship between manufacturing strategy and inherent thermal gradient and its implications on part production time.
A new nursing pattern based on ERAS concept for patients with lumbar degenerative diseases treated with OLIF surgery: A retrospective study
Authors: Lu Hai-rong , Yang Ao , Li Xu , He Meng-zi , Sun Jia-yuan
Published: November 2022

Objective
The purpose of this study was to introduce enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) concept into patients with lumbar degenerative diseases who were treated with oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF), and to assess whether it could increase clinical efficacy, reduce perioperative complications, shorten length of hospital stay (LHS), decrease readmission rate, and improve patient satisfaction.
Methods
The study included patients with lumbar degenerative diseases (LDDs) who underwent OLIF between July 2017 and October 2018 (non-ERAS group), and between November 2018 and July 2020 (ERAS group) at the Spine Surgery Department of the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University. The two groups were compared according to the demographic and clinical characteristics.
Results
There was no significant difference in descriptive characteristics and concomitant diseases between the two groups. The preoperative Oswestry disability index (ODI) score (P = 0.191), lumbar visual analogue scale (VAS) score (P = 0.470), and leg VAS score (P = 0.657) did not significantly different. Most of the ERAS measures were also well implemented after surgery, except for early delivery (74.2%), early catheter removal (63.9%), and multimodal analgesia (80.6%). The LHS in the ERAS group was significantly shorter than that in the non-ERAS group (P = 0.004). Besides, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA) score at 3 days after surgery showed a significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.019). The patient satisfaction in ERAS group was significantly higher than that in the non-ERAS group (P = 0.001).
Conclusion
The new nursing pattern combined with ERAS in patients with LDDs who underwent OLIF did not improve the short-term prognosis of surgery, while it could effectively reduce postoperative complications, shorten the LHS, and improve patient satisfaction, and did not lead to additional adverse events.
The impact of the dental chair stabilization method on chest compressions
Authors: Hitosugi Takashi , Hirokawa Jun , Hano Kazuhiro , Goto Maho , Tsukamoto Masanori , Yokoyama Takeshi
Published: November 2022

Background
To evaluate, how the influence of different with and without a support stool, impacts chest compressions on the dental chair.
Methods
Experiments were conducted on CPR training manikin on a dental chair. A stool was placed under the backrest of a dental chair to stabilize it. Chest compressions were performed for 5 minutes with or without a stool. Six values in chest compressions and the degree of fatigue were measured.
Results
According to the analysis of the quality of chest compressions without a stool or with a stool under the dental chair. The mean chest compression depth of With (57.29 ± 6.24mm) was significantly deeper than that of Without (53.86 ± 8.48 mm; p < 0.001). The mean chest compression rate and total chest compressions of With were significantly higher than that of Without. QCPR score of With (94.28 ± 10.57) was significantly higher than that of Without (72.0 ± 46.66; p < 0.001). The rating of perceived exertion of With (6.75 ± 1.20) was significantly lower than that of Without (8.75 ± 0.66; p < 0.001). Only the chest compression fraction and the chest compression rebound rate does not reach a significant difference.
Conclusions
The use of a support stool improved the quality of chest compressions on the dental chair and reduced rescuer fatigue. To perform effective CPR on a dental chair, it is important to stabilize the chair against chest compressions.
Clinical relevance:
Effective chest compressions could be performed in dental chairs by using a stool when cardiac arrest occurs during dental treatments.
Effectiveness of vagus nerve stimulation for pediatric drug-resistant epilepsy secondary to nonaccidental trauma
Authors: Muthiah Nallammai , Joseph Brigit , Varga Gregory , Vodovotz Lena , Sharma Nikhil , Abel Taylor J.
Published: November 2022

Purpose: Epilepsy following non-accidental trauma (NAT) occurs in 18% of pediatric patients occurs. About 33% of patients with epilepsy develop drug-resistant epilepsy. For these patients, vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a palliative treatment option. We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of VNS among pediatric NAT-related epilepsy patients compared to those with non-NAT-related epilepsy.
Methods: We performed an 11-year retrospective analysis of VNS implantations for drug-resistant epilepsy at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Patients were split into two groups: NAT vs. non-NAT. The primary outcome was attainment of >50% seizure frequency reduction at one year post-VNS implantation. Fisher’s exact tests and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to compare groups. Significance was assessed at the alpha=0.05 level.
Results: This analysis included data from 370 pediatric VNS patients, of whom 9 had NAT-related epilepsy. NAT patients had a significantly younger age of epilepsy onset than non-NAT patients (0.3 years vs. 3.3 years). Otherwise, there were no statistically significant baseline differences between groups, including patient sex and quantity of antiseizure medications pre-VNS. Overall, 71% of NAT patients experienced >50% seizure frequency reduction compared to 48% of non-NAT patients (p = 0.269).
Conclusion: VNS may allow a higher proportion of pediatric patients with NAT-related epilepsy to achieve >50% seizure frequency reduction compared to other epilepsy etiologies. While the results of this study were not statistically significant, the effect size was large. Our results underscore the need for larger, multi-center studies to validate the effectiveness of VNS for this patient population.