bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of electromagnetic absorption in new design of PIFA antenna using metamaterials
Authors: Hamadi Hamza Ben , ghnimi said , Latrach Lassaad , Benech Philippe , Gharsallah Ali
Published: March 2021

This paper presents the design, simulation and fabrication of a miniaturized wearable dual-band antenna on a semi-flex substrate; she is operable at 2.45/5.8 GHz for wireless local area network applications. The electrical and radiation characteristics of this proposed antenna were obtained by means of a technical of insertion of a slot to tune the operating frequencies. To study the impact of the electromagnetic radiation of the structure of the human body, it is necessary to minimize the back radiation towards the user. Therefore, in this work, a multi-band artificial magnetic conductor (AMC) was placed directly above a dual-band planar inverted F antenna to achieve a miniaturization with excellent radiation performance. The simulation results were designed and simulated using Studio commercial software (CST). A good agreement was achieved between the results of simulation and the experimental. The Comparison of measurement results indicates that the gain improved from 1,84 dB to 3,8 dB, in the lower band, and from 2,4 dB to 4,1 in the upper band, when the antenna is backed by the AMC plane. The front-to-back ratio of the AMC backed PIFA antenna was also enhanced. Then, to ensure that the proposed AMC is harmless to the human body, this prototype was placed on three-layer human tissue cubic model. It was observed that the through inclusion of plane AMC, the peak specific absorption rate (SAR) decreased to 1,45 and 1,1 W/kg at 2,45 and 5.8 GHz, respectively (a reduction of around 3,7 W/kg, compared with an antenna without (AMC).
An adaptive q-Lognormal model towards the computation of Average Channel Capacity in slow fading channels
Authors: Mukherjee Tanmay , Senapati Dilip
Published: March 2021

The characterization of multipath fading and shadowing in wireless communication systems is essential towards the evaluation of various performance measures. It is well known that the statistical characterization of shadowing phenomena is captured by distributions viz., log-normal distribution, gamma distribution and other mixture distributions. However, it is observed that the log-normal distribution fails to characterize the outliers in the fading signal. The extreme fluctuations in the fading signal needs to be characterized efficiently for error free computation of the various performance metrics. In this context, this paper portrays an adaptive generalized Tsallis’ non-extensive q-Lognormal model towards the characterization of various fading channels. This model operates well with the synthesized fading signals and captures the wide range of tail fluctuations to adapt different fading scenarios. The significance and applicability of the proposed novel q- Lognormal model in capturing the slow fading channels is validated using different statistical tests viz., chi-square test and symmetric JS measure. Furthermore, essential performance measures viz., the average channel capacity, closed form expression of cumulative distribution function (CDF) in terms of Gauss-Hypergeometric function 2 F 1 [a ; b ; c; z], higher order moments corresponding to q-Lognormal channel capacity and coefficient of variation is evaluated corresponding to the proposed q-Lognormal model performing extensive Monte-Carlo simulation techniques up to O (10^7).
Multilevel Redundant Discrete Wavelet Transform (ML-RDWT) and optimal Red Deer algorithm (ORDA) centred approach to mitigate the effect of ICI, BER and CIR in a MIMO-OFDM System
Authors: Nagarajan K , Sophia S
Published: March 2021

Nowadays, there is a great demand for ultra-high data rate (UHDR) transmission on most 5th generation wireless networks. In this concern, the multiple-input multiple-output orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (MIMO-OFDM) scheme is used on a large scale to achieve UHDR transmission with reduced inter-symbol interference (ISI) and inter-carrier interference (ICI). Discrete wavelet transform-based OFDM (DWT-OFDM) provides better orthogonality due to presence of orthogonal wavelets, which mitigates the effects caused by ISI and ICI. Also, it has extended bandwidth than the traditional OFDM systems. But a major drawback in this system is that it suffers from down sampling. The down-sampling effect reduces the actual size of the input bit streams. As a result, the system performance is degraded. For solving this problem, a multilevel redundant discrete wavelet transform (ML-RDWT) is used instead of DWT to achieve improved spectral performance. Here, complex down-sampling operation is eliminated. From the simulation outcomes, it is clearly viewed that effects caused by ICI, ISI and BER are mitigated by improving the performance of CIR. The proposed method employs optimal red deer algorithm (ORDA) to locate the optimized weights for the ICI cancellation system. This algorithm enhances the spectral efficiency by achieving high CIR with reduced BER, ISI and ICI. The BER in the proposed MIMO-ML-RDWT-OFDM-ORDA method is 68%, 76%, 38% and 75%, which is very low when compared to the BER in the existing techniques like MIMO-DWT-OFDM-RDA, MIMO-RNS-OFDM-PNMA, MIMO-OFDM-BMA and MIMO-OFDM-ICIMA. The ISI in the proposed method is 94%, 91%, 95% low when compared to the ISI in the existing techniques. The ICI in the proposed work is 71%, 57%, 73% and 86% low when compared to the ICI in the existing techniques. Therefore, the general performance of the proposed MIMO-ML-RDWT-OFDM-ORDA method is improved in an efficient way with less complexity, error rate and processing delay.
First detection of SARS-CoV-2 proteins in wastewater samples by mass spectrometry
Authors: Lara-Jacobo Linda , Islam Golam , Desaulniers Jean-Paul , Kirkwood Andrea , Simmons Denina
Published: March 2021

On March 12, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 as a global pandemic. COVID-19 is produced by a novel β-coronavirus known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) [1]. Several studies have detected SARS-CoV-2 RNA in urine, feces, and other biofluids from both symptomatic and asymptomatic people with COVID-19 [2], suggesting that SARS-CoV-2 RNA could be detected in human wastewater [3]. Thus, wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is now used as an approach to monitor COVID-19 prevalence in many different places around the world [4-10] . Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) is the most common SARS-CoV-2 detection method in WBE, but there are other methods for viral biomolecule detection that could work as well. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 proteins in untreated wastewater (WW) influents collected from six wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), from Durham Region, Ontario, Canada, using a LC-MS/MS-based proteomics approach. We identified many SARS-CoV-2 proteins in these wastewater samples, with peptides from pp1ab being the most consistently detected and with consistent abundance.
Age, Period and Cohort Analysis of Young Adult Mortality due to HIV and TB in South Africa: 1997-2015
Authors: Nkwenika Tshifhiwa , Manda Samuel
Published: March 2021

Background: Young adult mortality is very significant in South Africa due to the influence of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB), Injuries and Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). Previous analyses have mainly focused on assessing the time effect of age and period separately. However, health outcomes often depend on three-time scales, namely age, period, and cohort, which are linearly interlinked. Using Age-Period-Cohort (APC) models, this study estimated the time effects of age, period, and cohort on HIV and TB mortality among young adults in South Africa. Methods: HIV and TB mortality data and mid population estimates were obtained from Statistics South Africa for the period 1997 to 2015. Mortality data are based on deaths reported to the Department of Home Affairs where the underlying cause of death was HIV or TB based on the 10th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) definition. Observed HIV/AIDS deaths were adjusted for under-reporting, misclassification, and systematic proportion from ill-defined natural deaths. Three-year age, period, and birth cohort intervals for 15-64 years, 1997-2015 and 1934-2000 respectively were used. The Age-Period-Cohort (APC) analysis using the Poisson distribution was used to compute the effects of age, period, and cohort on mortality due to TB and HIV. Results: A total of 5, 825,502 adult deaths were recorded from the period 1997 to 2015 of which, 910,731 (15.6%) and 252,101 (4.3%) were attributed to TB and HIV, respectively. For both observed mortality rate and estimated relative effects, concave down associations were found between TB, HIV mortality rates and period, age with peaks, at 36-38 and 30-32 years, respectively. A downward trend and inverted V-shape between TB and HIV mortality by birth cohort was found, respectively. Conclusions: The study found an inverse U-shaped association between TB-related mortality and age, period, and general downward trend with a birth cohort for deaths reported between 1997 and 2015. A concave down relationship between HIV-related mortality and age, period, and inverted V-shaped with birth cohort was found. Our findings have shed more light on HIV and TB mortality rates across different age groups, the effect of changes in the overall TB and HIV management and care on the mortality rates, and whether the mortality rates depend on the year an individual was born.
Maternal Psychological Distress, Education, Household Income, and Congenital Heart Defects: A Prospective Cohort Study from The Japan Environment and Children’s Study Running Title Maternal Psychological Distress and Congenital Heart Defects
Authors: Saijo Yasuaki , Yoshioka Eiji , Sato Yukihiro , Azuma Hiroshi , Tanahashi Yusuke , Ito Yoshiya , Kobayashi Sumitaka , Minatoya Machiko , Bamai Yu Ait , Yamazaki Keiko , Itoh Sachiko , Miyashita Chihiro , Araki Atsuko , Kishi Reiko
Published: March 2021

Background: The influence of maternal psychological distress on infant congenital heart defects (CHDs) has not been thoroughly investigated. Furthermore, there have been no reports on the combined effect of maternal psychological distress and socioeconomic status on infant CHDs. This study aimed to examine whether maternal psychological distress, socioeconomic status, and their combinations were associated with CHD.Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study using data from the Japan Environment and Children’s Study, which recruited pregnant women between 2011 and 2014. Maternal psychological distress was evaluated using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale in the first trimester, while maternal education and household income were evaluated in the second and third trimesters. The outcome of infant CHD was determined using the medical records at 1 month of age and/or at birth. Crude and adjusted logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the association between maternal psychological distress and education and household income on infant CHD.Results: A total of 93,643 pairs of mothers and infants were analyzed, with 1.1% of infants having CHDs. Maternal psychological distress had a significantly higher odds ratio in the crude analysis but not in the adjusted analysis, while maternal education and household income were statistically insignificant. In the analysis of the combination variable of lowest education and psychological distress, the trend for p was statistically significant in the crude and adjusted analyses.Conclusions: The combination of maternal psychological distress and lower education may be a possible indicator of infant CHD.
Multi-Step ahead Predictive Model for Blood Glucose Concentrations of Type-1 Diabetic Patients
Authors: Zaidi Syed Mohammed Arshad , Chandola Varun , Ibrahim Muhanned , Romanski Bianca , Mastrandrea Lucy D. , Singh Tarunraj
Published: March 2021

Continuous monitoring of blood glucose (BG) levels is a key aspect of diabetes management. Patients with Type-1 diabetes (T1D) require an effective tool to monitor these levels in order to make appropriate decisions regarding insulin administrationand food intake to keep BG levels in target range. Effectively and accurately predicting future BG levels at multi-time stepsahead benefits a patient with diabetes by helping them decrease the risks of extremes in BG including hypo- and hyperglycemia.In this study, we present a novel multi-component deep learning model BG-Predict that predicts the BG levels in a multi-steplook ahead fashion. The model is evaluated both quantitatively and qualitatively on actual blood glucose data for 97 patients.For the prediction horizon (PH) of 30 minutes, the average values for root mean squared error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), andnormalized mean squared error (NRMSE) are 20.82±4.97 mg/dL, 15.04±3.70 mg/dL, 11.63±2.78 and 0.06±0.01 respectively. When Clarke and Parkes error grid analyses were performedcomparing predicted BG with actual BG, the results showed average percentage of points in Zone A of 83.88±6.84 and 87.44±4.97, respectively. We offer this tool as a mechanism to enhance the predictive capabilities of algorithms for patients with T1D.
The impact of Mediterranean diet on coronary plaque vulnerability, microvascular function, inflammation, and microbiome after an acute coronary syndrome: study protocol for the MEDIMACS randomized, controlled, mechanistic clinical trial.
Authors: Fernandez Ana I , Bermejo Javier , Yotti Raquel , Martínez-Gonzalez Miguel Ángel , Mira Alex , Gophna Uri , Karlsson Roger , Al-Daccak Reem , Martín-Demiguel Irene , Gutiérrez-Ibanes Enrique , Charron Dominique , Fernández-Avilés Francisco
Published: March 2021

Background: Primary prevention trials have demonstrated that the traditional Mediterranean diet is associated with a reduction in cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. However, this benefit has not been proven for secondary prevention after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We hypothesized that a high-intensity Mediterranean diet intervention after an ACS decreases the vulnerability of atherosclerotic plaques by complex interactions between anti-inflammatory effects, microbiota changes and modulation of gene expression. Methods: The MEDIMACS project is an academically funded, prospective, randomized, controlled and mechanistic clinical trial designed to address the effects of an active randomized intervention with the Mediterranean diet on atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability, coronary endothelial dysfunction, and other mechanistic endpoints. One hundred patients with ACS are randomized 1:1 to a monitored high-intensity Mediterranean diet intervention or to standard-of-care arm. Adherence to diet is assessed in both arms using food frequency questionnaires and biomarkers of compliance. The primary endpoint is the change (from baseline to 12 months) in the thickness of the fibrous cap of a non-significant atherosclerotic plaque in a non-culprit vessel, as assessed by repeated optical-coherence-tomography intracoronary imaging. Indices of coronary vascular physiology and changes in gastrointestinal microbiota, immunological status, and protein and metabolite profiles will be evaluated as secondary endpoints. Discussion: The results of this trial will address the key effects of dietary habits on atherosclerotic risk and will provide initial data on the complex interplay of immunological, microbiome-, proteome- and metabolome-related mechanisms by which non-pharmacological factors may impact the progression of coronary atherosclerosis after an ACS.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03842319. Registered on 13 May 2019. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03842319
Persistent Josephson Phase-Slip Memory with Topological Protection
Authors: Ligato Nadia , Strambini Elia , Paolucci Federico , Giazotto Francesco
Published: March 2021

Superconducting computing promises enhanced computational power in both classical and quantum approaches. Yet, efficient schemes for scalable and fast superconducting memories are still missing.
On the one hand, the large inductance required in magnetic flux-controlled Josephson memories impedes device miniaturization and scalability.
On the other hand, schemes based on the ferromagnetic order to store information often degrades superconductivity, and limits the operation speed to the magnetization switching rate of a few GHz.
Here, we overcome these limitations with a fully superconducting memory cell based on the hysteretic phase-slip transition existing in long aluminum nanowire Josephson junctions.
The memory logic state is codified in the topological index of the junction providing a robust protection against stocastic phase slips and magnetic flux noise.
Our direct and non-destructive read-out schemes, based on local DC or AC tunneling spectroscopy, ensure reduced dissipation (≤ 40 fW) thereby yielding a very low energy per bit read-out power consumption as low as ~ 10-24 J as estimated from the typical time response of the structure (≤ 30 ps).
The memory, measured over several days, showed no evidence of information degradation up to ~1.1 K, i.e., ~85% of the critical temperature of aluminum.
The ease of operation combined with remarkable performance elects the Josephson phase-slip memory as an attractive storage cell to be exploited in advanced superconducting classical logic architectures or flux qubits.
Healthcare Cost and Patient Satisfaction: A Comparative Analysis Between Public and Private Hospitals in Bangladesh
Authors: Begum Farhana , Said Jamaliah , Hossain Syed Zabid , Hasan Mohammad Jahid , Binti Normah
Published: March 2021

Background and objective: Patient satisfaction and its relation with healthcare cost in Bangladesh remains unknown. The objective of the study was to perform a comparative analysis of satisfaction of patients in relation with healthcare cost in public and private healthcare settings in Bangladesh.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at two public and two private hospitals in Dhaka city, Bangladesh. A total of 1120 respondents were included by purposive sampling. Data collection was performed with a semi-structured questionnaire. The level of satisfaction was assessed by a 5-point Likert scale. Expenditure details during hospital stay were also recorded. Informed consent was obtained, and study procedures were conducted according to the Declaration of Helsinki. SPSS 23 was used for statical test. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 50.10±21.13 (SD) years, with a male-female ratio of 1.14:1. The majority were from urban areas. The average health-care cost of patients in both the conservative and operative groups was statistically significantly higher in private hospitals than in public hospitals (p<0.001). The overall satisfaction level was higher among the patients who received care from private settings than the public (p<0.001). However, taking health care in private hospitals rather than public hospitals was independently associated with patient satisfaction when adjusted for other factors (age, sex, economic status, treatment type, duration of hospital stays, treatment outcome, and total expense).Conclusion: Despite higher expenses, the overall satisfaction level was significantly better in private health-care facilities. These findings need to be explored in further large multicenter studies.
Ab-Initio Study of Electronic and Structural Properties for BaSnO3 Compound Using DFT Calculations and FP-LAPW Technique in Wein2k Software
Authors: Ashraf Zubair , Rafique Daud , Mehmood Tahir , Akbar Daniyal
Published: March 2021

(Perovskites Photovoltaic) PPV cells are the hottest topics in solar cells in the recent years, because of the remarkable structural and electronic properties and hence rapid progress in material science. The Challenge associated with high-mobility BaSnO3 films is to grow. It shows high carrier mobility and UV-visible transparency has been attracting more and more attention as a very promising component for the next generation opto-electronics. Here, we demonstrate a Structural and Electronics properties (Sp and Ep), To characterize this compound theoretical calculation have been performed by using first principal method and the results show BaSnO3 is conductor at 0eV i.e. room temperature and gaining energy make more conduction transferring more electrons from conduction to valence bands. BaSnO3 shows 5.78e.v maximum for the conduction. We have studied this compound in ideal cubic phase. At 0° Kelvin calculation are performed to get different properties. No experimental studies have been done on this compound. And it was difficult to accumulate its experimental data. WC-GGA is used for the study of structural properties of BaSnO3. This Correlation potential can also be used for the calculation of the various perovskite. Depending on the cubic (ABX3) composition, perovskites exhibit a wide range of structural and electronic properties, which are optimized for different applications.
Protective Effects of Tianxiangdan Capsule Drug-Containing Plasma Against H2O2-Induced Oxidative Stress in Primary Cardiomyocytes
Authors: Tang Mei , Jiang Lin , Dugujia Gaerma , Wu Yuche , Liu Xiao , Chen Liang
Published: March 2021

Background: Tianxiangdan capsule (TXD), developed in our hospital, has been clinically used in the treatment of coronary heart disease angina pectoris. This study aimed at evaluating the mechanisms of TXD against myocardial ischemia and to provide evidence for its subsequent clinical application. METHODS: Active components and mechanisms of action of TXD against myocardial ischemia were predicted and analyzed by network pharmacology and molecular docking. The oxidative damage model was established using H2O2, which caused myocardial cell damage. The MTT assay was used to evaluate cell viability, Hoechst33342 staining, while cleaved caspase-3 immunofluorescence staining was used to determine cell apoptosis. Fluorescent probe method detected ROS and intracellular Ca2+, while spectrophotometry was used to measure SOD, MDA, and NO levels in myocardial cells. Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of ESR1, PI3K, AKT, and eNOS in cells. RESULTS: It was found that TXD plays a protective role in myocardial ischemia through the estrogen pathway, and its main active components were isoflavones. The TXD drug-containing plasma exhibited increased cell survival rates and suppressed MDA levels, elevated SOD and NO levels, and significantly suppressed ROS levels as well as intracellular Ca2+ levels. Moreover, the TXD drug-containing plasma pretreated cells had significantly suppressed PI3K and AKT expression levels, as well as elevated ESR1 and eNOS expression levels. Conclusion: TXD may exhibit estrogen-like effects, through the estrogen pathway enhances cardiomyocytes' antioxidant capacities, and improves oxidative stress injury as well as cell apoptosis.
The Key Role of Contact Time in Elucidating the Mechanism of Enhanced Decontamination by Fe0/mno2/sand Systems
Authors: Cao Viet , Alyoussef Ghenwa , Gatcha-Bandjun Nadège , Gwenzi Willis , Noubactep Chicgoua
Published: March 2021

Metallic iron (Fe0) has shown outstanding performances for water decontamination and its efficiency has been improved by the presence of sand (Fe0/sand) and manganese oxide (Fe0/MnOx). In this study, a ternary Fe0/MnOx/sand system is characterized for its discoloration efficiency of methylene blue (MB) in quiescent batch studies for 7, 18, 25 and 47 d. The objective was to understand the fundamental mechanisms of water treatment in Fe0/H2O systems using MB as an operational tracer of reactivity. The premise was that, in the short term, both MnO2 and sand delay MB discoloration by avoiding the availability of free iron corrosion products (FeCPs). Results clearly demonstrate no monotonous increase in MB discoloration with increasing contact time. As a rule, the extent of MB discoloration is influenced by the diffusive transport of MB from the solution to the aggregates at the bottom of the vessels (test-tubes). The presence of MnOx and sand enabled the long-term generation of iron hydroxides for MB discoloration by adsorption and co-precipitation. Results clearly reveal the complexity of the Fe0/MnOx/sand system, while establishing that both MnOx and sand improve the efficiency of Fe0/H2O systems in the long-term. This study establishes the mechanisms of the promotion of water decontamination by amending Fe0-based systems with reactive MnOx.
Prevalence of Diastolic Dysfunction in Non Diabetic Patients of Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Kirty Kaushiki , Adhikari Prabha
Published: March 2021

Background :The purpose of the present study was to study the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in non diabetic patients of metabolic syndrome Materials and Methods: 100 patients of non diabetic metabolic syndrome were screened using 2-D Echocardiogram.Results: 34% of non diabetic patients of metabolic syndrome had diastolic dysfunction, with no association found between the components of metabolic syndrome and diastolic dysfunction. There was a strong correlation between a past history of hypertension and dyslipidemia with diastolic dysfunction.Conclusion: Our findings suggest that long standing metabolic syndrome is a risk factor for diastolic dysfunction, rather than short term elevation of the metabolic syndrome parameters. Also it is likely that Diabetes and Prediabetes itself is responsible for most of the diastolic dysfunction that is seen in metabolic syndrome
A Longitudinal Analysis of COVID-19 Lockdown Stringency on Sleep and Resting Heart Rate Measures Across 20 Countries
Authors: Ong Ju Lynn , Lau TeYang , Karsikas Mari , Kinnunen Hannu , Chee Michael W.L.
Published: March 2021

Lockdowns imposed to stem the spread of COVID-19 massively disrupted the daily routines of many worldwide, but studies to date are mostly confined to observations within a limited number of countries, based on subjective reports and survey from specific time periods during the pandemic. We investigated associations between lockdown stringency and objective sleep and resting-heart rate measures in 113,000 users of a consumer sleep tracker across 20 countries from Jan-Jul 2020. With stricter lockdown measures, midsleep times were universally delayed, particularly on weekdays, while midsleep variability and resting heart rate declined. These shifts (midsleep: +0.09 to +0.58 hours; midsleep variability: –0.12 to –0.26 hours; resting heart rate: –0.35 to –2.08 bpm) correlated with the severity of lockdown across different countries and highlight the graded influence of mobility restriction and social isolation on human physiology.
Learning and Generalising Object Extraction Skill for Contact-rich Disassembly Tasks: An Introductory Study
Authors: Muñoz Antonio Serrano , Arana-Arexolaleiba Nestor , Chrysostomou Dimitrios , Bøgh Simon
Published: March 2021

Remanufacturing automation must be designed to be flexible and robust enough to overcome the uncertainties, conditions of the products, and complexities in the process's planning and operation. Machine learning, particularly reinforcement learning, methods are presented as techniques to learn, improve, and generalise the automation of many robotic manipulation tasks (most of them related to grasping, picking, or assembly). However, not much has been exploited in remanufacturing, in particular in disassembly tasks. This work presents the State-of-the-Art of contact-rich disassembly using reinforcement learning algorithms and a study about the object extraction skill's generalisation when applied to contact-rich disassembly tasks. The generalisation capabilities of two State-of-the-Art reinforcement learning agents (trained in simulation) are tested and evaluated in simulation and real-world while perform a disassembly task. Results shows that, at least, one of the agents can generalise the contact-rich extraction skill. Also, this work identifies key concepts and gaps for the reinforcement learning algorithms' research and application on disassembly tasks.
Influence of the Area of the Aqueduct on Quantification of Stroke Volume and Max Velocity in Healthy Volunteers Using Phase Contrast Cine MRI
Authors: zhang hongri , Duan Weike , Li Xiaopan , Wang Yixin , Li Xinyu , Cogswell Petrice Mostardi M. , Elder Benjamin D D.
Published: March 2021

Background: The relationship of the area of the aqueduct on quantification of the aqueductal stroke volume (SV) and max velocity need further investigation. Our aim was to assess the inﬂuence of the area of the aqueduct on quantification of the aqueductal SV and max velocity measured with phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PC-MRI) within the cerebral aqueduct at the level of the intercollicular sulcus.Materials and Methods: Nine healthy volunteers (mean age 29.6 yrs) were enrolled in the study and brain MRIs were performed on a 3.0T system. Quantitative analysis of aqueductal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow was performed using manual regions of interest (ROI) placement. ROIs were separately drawn for each of 12 phases of the cardiac cycle, and changes in aqueduct size during the cardiac cycle were determined. Stroke volumes were calculated uses the first and ninth aqueductal ROIs and compared to each other. Max velocities at the 12 phases were also collected, and the relationship between the area and max velocity and the impact on SV were analyzed.Results: There was variation in the size of the aqueduct during the cardiac cycle, the first area（S1）was larger than the ninth（S9）. The first max velocity（Vmax1）was less than the ninth（Vmax9）. Additionally, there was a significant different between the stroke volume calculated using the first aqueductal ROI (SV1) and the ninth（SV9）. Conclusions: There is variation in the size of the cerebral aqueduct which is used to calculate stroke volume and other CSF flow parameters during the cardiac cycle. The maximum velocity may be inversely proportional to the area of ​​the aqueduct. In order to establish reliable reference values for CSF flow parameters in future studies, a variable ROI, to account for cardiac cycle variation, should be considered and incorporated.
Computing Resource Allocation Scheme of IOV using Deep Reinforcement Learning in Edge Computing Environment
Authors: Zhang Yiwei , Zhang Min , Fan Caixia , Li Fuqiang , Li Baofang
Published: March 2021

With the emergence and development of 5G technology, Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) has been closely integrated with Internet of Vehicles (IoV) technology, which can effectively support and improve network performance in IoV. However, the high-speed mobility of vehicles and diversity of communication quality make computing task offloading strategies more complex. To solve the problem, this paper proposes a computing resource allocation scheme based on deep reinforcement learning network for mobile edge computing scenarios in IoV. Firstly, the task resource allocation model for IoV in corresponding edge computing scenario is determined regarding the computing capacity of service nodes and vehicle moving speed as constraints. Besides, the mathematical model for task offloading and resource allocation is established with the minimum total computing cost as objective function. Then, deep Q-learning network based on deep reinforcement learning network is proposed to solve the mathematical model of resource allocation. Moreover, experience replay method is used to solve the instability of nonlinear approximate function neural network, which can avoid falling into dimension disaster and ensure the low-overhead and low-latency operation requirements of resource allocation. Finally, simulation results show that proposed scheme can effectively allocate the computing resources of IoV in edge computing environment.
Activin receptor TypeIIB in rohu (Labeo rohita): Molecular characterization, tissue distribution and Immunohistochemical localization during different stages of gonadal maturation
Authors: Patnaik Siddhi , Sahoo Lakshman , Mohanty Mausumee , Bit Amrita , Meher Prem Kumar , Das Sachidananda , Jayasankar Pallipuram , Saha Jatindra Nath , Das Paramananda
Published: March 2021

Activin receptor type IIB (ActRIIB) is a transmembrane serine/threonine kinase receptor which plays a pivotal role in regulating reproduction in vertebrates including teleost. Earlier studies have documented its importance in governing gonadal maturation in higher vertebrates. However, reports on regulation of fish reproductive system by ActRIIB gene are still limited. Here, we report identification and characterization of ActRIIB cDNA of Labeo rohita, a commercially important fish species of the Indian subcontinent. The full-length gene encoding rohu ActRIIB was cloned and found to be of 1674 bp in length. Functional similarities were evident form evolutionary analysis across vertebrates. Real-time PCR to measure the expression of ActRIIB transcript in rohu revealed significant mRNA levels in gonads followed by non-reproductive tissues, including brain, pituitary and muscle. With respect to different gonadal maturation stages, predominant expression of ActRIIB mRNA was observed during the pre-spawning phase of both sexes. To further delineate its role in rohu reproduction, a recombinant protein of the extracellular domain of ActRIIB (rECD-ActRIIB) was produced and polyclonal antibody raised against the protein for its immuno-localization studies during different gonadal maturation stages. Strong immunoreactivity was noticed in the pre-vitellogenic oocytes which decreased dramatically in the fully mature oocytes. Similarly, the strong and intense immunoreactivity was found in the spermatids and spermatocytes of the immature testis, and eventually the intensity reduced with the progression of the maturation stage. These results provide the first evidence of presence of ActRIIB in rohu gonadal tissues. Taken together, our observations lay the groundwork for further understanding and investigation on the potential role of ActRIIB in fish reproduction system in the event of gonadal maturation.
Prognostic significance of occult lymph node metastases in breast cancer: a meta-analysis
Authors: Wang Guixin , Zhang Shuhao , Wang Meiling , Liu Lin , Liu Yaqian , Tang Lianjun , Bai He , Zhao Haidong
Published: March 2021

Background: Occult metastases in axillary lymph nodes have been reported to be associated with poor prognosis in patients with breast cancer. However, studies on the prognostic value of occult metastases remain controversial. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of occult lymph node metastases in breast cancer.Methods: Studies published published until May, 2020, which retrospectively examined negative lymph nodes by step sectioning and/or immunohistochemistry, were retrieved from MEDLINE, EMBASE, CNKI, and Cochrane Library. The pooled Relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were calculated to appraise the associations between occult metastases and prognosis.Results: The results showed patients with occult metastases in axillary lymph nodes had poorer five-year DFS (RR = 0.930; 95% CI = 0.907–0.954) and OS (RR = 0.972; 95% CI = 0.954–0.990). Furthermore, the DFS (RR = 0.887; 95% CI = 0.810–0.972) and OS (RR = 0.896; 95% CI = 0.856–0.939) of patients with occult metastases were much lower after a ten-year follow-up.Conclusions: Occult metastases in the axillary lymph nodes of patients with breast cancer are associated with poorer disease-free and overall survival. Occult metastases might serve as a predictive factor of survival outcomes in patients with breast cancer.
Calibration of a Three-dimensional slope stability evaluation in Brazilian iron open pit mine
Authors: Torres Vidal Félix Navarro , Dockendorff Rodrigo , Sotomayor Juan Manuel Girao , Castro Cristian , Silva Aristotelina Ferreira da
Published: March 2021

It has historically been frequent among geotechnical practitioners, that the stability analysis of the slopes of an open pit is performed using a two dimensional section representing the highest and steepest walls within a certain geological setting. However, the literature shows that to predict rupture events in an open pit, a three-dimensional analysis would better represent the actual conditions, as the spatial distribution of the lithology and the structural features play an important role when defining the stability of the slopes. This paper presents the case study of an open it located in Brazil, which experienced instabilities between the years 2001-2019. An evaluation of the behavior of the open pit was performed by calibrating the strength parameters to represent the best documented rupture events. The three-dimensional model was made using the FLAC3D software. The results show that there is a good correlation between the results of the model and the reports of past instabilities. Finally, recommendations are presented for the inter-ramp angles for each lithology based on the calibrated stability analyzes performed. This work seeks to contribute to the knowledge in evaluation techniques for the three-dimensional behavior of open pits.
Lead acetate ecotoxicity in tropical soils
Authors: Alexandrino Rômulo CS , Lima Francielle , Martins Gabriel C , Natal-da-Luz Tiago , Sousa José Paulo , Guilherme Luiz Roberto Guimarães , Marques João José
Published: March 2021

Lead acetate (AcPb) is an important raw material used in chemical industries worldwide. The potential toxicity of AcPb is generally attributed to the presence of Pb. However, the effect of AcPb on the environment as a whole is still poorly known. This study aimed to evaluate AcPb toxicity on three standard species of soil invertebrates and two plant species using ecotoxicology tests. Three tropical soils (Oxisol, Inceptisol, and Tropical Artificial Soil (TAS)) were contaminated with different concentrations of AcPb and one dose of K-acetate (positive control). These soils were used in tests with Eisenia andrei (earthworm), Folsomia candida (springtail), Enchytraeus crypticus (enchytraeid), Zea mays (maize), and Phaseolus vulgaris (common bean). Dose-response curves obtained in the laboratory tests were used to estimate the EC50 values for each species. Among invertebrates, the highest sensitivity to AcPb was observed for E. crypticus in the TAS (EC50 = 29.8 mg AcPb kg− 1), whereas for E. andrei and F. candida the highest sensitivity was observed in the Oxisol (EC50 = 141.9 and 1835 mg AcPb kg− 1, respectively). Folsomia candida was the least sensitive invertebrate species to AcPb in all soils. Among plant species, Z. mays was less sensitive (EC50 = 1527.5 mg AcPb kg− 1) than P. vulgaris (EC50 = 560.5 mg AcPb kg− 1) in the Oxisol. The present study evidenced that the toxicity of AcPb should not be attributed uniquely to the presence of Pb, as the treatment containing uniquely Ac provoked the same toxicity as the highest dose of AcPb.
A Multi-dimensional Online Survey of Experts, Patients and the Public on Early Detected Scoliosis in Fetus Caused by Spinal Hemivertebra
Authors: Liu Jingwei , Zhang Yiqi , Hai Yong , Pan Aixing
Published: March 2021

In recent years, with the increasing number of women in advanced maternal age and standardized protocol of prenatal examination in China, more fetuses have been detected with scoliosis caused by hemivertebra (HV). The objective of this study was to obtain the responses of different populations on early detected scoliosis in fetuses caused by spinal hemivertebra through a multi-dimensional survey. A self-administered anonymous web and social media-based multi-dimensional online survey were conducted. Four short questionnaires concerning fetuses with scoliosis secondary to hemivertebra were sent to spine/orthopedic surgeons, obstetricians/ultrasonologists, scoliosis patients, and the non-medical general public separately. Survey items mainly included whether continue the pregnancy, the responses of different populations, whether they have knowledge of HV and what they wanted to know most about HV among the general public group, etc. All the questions were single choice questions, and additional responses could be added if needed. A total of 5586 respondents including 647 spine surgeons, 227 orthopaedic surgeons, 350 obstetricians, 54 ultrasonologists, 246 scoliosis patients and 4062 general public participated in the survey. 41.89% spine surgeons, 25.99% orthopedic surgeons, 6.57% obstetricians, 17.48% scoliosis patients and 19.23% general public chose to continue pregnancy and seek treatment after birth. 4.02% spine surgeons, 7.49% orthopedic surgeons, 3.71% obstetricians, 26.83% scoliosis patients and 14.28% non-medical general public suggested or chose to terminate the pregnancy. 54.10% spine surgeons, 66.52% orthopedic surgeons suggested explain the pros and cons to the parents and let them make their own choices.
Multifunctional Poly(Vinylidene Fluoride) and Styrene Butadiene Rubber Blend Magneto-responsive Nanocomposites Based on Hybrid Graphene Oxide and Fe3O4: Synthesis, Preparation and Characterization
Authors: Essabir Hamid , Raji Marya , Rodrigue Denis , Bouhfid Rachid , Qaiss Abou el kacem
Published: March 2021

Functional nanocomposites based on a blend of styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) and polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) as the matrix reinforced by a hybrid nanofiller system of graphene oxide nanosheets (GOn) and ferromagnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4) at different weight ratios (3.75:1.25; 2.5:2.5 and 1.25:3.75) were successfully prepared and characterized to determine the effect of nanofillers hybridization in improving the structural,mechanical, dielectric/electrical, magnetic and thermal properties of a polymer blend (PVDF-SBR) for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding applications. Due to the synergy between both nanofillers, it was found that the Young’s modulus of the nanocomposite containing 5 wt.% of the hybrid nanofiller was significantly improved (87%), while the strain at yield remained constant due to the low particle content and the rubbery effect of the SBR copolymer. In addition, the degradation temperature of the matrix was shifted from 464°C to 472 °C with the addition of 2.5:2.5 of GOn:Fe3O4. Finally, the hybrid reinforcement also had a positive effect on the electrical and magnetic properties of the nanocomposites with an improvement that exceeds 30%. By careful selection of synthetic techniques and understanding/exploiting the unique physics of the polymeric nanocomposites in such materials, novel functional polymer-inorganic nanocomposites can be designed and fabricated for new interesting in magneto applications such as superparamagnetism, electromagnetic wave absorption, and electromagnetic interference shielding.
Assessment of Laparoscopic Instrument Reprocessing in Rural India: A Mixed Methods Study
Authors: Robertson Daniel , Gnanaraj Jesudian , Wauben Linda , Huijs Jan , Samuel Vasanth Mark , Dankelman Jenny , Horeman-Franse Tim
Published: March 2021

Background
Laparoscopy is a minimally-invasive surgical procedure that uses long slender instruments that require much smaller incisions than conventional surgery. This leads to faster recovery times, fewer infections and shorter hospital stays. For these reasons, laparoscopy could be particularly advantageous to patients in low to middle income countries (LMICs). Unfortunately, sterile processing departments in LMIC hospitals are faced with limited access to equipment and trained staff and poses an obstacle to safe surgical care. The reprocessing of laparoscopic devices requires specialised equipment and training. Therefore, when LMIC hospitals invest in laparoscopy, an update of the standard operating procedure in sterile processing is required. Currently, it is unclear whether LMIC hospitals, that already perform laparoscopy, have managed to introduce updated reprocessing methods that minimally invasive equipment requires. The aim of this study was to identify the laparoscopic sterile reprocessing procedures in rural India and to test the effectiveness of the sterilisation equipment.
Methods
We assessed laparoscopic instrument sterilisation capacity in four rural hospitals in different states in India using a mixed-methods approach. As the main form of data collection, we developed a standardised observational checklist based on reprocessing guidelines from several sources. Steam autoclave performance was measured by monitoring the autoclave cycles in two hospitals. Finally, the findings from the checklist data was supported by an interview survey with surgeons and nurses.
Results
The checklist data revealed the reprocessing methods the hospitals used in the reprocessing of laparoscopic instruments. It showed that the standard operating procedures had not been updated since the introduction of laparoscopy and the same reprocessing methods for regular surgical instruments were still applied. The interviews confirmed that staff had not received additional training and that they were unaware of the hazardous effects of reprocessing detergents and disinfectants.
Conclusion
As laparoscopy is becoming more prevalent in LMICs, updated policy is needed to incorporate minimally invasive instrument reprocessing in medical practitioner and staff training programmes. While reprocessing standards improve, it is essential to develop instruments and reprocessing equipment that is more suitable for resource-constrained rural surgical environments.
Ammonia Room Temperature Gas Sensor Using Different TiO2 Nano-structure
Authors: Shooshtari Mostafa , Salehi Alireza
Published: March 2021

In this study, TiO2 Nano-structure were synthesized by three different processes including nanowires, nanoparticles and thin- films. The morphology and crystal structure of the three different TiO2 structures deposited on quartz glasses were characterized by XRD, SEM and FTIR. It has been found that nanowires and nanoparticles showed only the anatase phase while the thin-film exhibited both anatase and rutile phases. The three TiO2 Nano-structures were then used to fabricate gas sensors for ammonia (NH3) detection at different concentrations and various conditions. The samples fabricated with thin-film TiO2 towards 50 ppm NH3 showed a response value of 5% at room temperature, whereas the other two samples exhibited much higher values towards similar condition NH3 at room temperature. Samples with nanowires showed a three-fold increase and samples with nanoparticles exhibit a two-fold increase in response value. We have found that the response of all samples increases with elevating the operating temperature up to 200°C. Increasing the operating temperature improved the nanoparticle sensing conditions more than the other two samples. The samples using nanoparticles showed a 33% increase in response towards 50 ppm NH3 at 200°C compared to the samples with thin films at similar conditions. Further, response and recovery time were investigated and reported in this study.