bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk factors for malignant transformation of hepatocellular adenoma to hepatocellular carcinoma: protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Thevathasan Tharusan , Colbatzky Teresa , Schmelzle Moritz , Pratschke Johann , Krenzien Felix
Published: August 2021

Introduction

Hepatocellular adenomas (HCAs) are solid liver tumours that are usually found incidentally during routine medical check-ups. Multiple modifiable and non-modifiable factors constitute a risk for the malignant transformation of HCAs to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which has emerged to be one of the fastest growing causes of cancer-related mortality globally. This study protocol for a planned systematic review and meta-analysis documents the methodological approach to identify risk factors and their risk estimates for the transformation from HCA to HCC.

Methods and analysis

Two independent reviewers will systematically search and extract data from studies in patients of all ages published between January 1970 and June 2021 on PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Scopus Web of Science, Ovid, The Cochrane Hepatobiliary Group Controlled Trials Register and The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials by using ana prioridefined search strategy. Study quality will be rated with the National Institute of Health quality assessment tools. Disagreements will be resolved by consensus with a third independent reviewer. The primary outcome will be the odds ratio (OR) of developing HCC in patients with prediagnosed HCA depending on the exposure to risk factors. HCC diagnosis must be inferred based on imaging techniques or pathology. We will use R V.4.0.2 to conduct meta-analyses and generate pooled ORs based on random effects models. Results will be presented as forest plots. Cochran’s Q and I2test will be performed to assess heterogeneity between included studies. Funnel plots and Egger’s weighted regression will be used to evaluate publication bias.

Ethics and dissemination

No ethical approval is required as we will use and analyse data from previously published studies in which informed consent was obtained. The results will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal on completion.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42020206578.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural communities: a cross-sectional study in the Sichuan Province of China
Authors: Shafi Mohsin , Liu Junrong , Jian Deng , Rahman Imran Ur , Chen Xunwei
Published: August 2021

Objective

Recently, China has experienced a considerable influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the local people’s health and economy. Hence, the current research aims to investigate the psychological and socioeconomic impact of COVID-19 on rural communities in the Sichuan Province of China.

Methods

A total of 499 participants (village representatives of Sichuan Province) were approached to partake in a cross-sectional online survey and share their experience regarding the ongoing pandemic. The descriptive statistics and ordinary least squares (OLS) regression were used to analyse the data.

Results

Our analysis revealed that the pandemic has significantly affected local people psychologically, leading to socioeconomic vulnerability. Notably, we find that local households are worried about their income losses regardless of their socioeconomic status (40%–43%), level of income (37%–43%) and industry involvement (38%–43%). However, as income increases, the level of stress decreases. The results further show that government transfer payment is a significant factor in reducing stress due to its reliable and uninterrupted income flow. Contrary to our proposition, the pandemic stress was less observed, which might be because of people’s trust in government and effective antiepidemic countermeasures to contain the disease.

Conclusion

This study finds that COVID-19 has a significant impact on local people’s health, psychology and income. This study is one of the first to provide empirical evidence regarding the early health and socioeconomic effects of COVID-19 at the household level in rural communities, which are very important to devise policies to ease the outbreak and prevent further losses at the local community level.
Factors that facilitate or hinder whole system integrated care for obesity and mental health: a scoping review protocol
Authors: Liapi Fani , Chater Angel , Randhawa Gurch , Pappas Yannis
Published: August 2021

Introduction

Integrated care aims to improve population health. Obesity and mental health are major health issues worldwide. The complexity of the multifactorial drivers of these public health problems has led to the adoption of a whole system approach. This review aims to highlight factors that influence the planning, implementation and evaluation of whole system integrated care for these conditions.

Methods and analysis

Using the framework of Arksey and O’ Malley, we will perform a comprehensive search in the following databases: MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsychINFO, PubMed, British Nursing Database, Web of Science, Health Systems Evidence, Cochrane Library and University of York Centre for Reviews and Dissemination. Further hand-search of reference lists and the grey literature will be conducted. The search will be restricted to articles published from 2000 to 2020. The review is expected to be completed by August 2021. Full texts of the potential studies will be screened for the inclusion criteria. Quality of studies will be appraised. Narrative synthesis will be completed using data extracted from the included studies.

Ethics and dissemination

A favourable ethics opinion for this study was obtained from the Institute for Health Research Ethics Committee of the University of Bedfordshire (IHREC937). This review expects to identify information relating to factors that facilitate or hinder whole system integrated care for obesity and mental health. The finding from this review will be widely disseminated to stakeholders to inform implementation of whole system integrated care initiatives.
Navigating the shifting sands of filtering facepiece respirator provision during the COVID-19 pandemic: a system response for maximising staff safety
Authors: Allison Carrick , Tennant Mike , Xiang Peter , Stephens Jennifer , Ball Oliver , Wilton Niall
Published: August 2021

Introduction

Personal protective equipment is essential to protect health workers and patients and to ensure confidence when dealing with aerosolised disease transmission. We describe the process for ensuring adequate filtering facepiece respirator (FFR) qualitative fit testing at a local level during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Cascaded training is described, which allowed rapid spreading of the testing process, with supervision allowing quality assurance throughout. Testing consisted of subjective ‘fit checking’, checking for leaks, followed by qualitative hood testing.

Results

The original respirators (3M 1870) had a hood test pass rate of 87.5%. Following identification of this as a non-renewable and unsustainable option, a domestically manufactured and sustainable Help-It P2 duckbill-type respirator was adopted as the primary FFR. The hood test pass rate for this respirator was only 54%. A third respirator was made available (3M 1860), with a high pass rate of 80% but also a limited and non-renewable resource. Algorithms were constructed highlighting different proportional use of the respirators depending on the most limited resource.

Conclusion

The testing format used is simple, reproducible and can be used by any hospital organisation when occupational health and safety departments are unable to provide the service during overwhelming demand. Qualitative fit testing is a scalable and effective method for ensuring appropriately sized and shaped FFRs, minimising resource consumption in the process. The use of a product with appropriate filtration capacity but a lower fit test pass rate (domestic duckbill respirator) as a replaceable resource facilitated adequate respirator availability for staff that would otherwise not have been possible. The provision of an FFR fit registry allows an organisation to make appropriate respirators available to staff from different sources as supply and demand changes.
COVID-19 admission risk tools should include multiethnic age structures, multimorbidity and deprivation metrics for air pollution, household overcrowding, housing quality and adult skills
Authors: Soltan Marina A , Varney Justin , Sutton Benjamin , Melville Colin R , Lugg Sebastian T , Parekh Dhruv , Carroll Will , Dosanjh Davinder P , Thickett David R
Published: August 2021

Background

Ethnic minorities account for 34% of critically ill patients with COVID-19 despite constituting 14% of the UK population. Internationally, researchers have called for studies to understand deterioration risk factors to inform clinical risk tool development.

Methods

Multicentre cohort study of hospitalised patients with COVID-19 (n=3671) exploring determinants of health, including Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) subdomains, as risk factors for presentation, deterioration and mortality by ethnicity. Receiver operator characteristics were plotted for CURB65 and ISARIC4C by ethnicity and area under the curve (AUC) calculated.

Results

Ethnic minorities were hospitalised with higher Charlson Comorbidity Scores than age, sex and deprivation matched controls and from the most deprived quintile of at least one IMD subdomain: indoor living environment (LE), outdoor LE, adult skills, wider barriers to housing and services. Admission from the most deprived quintile of these deprivation forms was associated with multilobar pneumonia on presentation and ICU admission. AUC did not exceed 0.7 for CURB65 or ISARIC4C among any ethnicity except ISARIC4C among Indian patients (0.83, 95% CI 0.73 to 0.93). Ethnic minorities presenting with pneumonia and low CURB65 (0–1) had higher mortality than White patients (22.6% vs 9.4%; p<0.001); Africans were at highest risk (38.5%; p=0.006), followed by Caribbean (26.7%; p=0.008), Indian (23.1%; p=0.007) and Pakistani (21.2%; p=0.004).

Conclusions

Ethnic minorities exhibit higher multimorbidity despite younger age structures and disproportionate exposure to unscored risk factors including obesity and deprivation. Household overcrowding, air pollution, housing quality and adult skills deprivation are associated with multilobar pneumonia on presentation and ICU admission which are mortality risk factors. Risk tools need to reflect risks predominantly affecting ethnic minorities.
Refined atrial fibrillation screening and cost-effectiveness in the German population
Authors: Schnabel Renate B , Wallenhorst Christopher , Engler Daniel , Blankenberg Stefan , Pfeiffer Norbert , Spruenker Ngoc Anh , Buettner Matthias , Michal Matthias , Lackner Karl J , Münzel Thomas , Wild Philipp S , Martinez Carlos , Freedman Ben
Published: August 2021

Objective

Little is known on optimal screening population for detecting new atrial fibrillation (AF) in the community. We describe characteristics and estimate cost-effectiveness for a single timepoint electrocardiographic screening.

Methods

We performed a 12-lead ECG in the German population-based Gutenberg Health Study between 2007 and 2012 (n=15 010), mean age 55±11 years, 51% men and collected more than 120 clinical and biomarker variables, including N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (Nt-proBNP), risk factors, disease symptoms and echocardiographic variables.

Results

Of 15 010 individuals, 466 (3.1%) had AF. New AF was found in 32 individuals, 0.2% of the total sample, 0.5% of individuals aged 65–74 years and predominantly men (86%). The classical risk factor burden was high in individuals with new AF. The median estimated stroke risk was 2.2%/year, while risk of developing heart failure was 21% over 10 years. In the 65–74 year age group, the cost per quality-adjusted life-year gained resulting from a single timepoint screening was €30 361. In simulations, the costs were highly sensitive to AF detection rates, proportion of treatment and type of oral anticoagulant. Prescreening by Nt-proBNP measurements was not cost-effective in the current setting.

Conclusions

In our middle-aged population cohort, we identified 0.2% new AF by single timepoint screening. There was a significant estimated risk of stroke and heart failure in these individuals. Cost-effectiveness for screening may be reached in individuals aged 65 years and older. The simple age cut-off is not improved by using Nt-proBNP as a biomarker to guide a screening programme.
Global DNA hypermethylation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and cardiovascular disease risk: a population-based propensity score-matched cohort study
Authors: Tsuboi Yoshiki , Yamada Hiroya , Munetsuna Eiji , Fujii Ryosuke , Yamazaki Mirai , Ando Yoshitaka , Mizuno Genki , Ishikawa Hiroaki , Ohashi Koji , Hashimoto Shuji , Hamajima Nobuyuki , Suzuki Koji
Published: August 2021

Background

DNA methylation plays an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of cardiovascular disease (CVD) but the prospective association of DNA methylation with CVD has not been evaluated. Here, we conducted a prospective study to examine whether long interspersed nuclear element-1 (LINE-1) DNA methylation is associated with CVD mortality in a Japanese population.

Methods

We targeted 822 Japanese who participated in a health check-up in 1990 and had no clinical history of cancer, stroke or ischaemic heart disease. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells and LINE-1 DNA methylation at three CpG sites was measured using a pyrosequencing method. We used propensity score (PS) matching to reduce the effect of potential confounding.

Results

During 18 118.7 persons-years of follow-up, there were 329 deaths from all-causes and 85 deaths from CVD. In PS-matched analysis, a significantly higher HR for CVD mortality was observed in the hypermethylation group than in the hypomethylation group for elderly participants (HR 2.77; 95% CI 1.55 to 4.93). No significant association between LINE-1 DNA methylation and CVD was observed for middle-aged participants.

Conclusions

Based on this prospective study, we suggest that LINE-1 DNA hypermethylation is associated with increased CVD mortality risk in an elderly population.
Framework for understanding health inequalities over the life course: the embodiment dynamic and biological mechanisms of exogenous and endogenous origin
Authors: Kelly-Irving Michelle , Delpierre Cyrille
Published: August 2021

Understanding how structural, social and psychosocial factors come to affect our health resulting in health inequalities is more relevant now than ever as trends in mortality gaps between rich and poor appear to have widened over the past decades. To move beyond description, we need to hypothesise about how structural and social factors may cause health outcomes. In this paper, we examine the construction of health over the life course through the lens of influential theoretical work. Based on concepts developed by scholars from different disciplines, we propose a novel framework for research on social-to-biological processes which may be important contributors to health inequalities. We define two broad sets of mechanisms that may help understand how socially structured exposures become embodied: mechanisms of exogenous and endogenous origin. We describe the embodiment dynamic framework, its uses and how it may be combined with an intersectional approach to examine how intermeshed oppressions affect social exposures which may be expressed biologically. We explain the usefulness of this framework as a tool for carrying out research and providing scientific evidence to challenge genetic essentialism, often used to dismiss social inequalities in health.
Phase Ib study of patients with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer treated with different sequencing regimens of atezolizumab and sipuleucel-T
Authors: Dorff Tanya , Hirasawa Yosuke , Acoba Jared , Pagano Ian , Tamura David , Pal Sumanta , Zhang Minlu , Waitz Rebecca , Dhal Abhilash , Haynes Winston , Shon John , Scholz Mark , Furuya Hideki , Chan Owen T M , Huang Jeffrey , Rosser Charles
Published: August 2021

Background

Combining an immune checkpoint inhibitor with a tumor vaccine may modulate the immune system to leverage complementary mechanisms of action that lead to sustained T-cell activation and a potent prolonged immunotherapeutic response in metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

Methods

Subjects with asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic mCRPC were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either atezolizumab followed by sipuleucel-T (Arm 1) or sipuleucel-T followed by atezolizumab (Arm 2). The primary endpoint was safety, while secondary endpoints included preliminary clinical activity such as objective tumor response and systemic immune responses that could identify key molecular and immunological changes associated with sequential administration of atezolizumab and sipuleucel-T.

Results

A total of 37 subjects were enrolled. The median age was 75.0 years, median prostate specific antigen (PSA) was 21.9 ng/mL, and subjects had a median number of three prior treatments. Most subjects (83.8%) had at least one treatment-related adverse event. There were no grade 4 or 5 toxicities attributed to either study drug. Immune-related adverse events and infusion reactions occurred in 13.5% of subjects, and all of which were grade 1 or 2. Of 23 subjects with Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors measurable disease, only one subject in Arm 2 had a partial response (PR) and four subjects overall had stable disease (SD) at 6 months reflecting an objective response rate of 4.3% and a disease control rate of 21.7%. T-cell receptor diversity was higher in subjects with a response, including SD. Immune response to three novel putative antigens (SIK3, KDM1A/LSD1, and PIK3R6) appeared to increase with treatment.

Conclusions

Overall, regardless of the order in which they were administered, the combination of atezolizumab with sipuleucel-T appears to be safe and well tolerated with a comparable safety profile to each agent administered as monotherapy. Correlative immune studies may suggest the combination to be beneficial; however, further studies are needed.

Trial registration number

NCT03024216.
Short-term outcome after open-heart surgery for severe chronic rheumatic heart disease in a low-income country, with comparison with an historical control group: an observational study
Authors: Hauge Ståle Wågen , Dalen Havard , Estensen Mette E , Persson Robert Matongo , Abebe Sintayehu , Mekonnen Desalew , Nega Berhanu , Solholm Atle , Farstad Marit , Bogale Nigussie , Graven Torbjorn , Nielssen Niels-Erik , Brekke Hege Kristin , Vikenes Kjell , Haaverstad Rune
Published: August 2021

Objectives

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a major burden in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Cardiac surgery is the only curative treatment. Little is known about patients with severe chronic RHD operated in LMICs, and challenges regarding postoperative follow-up are an important issue. At Tikur Anbessa Specialised Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, we aimed to evaluate the course and 12-month outcome of patients with severe chronic RHD who received open-heart surgery, as compared with the natural course of controls waiting for surgery and undergoing only medical treatment.

Methods

Clinical data and outcome measures were registered in 46 patients operated during five missions from March 2016 to November 2019, and compared with the first-year course in a cohort of 49 controls from the same hospital’s waiting list for surgery. Adverse events were death or complications such as stroke, other thromboembolic events, bleeding, hospitalisation for heart failure and infectious endocarditis.

Results

Survival at 12 months was 89% and survival free from complications was 80% in the surgical group. Despite undergoing open-heart surgery, with its inherent risks, outcome measures of the surgical group were non-inferior to the natural course of the control group in the first year after inclusion on the waiting list (p≥0.45). All except six surgical patients were in New York Heart Association class I after 12 months and 84% had resumed working.

Conclusions

Cardiac surgery for severe chronic RHD is feasible in LMICs if the service is structured and planned. Rates of survival and survival free from complications were similar to those of controls at 12 months. Functional level and resumption of work were high in the surgical group. Whether the patients who underwent cardiac surgery will have better long-term prognosis, in line with what is known in high-income countries, needs to be evaluated in future studies.
Use and detailed metric properties of patient-reported outcome measures for rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review covering two decades
Authors: Küçükdeveci Ayşe A , Elhan Atilla H , Erdoğan Beyza D , Kutlay Şehim , Gökmen Derya , Ateş Can , Yüksel Selcen , Lundgren-Nilsson Asa , Escorpizo Reuben , Stucki Gerold , Tennant Alan , Conaghan Philip G
Published: August 2021

Introduction

The importance of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) clinical studies has been recognised for many years. The current study aims to describe the RA PROMs used over the past 20 years, and their performance metrics, to underpin appropriate tool selection.

Methods

The study included a systematic search for PROMs that have been in use over the period 2000–2019, with detailed documentation of their psychometric properties, and a user-friendly presentation of the extensive evidence base.

Results

125 PROMs were identified with psychometric evidence available. The domains of pain, fatigue, emotional functions, mobility, physical functioning and work dominated, with self-efficacy and coping as personal factors. Domains such as stiffness and sleep were poorly served. The most frequently used PROMs included the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ), the Short Form 36 (SF-36), the EuroQoL and the Modified HAQ which, between them, appeared in more than 3500 papers. Strong psychometric evidence was found for the HAQ, and the SF-36 Physical Functioning and Vitality (fatigue) domains. Otherwise, all domains except stiffness, sleep, education and health utility, had at least one PROM with moderate level of psychometric evidence.

Conclusion

There is a broad range of PROMs for measuring RA outcomes, but the quality of psychometric evidence varies widely. This work identifies gaps in key RA domains according to the biopsychosocial model.
Sex differences in physical and mental health following high-intensity interval training in adults with cardiovascular disease who completed cardiac rehabilitation
Authors: Vidal-Almela Sol , Way Kimberley L. , Terada Tasuku , Tulloch Heather E. , Keast Marja-Leena , Pipe Andrew L. , Chirico Daniele , Reed Jennifer L.
Published: August 2021

This pre-post study examined sex-differences in peak aerobic power (V̇O2peak) and physical- and mental-health outcomes in adults with cardiovascular disease who completed high-intensity interval training (HIIT)-based cardiac rehabilitation. HIIT consisted of 25 minutes of alternating higher- (4×4 minutes 85–95% heart rate peak (HRpeak)) and lower- (3×3 minutes 60–70% HRpeak) intensity intervals twice weekly for 10 weeks. V̇O2peak estimated from a graded exercise test using the American College of Sports Medicine equation, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, blood pressure, blood biomarkers and anxiety and depression were assessed at baseline and follow-up. Linear mixed-effects models for repeated measures were performed to examine differences over time between sexes. Of 140 participants (mean ± standard deviation: 58 ± 9 years), 40 were female. Improvements in V̇O2peak did not differ between sexes (interaction: p = 0.273, females: 28.4 ± 6.4 to 30.9 ± 7.6; males: 34.3 ± 6.3 to 37.4 ± 6.0 mL/kg/min). None of the time by sex interactions were significant. Significant main effects of time showed reductions in waist circumference, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), total cholesterol (TC)/high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and anxiety, and increases in V̇O2peak and HDL from baseline to follow-up. Significant main effects of sex revealed smaller V̇O2peak, BMI and waist circumference, and higher LDL, TC and HDL in females than males. HIIT led to similar improvements in estimated V̇O2peak (females: 8.8%, males: 9.0%) and additional health outcomes between sexes.

Novelty: HIIT-based cardiac rehabilitation led to similar improvements in estimated V̇O2peak and other physical and mental health outcomes between sexes. The number of sessions attended was high (>70%) and did not differ by sex. Both sexes showed good compliance with the exercise protocol (HR target).
Spatiotemporal distributions of population in Seoul: joint influence of ridership and accessibility of the subway system
Authors: Lee Ji-Hye , Goh Segun , Lee Keumsook , Choi M. Y.
Published: August 2021

Moving along with daily life, urban residents and commuters create characteristic spatiotemporal patterns which vary extensively with the time of day. These patterns are formed via traffic flows: accordingly, understanding the impact of transportation system is essential for urban planners to evaluate expected urban activities. To explore them, we examine specifically population distributions in Seoul City by analyzing hourly population data based on mobile phone location records in combination with a couple of indicators of the Seoul Subway system. Through clustering and principal component analyses, we first demonstrate that the spatial distribution of the population is categorized according to the time of day, i.e., night, daytime, and evening, variations across which reflect the morphology of land use. We then examine the influence of the subway system on the population, employing ridership and accessibility as indicators. Our linear regression analysis shows that both are associated with the daytime and the evening populations, which implies that only commercial activities are substantially coupled to the subway system. Further, we find that the distinctive difference of night population is encoded in the probability distributions; this is elucidated by means of a multiplicative growth model for the morphological evolution of Seoul, revealing decentralization of residential areas and centralization of commercial areas. This study sheds light on the interplay of a public transportation system and land use, which is of relevance to planners and policymakers wishing to develop neighborhoods in support of sustainable modes.
Neutrino mass, leptogenesis and sterile neutrino dark matter in inverse seesaw framework
Authors: Gautam Nayana , Das Mrinal Kumar
Published: August 2021

We study [Formula: see text] flavor symmetric inverse seesaw model which has the possibility of simultaneously addressing neutrino phenomenology, dark matter (DM) and baryon asymmetry of the universe (BAU) through leptogenesis. The model is the extension of the standard model by the addition of two (RH) neutrinos and three sterile fermions leading to a keV scale sterile neutrino DM and two pairs of quasi-Dirac states. The CP violating decay of the lightest quasi-Dirac pair present in the model generates lepton asymmetry which then converts to BAU. Thus, this model can provide a simultaneous solution for nonzero neutrino mass, DM content of the universes and the observed baryon asymmetry. The [Formula: see text] flavor symmetry in this model is augmented by additional [Formula: see text] symmetry to constrain the Yukawa Lagrangian. A detailed numerical analysis has been carried out to obtain DM mass, DM-active mixing as well as BAU both for normal hierarchy as well as inverted hierarchy. We try to correlate the two cosmological observables and found a common parameter space satisfying the DM phenomenology and BAU. The parameter space of the model is further constrained from the latest cosmological bounds on the observables.
Equation of state and electrical transport properties of mixture of Li1.2Mn0.54Co0.13Ni0.13O2 and LiNi0.87Co0.09Mn0.03Al0.01O2 at high pressure
Authors: Xiong Lun , Tu Pu , Hu Yongqing , Hou Xiang , Wu Shiyun , Liu Xingquan , Dong Hongliang , Zhang Ziyou
Published: August 2021

The equation of state (EOS) of mixture of Li[Formula: see text]Mn[Formula: see text]Co[Formula: see text]Ni[Formula: see text]O2 and LiNi[Formula: see text] Co[Formula: see text]Mn[Formula: see text]Al[Formula: see text]O2 was studied by synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction (XRD) at room-temperature in a diamond anvil cell (DAC). The results showed that the hexagonal structure is maintained to the highest pressure of 23.1 GPa. The bulk modulus and its first derivative obtained from XRD data are [Formula: see text] GPa and [Formula: see text], respectively. In addition, we have investigated the high-pressure electrical conductivity of the mixture of Li[Formula: see text]Mn[Formula: see text]Co[Formula: see text]Ni[Formula: see text]O2 and LiNi[Formula: see text]Co[Formula: see text]Mn[Formula: see text]Al[Formula: see text]O2 to 22.9 GPa in a DAC. It is found that the resistance decreases with the increase of pressure and changes exponentially.
An Extended Separation-of-Variable Method for Free Vibration of Rectangular Mindlin Plates
Authors: Li Gen , Xing Yufeng , Wang Zekun
Published: August 2021

For rectangular thick plates with non-Levy boundary conditions, it is important to explore analytical free vibration solutions because the classical inverse and semi-inverse exact solution methods are not applicable to this category of problems. This work is to develop an extended separation-of-variable (SOV) method to find closed-form analytical solutions for the free vibration of rectangular Mindlin plates with arbitrary homogeneous boundary conditions. In the extended SOV method, characteristic differential equations and boundary conditions in two directions are obtained by employing the Rayleigh principle and the assumption that the mode functions are in the SOV form, and two transcendental eigenvalue equations are achieved through boundary conditions. But these two eigenvalue equations cannot be solved simultaneously since there are two equations and only the natural frequency is the unknown variable. Considering this, the second assumption in this method is that the natural frequencies corresponding to two-direction mode functions are independent of each other in the mathematical sense, thus there are two unknowns in two transcendental eigenvalue equations, and the closed-form solutions for plates with arbitrary boundary conditions can be obtained non-iteratively. From the physical sense, the natural frequencies pertaining to different direction mode functions should be the same, and this conclusion is validated analytically and numerically. The present natural frequencies and mode shapes agree well with those obtained by other analytical and numerical methods. Especially, for the plates with at least two opposite sides simply supported, the present solutions are exact.
A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL ON THE EFFECTS OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY INTERVENTIONS USING PATIENT-CENTERED ROBOT-ASSISTED REHABILITATION FOR FUNCTIONAL IMPROVEMENT IN SUBACUTE STROKE PATIENTS
Authors: YOON DAESEOK , LEE SEUNGBOK , CHO SANG-HYUN , PARK HAEYEAN , KIM JONGBAE
Published: August 2021

The objective of this research study was to investigate the effect of patient-centered robot-assisted intervention for upper limb function improvement in stroke patients.

Design: A double-blind randomized controlled trial.

Intervention: Subjectively preferred areas of need for performing daily activities were identified by pre-interviewing and applied as target goals in the experimental group using a robotic device. Control-1 underwent a program focused on the robot system involving movements of upper limb joints. Control-2 participated in a conventional rehabilitation program.

Methods: Forty-five participants engaged in 60 min of daily therapy, five times weekly for 3 weeks. The experimental group used the Canadian occupational performance measure (COPM) to identify subjectively preferred “patient-centered” focus needed areas to perform robotic device aided daily activities. Control-1 used a robot device-focused rehabilitation involving upper limb joint movements. Control-2 participated in conventional rehabilitation. Pre-post intervention measurements of hand, grip, power, and upper limb ROM were acquired by FMA-UE, MFT, and K-MBI.

Results: A significant increase of function in the experimental group was observed in each subclass of function and activities of daily living (ADL) performance. Control-1 showed an increase in function without ADL improvement. Control-2 showed an increase in ADL and proximal areas of upper limb function without an increase in other areas.

Conclusion: The “patient-centered” approach significantly improved upper limb function and ADL performance compared to “robot-centered” rehabilitation. Further studies are warranted to confirm these results and for generalizability in clinical application.
Conflicting Drivers of Virtual Water Trade: A Review Based on the “Virtual Water Concept”
Authors: Odey Golden , Adelodun Bashir , Kim Sang Hyun , Choi Kyung Sook
Published: August 2021

The virtual water concept has been largely applied in the study of regional, national, and global water flows with particular emphasis on water endowment. Despite water traditionally being managed locally, certain forces (drivers) influence the local water resource availability and hence virtual water exchanges. This study reviews available literature to determine those drivers and their influence on virtual water exchanges. Studies show that the drivers are numerous, and there exist several available literatures providing controversial results leading to a high level of uncertainty in the determination of their relative significance. Possible reasons for the contradicting results are discussed and suggestions made.
ISDNet: AI-enabled Instance Segmentation of Aerial Scenes for Smart Cities
Authors: Garg Prateek , Chakravarthy Anirudh Srinivasan , Mandal Murari , Narang Pratik , Chamola Vinay , Guizani Mohsen
Published: August 2021

Aerial scenes captured by UAVs have immense potential in IoT applications related to urban surveillance, road and building segmentation, land cover classification, and so on, which are necessary for the evolution of smart cities. The advancements in deep learning have greatly enhanced visual understanding, but the domain of aerial vision remains largely unexplored. Aerial images pose many unique challenges for performing proper scene parsing such as high-resolution data, small-scaled objects, a large number of objects in the camera view, dense clustering of objects, background clutter, and so on, which greatly hinder the performance of the existing deep learning methods. In this work, we propose ISDNet (Instance Segmentation and Detection Network), a novel network to perform instance segmentation and object detection on visual data captured by UAVs. This work enables aerial image analytics for various needs in a smart city. In particular, we use dilated convolutions to generate improved spatial context, leading to better discrimination between foreground and background features. The proposed network efficiently reuses the segment-mask features by propagating them from early stages using residual connections. Furthermore, ISDNet makes use of effective anchors to accommodate varying object scales and sizes. The proposed method obtains state-of-the-art results in the aerial context.
From Insects to Frogs, Egg–Juvenile Recruitment Can Have Persistent Effects on Population Sizes
Authors: Downes Barbara J. , Peckarsky Barbara L. , Lancaster Jill , Bovill William D. , Alp Maria
Published: August 2021

Understanding what regulates population sizes of organisms with complex life cycles is challenging because limits on population sizes can occur at any stage or transition. We extend a conceptual framework to explore whether numbers of successfully laid eggs determine densities of later stages in insects, fish, amphibians, and snails inhabiting marine, freshwater, or terrestrial habitats. Our review suggests novel hypotheses, which propose characteristics of species or environments that create spatial variation in egg densities and predict when such patterns are maintained throughout subsequent life-cycle stages. Existing data, although limited, suggest that persistent, strong associations between egg and subsequent juvenile densities are likely for species where suitable egg-laying habitat is in short supply. Those associations are weakened in some environments and for some species by density-dependent losses of eggs or hatchlings. Such cross-ecosystem comparisons are fundamental to generality in ecology but demand place-based understandings of species’ biology and natural history.
Review—On the Origin of Diminishing Radiative Lifetime of Mn4+ in Complex Fluoride Phosphors with Temperature
Authors: Yan Shirun
Published: August 2021

Temperature dependence of the radiative lifetime of Mn4+ 2
E
g→4
A
2g luminescence in oxides and complex fluorides is reviewed. Unlike other phosphors, where a decrease in lifetime with increasing temperature was due to thermal quenching (TQ), here the decrease in lifetime of Mn4+ 2
E
g→4
A
2g luminescence in complex fluorides occurred at low temperatures where luminescence TQ had not occurred. Various explanations and models were proposed to phenomenologically account for or to fit the temperature-dependent experimental results. Validity of these explanations and theoretical models is assessed. It is argued that diminishing radiative lifetime of Mn4+ in complex fluorides or oxides with temperature seems irrelevant to progressive mixing of 3d orbitals of Mn4+ and 2p orbitals of ligands (F- or O2-) or to enhanced transition probabilities of the vibronic emission. It is suggested that an increase in 4
T
2g–2
E
g spin-orbit mixing along with in thermal population of the 4
T
2g manifold from the 2
E
g manifold with increasing temperature arising from lattice thermal expansion induced reduction in 4
T
2g–2
E
g energy separation could contribute to the diminishing radiative lifetime of Mn4+ 2
E
g → 4
A
2g luminescence with temperature. Large thermal expansivity of host compounds should be the root cause for the special temperature-dependent decay behavior of Mn4+ luminescence in complex fluoride phosphors.
The Analysis of Fractional-Order Navier-Stokes Model Arising in the Unsteady Flow of a Viscous Fluid via Shehu Transform
Authors: Sunthrayuth Pongsakorn , Shah Rasool , Zidan A. M. , Khan Shahbaz , Kafle Jeevan
Published: August 2021

This paper presents a new method that is constructed by combining the Shehu transform and the residual power series method. Precisely, we provide the application of the proposed technique to investigate fractional-order linear and nonlinear problems. Then, we implemented this new technique to obtain the result of fractional-order Navier-Stokes equations. Finally, we provide three-dimensional figures to help the effect of fractional derivatives on the actions of the achieved profile results on the proposed models.
Research Progress of Ferroptosis: A Bibliometrics and Visual Analysis Study
Authors: Xiong Jian , Qi Wenchuan , Liu Jiacheng , Zhang Zhenqing , Wang Ziwen , Bao Jinku , Wu Chuanfang , Liang Fanrong
Published: August 2021

Background. Ferroptosis is a type of cell death with major topic of debate under current research and plays an important role in disease regulation. Objective. In this study, the literature management software Bibexcel and knowledge graph tool VOSviewer were used to summarize and analyze the international research trends and hotspots about ferroptosis in recent years, which highlight the disease mechanism, diagnosis, and treatment related to ferroptosis. Material/Methods. The core collection database of Web of Science was used for retrieving ferroptosis research literature. The information such as the amount of text, the country, the period, the institution, the fund, and the keywords was extracted by the bibliometric tool Bibexcel. The cooccurrence and clustering function of VOSviewer were used to analyze the high-frequency keywords and the cooperative network of the author, institution, and country. Results. The research of ferroptosis started late and was formally proposed in 2012. It has developed rapidly and presented an “exponential” growth trend. China, the United States, Germany, Japan, and France are the main national forces of ferroptosis research development. The United States and China have a relatively high degree of support and attention to ferroptosis. Exploring oxidative stress, inducers/inhibitors, synergistic antitumor effect, relationships with other cell death types, GSH/GPX4 and iron metabolism imbalance related mechanisms of ferroptosis, and ferroptosis in the nervous system disease, ischemia-reperfusion injury, tumor, inflammation, and age-related diseases are the hot research directions. Conclusion. Ferroptosis has been a research hotspot in the field of biomedicine in recent years and has attracted the attention of scholars all over the world. The occurrence mechanism of ferroptosis and its application in neurological diseases, ischemia and reperfusion injury, tumors, inflammation, and aging are the hot directions of current research. In the future, ferroptosis can be appropriately considered for strengthening new approaches, new diseases, new inductors, new inhibitors, clinical transformation, and traditional medicine research.
Analysis on Transformation and Upgrading Levels of Three Industries in 11 Prefectures of Zhejiang Based on Shift-Share Method
Authors: Ye Junjun , Wang Jijian , Zhang Yangzhou
Published: August 2021

This paper attempts to evaluate the transformation and upgrading (T&U) levels of the three industries in 11 prefectures of Zhejiang Province, China, since 2016. Taking the provincial T&U levels of the three industries as the benchmark, the three industries in each prefecture were analyzed by shift-share method (SSM). The main results are as follows: In terms of primary industry, none of the 11 prefectures had structural advantage (structural shifts < 0), but 3 had regional competitiveness (competitiveness shifts > 0); in terms of secondary industry, none of the 11 prefectures had structural advantage (structural shifts < 0), but 5 had regional competitiveness (competitiveness shifts > 0); in terms of tertiary industry, all of the 11 prefectures had structural advantage (structural shifts > 0), and 6 had regional competitiveness (competitiveness shifts > 0); Shaoxing was competitive in all three industries, ranking the first in the competitiveness of every industry; Huzhou, Quzhou, and Jinhua were not competitive in tertiary industry. The research provides a new yardstick of industrial T&U level and lays the decision-making basis for local governments in Zhejiang to formulate industrial T&U policies.
Rare Condition of Intrathoracic Phrenic Nerve Schwannoma Successfully Treated with Uniportal Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery
Authors: Pham Lu Huu , Nguyen Kinh Quoc , Doan Hung Quoc , Nguyen Lanh Sy , Doan Ha Thi-Ngoc
Published: August 2021

Introduction. Neurogenic tumors in the mediastinum account for approximately 20-30% of all types of mediastinal tumors in adults. This pathology is usually benign and has no or very few symptoms. Schwannoma rarely involves the phrenic nerve. We report a unique case of schwannoma involvement of phrenic nerve. Case Presentation. The 43-year-old female patient has an annual check-up of computerized tomography to detect the mass in the right middle mediastinum, so the patient was admitted to the hospital. Chest computerized tomography image found a mass of the middle mediastinum with the size of

23
×
22.3

 mm located between the right pulmonary artery and the pericardium with uniform margins and clear boundaries, not invading the surrounding organization. Very little contrast is absorbed after injection. She underwent a uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, and this mass was found to be originating from the right phrenic nerve. Resection of the portion of phrenic nerve with mass was performed. Postoperatively, the patient was discharged from the hospital after 4 days of treatment in a clinical condition with no difficulty breathing and no chest pain; postoperative X-ray showed no abnormality, and the right diaphragm was unchanged. Conclusion. Although they are very rare, schwannomas of the phrenic nerve should be considered in the differential diagnosis of mediastinal tumors. Uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery is a preeminent option with properly sized tumors that deliver good results and have no postoperative complications associated with surgery.
Application of Posture Recognition Service System Based on Information Fusion Smart Sensor in Dance Training
Authors: Gao Yan , Xu Dazhi
Published: August 2021

With the development and extension of the Internet of Things technology, many fields have already involved the Internet of Things technology, and its application in dance training has gradually emerged. In order to guide dance training and solve the hidden dangers of dance training, this article mainly introduces the application of posture recognition service system based on information fusion intelligent sensor in dance training. This article uses human body detection, computer interactive Boosting algorithm calculations and establishes standard dance poses. The difference between the trainer’s posture and the standard posture can be clearly seen on the posture recognition service platform. The error is only less than 5%, and it can also help the trainer find their own mistakes in time. Dance and correct your posture in time, and it can reduce the error rate of difficult dances and reduce the error rate of 10%‐20%. In addition, through the survey on the satisfaction survey of the security services of the gesture recognition service platform, the satisfaction rate is as high as 90%. Thereby, while ensuring safe training, the dance quality and level of trainers are improved.
Impact of the Business Structure on Solvency of Property-Liability Insurance Companies and Its Mediating Effect
Authors: Wu Shuang , Li Yi
Published: August 2021

It is an important objective for insurers to optimize their business structures to prevent business risks. This paper examines the solvency risk management in property-liability insurance companies from the perspective of business structure optimization. We construct a logical framework to explain the impact of the business structure on solvency through profitability and reinsurance behavior of property-liability insurance companies. By constructing a mediating effect model, we tested 35 Chinese-funded property-liability insurance companies and 18 foreign-funded property-liability insurance companies in China’s insurance market from 2009 to 2015. Two major results were found as follows: first, the impact of the business structure on solvency is positively significant in small Chinese-funded insurance companies as well as foreign-funded insurance companies, while it is insignificant in large Chinese-funded insurance companies. Second, the mediating effect test shows that the intermediary channel of profitability does not exist, while the intermediary channel of reinsurance exists, and the reinsurance fully mediated the relationship between business structure and solvency only in foreign-funded insurance companies. Therefore, we suggest that small Chinese-funded insurance companies should actively develop nonauto insurance and improve the risk diversification effect of the diversified business structure. On the contrary, foreign-funded insurance companies should give play to their differentiated advantages and continue to concentrate on the operation of nonauto insurance in China’s insurance market. Besides, the above two types of companies should attach more importance to the positive role of reinsurance in solvency risk management in their business development strategies.