bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancing Fracture Conductivity in Soft Chalk Formations With Diammonium Phosphate Treatment: A Study at High Temperature, Pressure, and Stresses
Authors: Desouky Mahmoud , Aljawad Murtada Saleh , Abduljamiu Amao , Solling Theis , Abdulraheem Abdulazeez , AlTammar Murtadha J. , Alruwaili Khalid M.
Published: July 2023

This study aims to address the problem of fracture hydraulic conductivity decline in soft formations using a diammonium hydrogen phosphate (DAP) solution. A naturally weak carbonate, Austin chalk was chosen as an ideal specimen. Flat chalk samples with reduced elastic modulus and roughness were evaluated before and after aging with 1 M DAP for 72 hours at 75°C and 1,000 psi. The fracture gas conductivity of DAP-aged and untreated samples was measured at various flow rates and stresses while recording sample compaction using linear variable differential transformers (LVDTs). The study found that DAP aging increased the reduced elastic modulus of chalk specimens up to 330% of the original value, improving their resistance to deformation and failure under stress by 200 psi. The hydraulic conductivity of DAP-aged samples was at least twice that of untreated samples, with an extended hydraulic fracture conductivity seven times higher than that of the untreated ones. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis revealed that DAP reacted with the chalk to form hydroxyapatite (HAP), which binds the calcite grains, yielding a stiffer, more deformation-resisting rock surface. Overall, the study demonstrates the potential of chemically enhancing and extending the fracture hydraulic conductivity of weak carbonates using DAP.
Model to reduce DevOps Pipeline execution time using SAST
Authors: Saurabh Shobhit Kumar , Kumar Deepak
Published: July 2023

Static code analysis (SAST is a well-known concept) to identify security flaws in the code to improve software product quality. A SAST tool called SonarQube which can scan source code of an application and identify the vulnerabilities present in software. It can also find the RCA of the vulnerabilities found in software products. it helps in rehabilitating the securities flaws found in analysis of the software products. SAST tools analyses upside-down for an application. It does not need s system to be in running state to perform analysis. The scan provides instant feedback to developers in terms of reducing security risks for an application. It helps to resolve issues which was present during development and helps developers to increase their knowledge. As a result, developers become competent about knowledge of security for software product. The sonar analysis report provides on demand access to all recommendations. The user can navigate to line-of-code which have vulnerabilities and they can do faster discovery and auditing. And hence the developers can write more code which is less vulnerable. This way they have more secure and quality product delivered. To conduct static analysis, the author(s) has used SonarQube as a tool, which compile and measure the code quality for the code kept in repositories. As Devops/DevSecOps standards, SonarQube is used to create different pipelines which normally increases the build pipeline execution time. In the proposed solution, the author(s) tried to reduce build pipeline execution time by conducting static analysis early Devops phases. Proposed solution uses GitHub open-source project written in C Sharp.Net language, Azure Devops, dotnet sonar scanner tool and SonarQube to conduct static analysis and testing. The authors(s) tried to enhance the software quality in early Devops phases which will be helpful in reducing the build time and cost. Proposed framework will be helpful in increasing reliability, efficiency, and performance of software project.
Leachates from waste milk plastics and their impacts on terrestrial crop plants
Authors: Mondal Naba Kumar , Roy Susmita Singha , Koley Rajesh , Shaw Vikky , Mondal Anupam
Published: July 2023

Accumulation of waste plastics from municipal and industrial sources into landfills and landfills leachates are the reservoir of microplastics and other toxic substances. Present work demonstrated the leachates production from commercial soft milk packet (LDPE) under various simulated conditions (cold water, boiling water, exposure of UV-A, B, and C and sun irradiation) and leachate characterization was performed by physico-chemical analysis and FTIR study. The phyto-toxicity of the synthesized leachates were evaluated with respect to germination, morphophysiology and biochemical analysis and cytotoxicity study was performed with Allium cepa root tip assay. The results revealed that the treatment with either 50% (T2) or 100% (T3) leachates has adverse impact on germination. However, it has also adverse impact on morpho-physiology including root and shoot length and both fresh and dry weight of root and shoot. On the other hand, leachates has negative impacts on chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll and carotenoids. Root ion leakage also adversely affected with leachate prepared from boiling condition and exposer of UV-B. Both enzyme content and superoxide radical were also affected under different simulated leachate. The cytotoxic effect of various leachate on Allium cepa root tip revealed that a dose dependent decrease (p < 0.05) of MI under all leachate treatments as compared to control along with highest chromosomal abnormality index (CAI) was recorded for all leachate treatments. Finally, it may be concluded that LDPE plastic leachate has adverse effects on growth and development of Cicer arietinum L. However, in order get more insight, further extensive long-term study is needed and leachate can apply for other main agricultural crops such as rice, potato etc. for better understanding its food-chain contamination pattern.
Faecal microbiota transplant restores intestinal barrier function and augments ammonia metabolism in patients with cirrhosis: a randomised single-blind placebo-controlled trial
Authors: Shawcross Debbie , Edwards Lindsey , Woodhouse Charlotte , Lee Sunjae , Mullish Benjamin , Learoyd Annastazia , Portlock Theo , Flach Clare , Douiri Abdel , Zamalloa Ane , Meoli Lilianeleny , Kronsten Victoria , Yang Xiaoping , Lynham Steven , Merrick Blair , Ribière Céline , Lelouvier Benjamin , Holmes Sia , Takis Panteleimon , Marchesi Julian , Tranah Thomas , Patel Vishal , Shoaie Saeed , Goldenberg Simon
Published: July 2023

Patients with cirrhosis have reduced gut-bacterial diversity and microbiota enriched with pathobionts. This enrichment, coupled with increased gut permeability and bacterial translocation, increases susceptibility to infection and death. Faecal microbiota transplant [FMT] previously restored gut diversity and improved hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in small phase-I-trials, but its impact upon the disease process in cirrhosis is unexplored. We performed a randomised, placebo-controlled feasibility trial of jejunal FMT transplant in 32 advanced cirrhosis patients. The primary endpoint assessed safety, feasibility, and tolerability of FMT; secondary endpoints explored efficacy and mechanism. FMT was safe and well-tolerated with no serious adverse events. Deep-faecal-metagenomic sequencing confirmed FMT increased recipient species richness with significant donor engraftment. FMT reduced intestinal barrier damage and systemic inflammation. FMT decreased microbial-associated ammonia production and augmented ammonia excretion viaanaerobic metabolism of L-aspartate to hippurateproviding proof of concept that FMT enhances ammonia metabolism, central in the pathogenesis of HEin cirrhosis.
Expectile Order and Asset Allocation
Authors: Arcidiacono Sally G. , Kountzakis Christos E. , Rossello Damiano
Published: July 2023

Quantile preferences applied to portfolio selection lead to tailoring asset allocation through the probability level τ. For high τ interpreted as risk-tolerance parameter no diversification is found and any risk-prone investor hold only one risky asset. We introduce expectile order in an asset allocation framework, analyzing its properties in connection with usual stochastic ordering rules among individual asset return distributions. Using alternatively expectile order yields diversification also for high values of τ which is in line with some recent trend in portfolio management, and is compatible with interval-based stochastic dominance rules and eventually a special form of positive comonotonicity for expectiles.
A Pooling Convolution Model for Multi-classification of ECG and PCG Signals
Authors: Wang JuLiang , Zang Junbin , Xiang Menghui , Zong Chen , Zhang Zhidong , Xue Chenyang
Published: July 2023

Cardiovascular disease has always been one of the major threats to human health. The recognition of ECG and PCG signals, which are physiological signals generated when the heart beats, can greatly improve the efficiency of cardiovascular disease detection using deep learning techniques. Based on this, it is proposed that a simple and effective pooling convolution model for multi-classification of ECG and PCG signals. Firstly, ECG, PCG and synchronized ECG-PCG data are pre-processed. Then, several structure blocks are designed, including the block stacked by max-pooling layer(MCM), convolution layer and max-pooling layer, its multiple variants and the residual block(REC). All network models that use these structure blocks separately are based on the ResNet-18 framework. By changing the number of structure blocks, the model can be applied to ECG and PCG data at different sampling rates. The final test shows that the accuracy of the model using the MCM structure block is 98.70%, 92.58% and 99.19% respectively on the ECG, PCG fusion dataset and synchronized ECG-PCG dataset, which is higher than all the networks using its multiple variants. At the same time, the accuracy is improved by 0.02%, 4.30% and 1.43% compared to the model using the REC structure block. In addition, this work also carries out tests on multiple ECG and PCG datasets and compares them with other published literature, further verifying that the model using the MCM structure block has a higher detection rate for ECG and PCG signals.
U-shaped relationship between fasting blood glucose concentration and gensini sore analysis in STEMI patients
Authors: li han , Zhong Guo-Qiang
Published: July 2023

Background: An association between fasting blood glucose (FBG) and gensini scores has been reported. However, no studies have investigated the relationship between ST elevation myocardial infarction and FBG.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between FBG and coronary artery disease severity score (Gensini score) in patients with ST-segment elevation (STEMI) myocardial infarction.
Methods: In a retrospective analysis of 464 enrolled patients, we used minimum absolute contraction and selection operator (lasso) regression analysis to screen for covariates; In multiple regression analyses, we used gensini scores as the dependent variable, glucose as the independent variable, Fasting blood glucose was divided into hypoglycemic group 5.30mmol/L (2.69-6.15), medium glycemic group 7.11mmol/L (6.19-8.61) and hyperglycemic group 10.70mmol/L (8.64-14.81)，and selected variables as covariates to adjust and observe the true association between glucose and gensini scores. Considering that there is not necessarily a linear relationship between blood glucose and Guernsini score in the real world, we used curve fitting to observe the changing trend of blood glucose and Guernsini score.
Results: When confounding factors are not adjusted, The gensini scores in the medium-glycemic and high-glycemic groups had significant clinical significance (the medium-glycemic group, 95%CI: -140162--0.213, P=0.044; Hyperglycemia group, 95%CI: 5.295-19.221, P=0.0006;) The relationship between fasting blood glucose and Guernsini score is U-shaped but non-linear. Using minimum absolute contraction and selection operator (LASSO) regression to select variables, Variables included neutrophils, hemoglobin, platelets, albumin, low-density lipoprotein, D-dimer, urea nitrogen, glucose, white blood cells, systolic blood pressure, heart rate, age, dm, culprit vessel, history of myocardial infarction, Killip grade, number of stents, creatinine, uric acid, total cholesterol,CTNI, CKMB, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, left atrial diameter. After adjusting for confounder factors, only the hyperglycemic group had significant clinical significance in Gensini score (95%CI: -16.95--2.71, P=0.015). Curve fitting analysis showed that fasting glucose and Gensini score presented a U-shaped but non-linear relationship in patients diagnosed with or without diabetes.
Conclusions: The severity of coronary stenosis in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction is influenced by either excessively high or excessively low fasting glucose concentration,Whether people with or without diabetes.
Combined study of phase transitions in the P2-type NaXNi1/3Mn2/3O2 cathode material: experimental, ab-initio and multiphase-field results
Authors: Daubner Simon , Dillenz Manuel , Pfeiffer Lukas , Gauckler Cornelius , Rosin Maxim , Burgard Nora , Martin Jan , Axmann Peter , Sotoudeh Mohsen , Gross Axel , Schneider Daniel , Nestler Britta
Published: July 2023

The research of new electrode materials such as sodium intercalation compounds is key to meet the challenges of future demands of sustainable energy storage. For these batteries, the intercalation behaviour on the micro-scale is governed by a complex interplay of chemical, electrical and mechanical forces strongly influencing the overall cell performance. The multiphase-field method is a suitable tool to study these multi-physics and bridge the scale from ab-initio methods to the cell level. In this work, we follow a combined approach of experiments, density functional theory (DFT) calculations and multiphase-field simulations to predict thermodynamic and kinetic properties for the P2-type NaXNi1/3Mn2/3O2 sodium-ion cathode material. Experimentally, we obtain the thermodynamic potential and diffusion coefficients at various sodium contents using electrochemical techniques and discuss limitations of the experimentally applied methods. DFT is used to identify stable phases by calculating an energy hull curve. Then, the influence of long-range dispersion interactions and the exchange-correlation functional on the voltage curve is investigated by comparison with experimental results. Finally, multiphase-field simulations are performed based on inputs from experiments and DFT. The fitting of phase-specific chemical free energies from DFT calculations and experimental data is discussed. Our results show that the single- and two-phase regions can be precisely reproduced at low C-rates close to thermodynamic equilibrium. Furthermore, the inclusion of a Butler-Volmer-type boundary condition allows to study the kinetics of the system as a competition of surface reaction, bulk diffusion and elastic deformation upon phase transformations. The model is able to predict kinetic capacity loss due to bulk diffusion limitation and the overpotential depending on charging rate.
Corrosion behavior and wear properties of mechanically polished and electropolished powder bed fusion-built Ti-6Al-4V alloy in simulated seawater
Authors: Tsoeunyane GM , Mathe NR , Tshabalala LC , Makhatha ME
Published: July 2023

The structural integrity of additively manufactured parts is vital in adopting the technology in the manufacturing sector. Corrosion is a significant concern in every manufacturing sector. Therefore, this work presents the corrosion behavior and wear properties of additively manufactured Ti-6Al-4V alloy in the simulated seawater. The used specimens were electropolished in the mixed-metal-salt electrolyte and mechanically polished. The solution with a salinity of 35 ppt was prepared and used as a corrosion media. Electrochemical tests showed electropolished specimens had higher corrosion resistance than mechanically polished samples. The corrosion rate of the electropolished specimen was 0.6 × 10− 2 mmpy, while the mechanically polished specimen had 1.04 × 10− 2 mmpy. Moreover, the impedance measurement revealed electropolished specimens to have higher charge transfer resistance and non-conductive oxide on the surface than mechanically polished ones. The dry sliding wear test revealed electropolished specimens to have a relatively low friction coefficient of 0.12 compared to 0.25 of the mechanically polished specimens. The Vickers hardness of the specimens was comparable to 347 ± 3 HV and 345 ± 2 HV, respectively.
Anti-Acinetobacter baumannii single-chain variable fragments provide therapeutic efficacy in an immunocompromised mouse pneumonia model
Authors: Basardeh Eilnaz , Piri-Gavgani Somayeh , Moradi Hamid Reza , Azizi Masoumeh , Fateh Abolfazl , Shokrgozar Mohammad Ali , Ghanei Mostafa , Mahboudi Fereidoun , Rahimi-Jamnani Fatemeh
Published: July 2023

Background
The emergence of carbapenem-resistant and extensively drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii as well as inadequate effective antibiotics calls for an urgent effort to find new antibacterial agents. The therapeutic efficacy of two human scFvs, EB211 and EB279, showing growth inhibitory activity against A. baumannii in vitro, was investigated in immunocompromised mice with A. baumannii pneumonia.
Results
The data revealed that infected mice treated with EB211, EB279, and a cocktail of two scFvs showed better survival, reduced bacterial load in the lungs, and no marked pathological abnormalities in the kidneys, liver, and lungs when compared to the control groups receiving normal saline or an irrelevant scFv.
Conclusions
These results suggest that the scFvs with direct growth inhibitory activity could lead to promising outcomes in immunosuppressed patients with A. baumannii infection.
Regulation of Energy Supply and Redox State in Bermudagrass: Role of H2O2 in Trimming-induced Tillering
Authors: Li shuang , Yin Yanling , Chen Jianmin , Cui Xinyu , Fu Jinmin
Published: July 2023

Tillering/branching pattern plays a significant role in determining the structure and diversity of grass, and trimming has been found to induce tillering in turfgrass. Recently, it has been reported that hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) plays a part in regulating axillary bud development. However, the role of H2O2 in trimming-induced tillering in bermudagrass, a kind of turfgrass, remains unclear. This study reveals that trimming has a significant effect on inducing the sprouting and growth of tiller buds in the stolon node, as well as increasing the number of tillers in the main stem. Trimming serves to increase the content and relevant gene expression level of cytokinin and sucrose in axillary buds in a spatiotemporal-dependent manner. In addition, the partial trimming of new-born tillers results in an increase in sucrose and starch reserves in their leaves, which can be attributed to the enhanced photosynthesis capacity. Further research has revealed that trimming promotes a rapid H2O2 burst in the leaves of new-born tillers and axillary stolon buds. Exogenous application of H2O2 significantly increases the number of tillers after trimming by enhancing photosynthesis potential and energy reserves. Moreover, exogenous H2O2 increases the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Taken together, these results indicate that both endogenous production and exogenous addition of H2O2 enhance the inductive effects of trimming on the tillering process in bermudagrass, thus helping boost energy supply and maintain the redox state in newly formed tillers.
Long-term outcome of indeterminate hepatocellular observations (LI-RADS 3) of ＜2 cm based on gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI
Authors: Xing Fei , Zhu Wen-jing , Du Shen , Jiang Ji-feng , Lu Jiang , Xing Wei , Zhang Tao
Published: July 2023

Objectives: To determine long-term outcomes and predictors of progression of indeterminate hepatocellular observation (LR-3) of <2 cm to higher categories in high-risk patients based on serial gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI (Gd-EOB-MRI) examinations.
Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on 125 patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related cirrhosis who underwent Gd-EOB-MRI examinations at baseline and during follow-up. A total of 149 untreated LR-3 observations (<2 cm) were included in the study. The Cox proportional hazards model was employed to perform a multivariate analysis of the risk factors for predictive progression of hepatocellular observations (upgraded to LR-4 or LR-5), which included patient demographics and LI-RADS imaging features. Additionally, the Kaplan–Meier method was utilized to assess the overall cumulative incidence curve for progression. Finally, the log-rank test was used to compare the cumulative incidence curves between cases with and without significant predictive risk factors.
Results: During a median follow-up interval of 18.3 months, the overall cumulative incidence of progression for LR-3 observations was 41.6%. The specific progression rates were 1.3%, 9.5%, 17.3%, and 37.3% at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively. The multivariate analysis revealed three significant independent predictors of progression: non-rim arterial phase hyperenhancement (APHE) (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.27–3.79; P = 0.005), subthreshold growth (HR = 2.78, 95% CI = 1.48–5.23; P = 0.001), and mild-moderate T2 hyperintensity (HR = 5.25, 95% CI = 2.05–13.43; P < 0.001). LR-3 observations exhibiting non-rim APHE or mild-moderate T2 hyperintensity demonstrated a significantly higher cumulative risk of progression and a shorter median follow-up time to upgrade compared to those without these features (53.3% vs. 33.7%, 14.7 months vs. 18.9 months, both P <0.001; 50.0% vs. 28.8%, 15.1 months vs. 26.5 months, both P <0.001, respectively).
Conclusions: In cases of LR-3 observations (<2 cm), the presence of non-rim APHE, subthreshold growth, and mild-to-moderate T2 hyperintensities were found to be associated with a significantly higher risk of progression. LR-3 observations exhibiting non-rim APHE or mild-to-moderate T2 hyperintensity were specifically associated with a higher cumulative risk of progression and a shorter median follow-up time to upgrade.
Growth of β-Ga2O3 bulk crystal from melt without precious-metal crucible by pulling from cold container
Authors: Yoshikawa A. , Kochurikhin V. V. , Tomida T. , Takahashi I. , Kamada K. , Shoji Y. , Kakimoto K.
Published: July 2023

We report the growth of bulk β-Ga2O3 crystals with diameters of up to 46 mm based on crystal pulling from a melt using a cold container without employing a precious-metal crucible. Although this was a preliminary trial in which the penetration depth of the high-frequency magnetic field and the temperature gradient in the pull-up direction were not optimized, full width half maxima (FWHM) of the X-ray rocking curve (XRC) of the obtained β-Ga2O3 crystal was comparable to those of a commercially available β-Ga2O3 sample and commercially available YAG single crystals. In principle, the purity of the crystals obtained by this method is high. In this report, only raw material-derived impurities were detected, and contamination from the process, such as insulation and crucible materials, was below the detection limit. In addition, expensive precious-metal crucible is not required in this method, making the crystal growth economical, which is the critical factor in the semiconductor industry. We have labeled this method, which is a fusion of the skull-melting and CZ methods, the “oxide crystal growth from cold crucible (OCCC)” method, and these results indicate that the OCCC crystal growth technique can be used to produce high-purity bulk β-Ga2O3 single crystalline substrate, which are increasingly required in the semiconductor industry.
Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV): A Better Indicator of Viral Load and Treatment Efficacy of Wastewater Treatment.
Authors: Verma Subhash , Khan Majid , Li Lin , Haak Laura , Pagilla Krishna
Published: July 2023

This study investigated the occurrence of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) and Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) as well bacteriophages (e.g., Escherichia MS2 and BZ13 virus) in untreated wastewater and evaluated their potential as viral indicators and surrogates to assess water quality during treatment. ToBRFV was quantified by RT-qPCR and identified by whole genome sequencing using two diagnostic sample processing methods: an RVP panel and a virus enrichment method. Our study found that both methods revealed a high abundance of ToBRFV in the wastewater samples from the largest collection area site, Truckee Meadows water reclamation facility (TMWRF). Notably, ToBRFV was present at much higher levels than PMMoV and EscherichiaMS2/BZ13 viruses and was consistently at high levels across the 12-month study period. This pattern was also observed in two other Water Reclamation Facilities and three sub-sewershed sample collection sites (sub-neighborhoods, travel-influenced sites, and elementary schools). We demonstrated that ToBRFV is a more effective viral indicator than PMMoV and bacteriophages (i.e., coliphages) and recommend its use as a marker for water quality and treatment efficacy evaluation.
Synthesis, molecular docking, molecular dynamic simulation studies, and anti-tubercular activity evaluation of substituted benzimidazole derivatives
Authors: Thapa Shankar , Biradar Mahalakshmi Suresha , Nargund Shachindra L. , Ahmad Iqrar , Patel Harun , Lamsal Ashish
Published: July 2023

Tuberculosis, colloquially referred to as TB, is a highly prevalent bacterial infection that persists as a substantial global health concern. The present article centers its attention on the comprehensive exploration of the synthesis, molecular docking, and molecular dynamic simulation investigations pertaining to substituted benzimidazole derivatives. Additionally, a meticulous assessment of their anti-TB activities is conducted. A series of twelve substituted benzimidazole derivatives (1–12) were successfully synthesized, employing a scaffold consisting of electron-withdrawing and electron-donating groups. The newly synthesized compounds were defined by their FT-IR, 1H-NMR, and Mass spectra. The Microplate Alamar Blue Assay (MABA) was used to evaluate the anti-mycobacterial activity of synthesized compound against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Compounds 7 (MIC = 0.8 g/ml) and 8 (MIC = 0.8 g/ml) demonstrated exceptional potential to inhibit M. tuberculosis compared to the standard (Isoniazid). In addition, the synthesized compounds were docked with the Mtb KasA protein (PDB ID: 6P9K), and the results of molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulation confirmed the experimental results, as compounds 7 and 8 exhibited the highest binding energy of -7.36 and − 7.17 kcal/mol, respectively. Both substances were safe for acute inhalation and cutaneous sensitization. These two compounds have the potential to be potent M. tuberculosis inhibitors.
Prevalence and associated factors of human caliciviruses among patients suffering from gastroenteritis in the Amhara National Regional State, Northwest Ethiopia
Authors: Tegegne Dessie , Gelaw Aschalew , Zerefaw Girma , Ferede Getachew , Gelaw Baye
Published: July 2023

Background
Human caliciviruses are the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis and foodborne diarrheal diseases in all age groups worldwide, with an increased burden in developing countries. As there is no routine surveillance, epidemiological data is limited in Ethiopia. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of human caliciviruses among patients suffering from gastroenteritis in the selected health facilities of Amhara National Regional State, Northwest Ethiopia.
Methods
A multi-center health facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from May 2021 to November 2021. A total of 550 study participants were proportionately assigned to the different health facilities in four study areas. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select participants. A stool sample was collected and analyzed with a one-step real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Data were gathered using a questionnaire and analyzed by SPSS. A descriptive analysis was performed. Binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses were done to determine the association between the dependent and independent variables. Variables with p-value < 0.05, at the 95%CI, were considered statistically significant.
Result
The prevalence of norovirus among all age groups was 8.9% (95% CI: 6.6, 11.6). Specifically, it was higher among elder people (33.3%) and under-5 children (12.5%). Sapovirus was not detected. Both norovirus genogroup I and II were detected, but genogroup II was the predominant, 82.6%. All of the respondents were diarrheic, but only 20% of them had a history of vomiting. The odds of norovirus infection among respondents from the Debre Tabor and Bahir Dar areas were significantly higher. Similarly, elder people and under-5 children were more affected than their adult-age counterparts (p < 0.05). Furthermore, previous history of acute gastroenteritis, family contact history with related cases, and poor hand-washing practice were statistically significant factors associated with norovirus infections (p < 0.05).
Conclusion
The prevalence of norovirus was considerably high. Norovirus-GII was predominant. The positivity rate of norovirus was higher among the elderly and under-5 children. The distribution of the norovirus, and their genogroups, varies across the four study areas.
Smart Learning: An Interactive Dissection Simulator for Medical Students Through Virtual Reality
Authors: Jamal Sheikh Asad , Khan Alyan , Shah Samiullah , Siddiqui Shayan Waris , Khan Sallar
Published: July 2023

Virtual reality is not just a new technology but also a dominating one since it provides an immersive environment and simulation. It is being adopted in multiple fields for its use to train people with their related fieldwork. As a result, it is now quite the general and easily accessible technology for people to enjoy the 3D immersive environment. Moreover, Facebook's plan to introduce the metaverse has caused immense development in this field. Its interactable environment is also being adopted in the teaching platforms to provide students with the best possible learning. As a result of its simulation and learning, it has also made its way to many simulation fields such as Heavy Transportation, Airforce, and Space. Especially in medical education to teach the field worker about complicated surgeries and human anatomy, and its widely used for demonstration and learning. Many restrictions in medical education are being overcome by Virtual reality since the dissection of the corpse has been terminated from the real world for experimentation and learning anatomy for medical students is becoming a problem. Many alternatives are explored to provide better anatomy learning; the best physical 3D simulation models are present, yet not all institutions can sustain the cost and the place for such alternatives. Because of this, it is becoming a more significant obstacle to providing a better learning environment for the students. This research is for the medical field, providing a virtual reality dissection system application on oculus quest 2. This application provides the basic and essential human anatomy that a student or a doctor can practice in the realistic virtual world. The 3D models used in this application are close to realism for detailed anatomy learning, as shown in Fig [8].
National multicentered retrospective review of clinical and intraoperative factors associated with the development of cerebellar mutism after pediatric posterior fossa tumor resection
Authors: Kameda-Smith Michelle M , Ralugojan Malavan , Elliott Cameron , Bliss Lori , Moore Hanna , Sader Nicholas , Alsuwaihel Mosaab , Tso Michael K , Dakson Ayoub , Ajani Olufemi , Yarascavitch Blake , Fleming Adam , Mehta Vivek , Aminnejad Minoo , Farrokhyar Forough , Singh Sheila K
Published: July 2023

Background
Cerebellar mutism (CM) is characterized by a significant loss of speech in children following posterior fossa (PF) surgery. The biological origin of CM remains unclear and is the subject of ongoing debate. Significant recovery from CM is less likely than previously described despite rigorous multidisciplinary neuro-rehabilitational efforts.
Methods
A national multi-centered retrospective review of all children undergoing PF resection in 4 midsized Canadian academic pediatric institutions was undertaken. Patient, tumor, and surgical factors associated with the post-operative development of CM were reviewed. Retrospective identification of PF surgery patients including those developing and those that did not (internal control).
Results
The study identified 258 patients across the 4 centers between 2010–2020 (mean age 6.73 years; 42.2 female). Overall, CM was experienced in 19.5% of patients (N = 50). Amongst children who developed CM histopathology included medulloblastoma (35.7%), pilocytic astrocytoma (32.6%), and ependymoma (17.1%). Intraoperative impression of adherence to the floor of the 4th ventricle was positive in 36.8%. Intraoperative abrupt changes in blood pressure and/or heart rate were identified in 19.4% and 17.8% of cases. The clinical resolution of CM was rated to be complete, significant resolution, slight improvement, no improvement, and deterioration in 56.0%, 8.0%, 20.0%, 14.0%, 2.0%, respectively. In the cohort of children who experienced post-operative CM as compared to their no-CM counterpart, proportionally more tumors were felt to be adherent to the floor of the 4th ventricle (56.0% vs 49.5%), intraoperative extent of resection was a GTR (74% vs 68.8%), and changes in heart rate were noted (≥ 20% from baseline) (26.0% vs 15.9%). However, a logistic regression for experiencing CM identified only intraoperative impression of adherence to the floor of the 4th ventricle (OR 2.32, p = 0.011), abrupt changes in intraoperative HR (> 20% from baseline) (OR 2.34, p = 0.028), and medulloblastoma histology (OR 3.77, p = 0.001) to significantly associated with development of post-operative CM.
Conclusion
As a devastating surgical complication, identifying and understanding the biological origin of CM is the first step to complication avoidance. Maximal safe resection irrespective of intraoperative pathology remains the strategy to minimize the devastating post-operative development of CM.
Screening of amino acids as a safe energy source for isolated rat pancreatic acini
Authors: Zub Anastasiia M. , Manko Bohdan O. , Manko Volodymyr V.
Published: July 2023

Amino acids play an essential role in protein synthesis, metabolism and survival of pancreatic acinar cells. Adequate nutritional support is important for acute pancreatitis treatment. However, some amino acids, such as arginine and lysine, are toxic for pancreatic acinar cells in high concentrations. The study aimed to select the candidate amino acids as the best non-toxic energy sources for supplemental therapy of acute pancreatitis. Pancreatic acini were isolated from male Wistar rats. Effects of amino acids (0.1–20 mM) on uncoupled respiration of isolated acini were studied with a Clark electrode. Cell necrosis and apoptosis were evaluated with fluorescent microscopy and DNA gel electrophoresis. Among the tested amino acids, glutamate, glutamine, alanine, lysine and aspartate were able to stimulate the uncoupled respiration rate of isolated pancreatic acini, while arginine, histidine and asparagine were not. Lysine, arginine and glutamine (20 mM) caused complete necrosis of acinar cells after 24 h of incubation. Glutamine also caused early (2–4 h) cell swelling and blebbing. Aspartate, asparagine and glutamate only moderately increased the number of necrotic cells, while alanine and histidine were not toxic. No significant apoptosis developed after incubation with amino acids. In conclusion, we propose alanine and glutamate as safe candidate amino acid supplements for patients with acute pancreatitis.
Prenatal and postnatal depression: prevalence, and risk factors among women seen at University Hospital Obstetrics in Damascus: a prospective cohort study, a call for early screening
Authors: Ayrout Ramah Abdo , Kookash Majd Hatem , Ashabi Khaled Kalalib AL , safiah Mhd homam , Latifeh Youssef
Published: July 2023

Background The perinatal period is an important and sensitive period for both mother and her newborn. Mental health is a significant component and can be marred by several issues, the most common of which are prenatal and postpartum depression. Screening for these disorders provides a golden opportunity to provide treatment and avoid risks to the mother and her child. Methods This a prospective cohort study was carried out at University Hospital Obstetrics in Damascus City, using convince sampling approach and conducted over two phases. The first phase was during the third trimester of pregnancy and the second phase involved a follow-up assessment after 6 weeks of delivery. Depression assessment was done using the Arabic-validated version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale questionnaire (EPDS). A cutoff of 13 or higher was used to determine the presence of probable depression in both assessments. Results Of 347 pregnant women, 134 (38.6%) had a score EPDS > 13 testing positive for prenatal depression (PND). 295 patients have achieved the second assessment, of which 89 (30.2%) had a score EPDS > 13 testing positive for postpartum depression (PPD). Furthermore, 44 (42.5%) who had PND developed PPD after 6 weeks of delivery. Self-harm thoughts were more common during gestation (7.8% versus 2.3%). On multinomial regression, risk factors for PND were Non- Syrian nationality [AOR = 3.25, p- value = 0.01], the father is not alive [AOR = 2.71, P- value = 0.001], and positive history of depression independent of pregnancy [AOR = 4.68, p- value < 0.001]. while for PPD were history of PPD [AOR = 2.54, p- value = 0.01] and earlier positive prenatal depression [AOR = 2.74, p- value < 0.001]. Conclusion This study demonstrated high rates for both PND and PPD in Syrian settings. Depression rate was higher during the third trimester than after 6 weeks. This study highlights the importance of early screening for depression and applying more effective management strategies to obtain a healthy mother bond with her newborn and their well-being, especially in Syrian settings.
Shearlets and Lambda Tomography With Applications to ROI and Edge-Orientation Detection in Images
Authors: Vera Daniel
Published: July 2023

The term lambda-tomography refers to an operator that preserves the singular support of a function and, more generally, its wavefront set. We review the basics of the Radon transform (RT), microlocal analysis and lambda tomography. Then, we develop a novel analytical expression that allows us to evaluate some pseudo-differential operators (related to the RT) on a function with the shearlet system. We also develop their respective numerical implementation with the ShearLab toolbox. As a consequence, the implementation is simple, accurate and fast. A first application is on the lambda and local operators of the region-of-interest (ROI) tomography, where highly incomplete samples are measured. Taking advantage of the fact that the lambda operator accentuates boundaries and singularities, the second application is a very competitive algorithm aimed to detect edge-like features in synthetic, natural and real medical images along with their orientations.
2020 Mathematics Subject Classification: 42C40, 42-08, 65T99, 68U10
Enhance the mechanical properties of the fiber-reinforced sandy soil using xanthan gum
Authors: Ma Qiang , Wu Jiwei , Bai Yu xia , Xiao Henglin
Published: July 2023

Biopolymers are popular in soil improvement as an environmentally friendly alternative. Unconfined compressive strength tests, direct shear tests, Brazilian splitting tests were performed to investigate the effect of different xanthan gum content and drying times on the mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced sandy soils treated with xanthan gum. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to show the microstructure of the materials. The test results show that the extension of drying time and the increase of xanthan gum content have positive significance for strength, the maximum UCS, elastic modulus, shear strength, cohesion, and tensile strength are 4829 kPa, 171.65 MPa, 803.76 kPa, 620 kPa, and 807 kPa, respectively, for a drying time of 14 days. SEM analysis showed that the xanthan gum enhanced the strength by adhering to the surface of the soil particles after drying, filling the pores between the particles and enhancing the fiber network. These findings have significant implications for the application of xanthan gum in fiber-reinforced soil treatment.
The sharp turn: backward rupture branching during the 2023 Mw 7.8 Turkey earthquake
Authors: Ding Xiaotian , Xu Shiqing , Xie Yuqing , Ende Martijn van den , Premus Jan , Ampuero Jean-Paul
Published: July 2023

Multiple lines of evidence indicate that the 2023 Mw 7.8 Turkey earthquake started on a splay fault, then branched bilaterally onto the nearby East Anatolian Fault (EAF). This rupture pattern includes one feature deemed implausible, called backward rupture branching: rupture propagating from the splay fault onto the SW EAF segment through a sharp corner (with an acute angle between the two faults). To understand this feature, we perform 2.5-D dynamic rupture simulations considering a large set of possible scenarios. We find that both subshear and supershear ruptures on the splay fault can trigger bilateral ruptures on the EAF, which themselves can be either subshear, supershear, or a mixture of the two. In most cases, rupture on the SW segment of the EAF starts after rupture onset on its NE segment: the SW rupture is triggered by the NE rupture. Only when the EAF has initial stresses very close to failure, its SW segment can be directly triggered by the initial splay-fault rupture, earlier than the activation of the NE segment. These results advance our understanding of the mechanisms of multi-segment rupture and the complexity of rupture processes, paving the way for a more accurate assessment of earthquake hazards.
Transparency of social-economic determinants in developing the efficient public healthcare system
Authors: Kolomiiets Svitlana , Buriak Anna , Fritsak Maksym
Published: July 2023

In the modern society, public healthcare and safe life are key tasks of any country worldwide. Social health and security are the highest and the most desired values. They are integral conditions to reach sustainable development goals. Healthcare is an important policy component of separate states and supernational communities worldwide. The issue of global approaches to healthcare and environment protection is one of the most outstanding scientific achievements of the 20th century. The current article reviews arguments in researching the public healthcare system. The main study purpose is a detailed analysis of the social-economic public healthcare determinants and their transparency in the 2013-2023 Scopus sources. The research object is public healthcare. The research topic is bibliometric analysis of the 2013-2023 Scopus sources about public healthcare. The bibliometric analysis of big data provides us with those necessary research results that cannot be obtained without special tools. To conduct the public healthcare bibliometric analysis, we applied the VOSviewer computer software. It engages wide functional possibilities of smart text processing, which generates and visualises joint networks of the most significant terms and notions in a certain branch. A thorough bibliometric analysis of the social-economic public healthcare determinants and their transparency in the 2013-2023 Scopus sources is conducted stepwise. Firstly, we select a list of keywords for the studied issue. Secondly, the Scopus search engine is activated. Thirdly, a range of sources is defined. Fourthly, we analyse a sample of Scopus publications. Fifthly, we conduct the VOSviewer cluster analysis of the Scopus sources (arranged by citation number, co-authorship frequency, countries with the given problem). Sixthly, we examine bibliometric maps with visualised clusters. The obtained research results may definitely contribute to further healthcare studies and bibliometric analysis of indexed scientific sources.
Air valve arrangement criteria for preventing secondary pipe bursts in long-distance gravitational water supply systems
Authors: Wang Yan , Zhang Jian , Xu Tingyu , Liu Yi , Yao Tianyu , Wang Kailang , Zhang Meng
Published: July 2023

Pipe burst incidents in long-distance gravitational water supply systems (LGWSSs) result in hydraulic characteristic variations and pose significant challenges. This study aims to prevent secondary pipe bursts by addressing the propagation of water hammer waves triggered by primary pipe bursts. Based on an analysis of pipe burst incidents and considering different pipe laying methods, air valve arrangement criteria are developed to mitigate the risk of secondary bursts in LGWSS pipelines. The principal results include a reasonable mathematical analysis model for understanding pipe bursts and the determination of air valve arrangement criteria which considers potentially dangerous pressure variations resulting from primary pipe bursts. This model aims to mitigate the adverse effects of pipe bursts and minimize the likelihood of secondary bursts. Implementing the proposed criteria has important engineering applications, thus improving the reasonable and effective placement of air valves to prevent secondary pipe bursts in LGWSSs. The conclusion involves optimizing the placement of air valves to enhance the flexibility and reliability of LGWSSs. By implementing the proposed air valve arrangement criteria, water supply systems can minimize the potential damage caused by pipe bursts and improve overall operational efficiency.
Unit-scale- and catchment-scale-based sensitivity analysis of bioretention cell for urban stormwater system management
Authors: Tansar Husnain , Duan Huan-Feng , Mark Ole
Published: July 2023

An improved understanding of bioretention cell (BC) design configuration at both the unit scale and catchment scale is necessary for critical insight into dynamical behaviors of design parameters, which resultantly guides and improves the effectiveness and efficiency of a BC. A comprehensive sensitivity analysis (SA) of BC design parameters was conducted in this study by using the Stormwater Management Model (SWMM) which is globally used for BC's modeling. The preliminary screening of various design parameters is conducted by the one-factor-at-a-time (OAT) SA method and the key influential parameters (i.e., conductivity, berm height, vegetation volume, suction head, porosity, wilting point, and soil thickness) are selected for further SA. To this end, 1,000 random uniformly distributed samples of each sensitive design parameter are simulated by a Python wrapper of SWMM (PySWMM) under different design storms at the unit scale and catchment scale, respectively. Unit-scale SA results found unique characteristics of each design parameter under different storm scenarios, and their behaviors toward different model responses dynamically change within their factor spaces. Catchment-scale SA results conclude vegetation and soil layers design parameters have significant impacts on controlling stormwater at the catchment scale, and optimal selection of design parameters of vegetation (type, density, and height) and soil (type, layer thickness, and void ratio) is necessary for significantly improving the effectiveness of the BC at the catchment scale.