bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Blended bismuth-based Cs3 Bi2 I9 /Ag2 BiI5 perovskite films incorporated potassium iodide for high-efficiency carbon electrode solar cells
Authors: Hamukwaya Shindume Lomboleni , Hao Huiying , Mashingaidze Melvin Mununuri , Zhong Tingting , Tang Shu , Dong Jingjing , Xing Jie , Liu Hao , Zhao Zengying
Published: December 2022

Bismuth-based lead-free perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are a non-toxic alternative to lead-based organic-inorganic hybrid PSCs. However, bismuth-based halides PSCs exhibit low power conversion efficiency (PCE) due to the grain boundaries and interfacial defects in the crystalline perovskite film. This discouragingly poor PCE has limited the continued development of bismuth-based PSCs. Herein, for the first time on record, this work fabricated blended, heterojunction, all-inorganic bismuth-based PSCs consisting of Cs3Bi2I9 and Ag2BiI5 perovskite absorber layer components with potassium iodide (KI) incorporation and carbon electrodes. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) techniques confirmed that the addition of KI enhances the perovskite’s surface morphology, leading to larger grains and a more uniform distribution of contact potential along the grain boundaries. The Cs3Bi2I9/Ag2BiI5 PSC device with KI incorporation (K-C-ABI) achieved a record PCE of 8.82% and an extraordinary open-circuit voltage of 0.82 V. This record-breaking photovoltaic performance can be traced to the improved grain size of the Cs3Bi2I9/Ag2BiI5 PSCs and effective passivation of the grain boundaries and interfacial defects by KI. These crystallographic phenomena synergistically promoted exciton separation, thus the unprecedented photovoltaic performance. The K-C-ABI device also exhibited comparatively high stability, retaining ~98 % of the initial PCE after 150 days of exposure to ambient conditions (RH: 20–30%, room). The present findings support the results in preceding publications on the potential to enhance the efficiency of all-inorganic PSCs by blending different perovskite precursor solutions. Therefore, this study has effectively demonstrated defect passivation via KI incorporation for high-efficiency lead-free Bi-based PSCs.
Large-scale volumetric particle tracking using a single camera: Analysis of the scalability and accuracy of glare-point particle tracking
Authors: Kaiser Frieder , Rival David E.
Published: December 2022

Recent advances in tracer, illumination, and camera technology, paired with new processing algorithms, have been pushing the limits of scale for three-dimensional flow measurements. The present study explores the state-of-the-art and discusses the current progress towards full-scale, in situ flow measurements in very large measurement volumes of order 10m² or larger. In particular, we focus on industrial and environmental applications, where the measurement time, the processing time, and overall system cost all have to be minimized. With the glare-point particle tracking (GPPT) approach, we present a cost and time-efficient volumetric measurement technique using a single-camera setup, air-filled soap bubbles (AFSBs), and natural illumination. The GPPT approach is tested and characterized in a pyramidal-shaped measurement volume ($V=18m³) in an outdoor, open-jet wind tunnel. Bubbles of uniform size are produced by a bubble-generator prototype and illuminated by the sun. The uniform bubble size enables a depth estimate for each bubble based on the glare-point spacing in the images from a single camera, thereby removing the need for additional cameras and perspectives. The measurement accuracy of the GPPT is then assessed by: (a) characterizing the performance of the bubble-generator prototype; (b) analyzing bubble deformation and its effects; and (c) assessing the accuracy of the depth estimate based on glare-point spacing. Finally, the scalability of the approach is discussed and, based on the light scattering behavior of large AFSBs, a discussion is made of how GPPT will enable three-dimensional flow characterization in very large measurement volumes (V=O(100m³)) in the near future.
Piloting a mHealth follow up program in bariatric surgery via a single-arm cohort study
Authors: Wright Charlene , Kelly Jaimon T , Byrnes Joshua , Campbell Katrina L , Healy Rebecca , Musial Jane , Hamilton Kyra
Published: December 2022

Background
Behavioural support via mobile health (mHealth) is emerging. This study aimed to assess the feasibility, acceptability, cost, and effect on weight of a mHealth follow up program in bariatric surgery.
Methods
This was a prospective single-arm cohort study with mixed methods conducted in a Tertiary bariatric surgery service in Australia. The intervention group included individuals who had bariatric surgery (2019–2021) and owned a smart device, and the historical control group received usual post-operative care (2018). The intervention involved usual care plus codesigned bi-weekly text messages, monthly email newsletters, and online resources/videos for six months. The primary outcome measures included feasibility (via recruitment and retention rate), acceptability (via mixed methods), marginal costs, and weight 12-months post-operatively. Quantitative analysis was performed, including descriptive statistics and inferential and regression analysis. Multivariate linear regression and mixed-effects models were undertaken to test the intervention effect. Qualitative analysis was performed using inductive content analysis.
Results
The study included 176 participants (n = 129 historical control, n = 47 intervention group; age 56 years). Intervention recruitment (n = 48/50, 96%) and retention rate (47/48, 98%) were high. The survey response rate was low (n = 16/47, 34%). Participants agreed/strongly agreed that text messages supported new behaviours (n = 13/15, 87%); however, few agreed/strongly agreed they motivated goal setting and self-monitoring (n = 8/15, 53%), dietary or physical activity behaviour change (n = 6/15, 40% and n = 5/15, 33%). Interviews generated four main themes (n = 12): ‘Motivators and expectations’, ‘Preferences and relevance’, ‘Reinforced information”, and ‘Wanting social support’. The intervention reinforced information, email newsletters were lengthy/challenging to read, and text messages were favoured, yet tailoring was recommended. The intervention cost AUD 11.04 per person. The mean 12-month weight was 86 ± 16kg and 90 ± 16 kg (intervention and historical control) with no statistically significant difference. Intervention recipients enrolled at 3-months post-operatively demonstrated a statistically significant difference in 12-month weight (p = 0.014).
Conclusion
A mHealth follow up program in bariatric surgery may be feasible, showing high recruitment and retention rate. Of the various digital strategies, text messages were the most acceptable and suitable for continued use. However, text messaging approaches should strive to tailor information when possible.
Smart fire-safety cotton fabric with fire-warning capability via dual working mechanisms
Authors: Zou Tao , Zhang Dongqiao , Xu Tao , Peng Xiaohong , Zhang He , Du Yanliang
Published: December 2022

Increasing demand for fire safety has aroused the enthusiasm of researchers for exploring early-stage fire-warning materials. Herein, an early-stage fire-warning cotton fabric (denoted as CF-CP-FR) was designed with a two-layered structure: conducting polymer layer and flame-retardant layer, through in-situ chemical oxidation polymerization of polypyrrole (PPy) and dip coating of the compound of montmorillonite and ammonium polyphosphate (MMT@APP), respectively. Based on the thermoelectric effect of the PPy, CF-CP-FR was endowed with accurate temperature sensing capability below 100°C. When encountering fire, CF-CP-FR showed excellent fire-warning response as fast as 1.0 s and displayed repeatable fire-warning capability under the protection of the MMT@APP. Via the mechanism of thermo-induced resistance change, the coated cotton fabric could also trigger the fire warning circuit at ca. 2.0 s. Meanwhile, the flame retardancy and thermal stability of CF-CP-FR were significantly enhanced, owing to the synergetic effect of MMT and APP. This work is promising in fabricating multifunctional clothing with efficient fire safety and smart fire-warning capability.
Faster Quantum State Decomposition with Tucker Tensor Approximation
Authors: Protasov Stanislav , Lisnichenko Marina
Published: December 2022

Researchers have put a lot of effort into reducing the gap between current quantum processing units (QPU) capabilities and their potential supremacy.One approach is to keep supplementary computations in the CPU, and use QPU only for the core of the problem. In this work, we address the complexity of quantum algorithm of arbitrary quantum state initialization, an important building block of quantum data analysis and machine learning.QPUs do not outperform classical machines with existing precise initialization algorithms.Hence, many studies propose an approximate but robust quantum state initialization.Cutting a quantum state into a product of (almost) independent partitions with the help of CPU reduces the number of two-qubit gates, and correspondingly minimizes the loss of state fidelity in the quantum part of the algorithm.To find the least entangled qubits, current methods compute the singular value decomposition (SVD) for each qubit separately with CPU.In this paper, we optimize CPU usage and memory resource bottlenecks.We consider Tucker tensor decomposition as an alternative to the CPU-based SVD in a single low-entangled qubit detection task without the loss of solution quality.Both proposed methods outperform the SVD in time and memory for systems of at least ten qubits. We achieve an order faster implementation and two orders less memory usage for a system of 15 qubits.
Serum miRNA modulations indicate changes in retinal morphology
Authors: Aggio-Bruce Riemke , Schumann Ulrike , Cioanca Adrian V. , Chen Fred K. , McLenachan Samuel , Jeffery Rachael C. Heath , Das Shannon , Natoli Riccardo
Published: December 2022

Background:Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss in the developed world and the detection of its onset and progression are based on retinal morphological assessments. MicroRNA (miRNA) have been explored extensively as biomarkers for a range of neurological diseases including AMD, however differences in experimental design and the complexity of human biology have resulted in little overlap between studies. Using preclinical animal models and clinical samples, this study employs a novel approach to determine a serum signature of AMD progression.Methods:Serum miRNAs were extracted from mice exposed to photo-oxidative damage (PD; 0, 1, 3 and 5 days), and clinical samples from patients diagnosed with reticular pseudodrusen or atrophic AMD. The expression of ~800 miRNAs was measured using OpenArrayTM, and differential abundance from controls was determined using the HTqPCR R package followed by pathway analysis with DAVID. MiRNA expression changes were compared against quantifiable retinal histological indicators. Finally, the overlap of miRNA changes observed in the mouse model and human patient samples was investigated.Results:Differential miRNA abundance was identified at all PD time-points and in clinical samples. Importantly, these were associated with inflammatory pathways and histological changes in the retina. Further, we were able to align findings in the mouse serum to those of clinical patients.Conclusions:In conclusion, serum miRNAs are a valid tool as diagnostics for the early detection of retinal degeneration, as they reflect key changes in retinal health. The combination of pre-clinical animal models and human patient samples led to the identification of a preliminary serum miRNA signature for AMD. This study is an important platform for the future development of a diagnostic serum miRNA panel for the early detection of retinal degeneration.
Clinical prediction rule for identifying older patients with toxigenic Clostridioides difficile at the time of hospital admission
Authors: Lee Ki-Byung , Lee Mina , Suh Jin Woong , Yang Kyung Sook , Chung Youseung , Kim Jeong Yeon , Kim Sun Bean , Sohn Jang Wook , Yoon Young Kyung
Published: December 2022

Background: This study aimed to develop and validate a clinical prediction rule to screen older patients at risk of being toxigenic Clostridioides difficile carriers at the time of hospital admission.
Methods: This retrospective case-control study was performed at a university-affiliated hospital. Active surveillance using a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the toxin genes of C. difficile was conducted upon admission to the Division of Infectious Diseases among older patients (≥65 years). This rule was drawn from a derivative cohort from October 2019 to April 2021 using a multivariable logistic regression model. Clinical predictability was evaluated in the validation cohort between May 2021 and October 2021.
Results: Of 628 PCR screenings for toxigenic C. difficile infection, 101 (16.1%) yielded positive findings. In the derivation cohort, the formula was derived using significant predictors for toxigenic C. difficile infection at admissions, such as septic shock, connective tissue diseases, anemia, recent use of antibiotics, and recent use of proton-pump inhibitors, to establish clinical prediction rules. In the validation cohort, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the prediction rule, based on a cut-off value of ≥0.45, were 78.3%, 70.8%, 29.5%, and 95.4%, respectively.
Conclusions: This clinical prediction rule for identifying toxigenic C. difficile infection at admission would be helpful for the selective screening of high-risk groups. In order to be implemented in a clinical setting, more patients from other medical institutions need to be prospectively examined.
Generalization of spectral stochastic finite element method for analysis of structures with elastoplastic materials
Authors: rahimibondarabadi hosseinali , mousaviamjad seyedsajad
Published: December 2022

The significance of the influence of uncertainty and stochastic approach-related problems on engineering system analysis is now evident and irrefutable. On the other hand, considering the factors that apply these uncertainties in the findings should need a significant amount of computing cost and effort, which is why researchers are always looking for approaches that combine high calculation accuracy with speed. One of the most useful tools for analyzing systems with uncertainty in computational stochastic mechanics is the spectral stochastic finite element method. In the present paper, by applying uncertainty to the applied loads and elastic modulus, this method has been developed to analyze the structures with nonlinear materials, and a method called the nonlinear spectral stochastic finite element method (NLSSFEM) has been proposed. The results obtained from the used method have been compared with the results obtained from the Monte Carlo simulation method. The accuracy of calculations and the speed of access to the solution of the proposed method are evaluated as desirable.
Selection of reference genes for RT-qPCR analysis of rice with Rhizoctonia solani infection and PGPR/KSi application
Authors: Hashemipetroudi Seyyed Hamidreza , Ghorbani Hamid Reza , Rostami Mehdi , Rezaei Ali , Goodwin Paul H. , Kuhlmann Markus
Published: December 2022

Background: Rhizoctonia solani AG1 IA is an important pathogen of rice (Oryza sativa L.) that causes rice sheath blight (RSB). Since control of RSB by conventional measures has failed, novel strategies like application of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can be an efficient alternative.
Method and Results: mRNA sequences of rice were retrieving from NCBI for candidate reference genes selction, and seven candidate reference genes (RGs), namely 18SrRNA, ACT1, GAPDH2, UBC5, RPS27, eIF4aand CYP28, were selected for their stability in real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Different algorithms were exploited, Delta Ct, geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and Comprehensive ranking by RefFinder, to evaluate RT-qPCR of rice in tissues infected with R. solani and treated with the PGPR strains, Pseudomonas saponiphilia and Pseudomonas protegens, and potassium silicate (KSi) alone or in combination with each PGPR strain. RGs stability was affected by each treatment and treatment-specific selection was approved and validated for nonexpressor of PR-1(NPR1) for each treatment.
Conclusion: Overall, ACT1 was the most stable RG with R. solani infection alone, GAPDH2 with R. solani infection plus KSi, UBC5 with R. solani infection plus P. saponiphilia, and eIF4a with R. solani infection plus P. protegens. Both ACT1 and RPS27 were the most stable with the combination of KSi and P. saponiphilia, while PRS27 was the most stable with the combination of KSi and P. protegens
Vancomycin protects against acute respiratory distress syndrome by promoting butyrate metabolism
Authors: Chen Jianuo , Zhang Xi , Xiong Fen , Zheng Hong , Zhang Wenli , Shen Yuying , Lin Pengcheng , Gao Hongchang , Li Yuping
Published: December 2022

Background
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) represents a clinical syndrome featuring refractory hypoxemia. Several reports have identified the role of the gut microbiota in affecting the immune activity and pathological characteristics of respiratory disorders via the gut-lung axis. However, the precise metabolic mechanism remains unknown. The present work focused on investigating the processes by which gut microbiota influence ARDS and identifying potential therapeutic targets of ARDS.
Methods
The feces and serum samples of 23 ARDS patients were collected, and a lung injury model was generated by transplanting microbiota from ARDS patients into healthy C57BL/6J mice. The changes in the gut microbiota and metabolic phenotypes of the feces samples from ARDS patients and lung-injured mice were analyzed using 16sRNA sequencing technology and metabolomics based on 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), respectively. The effect of gut microbiota on ARDS was also explored after giving an oral vancomycin treatment to lung-injury mice. Further, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to evaluate the hyperinflammatory response in mice and intestinal permeability in ARDS patients. Additionally, qRT-PCR and staining were performed to analyze colonic barrier function and permeability.
Results
Firmicutes formed the vital species of microbiota that was different in lung-injury mice. Moreover, butyrate (produced by Firmicutes) was the most crucial metabolite in the feces samples of ARDS patients and lung-injury mice. Elisa and HE results showed aggravated functional disturbances in the intestinal barrier of ARDS patients and lung inflammation in the lung-injured mice. These phenomena were significantly alleviated after the oral administration of vancomycin. Besides, the utilization of butyrate in the colon of mice was increased considerably. The level of butyrate was reduced in the feces but increased in the colon.
Conclusions
Thus, vancomycin affects butyrate metabolism in the colon by influencing the gut microbiota. Modulating colonic butyrate metabolism could help treat ARDS.
Modular Dual Mobility Articulation in primary and revision hip arthroplasty: lights and shadows
Authors: Moghnie Alessandro , Tigani Domenico , Consoli Alberto , Castiello Emanuela , Ganci Marco , Amendola Luca
Published: December 2022

Purpose
The use of dual mobility cups in total hip arthroplasty has gained popularity in light of the fact it enables to reduce dislocation through increased jumping distance (JD) and impingement-free arc of movement. Modular Dual Mobility Cup (modular DMC) systems have been recently introduced to enable the use of dual mobility cups with standard metal-backed shells. The objective of this study was twofold: calculate the JD for each modular DMC system and conduct a systematic literature review to report clinical outcomes and reasons for failure of this construct.
Methods
The JD was calculated using the Sariali formula: JD = 2Rsin [(π/2 – Ψ – arcsin (offset/R)) / 2]. A qualitative systematic literature review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. A comprehensive search for English and French articles between January 2000 and July 2020 was run on PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and Scopus with the primary objective of finding articles about modular DMC systems.
Results
We identified eight 8 different manufacturers of modular DMC systems and 327 publications on the subject. After screening for duplicates and eligibility, we identified 229 publications: 206 articles were excluded because they contained no reports on modular DMC systems, whereas other three were not included because they focused on biomechanical aspects. Among the 11 included articles, 2 were prospective case series, 9 were retrospective case series. True dislocation occurred in 25 cases (0.9%) and six of them were solved by closed reduction without necessity of revision, while all 5 intraprosthetic dislocations were operated.
Conclusions
modular DMCs are a valid method to deal with complex THA instability, with good clinical and patient-reported outcomes, low complication rates, and low revision rates at early follow-up. We would advise cautious optimism on the role of modular DMC implants, as it seems safer to use ceramic instead of metallic heads whenever possible to avoid the increase cobalt and chromium trace ion serum levels.
Porous magnetic Silica nanoparticles loaded with sulforaphane mitigate myocardial infarction injury through upregulating HSP70
Authors: Zhang Jian , Dong Yanyan , Liu Xue ,   Hongbo  kinga@126.com Jin, Wang Shuyuan , An Na , Wang Lei
Published: December 2022

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a common cardiovascular disease that induces an extensive sterile inflammation in the early stage, but usually seriously endangers human health. The modulation of cardiac inflammation may improve the outcome of post MI. Unfortunately, due to therapeutic drugs’ side effects and the cardiac coronary artery occlusion, currently MI drugs always can hardly fulfill the myocardial ischemia environment and clinical requirements. Considering the myocardial protective effect and low toxicity of sulforaphane (SFN), SFN was adopted for the treatment of MI. However, it is still difficult for the targeted accumulation of SFN in the infarcted area. Herein, porous magnetic silica nanoparticles (PMSNs) were synthesized and loaded with sulforaphane (SFN) to improve the efficiency by targeted delivery to the infarcted area in MI mice. PMSNs loaded with SFN (PMSNs+SFN) decreased the pro-inflammatory cytokines, thus improving the cardiac functions and cell survival without any adverse effects.
To further explore the mechanism by which SFN treated MI mice, oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) cells was established as a cellular model for the in vitro study of MI. Knockdown of HSF1 or Nrf2 decreased SFN-induced HSP70 in the OGD cells. Moreover, knockdown of HSP70 blocked the pro-survival and anti-inflammatory effect of SFN for OGD cells. Moreover, HSP70 overexpression was sufficient to decrease pro-inflammatory cytokines and improve cell survival under OGD.
Taken together, PMSNs transported sufficient SFN to the infarcted area in MI. We demonstrated that SFN exerted cardioprotective effect toward MI injury by up-regulating HSP70 through Nrf2/HSF1.
Identification and validation of a novel prognostic signature based on ferroptosis-related genes in Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Cheng Zhe , Chen Yongheng , Huang Huichao
Published: December 2022

Background
Ovarian cancer (OC) is the most lethal gynecological tumor, which has a poor prognosis due to lack of early symptoms, resistance to chemotherapy, and recurrence. Ferroptosis belongs to regulated cell death family, which is characterized by iron-dependent process and is associated with cancer formation and treatment. Here, comprehensive bioinformatics analysis was applied to explore a valuable prognostic model based on ferroptosis-related genes, which was further validated in clinical OC samples.
Methods
mRNA data of normal and ovarian tumor samples were achieved from GTEx and TCGA databases separately. The ferroptosis genes expression pattern was analyzed and the prognostic clinical information was combined with gene expression data in normal and tumor tissues. Intersectional genes that were both differentially expressed and prognosis-related were found. A gene model based on ferroptosis-associated genes was established and evaluated in the common datasets. Finally, prognostic efficiency of the model was assessed in the clinical tissues of OC patients.
Results
A gene signature consisting of ALOX12, RB1, DNAJB6, STEAP3, and SELENOS was constructed. The signature divided TCGA, ICGC, and GEO cohorts into high-risk and low-risk groups separately, and the overall survival curves in all three cohorts had significant differences. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and independent prognostic factor analysis were carried out to show the risk model possessing good prognostic function, which was associated with several immune-related pathways. Moreover, protein expression and prognostic value of ALOX12 were validated in clinical samples of OC patients.
Conclusion
This work built and assessed a novel ferroptosis-associated gene model. Further, the clinical predictive role of ALOX12 was identified in OC patients, which suggested that ALOX12 might act as a potential prognostic tool and therapeutic target for OC patients.
Sedation/Agitation Monitoring Using a Wearable Device with a Built-in Accelerometer for Children on Mechanical Ventilation in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Isaka Kanako , Hatachi Takeshi , Morita Kanako , Takeuchi Muneyuki
Published: December 2022

Purpose
To evaluate the usefulness and feasibility of sedation/agitation monitoring using a wearable device with a built-in accelerometer for children on mechanical ventilation in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).
Methods
A prospective observational study was performed in a single PICU in a children’s hospital, including children aged ≤ 15 years admitted to the PICU on mechanical ventilation after cardiac catheterization between December 2021 and April 2022. The wearable device was attached to either the upper limb, and accelerations were measured for two hours after admission or to the time of extubation, whichever earliest. Accelerations were measured at 0.02-s intervals, with the mean acceleration calculated for each 1-min interval. The State Behavioral Scale (SBS) was completed at 1-min intervals, with the SBS score (-1, 0, 1, or 2) compared to the mean acceleration.
Results
The study included 20 children with a median (interquartile range [IQR]) age of 12 (8–24) months. The number of observations for each SBS score was as follows: -1, n = 1, 395; 0, n = 217; 1, n = 95; 2, n = 13. The mean accelerations and SBS scores were positively correlated (Kendall’s tau, 0.22; p < 0.001), with an increase in the median (IQR) acceleration from an SBS score of -1 through 2, as follows: SBS − 1, 0.200 (0.151–0.232) m/s2; SBS 0, 0.202 (0.190–0.235) m/s2; SBS, 1, 0.312 (0.236–0.427) m/s2; SBS 2, 0.455 (0.332–0.517) m/s2. No adverse events or complications were observed.
Conclusion
Continuous, objective sedation/agitation monitoring of children on mechanical ventilation was feasible using a wearable accelerometry device.
Trial registration:
This study was registered in the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN000046203; December 1, 2021). https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000052488
Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor priming improves embryos and pregnancy rate in patients with poor ovarian reserve: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Jinno Masao , Tamaoka Yukoku , Teruya Koji , Watanabe Aiko , Hatakeyama Naohisa , Goda Tomoya , Kimata Hayato , Jinno Yuichi
Published: December 2022

Background
Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) administration increased ovarian preantral follicles and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) in animal models with diminished ovarian reserve. We investigated whether G-CSF priming before treatment with assisted reproductive technology (ART) improved embryo development and pregnancy rate while increasing serum AMH in patients with poor ovarian reserve.
Methods
In this prospective randomized open-label controlled trial, 100 patients 20 to 42 years old with AMH below 2 ng/mL were randomized to priming or control groups (50 patients each). None had over 1 ART failure, day-3 follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) above 30 IU/L, uterine anomalies, or a partner with azoospermia. All patients initially underwent conventional infertility treatment for 2 consecutive cycles in which the priming group but not controls received a subcutaneous G-CSF priming injection during the early luteal phase. Each group then underwent 1 cycle of in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection and fresh embryo transfer (IVF/ICSI-fresh ET), followed by cryopreserved ET if needed until live birth or embryo depletion. AMH was measured before and after priming.
Results
Fertilization rate, embryonic development, and implantation rate by fresh ET were significantly improved by priming. Clinical and ongoing pregnancy rates by IVF/ICSI-fresh ET were significantly higher with priming (30% and 26% in 47 ART patients; 3 delivered with conventional treatment) than in controls (12% and 10% in 49 ART patients; 1 dropped out). With priming, significantly more patients achieved cryopreservation of redundant blastocysts. The cumulative live birth rate was 32% in 50 patients with priming, significantly higher than 14% in 49 controls (relative risk, 2.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.04–7.7). Infants derived from priming had no congenital anomalies, while infant weights, birth weeks, and Apgar scores were similar between groups. Among 4 variables (age, day-3 FSH, AMH, and priming), logistic regression significantly associated age and priming with cumulative live birth. Priming significantly increased serum AMH. No adverse effects of priming were observed.
Conclusion
G-CSF priming improved embryonic development and pregnancy rate during ART treatment and increased AMH in patients with poor ovarian reserve. Enhanced preantral follicle growth likely was responsible.
Trial registration:
UMIN registration in Japan (UMIN000013956) on May 14, 2014. https://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/index.htm
Public perceptions of climate change and health – A cross-sectional survey study
Authors: Baal Katharina van , Stiel Stephanie , Schulte Peter
Published: December 2022

Background
Climate change is inseparably linked to human health and has a direct impact on morbidity and mortality. Increasing temperatures, extreme weather events, air pollution and altered vector transmissions are leading to cardiovascular, respiratory and infectious diseases. Although there is growing awareness of the threats to human health caused by climate change, it remains unclear how the German population perceives the relevance of climate change and its health consequences.
Methods
Between May and September 2022, German residents were invited to participate in a cross-sectional online survey. In addition to collecting demographic data, the survey explored three content areas: (1) the relevance of climate change, (2) health risks in connection with climate change and (3) collective and individual options for action against climate change. Data were analysed descriptively.
Results
Over the 20-week survey period, 697 full data sets were collected for analysis (72% female, 51% ≥55 years old). The majority of participants agreed that human-induced climate change (likely) exists (85%), and that it has an impact on human health (83%). They also perceived the global population to be more strongly impacted by climate change than the German population (89% versus 74%). Most (68%) participants saw themselves affected by climate change, and approximately one in five respondents (18%) reported negative health experiences due to climate change. Accidents/deaths due to extreme weather events were perceived as the most relevant health risk in connection with climate change (62%). The majority (76%) of participants claimed to personally contribute to climate protection and 23% felt that their city or council contributed to climate protection.
Conclusion
Although the majority of participants saw climate change as a threat to human health, they perceived other population groups (i.e. outside of Germany) to be most strongly affected. Cognitive dissonance might explain this lack of individual concern. One approach to addressing such distorted perceptions might be the dissemination of appropriate risk communication highlighting existing health threats due to climate change, with health professionals involved in the communication. Cities and councils should play a more active role in promoting climate protection and make their actions visible to the public.
Predicting Purchase Intention Using Twitter Data
Authors: Imran Hasan , Zaidi Syed Zain , Khan Nida Sadaf , Uddin Nasir
Published: December 2022

Recently, there has been a significant rise in the ecommerce industry with the pandemic entailing lockdowns. More and more people have started posting online about the products they want to buy or asking whether they should buy the product or not. There has been a great deal of research going on in trying to figure out the buying patterns of a user and more importantly the factors which determine whether the user will buy the product or not. One such platform is Twitter which has become quite popular in recent years. This study explores the problem of identifying and predicting the purchase intention of a user for a product. Employment of various text analysis models to tweets data reveals we can predict if a user has shown purchase intention towards a product or not. While there are lexicon and Machine learning based approaches to handle this task, our deep learning approach is a new take on purchase intention prediction from social media data. An accuracy of 85.7% was achieved by our model, applying the LSTM Neural Net with data in the Global Vectors (GloVE) embeddings format.
Prediction of morbidity and mortality after early cholecystectomy for acute calculous cholecystitis: results of the S.P.Ri.M.A.C.C. study
Authors: Fugazzola Paola , Cobianchi Lorenzo , Martino Marcello Di , Tomasoni Matteo , Mas Francesca Dal , Abu-Zidan Fikri M , Agnoletti Vanni , Ceresoli Marco , Coccolini Federico , Saverio Salomone Di , Dominioni Tommaso , Farè Camilla Nikita , Frassini Simone , Gambini Giulia , Leppäniemi Ari , Maestri Marcello , Martín-Pérez Elena , Moore Ernest E. , Musella Valeria , Peitzman Andrew B. , Rodríguez Ángela de la Hoz , Sargenti Benedetta , Sartelli Massimo , Viganò Jacopo , Anderloni Andrea , Biffl Walter , Catena Fausto , Ansaloni Luca , Group S.P.Ri.M.A.C.C. Collaborative
Published: December 2022

Background:

Less invasive alternatives than Early Cholecystectomy (EC) for Acute Calculous Cholecystitis (ACC) treatment have been spreading in recent years. We still lack a reliable tool to select high-risk patients who could benefit from these alternatives. Our study aimed to prospectively validate the Chole-Risk score in predicting postoperative complications in patients undergoing EC for ACC compared with other pre-operative risk prediction models.

Method:

The S.P.Ri.M.A.C.C. study is a World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) prospective multicenter observational study. From 1st September 2021 to 1st September 2022, 1253 consecutive patients admitted in 79 centers were included. The inclusion criteria were a diagnosis of ACC and to be a candidate for EC. A Cochran-Armitage test of the trend was run to determine whether a linear correlation existed between the Chole-risk score and a complicated postoperative course. To assess the accuracy of the analyzed prediction models - POSSUM Physiological Score (PS), modified Frailty Index, Charlson Comorbidity Index, American Society of Anesthesiologist score (ASA), APACHE II score, ACC severity grade - receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was used to compare the diagnostic abilities.

Results:

A 30-day major morbidity of 6.6% and 30-day-mortality of 1.1% were found. Chole-risk was validated, but POSSUM PS was the best risk prediction model for a complicated course after EC for ACC (in-hospital mortality: AUC 0.94, p < 0,001; 30day-mortality: AUC 0.94, p < 0.001; in-hospital major morbidity: AUC 0.73, p < 0.001; 30day-major morbidity: AUC 0.70, p < 0.001). POSSUM PS with a cut-off of 25 (defined in our study as a ‘Chole-POSSUM’ score) was then validated in a separate cohort of patients. It showed a 100% sensitivity and a 100% negative predictive value for mortality and a 96–97% negative predictive value for major complications.

Conclusions:

The Chole-risk score was externally validated, but the CHOLE-POSSUM stands as a more accurate prediction model. CHOLE-POSSUM is a reliable tool to stratify patients with ACC into a low-risk group, that may represent a safe EC candidate, and a high-risk group, where new minimally invasive endoscopic techniques may find the most useful field of action.
Trial Registration: ClinicalTrial.gov NCT04995380
Illumina MiSeq sequencing reveals high arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi diversity in the rhizosphere soil of Prunus africana trees in fragmented Afromontane forests
Authors: TCHIECHOUA Yves Hermandez , Odee David W. , Ngonkeu Eddy L. M. , Kinyua Johnson , Ngumi Victoria W. , Machuka Eunice M. , Waweru Bernice , Roux Marcellous Le , Pelle Roger
Published: December 2022

Purpose
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play a key role in the phytochemical modulation of medicinal plant species, besides their ecological role in shaping plant communities. Knowledge about the diversity and structure of AMF species associated with the endangered Prunus africana is valuable in the conservation and domestication of the species for its medicinal products.
Methods
Thus, we investigated the diversity and structure of AMF species communities in the rhizosphere soils of P. africana trees occurring in four fragmented Afromontane forests found in Cameroon; (Mount Cameroon and Mount Manengouba) and Kenya (Chuka and Malava) using Illumina Miseq of 18S rRNA gene amplicons.
Results
The forward and the reverse reads were A total of 64 virtual taxa (VT) belonging to eight genera were detected, namely Glomus (43 VT), Claroideoglomus (6 VT), Paraglomus (5 VT), Acaulospora (4 VT), Diversispora (3 VT), and Archaeospora, Pacispora, and Scutellospora with 1 VT each. Scutellospora heterogama VTX00286 was the most abundant and common species in all four sites (49.62%). Glomeraceae and Gigasporaceae were the most abundant families found across the sites, while Acaulosporaceae, Pacisporaceae, and Archaeosporaceae were rare, represented by <1% of all the detected taxa.
Conclusion
Our data show a high diversity of AMF species associated with P. africana, and variable community structure partially shaped by local edaphic factors. This study provides preliminary information on the possibility of using indigenous AMF inoculum, for the cultivation and domestication of P. africana for the sustainable management of this important medicinal plant.
Morphological variation of Rumex longifolius DC. in the Alps and the mountains bordering Bohemia
Authors: BerndSonnberger
Published: December 2022

Neophytic populations of Rumex longifolius (Northern Dock) in the Alps and the mountain ranges bordering Bohemia differ in the length-width ratio of the basal leave blades, the shape and size of the valves and the tendency to develop tubercles of the valves. Five discrete populations from the Czech Republic (Krkonoše moutains and Ještěd mountain), Germany (Bavarian Forest), Austria (Arlberg mountain) and Switzerland (Engadin) are described by quantitative evaluation of specimens collected in the years 2014 – 2018 and their offspring cultivated in the Botanical Garden of Frankfurt a. M. for two vegetation periods. They have probably originated by independent introduction events. The Engadin population shows features of an introgression by Rumex crispus. It is possibly native there, which, however, can be concluded by indirect evidence only. The morphology of specimens from the upper Tyrolian Inn valley in the herbarium of the Natural History Museum Vienna suggests their origin from the Engadin, which should be confirmed statistically by additional collections. The taxonomical significance of subsp. sourekii Kubát which has been described based on a single character (leaf shape) is questioned considering the polymorphism of the species, and the seasonal dependence of the leaf width observed in the cultivation experiments. The observed morphological variability and ecological preferences of R. longifolius could be an indication of its experimentally yet not proved hybrid origin from R. aquaticus and R. crispus.
3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl (HMG)-coenzyme A (CoA) reductase inhibitor modulates biomarkers related to Alzheimer's disease pathology in a sepsis-surviving rat model
Authors: Catalão Carlos Henrique Rocha , Costa Luis Henrique Angenendt da , Santos Jonathas Rodrigo dos , Alberici Luciane Carla , Falconi Luiz Luciano Sobrinho , Coimbra Norberto Cysne , Barichello Tatiana , Rocha Maria José Alves
Published: December 2022

Sepsis survivors have persistent neurological changes, including cognitive and behavioral dysfunction, which are associated with increased production of neurodegenerative biomarkers and morphological changes in areas with mnemonic functions. 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl (HMG)-coenzyme A (CoA) reductase inhibitors have been proposed as a potential therapeutic approach in sepsis, given their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Here we investigated the possible neuroprotective effect of an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (simvastatin) by analyzing neurodegenerative markers, mitochondrial respiration, and neuronal tracing in the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and thalamic nucleus reuniens (RE) of sepsis survivor animals. Adult Wistar rats (280 ± 30 g) were submitted to sepsis by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP, n = 28) or left as non-manipulated (control, n = 24). The animals were treated with simvastatin (20 mg/kg) or vehicle four days before and ten days after surgery. The treatment recovered expression of Smad-3 in hippocampus (F(3, 28) = 6.22; P < 0.05), and prevented increased expression of calpain-1 (hippocampus (F(3, 28) = 16.06; P < 0.0001; prefrontal cortex: F(3, 28) = 10.54; P < 0.05) and GSKβ (hippocampus: F(3, 28) = 62.79; P < 0.0001; prefrontal cortex: F(3, 28) = 15.35; P < 0.0001) in the brain structures of the sepsis survivor animals. Septic animals showed mitochondrial dysfunction and a decrease in axon terminals in the RE. Simvastatin seems to restore energy metabolism by improve of the ETS values in the hippocampus (F(3, 12) = 7.533; P < 0.01) and the P/E ratio in the prefrontal cortex (F(3, 12) = 5.818; P < 0.05), in addition to preventing the reduction of axon terminals in survivor animals. These results together suggest a potential neuroprotective effect of simvastatin and raise the importance of considering HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors as a possible adjuvant therapy in sepsis.
RILS-ROLS: Robust Symbolic Regression via Iterated Local Search and Ordinary Least Squares
Authors: Kartelj Aleksandar , Djukanović Marko
Published: December 2022

In this paper, we solve the well-known symbolic regression problem that has been intensively studied and has a wide range of applications.
To solve it, we propose an efficient meta-heuristic-based approach, called RILS-ROLS. RILS-ROLS is based on the following two elements: (i) iterated local search, which is the method backbone, mainly solving combinatorial and some continuous aspects of the problem; (ii) ordinary least square method, which focuses on the continuous aspect of the search space -- it efficiently determines the best-fitting coefficients of linear combinations within solution equations. In addition, we introduce a novel fitness function that combines important model quality measures: R2 score, RMSE score, size of the model (or model complexity), and carefully designed local search, which allows systematic search in proximity to candidate solution.
Experiments are conducted on the two well-known ground-truth benchmark sets called Feynman and Strogatz. RILS-ROLS was compared to 14 other competitors from the literature. Our method outperformed all 14 competitors with respect to the true symbolic model accuracy under varying levels of noise. It also proved to be the most efficient method considering the average running time of reaching the exact model. In addition to evaluation on known ground-truth datasets, we introduce a new randomly generated set of problem instances. The goal of the Random dataset was to test the scalability of our method with respect to incremental equation sizes and number of variables, under different levels of noise.
The statistical analysis of obtained experimental results confirmed that RILS-ROLS can be considered as a new state-of-the-art method for solving the problem of symbolic regression when ground-truth equations are known.
Polish-German film relations in the process of building German cultural hegemony in Europe 1933-1939
Authors: Pryt Karina
Published: December 2022

The article presents Polish-German film relations in the framework of Nazis cultural diplomacy between 1933 and 1939. The Nazi effort to create a cultural hegemony through the unification of the European film market under German leadership serves as an important point of reference. On the example of the Polish-German relationship, the article analyses the Nazi “soft power” in terms of both its strength and limits. Describing the broader geopolitical context, the article proposes a new trail in the research on both the film milieus and the cinema culture in Poland in the 1930s. In mythological terms, it belongs to cultural diplomacy and adds simultaneously to film history and New Cinema History.
Analysis and systematization of external tracing of printed conductors based on a symmetrical structure with modal filtering
Authors:   Tomsk State University of Control Systems and Radioelectronics (TUSUR), Zhechev Y. S. , Ivantsov I. A. ,   Tomsk State University of Control Systems and Radioelectronics (TUSUR), Kozinets A. S. ,   Tomsk State University of Control Systems and Radioelectronics (TUSUR)
Published: December 2022

To improve the functional safety of radioelectronic equipment, a redundancy of its components, parts, and interconnections is used. In contrast to the widely used cold redundancy, the modal reservation (MR) technology protects nodes and interconnections from ultra-wideband interference (UWB) by modal distortions. There are several approaches and methods to ensure a multiple MR. These methods have different design features, electrical and mass-size characteristics, and scope of application. Of special interest are the structures with conductor symmetry along two planes that allow realizing triple MR with the same efficiency of UWB interference suppression for any circuit. This work aims to present a novel analysis and systematization of methods of multiple MR based on symmetrical structures. To solve this problem, we evaluated the technology effectiveness of eight MR methods, their operability, and efficiency. The authors performed an evaluation of decomposed pulses for each structure before and after failure using N-norms. It is found that all investigated structures with modal redundancy allow to significantly attenuate the ultrawideband pulse.