bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on Resource Allocation and Optimization of Community Intelligent Sports Service for the Elderly Based on Group Intelligence
Authors: Liu Qiaofeng , Huang Jinglun , Zhang Bin , Zhao Jihong , Zhang Chengyun , Gao Xiang
Published: December 2021

Objective. The mainstream development trend in the era of intelligent sports. At present, with the rapid development of science and technology, it is absolutely wise to combine group intelligence with community intelligent sports services for the elderly. Group intelligence has opened a new era of intelligent sports service. Group intelligence has become an important factor in the development and growth of community intelligent sports service for the elderly and has become a hot topic at present. However, intelligence has encountered difficulties on the road of development. At present, the aging of the population is getting worse and worse, and the elderly have higher and higher requirements for fitness and leisure services, which leads to the need for sports services to be continuously strengthened. The distribution of resources is uneven, the data is not clear enough, and the swarm intelligence algorithm is not perfect. With the adaptation of the elderly to intelligence, more intelligent, concise, and personalized services need to be developed. The most important method is to optimize the swarm intelligence algorithm continuously. In this paper, PSO algorithm is optimized and HCSSPSO algorithm is proposed. HCSSPSO algorithm is a combination of PSO algorithm and clonal selection strategy, and test simulation experiments, PSO algorithm, CLPSO algorithm, and HCSSPSO algorithm for comparison. From the experimental results, HCSSPSO algorithm has better convergence speed and stability, whether it is data or comparison graph. The data optimized by HCSSPSO algorithm is higher than the original data and the other two algorithms in terms of satisfaction and resource allocation.
Corporate Diversification, Ownership, and Solvency in China’s Property-Liability Insurance Companies
Authors: Wu Shuang , Deng Xilian
Published: December 2021

Solvency is the premise of the sustainable management of insurance companies. Among factors that affect the solvency of insurance companies, diversification strategy is one that cannot be ignored. To study the impact of diversification on the solvency of property-liability insurance companies and how diversification will influence companies with different ownership, this paper adopts the dynamic panel GMM model and the unbalanced panel data from 2009 to 2015. The analysis is from two dimensions: product diversification and geographic diversification. Empirical study shows that product diversification will increase the solvency of Chinese-funded property-liability insurance companies but reduce the solvency of foreign-funded ones. As for the impact of geographic diversification on solvency, the more geographically diversified the premium income of Chinese-funded property-liability insurance companies are, the lower their solvency will be. However, geographical expansion has no significant solvency-related impact on foreign-funded property-liability insurance companies in China.
A Tripartite Game-Theory-Based Cooperation Mechanism for the Electronic Warehouse Receipt Pledge Financing Mode
Authors: Jia Junwei , Zhang Haoyue , Wang Qi
Published: December 2021

To explore the electronic warehouse receipt pledge financing cooperation mechanism in the alliance formed between loan enterprises, commercial banks, e-commerce platforms, and logistics enterprises, by constructing a tripartite evolutionary game model, the game equilibrium strategy is then obtained, and the influencing factors of the cooperation mechanism are further simulated. It was found that in this tripartite evolutionary game, the stable strategy combination occurs when the loan enterprise chooses to repay on time, the platform alliance chooses to provide services, and the commercial bank chooses to continue to cooperate. However, heterogeneity exists in the influencing factors for the three-party selection strategy in the game, which is manifested in the fact that the higher the realization rate of the pledge, the more evolution is required in the selection strategy for loan enterprises to continue cooperating. The higher the information service fee, the higher the enthusiasm of the platform alliance in choosing to provide services. Credit levels, loan interest rates, and pledge realization rates are all important factors that affect the choice strategy of commercial banks.
Chronic Intermittent Hypoxia Regulates CaMKII‐Dependent MAPK Signaling to Promote the Initiation of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
Authors: Xu Chenyu , Xu Jun , Zou Chunfang , Li Qian , Mao Shan , Shi Ying , Tan Yan , Gu Wei , Ye Liang
Published: December 2021

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is highly prevalent in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). However, the effects of OSA on AAA initiation in a murine model of sleep apnea have not been completely studied. In this paper, Apoe-/- C57BL/6 mice infused with angiotensin II (Ang II) were placed in chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) condition for inducing OSA‐related AAA. CIH significantly promoted the incidence of AAA and inhibited the survival of mice. By performing ultrasonography and elastic Van Gieson staining, CIH was found to be effective in promoting aortic dilation and elastin degradation. Immunohistochemical and zymography results show that CIH upregulated the expression and activity of MMP2 and MMP9 and upregulated MCP1 expression while downregulating α‐SMA expression. Also, CIH exposure promoted ROS generation, apoptosis, and mitochondria damage in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), which were measured by ROS assay, TUNEL staining, and transmission electron microscopy. The result of RNA sequencing of mouse aortas displayed that 232 mRNAs were differently expressed between Ang II and Ang II+CIH groups, and CaMKII‐dependent p38/Jnk was confirmed as one downstream signaling of CIH. CaMKII‐IN‐1, an inhibitor of CaMKII, eliminated the effects of CIH on the loss of primary VSMCs. To conclude, a mouse model of OSA‐related AAA, which contains the phenotypes of both AAA and OSA, was established in this study. We suggested CIH as a risk factor of AAA initiation through CaMKII‐dependent MAPK signaling.
Usefulness of the Brief Scale for Psychiatric Problems in Orthopaedic Patients (BS-POP) for Predicting Poor Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Lumbar Decompression Surgery
Authors: Watanabe Kazuyuki , Otani Koji , Nikaido Takuya , Kato Kinshi , Kobayashi Hiroshi , Handa Junichi , Yabuki Shoji , Kikuchi Shin-Ichi , Konno Shin-Ichi
Published: December 2021

Background. The Brief Scale for Psychiatric Problems in Orthopaedic Patients (BS-POP) is an original questionnaire that evaluates psychosocial problems in orthopaedic patients. The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between BS-POP scores and surgical outcomes in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Methods. From our database, a total of 157 patients with LSS who had undergone decompression surgery and completed a 1-year follow-up were retrospectively observed. The primary outcome was the numerical rating scale (NRS) score for satisfaction with surgery (from 0: not satisfied to 10: completely satisfied). Patients with an NRS score ≥8 were classified into the satisfied group. The secondary outcomes were NRS scores for low back pain, leg pain, and leg numbness and scores on the Roland–Morris Disability Questionnaire (RDQ). BS-POP was used to detect psychiatric problems before surgery. A BS-POP score ≥11 on the physician version or a combination of 10 on the physician version and ≥15 on the patient version was considered to indicate the presence of psychiatric problems. The patients were classified into two groups and compared based on preoperative BS-POP scores at the 1-year follow-up. Results. Preoperatively, 22 and 135 patients showed high and low BS-POP scores, respectively. No significant differences in preoperative symptoms were found between the two groups. At 1 year after surgery, patients with high BS-POP scores showed significantly lower satisfaction with surgery, higher NRS scores for low back pain, leg pain, and leg numbness, and lower RDQ deviation scores than did the low BS-POP group (

p
<
0.05

). The results of the multivariable analysis indicated that preoperative high BS-POP scores were independently associated with low satisfaction with surgery (odds ratio: 5.2, 95% confidence interval: 1.9–15.1). Conclusion. High preoperative BS-POP scores were associated with poor outcomes for decompression surgery in patients with LSS at 1 year after surgery. These results suggest that BS-POP is a useful tool for predicting surgical outcomes in patients with LSS.
Pixel‐Based Image Processing for CIE Standard Sky Classification through ANN
Authors: Granados-López D. , García-Rodríguez A. , García-Rodríguez S. , Suárez-García A. , Díez-Mediavilla M. , Alonso-Tristán C.
Published: December 2021

Digital sky images are studied for the definition of sky conditions in accordance with the CIE Standard General Sky Guide. Likewise, adequate image‐processing methods are analyzed that highlight key image information, prior to the application of Artificial Neural Network classification algorithms. Twenty‐two image‐processing methods are reviewed and applied to a broad and unbiased dataset of 1500 sky images recorded in Burgos, Spain, over an extensive experimental campaign. The dataset comprises one hundred images of each CIE standard sky type, previously classified from simultaneous sky scanner data. Color spaces, spectral features, and texture filters image‐processing methods are applied. While the use of the traditional RGB color space for image‐processing yielded good results (ANN accuracy equal to 86.6%), other color spaces, such as Hue Saturation Value (HSV), which may be more appropriate, increased the accuracy of their global classifications. The use of either the green or the blue monochromatic channels improved sky classification, both for the fifteen CIE standard sky types and for simpler classification into clear, partial, and overcast conditions. The main conclusion was that specific image‐processing methods could improve ANN‐algorithm accuracy, depending on the image information required for the classification problem.
Intelligent Point Cloud Edge Detection Method Based on Projection Transformation
Authors: Zhu Juan , Yue Xiaofeng , Huang Jipeng , Huang Zongwei
Published: December 2021

An edge detection method based on projection transformation is proposed. First, the vertical projection transformation is carried out on the target point cloud. Data X and data Y are normalized to the width and height of the image, respectively. Data Z is normalized to the range of 0‐255, and the depth represents the gray level of the image. Then, the Canny algorithm is used to detect the edge of the projection transformed image, and the detected edge data is back projected to extract the edge point cloud in the point cloud. Evaluate the performance by calculating the normal vector of the edge point cloud. Compared with the normal vector of the whole data point cloud of the target, the normal vector of the edge point cloud can well express the characteristics of the target, and the calculation time is reduced to 10% of the original.
Segnet Network Algorithm-Based Ultrasound Images in the Diagnosis of Gallbladder Stones Complicated with Gallbladder Carcinoma and the Relationship between P16 Expression with Gallbladder Carcinoma
Authors: Xue Liang , Wang Xiaohui , Yang Yong , Zhao Guodong , Han Yanzhen , Fu Zexian , Sun Guangxin , Yang Jie
Published: December 2021

The study focused on how to improve the diagnostic coincidence rate of patients with gallbladder stones and gallbladder cancer based on an optimized Segnet network algorithm and the relationship of gallbladder cancer with multiple tumor suppressor 1 (P16). 300 patients diagnosed with gallbladder cancer in the hospital were selected as the research subjects. The pyramid pooling operation was incorporated into the original Segnet network algorithm, and its performance was evaluated, factoring into the intersection of union (IoU), algorithm precision (Pre), and recall rate (Recall). After 8 hours of fasting, conventional ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound examinations were performed, and the images were evaluated by three experienced ultrasound diagnosticians. The positive signal of P16 immunohistochemical staining was brownish yellow, which was generally concentrated in the nucleus, and a small part was located in the cytoplasm. In each slice, ten visual fields were selected. Then, they were observed under a high-power mirror, and the number was counted. It was found that the optimized Segnet network algorithm increased the IoU by 7.3%, the precision by 8.2%, and the recall rate by 11.1%. The diagnostic coincidence rates of conventional ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound examinations for gallbladder cancer were 78.13% (25/32) and 87.5% (25/32), respectively. The positive expression rate of P16 in gallbladder adenocarcinoma (47.06%) was significantly lower than that of acute cholecystitis with gallbladder stones (84.38%) and gallbladder polyps (67.16%) (

P
<
0.05

). The positive expression rate of P16 in patients with stage III and stage IV (33.33% and 40%) was significantly lower than that in patients with stages I and II (87.5% and 80%) (

P
<
0.05

). The positive expression rate of P16 in high differentiation (86.67%) was significantly higher than that of moderate differentiation (40%) and poor differentiation (28.57%) (

P
<
0.05

). In short, contrast-enhanced ultrasound can effectively improve the diagnostic coincidence rate of gallbladder cancer, and the expression of P16 in gallbladder cancer is closely related to tumor staging and differentiation.
Research on Face Image Digital Processing and Recognition Based on Data Dimensionality Reduction Algorithm
Authors: He Ming
Published: December 2021

Because face recognition is greatly affected by external environmental factors and the partial lack of face information challenges the robustness of face recognition algorithm, while the existing methods have poor robustness and low accuracy in face image recognition, this paper proposes a face image digital processing and recognition based on data dimensionality reduction algorithm. Based on the analysis of the existing data dimensionality reduction and face recognition methods, according to the face image input, feature composition, and external environmental factors, the face recognition and processing technology flow is given, and the face feature extraction method is proposed based on nonparametric subspace analysis (NSA). Finally, different methods are used to carry out comparative experiments in different face databases. The results show that the method proposed in this paper has a higher correct recognition rate than the existing methods and has an obvious effect on the XM2VTS face database. This method not only improves the shortcomings of existing methods in dealing with complex face images but also provides a certain reference for face image feature extraction and recognition in complex environment.
Research on Traffic Detection Method of Secure Transmission Industrial Internet of Things Based on Computer Vision
Authors: Yang Donghui
Published: December 2021

In recent years, the process of industrial modernization has intensified, traditional industrial control has been improved and rapidly developed, industrial automation and intelligent unmanned production lines have become a new development trend, and the Internet of Things has become the basic direction of industrial development. In order to improve the effect of safe transmission and industrial IoT traffic detection, this study uses a neural network to improve the industrial IoT traffic detection algorithm. In order to improve the visualization effect of monitoring, this study uses computer vision technology to construct a traffic detection system of secure transmission industrial Internet of Things and builds an intelligent detection model. Finally, this study combines experimental research to verify the performance of the system. From the statistical point of view, it can be seen that the system’s security detection and traffic detection effects are very good.
Neurophysiological Verbal Working Memory Patterns in Children: Searching for a Benchmark of Modality Differences in Audio/Video Stimuli Processing
Authors: Inguscio Bianca Maria Serena , Cartocci Giulia , Sciaraffa Nicolina , Nasta Claudia , Giorgi Andrea , Nicastri Maria , Giallini Ilaria , Greco Antonio , Babiloni Fabio , Mancini Patrizia
Published: December 2021

Exploration of specific brain areas involved in verbal working memory (VWM) is a powerful but not widely used tool for the study of different sensory modalities, especially in children. In this study, for the first time, we used electroencephalography (EEG) to investigate neurophysiological similarities and differences in response to the same verbal stimuli, expressed in the auditory and visual modality during the n‐back task with varying memory load in children. Since VWM plays an important role in learning ability, we wanted to investigate whether children elaborated the verbal input from auditory and visual stimuli through the same neural patterns and if performance varies depending on the sensory modality. Performance in terms of reaction times was better in visual than auditory modality (p = 0.008) and worse as memory load increased regardless of the modality (p < 0.001). EEG activation was proportionally influenced by task level and was evidenced in theta band over the prefrontal cortex (p = 0.021), along the midline (p = 0.003), and on the left hemisphere (p = 0.003). Differences in the effects of the two modalities were seen only in gamma band in the parietal cortices (p = 0.009). The values of a brainwave‐based engagement index, innovatively used here to test children in a dual‐modality VWM paradigm, varied depending on n‐back task level (p = 0.001) and negatively correlated (p = 0.002) with performance, suggesting its computational effectiveness in detecting changes in mental state during memory tasks involving children. Overall, our findings suggest that auditory and visual VWM involved the same brain cortical areas (frontal, parietal, occipital, and midline) and that the significant differences in cortical activation in theta band were more related to memory load than sensory modality, suggesting that VWM function in the child’s brain involves a cross‐modal processing pattern.
A Robust MP3 Steganographic Method against Multiple Compressions Based on Modified Discrete Cosine Transform
Authors: Yang Yunzhao , Yi Xiaowei , Zhao Xianfeng , Zhang Jinghong
Published: December 2021

MP3 appears in various social networking sites wildly, and it is very suitable to be applied for covert communication indeed. However, almost all social networking sites recompress the uploaded MP3 files, which leads to the ineffectiveness of the existing MP3 steganographic methods. In this paper, a robust MP3 steganographic algorithm is proposed with the ability of multiple compressions resistance. First, we discover a new embedding domain with strong robustness. The scalefactor bands of higher energy are applied as the embedding bands. The message bits are embedded by adjusting the position of the MDCT coefficients with the largest magnitude in the embedding bands. Besides, the embedding and extraction operations are realized in the process of MP3 decoding at the same time. Experimental results illustrate that our proposed method is of strong robustness against multiple MP3 compressions. The bit error rate is less than 1% at the MP3 bitrate of 320 kbps. It is worth mentioning that the proposed method is proved to be applicable to social networking sites, such as SoundCloud, for covert communication. Our method achieves a satisfactory level of embedding capacity, imperceptibility, and undetectability.
Study on Gas Control Methods Optimization for Mining Safety
Authors: He Liwen , Dai Yingcheng , Xue Sheng , Zheng Chunshan , Han Baiqing , Guo Xin
Published: December 2021

Effective gas control is of significance for safe efficient coal mining in Haizi Coal Mine and other mines with similar geological conditions. This study concentrates on gas control theories and techniques in multiple coal seams of Haizi Coal Mine (No. 7, No. 8, No. 9, and No. 10 coal seam from top to bottom). To minimize risk of high gas emission and outburst hazard, No. 10 seam was mined first as a protective seam prior to the mining of its overlying outburst‐prone No. 7, No. 8, and No. 9 seam. Four gas drainage measures were determined for gas control, including cross‐measure boreholes into overlying coal seams, surface goaf wells, roof boreholes, and roof gas drainage roadway. These gas control measures, if implemented through entire coal seam extraction, would be possibly uneconomic. An investigation was undertaken to analyze effects of those four measures on gas emission, methane concentration, and gas drainage quantity in No. 2 1024 mining panel of No. 10 seam. Results indicate that the highly expensive gas drainage measure of a roof roadway has poor drainage performance and could be effectively replaced by roof boreholes. When adopting the optimized combination of gas drainage measures, drainage efficiency of No. 7 seam, No. 8 seam, and No. 9 seam could reach 58.64% and decrease gas pressure to be below 0.74 MPa. Outcomes of this study could provide beneficial guidance not only for gas drainage design optimization in Haizi Coal Mine but also for other multiple‐seam mines with similar mining and geological conditions, for increasing gas drainage efficiency and guaranteeing mining safety.
Enhancing Point Features with Spatial Information for Point-Based 3D Object Detection
Authors: Liu Huaijin , Du Jixiang , Zhang Yong , Zhang Hongbo
Published: December 2021

Currently, there are many kinds of voxel-based multisensor 3D object detectors, while point-based multisensor 3D object detectors have not been fully studied. In this paper, we propose a new 3D two-stage object detection method based on point cloud and image fusion to improve the detection accuracy. To address the problem of insufficient semantic information of point cloud, we perform multiscale deep fusion of LiDAR point and camera image in a point-wise manner to enhance point features. Due to the imbalance of LiDAR points, the object point cloud in the long-distance area is sparse. We design a point cloud completion module to predict the spatial shape of objects in the candidate boxes and extract the structural information to improve the feature representation ability to further refine the boxes. The framework is evaluated on widely used KITTI and SUN-RGBD dataset. Experimental results show that our method outperforms all state-of-the-art point-based 3D object detection methods and has comparable performance to voxel-based methods as well.
Research on the Protective Effect of MiR-185-3p Mediated by Huangqin-Tang Decoction (HQT) on the Epithelial Barrier Function of Ulcerative Colitis
Authors: Changlin Zhou , Ying Zou , Shuhua Zhang , Zeng Jiayang , Chi Honggang
Published: December 2021

Introduction. It has been reported that the traditional Chinese medicine Huangqin-Tang decoction (HQT) has a protective effect on the epithelial barrier function of ulcerative colitis, but its mechanism has not been fully clarified. This study intends to explore the protective mechanism of HQT in regulating microRNA (miRNA) for the first time. Methods. Based on the Balb/c mice ulcerative colitis model, the mice were given a gavage of 0.1 mL/10 g HQT every day for 7 days; on the 8th day, the colon of the mice was dissected, the length of the colon for the mice was measured, and the score was given based on this. Analysis of colonic mucosal injury was conducted by hematoxylin-eosin staining. Then, the differential miRNA was screened and sequenced in colon tissue using the HiSeq platform. And the differential miR-185-3p gene was verified by RT-PCR. Finally, the effects of HQT on miR-185-3p, occludin protein expression, and transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) value were observed in combination with the CaCo2 intestinal epithelial cell model. Results. HQT treatment can alleviate the shortening of colon length and reverse the intestinal mucosal injury. miRNA sequencing of colonic tissue showed that miR-185-3p was significantly downregulated in the model group, while HQT could upregulate miR-185-3p, thereby affecting the myosin light chain kinase (MLCK)/myosin light chain phosphorylation (p-MLC) pathway and leading to increased expression of occludin protein, which ultimately protected the intestinal epithelial barrier function. Conclusion. HQT can protect colon epithelial barrier function by regulating miR-185-3p.
Evaluating the Content Validity of Grade 10 Mathematics Model Examinations in Oromia National Regional State, Ethiopia
Authors: Alemayehu Wole Getinet , Fufa Solomon , Seyoum Yilfashewa
Published: December 2021

This article purports to analyze the content validity of model examinations for grade 10 mathematics. The study looked at the model tests to evaluate if they were indicative of the course content and emphasized on the syllabus’ learning outcomes. A survey design with six years of mathematics model exam, syllabi, and textbooks served as the key data sources was considered in the study. Kendall’s coefficient of concordance and chi-square test of statistical treatment were used to analyze the quantitative data obtained. In addition, the qualitative data were evaluated using narration and description. The study’s statistical findings revealed that there was no relationship between test items and learning outcomes in cognitive domain categories or main textbook content. As a result, the exam items did not correspond to the syllabus’s objectives and content. Furthermore, the qualitative data revealed that the test items were unclear, poorly laid out, and multidimensional, as well as having low content validity.
The Neoepitopes on Methylglyoxal‐ (MG‐) Glycated Fibrinogen Generate Autoimmune Response: Its Role in Diabetes, Atherosclerosis, and Diabetic Atherosclerosis Subjects
Authors: Rehman Shahnawaz , Song Jiantao , Faisal Mohammad , Alatar Abdulrahman A. , Akhter Firoz , Ahmad Saheem , Hu Bo
Published: December 2021

Objectives. In diabetes mellitus, hyperglycemia‐mediated nonenzymatic glycosylation of fibrinogen protein plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of micro‐ and macrovascular complications especially atherosclerosis via the generation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Methylglyoxal (MG) induces glycation of fibrinogen, resulting in structural alterations that lead to autoimmune response via the generation of neoepitopes on protein molecules. The present study was designed to probe the prevalence of autoantibodies against MG‐glycated fibrinogen (MG‐Fib) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), atherosclerosis (ATH), and diabetic atherosclerosis (T2DM‐ATH) patients. Design and Methods. The binding affinity of autoantibodies in patients’ sera (T2DM, n = 100; ATH, n = 100; and T2DM‐ATH, n = 100) and isolated immunoglobulin G (IgG) against native fibrinogen (N‐Fib) and MG‐Fib to healthy subjects (HS, n = 50) was accessed by direct binding ELISA. The results of direct binding were further validated by competitive/inhibition ELISA. Moreover, AGE detection, ketoamines, protein carbonyls, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and carboxymethyllysine (CML) concentrations in patients’ sera were also determined. Furthermore, free lysine and free arginine residues were also estimated. Results. The high binding affinity was observed in 54% of T2DM, 33% of ATH, and 65% of T2DM‐ATH patients’ samples with respect to healthy subjects against MG‐Fib antigen in comparison to N‐Fib (p < 0.05 to p < 0.0001). HS sera showed nonsignificant binding (p > 0.05) with N‐Fib and MG‐Fib. Other biochemical parameters were also found to be significant (p < 0.05) in the patient groups with respect to the HS group. Conclusions. These findings in the future might pave a way to authenticate fibrinogen as a biomarker for the early detection of diabetes‐associated micro‐ and macrovascular complications.
Trehalose Ameliorates Diabetic Cardiomyopathy: Role of the PK2/PKR Pathway
Authors: Liu Yuning , Wu Shi , Zhao Qian , Yang Zhen , Yan Xiaojun , Li Cairong , Zha Wenliang , Yu Wei
Published: December 2021

Ample clinical case reports suggest a high incidence of cardiomyopathy in diabetes mellitus (DM). Recent evidence supports an essential role of trehalose (TLS) in cardiomyocyte survival signaling. Our previous study found that prokineticin2 (PK2) was involved in the process of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). The present study examined the protective effects and mechanisms of TLS on DM‐induced cardiomyocyte injury in mice and H9c2 cardiomyocytes. C57BL/6J mice were intraperitoneally injected with 50 mg·kg-1·d-1 streptozotocin for five consecutive days to establish an experimental diabetic model and then administered TLS (1 mg·g-1·d-1, i.p.) for two days every 4 weeks and given 2% TLS in drinking water for 24 weeks. Echocardiography, myocardial structure, apoptosis, pyroptosis, autophagy, and the PK2/PKR pathway were assessed. Cardiomyocytes exposed to high glucose (HG) were treated with TLS in the absence or presence of the PK2 antagonist PKRA7, and proteins involved in apoptosis, autophagy, and pyroptosis and the PK2/PKR pathways were evaluated using Western blot analysis. Diabetic mice demonstrated metabolic disorder, abnormal myocardial zymograms, and aberrant myocardial systolic and diastolic function, which were accompanied by pronounced apoptosis, pyroptosis, and dampened autophagy. TLS treatment relieved these effects. PK2 and receptor expressions were downregulated in diabetic mice, and TLS nullified this effect. PKRA7 eliminated the impact of TLS on cardiomyocytes. This evidence suggests that TLS rescues DM‐induced myocardial function, pyroptosis, and apoptosis, likely via the PK2/PKR pathway.
Hand Hygiene Compliance and Associated Factors among Healthcare Workers in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Soboksa Negasa Eshete , Negassa Belay , Kanno GirumGebremeskel , Ashuro Zemachu , Gudeta DinkineshBegna
Published: December 2021

Background. Promoting hand hygiene compliance should be a priority for health authorities and all healthcare facilities at all levels. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to provide a pooled estimate of hand hygiene compliance and associated factors among healthcare professionals in Ethiopia. Methods. PubMed, Science Direct, EMBASE, the Google search engine, and Google Scholar were used to retrieve studies that were eligible for the study. The searches included all studies published in English prior to July 2021. Using a structured data extraction format, two authors independently extracted the required data. STATA Version 16 software has been used for statistical analysis. To measure the heterogeneity of the studies, the Cochrane Q-test statistics and I2 test were used. Because of the significant heterogeneity, a random-effects model was used. Results. The pooled hand hygiene compliance among healthcare workers in Ethiopia was 38% (95% CI: 0.16–0.59). According to the study’s subgroup analysis, Addis Ababa City administration health workers had the highest hand hygiene compliance, at 73% (95% CI: 0.50–0.96), while SNNP regional state had the lowest, at 9% (95% CI: 0.05–0.13). Presence of hand hygiene promotion (OR: 2.14, 95% CI: 1.04–3.24), towel/tissue paper availability (OR: 3.97, 95% CI: 2.09–5.86), having a positive attitude toward hand hygiene (OR: 1.79, 95% CI: 1.28–2.30), having good knowledge about hand hygiene (OR: 3.45, 95% CI: 1.26–5.64), and being trained for hand hygiene (OR:4.97, 95% CI:1.81–8.14) were significantly associated with hand hygiene compliance. Conclusion. In this analysis, hand hygiene compliance among healthcare workers in Ethiopia was less than half. Providing hand hygiene promotion, towel/tissue paper presence, having a positive attitude toward hand hygiene, having good knowledge about hand hygiene, and being trained for hand hygiene were important variables for the increment of hand hygiene compliance.
Serum Levels of lncRNA CCHE1 and TCF21 in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease and Their Clinical Significances
Authors: Liu Miaomiao , Zhang Ying , Cao Xiantong , Wang Xue
Published: December 2021

Objective. To detect serum level changes of CCHE1 and TCF21 in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients and to explore their clinical significances. Patients and Methods. A total of 150 CAD patients were divided into the mild lesion group (

n
=
52

), moderate lesion group (

n
=
48

), and severe lesion group (

n
=
50

), respectively, according to the Gensini score. In addition, they were divided into single vessel lesion (

n
=
42

), two vessel lesions (

n
=
49

), and three vessel lesions group (

n
=
59

), respectively. Serum levels of CCHE1 and TCF21 in CAD patients were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Spearman’s rank correlation was conducted to assess the relationship between levels of CCHE1 and TCF21 and severity and numbers of vessel lesions in CAD. Pearson’s correlation test was used for analyzing the correlation between CCHE1 and TCF21 levels. A multivariable logistic regression test was performed to evaluate the influences of CCHE1 and TCF21 levels on CAD severity and the occurrence of cardiovascular events within 3 years of follow-up. Results. Significant differences in incidences of diabetes and hypertension were identified in CAD patients divided according to CAD severity. In addition, significant differences in incidences of drinking, diabetes, and hypertension were identified in CAD patients divided according to numbers of vessel lesions. The serum level of CCHE1 was positively related to CAD severity and numbers of vessel lesions, while TCF21 displayed a negative relationship. During the 3-year follow-up, the incidence of cardiovascular events was 39.3% (59/150). CAD severity, numbers of vessel lesions, and serum levels of CCHE1 and TCF21 were independent factors influencing the occurrence of cardiovascular events in CAD patients. Conclusions. The increased serum level of CCHE1 and decreased TCF21 level are closely related to CAD severity, which are able to influence the prognosis in CAD patients.
Some Classes of Logarithmic‐Type Imputation Techniques for Handling Missing Data
Authors: Pandey Awadhesh K. , Singh G. N. , Bhattacharyya D. , Ali Abdulrazzaq Q. , Al-Thubaiti Samah , Yakout H. A.
Published: December 2021

In this manuscript, three new classes of log‐type imputation techniques have been proposed to handle missing data when conducting surveys. The corresponding classes of point estimators have been derived for estimating the population mean. Their properties (Mean Square Errors and bias) have been studied. An extensive simulation study using data generated from normal, Poisson, and Gamma distributions, as well as real dataset, has been conducted to evaluate how the proposed estimator performs in comparison to several contemporary estimators. The results have been summarized, and discussion regarding real‐life applications of the estimator follows.
Governor Vessel Moxibustion Therapy Improves Microbiota Structure in Ankylosing Spondylitis Patients
Authors: Sun Guodong , Wang Qingbo , Cao Shengnan , Xu Haidong , Zhao Yan
Published: December 2021

Background. Clinical studies have shown that ankylosing spondylitis (AS) could be significantly improved by Governor Vessel moxibustion (GVM) therapy. Objective. Study whether GVM therapy alleviates the clinical symptoms of AS by modulating intestinal microbiota. Methods. A total of 9 AS patients and 9 paired healthy individuals were enrolled, and GVM therapy was provided to the AS patients. Stool, urine, and saliva samples from the healthy individuals and the AS patients before and after GVM therapy were collected, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed for microbiota analysis. Results. We found that GVM therapy can significantly alleviate the symptoms of AS, such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, and bloating. GVM therapy also decreased the abundances of Bacteroides and Prevotella while increasing the abundances of beneficial bacteria, such as Lactobacillus, in the gut microbiota of the AS patients. The analyses for AS clinical data and microbial abundances in AS patients revealed their multiple significant correlations (

P
<
0.01

); for example, an unclassified crystal was positively correlated with AF12 and Delftia, monocyte had a negative correlation with Scardovia, and human leukocyte antigen-B27 was negatively correlated with Catenibacterium, Coprococcus, and Oscillospira. Conclusions. Overall, these findings demonstrate that GVM therapy can alleviate AS clinical symptoms, and at the same time, it improves the microbial structure of microbiota in AS patients. This trial is registered with Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2100051907.
Study of the Effect of Mulching Materials on Weed Control in Saffron Cultivation in Eastern Morocco
Authors: Mzabri Ibtissam , Rimani Maria , Charif Khadija , Kouddane Nourddine , Berrichi Abdelbasset
Published: December 2021

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is cultivated in many countries for its culinary and medicinal values. The production of saffron is limited by several factors, including weed infestation, which causes damage to the crop in terms of quantity and quality. However, little information is available on the different weed management strategies for saffron cultivation, as most of the strategies implemented are developed for large-scale and conventional agriculture. As a result, they are not applicable or affordable for organic or smallholder farmers, as is the case for saffron cultivation. The objective of this study is to compare the effectiveness of plastic mulching versus mulching in controlling weeds in saffron cultivation in the eastern region of Morocco. During the trial, which was conducted in 2018, the parameters measured correspond, on the one hand, to morphometric measurements and determination of saffron stigma yield and, on the other hand, to the determination of density, dry biomass, and weed control capacity. Compared to the control, mulching reduced the population and dry biomass of the most formidable weeds such as Cynodon dactylon, Aster squamatus, Cyperus rotundus, and Convolvulus arvensis. The average stigmata yield from plastic mulch treatment was 9% higher than of the control, and the number of leaves, leaf area, number, weight, and percentage of daughter corms with large diameter were higher for plants grown under mulch. Overall, the results of this study showed that the use of PE (polyethylene) mulch effectively reduced weed populations and improved saffron yield and vegetative growth.
The Online Teaching Mode of College English in the Context of Gaussian Variant Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Wang Shengfen , Hu Wei , Lei Yuan
Published: December 2021

The current college English online teaching mode is mainly based on the traditional online MOOC teaching, which has some problems such as poor interaction. Under the mixed background, this paper studies the online college English teaching model based on the Gaussian mutation genetic algorithm and neural network algorithm. Firstly, it briefly introduces the general situation of network English teaching and the hybrid application of the Gaussian mutation genetic algorithm. Through the investigation and test analysis of students before and after class, the experiment evaluates students’ network teaching quality in many aspects. On this basis, a better teaching quality evaluation model is proposed. Finally, the practical application shows that the model in this paper is very feasible. In the end, students have higher enthusiasm and seriousness in the hybrid context of college English online teaching based on the dual algorithm. English teaching quality can make use of each student’s test scores in English classroom. This paper realizes the overall teaching through real‐time dynamic tracking. Quantitative indicators are used to sort the influence degree of English classroom teaching indicators, which can effectively evaluate the quality of English classroom teaching.
German S3 Guideline: Oxygen Therapy in the Acute Care of Adult Patients
Authors: Gottlieb Jens , Capetian Philipp , Hamsen Uwe , Janssens Uwe , Karagiannidis Christian , Kluge Stefan , Nothacker Monika , Roiter Sabrina , Volk Thomas , Worth Heinrich , Fühner Thomas
Published: December 2021

Background: Oxygen (O2) is a drug with specific biochemical and physiological properties, a range of effective doses and may have side effects. In 2015, 14% of over 55,000 hospital patients in the UK were using oxygen. 42% of patients received this supplemental oxygen without a valid prescription. Health care professionals are frequently uncertain about the relevance of hypoxemia and have low awareness about the risks of hyperoxemia. Numerous randomized controlled trials about targets of oxygen therapy have been published in recent years. A national guideline is urgently needed. Methods: A national S3 guideline was developed and published within the Program for National Disease Management Guidelines (AWMF) with participation of 10 medical associations. A literature search was performed until February 1, 2021, to answer 10 key questions. The Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM) System (“The Oxford 2011 Levels of Evidence”) was used to classify types of studies in terms of validity. Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) was used for assessing the quality of evidence and for grading guideline recommendation, and a formal consensus-building process was performed. Results: The guideline includes 34 evidence-based recommendations about indications, prescription, monitoring and discontinuation of oxygen therapy in acute care. The main indication for O2 therapy is hypoxemia. In acute care both hypoxemia and hyperoxemia should be avoided. Hyperoxemia also seems to be associated with increased mortality, especially in patients with hypercapnia. The guideline provides recommended target oxygen saturation for acute medicine without differentiating between diagnoses. Target ranges for oxygen saturation are based depending on ventilation status risk for hypercapnia. The guideline provides an overview of available oxygen delivery systems and includes recommendations for their selection based on patient safety and comfort. Conclusion: This is the first national guideline on the use of oxygen in acute care. It addresses health care professionals using oxygen in acute out-of-hospital and in-hospital settings.
Blood Pressure Variability in Fabry Disease Patients
Authors: Dincer Mevlut Tamer , Ozcan Seyda Gul , Ikitimur Baris , Kiykim Ertugrul , Bakir Alev , Trabulus Sinan , Seyahi Nurhan
Published: December 2021

Introduction: Fabry disease is a rare metabolic, multisystemic, and X-linked lysosomal storage disorder. The involvement of the autonomic nervous system is well defined; however, data on the variability of the blood pressure (BP) and heart rate in Fabry disease are largely missing. In this study, we aimed to examine the circadian variations of BP and heart rate variability in Fabry disease patients. Methods: We recruited 31 consecutive adult (age >18 years) Fabry disease patients (16 males and 15 females) who were regularly followed up in our outpatient clinic between July 2019 and March 2020. We performed ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and echocardiography in all patients. We used standard deviation (SD), coefficient of variation (CV), and average real variability as the measures of variability. We constructed 2 control groups for propensity score matching using age, sex, and eGFR parameters in the first group and adding antihypertensive drug use to the above parameters in the second group. Results: All BP measurements were significantly lower in the FD group compared to that of the control groups, except the nighttime systolic BP. Regarding nondipping and reverse dipping statuses, FD patients and controls were similar. We found that none of the BP variability measures were higher in FD patients. Regarding heart rate variability data, both the nighttime SD and CV were significantly lower in FD patients compared to those of the controls. Conclusion: A decrease in heart rate variability, rather than an increase in BP variability, might be an early marker of autonomic involvement in FD.
Pareidolia and the Pitfalls of Subjective Interpretation of Ambiguous Images in Art History
Authors: Wilner Raquel G.
Published: December 2021

In art history, we sometimes discover hidden images within a picture and conduct a subjective introspective analysis of the motivation behind these images. The author argues that many such highly ambiguous hidden images are better explained by the pareidolia phenomenon: the tendency to find patterns in random stimuli. The arguments brought forth by Sidney Geist and Dario Gamboni illustrate the pitfalls and controversy of subjective visual analysis and how a perceptual phenomenon can mislead our conclusions. This article proposes that this controversy can be approached by establishing pictorial intent: Did the artist deliberately paint the hidden image, or is it merely a perceptual artifact?
More than the sum of its parts: Merging network psychometrics and network neuroscience with application in autism
Authors: Bathelt Joe , Geurts Hilde M. , Borsboom Denny
Published: December 2021

Network approaches that investigate the interaction between symptoms and behaviours have opened new ways of understanding psychological phenomena in health and disorder in recent years. In parallel, network approaches that characterise the interaction between brain regions have become the dominant approach in neuroimaging research. In this paper, we introduce a methodology for combining network psychometrics and network neuroscience. This approach utilises the information from the psychometric network to obtain neural correlates that are associated with each node in the psychometric network (network-based regression). Moreover, we combine the behavioural variables and their neural correlates in a joint network to characterise their interactions. We illustrate the approach by highlighting the interaction between the triad of autistic traits and their resting-state functional connectivity associations. To this end, we utilise data from 172 male autistic participants (10–21 years) from the autism brain data exchange (ABIDE, ABIDE-II) that completed resting-state fMRI and were assessed using the autism diagnostic interview (ADI-R). Our results indicate that the network-based regression approach can uncover both unique and shared neural correlates of behavioural measures. For instance, our example analysis indicates that the overlap between communication and social difficulties is not reflected in the overlap between their functional brain correlates.
A Critical Assessment of Turkish Islamic Feminism
Authors: Kanatli Mehmet
Published: December 2021

From the early years of the Turkish Republic to the end of the 1990s, the individuals who constitute the Turkish Islamic feminist movement have been the ‘other’ to Kemalist secular women. In the mid-2000s, having found a solution to the ‘headscarf question’, Muslim women started to express their demands, ranging from equal opportunities in education to the transformation of patriarchal structures and the reconstruction of female identity. The article’s main objective is to develop arguments for how dilemmas can be transcended in the process of identity-building. The main hypothesis put forward is that the participants in the Turkish Islamic feminist movement, who could turn their dilemmas into advantages if they managed to establish their relationship with the ‘other’ in line with the universal secular values of equality and freedom, will achieve their existential freedom only to the extent that they are able to act from an existential perspective.