bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of two computed tomography perfusion post-processing software to assess infarct volume in patients with acute ischemic stroke
Authors: Liu Jiayang , Wang Jingjie , Wu Jiajing , Gu Sirun , Yao Yunzhuo , Li Jing , Li Yongmei , Ren Huanhuan , Luo Tianyou
Published: April 2023

Objectives

We used two automated software commonly employed in clinical practice—Olea Sphere (Olea) and Shukun-PerfusionGo (PerfusionGo)—to compare the diagnostic utility and volumetric agreement of computed tomography perfusion (CTP)-predicted final infarct volume (FIV) with true FIV in patients with anterior-circulation acute ischemic stroke (AIS).

Methods

In all, 122 patients with anterior-circulation AIS who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were retrospectively enrolled and divided into two groups: intervention group (n = 52) and conservative group (n = 70), according to recanalization of blood vessels and clinical outcome (NIHSS) after different treatments. Patients in both groups underwent one-stop 4D-CT angiography (CTA)/CTP, and the raw CTP data were processed on a workstation using Olea and PerfusionGo post-processing software, to calculate and obtain the ischemic core (IC) and hypoperfusion (IC plus penumbra) volumes, hypoperfusion in the conservative group and IC in the intervention group were used to define the predicted FIV. The ITK-SNAP software was used to manually outline and measure true FIV on the follow-up non-enhanced CT or MRI-DWI images. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), Bland–Altman, and Kappa analysis were used to compare the differences in IC and penumbra volumes calculated by the Olea and PerfusionGo software to investigate the relationship between their predicted FIV and true FIV.

Results

The IC and penumbra difference between Olea and PerfusionGo within the same group (p < 0.001) was statistically significant. Olea obtained larger IC and smaller penumbra than PerfusionGo. Both software partially overestimated the infarct volume, but Olea significantly overestimated it by a larger percentage. ICC analysis showed that Olea performed better than PerfusionGo (intervention-Olea: ICC 0.633, 95%CI 0.439–0.771; intervention-PerfusionGo: ICC 0.526, 95%CI 0.299–0.696; conservative-Olea: ICC 0.623, 95%CI 0.457–0.747; conservative-PerfusionGo: ICC 0.507, 95%CI 0.312–0.662). Olea and PerfusionGo had the same capacity in accurately diagnosing and classifying patients with infarct volume <70 ml.

Conclusion

Both software had differences in the evaluation of the IC and penumbra. Olea’s predicted FIV was more closely correlated with the true FIV than PerfusionGo’s prediction. Accurate assessment of infarction on CTP post-processing software remains challenging. Our results may have important practice implications for the clinical use of perfusion post-processing software.
RETRACTED: Meta analysis of clinical prognosis of radiofrequency ablation versus partial nephrectomy in the treatment of early renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Qu Hongchen , Wang Kai , Hu Bin
Published: April 2023

Objective

To systematically review the differences between radiofrequency ablation and partial nephrectomy in patients with early-stage renal cell carcinoma, and to provide evidence-based medical evidence for the choice of surgery for patients with early-stage renal cell carcinoma.

Methods

According to the search strategy recommended by the Cochrane Collaboration, Chinese databases such as CNKI, VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodicals Database (VIP), and Wanfang Full-text Database were searched with Chinese search terms. And PubMed and MEDLINE as databases for English literature retrieval. Retrieve the relevant literature on renal cell carcinoma surgical methods published before May 2022, and further screen radiofrequency ablation and partial nephrectomy in patients with renal cell carcinoma The relevant literature on the application is analyzed. RevMan5.3 software was used for heterogeneity test and combined statistical analysis, sensitivity analysis, and subgroup analysis. Analysis, and draw forest plot, using Stata software Begger quantitative assessment of publication bias.

Results

A total of 11 articles were involved, including 2958 patients. According to the Jadad scale, 2 articles were of low quality, and the remaining 9 articles were of high quality. Results of this study demonstrates the advantages of radiofrequency ablation in early-stage renal cell carcinoma. The results of this meta-analysis showed that compared with partial nephrectomy, there was significant difference in the 5-year overall survival rate between radiofrequency ablation and partial nephrectomy and there was a statistically significant difference between the two surgical methods in the 5-year relapse free survival rate of early renal cell carcinoma.

Conclusion

1. Compared with partial nephrectomy, the 5-year relapse-free survival rate, the 5-year cancer specific survival rate and the overall 5-year survival rate were higher in the radiofrequency ablation group. 2. Compared with partial nephrectomy, there was no significant difference in the postoperative local tumor recurrence rate of radiofrequency ablation. 3. Compared with partial resection, radiofrequency ablation is more beneficial to patients with renal cell carcinoma.
A new prognostic nomogram in patients with mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma: a multicenter retrospective study
Authors: Wen Qiuyue , Li Xiaoqian , Zhao Kewei , Li Qiuhui , Zhu Fang , Wu Gang , Lin Tongyu , Zhang Liling
Published: April 2023

Background

The present study sought to understand how clinical factors and inflammatory biomarkers affected the prognosis of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma and develop a predictive nomogram to assist in clinical practice.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study on 183 cases of newly diagnosed MALT lymphoma from January 2011 to October 2021, randomly divided into two groups: a training cohort (75%); and a validation cohort (25%). The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis was combined with multivariate Cox regression analysis to construct a nomogram for predicting the progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with MALT lymphoma. To evaluate the accuracy of the nomogram model, the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used.

Results

The PFS was significantly associated with the Ann Arbor Stage, targeted therapy, radiotherapy, and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in MALT lymphoma. These four variables were combined to establish a nomogram to predict the PFS rates at three and five years. Importantly, our nomogram yielded good predictive value with area under the ROC curve (AUC) values of 0.841 and 0.763 in the training cohort and 0.860 and 0.879 in the validation cohort for the 3-year and 5-year PFS, respectively. Furthermore, the 3-year and 5-year PFS calibration curves revealed a high degree of consistency between the prediction and the actual probability of relapse. Additionally, DCA demonstrated the net clinical benefit of this nomogram and its ability to identify high-risk patients accurately.

Conclusion

The new nomogram model could accurately predict the prognosis of MALT lymphoma patients and assist clinicians in designing individualized treatments.
A model-based approach for a practical dosing strategy for the short, intensive treatment regimen for paediatric tuberculous meningitis
Authors: Wasmann Roeland E. , Masini Tiziana , Viney Kerri , Verkuijl Sabine , Brands Annemieke , Hesseling Anneke C. , McIlleron Helen , Denti Paolo , Dooley Kelly E.
Published: April 2023

Following infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, young children are at high risk of developing severe forms of tuberculosis (TB) disease, including TB meningitis (TBM), which is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) conditionally recommended that a 6-month treatment regimen composed of higher doses of isoniazid (H) and rifampicin (R), with pyrazinamide (Z) and ethionamide (Eto) (6HRZEto), be used as an alternative to the standard 12-month regimen (2HRZ-Ethambutol/10HR) in children and adolescents with bacteriologically confirmed or clinically diagnosed TBM. This regimen has been used in South Africa since 1985, in a complex dosing scheme across weight bands using fixed-dose combinations (FDC) available locally at the time. This paper describes the methodology used to develop a new dosing strategy to facilitate implementation of the short TBM regimen based on newer globally available drug formulations. Several dosing options were simulated in a virtual representative population of children using population PK modelling. The exposure target was in line with the TBM regimen implemented in South Africa. The results were presented to a WHO convened expert meeting. Given the difficulty to achieve simple dosing using the globally available RH 75/50 mg FDC, the panel expressed the preference to target a slightly higher rifampicin exposure while keeping isoniazid exposures in line with those used in South Africa. This work informed the WHO operational handbook on the management of TB in children and adolescents, in which dosing strategies for children with TBM using the short TBM treatment regimen are provided.
Identifying therapeutic biomarkers of zoledronic acid by metabolomics
Authors: Li Xiang , Wang Zi-Yuan , Ren Na , Wei Zhan-Ying , Hu Wei-Wei , Gu Jie-Mei , Zhang Zhen-Lin , Yu Xiang-Tian , Wang Chun
Published: April 2023

Zoledronic acid (ZOL) is a potent antiresorptive agent that increases bone mineral density (BMD) and reduces fracture risk in postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP). The anti-osteoporotic effect of ZOL is determined by annual BMD measurement. In most cases, bone turnover markers function as early indicators of therapeutic response, but they fail to reflect long-term effects. We used untargeted metabolomics to characterize time-dependent metabolic shifts in response to ZOL and to screen potential therapeutic markers. In addition, bone marrow RNA-seq was performed to support plasma metabolic profiling. Sixty rats were assigned to sham-operated group (SHAM, n = 21) and ovariectomy group (OVX, n = 39) and received sham operation or bilateral ovariectomy, respectively. After modeling and verification, rats in the OVX group were further divided into normal saline group (NS, n = 15) and ZOL group (ZA, n = 18). Three doses of 100 μg/kg ZOL were administrated to the ZA group every 2 weeks to simulate 3-year ZOL therapy in PMOP. An equal volume of saline was administered to the SHAM and NS groups. Plasma samples were collected at five time points for metabolic profiling. At the end of the study, selected rats were euthanatized for bone marrow RNA-seq. A total number of 163 compound were identified as differential metabolites between the ZA and NS groups, including mevalonate, a critical molecule in target pathway of ZOL. In addition, prolyl hydroxyproline (PHP), leucyl hydroxyproline (LHP), 4-vinylphenol sulfate (4-VPS) were identified as differential metabolites throughout the study. Moreover, 4-VPS negatively correlated with increased vertebral BMD after ZOL administration as time-series analysis revealed. Bone marrow RNA-seq showed that the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway was significantly associated with ZOL-mediated changes in expression (adjusted-p = 0.018). In conclusion, mevalonate, PHP, LHP, and 4-VPS are candidate therapeutic markers of ZOL. The pharmacological effect of ZOL likely occurs through inhibition of the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway.
Preeclamptic programming unevenly perturbs inflammatory and renal vasodilatory outcomes of endotoxemia in rat offspring: modulation by losartan and pioglitazone
Authors: Morgaan Hagar A. , Sallam Marwa Y. , El-Gowelli Hanan M. , El-Gowilly Sahar M. , El-Mas Mahmoud M.
Published: April 2023

Introduction: Preeclampsia (PE) enhances the vulnerability of adult offspring to serious illnesses. The current study investigated whether preeclamptic fetal programming impacts hemodynamic and renal vasodilatory disturbances in endotoxic adult offspring and whether these interactions are influenced by antenatal therapy with pioglitazone and/or losartan.

Methods: PE was induced by oral administration of L-NAME (50 mg/kg/day) for the last 7 days of pregnancy. Adult offspring was treated with lipopolysaccharides (LPS, 5 mg/kg) followed 4-h later by hemodynamic and renovascular studies.

Results: Tail-cuff measurements showed that LPS decreased systolic blood pressure (SBP) in male, but not female, offspring of PE dams. Moreover, PE or LPS reduced vasodilations elicited by acetylcholine (ACh, 0.01–7.29 nmol) or N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (NECA, 1.6–100 nmol) in perfused kidneys of male rats only. The latter effects disappeared in LPS/PE preparations, suggesting a postconditioning action for LPS against renal manifestation of PE. Likewise, elevations caused by LPS in serum creatinine and inflammatory cytokines (TNFα and IL-1β) as well as in renal protein expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and AT1 receptors were attenuated by the dual PE/LPS challenge. Gestational pioglitazone or losartan reversed the attenuated ACh/NECA vasodilations in male rats but failed to modify LPS hypotension or inflammation. The combined gestational pioglitazone/losartan therapy improved ACh/NECA vasodilations and eliminated the rises in serum IL-1β and renal MCP-1 and AT1 receptor expressions.

Conclusion: Preeclamptic fetal programming of endotoxic hemodynamic and renal manifestations in adult offspring depends on animal sex and specific biological activity and are reprogrammed by antenatal pioglitazone/losartan therapy.
Artemisitene Alters LPS-Induced Oxidative stress, inflammation and Ferroptosis in Liver Through Nrf2/HO-1 and NF-kB Pathway
Authors: Zhao Changzhi , Xiao Congshu , Feng Songqiao , Bai Jianxin
Published: April 2023

The liver plays a critical role in sepsis, which is a serious worldwide public health problem. A novel mechanism of controlled cell death called ferroptosis has recently been described. Disrupted redox equilibrium, excessive iron, and enhanced lipid peroxidation are key features of ferroptosis. It is unknown how ferroptosis affects liver damage caused by sepsis. In the present study, we aimed to elucidate the pathways and explore the impact of artemisitene (ATT) on ferroptosis in sepsis-induced liver injury. Our findings demonstrated that ATT significantly decreased liver damage and ferroptotic characteristics. Additionally, ATT significantly reduced the expression of the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) subunit to reduce LPS-induced hepatic oxidative stress and inflammation and upregulated the expression of nuclear factor-erythroid 2 (NF-E2)-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its downstream protein heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1). This may offer a new strategy for preventing LPS-induced hepatic injury.
The discovery and characterization of AeHGO in the branching route from shikonin biosynthesis to shikonofuran in Arnebia euchroma
Authors: Wang Ruishan , Liu Changzheng , Lyu Chaogeng , Sun Jiahui , Kang Chuanzhi , Ma Ying , Wan Xiufu , Guo Juan , Shi Linyuan , Wang Jinye , Huang Luqi , Wang Sheng , Guo Lanping
Published: April 2023

Shikonin derivatives are natural naphthoquinone compounds and the main bioactive components produced by several boraginaceous plants, such as Lithospermum erythrorhizon and Arnebia euchroma. Phytochemical studies utilizing both L. erythrorhizon and A. euchroma cultured cells indicate the existence of a competing route branching out from the shikonin biosynthetic pathway to shikonofuran. A previous study has shown that the branch point is the transformation from (Z)-3’’-hydroxy-geranylhydroquinone to an aldehyde intermediate (E)-3’’-oxo-geranylhydroquinone. However, the gene encoding the oxidoreductase that catalyzes the branch reaction remains unidentified. In this study, we discovered a candidate gene belonging to the cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase family, AeHGO, through coexpression analysis of transcriptome data sets of shikonin-proficient and shikonin-deficient cell lines of A. euchroma. In biochemical assays, purified AeHGO protein reversibly oxidized (Z)-3’’-hydroxy-geranylhydroquinone to produce (E)-3’’-oxo-geranylhydroquinone followed by reversibly reducing (E)-3’’-oxo-geranylhydroquinone to (E)-3’’-hydroxy-geranylhydroquinone, resulting in an equilibrium mixture of the three compounds. Time course analysis and kinetic parameters showed that the reduction of (E)-3’’-oxo-geranylhydroquinone was stereoselective and efficient in presence of NADPH, which determined that the overall reaction proceeded from (Z)-3’’-hydroxy-geranylhydroquinone to (E)-3’’-hydroxy-geranylhydroquinone. Considering that there is a competition between the accumulation of shikonin and shikonofuran derivatives in cultured plant cells, AeHGO is supposed to play an important role in the metabolic regulation of the shikonin biosynthetic pathway. Characterization of AeHGO should help expedite the development of metabolic engineering and synthetic biology toward production of shikonin derivatives.
Perceived barriers, facilitators and usefulness of a psychoeducational intervention for individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain and depression in primary care
Authors: Tomé-Pires Catarina , Aragonès Enric , Rambla Concepción , López-Cortacans Germán , Sánchez-Rodríguez Elisabet , Caballero Antonia , Miró Jordi
Published: April 2023

Background and aims

Self-management interventions have the potential to improve patient’ pain condition as they involve tasks aimed at managing symptoms and reducing interference with activities, mood and relationships due to pain. However, research on factors that facilitate or hinder pain self-management has overlooked patients with both chronic musculoskeletal pain and depression in primary care settings, also leaving unattended patient views on the usefulness of such programs. Thus, the main aim of this study was to gather meaningful information to help promoting adequate self-management. Specifically, it attempts to identify patients’ perceptions of barriers and facilitators of group-based psychoeducational intervention and to explore its perceived usefulness in promoting self-management.

Method

This qualitative study explored perceived barriers and facilitators of a psychoeducational intervention for the management of chronic musculoskeletal pain and depression previously tested in a Randomized Control Trial. We conducted focus groups and individual interviews with fifteen adult patients with both chronic musculoskeletal pain and depression recruited from primary care centres in Tarragona province (Catalonia, Spain). A content thematic analysis was carried out to examine the data. This study followed the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) guidelines.

Results

Findings revealed that perceived barriers included lack of motivation, time constraints, pain, depression, ineffectiveness of pain-relief strategies and activity avoidance. Facilitators were having a supportive family/friends, the positive effects of self-management, high motivation, being a proactive patient. Peer support and identification, the positive effect of sessions, and free expression were highlighted as key elements of the psychoeducational intervention.

Conclusion

The psychoeducational intervention was perceived as useful in promoting self-management practices. Barriers and facilitators in using self-management strategies were related, mainly, to internal personal characteristics of the patients being similar among different cultural backgrounds and distinct chronic conditions.

Implications

These findings can help to guide clinicians in the development and implementation of more effective pain self-management interventions for patients with chronic pain and depression by attending to their needs and preferences.
The impact of corporate violations on charitable donation behavior
Authors: Zhu Qing , Yuan Fangying , Wang Chuming , Luan Dongqing , Wang Hong
Published: April 2023

The present study investigated the impact of corporate violations on corporate charitable donation behavior and the heterogeneity influences played by corporate ownership type, analyst attention and information transparency. This study analyzed 3,715 non-financial companies in Chinese A-shares from 2011 to 2020 using panel data. The impact of corporate violations on corporate charitable donations was examined by using Ordinary Least Squares, instrumental variables two-stage least squares and propensity score matching method. Consequently, the following conclusions are presented. First, corporate violations are significantly positively correlated with the level of corporate charitable donations. Second, among the companies with high analyst attention, high information transparency, or non-state-owned nature, the positive impact of enterprise violations on charitable donations is greater. These findings suggest that charitable giving may be used by some businesses as an undesirable tool to conceal their irregularities. No study has been conducted regarding the influence of corporate violations on corporate charitable donations in China. This study is a pioneering study that seeks to give insights into the link between these variables in the context of China, which has practical implications for gaining insights into corporate charitable giving in China, as well as identifying and curbing “hypocritical” corporate charitable donation behavior.
Sex offender registration and notification act with adolescents adjudicated for illegal sexual behavior: a therapeutic jurisprudence perspective
Authors: Alexander Apryl , Falligant John Michael , Marchi Cory , Floding Erica , Jennings Marissa
Published: April 2023

Adolescents adjudicated for illegal sexual behavior (AISB) are subjected to the same Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) policies as adults with sexual offense histories despite current research documenting their relatively low likelihood of recidivism. Therapeutic jurisprudence is a framework which suggests the law should value psychological well-being and strive to avoid imposing anti-therapeutic consequences. The purpose of this article is to analyze the use of SORNA policies with AISB from a therapeutic jurisprudence perspective. Given the current literature documenting the collateral consequences of SORNA on AISB and their families and the lack of efficacy in reducing recidivism, we argue SORNA should not be applied to children and adolescents. We conclude with a discussion of future directions for the juvenile justice system and public policy reform.
Ten characteristics of high-quality planetary health education—Results from a qualitative study with educators, students as educators and study deans at medical schools in Germany
Authors: Simon Johanna , Parisi Sandra , Wabnitz Katharina , Simmenroth Anne , Schwienhorst-Stich Eva-Maria
Published: April 2023

Aim

The climate and ecological crises are considered fundamental threats to human health. Healthcare workers in general and doctors in particular can contribute as change agents in mitigation and adaptation. Planetary health education (PHE) aims to harness this potential. This study explores perspectives among stakeholders involved in PHE at German medical schools on the characteristics of high-quality PHE and compares them to existing PHE frameworks.

Methods

In 2021, we conducted a qualitative interview study with stakeholders from German medical schools involved in PHE. Three different groups were eligible: faculty members, medical students actively involved in PHE, and study deans of medical schools. Recruitment was performed through national PHE networks and snowball sampling. Thematic qualitative text analysis according to Kuckartz was used for the analysis. Results were systematically compared to three existing PHE frameworks.

Results

A total of 20 participants (13 female) from 15 different medical schools were interviewed. Participants covered a wide range of professional backgrounds and experience in PHE education. The analysis revealed ten key themes: (1) Complexity and systems thinking, (2) inter- and transdisciplinarity, (3) ethical dimension, (4) responsibility of health professionals, (5) transformative competencies including practical skills, (6) space for reflection and resilience building, (7) special role of students, (8) need for curricular integration, (9) innovative and proven didactic methods, and (10) education as a driver of innovation. Six of our themes showed substantial overlap with existing PHE frameworks. Two of our themes were only mentioned in one of the frameworks, and two others were not explicitly mentioned. Few important elements of the frameworks did not emerge from our data.

Conclusions

In the light of increased attention regarding the connections of the climate and ecological crises and health, our results can be useful for anyone working toward the integration of planetary health into medical schools' and any health professions' curricula and should be considered when designing and implementing new educational activities.
Agronomic iron-biofortification by activated hydrochars of spent coffee grounds
Authors: Lara-Ramos Leslie , Fernández-Bayo Jesús , Delgado Gabriel , Fernández-Arteaga Alejandro
Published: April 2023

Iron biofortification has been of main interest for tackling iron deficiency anemia, one of the highest prevalence among micronutrient deficiencies (hidden hunger) in developing countries. This study investigated the effect of activated spent coffee grounds (SCG) and its hydrochars at three temperatures (160°C, 180°C, 200°C) as bio-chelates to level up the iron content of lettuce. Four bio-chelates (ASCG-Fe, AH160-Fe, AH180-Fe and AH200-Fe) were obtained by activation and Fe-functionalization. A pot trial was conducted at doses of 0.2% of the bio-chelates on lettuce with two controls: soil without biofortifying agents (control) and a commercial chelate (control-Fe). Outcomes showed no significant differences (p < 0.05) in soil properties nor in plant growth and morphology, indicating absence of phytotoxicity. All bio-chelates enhanced iron content of plants between 41% (AH200-Fe) and 150% (AH160-Fe) compared to control. The best biofortification effect performed by AH160-Fe was similar to control-Fe (169%), also in terms of soil–plant efficiency both products showed the same transfer factor of 0.07. A proportional impact (up to 150%) was seen on the contribution to the recommended daily intake (RDI). Moreover, higher contents of Mn (29%) and Cu (133%) was evidenced in lettuce with the application of ASCG-Fe and AH180-Fe. These findings suggest activated SCG hydrochars, better than SCG, at small (sub-toxic) doses can successfully achieve agronomic iron biofortification.
Effects of tillage method on the carbon footprint, energy budget, and net ecosystem economic efficiency of rice fields
Authors: Cheng Shuang , Xing Zhipeng , Tian Chao , Liu Mengzhu , Feng Yuan , Zhang Hongcheng
Published: April 2023

Biaxial rotary tillage is considered an effective approach for enhancing the structure of soil in rice fields. There are few reports on the effects of biaxial rotary tillage on the carbon footprint (CF), energy budget, and net ecosystem economic efficiency (NEEB) of rice fields. Here, we evaluated the effects of dryland biaxial rotary tillage (DBRT), as well as two traditional tillage methods, dryland and paddy field in uniaxial rotary tillage (DPURT) and paddy field in uniaxial rotary tillage (PURT), on the CF, energy budget, and NEEB of rice production to clarify the economic and ecological utility of DBRT. The tillage depth was 9.5–15.4% higher under DBRT than under DPURT and PURT (p < 0.05). The soil bulk density was 5.4–12.1% lower under DBRT than under DPURT and PURT. The rice grain yield was 7.6–8.7% and 17.7–19.1% higher under DBRT than under DPURT and PURT, respectively (p < 0.05). The total global warming potential was 7.6–10.6% and 17.0–20.4% lower under DBRT than under DPURT and PURT, respectively (p < 0.05). The CF was 17.7–18.9% and 35.4–36.1% lower under DBRT than under DPURT and PURT, respectively. The energy use efficiency was 8.7–10.4% and 16.4–18.3% higher under DBRT than under DPURT and PURT, respectively. The NEEB were 13.2–15.7% and 28.6–32.1% higher under DBRT than under DPURT and PURT, respectively. In summary, DBRT is beneficial for increasing rice yield and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, thereby improving the economic and ecological benefits of rice.
Modeling and Theoretical Analysis of Zero-Flowrate-Switching Control Method for a Dynamic Load System to Reduce Switching Power Loss of Control Valves
Authors: Peng Shuang
Published: April 2023

Valve switching is one of the most important power losses in digital hydraulics. In this paper, a dynamic Zero-Flowrate-Switching (ZFS) control method is developed for hydraulic/pneumatic systems. The proposed control strategy is to actively reduce the flowrate passing through the valve to zero before switching off the valve. To realize it, an accessory line, in which a RLC oscillator is applied to generate a sinusoidal flowrate, is allocated parallel to the main control line for flowrate regulation. The pressure, with high frequency and small amplitude wave outputs from a regular piston pump, is used to drive the RLC oscillator. To evaluate the performance of this strategy, mathematical models for switching power loss and pressure pulses are developed and characteristic analysis is conducted. The results show that the energy loss of the system when applying the dynamic ZFS controller is reduced to 16% compared to that of a normal hydraulic system without a dynamic ZFS controller; moreover, pressure pulses in a dynamic ZFS system are much more minor than those in a Hard-Switching system.
Tracking Control of Robot Manipulator with Friction Compensation Using Time-Delay Control and an Adaptive Fuzzy Logic System
Authors: Sun Yao , Liang Xichang , Wan Yi
Published: April 2023

This paper aims to highlight the critical role of robot manipulators in industrial applications and elucidate the challenges associated with achieving high-precision control. In particular, the detrimental effects of nonlinear friction on manipulators are discussed. To overcome this challenge, a novel friction compensation controller (FCC) that combines time-delay estimation (TDE) and an adaptive fuzzy logic system (AFLS) is proposed in this paper. The friction compensation controller is designed to take advantage of the time-delay estimation algorithm’s strengths in eliminating and estimating unknown dynamic functions of the system using information from the previous sampling period. Simultaneously, the adaptive fuzzy logic system compensates for the hard nonlinearities in the system and suppresses the errors generated by time-delay estimation, thus improving the accuracy of the robotic arm’s tracking. The numerical experimental results demonstrate that the proposed friction compensation controller can significantly enhance the tracking accuracy of the robotic arm, with the addition of the adaptive fuzzy logic system improving time delay estimation’s performance by an average of 90.59%. Moreover, the proposed controller is more straightforward to implement than existing methods and performs exceptionally well in practical applications.
Pilot Selection in the Era of Virtual Reality: Algorithms for Accurate and Interpretable Machine Learning Models
Authors: Ke Luoma , Zhang Guangpeng , He Jibo , Li Yajing , Li Yan , Liu Xufeng , Fang Peng
Published: April 2023

With the rapid growth of the aviation industry, there is a need for a large number of flight crew. How to select suitable prospective pilots in a cost-efficient manner has become an important research question. In the current study, 23 pilots were recruited from China Eastern Airlines, and 23 novices were from the community of Tsinghua University. A novel approach incorporating machine learning and virtual reality technology was applied to distinguish features between these participants with different flight skills. Results indicate that SVM with the MIC feature selection method consistently achieved the highest prediction performance on all metrics with an accuracy of 0.93, an AUC of 0.96, and an F1 of 0.93, which outperforms four other classifier algorithms and two other feature selection methods. From the perspective of feature selection methods, the MIC method can select features with a nonlinear relationship to sampling labels instead of a simple filter-out. Our new implementation of the SVM + MIC algorithm outperforms all existing pilot selection algorithms and perhaps provides the first implementation based on eye tracking and flight dynamics data. This study’s VR simulation platforms and algorithms can be used for pilot selection, training, and personnel selection in other fields (e.g., astronauts).
Combination of Transcriptomics and Proteomics Reveals Differentially Expressed Genes and Proteins in the Skin of EDAR Gene-Targeted and Wildtype Cashmere Goats
Authors: Gao Gui-Zhen , Hao Fei , Zhu Lei , Jiang Guo-Qing , Yan Wei , Liu Jie , Liu Dong-Jun
Published: April 2023

Cashmere goats play a pivotal role in the animal hair industry and are economically valuable. Cashmere is produced through the periodic growth of secondary hair follicles. To improve their yield of cashmere, the regulatory mechanisms of cashmere follicle growth and development need to be analysed. Therefore, in this study, EDAR gene-targeted cashmere goats were used as an animal model to observe the phenotypic characteristics of abnormal hair growth and development at the top of the head. Transcriptomic and proteomic techniques were used to screen for differentially expressed genes and proteins. In total, 732 differentially expressed genes were identified, including 395 upregulated and 337 downregulated genes. In addition, 140 differentially expressed proteins were identified, including 69 upregulated and 71 downregulated proteins. These results provide a research target for elucidating the mechanism through which EDAR regulates hair follicle growth in cashmere goats. It also enriches the available data on the regulatory network involved in hair follicle growth.
Evaluation of Dosing Guidelines for Gentamicin in Neonates and Children
Authors: Hollander Esther M. , van Tuinen Eline L. , Schölvinck Elisabeth H. , Bergman Klasien A. , Bourgonje Arno R. , Gracchi Valentina , Kneyber Martin C. J. , Touw Daan J. , Mian Paola
Published: April 2023

Although aminoglycosides are frequently prescribed to neonates and children, the ability to reach effective and safe target concentrations with the currently used dosing regimens remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate the target attainment of the currently used dosing regimens for gentamicin in neonates and children. We conducted a retrospective single-center cohort study in neonates and children receiving gentamicin between January 2019 and July 2022, in the Beatrix Children’s Hospital. The first gentamicin concentration used for therapeutic drug monitoring was collected for each patient, in conjunction with information on dosing and clinical status. Target trough concentrations were ≤1 mg/L for neonates and ≤0.5 mg/L for children. Target peak concentrations were 8–12 mg/L for neonates and 15–20 mg/L for children. In total, 658 patients were included (335 neonates and 323 children). Trough concentrations were outside the target range in 46.2% and 9.9% of neonates and children, respectively. Peak concentrations were outside the target range in 46.0% and 68.7% of neonates and children, respectively. In children, higher creatinine concentrations were associated with higher gentamicin trough concentrations. This study corroborates earlier observational studies showing that, with a standard dose, drug concentration targets were met in only approximately 50% of the cases. Our findings show that additional parameters are needed to improve target attainment.
Green Extraction of Antioxidant Compounds from Olive Tree Leaves Based on Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents
Authors: Mir-Cerdà Aina , Granados Mercè , Saurina Javier , Sentellas Sonia
Published: April 2023

Agri-food industries generate a large amount of waste that offers great revalorization opportunities within the circular economy framework. In recent years, new methodologies for the extraction of compounds with more eco-friendly solvents have been developed, such as the case of natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES). In this study, a methodology for extracting phenolic compounds from olive tree leaves using NADES has been optimized. The conditions established as the optimal rely on a solvent composed of choline chloride and glycerol at a molar ratio of 1:5 with 30% water. The extraction was carried out at 80 °C for 2 h with constant agitation. The extracts obtained have been analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) in MRM mode. The comparison with conventional ethanol/water extraction has shown that NADES, a more environmentally friendly alternative, has improved extraction efficiency. The main polyphenols identified in the NADES extract were Luteolin-7-O-glucoside, Oleuropein, 3-Hydroxytyrosol, Rutin, and Luteolin at the concentrations of 262, 173, 129, 34, and 29 mg kg−1 fresh weight, respectively.
A New Method of Time-Series Event Prediction Based on Sequence Labeling
Authors: Zhong Zihan , Lv Shu , Shi Kaibo
Published: April 2023

In the existing research on time-series event prediction (TSEP) methods, most of the work is focused on improving the algorithm for classifying subsequence sets (sets composed of multiple adjacent subsequences). However, these prediction methods ignore the timing dependence between the subsequence sets, nor do they capture the mutual transition relationship between events, the prediction effect on a small sample data set is very poor. Meanwhile, the sequence labeling problem is one of the common problems in natural language processing and image segmentation. To solve this problem, this paper proposed a new framework for time-series event prediction, which transforms the event prediction problem into a labeling problem, to better capture the timing relationship between the subsequence sets. Specifically, the framework used a sequence clustering algorithm for the first time to identify representative patterns in the time series, then represented the set of subsequences as a weighted combination of patterns, and used the eXtreme gradient boosting algorithm (XGBoost) for feature selection. After that, the selected pattern feature was used as the input of the long-term short-term memory model (LSTM) to obtain the preliminary prediction value. Furthermore, the fully-linked conditional random field (CRF) was used to smooth and refine the preliminary prediction value to obtain the final prediction result. Finally, the experimental results of event prediction on five real data sets show that the CX-LC method has a certain improvement in prediction accuracy compared with the other six models.
Computer Vision Techniques for Growth Prediction: A Prisma-Based Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Harie Yojiro , Gautam Bishnu Prasad , Wasaki Katsumi
Published: April 2023

Growth prediction technology is not only a practical application but also a crucial approach that strengthens the safety of image processing techniques. By supplementing the growth images obtained from the original images, especially in insufficient data sets, we can increase the robustness of machine learning. Therefore, predicting the growth of living organisms is an important technology that increases the safety of existing applications that target living organisms and can extend to areas not yet realized. This paper is a systematic literature review (SLR) investigating biological growth prediction based on the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. We systematically survey existing studies from 2017 to 2022 to provide other researchers with current trends. We searched four digital libraries—IEEE Xplore, ACM Digital Library, Science Direct, and Web of Science—and finally analyzed 47 articles. We summarize the methods used, year, features, accuracy, and dataset of each paper. In particular, we explained LSTM, GAN, and STN, the most frequently used methods among the 20 papers related to machine learning (40% of all papers).
Characterization of the Intelligibility of Vowel–Consonant–Vowel (VCV) Recordings in Five Languages for Application in Speech-in-Noise Screening in Multilingual Settings
Authors: Rocco Giulia , Bernardi Giuliano , Ali Randall , van Waterschoot Toon , Polo Edoardo Maria , Barbieri Riccardo , Paglialonga Alessia
Published: April 2023

The purpose of this study is to characterize the intelligibility of a corpus of Vowel–Consonant–Vowel (VCV) stimuli recorded in five languages (English, French, German, Italian and Portuguese) in order to identify a subset of stimuli for screening individuals of unknown language during speech-in-noise tests. The intelligibility of VCV stimuli was estimated by combining the psychometric functions derived from the Short-Time Objective Intelligibility (STOI) measure with those derived from listening tests. To compensate for the potential increase in speech recognition effort in non-native listeners, stimuli were selected based on three criteria: (i) higher intelligibility; (ii) lower variability of intelligibility; and (iii) shallower psychometric function. The observed intelligibility estimates show that the three criteria for application in multilingual settings were fulfilled by the set of VCVs in English (average intelligibility from 1% to 8% higher; SRT from 4.01 to 2.04 dB SNR lower; average variability up to four times lower; slope from 0.35 to 0.68%/dB SNR lower). Further research is needed to characterize the intelligibility of these stimuli in a large sample of non-native listeners with varying degrees of hearing loss and to determine the possible effects of hearing loss and native language on VCV recognition.
Influence of Uneven Subgrade Frost Heave on Deformation and Damage of CRTSIII Slab Track
Authors: Wang Hongge , Xiao Hong , Cui Xuhao , Yang Shusheng , Nadakatti Mahantesh M. , Guo Qiang
Published: April 2023

The problem of uneven frost heave deformation of high-speed railway subgrade in seasonal freezing areas seriously affects the service state and service life of slab track structures and threatens the safe operation of high-speed vehicles. Based on the damage plasticity theory of concrete, in this study, an analytical model is established for CRTSIII slab track with damage plasticity and reinforcement. The influences of various frost heaving parameters on track structure deformation, interlayer seam, as well as the stress and damage behaviors were analyzed in detail. The results show that, as compared with a linear elastic model, the damage plastic model better reflects the softening behavior and stress attenuation of track structure concrete after reaching its tensile strength. The deformation and the interlayer seam reach their maximum values when the frost heaving wave peak acts at the position that is one-sixth of the base length from the edge of the concrete base. When the frost heaving wave peak acts on grooves at the base center, initially, the track structure is seriously damaged. The interlayer seam and damage decrease with an increase in frost heaving wavelength and increase with an increase in frost heaving wave amplitude. The interlayer seam of the track structure is more sensitive to frost heave deformation having a wavelength of less than 10 m. The extent of damage to the concrete base gradually increases with a decrease in the wave/amplitude ratio. It undergoes three stages of damage evolution: (i) no damage, (ii) upper surface bending damage, (iii) reverse bending damage. In order to improve efficiency, it is recommended, during track maintenance, to focus on the position of the central groove of the base and the position that is one-sixth of the base length from the edge of the concrete base.
POV: A Home of Alterity
Authors: Romanova-Hynes Maria
Published: April 2023

Challenging the idea of “home” as a safe refuge, or an enclosure of stability, this article explores ways in which home can be envisioned as an ontological space of becoming, where life is always risked. “POV: A Home of Alterity” is conceived within a deconstructivist theoretical framework and asks the question of how home can be perceived as an open text—a locus of oscillation between inside and outside—for the purpose of revealing home as an inherently traumatic “event,” which presupposes an openness to absolute alterity. To show the traces of otherness in one’s experience of being present (at home), it examines a photograph from Julia Borissova’s project DOM: Document Object Model and sets out to interrogate the concept of “home” through three relationships wherein it emerges: (1) between inside and outside, (2) between the I and the other, and (3) between the I and oneself. Consequently, this article seeks to define home as a representational space of one’s own alterity, where one surrenders to one’s non-coincidence with oneself and hence to experience itself, ultimately revealing that, in an aporetical way, home encrypts the very dislocation it “promises” to shield from.
Effects of Dietary Protein Content and Using Sugar Beet Pulp or Benzoic Acid Supplementations on the Nitrogen Excretion of Fattening Pigs and its Composition
Authors: Dublecz Károly , Geicsnek-Koltay Ilona Anna , Such Nikoletta , Benedek Zsuzsanna , Kovács Ákos , Bartos Ádám , Poór Judit , Pál László
Published: April 2023

In this trial, the effects of different nutritional treatments on the N balance parameters of fattening pigs in the 55–65 kg live weight category were evaluated. The following diets were used: control diet (C) and low-protein (LP) diet with 2% crude protein reduction, with and without 10% sugar beet pulp (S) or 0.5% benzoic acid supplementation. Six pigs per treatment with similar live weight were used, and in the context of the balance trial, the daily N intake, fecal and urinary N excretion and the pH of urine were measured. From the data N digestibility, the TAN % and N retention were calculated. Feeding LP diets reduced the fecal, urinary and total N excretion and also the pH of urine significantly compared with the control diet. Sugar beet pulp significantly increased the fecal N excretion and urinary pH, and it also reduced significantly N digestibility and the TAN ratio. Benzoic acid failed to reduce urinary pH. The measured N excretion, retention and TAN excretion values were more favorable than those that can be found in the different guidelines or those used in the Hungarian ammonia emission inventory.