bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anti-Mullerian Hormone And Puberty Development On Girls And Adolescents Who Underwent Cancer Treatment
Authors: Ayuandari Sarrah , Dewanto Agung , Oktasari Rizki , Rahmawati Naafi Rizqi , Alma Nurulita Ainun , Hamurajib Kuky Cahya , Mulatsih Sri
Published: July 2021

Background: High survival rate of children diagnosed with cancer has led to a growing population of women with premature ovarian failure (POF) due to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The POF process occurs due to the disruption of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary and gonadal axis followed by the delay of puberty development. Evaluation of reproductive function in children with cancer is essential to determine the fertility preservation plan. This study aimed to describe reproductive function in children and adolescents with cancer who received chemotherapy based on Tanner stage evaluation, menstrual cycle, and Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) examination using Electrochemilumiscence Immunoassay (ECLIA) Kit.Result: Twenty-three girls aged 12-18 years old and had menarche who underwent cancer therapy in January-August 2019 in Dr. Sardjito General Hospital were included in the study. Among them, 61% girls had low AMH levels and were defined as Diminished Ovarian Reserve (DOR). There were two subjects with DOR who experienced delayed puberty. Regular menstrual cycle was reported in 65.2% subjects, while 21.7% encountered secondary amenorrhea.Conclusion: Chemotherapy exposure impacted on DOR occurrence in 60.9% childhood and adolescence cancer. Moreover, it also altered menstrual regularity in 34.8% and delayed on puberty development in 8.7% subjects.
Targeted green recovery measures in a post-COVID-19 world enable the energy transition
Authors: Dafnomilis Ioannis , Chen Hsing-Hsuan , Elzen Michel , Fragkos Panagiotis , Chewpreecha Unnada , Soest Heleen van , Fragkiadakis Kostas , Karkatsoulis Panagiotis , Paroussos Leonidas , de Boer Harmen Sytze , Daioglou Vassilis , Edelenbosch Oreane , Kiss-Dobronyi Bence , Vuuren Detlef van
Published: July 2021

Despite the significant volume of fiscal recovery measures announced by countries to deal with the COVID-19 crisis, most recovery plans allocate a low percentage to green recovery. We present scenarios exploring the long-term impact of the COVID-19 crisis and develop a Green Recovery scenario using three global models to analyze the impact of a more ambitious allocation. The results show that a Green Recovery scenario, with 1% of global GDP in fiscal support directed to mitigation measures for three years, could reduce global CO2 emissions by 10.5−15.5% below pre-COVID projections by 2030. The share of renewables in global electricity generation is projected to reach 45% in 2030, the uptake of electric vehicles would be accelerated, and energy efficiency in the buildings and industry sector would improve. However, such a temporary investment should be reinforced with sustained climate policies after 2023 to lead to socio-economic restructuring towards carbon neutrality by mid-century.
Appropriate Dose of Ranibizumab for ROP: A Retrospective
Authors: Zhong Qionglei , Wang Shaoli , Chen Siying , Chen Xingyue , Han Lizhen , Chen Yingying , Zhang Kaiyan
Published: July 2021

Objective: To compare the recurrence rate of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) after treatment with 0.3 mg vs. 0.25 mg ranibizumab. Subjects: All patients with ROP who underwent intravitreal injection of ranibizumab in Hainan General Hospital between January 2014 and May 2020 were included in this study. Methods: 82 cases (146 eyes) who received intravitreal injection of 0.25 mg ranibizumab were included in the conventional-dose group, and 59 cases (108 eyes) who received intravitreal injection of 0.3 mg ranibizumab were included in the high-dose group. The two groups were further divided into the 25-28-week, 29-31-week, 32-34-week, and 35-36-week GA subgroups. The differences between the conventional-dose group and the high-dose group in gestational age (GA), birth weight(BW), age at initial injection(weeks), incidence of systemic diseases, the recurrence rate of ROP, and age at retinal vascularization completed(weeks) were analyzed. Results: GA, BW, age at initial injection, and the incidence of systemic diseases were not significantly different between the conventional-dose group and the high-dose group (p>0.05). The recurrence rates of ROP were significantly lower in the 25-28-week, 29-31-week, and 32-34-week subgroups of the high-dose group than in the same subgroups of the conventional-dose group (p<0.05). Within the conventional-dose group, the recurrence rate of ROP was significantly lower in the 32-34-week and 35-36-week subgroups than in the 25-28-week and 29-31-week subgroups (p<0.05). Within the high-dose group, the recurrence rate of ROP was not significantly different between the four subgroups (p>0.05). Retinal vascularization was completed at a later age in the 32-34-week subgroup of the high-dose group than in the 32-34-week subgroup of the conventional-dose group (p<0.05) but was not significantly different between the two groups at any other GA range (p>0.05). No severe ocular or systemic complications occurred in any patient. Conclusion: Treatment with 0.3 mg ranibizumab can reduce the recurrence rate of ROP without prolonging retinal vascularization or causing serious systemic complications. Therefore, this dose may be an appropriate therapeutic dose for ROP.
Prognostic Value of Dickkopf-1 and ß-catenin Expression According to the Antitumor Immunity of CD8-Positive Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Biliary Tract Cancer
Authors: Kim Seo Ree , Won Hye Sung , Yang Ji Hyun , Sun Der Sheng , Yim Kwangil , Hong Soon Auck , Yoon Jung-Sook , Chun Sang Hoon , Kim Kee-Hwan , Ko Yoon Ho
Published: July 2021

The role of β-catenin and Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) is dependent on the specific immunobiology of T cell inflammation in biliary tract cancer (BTC). We aimed to analyze the role of DKK1 or β-catenin as a prognostic factor in BTC, and determine the clinical associations of ß-catenin and DKK1 with CD8 + tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL). We used data from The Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network and the clinicopathological data of 145 patients with BTC who had undergone primary radical resection between 2006 and 2016. CD8 + TIL expression was a significant predictor of favorable overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) (median OS, 34.9 months in high-TIL, 16.7 months in low-TIL, P < 0.0001 respectively; median RFS, 27.1 months in high-TIL, 10.0 months in low-TIL, P < 0.0001 respectively). In the high-CD8 + TIL BTC group, the tumor expression of β-catenin and DKK1 had a significant negative impact on either OS or RFS. In the low-TIL BTC group, there were no differences according to ß-catenin and DKK1 expression. Cox regression multivariate analysis demonstrated that CD8 + TIL and β-catenin retained significant association with OS. Among patients with resected BTC, the β-catenin and DKK1 protein and high CD8 + TIL levels were associated with poor and good clinical outcomes, respectively.
Influence of Dietary Genistein and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Lipid Peroxidation, and Fatty Acid Composition of Meat in Quail Exposed to Heat Stress
Authors: Orhan Cemal , Sahin Nurhan , Sahin Kazim , Kucuk Osman
Published: July 2021

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and genistein on performance and meat fatty acid profiles in quail exposed to heat stress. A total of 360 Japanese quail were divided into 12 groups in a 2x2x3 factorial design; each group comprised 30 quail with five replicates and were kept either at 22 ± 2°C for 24h/d (Thermoneutral,TN) and 34 ± 2°C for 8 h/d (08:00 to 17:00 h) followed by 22°C for 16 h (Heat Stress,HS) conditions. The diet contained either two levels of PUFA at 15 or 45% of total fat or three levels of genistein at 0, 400, or 800 mg/kg. Bodyweight gain, feed intake, and feed efficiency were lower (p ≥ 0.01) for quail reared under heat stress and fed low PUFA. Increasing dietary genistein in a linear manner improved the productive performance (p < 0.001). Heat stress caused increases in serum and thigh meat malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations and decreases in genistein, vitamin E and A concentrations in serum and thigh meat (p < 0.001). High PUFA (PUFA45) in diet of quail caused greater 18:2, 18:3 ALA, EPA, DHA, n-6, and n-3 PUFA as well as total PUFA and total USFA percentages (p < 0.001) in thigh muscle, some of which decreased with heat stress (p ≥ 0.006) with no regards to genistein supplementation. This study revealed that genistein with greater doses along with greater PUFA inclusion to the diet of quail reared under heat stress is recommended for alleviating adverse effects of heat stress and for yielding healthier meat for human consumption.
Equus roundworms (Parascaris spp.) are undergoing divergence due to natural and anthropogenic factors
Authors: Han Lei , Lan Tianming , Lu Yaxian , Zhou Mengchao , Li Haimeng , Lu Haorong , Wang Qing , Li Xiuyun , Du Shan , Guan Chunyu , Zhang Yong , Qian Puyi , Sahu Sunil , Zhang Shaofang , Zhou Hongcheng , Guo Wei , Chai Hongliang , Wang Sibo , Liu Quan , Liu Huan , Hou Zhijun
Published: July 2021

The evolution of parasites is often directly affected by the host's environment or behavior. Studies on the evolution of the same parasites in different hosts are extremely attractive and highly relevant to our understanding of divergence and speciation. Here we presented the first molecular evidence of divergence of Equus roundworms in different hosts (horses, zebras and donkeys). At the genetic level, Equus roundworms were mainly separated into two clades (Horse-derived and Zebra & Donkey-derived). This divergence began at 600–1500 years ago, which interestingly coincided with the domestication history of horses. We found that most of the key enzymes related to glycolysis were under strong positive selection in zebra & donkey-derived roundworms, indicating that the evolution of the metabolic level was one of the main reasons for the divergence. In addition, we conducted a selective scan of resistance-related genes and found that the three populations were under different degrees of selection. This prompted us to pay attention to the possible impact of drugs on divergence, not just the drug resistance. This work supports that divergence or speciation is a continuous and dynamic process, and continuous monitoring of environmental factors is conducive to further understanding the adaptive evolution of roundworms.
Does the Ratio of Compounds in a Plant Volatiles Blend Remain Stable During Transmission by Wind?
Authors: Cai Xiaoming , Guo Yuhang , Bian Lei , Luo Zongxiu , Li Zhaoqun , Xiu Chunli , Fu Nanxia , Chen Zongmao
Published: July 2021

For plant volatiles to mediate interactions in tritrophic systems, they must convey accurate and reliable information to insects. However, it is unknown whether the ratio of compounds in plant volatile blends remains stable during wind transmission. In this study, volatiles released from an odor source were collected at different points in a wind tunnel and analyzed. The variation in the amounts of volatiles collected at different points formed a rough cone shape. The amounts of volatiles collected tended to decrease with increasing distance from the odor source. Principal component analyses showed that the volatile profiles were dissimilar among different collection points. The profiles of volatiles collected nearest the odor source were the most similar to the released odor. Higher wind speed resulted in a clearer distinction of the spatial distribution of volatile compounds. Thus, variations in the ratios of compounds in odor plumes exist even during transport over short distances.
The Impact of ω-6 and ω-3 fatty acids on lipoproteins in renal replacement therapy patients: A Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials
Authors: Chang Ke-Yu , Chen Yi-Chun , Kao Chih-Chin , Yeh Shu-Ching , Kang Yi-No , Huang Chih-Wei
Published: July 2021

Background Numerous randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and meta-analyses have assessed the effects of supplemental dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) and high-density lipoproteins (HDLs), and LDL/HDL ratios in renal replacement therapy patients. However, the results have been ambiguous due to mixed reports of various nutrients used in the intervention group. We performed a network meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials to assess the effects of PUFAs on lipid profiles in renal replacement therapy patients. Methods RCTs performed prior to September 2020 were gathered from three databases. The means, standard deviations, and the number of cases for each arm were independently extracted by 2 authors for forming a network meta-analysis of LDL and HDL levels, and LDL/HDL ratios in random-effects model. Results Twenty-seven RCTs (n=1975) were included in this study. The pooled results revealed that the combination of omega-3 fatty acids (n-3) and omega-6 fatty acids (n-6) was significantly lower for the LDL (standardized mean difference [SMD]: −0.95, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −1.87 to −0.13) than the placebo, and the placebo resulted in significantly lower HDL than n-3 (SMD: −0.85, 95% CI: −1.50 to −0.20). There was no evidence of inconsistency or publication bias in the pooled results. Conclusions Collectively, PUFAs seems to be effective nutrients in controlling lipoprotein among renal replacement therapy patients. To be specific, n-3+n-6 improves LDL, and n-3 improves HDL and LDL/HDL. However, our data provide limited information on specific dosages of PUFAs to guide the clinical treatment of renal replacement therapy patients.
Assessing the Prevalence and Predicting Factors of an Abnormal Gated Myocardial Perfusion SPECT in Asymptomatic Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Hosseinzadeh Elinaz , Ghodsirad Mohammadali , Alirezaei Toktam , Arefnia Maryam , Amoui Mahasti , Pirayesh Elahe , Norouzi Ghazal , Khoshbakht sepideh
Published: July 2021

IntroductionConsidering the significant prevalence of silent myocardial ischemia and its related morbidity and mortality in asymptomatic type two diabetic patients, it is not well known whether early screening with MPI is cost-effective. However, predicting factors are not elucidated. Materials and MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study including 63 asymptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), with normal ECG and ejection fraction. Patients with any history of documented valvular, congestive or ischemic heart disease, renal or hepatic failure were excluded. At first all patients were interviewed and checked for risk factors and then patients underwent a two-day rest/stress 99mTc-MIBI gated MPI SPECT. Data was assessed by QPS/QGS and 4DM software and evaluated by a nuclear medicine specialist with summed stress score (SSS) of more than 4 defined as CAD. ResultsThere were 42 females (67%) and 21 males (33%), with a mean age of 61.33 ± 6.98 years and 7.97 ± 4.86 years history of T2DM. CAD was detected in 26 (41.3%) patients and was significantly associated with male gender, smoking, requiring insulin therapy and EF (P-value = 0.019, 0.046, 0.05, 0.033, respectively). A significant association was found between the duration of diabetes, especially when >15y, and the probability of having CAD.. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that smoking; male gender and diabetes duration were the strongest independent predictors of abnormal MPI results.Conclusion﻿We found a high (46%) prevalence of abnormal stress MPI SPECT in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, despite being asymptomatic. Asymptomatic patients with a history of smoking, long duration of diabetes, being under insulin treatment and male gender might benefit from MPI for early detection of silent ischemia.
Influence of Dry Friction on the Wear Behavior of X52 Steel -Experimental Study and Simulation Using Response Surfaces Method
Authors: Meddah Soumaya , Bourebia Mounira , Gherfi Kaddour , Lakhdar Laouar , Oulabbas Amel , Achouri Sihem , Kahloul Latifa
Published: July 2021

The objective of this work is to identify the most influential parameters on the friction coefficient and wear rate, using the response surface method. The friction tests were carried out by adopting the methodology of complete planes 23at three factors ("D", "V" et "Py"), at two level for each factor. The results show a decrease in the wear rate when the three factors are at their highest level and a decrease in the friction coefficient when using minimum loads and speeds on important distances. In addition, the developed mathematical models make it possible to reveal a correlation between the test parameters and the responses studied in their studied domain. An evaluation of the volume parameters "Vmc" and "Vvv" was carried out. The morphology of the worn surface shows that the friction under a load of 1 N leads to the predominance of an abrasive wear mechanism, while a load of 10 N favors an adhesive wear mechanism, increasing the parameters "Vmc" and "Vvv" to the maximum.
Friction Stir Welding: Mitigating the Susceptibility to Intergranular Corrosion of Alloy 625
Authors: Lemos Guilherme Vieira Braga , Farina Alexandre Bellegard , Piaggio Henrique , Bergmann Luciano , Zoppas Jane , Santos Jorge Fernandez dos , Voort George Vander , Reguly Afonso
Published: July 2021

In this work, friction stir welding (FSW) was employed to alloy 625 grade I (soft annealed) sheets. Therefore, solid-state based welding was undertaken with a tool rotational speed of 200 rpm and welding speed of 1 mm/s. Microstructural features were analyzed by light optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Moreover, microhardness measurements were performed. The susceptibility to intergranular corrosion was verified by the double-loop electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation (DL-EPR) test. Complementary, intergranular corrosion was evaluated by ASTM G28 Method A. FSW promoted grain refinement, increased microhardness, and reduction in the degree of sensitization. Finally, the mean corrosion rate observed in the ASTM G28A test was 0.4406 mm/year, which suggests a good weld quality.
Improvement of Injection Accuracy in the Media Changing Process for Cell Processing
Authors: Nonoyama Ryosuke , Yori Koichiro , Sugiura Keiichi , Jinno Makoto
Published: July 2021

In regenerative medicine, manual cell processing is labor-intensive and costly and needs to become more efficient. Recently, automatic cell culture systems equipped with vertically articulated robots have been developed. However, automating all cell processing tasks complicates these systems. This study aims to develop a simple and rational cell processing system by combining robot and human tasks. In a previous study, we improved the efficiency of discarding and injecting tasks using a robot in a media changing process. In this study, we further investigated the injection method and developed and evaluated two types of algorithms that are both accurate and can handle variable target volumes. One algorithm predicts the time to stop injecting based on the flow rate and corrects the stop timing based on the y-intercept of the injection volume and the target volume. The other algorithm uses machine learning to predict the time to stop injecting based on the flow rate, y-intercept, and target volume. Our experimental results revealed the feasibility of both algorithms. With these algorithms, a robot can perform the injecting task more efficiently than a human.
Molecular Characteristics and Genetic Evolutionary Analyses of Circulating Parvoviruses Derived From Cats in Beijing
Authors: Tang Yashu , Tang Na , Zhu Jingru , Liu Yang , Lyu Yanli
Published: July 2021

Background: Feline parvovirus (FPV) is a member of the Parvoviridae family, which is a major enteric pathogen of cats worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of feline parvovirus in Beijing, China and analyze the genetic features of detected viruses.Results: In this study, a total of 60 parvovirus-positive samples (8.5%) were detected from 702 cat fecal samples using parvovirus specific PCR. The complete VP2 genes were amplified from all these samples. Among them, 55 sequences were characterized as FPV (91.7%), the other five were typed as canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) variants (8.3%), comprised of four CPV-2c and a new CPV-2b strain. In order to identify the origin of CPV-2 variants in cats, we amplified full-length VP2 genes from 7 fecal samples of dogs infected with CPV-2, which were further classified as CPV-2c. Moreover, the sequences of new CPV-2b/MT270586 and CPV-2c/MT270587 detected from feline samples shared 100% identity with previous canine isolates KT156833 and MF467242 respectively, indicating the CPV-2 variants circulating in cats were derived from dogs. Sequence analysis indicated new mutations, Ala91Ser and Ser192Phe, in the FPV sequences, while obtained CPV-2c carried mutations reported in Asian CPV variants, showing they share a common evolutionary pattern with the Asian 2c strains. Interestingly, the FPV sequence (MT270571), displaying four CPV-specific residues, was found to be a putative recombinant sequence between CPV-2c and FPV. Phylogenetic analysis of the VP2 gene showed that amino acid and nucleotide mutations promoted the evolution of different geographical branches of FPV and CPV lineages.Conclusions: Our findings will be helpful to further understand the circulation and evolution of canine and feline parvovirus in Beijing.
Antioxidant Activities, Functional Properties, and Application of a Novel Lepidium Sativum Polysaccharide Cake Formulation
Authors: Slima Sirine Ben , Ktari Naourez , Trabelsi Imen , Chouikhi Aicha , Hzami Amina , Taktak Mohamed Amie , Msaddak Lotfi , salah Riadh ben
Published: July 2021

A novel heteropolysaccharide, named Cress Water Soluble Polysaccharide (CWSP) was purified from Lepidium sativum seeds. Antioxidant activities and functional properties were characterized thermally using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and the differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) of CWSP were evaluated. The total antioxidant capacity and the metal chelating activities of CWSP at 3 mg/ml was equivalent to 116.34 µg acsorbic acid and 62.57%, respectively. CWSP were thermally stable and presented high water (WHC) and oil holding (OHC) capacities and good emulsion properties. CWSP was used for the production of cakes. The formulations samples were prepared with different levels of CWSP (0.1; 0.3 and 0.5%) and analyzed during 15 days of storage at room temperature. The obtained results indicated that the addition of CWSP had a significant effect on the texture profile, leading to the increase in all parameters in terms of hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, adhesiveness and chewiness. Moreover, the reformulation samples presented higher a* and lower L* and b* than control sample. The sensory evaluation showed that the formulation of cake with 0.3% of CWSP was the most acceptable. Therefore, CWSP proved to be a new alternative for improving the quality attributes and showed potent antioxidant activities on the shelf life during the storage of bakery foods.
Inverse Kinematic Algorithm for 8-DOF Redundant Manipulators Based on Weighted Least-Norm Method and Parameterization Method
Authors: Chen Zi Ming , Guo Yu , Xu Zong Guo , Ji Chao Yang , Yanwen Li
Published: July 2021

Eight-degree-of-freedom redundant manipulators are considered more suitable for performing special tasks in unstructured environments due to their high degree of freedom and flexibility. The 8-DOF tunnel shotcrete manipulator is a kind of equipment that is applied to the concrete spraying support in the process of tunnel excavation. Since the mechanism itself is a redundant manipulator with link offset, its inverse kinematics is extremely difficult to solve. To address the problems that the conventional redundant manipulator inverse kinematics solution is difficult to solve analytically and the numerical algorithm requires several iterations with accumulated errors, a synthesis inverse kinematics algorithm based on the weighted minimum norm method and the joint angle parameterization method is proposed to overcome these defects. Firstly, a set of optimized joint angle approximation solutions is obtained based on the weighted least norm method of joint angle limit avoidance optimization function, and secondly, two joint variables are parameterized as known parameters in the optimized approximation solutions based on the joint angle parameterization method, and further, the analytical expressions of the remaining joint angles are derived by algebraic methods. Finally, the superiority of the inverse kinematic synthesis algorithm over the joint angle parameterization method in terms of joint motion is verified by comparing numerical examples of linear motion trajectories. Numerical simulation results show that the algorithm has the advantages of avoiding joint angle limits, high computational accuracy, no cumulative error, and the algorithm can meet the general real-time motion control requirements as demonstrated by the experimental analysis of algorithm time consumption.
Uncovering Active Bacterial Symbionts in Pollen-Feeding Beetles
Authors: Mancini Emiliano , Sabatelli Simone , Hu Yi , Frasca Sara , Giulio Andrea Di , Audisio Paolo , Brown Christopher D. , Russell Jacob A. , Trizzino Marco
Published: July 2021

Microbial symbionts enable many phytophagous insects to specialize on plant-based diets through a range of metabolic services. Pollen comprises one plant tissue consumed by such herbivores. While rich in lipids and protein, its nutrient content is often imbalanced and difficult-to-access due to a digestibly recalcitrant cell wall. Pollen quality can be further degraded by harmful allelochemicals. To identify microbes that may aid in palynivory, we performed cDNA-based 16S rRNA metabarcoding on three related pollen beetles (Nitidulidae: Meligethinae) exhibiting different dietary breadths: Brassicogethes aeneus, B. matronalis, and Meligethes atratus. Nine bacterial symbionts (i.e. 97% OTUs) exhibited high metabolic activity during active feeding. Subsequent PCR surveys revealed varying prevalence of those from three Rickettsialles genera - Lariskella, Rickettsia and Wolbachia - within beetle populations. Our findings lay the groundwork for future studies on the influence of phylogeny and diet on palynivorous insect microbiomes, and roles of symbionts in the use of challenging diets.
Automatic Artifact Recognition and Correction for Electrodermal Activity in Uncontrolled Environments
Authors: Llanes-Jurado Jose , Carrasco-Ribelles Lucía Amalia , Alcañiz Mariano , Marín-Morales Javier
Published: July 2021

Scholars are increasingly using electrodermal activity (EDA) to assess cognitive-emotional states in laboratory environments, while recent applications have recorded EDA in uncontrolled settings, such as daily-life and virtual reality (VR) contexts, in which users can freely walk and move their hands. However, these records can be affected by major artifacts stemming from movements that can obscure valuable information. Previous work has analyzed signal correction methods to improve the quality of the signal or proposed artifact recognition models based on time windows. Despite these efforts, the correction of EDA signals in uncontrolled environments is still limited, and no existing research has used a signal manually corrected by an expert as a benchmark. This work investigates different machine learning and deep learning architectures, including support vector machines, recurrent neural networks (RNNs), and convolutional neural networks, for the automatic artifact recognition of EDA signals. The data from 44 subjects during an immersive VR task were collected and cleaned by two experts as ground truth. The best model, which used an RNN fed with the raw signal, recognized 72% of the artifacts and had an accuracy of 87%. An automatic correction was performed on the detected artifacts through a combination of linear interpolation and a high degree polynomial. The evaluation of this correction showed that the automatically and manually corrected signals did not present differences in terms of phasic components, while both showed differences to the raw signal. This work provides a tool to automatically correct artifacts of EDA signals which can be used in uncontrolled conditions, allowing for the development of intelligent systems based on EDA monitoring without human intervention.
A Procedure for Damage-Based Seismic Design of Moment Frame Structures
Authors: Behnamfar Farhad , Hosseini-Rad Ali , Habiby Yusef Mesr
Published: July 2021

A new method for seismic design of structures with the aim of controlling earthquake damage to a prescribed level is presented in this paper. The main idea is determining a design story drift in correlation to a selected damage index value. For this purpose, the Park-Ang damage index is correlated with a damage index that simply uses only the maximum story drift. Through performing several nonlinear dynamic analyses of selected moment frame steel structures and regression analysis, it is shown that such a correlation is possible by a simple linear relation. Beginning from a desired value of the damage index, the design story drift is calculated using the developed linear equation and the same buildings are designed using a displacement-base procedure. Results of the nonlinear dynamic analysis of the buildings show that the maximum story damage index under a suit of spectrum compatible ground motions is consistent with the selected initial damage index using the proposed procedure.
Prediction of Micronucleus Assay Outcome using in Vivo Activity Data and Molecular Structure Features
Authors: Ramesh Priyanka , V Shanthi
Published: July 2021

In vivo micronucleus assay is the widely used genotoxic test to determine the extent of chromosomal aberrations caused by the chemical compounds in human beings, which plays a significant role in the drug discovery paradigm. To reduce the uncertainties of the in vivo experiments and the expenses, we intended to develop novel machine learning-based tools to predict the toxicity of the compounds with high precision. A total of 472 compounds with known toxicity information were retrieved from the PubChem Bioassay database and literature. The fingerprints and descriptors of the compounds were generated using PaDEL and ChemSAR for the analysis. The performance of the models was assessed using three tires of evaluation strategies such as 5-fold, 10-fold, and external validation. The accuracy of the models during external validation lay between 0.57 and 0.86. Note that a combination of fingerprints and random forest showed reliable predictive capability. In essence, structural alerts causing genotoxicity of the compounds were identified using the structural activity relationship model of SARpy tool. This study highlights that the structural alerts such as chlorocyclohexane and trimethylamine are likely to be the leading cause of toxicity in humans, further validated using the Toxtree application. Indeed, the results from our study will assist in scrutinizing the genotoxicity of the compounds with high precision by replacing extensive sacrifice of animal models.
Forest Fire Detection System using Wireless Sensor Networks and Machine Learning
Authors: Dampage Udaya , Bandaranayake D. M. L. N. , Wanasinghe W. M.R. S. , Kottahachchi K. O. , Jayasanka W. A. B.
Published: July 2021

Forest fires have become a major threat around the world, causing many negative impacts on human beings and forest ecosystems. Even though rapid climatic changes arising from high environmental pollution, greenhouse effects, etc. have caused this situation, a higher percentage of forest fires occur due to human activities. Therefore, to minimize the destruction caused by forest fires, the need to detect forest fires at their initial stage is needed. This paper proposes a model that can be used to detect forest fires at the initial stage using a wireless sensor network. Furthermore, to acquire more accurate fire detection, a machine learning regression model is proposed. Moreover, thorough attention is given to sensor node design and node placement in the forest to be fitted in the forest environment to minimize the damage and harmful effects caused by wild animals, weather conditions, etc. to the system.
Cross-Phase Modulation Based Ultra-Flat 90-Line Optical Frequency Comb Generation
Authors: Sharma Vishal , singh surinder , Bhatia Lovkesh , Anashkina Elena A. , Andrianov Alexey V.
Published: July 2021

This paper proposed an approach to design an evenly spaced, 1.8 THz spectrally broad and 1.6 dB flat optical frequency comb (OFC) by exploiting the cross-phase modulation in highly nonlinear fiber. The OFC is realized by controlling the phase of the signals in two parallelly placed highly nonlinear fibers. The frequency and line spacing of the OFC can be tuned by simply varying the periodicity and central wavelength of input electrical and optical signal, respectively.
WITHDRAWN: Machine Learning Based Power Estimation for CMOS VLSI Circuits
Authors: Govindaraj V. , Arunadevi B.
Published: July 2021

Nowdays, machine learning (ML) algorithms are receiving massive attention in most of the engineering application since it has capability in complex systems modelling using historical data. Estimation of power for CMOS VLSI circuit using various circuit attributes is proposed using passive machine learning based technique. The proposed method uses supervised learning method which provides a fast and accurate estimation of power without affecting the accuracy of the system. Power estimation using random forest algorithm is relatively new. Accurate estimation of power of CMOS VLSI circuits is estimated by using random forest model which is optimized and tuned by using multi-objective NSGA-II algorithm. It is inferred from the experimental results testing error varies from 1.4 percent to 6.8 percent and in terms of and Mean Square Error is 1.46e-06 in random forest method when compared to BPNN. Statistical estimation like coefficient of determination (𝑅) and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) are done and it is proven that random Forest is best choice for power estimation of CMOS VLSI circuits with high coefficient of determination of 0.99938. and low RMSE of 0.000116.
How to impart scientific knowledge and writing skills? Digital education in the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Rauch Ann-Kathrin , Offergeld Christian , Ketterer Manuel Christoph
Published: July 2021

IntroductionIn order to make a virtue out of necessity by establishing a digital teaching curriculum in ORL during the Covid-19 pandemic, we created the concept of a new digital scientific seminar. In this study, we present the students’ evaluation of the seminar focusing on digital and scientific skills acquisition. MethodsWe included 265 students in our prospective monocentric questionnaire study. The seminar started with an introduction on the criteria of a good publication, followed by the individual task of understanding the publication on a main ORL topic and writing its abstract. After the seminar students completed the evaluation questionnaire. ResultsOverall results showed that students rated the seminar well. Free-text comments added that although live teaching was preferred, students found their digital and scientific competence increased through the task of writing a publication abstract on their own. Conclusion Digital education was not only rated well, but satisfied the students’ wish for digital transformation and likewise fulfilled the national goals of competence-based education. Digital competence and skills convey data literacy in medical education and scientific education.
Relationship Between Stereopsis and Vision-Related Quality of Life Following Intravitreal Ranibizumab Injections for Central Retinal Vein Occlusion
Authors: Okamoto Fumiki , Tomioka Mizuki , Murakami Tomoya , Morikawa Shohei , Sugiura Yoshimi , Hiraoka Takahiro , Oshika Tetsuro
Published: July 2021

The study aimed to evaluate changes in stereopsis and vision-related quality of life (VR-QOL) in patients with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) following intravitreal ranibizumab injection (IVR) and investigate the relationship between stereopsis and VR-QOL. This study included 23 treatment-naïve patients with CRVO and 13 age-matched normal controls. Stereopsis, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), VR-QOL, and retinal microstructures were examined pre-treatment and 12 months post-treatment. The Titmus Stereo Test (TST) and TNO stereotest (TNO) were used to evaluate stereopsis. VR-QOL was evaluated using the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (VFQ-25). IVR immediately and significantly improved the TST values, TNO values, composite VFQ-25 score, BCVA, and central foveal thickness in patients with CRVO. The 12-month post-treatment TST and TNO values were significantly worse in the CRVO group compared to those in the normal group. The baseline composite VFQ-25 score significantly correlated with the TST value. Multivariate analysis revealed significant associations between the 12-month post-treatment composite VFQ-25 score and the baseline and 12-month post-treatment TNO values. In conclusion, IVR immediately improved stereopsis in CRVO, albeit below normal levels. Stereopsis (not visual acuity) was associated with pre- and post-treatment VR-QOL in patients with CRVO.
A Modified Single-Endobutton Technique Combined with Nice Knot for Treatment of Rockwood Type III Acromioclavicular Joint Dislocation
Authors: Hu Fangning , Han Shumei , Liu Fanxiao , Wang Zhuang , Jia Honglei , Wang Fu , Hu Lingfei , Chen Jing , Wang Bomin , Yang Yongliang
Published: July 2021

Purpose: Double-endobutton technique, as a widely accepted strategy for the treatment of acromioclavicular joint dislocation , is undergoing constant improvement. This study was to assess the clinical effect of a modified single-endobutton combined with nice knot in the fixation of Rockwood type III acromioclavicular joint dislocation.Methods: From January 2016 to January 2018, 16 adult patients (13 males and 3 females) with Rockwood type III acromioclavicular joint dislocation were treated with a modified single-endobutton technique combined with nice knot in our department. The age ranged from 18 to 64 years old with an average of 32.8 years old. Operative time and intraoperative blood loss were recorded, post-operative clinical outcomes and radiographic results were recorded and analyzed. Preoperative and last follow up scores in the Constant-Murley Scale, Neer score, Rating Scale of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons and VAS scale and complications such as infection, re-dislocation, implant loosening, medical origin fracture and hardware pain were recorded and evaluated. Results: 16 patients were followed up for 6 to 18 months with an average of 10.3 months. The operative time was 50-90 minutes with an average of (62.5±3.10) min. The intraoperative blood loss was 30-100 ml, with an average of (55.0±4.28) ml. The complications, such as wound infection, internal fixation failure and fractures, were not found in these cases. According to Karlsson criteria, there were excellent in 14 cases, good in 2 cases at the final follow up. The mean VAS score of the patients was 5.88±0.26 preoperatively, compared with 0.19±0.14 at the final follow-up evaluation. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.01). The mean Constant score was 45.5±2.0 preoperatively, compared to 94.0±0.73 at the final follow-up evaluation. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.01). Conclusion: Nice knot provides a reliable fixation for the single-Endobutton technique in the treatment of acromioclavicular dislocations. The modified single-Endobutton technique combined with nice knot can achieve good clinical outcomes in treatment of Rockwood type III acromioclavicular joint dislocation.
Induction of Anisotropic Orientation and Enhancement of Gene Functional Expression of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes Cultured on Nanofabricated Substrates Consisting of Micron Planar Lines and Nano Dot Structures.
Authors: Tokuno Hisako , Dai Kotaro , Shinotsuka Kei
Published: July 2021

Human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPS-CMs) are expected to have applications in the fields of regenerative medicine and drug discovery. However, the immaturity of hiPS-CMs is an issue to be considered, and in order to replicate in vivo responsivity, there have been several attempts to induce maturation in hiPS-CMs, including methods to induce differentiation of hiPS-CMs by changing culture medium and culture substrate. In particular, anisotropic culture, in which the cultured cells are aligned in one direction, induces the cellular morphology resembling that of in vivo cardiomyocytes and is expected to be a useful method for maturation of hiPS-CMs. We tried forming a nanostructure on the surface of the cell culture substrate using our original nanofabrication technology, with the aim of aligning cardiomyocytes and inducing maturation. Our newly developed nanostructure for anisotropic culture (line/dot structure) comprises a region of cone-shaped nanopillars with pitch distance of several hundred nm and a planar region, alternating in a striped pattern with intervals of several tens of µm, arranged on the surface of the cell culture substrate. The hiPS-CMs cultured using the line/dot structure showed anisotropic orientation, and increased mRNA expression was observed in myocardial structural protein genes, genes relating to ion channels, and the gene for Cx43. These results suggest that the line/dot nanostructure is effective for anisotropic culture and cell maturation of hiPS-CMs.
The Role of USP6 Gene Rearrangement by FISH Analysis in Nodular Fasciitis and Histological Mimics
Authors: Feng Yanfen , Zhang Yu , Lai Junpeng , Zhang Zichen , Li Min , Rao Huilan , Zhang Yingchun
Published: July 2021

Background: Nodular fasciitis (NF) is a common benign fibroblast and myofibroblast tumor. Although there have been constant concerns about its histological features and differential diagnosis, NF is still the most easily misdiagnosed mesenchymal lesions, especially over diagnosed as a sarcoma. USP6 gene rearrangement was reported recently to be a reproducible and specific gene change in NF, which strongly assists the diagnosis of NF. We aim to study USP6 Gene Rearrangement in NF and other spindle cell lesions mimicking NF, and to investigate the use of USP6 Gene Rearrangement in differentiating NF and its mimics.Methods: USP6 translocation by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was studied on 40 cases of NF and 54 cases of other spindle cell lesions (including 10 cases of spindle cell sarcoma) that mimic NF. Results: Thirty-four cases (85.5%) of NF showed USP6 gene translocation, including 10 cases which previously diagnosed or considered as malignant diseases by the referring pathologists. All of other 54 cases of spindle cell lesions were negative for USP6 translocation.Conclusions: USP6 gene rearrangement by FISH analysis is a reliable test for diagnosis of NF, and also a helpful adjunct to prevent over diagnosis of NF. Positive USP6 gene rearrangement by FISH could be a useful marker to exclude malignant lesions that mimics NF.
Hybrid Nanocomposite of Imidazolium Based Chitosan and Anderson-type Manganese Polyoxomolybdate for Boosting Drug Delivery Against Breast Cancer
Authors: Mahvash Shahrzad , Zavareh Vajihe Azimian , Taymouri Somayeh , Ramezani-Aliakbari Maryam , Dousti Fatemeh , Mirian Mina , Rostami Mahboubeh
Published: July 2021

Polyoxometalates (POMs) are a class of inorganic cytotoxic agents with potential anticancer effects. As the nano-formulation is one of the best approaches to adjust the therapeutic effects along with selective delivery, in this study, a novel biocompatible nano-composite (NC) of Anderson-type manganese polyoxomolybdate (MnMo6) was prepared using chitosan conjugate to achieve better selective cytotoxicity profile.Imidazolium modified chitosan (CSIm) was utilizedto getthe MnMo6 hybridNCs (MnMo6@CSIm NCs).The best resulting NCs were evaluated for their anticancer activity against breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 & MDA-MB-231) as well as HUVEC normal cells using MTT assay. Furthermore, cellular uptake, apoptosis ratio and cell migration inhibition were evaluated on the MDA-MB-231 cell line as the triple-negative aggressive cell line.The optimized NPs had a zeta potential above +27 mV with a uniform distribution of sizes around 145 nm. The loading content and release efficiency were both satisfying (about 44% and 98%). In the release study, a pH-responsive release was detectedcomparing the neutral conditions.The NCs had a better anticancer activity than free MnMo6 in both cancer cell lines, without detectable cytotoxicity against HUVEC normal cells. The cellular uptake was about 100 %, and apoptosis value was enough high (81%) compared to free MnMo6. Interestingly, the MnMo6 hybrid NCs inhibitedthe cell migration of MDA-MB-231 cell line1.5 times better than the free MnMo6. All of these results are fascinating to follow more pre-clinical studies on this hybrid NC.
Electron, Phonon and Thermoelectric Properties of Cu7PS6 Crystal Calculated at DFT Level
Authors: Andriyevskyy Bohdan , Barchiy Igor , Studenyak Ihor , Kashuba Andriy , Piasecki Michał
Published: July 2021

The promising class of the environment-friendly thermoelectrics is the copper-based argyrodite-type ion-conducting crystals exhibiting just extraordinary low thermal conductivity below the glass limit associated with the molten copper sublattice leading to a softening of phonon modes. To explain why the argyrodite structure containing copper ions favors the low thermal conductivity, we have utilized the ab initio calculations of the electron, phonon, and thermoelectric properties of Cu7PS6 crystal in the framework of the density functional and Boltzmann transport theories. To obtain the reliable thermoelectric properties of Cu7PS6, we take into account the dependence of the electron effective mass m* on the redundant carrier concentration n. We propose to use the Burstein-Moss effect for the calculation of the electron effective mass m* of a semiconductor. We have found the strong nonlinear character of copper atom vibrations in Cu7PS6 which exceeds substantially the similar values for phosphorous and sulfur atoms. The large vibration nonlinearity of the copper atoms found in Cu7PS6 explains the diffusion-like heat transfer and the relatively low coefficient of the lattice thermal conductivity (κ = 0.7 W/(m⋅K)), which is favorable to achieve the large thermoelectric figure of merit.
Cadmium Accumulation in the Scales of Prussian Carp (Carassius Gibelio Bloch, 1782) Following Exposure to Cadmium in Water
Authors: Łuszczek-Trojnar Ewa , Ryndak Damian , Drąg-Kozak Ewa
Published: July 2021

The aim of the study was to investigate the accumulation of cadmium in the scales of Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio Bloch, 1782) as an indicator tissue of water contamination by cadmium. The study was carried out on 130 mature Prussian carp, which were placed in three 300L tanks. The fish were exposed to cadmium dissolved in water at a concentration of 0.0, 0.4 or 4.0 mg/L for a period of 84 days. After 42 and 84 days of exposure, 10 fish were randomly sampled from each tank. The fish were decapitated and all their scales were collected. The scales were rinsed and each of them was then carefully sectioned into an inner part and an outer part, removing the outermost growth ring, which most likely included scale increment from the exposure period. Cadmium concentration in the samples was then measured using the atomic absorption method. The analysis of the results showed that the concentration of cadmium in the scales increased with the duration of exposure and was significantly higher in the outer growth rings. The accumulation of cadmium in this part of the scales was correlated with the dose of cadmium and the duration of exposure. The results obtained confirmed the hypothesis that the concentration of cadmium in the outermost growth rings of fish scales reflects the most recent status of environmental contamination by this metal. Scales, which unlike other tissues such as the liver and muscle, can be sampled non-lethally, seem to be an excellent bioindicator of environmental contamination by heavy metals.