bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Staging by Thoracoscopy in potentially radically treatable Lung Cancer associated with Minimal Pleural Effusion (STRATIFY): protocol of a prospective, multicentre, observational study
Authors: Ferguson Jenny , Tsim Selina , Kelly Caroline , Alexander Laura , Shad Shumaila , Neilly Mark , Tate Matthew , Zahra Baryab , Saleh Merna , Cowell Gordon , Banks Elspeth , Grundy Seamus , Corcoran John , Downer Nicola , Stanton Andrew , Evison Matthew , Rahman Najib M , Maskell Nick , Blyth Kevin G
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Recurrence rate following radical therapy for lung cancer remains high, potentially reflecting occult metastatic disease, and better staging tools are required. Minimal pleural effusion (mini-PE) is associated with particularly high recurrence risk and is defined as an ipsilateral pleural collection (<1/3 hemithorax on chest radiograph), which is either too small to safely aspirate fluid for cytology using a needle, or from which fluid cytology is negative. Thoracoscopy (local anaesthetic thoracoscopy (LAT) or video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS)) is the gold-standard diagnostic test for pleural malignancy in patients with larger symptomatic effusions. Staging by Thoracoscopy in potentially radically treatable Lung Cancer associated with Minimal Pleural Effusion (STRATIFY) will prospectively evaluate thoracoscopic staging in lung cancer associated-mini-PE for the first time.

Methods and analysis

STRATIFY is a prospective multicentre observational study. Recruitment opened in January 2020. The primary objective is to determine the prevalence of detectable occult pleural metastases (OPM). Secondary objectives include assessment of technical feasibility and safety, and the impact of thoracoscopy results on treatment plans, overall survival and recurrence free survival. Inclusion criteria are (1) suspected/confirmed stages I–III lung cancer, (2) mini-PE, (3) Performance Status 0–2 (4), radical treatment feasible if OPM excluded, (5) ≥16 years old and (6) informed consent. Exclusion criteria are any metastatic disease or contraindication to the chosen thoracoscopy method (LAT/VATS). All patients have LAT or VATS within 7 (±5) days of registration, with results returned to lung cancer teams for treatment planning. Following an interim analysis, the sample size was reduced from 96 to 50, based on a lower-than-expected OPM rate. An MRI substudy was removed in November 2022 due to pandemic-related site setup/recruitment delays. These also necessitated a no-cost recruitment extension until October 2023.

Ethics and dissemination

Protocol approved by the West of Scotland Research Ethics Committee (Ref: 19/WS/0093). Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at international meetings.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN13584097.
Advances in the diagnosis and management of hepatorenal syndrome: insights into HRS-AKI and liver transplantation
Authors: Arnold Jorge , Avila Eduardo , Idalsoaga Francisco , Diaz Luis Antonio , Ayala Valverde María , Ayares Gustavo , Arrese Marco , Roessler Eric , Huidobro Juan Pablo , Hudson David , Khan Mohammad Qasim , Arab Juan Pablo
Published: November 2023

In hepatorenal syndrome-acute kidney injury (HRS-AKI), accurate and early diagnosis is crucial. HRS is a severe condition seen in advanced cirrhosis, requiring prompt recognition and proper management to enhance patient outcomes. Diagnosis of HRS-AKI relies on serum creatinine elevations, similar to other AKI cases in cirrhosis. However, distinguishing HRS-AKI from other renal impairments in these patients can be challenging. Biomarkers and clinical criteria aid in diagnosis and guide treatment. The management of HRS-AKI initially involves improving the haemodynamic profile using albumin and vasoconstrictors like terlipressin, a synthetic vasopressin analogue. Despite some reports linking terlipressin to increased adverse events compared with norepinephrine, it remains the preferred choice in HRS-AKI and acute-on-chronic liver failure due to its faster, stronger response and improved survival. Additional therapies like midodrine (alpha-1 adrenergic agonist), octreotide (somatostatin analogue) and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt are proposed as adjuvant treatments for HRS-AKI, aiming to improve vasoconstriction and renal blood flow. However, these adjunctive therapies cannot replace the definitive treatment for HRS-AKI—liver transplantation (LT). In cases unresponsive to medical management, LT is the only option to restore liver function and improve renal outcomes. Current evidence favours combined liver and kidney transplantation (CLKT) in certain situations. This review aims to evaluate the present evidence and recommendations on AKI in patients with cirrhosis, the pathophysiology of HRS-AKI, different treatments and indications for LT and CLKT. Understanding the complexities of managing HRS-AKI is crucial for optimising patient care and achieving better outcomes in this challenging clinical setting.
Open AI meets open notes: surveillance capitalism, patient privacy and online record access
Authors: Blease Charlotte
Published: November 2023

Patient online record access (ORA) is spreading worldwide, and in some countries, including Sweden, and the USA, access is advanced with patients obtaining rapid access to their full records. In the UK context, from 31 October 2023 as part of the new NHS England general practitioner (GP) contract it will be mandatory for GPs to offer ORA to patients aged 16 and older. Patients report many benefits from reading their clinical records including feeling more empowered, better understanding and remembering their treatment plan, and greater awareness about medications including possible adverse effects. However, a variety of indirect evidence suggests these benefits are unlikely to accrue without supplementation from internet-based resources. Using such routes to augment interpretation of the data and notes housed in electronic health records, however, comes with trade-offs in terms of exposing sensitive patient information to internet corporations. Furthermore, increased work burdens on clinicians, including the unique demands of ORA, combined with the easy availability and capability of a new generation of large language model (LLM)-powered chatbots, create a perfect collision course for exposing sensitive patient information to private tech companies. This paper surveys how ORA intersects with internet associated privacy risks and offers a variety of multilevel suggestions for how these risks might be better mitigated.
Adversarial Detection from Derived Models
Authors: Zhao Fangzhen , Zhang Chenyi , Dong Naipeng , Li Ming
Published: November 2023

Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) can be easily fooled by inputs that are crafted by adversaries. For example, an adversarial image can be forged by adding to an image a tiny perturbation which is often unnoticeable by human eyes, though the semantic interpretations of the original image and the adversarial image, which are represented as outputs of a DNN, may be drastically different. This weakness can potentially lead to serious consequences in security-critical applications such as medical diagnostic tests and self-driving vehicles. Most existing approaches for adversarial detection only have satisfactory performance for specific types of attacks. These methods do not generalize their performances when applied to a broad range of attacks, models or datasets. In this work, we propose a new adversarial detection method called Adversarial Detection from Derived Models (ADDM), which applies derived models to “simulate” the functionality of a DNN, and analyzes the distribution for the neuron activation values in the derived models as indicators for adversarial inputs. In order to further enhance performance, we propose a heuristic that selects neurons from the derived models that are sensitive to perturbations. We compare our approach with six existing adversarial detection approaches of different methodologies, and the experimental result confirms that the proposed approach has generally better performance regarding stability over different types of adversarial attacks on a variety of tested DNN models and datasets.
3D Surface Reconstruction Based on Dynamic Graph Convolutional Occupancy Network
Authors: Jiang Yaoyu , Song Lijuan
Published: November 2023

A 3D reconstruction method based on dynamic graph convolutional occupancy networks is proposed to address the issues of texture information loss, geometric information loss after voxelization, and lack of object completeness constraints in the process of 3D reconstruction using voxel representation in a block-wise manner. By constructing a dynamic graph structure for feature extraction, the method aims at restore 3D models with fewer holes and local details. In the feature extraction stage, local pooling is employed within each point cloud block to address the problem of nonsignificant texture feature loss. To tackle the issues of geometric constraint loss and insufficient scene semantic information caused by block-wise processing, a feature fusion method between adjacent blocks is proposed to learn richer scene semantic information and long-range dependencies between points. By learning features within and between blocks, each point retains as much geometric information as possible, mitigating the problem of geometric information loss due to voxelization. During the surface generation, interpolation is used to infer the occupancy value for each point, and the Marching Cubes algorithm is employed for three-dimensional surface reconstruction. Experimental validation on object-level (ShapeNet dataset) and scene-level (Synthetic Rooms dataset, MatterPort3D dataset for real-world scenes) datasets demonstrates the effectiveness and advancement of the proposed method.
Hybrid D-OCapNet: Automated Multi-Class Alzheimer’s Disease Classification in Brain MRI Using Hybrid Dense Optimal Capsule Network
Authors: Nisha A. V. , Rajasekaran M. Pallikonda , Kottaimalai R. , Vishnuvarthanan G. , Arunprasath T. , Muneeswaran V.
Published: November 2023

Efficient detection of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is challenging in medical image processing. Different methodologies are proposed for detecting AD at earlier stages, but certain demerits emerge, like less robust, less convergent, time-consuming, and lead over maximized losses. Hence the proposed research paper develops an efficient and automated deep learning-based AD detection using MRI image data. The initial step in AD classification is data acquisition which focuses on collecting brain MRI images from Alzheimer’s disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) Extracted Axial dataset and OASIS dataset. The gathered data are pre-processed through an Improved Median Filter (IMF), normalization is performed using the [0, 1] rescaling method, and skull stripping is done using Morphological Thresholding (MoT). The pre-processed images are fed into Multiview Fuzzy Clustering (MvFC) algorithm to segment the brain tissues as Gray Matter (GM), Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) and White Matter (WM) effectively. The process of Deep Feature Extraction, Multi-class Classification and loss optimization is performed using the Hybrid Dense Optimal Capsule Network (Hybrid D-OCapNet). The loss evaluated in the proposed Hybrid D-OCapNet model is optimized using the Modified Bald Eagle Search (M-BES) optimization algorithm. The simulation outcomes of training, testing and validation in AD classification are analyzed using MATLAB. The overall accuracy in classifying AD is 99.32%, sensitivity is 98.42%, specificity is 98.90%, precision is 98.93%, and F1 score is 98.44 for the ADNI dataset. The accuracy of 98.97%, the sensitivity of 98.31% and the F1 score of 98.39% are obtained for the OASIS dataset.
BIFURCATION ANALYSIS AND CHAOS CONTROL OF DISCRETE PREDATOR–PREY MODEL WITH ADDITIVE ALLEE EFFECT
Authors: LI HANGHANG , HU XINLI
Published: November 2023

This paper presents a study of a discrete prey–predator model with additive Allee effect. The model is discretized using the forward Euler method, and the system is analyzed using bifurcation theory and chaos control. The equilibrium point of the discrete system is obtained through equilibrium analysis, and the stability of the equilibrium point is determined by analyzing the parameter conditions. The study also establishes the existence and direction of Neimark–Sacker bifurcation at the positive equilibrium point. The paper proposes two control strategies to manage chaotic behavior and Neimark–Sacker bifurcation: exponential control and hybrid feedback control. These control methods are demonstrated to be effective in controlling the chaotic behavior and bifurcation of the system through numerical simulation. Overall, the results of the study provide important insights into the dynamics of the discrete prey–predator model with additive Allee effect, as well as effective methods for controlling chaos and bifurcation in the system.
EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION AND OPTIMIZATION OF WIRE EDM PROCESS TO CREATE DIFFERENT GEOMETRICAL PROFILES IN METAL MATRIX COMPOSITES
Authors: SINGH DHIRENDRA PRATAP , MISHRA SANJAY
Published: November 2023

Machining of accurate geometrical profiles like triangles, squares or circles with good surface finish and high productivity in metal matrix composites is required for various industrial applications. Thermoelectic principle-based wire electric discharge machine (WEDM) can be conventionally used to overcome the difficulty which occurs during the machining of composites due to the presence of hard abrasive particles. Therefore, in this investigation, three geometrical profiles possessing equal perimeters were produced in 5 mm thick aluminum metal matrix composites (AMMCs) by WEDM. In order to analyze the effect of reinforcements three different AMMCs containing Al6061 as a matrix were produced by stir casting method. The fabricated composites, respectively, contain 10% alumina ([Formula: see text]), 10% silicon carbide (SiC) and a mixture of 5% [Formula: see text] with 5% SiC. The individual effect of various input parameters like pulse-on time ([Formula: see text] = 30-50 [Formula: see text]s), pulse-off time ([Formula: see text] = 6–12 [Formula: see text]s), current ([Formula: see text] = 1–5 A) and geometrical shapes (circle, triangle, and square) on cutting velocity (CV) and surface roughness (SR) were investigated. Furthermore, parametric analysis using regression models was also performed to evaluate the simultaneous effect of two interacting parameters on CV and SR. The study reveals that in the case of hybrid composite, CV decreases with [Formula: see text] and SR is always higher for triangular profiles when [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] change. The regression plots indicate that the interaction effect of [Formula: see text] × [Formula: see text] plays a major role in CV for all three composites. Multiobjective optimization using a composite desirability approach reveals a marginal increase in CV (8.58%) and a significant reduction (57.72%) in SR at optimal input parameters for Al6061–10% SiC. The morphological analysis at optimal input parameters indicates a significant reduction in resolidified metal drops and microcraters.
Fracture Criteria and Crack Initiation Mechanism of Material Based on Configurational Stress
Authors: Wang Chao , Feng Jili
Published: November 2023

This study aims to build a new bridge between configurational stress/force and material fracture. The migrating control volume and thermodynamics are used to develop the Eshelby relation, and the relationship between the conservative integral in fracture mechanics and configurational stress/force for elastic or elastic-plastic materials is further clarified. Additionally, the configurational stresses, including circumferential configurational stress at the crack tip taking T-stress into consideration, are determined, and the [Formula: see text] integral vector is then calculated further. The results indicate that [Formula: see text] integral is path-independent while [Formula: see text] is path-dependent when T-stress is considered. We preliminarily present the relationship between the configurational stress and crack initiation and the zero circumferential configurational stress fracture criterion (ZCCS) is proposed based on the local properties of the crack-tip configurational stress tensor and fracture mechanics. To estimate the fracture loads, we also develop two fracture criteria based on the critical area of crack-tip plastic zone determined by the Mises configurational stress (MCSPA) and the principal configurational stress difference (PCSDPA), respectively. It is found that the initiation angle assessed by the ZCCS fracture criterion is in good agreement with that by both the MTS fracture criterion and experimental observations, as well as T stresses could affect the initiation angles for mixed-mode cracks under tension-shear loads. Furthermore, the fracture loads evaluated by the MCSPA and PCSDPA fracture criteria are consistent with that by both the MTS fracture criterion and experimental results. Finally, the initiation angles determined based on the characteristics of crack-tip plastic zone by configurational stress coincide with that by MTS and ZCCS fracture criteria.
Application of cross-polarization imaging in distinguishing between squamous and columnar epithelium of the cervix
Authors: Khuong Cat Phan Ngoc , Trung Hieu Nguyen , Huynh Duc Le , Ngoc Quynh Nguyen , Thanh Hai Pham , Nguyen Long , Thu Hanh Tran Thi , Anh Tu Ly , Van Tien Tran
Published: November 2023

The careful observation and evaluation of the squamocolumnar junction (SCJ) are essential requirements in colposcopy procedures. While traditional colposcopes with visible light offer high resolution and sensitivity, the presence of glare patterns on the cervix limits the visualization of deeper tissue features. Cross-polarization imaging, on the other hand, overcomes this limitation by effectively removing glare and providing greater optical penetration depth to noninvasively examine subsurface tissue structures. In this study, we present the potential of polarized light in enhancing diagnostics through cross-polarization imaging for the identification and contrast enhancement of squamous and columnar epithelium (CE) in cases of cervical ectropion. Our results demonstrate that polarized light colposcopy offers valuable diagnostic information that complements traditional colposcopy. By effectively reducing glare and improving visibility during cervical examinations, polarized light colposcopy proves to be a useful tool. Furthermore, we introduce a novel method that practically enhances the contrast ratio (CR) between columnar and squamous epithelium (SE) in colposcopic images. This method significantly increases the contrast between these tissue types, facilitating clearer differentiation and improving diagnostic accuracy. Notably, the combination of the cross-polarization imaging technique with our proposed algorithm enables the clear observation of the SCJ boundary. These findings emphasize the potential of our approach in enhancing the accuracy and effectiveness of polarized colposcopy for evaluating cervical tissue.
Aeolian–lacustrine margins: implications for carbon capture and storage within the Rotliegend Group, Southern North Sea
Authors: Priddy Charlotte L. , Pettigrew Ross P. , Watson Douglas , Regis Amy V. , Clarke Stuart M.
Published: November 2023

The Southern North Sea Basins of the United Kingdom were renowned for their hydrocarbon resources and exploited extensively from the 1960s to the 1990s. The Permian Leman Sandstone in particular formed an excellent reservoir due to its extensive clean aeolian sediments and was subsequently explored for decades, resulting in a wealth of subsurface data that are now widely accessible. The strata of the Leman Sandstone comprises mixed continental deposits from aeolian, fluvial and lacustrine environments which interfinger with the saline lake deposits of the Silverpit Formation. With the potential reassessment of depleted gas reservoirs in the North Sea for use as sequestration targets for captured carbon dioxide, there is significant renewed interest in the reservoir geology of the Leman Sandstone. A regional study of the sedimentology and petrophysical properties of the Leman Sandstone and Silverpit formations within quadrants 43, 44, 48 and 49 of the Southern North Sea has been conducted. Multiple interactions between the depositional environments are observed, resulting in a complex interplay between aeolian and lacustrine transgressive/regressive events, and migration and expansion/contraction of the fluvial system. In wireline petrophysical data, each depositional environment, along with their transitional environments, form relatively distinct clusters that can be used as a predictive tool for reservoir interpretation in the absence of core, despite extensive sediment recycling between environments.
Dynamic Adaptation Using Deep Reinforcement Learning for Digital Microfluidic Biochips
Authors: Liang Tung-Che , Chang Yi-Chen , Zhong Zhanwei , Bigdeli Yaas , Ho Tsung-Yi , Chakrabarty Krishnendu , Fair Richard
Published: November 2023

We describe an exciting new application domain for deep reinforcement learning (RL): droplet routing on digital microfluidic biochips (DMFBs). A DMFB consists of a two-dimensional electrode array, and it manipulates droplets of liquid to automatically execute biochemical protocols for clinical chemistry. However, a major problem with DMFBs is that electrodes can degrade over time. The transportation of droplet transportation over these degraded electrodes can fail, thereby adversely impacting the integrity of the bioassay outcome. We demonstrated that the formulation of droplet transportation as an RL problem enables the training of deep neural network policies that can adapt to the underlying health conditions of electrodes and ensure reliable fluidic operations. We describe an RL-based droplet routing solution that can be used for various sizes of DMFBs. We highlight the reliable execution of an epigenetic bioassay with the RL droplet router on a fabricated DMFB. We show that the use of the RL approach on a simple micro-computer (Raspberry Pi 4) leads to acceptable performance for time-critical bioassays. We present a simulation environment based on the OpenAI Gym Interface for RL-guided droplet routing problems on DMFBs. We present results on our study of electrode degradation using fabricated DMFBs. The study supports the degradation model used in the simulator.
EtherShield: Time-interval Analysis for Detection of Malicious Behavior on Ethereum
Authors: Pan Bofeng , Stakhanova Natalia , Zhu Zhongwen
Published: November 2023

Advances in blockchain technology have attracted significant attention across the world. The practical blockchain applications emerging in various domains, ranging from finance, healthcare, and entertainment, have quickly become attractive targets for adversaries. The novelty of the technology coupled with the high degree of anonymity it provides made malicious activities even less visible in the blockchain environment. This made their robust detection challenging.

This article presents EtherShield, a novel approach for identifying malicious activity on the Ethereum blockchain. By combining temporal transaction information and contract code characteristics, EtherShield can detect various types of threats and provide insight into the behavior of contracts. The time-interval-based analysis used by EtherShield enables expedited detection, achieving comparable accuracy to other approaches with significantly less data. Our validation analysis, which involved over 15,000 Ethereum accounts, demonstrated that EtherShield can significantly expedite the detection of malicious activity while maintaining high accuracy levels (86.52% accuracy with 1 hour of transaction history data and 91.33% accuracy with 1 year of transaction history data).
Properties and Application of Chemical Grouting Materials for Construction Joint Leakage
Authors: Li Baozhi , Han Weiwei , Wu Shuyin , Shi Yanyan , Wang Pan , Wang Xiaoguo
Published: November 2023

This paper aims to disclose the properties of the chemical grouting materials under different conditions. Firstly, the water-soluble polyurethane (WPU) slurry, oil-soluble polyurethane (OPU) slurry, epoxy resin (EP) slurry, a slurry mixed by WPU slurry, and OPU slurry marked as (WPU + OPU) slurry were selected to test the properties. The setting time, volume shrinkage, and adhesive strength were measured under room conditions and water conditions. Then, the tunnel construction joints were simulated, and the injectability and water blocking effect were analyzed to evaluate the suitability of the different grouting slurry. In addition, the results were applied in the water leakage management of the Taihu Lake tunnel project. The test results showed that each of the four materials had its performance advantages and disadvantages and provided vital guidance for the engineering application.
Analysis and Design of High-Energy-Efficiency Amplifiers for Delta-Sigma Modulators
Authors: Lai Jinze , Lin Yuxuan , Zhao Gumeng , Huang Lijie , Wei Cong , Wei Rongshan , Hu Wei
Published: November 2023

This study presents a dynamic amplifier with high energy efficiency and high gain suitable for a delta-sigma modulator based on the floating-inverter amplifier (FIA), in-depth analysis of the existing FIA and its improved structure, and simulation verification. Compared with other FIA structures, the proposed amplifier has a better compromise in terms of power consumption and stability, which was designed and simulated using the SMIC 180 nm CMOS technology. Under a 1.2 V power supply, the closed-loop direct current (DC) gain and the output swing were about 104 dB and ±380 mV, respectively, and the input-referred in-band noise was about −100 dB with the chopper circuit.
SCARE of Secret Ciphers under Rough Leakage Model
Authors: Wang Mengxing , Tang Ming , Zhang Xige , Chen Qi , Ding Haili
Published: November 2023

Most previousside-channel analysis-based reverse engineering (SCARE) methods were based on collision attack. However, the collision-based methods generally need noise-free traces and can hardly be verified by realistic implementations. This paper proposes a novel SCARE, which is named as OSHDG-SCARE, targeting on secret S-box. We define a graph as OSHDG (one-step HD graph) to recover the parameters of any secret S-box. Due to the redundancy of OSHDG, the multiple paths can filter the correct results and improve the success rate of the reverse method even when the samples deviate from leakage model. We classify the deviation of side channel signal as two types, which are the gap between real leakage and leakage model, and measurement noise. Experiments are performed on real power traces satisfying the inaccurate HW (Hamming Weight) leakage model from a software implementation of AES-like cipher. OSHDG-SCARE recovers the secret S-box when the deviation rate of traces is 1.45%.
Transcriptomic and Proteomic Approaches Reveal the Biological Functions of Two Novel Porcine-Origin Noncoding DNA Molecules
Authors: Wen Libin , Xie Jianping , Xiao Qi , He Kongwang
Published: November 2023

Porcine circovirus-like mini agents (PCVLs) with small circular noncoding DNA genomes have recently been discovered in animals. Currently, the biological activity of PCVLs remains unclear. In this study, we conducted transcriptomic and proteomic analyses to compare the differential expression of genes and proteins in the livers of PCVL258/PCVL264 molecular clone-infected and mock-infected BALB/c mice at 7 and 28 days postinfection (dpi). Gene Ontology/Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes association analysis of the transcriptome and proteome showed that the differentially expressed genes and proteins (DEGs and DEPs) in the livers of PCVL258-infected mice were predominantly enriched in metabolic, cancer, and neurodegenerative disease signaling pathways. On the other hand, the DEGs and DEPs in the livers of PCVL264-infected mice were principally related to metabolic, reproductive, and pancreatic-associated pathways. We present the first application of transcriptomics combined with proteomics to determine the biological activities of small pathogen-associated DNA molecules, thus providing valuable information for understanding small circular DNA molecules that cannot encode proteins in the generation of specific human diseases.
Evaluation of Root Zone Behavior and Cucumber Yield under Different Mulch Materials and Irrigation Schedules under Tunnel Farming
Authors: Zaman Muhammad , Khan Muhammad Zeeshan , Ishaq Malik Mubashar , Chauhdary Junaid Nawaz , Rizwan Muhammad , Kausar Shabana , Ahmad Ijaz
Published: November 2023

Water plays a crucial role in better agricultural production. The situation of irrigation water in Pakistan is getting worse day by day. New sowing techniques for high-value agriculture are the only solution to increasing water and crop productivity. Drip irrigation coupled with mulch in tunnel farming can be an effective tool for better agricultural production. Therefore, this study was designed to check the impact of different mulch materials coupled with various irrigation schedules on cucumber yield and its root zone behavior. Three types of mulch, i.e., black, transparent, and wheat straw, each under two different levels of deficit irrigation (DI) of 20% DI and 40% DI, were compared with farmer practice as a control. The experiment was conducted at a farmer’s field and laid out under a randomized complete block design. The effect of treatments was checked on the number of leaves per plant, plant height, number of fruits per plant, fruit weight per plant, and crop yield. Moreover, the effect of treatments was checked on the crop root zone. The Hydrus-1D model was calibrated to successfully simulate soil moisture in the root zone. The study’s results revealed that among all treatments, the total yield of the cucumber was higher under 20% DI than 40%. The treatment T3 (transparent mulch + 20% DI) had a maximum yield of 47.31 tons/ha, whereas the minimum yield of 31.86 tons/ha was obtained under control. There was little difference between the yield of black plastic mulch and wheat straw mulch. Maximum root length was found in the case of black mulch with 20% DI (86.9 cm), and the maximum diameter of the root zone canopy was observed under wheat straw mulch. Hydrus-1D proved its ability and was recommended for simulating root zone moisture, with the lowest value of R2 = 0.894. It was concluded that cucumber production with 20% DI is viable for drip irrigation with mulch applications.
The Response Surface BBD Method was Used to Optimize the Ultrasonic-Assisted Extraction of Anthocyanins from the Fruits of Eleutherococcus brachypus and Its Storage Stability and Antioxidant Properties
Authors: Zhang Xiaonan , Zhang Manmin , Lan Muxiang , Xu Heng , Liu Xiongjun , Zhuang Xiaocheng , Guo Tianqi
Published: November 2023

Peroxidation during organism growth and development might have catastrophic implications. It is critical to further investigate the antioxidant potential of plant anthocyanins. In this study, anthocyanins from Eleutherococcus brachypus fruits (EBF) were extracted by an ultrasonic-assisted method. The anthocyanins were then tested for stability under various storage conditions. Based on single-factor combination with response surface optimization, the best ethanol concentration for anthocyanin extraction was 75%, the ideal ultrasonic irradiation power was 160 W, the liquid-to-solid ratio was 10.18 mL/g, and the maximum anthocyanin yield was 1.86 mg/g. Anthocyanins are readily degraded by bright light and remain stable under acidic storage conditions (pH 3.0) and at temperatures below 60°C. The inhibition rates of anthocyanins against ABTS and DPPH radicals were 54.59% and 48.70%, respectively, using vitamin C (Vc) as a positive control. The data cited above make it clear that anthocyanins may act as natural antioxidants. In addition, this research provides a sound theoretical foundation for the creation of natural green antioxidants.
Case Report of Probable DRESS Syndrome Associated with Ribociclib
Authors: Carneiro Florian , Bove Marine , Beau-Salinas Frédérique , San Tevy , Combe Pierre
Published: November 2023

Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) is a rare but known and potentially severe side effect of drugs. The recent development of cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors, such as ribociclib, has considerably improved the management of hormone receptor positive (HR+) and HER2 negative (HER2-) advanced breast cancer. Here, we present the case of an 83-year-old patient who developed a probable DRESS syndrome induced by ribociclib, presenting with fever, eosinophilia, rash, and hepatic cytolysis. The RegiSCAR score was 4. The symptomatology evolved favorably with topical and systemic corticosteroids, without any sequel. Another CDK4/6 inhibitor, palbociclib, was introduced later without any cross-toxicity and with an excellent therapeutic response for more than 3 years.
Experimental Study on Two-Step Concrete Corbels with Several Interface Conditions
Authors: A. Hassan Mohamed , Darwish M. Nasser , M. Allam Said , Diab Muhammad A.
Published: November 2023

Corbels are usually used in precast concrete structures for beam–column connections and are common in industrial structures to support crane girders and may be required in new alteration works. To overcome the difficulty of casting columns with corbels, especially in precast concrete industry, columns are sometimes cast without their corbels, and then corbels are cast in a following step. Sometimes, new corbels get added to existing columns to support new crane girders. Thus, two-step corbels may be installed using different techniques depending on several criteria, and several factors affect their behavior, some of which mainly the interface conditions are experimentally investigated. One control specimen with a monolithic corbel and five two-step corbel specimens were tested. The mean roughness depth of the column–corbel interface varied between 4 and 8 mm. Moreover, using adhesive components on the hardened column–corbel interface was investigated. Besides, steel reinforcement implantation was attempted and studied for corbels with or without horizontal stirrups. For the tested cases, results show that two-step corbels can be a good replacement to monolithic corbels and can achieve up to 92% of the monolithic corbels capacity. Increasing the mean roughness interface depth between corbels and column slightly increased the two-step corbel capacity and improved its behavior. Using adhesive epoxy to the column–corbel interface can achieve the behavior and ultimate load capacity of two-step corbel with mean roughness depth of 4 mm. Implanting corbels’ reinforcement is not recommended unless specific precautions and measures are assured and the embedment depth should be calculated and implemented to accommodate all expected failure mechanisms.
Isolation and Identification of a Genotype C Bovine Parainfluenza Virus Type 3 and Its Pathogenicity in Albino Guinea Pigs
Authors: Han Yu , Adam Fathalrhman Eisa Addoma , Zhang Riteng , Gao Yan , Lei Jianlin , Lu Kejia , Wang Xinglong , Xiao Sa , Liu Haijin , Yang Zengqi
Published: November 2023

Bovine parainfluenza virus type 3 (BPIV3) is a significant pathogen in cattle, causing a range of respiratory symptoms from mild to severe. In this study, we isolated a BPIV3 (BPIV3/SX/2021) strain using Madin-Darby bovine kidney cells from a lung tissue sample obtained in Shaanxi province. The full length of the BPIV3/SX/2021 strain is 15,474 nt, encoding six structural and three accessory proteins. A phylogenetic analysis revealed that SX2021strain belongs to BPIV3 genotype C, and the isolate shares the highest sequence homology with the other genotype C strains isolated in China. A genetic comparison of the BPIV3c strain isolated in China showed that some amino acid residues have mutations in the F and HN genes that affect the protein structure. Animal challenge experiments showed that experimental infection of guinea pigs with the BPIV3c strain SX2021 displayed depression and dyspnea clinical signs. Histopathological analysis of the lung and trachea showed that morphological changes consisted of lesions of bronchial epithelial cell shedding, alveoli septa thickening, focal fiber hyperplasia, and macrophage infiltration. The virus load analysis indicated that the SX2021 strain displayed a higher replication level in the lungs and trachea. These results provide strong evidence that the evolution of BPIV3, and the isolated BPIV3 strain SX2021 provide useful data to determine the pathogenesis of the virus.
Two Aramaic Piyyutim from the Second Crusade (1148)
Authors: Katsumata Naoya , van Bekkum Wout
Published: November 2023

A single folio from MS 119 in the Geneva Genizah includes two unknown and unpublished piyyutim in Aramaic, which are presented in this study for the first time. The two hymns can be precisely dated to the year 1148, the time of the Second Crusade. They resemble each other to a significant extent in terms of content and prosody, referring to a dire historical situation that can be explicitly linked to the siege of Damascus in the summer of 1148. This study presents a critical edition of the two Aramaic piyyutim together with an English translation alongside other textual elements within the remarkable context of this unique folio.
A new species of Thinophilus Wahlberg (Diptera: Dolichopodidae: Hydrophorinae) from coastal India with re-description of Thinophilus tesselatus Becker (Diptera: Dolichopodidae: Hydrophorinae)
Authors: MUKHERJEE KOUSTAV , PRAMANIK DEBDEEP , NASKAR ATANU , BANERJEE DHRITI
Published: November 2023

A new peculiar species of marine dolichopodid fly from West Bengal, India is described: Thinophilus maritimus Mukherjee & Pramanik sp. nov. COI barcodes of the new species were compared to other available Thinophilus sequences. Despite the lack of lateral setae on its hind coxa, this species clusters within the Thinophilus group. Males of Thinophilus tesselatus Becker, 1922 were also obtained from the same area, and a detailed redescription of the species is presented here. A checklist of 70 Oriental Thinophilus species is also provided.
Rediscovery and redescription of Scaphisoma nigrofasciatum Pic (Coleoptera: Staphylindae: Scaphidiinae): a remarkable new record from a distant continent
Authors: GROLL ELISA VON
Published: November 2023

Scaphisoma nigrofasciatum Pic is a shining fungus beetle whose distribution was recorded from the Asian continent and three insular African countries. This paper presents a new record of this species from Brazil. In this paper, photographs of specimens from both Brazil and Asia are provided, accompanied by a brief new redescription. A preliminary hypothesis suggests that this species may have been introduced to Brazil alongside flamboyant trees.
Redescription of both Goniogryllus bistriatus Wu & Wang, 1992 and Callogryllus yunnanus Wu & Zheng, 1992 (Orthoptera: Gryllidae, Gryllinae)
Authors: DAI JIN-HONG , WANG RUI , JING KAI , MA LI-BIN
Published: November 2023

Goniogryllus bistriatus Wu & Wang, 1992 was described at the end of the last century, based on the female holotype, and there have been no further studies or reports related to this species since then. Callogryllus yunnanus Wu & Zheng, 1992 also has a similar situation. Although the holotype is a male, its external genitalia have been lost. These issues pose obstacles to subsequent taxonomic research. Recently, we have successively discovered these two species in Huize County, Yunnan Province, China. To address the aforementioned taxonomic problems, this article describes the male specimens of the G. bistriatus and redescribes the female; meanwhile, since the original description of C. yunnanus lacked male genital characteristics, and we have also conducted a complete redescription of this species based on the new specimen.
Origins of Underestimated Indian Ocean Dipole Skewness in CMIP5/6 Models
Authors: Zheng Yiling , Tam Chi-Yung , Xu Kang , Collins Matthew
Published: November 2023

The Indian Ocean dipole (IOD) is the dominant mode of interannual variability in the tropical Indian Ocean (TIO), characterized by warming (cooling) in western TIO and cooling (warming) in eastern TIO during its positive (negative) phase. Observed IOD events exhibit distinct amplitude asymmetry in relation to negative nonlinear dynamic heating. Nearly all models in phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP) simulate a less-skewed IOD than observed, but 6 out of 20 CMIP6 models can reproduce realistic high skewness. Analysis of less-skewed models indicates that the positive IOD-like biases in the mean state, which can be traced back to their weaker simulations of the preceding Indian summer monsoon, reduce the convective response to positive sea surface temperature anomalies in the western TIO, resulting in a weaker zonal wind response and weaker nonlinear zonal advection during positive IOD events. Besides, ocean stratification in the eastern TIO influences the IOD skewness: stronger stratification leads to larger mixed-layer temperature response to thermocline changes, contributing to larger anomalous vertical temperature gradient, larger nonlinear vertical advection, and thus stronger positive IOD skewness. Our findings underscore the importance of reducing Indian summer monsoon biases and eastern TIO stratification biases, for properly representing the IOD in Earth system models.
Initiation of Breast Cancer Screening at a Later Age May Disproportionately Impact Minority Groups: Review of Ohio Data (1996-2022)
Authors: Kirkpatrick Daniel R. , Kobayashi Haruka , Walker Hannah M. , Tuttle Rebecca M.
Published: November 2023

Among women with breast cancer, delays in diagnosis and earlier presentation have been documented among minority women. Consequently, initiation of breast cancer screening at a later age may disproportionately harm minority groups. This study seeks to determine whether minority women face a higher proportional risk of younger age breast cancer than their White peers. Using publicly available data from the Ohio Department of Public Health Data Warehouse, we constructed a database allowing for retrospective evaluation of all breast cancer patients in the state of Ohio from 1996 to 2020. White women represented the bulk of total breast cancer cases in each age group and overall; however, the proportion of cancers attributable to White women increased in each successively older cohort group: 80.7% of cases under age 40 up to 91.3% of the 80 or older group. By a significant margin, the opposite is true in minority groups with African American women accounting for 15% of cases under the age of 40, trending down to 7.8% of the 80 and older group. Comparison of the proportions of these groups demonstrates statistically significant proportional decreases among minority groups and statistically significant increases among White women. Our findings suggest that women of color in the Ohio population face a disproportionately high risk of being diagnosed with younger age breast cancer and support the findings of other authors who recommend tailoring breast cancer screening by racial cohort. Efforts should be made to promote younger-age screening for minority women to prevent disproportionate harm.
Acute Coronary Syndromes in Women: A Narrative Review of Sex-Specific Characteristics
Authors: Theofilis Panagiotis , Vlachakis Panayotis K. , Mantzouranis Emmanouil , Sakalidis Athanasios , Chrysohoou Christina , Leontsinis Ioannis , Lazaros George , Dimitriadis Kyriakos , Drakopoulou Maria , Vordoni Aikaterini , Oikonomou Evangelos , Tsioufis Konstantinos , Tousoulis Dimitris
Published: November 2023

Acute coronary syndromes (ACSs) encompass a spectrum of life-threatening cardiovascular conditions, including unstable angina (UA) and myocardial infarction. While significant progress has been made in the understanding and management of ACS over the years, it has become increasingly evident that sex-based differences play a pivotal role in the pathophysiology, presentation, and outcomes of these conditions. Despite this recognition, the majority of clinical research in the field has historically focused on male populations, leading to a significant knowledge gap in understanding the unique aspects of ACS in women. This review article aims to comprehensively explore and synthesize the current body of literature concerning the sex-specific characteristics of ACS, shedding light on the epidemiology, risk factors, clinical presentation, diagnostic challenges, treatment strategies, and prognosis in women. By elucidating the distinct aspects of ACS in women, this review intends to foster greater awareness and improved clinical management, ultimately contributing to enhanced cardiovascular care for female patients.
Prognostic Implications of Changes in Total Physiological Atherosclerotic Burden in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease—A Serial QFR Study
Authors: Chu Jiapeng , Yuan Deqiang , Lai Yan , Ye Wen , Liu Lei , Lin Hao , Ping Fan , Zhu Guoqi , Chen Fei , Yao Yian , Yan Wenwen , Liu Xuebo
Published: November 2023

The association between coronary physiological progression and clinical outcomes has not been investigated. A total of 421 patients who underwent serial coronary angiography at least 6 months apart were included. Total physiological atherosclerotic burden was characterized by sum of quantitative flow ratio in 3 epicardial vessels (3V-QFR). The relationships of the 3V-QFR and its longitudinal change (△3V-QFR) with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were explored. 3V-QFR values derived from follow-up angiograms were slightly lower compared with baseline (2.85 [2.77, 2.90] vs 2.86 [2.80, 2.90], P < .001). The median △3V-QFR value was −0.01 (−0.05, 0.02). The multivariable models demonstrated that follow-up 3V-QFR and △3V-QFR were independently associated with MACE (both P < .05). Patients with both low follow-up 3V-QFR (≤2.78) and low △3V-QFR (≤−0.05) presented 3 times higher risk of MACE than those without (hazard ratio: 2.953, 95% confidence interval 1.428–6.104, P = .003). Furthermore, adding patient-level 3V-QFR and △3V-QFR to clinical model significantly improved the predictability for MACE. In conclusion, total physiological atherosclerotic burden and its progression can provide incremental prognostic value over clinical characteristics, supporting the use of coronary physiology in the evaluation of disease progression and for the identification of vulnerable patients.
Book review: Neilesh Bose, ed, South Asian Migrations in Global History: Labor, Law, and Global Lives
Authors: Sen Uditi
Published: November 2023

Neilesh Bose, ed, South Asian Migrations in Global History: Labor, Law, and Global Lives. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2020, 250 pp.
Modulation signal bispectrum analysis of motor current signals for online monitoring of turning conditions
Authors: Zou Zhexiang , Li Chun , Shen Guoji , Li Dongqin , Gu Fengshou , Ball Andrew David
Published: November 2023

Maintaining exceptional product quality and boosting processing efficiency requires precise evaluation of various aspects of the turning process, including the cutting depth, feed rate, and size of the workpiece. This article presents a novel approach for observing the turning process state using modulation signal bispectrum (MSB) and motor current signals. A nonlinear model was established that clarifies the load torque oscillations during turning, which in turn affects the amplitude and phase modulation of the motor stator current. Random noise can be efficiently minimized using the MSB algorithm, allowing the extraction of the current-modulation characteristic sideband phase and amplitude from the collected current signal. This technique enables clear representation and enhanced monitoring of load torque changes throughout the turning process. The proposed method was validated via mathematical simulations and universal lathe tests, with the results indicating that the MSB phase and amplitude values effectively capture both dynamic and static torque alterations during the turning operation, making this approach a valuable tool for overseeing the turning process.