bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prediction and Evaluation of High-risk Patients with Primary Biliary Cholangitis Receiving Ursodeoxycholic Acid Therapy: An Early Criterion
Authors: Yang Chunmei , Guo Guanya , Li Bo , Zheng Linhua , Sun Ruiqing , Wang Xiufang , Deng Juan , Jia Gui , Zhou Xia , Cui Lina , Guo Changcun , Zhou Xinmin , Leung Patrick S C , Gershwin M Eric , Shang Yulong , Han Ying
Published: August 2022

Background & AimsCurrent treatment guidelines recommend ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) as the first line treatment for new-diagnosed primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) patients. However, up to 40% patients are insensitive to UDCA monotherapy, and evaluation of UDCA response at 12 months may result in long period of ineffective treatment. We aimed to develop a new criterion to reliably identify non-response patients much earlier.Methods569 patients with an average of 59 months (Median:53; IQR:32–79) follow-up periods were randomly divided into either the training (70%) or the validation cohort (30%). The efficiency of different combinations of total bilirubin (TBIL), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) threshold values to predict outcomes was assessed at 1, 3 or 6-month after the initiation of UDCA therapy. The endpoints were defined as adverse outcomes, including liver-related death, liver transplantation and complications of cirrhosis. Adverse outcome-free survival was compared using various published criteria and a proposed new criterion.ResultsA new criterion of evaluating UDCA responses at 1-month was established as: ALP≤2.5×upper limit of normal (ULN) and AST≤2×ULN, and TBIL≤1×ULN (Xi’an criterion). The 5-year adverse outcome-free survival rate of UDCA responders, defined by Xi’an criterion, was 97%, which was significantly higher than that of those non-responders (64%). An accurate distinguishing high-risk patients’ capacity of Xi’an criterion was confirmed in both early- or late-stage PBC.ConclusionsXi’an criterion has a similar or even higher ability to distinguish high-risk PBC patients than other published criteria. Xi’an criterion can facilitate early identification of patients requiring new therapeutic approaches.
Pre-clinical efficacy of CD20-targeted chimeric antigen receptor T cells for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
Authors: Wen Hairuo , Lou Xiaoyan , Qu Zhe , Qin Chao , Jiang Hua , Yang Ying , Kang Liqing , Geng Xingchao , Yu Lei , Huang Ying
Published: August 2022

Background A 4-1BB/CD3-ζ-costimulated CAR-T against CD20 (CAR-T20) was subjected to a systemic efficacy evaluation in a cell coculture model, and NOD-SCID IL-2 receptor gamma null mice (short for NSG mice) were xenografted with human Burkitt's lymphoma Raji cells. Methods CAR-T20 cells were incubated with target cells (K562, K562 CD20 or Raji cells) at ratios of 10:1 and 5:1 for 24 h, and the killing rate was estimated by an LDH cytotoxicity assay. To evaluate the effect of CAR-T20 on the survival time of tumor-bearing animals, 30 NSG mice were employed, and Raji-Luc cells (5×105cells per mouse) were administered prior to CAR-T20 administration. The survival time, optical intensity of Raji-Luc cells, clinical symptoms, and body mass of the animals were observed. Another 144 male NSG mice were employed to investigate the proliferation and antitumor effects of CAR-T20. Human cytokine and murine cytokines were detected at 1, 7, 14, 21, 28, 42, 56 and 90 days post-CAR-T administration, while biochemistry index analysis, T-cell and CAR-T-cell detection in peripheral blood, and histopathological examination were performed at 14, 28, 56 and 90 days post-administration. Results CAR-T20 cells had a specific killing effect on CD20-expressing cellsin vitro. At a dose of 1×106per mouse or above, CAR-T20 prolonged the median survival time from 14 days to more than 3 months, inhibited the proliferation of Raji cells in mice, and alleviated the clinical manifestations and weight loss caused by the Raji-Luc cell load. CAR-T20 at a dose of 2×106per mouse or above inhibited the proliferation of Raji cells in mice for up to 111 days post-administration without recurrence. The numbers of T cells and CAR-T cells in the animals administered CAR-T20 increased significantly when Raji cells were markedly proliferated and subsequently decreased when Raji cells were predominantly inhibited. CAR-T20 increased human IFN-γ, murine TNF and murine IL-6 levels and decreased human IL-10 levels in tumor-bearing mice. The incidences of xenografted tumors in organs/tissues were also reduced effectively by CAR-T20. Conclusion The effective dose of CAR-T20 in mice starts from 1×106per mouse, equivalent to a clinical dose of 5×106/kg. Together, our data support the clinical translation of CAR-T20 for R/R B-cell NHL patients.
Engineering Surveys of Sri Lankan Schools Exposed to Tsunami
Authors: Cels Jonas , Rossetto Tiziana , Dias Priyan , Thamboo Julian , Wijesundara Kushan , Baiguera Marco , Zoppo Marta Del
Published: August 2022

The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami inflicted more than 35 ,000 casualties in Sri Lanka, a third of whom were children. It affected 5% of the country’s schools, severely damaging 108 and destroying 74. The catastrophe highlighted the critical role of schools in providing educational continuity and shelter during community recovery. Sri Lanka has since rehabilitated and rebuilt most of the destroyed schools along the coastline. However, there is a limited understanding of current levels of school exposure to tsunami. This limited understanding hampers preparedness and risk reduction interventions that can improve community and educational resilience to future tsunami. This paper presents a multi-disciplinary school exposure database relevant to both vulnerability and loss modelling. The repository includes data on 38 school and 85 classroom buildings, surveyed across the coastal districts of Ampara, Batticaloa and Galle in Sri Lanka, which were heavily affected by the 2004 tsunami. A new engineering rapid visual survey tool is presented that was developed and used to conduct the physical assessment of schools for the exposure repository. School damage mechanisms observed in past tsunami inform the survey forms, which are designed to capture information at both school complex and building levels. Though validated for Sri Lanka, the tsunami survey tools can be used worldwide for the visual assessment of school exposure to tsunami. The surveys show that most Sri Lankan school buildings can be classified into three building archetypes. This means that future risk assessments can be conducted considering a small number of index buildings that are based on these archetypes with differing partition arrangements and structural health conditions. The surveys also raise three significant concerns. Firstly, that most schools affected by the 2004 tsunami remain in the same exposed locations without any consideration for tsunami design or strengthening provisions. Secondly, that Sri Lankan schools are fragile to tsunami loading and that many of the schools in the Galle district are suffering from severe corrosion, which will further affect their vulnerability to tsunami. Thirdly, that schools do not appear prepared for future tsunami and other hazards, and do not have adequate evacuation protocol in place. These observations raise the urgent need to mitigate against tsunami risk, including a holistic plan for tsunami retrofitting and for interventions to improve the tsunami preparedness of schools in Sri Lanka.
Molecular epidemiology of Group B Streptococcus Isolates from Pregnant Women with Premature Rupture of Membranes in Fuzhou, China
Authors: Liang Bin , Chen Huiyu , Yu Donghong , Zhao Wantong , Qiu Huahong , Xu Liangpu
Published: August 2022

Background
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) colonization in late pregnancy is associated with premature rupture of membranes (PROM) and preterm delivery, and may lead to ascending infection and neonatal early-onset disease. This study aims to determine the prevalence, antimicrobial susceptibility, serotypes, and molecular characterization of GBS strains in Fuzhou region of China.
Methods
A total of 140 GBS isolates were obtained from pregnant women with PROM. All isolates were genotyped, serotyped and tested for drug-resistance and virulence genes using PCR and DNA sequencing. In addition, antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using Vitek® 2 automated system.
Results
Among the 140 GBS isolates, seventeen sequence types (STs) were identified, among which ST19 (20.0%) was the most prevalent, followed by ST862, ST10 and ST12. Three clonal complexes (CCs) were identified, namely, CC19, CC10 and CC1. The predominant serotype was III (45.7%), followed by V (23.6%), Ib (18.6%), Ia (7.1%), and II (3.6%). The prevalence of multidrug resistance was 72.8% (102/140). All isolates were susceptible to penicillin G, ampicillin, quinupristin, linezolid, vancomycin, and tigecycline. The majority of isolates were resistant to clindamycin (72.1%), erythromycin (70.0%), and tetracycline (80.7%), and 28.6% of isolates were resistant to levofloxacin and moxifloxacin. Of the 98 erythromycin-resistant strains, mreA was detected in 100% (98/98), followed by ermB (70%, 69/98), mefA (49%, 48/98), mefE (22%, 22/98), ermA (13%, 13/98) and ermTR (9%, 9/98). No linB were detected among 101 clindamycin-resistant strains. Of the 114 tetracycline-resistant strains, tetM, tetK, tetL and tetO was detected in 52.6%, 61.4%, 7.9%, and 23.7%, respectively. For virulence genes detection, all strains carried rib and hylB, followed by bca (98.6%), and scpB (80.7%), whereas only one strain carried bac.
Conclusion
ST19/III and ST862/III were the most prevalent GBS subtypes. Penicillin G remains a first-line antibiotic for IAP and treatment of GBS infections. Three agents (clindamycin, erythromycin, and tetracycline) should not be used as candidate alternatives for penicillin allergies in this region. Long-term, high-quality surveillance should be conducted to provide a foundation for GBS prevention strategies and vaccine development.
Mapping of a soybean rust resistance in PI 594756 at the Rpp1 locus
Authors: Barros Luciane Gomes , Avelino Bruna Barbosa , Silva Danielle Cristina Gregório da , Ferreira Everton Geraldo Capote , Castanho Fernanda Machado , Ferreira Marcio Elias , Lopes-Caitar Valeria Stefania , Marin Silvana Regina Rockenbach , Arias Carlos Alberto Arrabal , Lopes Ivani de Oliveira Negrão , Abdelnoor Ricardo Vilela , Marcelino-Guimarães Francismar Corrêa
Published: August 2022

Asian soybean rust (ASR), caused by the fungus Phakopsora pachyrhizi, is the main disease affecting soybean production in Brazil. The plant introduction PI 594756 is a resistance source that has been employed in breeding for resistance to ASR in this country. This study aimed at investigating the resistance of the PI 594756 to a panel of P. pachyrhizi isolates and mapping its resistance in populations derived from the cross with the susceptible PI 594891. The PI 594756 and resistant varieties were inoculated with seven ASR monosporic isolates. F2 and F2:3 populations were tested against ASR in a greenhouse and used to map a resistance gene to a likely genomic location by means of bulked segregant analysis. Bulks were genotyped with Infinium BeadChips and the genomic region identified was saturated with target GBS (tGBS). PI 594756 presented a unique resistance profile compared to the differential varieties, being resistant to six isolates and immune to one. The resistance was visually monogenic dominant; however, it was classified as incompletely dominant when quantitatively studied. Genetic and QTL mapping placed the PI 594756 gene between chromosome (chr) 18 55,863,741 and 56,123,516. This position is slightly upstream mapping positionsof Rpp1 (PI 200492) and Rpp1-b (PI 594538A). Finally, we performed a haplotype analysis of a panel composed of Brazilian historical germplasm, sources of Rpp genes and resistant varieties and found SNPs that can successfully differentiated the new allele from PI 594756 from Rpp1 and Rpp1-b sources. The ﻿haplotype identified can be used as a tool for marker assisted selection.
Dialectical Inferences in the Construction of Social Domain Knowledge
Authors: Horn Axel , Castorina José Antonio , Barreiro Alicia
Published: August 2022

The concept of dialectical inferences was proposed by Piaget to interpret the inferences arising in the coordination of meanings within the construction of cognitive novelties in physical and logical-mathematical phenomena. First, the different uses given to the concept of dialectics in Piagetian work will be analyzed, emphasizing the original meaning of the term “inferential dialectical”. Second, the results of a study on the construction of children's ideas about the right to privacy at school will be analyzed using the category of dialectical inferences. This study was based on interviews with thirty children between 7 and 12 years old living in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires (CABA) to study the development of their ideas about this right. At the same time, we observed the school practices in which these children participate to characterize how students' personal information was treated at school. Thirdly, we propose a discussion on the construction of social knowledge, identifying the constructive activity of subjects and at the same time the peculiar interactions they sustain with social practices from which the object of knowledge is cut out.
Using a weight of evidence approach to identify sources of microbiological contamination in a shellfish growing area with “Restricted” classification
Authors: Campos Carlos J. A. , Kelly Laura T. , Banks Jonathan C.
Published: August 2022

Shellfish growing areas in rural catchments are occasionally affected by elevated faecal contamination from diffuse sources and may be subject to frequent harvest closures/classification downgrades. We combined traditional risk management methods based on sanitary surveys and monitoring of Escherichia coli in seawater and shellfish with faecal source tracking, bacterial source apportionment, and hydrometeorological modelling to determine the causes of elevated E. coli concentrations contributing to harvest closures in Papanui Inlet (Aotearoa New Zealand). These multiple lines of evidence were used to inform a weight of evidence assessment of bacterial contamination in the inlet. Ruminant livestock was estimated to contribute 80% of the faecal coliform loading. Concentrations of E. coli in seawater were low (≤ 87 MPN 100 ml− 1) while those in tuaki (Austrovenus stutchburyi) occasionally exceeded the “Approved” classification limit (230 MPN 100 g− 1). The most frequent positive genetic markers in seawater were the seagull (Catellicoccus marimammalium) (54% of seawater samples), and in shellfish, the bovine and seagull markers (both 12.5% of shellfish samples). Solar radiation was negatively correlated with E. coli in tuaki. We found that the growing area is affected by faecal inputs from animal and, to a lesser extent, human (septic tank discharges) sources which elevate contamination to levels detectable in tuaki but not in seawater, particularly in the summer months. The innovative approach can enhance the management of shellfish growing areas affected by intermittent contamination and enables more targeted action to reduce pollution to improve shellfish water quality.
Minocycline protects against lipopolysaccharide-induced cognitive impairment and oxidative stress: possible role of the CREB-BDNF signaling pathway
Authors: Qaid Entesar Yaseen Abdo , Abdullah Zuraidah , Zakaria Rahimah , Long Idris
Published: August 2022

Introduction: The oxidative stress-induced dysregulation of the cyclic AMP response element-binding protein- brain-derived neurotrophic factor (CREB-BDNF) cascade has been linked to cognitive impairment in several studies. This study aimed to investigate the effect of minocycline on the levels of oxidative stress markers, CREB, and BDNF in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cognitive impairment. Methods: Fifty adult male Sprague Dawley rats were divided randomly into five groups. Group 1 was an untreated control group. Groups 2, 3, 4 and 5 were treated concurrently with LPS (5 mg/kg, i.p) once on day 5 and normal saline (0.7 ml/rat, i.p) or minocycline (25 and 50 mg/kg, i.p) or memantine (10 mg/kg, i.p) once daily from day 1 until day 14, respectively. From day 15 to day 22 of the experiment, Morris Water Maze (MWM) was used to evaluate learning and reference memory in rats. The levels of protein carbonyl (PCO), malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). CREB and BDNF expression and density were measured by immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis, respectively. Results: LPS administration significantly increased escape latency to the hidden platform with decreased travelled distance, swimming speed, target crossings and time spent in the target quadrant. Besides, the hippocampal tissue of LPS rats showed increased levels of PCO and MDA, decreased levels of CAT and SOD, and reduced expression and density of BDNF and CREB. Treatment with minocycline reversed these effects in a dose-dependent manner, comparable to the effects of memantine.Conclusion: Both doses of minocycline treatment protect against LPS-induced cognitive impairment by reducing oxidative stress and upregulating the CREB-BDNF signalling pathway in the rat hippocampus.
Hypoxia induces early neurogenesis in human fetal neural stem cells by activating the WNT pathway
Authors: Dey Devanjan , Shrivastava Vadanya , Joshi Diksha , Singal Chitra Mohinder Singh , Tyagi Sagar , Bhat Muzaffer Ahmed , Jaiswal Paritosh , Sharma Jai Bhagwan , Palanichamy Jayanth Kumar , Sinha Subrata , Seth Pankaj , Sen Sudip
Published: August 2022

Fetal neural stem cells (FNSCs) present in the human fetal brain, differentiate into cells of neuronal and glial lineages. The developing fetus is exposed to lower oxygen concentrations compared to adults and this physiological hypoxia may influence the growth and differentiation of the FNSCs. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of hypoxia on the differentiation potential of human FNSCs isolated from the sub-ventricular zone of aborted fetal brains (n = 5). FNSCs were isolated, expanded, and characterized by Nestin and Sox2 expression, using immunocytochemistry and flowcytometry respectively. These FNSCs were exposed to 20% oxygen (normoxia) and 0.2% oxygen (hypoxia) concentrations for 48 hours, and hypoxia exposure (n = 5) was validated. Whole transcriptome analyses (Genespring GX13) of FNSCs exposed to hypoxia (Agilent 4x44K human array slides), highlighted that genes associated with neurogenesis were enriched on exposure to hypoxia. The pathway analysis of these enriched genes (using Metacore) showed that the involvement of WNT signaling pathway. Microarray analyses was validated using neuronal and glial lineage commitment markers, namely NEUROG1, NEUROG2, ASCL1, DCX, GFAP, OLIG2 and NKX2.2 using qPCR (n = 9). DCX and GFAP protein expression were analysed by western blotting (n = 3). This demonstrated upregulation of the neuronal commitment markers on hypoxia exposure, while no change was observed in astrocytic and oligodendrocyte lineage commitment markers. Increased expression of downstream targets of the WNT signaling pathway, TCF4 and ID2, by qPCR (n = 9), and increased protein expression of CTNNB1 (β-catenin) and ID2 by western blot (n = 3), indicated its involvement in mediating neuronal differentiation on exposure to hypoxia.
Histopathological Analysis of Cerebral Microvasculature Pathology with Alzheimer’s Disease Neuropathological Changes: An Autopsy Study
Authors: Cao Yuan , Huang Mei-Ying , Mao Chen-Hui , Wang Xue , Xu Yuan-Yuan , Qian Xiao-Jing , Ma Chao , Qiu Wen-Ying , Zhu Yi-Cheng
Published: August 2022

Background: Cerebrovascular lesions are associated with cognitive impairment. However, the implication of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) neuropathological changes (ADNC) on cerebral microvasculature is not completely understood. This study aimed to investigate the changes in the median tunica and basement membrane-related extracellular matrix (ECM) contents of the microvasculature and correlate this finding between the ADNC-impaired individuals and healthy controls.Methods: In this study, 12 decedents with high or intermediate ADNC and 15 matched controls without ADNC were selected from a local brain bank. Tissue blocks were systematically collected from white matter regions of the cortex, putamen, and hippocampus. The proportions of small vessels affected by arteriolosclerosis and venular collagenosis, and the levels of collagen IV, laminin, fibronectin, perlecan, and agrin in the ECM were quantified by immunohistochemistry and compared between the two groups.Results: Venular collagenosis was significantly more severe in AD patients than in controls across all selected brain regions (p < 0.001 for all regions). Although arteriolosclerosis was substantially severe in the AD group, only arteriolosclerosis in putamen was significantly more severe (0.63 vs. 0.42, p = 0.040). Similar correlation patterns were observed between these changes in the media tunica and specific AD pathology scores. We found that the levels of collagen IV and fibronectin were decreased and agrin was increased in AD cases, showing that changes in ECM components were significantly correlated with ADNC.Conclusions: Our data indicate that venular injuries with severe collagenosis in the media tunica and significant basement membrane-related ECM changes are important contributors to ADNC, providing potential new targets for investigation.
Inhibitory effect of TCF7L2 on pancreatic β-cell dedifferentiation via ERK/MAPK signaling pathway in diabetes
Authors: Wu Hui-Hui , Ma Qian-Wen , Liu Yi-Meng , Wu Xia , Wang Chun , Lu Bin , Zhang Zhao-Yun , Wen Jie
Published: August 2022

Background
Transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) variants seem to affect diabetes susceptibility through β-cell dysfunction, underlying basis of which has been considered to be β-cell dedifferentiation rather than apoptotic β-cell death. However, little is known about how TCF7L2 variation contributes to β-cell dedifferentiation and how pancreatic β-cell dedifferentiation changes during diabetes progression.
Methods
To clarify the effects of TCF7L2 on β-cell dedifferentiation and insulin secretion, MIN6 cells were transfected with TCF7L2 shRNA or lenti-TCF7L2 virus for 48h and then the degree of β-cells dedifferentiation and insulin concentrations in supernatant were measured respectively. To further determine whether the effects are mediated by ERK/MAPK signal pathway, MIN6 cells were administrated with ERK phosphorylation inhibitor U0126 prior to TCF7L2 shRNA virus transfection. Subsequently, changes of TCF7L2 expression and pancreatic β-cell dedifferentiation were measured respectively in db/db mice after 2, 6 and 10 weeks of ND or HFD feeding.
Results
Our present study demonstrated that stable shRNA-mediated knockdown of TCF7L2 significantly increased β-cell dedifferentiation and drastically decreased insulin secretion of MIN6 cells. The opposite results were observed following lenti-TCF7L2 virus transfection. Interestingly, TCF7L2 exerted an inhibitory effect on the activation of ERK/MAPK signal and the effects of TCF7L2 on β-cells dedifferentiation and insulin secretion were totally attenuated when the phosphorylation of ERK was blocked using its chemical inhibitor U0126. Additionally, the declined TCF7L2 expression in paralleled with sustained activation of ERK/MAPK signal and increased pancreatic β-cell dedifferentiation were observed simultaneously in db/db mice. All animals showed impaired glucose tolerance during intraperitoneal glucose tolerance tests.
Conclusion
The pancreatic β-cell dedifferentiation which mediated by ERK/MAPK signaling pathway might be the essential component of TCF7L2 variants to develop diabetes.
Approximating Fixed Points for Enriched Suzuki Generalized Nonexpansive Multivalued Mappings in Banach Spaces
Authors: Agwu Imo Kalu , Saleem Naeem , Ishtiaq Umar , Igbokwe Donatus Ikechi
Published: August 2022

In this manuscript, we establish a novel class of nonlinear mappings called β-enriched Suzuki generalized multivalued non-expansive mappings and prove a new existence of common fixed points for a commuting pair comprising an enriched single-valued and an enriched multivalued mapping both satisfying condition (C) in the setup of a uniformly convex Banach space. Further, weak and strong convergence results are obtained for an infinite family of this new class of mappings in the framework of uniformly convex Banach spaces. A nontrivial numerical example is presented to validate the main results of this paper. Our results extend, improve and generalize many well known results currently in literature.
Entrainment and Mixing in Circular and Rectangular Bended Plunging Jets
Authors: Moscato Giorgio , Romano Giovanni Paolo
Published: August 2022

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
An improved approach to tool life promotion concerning cutting edge microgeometry
Authors: Zhuang Kejia , Huang Yujian , Hu Cheng , Wang Jue , Zou Lingli
Published: August 2022

The severe wear of cemented carbide tool can lead to problems such as short tool life and poor part surface integrity. Fortunately, it has been found that the tool wear may be reduced by modifying the cutting edge microgeometry. However, there is a few studies that offer specific instructions for this modification. In addition, it is costly to realize this for machining tools through merely experiments. Therefore, in this paper, an improved approach is proposed by combining the finite-element (FE) simulation method with a user-defined wear rate model. To achieve this, a new wear rate model was proposed at first, regarding the wear mechanisms of the carbide tool during machining of Inconel 718 alloy. Then, four sets of carefully designed cutting tests and FE simulations were carried out to calibrate and verify the new model. At last, extensive FE simulations were conducted to investigate the influence of tool edge microgeometry on tool life. The simulated results indicate that the tool life increases with the increase of the form factor K within a given range. This finding on optimized tool edge was further verified by performing a group of cylindrical turning experiments. The experimental measurements reveal that the tool life has increased by 24% and 50% maximum when increasing K from 0.9 to 2.8 under the two given cutting conditions.
Early Childhood Development, Family Structure, and Electronic Device Usage: Evidence from Thailand
Authors: Damrongplasit Kannika , Komonpaisarn Touchanun
Published: August 2022

This paper assesses the interaction of family structure and electronic device usage on cognitive and non-cognitive development of children under the age of 5 years old. The study uses the 2015 Multiple Indicators Cluster Survey of Thailand to conduct the analysis. We adopt endogenous probit switching, bivariate probit, and binary probit models in this study. Specification analyses point out that the endogenous probit switching model provides the best fit for our data. Our results demonstrate that when children use electronic device it can increase the probability of having good cognitive development by 28.6% while lower the probability of having good non-cognitive ability by 6.1%. Furthermore, it is found that children residing in skipped generation family may experience 26.1% higher probability of being cognitively on track comparing to their complete family counterparts if there is no electronic device use. Conversely, children living with single mothers are the most vulnerable group in that the probability of achieving good non-cognitive skills drops by 6.3% if they report using any electronic device. Given that Thailand has experienced the fastest growing use of internet in South East Asia during the past two decades as well as having one of the most rapid demographic transition in the region, other developing countries should be able to learn from this unique setting to see strong interplay of electronic device use and family structure towards early childhood development. JEL Classification: I31, J12, J13
Low Temperature Structural Dynamics of Isatin in Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) Using Dielectric Spectroscopy
Authors: Kabara Komal B. , Karale Ravikant , Alwaleedy Suad , Roy Bunty Rani , Kumbharkhane Ashok C. , Sarode Arvind V.
Published: August 2022

Structural and dynamical properties of heterocyclic organic compound Isatin in the solution state with DMSO has been studied in the frequency region of 10 MHz to 50 GHz over the temperature range of 273.15 K-298.15 K with the help of Time domain Reflectometry. Some of the dielectric parameters like relaxation time (τi), static dielectric constant (εi), dipole moment (\(\widehat{\mu }\)), correlation factor (gi), number of irrotationaly bound DMSO molecule (Zib) and effective volume of rotation (Veff) has been evaluated and expressed in terms of molecular interaction and hydrogen bonding. Beside these thermodynamic parameters such as molar entropy of activation (\({\varDelta S}_{\tau i}\)), molar enthalpy of activation (\({\varDelta H}_{\tau i}\)), molar free energy of activation (\({ \varDelta F}_{\tau i}\) ) has also been calculated. The dielectric permittivity spectra and relaxation behaviour of Isatin at different DMSO concentrations was analyzed using Cole-Davidson model. Two relaxation peaks i.e. high frequency relaxation and low frequency relaxation has been observed for Isatin + DMSO. The low frequency relaxation peak observed in the range of about 4–5 GHz is attributed to the rotation of Isatin molecule while high frequency relaxation peak observed in the range of about 18–21 GHz is attributed to the reorientation of DMSO molecule. With increasing isatin concentration dielectric loss peaks shifted towards lower frequency side at all the studied temperature and concentrations. Dielectric constant was found to be increasing with increasing concentrations except at 0.2265M. For all the studied temperatures dielectric constant was found to be decreasing with temperature. Dipole moment calculated using Cavell’s equation was found to be decreasing with increasing concentrations, \(\widehat{\mu }\) was found to be increasing towards lower temperature, whereas, the variation in the magnitude is very small towards higher concentration.
Prediction of severe thunderstorm events with ensemble deep learning and radar data
Authors: Guastavino Sabrina , Piana Michele , Tizzi Marco , Cassola Federico , Iengo Antonio , Sacchetti Davide , Solazzo Enrico , Benvenuto Federico
Published: August 2022

The problem of nowcasting extreme weather events can be addressed by applying either numerical methods for the solution of dynamic model equations or data-driven artificial intelligence algorithms. Within this latter framework, the present paper illustrates how a deep learning method, exploiting videos of radar reflectivity frames as input, can be used to realize a warning machine able to sound timely alarms of possible severe thunderstorm events. From a technical viewpoint, the computational core of this approach is an ensemble learning method based on the recently introduced value-weighted skill scores for both transforming the probabilistic outcomes of the neural network into binary predictions and assessing the forecasting performance. The result of this study is a warning machine validated against weather radar data recorded in the Liguria region, in Italy.
Low Incidence of Postoperative Pneumonia and Intra-abdominal Abscess Following Laparoscopic Distal Gastrectomy for Locally Advanced Gastric Cancer in Elderly Patients above 75 Years: Propensity Score Matched Comparison to Open Distal Gastrectomy
Authors: Morimoto Yosuke , Sakuramoto Shinichi , Sugita Hirofumi , Nishibeppu Keiji , Ebara Gen , Fujita Shohei , Fujihata Shiro , Oya Shuichiro , Miyawaki Yutaka , Hiroshi Sato , Yamashita Keishi
Published: August 2022

Background:
Some randomized clinical trials demonstrated that laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (LDG) is technically safe for locally advanced gastric cancer (GC) without compromising the quality of lymph node dissection. However, whether LDG can be indicated for elderly people in general practice remains to be elucidated. To the best of our knowledge, no study has compared open distal gastrectomy (ODG) and LDG for locally advanced GC in elderly patients with matched backgrounds. Therefore, this study compared the short-term outcomes of elderly patients with locally advanced GC who underwent ODG with those of patients with locally advanced GC who underwent LDG using propensity score matching analysis.
Methods:
A total of 341 consecutive elderly patients aged 75 years with GC who underwent ODG or LDG between January 2013 and December 2020 were retrospectively assessed. Among them, 121 patients with locally advanced GC were extracted. A 1:1 propensity score matching analysis was performed to compare short-term outcomes between ODG and LDG.
Results:
After matching, 35 patients were included in the ODG and LDG groups, respectively. The LDG group had a significantly longer operative time (p < 0.0001) and lesser intraoperative blood loss than the ODG group (p < 0.0001). The overall postoperative complication (Clavien–Dindo grade II or higher) rates of ODG and LDG were 37% and 9% (p = 0.003), respectively. The incidence rates of postoperative pneumonia and intra-abdominal abscess were significantly lower in patients who underwent LDG (0%) than in those who underwent ODG (9%) (p = 0.038). Furthermore, in multivariate analysis, LDG was an independent protective factor against postoperative complications (p = 0.027).
Conclusions:
LDG was safe and feasible for locally advanced GC in patients aged ≥ 75 years. Moreover, it may be a promising alternative to ODG with better short-term outcomes, including significantly lower incidence rates of postoperative pneumonia and intra-abdominal abscess.
Analyzing the financial risk of billion-dollar disasters in the United States: Simulating the frequency and economic costs of U.S. natural disasters
Authors: Shukla Charchit , MacKenzie Cameron A.
Published: August 2022

The number of billion-dollar natural disasters in the United States has increased from 28 in 1980-1989 to 105 in 2010-2018. During these same time periods, the total cost of these natural disasters increased from $172 billion to $755 billion. Generating probabilistic assessments of the cost of these billion-dollar natural disasters can provide insight into the financial risks posed by these disasters while accounting for the uncertainty and variation in these disasters. This article simulates the frequency and cost of billion-dollar disasters and analyzes the financial risk of these disasters in the United States. We use a probabilistic approach to quantify and create five models. These models are created by fitting probability distributions to the historical cost of billion-dollar disasters. The cost of each billion-dollar natural disaster and U.S. GDP from 1980 to 2018 are analyzed and used. The model that perhaps fits the data best and accounts for the recent increase in the cost and frequency of billion-dollar disasters forecasts that the expected annual cost of these disasters is $91 billion, with about a 1% chance that the annual costs could exceed $500 billion. Simulating the costs and frequency of natural disasters provides an understanding of the risks of different types of disasters to the United States. It helps policymakers allocate resources effectively to build a resilient nation.
Polynomial stability of thermoelastic Timoshenko system with fractional derivative boundary control
Authors: Hao Jianghao , Song Chaojing
Published: August 2022

In this paper, we consider a thermoelastic Timoshenko system with control boundary conditions of fractional derivative type. By introducing two new equations to deal with the control boundary conditions of fractional derivative type, we obtain a new system equivalent to the original thermoelastic Timoshenko system. The well-posedness of solution of system follows from the semigroup method. The polynomial stability result of system are given by frequency domain method and multiplier technique, while the decay rate depending on the order of fractional derivative is optimal than the previous literatures.
Simplified Paralinear Oxidation Analyses
Authors: Smialek James
Published: August 2022

Paralinear oxidative behavior, i.e., concurrent parabolic scale growth (kp) and linear scale volatility (kl or kv), was analyzed by an alternative to the Tedmon equation. A convenient COSP for Windows cyclic oxidation program analyzed published data for Cr, NiCr, Pb, SiC, Si3N4, and BN, all exhibiting scale volatility due to CrO3, CrO(OH)2, PbCl2, Si(OH)4, and HBO2. The ‘cyclic’ model used an iterative constant outer layer loss formalism, whereby a normalized spall constant, Q0 /Δt, defines the scale volatility rate, kl (or kv). Optimized trial inputs (fitting maximum mass gain (ΔWmax, tmax) and time to cross zero) generated accurate kp and kl and replicated ideal paralinear form. Initial approximations for kp and kl can now be obtained directly as ~ 4.1 (ΔWmax2/ tmax) and ~ 1.2 (ΔWmax / tmax), respectively. However, high or low kl extremes, (e.g., burner rig tests of SiC and Ti2AlC), may elude classic paralinear behavior. Inconsistencies between Tedmon’s stated model parameters and actual data are also discussed.
Proteomic analysis provides insights into the molecular regulatory mechanism of Dengzhan Shengmai capsule in a rat model of vascular dementia
Authors: Zhang Jing , Liu Wei , Wei Dongfeng , Zhao Guangyi , Li Jian , Zhang Zhanjun
Published: August 2022

Dengzhan Shengmai (DZSM) capsule is a compound Chinese medicine that is widely used in the clinic for the treatment of ischemic cerebrovascular diseases along with symptoms of dementia and forgetfulness. DZSM can improve the cognitive function and quality of life of patients with vascular dementia (VD), but little is known about the therapeutic mechanisms. In this study, we found that DZSM rescued spatial memory impairment in VD rats. We next employed an isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)-based quantitative proteomic approach to uncover the specific proteins and biological pathways underlying the exacerbation of cognitive deficits observed in VD and to investigate the molecular mechanism of the effect of DZSM against VD. We discovered that the proteome was broadly changed in VD rat brains; among the 222 identified proteins with altered expression after VD modeling, 136 were upregulated and 86 were downregulated. Gene ontology and ingenuity pathway analysis indicated that the altered proteins in VD brains strongly interacts with the TCA cycle, 14-3-3-mediated signaling, actin cytoskeleton signaling, the synaptogenic signaling pathway, etc. These top-ranked canonical pathways, key regulators of glucose metabolism, synaptic plasticity and synaptogenesis, were predicted to be downregulated in VD. We also examined the proteomic profile of DZSM-treated VD rat brains and identified 23 potential DZSM-targeting proteins. Our results suggest that DZSM may function by regulating key modulators, such as RAP1A and H2AFX, which are involved in signaling pathways important for neuronal functions. Our study offers resources to characterize the biological functions of DZSM regulating proteins and may aid in the identification of the molecular mechanism by which DZSM can treat VD.
Typing the tumor immune signatures in patients of Lynch syndrome facilitates predicting the responsiveness of immune checkpoint inhibition
Authors: Zheng Guoxing , Lu Yingsi , Yang Zheng , Chen Hong , Liang Qian , Zhu Qingqing , Li Yan , Xiao Xing , He Zhuzhen , Zhu Yifan , Li Bo , Huang Leilei , Dong Nan , Hu Shuang , Pan Yihang , Zhang Changhua , Zhu Chengming
Published: August 2022

Background: Although many efforts of predicting the responsiveness to immune checkpoint inhibition including expression of PD-L1 and MHC I, microsatellite instability (MSI), mismatch repair (MMR) defect, tumor mutation burden (TMB), tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) and several transcriptional signatures have been performed, the sensitivity remains to be further improved. Methods and Results: Here, we integrated T cell spatial distribution and intratumor transcriptional signals in predicting the response to immune checkpoint therapy in Lynch Syndrome (LS) which is featured with MMR deficiency. In all three cohorts, LS patients displayed the personalized tumor immune signatures of inflamed, immune excluded, and immune desert, which were not only individual-specific but also organ-specific. Furthermore, the immune desert exhibited more malignant indicated by low differentiation adenocarcinoma, larger tumor sizes, and higher metastasis rate. Moreover, the tumor immune signatures associated with distinct populations of infiltrating immune cells were comparable to TLSs and more sensitive than transcriptional signature gene expression profiles (GEPs) in immunotherapy prediction. Surprisingly, the tumor immune signatures might arise from the somatic mutations. Notably, LS patients had benefited from the typing of immune signatures and later immune checkpoint inhibition. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that compared to PD-L1 expression, MSI, MMR, TMB, and GEPs, characterization of the tumor immune signatures in Lynch syndrome improve the efficiency of predicting the responsiveness of immune checkpoint inhibition.
High-harmonic generation in polycrystalline CdTe nano-films via macroscopic investigations
Authors: Liang Houkun , Yang Hang , Long Zhe , Tian Kan , He Linzhen , Chen Zi-Yu , Zhao Dewei , Wu Han , Wu Lili , Sen Lin , Wang Qi Jie
Published: August 2022

Bright high harmonics generation (HHG) in CMOS-compatible nano-films can provide new opportunities for integrated coherent ultra-violet sources and attosecond photonic devices. Up to now, most HHG studies have been limited to single crystals. Polycrystalline materials, which consist of many grains separated by grain boundaries and normally have random crystallographic orientations as well as scattering propagation trait, have rarely been explored for HHG although they have diversified properties. Understanding and predicting the HHG properties in polycrystalline nano-films rather than in pristine bulks are important owing to its merits of low cost and large deposition area. However, it is a formidable challenge when considering complex effects of crystallite size and texture, grain boundaries, defects, surface states and nonlinear propagations. Here, we for the first time experimentally discover the correspondence between HHG in polycrystalline matters and macroscopic material parameters, to the best of our knowledge. Bright and long-term stable harmonics extending to 15th and 25th orders are demonstrated in polycrystalline cadmium telluride (CdTe) films with 6 nm and 50 nm thicknesses, respectively. It is found that the HHG strengths in the transmission and the reflection from the polycrystalline CdTe nano-films behave differently as a function of the material thickness in the range from 6 nm to 4 μm, which is highly correlated to the measured macroscopic conductivity. This work provides a simple gauge to study and predict HHG in complicated polycrystalline and amorphous nano-systems, and paves the way for novel strong-field nanophotonics based on polycrystalline nano-films.
Components of Oranta-AO software expert system for innovative application of blood pressure monitors
Authors: Vakulenko Dmytro , Vakulenko Lyudmyla , Zaspa Hryhoriy , Lupenko Serhii , Stetsyuk Petro , Stovba Viktor
Published: August 2022

The authors developed and substantiated the original methods of arterial oscillography, which were implemented in the developed Oranta-AO information system. The methods application to the arterial oscillogram registered at measurement of arterial pressure gives the possibility to carry out the supplementary systematic assessment of health, functional state of cardiovascular system, its reserve possibilities etc. The authors also developed an Expert System (based on machine learning methods) for the differential diagnosis of risks of heart, lung, mental illness and prognosis of some blood parameters. Oranta-AO software system was created based on research results due to methods and algorithms that were innovate. For the mathematical modeling of arterial oscillograms used cyclic random processes. Methods of arterial oscillograms processing based on its model in the form of a cyclic random process was developed. The method of evaluation of the rhythm function of arterial oscillograms and statistical methods for estimating the probabilistic characteristics of arterial oscillograms were developed. To solve the clustering problem, the Python k-means and k-means + + algorithm were used. Oranta-AO information system consists of three interrelated parts: mobile application, computing kernel and web system. Computing kernel and web system are deployed on AWS servers and have been tested already. The developed environment aims to be integrated into every new model of electronic meters in the world. Certification (EN 62304:2014, ISO 13485: 2018) in Ukraine is completed, PCT priority is completed. The next step will be to establish cooperation with manufacturers of electronic pressure monitors, patenting and certification in world.
Activation maps of convolutional neural networks as a tool for brain degeneration tracking in early diagnosis of dementia in Parkinson's disease based on magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Suwalska Aleksandra , Siuda Joanna , Kocot Szymon , Zmuda Weronika , Rudzinska-Bar Monika , Polanska Joanna
Published: August 2022

Identification of Parkinson's Disease (PD) patients at risk for development of dementia is crucial for early intervention. However, diagnosing dementia in PD patients requires advanced, time-consuming and expensive imaging techniques (such as DaT-SCAN-SPECT). The study aims to prove the usefulness of convolutional neural networks (CNN) for the identification of brain areas related to the progress of cognitive impairment by using standard Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) sequences. T1&T2 sequences of 18 patients were used in the pilot study. Activation maps were generated, and the brain regions most involved in the classification process were identified, showing areas potentially significant in the diagnosis of cognitive impairment severity. The cerebellum was proven significant for distinguishing the above-mentioned classes in relative cerebellum volume (ANOVA p-value=0.0038 with large effect size η2=0.5254) and folding (p-value=0.0031, η2=0.5357), which is consistent with reports by other authors. Our analysis demonstrates that convolutional neural networks combined with a proper image preprocessing pipeline could be used for feature extraction in MRI sequences and can successfully support the identification of disease-specific abnormalities of the brain image.
Feasible stenting of a large septal perforator providing a sizeable coronary collaterals
Authors: Al Hennawi Hussam , Mathbout Mohammad F , Taftafa Abdulrahman , Nielsen Christopher D
Published: August 2022

While coronary artery disease involving the septal perforator branches presents similar to diseases of major coronary arteries, management can present a challenge. Owing to their relatively small size, performing interventional procedures is often impractical in terms of selecting appropriate devices. Although larger septal perforator branches have been managed percutaneously, similar to major vessels, long-term sequelae and clinical effectiveness have been indeterminate. We present our experience in managing a patient with a stenosed septal perforator branch and challenging comorbidities.