bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association Between Folic Acid Prescription Fills and Suicide Attempts and Intentional Self-harm Among Privately Insured US Adults
Authors: Gibbons Robert D. , Hur Kwan , Lavigne Jill E. , Mann J. John
Published: September 2022

Importance

Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States, having increased more than 30% from 2000 to 2018. An inexpensive, safe, widely available treatment for preventing suicidal behavior could reverse this trend.

Objective

To confirm a previous signal for decreased risk of suicide attempt following prescription fills for folic acid in a national pharmacoepidemiologic study of patients treated with folic acid.

Design, Setting, and Participants

A within-person exposure-only cohort design was used to study the dynamic association between folic acid (vitamin B9) prescription fills over a 24-month period and suicide attempts and intentional self-harm. Data were collected from a pharmacoepidemiologic database of US medical claims (MarketScan) for patients with private health insurance who filled a folic acid prescription between 2012 and 2017. The same analysis was repeated with a control supplement (cyanocobalamin, vitamin B12). Data were analyzed from August 2021 to June 2022.

Exposure

Folic acid prescription fills.

Main Outcome and Measure

Suicide attempt or intentional self-harm resulting in an outpatient visit or inpatient admission as identified by codes from the International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Ninth and Tenth Revisions, Clinical Modification.

Results

Data on 866 586 patients were collected; 704 514 (81.30%) were female, and 90 296 (10.42%) were 60 years and older. Overall, there were 261 suicidal events during months covered by a folic acid prescription (5 521 597 person-months) for a rate of 4.73 per 100 000 person-months, compared with 895 suicidal events during months without folic acid (8 432 340) for a rate of 10.61 per 100 000 person-months. Adjusting for age and sex, diagnoses related to suicidal behavior, diagnoses related to folic acid deficiency, folate-reducing medications, history of folate-reducing medications, and history of suicidal events, the hazard ratio (HR) for folic acid for suicide events was 0.56 (95% CI, 0.48-0.65), with similar results for the modal dosage of 1 mg of folic acid per day (HR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.48-0.69) and women of childbearing age (HR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.50-0.73). A duration-response analysis (1-mg dosage) revealed a 5% decrease in suicidal events per month of additional treatment (HR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.93-0.97). The same analysis for the negative control, cyanocobalamin, found no association with suicide attempt (HR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.80-1.27).

Conclusions and Relevance

This large-scale pharmacoepidemiologic study of folic acid found a beneficial association in terms of lower rates of suicide attempts. The results warrant the conduct of a randomized clinical trial with suicidal ideation and behavior as outcomes of interest. If confirmed, folic acid may be a safe, inexpensive, and widely available treatment for suicidal ideation and behavior.
Evaluation of Early Ketamine Effects on Belief-Updating Biases in Patients With Treatment-Resistant Depression
Authors: Bottemanne Hugo , Morlaas Orphee , Claret Anne , Sharot Tali , Fossati Philippe , Schmidt Liane
Published: September 2022

Importance

Clinical research has shown that persistent negative beliefs maintain depression and that subanesthetic ketamine infusions induce rapid antidepressant responses.

Objective

To evaluate whether ketamine alters belief updating and how such cognitive effects are associated with the clinical effects of ketamine.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This study used an observational case-control protocol with a mixed-effects design that nested 2 groups by 2 testing time points. Observers were not blinded. Patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and healthy volunteer participants aged 34 to 68 years were included. Patients with TRD were diagnosed with major depressive disorder or bipolar depression, had a Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale score greater than 20, a Maudsley Staging Method score greater than 7, and failed to respond to at least 2 prior antidepressant trials. Exclusion criteria were any other psychiatric, neurological, or neurosurgical comorbidities, substance use or addictive disorders, and recreational ketamine consumption. Data were collected from January to February 2019 and from May to December 2019, and data were analyzed from January 2020 to July 2021.

Exposures

Patients with TRD were observed 24 hours before single ketamine infusion, 4 hours after the infusion, and 4 hours after the third infusion, which was 1 week after the first infusion. Healthy control participants were observed twice 1 week apart without ketamine exposure.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale score and belief updating after belief updating when patients received good news and bad news measured by a cognitive belief-updating task and mathematically formalized by a computational reinforcement learning model.

Results

Of 56 included participants, 29 (52%) were male, and the mean (SEM) age was 52.3 (1.2) years. A total of 26 patients with TRD and 30 control participants were included. A significant group × testing time point × news valence interaction showed that patients with TRD updated their beliefs more after good than bad news following a single ketamine infusion (controlled for age and education: β = −0.91; 95% CI, −1.58 to −0.24; t216 = −2.67; P = .008) than controls. Computational modeling showed that this effect was associated with asymmetrical learning rates (LRs) after ketamine treatment (good news LRs after ketamine, 0.51 [SEM, 0.04]; bad news LRs after ketamine 0.36 [SEM, 0.03], t25 = 3.8; P < .001) and partially mediated early antidepressant responses (path a*b: β = −1.00 [SEM, 0.66]; t26 = −1.53; z = −1.98; P = .04).

Conclusions and Relevance

These findings provide novel insights into the cognitive mechanisms of the action of ketamine in patients with TRD, with promising perspectives for augmented psychotherapy for individuals with mood disorders.
Early vs Late Surgical Decompression for Central Cord Syndrome
Authors: Badhiwala Jetan H. , Wilson Jefferson R. , Harrop James S. , Vaccaro Alexander R. , Aarabi Bizhan , Geisler Fred H. , Fehlings Michael G.
Published: September 2022

Importance

The optimal clinical management of central cord syndrome (CCS) remains unclear; yet this is becoming an increasingly relevant public health problem in the face of an aging population.

Objective

To provide a head-to-head comparison of the neurologic and functional outcomes of early (<24 hours) vs late (≥24 hours) surgical decompression for CCS.

Design, Setting, and Participants

Patients who underwent surgery for CCS (lower extremity motor score [LEMS] − upper extremity motor score [UEMS] ≥ 5) were included in this propensity score–matched cohort study. Data were collected from December 1991 to March 2017, and the analysis was performed from March 2020 to January 2021. This study identified patients with CCS from 3 international multicenter studies with data on the timing of surgical decompression in spinal cord injury. Participants were included if they had a documented baseline neurologic examination performed within 14 days of injury. Participants were eligible if they underwent surgical decompression for CCS.

Exposures

Early surgery was compared with late surgery.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Propensity scores were calculated as the probability of undergoing early compared with late surgery using the logit method and adjusting for relevant confounders. Propensity score matching was performed in a 1:1 ratio by an optimal-matching technique. The primary end point was motor recovery (UEMS, LEMS, American Spinal Injury Association [ASIA] motor score [AMS]) at 1 year. Secondary end points were Functional Independence Measure (FIM) motor score and complete independence in each FIM motor domain at 1 year.

Results

The final study cohort consisted of 186 patients with CCS. The early-surgery group included 93 patients (mean [SD] age, 47.8 [16.8] years; 66 male [71.0%]), and the late-surgery group included 93 patients (mean [SD] age, 48.0 [15.5] years; 75 male [80.6%]). Early surgical decompression resulted in significantly improved recovery in upper limb (mean difference [MD], 2.3; 95% CI, 0-4.5; P = .047), but not lower limb (MD, 1.1; 95% CI, −0.8 to 3.0; P = .30), motor function. In an a priori–planned subgroup analysis, outcomes were comparable with early or late decompressive surgery in patients with ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS) grade D injury. However, in patients with AIS grade C injury, early surgery resulted in significantly greater recovery in overall motor score (MD, 9.5; 95% CI, 0.5-18.4; P = .04), owing to gains in both upper and lower limb motor function.

Conclusions and Relevance

This cohort study found early surgical decompression to be associated with improved recovery in upper limb motor function at 1 year in patients with CCS. Treatment paradigms for CCS should be redefined to encompass early surgical decompression as a neuroprotective therapy.
Cancer as an infective disease: the role of EVs in tumorigenesis
Authors: Robado de Lope Lucia , Sánchez‐Herrero Estela , Serna‐Blasco Roberto , Provencio Mariano , Romero Atocha
Published: September 2022

Cancer is conventionally considered an evolutionary disease where tumor cells adapt to the environment and evolve eventually leading to the formation of metastasis through the seeding and growth of metastasis‐initiating cells in distant organs. Tumor cell and tumor‐stroma communication via soluble factors and extracellular vesicles (EVs) are essential for the success of the metastatic process. As the field of EVs advances, growing data support the role of tumor‐derived EVs not only in modifying the microenvironment to facilitate tumor progression but also in inducing changes in cells outside the primary tumor that may lead to a malignant transformation. Thus, an alternative hypothesis has emerged suggesting the conceptualization of cancer as an ‘infective’ disease. Still, tackling EVs as a possible cancer treatment has not been widely explored. A major understanding is needed to unveil possible additional contributions of EVs in progression and metastasis, which may be essential for the development of novel approaches to treat cancer patients. Here, we review the contribution of EVs to cancer progression and the possible implication of these factors in the oncogenic transformation of indolent cells.
Building wellness performance and work engagement
Authors: Ukai Masanari , Chimoto Yuto , Murakami Takuya , Suzuki Yuya , Tanabe Shin‐ichi
Published: September 2022

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of building wellness performance on the productivity of office workers. In six offices with different CASBEE Wellness Office (CASBEE‐WO) scores, a questionnaire survey on indoor environment satisfaction, work efficiency, CASBEE Office Health Checklist (CASBEE‐OHC) simplified version, and work engagement was conducted. The results revealed that most workers in offices with high wellness performance reported more satisfaction with the thermal, light, sound, and air quality environments. In addition, the overall indoor environment improved the work efficiency of workers. Moreover, workers in offices with high CASBEE‐WO scores tended to have high CASBEE‐OHC simplified version scores. In the offices with high CASBEE‐WO scores, the top 20% of workers with high work engagement tended to have higher CASBEE‐OHC simplified version scores than the remaining 80%. According to the “80/20 law,” most outcomes of a group depend on the top 20% of productive workers. Thus, considering the wellness performance of the office, it may be possible that the productivity of workers with high work engagement will be improved.
Development and performance evaluation of a micro anaerobic digestion system for household use
Authors: Okaze Tsubasa , Tada Chika
Published: September 2022

Currently, sustainable societies require a reduction in general and food waste discharge, which is a major environmental problem. As food waste contains a high moisture content, anaerobic digestion is an effective way to recycle food waste that contains large amounts of moisture. While 70% of industrial food waste is recycled, only approximately 20% of household waste is recycled in Japan. In this study, we developed a micro anaerobic digestion system with a capacity of 30 L and evaluated its basic performance by simulating a daily use situation. Biogas was produced, containing the same amount of methane as other systems. Although no mixing in the fermenter was done, the production efficiency of methane reached approximately at least 60% of the theoretical value of methane gas production for the chemical oxygen demand of the input food waste.
Stochastic nature of occupants' behavior toward air‐conditioning operation in residential buildings
Authors: Fukami Ryosuke , Hagishima Aya , Tanimoto Jun , Ikegaya Naoki
Published: September 2022

Occupants' behaviors (OBs) toward air conditioning (AC) usage in residential buildings have a strong influence on diverse time patterns of load profiles; thus, various stochastic OB modeling has been proposed. However, the validity of such models has not been fully assessed with metered data, particularly for modeling AC switching‐off actions. In this study, the AC operation behavior of 20 dwellings in Japan was observed during the summer. The occurrence of AC‐use events identified from the measured data was analyzed in relation to the time slot of an event, thermal conditions, and frequency of AC usage in each dwelling. The results exhibited a difference between switch‐on and switch‐off actions; the former is primarily dominated by indoor temperature because of thermal adaptation behavior, while the latter is more habitual. Based on this analysis, this study proposed a revised algorithm to synthesize AC operation schedules, which expresses the switch‐off action as the probability of the duration of an AC‐use event rather than a state transition probability function. The proposed algorithm can be incorporated into dynamic building energy simulations. The validity of the revised algorithm was also demonstrated through comparison with the measured data.
Unraveling the Effect of Intrinsic Carbon Defects on Potassium Storage Performance
Authors: Yuan Fei , Shi Conghao , Li Qiaoli , Wang Jian , Zhang Di , Wang Qiujun , Wang Huan , Li Zhaojin , Wang Wei , Wang Bo
Published: September 2022

Defects engineering is an attractive strategy to improve the potassium storage performance of carbon anodes. The current studies mainly focus on the introduction of external defects via heteroatom doping, however, the exploration on the effect of intrinsic defects caused by the loss of atoms or distortion in the crystal lattice on potassium storage is still lacking to date. Hence, a series of carbon materials with different intrinsic defect levels are developed via a soft‐template assisted method. It is found that intrinsic defects content in carbon is synergistically determined by the application of template and pyrolysis temperature, and a higher defects content is more likely to expose enormous edge active sites. This greatly promotes K‐adsorption storage during surface‐induced capacitive process, and therefore a strong positive correlation between capacity/capacity retention and intrinsic defects content is confirmed. As a result, the electrode with maximum defects content realizes a good capacity and a rate capability with long cycle lifespan (225.9 mAh g−1 at 2 A g−1 over 2000 cycles). This study offers an insight into the role of intrinsic defects of carbon materials in potassium storage performance.
Farm to fork strategy: Animal welfare, EU trade policy, and public participation
Authors: Molitorisová Alexandra , Burke Ciarán
Published: September 2022

This article presents an analysis of the Farm to Fork Strategy (F2F Strategy) on animal welfare matters though the lens of EU trade policy and public participation. It shows that the mix of cooperation tools contained in bilateral agreements with trade components support in aggregate the Strategy's actions on animal welfare. However, individual bilateral agreements may need to be renegotiated and modernised to include more powerful cooperation tools to achieve sustainable food systems through the adoption and implementation of animal welfare standards. One way of achieving this is to negotiate the inclusion of sustainable food systems chapters that highlight the linkages between animal welfare, agriculture, sustainability, climate, environment, and public health. However, such robust chapters should be monitored and enforced in a correspondingly robust manner, for example, by restructuring chapters' committees and work groups. The article concludes that enhanced public participation, both at the level of legislative proposals (public consultations) and at the level of trade policy (domestic advisory groups, standardisation committees), may better support achieving policy objectves of animal welfare measures of the F2F Strategy.
Pigmentary keratitis and mixed chromatophoroma in a betta fish (Betta splendens)
Authors: McLaughlin Alicia , Emanuele Ashley , Hadfield Catherine , Snekvik Kevin
Published: September 2022

Betta fish (Betta splendens) are common pets selectively bred for many different anatomic morphologies and colourations. Fish fanciers on hobbyist forums have linked certain phenotypic traits to the development of eye disease and neoplasia in this species. An 8‐month‐old male giant koi dragonscale plakat betta fish presented for ocular abnormalities and a mass on the tail. Clinical signs continued to progress, and the patient was euthanized due to declining quality of life 10 weeks after initial presentation. Pigmentary keratitis, anterior uveitis, and a mixed chromatophoroma were identified histologically. A review of the anecdotal and available scientific literature revealed that both the neoplastic disease and ocular disease may have had a genetic cause in this particular colour morph. Genetic disease should remain a differential for the cause of ocular and skin pathology in bettas. Combining genetic lines of fish may result in the development of multiple health problems, and ethical fish breeders should select away from characteristics that decrease lifespan and affect quality of life.
Individual risk prediction: Comparing random forests with Cox proportional‐hazards model by a simulation study
Authors: Baralou Valia , Kalpourtzi Natasa , Touloumi Giota
Published: September 2022

With big data becoming widely available in healthcare, machine learning algorithms such as random forest (RF) that ignores time‐to‐event information and random survival forest (RSF) that handles right‐censored data are used for individual risk prediction alternatively to the Cox proportional hazards (Cox‐PH) model. We aimed to systematically compare RF and RSF with Cox‐PH. RSF with three split criteria [log‐rank (RSF‐LR), log‐rank score (RSF‐LRS), maximally selected rank statistics (RSF‐MSR)]; RF, Cox‐PH, and Cox‐PH with splines (Cox‐S) were evaluated through a simulation study based on real data. One hundred eighty scenarios were investigated assuming different associations between the predictors and the outcome (linear/linear and interactions/nonlinear/nonlinear and interactions), training sample sizes (500/1000/5000), censoring rates (50%/75%/93%), hazard functions (increasing/decreasing/constant), and number of predictors (seven, 15 including noise variables). Methods' performance was evaluated with time‐dependent area under curve and integrated Brier score. In all scenarios, RF had the worst performance. In scenarios with a low number of events (⩽70), Cox‐PH was at least noninferior to RSF, whereas under linearity assumption it outperformed RSF. Under the presence of interactions, RSF performed better than Cox‐PH as the number of events increased whereas Cox‐S reached at least similar performance with RSF under nonlinear effects. RSF‐LRS performed slightly worse than RSF‐LR and RSF‐MSR when including noise variables and interaction effects. When applied to real data, models incorporating survival time performed better. Although RSF algorithms are a promising alternative to conventional Cox‐PH as data complexity increases, they require a higher number of events for training. In time‐to‐event analysis, algorithms that consider survival time should be used.
Solving the luxury fashion and sustainable development “oxymoron”: A cross‐cultural analysis of green luxury consumption enablers and disablers
Authors: Carranza Rocío , Zollo Lamberto , Díaz Estrella , Faraoni Monica
Published: September 2022

Green luxury is a promising stream in the environmental marketing and sustainable development literature. Yet, scholars are still investigating why green consumers show a positive attitude toward ethical consumption but then act inconsistently by preferring conventional products due to price or quality criteria, especially in the luxury sector. Building on Heider's balance theory, this study investigates the underlying mechanisms of green luxury consumption focusing on how consumers' psychological imbalance fosters their attitude–behavior gap. The authors used partial least squares structural equation modeling to assess the green enablers and disablers predicting consumers' purchase intention. Multigroup analysis is performed on a cross‐cultural sample of 792 luxury consumers belonging to collectivistic (China) and individualistic (Italy) cultures. Moderation analysis shows how consumers' self‐enhancement and self‐transcendence impact the relationships between green enablers, disablers, and attitudes toward green luxury. An importance‐performance map analysis is conducted to identify which aspects are most important in explaining consumers' intentions to purchase green luxury products.
Prevalence and adverse outcomes of frailty in older patients with acute myocardial infarction after percutaneous coronary interventions: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Yu Qian , Guo Dawei , Peng Jianan , Wu Qifei , Yao Yonghuan , Ding Mei , Wang Jiang
Published: September 2022

Background

The association between frailty and older patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is unclear. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis to investigate the prevalence of frailty in older patients with AMI following PCI, and determine the relationship between frailty and adverse outcomes in these patients.

Hypothesis

Older patients with AMI have a higher prevalence of frailty after PCI, and the frailty in these patients increases the risk of adverse outcomes.

Methods

A comprehensive search of the PubMed, Cochrane, Ovid (Medline), Ovid (Embase), and Web of Science databases was performed for articles published until October 2021. A meta‐analysis was performed using stata12.0 software. A random‐effects model was used when I2 was greater than 50%; otherwise, a fixed‐effects model was used.

Results

There were a total of 274,976 older patients in the included studies. Nine studies investigated the prevalence of frailty in older patients with AMI after PCI, with an overall prevalence of 39% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 18%–60%, p < .001). Six studies included adverse outcomes of frailty in older patients with AMI after PCI, including all‐cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.29, 95% CI: 1.65–3.16, p = .285), rehospitalization (HR = 2.53, 95% CI: 1.38–4.63), and in‐hospital major bleeding (HR = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.29–2.90, p = .825).

Conclusion

The frailty prevalence is increased in older patients with AMI after PCI, especially in ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). AMI with frailty after PCI is more likely to be associated with worse clinical outcomes, such as death, bleeding, and rehospitalization.
GluN2A‐Selective NMDA Receptor Antagonists: Mimicking the U‐Shaped Bioactive Conformation of TCN‐201 by a [2.2]Paracyclophane System
Authors: Steigerwald Ruben , Chou Tsung‐Han , Furukawa Hiro , Wünsch Bernhard
Published: September 2022

Under physiological conditions, N‐Methyl‐D‐Aspartate (NMDA) receptors play a crucial role for synaptic plasticity, long‐term potentiation and long‐term depression. However, overactivation of NMDA receptors can result in excitotoxicity, which is associated with various neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. The physiological properties of NMDA receptors are strongly dependent on the GluN2 subunit incorporated into the heterotetrameric NMDA receptor. Therefore, subtype selective NMDA receptor modulators are of high interest. Since prototypical GluN2A‐NMDA receptor antagonists TCN‐201 and its MPX‐analogs adopt a U‐shaped conformation within the binding pocket, paracyclophanes were designed containing the phenyl rings in an already parallel orientation. Docking studies of the designed paracyclophanes show a similar binding pose as TCN‐201. [2.2]Paracyclophanes with a benzoate or benzamide side chain were prepared in four‐step synthesis, respectively, starting with a radical bromination in benzylic 1‐position of [2.2]paracyclophane. In two‐electrode voltage clamp experiments using Xenopus laevis oocytes transfected with cRNAs for the GluN1‐4a and GluN2A subunits, the esters and amides (conc. 10 μM) did not show considerable inhibition of ion flux. It can be concluded that the GluN2A‐NMDA receptor does not accept ligands with a paracyclophane scaffold functionalized in benzylic 1‐position, although docking studies had revealed promising binding poses for benzoic acid esters and benzamides.
Sustainable Protein‐Based Binder for Lithium‐Sulfur Cathodes Processed by a Solvent‐Free Dry‐Coating Method
Authors: Schmidt Florian , Kirchhoff Sebastian , Jägle Karin , De Ankita , Ehrling Sebastian , Härtel Paul , Dörfler Susanne , Abendroth Thomas , Schumm Benjamin , Althues Holger , Kaskel Stefan
Published: September 2022

In the market for next‐generation energy storage, lithium‐sulfur (Li−S) technology is one of the most promising candidates due to its high theoretical specific energy and cost‐efficient ubiquitous active materials. In this study, this cell system was combined with a cost‐efficient sustainable solvent‐free electrode dry‐coating process (DRYtraec®). So far, this process has been only feasible with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)‐based binders. To increase the sustainability of electrode processing and to decrease the undesired fluorine content of Li−S batteries, a renewable, biodegradable, and fluorine‐free polypeptide was employed as a binder for solvent‐free electrode manufacturing. The yielded sulfur/carbon dry‐film cathodes were electrochemically evaluated under lean electrolyte conditions at coin and pouch cell level, using the state‐of‐the‐art 1,2‐dimethoxyethane/1,3‐dioxolane electrolyte (DME/DOL) as well as the sparingly polysulfide‐solvating electrolytes hexylmethylether (HME)/DOL and tetramethylene sulfone/1,1,2,2‐tetrafluoroethyl‐2,2,3,3‐tetrafluoropropyl ether (TMS/TTE). These results demonstrated that the PTFE binder can be replaced by the biodegradable sericin as the cycle stability and performance of the cathodes was retained.
Intelligent passenger demand prediction‐based rerouting for comfort perception in public bus transport systems
Authors: Nayak Archana M. , Chaubey Nirbhay Kumar
Published: September 2022

Predicting the passenger count and rerouting the busses for the demanding routes to reduce the waiting time of passengers is considered the major challenge in the modern public transportation system. Meanwhile, the transportation sector has been revolutionized in recent years due to big data. In this proposed method, the deep learning and fuzzy logic concept is introduced to face such challenges. In this proposed method, the deep attributes extraction and prediction of passenger demand are accomplished using a deep sailfish network (DSFN). Then, the rerouting concept for demanding routes is carried out using the fuzzy logic‐based rerouting process, which reduces the waiting time of passengers. This prediction‐based rerouting framework enhances the efficiency of bus scheduling by satisfying the passenger demand is performed. It increases the quality of transportation with greater comfort for passengers. Meanwhile, the usage of public transportation is also getting increases. Four different routes from Gujarat (India) are considered in this work analysis, they are Railway station terminal (RAST), Sahara Darwaja (SAHD), Katargam Darwaja BRT (KADB), Udhana Darwaja BRTS, and Adajan GSRTC (ADGS). The proposed approach is implemented with Matlab, and the performance is evaluated using standard metrics such as mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and root mean square error (RMSE). The experimental results prove that the suggested method provides prediction results with high accurate values than other existing methods in terms of MAPE and RMSE.
Contention avoidance scheme using machine learning inspired deflection routing approach in optical burst switched network
Authors: Singh Shamandeep , Singh Simranjit , Kaur Bikrampal , Singh Amritpal
Published: September 2022

Optical transport has emerged as a candidate solution to cope with the rising data transmission challenges of enormously evolving data. In the bufferless environment, only the ingress node beholds the buffering to speed up the data transfer in the form of data bursts. However, such networks are prone to data contention issues that degrade the overall performance and eventually result in burst loss. The paper proposes a machine learning (ML) inspired deflection routing (DR) algorithm to overcome contention issues in optical burst switching (OBS) network. The contending burst is first evaluated and assigned the priority order as per the available bits. Based on the burst traffic analysis, support vector machine (SVM) kernels are trained to select an alternate route and redirected the bursts to a new output node. It has been observed that for 65% of cases, radial basis function (RBF) kernel demonstrated the best results among the three kernel functions. The work further shows that ML offers a wiser decision to avoid and overcome contention in the deflection of the route of the contenting bursts. Moreover, the proposed DR scheme has achieved the highest throughput and packet delivery ratio (PDR) with an average delay of 9.66 s using an OBS network deployed with 10 groups of nodes. When compared against the contention scenario and the existing work, the proposed DR outperformed the existing technique with a 4% to 11% margin.
Transformer rail‐tapped buck‐boost converter design‐based feedback controller for battery charging systems
Authors: Dagal Idriss , Akın Burak
Published: September 2022

In this article, a transformer rail‐tapped buck‐boost converter (TRT‐BBC) with minor loss of power transfer from a photovoltaic solar panel to a lead‐acid battery for battery charging systems is designed. The TRT‐BBC has been utilized to inter‐match the PV direct power to the battery. The 24‐V lead acid battery bank with a storage energy of approximately 168 Wh is designed. The photovoltaic solar panel of 200 W maximum power is used for the whole system operation. The proposed TRT‐BBC topology solves the conventional buck‐boost converter inverted output problem with apex conversion efficiencies of 93.25% and 91.97% for continuous current mode (CCM) and discontinuous current mode (DCM) respectively at standard test conditions (STC) and full load conditions. The whole system can operate either in DCM or CCM according to the needs at a switching frequency of 100 kHz and the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) with proportional integration (PI) based constant voltage‐constant current (CV‐CC) feedback control loop used to monitor the switching duty cycle of the TRT‐BBC.
The combined effect of fish oil containing Omega‐3 fatty acids and Lactobacillus plantarum on colorectal cancer
Authors: Sharifi Elahe , Yazdani Zahra , Najafi Mojtaba , Hosseini‐khah Zahra , Jafarpour Ali , Rafiei Alireza
Published: September 2022

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the deadliest malignancies. Recent attempts have indicated the role of diet in the etiology of CRC. Natural dietary compounds such as probiotics and Omega‐3 fatty acids that act synergistically can be beneficial in finding a tremendous solution against CRC. To date, the combined effect of fish oil containing Omega‐3 fatty acids (Omega‐3) and Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) on CRC has been left behind. We here evaluated the effects of co‐encapsulation of Omega‐3 and probiotic bacteria on CRC cell lines compared to normal cells. Omega‐3 and L. plantarum bacteria were co‐encapsulated in three ways, including gelatin–gum Arabic, gelatin–chitosan, and chitosan–gum Arabic complex coacervate microcapsules. After treatment of cells (Normal [L929] and colorectal [C26]) by L. plantarum, Omega‐3, and microcapsules, viability and growth capacity of cell lines were measured using the MTT (3‐[4, 5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl]‐2, 5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. Isolated total RNA was used to evaluate the expression profile of BCL2‐associated X protein (BAX), B‐cell lymphoma 2 (BCL‐2), and Caspase‐3 (CASP3) genes by real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 25 software. A value of p < .05 was considered statistically significant. The results indicated a significant reduction in cell viability of C26 in a concentration‐dependent manner in the treated cells with all treatments, except gelatin–gum Arabic microcapsules. The messenger RNA (mRNA) expression level of the BAX and CASP3 genes in C26 cells being treated with all treatments significantly increased than in untreated cells, and the expression level of the anti‐apoptotic factor of the BCL‐2 gene decreased in C26 cells simultaneously (p < .05). Although, the combined effect of Omega‐3 and L. plantarum and microcapsulated treatments had no more effect on viability and apoptosis gene expression of cancer cells compared to Omega‐3 or L. plantarum. In conclusion, combination therapy with fish oil containing Omega‐3 and L. plantarum does not improve the anticancer effect of each alone.
Implications of Late Palaeozoic postglacial marine transgressive‐regressive (T‐R) cycles recorded in the Talchir Formation, Son Valley Basin, peninsular India: A sequence stratigraphic paradigm
Authors: Varshney Harshit , Bhattacharya Biplab
Published: September 2022

The signature of Late palaeozoic glaciation, a pan‐Gondwanaland palaeoclimatic event, is recorded in the Talchir Formation (Late Carboniferous to Early Permian), the basal‐most litho‐unit within the Gondwana Supergroup (Late Carboniferous–Early Cretaceous) in peninsular India. About 200 m thick sedimentary succession of the Talchir Formation, exposed in the Hasdeo River section in the Son Valley Basin, Central India, manifests signatures of deposition by melting of glaciers near to the ice‐grounding line. Evidence of glacial influences is prevalent in the lower‐middle part of the succession and represented by glacial tillites with faceted/striated gravels and bullet‐shaped clasts, dropstones and ice‐rafted debris (IRD), associated with various sediment gravity flow deposits. In the middle‐upper part of the succession, records of post‐glacial marine incursions are preserved as thick sandstone and sandstone‐mudstone heteroliths of a shallow marine shore‐shelf depositional regime. These are characterized by abundant tidal and wave signatures, with marine bivalve fossils and trace fossils of marine invertebrates. The upward decrease in size and abundance of the IRDs indicates a gradual decrease in glacial influences, with landward incursion of the marine depositional systems over the proglacial systems. Multiple stacked progradational and retrogradational stratal stacking patterns formed by alternating glacigenic and marginal marine dominated processes signify multiple transgressive‐regressive (T‐R) cycles, manifesting repeated advancements and retreats of the glacier, associated with sea level rise and marine incursions into the land. The top part of the succession, characterized by fine‐grained siltstone/mudstone without any IRD, suggests sedimentation at a relatively deeper part of the basin, indicating the strong influence of the eustatic rise caused by significant melting of the retreating ice sheet. Stacked T‐R cycles bounded by distinct facies architecture define multiple system tracts confined within three major deglaciation sequences within the studied Talchir Formation, suggesting multiple phases of advance‐retreats of the ice sheet and significant marine onlaps within the continental Gondwanaland under the Late Palaeozoic icehouse‐greenhouse climatic change.
Does academic research have practical relevance? A question of translating hydrology research into practice
Authors: Rokaya Prabin , Pietroniro Alain
Published: September 2022

Hydrology research has played a vital role in improving hydrological process understanding and by extension, devising solutions to address water management challenges that are critical for people and the environment. Research projects in hydrology are often considered successful when scientific or engineering advancements through new insights or new models or improved understanding are published in peer reviewed or other literature. Quantitative research outputs, such as number of journal publications, number of students trained, number of conference presentations, or additional funding leveraged are considered key indicators of success in research. In this commentary, we argue that research has limited utility when practical applications that add value to practitioners are not explored concurrently within the research process. We discuss some outstanding challenges in translating academic research into practice, and make some recommendations to bridge the increasing gap between research and practice through a strong knowledge mobilization effort.
Liquid crystal precursor system as a vehicle for curcumin‐mediated photodynamic inactivation of oral biofilms
Authors: Reina Bárbara Donadon , Santezi Carolina , Malheiros Samuel Santana , Calixto Giovana , Rodero Camila , Victorelli Francesca Damiani , Chorilli Marlus , Dovigo Lívia Nordi
Published: September 2022

Curcumin has great potential as a photosensitizer, but it has low solubility in aqueous solutions. This study reports the antimicrobial efficacy of photodynamic inactivation (PDI) mediated by a curcumin‐loaded liquid crystal precursor (LCP) on in situ dental biofilms. Thirty volunteers used intraoral devices containing enamel samples for 48 hours for biofilm formation. The samples were then removed from the device and treated either with LCP with 160 μM of curcumin plus illumination at 18 J/cm2 (C + L+ group) or with LCP without curcumin in the dark (C – L − group). Following this, the biofilm from the samples was plated for quantifying the viable colonies at 37°C for 48 hours. Specific and nonspecific media were used for the presumptive isolation of Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus species/aciduric microorganisms, Candida species, and total microbiota. The C + L+ group showed a highly significant (P < .001) reduction in the log10 (colony forming units/mL) values as compared to the C − L − group for all culture media. Hierarchical linear regression indicated that there may be predictors at individual volunteer level explaining the difference in the PDI efficacy among different individuals (P = .001). The LCP system retained curcumin and released it slowly and continuously, thus protecting the drug from photodegradation. LCP with curcumin is considered effective for the photoinactivation of dental biofilms, but the PDI efficacy may differ based on the host's individual characteristics.
Rapid determination of Proteus mirabilis susceptibility to antibiotics using infrared spectroscopy in tandem with random forest
Authors: Sharaha Uraib , Abu‐Aqil George , Suleiman Manal , Riesenberg Klaris , Lapidot Itshak , Huleihel Mahmoud , Salman Ahmad
Published: September 2022

Bacterial infections cause serious illnesses that are treated with antibiotics. Currently used methods for detecting bacterial antibiotic susceptibility consume 48–72 h, leading to overuse of antibiotics. Thus, many bacterial species have acquired resistance to a broad range of available antibiotics. There is an urgent need to develop efficient methods for rapid determination of bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics. The combination of machine learning and Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy has generated a promising diagnostic approach in medicine and biology. Our main goal is to examine the potential of FTIR spectroscopy to determine the susceptibility of urinary tract infection‐Proteus mirabilis to a specific range of antibiotics, within about 20 min after 24 h culture and identification. We measured the infrared spectra of 489 different P. mirabilis isolates and used random forest to analyze this spectral database. A classification success rate of ~84% was achieved in differentiating between the resistant and sensitive isolates based on their susceptibility to ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, cefuroxime, cefuroxime axetil, cephalexin, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, and sulfamethoxazole antibiotics in a time span of 24 h instead of 48 h.
Osteoporosis Medications Prevent Subsequent Fracture in Frail Older Adults
Authors: Chattaris Tanchanok , Oh Gahee , Gouskova Natalia A , Kim Dae Hyun , Kiel Douglas P , Berry Sarah D
Published: September 2022

Frailty is common in older adults with fractures. Osteoporosis medications reduce subsequent fracture, but limited data exist on medication efficacy in frail individuals. Our objective was to determine whether medications reduce the risk of subsequent fracture in frail, older adults. A retrospective cohort of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries was conducted (2014–2016). We included adults aged ≥65 years who were hospitalized with fractures without osteoporosis treatment. Pre-fracture frailty was defined using claims-based frailty index (≥0.2 = frail). Exposure to any osteoporosis treatment (oral or intravenous bisphosphonates, denosumab, and teriparatide) was ascertained using Part B and D claims and categorized according to the cumulative duration of exposure: none, 1–90 days, and >90 days. Subsequent fractures were ascertained from Part A or B claims. Cause-specific hazard models with time-varying exposure were fit to examine the association between treatment and fracture outcomes, controlling for relevant covariates. Among 29,904 patients hospitalized with fractures, 15,345 (51.3%) were frail, and 2148 (7.2%) received osteoporosis treatment (median treatment duration 183.0 days). Patients who received treatment were younger (80.2 versus 82.2 years), female (86.5% versus 73.0%), and less frail (0.20 versus 0.22) than patients without treatment. During follow-up, 5079 (17.0%) patients experienced a subsequent fracture. Treatment with osteoporosis medications for >90 days compared with no treatment reduced the risk of fracture (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.82; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.68–1.00) overall. Results were similar in frail (HR = 0.85; 95% CI 0.65–1.12) and non-frail (HR = 0.80; 95% CI 0.61–1.04) patients but not significant. In conclusion, osteoporosis treatment >90 days was associated with similar trends in reduced risk of subsequent fracture in frail and non-frail persons. Treatment rates were very low, particularly among the frail. When weighing treatment options in frail older adults with hospitalized fractures, clinicians should be aware that drug therapy does not appear to lose its efficacy. © 2022 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).
The effect of Er:YAG laser treatment on biofilm formation on titanium and zirconia disc surfaces
Authors: Assery Nasser , Alomeir Nora , Zeng Yan , Xiao Jin , Tsigarida Alexandra
Published: September 2022

Background

Lasers represent a promising method for implant decontamination, but evidence on implant surface changes and subsequent biofilm formation is limited. This study aimed to assess the effect of erbium‐doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Er:YAG) laser treatment on zirconia and titanium discs, and the differences in biofilm formation as a result of surface alterations.

Methods

A two‐stage (in vitro and in vivo) experiment utilizing Er:YAG laser on titanium and zirconia discs was performed. In vitro, surface alterations, roughness, and elemental‐material weight differences following laser treatment were assessed using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. In vivo, four participants wore custom‐made intra‐oral stents, embedded with laser‐treated and untreated titanium and zirconia discs overnight. Biofilm‐coated discs were stained using nucleic acid fluorescence dye and visualized using multiphoton confocal laser scanning microscopy. Biofilm 3D structure, biomass, thickness, and live‐to‐dead bacteria ratio were assessed.

Results

Both titanium and zirconia discs treated with Er:YAG laser resulted in visual surface alterations, but showed no significant change in average surface roughness (titanium P = 0.53, zirconia P = 0.34) or elemental‐material‐weight (titanium, P = 0.98), (zirconia, P = 0.96). No significant differences in biofilm biomass, average thickness, and live‐to‐dead bacteria ratio of laser‐treated titanium and zirconia discs were identified compared to untreated groups (titanium P > 0.05, zirconia P > 0.05). Generally, zirconia discs presented with a lower live‐to‐dead bacteria ratio compared to titanium discs, regardless of laser treatment.

Conclusion

Er:YAG laser treatment of titanium and zirconia implant surfaces does not significantly affect surface roughness, elemental material weight, or early biofilm formation in the oral cavity.
The role of calcium‐sensitive receptor in ovalbumin‐induced airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness in juvenile mice with asthma
Authors: Xiang Zhao‐Yan , Tao Di‐Di
Published: September 2022

The role of the calcium‐sensitive receptor (CaSR) was assessed in a juvenile mouse model of asthma induced by ovalbumin (OVA). The experiment was divided into normal control, OVA, and OVA +2.5/5 mg/kg NPS2143 (a CaSR antagonist) groups. OVA induction was performed in all groups except the normal control, followed by assessing airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and lung pathological changes. Serum OVA‐specific IgE and IgG1 were detected with an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and inflammatory cells were counted in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, ELISA, and western blotting were performed to detect gene and protein expression. NPS2143 improved the OVA‐induced AHR in mice, and AHR was higher in the OVA +2.5 mg/kg NPS2143 group than in the OVA +5 mg/kg NPS2143 group. Furthermore, NPS2143 reduced the production of OVA‐specific IgE and IgG1 in serum and the number of eosinophils and lymphocytes in BALF in OVA mice with reduced CaSR expression in lung tissues. Besides, OVA‐induced mice exhibited peribronchial and perivascular inflammatory cell infiltration, which was accompanied by severe goblet cell hyperplasia/hyperplasia and airway mucus hypersecretion. Furthermore, these mice exhibited increased levels of Interleukin (IL)‐5, IL‐13, MCP‐1, and eotaxin, which were alleviated by NPS2143. The 5 mg/kg NPS2143 showed more effective than the 2.5 mg/kg treatment. CaSR expression was elevated in the lung tissues of OVA‐induced asthmatic juvenile mice, whereas the CaSR antagonist NPS2143 reduced AHR and attenuated the inflammatory response in OVA‐induced juvenile mice, possibly exerting therapeutic effects on childhood asthma.