bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of drugs on bone mineral density in postmenopausal osteoporosis: a Bayesian network meta-analysis
Authors: Migliorini Filippo , Maffulli Nicola , Colarossi Giorgia , Eschweiler Jörg , Tingart Markus , Betsch Marcel
Published: August 2021

Background

Osteoporosis affects mostly postmenopausal women, leading to deterioration of the microarchitectural bone structure and low bone mass, with an increased fracture risk with associated disability, morbidity and mortality. This Bayesian network meta-analysis compared the effects of current anti-osteoporosis drugs on bone mineral density.

Methods

The present systematic review and network meta-analysis follows the PRISMA extension statement to report systematic reviews incorporating network meta-analyses of health care interventions. The literature search was performed in June 2021. All randomised clinical trials that have investigated the effects of two or more drug treatments on BMD for postmenopausal osteoporosis were accessed. The network comparisons were performed through the STATA Software/MP routine for Bayesian hierarchical random-effects model analysis. The inverse variance method with standardised mean difference (SMD) was used for analysis.

Results

Data from 64 RCTs involving 82,732 patients were retrieved. The mean follow-up was 29.7 ± 19.6 months. Denosumab resulted in a higher spine BMD (SMD −0.220; SE 3.379), followed by pamidronate (SMD −5.662; SE 2.635) and zoledronate (SMD −10.701; SE 2.871). Denosumab resulted in a higher hip BMD (SMD −0.256; SE 3.184), followed by alendronate (SMD −17.032; SE 3.191) and ibandronate (SMD −17.250; SE 2.264). Denosumab resulted in a higher femur BMD (SMD 0.097; SE 2.091), followed by alendronate (SMD −16.030; SE 1.702) and ibandronate (SMD −17.000; SE 1.679).

Conclusion

Denosumab results in higher spine BMD in selected women with postmenopausal osteoporosis. Denosumab had the highest influence on hip and femur BMD.

Level of evidence

Level I, Bayesian network meta-analysis of RCTs
Efficacy and cost-effectiveness of universal pre-operative iron studies in total hip and knee arthroplasty
Authors: Varghese Viju Daniel , Liu David , Ngo Donald , Edwards Suzanne
Published: August 2021

Background

The prevalence of anaemia in patients planned for total hip and knee arthroplasty is about 20%. Optimising pre-operative haemoglobin levels by iron supplementation has been shown to decrease transfusion rates, complications and associated morbidity. The need for universal screening with iron studies of all elective arthroplasty patients is not clearly defined at present.

Methods

Retrospective review of 2 sequential cohorts of patients undergoing primary hip or knee arthroplasty by a single surgeon at a single centre between January 2013 and December 2017. The first group of patients underwent pre-operative iron studies only if found to be anaemic, with a haemoglobin below 12g/dl. From January 2015, all patients irrespective of the presence of anaemia were screened with a complete iron profile before surgery. Patients with a confirmed iron deficiency were administered with intravenous iron prior to surgery. The 2 cohorts were compared with regard to blood transfusion rate post-operatively and cost efficiency for universal screening with iron studies.

Results

There was a net decrease in the allogenic blood transfusion rate from 4.76 to 2.92% when universal iron studies were introduced but the difference was not statistically significant. Obtaining universal pre-operative iron studies is cost neutral with the price of allogenic blood transfusion in a similar cohort. We also diagnosed 5 patients with occult malignancies.

Conclusions

Universal screening with pre-operative iron studies and iron infusion in elective arthroplasty patients may reduce allogenic blood requirements and is cost neutral. An additional benefit is the potential to diagnose asymptomatic malignancies. Further studies are required to show the true benefit of universal pre-operative iron screening.
Circ-GALNT16 restrains colorectal cancer progression by enhancing the SUMOylation of hnRNPK
Authors: Peng Chaofan , Tan Yuqian , Yang Peng , Jin Kangpeng , Zhang Chuan , Peng Wen , Wang Lu , Zhou Jiahui , Chen Ranran , Wang Tuo , Jin Chi , Ji Jiangzhou , Feng Yifei , Tang Junwei , Sun Yueming
Published: August 2021

Background

Recent studies have investigated the role of circular RNAs (circRNAs) as significant regulatory factors in multiple cancer progression. Nevertheless, the biological functions of circRNAs and the underlying mechanisms by which they regulate colorectal cancer (CRC) progression remain unclear.

Methods

A novel circRNA (circ-GALNT16) was identified by microarray and qRT-PCR. A series of in vitro and in vivo phenotype experiments were performed to investigate the role of circ-GALNT16 in CRC. The FISH, RNA pulldown assay, RIP assay, RNA sequencing, coimmunoprecipitation, and ChIP were performed to investigate the molecular mechanisms of circ-GALNT16 in CRC progression.

Results

Circ-GALNT16 was downregulated in CRC and was negatively correlated with poor prognosis. Circ-GALNT16 suppressed the proliferation and metastatic ability of CRC cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, circ-GALNT16 could bind to the KH3 domain of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNPK), which promoted the SUMOylation of hnRNPK. Additionally, circ-GALNT16 could enhance the formation of the hnRNPK-p53 complex by facilitating the SUMOylation of hnRNPK. RNA sequencing assay identified serpin family E member 1 as the target gene of circ-GALNT16 at the transcriptional level. Rescue assays revealed that circ-GALNT16 regulated the expression of Serpine1 by inhibiting the deSUMOylation of hnRNPK mediated by SUMO-specific peptidase 2 and then regulating the sequence-specific DNA binding ability of the hnRNPK-p53 transcriptional complex.

Conclusions

Circ-GALNT16 suppressed CRC progression by inhibiting Serpine1 expression through regulating the sequence-specific DNA binding ability of the SENP2-mediated hnRNPK-p53 transcriptional complex and might function as a biomarker and therapeutic target for CRC.
Women empowerment, Land Tenure and Property Rights, and household food security among smallholders in Nigeria
Authors: Kehinde Mojisola Olanike , Shittu Adebayo Musediku , Adeyonu Abigail Gbemisola , Ogunnaike Maria Gbemisola
Published: August 2021

Background

Empowering women, land tilting to enhance the security of Land Tenure and Property Rights (LTPRs) in agriculture vis-a-vis food and nutrition security are crucial in the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals. The main goal of this paper is to examine the crucial roles of women’s empowerment and LTPRs as they affect household food security among smallholder farmers in Nigeria.

Methodology

Cross-sectional data were obtained from 1152 maize and rice farmers, selected by multistage random sampling across 192 communities, 16 States and the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. The data were collected on households’ socio-economics, food security situations, empowerment and LTPRs on parcels cultivated during the 2016/17 farming season by interviewing the adult members of the farmers’ households. HFS was assessed using the United States Department of Agriculture’ HFS Survey Module and Food and Agriculture Organization guidelines for measuring Household Dietary Diversity Score. LTPRs were measured in terms of tenure type and title registration to farmlands. HFS modelling was within the framework of Poisson, Instrumental Variable Poisson (IVP) and Zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) regression methods, with endogeneity concerns and choice of specification addressed within Hausman specification tests.

Results

The results of the study show that households that have a share of farmland on purchase and also participate in off-farm activities are likely to be certainly food-secure in all regards. Crop diversity, households that cultivate maize only, the share of farmland on purchase and access to extension contact significantly reduce the severity of food insecurity while an increase in farm size increases the severity of food insecurity. Similarly, IV Poisson and ZIP Count results show that increase in the farm size results in the severity of food insecurity. The evidence with respect to women’s empowerment reveals that gender parity and female achievement in group membership, income control, as well as workload; reduce the extent of food insecurity among the farming households in Nigeria. We, however, discover that the female achievement in the productive decision and credit increases the severity of food insecurity among the smallholder farmers. The analyses also reveal that education of the household head, female achievement in the asset; group membership and workload are the major factors that positively influenced household dietary diversity.

Conclusion

The study suggests the adoption of climate-smart practices to overcome the issue of marginal farmlands, promotion of crop and livelihood diversification among the smallholder farmers, effective extension services delivery, and improving women’s access to productive resources to enhance household food security status in Nigeria.
An anthropogenic model of cardiovascular system adaptation to the Earth’s gravity as the conceptual basis of pathological anthropology
Authors: Belkaniya G. S. , Dilenyan L. R. , Konkov D. G. , Wsol A. , Martusevich A. K. , Puchalska L. G.
Published: August 2021

Applying human biological evolution to solve topical problems of medicine and preventive cardiology was inspired by the realization of the need for clinical and experimental studies of biological (evolutionary) prerequisites in the occurrence of a pathology. Although it has been stated that there is a need to provide a full biological understanding of features, including those that increase an animal’s vulnerability to diseases, unfortunately, in this regard, erectile and associated adaptations to the Earth’s gravity in their physiological and pathological manifestations have not been considered. At the same time, it should be noted that humans, unlike other animal species, have the greatest vulnerability of the cardiovascular system (CVS). The latter is associated with fundamental differences in the functioning and regulation of the CVS by the influence of gravity on blood circulation in humans as upright creatures. Based on a review of comparative physiological, ontogenetic, and clinical studies from an evolutionary perspective, the idea of adaptation to the Earth’s gravity when walking upright in humans is justified as an anthropogenic basis for the physiology and pathology of the cardiovascular system and hemodynamic support systems (physio-anthropology and pathological anthropology).
Infant weight gain and DXA-measured adolescent adiposity: data from the Japan Kids Body-composition Study
Authors: Fujita Yuki , Kouda Katsuyasu , Ohara Kumiko , Nakamura Harunobu , Nakama Chikako , Nishiyama Toshimasa , Iki Masayuki
Published: August 2021

Background

Rapid weight gain in early life is associated with adiposity later in life. However, there is limited information on the association between weight gain and body fat mass measured using precise methods. This study aimed to investigate whether weight gain is associated with body fat mass measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in adolescents.

Methods

Participants of this retrospective cohort study were 423 adolescents born at full-term who were enrolled in the Japan Kids Body-composition Study. Anthropometric measurements related to pregnancy, delivery, and child health were obtained from the Japanese Maternal and Child Health Handbook. Fat mass in adolescents was measured with a DXA scanner. Weight gain was defined as the change in body weight from birth to age 1.5 years. Associations between birthweight and fat mass, and between weight gain and fat mass, were evaluated using multiple regression analysis.

Results

There was a significant positive association between weight gain from birth to age 1.5 years and fat mass in adolescents (boys: standardized regression coefficient (β) = 0.253, p < 0.01; girls: β = 0.246, p < 0.01), but not between birthweight standardized for gestational age and fat mass.

Conclusion

Children with a greater change in weight from birth to age 1.5 years tended to have increased fat mass in adolescence. Weight gain in early life has a greater impact on fat mass in adolescents than birthweight.
Furniture and television tip-over injuries to children treated in United States emergency departments
Authors: Lu Chang , Badeti Jaahnavi , Mehan Tracy J. , Zhu Motao , Smith Gary A.
Published: August 2021

Background

Furniture and television tip-over injuries are an important source of injury to children, especially those younger than 6 years old. A current epidemiologic evaluation of tip-over injuries is needed, especially considering changes in the voluntary safety standard for clothing storage units (CSUs) and the shift in the consumer market from cathode ray tube to flat-screen televisions (TVs), and a decline in household TV ownership during recent years. The objective of this study is to update our understanding of the epidemiologic characteristics and trends of furniture (especially CSU) and TV tip-over injuries treated in United States emergency departments among children < 18 years old.

Methods

This study retrospectively analyzed data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System from 1990 to 2019. Trends in population-based rates were evaluated with regression techniques. All numbers of cases are expressed as national estimates.

Results

An estimated 560,203 children < 18 years old were treated in United States emergency departments for furniture or TV tip-over injuries during the 30-year study period, averaging 18,673 children annually. CSUs were involved in 17.2% (n = 96,321) of tip-overs, and TVs accounted for 41.1% (n = 230,325), which included 16,904 tip-overs (3.0%) that involved both a CSU and TV. The rate of furniture and TV tip-over injuries among children < 18 years old increased by 53.8% (p < 0.0001) from 1990 to 2010, and then decreased by 56.8% (p < 0.0001) from 2010 to 2019. Almost half (47.0%) of injuries occurred to the head/neck; 3.4% of children were admitted to the hospital. Children < 6 years old accounted for 69.9% of furniture and TV tip-over injuries overall; they accounted for 82.5% of CSU-related and 74.7% of TV-related tip-over injuries.

Conclusions

Despite the decline in tip-over injuries since 2010, more should be done to prevent these injuries, especially among children < 6 years old, because the number of injuries remains high, outcomes can be life-threatening, and effective prevention strategies are known. Safety education, warning labels, and promotion and use of tip restraint devices, while important, are not a substitute for strengthening and enforcing the stability requirements for CSUs and TVs.
Community Outpatient Psychotherapy Engagement Service for Self-harm (COPESS): a feasibility trial protocol
Authors: Saini Pooja , Hunt Anna , Taylor Peter , Mills Catherine , Clements Caroline , Mulholland Helen , Kullu Cecil , Hann Mark , Duarte Rui , Mattocks Felicity , Guthrie Else , Gabbay Mark
Published: August 2021

Background

People who self-harm are at high risk for future suicide and often suffer considerable emotional distress. Depression is common among people who self-harm and may be an underlying driver of self-harm behaviour. Self-harm is often repeated, and risk of repetition is highest immediately after an act of self-harm. Readily accessible brief talking therapies show promise in helping people who self-harm, but further evaluation of these approaches is needed. A brief talking therapy intervention for depression and self-harm has been designed for use in a community setting. This mixed methods feasibility study with repeated measures will examine the feasibility and acceptability of the Community Outpatient Psychological Engagement Service for Self-Harm (COPESS) for people with self-harm and depression in the community, compared to routine care.

Methods

Sixty participants with a history of self-harm within the last six months, who are also currently depressed, will be recruited to take part in a feasibility single-blind randomised controlled trial (RCT). Participants will be randomised 1:1 to receive COPESS plus treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU alone. Recruitment will be via General Practitioners (GP) and self-referral. Assessment of feasibility and acceptability will be assessed via quantitative and qualitative methods including measures of recruitment and retention to the feasibility trial, participants’ experience of therapy, completion/completeness of outcome measures at relevant time-points and completion of a service use questionnaire.

Discussion

The results will indicate whether it is feasible to conduct a definitive full trial to determine whether COPESS is a clinically and cost effective intervention for people who self-harm in the community. Qualitative and quantitative data will in addition help identify potential strengths and/or challenges of implementing brief community-based interventions for people who self-harm.

Trial registration

NCT04191122 registered 9th December 2019.
Quantitative Systems Pharmacology Modeling of Avadomide-Induced Neutropenia Enables Virtual Clinical Dose and Schedule Finding Studies
Authors: Abbiati Roberto A. , Pourdehnad Michael , Carrancio Soraya , Pierce Daniel W. , Kasibhatla Shailaja , McConnell Mark , Trotter Matthew W. B. , Loos Remco , Santini Cristina C. , Ratushny Alexander V.
Published: August 2021

Avadomide is a cereblon E3 ligase modulator and a potent antitumor and immunomodulatory agent. Avadomide trials are challenged by neutropenia as a major adverse event and a dose-limiting toxicity. Intermittent dosing schedules supported by preclinical data provide a strategy to reduce frequency and severity of neutropenia; however, the identification of optimal dosing schedules remains a clinical challenge. Quantitative systems pharmacology (QSP) modeling offers opportunities for virtual screening of efficacy and toxicity levels produced by alternative dose and schedule regimens, thereby supporting decision-making in translational drug development. We formulated a QSP model to capture the mechanism of avadomide-induced neutropenia, which involves cereblon-mediated degradation of transcription factor Ikaros, resulting in a maturation block of the neutrophil lineage. The neutropenia model was integrated with avadomide-specific pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic models to capture dose-dependent effects. Additionally, we generated a disease-specific virtual patient population to represent the variability in patient characteristics and response to treatment observed for a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma trial cohort. Model utility was demonstrated by simulating the avadomide effect in the virtual population for various dosing schedules and determining the incidence of high-grade neutropenia, its duration, and the probability of recovery to low-grade neutropenia.
ARL3 and ARL13B GTPases participate in distinct steps of INPP5E targeting to the ciliary membrane
Authors: Fujisawa Sayaka , Qiu Hantian , Nozaki Shohei , Chiba Shuhei , Katoh Yohei , Nakayama Kazuhisa
Published: August 2021

INPP5E, a phosphoinositide 5-phosphatase, localizes on the ciliary membrane via its C-terminal prenyl moiety, and maintains the distinct ciliary phosphoinositide composition. The ARL3 GTPase contributes to the ciliary membrane localization of INPP5E by stimulating the release of PDE6D bound to prenylated INPP5E. Another GTPase, ARL13B, which is localized on the ciliary membrane, contributes to the ciliary membrane retention of INPP5E by directly binding to its ciliary targeting sequence. However, as ARL13B was shown to act as a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for ARL3, it is also possible that ARL13B indirectly mediates the ciliary INPP5E localization via activating ARL3. We here show that INPP5E is delocalized from cilia in both ARL3-knockout (KO) and ARL13B-KO cells. However, some of the abnormal phenotypes were different between these KO cells, while others were found to be common, indicating the parallel roles of ARL3 and ARL13B, at least concerning some cellular functions. For several variants of ARL13B, their ability to interact with INPP5E, rather than their ability as an ARL3-GEF, was associated with whether they could rescue the ciliary localization of INPP5E in ARL13B-KO cells. These observations together indicate that ARL13B determines the ciliary localization of INPP5E, mainly by its direct binding to INPP5E.
Hypusinated eIF5A is required for the translation of collagen
Authors: Barba-Aliaga Marina , Mena Adriana , Espinoza Vanessa , Apostolova Nadezda , Costell Mercedes , Alepuz Paula
Published: August 2021

Translation of mRNAs that encode peptide sequences with consecutive prolines (polyproline) requires the conserved and essential elongation factor eIF5A to facilitate the formation of peptide bonds. It has been shown that, upon eIF5A depletion, yeast ribosomes stall in polyproline motifs, but also in tripeptide sequences that combine proline with glycine and charged amino acids. Mammalian collagens are enriched in putative eIF5A-dependent Pro-Gly-containing tripeptides. Here, we show that depletion of active eIF5A in mouse fibroblasts reduced collagen type I α1 chain (Col1a1) content, which concentrated around the nuclei. Moreover, it provoked the upregulation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers, suggesting retention of partially synthesized collagen 1 (Col1) in the ER. We confirmed that eIF5A is needed for heterologous collagen synthesis in yeast and, using a double luciferase reporter system, showed that eIF5A depletion interrupts translation at Pro-Gly collagenic motifs. A dramatically lower level of Col1a1 protein was also observed in functional eIF5A-depleted human hepatic stellate cells treated with the profibrotic cytokine TGF-β1. In sum, our results show that collagen expression requires eIF5A and imply its potential as a target for regulating collagen production in fibrotic diseases.
Python-Microscope – a new open-source Python library for the control of microscopes
Authors: Susano Pinto David Miguel , Phillips Mick A. , Hall Nicholas , Mateos-Langerak Julio , Stoychev Danail , Susano Pinto Tiago , Booth Martin J. , Davis Ilan , Dobbie Ian M.
Published: August 2021

Custom-built microscopes often require control of multiple hardware devices and precise hardware coordination. It is also desirable to have a solution that is scalable to complex systems and that is translatable between components from different manufacturers. Here we report Python-Microscope, a free and open-source Python library for high-performance control of arbitrarily complex and scalable custom microscope systems. Python-Microscope offers simple to use Python-based tools, abstracting differences between physical devices by providing a defined interface for different device types. Concrete implementations are provided for a range of specific hardware, and a framework exists for further expansion. Python-Microscope supports the distribution of devices over multiple computers while maintaining synchronisation via highly precise hardware triggers. We discuss the architectural features of Python-Microscope that overcome the performance problems often raised against Python and demonstrate the different use cases that drove its design: integration with user-facing projects, namely the Microscope-Cockpit project; control of complex microscopes at high speed while using the Python programming language; and use as a microscope simulation tool for software development.
Supramolecular Polymers and Materials Formed by Host-Guest Interactions
Authors: Harada Akira , Takashima Yoshinori , Hashidzume Akihito , Yamaguchi Hiroyasu
Published: August 2021

Supramolecular polymers and materials have been designed and prepared using macromolecular recognition by cyclodextrins as host parts. Polyrotaxanes, tubular polymers, supramolecular machines, artificial polymerases have been obtained by main-chain recognition. Macroscopic-self-assembly, self-healing materials, sol-gel transition, muscle-like materials have been achieved by side-chain recognition. End-group recognition leads to the construction of supramolecular polymers in narrow sense.
Supramolecule Stripped MoS2 Nanosheets for Enhanced Surface Plasmon Resonance Spectroscopy Application
Authors: Chen Jie , Hu Ruhui , Zhu Han , Wang Yindian , Mao Zhihui , Hu JunJie , Hu Xiaojun , Chen Hongxia
Published: August 2021

Molybdenum disulfide nanosheets (MoS2 NSs) show great promise in the field of optical biosensors due to its unique optical transparency and semiconducting properties. In this work, supramolecule calix[4]arene (pSC4) modified MoS2 NSs (pSC4-MoS2 NSs) was synthesized through a one-step preparation method. The strong p-π binding and electrostatic interactions between pSC4 and MoS2 NSs increased the stripping efficiency by preventing aggregation of nanosheets. Based on pSC4-MoS2 NSs, a simple and feasible surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor was proposed. SPR refractive index change experiments were conducted to evaluate the sensor’s sensitivity performance, and the three main parameters of sensitivity were improved. Benefiting from the modification of pSC4, proteins were captured with higher surface coverage through the host-guest recognition, which is identical to optimization analysis experiment. According to a bovine serum albumin antibody immune experiment, pSC4-MoS2 NSs based SPR sensors provided a new sensitive sensing interface with a 50.85% SPR signal increased compared that of MoS2 NSs modification. Therefore, supramolecule modified MoS2 NSs is promising for application to SPR immunosensing for the detection of cancer biomarkers.
Materials Informatics for 2D Materials Combined with Sparse Modeling and Chemical Perspective: Toward Small-Data-Driven Chemistry and Materials Science
Authors: Oaki Yuya , Igarashi Yasuhiko
Published: August 2021

Application of data-scientific approaches to conventional sciences, such as chemo-informatics, bio-informatics, and materials informatics (MI), has attracted much interest toward data-driven research. The concept enables accelerated discovery of new materials, enhancement of performance, and optimization of processes. However, sufficient bigdata is not always prepared to apply to machine learning. For example, experimental scientists have their own small data including success and failure in their laboratory, whether in academia or industry. If such small data is effectively utilized with a data-scientific approach, research activities can be accelerated without energy, resource, and cost consumption. This account focuses on MI for small data, a recent concept for application of small data, with introduction of model cases, such as control of exfoliation processes to obtain 2D materials. Combination of machine learning and chemical perspective is effective for construction of straightforward and interpretable predictors through the extraction of a limited number of descriptors from small dataset. Although the prediction accuracy is not so precise, the model has enough accuracy to be a guideline reducing the number of the next experiments. The present MI for small data opens potentials of small-data-driven chemistry and materials science.
Molecular Confinement Effects by Self-Assembled Coordination Cages
Authors: Takezawa Hiroki , Fujita Makoto
Published: August 2021

When substrates are confined in an isolated cavity, they experience circumstances that are distinctly different from those in a bulk solution. Molecular self-assembly has widened the potential of molecular confinement by offering synthetic cavities on the nanometer-scale and allowing chemists to treat molecular aggregates and larger molecules in the cavities. In this account, we introduce the molecular confinement effects of self-assembled cages as a strategy to discover new or hidden properties and reactivities from the confined substrates in the cages. By confining molecules, the cavity can gather, arrange, fold, compress, and twist the molecules. The molecular confinement thus becomes a powerful strategy to draw new aspects of molecules.
Autopercepção de saúde bucal como indicador de necessidade de tratamento odontológico no Estado de São Paulo, Brasil
Authors: Peres Neto João , Souza Marina Fini de , Barbosa Andre Martins Camargo , Loschiavo Leandro Marsico , Barbieri Wander , Palacio Danielle Da Costa , Miraglia João Luiz
Published: August 2021

Objetivo: Avaliar a validade e a utilidade da autopercepção em saúde bucal, como indicador de necessidade normativa em adultos e idosos do Estado de São Paulo/ SP, Brasil. Métodos: estudo transversal de base populacional, em que a autopercepção da necessidade de tratamento odontológico foi coletada por meio das seguintes perguntas: (1) “O(A) Sr.(a) necessita de tratamento dentário?”; (2) “O(A) Sr.(a) necessita ou precisa trocar a prótese total?”. A necessidade normativa de tratamento dentário foi representada pela presença de, pelo menos, uma das seguintes condições: cárie dentária de coroa, alteração periodontal (cálculo ou bolsa periodontal) e necessidade de prótese total. A validade das medidas de autopercepção foi determinada por meio da sensibilidade e especificidade, enquanto a utilidade foi avaliada por meio dos valores preditivos. As análises foram realizadas com o programa Python. Resultados: a amostra foi de 6051 adultos e 5951 idosos. A maioria dos participantes era do sexo feminino e branca. Entre os adultos, a maioria tinha 10-12 anos de estudo e, entre os idosos, a maioria tinha 0-5 anos de estudo. A sensibilidade para tratamento dentário em adultos foi de 85,9% com valor preditivo positivo de 81,95% e prevalência de 75,2%. Conclusão: a necessidade percebida de tratamento dentário em adultos é útil como indicador epidemiológico válido e útil para planejamento de ações em saúde bucal.
What are the long-term symptoms and complications of COVID-19: a protocol for a living systematic review
Authors: Michelen Melina , Cheng Vincent , Manoharan Lakshmi , Elkheir Natalie , Dagens Drew , Hastie Claire , O'Hara Margaret , Suett Jake C. , Dahmash Dania , Bugaeva Paulina , Rigby Ishmaela , Munblit Daniel , Harriss Eli , Burls Amanda , Foote Carol , Scott Janet , Carson Gail , Olliaro Piero , Sigfrid Louise , Stavropoulou Charitini
Published: August 2021

Although the majority of people with Covid-19 will experience mild to moderate symptoms and will recover fully, there is now increasing evidence that a significant proportion will experience persistent symptoms for months after the acute phase of the illness. These symptoms include, among others, fatigue, problems breathing, lack of smell and taste, headaches, and depression and anxiety. It is also clear the virus has lasting fluctuating multiorgan sequelae, including affecting not only the respiratory system but also the heart, liver, and nervous system.

We present a protocol for a living systematic review that aims to synthesize the evidence on the prevalence and characteristics of post-acute COVID-19.

The living systematic review will be updated regularly, approximately every 6 months, as new evidence emerges. We will include studies that follow up at least 100 people with Covid-19 at 12 or more weeks post Covid-19 onset, with no restrictions regarding country, setting, or language.

We will use descriptive statistics and, for outcomes reported in two or more studies, we will use meta-analyses to estimate prevalence with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using the exact method. Heterogeneity between estimates will be assessed using the I2 statistic. Our findings will also be presented as infographics to facilitate transcription to lay audiences. Ultimately, we aim to support the work of policy makers, practitioners, and patients when planning rehabilitation for those recovering from Covid-19.

The protocol has been registered with PROSPERO ( CRD42020211131, 25/09/2020).
Students’ perception of online learning amidst the Covid-19 pandemic: A study of junior, senior high school and college students in a remote area
Authors: Harefa Senida , Sihombing Grace Lamudur Arta
Published: August 2021

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about many changes in all sectors of life, especially in the field of education. These changes aim to make the learning process more effective in the pandemic environment. However, it can be challenging, as some students do not give positive responses to these changes, especially those in remote areas. This article aims to identify and report students' perceptions about the effectiveness of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in the remote North Tapanuli region of Indonesia.

Methods: In this study, data were obtained using an online survey involving 30 students from three levels of education, namely junior high school, senior high school, and college. The data gathered from the survey were analyzed using quantitative descriptive methods.

Results: Results show that online learning is considered less effective by students in remote areas; this happens because communication networks and infrastructure do not adequately support them to follow online learning.

Conclusion: Teachers need to evaluate how to teach as well as re-design models and approaches to be applied in learning. This can be achieved by adjusting to the student’s current situation to generate interest and willingness to learn online.
Limitations of care and comorbidities are associated with increased mortality in patients treated with non-invasive ventilation: A retrospective observational study in a single-center ICU.
Authors: Svensk Erik , Tydén Jonas , Walldén Jakob
Published: August 2021

Background:Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is a common treatment for acute respiratory failure in intensive care units (ICU). While there is increasing data on outcomes after NIV treatment, there are large variations in staffing and monitoring where NIV is provided, making results hard to generalize. The aim of this study was to characterize patients treated with NIV, describe outcomes, and identify factors associated with outcome in an ICU at a Swedish county hospital.

Methods:A single-centre retrospective observational study during 2018 of patients treated with NIV in a six-bed ICU at a Swedish county hospital. Patient characteristics, including comorbidities, details of ICU stay, simplified acute physiology score (SAPS-3), details of NIV treatment and 30-day mortality were collected, and the Charlson co-morbidity index (CCI) was calculated. Primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and associated factors.

Results:92 patients with mean age (71,3, SD 12,1) were treated with NIV during the study period. 42 (46%) were women. Median CCI was 3 (25th-75thpercentiles 1.4)) and median SAPS-3 score was 66 (25th-75thpercentiles 58). The 30-day mortality was 37% and in the univariate analysis, SAPS-3 score >66, Charlson comorbidity index, CCI>=3, pCO2 <5.5 and limitation of care were factors associated with increased 30-day mortality. pH <7.35 and pO2<8 at admission showed no associations with 30-day mortality.

Conclusions:We found that patients treated with NIV in ICU were a diverse population where comorbidities and presence of limitations of care might be considered as better predictors of 30-day mortality, rather than physiological parameters.
Technology readiness and UTAUT2 in e-wallet adoption in a developing country
Authors: Leong Min Yee , Kwan Jing Hui , Ming Ming Lai
Published: August 2021

Background: An e-wallet is a digital equivalent of a physical wallet which plays an essential role in payment system transformation. To embrace the concept of a cashless society, the Malaysian Government and central bank have taken various steps to encourage the adoption of e-wallets. Despite the seamless services offered by the e-wallet, it is yet to reach high-scale adoption in Malaysia. This study aims to investigate Malaysians’ readiness towards the e-wallet and their perceptions of it by employing the UTAUT2 model.

Methods: A total of 309 valid data were gathered and analysed with partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).

Results: The findings revealed that the respondents were confident about the new technology and tended to believe that e-wallet was somehow useful for them. The results also disclosed that e-wallet adoption intention was significantly influenced by performance expectancy, price value, facilitating conditions, and followed closely by social influence. Nonetheless, insecurity did not present significant impact on both performance expectancy and effort expectancy of e-wallet.

Conclusions: This study provides a substantial contribution to the knowledge domain by combining system-specific and individual-specific models in an e-wallet context. The outcomes of this study would also benefit e-wallet service providers and policymakers by delivering holistic insight into Malaysians’ readiness and adoption behaviour of the e-wallet.
Research on data fusion method of multi-source complex system
Authors: Cai Yuxiang
Published: August 2021

Multi source fusion of data collected by various sensors to realize accurate perception is the key basic technology of the Internet of things. At present, there are many problems in the fusion of various kinds of data collected by sensors, such as more noise and more null values. In this paper, the fuzzy neural network algorithm is proposed to establish the model, combined with the Delphi method and the null value estimation method based on the prediction value to construct the data fusion system. This method has rich application scenarios in the construction of IOT system in the field of power and energy.
Characterization of Cellulose Nanocrystal Suspension Rheological Properties Using a Rotational Viscometer
Authors: Peng Yucheng , Xia Changlei , Via Brian
Published: August 2021

Interest in cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) recently has been growing significantly. Many applications have been developed for CNC and appropriate procedures to handle the CNC suspensions are critical for these applications. In this study, we explored a method evaluating CNC suspensions based on rheological property characterization. We used a rotational viscometer to characterize CNC suspensions at concentrations of 3, 4, 5, and 6 wt.%. We collected primary readings from the rotational viscometer, including spindle rotation speed and torque, to generate apparent viscosity and shear rate for CNC suspensions. We applied three different methods summarized from the literature to calculate apparent viscosity and real shear rate. We critically analyzed differences among calculation results from the three methods. Shearing thinning behaviors obeyed the power law flow model for all CNC suspensions in the shear rate tested. At different concentrations, consistency and flow behavior indices in the model differed in the measured shear rate range. With the same shear rate, higher concentration CNC suspension had a higher apparent viscosity. The apparent viscosity of the CNC suspension was associated with its weight concentration in a power law relationship. This study indicated that a rotational viscometer can be used as a quality control tool for characterizing the rheological properties of the CNC suspensions. We made recommendations for using appropriate calculation methods to obtain shear rate and apparent viscosity of CNC suspensions from the primary readings of a rotational viscometer under different situations.
Recurrent endometrial carcinoma metastasis to the temporal bone and skull base
Authors: Wong BLK , Addison AB , Swords CE , Patil S
Published: August 2021

A 62-year old woman presented with a 1-month history of left otalgia, facial palsy and hearing loss. She had a background of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and stage 2 endometrial adenocarcinoma, treated 18 months ago. Computed tomography scan showed erosion of the skull base and temporal bone. She was referred to the otolaryngology team with a diagnosis of necrotising otitis externa. On clinical examination, there was an exophytic, necrotic lesion in the ear canal arising from the posterior canal wall. A subsequent magnetic resonance imaging scan showed a lesion located in the left jugular foramen extending into the middle ear, with characteristics consistent with a glomus jugulo-tympanicum. Interestingly, histology of the lesion showed malignant cells with immunohistochemical staining suggestive of an adenocarcinoma. This is the first reported case of metastatic endometrial carcinoma involving the jugular foramen and temporal bone. Although a diagnosis is rare, it is important to consider it when other differential diagnoses are not fitting. Imaging should always be interpreted with caution, correlating to the clinical findings.
Nondestructive detection model of soluble solids content of an apple using visible/near-infrared spectroscopy combined with CARS and MPGA
Authors: Chen Yong , Cui Chaoyuan , Wu Yun
Published: August 2021

Selecting the decisive characteristic variables is particularly important to analyze
the soluble solids content (SSC) of an apple with
visible/near-infrared spectroscopy (VIS-NIRS) technology. The
multi-population genetic algorithm (MPGA) was applied to variable
selection for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. A hybrid
variable selection method combined competitive adaptive reweighted
sampling (CARS) with MPGA (CARS-MPGA) was proposed. In this method,
CARS was firstly used to shrink the variable space, and then the MPGA
was used to further fine select the characteristic variables. Based on
CARS-MPGA, a nondestructive quantitative detection SSC model of an
apple was established and compared with the models established by
different variable selection methods, such as successive projections
algorithm, synergy interval partial least squares, and genetic
algorithm. The experiments showed that the CARS-MPGA model was the
best. The number of modeling variables was only 64, and the
determination coefficients, root mean squared error, and residual
predictive deviation for the prediction set were 0.853, 0.443, and
2.612, respectively. The results demonstrated that the CARS-MPGA is a
reliable variable selection method and can be used for fast
nondestructive detection SSC of an apple.
Millisecond exoplanet imaging: II. regression equations and technical discussion
Authors: Frazin Richard A. , Rodack Alexander T.
Published: August 2021

The leading difficulty in achieving the contrast necessary to directly
image exoplanets and associated structures (e.g., protoplanetary
disks) at wavelengths ranging from the visible to the infrared is
quasi-static speckles (QSSs). QSSs are hard to distinguish from
planets at the necessary level of precision to achieve high contrast.
QSSs are the result of hardware aberrations that are not compensated
for by the adaptive optics (AO) system; these aberrations are called
non-common path aberrations (NCPAs). In 2013, Frazin showed how
simultaneous millisecond telemetry from the wavefront sensor (WFS) and
a science camera behind a stellar coronagraph can be used as input
into a regression scheme that simultaneously and self-consistently
estimates NCPAs and the sought-after image of the planetary system
(exoplanet image). When run in a
closed-loop configuration, the WFS measures the corrected wavefront,
called the AO residual (AOR) wavefront. The physical principle underlying the
regression method is rather simple: when an image is formed at the
science camera, the AOR modules both the speckles arising from NCPAs
as well as the planetary image. Therefore, the AOR can be used as a
probe to estimate NCPA and the exoplanet image via regression
techniques. The regression approach is made more difficult by the fact
that the AOR is not exactly known since it can be estimated only from
the WFS telemetry. The simulations in the Part I paper provide results
on the joint regression on NCPAs and the exoplanet image from three
different methods, called ideal, naïve, and bias-corrected estimators. The ideal estimator is not
physically realizable (it is useful as a benchmark for simulation
studies), but the other two are. The ideal estimator uses true AOR
values (available in simulation studies), but it treats the noise in
focal plane images via standard linearized regression. Naïve
regression uses the same regression equations as the ideal estimator,
except that it substitutes the estimated values of the AOR for true
AOR values in the regression formulas, which can result in problematic
biases (however, Part I provides an example in which the naïve
estimate makes a useful estimate of NCPAs). The bias-corrected
estimator treats the errors in AOR estimates, but it requires the
probability distribution that governs the errors in AOR estimates.
This paper provides the regression equations for ideal, naïve, and
bias-corrected estimators, as well as a supporting technical
discussion.
Design of a series-coupled microring resonator wavelength filter using the digital filter design method
Authors: Peng Zhifeng , Komatsubara Takuya , Yamauchi Mao , Arakawa Taro
Published: August 2021

We propose a digital filter design method for high-order series-coupled microring resonator (MRR) filters considering coupling loss in coupling areas. This method makes it possible to design high-order MRR filters with desired parameters such as a 3 dB wavelength bandwidth, free spectral range (FSR), and center wavelength, which have been difficult to design so far. It is possible to apply the proposed design method to design MRR filters based on the Vernier effect with an expanded FSR. We demonstrate fourth-order Butterworth and Chebyshev silicon-based MRR filters designed with the proposed method. The 3 dB wavelength bandwidth, FSR, and center wavelength of the designed MRR filter are almost identical with the target values.
Effects related to the temperature of atoms in an atom interferometry gravimeter based on ultra-cold atoms
Authors: Zhang Heng , Ren Xudong , Yan Wenhua , Cheng Yuan , Zhou Hang , Gao Zhi , Luo Qin , Zhou Minkang , Hu Zhongkun
Published: August 2021

The temperature of atoms, coupled to several effects, plays an important role in high precision atom interferometry gravimeters. In this work, we present an ultra-cold 87Rb atom interferometry gravimeter, in which the atom source is produced by evaporative cooling in an all optical dipole trap to investigate the effects related to atom temperature. A condensate containing 4 × 104 atoms can be prepared within 3.2 s through an all-optical dipole trap composed of two reservoirs and a dimple. The fringe contrast of our atom interferometry gravimeter reaches up to 76(4)% due to the advantage of ultra-cold atom source even at a free evolution time of T=80 ms. A resolution of 6 μGal (1 μGal=1×10−8 m/s2) after 3000 s integration time with a sampling rate of 0.25 Hz is achieved in this atom gravimeter. The relationship between the fringe contrast and the atom temperature in the atom gravimeter is studied; in addition, the wavefront aberration effect in the atom gravimeter is also investigated by varying the temperature of atoms.