bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dynamic assessment of the filtration function of the kidneys and indicators of muscle mass in patients with sarcopenia and chronic heart failure
Authors: Gulyaev N. I. , Adamov A. A. , Akhmetshin I. M. , Prokhorchik A. A. , Baksheev V. I.
Published: July 2023

Currently, due to the increase in life expectancy in the human population, the relevance of the problem of sarcopenia and chronic somatic pathology, including chronic heart failure (CHF), is increasing. At the same time, there are no clear recommendations for managing patients with a combination of CHF and sarcopenia. In addition, the impact of sarcopenia in combination with CHF on kidney filtration function remains poorly understood. The aim of the study was to evaluate the dynamics of muscle mass and strength, kidney filtration function in patients with sarcopenia and CHF in a longitudinal study involving 53 male patients with a mean age of 75.2 ± 7.3 years. The first (main) group (n = 24) consisted of patients with CHF and sarcopenia, while the second comparison group (n = 29) included patients with CHF without sarcopenia. The results showed that patients in the main group had a more pronounced decrease in muscle mass and strength over time, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), calculated using CKD-EPI formulas, based on cystatin C (CKD-EPICysC) and cystatin-creatinine (CKD-EPICysC+Cr) levels. In the comparison group, a more significant decrease in GFR, calculated using creatinine, was observed. It is emphasized that for more accurate determination of GFR in patients with CHF and accompanying sarcopenia, it is advisable to use the CKD-EPICysC formula. Future controlled randomized studies will determine the possibility of including this recommendation in appropriate protocols for managing elderly patients.
Epidemiology of iron deﬁciency in Russia: serum ferritin values depending on sex and age
Authors: Stuklov N. I. , Kovalchuk M. S. , Gurkina A. A. , Kislyу N. D.
Published: July 2023

The high prevalence of iron deficiency (ID) in women and its important negative impact on the health care system is beyond doubt. The presence of severe problems of a systemic nature requires the development of special state programs to combat ID. The development of such programs is impossible without conducting epidemiological studies in each specific country. The purpose of this work is to determine the frequency and severity of ID in terms of serum ferritin (SF) in primary outpatients, depending on gender and age. The study was conducted in 15 large cities of Russia, in total, 1737 primary patients were included, of which 97 were males and 1640 were females. When studying the parameters of SF in general groups, its values are significantly lower in females, and average 40 ± 99 μg/l, while 61% of this cohort of patients have SF less than 30 μg/l, and 70% live in conditions of SF below target values, which requires the development of preventive programs to combat ID among female patients. Between the ages of 16 and 49, almost all females live in conditions of absolute ID, and it is probably in this group that the above activities should be carried out. On the contrary, as regards male patients, judging by the data obtained, a mandatory determination of SF is required to make a decision on conducting ferrotherapy.
Plate waste in food service: Nudging intervention
Authors: ERGÜL Yasemin , ARSLAN Sedat , ATAN Ramazan Mert , ŞAHİN Kezban
Published: July 2023

Food waste is a threat to global sustainability. The study aim is to determine the effect of nudge interventions to reduce food waste at lunch. In this experimental study, which was planned in this cross-sectional type, survey data on food waste attitudes were collected from the participants. Volunteers who benefited from the cafeteria service were assigned to the survey (n=157), excluding those who did not use the cafeteria regularly, had a history of food allergy, and declared a diagnosis of chewing-swallowing disorder or celiac disease (n=3). The sociodemographic data and subjective waste amounts of the participants based on the survey, the waste was measured rationally in the pre-nudging and nudging period. The primary outcome is that nudge interventions applied to reduce food waste at lunch can contribute to the total amount of food waste and in which foods to reduce waste. Despite the nudging intervention, the total amount of waste increased, only vegetarian food and bread waste decreased. These changes are not statistically significant. According to the subjective evaluation data, vegetarian food and bread group foods are wasted more. Subjective and rational evaluation results are inconsistent. Short-term nudging intervention is not effective and different strategies are needed to reduce the amount of food waste.
Removal of Copper Ions onto Walnut Shells by Using Batch and Continuous Fluidized Bed
Authors: Ebrahim Shahlaa Esmail , Rasheed Farouk Abdullah
Published: July 2023

An agricultural waste (walnut shell) was undertaken to remove Cu(II) from aqueous solutions in batch and continuous fluidized bed processes. Walnut shell was found to be effective in batch reaching 75.55% at 20 and 200 rpm, when pH of the solution adjusted to 7. The equilibrium was achieved after 6 h of contacting time. The maximum uptake was 11.94mg/g. The isotherm models indicated that the highest determination coefficient belongs to Langmuir model. Cu (II) uptake process in kinetic rate model followed the pseudo-second-order with determination coefficient of 0.9972. More than 95% of the Cu(II) were adsorbed on the walnut shells within 6 h at optimum agitation speed of 800 rpm. The main functional groups responsible for biosorption of Cu(II) onto walnut shell were hydroxyl, carbonyl,carboxylate, carboxylic acids, alcohols groups, and aromatic compounds. In continuous system, fluidized bed column at 20 , and pH 7 was carried out to study the effects of various parameters like (flow rate,bed depth, and initial concentration). The time of breakthrough was 97 min when the initial concentration (Co= 20mg/l), bed depth (L=10cm), and flowrate (Q=10l/h)
The Structural Changes of Frontal Subregions and Their Correlations with Cognitive Impairment in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Shi Cailing , Deng Hao , Deng Xia , Rao Dingcai , Yue Wenjun
Published: July 2023

Background: The frontal lobe is affected by Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, we still lack sufficient understanding of subregion atrophy in the frontal cortex, and the relationship between subregions volume and cognitive decline in AD or MCI remains unclear. Methods: This study enrolled 434 participants from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), including 150 cognitively normals (CN), 187 subjects with MCI, and 97 patients with AD. The gray matter of frontal regions and subregions was divided based on the BNA-246 atlas and its volume was measured by voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Analysis of covariance was performed to compare the differences in frontal regions and subregions volume. Then, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under the curve (AUC) were used to analyze the discriminative ability of subregion volume to distinguish the three groups. In addition, we investigated the association of subregion volume with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score and Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Behavior section (ADAS-cog) scores with age, gender, education, and the estimated total intracranial volume (eTIV) as covariates. Results: In addition to the regions of frontal lobe atrophy found in previous studies, atrophy of the precentral gyrus (PrG) and some of its subregions were found in MCI. The volume of the right dorsal area 9/46 (MFG_7_1) was the best index to differentiate AD from CN, with an AUC value of 0.7. Moreover, we found that some subregions are associated with cognition in patients with MCI and AD. Conclusions: Frontal lobe atrophy in MCI is more extensive than we assumed. In addition, the volume of right MFG_7_1 has the potential to distinguish AD from CN.
OCD patients show lower confidence and higher error sensitivity while learning under volatility compared to healthy and highly compulsive samples from the general population
Authors: Hoven Monja , Mulder Tosca , Denys Damiaan , van Holst Ruth , Luigjes Judy
Published: July 2023

BackgroundOur sense of confidence guides our actions. A decoupling between confidence and action could relate to compulsive behaviour as seen in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The link between confidence and action in OCD has been investigated in clinical case-control studies and in the general population with discrepant findings. The generalizability of findings from highly-compulsive samples from the general population to clinical OCD samples has been questioned. Here, we address the discrepancies by investigating the relationship between action and confidence in OCD patients compared to healthy controls (HC) and a population sample of matched highly-compulsive subjects (HComp).Methods38 medication and comorbid diagnosis free OCD patients, 37 HC and 76 matched HComp participants performed a predictive inference task to investigate action and confidence while learning under volatility. Action-updating, confidence and their coupling in the OCD group were compared to HC and HComp groups. Moreover, computational modeling was performed to compare groups on error sensitivity, and parameters reflecting learning and environmental changes.ResultsOCD patients showed lower confidence and higher learning rates in reaction to (particularly small) prediction errors than both HC and HComp groups, signaling hyperactive error signaling and a negative confidence bias. No evidence was found for differences in action-confidence coupling between groups.ConclusionsDifferent behavioral profiles are related to obsessive-compulsive symptoms in different samples, with lower confidence and higher error sensitivity in clinical OCD samples. Overall, the underlying mechanisms of obsessive-compulsive behaviour might differ between clinical and highly-compulsive general population samples, resulting in different (meta)cognitive profiles.
Improving the reliability of the Pavlovian go/no-go task for computational psychiatry research
Authors: Zorowitz Samuel , Karni Gili , Paredes Natalie , Daw Nathaniel , Niv Yael
Published: July 2023

Background: The Pavlovian go/no-go task is commonly used to measure individual differences in Pavlovian biases and their interaction with instrumental learning. However, prior research has found suboptimal reliability for computational model-based performance measures for this task, limiting its usefulness in individual-differences research. These studies did not make use of several strategies previously shown to enhance task-measure reliability (e.g., task gamification, hierarchical Bayesian modeling for model estimation). Here we investigated if such approaches could improve the task’s reliability. Methods: Across two experiments, we recruited two independent samples of adult participants (N=103, N=110) to complete a novel, gamified version of the Pavlovian go/no-go task multiple times over several weeks. We used hierarchical Bayesian modeling to derive reinforcement learning model-based indices of participants' task performance, and additionally to estimate the reliability of these measures. Results: In Experiment 1, we observed considerable and unexpected practice effects, with most participants reaching near-ceiling levels of performance with repeat testing. Consequently, the test-retest reliability of some model parameters was unacceptable (range: 0.379–0.973). In Experiment 2, participants completed a modified version of the task designed to lessen these practice effects. We observed greatly reduced practice effects and improved estimates of the test-retest reliability (range: 0.696–0.989). Conclusion: The results demonstrate that model-based measures of performance on the Pavlovian go/no-go task can reach levels of reliability sufficient for use in individual- differences research. However, additional investigation is necessary to validate the modified version of the task in other populations and settings.
OPTIMISING WAQF LAW FOR EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE TRUSTEE ACT 1949 AND STATE WAQF ENACTMENTS
Authors: Abdul Manaf Zati Ilham , Binti Mohd Najid Khadijah , Bin Drs Nasrul Muhammad Amrullah , Bin Muhamad Ibrahim Najhan
Published: July 2023

Waqf, an Islamic social finance instrument, can be a tool for sustainable economic development if efficiently managed and optimally implemented. As more states in Malaysia seek to improve the governance and administrative responsibilities of their Waqf trustees through a regulatory framework, this article aims to propose statutory amendments that emphasise the principles of integrity and fairness in the pursuit of justice, ultimately improving the governance and administrative responsibilities of Waqf administrators in Malaysia. Using qualitative and comparative legal analysis, this study compares the duties of trustees under the Trustee Act of 1949 with those of Mutawalli and Nazhirs in selected Waqf enactments to provide insights for perfecting the current Waqf laws in Malaysia. The findings suggest that there is room for improvement in terms of administration and governance, and the provisions of the Trustee Act of 1949 can serve as a useful reference.
Using COSO to Mitigate Service Learning Project Risk
Authors: Bee Sarah , Parra Fernando , Bailey Austin
Published: July 2023

Service learning helps students learn by applying accounting concepts and ethics principles to real accounting tasks in community service organizations. Despite the benefits of service learning, few instructors use it (Abes, 2002). We identify risks instructors face while facilitating service learning projects and present a model of the COSO Internal Control–Integrated Framework (2013) as a mechanism for risk mitigation. We also provide a handbook with guidance and document templates to help mitigate service learning project risk and to facilitate project implementation.
Breast metastases from non-primary breast malignancies: What should we know?
Authors: Santana Valenciano Ángela , Juez Sáez Luz Divina , Pérez Mies Belén , Moreno Sara Corral , Fidalgo Sonia Rivas , Montero Jacobo Cabañas
Published: July 2023

BACKGROUND: Metastases from extramammary malignant neoplasms are very rare, accounting for less than 2% of all breast malignancies. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to describe the clinicopathological features and prognosis of breast metastases from non-primary breast malignancies at our institution. METHODS: We performed a retrospective observational study, obtaining data from electronic medical records and pathology databases between January 1985 and December 2020 for patients diagnosed with breast metastasis from non-primary breast malignancies. Only patients diagnosed by biopsy were included. RESULTS: Fifteen patients diagnosed with breast metastases from non-primary breast malignancies were included, 13 women (86,67%) and 2 men (13,33%). The median age at time of initial diagnosis was 56 years (IQR 21–68). The most frequent primary malignancy was melanoma (9/15; 60%). The median time to diagnosis of breast metastases was 65 months (IQR 13–106). The most common diagnostic modality was CT-scan (10/15; 66,67%). The median follow-up was 96 months (IQR 29–136). Eight patients underwent surgery (53,3%), being the most common surgical intervention breast-conserving surgery (5/8; 62,5%). Mortality at the end of follow-up was 53,3% (8/15). On the survival analysis, we found no differences between patients undergoing surgery and those only receiving systemic treatment [41,5 months (IQR 17,5–57,5) versus 14 months (IQR 2–24), respectively; p = 0,161]. CONCLUSIONS: Breast metastases from non-primary breast malignancies are extremely rare and represent a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge, due to the poor prognosis of these patients. Thus, arriving at the correct diagnosis is crucial to avoid unnecessary treatment in this population.
Reliability and Validity of Self-Reported Vascular Risk Factors: Hypertension, Diabetes, and Heart Disease, in a Multi-Ethnic Community Based Study of Aging and Dementia
Authors: Lee Annie J. , Sanchez Didi , Reyes-Dumeyer Dolly , Brickman Adam M. , Lantigua Rafael A. , Vardarajan Badri N. , Mayeux Richard
Published: July 2023

Background:

Queries for the presence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk factors are typically assessed through self-report. However, the reliability and validity of self-reported cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk factors remain inconsistent in aging research.

Objective:

To determine the reliability and validity of the most frequently self-reported vascular risk factors: hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease.

Methods:

1,870 individuals aged 65 years or older among African Americans, Caribbean Hispanics, and white non-Hispanic individuals were recruited as part of a community study of aging and dementia. We assessed the reliability, validity, sensitivity, specificity, and percent agreement of self-reported hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease, in comparison with direct measures of blood pressure, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and medication use. The analyses were subsequently stratified by age, sex, education, and ethnic group.

Results:

Reliability of self-reported hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease was excellent. Agreement between self-reports and clinical measures was moderate for hypertension (kappa: 0.58), good for diabetes (kappa: 0.76–0.79), and moderate for heart disease (kappa: 0.45) differing slightly by age, sex, education, and ethnic group. Sensitivity and specificity for hypertension was 88.6% –78.1%, for diabetes was 87.7% –92.0% (HbA1c ≥6.5%) or 92.7% –92.8% (HbA1c ≥7%), and for heart disease was 85.8% –75.5%. Percent agreement of self-reported was 87.0% for hypertension, 91.6% –92.6% for diabetes, and 77.4% for heart disease.

Conclusion:

Ascertainment of self-reported histories of hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease are reliable and valid compared to direct measurements or medication use.
Enhancing teeth segmentation using multifusion deep neural net in panoramic X-ray images
Authors: Arora Saurabh , Gupta Ruchir , Srivastava Rajeev
Published: July 2023

BACKGROUND: Precise teeth segmentation from dental panoramic X-ray images is an important task in dental practice. However, several issues including poor image contrast, blurring borders of teeth, presence of jaw bones and other mouth elements, makes reading and examining such images a challenging and time-consuming task for dentists. Thus, developing a precise and automated segmentation technique is required. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to develop and test a novel multi-fusion deep neural net consisting of encoder-decoder architecture for automatic and accurate teeth region segmentation from panoramic X-ray images. METHODS: The encoder has two different streams based on CNN which include the conventional CNN stream and the Atrous net stream. Next, the fusion of features from these streams is done at each stage to encode the contextual rich information of teeth. A dual-type skip connection is then added between the encoder and decoder to minimise semantic information gaps. Last, the decoder comprises deconvolutional layers for reconstructing the segmented teeth map. RESULTS: The assessment of the proposed model is performed on two different dental datasets consisting of 1,500 and 1,000 panoramic X-ray images, respectively. The new model yields accuracy of 97.0% and 97.7%, intersection over union (IoU) score of 91.1% and 90.2%, and dice coefficient score (DCS) of 92.4% and 90.7% for datasets 1 and 2, respectively. CONCLUSION: Applying the proposed model to two datasets outperforms the recent state-of-the-art deep models with a relatively smaller number of parameters and higher accuracy, which demonstrates the potential of the new model to help dentists more accurately and efficiently diagnose dental diseases in future clinical practice.
TRANSFORMATION OF ENTERPRISE HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WITHINTHE POST-INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIETY
Authors: Tokar Volodymyr , Martynenko Vladyslav
Published: July 2023

This article endeavors to examine the profound influence of post-industrial paradigms on personnel management systems in various enterprises. Given the transformative shifts in the economic, technological, and social landscapes, it has become imperative to reassess prevailing approaches to personnel management, whereby contemporary personnel management must be undergirded by several pivotal trends, including but not limited to, flexibility, the escalating significance of knowledge and technology, emotional intelligence, and enhanced colleague interconnectivity. The article justifies the need to change approaches to personnel management in light of changing socio-economic conditions and highlights the main directions for transforming personnel management systems. Key aspects that must be considered when reforming personnel management systems in the context of post-industrial societal development are detailed in the article, including the need to be prepared for changes in company structure, culture, and communication, as well as for the development of new methods for evaluating work and training employees.The article also emphasizes that personnel management should be oriented towards achieving results and meeting the needs of customers, enabling enterprises to be competitive in the market. Special attention is focused on the importance of adhering to sustainable development principles, which are recognized by the global community as necessary for ensuring the futureof the planet. Equality between men and women in personnel management, inclusivity, and diversity are also important, as they help maintain equality and diversity in the workforce, ensure effective work, and reduce the risk of discrimination. The act of extrapolating the findings of the article would serve to aid enterprise management in gaining a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities associated with personnel management in the context of post-industrial societal evolution.
COMPANIES IN THE CONDITIONS OF DIGITALIZATION
Authors: Yanovska Viktoriia , Medyna Andrii
Published: July 2023

The article presents the results of research on the peculiarities of economic development in the transportation industry under the influence of digitalization. Digitalization is regarded as a transformative process that reshapes the global economy through sustained technological advancements, leading to digital transformations. These transformations encompass advancements in data analytics, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and mobile devices. Leveraging the vast digital capabilities for information transmission, storage, and processing lays the groundwork for a new technological paradigm. Consequently, changes in the technological landscape bring about transformations in socio-economic systems, particularly in their institutional, social, and economic components, as well as the relationships among various stakeholders within the digital environment. Such transformations give rise to a new type of economy, known as the digital economy, and shape the context and direction of development for companies in the transportation and logistics sector.The active involvement of all stakeholders in the digitalization process amplifies the pace and magnitude of changes in the interests and demands of companies operating in the contemporary market of transportation and logistics services. Companies encounter significant challenges, and timely adaptation through the integration of digital tools and the digital transformation of traditional business models enables them to gain a competitive edge and sustain theirestablished positions in national and global transportation service markets. The close relationship between economic development and digitalization is becoming a crucial prerequisite for the growth of national and global economies in the near future. In addition to the direct productivity gains achieved by companies, including transportation firms, through the utilization of digital technologies, there exists a chain of indirect benefits associated with digitalization. These benefits encompass the creationof new goods and services, the emergence of new consumer demand, the attainment of new levels of quality and value, with time-saving being a notable characteristic
Covid-19 Enfeksiyonu Sonrası Huzursuz Bacaklar Sendromunun Araştırılması
Authors: UZUN USLU Pinar , ARSLAN MEHDİYEV Duygu , UNCU Gülgün , ÖZÖZEN AYAS Zeynep , DİNÇ Yasemin , BİCAN DEMİR Aylin
Published: July 2023

Huzursuz bacaklar sendromu (HBS) en sık görülen uyku ile ilişkili hareket bozukluğudur. HBS, yaşam kalitesini bozan önemli uyku sonuçları olan sensorimotor bir hastalık olup özellikle dinlenme sırasında ortaya çıkar. HBS semptomlarının sistemik inflamasyona sekonder oluşabileceği ya da kötüleşebileceği bilinmektedir. Covid 19 enfeksiyonu da sistemik inflamasyon yanıtına yol açabilen bir durumdur. Covid-19 enfeksiyonunun uyku bozuklukları ile ilişkisine ilişkin yapılmış birçok çalışma vardır. Ancak HBS ve covid-19 birlikteliğine ilişkin çalışmalar sınırlı olup bu araştırma ile literatüre katkıda bulunulmak istenmiştir.
ВИКОРИСТАННЯ ДІДЖИТАЛ-ТЕХНОЛОГІЙ ДЛЯ КОМПЛЕКСНОЇ АВТОМАТИЗАЦІЇ БІЗНЕС-ПРОЦЕСІВ НА ПІДПРИЄМСТВІ
Authors: Томчук Віктор
Published: July 2023

У статті досліджено особливості використання діджитал-технологій для комплексної автоматизації бізнес-процесів на підприємстві. Зокрема, у сучасному світі, де технології набувають швидкого розвитку, діджиталізація бізнес-процесів підприємства є необхідним фактором збільшення ефективності власної діяльності та зниження витрат. Діджиталізація є одним із ключових чинників успіху для підприємств і означає перехід від традиційних методів ведення підприємницької діяльності до впровадження і використання цифрових технологій. Особливого значення набуває діджиталізація бізнес-процесів як складова програми повоєнного відродження національної економіки. Встановлено, що основною метою діджиталізації бізнес-процесів підприємства є зменшення витрат часу, ресурсів та зусиль компанії на виконання певних завдань та операцій. Діджиталізація є важливим етапом у розвитку підприємства в умовах середовища, що постійно змінюється та трансформується. Задля успішного впровадження діджиталізації в бізнес-процеси підприємства, необхідно проводити постійний моніторинг поточних процесів компаній, проводити їх аналіз задля визначення найбільш критичних областей, які потребують оптимізації. Необхідним процесом є вибір інструментів та технологій задля впровадження діджиталізації та забезпечення відповідного рівня кваліфікації співробітників. Обгрунтовано, що важливим інструментом діджиталізації є бухгалтерський облік, якому належить провідна роль у формуванні якісного інформаційного наповнення процесу управління. Проаналізовано особливості сучасних спеціалізованих програм для застосування діджитал-технологій у бухгалтерському обліку та управлінні сформованих бізнес-процесів. Трансформація бухгалтерського обліку в діджитал-облік передбачає створення, представлення та передавання економічної інформації в електронному форматі. Замість використання паперів усі господарські операції проводяться в електронному середовищі.
ASSOCIATION OF PATTERN OF MAXILLOFACIAL INJURIES WITH MECHANISM OF TRAUMA
Authors: Tariq Ahmad  , Muslim Khan  , Atta Ur Rehman  , Bashir Rehman  , Sana Mushtaq  , Ammara
Published: July 2023

Objectives:

The objective of the study was to determine the association of pattern of different maxillofacial injuries and fracture with the mechanism of trauma.Methods and materials:

This study was conducted in department of oral and maxillofacial surgery from June 2020 till December 2020. Fifty one patients were included in this study after taking an informed consent. The data collection was completed on a performa including the variables of age, gender, mechanism of trauma, pattern of injury and site of trauma. Data was analysed with SPSS version 19. Percentage and frequencies were calculated for descriptive variables. Pearson Chi-square test was applied to determine the statistical relationship between the variables. The probability value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically signifi cant.Results:

In this study 51 patients, 42 male (82.4%) and 9 female (17.6%) were included. Mean age of the patients was 23.5 years. The mechanism of trauma was road traffic accidents (RTA) in 37 patients (72.5%), 7 (13.7%) had fall, assault in 5 (9.8%) patients and fire arm injuries in 2 (3.9%) patients. The pattern of injuries was compound fractures in 41(80.4%) patients, simple fracture in 8 (15.7%) patients and comminuted fractures in 2(3.9%) patients. RTA was associated with the ZMC fracture and parasymphyseal fracture of mandible.Conclusion:

The pattern of maxillofacial trauma diff ers in association with mechanism of injury. The incidence of trauma is more among front seat passengers and drivers than back seat passengers. Thus more safety measures are required for front seat passengers and drivers.
Isolamento de Trueperella pyogenes em pulmão de novilha
Authors: Amadeu Ana Carolina Rodrigues , Rocha Leonardo Martins da , Silva Fabiola de Souza , Mattos Bárbara Gatto de , Albano Larissa de Abreu , Marinho Marcia
Published: July 2023

O presente relato descreve a identificação da Trueperella pyogenes, uma Actinobacteria de relevância clínica e que tem sido objeto de mudanças taxonômicas nos últimos anos, associada a uma ampla variedade de condições patológicas, tais como mastite, metrite e pneumonia, podendo estar associada a pacientes imunossuprimidos e ou submetidos a condições de estresse. Entretanto, o seu caráter zoonótico ainda não está bem definido. O presente relato de caso descreve a identificação..de Trueperella pyogenes, a partir de um fragmento pulmonar proveniente de uma novilha que veio a óbito sob suspeita de Doença Pulmonar Bovina (DPB), o fragmento foi encaminhado para o Laboratório de Microbiologia FMVA para a realização e identificação do agente etiológico. Após cultura em Ágar Sangue e Mac Conkey em microaerofilia por um período de 48 horas com monitoramento diário, observou-se o crescimentopuro e exuberante de pequenas colônias que apresentavam pigmentação translúcidas, rodeadas por halo de β-hemólise, e que a microscopia evidenciou-se bacilos gram positivos do tipo “coryneformes”. Após a realização dos testes bioquímicos e diferenciais concluiu-se tratar de Trueperella pyogenes,
Price-quality relationships for the main livestock feed types in the Ethiopian feed market
Authors: Melesse Adey , Bezabih Melkamu , Adie Aberra , Asmare Yonas , Prasad Kodukula V. S. V. , Devulapalli Ravi , Jones Chris S. , Blummel Michael , Hanson Jean , Alemu Tesfaye , Duncan Alan J.
Published: July 2023

This study assessed the price-quality relationships for the major feed products in Ethiopia with a view to informing policy makers on possible avenues to develop the livestock feed sector in the country. A survey of livestock feed markets was conducted from April to May 2019 in five regions (Amhara, Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR), Oromia, Tigray and Addis Ababa). A total of 1700 feed samples with their respective price information were collected from 202 marketplaces. The collected samples were analyzed for their crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) and metabolisable energy (ME) content. Results showed considerable variability in quality within the same feed type. Pearson correlation and regression analyses showed that price-quality relationships for the feed samples were either very weak or non-existent. Wheat bran showed a weak price to quality correlation for CP (r= 0.200 at P<0.01), ME (r= 0.202 at P<0.01) and IVOMD (r= 0.221 at P<0.01). Among the roughages, grass hay showed slight positive price to ME correlation (r= 0.382 at P<0.001) and a slight negative relationship with ADF (r=-0.336 at p<0.005). The results of this study indicated that quality attributes have no, or a limited role in setting market prices for most feed types in the Ethiopian feed market. The fact that both good and poor-quality feeds are sold under the same label and market value affects both traders and livestock producers. Therefore, it is important to build national feed analytical capabilities to allow quality of feeds to be checked against national feed standards, particularly for concentrate feeds.
Genetic and phenotypic time trends of litter size, piglet mortality, and birth weight in pigs
Authors: Knap Pieter W. , Knol Egbert F. , Sørensen A. Christian , Huisman Abe E. , van der Spek Dianne , Zak Louisa J. , Granados Chapatte Ana , Lewis Craig R. G.
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Litter size in pigs has increased steadily since 1990. Because of unfavorable genetic correlations with piglet mortality, breeding goals should include survival traits next to litter size. Unbalanced breeding programs that neglect this requirement have produced increased mortality levels, attracting negative public attention. Balanced breeding does not have this disadvantage, but the general public is largely unaware of this.

Methods

We present long-term time trends as realized in commercial breeding. The data includes (i) phenotypes of litter size, piglet birth weight, and piglet mortality, as used in routine breeding value estimation; and (ii) the genomic Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (gBLUP) estimated breeding values thus obtained. Piglet mortality (2001–2022) and birth weight (2009–2022) phenotypes were related to litter size by recording year. Estimated breeding values (EBVs) for the mortality traits were regressed on those for litter size by birth year (2012–2022).

Results

Average litter size is very weakly correlated to the mortality (R2 ≤ 0.06) and birth weight (0.07 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.26) traits, and those correlations are unfavorable (antagonistic) within each year. However, all traits analyzed here show favorable simultaneous phenotypic and genetic trends over time: the antagonisms are neutralized by balanced breeding. Above the annual mean litter size level, farrowing and lactation mortality rates increased with increasing litter size in every year (unfavorable), but the annual intercepts and the slopes decreased from 2001 to 2022 (favorable). Average litter birth weight decreased with litter size in every year (unfavorable), but the annual intercepts increased and the slopes decreased from 2009 to 2022 (favorable). The within-litter birth weight variation coefficient increased with litter size in every year (unfavorable), but the annual intercepts decreased from 2009 to 2022 (favorable). The proportion of low birth weights (i.e.,< 0.9 kg) for a given litter size is decreasing over time, and the critical birth weight level (below which lactation mortality increases strongly) is clearly population dependent and changes over time too.

Discussion

The increases in litter size and piglet survival rates due to balanced breeding policies lead to reduced total numbers of dead piglets (i.e., per country, per year) coinciding with a certain pig production volume (i.e., with a certain total number of weaned piglets).
Using machine learning to assist auditory processing evaluation
Authors: Wimalarathna Hasitha , Ankmnal-Veeranna Sangamanatha , Duong Minh , Allan Chris , Agrawal Sumit K. , Allen Prudence , Samarabandu Jagath , Ladak Hanif M.
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Approximately 0.2–5% of school-age children complain of listening difficulties in the absence of hearing loss. These children are often referred to an audiologist for an auditory processing disorder (APD) assessment. Adequate experience and training is necessary to arrive at an accurate diagnosis due to the heterogeneity of the disorder.

Objectives

The main goal of the study was to determine if machine learning (ML) can be used to analyze data from the APD clinical test battery to accurately categorize children with suspected APD into clinical sub-groups, similar to expert labels.

Methods

The study retrospectively collected data from 134 children referred for ADP assessment from 2015 to 2021. Labels were provided by expert audiologists for training ML models and derived features from clinical assessments. Two ensemble learning techniques, Random Forest (RF) and Xgboost, were employed, and Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) were used to understand the contribution of each derived feature on the model's prediction.

Results

The RF model was found to have higher accuracy (90%) than the Xgboost model for this dataset. The study found that features derived from behavioral tests performed better compared to physiological test features, as shown by the SHAP.

Conclusion

The study aimed to use machine learning (ML) algorithms to reduce subjectivity in audiological assessments used to diagnose APD in children and identify sub-groups in the clinical population for selective interventions.

Significance

The study suggests that this work may facilitate the future development of APD clinical diagnosis software.
Platelet-rich plasma in the pathologic processes of tendinopathy: a review of basic science studies
Authors: Lu Jialin , Li Han , Zhang Ziyu , Xu Rui , Wang Jincheng , Jin Hui
Published: July 2023

Tendinopathy is a medical condition that includes a spectrum of inflammatory and degenerative tendon changes caused by traumatic or overuse injuries. The pathological mechanism of tendinopathy has not been well defined, and no ideal treatment is currently available. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is an autologous whole blood derivative containing a variety of cytokines and other protein components. Various basic studies have found that PRP has the therapeutic potential to promote cell proliferation and differentiation, regulate angiogenesis, increase extracellular matrix synthesis, and modulate inflammation in degenerative tendons. Therefore, PRP has been widely used as a promising therapeutic agent for tendinopathy. However, controversies exist over the optimal treatment regimen and efficacy of PRP for tendinopathy. This review focuses on the specific molecular and cellular mechanisms by which PRP manipulates tendon healing to better understand how PRP affects tendinopathy and explore the reason for the differences in clinical trial outcomes. This article has also pointed out the future direction of basic research and clinical application of PRP in the treatment of tendinopathy, which will play a guiding role in the design of PRP treatment protocols for tendinopathy.
Case report: First-in-human combined low-dose whole-heart irradiation and high-dose stereotactic arrhythmia radioablation for immunosuppressive refractory cardiac sarcoidosis and ventricular tachycardia
Authors: van der Ree Martijn H. , Herrera Siklody Claudia , Le Bloa Mathieu , Pascale Patrizio , Porretta Alessandra P. , Teres Cheryl C. , Solana Munoz Jorge , Luca Adrian , Domenichini Giulia , Ozasahin Mahmut , Jumeau Raphael , Postema Pieter G. , Ribi Camillo , Bourhis Jean , Schiappacasse Luis , Pruvot Etienne
Published: July 2023

Background

Cardiac sarcoidosis is associated with heart failure, conduction abnormalities, and life-threatening arrhythmias including ventricular tachycardia (VT). Radiotherapy has been suggested as a treatment for extra-cardiac sarcoidosis in patients refractory to immunomodulatory treatment.

Methods

The effectiveness and safety of low-dose whole-heart radiotherapy for therapy refractory cardiac sarcoidosis were evaluated in a pre- and post-intervention case report comparing the 54 months before and after treatment. Immunomodulatory low-dose whole-heart irradiation as sarcoidosis treatment consisted of a 2 × 2 Gy scheme. Additionally, high-dose single-fraction stereotactic arrhythmia radioablation of 1 × 20 Gy was applied to the pro-arrhythmic region to manage the ventricular tachycardia episodes. Cardiac sarcoidosis disease activity was measured by hypermetabolic areas on repeated fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG)-PET/computed tomography (CT) scans and by evaluating changes in ventricular tachycardia episodes before and after treatment.

Results

One patient with therapy refractory progressive cardiac sarcoidosis and recurrent ventricular tachycardia was treated. The cardiac sarcoidosis disease activity showed a durable regression of inflammatory disease activity from 3 months onwards. The [18F]FDG-PET/CT scan at 54 months did not show any signs of active cardiac sarcoidosis, and a state of remission was achieved. The number of sustained VT episodes was reduced by 95%. We observed that the development of moderate aortic valve regurgitation was likely irradiation-related. No other irradiation-related adverse events occurred, and the left ventricular ejection fraction remained stable.

Conclusion

We report here for the first time on the beneficial and lasting effects of combined immunomodulatory low-dose whole-heart radiotherapy and high-dose stereotactic arrhythmia radioablation in a patient with therapy refractory cardiac sarcoidosis and recurrent VT.
Single cell RNA sequencing reveals human tooth type identity and guides in vitro hiPSC derived odontoblast differentiation (iOB)
Authors: Hanson-Drury Sesha , Patni Anjali P. , Lee Deborah L. , Alghadeer Ammar , Zhao Yan Ting , Ehnes Devon Duron , Vo Vivian N. , Kim Sydney Y. , Jithendra Druthi , Phal Ashish , Edman Natasha I. , Schlichthaerle Thomas , Baker David , Young Jessica E. , Mathieu Julie , Ruohola-Baker Hannele
Published: July 2023

Over 90% of the U.S. adult population suffers from tooth structure loss due to caries. Most of the mineralized tooth structure is composed of dentin, a material produced and mineralized by ectomesenchyme derived cells known as odontoblasts. Clinicians, scientists, and the general public share the desire to regenerate this missing tooth structure. To bioengineer missing dentin, increased understanding of human tooth development is required. Here we interrogate at the single cell level the signaling interactions that guide human odontoblast and ameloblast development and which determine incisor or molar tooth germ type identity. During human odontoblast development, computational analysis predicts that early FGF and BMP activation followed by later HH signaling is crucial. Here we generate a differentiation protocol based on this sci-RNA-seq analysis to produce mature hiPSC derived odontoblasts in vitro (iOB). Further, we elucidate the critical role of FGF signaling in odontoblast maturation and its biomineralization capacity using the de novo designed FGFR1/2c isoform specific minibinder scaffolded as a C6 oligomer that acts as a pathway agonist. Using computational tools, we show on a molecular level how human molar development is delayed compared to incisors. We reveal that enamel knot development is guided by FGF and WNT in incisors and BMP and ROBO in the molars, and that incisor and molar ameloblast development is guided by FGF, EGF and BMP signaling, with tooth type specific intensity of signaling interactions. Dental ectomesenchyme derived cells are the primary source of signaling ligands responsible for both enamel knot and ameloblast development.
The performance comparison of the decision tree models on the prediction of seismic gravelly soil liquefaction potential based on dynamic penetration test
Authors: Ahmad Mahmood , Alsulami Badr T. , Hakamy Ahmad , Majdi Ali , Alqurashi Muwaffaq , Sabri Sabri Mohanad Muayad , Al-Mansob Ramez A. , Bin Ibrahim Mohd Rasdan
Published: July 2023

Seismic liquefaction has been reported in sandy soils as well as gravelly soils. Despite sandy soils, a comprehensive case history record is still lacking for developing empirical, semi-empirical, and soft computing models to predict this phenomenon in gravelly soils. This work compiles documentation from 234 case histories of gravelly soil liquefaction from across the world to generate a database, which will then be used to develop seismic gravelly soil liquefaction potential models. The performance measures, namely, accuracy, precision, recall, F-score, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, were used to evaluate the training and testing tree-based models’ performance and highlight the capability of the logistic model tree over reduced error pruning tree, random tree and random forest models. The findings of this research can provide theoretical support for researchers in selecting appropriate tree-based models and improving the predictive performance of seismic gravelly soil liquefaction potential.
3D pseudo-lithologic modeling via iterative weighted k-means++ algorithm from Tengger Desert cover area, China
Authors: Dong Yulong , Liu Yang , Peng Wuxu , Chen Yansi , Fan Junjie , Huang Xiaobing , Liu Huilong , Sun Qiang
Published: July 2023

The bedrock beneath the Tengger Desert is covered by Quaternary deposits, making it difficult to directly observe the underlying geological information using traditional geological methods. In areas with limited prior geological information, employing geophysical methods to obtain deep-seated information, constructing a multi-source geophysical dataset, and performing three-dimensional modeling can significantly enhance our understanding of the underground geological structures. Cluster analysis is a fundamental unsupervised machine learning technique employed in data mining to investigate the data structure within the feature space. This paper proposes an iterative weighted distance-based extension to the k-means clustering algorithm, referred to as the Iterative Weighted Distance K-means (IW k-means++) algorithm. It incorporates the farthest distance method to select the initial centroid, performs iterative centroid updates based on weighted distance, and dynamically adjusts feature weights during training. The Davies-Bouldin index shows that the performance of IW k-means ++ clustering algorithm is better than the traditional K-Meme ++ clustering algorithm in 3D pseudo-lithology modeling.