bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
TSH Combined with TSHR Aggravates Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy by Promoting Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in Schwann Cells
Authors: Fan Jingwen , Pan Qi , Gao Qun , Li Wenqing , Xiao Fei , Guo Lixin
Published: November 2021

Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN); however, the mechanism underlying this association remains unknown. This study is aimed at examining neurofunctional and histopathological alterations in a type 2 diabetes (T2DM) mouse model of SCH and investigating the impact of thyroid‐stimulating hormone (TSH) in an in vitro DPN cell model established using RSC96 cells under high glucose (HG) and palmitic acid (PA) stimulation. Our results indicated that T2DM, in combination with SCH, aggravated abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism in T2DM and dramatically destroyed the peripheral nervous system by increasing paw withdrawal latency, decreasing motor nerve conduction velocity, and exacerbating ultrastructural deterioration of the damaged sciatic nerve caused by diabetes. Furthermore, the results of our in vitro experiments showed that TSH intensified HG/PA‐induced RSC96 cell damage by inducing oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and apoptosis. More importantly, TSHR knockout or inhibition of PA‐induced TSHR palmitoylation could alleviate the apoptosis induced by TSH. Overall, in this study, the novel mechanisms by which TSH, as an independent risk factor for DPN progression, aggravating Schwann cell apoptosis and demyelination, are elucidated. These findings indicate that TSHR could be a potential target for both the prevention and treatment of DPN and, possibly, other microvascular diseases, and have implication in the clinical management of patients with DPN.
VIV Fracture Investigation into 3D Marine Riser with a Circumferential Outside Surface Crack
Authors: Liu Jun , Du Zhigang , Guo Xiaoqiang , Dai Liming , Huang Liang , Li Xiao
Published: November 2021

Vortex‐induced vibration (VIV) is one of the most common dynamic mechanisms that cause damage to marine risers. Hamilton’s variational principle is used to establish a vortex‐induced vibration (VIV) model of a flexible riser in which the wake oscillator model is used to simulate cross‐flow (CF) and inline flow (IL) vortex‐induced forces and their coupling, taking into account the effect of the top tension and internal flow in the riser. The VIV model is solved by combining the Newmark‐β and Runge–Kutta methods and verified with experimental data from the literature. Combining Option 1 and Option 2 failure assessment diagrams (FADs) in the BS7910 standard, a fracture failure assessment model for a marine riser with circumferential semielliptical outside surface cracks is established. Using the VIV model and FAD failure assessment chart, the effects of riser length, inside/outside flows, and top tension on the VIV response and safety assessment of marine risers with outside surface cracks are investigated. It is shown that increasing the top tension can inhibit the lateral displacement amplitude and bending stress in a riser, but excessive top tension can increase the axial stress in the riser, which counteracts the decrease in the bending stress, so that the effect of top tension on crack safety is not significant. The increasing outside flow velocity significantly increases the lateral vibration amplitude and bending stress in the riser and reduces the crack safety. When other parameters remain unchanged, increasing riser length has no significant effect on the vibration amplitude of the lower part of the riser.
Technical Options and Cost Estimates for Spent Nuclear Fuel Management at the Barakah Nuclear Power Plants
Authors: Esmail Shadwan M. M. , Cheong Jae Hak
Published: November 2021

In the planning and management of the interim storage of spent nuclear fuel, the technical and economic parameters that are involved have a significant role in increasing the efficiency of the storage system. Optimal parameters will reduce the total economic costs for countries embarking on nuclear energy, such as the UAE. This study evaluated the design performance and economic feasibility of various structures and schedules, to determine an optimal combination of parameters for the management of spent nuclear fuel. With the introduction of various storage technology arrangements and expected costs per unit for the storage system design, we evaluated eight major scenarios, each with a cost analysis based on technological and economic issues. We executed a number of calculations based on the use of these storage technologies, and considered their investment costs. These calculations, which were aligned with the net present value approach and conducted using MS Project and MATLAB software programs, considered the capacities of the spent fuel pools and the amount of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) that will be transferred to dry storage facilities. As soon as they sufficiently cool, the spent nuclear fuel is to be stored in a pool storage facility. The results show that applying a centralized dry storage (CDS) system strategy is not an economically feasible solution, compared with using a permanent disposal facility (PDF) (unless the variable investment cost is reduced or changed). The optimal strategy involves operating a spent fuel pool island (SFPI) storage after the first 20 years of the start of the permanent shutdown of the reactor. After 20 years, the spent fuel is then transferred to a PDF. This strategy also results in a 20.9% to 26.1% reduction in the total cost compared with those of the other strategies. The total cost of the proposed strategy is approximately 4,307 million USD. The duration of the fuel storage and the investment cost, particularly the variable investment cost, directly affect the choice of facility storage.
Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome: A Community Hospital Case Series
Authors: Welch Brian , Schaal Alex , O’Shea Thomas F. , Cantu Roberto
Published: November 2021

Superior mesenteric artery syndrome is an obstruction of the small bowel between the aorta and the superior mesenteric artery. Patients with this disease are initially managed medically and those patients who fail medical treatment require surgery. A retrospective case series of thirteen patients diagnosed with SMAS at Flushing Hospital, Flushing, NY, from 2011 to 2020 was performed. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the characteristics of the entire cohort, and comparative statistics were used to compare the patients who failed medical treatment and required surgery to those who were successfully managed medically. Nine patients were managed conservatively and four patients required operative intervention. BMI was significantly lower in patients requiring operation compared to those who were successfully managed medically. This retrospective community hospital case series adds to the literature on SMAS and provides evidence of BMI as a potential predictor of requiring surgery in SMAS.
In a Stressful Social Environment, Can Using Sports Apps Relieve the Physical and Mental Stress of the Elderly? From the Perspective of Industry 4.0
Authors: Huang Po-Fang , Chen Chih-Yen , Lin Hsiao-Hsien , Wang I-Chi , Hsu Chin-Hsien
Published: November 2021

The purpose of this research was to understand the current physical and mental health of the elderly using sports apps under the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 711 questionnaires were collected using purposive sampling and the snowball method and were analyzed by Statistical Product and Service Solutions 22.0 and Analysis of Moment Structures 20.0 software. The survey found that elderly people who exercise at intervals of one month are more physically and mentally stressed, but that different exercise frequencies also have different levels of physical and mental health problems; the lower the exercise intensity, the more obvious the negative emotions, the stronger or the less time they spend in exercise, and the greater the pressure of sports. In a high-risk social environment, even if the elderly use sports apps to exercise, they will still change the intensity and time of the exercise, but they will not change the frequency of exercise that has become a daily habit.
Innovation Efficiency and the Spatial Correlation Network Characteristics of Intelligent‐Manufacturing Enterprises
Authors: Fu Ningning
Published: November 2021

A data envelopment analysis cross‐efficiency model was used to measure the innovation efficiency of Chinese intelligent‐manufacturing (IM) enterprises. This paper took as samples the number of granted patents and R&D investments of IM enterprises listed from 2015 to 2020. This research used the modified gravity model to determine the innovation efficiency and the spatial correlation of IM enterprises in China and used UCINET software to reveal the innovation efficiency and spatial network characteristics of IM enterprises through a social network analysis. The study found that the relationship was significant and frequently close between innovation efficiency and the spatial correlation network of IM enterprises. The distribution of the spatial association network was “core‐edge,” and IM enterprises in Eastern China were at the network core and mostly played an intermediary role. The spatial correlation network had four modules. The distribution of the enterprise innovation correlation was uneven within each module, amalgamation was poor among the subgroups, and characteristics of highly cohesive subgroups were present.
Research on Embroidery Feature Recognition Algorithm of Traditional National Costumes Based on Double-Layer Model
Authors: Juan Hu
Published: November 2021

In order to improve the visual communication ability of traditional national costume patterns, it is necessary to carry out image texture intelligent matching processing. A traditional national costume embroidery feature recognition algorithm based on a double-layer model is proposed. The traditional national costume pattern texture intelligent information acquisition model under the double-layer model is constructed to carry out texture imaging and feature segmentation of traditional national costume patterns, extract the texture histogram of traditional national clothing pattern and national design language, carry out texture segmentation and automatic matching under the two-layer model according to the histogram distribution, enhance and optimize the texture information of traditional national clothing pattern, extract the edge contour feature points of traditional national clothing pattern, and complete the embroidery feature recognition of traditional national clothing. The experimental results show that the designed recognition algorithm has high integrity and accuracy.
Research on Dynamic Path Planning of Mobile Robot Based on Improved DDPG Algorithm
Authors: Li Peng , Ding Xiangcheng , Sun Hongfang , Zhao Shiquan , Cajo Ricardo
Published: November 2021

Aiming at the problems of low success rate and slow learning speed of the DDPG algorithm in path planning of a mobile robot in a dynamic environment, an improved DDPG algorithm is designed. In this article, the RAdam algorithm is used to replace the neural network optimizer in DDPG, combined with the curiosity algorithm to improve the success rate and convergence speed. Based on the improved algorithm, priority experience replay is added, and transfer learning is introduced to improve the training effect. Through the ROS robot operating system and Gazebo simulation software, a dynamic simulation environment is established, and the improved DDPG algorithm and DDPG algorithm are compared. For the dynamic path planning task of the mobile robot, the simulation results show that the convergence speed of the improved DDPG algorithm is increased by 21%, and the success rate is increased to 90% compared with the original DDPG algorithm. It has a good effect on dynamic path planning for mobile robots with continuous action space.
The Effects of Freshwater Clam (Corbicula fluminea) Extract on Activated Hepatic Stellate Cells
Authors: Lee Shou-Lun , Hsu Wei-Hsiang , Tu Chia-Ming , Wang Wen-Han , Yang Cheng-Yao , Lee Hsien-Kuang , Chin Ting-Yu
Published: November 2021

Background. The extract of freshwater clams has been used to protect the body against liver diseases in traditional folk medicine. This study aims at investigating the effects of freshwater clam extract on activated hepatic stellate cells (aHSCs), which are critical contributors to liver fibrosis. Methods. The aHSCs used in this study were derived from hepatic stellate cells that were isolated and purified from the livers of male Wistar rats and then transformed into the activated phenotype by culturing on uncoated plastic dishes. Freshwater clam extract (CE) was collected after the outflow from the live freshwater clams in a water bath at 100°C for 60 min. The effects of CE on aHSCs were analyzed by MTT assay, flow cytometry, Oil Red O (ORO) staining, western blot, and real-time RT-PCR. Results. The results indicated that CE suppressed the proliferation of aHSCs through G0/G1 cell cycle arrest by downregulating cyclin D1 and upregulating p27. The expression levels of a-SMA, collagen I, TGF-β, and TNF-α were inhibited in the CE-treated aHSCs. In addition, the CE treatment increased the lipid contents in aHSCs by promoting PPARγ expression. Furthermore, CE modulated the expression of ECM-related genes, i.e., by upregulating MMP-9 and downregulating TIMP-II. Conclusions. These data revealed that CE could induce the deactivation of aHSCs. We therefore suggest that CE has potential as an adjuvant therapeutic agent against hepatic fibrosis.
Time‐Delayed Acceleration Feedback Control of a Single‐Link Flexible Manipulator Using Kalman Filter
Authors: Huang Yuming , Chen Weidong , Shao Minqiang
Published: November 2021

The design problem of a discrete controller with time delay and acceleration feedback for a single‐link flexible manipulator system is addressed in this paper. The dynamical model of a single‐link flexible manipulator system is presented by the adoption of the finite element method and Lagrange’s equation. Based on the random‐walk process and the discrete reduction method, an augmented discretized delay‐free state derivate space equation containing the random noise is established. An acceleration‐based Kalman filtering method is developed in order to estimate the system state and external excitation necessary for the controller design. In light of the estimated augmented states, a hybrid controller that combines a feedback control algorithm and a feedforward control algorithm is designed according to optimal control theory and Moore–Penrose theory. Numerical simulation results show that the proposed controller can damp out the vibration response of the flexible manipulator system effectively upon external excitations. Moreover, it is further revealed that the control performance of the presented method can be improved by adding the time delay appropriately.
Prognostic Factors and a Nomogram Predicting Overall Survival and Cancer‐Specific Survival for Patients with Collecting Duct Renal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Xiao Ruotao , Liu Cheng , He Wei , Ma Lulin
Published: November 2021

Background. Collecting duct renal cell carcinoma (CDRCC) is a rare type of renal cancer characterized by a poor prognosis. The aim of this work was to develop a nomogram predicting the overall survival (OS) and cancer‐specific survival (CSS) for patients with CDRCC. Methods. A total of 324 eligible patients diagnosed with CDRCC from 2004 to 2015 were identified using the data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. The Kaplan‐Meier curve was used to estimate the 1‐, 3‐, and 5‐year OS and CSS of these patients. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression models were performed to identify the independent risk factors associated with OS and CSS. The nomogram was developed based on these factors and evaluated by the concordance index (C‐index) and calibration curves using the bootstrap resample method. The predictive accuracy of the nomogram was also compared with the manual of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC). Results. The estimated 1‐, ‐3, and 5‐year OS and CSS rates in the analytic cohorts were 56.4% and 60%, 32.5% and 37.3%, and 28.7% and 33.6%, respectively. The multivariate model revealed that age, tumor size, tumor grade, N stage, M stage, surgical type, and chemotherapy were independent predicted factors for OS, while tumor size, tumor grade, N stage, M stage, surgical type, and chemotherapy were independently linked to CSS. A nomogram was developed using these factors with relatively good discrimination and calibration. The C‐index for OS and CSS was 0.764 (95% CI: 0.735~0.793) and 0.783 (95% CI: 0.754~0.812), which was superior to the AJCC stage (C‐index: 0.685 (95% CI: 0.654~0.716) and 0.703 (95% CI: 0.672~0.734)). Patients were divided into low‐risk, intermediate‐risk, and high‐risk groups according to the total points calculated by the nomogram. Patients in the low‐risk group (97 mo and not reached) experienced significantly long median OS and CSS compared to the intermediate‐risk (17 mo and 18 mo) and high‐risk groups (5 mo for both). The calibration curves showed a good agreement between the predicted and actual probability related to OS and CSS. Conclusion. CDRCC has an aggressively biologic behavior with relatively poor prognosis. A survival prediction nomogram making an individualized evaluation of OS and CSS in patients with CDRCC was presented, potentially helping urologists to make a better risk stratification.
Development of Sustainable and Functional Fabrics from Recycled and Nanocomposite Polyester Fibers
Authors: Addis Solomon , Ejegu Hermela , Dubale Messay , Mamuye Wondwossen
Published: November 2021

Antimicrobial knitted and woven fabrics were developed from recycled polyester (PET) and silver nanocomposite (SNC) fibers. Two different fabrics were produced from two different blend proportions of the fibers. The antimicrobial properties of fabrics were tested against those of the S. aureus (Gram‐positive) and E. coli (Gram‐negative) bacterial natures, and their yarn properties and hand‐related characteristics were investigated. The results show uneven fabrics properties such as irregularity in thickness and SNC‐recycled PET fiber ratio increase, and the tensile strength decreases while the NEP number increases. This implies that fabrics made from a blend with higher SNC‐recycled PET fiber ratios have higher surface roughness levels, higher bending rigidity, and harder texture. As a consequence, the antimicrobial efficiency of the fabrics was improved as the percentage of SNC increased. The recycled PET fiber within the blended yarn shows a good antimicrobial property (above 90%) observed in all fabrics. The reduction of bacterial colonies was constantly exceeding 90% for both E. coli and S. aureus in all fabric samples.
Research on Music Emotion Intelligent Recognition and Classification Algorithm in Music Performance System
Authors: Huang Chun , Shen Diao
Published: November 2021

The music performance system works by identifying the emotional elements of music to control the lighting changes. However, if there is a recognition error, a good stage effect will not be able to create. Therefore, this paper proposes an intelligent music emotion recognition and classification algorithm in the music performance system. The first part of the algorithm is to analyze the emotional features of music, including acoustic features, melody features, and audio features. Then, the three kinds of features are combined together to form a feature vector set. In the latter part of the algorithm, it divides the feature vector set into training samples and test samples. The training samples are trained by using recognition and classification model based on the neural network. And then, the testing samples are input into the trained model, which is aiming to realize the intelligent recognition and classification of music emotion. The result shows that the kappa coefficient k values calculated by the proposed algorithm are greater than 0.75, which indicates that the recognition and classification results are consistent with the actual results, and the accuracy of recognition and classification is high. So, the research purpose is achieved.
Evaluation of Wear Properties of Four Bulk‐Fill Composites: Attrition, Erosion, and Abrasion
Authors: Asadian Faeze , Shahidi Zahra , Moradi Zohreh
Published: November 2021

Purpose. Wear and increased surface roughness are among the reasons for failure of posterior composite restorations. Considering the widespread use of bulk‐fill composites in the posterior region, information about their wear resistance is imperative. The aim of this study was to compare the wear and surface roughness of four bulk‐fill composite resins with a conventional composite. Methods. Thirty composite discs (4 mm × 10 mm) were fabricated from EverX Posterior (GC), X‐tra fil (Voco), Filtek Bulk‐Fill Posterior (3M, USA), SonicFill 2 (Kerr), and Z250 (3M) composites. The baseline weight and surface roughness of specimens were measured. For the assessment of the attrition wear, the specimens were placed in a chewing simulator (Mechatronik). pH cycling was performed to erode the composite discs. They were then placed in a tooth brushing simulator machine (Dorsa) for abrasion wear. Finally, the weight and surface roughness of the specimens were measured. Data were compared using one‐way ANOVA (alpha ≤ 0.05). Results. One‐way ANOVA showed that the mean weight changes were significant after attrition, abrasion, and erosion (P = 0.019), but changes in surface roughness were not significant (P ≥ 0.05). The results of Tukey’s test showed no significant difference between the bulk‐fill composites and Z250 regarding weight loss (P ≥ 0.05), but the weight loss of X‐tra fil was significantly greater than that of EverX (P = 0.007) and Filtek Bulk‐Fill (P = 0.005). Conclusions. Considering the limitations of this study, it appears that the wear and surface roughness of bulk‐fill composites are within the acceptable range and are not different from those of a conventional composite.
K‐Nearest Robust Active Learning on Big Data and Application in Epitope Prediction
Authors: Lu Tianchi
Published: November 2021

B‐cells that induce antigen‐specific immune responses in vivo produce large numbers of antigen‐specific antibodies by recognizing subregions (epitopes) of antigenic proteins, in which they can inhibit the function of antigen protein. Epitope region prediction facilitates the design and development of vaccines that induce the production of antigen‐specific antibodies. There are many diseases which are difficult to treat without vaccines. And the COVID‐19 has destroyed many people’s lives. Therefore, making vaccines to COVID‐19 is very important. Making vaccines needs a large number of experiments to get labeled targets. However, obtaining tremendous labeled data from experiments is a challenge for humans. Big data analysis has proposed some solutions to deal with this challenge. Big data technology has developed very fast and has been applied in many areas. In the bioinformatics area, big data analysis solves a large number of problems, particularly in the area of active learning. Active learning is a method of building more predictive models with less labeled data. Active learning establishes models with less data by asking the oracle (human) for the most valuable samples to train models. Hence, active learning’s application in making vaccines is meaningful that the scientists do not need to do tremendous experiments. This paper proposed a more robust active learning method based on uncertainty sampling and K‐nearest density and applies it to the vaccine manufacture. This paper evaluates the new algorithm with accuracy and robustness. In order to evaluate the robustness of active learners, a new robustness index is designed in this paper. And this paper compares the new algorithm with a pool‐based active learning algorithm, density‐weighted active learning algorithm, and traditional machine learning algorithm. Finally, the new algorithm is applied to epitope prediction of B‐cell data, which is significant to making vaccines.
Reticulocyte Hemoglobin Equivalent: Diagnostic Performance in Assessment of Iron Deficiency in Patients with Hypothyroidism
Authors: Aslam Wardah , Habib Maryam , Aziz Saeeda , Habib Madiha
Published: November 2021

Introduction. Iron deficiency affects approximately 30% of the world population and is frequently encountered in hypothyroid patients. Early recognition and prompt treatment of iron deficiency in hypothyroid patients lead to a favorable outcome. The aim of this study is to prove the usefulness of reticulocyte hemoglobin equivalent (Ret-He) as a reliable and effective tool in diagnosis of iron deficiency in hypothyroid patients. Materials and Methods. 154 patients with hypothyroidism were included in the study. They were divided into 4 groups. Group 1 included 66 hypothyroid patients without iron deficiency. They were taken as controls. Group 2 included 66 hypothyroid patients with iron deficiency anemia (IDA). Group 3 included 12 hypothyroid patients with iron deficiency but without anemia (ID). Group 4 included 10 hypothyroid patients which had concomitant iron deficiency with anemia of chronic disorder (ACDC). Ret-He was measured by analyzing blood samples on System XN 350. Thyroid profile, serum ferritin, and biochemical data were measured by an automated analyzer. Statistical analysis was performed by using SPSS 23. Results. Ret-He was significantly lower with (

p
<
0.001

) in group 2 (hypothyroid patients with IDA), group 3 (hypothyroid patients with ID), and in group 4 (hypothyroid patients with ACDC) as compared to controls in group 1 (hypothyroid patients without iron deficiency). After ROC analysis area under the curve (AUC) of Ret-He for hypothyroid patients with IDA was 0.96 at cutoff 28.5 pg with sensitivity of 93% and specificity of 90%. AUC of Ret-He in the hypothyroid group with ACDC was 0.99 at cutoff 30.8 pg with sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 90%. AUC of Ret-He in hypothyroid patients with ID was 0.97 at cutoff 31.7 pg with sensitivity of 91% and specificity of 70%. Conclusion. Ret-He is a reliable, rapid, and cost-effective tool for diagnosing iron deficiency in hypothyroid patients.
Bioinformatics Analysis to Screen Key Targets of Curcumin against Colorectal Cancer and the Correlation with Tumor-Infiltrating Immune Cells
Authors: Han Xinyue , Yang Chao , Guo Cui , Xu Yimin , Liu Xiaoqiang , Xie Runnan , Meng Xiangxue , Cheng Zhihong , Fu Xiaoling
Published: November 2021

Purpose. Curcumin is a potential drug for the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC). Its mechanism of action has not been elucidated. This study aims to investigate the mechanism of action of curcumin in the treatment of CRC via bioinformatics methods such as network pharmacology and molecular docking. Methods. The targets of curcumin and CRC were obtained from the public databases. The component-targets network of curcumin in the treatment of CRC was constructed by Cytoscape v3.7.2. Through protein-protein interaction (PPI), the Gene Ontology (GO), and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), important targets and signaling pathways related to CRC treatment were identified. Finally, the results were verified by molecular docking, and the correlation between the key targets and tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TICs) was analyzed. Results. A total of 30 potential targets of curcumin for CRC treatment were collected. The GO function enrichment analysis showed 140 items, and the KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed 61 signaling pathways related to the regulation of protein kinase activity, negative regulation of apoptosis process, cancer signaling pathway, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. The molecular docking results showed that curcumin could be combined with AKT1, EGFR, and STAT3 more stably, and AKT1 has the strongest binding to curcumin. Bioinformatics analysis discovered that the expression of core targets AKT1, EGFR, and STAT3 in CRC was related to TICs. Conclusion. This study explored the targets and pathways of curcumin in the treatment of CRC. The core targets are AKT1, EGFR, and STAT3. The study indicated that curcumin has preventive and treatment effects on CRC through multitarget and multipathway, which laid the foundation for follow-up research.
Blockchain-IoT-Driven Nursing Workforce Planning for Effective Long-Term Care Management in Nursing Homes
Authors: Tsang Y. P. , Wu C. H. , Leung Polly P. L. , Ip W. H. , Ching W. K.
Published: November 2021

Due to the global ageing population, the increasing demand for long-term care services for the elderly has directed considerable attention towards the renovation of nursing homes. Although nursing homes play an essential role within residential elderly care, professional shortages have created serious pressure on the elderly service sector. Effective workforce planning is vital for improving the efficacy and workload balance of existing nursing staff in today’s complex and volatile long-term care service market. Currently, there is lack of an integrated solution to monitor care services and determine the optimal nursing staffing strategy in nursing homes. This study addresses the above challenge through the formulation of nursing staffing optimisation under the blockchain-internet of things (BIoT) environment. Embedding a blockchain into IoT establishes the long-term care platform for the elderly and care workers, thereby decentralising long-term care information in the nursing home network to achieve effective care service monitoring. Moreover, such information is further utilised to optimise nursing staffing by using a genetic algorithm. A case study of a Hong Kong nursing home was conducted to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed system. We found that the total monthly staffing cost after using the proposed model was significantly lower than the existing practice with a change of −13.48%, which considers the use of heterogeneous workforce and temporary staff. Besides, the care monitoring and staffing flexibility are further enhanced, in which the concept of skill substitution is integrated in nursing staffing optimisation.
Multiscale Aggregate Networks with Dense Connections for Crowd Counting
Authors: Li Pengfei , Zhang Min , Wan Jian , Jiang Ming
Published: November 2021

The most advanced method for crowd counting uses a fully convolutional network that extracts image features and then generates a crowd density map. However, this process often encounters multiscale and contextual loss problems. To address these problems, we propose a multiscale aggregation network (MANet) that includes a feature extraction encoder (FEE) and a density map decoder (DMD). The FEE uses a cascaded scale pyramid network to extract multiscale features and obtains contextual features through dense connections. The DMD uses deconvolution and fusion operations to generate features containing detailed information. These features can be further converted into high‐quality density maps to accurately calculate the number of people in a crowd. An empirical comparison using four mainstream datasets (ShanghaiTech, WorldExpo’10, UCF_CC_50, and SmartCity) shows that the proposed method is more effective in terms of the mean absolute error and mean squared error. The source code is available at https://github.com/lpfworld/MANet.
Short-Vessel Occlusion Might Indicate Higher Possibility of Success in Reperfusion following Mechanical Thrombectomy in Acute Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion
Authors: Yoshihara Tomoyuki , Kanazawa Ryuzaburo , Uchida Takanori , Higashida Tetsuhiro , Ohbuchi Hidenori , Arai Naoyuki , Takahashi Yuichi
Published: November 2021

Background: The impact of the length of the occluded vessel in acute large-vessel occlusion on successful reperfusion by mechanical thrombectomy remains unclear. This study evaluated whether diameter and length of the occluded vessel in acute middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion might relate to successful reperfusion following mechanical thrombectomy. Methods: This retrospective study included patients with acute MCA occlusion who underwent intra-aortic injection of contrast medium to obtain maximum intensity projection (MIP) images acquired by flat-panel detector computed tomography (FD-CT) equipped with an angiographic system. All patients received mechanical thrombectomy and were divided into two groups: those with successful reperfusion (Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction [TICI] 2b/3) and those without. We compared the diameter and length of the occluded vessel between the groups. In the sub-analysis of patients with stent retriever use, ratio of length of occluded vessel to length of the active zone was compared. Results: We enrolled 29 patients (median age: 73, M1 occlusion: 51%, stent retriever use: 72%). Eighteen patients achieved TICI 2b/3 with significantly larger distal end diameter (1.7 [interquartile range: 1.5–1.9] vs. 1.2 [1.2–1.5] mm, p = 0.007) and shorter length (7.1 [4.9–9.7] vs. 12.3 [7.2–15.8] mm, p = 0.043) of the occluded vessel. Sub-analysis of 21 patients showed that the cut-off value for TICI 2b/3 reperfusion was 0.32 as the ratio between the occluded vessel and stent retriever active zone (receiver operating characteristic area under the curve: 0.90). Conclusion: In acute MCA occlusion, larger diameter of the distal end and shorter length of the occluded vessel on FD-CT MIP images might indicate a higher possibility of achieving TICI 2b/3 following mechanical thrombectomy.
Synchronous B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Serous Ovarian Carcinoma: A Case Report
Authors: Superdock Michael , Komisarof Justin , Katerji Hani , Huselton Eric
Published: November 2021

Adult patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have higher rates of antecedent and subsequent malignancies. However, synchronous identification of ALL and ovarian cancer is exceedingly rare. We report the unique case of a 65-year-old woman with synchronous B-cell ALL and low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma diagnosed after surgical intervention for a small bowel obstruction. Treatment with inotuzumab ozogamicin followed by adnexal mass resection and postoperative letrozole was successful in achieving complete remission for both her leukemia and ovarian cancer.
Digitale Technologien und Polleninformationsnetzwerke: Hilfsmittel für eine patientenorientierte Versorgung bei allergischen Erkrankungen
Authors: Luschkova Daria , Kolek Franziska , Traidl-Hoffmann Claudia
Published: November 2021

Background: The analysis of mobile health (mHealth) data has generated innovative insights into improving allergic rhinitis control, but additive information is needed. A cross-sectional real-world observational study was undertaken in 17 European countries during and outside the estimated pollen season. The aim was to collect novel information including the phenotypic characteristics of the users. Methods: The Allergy Diary-MASK-air-mobile phone app, freely available via Google Play and App, was used to collect the data of daily visual analogue scales (VASs) for overall allergic symptoms and medication use. Fluticasone Furoate (FF), Mometasone Furoate (MF), Azelastine Fluticasone Proprionate combination (MPAzeFlu) and eight oral H1-antihistamines were studied. Phenotypic characteristics were recorded at entry. The ARIA severity score was derived from entry data. This was an a priori planned analysis. Results: 9037 users filled in 70,286 days of VAS in 2016, 2017 and 2018. The ARIA severity score was lower outside than during the pollen season. Severity was similar for all treatment groups during the pollen season, and lower in the MPAzeFlu group outside the pollen season. Days with MPAzeFlu had lower VAS levels and a higher frequency of monotherapy than the other treatments during the season. Outside the season, days with MPAzeFlu also had a higher frequency of monotherapy. The number of reported days was significantly higher with MPAzeFlu during and outside the season than with MF, FF or oral H1-antihistamines. Conclusions: This study shows that the overall efficacy of treatments is similar during and outside the pollen season and indicates that medications are similarly effective during the year.
Care Pathway for Foetal Joint Contractures, Foetal Akinesia Deformation Sequence, and Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita
Authors: Tjon Jill K. , Tan-Sindhunata Maria B. , Bugiani Marianna , Witbreuk Melinda M.E.H. , van der Sluijs Johannes A. , Weiss Marjan M. , van Weissenbruch Mirjam M. , van de Pol Laura A. , Buizer Annemieke I. , van Doesburg Margriet H.M. , Bakker Petra C.A.M. , van der Knoop Bloeme J. , Linskens Ingeborg H. , de Vries Johanna I.P.
Published: November 2021

Introduction: The majority of arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC) and lethal forms of AMC such as foetal akinesia deformation sequence (FADS) cases are missed prenatally. We have demonstrated the additional value of foetal motor assessment and evaluation in a multidisciplinary team for the period 2007–2016. An applied care pathway was developed for foetuses presenting with joint contracture(s) in one anatomic region (e.g., talipes equinovarus [TEV]), more than one body part with non-progressive contractures and motility (AMC) and with deterioration over time (FADS). Methods: The multidisciplinary team of Amsterdam University Medical Centre Expertise Centre FADS and AMC developed the care pathway. Additional tools are provided including a motor assessment by ultrasound examination and a post-mortem assessment form. Results: An eight-step care pathway is presented with a proposed timing for prenatal sonographic examination, genetic examinations, multidisciplinary meetings, prenatal and postnatal counselling of the parents by a specialist also treating after birth, and the follow-up of prenatal and postnatal findings with counselling for future pregnancies. Discussion/Conclusion: The scheduled serial structural and motor sonograpahic assessment together with follow-up examinations and genetic analysis should be tailored per prenatal centre per available resources. The multidisciplinary care pathway may pave the way to increase the detection rate and diagnosis of isolated contracture(s), TEV with underlying genetic causes, and the rare phenotypes AMC/FADS and prompt treatment after birth within expertise teams.
Casas de “tomar conta” e creches públicas: relações de cuidados e interdependência entre periferias e Estado
Authors: Fernandes Camila
Published: November 2021

Este artigo analisa as relações de coexistência entre as práticas informais de cuidados realizadas nas periferias e as administrações de Estado. A etnografia foi realizada num complexo de favelas situado na Zona Norte do Rio de Janeiro. A análise procura ressaltar as dinâmicas de interdependência entre as casas de moradoras de favela que “tomam conta” de crianças e as creches públicas. A partir das reflexões sobre os cuidados transacionados nesses espaços, busca-se refletir sobre as ideias de dependência, Estado provedor, sexualidade e reprodução feminina. A complementaridade entre esses lugares aponta para a existência de relações de cuidados nas quais dinâmicas de vulnerabilidade, escassez e demanda por recursos sociais são elementos de disputa que remetem a processos de reprodução estratificada de desigualdades históricas de gênero, classe, sexualidade, território e raça.
Terapeutas populares no Recôncavo da Bahia, Brasil: configurações agentivas em ontologias híbridas
Authors: Bassi Francesca , Tavares Fátima , Sá Sílvia Michele Macedo de
Published: November 2021

Este artigo investiga as terapêuticas de cunho popular no Recôncavo Baiano, compreendidas como ontologias híbridas. Durante a observação em campo e na interlocução com os terapeutas percebemos como os gestos e posturas, procedimentos e enunciados envolvidos nos cuidados de tipo devocional e religioso (rezas, benzeduras, oferendas, possessões) se estendem ao ambiente (ervas, plantas, animais, marés, mato, quintais, movimentos do sol e da lua etc.) numa relação de continuidade. Seguindo essas conexões, ponderamos a relevância da perspectiva pragmática para analisar a conexão entre artefatos terapêuticos (fabricações) e processos vitais (crescimentos), no intuito de mapear algumas configurações agentivas em ontologias híbridas. Consideramos, ainda, o poder transformativo do ritual na produção dessas ontologias.
Ensino de Antropologia em inglês: reflexões sobre uma experiência de inclusão
Authors: Moutinho Laura , Tiriba Thais , Brusco Rodrigo
Published: November 2021

Neste artigo, apresentamos e refletimos sobre uma iniciativa que conduzimos junto a disciplinas obrigatórias de antropologia na qual oferecemos a alunas e alunos do Bacharelado em Ciências Sociais da Universidade de São Paulo oficinas de capacitação para leitura de textos antropológicos em língua inglesa. Com o amparo da premissa de que é necessário qualificar estudantes para leitura em idiomas estrangeiros, nesse texto, oferecemos, por um lado, um relato de uma experiência docente piloto e, por outro lado, procuramos contribuir para a reflexão sobre o papel da docência no letramento acadêmico de nossas e nossos estudantes.
El nuevo escenario de la pobreza frente al covid-19: estudio del caso Tulancingo de Bravo, México (2016-2021)
Authors: Badillo Flores Pastor
Published: November 2021

El programa PROSPERA fue un referente en la lucha contra la pobreza en México durante el período transcurrido entre 2014 y 2019. Según estimaciones de la CEPAL, este Programa de Transferencia Condicionada (PTC) alcanzó una cobertura de 24.13% de la población en 2018.  El presente artículo tiene como objetivo conocer y analizar el modo como algunos grupos vulnerables han enfrentado la situación actual, esto tras la desaparición de PROSPERA en 2019 y el surgimiento del Covid-19 en febrero del 2020 en México.  Esta investigación se enmarca teóricamente dentro de los estudios sobre la pobreza. Se ha realizado un estudio longitudinal que parte de una investigación llevada a cabo en 2016 en el municipio de Tulancingo de Bravo, en la cual se aplicaron entrevistas en profundidad a mujeres beneficiarias de PROSPERA. De tal manera nos hemos dado a la tarea de identificar a algunas de ellas para entrevistarlas nuevamente en 2021.  Encontrando que el gobierno federal ha incorporado nuevos programas de atención a personas en condición de pobreza. No obstante, existen escasos apoyos derivados de la situación pandémica. Por otra parte, las mujeres entrevistadas no parecen haber mejorado su condición, además de verse afectadas por la pandemia en múltiples aspectos.
Eça de Queiroz, a "geração de 1870" e a Universidade de Coimbra: entre vivências e representações
Authors: Oliveira Júnior Virgílio Coelho de
Published: November 2021

Por meio deste artigo, objetiva-se analisar as experiências da “geração de 1870” na (e sobre a) Universidade de Coimbra. Para tanto, discute-se a historiografia pertinente, bem como as cartas e os textos de cunho memorialístico de Eça de Queiroz (1845-1900), um dos mais importantes membros do referido grupo. Almeja-se demonstrar a importância dessas trajetórias e experiências, vividas e recriadas por Eça e sua geração, para a constituição da intelligentsia portuguesa e o debate intelectual do século XIX.
Religious Minorities in the Ideology and Politics of Syria
Authors: Adamczyk Anita Sylwia , Jomma Fuad
Published: November 2021

Although the Middle East is widely associated with Islam, it is diverse in terms of religion. Syria is an example where two religious groups dominate, i.e. Muslims and Christians, which are internally diverse. The purpose of this article is to examine the position of religious minorities in the ideology and politics of Syria. Syria is not chosen by accident as the authors believe that the failure to recognize the existence of minorities and to respect their rights was one of the reasons for the civil war in Syria. The article consists of three parts. The first discusses the theoretical issues related to the definition and understanding of the notions of what constitutes a religious minority and of pan-Arabism in Syria. The next presents the complex religious pattern in country, and the last concerns the policy of the Syrian authorities, who are influenced by Arab nationalism, towards various religious groups.
Any Role for Human Rights in the Norwegian Truth and Reconciliation Commission Addressing Forced Assimilation?
Authors: Haugen Hans Morten
Published: November 2021

Norway’s policies regarding Sámi and most national minorities in an historic perspective can be characterized as forced assimilation; except for Jews and Roma, where the historic policy can be termed exclusion. The Norwegian Truth and Reconciliation Commission (trc) is intended to be a broad-based process, resulting in a report to the Norwegian Parliament in 2022. After identifying various explanations for the relatively strong standing of the (North) Sámi domestically and in international forums, the article identifies various ways that human rights will be important for the trc’s work and final report: (i) self-determination; (ii) participation in political life; (iii) participation in cultural life; (iv) family life; (v) private life; and (vi) human dignity. Some of these rights are relatively wide, but all give relevant guidance to the trc’s work. The right to private life did not prevent the Norwegian Parliament’s temporary law to enable the trc’s access to archives
Dealing with Ethical Issues in Clinical Trials: The ussr in the Global Context
Authors: Vasilyev Pavel , Petrenko Alexander , Tayukina Veronika
Published: November 2021

This paper discusses several ethical issues related to clinical trials within the Soviet system of drug development and testing, which reflected larger ideological principles of healthcare organization in the ussr, with its focus on eradicating market elements from drug development. The centralized state-controlled system was thought to combat such drawbacks of free-market drug development as high prices and aggressive advertising; also to discourage the duplication of research by numerous independent actors that was perceived to be common in capitalist countries. Another significant ethical issue was the Soviet emphasis on the unity of scientific research and clinical treatment. Their strict separation, introduced to support normative standards defined by the U.S. pharmaceutical drug testing system, was rejected in the ussr where knowledge of new treatment options came from treatment practice, not laboratory-like experimental conditions of randomized controlled double-blind trials. The Soviet design was closer to so-called ‘pragmatic trials’ that focus on solving ‘real-life’ problems in clinical practice. Not all ethical problems were successfully addressed in the Soviet model, where there were always significant gaps between neatly postulated theory and messy clinical practice. The unity of scientific research and clinical practice was difficult to achieve. Archival research shows potential ethical issues related to geographic disparities in carrying out clinical trials, and the importance of personal and informal connections in the Soviet model.
Checklist of the Pipunculidae (Diptera) of mainland France: further faunistic records and description of a new species
Authors: WITHERS PHIL , CLAUDE JOCELYN
Published: November 2021

Since the first faunistic study of the Pipunculidae (Diptera) of mainland France in 2006, new material from 37 natural sites and four private collections has been evaluated by the authors of this article. A total of 5739 specimens of Pipunculidae collected in France were examined, of which 5214 were identified to species by the authors, for a total of 114 species. DNA analyses were also carried out on some specimens to confirm their morphological identifications. The list of Pipunculidae recorded in mainland France is updated to include 140 species. Tomosvaryella estebani sp. nov. is described from material collected in France and Italy. Twenty-four species are also reported for the first time from France. The records of Cephalops (Semicephalops) carinatus (Verrall, 1901), Cephalosphaera (Cephalosphaera) furcata (Egger, 1860), Eudorylas terminalis (Thomson, 1870) and Jassidophaga villosa (Roser, 1840), without precise data in the literature, are now precisely located in France with this work. For the other species, we provide new post-2006 records.