bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Superconducting thermo-magnetic-mechanical energy conversion machine
Authors: Al-ani Mahir
Published: December 2021

This paper presents a superconducting thermo-magnetic-mechanical (STMM) energy conversion process. This energy conversion concept revolves around of utilizing a cryogenic coolant, e.g., liquid nitrogen, as a thermal energy facilitator to cool down the superconductor to below the critical temperature. Then, utilizing the mixed state, i.e., Meissner effect and weak vertex - which leads to partially shielding the magnetic field - an external magnetic field is used to apply force on the superconductor and create motion. The concept proposed is demonstrated using thorough Multiphysics understanding i.e., thermal, magnetic, and mechanical. The proof of concept is completed by using a combination of analytical and numerical simulations and calculations, and measurements. Using this concept, a practical automotive drive has been theoretically designed and compared with a counterpart electric drive. The proposed technology has a potential to provide a step change for the sustainable cleaner cost-effective transportation.
Analysis of Transmission of Hepatitis C Viruses: Dental vs. Surgical Procedures
Authors: Ahmad Fawad , SAJJAD Muhammad , Akram Muhammad Umair , Zulfiqar Rabia , Kara Recep , Azam Ahmad Talha
Published: December 2021

Objectives: The primary purpose of the present study is to evaluate the cause of HCV transmission either by dental or surgical procedures in Pakistan. It will reveal the standards of current practices and knowledge of surgical instrument sterilization in Pakistan. Methods:The contemporary study design was cross-sectional. A total of 7097 patients were included in the study that was the confirmed cases of Hepatitis C from four districts of Punjab, Pakistan, during the period of three years from Jul 1, 2018, to Jun 30, 2021. The ANN model simulates a discrete Pareto distribution; descriptive statistics were applied by using SPSS 23.Results:In age distribution, most patients were aged 26-37 from the 2020- 2021 year of study with 45.6%age. The total mean ± SD was 2.42 ± .935 with 0.000P-values. Results show that high-risk variables are strongly associated with the surgical history, such as sector analysis (public and private) with 0.000 P-values. Analysis of these variables indicated that inquiry about surgical instruments sterilization and age groups(100%)were the most vital variable in the ANN model. Pareto distribution values of surgical procedures that are transmitting hepatitis C viruses more than the dental procedures. Conclusion: Surgical procedures are high transmission source of hepatitis C viruses than dental procedures. Clinical Significance: More care should be taken, and more severe sterilization measures should be taken to prevent the transmission of hepatitis C infection, especially in dental and general surgery procedures in Pakistan.
Geographic Variation for the Composition of Parrotfish in the South China Sea
Authors: Quan Qiumei , Liu Yong , Wang Teng , Li Chunhou
Published: December 2021

Based on the key ecological processes of parrotfish in coral reefs, we compiled species presence-absence data across 51 sites in the South China Sea to identify the distribution and composition of parrotfish and explore the relationship between species distribution and environmental factors, and 50 species (the Pacific: 57 species) of parrotfish were record. Nansha islands had the highest abundance with 41 parrotfish species. Nestedness analysis indicated parrotfish community had statistically significant nested patterns in the South China Sea and Nansha islands was the topmost site of nested matrix rank. Scleractinian coral species richness and Log(reef area) both had a significant effect on sites nested matrix rank (P < 0.05), which supports habitat nestedness hypothesis in the South China Sea. Scrapers were the most important functional group composition while the browser had a greater contribution on species nested matrix rank. Linear regression model showed parrotfish species richness increased with increasing longitude, scleractinian coral species richness and reef area. Variations in the parrotfish species richness in longitude was related to distance from the biodiversity hotspot in the Indo-Australian Archipelago. Parrotfish was mainly distributed in the range of 26-29℃, which was almost the same as the optimum temperature for coral growth. Nansha islands should be as biodiversity conservation priority areas, which could provide important reference significance for conservation efforts of parrotfish in degraded coral reefs habitats, especially in the context of increasing natural variability and anthropogenic disturbance.
Analysis of Non-Parametric Trend and Climatic Parameter Homogeneity Tests in a Data-scarce Region: A Spatio-Temporal Perspective in the Tawang River Basin, Eastern Himalayas
Authors: Devi Juna Probha , Mahanta Chandan , Barua Anamika
Published: December 2021

This study is aimed at studying long–term historical and future (1950-2099) trends for the RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 on approximately 30-year timescale at annual and seasonal for precipitation and at annual, seasonal, monthly, and diurnal temperature range (DTR) for temperature maximum (T_max), temperature minimum (T_min) variations using statistical trend analysis techniques– Mann–Kendall test (MK) and Sen's slope estimator (S) and the homogeneity test using Pettitt’s test. The study is carried out in three spatial points across the Tawang Chu in the district of Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh. The summer mean precipitation for RCP 4.5 (2006-2065) shows a positive trend with a rise in precipitation between 1.56 mm to 9.94 mm in all the study points. The mean annual precipitation statistics for all the points show an increase of RCP 4.5 in 2006-2052 and 2053-2099 timescale. Both RCP 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios exhibit a uniform rise in T_min and T_max during investigation. For all the points, the results likewise reveal a rising trend in mean annual T_min and T_max. Still, the inter-decadal temperature statistical analysis shows that the increase in mean annual T_min is greater than the increase in T_max, indicating a decreasing trend in DTR. It is anticipated that this study's outcomes will contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between change in climate and the regional hydrological behaviour and will be benefitting the society to develop a regional strategy for water resource management, can serve as a resource for climate impact research scope- assessments, adaptation, mitigation, and disaster management strategies for India's north-eastern region.
Robust Video Steganography for Social Media Sharing Based on Principal Component Analysis
Authors: Fan Pingan , Zhang Hong , Zhao Xianfeng
Published: December 2021

Most social media channels are lossy where videos are transcoded to reduce transmission bandwidth or storage space, such as social networking sites and video sharing platforms. Video transcoding makes most video steganographic schemes unusable for hidden communication based on social media. This paper proposes robust video steganography against video transcoding to construct reliable hidden communication on social media channels. A new strategy based on principal component analysis is provided to select robust embedding regions. Besides, side information is generated to label these selected regions. Side information compression is designed to reduce the transmission bandwidth cost. Then, one luminance component and one chrominance component are joined to embed secret messages and side information, keeping the embedding and extraction positions in sync. Video preprocessing is conducted to improve the applicability of our proposed method to various video transcoding mechanisms. Experimental results have shown that our proposed method provides strong robustness against video transcoding and achieves satisfactory security performance against steganalysis. The bit error rate of our method is lower than state-of-the-art robust video steganographic methods. It is a robust and secure method to realize reliable hidden communication over social media channels, such as YouTube and Vimeo.
Efficiency Enhancement of Photovoltaic Module Using An Aluminum Foam Matrix Filled With Phase Change Material (PCM) Under Hot Climate Conditions
Authors: Sharaf Mohamed , Yousef Mohamed S. , Huzayyin Ahmed
Published: December 2021

In the present work, a passive cooling strategy combining an aluminium foam matrix (AFM) with PCM was employed to regulate the temperature of a photovoltaic (PV) system The comparison between three PV modules was established ,the first one was conventional without any changes ,the second one was PV combined with PCM (PV-PCM) and the last one was PV combined with modified PCM which contain an aluminum foam matrix embedded in it (PV-PCM/AFM).Outdoor experiments were carried out in the hot weather of Benha, Egypt, which is situated at latitude 30.466° North and longitude 31.185° East. A comparison of the three PV designs was given and analysed, based on PV surface temperature, PCM temperature, open-circuit voltage, output power generated, and electrical efficiency. It was observed that using composite PCM resulted in better heat absorption from the PV module and better temperature distribution inside the PCM enclosure. Furthermore, the results indicated that against the unmodified PV system, the average cell’s temperature in the PV-PCM system was dropped by 13.3% and its electrical power was enhanced by 9%. Meanwhile, the average cell temperature in the PV-PCM/AFM configuration was reduced by 21.6% while the enhancement of the electrical power was at 14%. Furthermore, the findings demonstrated that, as compared to unmodified PCM, AFM impregnation accelerated the melting of modified PCM by roughly 37%.
Identification of Accession-Specific Variants and Development of KASP Markers for Assessing the Genetic Makeup of Crop Seeds
Authors: Hong Seongmin , Choi Su Ryun , Kim Jihyeong , Jeong Young-Min , Kwon Suk-Yoon , Lim Yong Pyo , Shin Ah-Young , Kim Yong-Min
Published: December 2021

Background

Most crop seeds are F1 hybrids. Seed providers and plant breeders must be confident that the seed supplied to growers is of known, and uniform, genetic makeup. This requires maintenance of pure genotypes of the parental lines and testing to ensure the genetic purity of the F1 seed. Traditionally, seed testing for purity was done with a grow-out test (GOT) in the field, but these tests are time consuming and costly. Seed testing with molecular markers was introduced as a replacement for GOT early in the last decade. Recently, Kompetitive allele specific PCR (KASP) markers are promising tools for genetic testing of seeds. However, the markers available at that time could be inaccurate and could be used with only a small number of accessions or varieties due to the limited genetic information and reference genomes available.
Results

Here, we identified 4,925,742 SNPs in 50 accessions of the Brasscia rapa core collection. Furthermore, the total 2,925 SNPs were selected as accession-specific SNPs, considering properties of flanking region harboring accession-specific SNPs and genic region conservation among accessions by NGS analysis. In total, 100 accession-specific markers were developed as accession-specific KASP markers. Based on the results of our validation experiments, the accession-specific markers successfully distinguish individuals from the mixed population including 50 target accessions from B. rapa core collection and outgroup.
Conclusions

This study provides efficient methods for developing KASP markers to distinguish individuals from the mixture comprised of breeding lines and germplasms from the resequencing data of Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa spp. pekinensis).
Analysis of Potential Genetic Biomarkers Using Machine Learning Methods and Immune Infiltration Regulatory Mechanisms Underlying Atrial Fibrillation Running Title: Identification of Biomarkers for Af via Machine Learning
Authors: Wu Li-Da , Li Feng , Chen Jia-Yi , Zhang Jie , Qian Ling-Ling , Wang Ru-Xing
Published: December 2021

Objective: We aimed to screen out biomarkers for atrial fibrillation (AF) based on machine learning methods and evaluate the degree of immune infiltration in AF patients in detail.Methods: Two datasets (GSE41177 and GSE79768) related to AF in GEO database were included. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened out using “limma” package. Candidate biomarkers for AF were identified using machine learning methods of the LASSO regression algorithm and SVM-RFE algorithm. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was employed to assess the diagnostic effectiveness of biomarkers, which was further validated in the GSE14795 dataset. Moreover, we used CIBERSORT to study the proportion of infiltrating immune cells in each sample, and the Spearman method was used to explore the correlation between biomarkers and immune cells.Results: 129 DEGs were identified, and CYBB, CXCR2, and S100A4 were identified as key biomarkers of AF using LASSO regression and SVM-RFE algorithm, and the diagnostic value was further validated in GSE14795. Immune infiltration analysis indicated that, compared with sinus rhythm (SR), the atrial samples of patients with AF contained a higher T cells gamma delta, neutrophils and mast cells resting, whereas T cells follicular helper were relatively lower. Correlation analysis demonstrated that CYBB, CXCR2, and S100A4 were significantly correlated with the infiltrating immune cells.Conclusions: In conclusion, this study suggested that CYBB, CXCR2, and S100A4 are key biomarkers correlated with infiltrating immune cells in AF, and infiltrating immune cells play pivotal roles in AF.
Multidisciplinary Residential Program for the Treatment of Obesity: How Body Composition Assessed by DXA and Blood Chemistry Parameters Change During Hospitalization and Which Variations in Body Composition Occur from Discharge Up to One Year Follow-Up
Authors: Gasparri Clara , Perna Simone , Peroni Gabriella , Riva Antonella , Petrangolini Giovanna , Faliva Milena Anna , Naso Maurizio , Rondanelli Mariangela
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Since obesity is a pathology characterized by a complex variable clinical presentation with comorbidities, multidisciplinary residential program (MRP) represents one of the best options for treating obesity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of 8-weeks MRP on weight loss, body composition assessed by DXA and metabolic blood parameters between entry (T0) and discharge (T1). The secondary endpoint was the evaluation of the patients' adherence to diet during the check-up outpatient visits, at 2 (T2), 6 (T3) and 12 (T4) months after discharge.
Methods

One hundred and seventy-eight subjects were enrolled (61 males and 117 females, aged 58.5±13, BMI 41.3±6). The difference in values ​​(end of hospitalization compared to baseline) was calculated through the univariate GLM procedure, which provides regression analysis and analysis of variance for a variable dependent on one or more variables.
Results

There was a statistically significant (p<0.001) improvement of all parameters investigated: total mass (-5.68 kg), fat free mass (-1236.03 g), fat mass (-4416.85 g), fat mass index (-1724.56), visceral adipose tissue (-332.76 g), arm circumference (-1.63 cm) and calf circumference (-1.16 cm). The skeletal muscle index was not affected. Statistically significant improvement in glycaemic and lipid profile were reported. The BMI average reduction continued from discharge until T4. No statistically significant changes in fat free mass and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) were reported during a year of follow-up.
Conclusion

The present study demonstrated the clinical benefits of 8-weeks MRP, which includes hypocaloric diet, physical exercise, and psychological support.
Comprehensive Evaluation of Land Reclamation Schemes in Mining Area based on Linguistic Intuitionistic Fuzzy Group Decision Making
Authors: Wu Ju , Liu Yi , Liu Fang , Gong Hao
Published: December 2021

Mine geological environment protection and land reclamation schemes are the core requirements for mining right application, which play an important role in regulating mining activities and supervising mining enterprises to fulfill their obligations of mine reclamation. In order to give full play to the guidance function of the schemes, provide reference for the compilation and review of the schemes, this paper attempts to make comprehensive evaluation of land reclamation schemes in mining area with multi-attribute group decision making method. First, linguistic intuitionistic fuzzy numbers are utilized to describe the evaluation information. Considering the authority and preference attitude of experts, the determination methods of expert weights in four cases are established. Then max-min deviation method is used to determine the attribute weights. Thereafter, a method for Linguistic intuitionistic fuzzy group decision making problem is proposed. Finally, the practicability of this method is verified by land reclamation schemes of four mining areas in Sichuan Province and comparative analysis is made. The research results show that the evaluation process of this method is simple and effective, so it can be reasonably applied to compile and review of land reclamation schemes.
Automated Measurement and Analysis of Sidewall Roughness (SWR) Using 3D-AFM
Authors: Yoo Su-Been , Yun Seong-Hun , Jo Ah-Jin , Lee Jun-Ho , Cho Sang-Joon , Cho Haneol , Ahn Byoung-Woon
Published: December 2021

As the semiconductor device architecture develops, from planar field-effect transistor (FET) to FinFET and toward gate all around (GAA), it is more needed to measure 3D structure sidewall precisely. Here, we present a 3D-atomic force microscopy (3D-AFM) by Park Systems Corp., a powerful 3D metrology tool to measure SWR of vertical and undercut structures. First, we measured 3 different dies repeatedly to calculate reproducibility in die level. Reproducible results were derived with relative standard deviation under 2%. Second, we measured 13 different dies, including the center and edge of the wafer, to analyze SWR distribution in wafer level and reliable results were measured. And all analysis was performed using a novel algorithm including auto flattening, sidewall detection, and SWR calculation. In addition, SWR automatic analysis software was implemented to reduce analysis time and to provide standard analysis. The result suggests that our 3D-AFM based on tilted Z scanner enabled an advanced methodology for automated 3D measurement and analysis.
Compressible Time-Dependent Steam Flow And Thermal Heat Analysis In Squared Cylinder: A Numerical Investigation
Authors: Hussain Azad , Arsaln Muhammad , Hassan Ali , Rehman Aysha
Published: December 2021

This paper investigates time-dependent compressible steam laminar flow coupled with heat transfer in fluids in a squared cylinder. The present problem has been designed in COMSOL-Multiphysics. The laminar flow is selected keeping the Mac number low. The flow possesses a no-slip condition with the wall of geometry. The pressure kept on flow is 0 Pas and the temperature of the flow regime is 305.13. The flow is initiated with a velocity of 0.5m/s. The effects of time on velocity distribution and pressure distribution are described with the help of graphs. Different results like drag coefficient, lift coefficient, heat distributions are also discussed. The technique used to solve modeled problem is BDF.
Analysis of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) -634C/G and +936C/T Polymorphisms and Serum VEGF Levels in Women Suffering From Preeclampsia
Authors: Hosseini Sayed hojjat , Ghadiria Ata , Salehi Abdolah Mousavi , Rokhafrooz Saber , Najafian Mahin , Ghafourian Mehri
Published: December 2021

Preeclampsia (PE) is a syndrome related with pregnancy and characterized by hypertension and proteinuria, occurring in approximately 6-8% of pregnancies and accounting for approximately 40% of premature births. This study aimed to investigate the polymorphisms of -634C/G and +936C/T in VEGF gene and their relationship with serum VEGF levels in pregnant women with PE. In this case-control study, peripheral blood samples were collected from 135 women with PE and 135 normal pregnant women as the control group. DNA was extracted using the phenol-chloroform method. Then, the polymorphisms of VEGF gene were detected by PCR-RFLP method using specific primers. Besides, VEGF concentrations were measured by ELISA method on serum samples and control subjects using ELISA kits. In this research, maternal age, gestational week, maternal hemoglobin and BMI were significantly correlated with the likelihood of PE, while the occurrence season variable was not effective in PE among the pregnant women. There was no significant difference in the two polymorphisms of -634C/G and +936C/T in VEGF gene between the two groups. Also, the serum VEGF level in PE patients was significantly higher than the normal group (P<0.001). Despite a significant increase in serum VEGF concentrations in women with PE, it seems that -634C/G and +936C/T polymorphisms of VEGF gene are not related with the onset of PE. Further studies are required to fully understand the risk factors related to preeclampsia syndrome.
Ancestry-based differences in the immune system are associated with lupus severity
Authors: Slight-Webb Samantha , Thomas Kevin , Smith Miles , Macwana Susan , Bylinska Aleksandra , Kheir Joseph , Donato Michele , Dvorak Mai , Chang Sarah , Kuo Alex , Cheung Peggie , Kalesinskas Laurynas , Ganesan Ananthakrishnan , Dermadi Denis , Guthridge Carla , Dejager Wade , Wright Christian , Adebayo Bolanle , Foecke Mariko , Merrill Joan , Chakravarty Eliza , Arriens Cristina , Maecker Holden , Khatri Purvesh , Utz Paul , James Judith A. , Guthridge Joel
Published: December 2021

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) affects 1 in 537 of African American (AA) women, which is >2-fold more than European American (EA) women. AA patients also develop the disease at a younger age, have more severe symptoms, and a greater chance of early mortality. We used a multi-omics approach to uncover ancestry-specific immune alterations in SLE patients and healthy controls that may contribute to disease disparities. Cell composition, signaling, and epigenetics were evaluated by mass cytometry; droplet-based single cell transcriptomics and paired proteogenomics (scRNA-Seq/scCITE-Seq). Soluble mediator levels were measured in plasma and stimulated whole blood. Toll-like receptor (TLRs) pathways are activated by vaccination and microbial infection, and are also key drivers of autoimmune disease. We observed enhanced TLR3/4/7/8/9-related gene expression in immune cells from AA versus EA SLE patients. TLR7/8/9 and IFNα phospho-signaling responses were heightened even in immune cells from healthy AA versus EA controls. TLR stimulation of healthy AA and EA immune cells recapitulated the distinct ancestry-associated SLE immunophenotypes. Thus, healthy individuals show ancestry-based differences in innate immune pathways that could influence the course and severity of lupus and other diseases.
Phase Transition Behaviors of Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose Induced By Small Molecular Weak Acids
Authors: Xu Zhifei , Zhao Qixuan , Zhao Di
Published: December 2021

In this paper, phase change material hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) was chosen to investigate the influence of small molecular weak acids on its phase transition temperature. The results showed that all of the chosen small molecular weak acids such as acrylic acid (AA), methacrylic acid (MAA), DL-lactic acid (LA), citric acid (CA) and acetic acid (AAc) can trigger the decrease of phase transition temperature of HPMC at different pH. With the increase of pH, AA, LA, CA and AAc can further lower the phase transition temperature, on the contrary, the phase transition temperature of HPMC increased with MAA. The change range of LCST was largest around pKa compared with other pH values because triggering effect changed gradually from hydrogen bonding effect to salt effect upon the increase of pH. Besides, phase transition temperature can also be reduced by the increase of acid concentration. This is attributed to smaller distance between molecules caused by higher concentration leading to stronger hydrogen bonding effect or salt effect. This paper provided a new perspective to modulate the LCST of phase change material by small molecular weak acids at different pH.
Experimental Validation of a Voxel-Based Finite Element Model Simulating Femoroplasty of Lytic Lesions in the Proximal Femur
Authors: Sas Amelie , Sermon An , Lenthe G. Harry van
Published: December 2021

Femoroplasty is a procedure where bone cement is injected percutaneously into a weakened proximal femur. Uncertainty exists whether femoroplasty provides sufficient mechanical strengthening to prevent fractures in patients with femoral bone metastases. Finite element models are promising tools to evaluate the mechanical effectiveness of femoroplasty, but a thorough validation is required. This study validated a voxel-based finite element model against experimental data from eight pairs of human cadaver femurs with artificial metastatic lesions. One femur from each pair was left untreated, while the contralateral femur was augmented with bone cement. Finite element models accurately predicted the femoral strength in the defect (R² = 0.96) and augmented (R² = 0.93) femurs. The modelled surface strain distributions showed a good qualitative match with results from digital image correlation; yet, quantitatively, only moderate correlation coefficients were found for the defect (mean R² = 0.78) and augmented (mean R² = 0.76) femurs. This was attributed to the presence of vessel holes in the femurs and the jagged surface representation of our voxel-based models. Despite some inaccuracies in the surface measurements, the FE models accurately predicted the global bone strength and qualitative deformation behavior, both before and after femoroplasty. Hence, they can offer a useful biomechanical tool to assist clinicians in assessing the need for prophylactic augmentation in patients with metastatic bone disease, as well as in identifying suitable patients for femoroplasty.
Honey Bee Venom Re-Challenge During Specific Immunotherapy: Prolonged Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation Allowed Survival in a Case of Near Fatal Anaphylaxis
Authors: Micaletto Sara , Ruetzler Kurt , Bruesch Martin , Schmid-Grendelmeier Peter
Published: December 2021

BACKGROUND Specific immunotherapy for patients with honey bee hypersensitivity is commonly applied. Re-challenge with venom is performed to prove protection.CASE PRESENATION We report a case of near fatal anaphylaxis with asystolia for 24 minutes in a 35-years-old patient with mastocytosis after honey bee sting challenge despite 5-years of specific immunotherapy. Successful cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was applied for 32 minutes.CONCLUSION This intervention demonstrates, that in anaphylaxis with cardio-vascular arrest prolonged CPR for up to 40 minutes might be appropriate to overcome half time span of massively released histamine. Failure of specific immunotherapy was possibly due to sensitization to the allergen Api m10, probably underrepresented in commercial honey bee venom extracts. Also, molecular analyses might alert to potential unsuccessful outcome of venom specific immunotherapy especially in high-risk patients such as mastocytosis.
Small Extracellular Vesicles Released from Bioglass/Hydrogel Scaffold Promote Vascularized Bone Regeneration by Transferring miR-23a-3p
Authors: Hu Hongxing , Zhang Hang , Bu Ziheng , Pan Mingmang , Lv Fang , Liu Zhongtang , cheng liming
Published: December 2021

Background
The treatment of critical-size bone defect is a great difficulty in orthopedics. Osteogenesis and angiogenesis are critical issue during the process of bone repair and remodeling. MSCs-derived small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) show desirable therapeutic prospects in tissue regeneration due to satisfied advantages including high stability, facilitated acquisition and abundant source. However, the effect of Human umbilical cord MSCs-derived sEVs (hUC-MSCs-sEVs) on vascularized bone regeneration and the potential mechanism remains to be investigated. Herein, we aimed to explore the therapeutic effect and the mechanism of hUC-MSCs-sEVs on critical-size bone defect.
Methods
To investigate the potential osteogenesis and angiogenesis effects of sEVs in vitro, we extracted sEVs from hUC-MSCs, and then sEVs were co-incubated with BMSCs and HUVECs. We next investigated the potential mechanism of sEVs on the effects of osteogenesis and angiogenesis by luciferase reporter gene assay and western blot. We fabricated 3D-printed bioglass scaffold with Gelma/nanoclay hydrogel coatings to load sEVs(BG-gel-sEVs) to ensure in vivo sustained efficacy of sEVs. Finally, the skull defect model was used to evaluate the capacity of vascularized bone regeneration of the composited scaffolds.
Results
hUC-MSCs-sEVs facilitated calcium deposition and the endothelial network formation, inducing osteogenic differentiation and angiogenesis by delivering miR-23a-3p to activate PTEN/AKT signaling pathway. Additionally, the BG-gel-sEVs composited scaffold achieved vascularized bone regeneration in vivo.
Conclusion
This finds illuminated that hUC-MSCs-sEVs promoted osteogenesis and angiogenesis by delivering miR-23a-3p to activate PTEN/AKT signaling pathway, achieving vascularized bone regeneration.
A Multilevel Study of Socio-economic Inequalities in Self-reported Oral and General Health in South-east Norway
Authors: Lyshol Heidi , Grøtvedt Liv , Fagerhaug Tone Natland , Feuerherm Astrid J , Jakhelln Gry , Sen Abhijit
Published: December 2021

This study assesses the association between socioeconomic determinants and self-reported health using data from a regional Norwegian health survey. A total of 9,068 participants 25+ were included. Survey data were linked to registry data on education and personal income. Self-reported oral health and general health were separately assessed and categorized into ‘good’ and ‘poor’. The exposures were educational level, personal income, and economic security. Prevalence ratios (PRs) were computed to assess the associations between socioeconomic determinants and self-reported health using multilevel Poisson regression. Participants with low education or income had poorer oral and general health than those with more education or higher income. Comparing the highest education level versus the lowest, adjusted PRs for poor oral and general health were 1.44 (95%CI 1.26-1.65) and 1.53 (95%CI 1.35-1.74). Correspondingly, with the highest income quintile versus the lowest, estimates were 1.64 (95%CI 1.39-1.94) and 2.34 (95%CI 1.97-2.79) for oral and general health. Lack of economic security was also significantly associated with poor self-reported oral and general health. Positive linear trends between levels of education and income were documented for both outcomes (P-linear trends <0.001), including a pattern of socioeconomic gradients, both for oral and general health.
Infectious Diseases Data Observatory (IDDO) Visceral Leishmaniasis Library of Clinical Therapeutic Studies: A Protocol for a Living Systematic Review of Clinical Studies
Authors: Singh-Phulgenda sauman , Rashan Sumayyah , Harriss Eli , Dahal Prabin , Naylor Caitlin , Brack Matthew , Guerin Philippe , Maguire Brittany J
Published: December 2021

Introduction: Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) is a vector-borne disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania. The disease is endemic in parts of South Asia, East Africa, South America and the Mediterranean region, with an estimated 50,000 to 90,000 cases occurring annually. A living systematic review of existing scientific literature is proposed to identify clinical drug efficacy studies against VL, conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic-Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Methods and analysis: The proposed living systematic review builds on a previous systematic review first carried out in 2016, and the current protocol is designed to capture any published or registered VL clinical study from Nov-2021 onwards. The following databases will be searched by a medical librarian: PubMed, Ovid Embase, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, clinicaltrials.gov, WHO ICTRP, as well as IMEMR, IMSEAR, and LILACS from the WHO Global Index Medicus. The systematic review will consider both randomised and non-randomised interventional studies, including single-armed studies. Ethics and dissemination: A database of eligible studies, including study characteristics, is openly available (https://www.iddo.org/tool/vl-surveyor) and will be continually updated every six months. All findings will be published in a peer reviewed journal.PROSPERO registration number: CRD42021284622
An EMD and IMF Energy Entropy Based Optimized Feature Extraction and Classification Scheme for Single Trial EEG Signal
Authors: Luo Song , Zhong PeiYun , Chen Rui , Pan CunYang , Liu KeYu , Li Kun
Published: December 2021

For the purpose of improving the classification accuracy of single trial EEG signal during motor imagery (MI) process, this study proposed a classification method which combined IMF energy entropy and improved EMD scheme. Singular value decomposition (SVD), Gaussian mixture model, EMD and IMF energy entropy were employed for the newly designed scheme. After removing noise and artifacts from acquired EEG signals in EEGLAB, SVD was applied, and the singular values were clustered by Gaussian mixture model. The insignificant characteristics indicated by the small SVD values were then removed, and the signals were reconstructed, feeding to EMD algorithm. Those IMFs mapping to δ、θ、α and β frequencies were selected as the major features of the EEG signal. The SVM classifier with RBF, linear, and polynomial kernel functions and voting mechanism then kicked in for classification. The results were compared with that of the traditional EMD and EEMD through simulation, showing that the proposed scheme can eliminate mode mixing effectively and improve the single trial EEG signal classification accuracy significantly, suggesting the probability of designing a more efficient EEG control system based on the proposed scheme.
2D PdCu Alloy Nanodendrites Manifest Effective Peroxidase-Like Activity Against Biofilms
Authors: Yuan Guotao , Zhang Shitong , Yang Zaixing , Tian Xin , Cheng Si , Pan Yue , Zhou Ruhong
Published: December 2021

Noble metal nanomaterials with peroxidase-like catalytic activity have received great interest lately for their potential applications in biomedicine and environmental protection; however, it is still challenging to achieve high catalytic efficiency despite enormous efforts. In this work, a novel but simple route was developed to synthesize 2D PdCu alloy nanodendrites (PdCu NDs) as a high-performance peroxidase mimic for biofilm elimination. Catalytic kinetics shows that the composition-dependent synergy between Pd and Cu in the PdCu NDs can strongly enhance the peroxidase-like activity. Density functional theory calculations further provide the underlying mechanisms at both atomic and electronic levels for the effective adsorption and dissociation of H2O2 molecules on PdCu NDs surfaces. Owing to their superior peroxidase-like activity, the PdCu NDs exhibit striking biofilm inhibition properties, which suggests that the controlled synthesis of 2D noble metal alloy may open up new opportunities for enhancing enzyme-like activities of noble metal nanomaterials.
Disability-Friendly Healthcare at Public Health Facilities in Bangladesh: A Mixed-Method Study To Explore the Existing Situation
Authors: Torsha Nawshin , Rahman Farah Naz , Hossain Shafkat , Chowdhury Hasina Akhter , Kim Minjoon , Rahman SM Mustafizur , Rahman AKM Fazlur , Rahman Aminur
Published: December 2021

Background

Several strategies and policies are being implemented in Bangladesh to address the healthcare needs of people with disabilities, who comprise about 10% of the country’s total population. However, these measures are not adequate to provide accessible or friendly healthcare to the people with disabilities. This study aimed to explore the disability-friendliness of healthcare facilities, and the challenges of people with disabilities in terms of access to 1) information and communication, 2) access to infrastructure, and 3) providers’ capacity in Bangladesh.
Methods

A mixed-method study was conducted, including a cross-sectional survey of healthcare facilities, followed by structured-interview with people with disabilities and healthcare managers, and qualitative interviews among people with disabilities or their caregivers, healthcare providers (HCPs), policymakers, and community leaders. Data were collected from 150 public healthcare (primary-to-tertiary) facilities and from 300 people with disabilities in 16 districts across Bangladesh between January-December 2019. An observational checklist and structured questionnaires were used to assess the situation of healthcare facilities, and literature-guided guidelines were used for qualitative interviews. During analysis, the disability-friendliness of healthcare facilities were quantified through a scoring system, and thematic analysis of qualitative data was performed to identify the challenges of implementing disability-friendly healthcare (DFHC).
Results

The score for providing DFHC was low across all the four objectives in the healthcare facilities. The highest score (mean percentage) was observed in the infrastructure domain: 29.3±20.5, followed by communication: 18.2±4.8, and information: 14.6±6.22, and the lowest (0.93±7.1) score was for capacity of the HCPs to provide DFHC. Mean percentage scores for access to 13 infrastructure points were low, and extremely low scores were found in areas such as access to elevators (5.6±5.0), ticket counters (7.3±17.7) and toilets (10.6±9.3). Furthermore, about 59.1% of people with disabilities expressed dissatisfaction regarding access to information and communication. The majority (98.2%) recommended that training of HCPs can improve the situation.
Conclusion

This study revealed that most of the public health facilities in Bangladesh were not disability-friendly. Findings can inform development of a national disability-friendly policy with implementation guidelines.
Angiotensin II Receptor Type 2 Activation Does Not Influence Brain Damage, Neurological Impairment and Inflammation After Experimental Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Timaru-Kast Ralph , Bardon Andreas Garcia , Luh Clara , Coronel-Castello Shila P. , Songarj Phuriphong , Griemert Eva-Verena , Krämer Tobias , Sebastiani Anne , Steckelings Ulrike Muscha , Thal Serge C.
Published: December 2021

Antagonism of the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1) improves neurological function and reduces brain damage after experimental traumatic brain injury (TBI), which may be partly a result of enhanced indirect angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2) stimulation. AT2 stimulation was demonstrated to act neuroprotective via anti-inflammatory, vasodilatory, and neuroregenerative mechanisms in experimental cerebral pathology models. We recently demonstrated an upregulation of AT2 after TBI suggesting a protective mechanism. The present study investigated the effect of post-traumatic (5 days after TBI) AT2 activation via high and low doses of a selective AT2 agonist, compound 21 (C21), compared to vehicle-treated controls. No differences in the extent of the TBI-induced lesions were found between both doses of C21 and the controls. We then tested AT2-knockdown animals for secondary brain damage after experimental TBI. Lesion volume and neurological outcomes in AT2-deficient mice were similar to those in wild-type control mice at both 24 hours and 5 days post-trauma. Thus, in contrast to AT1 antagonism, AT2 modulation does not influence the initial pathophysiological mechanisms of TBI in the first 5 days after the insult, indicating that AT2 plays only a minor role in the early phase following trauma-induced brain damage.
Evaluation of Corona Anxiety, Generalized Anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress, Quality of Life and Stress Coping Styles in COVID-19 Survivors
Authors: Korkut Süleyman
Published: December 2021

Objectives

The study aims to evaluate coronavirus anxiety, generalized anxiety, post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), quality of life (QOL) levels and coping styles with stress in COVID-19 survivors, as well as to assess these factors by comparing with people who have not had COVID-19.
Methods

The number of COVID-19 survivors, who suffer from the psychosocial impacts of the pandemic, is also increasing. The study was conducted between February 15- April 5, 2021 as a cross-sectional study design in a city, in Turkey. 113 people who confirmed with COVID-19 by clinical tests in the last 3 months and 107 people who have not had COVID-19, randomly participated in the study. Scales were used which evaluating generalized anxiety, corona anxiety, post-traumatic stress, quality of life and coping styles.
Results

COVID-19 survivors had higher generalized anxiety. PTSS was high in both groups, but there was no difference between the groups. Corona anxiety was higher in the group who have not had COVID-19. The QOL levels of the participants were found to be low in all domains. Furthermore, COVID-19 survivors had poorer QOL. A negative correlation was found between corona anxiety and generalized anxiety.
Conclusion

COVID-19 survivors, whose number has exceeded millions and increased over time, suffer from serious psychosocial problems. Psychosocial intervention studies should be conducted and public mental health strategies should be developed. Providing psychosocial support and psychological guidance will contribute to mental health well-being and improve the QOL.
Development Of Water Quality Prediction Model For Narmada River Using Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Lakhera Shubham , Chandra Sunayana , Rahi Dal Chand
Published: December 2021

The lack of a universal system for analysis, prediction, and storage of water quality and condition of rivers in Madhya Pradesh has led to uneven policy-making and poor management ultimately posing issues in health, irrigation and keep increasing pollution in rivers. This study is a part of developing a central system for river water quality assessment and prediction. The conventional method of water quality assessment is based on the calculation of the water quality index which can be very complex and time-consuming. This paper aims to develop a water quality prediction model with the help of an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) for predicting the water quality of the Narmada River using two machine learning algorithms Levenberg and Gradient Descent and the results were compared. This research uses the surface water historical data of years 2018, 2019 of the river Narmada with monthly time intervals. Data is obtained from the Central Pollution Control Board resource called Narmada Automatic Sampling Collection Stations System. For training the network 10 water quality parameters including, DO, BOD, Turbidity, pH, etc. After training the networks were accessed using Mean Squared Error (MSE), Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE), Coefficient of Correlation (R) out of which 2 best performing networks with 7 ( Training R = 0.80083, Testing R = 0.5767) and 19 (Training R = 0.6594, Testing R = 0.7424) Neurons in the hidden layer, were selected from Levenberg algorithm and, 5 (Training R = 0.7670, Testing R = 0.8123) & 17 (Training R = 0.8631, Testing R = 0.8981) Neurons in the hidden layer were selected from Gradient descent algorithm. This simplifies the calculation of WQI take care if any sampling station is out of service and data is not available for some reason. Further, the aim is to refine the prediction location-wise to be able to make a better decision when & where to implement the measures to reduce the pollution or the knowledge level of treatment required to make the water fit for use beforehand. This would be helpful in the treatment of water for use in Domestic or Irrigation Purposes.
Development and Validation of a Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Scale for Medication Safety in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Wei Shan , Fang Junyan , Huang Zehui , Ji Ouyang , Chen Zhihao , Song Ahui , Li Pu , Hu Chun , Zhang Bin , Ding Feng , Liu Yingli
Published: December 2021

Purpose
To develop a knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) scale for medication safety in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), test its reliability and validity, and provide a reliable assessment instrument for the self-medication of patients with CKD.
Methods
The initial scale was formulated based on the KAP theory together with a literature review, research group discussion and semi-structured interviews of patients with CKD. An expert panel consultation and pre-investigation were conducted to improve the scale. Next, 209 patients with CKD were enrolled to undertake the questionnaire linked to the primary scale. The item analysis, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and split-half reliability were used to evaluate the validity and reliability of the scale.
Results
The primary scale consisted of 32 items with three dimensions. Three items were deleted after the item analysis. Then, the principal component analysis with Varimax rotation was employed to analyze the construct and factor structure. Finally, item 20 was deteled and the formal scale was formed with 28 items and four dimensions. The cumulative variance contribution rate was 65.132%. The alpha coefficient was 0.944 and the split-half reliability coefficient was 0.834 for the scale.
Conclusion
The KAP scale has good reliability and validity. It may be valuable for evaluating the levels of medication adherence and managing the self-medication of patients with CKD in China. In the future, further translation and validation in different regions with expansion of sample size are required, so that this scale can be further applied worldwide.
Transition from Antigenemia to Quantitative Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing in Kidney Transplant Recipients Receiving Preemptive Therapy for Cytomegalovirus Infection.
Authors: Nakamura Mônica Rika , Requião-Moura Lúcio R. , Gallo Roberto Mayer , Botelho Camila , Taddeo Júlia , Viana Laila Almeida , Felipe Cláudia Rosso , Medina-Pestana José , Tedesco-Silva Hélio
Published: December 2021

Due to the high costs, the strategy to reduce the impact of cytomegalovirus (CMV) after kidney transplant (KT) involves preemptive treatment in low and middle-income countries. Thus, this retrospective cohort study compared the performance of antigenemia transitioned to quantitative nucleic acid amplification testing, RT-PCR, in KT recipients receiving preemptive treatment as a strategy to prevent CMV infection. Between 2016 and 2018, 363 patients were enrolled and received preemptive treatment based on antigenemia (n=177) or RT-PCR (n=186). The primary outcome was CMV infection or disease. There were no differences in one-year cumulative incidence of CMV-related events (50.8% vs. 44.1%, P=0.20), neither in time to diagnosis (47.0 vs. 47.0 days) among patients conducted by antigenemia vs. RT-PCR, respectively. The length of CMV first treatment was longer with RT-PCR (20.0 vs. 27.5 days, P<0.001), while the rate of retreatment was not different (14.7% vs. 11.8%, P=0.48). In the Cox regression, the variables associated with CMV-related events were acute rejection within 30 days (HR=2.05, p=0.01) and 30-day glomerular filtration rate (HR=0.98, p<0.001). In conclusion, acute rejection and glomerular filtration rate are risk factors for CMV infection and disease, showing comparable performance in the impact of CMV-related events between antigenemia and RT-PCR for preemptive treatment.