bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Contrato fijo-discontinuo
Authors: Goerlich Peset José María
Published: February 2022

El RDL 32/2021 ha ampliado el ámbito del contrato ﬁjo-discontinuo. Por un lado, ha incluido en él los anteriores contratos ﬁjos-periódicos. Por otro lado, da cabida en él otras necesidades que difícilmente encajan en su función tradicional como son las relacionadas con la descentralización. Esto se concretará probablemente en un elevado uso de estos contratos en el futuro inmediato. Por lo que se reﬁere a las modiﬁcaciones del régimen jurídico, aunque siguen abiertos algunos problemas tradicionales, se detecta ciertas mejoras en la protección de los trabajadores. No obstante, corresponderá a la negociación colectiva culminar el proceso.
La reforma del art. 42 ET en el RDL 32/2021, de 28 de diciembre
Authors: Nores Torres Luis Enrique
Published: February 2022

El Real Decreto Ley 32/2021, de 28 de diciembre, ha modiﬁcado distintos preceptos del Estatuto de los Trabajadores, entre ellos, el art. 42, que impone sobre el empresario que contrata o subcontrata con otros la realización de obras o servicios pertenecientes a su propia actividad una responsabilidad solidaria sobre ciertas obligaciones contraídas por el contratista y el subcontratista con sus trabajadores, siempre que hayan nacido durante la vigencia de la contrata. El objeto de este trabajo es dar cuenta de los cambios introducidos por la reforma en esta institución.
La respuesta anticipada del legislador al riesgo de crisis de empleo
Authors: Gimeno Díaz de Atauri Pablo
Published: February 2022

La experiencia sobre la suspensión de contratos o reducciones de jornada acumulada durante la crisis económica vinculada a la sanitaria por la COVID-19 ha llevado al legislador a establecer, de forma preventiva, un sistema en el que, mediante una decisión política, se activa el “Mecanismo RED”, que habilita a las empresas para, previa justiﬁcación de estar afectadas por las circunstancias que han motivado aquel, llevar a cabo ERTEs en unas condiciones más favorables para ellas y para las personas de su plantilla. En el estudio se analizan tanto los aspectos relativos al funcionamiento del Mecanismo en sus dos modalidades, cíclica y sectorial, como a los procedimientos acordados en las empresas durante su vigencia. Así, se incluye un análisis del régimen jurídico de las exoneraciones de cotizaciones sociales y de las prestaciones -diferentes de la de desempleo- que se generarán en estos casos, así como el relevante papel que adquiere la formación de las personas afectadas. Por último, se analizan los mecanismos de ﬁnanciación de estas medidas, así como las herramientas de control de su correcto funcionamiento.
El fin de la prevalencia del convenio de empresa en materia salarial
Authors: Mercader Uguina Jesús R.
Published: February 2022

La reciente reforma laboral ha suprimido la prioridad aplicativa del convenio de empresa respecto del convenio colectivo sectorial, aunque únicamente en lo que se reﬁere a las condiciones retributivas. En el resto de condiciones laborales, para las que se preveía dicha prioridad, entre otras la distribución del tiempo de trabajo o la adaptación de la clasiﬁcación profesional, seguirá siendo de aplicación preferente el convenio colectivo de empresa. La efectos que la referida supresión en la negociación preexistente ha recomendado la incorporación de una norma transitoria para facilitar su progresiva y gradual aplicación. Todas estas cuestiones así como también los efectos de la conservación de los elementos esenciales de la regla de concurrencia de convenios que establece el art. 84 ET, son objeto de un análisis detenido en el presente estudio.
O direito de florescer
Authors: La Greca María Inés , Kopelman Isa Etel , Ruy Mariana Bercht
Published: February 2022

María Inés La Greca desenvolve nesses versos uma esfera de reflexões sobre o que ela chama de direito de florescer. O poema estabelece um mundo no qual história, narrativa, cultura e feminismo se entrelaçam como potência de transformação política. Segundo a autora, filósofa e professora, trata-se de desejos e imagens despertadas pelas recentes revoltas corporais nas ruas do Chile e da Argentina. LATFEM – Mídia Feminista.
Migrattion Threat to EU Security: Prejudices and Realities
Authors: Arbatova N.
Published: February 2022

The article analyzes the complex interface between the phenomenon of migration and the security of the European Union and its member-states. The migration crisis in Europe, which began with the Arab Spring in 2015 and continues to this day, is truly one of the most important existential challenges for the EU. This crisis is overlapped with other fundamental problems facing the European Union, contributing to the securitization of migration and asylum issues. In the absence of an effective EU strategy in this direction, there remains the danger of radicalization of European societies and, therefore, a threat to the entire integrationist project. The process of globalization has supplemented some of the traditional functions of the state, first of all, such as protection of its territory and political independence, with new functions that are associated with the obligation to ensure economic independence, cultural identity and social stability. Securitization of migration usually has several dimensions: socio-economic problems (unemployment, the growth of the black economy, the crisis of the welfare state and the deterioration of the urban environment); the growth of securitarism in the EU member-states (when migrants are viewed as a threat to the national identity and demographic equilibrium of the host society); and political challenges as a result of the nexus between external and internal security caused by the terrorist threat. In addition to traditional challenges, there emerged a fairly new phenomenon – instrumentalization of the migration problem, namely the use of migrants by the third countries as a means of pressure on the EU member states in order to achieve certain political or economic goals. The new Pact on Migration and Asylum introduces a number of undeniably positive provisions for the European Union. Nevertheless, the document has been criticized by the EU individual countries, as well as by public and human rights organizations. This situation can be explained by the fact that in modern Europe, security interests and values are in a moral conflict with each other, which presents the main challenge to the future of the European project.
COVID-19 (2020) Impact on Air Quality of the State of Kuwait
Authors: Albanai Jasem , Shehab Maryam , Vatresia Arie , Al-Dashti Hassan
Published: February 2022

Research have been conducted in many countries around the world to assess air quality during COVID-19 pandemic, especially during lockdown period, some of these studies found an increase or decrease in some pollutants. This paper investigates the impact of COVID-19 on seven air pollutants (i.e., PM2.5, PM10, NO2, O3, SO2, H2S, CO) from the period January 2020 to December 2020 in the State of Kuwait. Kuwait is a desert country located in the north-eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula, and the northeast of the Arabian Gulf (Persian as it is sometimes called). Several analytical methods were conducted, such as spatial analysis (spatial interpolation) to study the distribution of the studied variables. The data was also statistically analysed (time series analysis - Kernel density) to study the temporal changes. The analysis also included applying air quality index to the data. We found that concentrations for the pollutants decreased during the pandemic due to the decrease of anthropogenic sources including such as traffic and petroleum activities, but the concentration for PM2.5 increased, mostly because of the transported dust coming with the northwest winds prevailing in Kuwait from the Arabian deserts and Iraq.
An Edge Computing and Ambient Data Capture System for Clinical and Home Environments
Authors: Suresha Pradyumna Byappanahalli , Hegde Chaitra , Jiang Zifan , Clifford Gari D.
Published: February 2022

The non-contact patient monitoring paradigm moves patient care into their homes and enables long-term patient studies. The challenge, however, is to make the system non-intrusive, privacy-preserving, and low-cost. To this end, we describe an open-source edge computing and ambient data capture system, developed using low-cost and readily available hardware. We describe five applications of our ambient data capture system. Namely: (a) Estimating occupancy and human activity phenotyping; (b) Medical equipment alarm classification; (c) Geolocation of humans in a built environment; (d) Ambient light logging; and (e) Ambient temperature and humidity logging. We obtained an accuracy of 94% for estimating occupancy from video. We stress-tested the alarm note classification in the absence and presence of speech and obtained micro averaged F1 scores of 0.98 and 0.93, respectively. The geolocation tracking provided a room-level accuracy of 98.7%. The root mean square error in the temperature sensor validation task was 0.3°C and for the humidity sensor, it was 1% Relative Humidity. The low-cost edge computing system presented here demonstrated the ability to capture and analyze a wide range of activities in a privacy-preserving manner in clinical and home environments and is able to provide key insights into the healthcare practices and patient behaviors.
Sedimentology and Geochemistry of Upper Devonian Deposits in the Southeastern Framework of the West Siberian Geosyneclise
Authors: Saraev S.V. , Ganashilin A.S.
Published: February 2022

—We have studied an Upper Devonian volcanoterrigenous carbonate complex in the north of the Kuznetsk trough. The northern part of the complex is subducted beneath the Meso–Cenozoic sedimentary cover of the West Siberian geosyneclise. Analysis of sedimentologic processes, the nature and specific composition of pyroclastic impurity, and the petrographic and chemical compositions of sedimentary rocks makes it possible to reconstruct the facies and geodynamic settings. It is shown that the fine-grained pyroclastic material is predominantly of andesite composition, whereas felsic and mafic volcanic components are subordinate. In the transition from the lower Frasnian to the Famennian, the content of felsic pyroclastic component increases. The geodynamic settings of the shelf and continental slope of the Siberian continent up to its base have been established. Facies analysis shows that the slope is west-facing (in the present-day coordinates). The deposits accumulated mainly in the basin; these are fine-grained terrigenous rocks, fine-grained limestones, slope landslide breccias and olistostromes, turbidites, and “conglomerate-like limestones” (paleoseismites). According to the geochemical data, the Late Devonian paleogeodynamic setting was stable and corresponded to the setting of an active continental margin. Arid to semihumid lithogenesis has been established. Marine sediments formed in an oxidizing environment with good water aeration.
Multi-modality MRI fusion for Alzheimer’s disease detection using deep learning
Authors: Houria Latifa , Belkhamsa Noureddine , Cherfa Assia , Cherfa Yazid
Published: February 2022

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a new technology in magnetic resonance imaging, which allows us to observe the insightful structure of the human body in vivo and non-invasively. It identifies the microstructure of white matter (WM) connectivity by estimating the movement of water molecules at each voxel. This makes possible the identification of the damage to WM integrity caused by Alzheimer’s disease (AD) at its early stage, called mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Furthermore, the brain’s gray matter (GM) atrophy characterizes the main structural changes in AD, which can be sensitively detected by structural MRI (sMRI) modality. In this research, we further develop a novel multi-modality MRI (DTI and sMRI) fusion strategy to detect WM alterations and GM atrophy in AD patients. The latter is based on a 2- dimensional deep convolutional neural network (CNN) features extractor and a Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier. The fusion framework consists of merging features extracted from DTI scalar metrics (fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD)), and GM using 2D-CNN and feeding them to SVM to classify AD vs. cognitively normal (CN), AD vs. MCI, and MCI vs. CN. Our novel multimodal AD method demonstrates a superior performance with an accuracy of 99.79%, 99.6%, and 97.00% for AD/CN, AD/MCI, and MCI/CN respectively.
Reduced risk of serious pneumococcal infection up to 10 years after 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in arthritis patients
Authors: Nagel Johanna , Jönsson G , Nilsson J-Å , Manuswin C , Englund M , Saxne T , Kapetanovic MC
Published: February 2022

Background: To examine rates of serious pneumococcal infections up to 10 years after vaccination with 7-valent conjugated pneumococcal vaccine (PCV7) in patients with arthritis compared to non-vaccinated arthritis patients.Methods: In total, 595 adult arthritis patients (rheumatoid arthritis; RA=342, 80% women and spondylarthropathy; SpA=253, 45% women) received one dose of PCV7. Mean age/disease duration were 62/16 and 51/14 years, respectively. For each patient, 4 matched reference subjects were identified.At vaccination, 420 patients received bDMARDs (anti-TNF=330, tocilizumab=15, abatacept=18, anakinra=1, rituximab=56). Methotrexate was given as monotherapy (n=86) or in combination with bDMARD (n=220). 89 SpA patients received NSAIDs without DMARD. The Skåne Healthcare Register was searched for ICD-10 diagnostic codes for pneumococcal infections (pneumonia, lower respiratory tract infection, septicemia, meningitis, septic arthritis) between January 2000 and December 2018. Frequency of infections after vs before vaccination were calculated (relative risks). Relative risk ratio (RRR) and relative risk reduction (1-RRR) were calculated comparing patients vs non-vaccinated references. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression were used to investigate time to first event and predictors of infections.Results: Among vaccinated RA and SpA patients, there was a significant relative risk reduction of pneumonia and all serious infections; 53% and 46%, respectively. There was no significant difference in time to first pneumonia or all serious infections after vaccination between patients and references. Higher age, RA diagnosis and concomitant prednisolone were associated with infections.Conclusion: One dose of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine may decrease risk of serious pneumococcal infection up to 10 years in patients with arthritis receiving immunomodulating treatment. Clinical trial registration number: EudraCT EU 2007-006539-29 and NCT 00828997Date of study registration: 26/01/2009Date of first patient inclusion: 08/05/2008
Class-specific extreme learning machine based on overall distribution for addressing binary imbalance problem
Authors: Raghuwanshi Bhagat Singh
Published: February 2022

Imbalanced classification problems have significantly unequal class proportions. Conventional extreme learning machine (ELM) gives the same importance to all the samples leading to the results which favor the majority class. To solve this intrinsic deficiency, modification of ELM have been developed like weighted ELM (WELM), WELM based on the overall distribution (ODW-ELM) etc.. We have also recently developed class-specific ELM (CS-ELM) in one of our recent works. It has been shown in this work that the derivation of the output weights, $\boldsymbol{\beta}$ is more efficient compared to class-specific cost regulation ELM (CCRELM) for handling the class imbalance problem. Motivated by CCR-ELM X. Luo et al. has proposed the classifier ODW-ELM which is also not efficient for the imbalance learning. In this work, a novel class-specific WELM based on overall distribution (OD-CSELM) and the kernelized version of OD-CSELM (OD-CSKELM) is proposed to address the binary class imbalance problem more effectively. OD-CSELM and OD-CSKELM are motivated by CS-ELM. In addition, the computational complexities of OD-CSELM and OD-CSKELM are significantly lower than WELM and kernelized WELM respectively. The proposed work is evaluated by using the benchmark real-world imbalanced datasets. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed work gives good generalization performance in contrast with rest of the classifiers for class imbalance learning.
Design, Manufacture and Experimental Characterization of Magnetorheological Rotary Brake Based on an Peristaltic Pump System
Authors: Korona Tomasz , Kowol Pawel , SCIUTO GRAZIA LO
Published: February 2022

In this article the design and manufacture of the innovative MR rotarybrake based on a peristaltic pump inspired by the concept model of thepliers and the Rochester Pean forceps are presented. For the calculationand analysis of created structure comprehensive of roller, housingand pliers, simulations concerning the stress and strain are conductedto investigate the deformation and possible failure of part or assembly.Experimental tests, including measurements and testing of compressionforce and magnetic field were conducted to evaluate the performanceof proposed design MR rotary brake based on peristaltic pump systemconstituted by tube containing MR fluid and pliers with armresponsible of the movement and arm completely hold on bench vise
The combined use of PD-1 antibodies and anti-angiogenic TKIs induces intractable thoracoabdominal wall ulcer in patients undergoing cryoablation for superficial metastases of hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Liu shousheng , Wang Xun , Peng Kunwei , Xu Xia , Lyu Ning , He Meng , Zhang Bei , Zhao Ming
Published: February 2022

Background: Percutaneous cryoablation has been widely used for local analgesia, especially for pain caused by superficial metastases. However, during the process of cryoablation for symptomatic superficial metastases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we observed that some patients developed intractable thoracoabdominal wall ulcer at the periphery of puncture points. In order to explore the potential causes of thoracoabdominal wall ulcer after cryoablation, we carried out this retrospective study. Methods: We screened out 36 patients who underwent local cryoablation for superficial metastases (chest wall, abdominal wall, rib, clavicle and scapula) of HCC, of which 6 patients developed refractory thoracoabdominal wall ulcer. Clinical characteristics between ulcer and no ulcer groups were compared using the Pearson Chi square test. Risk factors for thoracoabdominal wall ulcer were screened using binary logistic regression model. Results: All clinical factors, except for the administration of PD-1 antibodies plus anti-angiogenic tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) within 2 months before (p = 0.016) and after (p = 0.000) cryoablation, were balanced between the ulcer and no ulcer groups (all p > 0.05). Combined use of PD-1 antibodies and anti-angiogenic TKIs within 2 months after cryoablation was the only significant risk factor for thoracoabdominal wall ulcer (OR = 55.55, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.62-1179.46, p = 0.010) in multivariate logistic regression model. Among the 8 patients who received combination therapy within 2 months after procedure , thoracoabdominal wall ulcer occurred in 5 patients (62.5%). Among the 6 patients who developed thoracoabdominal wall ulcer, 3 patients died due to tumor progression, 2 patients improved their ulcers after PD-1 antibodies withdrawal and 1 patient was still under monitoring after stopping anti-PD-1 therapy.Conclusions: HCC patients underwent combination therapy of PD-1 antibodies and anti-angiogenic TKIs within 2 months after cryoablation for superficial metastases is prone to develop thoracoabdominal wall ulcer.
Health-related quality of life and associated factors in Chinese menstrual migraine patients: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Luo Wenxiu , Cao Xing , Zhao Jiayu , Yang Jiaming , Cen Yu , He Jinlong , Luo Jing , Zhong Yunling , Luo Ying , Wang Xinyue , Yang Liqiu , Feng Xingyu , Pang Xiaoqing , Zhang Jiazhu , Luo jiaming
Published: February 2022

Background: Menstrual migraine is a special form of migraine with significant impact on quality of life for those women afflicted. Presently, there is no study reported on quality of life in menstrual migraine patients. The study reported here aimed to assess the health-related quality of life and identify its associated factors among Chinese menstrual migraine patients. Methods: The cross-sectional study group consisted of 109 patients with menstrual migraine and the control group consisted of 397 female patients with non-menstrual migraine. In total, 506 patients completed questionnaires for demographic and clinical information, Self-rating Idea of Suicide Scale, Hamilton Depression Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Scale, Headache Impact Test-6, Perceived Social Support Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Health-related quality of life was measured using the 36-Item Short Form Survey. Results: Compared with non-menstrual migraine patients, five dimensions of health-related quality of life were all found to be significantly impaired in menstrual migraine patients. Headache frequency (ß=-0.218, P=0.014), the impact of headache on daily life (ß=-0.270, P=0.002), depression symptoms (ß=-0.345, P<0.001) were significantly associated with physical component summary, depression symptoms (ß= -0.379, P<0.001), social support (ß=0.270, P<0.001), suicidal ideation (ß=-0.344, P<0.001) were closely related to mental component summary. Conclusion: Menstrual migraine patients had significantly poorer health-related quality of life in many domains than non-menstrual migraine patients. Headache frequency, the impact of headache on daily life, depression symptoms, social support and suicidal ideation were significantly associated with health-related quality of life in menstrual migraine patients.Trial registration: ChiCTR1800014343. Registered 01 July 2018 at Chinese Clinical Trial registry. http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=24526
Automatic No-reference Quality Assessment in Chest Radiographs Based on Deep Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Meng Yu , Gao Yang , Jin Jianqiu , Ruan Jingru , He Linyang , Shen Qiang , Gong Xiangyang
Published: February 2022

Background: Chest radiography is the most frequently performed examinations in the department of radiology. The image quality plays an essential role in further decision making of dignosis. The current manual assessment is low-efficiency with significant inter-observer variability. The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate the performance of deep learning-based model for the automatic quality assessment in chest radiographs. Methods: A set of 1138 posterior-anterior chest radiographs were included in this retrospective study, which were randomly divided into training (n = 826), validation (n = 207), and testing sets (n = 105). The image quality was evaluated on the aspect of gray-level and sharpness. Ten experienced experts independently assessed all radiographs with a score of 1 to 10 based on their subjective perception for the image quality. On the testing set, three of the ten experts classified chest radiographs as acceptable or non-acceptable based on the image quality further. A neural network model CaHDC-RGA was trained to output the quality score of the gray-level and sharpness automaticlly. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), Pearson correlation coefficient (r), and mean absolute difference (MAD) were used for quantitative scoring. The AUC value, sensitivity, and specificity were used for binary classification. Time spent by model and experts were recorded, respectively. Results: A statistically significant correlation was observed between the model and experts on the aspect of gray-level (ICC=0.92, r = 0.91, MAD=0.45) and sharpness (ICC=0.90, r = 0.89, MAD=0.44). For the classification of image quality as acceptable or non-acceptable, the model achieved an AUC of 0.972 for gray-level, with a sensitivity of 93.90% and a specificity of 95.69%. The AUC for sharpness was 0.970, with a sensitivity of 87.95% and a specificity of 100%. The average time spent by the model was significantly shorter than the human expert's (3.03 seconds VS. 10.96 seconds, P < 0.05).Conclusions: The developed deep learning model could rapidly and automatically evaluate the gray-level and sharpness of chest radiographs, the performance of the model was comparable with the subjective perception of human experts. The model may be further applied to automated quality audits of full samples.
Genotypic variations in GST genes reveal a regulatory role in the accumulation of caffeoylquinic acids in leafy sweet potato
Authors: SOVIGUIDI Deka Reine Judesse , Liu Yi , Pan Rui , Abou-Elwafa Salah Fatouh , Zhang Wenying , Yang Xinshun
Published: February 2022

Leafy sweet potato is rich in caffeoylquinic acids (CQAs), including monoCQAs and diCQAs, which are important for plant resistance to environmental stresses. Knowledge about genes responsible for the accumulation of these CQAs is limited. However, the implication of glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes in the metabolism of plant secondary compounds has been reported. Yet, the mechanism of CQA-related GST proteins is not well understood. In this study, two sweet potato GST genes i.e., itb01g35330 (IbGSTTCHQD) and itb09g30700 (IbGSTT) were selected from our transcriptome database as they exhibited secondary metabolism functions based on gene ontology classification, and investigated for their association with the accumulation of CQAs. Sequence comparison of the IbGST coding regions amplified from EC16 and FS7-6 leafy sweetpotato varieties revealed some mutations at different sites in the amino acid sequences between the two varieties. Besides, the genes were highly expressed in EC16 compared to FS7-6, which corresponded to the amounts of CQAs in both varieties. The amplified sequences from EC16 were further transformed into Agrobacterium tumefaciens and subsequently introduced into Nicotiana benthamiana and Nicotiana tabacum for transient expression and transgenic transformation, respectively. Gene expression profiling in both experimental methods revealed significant increases of IbGST transcripts in transformed leaves, resulting in enhanced amount of monoCQAs compared to the wild types. However, no significant change was observed in the level of diCQAs. Moreover, the IbGSTs responded positively to salinity and oxidative stresses. Our findings suggested that IbGSTTCHQD and IbGSTT genes might be involved in the accumulation of monoCQAs in leafy sweet potato.
Superior incident photon‐to‐current conversion efficiency of Mo-doped activated carbon supported CdS-sensitized solar cells
Authors: Batur Ebru , Kutluay Sinan , Baytar Orhan , Şahin Ömer , HOROZ Sabit
Published: February 2022

In this study, the performance of activated carbon (AC) produced from defatted black cumin (Nigella Sativa L.) by chemical activation with zinc chloride (ZnCl2) activator in photovoltaic application is evaluated. It is of great importance to increase the photovoltaic efficiency of cadmium sulfide (CdS) based solar cells, which are widely used in photovoltaic applications, with AC support. The main purpose of the study is to determine how the incident photon‐to‐current conversion efficiency (IPCE) of undoped and Mo-doped AC supported CdS semiconductor materials changes in the presence of AC support material and to interpret the observed effect in the light of literature. For these reasons, in the study, AC supported CdS (CdS/AC) (5%, 10% and 15% by weight) and Mo-doped CdS/AC semiconductor materials with different molybdenum (Mo) concentrations (0.33%, 1%, 3%) are produced by chemical precipitation method. Produced CdS/AC and Mo-doped CdS/AC semiconductor materials are characterized by incident photon-to-current efficiency (IPCE), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements. Based on the result values, the optimum CdS concentration with the highest IPCE (%) value is determined as 10% (for CdS/AC). As a result of the experimental measurements, the optimum Mo concentration with the maximum IPCE (%) value is found as 1% (for Mo-doped CdS/AC). In particular, it is clear that an appreciable increase (from 4.70% to 39.00%) in IPCE (%) of 1% Mo-doped 10% CdS/AC semiconductor material is achieved when compared to pure CdS. Thus, the ability to increase the photovoltaic efficiency of CdS-based solar cells, which are widely used in photovoltaic applications, with AC support has been clearly demonstrated. This study presents a new strategy to increase the solar cell efficiency of semiconductor-based solar cell structures using biowaste-based AC supported CdS semiconductor materials.
Genomic Signature of MTOR Could Be an Immunogenicity Marker in Human Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Wang Chenxing , Aikemu Batuer , Shao Yanfei , Zhang Sen , Yang Guang , Hong Hiju , Huang Ling , Jia Hongtao , Yang Xiao , Zheng Minhua , Sun Jing , Li Jianwen
Published: February 2022

Background
The mTOR signaling pathway plays an important role in cancer. As a master regulator, the status of MTOR affects pathway activity and the efficacy of mTOR inhibitor therapy. However, little research has been performed to explore MTOR in colorectal cancer (CRC).
Methods
In this study, gene expression and clinical data were analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. Signaling pathways related to MTOR in CRC were identified by Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Somatic mutation data were downloaded from TCGA and analyzed using the maftools R package. Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) and CIBERSORT were used to analyze correlations between MTOR and tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs). Finally, we detected MTOR mutations in a CRC cohort from our own database using whole-exome sequencing.
Results
We found that MTOR was overexpressed in Asian CRC patients and associated with a poor prognosis. Enrichment analysis showed that MTOR was involved in metabolism, cell adhesion, and translation pathways in CRC. High MTOR expression was correlated with high tumor mutation burden (TMB) and several TIICs. Finally, we found that the mTOR signaling pathway was activated in CRC lines characterized by microsatellite instability (MSI), and the frequency of MTOR mutations was higher in MSI-high (MSI-H) patients than in microsatellite stable (MSS) patients.
Conclusions
MTOR may represent a comprehensive indicator of prognosis and immunological status in CRC. The genomic signatures of MTOR may provide guidance for exploring the role of mTOR inhibitors in CRC.
Insights on the Cellulose Pretreatment at Room Temperature by Choline-Chloride-Based Deep Eutectic Solvents: An Atomistic Study
Authors: Sánchez-Badillo Joel A. , Gallo Marco , Rutiaga-Quiñones José G. , Garza Jorge , Lopez-Albarran Pablo
Published: February 2022

The pretreatment or disruption of a cellulose Iβ crystallite, was described from the atomistic interactions evaluated at room temperature within four deep eutectic solvents: choline-chloride ethylene glycol, choline-chloride oxalic acid, choline-chloride urea, and choline-chloride levulinic acid. The analysis was based on the obtained correlations for the Kamlet-Taft α and β parameters with a series of thermodynamic, structural, and energetic properties. The Kamlet-Taft parameters correlated with the thermodynamic properties of the solvent and their changes upon addition of the cellulose crystallite. Structural analysis revealed that the weaker the interactions within the molecules of solvent, the stronger the interactions between the hydroxyl group from cellulose with the chloride anion and with the hydrogen bond donor. Further analysis indicated that the R-CO-R moieties in the hydrogen bond donor within the solvent, interacted better with the cellulose. The hydrogen bond occupancies within the cellulose crystallite, displayed that the main O6-H6···O2/O3 and O2-H2···O6 interchain hydrogen bonds in the glucan located at the edge of the solute were replaced by weak hydrogen bonds in all solvents. This effect was related to the O···H-Cl , C-H···O , and O···H-O HBs between cellulose and DES molecules and confirmed by the non-covalent interactions obtained through DFT calculations. Finally, the energetic interactions and the atomistic degree of disruption of the cellulose crystallite were not completely described by the Kamlet-Taft β or α parameters separately. Surprisingly, by using the net basicity ( β - α) definition, such correlations were improved suggesting that both parameters must be considered in order to develop new, green, and sustainable solvents for cellulose pretreatment process.
Safety Of Tranexamic Acid Use In Pediatric Patients Undergoing Spinal Fusion Surgery: A Retrospective Comparative Cohort Study
Authors: Ivasyk Iryna , Chatterjee Abhinaba , Jordan Catherine , Geiselmann Matthew T. , Chang Peter S. , Kamel Hooman , Khormaee Sariah
Published: February 2022

Background: Pediatric spinal fusion may be associated with significant intraoperative blood loss, leading to complications from transfusion, hypoperfusion and coagulopathy. One emerging strategy to mediate these risks is by utilization of the anti-fibrinolytic agent tranexamic acid (TXA). However, concerns regarding potential adverse reactions, specifically postoperative seizures and thrombotic events, still exist. To assess these risks, we examined the perioperative morbidity of TXA use in a large national database. Methods: Retrospective data from pediatric patients (age 18 years or younger), discharged between January 2013 to December 2015, who underwent primary or revision posterior spinal fusions, was collected from the Premier Perspective database (Premier, Charlotte, NC). Patients were stratified by TXA use and records were assessed for complications of new onset seizures, strokes, pulmonary embolisms (PE) or deep vein thromboses (DVT) occurring during the perioperative period. Results: In this cohort of 2,633 pediatric patients undergoing posterior spinal fusions, most often to treat adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, 15% received TXA. Overall, adverse events were rare in this patient population. The incidence of seizure, stoke, PE, or DVT in the control group was 0.54% (95% CI, 0.31% to 0.94%) and not significantly different from the TXA group. There was no significant difference in the incidence of DVTs, and no incidences of stroke in either group. There were no new-onset seizures or PEs in patients who received TXA. Conclusions: The use of TXA was not associated with an increased risk of adverse events including seizure, stroke, PE, and DVT. Our findings support the safety of TXA use in pediatric patients undergoing spinal fusion surgery.
Preoperative Blood Management in Elderly Patients with Delayed Intertrochanteric Fracture Surgery as a Necessary Measure: A Review Data Collection
Authors: Cui Yu , Wang Zhimeng , Lu Yao , Huang Qiang , Zhang Congming , Sun Liang , Ran Cheng , Wang Qian , Ma Teng , Li Zhong , Zhang Kun , Xue Hanzhong
Published: February 2022

Research on preoperative blood management in the elderly with delayed intertrochanteric fractures surgery is scarce, especially in hematopoiesis and hemostasis. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of the optimized blood management program in elderly patients with delayed intertrochanteric fractures surgery. This retrospective study included 833 patients with intertrochanteric fractures after delayed surgery. According to the actual optimized blood management plan, they were divided into four groups: Group A was the control group; Group B received 1 g of IV TXA at admission; group C underwent sequential TXA treatment after admission until 1 d before surgery (1 g/d); group D received iron supplements (200 mg/d) in addition to the treatment administered to group C, with or without recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO; 40,000 IU). The primary outcomes were preoperative hidden blood loss (HBL), preoperative allogeneic blood transfusion (ABT) rate, hemoglobin (Hb) change, and actual Hb drop. The Hb reduction, calculated HBL, and hospitalization duration in groups C and D were significantly lower than those in groups A and B. The preoperative ABT rates in groups C and D were significantly lower than those in groups A and B, but there was no statistical difference between groups C and D. In conclusion, this study suggested that the iron supplement (with or without rHuEPO) combined with sequential intravenous tranexamic acid (IV TXA) scheme did not show a better clinical effect than sequential IV TXA scheme in management of patients with delayed intertrochanteric fractures surgery. Therefore, before recommending iron supplements and rHuEPO in elderly patients, further evaluation is needed.
Stability Assessment for Selection of Elite Sugarcane Clones Across Multi-Environment Based on AMMI and GGE- Biplot Models
Authors: Mehareb Eid M , Osman M.A.M. , Attia A.E , Bekheet M.A. , Fouz Abo Elenen FM
Published: February 2022

Seven field experiments were conducted at three experiment stations representing major sugarcane producing regions in Egypt. Each experiment comprised a randomized complete block design with three replications. Fourteen elite breeding lines typical of those routinely generated in the three final selection stages of sugarcane breeding programs in Egypt, along with one check variety (GT54-9) were evaluated for cane and sugar yield in this study during the 2018/2019, 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 seasons. Stability parameters including cultivar stability rank and superiority index were determined. The data was also investigated using GGE-biplots, the additive main effects and multiplicative interaction model (AMMI), and the AMMI stability value (ASV). The genotype main effect was used to visualize the G x E interaction. The results of these trials are of significance in guiding the selection and recommendation of superior sugarcane varieties and more stable in sugarcane production zones. The clone G.2016-129 had a mean sugar yield and cultivar superiority index for sugar yield exceeding that of GT54-9, and hence was recommended for commercial planting. Because of local conditions in Egypt, an elite sugarcane variety would have high and stable yield and would adapt to a wide range of environments. In the present study, only one clone G.2016-129 fit that definition by producing higher and more stable sugar yield than the commercial variety GT 54-9.. At the side of multivariate analyses, the ASV (AMMI stability value) supports selection of stable varieties in the AMMI Method. Varieties with lowest ASV are stable. Therefore, the results of this study exposed that G.2016-95, F-150 and G.2016-129 with lowest ASV for cane yield by contrast, G.2009-11, G.2016-128, F-150 and G.2016-95 with lowest ASV for sugar yield, were stable clones for cane and sugar yields, respectively
Comprehensive comparison of treatments for controlling the large pine weevil (Hylobius abietis) in Central Europe
Authors: Galko Juraj , Lalík Michal , Rell Slavomír , Nikolov Christo , Barta Marek , Pittner Ján , Hyblerová Silvia , Zúbrik Milan , Kunca Andrej , Vakula Jozef , Gubka Andrej , Holuša Jaroslav
Published: February 2022

Adults of the large pine weevil (Hylobius abietis) cause serious damage to coniferous seedlings and are among the most important forest pests in Europe. Seedling protection by chemicals is gradually being restricted or banned for environmental reasons, and non-chemical alternatives are therefore needed. In this 3-year study, we compared the following five treatments for protecting Norway spruce seedlings against H. abietis in the Central European mountains where the weevil is especially abundant: alpha-cypermethrin sprays (the only chemical treatment); coating with sprayed glue (Vermifix); coating with C and F types (Norsk Wax); and physical protection with collars. The same block design was set up at a clear-cut site and at a nursery site to compare seedling mortality and wax quality under “wild conditions” with pests and under “ideal conditions” without pests. Repeated application of alpha-cypermethrin was the most effective and least expensive method to protect seedlings against H. abietis. Among the four non-chemical methods, repeated application of glue was the most effective. Because collars were moderately effective but not cost-effective, we do not recommend the use of collars. Wax was inexpensive and environmentally safe but protected seedlings for only 1 year; the newer F type of wax performed better than the C type of wax, and perhaps the F type can be improved. We found that seedlings at sites with high numbers of H. abietis require protection for at least 3 years. We conclude by providing an overview of all methods currently available for managing H. abietis in forests.
Atraumatic Restorative Treatment as public policy: a systematic review
Authors: Martins Fábio Carneiro , Pontes Laura Regina Antunes , Gonçalves Gabriela da Silva Martins , Gabriel Mariana , Raggio Daniela Prócida , Braga Mariana Minatel , Frias Antonio Carlos , Carrer Fernanda Campos de Almeida
Published: February 2022

Background: This systematic review aimed to identify, describe, and analyze the global context of Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART) as public policy. Methods: The inclusion criteria were: studies on public oral health policies, dental caries, or ART. The exclusion criteria were: clinical studies, specific interventions unrelated to the decision making of managers or policymakers, studies that report public oral health policies that do not use ART as a strategy for caries treatment. A literature search was conducted in PubMed, BVS, Epistemonikos, Health Systems Evidence, and Rx for change. There were no language restrictions. Data extraction was performed by two authors independently according to the stages and categories of a conceptual framework and organized in spreadsheets using Microsoft Excel 365. Of the 2253 eligible articles, 139 were duplicates, and 1680 were not included after reviewing the title and abstract. After assessing the full text, 414 articles were excluded. Results: 20 articles were included in the current review. Nineteen were conducted in nine countries: South Africa (n = 3), Bolivia (n = 1), Cambodia (n = 2), Egypt (n = 2), Mexico (n = 2), Tanzania (n = 4), East Timor (n = 1), Tunisia (n = 1), and Zimbabwe (n = 3), and one in the Americas. Regarding local contexts, the studies reported a high prevalence of dental caries and a lack of access to restorative procedures in health services as common problems. Policy development processes were similar in some aspects, such as the presence of governments, conceptual use of scientific evidence, and induction by the World Health Organization. Regarding the barriers identified in the implementation stage, the lack of supplies to carry out the procedures and induction of the work process by managers were mentioned. As for the facilitators, permanent education and professional practice were mentioned. Cohort studies have shown promising results, with a survival rate greater than 80% after one year of follow up. Conclusions: The findings of this systematic review indicate that the use of ART in public policies is a promising option for tackling common problems in several countries, however, its use is still in an early stage.
The relationship between ambulatory arterial stiffness index and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in HFpEF: a prospective observational study
Authors: Liu Zhiqiang , Zhang Hanwen , Hu Weiwei , Wang Yu , Liu Jie , You Linna , Dong Qian , Chang Guanglei , Cheng Xiaocheng , Zhang Dongying
Published: February 2022

Background The relationship between ambulatory arterial stiffness index (AASI) and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is unknown. We aimed to investigate whether increased AASI was related to left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in patients with HFpEF. Methods We prospective enrolled consecutive patients with HFpEF in Chongqing, China. Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (24h-ABPM) and echocardiography were performed in each patient. AASI was obtained through individual 24h-ABPM. The relationship between AASI and left ventricular diastolic function was analyzed.Results A total of 91 patients with HFpEF were included. The mean age was 68.7±13.9 years and 54 (59%) were women. The patients were divided into two groups according to the upper normal border of AASI (0.55). AASI > 0.55 group were more likely to be older, to have higher mean systolic blood pressure and worsen left ventricular diastolic function than AASI group ≤ 0.55. AASI was closely positive related to the diastolic function parameters, including mean E/e’ (r = 0.290, P = 0.005), septal E/e’ (r = 0.237, P = 0.024), lateral E/e’ (r = 0.295, P = 0.004) and E (r = 0.262, P = 0.012). After adjusting for conventional risk factors, AASI was still an independent risk factors of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in patients with HFpEF (odds ratio: 3.261, 95%CI: 1.099-9.673, P=0.033). Conclusion Increased AASI was independent associated with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in patients with HFpEF.
Effect of Hydrophobic Groups on Adsorption of Amino Acids to Solid Surfaces in Water
Authors: Fukushima Akinori , Hirano Masaya , Sato Ryuichi
Published: February 2022

We calculated the free energies of adsorption between a solid wall and various arginine derivatives in water using molecular dynamics simulations. We varied the hydrophobic group size of the amino acids in two ways and the hydrophilicity of the solid wall in five ways. The free energy of adsorption decreased by increasing the hydrophilicity of the solid wall, regardless of the size of the hydrophobic group. Amino acids with small hydrophobic groups adsorbed on the solid wall with the strongest hydrophilicity, but the free energy of the amino acids with large hydrophobic groups was relatively small. The free energy of adsorption in benzene solvent increased by increasing hydrophilicity of the solid wall, yet analogously to results in water solvent was independent of the size of the hydrophobic group. We attribute these differences in free energy to the effect of solvent molecules localized on the solid wall. Thus, these results may modulate peptide adsorption on a solid surface by the size of the peptide’s hydrophobic groups.
An Optimization and Formability Assessment Tool for Incremental Sheet Forming
Authors: Lew Maan Tarng , Kumar Dharmesh , Suwat Jirathearanat , Chaudhari Akshay , Zhang Yunfeng , Anantharajan Senthil Kumar
Published: February 2022

Incremental Sheet Forming (ISF) is a novel die-less forming process, which is suitable for small batch production. It has high forming flexibility and is able to form highly complex free form part geometry. However, the parts formed using the ISF process may have geometrical inaccuracies, pillow effect and part failure when the forming wall angle exceeds the limit. Hence, it is important to know the formability of a part ahead in order to plan the ISF process correctly. One method to know the formability is by finding the optimum forming orientation. In the current state of art, some studies were carried out to obtain the optimum forming orientation by using Stereolithography model (STL) on symmetrical parts. However, it is noticed that there is lack of investigations of the optimum forming orientation on non-symmetrical part. Hence, in this work, a new approach in finding the optimum forming orientation of non-symmetrical part is proposed by considering the formability of the part along two axes. To implement this new approach, a genetic-algorithm-like method is proposed and explained. The proposed algorithm is integrated with visual color map. The optimized forming orientation, local wall angle, and percentage reduction of sheet thickness are presented in the color map format to further assist the end user. Several experiments were conducted to test the proposed algorithm. From the experimental investigations, it can be concluded that the proposed algorithm helps the user to identify potential failure areas and, thus, reduce the failures by reorienting the part forming direction.