bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of different conditioners on humus composition and humic acid structural characteristics in Black Soil under the combined application of pig manure and straw
Authors: Zheng Shuang , Wu Jinggui , Li Jin-Rong , Hu Juan , He Li
Published: May 2023

Purpose
The objective of this work was to evaluate the variation in the amount and structure of humic acid (HA) after the application of different conditioners under the combined application of manure and straw.
Methods
This was measured by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), fluorescence spectroscopies, and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (13C CPMAS NMR). The experiment involved corn straw combined with pig manure (SZ), pig manure plus biochar (SCZ), pig manure plus boron slag (SBZ), pig manure plus biological agent (SJZ), and pig manure plus bio-organic fertilizer (SOZ), while corn straw only was used as control (SCK).
Results
The results demonstrated that pig manure combined with straw (PM-S) improved soil organic carbon (SOC), and the application of biochar and boron slag was the effect for improving the accumulation of SOC and humus C fractions. The elemental composition and 13C CPMAS NMR results demonstrated that PM-S enhanced the ratio of H/C and the aliphatic C/aromatic C ratio of HA, reduced the O/C ratio, indicating enhanced aliphatic and conducive to simplifying HA molecular structure.
Conclusion
In conclusion, SCZ was more conducive to simplifying HA molecular structure and enhancing aliphatic and hydrophobic. However, the addition of biological agents and bio-organic fertilizer reduced the soil humification factor and is detrimental to soil organic carbon fixation.
Alleviating Heat Stress and Water Scarcity in Cultivation with Biodegradable Radiative Cooling Mulch
Authors: Lin Chongjia , Hur Jun , Zhang Muhan , Zhang Yinglun , Zhang Lenan , Huang Zhaolu , Liu Xingcai , Li Cruz Y. , Huang Jingyuan , Chu Fuqiang , Zheng Zexiao , Chen Zengshun , Huang Baoling , Yao Shuhuai , Li Weihong
Published: May 2023

Agriculture faces pressing challenges of heat stress and water scarcity due to climate change. While mulching is a common solution, traditional mulching materials lack sub-ambient cooling capabilities and biodegradability, resulting in elevated soil temperature, increased moisture evaporation, exacerbated global agricultural heat-water crisis, and soil microplastics pollution. Herein, we have developed a biodegradable and biocompatible ethyl-cellulose radiative cooling mulch with a solar reflectance and thermal emissivity of 97% and 0.93, respectively, to provide zero-energy cooling for soil surfaces. Field tests have demonstrated that the radiative cooling mulch significantly reduces soil moisture evaporation by 60% through cooling soil surfaces, while also improves plant growth by 30% through reducing crop leaf temperature and increasing sunlight exposure for photosynthesis in hot days. Moreover, global heat-water nexus simulations show that the mulch increases soil moisture preservation by over 80% and alleviates agricultural water scarcity by over 60% in arid regions during hot seasons. The work offers an eco-friendly and feasible pathway to foster sustainable agriculture by alleviating heat stress and water scarcity in the context of global warming.
Bilirubin impairs neuritogenesis and synaptogenesis through NMDAR-CREB-BDNF signaling
Authors: Zhang Yan , Li Siyu , Li Ling , Huang Hongmei , Fu Zhou , Hua Ziyu
Published: May 2023

Neonatal jaundice is one of the most common disorders in the first 2 weeks after birth. Moreover, unconjugated bilirubin (UCB) is neurotoxic and can cause neurological dysfunction, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Neurogenesis, neuron growth and synaptogenesis is exuberant in early postnatal stage. In this study, the impact of bilirubin on neuritogenesis and synaptogenesis at the early postnatal stage was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. Primary culture NSPCs were treated with bilirubin during differentiation, then the neurite length as well as synapse puncta were measured. In bilirubin encephalopathy (BE) animal model, DCX+ marked developing neurons were used to detect apitical length and dendritic arborization. According to the data, bilirubin significantly reduced neurite length and synapse density, as well as decreased apitical length and dendritic arborization. The NMDAR-CREB-BDNF signaling pathway changes in BE animal model were convoluted because to the intricate cell population constituted of hippocampus. While, UCB treatment reduced the expression of NMDAR subunit NR2B, pCREB, mBDNF and p-mTOR in NSPCs. In summary, it suggests that UCB causes chronic neurological impairment is related to the inhibition of NMDAR-CREB-BDNF signaling, which is associated with reduced neuritogenesis and synaptogenesis. This might inspire the creation development of novel pharmaceuticals and treatments.
Preliminary exploration of the technology of coal reshaping and replacement mining of abandoned coal in goafs
Authors: Luo Jianqiao , Shen Yupeng , Lu Yangbo , Meng Xin , Yang Tuo
Published: May 2023

Recycling of coal resources left behind in goaf and the treatment and utilization of solid waste from mines are one topical issues faced by the global coal mining industry at present. With the annual reduction of recoverable reserves of coal resources and the dependence on coal resources that are difficult to replace, the problems have become increasingly prominent, seriously limiting the development of coal resources and the implementation of environmental protection work. In order to effectively extract high-quality residual coal resources that have not been extracted due to historical reasons such as technological limitations, the method of filling the goaf area is usually used to control the roof strata and extract coal seams. The problem of spatiotemporal interference during the filling process and the mining stage, as well as the problem of the excess shear stiffness of the filling material meeting the roof support strength, which affects the operation of the coal machine during the mining stage, urgently needs to be solved. To this end, a resource filling and replacement method for residual coal mining in goaf was proposed, and the connotation and key scientific issues of the replacement method for room-pillar type residual coal mining were systematically elaborated. The requirements for the mechanical properties of mixed coal filling materials under the control conditions of roof rock layers were given. A large-scale on-site industrial control group grouting loose coal coagulation experiment and a laboratory coal block high water material mixed coagulation curing strength experiment were conducted, Analyzed the scientific problems faced by various links in the process of coal seam reshaping and replacement mining technology(CRRM), and further proposed improvement methods, improved the technical system of filling and replacing abandoned coal, and developed new directions for efficient and safe recovery of abandoned coal resources worldwide in the future.
Psychometric validation of the Body Image Scale in patients with breast cancer
Authors: Wu Tzu-Yi , Fang Su-Ying , Wang Jung-Der , Kuo Yao-Lung
Published: May 2023

Objective
Patients with breast cancer often have changes in body image after surgery. The Body Image Scale (BIS) is one useful scale for measuring body image. However, the BIS has not been validated in patients with breast cancer in Taiwan. The purpose of this study was to examine the unidimensionality, reliability, and convergent validity of the BIS in breast cancer patients.
Methods
Patients were recruited if they were diagnosed with breast cancer and had received cancer-related surgery. Unidimensionality and Rasch reliability were validated with Rasch model and principle component analysis. Convergent validity was examined by calculating the association between the Rasch scores of the BIS and the WHOQOL-BREF and the utility value of the EQ-5D.
Results
A total of 713 patients participated in this study. The fit indices of each item of the BIS ranged from 0.7 to 1.2, and the unexplained variance of the first dimension was 6.3%. The mean person reliability of the BIS was 0.70. Pearson’s r between the BIS and the WHOQOL-BREF/ EQ-5D ranged from − 0.53 to -0.32.
Conclusions
The results of Rasch analysis supported that the items of the BIS were unidimensional. The BIS had acceptable person reliability and good convergent validity in patients with breast cancer. The health providers can use the BIS to measure body image of patients with breast cancer and provide further interventions to patients with high BIS scores.
The Stem Cell Division-Related Gene Signature for Risk Stratification and Prognosis of Survival in Lower-Grade Glioma
Authors: Jiang longyang , Zhu Jun , Yang Xuping , Li Junxin , Wang Shurong
Published: May 2023

Background: Cancer stem cell genes are proven to be associated with the prognosis of multiple cancers. Nevertheless, the prognosis and role of stem cell division-related genes in lower-grade glioma (LGG) remains unclear.
Objective: This study constructs a reliable risk model of stem cell division-related genes for predicting the prognosis of LGG patients.
Methods: The mutation data, FPKM data and corresponding clinical information of 511 LGG patients were downloaded from the TCGA database. We carried out LASSO regression analysis and multivariate cox regression analysis to build a risk gene model. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to evaluate the OS rate of LGG patients. The ROC curve assesses its power across the entire data set.
Results: We acquired a total of 30 candidate stem cell division-related genes. Finally, 11 genes were selected (EV12B,ING2, MLLT3, NCOA3, NOTCH1, PRDM15, SFRP2, SMYD5, THOC2, TIAL1 and WNT7A) to construct risk models. We analyzed the genetic alterations of the selected 11 genes in LGG using the cBioPortal database. Mutations were present in all of the 511 patients. The results showed that all query genes were changed in 101 out of 511 cases(19.77%). The 11-gene marker panel was confirmed as an independent prognostic indicators(P<0.001, HR = 1.061, 95% CI = 1.042-1.079). The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that patients with low risk scores survived longer than those with high risk scores.The AUC was 0.827 suggesting that this 11-gene signature played an important role and accuracy in the efficacy of this diagnosis.
Conclusion: Our study built a prognostic model consisting of 11 stem cell division-related genes for predicting the prognosis of LGG patients. This may be a new biomarker for predicting LGG. These preliminary findings may provide some useful values for clinical prognosis of LGG and future studies.
Evaluation of resistance and stability of new sugar beet hybrids in field conditions infected with rhizoctonia root and crown rot disease
Authors: Rajabi Abazar , Saremirad Ali , Rezaei Javad , Pedram Adel , Jalilian Ali
Published: May 2023

Background The methods utilized to analyze genotype by environment interaction (GEI) and assess the stability and adaptability of genotypes are constantly changing and developing. In this study, 13 different sugar beet genotypes were grown in four naturally infected locations over two years. They were also assessed for resistance to Rhizoctonia disease in microplots artificially inoculated with the R133 isolate ofRhizoctonia solani. Results The additive main effect and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) analysis showed that both environment and genotype had significant additive effects, while GEI had a significant multiplicative effect. Further analysis of the interaction effects using IPCs revealed that the first three IPCs were significant. Based on the AMMI1 biplot, Rc3, Rc6, and Rc11 were recognized as the most stable genotypes. The TOPSIS calculated from AMMI statistics identified Rc3 as the most stable genotype. The LMM showed that the genotype and GEI were significant. Based on the best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP), Rc6 had the highest predicted mean white sugar yield (WSY). The obtained TOPSIS from BLUP statistics introduced Rc3 and Rc9 as the most stable genotypes. The WSY and WAASB biplot showed that Rc3, Rc5, and Rc11 had higher WSY in addition to stability. In terms of WAASBY/WSY ratio, BTS233, Rc5, and Rc7 were found to be stable genotypes. The simultaneous ranking and selection of genotypes based on the 50/50 ratio for WAASB and WSY yielded somewhat different results, with Rc3, Rc6, and Rc11 having relatively higher WAASBY values. Conclusion Based on the results, the AMMI alone cannot be successful in analyzing the structure of the LMM. In such a situation, using BLUP can bring better and more reliable results. However, the combination of AMMI power and BLUP prediction accuracy made it possible to investigate the genotypic stability and GEI derived from the LMM, and to reveal a complete view of the GEI of sugar beet product while eliminating the limitations of AMMI. In total, Rc3 followed by Rc6 and Rc11 were recognized as stable genotypes with high WSY. In addition to stability and high WSY, these genotypes also had genetic resistance againstR. solani.
Formal analysis are fundamental for the definition of honey, a product representing specific territories and their changes: the case of North Tyrrhenian dunes (Italy)
Authors: Leoni Valeria , Panseri Sara , Giupponi Luca , Pavlovic Radmila , Gianoncelli Carla , Sala Stefano , Zeni Valeria , Benelli Giovanni , Giorgi Annamaria
Published: May 2023

Honey is a variegate matrix depending on the floral origin, and it can become an important agri-food product to valorise specific territories. Being so diverse, different analytical techniques are necessary for its description. Herein we characterized the honey produced in one of the largest Italian sand dunes systems hosting beekeeping activities. In terms of floristic origin, phytochemical characterization, and sensory and colour analysis, honey collected in 2021 and 2022 was comparable. Honey was polyfloral, with several pollens from dune habitat plants classified as minor. The allochthonous Amorpha fruticosa L. and the ruderal Rubus fruticosus L. pollens in the category of the secondary pollens testify the alteration of the park vegetation. The phytochemical profile was rich in polyphenols. Other interesting compounds were coumarine derivatives, likely attributable to resin-laden plants as rockroses, long chain hydroxyacids typical of royal jelly and nicotinic acid and its analogues (2-hydroxynicotinic acid and 2-hydroxyquinoline). The above-mentioned honey showed interesting features and was a good representation of the vegetation of this area. Our study pointed out the importance of relying on multiple analytical techniques for the characterization of honey and the advisability of a technical support toward beekeepers to correctly describe and valorise their product.
The burden of HEV related acute liver failure in the developing world: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Dong Rui , Chang Dongchun , Luo Zhenghan , Zhang Mengting , Guan Qing , Shen Chao , Chen Yue , Huang Peng , Wang Jie
Published: May 2023

Background
Hepatitis E has the potential to progress into HEV related acute liver failure (HEV-ALF), but its burden in the developing world remains unclear. We systematically evaluated the burden of HEV-ALF in these regions regarding the frequency and mortality.
Methods
A systematic search of the literature was performed utilizing the databases of PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Medline, Embase and Web of Science. Studies in English or Chinese that reported on the burden of HEV-ALF in the developing world were included. Outcomes were pooled with meta-analysis utilizing R software. Estimates were calculated with random-effects models, subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were conducted to address heterogeneity. Egger’s test and Begg’s test were performed to assess the publication bias.
Results
A total of 20 eligible studies were included, the results indicated that the pooled proportion of HEV infection in etiology of acute liver failure was 39.0% (95% CI: 29.0–51.0)in non-pregnant individuals and 65.0% (95% CI: 60.0–71.0) in pregnant females. The incidence of HEV-ALF in HEV infected non-pregnant individuals was 24.0% (95% CI: 15.0–33.0), while in pregnant females, it was 34.0% (95% CI: 27.0–42.0). The mortality of HEV-ALF was 31.0% (95% CI: 20.0–43.0) and 63.0% (95% CI: 46.0–79.0) in non-pregnant individuals and pregnant females, respectively. It must be noted that there were differences across specific countries and population.
Conclusions
The burden of HEV-ALF in developing countries is heavy, prevention of HEV infection and early recognition of HEV-ALF in high risk regions and population is of great significance.
On-Demand Reconfigurable Frequency MIMO antenna for WLAN/5G/WiMAX Communication
Authors: Bandi Raja Babu , Perumalla Krishna Chaitanya , Pathan Mohammed Afreed Khan , Jajula RaviTeja , Nalluri Pavan Shivaji
Published: May 2023

This work presents on designing a On-Demand Reconfigurable Frequency MIMO antenna for WLAN/5G/WiMAX Communication, which are operating at 2.45 GHz, 3.5 GHz and 5.8 GHz. The 2.45 GHz frequency is commonly used for wireless data transmission. It is a part of the ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) band, which uses for industrial, scientific, and medical applications. The main advantage of this frequency is easy installation in small devices and it can penetrate in obstacles.5.8 GHz is commonly used for wireless communication applications such as Wi-Fi, wireless video transmission, and remote control devices. This frequency band has gained popularity for use in consumer-level drones and FPV (first-person view) systems due to its high bandwidth and ability to transmit high-quality video signals over longer distances compared to lower frequency bands. 3.5 GHz frequency band is most popular band in 5G networks, it offers high bandwidth and good propagation characteristics that can support high-speed data transmission and connectivity in urban areas. The 3.5 GHz frequency band has been identified as a key spectrum for 5G deployment in many countries and regions around the world. For these criteria we used to propose a reconfigurable antenna which can shift this frequency based on conditions of RF PIN diodes. The proposed design contains two independent MIMO (Multi Input and Multi Output Antenna) configurations in each antenna two pin diodes are present which are operated at 3 frequencies based on conditions of PIN Diodes. The suggested design shows that the gain at 2.45 GHz, 3.5 GHz, and 5.8 GHz is 3.5 dB, 5 dB, and 6.65 dB, respectively. Our efforts led to a bandwidth of 0.25 GHz for 2.45 GHz, 0.26 GHz for 3.5 GHz and 0.29 GHz for 5.8 GHz. However, MIMO (Multi Input and Multi Output Antenna) configurations must be verified with MIMO characteristic parameters like Envelope Correlation Coefficient(ECC), Diversity Gain(DG), and Mutual Coupling Loss were achieved as below 0.035, 9.9 dB, -30dB to -75 dB respectively. The dimensions of single reconfigurable antenna patch is 11.22mm x 24.7mm. The total size of MIMO reconfigurable antenna is 65mm x 25mm x 1.6mm.
KEMM: A Knowledge Enhanced Multitask Model for Travel Recommendation
Authors: Anand Navnit , Choudhary K Gopal , Shukla Kartik
Published: May 2023

In today’s fast-moving world with a wide spectrum of choices and options availableregarding the places to travel, it’s tedious to find the most optimal destination to visit keeping inmind the constraints of budget, choices, preferences, and weather. Most of the current systemseither rely on the user’s location or their travel history making the selection suboptimal and notaccustomed to the user's preferences.The focus of this research is on recommendation systems that utilize a graph-based approach. The method involves creating an interaction graph based on past user-item interactions to overcome data sparsity and cold start issues. However, this study has identified a problem in existing graph based models related to early summarization. To address this problem, a new approach to the existing Knowledge based Neighborhood Interaction (KNI) model is proposed. A knowledge Enchanced Multitask Model for Travel Recommendation (KEMM) has been proposed to capture unique characteristics of each neighbor pair between users and items. Also corpus creation for a Knowledge Graph of Indian Places to visit has also been done. The model's performance have been assessed using real-world datasets and evaluated against the current state-of-the-art models using standard metrics. The comparative analysis of this model on various datasets reveal that the model is performing better or simillar to other existing state-of-the-art models. It has been observed that there was a minor increase in the Precision@k metric and slight improvement in AUC.
Urban Teen Perspectives on Gun Violence: A Mixed Methods Study
Authors: Tam Ivy , Yeates Eniola , Silver Alyssa
Published: May 2023

We aimed to explore perspectives of teenagers on their exposure to gun violence (GV), their knowledge and attitudes towards firearm injury prevention (FIP) efforts, and how to counsel them about FIP. Teens from two single-sex Bronx Catholic high schools participated in videoconferencing focus groups. Participants completed an online survey collecting demographic information and Likert-scale scoring of attitudes towards GV. Quantitative data was analyzed with descriptive statistics. Focus group discussions were recorded and transcribed. Using Dedoose, two investigators independently coded data and achieved consensus using thematic analysis. We used qualitative methods for analysis. Six focus groups (3 from each school, n = 28 participants) were held from October-November 2020. 27 participants completed the survey. Eighty-one percent of respondents agreed “Doctors should talk to teens about gun safety.” During focus groups, participants reported personal, community, and entertainment media exposure to GV. GV elicited many emotions, including fear and frustration. Teens identified factors contributing to GV that should be addressed, including poverty, racism, and mental illness. Most had not received prior FIP education and desired more information from trusted adults. They preferred discussions over written materials and information given over time. Teens were open to doctors counseling on FIP during healthcare visits and suggested including screening questions on surveys, conversations during healthcare maintenance visits, and classroom talks by physicians. Bronx teens are exposed to and distressed by community GV. They desired more FIP education, including physician counseling during healthcare visits. Next steps are to create and test FIP guidance for adolescents.
How lowermost mantle viscosity controls the chemical structure of Earth’s deep interior
Authors: Chotalia Kiran , Gassmöller Rene , Dannberg Juliane
Published: May 2023

Determining the fate of subducted oceanic crust is critical for understanding Earth’s chemical evolution, material cycling through Earth's deep interior, and sources of mantle heterogeneity. However, what happens to subducted slabs over long timescales and how their material is distributed within the mantle remains debated and poorly understood. A key control on this distribution is the bridgmanite to post-perovskite (ppv) phase transition in the lowermost mantle, thought to cause rheological weakening. Using high-resolution computational models, we show that weak ppv can facilitate or prevent the accumulation of basaltic oceanic crust at the base of the mantle, depending on the amount of weakening and the crustal thickness. Moderately weak ppv (~10–100 times weaker) increases basalt accumulation in dense piles, facilitating the segregation of crust from subducted slabs. Conversely, very weak ppv (more than 100 times weaker) promotes more vigorous plumes that entrain more crustal material, decreasing basalt accumulation. This process causes small-scale thermal instabilities leading to pulsating plumes with periodicities of a few million years, comparable to the timescale inferred from V-shaped ridges in Iceland. Our results reconcile the contradicting conclusions of previous studies and provide insights into the accumulation of subducted crust in the lowermost mantle throughout Earth’s history.
The induction of SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8+ T cell immunity uncouples with the viral spread in K18-hACE2 infected mice
Authors: Ferrantelli Flavia , Manfredi Francesco , Chiozzini Chiara , Leone Patrizia , Pugliese Katherina , Spada Massimo , Virgilio Antonio Di , Giovannelli Andrea , Valeri Mauro , Cara Andrea , Michelini Zuleika , Andreotti Mauro , Federico Maurizio
Published: May 2023

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-2 enters the host by infecting nasal ciliated cells. The virus then spreads toward the oropharyngeal cavity, and, in most severe cases, the pulmonary tissues. The antiviral adaptive response is promptly induced in response to virus detection, with virus-specific T lymphocytes appearing before antiviral antibodies. Both breadth and potency of the antiviral CD8+ T cell immunity have a key role in containing viral spread and disease severity. However, how much the spread of infecting SARS-CoV-2 into the respiratory tracts influences the potency of the antiviral CD8+ T-cell immunity is still largely unknown. To fill the gap, we checked the CD8+ T cell immunity induced after infection of K18-hACE2 transgenic mice in conditions where the virus spread is impeded. In detail, mice were infected with SARS-CoV-2 both 3 weeks and 3 months after anti-Spike vaccinations, and virus-specific CD8+ T cell immunity was monitored both before and after infection. We noticed a strong increase of the Spike-specific CD8+ T cell immunity in vaccinated mice six days after infection despite a nearly-full inhibition of the viral replication. Most important, both kinetics and efficiency of the induction of SARS-CoV-2 N-and M-specific CD8+ T cell immunity in vaccinated mice appeared not inferior to those induced in control mice. These results support the idea that the SARS-CoV-2 replication in the lungs does not relevantly influence the generation of virus-specific CD8+ T cell immunity.
Is there a difference between hip muscle strength and chronic non-specific low back pain? A cross-sectional study
Authors: Pizol Gustavo Zanotti , Franco Katherinne Ferro Moura , Miyamoto Gisela Cristiane , Cabral Cristina Maria Nunes
Published: May 2023

Background
Patients with chronic low back pain may present changes in hip muscles. However, there is still no evidence of the association between hip muscle weakness and chronic low back pain and whether this weakness can be assessed with functional tests. The purpose of this study was to assess whether there is hip muscle weakness in patients with non-specific chronic low back pain and whether there is an association between the positive Trendelenburg and Step-Down tests and hip muscle strength.
Methods
This cross-sectional study included 40 patients with chronic low back pain and 40 healthy participants, assessed in an outpatient clinic in Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil. Muscle strength was measured for the hip abductors, adductors, extensors, internal rotators, and external rotators using isometric manual dynamometry and functional stability was measured by the Trendelenburg and Step-Down tests. Muscle strength was compared using the t test for independent samples and the chi-square test. The association between the tests and strength was performed using a binary logistic regression analysis.
Results
Healthy participants showed a statistically significant greater muscle strength for the right hip abductors (mean difference [MD]: 28.1%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 9.4 to 46.9), right adductors (MD: 18.7%, 95% CI: 6.2 to 31.2), right internal rotators (MD: 8.7%, 95% CI: 1.5 to 15.8), right extensors (MD: 21.1%, 95% CI: 6.2 to 31.2), left abductors (MD: 30.4%, 95% CI: 11.9 to 49), left adductors (MD: 18.4%, 95% CI: 3.7 to 33.2), and left extensors (MD: 21.6%, 95% CI: 6.6 to 36.5). There was no difference between groups for the positive functional tests, and there was no association between the tests and hip muscle strength.
Conclusion
Patients with chronic low back pain have hip abductors, adductors, and extensors weakness. Furthermore, the functional tests should not be associated to hip muscle strength in patients with chronic low back pain.
Access to health services by ethnic minorities in the Kumasi metropolis, Ghana: Does insurance cardholding matter?
Authors: Buor Daniel , Boakye Peter Ansah , Agyemang Seth
Published: May 2023

Background:
Ethnic minorities find difficulty in accessing healthcare and other services due to their vulnerable socio-economic conditions. The study explores the effectiveness of access to healthcare by insurance cardholding ethnic minorities in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana.
Methods
It was a qualitative study that used convenience and snowballing approaches in data collection. The study objects were ethnic minorities. Both primary and secondary data were used to explore access to health services in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana with data collected within a six-week time frame. The outcome variable was access to and use of health services and the key independent variable was insurance cardholding. The Andersen access and utilisation framework and WHO (2018) quality standards guidelines guided the study. Data were collected using unstructured focus group and interview guides from the community participants, both male and female, who were not below age 18, the legal age of adulthood. Appropriate variables were exhausted until theoretical saturation was reached. Data were analysed manually by coding and categorising the responses to derive the themes.
Results
It was observed that ethnic minority cardholders who bear insurance cards have better access to health services than none cardholders. The constraints to their effective use are inadequate and sometimes lack of medicine supply by the health facilities, low coverage of services given the low premiums they pay, poor communication by medical staff, stigmatisation and poor attitude of medical staff, among others. The conceptual framework has largely been justified.
Conclusions
Ethnic minorities generally face problems in accessing healthcare. Efforts must be made to facilitate their accessing national health insurance facility to improve their access. Besides, medical staff must improve their relationship with patients whilst services covered by low premium cardholders should improve.
Treatment for Displaced Medial-End Clavicle Fractures with hook plate: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Xu Hua , Gong XiaoKang , Gong ShaoHua , Chen ShiChang
Published: May 2023

Objective:To retrospectively evaluate the radiological and clinical efficiency of internal fixation using CanSHS-hook plate for treatment of unstable displaced medial-end clavicle fractures.Methods:From July 2014 to August 2019, 11 patients who underwent open reduction and internal CanSHS-hook plate fixation for medial-end clavicle fractures were included in the present study. There were 9 male and 2 female patients, with the average age of 35.5±11.3 years (aging from 22 to 58 years old). All the patients received routine x-rays and computed tomogra­phy examinations to evaluate the fractures before CanSHS-hook plate fixation. During the operation, a standard anterior approach across the sternoclavicular joint to the clavicle was made. After the reduction, the fracture was ﬁxed by CanSHS-hook plate provided by Canwell Corporation under a series of operation procedures. Postoperative follow-up including physical examination and x-ray evaluation was performed in order to evaluate both the radiological and clinical efficiency of the treatment. Exercises were introduced to patients after initial postoperative immobilization. Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaires were used to evaluate the shoulder function postoperatively. Complications of any patients were noted to evaluate the disadvantages of the hook plate.Results:All patients were followed up, with the average follow up period of 14.0±3.3 months (8-20 months). All the 11 cases were unilateral injuries. None of them were pathological fractures or open fractures. No intraoperative complications occurred during the operation. The mean DASH scores were 36.9±17.8, 11.7±5.4, and 7.6±5.0 at 1 month, 3 months postoperatively and the final follow up. There were no neurovascular injuries, mal-union or internal ﬁxation failures. No wound hematoma or infection was obtained during follow up. All the fractures got bony union at the final follow up. The average time of bone union was 13.2±2.7 weeks (10-20 weeks). Postoperative complications included 2 patients complained of implant related discomfort during shoulder motion which disappeared after implant removal, and one delayed union which was healed after electromagnetic stimulation and oral administration of traditional Chinese Medicine. All patients were satisfied with their treatment outcome at the final follow-up.Conclusions:Although the procedures of planting the CanSHS-hook plate were more complicated than other implants, the ﬁxation of hook plate seemed to be an eﬀective and relatively safe method for patients with medial end clavicle fractures. We recommend this CanSHS-hook plate for tiny and/or comminuted medial end segments because its unique design.
Assessing the utility of artificial intelligence throughout the triage outpatients
Authors: Liu Xiaoni , Lai Rui , Yan Changjian , Jing Hongmei , Zhang Weilong
Published: May 2023

At present, many patients still need outpatient triage help. ChatGPT is increasingly used in medicine. Here, we assess the utility of ChatGPT in outpatient triage. We found that ChatGPT's answer is very professional, comprehensive, and humanistic, and can be applied to outpatient triage to provide better medical care for patients.
Comprehensive evidence of lasing from a 2D material enabled by a dual-resonance metasurface
Authors: Barth Isabel , Deckart Manuel , Conteduca Donato , Arruda Guilherme , Hayran Zeki , Pasko Sergej , Krotkus Simonas , Heuken Michael , Monticone Francesco , Krauss Thomas , Martins Emiliano , Wang Yue
Published: May 2023

Semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have gained significant attention as a gain medium for nanolasers, owing to their unique ability to be easily placed and stacked on virtually any substrate. However, the atomically thin nature of the active material in existing TMD nanolasers presents a challenge, as their limited output power makes it difficult to distinguish between true laser operation and other "laser-like" phenomena. Here, we present comprehensive evidence of lasing from a CVD-grown tungsten disulphide (WS2) monolayer. The monolayer is placed on a dual-resonance dielectric metasurface with a rectangular lattice designed to enhance both absorption and emission; resulting in an ultralow threshold operation (threshold <1 W/cm2). We provide a thorough study of the laser performance at room temperature, paying special attention to directionality, output power, and spatial coherence. Notably, our lasers demonstrated a coherence length of over 30 μm, which is several times greater than what has been reported for 2D material lasers so far. Our realisation of a single-mode laser from a wafer-scale CVD-grown monolayer presents exciting opportunities for integration and the development of novel applications.
Imprecise Diagnosis of Diabetes Type in Youth: Prevalence, Characteristics, and Implications
Authors: Tosur Mustafa , Huang Xiaofan , Inglis Audrey S , Aguirre Rebecca Schneider , Redondo Maria J
Published: May 2023

Classifying diabetes at diagnosis is crucial for disease management but increasingly difficult due to overlaps in characteristics between the commonly encountered diabetes types. We evaluated the prevalence and characteristics of youth with diabetes type that was unknown at diagnosis or was revised over time. We studied 2073 youth with new-onset diabetes (median age [IQR]=11.4 [6.2] years; 50% male; 75% White, 21% Black, 4% other race; overall, 37% Hispanic) and compared youth with unknown versus known diabetes type, per pediatric endocrinologist diagnosis. In a longitudinal subcohort of patients with data for ≥3 years post-diabetes diagnosis (n=1019), we compared youth with unchanged versus changed diabetes classification. In the entire cohort, after adjustment for confounders, diabetes type was unknown in 62 youth (3%), associated with older age, negative IA-2 autoantibody, lower C-peptide, and no diabetic ketoacidosis (all, p<0.05). In the longitudinal subcohort, diabetes classification changed in 35 youth (3.4%); this was not statistically associated with any single characteristic. Having unknown or revised diabetes type was associated with less continuous glucose monitor use on follow-up (both, p<0.004). In sum, among racially/ethnically diverse youth with diabetes, 6.5% had imprecise diabetes classification at diagnosis. Further research is warranted to improve accurate diagnosis of pediatric diabetes type.
Load Frequency Regulation of Interconnected Muli-source Multi-area Power System with Penetration of Electric Vehicles Aggregator
Authors: Jameel Ahlam , Gulzar Muhammad Majid
Published: May 2023

The recent widespread installation of renewable energy sources in place of fossil fuel, along with the substitution of electric vehicles (EVs), has raised a several difficulties. Due to their nature and reliance on the environment, RESs represent continuously variable power generators. The control architecture of connected power systems also focuses on minimizing the frequency deviations and tie-line power fluctuations. In this scenario, a cascaded PI-PD controller based on Chaotic butterfly optimization (CBOA) is proposed for load frequency control of power systems with the addition of Electric Vehicles (EV). The proposed algorithm is first evaluated by using four performance analysis features, and its superiority is demonstrated by comparing it against recent optimization algorithms tune controllers such as Artificial Rabbits algorithm (ARA): 1 + PD, Chaos Game algorithm (CGA): 1 + PI, Dragonfly Search algorithm (DSA): FOPID, and Firefly algorithm (FA): PID. The acquired results affirm towards the operational excellence of the recommended controller and optimization technique in terms of mitigating the impact of frequency and tie-line power variations. Moreover, it exhibits robustness, enhanced stability of the system throughout a broad range of parameters.
Green Farming in India: Issues and Policy Perspective
Authors: chahal deepika , Rani Anju
Published: May 2023

The organic farming system has been used in India since ancient times and is largely focused on achieving sustainable agricultural output in a clean, unpolluted environment. Organic production methods employ natural resources to harness desired agricultural production for human consumption, keeping the ecosystem and ecology alive and in good health. The environmental focus of organic production is on using naturally occurring resources as inputs, such as organic wastes; crop, animal, and farm wastes, aquatic wastes, other biological materials, and advantageous microbes; biofertilizers/biocontrol agents to release nutrients to crops and protect them from insect pests and diseases for increased agricultural production. In 187 nations, organic farming is practiced, and at least 3.1 million farmers used organic practices to manage 72.3 million hectares of agricultural land. Even though India is home to 44% of the world’s certified organic farmers, the country’s overall certified organic cultivation area, at 2.3 million hectares represents just 3% of the world’s total area of 72.3 million hectares under organic agriculture. Against this backdrop, the objective of the present study is to evaluate the current scenario of organic farming in India. To accomplish this, the study will investigate the causality between organic production, the area cultivated under organic production, the number of organic producers, and biofertilizer production by using Granger causality, the augmented Dickey-Fuller test used to find out the stationarity of data. After finding out the causal relationship between variables, the ARDL model was used to measure the short-term relationship between variables. The ARDL long run form and bound test was used to analyse the long-term relationships. Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, Annual reports of the Ministry of Agriculture, International Federation of Organic Farming Movements, International Trade Centre, National Programme of Organic Production, and Organic Industry Market Report are indeed the sources of secondary data used in the study.
Evaluation of dual-band near-infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics analysis for rapid quantification of multi-quality parameters of soy sauce stewed meat
Authors: Jiang Hongzhe , Zhou Yu , Zhang Cong , Yuan Weidong , Zhou Hongping
Published: May 2023

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) systems operated in dual-band were evaluated for non-destructive measurement of fat, protein, collagen, ash, and Na contents in soy sauce stewed meat (SSSM). Spectra in wavebands of 650-950 nm and 960-1660 nm were acquired from different samples with various brands, respectively. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) was employed to develop models on predicting the five quality parameters. Results showed the best predictions were for fat (Rp=0.808; RMSEP=2.013 g/kg; RPD=1.666; RER=6.186) and protein (Rp=0.863; RMSEP=3.372 g/kg; RPD=1.863; RER=6.362) contents, hardly sufficient performances were for collagen (Rp=0.524; RMSEP=1.970 g/kg; RPD=0.936; RER=4.807), ash (Rp=0.384; RMSEP=0.524 g/kg; RPD=0.953; RER=3.406), and Na (Rp=0.242; RMSEP=2.097 g/kg; RPD=1.042; RER=4.540) contents in SSSM. Quality contents predicted by spectra of 960-1660 nm were generally better than the 650-950 nm, which was retained in further prediction of fat and protein. To simplify the models and make them practical, regression models were established using a few wavelengths selected by random frog (RF) or regression coefficients (RC) method. Consequently, ten wavelengths (1048, 1051, 1184, 1191, 1222, 1225, 1228, 1450, 1456, 1510 nm) selected by RF and eight wavelengths (1019, 1097, 1160, 1194, 1245, 1413, 1441, 1489 nm) selected by RC were individually chosen for fat and protein contents to build multi-spectral PLSR models. New models led to the best predictive ability of Rp, RMSEP, RPD, and RER of 0.812 and 0.855, 1.930 g/kg and 3.367 g/kg, 1.737 and 1.866, and 6.451 and 6.372, respectively. These two simplified models both yielded comparable performances to their full spectra models, demonstrating the effectiveness of these selected variables. The overall results indicate that NIRS in spectral range of 960-1660 nm is a potential tool in rapid estimation of fat and protein contents in SSSM, while not that good prediction statistics for collagen, ash, and Na contents.
A Minimalistic and Decentralised Approach to Formation Control for Crowded UUV Swarms Inspired by Fish Schooling
Authors: Wu Xuhang , Deng Xiangyang , Shao Siyang , Zhao Luhua , Yue Shengzhi , Zhang Fumin , Wang Fang , Lin Yuanshan
Published: May 2023

In this paper, we propose a novel approach to formation control for a swarm of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) inspired by the collective behaviour of fish schools. The approach addresses the challenges of centralised control, inflexibility, and high computational complexity in existing formation control methods. The proposed strategy for an individual agent consists of three parts: (1) coordinated strategy of collective motion without a predefined target, in which each individual agent adjusts its motion by rotating a fixed angle to the left or right based on the observed motion direction of its neighbours; (2) target guidance policy that the motion direction of each agent is guided by the target area; and (3) dispersion control strategy of avoiding overcrowding near the target area, in which each individual determines its own target position based on the relative positions of its neighbours and the target area. The simulation experiments demonstrate that using the proposed method, a group of individuals can perform an area coverage search in a flexible collective motion manner by simply making a left or right movement based on their own local perception. Furthermore, we validated the effectiveness of the proposed method using a UUV swarm consisting of 9 UUVs in a UUV simulator. The proposed method is flexible, decentralised, and has low computational complexity. Therefore, it can be applied to the formation control of large swarms of UUVs with limited perception and decision-making abilities.
Synthesis of the Solar Heat Reflecting Membrane by Duplicating the Saharan Silver Ant Micro-hair Structure
Authors: Gao Xuefeng , Sun Zhiheng , Ma Jianping , Chen Wenxia , Shang Songmin , Chiu Ka-lok
Published: May 2023

The objective of this project was to use a rolling process to synthesize a solar heat reflecting membrane with parallel-aligned Al-ZnO microrods to replicate the micro-hair arrays of the Saharan Silver Ant. The synthesis of Al-ZnO microrods was carried out using the hydrothermal method. The membrane was then produced by mixing the microrods with liquid silicone rubber and spreading the mixture into the shape of a membrane using a Meyer rod. The dragging of the Al-ZnO microrod, confined between the Meyer rod and the polypropylene film, induces the partial alignment of Al-ZnO microrods in the dragging direction. We note that the distribution of microrod alignment is well described by the Lorentzian function and that the full width at half maximum is measured to be 22.3o. Most Al-ZnO microrods are encased within the PDMS layer. At wavelengths between 200 nm and 1100 nm, the membrane blocks light almost entirely. The solar heat gain coefficient of our solar heat reflecting membrane is 75% lower than the membrane containing ZnO powder.
Adult survivors of childhood-onset steroid-dependent and steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome treated with cyclosporine: a long-term single-center experience
Authors: Takemasa Yoichi , Fujinaga Shuichiro , Nakagawa Mayu , Sakuraya Koji , Hirano Daishi
Published: May 2023

Background Although evidence has confirmed that cyclosporine A (CsA) is efficacious against childhood-onset steroid-dependent and steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SD/SRNS), some patients may continue to relapse during adulthood. However, predictive factors for active disease into adulthood and renal complications in this cohort remain unknown.Methods We conducted a retrospective study on the long-term outcomes of 81 young adults with childhood-onset SD/SRNS treated with CsA. The primary endpoint was the probability of active disease into adulthood, defined as disease relapse or ongoing immunosuppressive treatment throughout the 2 years preceding the last follow-up.Results At last follow-up (median age, 23.2 years; median disease duration, 15.8 years), 44 adult patients (54%) continued to have active disease, whereas 16 (20%) and 16 (20%) patients developed mild chronic kidney disease (CKD) and hypertension, respectively. Young age at NS onset and history of relapse during initial CsA treatment were independent predictive factors for active disease into adulthood. Acute kidney injury at NS onset, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, and irreversible CsA nephrotoxicity were identified as risk factors for the development of CKD, whereas older age was identified as a risk factor for the development of renal complications. No correlation was observed between active disease into adulthood and the development of renal complications.Conclusions After CsA initiation for SD/SRNS, more than half of adult survivors continued to have active disease. Long-term follow-up is necessary to identify the development of renal complications later in adulthood that can be attributed to prior disease and CsA treatment in childhood, irrespective of disease activity.