bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intoxicación infantil por plomo en México: otras fuentes de exposición más allá del barro vidriado (Ensanut 2022)
Authors: Bautista-Arredondo Luis F , Trejo-Valdivia Belem , Estrada-Sánchez Daniel , Tamayo-Ortiz Marcela , Cantoral Alejandra , Figueroa José Luis , Romero-Martínez Martín , Gómez-Acosta Luz María , Cuevas-Nasu Lucía , Tellez-Rojo Martha María
Published: July 2023

Objetivo. Describir y actualizar al año 2022 la prevalencia de intoxicación por plomo (Pb) en la población infantil de 1-4 años en México y describir fuentes de exposición ambiental, paraocupacional y uso de barro vidriado (BV). Material y métodos. Estudio en una muestra de menores que participaron en la Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición 2022 (Ensanut 2022). Se midió la concentración de plomo en sangre (PbS) capilar. Se aplicó un cuestionario para indagar sobre fuentes de exposición a Pb. Resultados. Se midió PbS en 1 158 menores de 1-4 años. La prevalencia nacional de intoxicación por Pb (≥5.0 μg/dL) fue 16.8% (IC95%:13.6,20.5). La proporción de hogares que reportó exposición a una fuente exclusiva fue de 21.2, 17.7 y 7.4% para BV, exposición ambiental y paraocupacional, respectivamente. La prevalencia de intoxicación de los expuestos a una sola fuente fue 21.5%, y esta cifra aumenta a 24.2% entre quienes reportaron exposición combinada tres tipos de fuentes. Conclusión. La prevalencia nacional de intoxicación por plomo permaneció estable con respecto a lo reportado en la Ensanut 2018-19. El uso de BV es una fuente de exposición relevante, pero no es la única. Se identificó una contribución importante por exposición ambiental y, en menor medida, de exposición paraocupacional.
Prácticas de lactancia materna y alimentación complementaria en menores de dos años de edad en México
Authors: González-Castell Luz Dinorah , Unar-Munguía Mishel , Bonvecchio-Arenas Anabelle , Ramírez-Silva Ivonne , Lozada-Tequeanes Ana Lilia
Published: July 2023

Objetivo. Estimar prevalencias de indicadores de prácticas de alimentación infantil en menores de 24 meses en México. Material y métodos. Análisis de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición Continua 2021 y 2022 (Ensanut Continua 2021 y 2022) en mujeres de 14-59 años y sus hijos/as menores de 24 meses (<24 meses). Se calcularon los indicadores ajustando por diseño muestral de las encuestas. Resultados. El 33.6% de niñas/os <6 meses recibió lactancia materna exclusiva (LME). El 27.2% de niñas/os <24 meses no recibió LME durante los primeros tres días de vida y fue alimentado con fórmula comercial infantil (FCI) u otro líquido. El 42% de niñas/os de entre 6 y 23 meses consumió alimentos no saludables. Conclusiones. Las prácticas de alimentación infantil en México deben ser protegidas mediante políticas que regulen la comercialización de FCI y promuevan un entorno laboral, social y político propicio para la lactancia materna y el cuidado infantil, para que madres, padres y cuidadores puedan adoptar prácticas de lactancia y alimentación complementaria adecuadas.
Impact of sex and socioeconomic status on risk of surgery, hospitalization, and use of medications in inflammatory bowel disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Rasmussen Nathalie Fogh , Moos Caroline , Gregersen Laura Helene Keiding , Hikmat Zainab , Andersen Vibeke , Green Anders , Jess Tine , Madsen Gunvor Iben , Pedersen Andreas Kristian , Petersen Sofie Ronja , Kjeldsen Lene Juel
Published: July 2023

Background Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are often associated with high healthcare utilisation. This systematic review aimed to summarize what is known about the impact of sex, income, and education on the risk of bowel surgery, hospitalization and use of corticosteroids and biologics among patients with IBD.
Methods We used EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Web of Science to perform a systematic literature search. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using random effects meta-analysis for the impact of sex on risk of surgery and hospitalization. In addition, we performed subgroup analyses of the effect of IBD type (Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis), children or adults, and country. Finally, meta-regression was undertaken for the year of publication.
Results In total, 59 studies were included. In the meta-analysis, male sex was associated with an increased risk of bowel surgery in UC patients (HR: 1.78, 95% CI: 1.16;2.72) and an increased risk of hospitalization in CD patients (OR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.28;1.58). In 6 of 6 studies, female patients had lower adherence to biologics, whereas 9 of 10 studies reported no significant sex-based difference in use of corticosteroids. The evidence of the impact of income and education on all four outcomes was sparse and pointed in different directions. The substantial heterogeneity between studies was explained, in part, by differences in IBD type, age and country.
Conclusions Population-based observational studies have revealed that sex influence the surgery rate and risk of hospitalization among IBD patients with more men having surgeries and hospitalizations than women, whereas female patients appear to have statistically significantly lower adherence to biologics compared to male patients. Thus, clinicians should not underestimate the impact of sex on patient outcomes. Evidence for income- and education based differences remains sparse.
Systematic review registration: PROSPERO Registration ID: CRD42022315788.
Study of the relationship between occurrence of Kawasaki disease and air pollution in Chengdu by parametric and semi-parametric models
Authors: Si Feifei , Zhou Chifeng , Yang Yanfeng , Huang Lei
Published: July 2023

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a pediatric vasculitis of unknown etiology which mainly associates the development of coronary artery aneurysms. The etiology of KD seems to be multifactorial, but rare research on the association between KD and potential environmental risk factors. So, we would like to examine the correlation between KD and potential environmental risk factors in west China. We included KD patients in Chengdu from 2015 to 2021, and analyzed the correlation with air pollution indexes and climate condition indexes. The autocorrelation of the data was eliminated by first-order difference, and the risk factors were screened by stepwise regression with AIC criterion and the multiple regression model was established. Random forest and Winsorize were used to test the robustness of the screening results, and it was found that particulate matter with diameter less than or equal to 2.5μm (PM2.5) had a significant positive effect on the incidence of KD. In addition, several variables were positively correlated with KD incidence, but not statistically significant. GAM model was used to explore the nonlinear correlation between PM2.5 and KD incidence. The results showed that PM2.5 concentration was positively correlated with KD incidence, and the effects were varied among different concentration levels of PM2.5. Fisher's exact test was used to explore the influence of PM2.5 on the incidence of coronary tumors. It is found that PM2.5 may be a risk factor for it. This study suggested that exposure to high concentrations of PM2.5 may significantly increase the risk of KD. The evidence for the association between other environmental factors and KD incidence, as well as the association between PM2.5 and coronary tumors, was limited and needed further verification.
Determining the electrical facies utilizing multi-resolution graph-based and artificial neural network clustering methods in an Oilfield, SW Iran
Authors: Eftekhari Seyedeh Hajar , Memariani Mahmoud , Maleki Zahra , Aleali Mohsen , Kianoush Pooria
Published: July 2023

Asmari Formation is the most significant reservoir of the Mansouri oil field in SW Iran. This Formation is generally composed of carbonate lithologic but has sandstone layers in some zones. It is also the youngest reservoir rock in Iran. Cross-lithology diagrams determined the lithology of the Asmari Formation by applying 280 core samples from one drilled well in the studied reservoir, and a combination of lime, dolomite, anhydrite, and sandstone with shaley layers was estimated. Also, five zones were identified with different geological/reservoir conditions, with the best reservoir quality in zones 3 and 5 with sandstone/shale lithology. Furthermore, this study determines multi-resolution graph-based clustering (MRGC) and artificial neural network (ANN) facies clustering methods. For this purpose, the combined log readings of DT, RHOB, GR, Sw, NPHI, and PHIE were used. Lithology was evaluated and estimated in each sequence using corrected and edited logs and lithology cross-sections. After applying the Geolog software, an optimal model with 8 clusters (facies) with better separation of rock species was obtained. Finally, five facies with different lithological compositions and reservoir conditions were identified. The information obtained from determining electrical facies by clustering method defines the reservoir zone from non-reservoir and qualitatively (good, medium, and poor).
In-Hospital Outcomes of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients with Chronic and End-Stage Renal Disease: A Nationwide Database Study
Authors: Lorente-Ros Marta , Das Subrat , Malik Aaqib , Romeo Francisco Jose , Aguilar-Gallardo Jose S. , Fakhoury Maya , Patel Amisha
Published: July 2023

Background
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have been associated with worse outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). With TAVR indications extending to a wider range of patient populations, it is important to understand the current implications of chronic renal insufficiency on clinical outcomes. We aim to determine the impact of CKD and ESRD on in-hospital outcomes after TAVR.
Methods
We queried the National Inpatient Sample for TAVR performed between 2016 and 2020 using International Classification of Diseases-10th Revision codes. We compared in-hospital mortality and clinical outcomes between three groups: normal renal function, CKD and ESRD. The association between CKD/ESRD and outcomes was tested with multivariable logistic regression analyses, using normal renal function as baseline.
Results
In the five-year study period, 279,195 patients underwent TAVR (mean age 78.9 ± 8.5 years, 44.4% female). Of all patients, 67.1% had normal renal function, 29.2% had CKD, and 3.7% had ESRD. There were significant differences in age, sex, and prevalence of comorbidities across groups. In-hospital mortality was 1.3%. Compared to patients with normal renal function, patients with renal insufficiency had higher in-hospital mortality, with the highest risk found in patients with ESRD (adjusted odds ratio: 1.4 [95% confidence interval: 1.2–1.7] for CKD; adjusted odds ratio: 2.4 [95% confidence interval: 1.8–3.3] for ESRD). Patients with CKD or ESRD had a higher risk of cardiogenic shock, need for mechanical circulatory support, and vascular access complications, compared to those with normal renal function. In addition, patients with ESRD had a higher risk of cardiac arrest and periprocedural acute myocardial infarction. The incidence of conversion to open heart surgery was 0.3% and did not differ between groups. Post-procedural infectious and respiratory complications were more common among patients with CKD or ESRD.
Conclusion
Patients with CKD and ESRD are at higher risk of in-hospital mortality, cardiovascular, and non-cardiovascular complications after TAVR. The risk of complications is highest in patients with ESRD and does not result in more frequent conversion to open heart surgery. These results emphasize the importance of individualized patient selection for TAVR and procedural planning among patients with chronic renal insufficiency.
Productivity and quality of some wheat varieties through integrated application of vermicompost and biochar in sandy soil
Authors: Essa Reda , Afifi Ahmed A. , El-Ashry Soad M. , Mohamed Manal F.
Published: July 2023

Background
The increase product of cereals in sufficient quantities for the population is one of the largest problems currently facing farmers. So, recycling of organic waste can be one of the solutions to boost cereal yields in Egypt. Two experiences were carried out in Wadi El-Natrun, El-Beheira, Governorate, Egypt, during two winter seasons; researchers investigated the effect of biochar and vermicompost addition on grain yield and quality under sandy soil conditions.
Results
The results have shown that, the addition of vermicompost and biochar significantly increased the yield and the chemical constituents of the Skaha-95 and Giza-171 varieties compared to the control treatment in sandy soil conditions. The increase in the fertilizer rate of 500 to 1000 kg/fed caused a significant increase in the height of the plant, the number of grains/spike, the weight of 100 grains, the yield of the grains and the straw, the NPK content, proteins and total carbohydrates in the grains. The Skaha-95 variety considerably exceeded the Giza-171 variety on grains and straw yield and the percentage of nutritional values ​​of the dry wheat grain, that is to say NPK%, total proteins and carbohydrates. In general, the maximum average values ​​of all the parameters of our study were obtained from the variety of Skaha 95 when the plants fertilized by mixing (500 + 500 kg/fed).
Conclusions
According to the findings, using a mix rate of vermicompost and biochar fertilizers might be one alternative for improving the majority of wheat quality metrics under sandy soil environments.
Who gets treated for an eating disorder? Implications for inference based on clinical populations
Authors: Field Alison E. , Ziobrowski Hannah N. , Eddy Kamryn T. , Sonneville Kendrin R. , Richmond Tracy K.
Published: July 2023

Background
The minority of people with an eating disorder receive treatment. Little is known about predictors of receiving treatment.
Methods
Using data from the Growing Up Today Study we identified correlates of receiving treatment for an eating disorder among the 1237 U.S. women who answered questions on treatment history in 2013 and reported meeting criteria for subthreshold eating disorder in ≥ 1 year between 1996 and 2013. Logistic regression models using generalized estimating equations were used to estimate the relative odds of receiving treatment.
Results
Approximately 11% of the women reported receiving treatment for an eating disorder. Independent of type of eating disorder, those who had received a diagnosis of depression or anxiety were more likely (odds ratio (OR) = 3.05 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.87–4.97) to receive treatment for an eating disorder. Women with obesity were approximately 85% less likely to receive treatment (OR = 0.13, 95% CI 0.04–0.46) regardless of their type of eating disorder or history of depression of anxiety diagnosis.
Conclusions
Most women meeting criteria for an eating disorder do not receive treatment. Women with BED or obesity are the least likely to receive treatment.
Application of geomorphometry to flash flood hazard analysis in the Namdae river basin
Authors: Sin Jong-Sim , Pak Kyong-Chol , Jong Yong-Song , Thak Ju-Hyon , Choe Myong-Gil
Published: July 2023

Recently, floods occur more often due to global warming and lead to severe damage in the world. The floods are classified into river flood, flash flood, and coastal flood. Our country, which is mountainous, has been more threatened with the flash floods, but studies on the flash floods hazard analysis would have been poorly conducted by lack of hydrological observations. As the flash floods appear in mostly small catchments (sub-basins) of larger river basins, their hazard assessment should be performed based on determination of suitable sub-basins and morphometric parameters. This study aims to find an approach to estimate flash flood hazard using geomorphometry of sub-basins, associated with flash floods, and to apply to flash flood hazard analysis in the Namdae river basin. The sub-basins were identified by using structural parameters of the stream network, such as bifurcation and stream length ratios. Subsequently, their morphometric parameters were calculated, and their hazard for each parameter was categorized into five degrees. Total hazard degree was determined by calculation of an arithmetic summation of the hazard degree for each parameter and divided into five classes. Our study provides a total flood hazard map with the highest three hazard degree, covered about 84.01% of total study area. The results of this study may contribute to an appropriate design to mitigate the flood hazards in the study area. In addition, when the hazard map is overlaid with geological map with implication of silt or clay leakage, it would help to improve quality of coastal sand for tourism.
Influence of 5’-UTR base types on translation efficiency in Escherichia coli
Authors: Li Jinjin , Li Jiaojiao , Li Peixian , Zhang Jie , Liu Qian , Qi Hao
Published: July 2023

Objectives Translation initiation for 5’ untranslated regions (5’-UTR) contributes primarily to the efficient expression of proteins in Escherichia coli (E. coli). Many studies have focused on the construction of random 5’-UTR libraries to explore the effects of mRNA features on protein translation efficiency. However, the study on the effect of the lack of specific types of bases in the entire 5’-UTR region on translation efficiency has not been reported yet.
Results We constructed four reporter plasmid libraries encoding sfGFP fluorescent protein preceded by 5’-UTRs lacking one type of base (25B, 25D, 25H, 25V). Each library was transformed into E. coli BL21 Star (DE3) cells and the fluorescence distribution among the different libraries were analyzed by flow cytometer (FCM). In addition, we quantified the activity of 256 unique 5’-UTR sequences and analyzed the effect of the corresponding mRNA sequence features on translation efficiency. We found that the 25D library, which lacks the C base, had the highest overall translation efficiency compared to the other three libraries. Moreover, minimum free energy (MFE) and 16S rRNA hybridization energy of the 5’-UTR sequence could work coordinately to influence translation efficiency.
Conclusions The 5’-UTR sequences lacking the C base also achieve efficient protein translation. These findings could provide several guiding principles for the precise tuning of protein expression.
Adjuvant antihormonal treatment in breast cancer. Understanding how poor adherence affects survival
Authors: Dragvoll Ida , Bofin Anna Mary , Søiland Håvard , Salvesen Øyvind , Engstrøm Monica Jernberg
Published: July 2023

Purpose
Adherence to antihormonal treatment is known to be suboptimal. The beneficial effects of antihormonal treatment are well documented. We investigate how poor adherence affects survival.
Methods
This single-centre retrospective cohort study included 1176 patients diagnosed with breast cancer from 2004-2013. These patients were all prescribed antihormonal treatment as part of their adjuvant treatment regimen. Adherence was calculated based on the medical possession ratio (MPR) where patients were defined as adherent if they reached a MPR ≥80%. Non-adherent patients were further subclassified into secondary non-adherent (SNA) where MPR measured 0.1-80% or primary non-adherent (PNA) where MPR was zero.
Results
A total of 24.4% (287) of the patients were non-adherent. Secondary non-adherent patients had poorer breast cancer specific survival (hazard ratio [HR] 3.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.12-4.36) compared to adherent patients. Primary non-adherent patients had better breast cancer specific survival compared to adherent patients (HR 0.27, 95% CI 0.10-0.75).
Conclusion
Subdividing non-adherent patients into primary non-adherent or secondary non-adherent provides valuable insight into how different adherence-behaviours affect survival. Based on the favourable survival rates of the low-risk primary non-adherent patients, we suggest that some low-risk patients currently are being overtreated with antihormonal treatment.
Influencing Factors of Lung Shunt Fraction in Transarterial Radioembolization Treatment
Authors: Kovan Bilal , Civan Caner , Işık Emine Göknur , Şimşek Duygu Has , Özkan Zeynep Gözde , Büyükkaya Fikret , Şanlı Yasemin , Demir Bayram , Kuyumcu Serkan
Published: July 2023

Purpose
We aimed to evaluate the influencing factors of lung shunt fraction(LSF) in patients who underwent transarterial radioembolization treatment.
Methods
We enrolled 105 patients who had either primary or metastatic liver disease. Planar and SPECT/CT images were obtained after intraarterial injection of 99mTc-MAA to measure LSF. Planar-based LSFs(LSFplanar), calculated as the arythmetic mean(LSFAM) and geometric mean(LSFGM), were compared to LSFSPECT/CT. Subgroup analyses were conducted to assess the impact of scattering and spillover effects in patients with target lesions located near lung. Both lungs were segmented into lower, middle and upper sections(RL,RM,RU,LL,LM,LU). For control group, ten patients with normal lung perfusion scintigraphy were included.
Results
The mean of LSFSPECT/CT was significantly lower than the mean of LSFGM(6.5 ± 4.1 vs 13.9 ± 8.4, p = < 0.001) and the mean of LSFAM(13.5 ± 8.4%, p = < 0.001). LSFplanar methods overestimated LSF compared to LSFSPECT/CT. LSFGM divided by 2.3 can provide more accurate estimated LSF similar to LSFSPECT/CT. In subgroup analyses, we found that mean values of RL/RU, RM/RU, LL/LU and LM/LU were 9.3 ± 7.4, 2.2 ± 1.2; 1.2 ± 0.4, and 1.2 ± 0.2, respectively. In control group, mean values of RL/RU, RM/RU, LL/LU and LM/LU were within a range of 0.9–1.1.
Conclusion
LSFSPECT/CT with attenuation correction can provide more accurate results compared to LSFplanar before TARE treatment. In patients who had liver lesions located adjacent to lung, the possible miscalculation of LSFSPECT/CT from scattering and spillover effect could be eliminated by exclusion of 3 cm diameter from inferior border of the right lung.
Prerequisites for infection prevention interventions during the intraoperative phase from the perspective of operating room nurses, An integrative review
Authors: Markström Ida , Bjerså Kristofer , Lindström Margareta Bachrach- , Frisman Gunilla Hollman , Falk-Brynhildsen Karin
Published: July 2023

Background
Surgical site infections pose a significant threat to patient safety, causing morbidity and mortality. Preventing surgical site infections through infection prevention interventions during surgery is crucial in limiting the risk of contamination from environmental microorganisms or skin flora. In many countries, operating room nurses are responsible for the aseptic environment and the performing of preventive interventions during the intraoperative phase. For patient safety, optimal prerequisites should be present for the operating room nurses’ performance of infection prevention interventions. This integrative review was conducted to explore the prerequisites for operating room nurses to effectively carry out infection prevention interventions during the intraoperative phase.
Method
Whittemore and Knafl´s review method guided this integrative review. The search strategy includes multiple academic databases, backward and forward chaining, and targeted internet searches. The constant comparative method was used to analyse and synthesise data from 17 studies.
Results
This review identified several key factors that affect operating room nurses' ability to perform safe infection prevention interventions. These factors included intrapersonal prerequisites of the operating room nurses, interpersonal prerequisites within the operating room team, external conditions, and both facilitating prerequisites and barriers to implementing evidence-based practice. The intrapersonal category emerges from the subcategories: have control, planning ahead, competency, and occupational stress. The interpersonal category originates from the subcategories: cooperative behaviour and respect. The conditions category emerges from the subcategories: management and communication systems. The evidence-based practice category includes prerequisites for the use of scientific evidence.
Conclusions
This study highlights the need to improve the prerequisites to effectively execute safe preventive infection interventions. The team's lack of commitment to preventing surgical site infections raises concerns for patient safety and leaves operating room nurses feeling disrespected. Operating room nurses should assume leadership responsibilities and be supported by management, with access to necessary prerequisites such as information, education, and sufficient time for preparation and implementation. Regular feedback on infection rates and complications is crucial. The study highlights the significance of well-staffed and familiar teams and the urgency of zero tolerance for abusive behaviour. Resilience is essential for operating room nurses' well-being and optimal patient care.
Anchor Clustering for million-scale immune repertoire sequencing data
Authors: Chang Haiyang , Ashlock Daniel A. , Graether Steffen P. , Keller Stefan M.
Published: July 2023

Background
The clustering of immune repertoire data is challenging due to the computational costs associated with a very large number of pairwise sequence comparisons. To overcome this limitation, we developed Anchor Clustering, an unsupervised clustering method designed to identify similar sequences from millions of antigen receptor gene sequences. First, a Point Packing algorithm is used to identify a set of maximally spaced anchor sequences. Then, the genetic distance of the remaining sequences to all anchor sequences is calculated and transformed into distance vectors. Finally, sequences are clustered using unsupervised clustering. This process is repeated iteratively until the resulting clusters are small enough so that pairwise distance comparisons can be made.
Results
Our results demonstrate that Anchor Clustering is faster than existing pairwise comparison clustering methods while providing similar clustering quality. With its flexible, memory-saving strategy, Anchor Clustering is capable of clustering millions of antigen receptor gene sequences in just a few minutes.
Conclusions
This method enables the meta-analysis of immune-repertoire data from different studies and could contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the immune repertoire data space.
CFD-based numerical simulation and experiments for the optimization of dual-chamber gun muzzle retractor
Authors: Liu Yuhao , QU PU , Li Qiang
Published: July 2023

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
A Case of Biliary Fistula Diagnosed by Sonazoid-enhanced Ultrasonography
Authors: Lei Zhang , Xiaojun Han
Published: July 2023

Our study presents a clinical case encompassing a 69-year-old female patient who received radiotherapy as a therapeutic intervention for an unresectable malignancy affecting the pancreas. Subsequent to an incident involving the dislodgement of the Percutaneous Transhepatic Cholangiography and Drainage (PTCD) tube during the patient's hospitalization, a successful ultrasonography-guided PTCD procedure was performed. Moreover, Sonazoid-enhanced ultrasonography, facilitated through the PTCD tube, was employed to ascertain the presence of a biliary fistula. The fistula was ultimately remedied through the timely implementation of ultrasound-guided abdominal drainage.
Conclusion: Sonazoid contrast-enhanced ultrasonic cholangiography conducted via a PTCD tube offers a convenient and secure modality for visualizing parameters such as fistula length, fistula width, and fractional flow.
Influence of inoculum to substrate ratio and substrates mixing ratio on biogas production from the anaerobic co-digestion of Phragmites australis and food waste
Authors: Al-Iraqi Ahmed Riyadh , Semple Kirk T. , Folkard Andrew M. , Barker Philip A. , Gandhi Bhushan P.
Published: July 2023

This study focused on determining the effect of the inoculum to substrate ratio (ISR) on biogas production efficiency from the anaerobic co-digestion of two substrates: simulated food waste (SFW) and common reeds (Phragmites australis) that were ground and pre-treated using sodium hydroxide at a concentration of 2% to increase access to their cellulose. It also studied the role of different mixing ratios of the two substrates in improving the stability of the digestion process and increasing biogas production. A series of batch tests were carried out under mesophilic conditions using three ratios of ISR: 1:4, 1:2, and 1:1, and five substrate mixing ratios (SFW: pre-treated P. australis): 25:75, 50:50, 75:25, 100:0, and 0:100. The results showed low biogas production at the ISR 1:4, and the reactors suffered from acidification and instability at the different substrates mixing ratios. While the biogas production increased at an ISR of 1:2, where the reactors with the substrate mixing ratio of 75:25 presented the highest biogas production, and the digestion process was stable. However, the reactors with substrate mixing ratios of 50:50, 75:25 and 100:0 suffered from acidification effects at this ISR. In contrast, at ISR of 1:1, the reactors did not expose to acidification inhibition at all the substrates mixing ratios, and the highest biogas production was found at SFW: pre-treated P. australis mixing ratios of 75:25 and 100:0.
High Diet Quality Indices Associated with Lower Risk of Lipid Profile Abnormalities in Taiwanese Kidney Transplant Recipients
Authors: Lin I-Hsin , Duong Tuyen , Nien Shih-Wei , Tseng I-Hsin , Wu Yi-Ming , Chiang Yang-Jen , Wang Hsu-Han , Chiang Chia-Yu , Wang Ming-Hsu , Chiu Chia-hui , Lin Ying-Tsen , Wong Te-Chih
Published: July 2023

Background.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its risk factors seem to be linked with deteriorated graft function and persists as the major cause of mortality in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). Diet quality is associated with CVD prevention in the healthy population, however, less study focuses on KTRs. The study aimed to determine the association between diet quality indices and lipid profile abnormalities as risk factors for CVD in KTRs.
Methods. This prospective study enrolled 106 KTRs who had functioning allografts from September 2016. Lipid profiles included low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), total cholesterol (TC), and triglyceride (TG) and were based on the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III recommendations. Three-day dietary data were collected by a well-trained registered dietitian. The Alternative Healthy Eating Index-Taiwan (AHEI-Taiwan), Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI-2010), and Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) scores were calculated and divided into quartiles and compared accordingly.
Results. KTRs’ mean LDL-C, HDL-C, TC, and TG levels were 119.8 ± 36.6 mg/dL, 52.0 ± 17.9 mg/dL, 205.8 ± 43.9 mg/dL, and 160.2 ± 121.6 mg/dL, respectively. Compared with the lowest quartile, only the highest quartile of AHEI-Taiwan had lower TC and LDL-C levels. After adjustment for age, gender, energy, Charlson comorbidity index, transplant duration, and dialysis duration, logistic regression analysis revealed that the highest quartile of AHEI-Taiwan had 82% (odds ratio [OR], 0.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.04–0.72, p < 0.05) lower odds of high TC and 88% (OR, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.03–0.58, p < 0.05) lower odds of high LDL-C, and the highest quartile of HEI-2015 had 77% (OR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.05–0.95, p < 0.05) lower odds of high LDL-C.
Conclusion. Higher adherence to a healthy diet as per AHEI-Taiwan and HEI-2015 guidelines associated with lower risk of lipid profile abnormalities in KTRs, thus decreasing CVD risk.
A mathematically rigorous algorithm to define, compute and assess relevance of the probable dissociation constant for every reaction of a constrained biochemical network
Authors: Kundu Siddhartha
Published: July 2023

Metabolism is a combination of enzymatic- and non-enzymatic interactions of several macro- and small-molecules and occurs via biochemical networks. Here, we present a mathematically rigorous algorithm to define, compute and assess relevance of the probable dissociation constant for every reaction of a constrained biochemical network. A reaction outcome is forward, reverse or equivalent, and is computed directly from the null space generated subspace of a stoichiometric number matrix of the reactants/products and reactions of the modelled biochemical network. This is accomplished by iteratively and recursively populating a reaction-specific sequence vector with the combinatorial sums of all unique and non-trivial vectors that span each null space generated subspace. After a finite number of iterations the terms of this reaction-specific sequence vector will diverge and belong to the open intervals \(\left(1,\infty \right)\) and/or \(\left(-\infty ,-1\right)\). Statistical and mathematical descriptors (mean, standard deviation, bounds, linear maps, vector norms, tests of convergence) are used to select and bin terms from the reaction-specific sequence vector into distinct subsets for all three predicted outcomes of a reaction. The terms of each outcome-specific subset are summed, mapped to the open interval \(\left(0,\infty \right)\) and used to populate a reaction-specific outcome vector. The p1-norm of this vector is numerically equal to the probable disassociation constant for that reaction. These steps are continued until every reaction of a modelled network is unambiguously annotated. Numerical studies to ascertain the relevance and suitability of the probable dissociation constant as a parameter are accomplished by characterizing a constrained biochemical network of aerobic glycolysis. This is implemented by the R-package “ReDirection” which is freely available and accessible at the comprehensive R archive network (CRAN) with the URL (https://cran.r-project.org/package=ReDirection).
Chlorphenamine Adsorption on Commercial Activated Carbons: Effect of Operating Conditions and Surface Chemistry
Authors: Martinez-Espinoza Jesus Alberto , Leyva-Ramos Roberto , Medina Dora Iliana , Aragón-Piña Antonio , Villela-Martinez Diana Elizabeth , Carrales-Alvarado Damarys Haidee
Published: July 2023

Chlorphenamine (CPA) adsorption onto three activated carbons (ACs), namely, Megapol M (MM), Micro 10 (M10), and GAMA B (GB), was studied in this work. The textural properties, concentrations of active sites, surface charge and point of zero charge of the ACs were assessed. The surface areas (SBET) of MM, GB and M10 were 1107, 812 and 766 m2/g, respectively. The MM surface character was acidic, whereas the surfaces of M10 and GB presented a basic character. The adsorption capacity of MM, M10, and GB towards CPA was studied at pH 7 and 11, and the adsorption capacity decreased in the order MM > M10 ≈ GB, and this trend was ascribed to the magnitude of SBET and the concentration of acidic sites. The solution pH significantly increased the CPA adsorption capacity of MM by raising the solution pH from 5 to 9, and this behavior was attributed to the electrostatic attraction between the negatively charged surface of MM and the cationic species of CPA. The maximum uptake of CPA adsorbed on MM was 574.6 mg/g at pH = 11 and T = 25°C. The adsorption capacity of MM was slightly raised by incrementing the temperature. Lastly, the zeta potential measurements of pristine MM and MM saturated with CPA confirmed that the electrostatic attraction predominated in the pH range of 5–9, and the π-π stacking interactions were the principal mechanism of CPA adsorption on MM at pH 11.
Association of muscle strength and physical performance with the health-related quality of life of women with breast cancer
Authors: Vieira Mariana de Souza , Mamede Vanusa Felício de Souza , Bernabé Rayne de Almeida Marques , Santos Thalita Gonçalves , Silva Larissa Leopoldino da , Machado Janine Martins , Marques-Rocha Jose Luiz , Guandalini Valdete Regina
Published: July 2023

Purpose
To investigate the association of sarcopenia components with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and its domains in women with breast cancer.
Methods
Cross-sectional study on women (30 to 80 years old) with breast cancer, with diagnosis time ≤ 12 months, without metastasis, who had not been treated for another malignancy, and without recurrences. Muscle strength, muscle mass, and physical performance were investigated by handgrip strength (HGS), appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMMI), and Timed Up-and-Go test (TUGT), respectively. HRQoL and its domains were assessed using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality-of-Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) and Breast Cancer-specific Core 23 (EORTC QLQ-BR23) instruments. Multiple linear regression models were conducted to verify the association between exposure and outcome variables. The significance level adopted was 5%.
Results
The final sample consisted of 114 women with a mean age of 55.2 ± 11.3 years. Of these, 65.8% declared themselves to be black or brown, 43.9% and 73.7% did not consume alcohol or smoke, respectively, and 70.2% were insufficiently active. For the EORTC QLQ-C30, HGS was associated with cognitive function (p = 0.047) and appetite loss (p = 0.012), while TUGT was associated with overall health (p = 0.005) and functional scale (p = 0.002). HGS and TUGT were associated with the breast cancer-specific symptoms scale (p = 0.017 and p = 0.008, respectively) of the EORTC QLQ-BR23.
Conclusion
Muscle strength and physical performance are associated with HRQoL domains in women with breast cancer.
Effects of doxycycline on atrial electrical remodeling in a rat model of atrial fibrillation
Authors: Zhang Kai , Ma Jingxia , Ma Zuowang , Yang Yu , Li Guangping
Published: July 2023

Purpose
Previous studies showed that doxycycline (Dox), a matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor, can attenuate chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH)-induced atrial fibrosis in our rats. On this basis, we further investigated the effects of Dox on CIH-induced atrial electrical remodeling in rats.
Methods
Rats were randomized into 3 groups: Control group, CIH group, and CIH with Dox treatment (CIH-D) group (n = 30). CIH and CIH-D rats were subjected to CIH 8 h/d for 6 weeks. After collecting the basic parameters of the rats, atrial fibrillation (AF) inducibility, conduction inhomogeneity, and epicardial conduction velocity were examined by vitro cardiac electrophysiology experiments. The expression levels of ion channel subunits in atrium were detected by Western blotting. Whole-cell patch clamp experiments were used to recorded action potential (AP), INa, ICa−L, Ito, and the kinetic parameters.
Results
Compared to the Control rats, CIH rats showed increased AF inducibility, conduction inhomogeneity, and expression levels of p-RyR2, p-CaMKII, Kv11.1, Kir2.3, KCa3.1, while the epicardial conduction velocity, ICa−L, Ito, and expression levels of Cav1.2, Kv1.5, Kv4.3 were decreased. Dox-treatment significantly improved the expression levels of Kv1.5, Kv4.3 and Kir2.3 in CIH-D rats.
Conclusion
CIH caused atrial electrical remodeling in our rats, which was improved by Dox treatment. These changes indicated the potential effects of Dox in AF.
Lightning Cat: A Deep Learning-based Solution for Smart Contracts Vulnerability Detection
Authors: Tang Xueyan , Du Yuying , Lai Alan , Zhang Ze , Shi Lingzhi
Published: July 2023

This paper aims to explore the application of deep learning in smart contract vulnerabilities detection. Smart contracts are an essential part of blockchain technology and are crucial for developing decentralized applications. However, smart contract vulnerabilities can cause financial losses and system crashes. Static analysis tools are frequently used to detect vulnerabilities in smart contracts, but they often result in false positives and false negatives because of their high reliance on predefined rules and lack of semantic analysis capabilities. Furthermore, these predefined rules quickly become obsolete and fail to adapt or generalize to new data. In contrast, deep learning methods do not require predefined detection rules and can learn the features of vulnerabilities during the training process.In this paper, we introduce a solution called Lighting Cat which is based on deep learning techniques. We trained three deep learning models for detecting vulnerabilities in smart contract: Optimized-CodeBERT, Optimized-LSTM, and Optimized-CNN. To precisely extract vulnerability features, we acquired segments of vulnerable code functions to retain critical vulnerability features. Using the CodeBERT pre-training model for data preprocessing, we could capture the syntax and semantics of the code more accurately, thereby enhancing the performance of vulnerabilities detection. This is particularly significant in the inspection of Solidity Code.To demonstrate the feasibility of our proposed solution, we evaluated its performance using the SolidiFI-benchmark dataset, which consists of 9369 vulnerable contracts injected with vulnerabilities from seven different types. Experimental results showed that, among the Lighting Cat we proposed, Optimized-CodeBERT model surpassed other methods, achieving an f1-score of 93.53%.
Spatially resolved dynamic longitudinal relaxometry in single-sided NMR
Authors: Milana Franco A. , Velasco Manuel I. , Monti Gustavo A. , Acosta Rodolfo H.
Published: July 2023

Relaxation in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), both transverse and longitudinal, provide information on microscopic features of a wide variety of systems and may be used to monitor dynamic processes such as cementation, chemical reactions, gelatinization, and evaporation. Dynamic relaxometry, in combination with spatial resolution, is a useful technique that provides deep insight into complex systems evolution. In this work, we explore the range of applicability of single-sided NMR to determine the evaporation kinetics of fluid from porous media. We show that, due to technical experimental restrictions, the determination of the time-dependent amount of fluid in different voids as a function of the position is in general not feasible with transverse relaxation experiments. However, as opposed to common intuition, longitudinal relaxation experiments provide reliable and fast acquisition, compatible with the requirements needed to monitor a water evaporation process from a model oil-reservoir rock sample.
NK cells are critical for in vivo control of SARS-CoV-2 replication and suppression of lung damage
Authors: Reeves R. Keith , Balachandran Hari , Kroll Kyle , Terry Karen , Manickam Cordelia , Jones Rhianna , Woolley Griffin , Hayes Tammy , Martinot Amanda , Sharma Ankur , Lewis Mark , Jost Stephanie
Published: July 2023

Natural killer (NK) cells play a critical role in virus control. However, it has remained largely unclear whether NK cell mobilization in SARS-CoV-2 infections is beneficial or pathologic. To address this deficit, we employed a validated experimental NK cell depletion non-human primate (NHP) model with SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant B.1.617.2 challenge. Viral loads (VL), NK cell numbers, activation, proliferation, and functional measures were evaluated in blood and tissues. In non-depleted (control) animals, infection rapidly induced NK cell expansion, activation, and increased tissue trafficking associated with VL. Strikingly, we report that experimental NK cell depletion leads to higher VL, longer duration of viremia, significantly increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the lungs, and overt lung damage. Overall, we find the first significant and conclusive evidence for NK cell-mediated control of SARS-CoV-2 virus replication and disease pathology. These data indicate that adjunct therapies for infection could largely benefit from NK cell-targeted approaches.
Experimental study on the effect of temperature-alkali interaction on the shear strength of compacted bentonite
Authors: Xiang Guosheng , Fu Wenqing , Zhou Yinkang , Bian Yunfei
Published: July 2023

The influence of temperature and alkali solutions on shear strength were investigated by conducting undrained direct shear tests on compacted bentonite in a simulated thermal alkali environment. The micro-level changes in bentonite under thermal alkali conditions were analyzed using SEM tests. The study found that an increase in the concentration of alkali solution and temperature led to an improvement in the peak shear strength of bentonite and a delay in the corresponding peak shear displacement. An increase in the concentration of alkali solution also resulted in an improvement in the cohesion and internal friction angle of bentonite. Under the same conditions, the formation of K-linkage and cation exchange resulted in a stronger enhancement of the shear resistance of bentonite in KOH solution compared to NaOH solution. Furthermore, an increase in temperature caused interlayer dehydration under the same conditions, leading to shrinkage of the crystal layer. This strengthened the skeleton and promoted alkali erosion, increasing porosity and promoting the reaction between K + and bentonite, thus enhancing the shear strength of the specimen.
Work from Home and Time Allocation*
Authors: Okubo Toshihiro
Published: July 2023

This paper investigates the impact of remote work (work from home, WFH) on time use for work, housework, leisure, and sleep in daily life. We use time-use survey data for Japan. We find that WFH tends to reduce working hours. By WFH, females tend to spend more time on housework, while males tend to devote more time to leisure. However, WFH involves heterogeneous impacts on time reallocation among different groups. For instance, for single males, there is no substantial impact of WFH on time allocation, whereas single females tend to allocate less time to work and more time to leisure than married females (e.g., relaxing in the afternoon and watching TV late at night). However, WFH allows married females, as well as males with a child, to increase childcare hours, thereby allowing males to devote more time to childcare. This will change traditional gender roles in Japan.
JEL: J22
Mathematical model for dynamic interaction between tumor, immune system, and combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy based on experimental data
Authors: Elkaranshawy Hesham A. , Hellal Hoda A.
Published: July 2023

In this paper, a mathematical model is constructed to simulate the interaction between tumor, therapy, and immune cells. The therapy could be radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or a combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The model is designed to simulate an experiment designed to test the ability of therapeutic compounds to overcome radiation resistance. The chemotherapeutic drug used was vinblastine. The model starts with a logistic model for tumor growth which is extended to include the effect of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Parameters of the model have been obtained in each stage by fitting the model with the corresponding experimental data. The effect of body immune system is not included in the utilized experiment since it has not been performed in vivo. To overcome this weakness, the mathematical model for combined therapy is extended to include the immune cells. The simulation of the ultimate model illustrates that, for some cases, neither radiotherapy nor chemotherapy alone is sufficient to eliminate tumor, but the combined therapy can. The constructed model gives an insight to the cited experiment, highlights some shadow sites of it, and extend its applicability onto vivo. The model can be used in predicting the most effective treatment intervention strategies.