bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Revisão Bibliográfica sobre Tecnologias de Reconhecimento de Voz
Authors: Reis Oliveira Gustavo , Costa Renata Luiza da
Published: March 2021

Este texto apresenta resultados de projeto de pesquisa de iniciação científica sobre tecnologias de reconhecimento de voz. Sabe-se que o reconhecimento de voz é usado em diversas aplicações a partir de comandos de voz. Apesar da diversidade de aplicações, o reconhecimento de voz enfrenta problemas de ineficiência em função de fonemas semelhantes, tom de voz, etc. Nesse sentido, torna-se importante fazer uma revisão de literatura aprofundada sobre o tema visando formular outras pesquisas de desenvolvimento tecnológico para tal área. Assim, este texto descreve pesquisa bibliográfica sobre o reconhecimento de voz.
Utilização da Técnica Jun-Cao para o Cultivo de Cogumelos Comestíveis no Brasil
Authors: Ferreira David Garcia , Barroca de Almeida Neto Onofre , Assunção Laélia Soares
Published: March 2021

O objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar resultados de projeto de desenvolvimento para a produção de cogumelos comestíveis e medicinais através de adaptação da Técnica Jun-Cao. No experimento, cepas dos cogumelos obtidas da Embrapa Brasília foram repicadas e semeadas em substrato de baixo custo e fácil aquisição desenvolvido especialmente para produzir cogumelos do gênero Pleurotus (shimeji branco, salmão, erygii). A repicagem utilizou o meio de cultura BDA (batata-dextroxe-ágar), sendo inoculados grãos de sorgo enriquecido com gesso agrícola para obter a matriz secundária, que serviu de veículo onde posteriormente inoculou-se o substrato de cultivo. Como substrato de produção utilizou-se gramínea grama-batatais (Paspalum notatum), com duas formulações, F1 com 78% grama, 20% farelo de trigo e 2% calcário; e F2 com 98% grama e 2% calcário. Acrescentou água até umidade de 65%, e transferiu-se para recipientes de polipropileno, autoclavados a 121°C por 2 horas. Após o resfriamento inoculou-se e incubou-se por 30 dias em temperatura ambiente, sendo os sacos abertos e transferidos para estufa com 80% a 90% de umidade do ar e temperatura ambiente para indução dos basidiomas. Fez-se 3 colheitas quando o chapéu do cogumelo estava levemente virado para baixo. Obteve-se produção para F1 de 203,6 g/kg s.u e para F2 de 111,71 g/kg s.u. Para disseminação da técnica Jun-Cao criou-se um grupo no facebook com 370 seguidores, elaborou-se e distribui-se aos estudantes e produtores rurais uma cartilha sobre produção, comercialização e benefícios de cogumelos gênero Pleurotus, além de duas oficinas com participação de 55 pessoas, onde distribuiu-se kits para produção.
Holocene Hydroclimate in the Southeastern United States During Abrupt Climate Events: Evidence From New Speleothem Isotopic Records From Alabama
Authors: Medina-Elizalde Martin , Perritano Stefan , DeCesare Matthew , Polanco-Martinez Josué , Serrato-Marks Gabriela , McGee David , Lases-Hernandez Fernanda
Published: March 2021

We present new high-resolution absolute-dated stalagmite δ18O and δ13C records from the southeastern United States (SE US) spanning the last 12 thousand years (ka). A local relationship between annual rainfall amount and its amount-weighed δ18O composition exists on interannual timescales, driven mostly by an amount effect during summer and spring seasons, and by an isotopically depleted composition of fall and winter precipitation. Based on a novel interpretation of modern rainfall isotopic data, stalagmite δ18O variability is interpreted to reflect the relative contribution of summer and spring precipitation combined relative to combined fall and winter precipitation. Precipitation amount in the SE US increases during the Younger Dryas, the 8.2 ka and Little Ice Age abrupt cooling events. High precipitation during these events reflects enhancement of spring and summer precipitation while the contribution of fall and winter rainfall remained unchanged or decreased slightly. Results from this study support model simulation results that suggest increased precipitation in the SE US during Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) slowdown/shutdown (LeGrande et al., 2006; Renssen et al., 2002; Vellinga and Wood, 2002). In association with Northern Hemisphere mid-latitude cooling from the Early to mid-Holocene, annual precipitation in the SE US decreases, a pattern distinctive from that observed during abrupt cooling events related to AMOC shifts. Long-term hydroclimate change in the SE US is likely sensitive to summer insolation reduction as inferred for other tropical and subtropical regions. This study has implications for our understanding of the sensitivity of subtropical hydroclimate to factors both internal and external to the climate system in a warmer climate.
Short-Term Hydro Generation Scheduling Of The Three Gorges Hydropower Station Using Improver Binary-coded Whale Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Yang Kun , Yang Kan
Published: March 2021

An improved binary-coded whale optimization algorithm (IBWOA) is proposed to solve the complex nonlinear problem of short-term hydropower generation scheduling (STHGS). The spatial optimal load distribution is combined with the temporal unit commitment combination model, and the binary array is used to represent the start/stop state of the unit. Sigmoid Function (SF) is used to solve the correspondence between binary array and real number. The whale algorithm's search mechanism is optimized, and the inertia weight and perturbation variation strategy are introduced to improve the algorithm's optimization ability. The unit commitment (UC) subproblem was solved by repairing the minimum uptime/downtime constraint and the spinning reserve capacity constraint, and the economic load scheduling (ELD) subproblem was solved by an optimal stable load distribution table (OSLDT). The Mutation mechanism and the Locally balanced dynamic search mechanism compensate for the non-convex problems caused by start-stop constraints and stable optimal table methods. The proposal is applied to solve the STHGS of the Three Gorges hydropower station. The results show that the method has good convergence, stability, fast calculation speed, and high optimization accuracy.
Evaluating the Hole Quality Produced by Vibratory Drilling: Additive Manufactured PLA+
Authors: Baraheni Mohammad , Shabgard Mohammad Reza , Amini Saeid
Published: March 2021

Improving the surface quality of additive manufactured parts like poly lactic acid (+) is an important study that is currently being carried out by researchers. To reach the high quality, different conventional and non-conventional methods are applied. In this study, the capability of ultrasonic vibration in drilling of an additive manufactured poly lactic acid (+)was examined. The process was implemented in two methods: conventional and vibratory drilling. Then, thrust force and chip type were analyzed and the effect of them on surface roughness, delamination, circularity, and cylindricality have been investigated. As a result, it was indicated that lower thrust force and broken chips, which were generated in ultrasonic drilling, caused the surface quality parameters to be improved compared to the conventional method.
A Novel Organometallic Rhenium Salt: DNA-Binding and Cytotoxicity Studies on Pancreatic, Breast and Lymphoma Cancers
Authors: Krauss Christopher C. , Varisli Birsen Y. , Winstead Angela J. , Wilder Paul T. , Weber David J. , Sarkar Fazlul H. , Zhang Yongchao , Abebe Fasil A. , Ghimire Sujan , McCarthy Pumtiwitt C. , Pramanik Saroj K , Ho Douglas M. , Johnston Kayla , Banerjee Hirendra N , Mandal Santosh K
Published: March 2021

DNA-binding studies of a variety of rhenium(I) tricarbonyl complexes are known. Primarily the rhenium complexes bind to DNA through intercalation or minor groove or both. We synthesized a novel organometallic salt of the type, [Re(µ-H)Re]+[Re(µ-OR)3Re]-. The UV-vis and emission spectroscopic titrations and viscosity studies indicate that the salt binds to DNA through partial intercalation. A variety of mono-, di-, and trinuclear rhenium(I) carbonyl complexes are known to exhibit cytotoxicity against numerous cancer cell lines. Examples of the cytotoxicity of tetranuclear rhenium (I) tricarbonyl complexes are rare. We have found that the tetranuclear, novel organometallic salt is highly potent on numerous cancer cells. The IC50 values (concentrations required to induce 50% cell deaths) are 0.220 µM on BxPC-3 pancreatic cancer cells, 0.298 µM on estrogen receptor positive MCF-7 breast cancer cells, 0.948 µM on triple negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, and 0.300 µM on U-937 lymphoma cells.
Analysis increase in the efficiency of a-Si: H solar cell due to the addition of an intrinsic layer to the p-i-n structure by ellipsometric spectroscopy
Authors: PRAYOGI SONI , Cahyono Yoyok , D Darminto
Published: March 2021

Backround:

In this study, we report for the first time that the addition of an intrinsic layer to the a-Si: H p-i-n solar cell structure greatly enhances the conversion efficiency. The a-Si: H p-i-n solar cells were grown using Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) techniques on the Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) substrate and added an intrinsic layer with the p-i1-i2-n structure in order to prevent sunlight energy from being absorbed the first intrinsic layer can be absorbed by the second intrinsic layer.
Result

The a-Si: H p-i-n and p-i1-i2-n solar cells were characterized including optical properties, electrical properties, surface morphology, thickness, band-gap using Ellipsometric Spectroscopy (ES). Furthermore, from the optical constant and thin film thickness, the reflectance and transmittance of each sample were obtained. The p-i-n and p-i1-i2-n samples show good transparency in the infrared region and this transparency decreases in the visible light region shows an interference pattern with a sharp decrease in transmission at the absorption edge and the performance of solar cells (curve I-V) measured by use sun simulator and sunshine.
Conclussion:

Our results show that there is a very good increase in the efficiency of the a-Si: H p-i1-i2-n solar cells by 58.6% of the original p-i-n structure.
Large Negative Dispersion in Photonic Crystal Fiber by Applying Gold Nanoparticles in Square Cladding
Authors: Khoobjou Elham , Khalesi Hassan , Ghods Vahid
Published: March 2021

In this paper, a new structure of photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) with large negative dispersion is presented in order to compensate the positive dispersion at a wavelength of 1.55 μm. The proposed PCF has square lattice structure. In the basic structure of the cladding, it consists of four square rings, so that each ring has a number of circular holes. In the final proposed structure, the two inner rings of the cladding are reshaped relative to the two outer rings. The first inner ring near the core has stellar shaped holes with gold nanoparticles in its center, and the second inner ring has circular holes with a smaller diameter than the two outer rings. The base material of this fiber is silica. The use of stellar shaped holes with gold nanoparticles cores causes a large amount of negative dispersion, which compensates the positive dispersion. Simulation results show that the minimum dispersion is -4593 ps/(nm.km) at a wavelength of 1.55 μm which bring a significant improvement compared to other similar references.
Identification of the Airspace Affected by the Presence of Volcanic Ash by Processing Satellite Images, Case Study: Popocatepétl Volcano Area
Authors: Jiménez-Escalona José Carlos , Aparicio-García Ramon S. , Roberge Julie , Ávila-Razo José Eduardo , Poom-Medina José Luis , Huerta-Cháves Oliver Marcel
Published: March 2021

A volcanic eruption can affect large areas of the atmosphere around the volcano. Commercial aviation uses these zones the airspace as a navigation zone. Encountering these ash clouds can cause severe damage to different parts of the aircraft, mainly the engines. This work aims to generate a predictive tool based on the frequency of affectation of the airspace areas around a volcano with eruptive activity, taking the Popocatépetl volcano as a case study. Was carried temporal wind analysis at different atmosphere levels to identifying direction towards which wind disperses ash in year months. This information shown two representative seasons in the direction of dispersion: the first from November to May and the second from July to September, taking into account that June and October are transitional months and therefore do not present a predominant direction. To identify the ash cloud and estimate its area, a set of MODIS images was compiled that recorded the activity in the period 2000-2014. These satellite images were subjected to a semi-automatic digital pre-processing of binarization by thresholds according to the level of the Brightness Temperature Difference between band 31 and band 32, followed by manual evaluation of each binarized image. The result of those above pre-processing was a set of pixels with spatial (longitude and latitude) and temporal (date) description, from which the history of the areas affected by ash permanence was obtained. Additionally, a set of pixels evaluated and labeled in table form could be used as training data for future artificial intelligence applications to automatically detect and discriminate ash clouds.
Tuberculosis and Its Predictors in Pakistani Population Transmission Dynamics and Drug Resistance of Mycobacterium
Authors: Zhang Fengmin , Jabeen Sadia , Fu Yingmei , Hussain Sajjad , Tahseen Sabira , Qadir Syed Mehmood , Prakash Om
Published: March 2021

Drug resistance in tuberculosis (TB) is biggest growing global health concern affecting 10 million people globally with 1.2 million deaths recently. TB is a highly contagious disease predominant infecting lungs. Inappropriate health care management system poor implementation on standard remains some reasons contributing to antimicrobial resistance. Therefore, in the present context two types of tuberculosis are identified, in which the mycobacterium is resistant to isoniazid and rifampicin called as multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and the other one is known as XDR-TB in which along with isoniazid and rifampin, resistance to at least one fluoroquinolone drug family and any of the second line drugs like amikacin, capreomycin, kanamycin occurs. There is a need of collecting data for frequency of occurrence of these resistant varieties for proper control and management of the disease. Thus, the current study focused on transmission dynamics and status of occurrence of drug resistance of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis in Pakistani population. The occurrence of TB bacteria in the patients of Pakistani population was tested by all three types of diagnostic methods. Smear sputum test, genetic profiling by GeneXpert test and drug susceptibility test by cultural growth on solid and liquid media was performed. The results showed that smear test of 72.9% patient were tested positive, while MTBC complex was detected in 100% patients with a variable bacterial load. The cultural growth on liquid media 83.2% while 16.8% were contaminated strains. However, in solid media 60.4% population growth was detected with 21.9% contamination. The Pakistani population was resistant against RIF is large majority while XDR and MDR resistance are not quit significant. A large number of antibiotics showed appreciable effectiveness against tuberculosis where amikacin was the most effective with Ethambutol, Pyrazinamide, Levofloxacin, Streptomycin, Kanamycin and Oxfloxacin being effective in decreasing order.
Application of Soft Computing Approach in Seven-segment Display Hardware as Applied to Business Strategies
Authors: Abrol Ajay , Sarwar Abid
Published: March 2021

In this work, an attempt has been made to apply MBP, ANN approach to the hardware comprising twenty-four-seven segments to recognize composed data and apply the network for displaying current/ updated contents for various business strategies or display activities. Randomization has been applied for composing messages using binary bits for numbers or alphabets. Digits and numerals presented for designs are: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, b, C, d, E, F, H, I, J, L, n, o, P, r S, U, y, Z. A total of 500 messages have been composed in this work. 66 % of the messages have been used in training, 30% in testing, and 4% for validation. The mean value of RMSE obtained at a learning rate of 0.3 and different values of momentum for training, testing and validation are 0.04672, 0.26201, and 0.212219 respectively with 211992 epochs. The mean value of RMSE obtained at different learning rates and 0.7 as the value of momentum for training, testing and validation are 0.11473, 0.27439, and 0.260156 respectively with 119802 epochs. Error with 0.3 learning rate and different values of momentum has been lesser compared with when 0.7 value of momentum and different learning rates. The further author recommends recognizing the unseen patterns using the validation in the adopted approach. A trained network can be applied to directly display composed/updated messages as per strategy.
UniverSC: a flexible cross-platform single-cell data processing pipeline
Authors: Kelly S. , Battenberg Kai , Hetherington Nicola , Hayashi Makoto , Minoda Aki
Published: March 2021

Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis to quantify RNA molecules in individual cells has become popular owing to the large amount of information one can obtain from each experiment. We have developed UniverSC (https://github.com/minoda-lab/universc), a universal single-cell processing tool that supports any UMI-based platform. Our command-line tool enables consistent and comprehensive integration, comparison, and evaluation across data generated from a wide range of platforms.
Experimental study on the aeolian sands solidification via MICP technique
Authors: Zhou Y.J. , Wang Hongtao
Published: March 2021

This study solidifies the aeolian sand by microbial induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) technique. The effects of cementation solution with different concentrations, particle size, and grouting batches are examined via the bender element, unconfined compressive test and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The bender element results show that the wave speed of loose aeolian sand is 200m/s; however, after solidify the aeolian sand, the speed of P-wave is about 450-600m/s and S-wave is about 350-500m/s. Additionally, the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) results indicate that when the concentration of cementation solution is 0.75mol/L, the UCS of bio-solidified sand sample is the highest. Then, compared with the aeolian sand with original grade, the particles ranging from 0.1-0.4mm have a better cementation effect. Moreover, the UCS of bio-solidified sand samples increases along with the grouting batch. From the SEM images, it can be seen that when the grouting batch reaches to five times, the particles are almost completely covered by CaCO 3 crystals compared with the three batches and four batches.
Bioprocess optimisation for high cell density endoinulinase production from recombinant Aspergillus niger
Authors: Maumela Pfariso , Rose Shaunita , Rensburg Eugene van , Chimphango Annie , Gorgens Johann
Published: March 2021

Endoinulinases gene was expressed in recombinant Aspergillus niger for selective and high-level expression using an exponential fed-batch fermentation. The effects of the growth rate (µ), glucose feed concentration, nitrogen concentration and fungal morphology, on enzyme production were evaluated. A recombinant endoinulinases with a molecular weight of 66 KDa was secreted. Endoinulinases production was growth associated at µ> 0.04 h -1 , which is characteristic of the constitutive gpd promoter used for the enzyme production. The highest volumetric activity (670 U/ml) was achieved at a growth rate of 93% of µ max (0.07 h -1 ), while enzyme activity (506 U/ml) and biomass substrate yield (0.043 g biomassDW /g glucose ) significantly decreased at low µ (0.04 h -1 ). Increasing the feed concentration resulted in high biomass concentrations and viscosity, which necessitated high agitation for improved mixing and oxygen. However, the high agitation and low DO levels (ca. 8% of saturation) led to pellet disruption and growth in mycelial morphology. Enzyme production profiles, product (Y p/s ) and biomass (Y x/s ) yield coefficients were not affected by feed concentration and morphological change. The gradual increase in the concentration of nitrogen sources showed that, a nitrogen limited culture was not suitable for endoinulinases production in recombinant A. niger. Moreover, the increase in enzyme volumetric activity was still directly related to an increase in biomass concentration. An increase in nitrogen concentration, from 3.8 to 12 g/L, resulted in volumetric activity increase from 393 to 670 U/ml, but the Y p/s (10053 U/g glucose ) and Y x/s (0.049 g biomasDWs /g glucose ) did not significantly change. The data demonstrated the potential of recombinant A. niger and high cell density fermentation for the development of largescale endoinulinases production system.
Automated detection of sacroiliitis on plain radiograph using EfficientDet algorithm in young patients with back pain: a pilot study
Authors: Noh Sung Hyun , An Chansik , Kim Dain , Lee Seung Hyun , Chang Min-Yung , Oh Hyun Cheol
Published: March 2021

Background

A computer algorithm that automatically detects sacroiliac joint abnormalities on plain radiograph would help radiologists avoid missing sacroiliitis. This study aimed to develop and validate a deep learning model to detect and diagnose sacroiliitis on plain radiograph in young patients with low back pain.
Methods

This Institutional Review Board-approved retrospective study included 478 and 468 plain radiographs from 241 and 433 young (< 40 years) patients who complained of low back pain with and without ankylosing spondylitis, respectively. They were randomly split into training and test datasets with a ratio of 8:2. Radiologists reviewed the images and labeled the coordinates of a bounding box and determined the presence or absence of sacroiliitis for each sacroiliac joint. We fine-tined and optimized the EfficientDet-D4 object detection model pre-trained on the COCO 2107 dataset on the training dataset and validated the final model on the test dataset.
Results

The mean average precision, an evaluation metric for object detection accuracy, was 0.918 at 0.5 intersection over union. In the diagnosis of sacroiliitis, the area under the curve, sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and F1-score were 0.932 (95% confidence interval, 0.903–0.961), 96.9% (92.9–99.0), 86.8% (81.5–90.9), 91.1% (87.7–93.7), and 90.2% (85.0–93.9), respectively.
Conclusions

The EfficientDet, a deep learning-based object detection algorithm, could be used to automatically diagnose sacroiliitis on plain radiograph.
Deterministic Approach for Calculation of Carbon Footprint for Cement Plants in India
Authors: shrivastava amit Kumar , Vashishth Aman , Jayant2 Bhagya
Published: March 2021

Estimating cement process emissions through an industry’s dataset has more often if not always been majorly based on strong assumptions. India being the second largest producer of cement across the globe next only to China, lags in providing accurate estimates of its official time-series to UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change).Present study has been undertaken to lay out a deterministic approach for calculation of carbon footprint for any Indian Cement Plant using the customized design methodology. Modelling of which is done by referring to and prioritizing various companies’ official data, emission factors, and cement protocols. The framework aligns itself to Greenhouse Gas Protocol and Cement Sector Emissions Calculation Tool: Indian Version 1.0 (July 2005) and CO2 Accounting and Reporting Standard for the Cement Industry, The Cement CO2 Protocol, Version 2.0 (Cement Sustainability Initiative, June 2005). It aims to provide a more reliable source for estimation of greenhouse gas - CO2 emissions in any cement processing plant of India.
Testosterone recovery after androgen deprivation therapy in prostate cancer: building a predictive model
Authors: Borque-Fernando Ángel , Estrada-Domínguez Fernando , Esteban Luis Mariano , Sanz Gerardo , Gil-Sanz María Jesús
Published: March 2021

Purpose: To analyze variability, associated factors, and the design of nomograms for individualized testosterone recovery after androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) withdrawal.Methods: A longitudinal study was performed on 208 patients in 2003-2019 period. The castrate and normogonadic levels were defined as testosterone, 0.50 and 3.50 ng/ml respectively. Cumulative incidence curve describes testosterone recovery. A univariate and multivariate analysis was performed to predict testosterone recovery with the candidate prognostic factors: PSA at diagnosis, Clinical stage, biopsy Gleason score, age at cessation of ADT, duration of ADT, primary therapy for patients, and LHRH agonist. Results: The median follow­up of the study was 80 months, interquartile range (49,99). The 25% and 81% of patients did not recover the castrate and normogonadic level, respectively. Months of ADT and age at ADT withdrawal were significant predictors for testosterone recovery. We built two nomograms of testosterone estimation recovery at 12, 24, 36 and 60 months. The castration recovery model shows good calibration. The c-index was 0.677, with areas under the ROC­curve (AUC) of 0.74, 0.78, 0.78 and 0.78, at 12, 24, 36 and 60 months, respectively. The normogonadic recovery model had an overestimation of high probabilities. The c­index was 0.683, with AUC values of 0.81, 0.71, 0.71 and 0.70 at 12, 24, 36 and 60 months, respectively.Conclusion: Depending on the age of patients and time of treatment, clinicians can discontinue ADT to maintain castrate levels without treatment with enough confidence, or even recover testosterone to normogonadic levels in short courses of treatment with high probabilities.
The Rate of Regeneration of Native Plant Species After Eradication of Invasive Alien Plant Species (Acacia Decurrens Willd.) in the Limpopo Province, South Africa.
Authors: Mbedzi Melford , Tshisikhawe Milingoni Peter , Rahlao Sebataolo , Sinthumule Innocent Ndidzulafhi
Published: March 2021

Riparian invasive alien plants are known to compete with native plant species for water, space, daylight, and different other resources by decreasing structural diversity of native vegetation and subsequently changing the functioning of the ecosystem. The aim of this study was to investigate the rate of native plant species recolonization after the eradication of A. decurrens. The investigation was done in the Waterberg District Municipality, Limpopo Province in a farm, which is highly infested with A. decurrens. Twenty-four permanent plots of 10 m x 10 m were constructed and the A. decurrens individuals in the plots were removed and the area was monitored for a period of 2 years. The size of quadrats was based on the size and distribution of the invasive alien plants which develop in an aggregated form and have exceptionally small canopies.
Synthesis and characterization of silver doped magnetic-nanoclay montmorillonite/iron oxide/silver nanocomposite for environmental applications throught effective dye degradation
Authors: Acar Musa Kazim , Altun Türkan , Gubbuk Ilkay Hilal
Published: March 2021

Magnetic-nanoclay montmorillonite/iron oxide (MMT/Fe 3 O 4 ) nanocomposite was prepared by co-precipitation method and montmorillonite/iron oxide/silver (MMT/Fe 3 O 4 /Ag) nanocomposite was synthesized, called as chemical reduction method, by reduction of silver nitrate (AgNO 3 ) salt with sodium borohydride (NaBH 4 ) as reducing agent. These nanocomposites were characterized by Branuer-Emmet-Teller Surface Area and Porosity Dimension (BET), X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrum (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM). Subsequently, MMT/Fe 3 O 4 /Ag was used in degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) in the presence of NaBH 4 to evaluate catalytic activity of its and consequences were monitored using UV-Visible Spektrofotometer (UV-Vis). Moreover, various parameters including pH, catalyst dosage, initial dye concentration and amount of NaBH 4 were investigated for optimum reaction conditions. The reduction reactions followed pseudo-first order kinetics and complete degradation of RhB were achieved in 8 minutes using MMT/Fe 3 O 4 /Ag as catalysts while degradation of %46 of RhB were achieved in 60 minutes using MMT/Fe 3 O 4 .
Identification of GDF15 as A Pro-Fibrotic Factor in Mouse Liver Fibrosis Progression
Authors: Qi Peng , Ma Ming-Ze , Kuai Jing-Hua
Published: March 2021

Aim:To elucidate the inhibitory role of growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) in liver fibrosis and its possible activation mechanism in hepatic stellate cells of mice.Methods:We generated a GDF15-neutralizing antibody that can inhibit TGF-β1-induced activation of the TGF-β/Smad2/3 pathway in LX-2 cells. All the mice in this study were induced by carbon tetrachloride and thioacetamide. In addition, primary hepatic stellate cells from mice were isolated from fresh livers using Nycodenz density gradient separation. The severity and extent of liver fibrosis in mice were evaluated by Sirius Red and Masson staining. The effect of GDF15 on the activation of the TGF-β pathway was detected using dual-luciferase reporter assays and Western blotting assays.Results:The expression of GDF15 in cirrhotic liver tissue was higher than that in normal liver tissue. Blocking GDF15 with a neutralizing antibody resulted in a delay in primary hepatic stellate cell activation and remission of liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride or thioacetamide. Meanwhile, TGF-β pathway activation was partly inhibited by a GDF15-neutralizing antibody in primary hepatic stellate cells. These results indicated that GDF15 plays an important role in regulating HSC activation and liver fibrosis progression.Conclusions:The inhibition of GDF15 attenuates chemical-inducible liver fibrosis and delays hepatic stellate cell activation, and this effect is probably mainly attributed to its regulatory role in TGF-β signalling.
Evaluation of Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in the PET Bottled Mineral Water of Different Brands and Impact of Heat by GC-MS/MS
Authors: Bhardwaj Laxmi Kant , Sharma Archana
Published: March 2021

Phthalates are one of the ubiquitous contaminants in the environment due to the extensive use in the last few years. They are easily released because they are not chemically bonded to polymers. They migrate into the food during food packing while in water, they migrate during water filling or storage and bottle manufacturing. They are toxic to human health and known as carcinogen/ endocrine disruptors. A total of sixty PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottled mineral water samples of different six brands were purchased from the local market of Noida, India. These bottles were of two different batch numbers of each brand. Two bottles of each brand with a different batch number were analyzed immediately after purchase while the other eight bottles were analyzed after two and six months when they were stored in sunlight (~ 45 o C) and - 20 o C. The aim of the present study was to determine the migration of DEHP and its impact on storage conditions of PET bottled mineral water in retail stores or homes. We used a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) for the estimation of DEHP in these samples. We observed that the migration of DEHP was dependent on high temperature and storage time. DEHP was present only in those samples, which were stored in sunlight for two & six months and at - 20 o C for six months. While found below the detection limit in those samples which were analyzed immediately after purchase and stored at - 20 o C for two months.
Simulation, Fabrication and Characterization of an Integrated Plasmonic Polarizer on Ti Diffused LiNbO3 Channel Waveguide
Authors: Ahmadi Keyvan , Isfahani Mohamad Hossein Poorghadiri , Fathi Mohamad Hossein
Published: March 2021

In this work the design, fabrication and characterization of a TE-pass plasmonic waveguide polarizer on Ti in-diffused channel waveguide fabricated on x-cut LiNbO3 substrate are reported. By deposition of MgF2 of 5nm thickness as the buffer layer and Au layer of about 30nm thickness as the cladding layer the polarization extinction ratio measured to be 32dB and insertion loss for TE mode was about 2dB in a single mode channel waveguide of 2.1cm length.
Clinical Significance of Circulating Tumor Cells and Ki-67 in Renal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Song Jinbo , Yu Zhe , Dong Bingqi , Zhu Mingkai , Guo Xiaofeng , Ma Yongkang , Zhao Shiming , Yang Tiejun
Published: March 2021

Background: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a common maligant tumor of the genitourinary system. We aimed to analyze the potential value of the metastasis-related biomarker, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and proliferative marker Ki-67 in diagnosis of RCC. Methods: Data from 24 laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (RN) and 17 laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (PN) were collected in 2018. The number and positive rate of CTCs and circulating tumor microemboli (CTM) was obtained at three different time points in peripheral blood just before, immediately and one week after surgery. Ki-67 protein expression was evaluated in RCC tissue by immunohistochemistry. Results: No association between the number and positive rate of perioprative CTC and clinicopathological features was found, except for the statistically significant association between the preoprative CTC counts and tumor size. The CTC counts gradually decreased during the perioperative period, and at one week after surgery was significantly lower than that before surgery. Higher Ki-67 expression was signiﬁcantly correlated positively with preoprative CTC counts. In addition, a higher Ki-67 express has been found in high CTCs group (CTCs ≥ 5). Conclusion: Our results suggest that surgical nephrectomy is associated with a decrease in CTC counts of RCC patients. CTCs can act as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis and prognostic of RCC. Careful and sufﬁcient long-term follow-up is needed for patients with high preoprative CTC counts.
Norwegian Population Norms for the EQ-5D-5L: Results From a General Population Survey
Authors: Garratt Andrew Malcolm , Hansen Tonya Moen , Augestad Liv Ariane , Rand Kim , Stavem Knut
Published: March 2021

Purpose: To provide the first Norwegian EQ-5D-5L and EQ VAS population norms for the adult general population. Methods: Postal survey of a random sample of 12,790 Norwegians identified through the National Registry of the Norwegian Tax Administration. Norms are shown for the five EQ-5D-5L dimensions, EQ-5D index and EQ VAS scores for seven age categories, males, females and education level. Results: There were 3,200 (25.9%) respondents to 12,263 correctly addressed questionnaires. The EQ-5D-5L dimensions, EQ VAS and background questions were completed by 3,120 (24.6%) respondents. The mean age (SD) was 50.9 (21.7); range 18 to 97 years. The youngest age group of 18-29 years and oldest of 80 years and over had the highest (n=691) and lowest (n=239) number of respondents respectively. Compared to the general population, the respondents comprised a greater number of females, younger and older ages, and had a higher education level. 32% of respondents reported no health problems on the EQ-5D-5L. From the youngest to oldest age groups, there was a general decline in health as assessed by the EQ-5D-5L. The exception was for anxiety/depression, where the youngest age groups had the poorest health. Apart from self-care, women reported poorer health than men, as assessed by the EQ-5D-5L; EQ VAS scores were similar for men and women. Higher levels of health (EQ-5D index, EQ VAS scores) were found with increasing levels of education. Conclusion: The population norms will improve interpretation of EQ-5D-5L and EQ VAS scores in Norwegian applications including clinical practice, clinical and health services research, and national quality registers where EQ-5D-5L is the most widely used patient-reported instrument.
Spatial Prediction of Groundwater Potentiality Mapping Using Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Saha Sunil , Gayen Amiya , Mukherjee Kaustuv , Pourghasemi Hamid Reza , Santosh M.
Published: March 2021

Machine learning techniques offer powerful tools for the assessment and management of groundwater resources. Here, we evaluated the groundwater potential maps (GWPMs) in Md. Bazar Block of Birbhum District, India using four GIS-based machine-learning algorithms (MLA) such as predictive neural network (PNN), decision tree (DT), Naïve Bayes classifier (NBC), and random forest (RF). We used a database of 85 dug wells and one piezometer location identified using extensive field study, and employed 12 influencing factors (elevation, slope, drainage density (DD), topographical wetness index, geomorphology, lineament density, rainfall, geology, pond density, land use/land cover (LULC), geology, and soil texture) for evaluation through GIS. The 85 dug wells and 1 piezometer locations were sub-divided into two classes: 70:30 for training and model validation. The DT, RF, PNN, and NBC MLAs were implemented to analyse the relationship between the dug well locations and groundwater influencing factors to generate GWPMs. The results predict excellent groundwater potential areas (GPA) DT RF of 17.38%, 14.69%, 20.43%, and 13.97% of the study area, respectively. The prediction accuracy of each GWPM was determined using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Using the 30% data sets (validation data), accuracies of 80.1%, 78.30%, 75.20%, and 69.2% were obtained for the PNN, RF, DT, and NBC models, respectively. The ROC values show that the four implemented models provide satisfactory and suitable results for GWP mapping in this region. In addition, the well-known mean decrease Gini (MDG) from the RF MLA was implemented to determine the relative importance of the variables for groundwater potentiality assessment. The MDG revealed that drainage density, lineament density, geomorphology, pond density, elevation, and stream junction frequency were the most useful determinants of GWPM. Our approach to delineate the GWPM can aid in the effective planning and management of groundwater resources in this region.
Randomized Double Blind Clinical Trial Evaluating the Ellagic Acid Effects on Insulin Resistance, Oxidative Stress and Sex Hormones Levels in Women With Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Authors: Kazemi Mahnaz , Lalooha Fatemeh , Nooshabadi Mohammadreza Rashidi , Dashti Fariba , Kavianpour Maria , Haghighian Hossein Khadem
Published: March 2021

Objective: The design of this study was due to the report of the antioxidant properties of Ellagic acid (EA) for its evaluation on the Insulin resistance (IR), oxidative stress and sex hormones levels in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Methods: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 60 patients were recruited. Patients were randomly allocated consumed a capsule containing 200 mg of EA per day (n = 30) or placebo (n = 30) for 8 weeks. The fasting blood sugar (FBS), insulin, IR, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), Malondialdehyde (MDA), C-reactive protein (CRP), Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), sex hormones and anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) were measured at the beginning and end of the study. Result: At the end of the study, the mean of FBS, insulin, IR, TC, TG, LDL, MDA, CRP, TNF-α, total testosterone, prolactin and AMH were significantly decreased in the intervention group compared to the placebo group (P<0.05). Also, there was a significant increase in the mean of TAC after supplementation with EA (P<0.05). At the end of the study, no significant changes were observed in the mean of anthropometric factors, physical activity and food intake (P>0.05). Conclusion: EA supplementation can be helpful as a diet supplement in women with PCOS through improvement in insulin resistance. This supplement may be used to reduce disorders in women, including infertility.Trial Registration: This study was retrospectively (07-07-2019) registered in the Iranian website (www.irct.ir) for registration of clinical trials (IRCT20141025019669N12).
Characterization and Genome Sequence of a Genetically Unique Escherichia Bacteriophage vB_EcoM_IME392
Authors: Hu Yunjia , Tong Shanwei , Li Ping , An Xiaoping , Song Lihua , Fan Huahao , Tong Yigang
Published: March 2021

In this study, a novel Escherichia coli-specific bacteriophage vB_EcoM_IME392 was isolated from chicken farm sewage in Qingdao, China. The genome of IME392 sequenced by Next Generation Sequencing is found to contain 116,460 base pairs in length with a G+C content of 45.4% (deposited in GenBank under the accession MH719082). BLASTN results reveal that only 2% of the genome sequence of IME392 shows homology to known phage sequences in GenBank, which indicates IME392 is a very novel bacteriophage. Transmission electron microscopy showed that IME392 belongs to the family Myoviridae. The host range, multiplicity of infection and one-step growth curve was also determined.
Assessment of the Correlation of Commonly used Laboratory Tests with Clinical Activity, Renal Involvement and Treatment of Systemic Small-vessel Vasculitis with the Presence of ANCA Antibodies. 
Authors: Mosakowska Magdalena , Brodowska-Kania Dorota , Szamotulska Katarzyna , Rymarz Aleksandra , Niemczyk Stanisław
Published: March 2021

The aim of the study was to assess the correlation of commonly used laboratory tests with clinical activity, degree of kidney involvement and treatment of systemic small-vessel vasculitis with the presence of ANCA antibodies.Methods.The study included 28 patients with active AAV (BVAS ≥ 3). The following tests were performed: MPO-ANCA, PR3-ANCA, peripheral blood count, ESR, CRP, procalcitonin, creatinine, GFR, urea, albumin, fibrinogen, d-dimer, components of the C3 and C4 complement systems, urinalysis with sediment evaluation and diurnal proteinuria. The assessments were conducted twice: at study entry (A0) and after 6 months (A6) (BVAS = 0).ResultsAt the time of inclusion in the study, the mean creatinine concentration was 3.39 mg/dl (GFR 33.17 ml/min/1.73m²), after achieving remission in 11 patients (39.3%) GFR remained below 30 ml/min/1.73m² , 4 patients (14.3%) continued renal replacement therapy, and 3 patients (10.7%) with advanced renal failure died. Microhematuria occurred in 80.9% of the studied population, withdrew in most patients, strongly correlated with renal involvement p<0.001 and was not related to disease severity p=0.147. CRP, ESR, fibrinogen, d-dimer, albumin and hemoglobin in the peripheral blood showed a strong correlation with the clinical activity of AAV and well identified severe patients. High procalcitonin concentrations correlated with a severe form of the disease, pulmonary involvement with respiratory failure and alveolar hemorrhage (mean 3.41 ng/ml, median 0.91 ng/ml, SD 7.62, p = 0.000), and were associated with the occurrence of infectious complications and the need to administer antibiotic therapy. ANCA antibodies were useful in the evaluation of patients with AAV, the amount of antibodies did not correlate with the severity of vasculitis (p=0.685) and the results in many patients did not match the expected assumptions. ConclusionsCRP, ESR, fibrinogen, d-dimers, albumin and hemoglobin in the peripheral blood correlate well with the activity of vasculitis and identify severe patients. The resolution of microhematuria suggests remission of the disease in the renal area. Procalcitonin may be slightly increased in patients with active AAV without infection, high concentrations are strongly associated with infectious complications. ANCA antibodies should always be interpreted in the context of the observed clinical symptoms.
Immersion Sn Finish Processed on Ag Surface via Galvanic Reduction
Authors: Wu Chen Yu , Lin Yi Xuan , Wang Jyun Yang , Lee Chia Hung , Chiu Chung Yu , Yeh Ching Yu , Huang Bo Rong , Fu Kuan Lin , Chang Jui Sheng , Liu ChengYi
Published: March 2021

Typically, Sn cannot be finished on Ni and Ag surfaces via the immersion process. In this work, through galvanic reaction, immersion Sn finish was processed on an immersion Ag finish coexisting with a Ni surface. Herein, the detailed mechanism of the reduction of Sn2+ ions on the immersion Ag surface through galvanic reaction is reported. Through transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis, the uncommon Ag4Sn phase, instead of the common Ag3Sn phase, was confirmed to form during the Sn immersion of the Ag immersion layer. The Ag4Sn phase was found to form between the Ag grains in the immersion Sn layer. The mixed Ag/Ag4Sn structure in the immersion Sn layer can be explained by the galvanic reaction. The preferred formation of the Ag4Sn during the Sn immersion of the Ag immersion layer is discussed from the viewpoint of thermodynamics. The changes in the Gibbs free energy of the formation of the Ag3Sn and Ag4Sn phases were calculated as −3.67 and −8.89 kJ/mol, respectively. This confirms that the Ag4Sn phase is the favorable phase formed in the immersion Sn over the immersion Ag layer.
Frequency and Distribution of Biopsied Non-Dental Plaque-Induced Gingival Diseases in a Chinese Population According to the Classification of Gingival Health and Gingival Disease/Conditions
Authors: Li Xiaotian , Zhang Jianyun , Zhang Heyu , Li Tiejun
Published: March 2021

Background: While inflammatory diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis induced by dental plaque biofilms constitute the majority of gingival lesions, gingiva can also be affected by a variety of diseases that show etiologies different from bacterial biofilms. The aim of this study was to retrospectively analyze the frequency and distribution of non-dental plaque-induced gingival diseases (NDPIGDs) in a Chinese population. Methods: A total of 6859 samples of biopsied gingival diseases during the period of 2000-2019 were obtained from the Department of Pathology, Peking University Hospital of Stomatology. Lesions were categorized by histopathological diagnosis, pathological nature and the new classification of gingival health and gingival diseases/conditions. Demographic information, such as gender, location, and age, were also analyzed. Results: Among 6859 biopsied NDPIGD samples, the five most frequent diagnoses included oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC, n=2094), fibrous hyperplasia (n=2026), pyogenic granuloma (n=478), epithelial dysplasia (n=477), and epithelial hyperplasia/hyperkeratosis (n=436). All types could be grouped into nine categories according to their pathological characteristics. The most frequently common biopsied NDPIGDs category was “hyperplastic lesions” (n=2648, 38.61%), followed by “malignant neoplasms” (n=2275, 33.17%). The most common diagnosis types in each category were fibrous hyperplasia and OSCC. Of all NDPIGDs, most lesions could be categorized into the new classification of gingival health and gingival diseases/conditions; only 7.07% did not fit the current classification system. Conclusions: The present study represents the first report on the frequency and distribution of biopsied NDPIGDs in a Chinese population. Unlike previous studies, the most prevalent categories were “hyperplastic lesions” and “malignant neoplasms”. The proportion of “malignant neoplasms” and “oral potentially malignant disorders” was remarkably higher than in previous research. Nevertheless, the study provided epidemiological information for many NDPIGDs, which could be useful for future health policies as well as screening programs.