bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biodiversity and Environmental Factors Structuring Diatom Assemblages of Mineral Saline Springs in the French Massif Central
Authors: Beauger Aude , Voldoire Olivier , Allain Elisabeth , Gosseaume Pierre , Blavignac Christelle , Baker Lory-Anne , Wetzel Carlos E.
Published: February 2023

Springs are abundant and present worldwide and are among the most threatened ecosystems on Earth. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the biodiversity of seventy-nine (79) mineral saline springs situated in the French Massif Central, focusing on the species richness and the estimated richness and also on the diatom community composition. The influence of physical and chemical factors on both richness and communities was analyzed in order to have a better knowledge of the diatom ecological preferences and identify species typical of saline springs. Since December 2014, an on-going inventory of mineral springs has been in progress. For each spring, physical and chemical characteristics were measured, and benthic diatoms were sampled. The richness was the lowest in the springs presenting a man-made construction around the emergence. In the other springs, the highest richness was associated with the lowest lithium, sodium, total dissolved solid concentrations, and conductivity. Mineralization and some ions (bromine, calcium, chloride, fluoride, lithium, potassium, and sodium) were found to be the most critical drivers of diatom community composition. Some diatom species were typical of specific abiotic conditions, such as Navicula sanctamargaritae, which was associated with the highest potassium concentration. These species could appear as bio-indicators of these conditions.
Knowledge of Diabetes among Adults at High Risk for Type 2 Diabetes in the Trivandrum District of Kerala, India
Authors: Sathish Thirunavukkarasu , Thankappan Kavumpurathu Raman , Panniyammakal Jeemon , Oldenburg Brian
Published: February 2023

We aimed to study the knowledge of diabetes among individuals with a high risk for developing type 2 diabetes in the Trivandrum district of the Indian state of Kerala. The baseline data collected from 1007 participants of the Kerala Diabetes Prevention Program were analyzed. Diabetes knowledge was assessed using a scale adapted from a large nationwide study conducted in India. The composite score of the scale ranged from 0 to 8. The mean age of the participants was 46.0 (SD: 7.5) years, and 47.2% were women. The mean diabetes knowledge score was 6.9 (SD: 2.1), with 59.5% having the maximum possible score of 8. Of the 1007 participants, 968 (96.1%) had heard the term diabetes, and of them, 87.2% knew that the prevalence of diabetes is increasing, 92.9% knew at least one risk factor for diabetes, 79.6% knew that diabetes can cause complications in organs, and 75.9% knew that diabetes can be prevented. While the overall level of knowledge of diabetes about its risk factors, complications, and prevention was generally high, an alarmingly low proportion of participants knew that diabetes can affect key organs such as the eyes (24.0%), heart (20.1%), feet (10.2%), and nerves (2.9%), and nearly a quarter (24.1%) were not aware that diabetes can be prevented. It is essential to educate high-risk individuals about diabetes complications and the importance of and strategies for diabetes prevention in the Trivandrum district of Kerala.
Assessing the Impact of Image Resolution on Deep Learning for TB Lesion Segmentation on Frontal Chest X-rays
Authors: Rajaraman Sivaramakrishnan , Yang Feng , Zamzmi Ghada , Xue Zhiyun , Antani Sameer
Published: February 2023

Deep learning (DL) models are state-of-the-art in segmenting anatomical and disease regions of interest (ROIs) in medical images. Particularly, a large number of DL-based techniques have been reported using chest X-rays (CXRs). However, these models are reportedly trained on reduced image resolutions for reasons related to the lack of computational resources. Literature is sparse in discussing the optimal image resolution to train these models for segmenting the tuberculosis (TB)-consistent lesions in CXRs. In this study, we investigated the performance variations with an Inception-V3 UNet model using various image resolutions with/without lung ROI cropping and aspect ratio adjustments and identified the optimal image resolution through extensive empirical evaluations to improve TB-consistent lesion segmentation performance. We used the Shenzhen CXR dataset for the study, which includes 326 normal patients and 336 TB patients. We proposed a combinatorial approach consisting of storing model snapshots, optimizing segmentation threshold and test-time augmentation (TTA), and averaging the snapshot predictions, to further improve performance with the optimal resolution. Our experimental results demonstrate that higher image resolutions are not always necessary; however, identifying the optimal image resolution is critical to achieving superior performance.
Generalized Code-Abiding Countermeasure
Authors: Tissot Pierre-Antoine , Bossuet Lilian , Grosso Vincent
Published: February 2023

The widely used countermeasures against fault attacks are based on spatial, temporal, or information redundancy. This type of solution is very efficient, but it can be very expensive in terms of implementation cost. Thus, trying to propose a secure and efficient countermeasure for a lightweight cipher is a hard challenge, as the goal of a lightweight cipher is to be the lightest possible. This paper considers information redundancy based on parity bit code, with code-abiding transformations of the operations. This error detection code, with the code-abiding notion added, is very efficient against single fault injection and has a small overcost. The solution is tested on the LED lightweight cipher to measure its overhead. Moreover, a bitslice version of the cipher is used with the parity bit code applied to be robust against all the single-word fault injections. The challenge is to adapt the cipher functions in a way in which the parity bit is always considered, but without considering a heavy implementation. The advantage of our solution is that this countermeasure leads to a 100% fault coverage, with a reasonable overhead.
Dynamic Path Planning for Multiple UAVs with Incomplete Information
Authors: Xue Junjie , Zhu Jie , Du Jiangtao , Kang Weijie , Xiao Jiyang
Published: February 2023

To address the dynamic path planning for multiple UAVs using incomplete information, this paper studies real-time conflict detection and intelligent resolution methods. When the UAVs execute the task under the condition of incomplete information, the mission strategy of different UAVs may conflict with each other due to the difference in target, departure place, time and other factors. Based on the multi-agent deep deterministic policy gradient algorithm (MADDPG), we designed new global reward and partial local reward functions for the UAVs’ path planning and named the improved algorithm as a complex memory driver-MADDPG (CMD-MADDPG). Thus, the trained UAVs can effectively and efficiently perform path planning tasks in conditions of incomplete information (each UAV does not know its reward function and so on). Finally, the simulation verifies that the proposed method can realize fast and accurate dynamic path planning for multiple UAVs.
Investigating Vegetation Types Based on the Spatial Variation in Air Pollutant Concentrations Associated with Different Forms of Urban Forestry
Authors: Douglas Ashley N. J. , Irga Peter J. , Torpy Fraser R.
Published: February 2023

Globally, rapid urbanisation is one of the major drivers for land-use changes, many of which have a marked impact on urban air quality. Urban forestry has been increasingly proposed as a means of reducing airborne pollutants; however, limited studies have comparatively assessed land-use types, including urban forestry, for their relationship with air pollution on a city scale. We, thus, investigated the spatial relationships between three air pollutant concentrations, NO2, SO2, and PM10, and different land uses and land covers across a major city, by constructing a yearly average model combining these variables. Additionally, relationships between different vegetation types and air pollutant concentrations were investigated to determine whether different types of vegetation are associated with different air pollutants. Parklands, water bodies, and more specifically, broadleaf evergreen forest and mangrove vegetation were associated with lower pollutant concentrations. These findings support urban forestry’s capabilities to mitigate air pollution across a city-wide scale.
Ammonia–Mechanical Pretreatment of Wheat Straw for the Production of Lactic Acid and High-Quality Lignin
Authors: Cao Yulian , Liu Haifeng , Shan Junqiang , Sun Baijun , Chen Yanjun , Ji Lei , Ji Xingxiang , Wang Jian , Zhu Chenjie , Ying Hanjie
Published: February 2023

In this study, wheat straw was fractionated into carbohydrates (cellulose and hemicellulose) by ammonia–mechanical pretreatment for l-lactic acid fermentation. Under optimal conditions (aqueous ammonia concentration: 19% w/w, liquid–solid ratio: 2.1:1 w/w, holding time: 4.80 h), the delignification was more than 60%. After enzymatic hydrolysis, the maximum conversions of cellulose and hemicellulose were 92.5% and 83.4% based on the pretreatment residue, respectively. The wheat straw hydrolysate was used to produce l-lactic acid with Thermoanaerobacter sp. DH-217G, which obtained a yield of 88.6% and an optical purity of 99.2%. The ammonia–mechanical pretreatment is an economical method for the production of fermentable monosaccharide, providing potential for further downstream high value-added applications.
Fire Has a Positive Effect on the Abundance of Sun Spiders (Arachnida: Solifugae) in the Cerrado-Pantanal Ecotone
Authors: Arrua Bruno Arguelho , Carvalho Leonardo Sousa , Teles Thiago Silva , Oliveira Maxwell da Rosa , Ribeiro Danilo Bandini
Published: February 2023

Fire is an important disturbance factor in shrublands, grasslands, and savannas. It alters the habitat of a multitude of species and, under natural dynamics, is a major determinant of landscape vegetation patterns. Here, we evaluate the effects of different wildfire regimes on the abundance of sun spiders in the Cerrado-Pantanal ecotone. To study how different fire regimes affect the number of individual sun spiders, we considered the frequency of fire occurrences in the last 20 years and classified locations as high frequency or low frequency. We also classified the time of the last fire in 2020 as occurring in the first or second half of the year. In addition, we compared the number of individual sun spiders before and after fire. We found no effects of fire frequency and period when the fire occurred in 2020, but the number of individual sun spiders was higher after wildfires. Although ground-dwelling are considered fire sensitive, some can employ strategies to tolerate fire so that they are able to not only survive, but also reproduce in fire-prone landscapes. Thus, we suggest that sun spiders are resilient, can explore sites under different fire regimes, and can be considered pyrophilous species.
Impacts of Electroextraction Using the Pulsed Electric Field on Properties of Rice Bran Protein
Authors: Thongkong Saban , Klangpetch Wannaporn , Unban Kridsada , Tangjaidee Pipat , Phimolsiripol Yuthana , Rachtanapun Pornchai , Jantanasakulwong Kittisak , Schönlechner Regine , Thipchai Parichat , Phongthai Suphat
Published: February 2023

The pulsed electric field (PEF) was applied to improve the extraction yield and properties of rice bran proteins from two rice varieties (“Kum Chao Mor Chor 107” and “Kum Doi Saket”). As compared to the conventional alkaline extraction, PEF treatment at 2.3 kV for 25 min increased the protein extraction efficiency by 20.71–22.8% (p < 0.05). The molecular weight distribution detected by SDS-PAGE and amino acid profiles of extracted rice bran proteins was likely unchanged. The PEF treatment influenced changes in the secondary structures of rice bran proteins, especially from the β-turn to the β-sheet structure. Functional properties of rice bran protein including oil holding capacity and emulsifying properties were significantly improved by PEF treatments by about 20.29–22.64% and 3.3–12.0% (p < 0.05), respectively. Foaming ability and foam stability increased by 1.8- to 2.9-fold. Moreover, the in vitro digestibility of protein was also enhanced, which was consistent with the increment of DPPH and ABTS radical-scavenging activities of peptides generated under in vitro gastrointestinal digestion (37.84–40.45% and 28.46–37.86%, respectively). In conclusion, the PEF process could be a novel technique for assisting the extraction and modification of the protein’s digestibility and functional properties.
In vitro Digestion of Phaseolus vulgaris L. Cooked Beans Induces Autophagy in Colon Cancer Cells
Authors: Bernardi Clizia , Macrì Giulia , Biagi Marco , Miraldi Elisabetta , Finetti Federica , Trabalzini Lorenza
Published: February 2023

Phaseolus vulgaris L. (common bean) contains high levels of proteins, unsaturated fatty acids, minerals, fibers, and vitamins, and for this reason, it represents an essential component of the diet. More than 40,000 varieties of beans have been recognized and are staple foods in the traditional cuisine of many countries. In addition to its high nutritional value, P. vulgaris is also characterized by its nutraceutical properties and favors environmental sustainability. In this manuscript, we studied two different varieties of P. vulgaris, Cannellino and Piattellino. We investigated the effects of traditional processing (soaking and cooking) and in vitro gastrointestinal digestion of beans on their phytochemical composition and anticancer activity. Using HT29 and HCT116 colon cancer cell lines, we showed that the extract obtained after gastrointestinal digestion of cooked beans (the bioaccessible fraction, BF) induces cell death through the induction of the autophagic process. We demonstrated that the BF of Cannellino and Piattellino beans at the concentration of 100 μg/mL reduces cell vitality, measured by MMT assay, of both HT29 (88.41% ± 5.79 and 94.38% ± 0.47) and HCT116 (86.29% ± 4.3 and 91.23% ± 0.52) cell lines. Consistently, the treatment of HT29 cells with 100 μg/mL of Cannellino and Piattellino BFs reduced clonogenicity by 95% ± 2.14 and 96% ± 0.49, respectively. Moreover, the activity of extracts appeared to be selective for colon cancer cells. The data shown in this work further confirm P. vulgaris to be among foods with beneficial effects for human health.
The Next Generation Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration: History, Philosophy, and Culture
Authors: Galison Peter , Doboszewski Juliusz , Elder Jamee , Martens Niels C. M. , Ashtekar Abhay , Enander Jonas , Gueguen Marie , Kessler Elizabeth A. , Lalli Roberto , Lesourd Martin , Marcoci Alexandru , Murgueitio Ramírez Sebastián , Natarajan Priyamvada , Nguyen James , Reyes-Galindo Luis , Ritson Sophie , Schneider Mike D. , Skulberg Emilie , Sorgner Helene , Stanley Matthew , Thresher Ann C. , Van Dongen Jeroen , Weatherall James Owen , Wu Jingyi , Wüthrich Adrian
Published: February 2023

This white paper outlines the plans of the History Philosophy Culture Working Group of the Next Generation Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration.
Preparation and Performance Evaluation of a Self-Crosslinking Emulsion-Type Fracturing Fluid for Quasi-Dry CO2 Fracturing
Authors: Hu Jiani , Fu Meilong , Li Minxuan , Zheng Yan , Li Guojun , Hou Baofeng
Published: February 2023

Quasi-dry CO2 fracturing technology is a new CO2 fracturing technology that combines liquid CO2 fracturing (dry CO2 fracturing) and water-based fracturing. It uses a liquid CO2 system containing a small amount of water-based fracturing fluid to carry sand, and it is characterized by sand blending at normal pressure, convenient preparation, the integrated application of resistance reduction and sand carrying, and no dedicated closed sand blender requirement. We developed a self-crosslinking emulsion-type water-based fracturing fluid (ZJL-1), which contained ionic bonds, hydrogen bonds, van der Waals forces, and hydrophobic associations, for quasi-dry CO2 fracturing, and the comprehensive properties of the ZJL-1 fracturing fluid were evaluated. The results showed that the ZJL-1 fracturing fluid had obvious viscoelastic characteristics, a heat loss rate of less than 10% at 200 °C, a good thermal stability, sufficient rheology under high temperature and high shear conditions, and a good thermal stability. The resistance reduction rate reached 70%, which demonstrates a good resistance reduction performance. Compared with conventional guar fracturing fluid, ZJL-1 can carry more sand and has a lower core damage rate. The on-site use of quasi-dry fracturing showed that optimizing the mixing ratio of liquid CO2 fracturing fluid and ZJL-1 fracturing fluid effectively enhanced oil and gas recovery. This can be used to optimize quasi-dry fracturing and can be used as a reference.
“My Whole Life I’ve Been a Fraud”: Resisting Excessive (Self-)Critique and Reaffirming Authenticity as Communal in David Foster Wallace’s “Good Old Neon” and Albert Camus’s The Fall
Authors: den Dulk Allard
Published: February 2023

The themes of paralyzing, solipsistic self-critique versus the necessarily communal character of authentic, meaningful existence in the work of American novelist David Foster Wallace are best understood in light of existentialism. This article compares Wallace’s story “Good Old Neon” with Albert Camus’s novella The Fall, as responses to similar unproductive tendencies within the respective postmodernist and Marxist discourses of their times. Both works portray an absolutist self-critique that produces feelings of (inauthentic) fraudulence and exceptionality; and both include an interlocutor that ultimately makes the reader the direct addressee of the text. In doing so, “Good Old Neon” and The Fall confront the reader with the moral task of resisting excessive (self-)critique and reaffirming authentic, meaningful existence as always arising in connection to others.
Changes in Medial Elbow Joint Parameters Due to Selective Contraction of the Forearm Flexor–Pronator Muscles
Authors: Hattori Hiroshi , Akasaka Kiyokazu , Otsudo Takahiro , Sawada Yutaka , Hall Toby
Published: February 2023

The harder the forearm flexor–pronator muscles (FPMs) relative to the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), the less likely it is for UCL laxity to occur with repeated pitching. This study aimed to clarify what selective contraction of the forearm muscles makes FPMs harder relative to UCL. The study evaluated 20 elbows of male college students. Participants selectively contracted the forearm muscles in eight conditions under gravity stress. The medial elbow joint width and the strain ratio indicating tissue hardness of the UCL and FPMs during contraction were evaluated using an ultrasound system. Contraction of all FPMs (in particular flexor digitorum superficialis [FDS] and pronator teres [PT]) decreased the medial elbow joint width compared to rest (p < 0.05). UCL hardens due to the contraction involving the FDS muscle (p < 0.05). FPMs harden due to the contraction of flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU) and FDS (p < 0.05). In the ratio of strain ratio UCL/FPMs, there was no significant difference between rest and each contraction task (p > 0.05). However, contractions composed of FCU and PT tended to harden FPMs relative to the UCL. FCU and PT activation may be effective in UCL injury prevention.
Archimedes Optimization Algorithm with Deep Learning-Based Prostate Cancer Classification on Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Ragab Mahmoud , Kateb Faris , El-Sawy E. K. , Binyamin Sami Saeed , Al-Rabia Mohammed W. , A. Mansouri Rasha
Published: February 2023

Prostate cancer (PCa) is becoming one of the most frequently occurring cancers among men and causes an even greater number of deaths. Due to the complexity of tumor masses, radiologists find it difficult to identify PCa accurately. Over the years, several PCa-detecting methods have been formulated, but these methods cannot identify cancer efficiently. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has both information technologies that simulate natural or biological phenomena and human intelligence in addressing issues. AI technologies have been broadly implemented in the healthcare domain, including 3D printing, disease diagnosis, health monitoring, hospital scheduling, clinical decision support, classification and prediction, and medical data analysis. These applications significantly boost the cost-effectiveness and accuracy of healthcare services. This article introduces an Archimedes Optimization Algorithm with Deep Learning-based Prostate Cancer Classification (AOADLB-P2C) model on MRI images. The presented AOADLB-P2C model examines MRI images for the identification of PCa. To accomplish this, the AOADLB-P2C model performs pre-processing in two stages: adaptive median filtering (AMF)-based noise removal and contrast enhancement. Additionally, the presented AOADLB-P2C model extracts features via a densely connected network (DenseNet-161) model with a root-mean-square propagation (RMSProp) optimizer. Finally, the presented AOADLB-P2C model classifies PCa using the AOA with a least-squares support vector machine (LS-SVM) method. The simulation values of the presented AOADLB-P2C model are tested using a benchmark MRI dataset. The comparative experimental results demonstrate the improvements of the AOADLB-P2C model over other recent approaches.
Post-Medieval Wrecks in the Western Mediterranean and Pottery: The Mortella II Wreck (1527) and the Chronology of Montelupo Tin-Glazed Earthenware
Authors: Milanese Marco
Published: February 2023

This paper discusses and underlines the importance of investigations on post-medieval shipwrecks, particularly for wrecks where archival documentation is also available, in relation to gaining a better knowledge of tin-glazed tableware produced in Montelupo (Florence, Tuscany). The case of the Mortella II wrecks is interesting in this sense and also shows how an exact dating of the wreck can allow for a revision of the chronologies of the ceramic classes found on board. In the case of the majolica of Montelupo, the revision of the dating of these ceramics with great diffusion (Europe, Americas, Africa) has major repercussions on international archaeological research. This paper presents a preliminary study of the Montelupo tin-glazed tableware found in the 2021 excavation researches conducted on the Mortella II wreck. The interest in the pottery recovered is high, for several reasons: (A) The dating of the wreck to 1527, clarified thanks to the discovery of a written document related to the sinking of the two Genoese “twin” ships off Saint-Florent (Haute-Corse), which are conventionally defined as Mortella II and III. (B) The almost exclusive presence of Montelupo majolica, a ceramic class among the most important between the 16th and 17th centuries, with a very wide dispersal throughout in the Mediterranean and Europe, as well as internationally. (C) The variety of decorations of the majolica of Montelupo documented thus far in the wreck (at least nine) makes this first sample a reference site for the study of this ceramic class in the first quarter of the 16th century, especially for the precise date of closure for the context (1527).
Genetic Mapping of a Candidate Gene ClIS Controlling Intermittent Stripe Rind in Watermelon
Authors: Wang Yinping , Duan Shixiang , Kang Qishuai , Liu Dongming , Yang Sen , Niu Huanhuan , Zhu Huayu , Sun Shouru , Hu Jianbin , Dou Junling , Yang Luming
Published: February 2023

Rind pattern is one of the most important appearance qualities of watermelon, and the mining of different genes controlling rind pattern can enrich the variety of consumer choices. In this study, a unique intermittent rind stripe was identified in the inbred watermelon line WT20. The WT20 was crossed with a green stripe inbred line, WCZ, to construct F2 and BC1 segregating populations and to analyze the genetic characterization of watermelon stripe. Genetic analysis showed that the intermittent stripe was a qualitative trait and controlled by a single dominant gene, ClIS. Fine mapping based on linkage analysis showed that the ClIS gene was located on the 160 Kb regions between 25.92 Mb and 26.08 Mb on watermelon chromosome 6. Furthermore, another inbred watermelon line with intermittent stripe, FG, was re-sequenced and aligned on the region of 160 Kb. Interestingly, only two SNP variants (T/C, A/T) were present in both WT20 and FG inbred lines at the same time. The two SNPs are located in 25,961,768 bp (T/C) and 25,961,773 bp (A/T) of watermelon chromosome 6, which is located in the promoter region of Cla019202. We speculate that Cla019202 is the candidate gene of ClIS which controls the intermittent stripe in watermelon. In a previous study, the candidate gene ClGS was proved to control dark green stripe in watermelon. According to the verification of the two genes ClIS and ClGS in 75 watermelon germplasm resources, we further speculate that the ClGS gene may regulate the color of watermelon stripe, while the ClIS gene regulates the continuity of watermelon stripe. The study provides a good entry point for studying the formation of watermelon rind patterns, as well as providing foundation insights into the breeding of special appearance quality in watermelon.
Characterizing Trace Metal Contamination and Partitioning in the Rivers and Sediments of Western Europe Watersheds
Authors: Grard Aline , Deliège Jean-François
Published: February 2023

Adsorption and desorption processes occurring on suspended and bed sediments were studied in two datasets from western Europe watersheds (Meuse and Mosel). Copper and zinc dissolved and total concentrations, total suspended sediment concentrations, mass concentrations, and grain sizes were analyzed. Four classes of mineral particle size were determined. Grain size distribution had to be considered in order to assess the trace metal particulate phase in the water column. The partitioning coefficients of trace metals between the dissolved and particulate phases were calculated. The objective of this study was to improve the description of the processes involved in the transportation and fate of trace metals in river aquatic ecosystems. Useful data for future modelling, management and contamination assessment of river sediments were provided. As it is confirmed by a literature review, the copper and zinc partitioning coefficients calculated in this study are reliable. The knowledge related to copper and zinc (e.g., partitioning coefficients) will allow us to begin investigations into environmental modelling. This modelling will allow us to consider new sorption processes and better describe trace metal and sediment fates as well as pressure–impact relationships.
The Public Health Value of Coding Surgery in South Africa Using the International Classification of Health Interventions
Authors: Satiyadev Sithara , Madden Richard , Bruce Judith
Published: February 2023

Background: The lack of a national intervention coding system and the current intervention coding in South Africa through the use of multiple billing and coding systems does not support quality intervention data collection and patient outcomes reporting for general surgery. This presents difficulties in the understanding of the different types of general surgical interventions performed in hospitals, the associated resources, risks, complications, outcomes reporting, public healthcare delivery, and determination of barriers to care. This study illustrates the use of accurate data on health interventions in South Africa’s acute care general surgery coding to assist in improved resource allocation, using the new WHO International Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI). ICHI has over 8000 codes and consists of three axes: Target (the entity on which the Action is carried out), Action (a deed performed by an actor to a target), and Means (the processes and methods by which the Action is carried out). A key benefit of ICHI is that it can be used collectively with the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Objectives: to evaluate the suitability of ICHI for general surgery interventions by coding intervention descriptions to ICHI codes; to identify gaps in the ICHI system; and to provide a rationale for ICHI to be a nationally regulated system. Methods: This study adopted a retrospective, descriptive design; in total, 3000 in-patient intervention data files, captured in an electronic database from April 2013 to August 2019 at three academic hospitals in Johannesburg, were extracted randomly, and coded using ICHI. Quantitative data analysis techniques were utilized to assess the overall degree of match between ICHI codes and the intervention descriptions. Results: Of the 3000 patient case entries that were coded, there was an agreement of 67.6% of the coded data amongst the three coders, leaving a variability of 32.4%. The variability was largely due to the coders’ experience and the quality of healthcare documentation. Conclusions: ICHI has the ability to cater for the broad range of general surgery interventions, thus indicating that ICHI is suitable for general surgery coding.
Hot Isostatic Pressing Control of Tungsten-Based Composites
Authors: Schoell Ryan , Reyes Aspen , Suman Guddi , Lam Mila Nhu , Hamil Justin , Rosenberg Samantha G. , Treadwell LaRico , Hattar Khalid , Lang Eric
Published: February 2023

Metal-oxide composites are commonly used in high temperature environments for their thermal stability and high melting points. Commonly employed with refractory oxides or carbides such as ZrC and HfC, these materials may be improved with the use of a low density, high melting point ceramic such as CeO2. In this work, the consolidation of W-CeO2 metal matrix composites in the high CeO2 concentration regime is explored. The CeO2 concentrations of 50, 33, and 25 wt.%, the CeO2 particle size from nanometer to micrometer, and various hot isostatic pressing temperatures are investigated. Decreasing the CeO2 concentration is observed to increase the composite density and increase the Vickers hardness. The CeO2 oxidation state is observed to be a combination of Ce3+ and Ce4+, which is hypothesized to contribute to the porosity of the composites. The hardness of the metal-oxide composite can be improved more than 2.5 times compared to pure W processed by the same route. This work offers processing guidelines for further consolation of oxide-doped W composites.
Sol-Gel Synthesized Nickel-Oxide-Based Fabrication of Arsenic (As3+) Sensor
Authors: Alsalme Ali , Alsaeedi Huda , Altowairqi Malak Faisal , Khan Rais Ahmad , Alharbi Ghadah M. , Alhamed Afnan A.
Published: February 2023

Heavy metal ions can have a negative impact on human health when they are present in the environment and diet. In order to enhance healthcare globally, simple, dependable, sensitive, rapid, and accurate technologies for their detection must be created. Herein, we report a sol-gel preparation of nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles. The prepared NiO nanoparticles are extensively characterized by PXRD, SEM, and EDS approaches. The obtained SEM results showed that NiO has a nanosphere-shaped surface morphology. The surface area of a gold electrode (Au) was fabricated with NiO nanoparticles via the drop-casting method. The fabricated electrode with NiO nanoparticles (NiO/Au) was applied as an arsenic sensor. The NiO/Au exhibits decent sensitivity of 3.10 µA/ppb and a limit of detection of 1.94 ppb. The NiO/Au also shows good sensing performance for arsenic detection, which includes good stability, repeatability, and selectivity. So far, this is the first report which adopted two electrochemical techniques (cyclic voltammetry and linear sweep voltammetry) for the detection of arsenic using NiO/Au.
Lung Injury in COVID-19 Has Pulmonary Edema as an Important Component and Treatment with Furosemide and Negative Fluid Balance (NEGBAL) Decreases Mortality
Authors: Santos Jose L. Francisco , Zanardi Patricio , Alo Veronica , Dos Santos Vanina , Bovone Leonardo , Rodriguez Marcelo , Magdaleno Federico , De Langhe Virginia , Villoldo Andrea , Martinez Souvielle Romina , Alconcher Julieta , Quiros Diego , Milicchio Claudio , Garcia Saiz Eduardo
Published: February 2023

The SARS-CoV2 promotes dysregulation of Renin–Angiotensin–Aldosterone. The result is excessive retention of water, producing a state of noxious hypervolemia. Consequently, in COVID-19 injury lung is pulmonary edema. Our report is a case–control study, retrospective. We included 116 patients with moderate–severe COVID-19 lung injury. A total of 58 patients received standard care (Control group). A total of 58 patients received a standard treatment with a more negative fluid balance (NEGBAL group), consisting of hydric restriction and diuretics. Analyzing the mortality of the population studied, it was observed that the NEGBAL group had lower mortality than the Control group, p = 0.001. Compared with Controls, the NEGBAL group had significantly fewer days of hospital stay (p < 0.001), fewer days of ICU stay (p < 0.001), and fewer days of IMV (p < 0.001). The regressive analysis between PaO2/FiO2BAL and NEGBAL demonstrated correlation (p = 0.04). Compared with Controls, the NEGBAL group showed significant progressive improvement in PaO2/FiO2 (p < 0.001), CT score (p < 0.001). The multivariate model, the vaccination variables, and linear trends resulted in p = 0.671 and quadratic trends p = 0.723, whilst the accumulated fluid balance is p < 0.001. Although the study has limitations, the promising results encourage more research on this different therapeutic approach, since in our research it decreases mortality.
Advancing Precision Medicine for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Authors: Rizzo Alicia N. , Aggarwal Neil R. , Thompson B. Taylor , Schmidt Eric P.
Published: February 2023

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a common and life-threatening cause of respiratory failure. Despite decades of research, there are no effective pharmacologic therapies to treat this disease process and mortality remains high. The shortcomings of prior translational research efforts have been increasingly attributed to the heterogeneity of this complex syndrome, which has led to an increased focus on elucidating the mechanisms underlying the interpersonal heterogeneity of ARDS. This shift in focus aims to move the field towards personalized medicine by defining subgroups of ARDS patients with distinct biology, termed endotypes, to quickly identify patients that are most likely to benefit from mechanism targeted treatments. In this review, we first provide a historical perspective and review the key clinical trials that have advanced ARDS treatment. We then review the key challenges that exist with regards to the identification of treatable traits and the implementation of personalized medicine approaches in ARDS. Lastly, we discuss potential strategies and recommendations for future research that we believe will aid in both understanding the molecular pathogenesis of ARDS and the development of personalized treatment approaches.
A Gap of Patients with Infective Endocarditis between Clinical Trials and the Real World
Authors: Asai Nobuhiro , Shibata Yuichi , Hirai Jun , Ohashi Wataru , Sakanashi Daisuke , Kato Hideo , Hagihara Mao , Suematsu Hiroyuki , Mikamo Hiroshige
Published: February 2023

Introduction: A randomized control trial (RCT) is considered to be the highest level in the Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) pyramid. While EBM is essential to make a practical tool such as a prognostic guideline, it has been unclear how many patients in the real world can be eligible for a randomized control trial (RCT). Patients and method: This study was performed to clarify if there is a difference in patients’ profiles and clinical outcomes between the patients eligible and not eligible for any RCT. We reviewed all IE patients at our institute between 2007 and 2019. The patients were divided into two groups: those eligible for RCTs (RCT appropriate group) and those who were not (RCT inappropriate group). Exclusion criteria for clinical trials were set based on previous clinical trials. Results: A total of 66 patients were enrolled in the study. The median age was 70 years (range 18 to 87 years), and 46 (70%) were male. Seventeen (26%) of the patients were eligible for RCTs. Comparing the two groups, patients in the RCT appropriate group were younger and had fewer comorbidities. The disease severity was milder in the RCT appropriate groups than in the RCT inappropriate groups. Patients in the RCT appropriate group showed significantly longer overall survival times than those in the RCT inappropriate group (Log-Rank test, p < 0.001). Conclusions: We found a significant gap in patients’ characteristics and clinical outcomes between the groups. Physicians should be aware that RCT can never reflect the real-world population.
Retrospective Analysis of Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump Use in Cardiology Ward Patients Undergoing Coronary Angiography between 2012 and 2020
Authors: Bochenek Tomasz , Sowula Patrycja , Rodak Małgorzata , Rybicka-Musialik Anna , Gruchlik Bartosz , Mizia-Stec Katarzyna
Published: February 2023

We aimed to evaluate the rate and risk factors of in-hospital mortality in patients undergoing coronary angiography/angioplasty with IABP use as support. We included 214 patients (mean age: 67.5 ± 7.5 years, M/F: 143/71) with an IABP used as the periprocedural support between 2012 and 2020. The main indications for an IABP were cardiogenic shock (143 pts; 66.8%: 55 survivors (51.9%)/88 non-survivors (81.5%); p < 0.001) and infarction with an initial significant impairment of ventricular function (34 pts; 15.9%: 21 (19.8%)/13 (12%); p = 0.12). In-hospital death was the endpoint of this study. In-hospital death occurred in 108 (50.5%, M/F: 69.4%/30.6%) patients. The mean hospitalization time was 7 days (2–13); deaths occurred more frequently on the first day after the procedure (1 (1–3 days) vs. 3 (1–8), p < 0.001); and the mean hospitalization time was 2 days (1–6) for non-survivors vs. 11 days (7–17) for survivors (p < 0.001). Regarding the patients who did not survive, they were older (69 vs. 66.5, p = 0.043), their LVEF was lower (0–15%: 15 (13.9%) vs. 12 (11.3%); 16–40%: 73 (67.6%) vs. 65 (61.3%); >40%: 14 (13%) vs. 29 (27.4%); p = 0.007), and hyperlipidemia was less common (30 (27.8%) vs. 55 (51.9%) pts, p = 0.001) than in those who survived. The IABP is still a method for cardiac support; however, mortality limits its use.
Multimodality Imaging in Arrhythmogenic Left Ventricular Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Monda Emanuele , Rubino Marta , Palmiero Giuseppe , Verrillo Federica , Lioncino Michele , Diana Gaetano , Cirillo Annapaola , Fusco Adelaide , Dongiglio Francesca , Caiazza Martina , Altobelli Ippolita , Mauriello Alfredo , Guarnaccia Natale , Scatteia Alessandra , Cesaro Arturo , Pacileo Giuseppe , Sarubbi Berardo , Frisso Giulia , Bauce Barbara , D’Andrea Antonello , Dellegrottaglie Santo , Russo Maria , Calabrò Paolo , Limongelli Giuseppe
Published: February 2023

The term arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) describes a large spectrum of myocardial diseases characterized by progressive fibrotic or fibrofatty replacement, which gives the substrate for the occurrence of ventricular tachyarrhythmias and the development of ventricular dysfunction. This condition may exclusively affect the left ventricle, leading to the introduction of the term arrhythmogenic left ventricular cardiomyopathy (ALVC). The clinical features of ALVC are progressive fibrotic replacement with the absence or mild dilation of the LV and the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias within the left ventricle. In 2019, the diagnostic criteria for the diagnosis of ALVC, based on family history and clinical, electrocardiographic, and imaging features, have been proposed. However, since the significant clinical and imaging overlap with other cardiac diseases, genetic testing with the demonstration of a pathogenic variant in an ACM-related gene is required for diagnostic confirmation. In ALVC, the multimodality imaging approach comprises different imaging techniques, such as echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance, and cardiac nuclear imaging. It provides essential information for the diagnosis, differential diagnosis, sudden cardiac death risk stratification, and management purposes. This review aims to elucidate the current role of the different multimodality imaging techniques in patients with ALVC.
Effects of Trimetazidine on Right Ventricular Function and Ventricular Remodeling in Patients with Pulmonary Artery Hypertension: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Authors: Verdejo Hugo E. , Rojas Adolfo , López-Crisosto Camila , Baraona Fernando , Gabrielli Luigi , Maracaja-Coutinho Vinicius , Chiong Mario , Lavandero Sergio , Castro Pablo F.
Published: February 2023

Background: Pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) is a chronic and progressive disease. Although current therapy has improved the disease prognosis, PAH has a poor survival rate. The key feature leading to disease progression and death is right ventricular (RV) failure. Methods and results: We assessed the role of trimetazidine, a fatty acid beta-oxidation (FAO) inhibitor, in right ventricular function, remodeling, and functional class in PAH patients, with a placebo-controlled double-blind, case-crossover trial. Twenty-seven PAH subjects were enrolled, randomized, and assigned to trimetazidine or placebo for three months and then reallocated to the other study arm. The primary endpoint was RV morphology and function change after three months of treatment. Secondary endpoints were the change in exercise capacity assessed by a 6 min walk test after three months of treatment and the change in pro-BNP and Galectin-3 plasma levels after three months. Trimetazidine use was safe and well-tolerated. After three months of treatment, patients in the trimetazidine group showed a small but significant reduction of RV diastolic area, and a substantial increase in the 6 min walk distance (418 vs. 438 mt, p = 0.023), without significant changes in biomarkers. Conclusions: A short course of trimetazidine is safe and well-tolerated on PAH patients, and it is associated with significant increases in the 6MWT and minor but significant improvement in RV remodeling. The therapeutic potential of this drug should be evaluated in larger clinical trials.
Effects of Craniotomy and Endoscopic Endonasal Transsphenoidal Surgery on Bodyweight in Adult-Onset Craniopharyngioma: A Single-Center Retrospective Study
Authors: Li Yanbin , Xiao Youchao , Wu Wentao , Jin Lu , Jia Yanfei , Cai Kefan , Qiao Ning , Cao Lei , Gui Songbai
Published: February 2023

Craniopharyngioma (CP) is a histologically benign tumor with high mortality and morbidity. Although surgical treatment is essential in managing CP, the best surgical approach is debated. A retrospective cohort of 117 patients with adult-onset CP (AOCP) treated between 2018 and 2020 in Beijing Tiantan Hospital was identified and examined. The effects of traditional craniotomy (TC) and endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery (EETS) on the extent of surgical resection, hypothalamic involvement (HI), postoperative endocrine function, and postoperative weight were compared in the cohort. The cohort comprised 43 males and 74 females, divided into the TC (n = 59) and EETS (n = 58) groups. The EETS group possessed a higher rate of gross total resection (GTR) (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 4.08, p = 0.029) and improved HI (aOR = 2.58, p = 0.041) than the TC group. Worse postoperative HI was only observed in the TC group (5 patients). The EETS was associated with fewer adverse hormonal outcomes, including posterior pituitary dysfunction (aOR = 0.386, p = 0.040) and hypopituitarism (aOR = 0.384, p = 0.031). Additionally, multivariate logistic regression analysis confirmed that EETS was related to fewer cases of weight gain >5% (aOR = 0.376, p = 0.034), significant weight change (aOR = 0.379, p = 0.022), and postoperative obesity (aOR = 0.259, p = 0.032). Compared to TC, EETS shows advantages in accomplishing GTR, hypothalamus protection, postoperative endocrine function reservation, and postoperative weight control. These data suggest that the EETS deserves more application in managing patients with AOCP.
Lightweight Underwater Target Detection Algorithm Based on Dynamic Sampling Transformer and Knowledge-Distillation Optimization
Authors: Chen Liang , Yang Yuyi , Wang Zhenheng , Zhang Jian , Zhou Shaowu , Wu Lianghong
Published: February 2023

Underwater robot perception is a critical task. Due to the complex underwater environment and low quality of optical images, it is difficult to obtain accurate and stable target position information using traditional methods, making it unable to meet practical use requirements. The relatively low computing power of underwater robots prevents them from supporting real-time detection with complex model algorithms for deep learning. To resolve the above problems, a lightweight underwater target detection and recognition algorithm based on knowledge distillation optimization is proposed based on the YOLOv5-lite model. Firstly, a dynamic sampling Transformer module is proposed. After the feature matrix is sparsely sampled, the query matrix is dynamically shifted to achieve the purpose of targeted attention modeling. Additionally, the shared kernel parameter convolution is used to optimize the matrix encoding and simplify the forward-propagation memory overhead. Then, a distillation method with decoupled localization and recognition is designed in the model-training process. The ability to transfer the effective localization knowledge of the positive sample boxes is enhanced, which ensures that the model maintains the same number of parameters to improve the detection accuracy. Validated by real offshore underwater image data, the experimental results show that our method provides an improvement of 6.6% and 5.0% over both baseline networks with different complexity models under the statistical index of detection accuracy mAP, which also suggests 58.8% better efficiency than models such as the standard YOLOv5. Through a comparison with other mainstream single-stage networks, the effectiveness and sophistication of the proposed algorithm are validated.
Kojic Acid Gene Clusters and the Transcriptional Activation Mechanism of Aspergillus flavus KojR on Expression of Clustered Genes
Authors: Chang Perng-Kuang , Scharfenstein Leslie L. , Mahoney Noreen , Kong Qing
Published: February 2023

Kojic acid (KA) is a fungal metabolite and has a variety of applications in the cosmetics and food industries. Aspergillus oryzae is a well-known producer of KA, and its KA biosynthesis gene cluster has been identified. In this study, we showed that nearly all section Flavi aspergilli except for A. avenaceus had complete KA gene clusters, and only one Penicillium species, P. nordicum, contained a partial KA gene cluster. Phylogenetic inference based on KA gene cluster sequences consistently grouped section Flavi aspergilli into clades as prior studies. The Zn(II)2Cys6 zinc cluster regulator KojR transcriptionally activated clustered genes of kojA and kojT in Aspergillus flavus. This was evidenced by the time-course expression of both genes in kojR-overexpressing strains whose kojR expression was driven by a heterologous Aspergillus nidulans gpdA promoter or a homologous A. flavus gpiA promoter. Using sequences from the kojA and kojT promoter regions of section Flavi aspergilli for motif analyses, we identified a consensus KojR-binding motif to be an 11-bp palindromic sequence of 5′-CGRCTWAGYCG-3′ (R = A/G, W = A/T, Y = C/T). A CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene-targeting technique showed that the motif sequence, 5′-CGACTTTGCCG-3′, in the kojA promoter was critical for KA biosynthesis in A. flavus. Our findings may facilitate strain improvement and benefit future kojic acid production.