bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Understanding Regulation of Non-Utility Water Supply Systems from the Household Perspective
Authors: Ikpeh Iniobong James , Soetanto Robby , Anvuur Aaron
Published: June 2021

PurposeThe article seeks to examine the understanding of regulation of Non-Utility Water Supply Systems (NUWSS) from perspective of water users in households, the behavioural dimensions of regulation and aspects of the non-utility water supply system that can be regulated.Research Method/DesignThe theory of planned behaviour was used to identify determinants to regulatory compliance across the groups of indicators identified for the regulation of water supply systems. To understand household perception of regulation, interviews were conducted, with questions put to water users in households. A qualitative research approach was adopted, using interviews, and focus group discussion with water users in households.FindingsThe findings indicate that households hold varied perceptions on regulation across the components of the water supply system. Specifically, regulatory compliance by households was influenced by crucial elements such as preferential compliance to regulation within specific aspects of the water supply system. Limitations and implicationsThe inference from this research is based on households from one state in Nigeria. Further exploration of this research in multiple cities and states would widen the applicability of the findings in different contexts.Originality/valueThe study examines regulation and regulatory compliance from the perspective of households who predominantly use Non-Utility Water Supply System (NUWSS) in sub-Saharan Africa.
Evaluation of the Complicated Storm Sewer Networks Design Method and the Rational Method Using a Risk-Based Simulation-Optimization Approach
Authors: Samani Jamal Mohammad Vali , Sadeghi Sonia , Samani Hossein Mohammad Vali
Published: June 2021

In this study, optimal designs with minimum costs are obtained for various storm return periods. Then the risk analysis is used to determine the return period in which the design cost plus the damage risk cost is minimum. SWMM software was used to handle the simulation and the Network optimization was performed by using the genetic algorithm. The non-linear reservoir model to convert the rainfall into runoff and the dynamic wave model to perform the network hydraulic simulation in this software are utilized as a complicated simulation model. The results showed that the 10-year return-period storm in which the summation of the design and the damage risk costs are minimum is the one that should be selected. Also, the rational method of the software was applied as the simplest method of rainfall-runoff and the hydraulic calculations were performed using a Manning equation without considering the flow travel time. The results show that the return period of the risk analysis is the same as the first one whereas the total design costs are greater by 16.6%. Afterward, the classical rational method in which the flow travel time is considered was used to design the same network. The peak flows of the pipes were remarkably reduced, causing the design costs to be only 4.7% greater than the complicated precise method. It can be concluded that the simple classic rational method considering the flow travel time may be used in the design of storm sewer networks due to its acceptable accuracy and costs.
Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration Associated With anti-Yo Antibodies Appearing as a Leptomeningeal Cerebellar Carcinomatosis at Mri. A Case Report.
Authors: Napolitano Massimo , Ranieri Angelo , Alfieri Gennaro , Maniscalco Giorgia Teresa , Zeccolini Fabio , Boscaino Amedeo , Manzo Valentino
Published: June 2021

Anti Yo antibodies (AYA) are the antibodies most frequently identified with Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration (PCD). They are detected above all in PCD associated with breast and gynecologic malignancies. Here, we report a third case of PCD with cerebellar contrast enhancement findings at MRI. In fact, AYA cross anti cerebellar cortex immune reaction leads mainly to hyperintensity signals in T2-weighted-MRI sequences, followed by cerebellar atrophy. As such, meningeal contrast enhancement could lead to a diagnostic pitfall as it can be considered a carcinomatosis - above all in serum antibody negative cases as well as when a metastatic tumour is found. Our patient had no tumoral cells in the cerebrospinal fluid and her neurological syndrome remained stable after immunoglobulin treatment. AYA serum finding was diriment for PCD diagnosis.
Creating Speech Synthesis Process by Using Pulse Model in Log-Domain Vocoder With Whale Optimized Deep Convolution Neural Networks
Authors: N Radha , P Vijayalakshmi
Published: June 2021

Speech synthesis is an artificial production of human speech by utilizing computer systems called a speech synthesizer. Several statistical parameters are used in previous works to perform the speech synthesis process, but the vocoder is combined only the simpler model. Due to the lack of sequence of modeling, the quality degrading process is reducing the speech synthesis. Therefore, the Pulse model in log-domain vocoder with whale optimized deep convolution recurrent neural network is applied to investing the vocoder in this work. During this analysis, Mel-Generalized Cepstrum (MGC), maximum voice frequency (MVF), and F0 are applied to processing the signal to extracting the features, and the vocoder is generated successfully. The system's effectiveness is then evaluated using experimental results compared to deep neural networks and traditional recurrent networks.
A Workflow to Investigate the Impacts of Weathered Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes to the Mudsnail Lymnaea Stagnalis
Authors: Weise Katrin , Kurth Thomas , Politowski Irina , Winkelmann Carola , Schäffer Andreas , Kretschmar Susanne , Berendonk Thomas Ulrich , Jungmann Dirk
Published: June 2021

Although the development and application of nanomaterials is a growing industry, little data is available on the ecotoxicological effects on aquatic organisms. Therefore, we set up a workflow to address the potential uptake of weathered multi-walled carbon nanotubes (wMWCNTs) by a model organism, the pulmonary mudsnail Lymnaea stagnalis (L. stagnalis), which plays an important role in the food web. It represents a suitable organism for this approach because as a grazer it potentially ingests large amounts of sedimented wMWCNTs. As food source for L. stagnalis, benthic biofilm was investigated by the use of a transmission electron microscope (TEM), and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) after exposure with wMWCNTs. In addition, isotopic labeling was applied with 14C-wMWCNTs (0.1 mg/L) to quantify fate, behavior and enrichment of 14C-wMWCNTs in benthic biofilm and in L. stagnalis. Enrichment in benthic biofilm amounted to 529.0 µg wMWCNTs/g dry weight and in L. stagnalis to 79.6 µg wMWCNTs/g dry weight. A bioconcentration factor (BCF) for L. stagnalis was calculated (3,500 L/kg). We demonstrate the accumulation of wMWCNTs (10 mg/L) in the digestive tract of L. stagnalis in an effect study. Moreover, the physiological markers glycogen and triglycerides as indicators for the physiological state, as well as the RNA/DNA ratio as growth indicator were examined. No significant differences between exposed and control animals were analyzed for glycogen and triglycerides after 24 d of exposure, but a decreasing trend is recognizable for triglycerides. In contrast, the significant reduction in the RNA/DNA ratio of L. stagnalis indicated an inhibition of growth with a following recovery after depuration. The described workflow enables a comprehensive determination of the fate and the behavior of wMWCNTs in specifically and in general all kinds of CNT in the aquatic environment and therefore contributes to a holistic risk assessment of wMWCNTs.
A Multi Core Data Transmission and Management Method of the Wireless MIMO Network
Authors: Deng Changjian
Published: June 2021

With the development of vehicle and mobile robot wireless technology, there are lots of data may transmit simultaneously. So, the paper proposes a multi core data transmission and network management method. In this method, the MIMO multi core system works in parallel mode; and it has multi agent feature in network operation, meanwhile it has feature of sub-graph decomposition characteristics also in MIMO topology of network. Based on the mathematical model of MIMO multi core system, the paper designs two prototype of network gateway, one is made of five CC2530 , a CAN module, and it is a demo of a vehicles gateway; the another is CC1320 multicore gateway system. The simulations and experiments show the feasibility and effective of this wireless multi core data transmission and management method
Attention mechanisms and deep learning for machine vision: A survey of the state of the art
Authors: Hafiz Abdul Mueed , Parah Shabir Ahmad , Bhat Rouf Ul Alam
Published: June 2021

With the advent of state of the art nature-inspired pure attention based models i.e. transformers, and their success in natural language processing (NLP), their extension to machine vision (MV) tasks was inevitable and much felt. Subsequently, vision transformers (ViTs) were introduced which are giving quite a challenge to the established deep learning based machine vision techniques. However, pure attention based models/architectures like transformers require huge data, large training times and large computational resources. Some recent works suggest that combinations of these two varied fields can prove to build systems which have the advantages of both these fields. Accordingly, this state of the art survey paper is introduced which hopefully will help readers get useful information about this interesting and potential research area. A gentle introduction to attention mechanisms is given, followed by a discussion of the popular attention based deep architectures. Subsequently, the major categories of the intersection of attention mechanisms and deep learning for machine vision (MV) based are discussed. Afterwards, the major algorithms, issues and trends within the scope of the paper are discussed.
​Isolation and Characterization of a Vibrio Sp. Strain MA3 Possibly Associated with Mass Mortalities of the Pearl Oyster Pinctada fucata
Authors: SAKATOKU Akihiro , Hatano Kaito , Tanaka Shoki , Isshiki Tadashi
Published: June 2021

In the summers of 2019 and 2020, a previously undescribed disease occurred in both juvenile and adult shellfish, causing mass mortalities in cultured pearl production, characterized by the major symptom of extreme atrophy of the soft tissues, including the mantle. However, the causative organism was uncertain. We isolated Vibrio sp. strain MA3 from the mantles of diseased pearl oysters Pinctada fucata. Analyses of 16S rRNA gene and DNA gyrase sequence homologies and its biochemical and morphological characteristics suggested that strain MA3 is a new strain of Vibrio alginolyticus. In addition, a hemolysin gene (Vhe1) of strain MA3 was detected as one of the virulence factors, and the complete sequence was determined. BLAST searches showed that Vhe1 shares 99.8% nucleotide sequence identity with Vibrio alginolyticus strain A056 lecithin-dependent hemolysin (ldh) gene, complete cds. Experimental infection of healthy oysters via injection with strain MA3 indicated it could cause high mortalities of the typically affected oysters from which the strain was isolated. These results suggest that the newly isolated Vibrio sp. strain MA3 is a putative causal agent of the recent disease outbreaks in Akoya pearl oysters.
Genetic Variants in Histone Modification Regions Are Associated With the Prognosis of Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Kang Hyo-Gyoung , Lee Yong Hoon , Lee Shin Yup , Choi Jin Eun , Do Sook Kyung , Hong Mi Jeong , Lee Jang Hyuck , Jeong Ji Yun , Do Young Woo , Lee Eung Bae , Shin Kyung Min , Lee Won Ki , Choi Sun Ha , Seo Hye , Yoo Seung Soo , Lee Jaehee , Cha Seung Ick , Kim Chang Ho , Cho Sukki , Jheon Sanghoon , Park Jae Yong
Published: June 2021

We investigated the association between genetic variants in the histone modification regions and the prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma after curative surgery. Potentially functional SNPs were selected using integrated analysis of ChIP-seq and RNA-seq. The SNPs were analyzed in a discovery set (n=166) and a validation set (n=238). The associations of the SNPs with overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were analyzed. A total of 279 SNPs were selected for genotyping. Among these, CAPN1 rs17583C>T was significantly associated with better OS and DFS (P = 0.001 and P = 0.007, respectively), and LINC00959 rs4751162A>G was significantly associated with worse DFS (P = 0.008). Luciferase assays showed a significantly lower promoter activity of CAPN1 in the rs17583 T allele than C allele (P = 0.008), and consistently the CT+TT genotypes had significantly lower CAPN1 expression than CC genotype (P = 0.01) in clinical samples. The rs4751162 G allele had higher promoter activity of GLRX3 than A allele (P = 0.05). The motif analyses and ChIP-qPCR confirmed that the variants are located in the active promoter/enhancer regions where transcription factor binding occurs. This study showed that genetic variants in the histone modification regions could predict the prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma after surgery.
The CN-index of hnRNP-DL Predicts an Individual “Window of Treatment Success” in RA Patients
Authors: Marklein Bianka , Jenning Madeleine , Konthur Zoltán , Häupl Thomas , Welzel Franziska , Nonhoff Ute , Krobitsch Sylvia , Mulder Debbie , Koenders Marije , Joshua Vijay , Cope Andrew , Shlomchik Mark , Anders Hans-Joachim , Burmester Gerd , Hensvold Aase , Catrina Anca , Johan Rönnelid , Steiner Günter , Skriner Karl
Published: June 2021

BackgroundThere is a need for biomarker to identify patients ‘at risk’ for rheumatoid arthritis (risk-RA) and to better predict the therapeutic response and in this study we tested the hypothesis that novel native and citrullinated heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP)-DL autoantibodies could be possible biomarkers.MethodsUsing Protein macroarray and ELISA, epitope recognition against hnRNP-DL was analysed in sera from different developed RA disease and diagnosed SLE patients. Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7/9 and myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88)-dependency were studied in sera from murine disease models. HnRNP-DL expression in cultivated cells and synovial tissue was analysed by indirect immunofluorescence, immunoblot and immunohistochemistry. ResultshnRNP-DL was highly expressed in stress granules, citrullinated in the rheumatoid joint and targeted by autoantibodies either as native or citrullinated proteins in patient subsets with different developed RA disease. Structural citrullination dependent epitopes (SCEs) of hnRNP-DL were detected in 58% of the SLE patients although 98% of these sera were α-CCP2-negative. To obtain a specific citrullinated signal value, we subtracted the native antibody value from the citrullinated signal. This CNDL (Citrullinated-Native-hnRNP-DL)-index identified and the bioinformatic value was explored, as a new value for an “individual window of treatment success” in early RA and for the detection of RF-IgM/α-CCP2 seronegative RA patients (24-46%). Negative CNDL-index was found in SLE patients, risk-RA- and early RA-cohorts such as EIRA where the majority of these patients are DAS28-responders to methotrexate (MTX) treatment (87%). High positive CNDL-values were associated with more severe RA, shared epitope and parenchymal changes in the lung. Specifically, native α-hnRNP-DL is TLR7/9-dependent, associated with pain and ROC-analysis revealed an association to initial MTX or etanercept treatment response, especially in seronegative RA patients.ConclusionCNDL-index defines patients is a possible biomarker for develop RA and the “window of treatment success” thereby potentially closing the sensitivity gap.
Association Between Inflammatory Cytokines and Immune-Checkpoint Molecule in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Matsumoto Haruki , Fujita Yuya , Asano Tomoyuki , Matsuoka Naoki , Temmoku Jumpei , Sato Shuzo , Yashiro-Furuya Makiko , Yokose Kohei , Yoshida Shuhei , Suzuki Eiji , Yago Toru , Watanabe Hiroshi , Kawakami Atsushi , Migita Kiyoshi
Published: June 2021

BackgroundRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a heterogeneous inflammatory disease. Both anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPA) and inflammatory cytokines play an important role in the development of RA. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between inflammatory cytokines and co-inhibitory checkpoint molecules in patients with RA.MethodsOne hundred and thirty-two Japanese patients with established RA were enrolled. Serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF- α) were determined by ELISA. Patients were stratified into two groups based on ACPA titers: low-medium ACPA (ACPA <200 U/mL) and high ACPA (ACPA ≥200 U/mL). Serum levels of cytokines or co-inhibitory checkpoint molecules were compared according to the status of ACPA titers and joint progression stage.ResultsBaseline serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were significantly elevated in RA patients; however, the two cytokines showed no correlation with each other. Serum levels of IL-6 or TNF-α showed a significant correlation with DAS28-CRP, independent of ACPA status. Although serum levels of soluble T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain containing-3 (sTIM-3) were elevated in RA patients, significant correlation of sTIM-3 with IL-6 or TNF-α was only observed in RA patients with low-medium levels of ACPA titers (<200 U/mL). Serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly correlated with elevated levels of galectin-9 (Gal-9) independent of ACPA status. Whereas, a significant correlation between IL-6 and Gal-9 was observed only in RA patients without advanced joint damage (Stage I). Conversely, significant correlation between TNF-α and Gal-9 was observed only in RA patients with advanced joint damage (Stage II–IV).ConclusionsRA patients may be differentiated based on the interplay between serum cytokines and co-inhibitory molecules. RA patients with minimal joint damage (Stage I) appear to show positive correlation between Gal-9 and IL-6. Conversely, RA patients with advanced joint damage (Stage II–IV) appear to show positive correlation between Gal-9 and TNF-α. Serum levels of cytokines and immune-checkpoint molecules may be useful markers for predicting the immune phenotype and further personalized treatment of RA.
The Dynamics of Frailty Development and Progression in Older Adults in England (2006 – 2017): A Retrospective Cohort Profile
Authors: Fogg Carole , Fraser Simon DS , Roderick Paul , Lusignan Simon , Clegg Andrew , Brailsford Sally , Barkham Abigail , Patel Harnish P , Windle Vivienne , Harris Scott , Zhu Shihua , England Tracey , Evenden Dave , Lambert Francesca , Walsh Bronagh
Published: June 2021

Background: Frailty is a common condition in older adults and has a major impact on patient outcomes and service use. Information on the prevalence in middle-aged adults and the patterns of progression of frailty at an individual and population level is scarce. To address this, a cohort was defined from a large primary care database in England to describe the epidemiology of frailty and understand the dynamics of frailty within individuals and across the population. This article describes the structure of the dataset, cohort characteristics and planned analyses.Methods: Retrospective cohort study using electronic health records. Participants were aged ≥50 years registered in practices contributing to the Oxford Royal College of General Practitioners Research and Surveillance Centre between 2006 to 2017. Data include GP practice details, patient sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, twice-yearly electronic Frailty Index (eFI), deaths, medication use and primary and secondary care health service use. GP and patient characteristics at cohort entry are described. Planned analyses include frailty incidence, prevalence and transitions between frailty categories, predictors of transitions and trajectories, and relationships between frailty, service use and outcomes. Techniques including regression, multistate models and cost analyses will be used. Results: The cohort includes 2,177,656 patients, contributing 15,552,946 person-years, registered at 419 primary care practices in England. The mean age was 61 years, 52.1% of the cohort was female, and 77.6% lived in urban environments. Frailty increased with age, affecting 10% of adults aged 50-64 and 43.7% of adults aged ≥65. The prevalence of long-term conditions and specific frailty deficits increased with age, as did the eFI and the severity of frailty categories. Conclusion: A comprehensive understanding of frailty dynamics will inform predictions of current and future care needs to facilitate timely planning of appropriate interventions, service configurations and workforce requirements. Analysis of this large, nationally representative cohort including participants aged ≥50 will capture earlier transitions to frailty and enable a detailed understanding of progression and impact. These results will inform novel simulation models which predict future health and service needs of older people living with frailty. Study registration: registered on www.clinicaltrials.gov October 25th 2019, NCT04139278.
The Influence of Mass Media on Italian Web Users During COVID-19: An Infodemiological Analysis
Authors: Rovetta Alessandro , Castaldo Lucia
Published: June 2021

Alongside the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has had to face a growing infodemic, which has caused severe damage to economic and health systems and has often compromised the effectiveness of infection containment regulations. Although this has spread mainly through social media, there are numerous occasions in which the mass media have shared dangerous information, giving resonance to statements without a scientific basis. For these reasons, infoveillance and infodemiology methods are increasingly exploited to monitor online information traffic. The same tools have also been used to make epidemiological predictions. Among these, Google Trends - a service by GoogleTM that quantifies the web interest of users in the form of relative search volume - has often been adopted by the scientific community. In this regard, the purpose of this paper is to use Google Trends to estimate the impact of Italian mass media on users' web searches in order to understand the role of press and television channels in both the infodemic and the interest of Italian netizens on COVID-19. In conclusion, our results suggest that the Italian mass media have played a decisive role both in the spread of the infodemic and in addressing netizens' web interest, thus favoring the adoption of terms unsuitable for identifying the novel coronavirus (COVID- 19 disease). Therefore, it is highly advisable that the directors of news channels and newspapers be more cautious and government dissemination agencies exert more control over such news.
Climatic control on the location of the Southern Andes volcanic arc
Authors: Muller Veleda Paiva , Sternai Pietro , Sue Christian
Published: June 2021

Volcanic arcs at convergent plate margins are primary surface expressions of plate tectonics. Although climate affects many of the manifestations of plate tectonics via erosion, the upwelling of magmas and location of volcanic arcs are considered insensitive to climate. In the Southern Andes, subduction of the Nazca oceanic plate below the South American continent generates the Southern Andes Volcanic zone. Orographic interactions with Pacific westerlies lead to high precipitation and erosion on the western slopes of the belt between 42-46°S. At these latitudes, the topographic water divide and the volcanic arc are respectively farther and closer to the subduction trench than at lower latitudes, despite a constant subduction dip angle along strike. Here, we use thermomechanical numerical modeling to investigate how magma upwelling is affected by topographic changes due to orography. We show that a leeward topographic shift may entail a windward asymmetry of crustal structures accommodating the magma upwelling, consistent with the observed trench-ward migration of the Southern Andes Volcanic Zone. A climatic control on the location of volcanic arcs via orography and erosion is thus revealed.
Microbial Dehydration of 2-Methylisoborneol in Forest Soil
Authors: Drummond Laura , von Wallbrunn Christian , Buchhaupt Markus
Published: June 2021

Microorganisms use a complex array of chemical compounds to interact with their surroundings. They produce and process different molecules in response to changes in the environment or in their metabolism. One of the most well known volatile organic compounds produced by microorganisms is the C11-terpenoid 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB), which has received attention because of the off-flavor it confers to fresh and reservoir water as well as to cultured fish. Cleaning water supplies of the off-flavor 2-MIB has been of interest for the scientific community for years, with the use of techniques that are either expensive e.g. activated carbon, or create toxic byproducts e.g. ozonation. In the present study, soil samples from nature were collected from a forest and the volatile organic compounds produced by microbes were extracted and analyzed with focus on non-canonical terpenoid structures. HS-SPME-GC/MS analysis of soil samples revealed 1-methylcamphene, 2-methylenebornane and 2-methylisoborneol as C11-terpenoids. Due to the high 1-MC/2-MIB ratio compared to previous reports, it was hypothesized that microbial degradation of 2-MIB was in place. Addition of synthetic 2-MIB to biologically active soil revealed complete dehydration of the pollutant to 2-MB, 1-MC and 2-methyl-2-bornene (2-M2B). The results suggest the potential of using respective natural microorganisms for biodegradation of 2-MIB, with applications in water treatment, fishery and soil ecology.
An Integrative Prognostic and Immune Analysis of PTPRD in Pan-Cancer
Authors: Ou Chunpei , Peng Qin , Zeng Changchun
Published: June 2021

Background: PTPRD plays an indispensable role in the occurrence of multiple tumors. However, pan-cancer analysis is unavailable. The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between PTPRD and immunity and describe its prognostic landscape across various tumors. Methods: We explored expression profile, survival analysis, and genomic alterations of PTPRD based on the TIMER, GEPIA, UALCAN, PrognoScan, and cBioPortal database. The frequency of PTPRD mutation and its correlation with response to immunotherapy were evaluated using the cBioPortal database. The relationship between PTPRD and immune-cell infiltration was analyzed by the TIMER and TISIDB databases. A protein interaction network was constructed by the STRING database. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis was executed by the Metascape database.Results: A significant correlation between PTPRD expression and prognosis was found in various cancers. Aberrant PRPRD expression was closely related to immune infiltration. Importantly, the patients who harbored PTPRD mutation and received immune checkpoint inhibitors had worse overall survival, especially in non-small cell lung cancer and melanoma, and had a higher TMB score. Moreover, PTPRD mutation was involved in numerous biological processes, including immunological signaling pathways. Additionally, a PTPRD protein interaction network was constructed, and genes that interacted with PTPRD were identified. Functional enrichment analysis demonstrated that a variety of GO biological processes and KEGG pathways of PTPRD were primarily involved in the therapeutic mechanisms. Conclusions: These results revealed that PRPRD might function as a biomarker for prognosis and immune infiltration in cancers, throwing new light on cancer therapeutics.
Accelerated Discovery of the Polymer Matrix for Cartilage Repair Through Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Mairpady A. , Mourad Abdel-Hamid I. , Mozumder A S Mohammad Sayem
Published: June 2021

Cartilage repair is one of the most challenging tasks for the orthopedic surgeons and researchers. The primary challenge lies on the fact that the development of the extracellular matrixes requires specialized cells known as chondrocytes which are sparse in numbers. Chondrocytes’ minimal self-renewal capacity makes it further troublesome and expensive to repair the cartilages. In designing successful substitutes for the cartilages, the selection of materials used for the scaffold fabrication plays the central role among several other important factors in order to ensure the success of the survival and proliferation of any biomaterial substitutes. Since last few decades, polymer and polymers' combination have been extensively used to fabricate such scaffolds and have shown promising results in terms of mechanical integrity and biocompatibility. In an empirical approach, the selection of the most appropriate polymer(s) for cartilage repair is an expensive and time-consuming affair, as traditionally, it requires numerous trials. Moreover, it is humanly impossible to go through the huge library of literature available on the potential polymer(s) and to correlate their physical, mechanical and biological properties that might be suitable for cartilage tissue engineering. With the advancement of machine learning, material design may experience a significant reduction in experimental time and cost. The objective of this study is to implement an inverse design approach to select the best polymer(s) or composites for cartilage repair by using the machine learning algorithms, such as random forest regression (i.e., regression trees) and the multinomial logistic regression. In these algorithms, the mechanical properties of the polymers, which are similar to the cartilages, are considered as the input and the polymer(s)/composites are the predicted output. According to the random forest regression and multinomial logistic regression, the polymer(s)/composites (i.e., the output) having the closest characteristics of the articular cartilages were found to be a composite of polycaprolactone and poly(bisphenol A carbonate) and a blend of polyethylene/polyethylene-graft-poly(maleic anhydride), respectively. These composites exhibit similar biomechanical properties of the natural cartilages and initiate only minimal immune responses in the body environment.
Women’s Empowerment and Community Norms Association on Women’s Access to Health Facility Delivery in Ethiopia. A Multilevel Analysis.
Authors: Bekele Daniel
Published: June 2021

Background Health-care facility delivery was the most critical in ensuring the provision of high-quality care and a distribution location that was ready in the case of an emergency for reproductive women. However, maternal mortality remains high in African nations, and the majority of women were still giving birth at home. This study was aimed to determine whether women's empowerment and community norms, plus other proximate factors, are related to the health facility delivery utilization of women in Ethiopia. Methods The data for this study was taken from the Performance Monitoring for Action (PMA) in Ethiopia of the 2019 cross-sectional survey. A weighted sample of 4864 women with at least one birth history, clustered within 264 clusters was used for this study. The impact of women's empowerment, cultural norms, and other proximate factors on the use of health facility deliveries among reproductive-age women across clusters in Ethiopia was studied using a two-level multilevel logistic regression. Results In Ethiopia, around 51 % of women were delivered their most recent child at the health facility. The use of a health facility delivery was more common among empowered women and those living in where the most people encourage a health facility delivery. Older women were less likely to deliver at a health facility and women from the highest wealth quantile more likely to have a facility delivery. Those women with higher education and living in an urban area were more likely to have a health facility delivery. Women’s chances of giving birth in health facilities vary significantly across the 264 clusters of Ethiopia ( σ_uo^2 =2.49,p.value<0.001). Conclusions This study emphasizes the importance of women's empowerment and cultural norms in enhancing maternal health outcomes of women in Ethiopia. It is more important than ever that the government and development agency should invest more in women's empowerment and raising community consciousness about the benefits of using health facility delivery as part of a strategic intervention to improve maternal health outcomes.
Cost-utility of Two Minimally-invasive Surgical Techniques for Operable Oropharyngeal Cancer: Transoral Robotic Surgery Versus Transoral Laser Microsurgery
Authors: Parimbelli Enea , Soldati Federico , Duchoud Lorry , de Almeida John , Broglie Martina , Quaglini Silvana , Simon Christian , Armas Gian Luca
Published: June 2021

Background:In the past few decades, a re-evaluation of treatment paradigms of head and neck cancers with a desire to spare patients the treatment-related toxicities of open surgery, has led to the development of new minimally invasive surgical techniques to improve outcomes. Besides Transoral Laser Microsurgery (TLM), a new robotic surgical technique namely Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS) emerged for the first time as one of the two most prominent and widely used minimally invasive surgical approaches particularly for the treatment of oropharyngeal cancer, a sub-entity of head and neck cancers. Recent population-level data suggest equivalent tumor control, but different total costs, and need for adjuvant chemoradiation. A comparative analysis of these two techniques is therefore warranted from the cost-utility (C/U) point of view.Methods:Decision-analytical model for comparing TORS and TLM from the cost-utility (C/U) point of view.Results: In the base case analysis TLM dominates TORS. This advantage remains robust, even if the costs for TORS reduce by up to 25%. TORS begins to dominate TLM, if less than 59,7% patients require adjuvant treatment, whereby in an interval between 55%-62% cost effectiveness of TORS is sensitive to the prescription of adjuvant CRT. Exceeding 29% of TLM patients requiring a revision of surgical margins renders TORS more cost-effective.Conclusion: Non-robotic endoscopic surgery (TLM) is more cost-effective than robotic endoscopic surgery (TORS) for the treatment of oropharyngeal cancers. However, this advantage is sensitive to various parameters, i.e.to the number of re-operations and adjuvant treatment.
Edaphic Factors as Agents of Genetic Diversity and Adaptation of Native Plant Species of Harsh Environments in the Brazilian Savanna
Authors: Andrade Leide Rovênia Miranda , Aquino Fabiana Góis , Echevarria Guillaume , Oliveira Jamile S. , Pereira Cícero D. , Malaquias Juaci V. , Souza Karina Santos , Montargès-Pelletier Emmanuelle , Faleiro Fábio Gelape , Júnior Fábio Bueno Reis , Miranda Zenilton Gayoso , Sano Edson Eyji
Published: June 2021

Purposes To analyze the main edaphic factors that differentiate ultramafic from typical Cerrado environments and act as agents of the development of biochemical and morphological mechanisms of species adaptation to these harsh environments; and to determine the genetic diversity of three Cerrado’s shrubland native species (Justicia lanstyakii, Euploca salicoides, and Oxalis hirsutissima). Methods We conducted chemical analysis of metal contents in soils, as well as on elemental composition, and analysis of DNA extracted from leaf tissues of the three species found in both environments. In leaves of E. salicoides grown in both environments we evaluated the changes in the levels of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC), and total proteins. Results The accessions obtained in ultramafic soils were closer with each other, indicating genetic similarity and major differences in relation to the accessions collected in the Cerrado area. These differentiations probably are related with higher adaptation to soils rich in metals, mainly Ni in ultramafic, and Al in the Cerrado environments. The highest levels of NSC were observed in plants grown in ultramafic soils, including raffinose, which is related to responses to metal detoxification and drought. The allocation of Ni in the trichomes, which does not affect important processes of plant metabolism, is another mechanism developed by E. salicoides to overcome the hyperaccumulation of Ni in their tissues. Conclusions These findings can help select seed collection sites representative of the genetic diversity of native plant species for restoring degraded areas or for phytoremediation of metals.
Identification of a Novel Missense Mutation in the Fibroblast Growth Factor 5 Gene Associated with Longhair in the Maine Coon Cat
Authors: Shaffer Lisa G , Shaffer Griffin D , Ballif Blake C , Meurs Kathryn , Flores-Smith Helen
Published: June 2021

Hair length can be a highly variable trait within the Felis catus species, varying between and within different cat breeds. Previous research has demonstrated this variability is due to recessive mutations within the fibroblast growth factor 5 (FGF5) gene. Following a clinical genetic screen, four long-haired Maine Coons were identified that had only one copy of a known FGF5 mutation. We performed DNA sequencing on two of the Maine Coons and identified a missense mutation in FGF5 c.G>A625 p.A193T (Mutation 5, M5). Genetic screening via restriction digest was then performed on an additional 275 cats of various breeds, revealing two more Maine Coons heterozygous for M5 and a previously known mutation. No additional cases were identified after in silico analysis of 68 whole genome cat sequences from various breeds, demonstrating that this novel mutation is most likely a breed-specific variant for the Maine Coon, contributing to the longhair phenotype in about 3% of cats.
Active Cytomegalovirus Infection in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Patients: Incidence, Risk Factors, and Clinical Outcomes
Authors: Zhang Zhihui , Li Rujian , Zheng Yongxin , Zhan Qianyi , Zang Qing , Zhao Ruixue , Rao Qing , Zhang Jierong , Huang Yongbo , Liu Xiaoqing , Li Yimin
Published: June 2021

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients have been reported to have a high seroprevalence of cytomegalovirus (CMV). However, the role of active CMV infection in ARDS patients has not been clearly established.Objective: This study aimed at determining the incidence, risk factors, and clinical outcomes of active cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records for ARDS patients who had been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) from January 1st, 2018 to December 31st, 2020 at a national teaching hospital in China. Study participants were divided into active CMV infection and non-active infection groups based on CMV DNAemia within a 28-day hospitalization period in ICU. Clinical features, laboratory findings, treatment measures, and clinical outcomes were compared between the two groups.Results: Among 168 ARDS patients, 31 (18.5%) exhibited active CMV infection within the 28-day hospitalization period in ICU. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, monocyte counts, hemoglobin levels, blood transfusion, and septic shock were significantly independently associated with active CMV infection (p < 0.05). Oxygenation (PaO2/FiO2) of active CMV infection patients was worse than for non-active CMV infection (p < 0.05). Duration of invasive mechanical ventilation, 28-day ventilator-free days, length of ICU stay, and 28-day all-cause mortality rates in active CMV infection patients were significantly higher than in those without active CMV infection (p < 0.05).Conclusions: Active CMV infection is common among critically ill ARDS patients. Monocytes, hemoglobin, blood transfusion, and septic shock are risk factors for active CMV infection, which has a negative effect on oxygenation. Moreover, active CMV infection is associated with several adverse prognoses. Prospective studies should be performed to evaluate the impact of prophylactic antiviral therapy for prognoses among ARDS patients.
Determinants of adherence to iron-folic acid supplementation among postnatal mothers in Addis Ababa referral hospitals, Ethiopia
Authors: Taye Tigist Alemu , Sinaga Mesele , Taye Abonesh
Published: June 2021

Abstract: In Ethiopia, adherence to iron-folic acid supplementation is disappointingly low were only 5% took more than 90 tablets during their pregnancy; however, only limited data are available on the determinant factors of non-adherence. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify determinants of adherence to iron-folic acid supplementation among postnatal mothers in three referral hospitals of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.Purpose:Methods: An institutional based unmatched case-control study was conducted on 240 women who have been at postnatal care. Data were collected using interviewer administered questionnaire. Data were entered and analyzed using EpiData and SPSS version 20.0, respectively. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were employed to identify the determinants at p-value < 0.25 and < 0.05 respectively.Results: The major determinant factors of adherence to iron-folic acid supplementation were, mothers age group 29-33 [AOR=1.66, 95% CI: 2.010-0.0492], ANC initiation time [AOR=4.21, 95% CI: 2.3-10.6], counseling on IFAS [AOR=3.89, 95% CI: 1.8-8.4], time taken to travel to health facility [AOR=3.17,95% CI:1.35-7.4], gravidity [AOR=2.08,95%CI:1.06-4.09], morning sickness [AOR 0.33, 95% CI: 0.15-0.69] and planned pregnancy [AOR=4.2, 95%CI: 1.6-10.9].Conclusion: This study highlighted age of participants, planned pregnancy, antenatal care initiation time, morning sickness, gravidity, counseling and distance to health facility are factors that have independently associate with adherence. Counseling should be given for clients on the correct dosage and duration of supplementation for prevention of anemia and neural tube defects.
For evidence-based clinical long-term follow-up of childhood cancer survivors, risk stratification is required
Authors: Klingensmith James D.
Published: June 2021

The National Cancer Survivorship Initiative (NCSI) advocated reorganizing clinical follow-up care in England depending on cancer type and therapy, with levels ranging from Level 1 (assisted self-management) to Level 3 (intensive follow-up) (consultant-led care). The goal of this research was to use a large population-based cohort of pediatric cancer survivors to investigate the risks of major adverse health outcomes related with NCSI Levels of clinical treatment. SPNs—5 percent (two-fold expected), 14 percent (four-fold expected), and 21 percent (eight-fold expected) by 45 years from diagnosis among non-leukaemic survivors assigned to NCSI Levels 1, 2, and 3; non-neoplastic death—2 percent (two-fold expected), 4 percent (three-fold expected), and 8 percent (seven-fold expected); non-fatal infections—2 percent (two-fold expected), 4 percent (three-fold expected); non- As a result, the total cumulative risks of any negative health outcome were 21%, 45%, and 69%, respectively. Despite its simplicity, the risk stratification tool offers evident and substantial discrimination in terms of long-term cumulative and excess risks of major unfavorable outcomes between survivors allocated to various NCSI Levels.
Relação entre o forame apical e o ápice radicular em dentes anteriores superiores humanos
Authors: Araújo Isaac de Sousa , Silva Manuela Maria de Sousa , Tavares Maria Natália Serafim
Published: June 2021

Introdução: A anatomia da região mais apical do dente se reveste de bastante importância, pois é a partir dessa região que podemos definir o comprimento para execução de todas as etapas da terapia endodôntica. Objetivo: aferir, em condição ex vivo, a distância entre o forame principal e o vértice radicular de incisivos centrais, incisivos laterais e caninos superiores humanos, verificando a taxa de coincidência entre estas estruturas anatômicas, bem como a face de exteriorização do forame principal. Material e Método: 134 dentes anteriores superiores humanos, tiveram seus acessos realizados e a patência foraminal estabelecida com instrumentos tipo K #10. Os mesmos foram divididos em três grupos, em função do grupamento dentário pertencente: incisivo central (n=52), incisivo lateral (n=46) e canino (n=36), numerados de forma aleatória e fotografados com câmera digital acoplada ao Microscópio Digital, permitindo medir a extensão entre o forame apical e o vértice radicular. Resultados: as medidas médias e de desvio padrão dos comprimentos obtidas para cada grupo foram: 0,63 e 0,27 (incisivo central), 0,66 mm e 0,27 (incisivo lateral) e, 0,87 mm e 0,41 (canino). A taxa de coincidência forame/ápice para a amostra foi de 19,4%, sendo maior para os incisivos laterais (23,9%) e menor para os caninos (13,9%). A face palatina foi onde ocorreu a maior frequência de exteriorização do forame principal. Conclusão: os resultados desta pesquisa apontam para uma baixa taxa de coincidência forame-ápice em dentes anteriores superiores humanos, sendo a distância entre as estruturas anatômicas e face de exteriorização extremamente variável.
Percepção dos acadêmicos do Curso de Odontologia da UFCG sobre atuação do cirurgião-dentista no âmbito hospitalar
Authors: Pereira Nadjara de Freitas , Cruz Jose Henrique de Araújo , Medeiros Luanna Abílio Diniz Melquíades de , Figueiredo Camila Helena Machado da Costa , Alves Maria Angélica Satyro Gomes , Penha Elizandra Silva da , Oliveira Filho Abrahao Alves de , Guênes Gymenna Maria Tenório
Published: June 2021

Introdução: A Odontologia Hospitalar é uma área de atuação da Odontologia que visa os cuidados das alterações bucais de pacientes internados em Unidade de Terapia Intensiva e enfermarias de hospitais. O conteúdo sobre a Odontologia Hospitalar tem se mostrado carente como parte integrante do currículo da graduação. Objetivo: analisar o conhecimento dos acadêmicos do Curso de Odontologia da Universidade Federal de Campina Grande sobre a atuação do cirurgião-dentista no contexto hospitalar. Métodos: Utilizou-se um questionário específico proposto por Jordão e Brito (2016) a respeito do conhecimento dos graduandos sobre odontologia hospitalar. Os dados foram organizados em planilhas do software Microsoft Excel e analisados sob a técnica descritiva. Resultados: A amostra foi composta por 258 acadêmicos do curso de odontologia, do total de acadêmicos, 92,24% nunca teve uma experiência odontológica hospitalar. Todavia, 92,24% reconhecem a importância de um cirurgião-dentista saber atender em um hospital. Na opinião dos estudantes, o conteúdo referente à Odontologia Hospitalar é carente no currículo da graduação (42,63%). E a maioria dos alunos (70,15%) não se sente capacitado para atuar junto a uma equipe multiprofissional no hospital. Conclusão: Pode-se constatar que os graduandos do curso de odontologia da UFCG têm ciência da importância da odontologia hospitalar, mas, admitem não ter um bom conhecimento sobre o assunto e não se sentem capacitados para atuar junto a uma equipe multiprofissional no hospital. Assim é necessário que durante a graduação o futuro cirurgião-dentista, seja incentivado e capacitado para o manejo do paciente em ambiente hospitalar.