bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
What is the impact of Kinesotaping on anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Authors: Elrosasy Amr , Zeid Mohamed Abo , Abbas Ahmed W. , Eldeeb Hatem , Eljadid Ghaith Y. , Hamid Abdulrahman Khaldoon
Published: October 2023

Background:
For individuals with ACL injuries, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is a frequent surgical technique. Restoration of knee function and excellent outcomes depend heavily on postoperative therapy. As a therapeutic intervention for several musculoskeletal illnesses, the benefits and effectiveness of kinesio taping are currently unknown. This systematic review and meta-analysis's goal is to evaluate the effectiveness of kinesio taping for ACL reconstruction and its impact on clinical outcomes.
Methods:
A comprehensive search of PubMed, EMBASE, SCOPUS, and Web of Science was done to discover relevant studies. Inclusion criteria included controlled or randomized clinical trials that were published in English. Changes in pain, flexion strength, and extension strength were among the outcomes of interest. RevMan 5.4 was used to extract and analyze data.
Results:
After satisfying the inclusion requirements, five studies were included in the systematic review. Pooled analysis showed that, in comparison to the intervention group, the control group had a statistically significant improvement in flexion strength (SMD = 0.44, 95% CI [0.01, 0.87], P=0.04). Extension strength and pain, however, did not significantly differ between the intervention and control groups (SMD = 0.26, 95% CI [-0.14, 0.66], P=0.20; 95% CI [-0.12, 0.72], P=0.16). For flexion and extension strength, the pooled trials revealed homogeneity (P=0.33, I-square=9%; P=0.67, I-square= 0%, respectively), while heterogeneity was observed for the pain outcome (P=0.02, I-square= 75%).
Conclusions:
This analysis suggests limited to no benefits of kinesio taping post-ACL reconstruction. While the control group surprisingly showed better improvement in flexion strength, no significant differences were found in extension strength and pain. Further rigorous trials are needed to confirm its utility in rehabilitation.
Tunable Ultra-Broadband Terahertz Metamaterial Absorbers Based on Complementary Split Ring-Shaped Graphene
Authors: Ri Kwang-Jin , Kim Pyong , Ri Chung-Ho
Published: October 2023

In the design of tunable broadband terahertz (THz) metamaterial absorbers based on graphene, simplifying the gating structure to control the Fermi energy of graphene is urgently required for practical applications. Pursuing this demand, we propose two kinds of tunable ultra-broadband THz metamaterial absorbers based on complementary split ring-shaped graphene. The first absorber can achieve an ultra-broadband absorption performance with absorptivity above 90% in the range of 2.06–4.24 THz and its relative absorption bandwidth is 69.2%. By varying the Fermi energy of graphene from 0 eV to 0.8 eV via bias voltage, the absorptivity can be dynamically tuned from 32.8–99.9%. The physical mechanism of ultra-broadband absorption is based on the surface plasmon polariton resonances excited by the surface charges of complementary split ring-shaped graphene. In addition, to further expand the absorption bandwidth, the first absorber structure is covered with another dielectric layer, resulting in the second absorber with enhanced relative absorption bandwidth of 108.27%. Our designed absorbers have many potential applications such as medical imaging, explosive detection, biological sensing and wireless communications.
Experimental Analysis of Low-Velocity Impact and CAI Properties of 3D four-directional Braided Composites after Hygrothermal Aging
Authors: Zhang Yuxuan , Yan Shi , Du Changmei , Jiang Lili , Zhai Junjun
Published: October 2023

In this paper, 3D four-directional braided composites(3D4d-BC) materials with different braiding angles (15°and 30°) were subjected to hygrothermal aging treatment under different conditions, and then low-velocity impact and post-impact compression experiments were conducted to record the changes of relevant parameters. Through experiments, the temperature has an important effect on the increase of water absorption of the epoxy resin matrix. Higher water absorption results in better energy absorption for 3D4d-BC, but it is less integrated and therefore has lower residual compression properties. Although the intervention of oxygen molecules has little effect on the water absorption of the matrix, it has the degraded interface property between the matrix and the composite material, so it will further reduce its compression strength. The smaller the braiding Angle, the lower the water absorption efficiency and the lower the impact peak load during the hygrothermal aging process. In the compression process, H15 occurs mainly along the lateral side, and the failure form is buckling failure. H30 fractures along the 45° direction, and the failure form is a shear failure.
IVIg for recurrent implantation failure: the right treatment for the right patient?
Authors: Peero Einav Kadour , Banjar Shorooq , Khoudja Rabea , Ton-leclerc Shaonie , Beauchamp Coralie , Benoit Joanne , Beltempo Marc , Dahan Michael H. , Gold Phil , Kadoch Isaac Jacques , Jamal Wael , Laskin Carl , Mahutte Neal , Phillips Simon , Sylvestre Camille , Reinblatt Shauna , Mazer Bruce D. , Buckett William , Genest Genevieve
Published: October 2023

The effectiveness of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) for patients with unexplained recurrent implantation failure (uRIF) remains debated. The objective of this study was to evaluate outcomes in patients with uRIF treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) compared to a separate cohort of uRIF patients not receiving IVIg within our center. We performed a retrospective cohort study defining uRIF as \(\ge\) 3 unexplained previously failed high quality blastocyst transfer failures in patients with a body mass index < 35, aged < 42, non-smoking, with >7mm type I endometrium at time of transfers. Primary outcomes included live birth, miscarriage, or transfer failure. We documented IVIg side effects and maternal/fetal outcomes. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess for association of IVIg exposure with outcomes and adjust for confounders. The study included 143 patients, with a 2:1 ratio of controls to patients receiving IVIg treatment. The baseline characteristics were similar between groups. There was higher live birth rate (LBR) in patients receiving IVIg (32/49; 65.3%) compared to controls (32/94; 34%); p < 0.001). When stratifying patients into moderate and severe uRIF (respectively 3–4 and \(\ge\) 5 previous good quality blastocyst transfer failures), only patients with severe uRIF benefited from IVIg (LBR (20/29 (69%) versus 5/25 (20%) for controls, p = 0.0004). In the logistic regression analysis, IVIg was associated with a higher odds of live birth (OR 3.64; 95% CI: 1.78–7.67; p = 0.0004). There were no serious adverse events with IVIg. In conclusion, it is reasonable to consider IVIg in well selected patients with \(\ge\) 5 previous unexplained, high quality blastocyst transfer failures. A well-designed randomized controlled trial is needed to confirm these findings.
RETRACTED: Propitious implementation of Acacia Arabica extract in reducing Candida Albicans adherence’ to different denture bases: In-vitro study
Authors: El-Din Mai Salah , Shahat Michael G , Zayed Sara M
Published: October 2023

The authors have requested the removal of their preprint from Research Square, due to current circumstances that make preprinting challenging at this time. The author's request does not imply errors or misconduct.
Tbxt alleviates senescence and apoptosis of nucleus pulposus cells through Atg7 mediated autophagy activation during intervertebral disc degeneration
Authors: yue Caichun , Wu Yinghui , Xia Yanzhang , Xin Tianwen , Gong Yuhao , Tao Linfeng , Shen Cong , Zhu Yue , Shen Minghong , Wang Donglai , Shen Jun
Published: October 2023

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is a significant cause of low back pain, characterized by excessive senescence and apoptosis of nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs). However, the precise mechanisms behind this senescence and apoptosis remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the role of Tbxt in IDD both in vitro and in vivo, using a hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced NPCs senescence and apoptosis model, as well as a rat acupuncture IDD model. Firstly, the expression of p16 and cleaved-caspase 3 significantly increased in degenerated human NPCs, accompanied by a decrease in Tbxt expression. Knockdown of Tbxt exacerbated senescence and apoptosis in the H2O2-induced NPCs degeneration model. Conversely, upregulation of Tbxt alleviated these effects induced by H2O2. Mechanistically, bioinformatic analysis revealed that the direct downstream target genes of Tbxt were highly enriched in autophagy-related pathways and overexpression of Tbxt significantly activated autophagy in NPCs. Moreover, the administration of the autophagy inhibitor, 3-methyladenine, impeded the impact of Tbxt on the processes of senescence and apoptosis in NPCs. Further investigation revealed that Tbxt enhances autophagy by facilitating the transcription of ATG7 through its interaction with a specific motif within the promoter region. In conclusion, this study suggests that Tbxt mitigates H2O2-induced senescence and apoptosis of NPCs by activating ATG7-mediated autophagy.
Hairy root induction and plant regeneration techniques in Brassicaceae for biotechnological applications
Authors: Jedličková Veronika , Štefková Marie , Mandáková Terezie , López Juan Francisco Sánchez , Sedláček Marek , Lysak Martin A. , Robert Hélène S.
Published: October 2023

Background
Hairy roots constitute a valuable tissue culture system for species that are difficult to propagate through conventional seed-based methods. Moreover, the generation of transgenic plants can be facilitated by employing carefully designed hormone-containing media.
Results
We initiated hairy root formation in the rare crucifer species Asperuginoides axillaris via an injection-based protocol and successfully regenerated plants from established hairy root lines. Our study confirms the genetic stability of both hairy roots and their derived regenerants and highlights their utility as a permanent source of mitotic chromosomes for cytogenetic investigations. Additionally, we have developed an effective embryo rescue protocol to circumvent seed dormancy issues in A. axillaris seeds. By using inflorescence primary stems of Arabidopsis thaliana and Cardamine hirsuta as starting material, we also established hairy root lines, that were subsequently used for regeneration studies.
Conclusion
We developed efficient hairy root transformation and regeneration protocols for various crucifers, namely A. axillaris, A. thaliana, and C. hirsuta. Hairy roots and derived regenerants can serve as a continuous source of plant material for molecular and cytogenetic analyses.
Augmented drug combination dataset to improve the performance of machine learning models predicting synergistic anticancer effects
Authors: Liu Mengmeng , Srivast Gopal , Ramanujam J. , Brylinski Michal
Published: October 2023

Combination therapy has gained popularity in cancer treatment as it enhances the treatment efficacy and overcomes drug resistance. Although machine learning (ML) techniques have become an indispensable tool for discovering new drug combinations, the data on drug combination therapy currently available may be insufficient to build high-precision models. We developed a data augmentation protocol to unbiasedly scale up the existing anti-cancer drug synergy dataset. Using a new drug similarity metric, we augmented the synergy data by substituting a compound in a drug combination instance with another molecule that exhibits highly similar pharmacological effects. Using this protocol, we were able to upscale the AZ-DREAM Challenges dataset from 8,798 to 6,016,697 drug combinations. Comprehensive performance evaluations show that Random Forest and Gradient Boosting Trees models trained on the augmented data achieve higher accuracy than those trained solely on the original dataset. Our data augmentation protocol provides a systematic and unbiased approach to generating more diverse and larger-scale drug combination datasets, enabling the development of more precise and effective ML models. The protocol presented in this study could serve as a foundation for future research aimed at discovering novel and effective drug combinations for cancer treatment.
CGB5 Proves to be a Promising Predictive and Immunotherapeutic Indicator across Pan-Cancer
Authors: Chen Shuni , Yu Weifeng , He Guihua , Zhong Zishao , Huang Suiping
Published: October 2023

CGB5 plays an important factor in numerous different cancers and is strongly associated with patient prognosis. Unfortunately, there is currently no data, however, on whether CGB5 plays a role in pan-cancer diseases. Research on CGB5 in pan-cancer has been conducted through multiple websites and public databases, including TCGA, HPA, UALCAN, cbiopportal Platform, UALCAN, GSCA, Kaplan-Meier Plotter, TIMER, TISIDB, SangerBox Website, and metscape. The genomic, transcriptomic, epigenetic, immune microenvironmental, and clinical prognostic significance of CGB5 across pan-cancer is investigated with the resulting outcome. CGB5 expression in gastric cancer was further detected, and the potential mechanism of its influence on prognosis was elucidated. This study found that abnormal CGB5 expression in pan carcinoma is correlated with a poorer prognosis. Aberrant CGB5 expression is potentially linked to gene mutations, copy number variation (CNV), and DNA methylation. In addition, this study revealed a robust association between the expression of CGB5 and immune cell infiltration across various types of cancer, with differences in cell type and level among distinct tumor types. In addition, the present investigation has shown that A strong association has been detected between the upregulation of CGB5 expression and immune cell infiltration in various forms of cancer, with differences in the different tumor types in the type and level of immune cell infiltration. Our further cell experiments also confirmed the upregulation of CGB5 within the context of gastric cancer. In conclusion, it has been noted that CGB5 expression exhibited a substantial rise across wide types of malignancies, and this upregulation was shown to exhibit a significant association with the prognosis of individuals who have cancer. Further studies showed that CGB5 expression in tumors affects the tumor immune microenvironment and promotes tumorigenesis. We also explored CGB5 expression in gastric cancer and clarified its potential prognostic mechanism. It reveals CGB5's significance in cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Water footprint of flooded rice cultivation in subtropical climate in extreme southern Brazil
Authors: Morais Francisco Alexandre , Marcolini Elio , Santos Rafael Nunes , Mello Ivo , Pereira Marco Alésio Figueiredo
Published: October 2023

Due to projections of world population growth, the concern with water resources is becoming increasingly urgent. Thus, the use of water contabilization indicators, such as the water footprint, can be useful in the pursuit of sustainability. Rice is one of the most consumed foods in the world, Brazil is the 9th biggest producer and the largest producer outside the Asian continent. The state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), in Brazil, is responsible for about 70% of the national production. Since there is little information on the water footprint of rice cultivation in this state, this study aims to: quantify the rice yield through field experiments (2020/2021 and 2021/2022 harvest) in the municipality of Cachoeirinha- RS, measurement and segment the crop water requirement and the water footprint of flooded rice through remotely obtained meteorological data and presents a critical analysis on the accounting of the water footprint of this crop. On the mean of the two harvests, the water footprint was 443.0 m³ t− 1 (62.1% green water footprint and 37.9% blue water footprint). The crop water demand was 5763.3 m³ ha− 1. The yield was 13.010 t ha− 1. Under experimental conditions, the water footprint is in the optimal range of maximum technical and economic efficiency. The inclusion or not of return flow in accounting for the water footprint of flooded rice cultivation is a highly relevant inconsistency. Another inconsistency is the lack of isonomy in gray water footprint accounting because of the variable "maximum allowable concentration of the critical pollutant".
The Bayesian Parametric Survival Approach to Predicting Time to Death of Children Under Five year with Acute Pneumonia in Jigjiga University Referal Hospital
Authors: Mengistie Dagne Tesfaye , Marine Buzuneh Tesfa
Published: October 2023

Introduction Pneumonia is one of the most common causes of death and serious illness among children below the age of five in underdeveloped nations, including Ethiopia. However, there is a scarcity of data on this dangerous condition among particularly sensitive and vulnerable children living in peri-urban environments. Establishing the proportion of cases of pneumonia as well as understanding the risk factors can be crucial for successful prevention and reaction. Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis was carried out, with 451 child pneumonia patients from Jigjiga University reference hospital provided as samples. The Cox proportional hazard model, the parametric AFT model, and the Bayesian parametric survival model have been applied, each of which employed a different model selection approach. Result: among covariates, Female pneumonia patients had an acceleration factor of 1.48 with [95% CI: 0.556, 0.741], co-morbidity had an acceleration factor of 1.26 with [95% CI: 0.740, 1.416], severe acute malnutrition had an acceleration factor of 0.26 with [95% CI: 1.609, 6.890], and anemia status had an acceleration factor of 0.89 with [95% CI: -1.1, -0.5357]. On the basis of DIC, the Bayesian lognormal parametric model was selected. Conclusion: At a 5% level of significance, sex, residency, comorbidities, Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), age, anemia status, delivery palace, season, and weight were all strongly associated with the patient's overall survival time. In all health facilities, physicians, clinicians, and health extension workers need to concentrate on preventing anemia, severe acute malnutrition, morbidity, and mortality from pneumonia through the delivery of health promotion to the community based on the understood risk factors.
Finite element analysis of basicervical femoral neck fracture treated with proximal femoral bionic nail
Authors: Cheng Xiaodong , Yang Yanjiang , Zhu Jian , Li Guimiao , Chen Wei , Wang Juan , Zhang Qi , Zhang Yingze
Published: October 2023

Background:Dynamic hip screws (DHS) and proximal femoral nail anti-rotation (PFNA) were recommended for basicervical femoral neck fracture (BFNF), however, with high rate of postoperative femoral neck shortening. The Proximal Femoral Bionic Nail (PFBN) was designed to decrease the postoperative complications associated with DHS and PFNA. The aim of this study is to compare the biomechanical characters of DHS, PFNA, and PFBN for fixation of BFNF.
Methods: Using finite element analysis, we created a three-dimensional model of the BFNF for this investigation. The PFBN group, the PFNA group and the DHS+DS group, were our three test groups. For each fracture group, the von Mises stress and displacements of the femur and internal fixation components were measured under 2100 N axial loads.
Results: The PFBN group demonstrated the lowest stress on the implants, significantly lower than the PFNA and DHS+DS groups. In terms of stress on the implants, the PFBN group exhibited the best performance, with the lowest stress concentration at 112.0 MPa, followed by the PFNA group at 124.8 MPa and the DHS+DS group at 149.8 MPa. The PFBA group demonstrated the smallest displacement at the fracture interface, measuring 0.21 mm, coupled with a fracture interface pressure of 17.41 MPa, signifying excellent stability.
Conclusions: Compared with DHS and PFNA, PFBN has advantages in stress distribution and biological stability. We believe the concept of triangle fixation will be helpful to reduce femoral neck shortening associated with DHS and PFNA, and thus improve the prognosis of BFNF.
Synergistic activity of gold nanoparticles with Amphotericin B on persister cells of Candida tropicalis biofilms
Authors: Silva M. A. da , Andrada K. F. Crespo , Torales M. Maldonado , Hughess I. Manrrique , Páez P. , Paraje M.G.
Published: October 2023

Aim: The antifungal activity was studied on sessile and persister cells (PCs) of Candida tropicalis biofilms of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) stabilized with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB-AuNPs) and those conjugated with cysteine, in combination with Amphotericin B (AmB).
Materials/methods: The PC model was used and synergistic activity was tested by the checkerboard assay. Biofilms were studied by crystal violet and scanning electron microscopy.
Results/Conclusions: After the combination of both AuNPs and AmB the biofilm biomass was reduced, with significant differences in architecture being observed with a reduced biofilm matrix. In addition, the CTAB-AuNPs-AmB combination significantly reduced PCs. Understanding how these AuNPs aid in the fight against biofilms and the development of new approaches to eradicate PCs has relevance for chronic infection treatment.
First-principles study of shear deformation on Mg adsorption by monolayer SnS 2
Authors: Ma Mengting , Liu Guili , Wei Ran , Su Dan , Yang Zhonghua , Zhang Guoying
Published: October 2023

Context
In this study, the effects of different shear deformations on the structural stability, electronic structure, and optical properties of the Mg atom adsorption system of S vacancy defect SnS2 are systematically investigated based on density functional theory. It is shown that the presence of S-vacancy defects makes the band gap value of the system significantly smaller than that of a perfect SnS2 monolayer, and the SnS2 system changes from a direct band gap semiconductor to an indirect band gap semiconductor. The optimal adsorption position of Mg atoms in the S-vacancy defects SnS2 system is above the S atom when the adsorption energy is the largest and the system is the most stable. The density of states of the adsorption system is predominantly contributed by the S-3p and Sn-5s orbital electrons. The imposition of shear deformation leads to the introduction of certain impurity energy levels in the adsorption system, and the gap in the density of states near the Fermi energy level decreases. The charge transfer indicates that 0.96e of electrons are transferred from Mg atoms to S atoms at the surface of the adsorption system. The absorption and reflection peaks of the S-vacancy SnS2 adsorption system with Mg atoms were red-shifted and appeared in the ultraviolet region as compared to the intrinsic SnS2. This improves the utilization of the adsorption system for ultraviolet light to a great extent.
Methods
The model calculations in this paper are performed using the CASTEP module of the Material Studio (MS) software based on the first principles of Density Functional Theory (DFT) [21] for plane wave artifacts. Geometrical optimization and computational procedures are used to calculate the exchange correlation energy using the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) generalized function [22] of the Generalized gradient approximation (GGA). The Monkhorst-Pack method [23] was used to rationalize the sampling of the highly symmetric k-points in the Brillouin zone. The grid of k-points is set to be 6 × 6 × 1. The plane-wave truncation energy is set to be 400 eV. The energy convergence criterion is 1.0 × 10− 5 eV. The residual stress of all atoms is 0.01 eV/Å. A vacuum layer with a thickness of 15 Å is set up in the z-direction, which ensures that the interactions of the system along the z-axis between the top and the bottom layers can be ignored during the whole simulation process.A 3 × 3 × 1 single-layer of SnS2 containing 27 atoms is used as a model for the calculations. The intrinsic SnS2 contains 9 Sn atoms and 18 S atoms.
Associations of White Blood Cell Counts and Cytokine Levels with Lumbar Disc Degeneration Pre- and Post-Spine Surgery: A Retrospective Analysis from a Single Center
Authors: Lu Jiawei , Guo Youfeng , Guo Kai , Wang Feng , Zeng Jianhua , Hu Tao , Wu Desheng
Published: October 2023

Objective:
This study aimed to investigate the associations between white blood cell (WBC) counts, Monocytes, Neutrophils, cytokine levels including IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12P70, IL-17, IFN-α, IFN-γ, and TNF-α, and lumbar disc degeneration before and after spine surgery.
Methods:
A retrospective analysis was conducted on a cohort of 131 patients diagnosed with disc degeneration disease, comprising 62 males and 69 females. Parameters assessed included age, BMI, WBC counts, and cytokine concentrations. Cumulative grade was ascertained by aggregating the Pfirrmann grades for all lumbar spine intervertebral discs. The severity of disc degeneration was grouped according to the median score of the population. The corresponding T-test or William rank sum test was used to assess differences between groups.
Results:
Prior to surgery, females exhibited a higher age, greater Pfirrmann score (20.3±0.41), and elevated IL-8 level (31.3±12.22) compared to males. Patients with a higher cumulative Pfirrmann score (≥19) were characterized by advanced age (68.52±0.90), elevated counts of monocytes (0.49±0.02), WBC (6.40±0.23), neutrophils (4.02±0.19), and reduced IL-12p70 concentration (25.83±7.32). On the third post-operative day, significant changes were observed in monocytes, WBC, neutrophils, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-12p70 levels, with no discernible variation related to the Pfirrmann score. Among the assessed cytokines, only IL-6 exhibited a significant correlation (r=0.20, p=0.02) with the increase in monocytes.
Conclusion:
Monocytes, neutrophils, WBC counts, and IL-12p70 were intricately associated with the grade of disc degeneration. Furthermore, the third day post-surgery saw surges in monocytes, neutrophils, WBC, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10, with only IL-6 presenting a notable correlation with the elevation in monocytes.
Three-dimensional Visualization of Thyroid Ultrasound Images Based on Multi-scale Features Fusion and Hierarchical Attention
Authors: Mi Junyu , Wang Rui , Feng Qian , Han Lin , Zhuang Yan , Chen Ke , Chen Zhong , Hua Zhan , Luo Yan , Lin Jiangli
Published: October 2023

Background
The incidence of thyroid disorders is increasing every year. Three-dimensional visualization of the thyroid gland and its surrounding tissues based on free-arm ultrasound scanning videos is essential for identifying the thyroid and related tissues in the neck and screening for associated diseases. However, the key to achieving 3D visualization lies in the multi-target segmentation of neck tissues. Currently, the accuracy of multi-target segmentation for thyroid ultrasound images are unsatisfactory.
Method
Therefore, in order to enhance the multi-target segmentation accuracy for the thyroid and its surrounding tissues and improve the 3D visualization, in this paper we proposed PA-Unet++. Pyramid pooling module helps in the segmentation of multi-organization with different sizes by integrating multi-scale feature information. Additionally, attention gating mechanism is applied to each decoding layer to progressively highlight the target tissue and suppress the representation of background pixels.
Results
With 4600 images containing 23,000 annotated regions are divided into training and test sets at a ratio of 9:1, the results show that: compared with the results of U-net++, the Dice of our model increased from 78.78–81.88% (+ 3.10%), the mIOU increased from 73.44–80.35% (+ 6.91%), the PA index increased from 92.95–94.79% (+ 1.84%).
Conclusions
This indicates that PA-Unet + + has a higher accuracy for segmentation of multiple tissues in thyroid ultrasound images. The segmentation results can optimize the 3D visualization.
Factors Associated with Work Engagement Among Specialty Nurses in China: A Latent Profile Analysis
Authors: Xu Lichun , Lin Liyu , Guan Aixuan , Wang Qingqing , Lin Weicong , Lin Feng , Li Jing
Published: October 2023

Background: In recent years, specialty nurses' work engagement has received much attention because of its positive impact on nurses and hospitals. Therefore, knowing more about it and its influencing factors can help nurse managers improve nurses' physical and mental health and the quality of care in hospitals. The purpose of this study was to explore the current status and analyze the potential profiles and population characteristics of specialized nurses in China.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with data collected from April 13 to July 23, 2023. Convenience sampling method was used to select 724 nurses from 22 hospitals in Xiamen, China as study subjects, and self-administered general information questionnaires and work engagement scales were used to conduct surveys, to study the potential characteristics of work engagement of specialized nurses using latent profile analysis, and to determine the factors influencing their potential characteristics using univariate and binary logistic regression analyses.
Results: The total score of specialty nurses' work engagement was divided into 2 potential profiles: low engagement and high engagement. The results of binary logistic regression analysis showed that whether or not to participate in nurse-led clinics, career satisfaction, and title were the main influencing factors for the potential profile categories of specialty nurses' work engagement in Xiamen.
Conclusion: Xiamen, China has a high level of investment in the work of specialized nurses. In the future, we can strengthen the construction of nurse-led clinics, and at the same time establish an effective career development support mechanism, so as to improve investment in the work of specialized nurses and promote the development of specialized nurses.
Neurosymptoms of COVID-19: results of cerebrospinal fluid and blood biomarkers and assessment of diagnostic efficacy of risk factors
Authors: Chen Hui , Tong Jianbin , Zhu Haixia , Song Kaiyuan , Tang Xichang , Xu Huan , Liu Qingxiang , Peng Canhui
Published: October 2023

Background
Novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients can exhibit acute neurosymptoms when infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SAS-COV-2), but he mechanism for the occurrence of neurosymptoms in COVID-19 patients are not yet clear. The purpose of this study was to identify potential causes of neurosymptoms in COVID-19 patients by exploring the characteristics of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and peripheral blood in COVID-19 patients with neurosymptoms.
Methods
A study was conducted on 40 COVID-19 patients with neurosymptoms (categorized into subgroups of encephalopathy, encephalitis, and other neurosymptoms). CSF biomarkers and serum cytokines were compared between neurosymptom subgroups and COVID-19-negative control group. Blood biomarkers were compared between neurosymptom subgroups and COVID-19-positive control group. Logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis were used to detect the risk factors and evaluate the diagnostic performance of risk factors for neurosymptoms in COVID-19 patients.
Results
Compared with COVID-19-negative control, encephalopathy subgroup had significantly higher values of CSF to serum albumin ratio (QAlb) and CSF interleukin-6 (IL-6）（all P<0.05), encephalitis subgroup had significantly higher values of CSF total protein (TP), CSF albumin (Alb), QAlb, CSF white blood cell (WBC) count, and CSF IL-6 (all P<0.05) , other neurosymptom subgroup had significantly higher CSF TP (P<0.05). In addition, serum IL-6 in all subgroups were higher than COVID-19-negative control (P<0.05). Compared with COVID-19-positive control, all subgroups had significantly lower serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels (P<0.05), significantly higher serum complement C3 (C3) levels (P<0.05), and no differences in serum IL-6 concentrations were found between all subgroups and COVID-19-positive control (P>0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed the levels of serum IgG and C3 might be risk factors for neurosymptoms in COVID-19 patients. The area under the curve (AUC) of serum IgG was 0.832 (95%CI 0.727~0.909，P<0.0001), with sensitivity of 80.00%, and specificity of 73.53%. The AUC of serum C3 was 0.768 (95%CI0.655~0.858，P<0.0001), with sensitivity of 70.00%, and specificity 76.47%.
Conclusion
Immunological imbalance with decreased IgG levels and increased C3 levels in circulation may be key factors in the occurrence of neurosymptoms in COVID-19 patients.
Physical Activity and Depression During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Australia: A Within-pair Twin Study
Authors: Caruana Julia M , Young Jesse T , Tyler Jessica , Ferreira Paulo H , Malta Sue , Hopper John L , Calais-Ferreira Lucas
Published: October 2023

Background:
Low levels of physical activity (PA) have been associated with depression. However, shared familial factors might confound this association, as PA and depression tend to cluster in families. We investigated the association between levels of PA during the COVID-19 pandemic and depression symptoms while controlling for shared factors by design, and assessed if being in lockdown modified this association.
Methods:
We applied within-individual and within-pair regression models to questionnaire data from adult same-sex twin pair members of Twins Research Australia collected between August and November 2020. Depression score was measured using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), and PA changes since the onset of the pandemic (and other PA measures) were self-reported. Adjusted models included body-mass-index, sleep adequacy, smoking, and alcohol consumption.
Results
Our sample of 1,148 twins was predominantly female (80%) and had a median age of 54 (Interquartile Range = 41–65). Reduced PA was associated with a higher depression score (β = 1.22, 95% Confidence Interval: 0.70–1.73, P < 0.001) in the adjusted within-individual model, but evidence of a within-pair association was weak (P = 0.023). Lockdown status was an effect modifier (P = 0.006); relative to the co-twin, an increased PA was associated with higher depression scores for those in lockdown but lower scores for those not under restrictions.
Conclusions
Shared familial factors might play a role in the association between PA and depression. Health interventions and educational campaigns for families rather than just individuals might be better suited to improve mental health outcomes, especially when opportunities for PA and exercise are limited.
Numerical solutions to an inverse problem for a non-linear Helmholtz equation
Authors: Le Gia Quoc Thong , Mhaskar Hrushikesh
Published: October 2023

In this work, we develop numerical methods to solve forward and inverse wave problems for a nonlinear Helmholtz equation defined in a spherical shell between two concentric spheres centred at the origin. A spectral method is developed to solve the forward problem while a combination of a finite difference approximation and the least squares method are derived for the inverse problem. Numerical examples are given to verify the method.
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Análisis multivariado de índices de consumo en procesos de obtención de leche de soya
Authors: Gutiérrez-Cordero Edilia , García-Noa Eduardo , Sariego Toledo Yanet
Published: October 2023

Dada la importancia del ahorro de energía y de materias primas como la vía fundamental para reducir los costos de producción y disminuir el impacto medioambiental, se definió como objetivo establecer la relación funcional entre el consumo de vapor por masa de leche producida y el de masa de leche producida por masa de materia prima utilizada con los parámetros de operación, mediante métodos multivariados en la producción de leche de soya. Se obtuvieron los datos en 25 producciones consecutivas de una planta industrial y el procesamiento incluyó la obtención de los conglomerados y los componentes principales como pasos previos a la modelación. Mediante el programa Statgraphics, se obtuvieron modelos estadísticamente significativos para esos índices, relacionándose con 20 parámetros tecnológicos medidos durante la producción y resultaron más influyentes: la masa de vapor, las temperaturas en los calentadores y la masa de leche en el intercambiador. La función obtenida con el método de mínimos cuadrados parciales con las variables no estandarizadas se empleó para evaluar alternativas de operación y en la simulación del proceso se obtuvo que se puede alcanzar un índice de 9,5 kg de leche por kg de soya empleada, donde este valor es estimado con un error absoluto del modelo ajustado de 4,18 × 10-2. Además, como resultado se llegó a la conclusión de que se pueden producir 1050,0 t de leche de soya adicionales al año, por lo tanto, mediante los modelos obtenidos es posible establecer las mejores condiciones de operación en la planta estudiada.
Synthetic Tabular Data Based on Generative Adversarial Networks in Health Care: Generation and Validation Using the Divide-and-Conquer Strategy
Authors: Kang Ha Ye Jin , Batbaatar Erdenebileg , Choi Dong-Woo , Choi Kui Son , Ko Minsam , Ryu Kwang Sun
Published: October 2023

Background

Synthetic data generation (SDG) based on generative adversarial networks (GANs) is used in health care, but research on preserving data with logical relationships with synthetic tabular data (STD) remains challenging. Filtering methods for SDG can lead to the loss of important information.

Objective

This study proposed a divide-and-conquer (DC) method to generate STD based on the GAN algorithm, while preserving data with logical relationships.

Methods

The proposed method was evaluated on data from the Korea Association for Lung Cancer Registry (KALC-R) and 2 benchmark data sets (breast cancer and diabetes). The DC-based SDG strategy comprises 3 steps: (1) We used 2 different partitioning methods (the class-specific criterion distinguished between survival and death groups, while the Cramer V criterion identified the highest correlation between columns in the original data); (2) the entire data set was divided into a number of subsets, which were then used as input for the conditional tabular generative adversarial network and the copula generative adversarial network to generate synthetic data; and (3) the generated synthetic data were consolidated into a single entity. For validation, we compared DC-based SDG and conditional sampling (CS)–based SDG through the performances of machine learning models. In addition, we generated imbalanced and balanced synthetic data for each of the 3 data sets and compared their performance using 4 classifiers: decision tree (DT), random forest (RF), Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and light gradient-boosting machine (LGBM) models.

Results

The synthetic data of the 3 diseases (non–small cell lung cancer [NSCLC], breast cancer, and diabetes) generated by our proposed model outperformed the 4 classifiers (DT, RF, XGBoost, and LGBM). The CS- versus DC-based model performances were compared using the mean area under the curve (SD) values: 74.87 (SD 0.77) versus 63.87 (SD 2.02) for NSCLC, 73.31 (SD 1.11) versus 67.96 (SD 2.15) for breast cancer, and 61.57 (SD 0.09) versus 60.08 (SD 0.17) for diabetes (DT); 85.61 (SD 0.29) versus 79.01 (SD 1.20) for NSCLC, 78.05 (SD 1.59) versus 73.48 (SD 4.73) for breast cancer, and 59.98 (SD 0.24) versus 58.55 (SD 0.17) for diabetes (RF); 85.20 (SD 0.82) versus 76.42 (SD 0.93) for NSCLC, 77.86 (SD 2.27) versus 68.32 (SD 2.37) for breast cancer, and 60.18 (SD 0.20) versus 58.98 (SD 0.29) for diabetes (XGBoost); and 85.14 (SD 0.77) versus 77.62 (SD 1.85) for NSCLC, 78.16 (SD 1.52) versus 70.02 (SD 2.17) for breast cancer, and 61.75 (SD 0.13) versus 61.12 (SD 0.23) for diabetes (LGBM). In addition, we found that balanced synthetic data performed better.

Conclusions

This study is the first attempt to generate and validate STD based on a DC approach and shows improved performance using STD. The necessity for balanced SDG was also demonstrated.
Study on Mechanical Properties Subjected to Monotonic and Dynamic Loads of Loessal Soil in Songyuan City
Authors: Zhang Zheyuan , Xu Yan
Published: October 2023

In this paper taking loessal soil of Songyuan in Jilin province as the research object，static and dynamic triaxial tests were conducted to investigate the effects of water content and confining pressure on dynamic characteristics of loessal soil. The test results showed that: (1) Under monotonic loading, the deformation of loessal soil exhibits two situations: strain hardening and strain softening, and the deformation behavior is influenced by water content and confining pressure. The static strength decreases with the increase of water content and increases with the increase of confining pressure. (2) The cumulative plastic strain of loessal soil under dynamic load exhibits three modes: plastic shakedown, plastic creep, and incremental collapse. Existence of critical dynamic stress results in significant differences in the cumulative plastic strain of soil. (3) The cumulative plastic strain of soil samples is influenced by water content, confining pressure, and dynamic stress amplitude, low confining pressure, high water content, and high dynamic stress amplitude are adverse to the plastic stability of loessal soil. Based on experimental results, predict the range of critical dynamic stress. The research results have reference value for the evaluation of dynamic deformation stability of settlement of subgrade constructed in the loessal soil.
Ksharkarmaas A Management of Charmakeela(Warts) – A Review
Authors: Singh Dr. Naveen , Dasar Dr. Devyani , Gv Dr. PavithraJaivarshaa , Kumar Dr. Akshay , Abhishek Dr.
Published: October 2023

Anything resembling a nail or bound to the skin is called charmakeela in Ayurveda. Charmakeela is a condition that hasexisted since ancient times and requires more attention for cosmetic reasons. Acharya Sushrutha mentions Charmakeela as akshudraroga. The pathogenesis of this disease is caused by vitiation of vyanavata and kapha over the skin, resulting in the formationof a hard, hard nail-like structure known as Charmakeela. They exhibit different characteristics depending on the dominant dosha.Vata dominant Charmakila (Warts) are ruksha and ruja; Pitta dominant Charmakila (Warts) are Krishna varna; and Kapha dominantCharmakila (Warts) are kwacha varna, snigdha, and granthi. Sushruta Samhita, AstangaHridaya, MadhavNidana, Yogratnakara, andBhavapraksha all mention Charamkeela. Based on the signs and symptoms described in the classics, Charmakeelacan be comparedto Warts. Warts, also known as verrucae, are a common skin condition caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Sushruthamentioned Charmakeela while describing the indication of KsharKar main SushruthaSamhitha. Kshara is composed of several drugsin their most concentrated and subtle forms; it has kshanana and shodana propertiesand uses tikshnaguna, which aids in the externaldesquamation of warts. Because of their cleansing and antiseptic properties, Ksharaaids in the Ropana (healing process). The aimis Ksharkarma as a management of Charmakeela(Warts) – A Review. Material collected from many Ayurvedic texts, such as theSamhita, online resources, journal papers, and books, are available. It can be concluded that Kshar Karma is an effectiveayurvedictreatment forcharmakeelathat has no side effects. Because it does not leave scars or cause recurrence, this non-invasive indigenoustherapeutic technique is more effective in treating Charmakeela.
A PROTEÇÃO E A PROMOÇÃO DAS CONDIÇÕES DA SAÚDE HUMANA DISPOSTAS NA ECO-92 EM GIRO PELA EDUCAÇÃO CRÍTICA AMBIENTAL
Authors: Gouvêa de Sousa Rosa , Saraiva de Queiroz Isabela , Sánchez Pereira Celso
Published: October 2023

A proteção e promoção das condições da saúde humana integram, como diretriz, o acordo assinado em 1992, durante a Conferência das Nações Unidas sobre Meio Ambiente e Desenvolvimento. O ano de 2022 marca trinta anos desta assinatura. Este estudo propõe a retomada do debate da saúde enquanto elemento constitutivo da proteção ambiental, a partir do olhar da educação ambiental crítica. A partir de giros pelo Sul Global, o estudo trouxe interpretações contemporâneas sobre a diretriz, permitindo evidenciar a indissociabilidade entre a saúde e o debate ambiental.
Palavras-chave: Educação ambiental crítica. Eco-92. Promoção da Saúde. Sistema Único de Saúde. Sul Global.
MERCANTILIZAÇÃO DA NATUREZA E ACUMULAÇÃO CAPITALISTA: O LICENCIAMENTO AMBIENTAL EM MINAS GERAIS
Authors: Soares Iorio Gustavo , Magno Lucas , Barbosa de Faria Umbuzeiro Guilherme
Published: October 2023

As recentes alterações no processo de licenciamento ambiental no estado de Minas Gerais chamam a atenção, dado o contraste com as recentes tragédias socioambientais que assolaram o estado. Neste texto, buscamos entender como as mudanças no marco regulatório ambiental (Lei nº. 21.972/16, os Decretos Estaduais nº 46.953/16 e nº 47.042/16 e a Deliberação Normativa (DN) nº 217/17 do Conselho Estadual de Política Ambiental [COPAM]) ensejaram formas mais intensas de apropriação da natureza no processo de acumulação capitalista.
MIGRAÇÃO, TRABALHO E EXPERIÊNCIA NA OCUPAÇÃO CONTESTADO, EM SÃO JOSÉ/SC
Authors: Silva Lyn , Vendramini Célia Regina
Published: October 2023

O artigo analisa a experiência de trabalhadores migrantes na Ocupação Contestado, em São José/SC. Apresentamos quatro trajetórias de trabalhadoras migrantes, as quais revelam sua experiência como trabalhadoras, migrantes, mães e participantes do processo político-educativo constituinte da Ocupação. Concluímos que a migração é determinada pela dinâmica do capital, e a ocupação é expressão, por um lado, do processo de expropriação/exploração no trabalho, da ausência de moradia e da violência do estado. De outro lado, revela a indignação e a força de luta dos trabalhadores organizados.
Palavra-chave: Trabalho e Educação; Ocupações urbanas; Migração; Experiência.
EDUCAÇÃO INTEGRAL: UMA CONCEPÇÃO EM DISPUTA
Authors: Spotorno Moreira Machado Ferreira Debora
Published: October 2023

O presente artigo consiste na apresentação da educação integral sob a perspectiva dos projetos educacionais em disputa. Tomaremos como educação integral, aquela que se baseia na concepção crítica e visa a superação da sociedade capitalista e instauração do socialismo. Entretanto, esse é um termo comumente apropriado pelos discursos hegemônicos, em uma perspectiva totalmente distinta da que defendemos. Por isso, compreender como a classe dominante se vale dessa categoria é um esforço essencial para descontruir seus argumentos e apresentar contra argumentação consistente.
Palavras-chave: Educação Integral, Escola unitária, Reforma do Ensino Médio.