bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Views of nurses and other healthcare workers on interventions to reduce disrespectful maternity care in rural health facilities in Kilifi and Kisii counties, Kenya: analysis of a qualitative interview study
Authors: Lusambili Adelaide M , Obure Jerim , Wisofschi Stefania , Nyaga Lucy , Mulama Kennedy , Temmerman Marleen
Published: July 2022

Objective

There is an abundance of evidence illuminating the factors that contribute to disrespectful maternity care in sub-Saharan Africa. However, there is limited documented evidence on how some of the key influences on the mistreatment of women could be addressed. We aimed to document the perspectives of nurses and other healthcare workers on existing and potential strategies embedded at the health facility level to promote respectful delivery of healthcare for women during delivery and on what interventions are needed to promote respectful and equitable treatment of women receiving maternity care in rural Kenya.

Design, setting and participants

We analysed relevant data from a qualitative study based on in-depth interviews with 24 healthcare workers conducted between January and March 2020, at health facilities in rural Kilifi and Kisii counties, Kenya. The facilities had participated in a project (AQCESS) to reduce maternal and child mortality and morbidity by improving the availability and the use of essential reproductive maternal and neonatal child health services. The participants were mostly nurses but included five non-nurse healthcare workers. We analysed data using NVivo V.12, guided by a reflective thematic analysis approach.

Results

Healthcare workers identified four interconnected areas that were associated with improving respectful delivery of care to women and their newborns. These include continuous training on the components of respectful maternity care through mentorships, seminars and organised training; gender-responsive services and workspaces; improved staffing levels; and adequate equipment and supplies for care.

Conclusions

These findings demonstrate some of the solutions, from the perspectives of healthcare workers, that could be implemented to improve the care that women receive during pregnancy, labour and delivery. The issues raised by healthcare workers are common in sub-Saharan African countries, indicating the need to create awareness at the policy level to highlight the challenges identified, potential solutions, and application or implementation in different contexts.
Estradiol and progesterone levels in early pregnancy after natural, estradiol + progesterone or gonadotrophin stimulated frozen embryo transfer cycle: a randomised controlled trial protocol
Authors: Mørch Nina Freiesleben , Lauritsen Mette Petri , Svendsen Pernille Fog
Published: July 2022

Introduction

Frozen embryo transfer is being increasingly used for assisted reproductive therapy and offers similar pregnancy rates as treatment with fresh embryo transfer. In women with regular menstrual cycles, transfer of a frozen thawed blastocyst can be performed in either natural cycle or substituted cycle. Anovulatory women can only be offered a substituted or a stimulated cycle. Knowledge on fetal exposure to estradiol in early pregnancy is very limited, but studies on mice and rats have shown hormonal and metabolic disturbances in cubs born from estradiol-exposed mothers. We aim to investigate serum estradiol and progesterone levels in women who conceived after natural, estradiol and progesterone, or gonadotrophin stimulated frozen embryo transfer.

Methods and analysis

The study is an open-label, randomised controlled trial with normo-ovulatory women being randomised to natural cycle or estradiol and progesterone substitution and anovulatory women being randomised to estradiol and progesterone substitution or gonadotrophin stimulation. Serum estradiol and progesterone will be measured every 2 weeks from cycle days 2–3 until gestational age 9+6. Serum levels will be compared according to treatment regimens and cycle length. Furthermore, obstetric outcomes (live birth rates, birth weight, gestational age at birth, complications and malformations) and a possible association with serum estradiol and progesterone levels will be evaluated.

Ethics and dissemination

The three treatment regimens are all standard treatments and are comparable with regard to pregnancy rates. Patients will be following routine treatments and thus discomforts are limited to routine transvaginal ultrasound scans and additional blood testing. The study is approved by the Scientific Ethical Committee of the Capital Region of Denmark and the Danish Medicines Agency. The study will be carried out in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and monitored by a good clinical practice unit. Positive, negative and inconclusive findings will be published in international peer-reviewed journals.

Trial registration number

NCT04997525, 2020-001218-39.
Experiences and practices of people categorised as being ‘at risk’ based on age during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study in the UK and Germany
Authors: Wabnitz Katharina , Drössler Stephanie , Mayhew Susannah
Published: July 2022

Objectives

The aim of this study was to comparatively explore the social representations of risk in individuals categorised ‘at risk’ based on age during the COVID-19 pandemic. What characterised their sense-making of being at risk and what effects did this have on their lives, behaviour and identities?

Design

Interview-based qualitative study.

Setting

UK and Germany, July–August 2020.

Participants

11 individuals from Germany and eight from the UK were recruited purposively. Inclusion criteria: to be at risk for a severe course of COVID-19 due to age ≥50 years (Germany) and ≥70 years (UK) based on official communication by the respective national public health authority.

Exclusion criteria: any form of dementia, pre-existing mental health issues, congenital physical or mental disabilities, being resident in a care home, having a personal relationship to the principal investigator.

Methods

Semistructured in-depth interviews were conducted remotely. Reflexive thematic analysis was carried out to inductively develop themes illustrative of shared patterns of meaning across the whole data set.

Results

Three main themes are reported. ‘Establishing safe spaces’ (perceiving safety and risk in relation to others and implementing prevention measures to maintain safe spaces); ‘Assessing and responding to risk’ (risk as danger relative to others and risk management as a responsibility of the individual) and ‘Considerations on the value of a life’ (in relation to quality of life, length of life and capacity to contribute to society). Cross cutting all of these, is the notion of relational assessment.

Conclusions

The experience of risk and related behaviour is contingent on the individuals’ mindset, body and the setting (geographical, political and sociocultural) one is positioned in. Negotiating identities is an inevitable process accompanying sense-making of (new) risks. Public health practice and communication could benefit from at least being informed by and at best being based on the meanings and representations of those whose health and well-being we want to ensure.
Early prediction of in-hospital mortality in patients with congestive heart failure in intensive care unit: a retrospective observational cohort study
Authors: Han Didi , Xu Fengshuo , Zhang Luming , Yang Rui , Zheng Shuai , Huang Tao , Yin Haiyan , Lyu Jun
Published: July 2022

Objective

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a clinical syndrome in which the heart disease progresses to a severe stage. Early diagnosis and risk assessment of death of patients with CHF are critical to prognosis and treatment. The purpose of this study was to establish a nomogram that predicts the in-hospital death of patients with CHF in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Design

A retrospective observational cohort study.

Setting and participants

Data for the study were from 30 411 patients with CHF in the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care database and the eICU Collaborative Research Database (eICU-CRD).

Primary outcome

In-hospital mortality.

Methods

Univariate logistic regression analysis was used to select risk factors associated with in-hospital mortality of patients with CHF, and multivariate logistic regression was used to build the prediction model. Discrimination, calibration and clinical validity of the model were evaluated by AUC, calibration curve, Hosmer-Lemeshow χ2 test and decision curve analysis, respectively. Finally, data from 15 503 patients with CHF in the multicentre eICU-CRD were used for external validation of the established nomogram.

Results

The inclusion criteria were met by 15 983 subjects, whose in-hospital mortality rate was 12.4%. Multivariate analysis determined that the independent risk factors were age, race, norepinephrine, dopamine, phenylephrine, vasopressin, mechanical ventilation, intubation, hepatic failure (HepF), heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature, systolic blood pressure (SBP), anion gap (AG), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, chloride, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), red blood cell distribution width (RDW) and white cell count (WCC). The C-index of the nomogram (0.767, 95% CI 0.759 to 0.779) was superior to that of the traditional Sequential Organ Failure Assessment, Acute Physiology Score III and Get With The Guidelines Heart Failure scores, indicating its discrimination power. Calibration plots demonstrated that the predicted results are in good agreement with the observed results. The decision curves of the derivation and validation sets both had net benefits.

Conclusion

The 20 independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality of patients with CHF were age, race, norepinephrine, dopamine, phenylephrine, vasopressin, mechanical ventilation, intubation, HepF, heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature, SBP, AG, BUN, creatinine, chloride, MCV, RDW and WCC. The nomogram, which included these factors, accurately predicted the in-hospital mortality of patients with CHF. The novel nomogram has the potential for use in clinical practice as a tool to predict and assess mortality of patients with CHF in the ICU.
Vaginal hysterectomy versus vaginal assisted NOTES hysterectomy (VANH): a protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Bekkers Ilse , Hoen Lynn , van Vliet Huib A A M , Smeets Nicol A C , Damoiseaux Anne , Kimman Merel , Wassen Martine M L H
Published: July 2022

Introduction

Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery is a minimal invasive technique using natural body orifices like the vagina. Benefits of a vaginal assisted NOTES hysterectomy (VANH) are no visible scars, less blood loss, shorter surgery time and it allows more women to undergo a hysterectomy in a day-care setting compared with the total laparoscopic hysterectomy. Trials comparing vaginal hysterectomy (VH) and VANH are lacking. The aim of this study is to compare hysterectomy by VANH versus VH for same-day discharge (SDD), complications, surgical outcomes, postoperative recovery, quality of life, costs and cost-effectiveness.

Methods and analysis

The study is a single-blinded, multicentre, randomised controlled trial. Eligible women with benign indication for hysterectomy will be randomly allocated to the VH (control) group or the VANH (intervention) group. The primary outcome is SDD. We calculated a sample size of 124 women assuming 27% SDD difference with an alpha of 0.05 and power of 0.8. A total of 83 patients will be included in the VANH-group and 41 patients in the VH-group, using an enrolment ratio of 2:1. Secondary outcomes are; surgery-related complications, surgical outcomes, postoperative recovery, quality of life, costs and cost-effectiveness.

Ethics and dissemination

The study was approved on 27 May 2021 by the Ethics Committee of the Zuyderland Medical Centre Heerlen. The first patient was randomised on 8 July 2021. The last participant randomised should be treated before 31 December 2022. The results will be presented in peer-reviewed journals and at scientific meetings within 4 years after starting recruitment.

Trial registration number

NCT04886791.
Reducing dementia-related stigma and discrimination among community health workers in Brazil: protocol for a randomised controlled feasibility trial
Authors: Oliveira Déborah , Godoy Carolina , da Mata Fabiana A F , Mateus Elaine , Franzon Ana Carolina Arruda , Farina Nicolas , Evans-Lacko Sara , Ferri Cleusa P
Published: July 2022

Introduction

Stigma and discrimination among healthcare workers can hinder diagnosis and the provision of appropriate care in dementia. This study is aimed at developing, delivering and evaluating the feasibility of a group antistigma intervention to improve knowledge, attitudes and behaviours in relation to people living with dementia among community health workers (CHWs).

Methods and analysis

This will be a randomised controlled feasibility trial conducted with 150 CHWs from 14 primary care units (PCUs) in São Paulo, Brazil. PCUs will be randomly allocated (1:1) in two parallel groups—experimental group or control group. Participants from PCUs allocated to the experimental group will receive a 3-day group intervention involving audio-visual and printed materials as well as elements of social contact. The control group will keep their usual routine. Knowledge, attitude and intended behaviour stigma-based outcomes will be assessed at baseline and at follow-up (30 days after intervention) to both groups, with additional questions on feasibility for the experimental group at follow-up. Around 10–15 participants will take part in follow-up semistructured interviews to further explore feasibility. Quantitative analyses will follow an ‘intention to treat’ approach. Qualitative data will be analysed using content analysis.

Ethics and dissemination

This study was approved by the National Commission for Ethics in Research in Brazil (n. 5.510.113). Every participant will sign a consent form. Results will be disseminated through academic journals and events related to dementia. The intervention materials will be made available online.
What is the evidence for efficacy of advance care planning in improving patient outcomes? A systematic review of randomised controlled trials
Authors: Malhotra Chetna , Shafiq Mahham , Batcagan-Abueg Ada Portia Macarubbo
Published: July 2022

Objectives

To conduct an up-to-date systematic review of all randomised controlled trials assessing efficacy of advance care planning (ACP) in improving patient outcomes, healthcare use/costs and documentation.

Design

Narrative synthesis conducted for randomised controlled trials. We searched electronic databases (MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases) for English-language randomised or cluster randomised controlled trials on 11 May 2020 and updated it on 12 May 2021 using the same search strategy. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed methodological quality. Disagreements were resolved by consensus or a third reviewer.

Results

We reviewed 132 eligible trials published between 1992 and May 2021; 64% were high-quality. We categorised study outcomes as patient (distal and proximal), healthcare use and process outcomes. There was mixed evidence that ACP interventions improved distal patient outcomes including end-of-life care consistent with preferences (25%; 3/12 with improvement), quality of life (0/14 studies), mental health (21%; 4/19) and home deaths (25%; 1/4), or that it reduced healthcare use/costs (18%; 4/22 studies). However, we found more consistent evidence that ACP interventions improve proximal patient outcomes including quality of patient–physician communication (68%; 13/19), preference for comfort care (70%; 16/23), decisional conflict (64%; 9/14) and patient-caregiver congruence in preference (82%; 18/22) and that it improved ACP documentation (a process outcome; 63%; 34/54).

Conclusion

This review provides the most comprehensive evidence to date regarding the efficacy of ACP on key patient outcomes and healthcare use/costs. Findings suggest a need to rethink the main purpose and outcomes of ACP.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42020184080.
Development and validation of risk models to predict chronic kidney disease among people living with HIV: protocol for a systematic review
Authors: Odubela Oluwatosin Olaseni , Odunukwe Nkiruka , Peer Nasheeta , Musa Adesola Z , Salako Babatunde L , Kengne A P
Published: July 2022

Introduction

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is estimated to affect about 9.1% of the global population with a substantially increased risk of the condition (6.8%–17.2%) among people living with HIV (PLWH). This increased risk is attributed to HIV infection itself, antiretroviral therapy, coexisting viral infections, non-infectious comorbidities and traditional risk factors for CKD. Predictive models have been employed in the estimation of prevalent and incident CKD risk in both PLWH and the general population. A predictive model showing an individual’s risk of prevalent and/or progression to kidney failure is useful for initiating timely interventions that prevent further worsening of kidney function. This study will systematically review published prediction models developed and/or validated for prevalent and incident CKD in PLWH, describe their characteristics, compare performance and assess methodological quality and applicability.

Methods and analysis

Studies with predictive models of interest will be identified by searching MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Cochrane library and Scopus from inception to May 2022. Title and abstract screening, full-text review and data extraction will be completed independently by two reviewers. Using appropriate tools designed for predictive modelling investigations, the included papers will be rigorously assessed for bias and applicability. Extracted data will be presented in tables, so that published prediction models can be compared qualitatively. Quantitative data on the predictive performance of these models will be synthesised with meta-analyses if appropriate.

Ethics and dissemination

The findings of the review will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals and seminar presentations. Ethical approval is not required as this is a protocol for a systematic review.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42021279694.
Insight into Nigeria’s progress towards the universal coverage of reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health services: a secondary data analysis
Authors: Mafiana Joy James , Shen Xiping , Hu Wenping , Wang Xiaohui
Published: July 2022

Objective

This study investigated the progress towards the universal coverage of reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) services in Nigeria after universal health coverage (UHC) adoption.

Design

A descriptive observational approach was used based on secondary data analysis. Representative data generated from publicly accessible databases and reports were used to describe the coverage trend and estimate the absolute inequality. Analysis was conducted using Excel and the WHO’s Health Equity Assessment Toolkit software.

Setting

The study setting is Nigeria.

Participants

Aggregated health service coverage data of women aged 15–49 years and children under 5 years of age.

Outcome measures

The outcome of interest is the level of coverage of RMNCH services in Nigeria and the difference in equity gaps among subgroups before and after UHC adoption.

Results

The RMNCH index increased by 6.4% points with a difference of 33.7% points to attain the minimum 80.0% target. The widest inequality was by economic status with the difference ranging from 21.9% points (95% CI 10.1% to 33.8%) to 56.3% points (95% CI 51.5% to 61.2%), Absolute Concentration Index from 3.5% points (95% CI 1.6% to 5.5%) to 11.3% points (95% CI 10.4% to 12.2%), Slope Index of Inequality from 23.1% points (95% CI 11.9% to 34.2%) to 65.5% points (95% CI 62.6% to 68.5%) and population attributable risk from 9.3% points (95% CI 7.3% to 11.4%) to 31.2% points (95% CI 29.0% to 33.3%). Among the indicators, three doses of diphtheria–tetanus–toxoid–pertussis immunisation had the widest absolute inequality across the subgroups.

Conclusion

The poor coverage of RMNCH services in Nigeria and persistent inequalities pinpoint the need to investigate further the country-level determinant of RMNCH service coverage. In addition, it emphasises the need to formulate effective policies focusing on marginalised groups and improving resource allocation to ensure sustainable service coverage.
3D aneurysm wall enhancement is associated with symptomatic presentation
Authors: Raghuram Ashrita , Sanchez Sebastian , Wendt Linder , Cochran Steven , Ishii Daizo , Osorno Carlos , Bathla Girish , Koscik Timothy R , Torner James , Hasan David , Samaniego Edgar A
Published: July 2022

Background

Aneurysm wall enhancement (AWE) is a potential surrogate biomarker for aneurysm instability. Previous studies have assessed AWE using 2D multiplanar methods, most of which were conducted qualitatively.

Objective

To use a new quantitative tool to analyze a large cohort of saccular aneurysms with 3D-AWE maps

Methods

Saccular aneurysms were imaged prospectively with 3T high resolution MRI. 3D-AWE maps of symptomatic (defined as ruptured or presentation with sentinel headache/cranial nerve neuropathy) and asymptomatic aneurysms were created by extending orthogonal probes from the aneurysm lumen into the wall. Three metrics were used to characterize enhancement: 3D circumferential AWE (3D-CAWE), aneurysm-specific contrast uptake (SAWE), and focal AWE (FAWE). Aneurysms with a circumferential AWE higher than the corpus callosum (3D-CAWE ≥1) were classified as 3D-CAWE+. Symptomatic presentation was analyzed with univariate and multivariate logistic models. Aneurysm size, size ratio, aspect ratio, irregular morphology, and PHASES and ELAPSS scores were compared with the new AWE metrics. Bleb and microhemorrhage analyses were also performed.

Results

Ninety-three aneurysms were analyzed. 3D-CAWE, SAWE, and FAWE were associated with symptomatic status (OR=1.34, 1.25, and 1.08, respectively). A multivariate model including aneurysm size, 3D-CAWE+, age, female gender, and FAWE detected symptomatic status with 80% specificity and 90% sensitivity (area under the curve=0.914, =0.967). FAWE was also associated with irregular morphology and high-risk location (p=0.043 and p=0.001, respectively). In general, blebs enhanced 56% more than the aneurysm body. Areas of microhemorrhage co-localized with areas of increased SAWE (p=0.047).

Conclusions

3D-AWE mapping provides a new set of metrics that could potentially improve the identification of symptomatic aneurysms.
Immune complex–driven neutrophil activation and BAFF release: a link to B cell responses in SLE
Authors: Wang Ting , Vasconcellos Andrew , Marken John , Skopelja-Gardner Sladjana , Lood Christian , Giltiay Natalia V
Published: July 2022

Objective

The role of neutrophils in driving pathogenic B cell responses in SLE is not fully understood. In this study, we explored the link between immune complex (IC)–driven neutrophil activation, the release of B cell pro-survival factor BAFF and B cell activation using SLE clinical samples.

Methods

BAFF levels were analysed in serum samples from patients with SLE (n=60) and healthy controls (HCs, n=20) by ELISA and correlated with markers of neutrophil activation and circulating IC levels. Neutrophils were stimulated with RNP/IgG ICs and neutrophil activation, the release of BAFF, and neutrophil-mediated B cell responses were studied in vitro.

Results

Levels of BAFF in patients with SLE were associated with markers of disease activity, including anti-dsDNA antibody titres (r=0.33, p<0.05), serum C3 levels (r=−0.57, p<0.001) and levels of circulating ICs (r=0.39, p<0.05). Stimulation of neutrophils from healthy individuals with RNP-ICs in vitro induced the release of BAFF (p<0.05), concomitant with formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) (p<0.05). In culture, neutrophils promoted B cell survival (p<0.05), proliferation (p<0.05) and CD27hiCD38hiplasmablast differentiation.

Conclusions

Our results support a new mechanism by which ICs, on NET formation, induce the release of B cell pro-survival factor BAFF by neutrophils. Furthermore, neutrophils directly promoted B cell activation and cell differentiation. Targeting neutrophil–B cell interactions can be further explored as an approach for inhibiting pathogenic B cell responses in SLE.
Current efforts on microplastic monitoring in Arctic fish and how to proceed
Authors: Kögel Tanja , Hamilton Bonnie M. , Granberg Maria E. , Provencher Jennifer , Hammer Sjúrður , Gomiero Alessio , Magnusson Kerstin , Lusher Amy L.
Published: July 2022

In this review, we investigated published data on the occurrence of microplastic in Arctic fish, and the suitability of the data and species for risk assessment and monitoring. As of 11 November 2021, we found nine studies in the peer-reviewed literature, one thesis and one report, confirming the occurrence of microplastic in fishes from multiple Arctic regions. The studies varied in methodology, detection, and quantification limitations, reported categories of size, shape, and chemical identity. All these factors influence the numbers of microplastic reported, thus limiting comparability and hindering integrative analysis. The physiological impacts of the reported microplastic contamination cannot be determined, as all studies targeted stomach/intestine contents and did not use methods with limits of detection low enough to determine particle translocation from the intestine to other organs, tissues, or body fluids within the fish. Furthermore, there is a fundamental lack of understanding the transfer and the effects of plastic additives to Arctic fishes. In addition to discussing methodological challenges and knowledge gaps, we consider ecosystem needs, commercial interests, Indigenous people’s subsistence, food safety and food sovereignty concerns, and developed a framework to harmonize and facilitate pan-Arctic microplastic monitoring.
Optimal Gathering Over Weber Meeting Nodes in Infinite Grid
Authors: Bhagat Subhash , Chakraborty Abhinav , Das Bibhuti , Mukhopadhyaya Krishnendu
Published: July 2022

The gathering over meeting nodes problem requires the robots to gather at one of the pre-defined meeting nodes. This paper investigates the problem with respect to the objective function that minimizes the total number of moves made by all the robots. In other words, the sum of the distances traveled by all the robots is minimized while accomplishing the gathering task. The robots are deployed on the nodes of an anonymous two-dimensional infinite grid which has a subset of nodes marked as meeting nodes. The robots do not agree on a global coordinate system and operate under an asynchronous scheduler. A deterministic distributed algorithm has been proposed to solve the problem for all those solvable configurations, and the initial configurations for which the problem is unsolvable have been characterized. The proposed gathering algorithm is optimal with respect to the total number of moves performed by all the robots in order to finalize the gathering.
Effect of nonfactorizable background geometry on the thermodynamics of galaxy clusters
Authors: Khanday Abdul W. , Upadhyay Sudhaker , Bagat Hilal A. , Ganai Prince A.
Published: July 2022

In this paper, we study the effect of nonfactorizable background geometry on the thermodynamics of the clustering of galaxies. A canonical partition function is derived for the gravitating system of galaxies treated as point particles contained in cells of appropriate dimensions. Various thermodynamic equations of state, like Helmholtz free energy and entropy, among others, are also obtained. We also estimate the effect of the corrected Newton’s law on the distribution function of galaxies. Remarkably, the effect of the modified Newton’s law is seen only in the clustering parameter while the standard structure of the equations is preserved. A comparison of the modified clustering parameter [Formula: see text] with that of the original clustering parameter is made to visualize the effect of the correction on the time scale of clustering. The possibility of system symmetry breaking is also analyzed by investigating the behavior of the specific heat with increasing system temperature.
A HIGH ORDER NUMERICAL SCHEME FOR FRACTAL-FRACTIONAL LASER SYSTEM WITH CHAOS STUDY
Authors: ALZAID SARA S. , CHAUHAN R. P. , KUMAR SUNIL , ALKAHTANI BADR SAAD T.
Published: July 2022

The primary goal of this research is to look into the dynamical behavior of a fractional and fractal-fractional (FF) order laser chaotic model. The model is first considered with Caputo’s fractional derivative. An iterative technique based on the Laplace transform and its inverse aspect is used to achieve a particular solution for the fractional model. The existence of a unique solution is examined for the fractional laser chaotic model. Next, the laser chaotic model is addressed with a FF approach in the Caputo sense. The approximate results are achieved for the proposed fractional and FF models by using the Atangana–Seda numerical methods. The dynamical structures are plotted at various values of fractional and FF parameters.
On size multipartite Ramsey numbers of large paths versus wheel on five vertices
Authors: Sy Syafrizal
Published: July 2022

For given two graphs [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], and integer [Formula: see text], the size multipartite Ramsey number [Formula: see text] is the smallest integer such that every factorization of graph [Formula: see text] satisfies the following condition: either [Formula: see text] contains [Formula: see text] as a subgraph or [Formula: see text] contains [Formula: see text] as a subgraph. In this paper, we determine that [Formula: see text] for [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text] is path on [Formula: see text] vertices and [Formula: see text] is a wheel on five vertices.
Why is expository writing so undervalued---and what to do about it
Authors: Yaffe Philip
Published: July 2022

Each "Communication Corner" essay is self-contained; however, they build on each other. For best results, before reading this essay and doing the exercise, go to the first essay "How an Ugly Duckling Became a Swan," then read each succeeding essay.

Expository (non-fiction) writing is the kind of writing most people do in their jobs and elsewhere. Yet the importance of good expository writing is generally underrated, often severely so. This Communication Corner essay explores why undervaluing expository writing is so costly and detrimental, and what might be done about it.
Efficient Encrypted Range Query on Cloud Platforms
Authors: Yu Ping , Ni Wei , Liu Ren Ping , Zhang Zhaoxin , Zhang Hua , Wen Qiaoyan
Published: July 2022

In the Internet of Things (IoT) era, various IoT devices are equipped with sensing capabilities and employed to support clinical applications. The massive electronic health records (EHRs) are expected to be stored in the cloud, where the data are usually encrypted, and the encrypted data can be used for disease diagnosis. There exist some numeric health indicators, such as blood pressure and heart rate. These numeric indicators can be classified into multiple ranges, and each range may represent an indication of normality or abnormity. Once receiving encrypted IoT data, the CS maps it to one of the ranges, achieving timely monitoring and diagnosis of health indicators. This article presents a new approach to identify the range that an encrypted numeric value corresponds to without exposing the explicit value. We establish the sufficient and necessary condition to convert a range query to matchings of encrypted binary sequences with the minimum number of matching operations. We further apply the minimization of range queries to design and implement a secure range query system, where numeric health indicators encrypted independently by multiple IoT devices can be cohesively stored and efficiently queried by using Lagrange polynomial interpolation. Comprehensive performance studies show that the proposed approach can protect both the health records and range query against untrusted cloud platforms and requires less computational and communication cost than existing techniques.
Zallocator: A High Throughput Write-Optimized Persistent Allocator for Non-Volatile Memory
Authors: Wu You , Li Lin
Published: July 2022

Non-volatile main memory (NVRAM) is likely to break the bottleneck caused by data transferring between main memory and extern storage, and fundamentally change the way applications do data persistence. We can build persistent data structures directly on NVRAM. To do this correctly and efficiently, we need the support of persistent allocators guaranteeing failure-consistency.

However, existing persistent allocators pay huge persistence overhead for failure-consistency. In this article, we present Zallocator, a write-optimized failure-consistency allocator for NVRAM. Zallocator hardly brings write operations to NVRAM. It keeps all the heap management metadata in DRAM, and rebuild them after a crash. Experimental results show that Zallocator achieves a throughput comparable to state-of-the-art transient allocators, and reduces the average number of NVRAM writes per allocation/deallocation to almost zero.
An Anonymous Signature-Based Authentication and Key Agreement Scheme for Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks
Authors: M Azees , Rajasekaran Arun Sekar , Islam Satti Muhammad
Published: July 2022

Anonymous authentication is a critical step in safeguarding vehicle privacy and security in VANETs. VANETs connected with blockchain are gaining popularity as a means to increase the effectiveness of anonymous authentication across many security domains. However, present blockchain-assisted authentication systems cannot successfully achieve anonymity since colluding RSUs or vehicles may acquire linkability via the same retrieved record, hence destroying anonymity. To solve the problem, the proposed work offers an unlinkable anonymous signature-based authentication for VANET to ensure collusion resistance. To provide V2R unlinkability, a trusted authority issues anonymous parameters that conceal the vehicle's identification from RSUs and other vehicles in the VANET system. The vehicle user produces anonymous signatures, and RSUs validate them during anonymous authentication. Moreover, the proposed authentication methods are based on an anonymous certificateless signature (ACS) approach that is computationally more efficient and provably safe against eternal forgery in the random oracle model. Additionally, the proposed work guarantees that neither an RSU nor a vehicle has the authority to divulge users’ true identities. Hence, the proposed system has stringent unlinkability and better anonymity, and it enhances the efficiency of V2R and V2V communications considerably according to security analysis and performance assessment.
Rural Landscape Design Update and Optimization Based on Scientific Computing Algorithm of Color Template Space Projection
Authors: Zhu Yanlin , Cheng Kai
Published: July 2022

It is particularly important to plan and design the rural landscape of the Qiang nationality, but the regional characteristics of the rural landscape of the Qiang nationality in the upper reaches of the Minjiang River must be maintained at the same time. On the basis of the regional culture formed by the regional geography and cultural environment of the Qiang ethnic group in the upper reaches of the Minjiang River, combined with the investigation of the Qiang ethnic group in the upper reaches of the Minjiang River, this study explores the formal characteristics and formation reasons of the rural landscape of the Qiang ethnic group in the upper reaches of the Minjiang River from the perspective of rural landscape planning and design. It summarizes the formal features of the Qiang rural landscape in the upper reaches of the Minjiang River in a graphical language. It analyzes the problems faced by traditional rural landscapes. It then summarizes the experience and deficiencies in practice through the research on the existing Qiang rural landscape planning and design. It analyzes the influence of the regional culture of the Qiang nationality on the planning and design of the rural landscape of the Qiang nationality and proposes a strategy for the planning and design of the rural landscape of the Qiang nationality. This study hopes that this can provide theoretical and practical reference for the planning and design methods of the Qiang rural landscape in the upper reaches of the Minjiang River and the protection, development, and dissemination of the Qiang culture in the upper reaches of the Minjiang River. Experiments show that there are 764 settlements when the radius of the river buffer is within 500 meters.
[Retracted] Dance Movement Recognition Based on Multimodal Environmental Monitoring Data
Authors: Liu Xiao Lei
Published: July 2022

Fine motion recognition is a challenging topic in computer vision, and it has been a trendy research direction in recent years. This study combines motion recognition technology with dance movements and the problems such as the high complexity of dance movements and fully considers the human body’s self‐occlusion. The excellent motion recognition content in the dance field was studied and analyzed. A compelling feature extraction method was proposed for the dance video dataset, segmented video, and accumulated edge feature operation. By extracting directional gradient histogram features, a set of directional gradient histogram feature vectors is used to characterize the shape features of the dance video movements. A dance movement recognition method is adopted based on the fusion direction gradient histogram feature, optical flow direction histogram feature, and audio signature feature. Three components are combined for dance movement recognition by a multicore learning method. Experimental results show that the cumulative edge feature algorithm proposed in this study outperforms traditional models in the recognition results of HOG features extracted from images. After adding edge features, the description of the dance movement shape is more effective. The algorithm can guarantee a specific recognition rate of complex dance movements. The results also verify the effectiveness of the movement recognition algorithm in this study for dance movement recognition.
Prognostic Value of HPV E6 and APOBEC3B in Upper Urinary Tract Urothelial Carcinoma
Authors: He Le , Yang Bo , Jian Dan , Luo Hao , Wang Dong , Dai Nan
Published: July 2022

Background. APOBEC mutation signature is common in upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). When virus infection occurs, upregulated APOBEC plays an antiviral role by deoxycytidine deaminase activity. However, the carcinogenic roles of HPV E6 protein and APOBEC mutation signature in UTUC have not been investigated. Aims. This study explored the relationship among HPV E6, APOBEC, and clinicopathological characteristics in patients with UTUC and impacts of their expression on the prognosis. Methods. The expression of HPV E6 and APOBEC3B of 78 patients with UTUC was detected by immunohistochemistry. Correlation of HPV E6 and APOBEC3B expression levels with clinicopathological characteristics was statistically analyzed. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate the prognosis of HPV E6 and APOBEC3B for disease-free survival (DFS); survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier methods. Results. The expression of APOBEC3B was positively correlated with the expression of HPV E6 (

r
=
0.383

,

P
=
0.001

). HPV E6 was significantly increased in patients with stage I (

χ

2

=
4.938

,

P
=
0.026

) and low-grade urothelial carcinoma (

χ

2

=
3.939

,

P
=
0.047

), as well as in patients without LVI (

χ

2

=
4.064

,

P
=
0.044

). Meanwhile, APOBEC3B was highly expressed in patients with stage I (

χ

2

=
4.057

,

P
=
0.044

) and low-grade urothelial carcinoma (

χ

2

=
7.153

,

P
=
0.007

). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed the APOBEC3B expression was the independent prognostic factor for DFS, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that low expression of APOBEC3B and HPV E6 was significantly associated with the poor prognosis of UTUC patients. Conclusion. HPV E6 expression is positively associated with APOBEC3B expression, and the high expression of HPV E6 and APOBEC3B is associated with favorable prognosis of patients with UTUC.
Exploring the Mechanism of Curcumin on Retinoblastoma Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking
Authors: Wu Chengfu , Zheng Wenli , Zhang Jifa , He Xingping
Published: July 2022

Background. Curcumin shows great effects of inhibiting tumor cell proliferation, inducing apoptosis, inhibiting tumor metastasis, and inhibiting angiogenesis on a variety of tumors. However, the biological activity and possible mechanisms of curcumin in the treatment of retinoblastoma have not been fully elucidated. This study explored the potential therapeutic targets and pharmacological mechanisms of curcumin against retinoblastoma based on network pharmacology and molecular docking. Methods. The genes corresponding to curcumin targets were screened from the HERB, PharmMapper, and SwissTargetPrediction databases. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed for the intersecting targets in the STRING database. Cytoscape 3.7.0 was used for network topology analysis and screening of important targets. R 4.1.0 software was used for Gene Ontology (GO) function enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis of intersection targets. The molecular structures of curcumin and core target proteins were obtained from PubChem and PDB databases, and the two were preprocessed and molecularly docked using AutoDockTools and PyMOL software. Results. Through network data mining, we obtained 504 curcumin targets and 966 retinoblastoma disease targets, and 44 potential targets for curcumin treatment of retinoblastoma were obtained by mapping. Three core targets were obtained from network topology analysis. 462 biological processes, 21 cellular compositions, and 34 molecular functions were obtained by GO enrichment analysis. KEGG pathway analysis revealed 94 signaling pathways, mainly involving chemical carcinogenesis-receptor activation, chemical carcinogenesis-reactive oxygen species, viral carcinogenesis, Th17 cell differentiation, etc. The molecular docking results indicated that the binding energy of curcumin to the core targets was less than 0 kJ mol−1, among which the binding energy of RB1 and CDKN2A to curcumin was less than −5 kJ mol−1 with significant binding activity. Conclusion. Based on molecular docking technology and network pharmacology, we initially revealed that curcumin exerts its therapeutic effects on retinoblastoma with multitarget, multipathway, and multibiological functions, providing a theoretical basis for subsequent studies.
Teaching Analysis for Visual Communication Design with the Perspective of Digital Technology
Authors: Sun Qian , Zhu Yingjie
Published: July 2022

The turn of contemporary visual culture has led to the expansion of the connotation and scope of visual communication design (VCD) education, the generation of new artistic concepts and forms, and the great changes in the subject education system. VCD instruction now has an enhanced teaching environment and operational platform because of the rapid advancement of digital technology. Digital technology is expected to break through traditional learning methods in the future and will be more widely integrated into VCD courses. A topic that must be addressed and explored in the reform and growth of VCD education is how to build a fairer and more inclusive college art education subject system. Therefore, it is particularly important to design a complete VCD teaching evaluation system. In this paper, artificial intelligence technology is applied to the teaching quality evaluation (TQE) system, and a scientific and reliable TQE model is obtained. The main works of this paper are as follows: (1) analyze the background and significance of TQE research, and systematically expound the domestic and foreign research status of TQE, genetic algorithm, and neural network. (2) Using an adaptive mutation evolutionary method, this research builds a TQE system for the VCD course and produces a BPNN model. The adaptive mutation genetic algorithm’s convergence speed is considerably faster than the regular genetic algorithms, the optimized neural network’s performance is also superior, and the model has a faster convergence time and better prediction accuracy.
Analysis of Forced Convection with Hybrid Cu‐Al2O3 Nanofluids Injected in a Three‐Dimensional Rectangular Channel Containing Three Perpendicular Rotating Blocks with κ − ε Turbulent Modeling
Authors: Elhag S. H. , Memon Abid A. , Memon M. Asif , Bhatti Kaleemullah , Jacob Kavikumar , Alzahrani Samirah , Seidu Jamel
Published: July 2022

In this paper, the flow of hybrid nanofluids in a three‐dimensional rectangular channel consisting of three perpendicular blocks will be analyzed in terms of heat transfer. The two perpendicular rectangular blocks are rotating with speed ω. The hybrid mixture consists of aluminum oxide and copper, and each of them will contain in volume fraction of 0.001 to 0.25. The κ‐ε model of turbulent flow along with Navier and energy equation will be brought into action by using the finite element package COMSOL Multiphysics 5.6. Volume fraction and speed of rotation will be used as the parameters, and a parameter study will be done by fixing the Reynolds number Re = 50,000 with energy dissipation rate (ε) (m2/s3) (3.46E − 6 to 3.76E − 5), kinetic energy (κ) (m2/s2) (2.50E − 06 to 1.23E − 05), and the Prandtl number (0.98506 to 1.2625). It was deducted that the local Nusselt number is minimized at the outlet for stationary blocks and the maximum for the moving blocks. In addition, the mean number of Nusselt on the upper surface of the rectangular channel increases when the blocks are stationary and decreases when the blocks are moving. The study suggests that to maximize the conduction process in the channel the blocks must rotate with a certain velocity. This study also determined that with increasing the total viscosity of hybrid nanofluids, the average temperature is decreasing linearly in the middle of the channel whether the blocks are rotating or not. The temperature gradient along the z‐axis decreases with increasing volume fraction only when blocks are stationary. In addition, it has been determined that the maximum average temperature occurs when the volume fractions of copper and oxide are equal to 0.001.