bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Electroacupuncture On Discomfort During Gastroscopy Without General Anesthetic: A Study Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Yu Binyu , Hazlewood Philippa Jemma , Yin Xuan , Li Shanshan , Yue Hongyu , Xu Kun , Xu Shifen , Mi Yiqun
Published: June 2021

Background: Gastroscopy procedures are frequently performed under general anesthetic to minimize discomfort. Patients who refuse a sedative injection may experience more discomfort and adverse reactions such as pain and nausea. These instances reduce patient compliance and willingness to participate in future procedures. Acupuncture has been shown to have an antinausea and analgesic effect, however there is limited data available that demonstrates acupuncture as effective when applied before gastroscopy. Methods: A total of 60 participants will be randomly assigned to the electroacupuncture (EA) group and the sham electroacupuncture (SEA) group at a ratio of 1: 1. Acupuncture treatment will be performed before gastroscopy for a duration of 30 minutes. All patients will complete detailed questionnaires at 30 minutes and 7 days post-procedure to record the severity of their symptoms. The primary outcome will be the average of 4 standard visual analogue scales (VAS) scores in the categories of nausea,vomitting, throat discomfort and agitation as reported by the patient. The secondary outcomes will be patient’s anxiety as recorded by the 6 Item Short Form of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S6) and Amsterdam Pre-Operative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS), preference in a future endoscopy, oxygen saturation (SaO2), heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP). Anxiety scales will be assessed before and after acupuncture, others will be complete at 30 minutes and 7 days post-procedure.Discussion: This randomized controlled trial will explore the feasibility of the further clinical application of electroacupuncture for the improvement of patient discomfort during gastroscopy without systemic sedation.Trial registration: This trial has been approved by the Ethics Committee of Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (2020SHL-KY-11) and is registered with ChiCTR2000040726.
Brucella Melitensis invA Gene (BME_RS01060) Transcription Is Promoted Under Acidic Stress Conditions.
Authors: Sauceda-Becerra Raúl , Barrios-García Hugo , Martínez-Burnes Julio , Arellano-Reynoso Beatriz , Benítez-Guzmán Alejandro , Hernández-Castro Rigoberto , Alva-Pérez Jorge
Published: June 2021

The invA gene of Brucella melitensis codes for a NUDIX (nucleoside diphosphate linked to moiety X) hydrolase related to invasiveness. The objective of this work was to evaluate invA transcription under acidic conditions. The invA gene transcription was up regulated at pH 3 and pH 5 observed with semiquantitative real-time PCR in B. melitensis 133 strain. Results indicated that invA gene transcription at pH 3 showed a basal and decreased transcription compared to that of pH 5 incubation. Transcription levels of the dnaK gene were similar to those obtained with invA gene. The survival rates of wild type and invA mutant strains at pH 5 were above 90% in all post-incubation times. In contrast, at pH 3 there was a time-dependent reduction on both strains at 15 min (P < 0.05). These results suggest that invA gene transcription is promoted under acidic conditions in Brucella melitensis.
Security Establishment In Cybersecurity Environment Using PSO Based Optimization
Authors: Priyanka J , Ramakrishnan M
Published: June 2021

Cybersecurity based significant data context is considered a challenge in the research community. Machine Learning approaches are considered for dealing with the big data-based security problem. Here, Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) is used for configuring a massive amount of data. This work formulates a solution for Multi-objective problems to fulfill accuracy, computational and model complexities. A novel Meta-heuristic framework for multi-objective optimization is developed for dealing with lower levels and higher-level heuristics. In the former group, various rules are generated for configuring PSO, and in the latter model, search performance to control the selection process is used for newer configurations of PSO, deal with this multi-objective function. Parento-Approximation (PA) approach is used for strengthening this framework. The proposed optimization approach can be used in cybersecurity problems like anomaly classification. The proposed model is expected to provide better results in contrast to other models.
Heterogeneous ant colony optimization based on adaptive interactive learning and non-zero-sum game
Authors: Meng Jingwen , You Xiaoming , Liu Sheng
Published: June 2021

Ant colony optimization (ACO) is prone to get into the local optimum and has a slow convergence speed when it is applied to the Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP). Therefore, for overcoming the drawbacks of ACO, a heterogeneous ant colony optimization based on adaptive interactive learning and non-zero-sum game is proposed. Firstly, three subpopulations with different characteristics are constructed into heterogeneous ant colony to enhance the performance of the ant colony. Secondly, the adaptive interactive learning mechanism is adopted when the algorithm diversity decreases, in which the objects to be communicated are selected adaptively according to the population similarity. In this mechanism, the way of communication is to pair the inferior individuals with the superior individuals, which enlarges the searching range and speeds up the convergence speed. Finally, an elite information exchange strategy based on non-zero-sum game is adopted when the algorithm falls into local optimum, in which each subpopulation selects the partners for elite information exchange according to the normalized comprehensive evaluation operator, which is helpful for each subpopulation to select the most appropriate strategy for getting out of the local optimal. Through this model, the accuracy of the solution is further improved. The data that used for this experiment is from the TSPLIB library under MATLAB simulation with various ranges of TSP datasets. Experimental results indicate that the proposed algorithm has a higher quality solution and faster convergence speed in solving the traveling salesman problem.
Comorbidity, Cognitive Dysfunction, Physical Functioning and Quality of Life in Older Breast Cancer Survivors
Authors: Crouch Adele , Champion Victoria , Von Ah Diane
Published: June 2021

PurposeOlder breast cancer survivors (BCS) may be at greater risk for cognitive dysfunction and other comorbidities; both of which may be associated with physical and emotional well-being. This study will seek to understand these relationships by examining the association between objective and subjective cognitive dysfunction and physical functioning and quality of life (QoL) and moderated by comorbidities in older BCS. MethodsA secondary data analysis was conducted on using data from 335 BCS (Stage I-IIIA) who were ≥60 years of age, received chemotherapy, and were 3-8 years post-diagnosis. BCS completed a one-time questionnaire and neuropsychological tests of learning, delayed recall, attention, working memory and verbal fluency. Descriptive statistics and separate linear regression analyses testing the relationship of each cognitive assessment on physical functioning and QoL controlling for comorbidities were conducted.ResultsBCS were on average 69.79 (SD=3.34) years old and 5.95 (SD=1.48) years post-diagnosis. Most were stage II (67.7%) at diagnosis, White (93.4%), had at least some college education (51.6%) and reported on average 3 (SD=1.81) comorbidities. All 6 physical functioning models were significant (p<.001); with more comorbidities and worse subjective attention identified as significantly related to decreased physical functioning. One model found worse subjective attention was related to poorer QoL (p<.001). Objective cognitive function measures were not significantly related to physical functioning or QoL. ConclusionsA greater number of comorbidities and poorer subjective attention were related to poorer outcomes and should be integrated into research seeking to determine predictors of physical functioning and QoL in breast cancer survivors.
Analysis of Regional Differences and Dynamic Mechanisms of Agricultural Carbon Emissions Efficiency in China's Seven Agricultural Regions
Authors: Zhang Xiaodan , Liao Kaicheng , Zhou Xianghong
Published: June 2021

A profound understanding of the present status and regional characteristics of China’s agricultural carbon emissions (ACE) is the basic prerequisite for exploring a pathway to ACE reduction that is compatible with China’s national conditions. This study uses the inter-provincial agricultural industry panel data from 2001 to 2017, and selects the three-stage slack-based measure data envelope analysis (SBM-DEA) model and Malmquist Luenberger (ML) index model to measure the dynamic efficiency of agricultural carbon emission (ACE). Additionally, this study uses the Dagum Gini coefficient and the panel vector auto-regression (PVAR) model to analyze the sources of regional differences in dynamic efficiency and the internal structure, respectively. The empirical results reveal the following: (i) The dynamic efficiency of China’s ACE is in a state of "efficiency optimization." Although both technological change and technological efficiency change are in an "efficient" state, they also show a decline in technological efficiency change, and a regression in technological change, respectively. (ii) The overall Dagum Gini coefficient of China's ACE dynamic efficiency, technological change, and technological efficiency change all demonstrate upward trends. The gap between regions is the main reason for the long-term gap between the dynamic efficiency of China's ACE, technological change, and technological efficiency change. (iii) Regardless of the time horizon, technological change has always been the main driving force for the continuous growth of dynamic efficiency; the contribution of technological change to dynamic efficiency is far greater than that of technological efficiency change. This conclusion has been verified in samples from different regions of China.
Effect of Starch Source in Concentrate Diets and of Days on Feed on Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics, Meat Quality, and Economic Return of Feedlot Steers
Authors: Khongpradit Anchalee , Boonsaen Phoompong , Homwong Nitipong , Matsuba Keiji , Kobayashi Yasuo , Sawanon Suriya
Published: June 2021

The effects of PS were determined as a concentrate added to feed and of the days it was short-term and long-term fed to fattening dairy steers on their growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality, and economic return. The experimental units comprised 36 feedlot dairy steers arranged as a 2 ⋅ 3 factorial in a completely randomized design. The first term (diet factors) consisted of ground corn (GC), ground cassava (CA), or pineapple stem starch (PS) at 37% dry matter (DM) in the concentrate. The second term (feeding factors) consisted of feeding the concentrate from 1 to 206 days (short-term feeding) or from 1 to 344 days (long-term feeding). At the end of the feeding term periods, the animals were slaughtered and the growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality were evaluated. The average daily gain (ADG), feed:gain ratio, dry matter intake (DMI), hot carcass and cool carcass percentages, and backfat thickness were greater for steers on short-term than on long-term feeding. Feeding the different starch sources had no negative influence on the growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality. However, the ADG of steers fed PS tended (P = 0.07) to be higher than for those fed GC or CA. In addition, the concentration of the fatty acid C14:1 in the longissimus dorsi muscle was the highest in steers fed CA. Different starch sources had similar values for saturated fatty acid (SFA) and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA.) Long-term feeding increased MUFA. Pineapple stem starch could be a useful feed ingredient for feedlot steers as an alternative starch source for energy.
Establishment of Geochemical Thresholds for Vanadium Throughout Korea and at Potential Development Sites Using Geochemical Map Data
Authors: Ahn Joo Sung , Youm Seung-Jun , Cho Yong-Chan , Yim Gil-Jae , Ji Sang-Woo
Published: June 2021

Geochemical maps can be used for a variety of purposes, one of which is to establish regional or local geochemical thresholds for the analyzed elements. In the case of vanadium, as industrial demand and use increases, it is necessary to expand the development of vanadium in Korea. However, the environmental management standards are insufficient. Therefore, in this study, using geochemical data, we derived geochemical threshold values for the entire country and areas with potential for the development of vanadium deposits. The regional (country-wide) threshold value was derived using logarithmic transformation of raw data (N = 23,548) of the first- and second-order stream sediments collected across the country in the late 1990s and the early 2000s. The median + 2 median absolute deviation (MAD) and Tukey inner fence (TIF) values were 116 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg, respectively. Of these, the TIF standard, which showed 0.6% of data exceeding the threshold, was judged to be appropriate for distinguishing clear enrichment or contamination of vanadium. In the case of the Geumsan and Pocheon, areas with potential for vanadium development, the TIF and median + 2 MAD values of 259 mg/kg and 218 mg/kg, respectively, can be used as the criteria for evaluating the impact of environmental pollution before and after deposit development. Likewise, by deriving threshold values of the target elements using geochemical map data, it is possible to provide basic environmental information for geochemical evaluation and follow-up management in advance during large-scale site development.
A Hybrid Retrieval Strategy for Case-based Reasoning Using Soft Likelihood Functions
Authors: Wang Yameng , Fei Liguo , Feng Yuqiang , Wang Yanqing , Liu Luning
Published: June 2021

Case-based reasoning (CBR) is the retrieval of one or more similar cases from an existing case base for the problem to be solved according to the characteristics of the new problem. The core idea of CBR is that similar cases have similar solutions, so whether the CBR system can play a powerful advantage depends on the quality of case retrieval strategy. At present, the commonly used case retrieval algorithm is based on the mean operator method, which is very hard, and a certain local similarity is low will affect the overall result. In order to calculate the global similarity of cases from a new and softer point of view, this paper introduces the soft likelihood functions into case retrieval, combines the soft likelihood functions with KNN, and proposes a hybrid retrieval strategy. The core of the retrieval strategy is to define the global similarity through SLFs, aggregate the local similarity and characteristic similarity together, and also take the attitude characteristics of decision makers into consideration. Through simulation experiments on real data sets, the accuracy rate is more than 81%, which verifies the effectiveness of the retrieval strategy.
High Myopia and Macular Vascular Density: An Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Study
Authors: Jiang Yang , Lou Shang , Li Ying , Chen Youxin , Lu Chengxuan
Published: June 2021

Objective: To investigate whether there are differences in macular vascular density (VD) between patients with high-myopia (HM) and those with non-high myopia (NHM) using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA).Method: OCTA was performed on 35 eyes with HM with spherical equivalence (SE) >-6.00D and 35 eyes with NHM with SE £-6.00D. Vascular densities of the macula (overall macula, fovea, parafovea, superior hemi and inferior hemi) were measured in each of the superficial, deep and choriocapillaris layers of the retina. Results: In the superficial retinal layer, overall macular VFD was significantly higher in the NHM compared to the HM group (51.27±3.74 vs. 48.07±5.69, p<0.05). There were significant differences between the NHM and HM in parafovea (52.58±5.78 vs. 49.4 ±6.43, p<0.05), superior-hemi (53.38±4.03 vs 49.78±6.84, p<0.05) and inferior-hemi regions (53.49±4.61 vs 49.05±6.41, p<0.05), but not in the fovea region. Similarly, in the deep retinal layer, overall macular VFD was significantly higher in the NHM group compared to the HM group (58.69±2.46 vs. 56.90±4.08, p<0.05). There was significant differences between the HM and NHM in superior-hemi region (61.97±2.68 vs. 60.08±3.98, p<0.05), but not in the fovea, parafovea, and inferior-hemi region. In the choriocapillaris, there was no difference in the overall macular VFD, nor any of the individual sectors between the HM and the NHM groups. Conclusion: VFD in the superficial and deep retinal layers of the macula are significantly increased in the NHM compared to HM eyes. This is not the case in the choroidal capillary layers of the retina.
Spatial Accessibility to Sports Facilities in Dongguan, China: A Multi-Preference Gaussian Two-Step Floating Catchment Area Method
Authors: Xiao Tong , Ding Tengfei , Zhang Xiaoke , Tao Zhuolin , Liu Ye
Published: June 2021

Background: Equitable access to sports services has drawn attention from policymakers and planners in China as people’s health has been placed at the centre of the country’s policy-making machinery. However, existing approaches to measure the spatial accessibility of sports facilities tend to ignore the heterogeneity in potential users’ demands and facility preferences, thereby causing a bias in the measurement of accessibility. Methods: To accurately measure the spatial accessibility of sports facilities, this paper proposes a multi-preference Gaussian two-step floating catchment area (MG2SFCA) method, taking into account different travel modes, catchment sizes, and facility preferences among different age groups. Empirically, using high-resolution gridded data on actual population distribution, we adopted the MG2SFCA method in examining the spatial accessibility of sports facilities among children, working-age population, and elderly population under walking, cycling, and driving modes in Dongguan, China. Further, a comparison was made between the accessibility results measured by the MG2SFCA method and the Gaussian 2SFCA method.Results: The results indicated a significant spatial disparity in the accessibility to sports facilities, with better accessibility in the north and poorer accessibility in the south. Children have the best access to sports facilities, followed by working-age and elderly populations. In the comparison among different transport modes, the accessibility distribution of sports facilities in walking mode showed the greatest spatial variation, while accessibility in driving mode was the most balanced. The spatial variation of accessibility scores of MG2SFCA was more significant than that of Gaussian 2SFCA.Conclusions: The MG2SFCA method is superior to the traditional Gaussian 2SFCA method because the former can capture disadvantaged people’s actual needs for sports facilities more accurately than the latter. Introducing demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of individuals into spatial accessibility measurement has a vital impact on the accurate reflection of accessibility inequality.
Identifying the Hot Spot Residues of the SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Using MM-PBSA and Multiple Force Fields
Authors: Byun Jinyoung , Lee Juyong
Published: June 2021

In this study, we investigated the binding affinities between the main protease of SARS-CoV-2 virus and its various ligand to identify the hot spot residues of the protease. To investigate the effect of various force fields, we performed MD simulations with three different force fields: GROMOS54a7, Amber99-SB, and CHARMM36. The total amount of MD simulation time was 1.1 µs. To investigate how known ligands interact with Mpro of SARS-CoV-2, the binding affinities were calculated by using the MMPBSA approach. It is identified that no single force field succeeded in predicting the relative rankings of experimental binding affinities. When compared between different force fields, Amber99-SB and GROMOS54a7 results are fairly correlated while CHARMM36 results show weak or almost no correlations with the others. Additionally, we identified specific residues of Mpro, which contribute more importantly to the binding energies with ligands. It is identified that the residues of the S4 subsite of the binding site, N142, M165, and R188, contribute strongly to ligand binding. In addition, the terminal residues, D295, R298, and Q299 are identified to have attractive interactions with ligands via electrostatic and solvation energy. We believe that our findings will help facilitate develop novel inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2.
Analysis of the Sagittal Balance in Patients with Adult Spinal Deformity: Modified Sagittal Vertical Axis
Authors: Yu Yang , Wu Bing , Wang Zhaohan , Cheng Junyao , Li Bo , Liu Jinjin , Song Kai , Wang Zheng
Published: June 2021

Objective: The overall sagittal balance of patient with adult spinal deformity (ASD) is crucial for satisfactory postoperative outcome. SVA is the parameter often used to assess the sagittal balance. However, pelvis often rotates backward to compensate for sagittal imbalance in patients with ASD. In the case, SVA cannot reflect the real sagittal balance. Modified sagittal vertical axis (MSVA) is the parameter we found to better assess the real sagittal balance in patients with ASD. And we want to explore the relationship between MSVA and the quality of life. Methods: We used sample of 60 patients with ASD who underwent long-segment orthopedic surgery (≥4 vertebrae) between the period of 2015 and 2018. The paired-sample t test and Pearson correlation analysis were used for statistical analysis. P value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: SVA, TK, TLK, LL, SS, PT, PI-LL and MSVA were significantly changed in 60 patients preoperatively and postoperatively (p<0.05). The ODI, SRS22, VAS scores were significantly improved postoperatively (p<0.05). Pearson correlation analysis was used to conclude that postoperative SVA, postoperative MSVA and postoperative quality of life score were related. Postoperative MSVA has the strongest correlation with the quality-of-life score. Conclusions: Through spinal orthopedic surgery, the postoperative spinal parameters and quality of life of patients with ASD were significantly improved. MSVA is of great significance for evaluating postoperative sagittal balance and quality of life of patients with ASD.
Drought Analysis for the Seyhan Basin with NDVI and VCI Vegetation Indices
Authors: Aksel Murat , Dikici Mehmet
Published: June 2021

Various drought indices have been developed to monitor the drought, which is one of the results of climate change and mitigates its adverse effects on water resources, especially agriculture. Vegetation indices determined by remote sensing have been the subject of many studies in recent years and shed light on drought risk management. This study is examined in the Seyhan River Basin, a basin with Turkey’s considerable population density counts and is situated south of the country. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Vegetation Condition Index (VCI) are the most widely used vegetation indices and are very useful because they give results only based on satellite images. This study examined the Seyhan Basin by using satellite data in which the vegetation transformation occurring due to the decline of agricultural and forest areas was also seen. An increase in drought frequency was detected in the Seyhan Basin using NDVI and VCI indices. It was determined that climate change and drought increased with a linear uptrend. It is recommended that decision-makers should take the necessary measures by considering the drought risk maps and that long-term drought management plans should be made and implemented.
The Toxicity of Cooking Oil Fumes on Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells Through ROS-Mediated MAPK, NF-κB Signaling Pathways and NLRP3 Inflammasome
Authors: Cao Xiangyu , Fu Mingyang , Miao Jingyi , Sun Yueling , Zhu Rugang , Liu Chengying , Bi Ruochen , Wang Shuai , Liu Jianli
Published: June 2021

Cooking oil fumes (COFs) are main pollutants in kitchen and indoor air, which threaten human health. Exposure to COFs can cause respiratory diseases and impair pulmonary function. To investigate the toxicity of COFs on human bronchial epithelial cells (Beas-2B) and explore the underlying mechanisms, MTT assay was conducted to detect the viability of Beas-2B. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and nitric oxide (NO) levels were determined with DCFH-DA assay and DAF-FM assay. The expression of genes involved in inflammation were measured with quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The phosphorylation and the expression of proteins related to Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), NF-κB signaling pathways were measured with western blot. Our results revealed that COFs decreased Beas-2B cells viability, increased the ROS levels and NO levels in cells and induced apoptosis in Beas-2B cells. The results of qRT-PCR and western blot showed that the expression of NLRP3, p65, iNOS, IL-1β, and the factors related to oxidative stress and inflammation increased, NF-κB signaling pathway and MAPK signaling pathway were activated. This study provided some useful information to alleviate the toxicity of COFs and revealed the possible mechanism for the damage on respiratory system induced by COFs.
A Multi-Objective Cloud Workflow Scheduling Optimization Based on Evolutionary Multi-objective Algorithm with Decomposition
Authors: Yao XueLi
Published: June 2021

In the cloud computing environment, cost-effective workflow task scheduling is the key problem that cloud computing service providers need to solve. However, previous scheduling methods only consider one-sided demands, such as minimizing running time or running cost. In this paper, the cloud workflow scheduling model including two minimizing time and execution cost are established, and then the MOEA/D algorithm based on weight vector adjustment and local search is proposed, and the algorithm is applied in the model solving process. Firstly, the weight vector adjustment method is employed to obtain more evenly distributed solutions; and in order to obtain more evenly distributed solutions and hope to speed up the convergence speed of the solution process, this paper adds local search operators into the solution process of evolutionary algorithm, and proposes MOEA/D algorithm based on local search and weight vector adjustment as an improved multi-objective optimization algorithm to solve the cloud workflow scheduling model based on time and execution cost, it can be turned out that MOEA/D algorithm based on local search and weight vector adjustment can obtain more evenly distributed solutions than MOEA/D algorithm and NSGA-II algorithm on the basis of faster convergence speed, which provides decision support for cloud workflow scheduling decision-makers.
A Family of Quaternion-valued Pipelined Second-order Volterra Adaptive Filters for Nonlinear System Identification
Authors: Liu Qianqian , He Yigang
Published: June 2021

This paper primarily proposes a family of quaternion Volterra filters based on the feedforward pipelined structure (QPSOVAFs) for nonlinear quaternion system identification to reduce the computational complexity. Then, the strictly nonlinear QPSOVAF (SNL-QPSOVAF), semi-widely nonlinear QPSOVAF(SWNL-QPSOVAF), and widely nonlinear QPSOVAF (WNL-QPSOVAF), are proposed. This architecture consists of several quaternion-valued second-order Volterra (SOV) modules. The structure's nonlinear subsection executes a nonlinear mapping from the input space to an intermediate space using the feedforward SOV; the linear combiner subsection performs a linear mapping from the intermediate space to the output space. Moreover, the theoretical analysis expresses the effectiveness of the proposed QPSOVAFs in a specific condition. Finally, simulation results further prove that the proposed QPSOVAFs have good performance in identifying the quaternion-valued nonlinear system.
Global fishing and seafood trade burdens places with ineffective fisheries management
Authors: Klein Carissa , Kuempel Caitlin , Watson Reg , Coll Marta , Teneva Lida , Mora Camilo
Published: June 2021

Seafood is the most traded food commodity globally, but is underpinned by unsustainable fishing practices. When a country obtains seafood from outside its jurisdiction, any negative social and environmental impacts associated with fishing are displaced to the fished location. ‘Unequal displacement’ occurs when seafood is obtained from a place with poorer, less-effective, fisheries management than the country that catches or imports the seafood. We found that up to 22% (19.9 MT) of wild-capture seafood was unequally displaced, much of which is caught in the high seas, Russia, Malaysia, and Angola. Unequal displacement occurs for up to 50% (10.0 MT) of traded seafood. Almost all 172 countires that we assessed unequally displace seafood, but few are responsible for the majority (China, India, Thailand, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Netherlands, UK, USA). Achieving both sustainable food provision and ocean health requires new policies that encourage the reduction of unequal seafood displacement.
Modified Extended Object Tracker for Lidar Data Using Random Matrix Model
Authors: Li Peng , Chen Cheng , You Congzhe , Qiu Junda
Published: June 2021

Random Matrix (RM) model is an effective method for modeling extended objects, and has been widely used in extended object tracking. However, the existing RM based tracking methods usually assume that the measurement models obey Gaussian distribution, which will lead to the decrease of accuracy when applied to Lidar system. This paper proposed a new observation model and used it to modified the RM smoother by considering the characteristics of Lidar data. Simulation results show that the proposed approach achieved better performance compared with the original RM tracker in Lidar system.
Intrauterine Adhesions Combined with Robert's Uterus : A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Gao Kexin , Zhang Han , Zhu Jihong , Yu Meiling
Published: June 2021

Background: Robert's uterus, a rare congenital abnormality of Mullerian duct development, has oblique septum and non-communicating asymmetric hemi-cavity. Key clinical characterization of the congenital disorder is presence of hematometra and severe dysmenorrhea, some patients experience acute abdominal pain in association with menstruation. Due to the difficulty of preoperative diagnosis and high rate of misdiagnosis, Preoperative assessment matters the choice of emergency surgery and avoid a second surgery. No systematic literature review in detail has been reported previously.Case presentation: We reported a rare case of Robert’s uterus with severe abdominal pain during menstruation, in which the patient initially underwent emergency laparoscopic right ovarian cystectomy, right salpingectomy, and pelvic adhesiolysis on suspicion of ovarian teratoma torsion. However, dysmenorrhea still existed or even aggravated after the operation, hysteroscopic surgery was performed three month later, which revealed two asymmetric uterine cavities, hematometra was located in the right-side blind cavity, and thus diagnosed as Robert’s uterus and severe uterine adhesion, which, to our knowledge, has not been reported previously. Hysteroscopic incision of the septum and intrauterine adhesion were performed. Subsequently, Two-year follow-up showed no obvious dysmenorrhea recurrence. Conclusion: Robert's uterus is uncommon but can mimic other common and acute abdominal disease. Advance imaging technologies, such as three-dimensional ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging combined with hysteroscopy and laparoscopy are less invasive for diagnosis and treatment of Robert’s uterus. Septal resection is main surgical procedure, combining laparoscopy and hysteroscopy is conducive and less invasive treatment.
Analgesic Comparison of Perineural With Intravenous Dexamethasone on Interscalene Block for Shoulder Arthroscopy: a Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Huang Liangku , Li Peng , Zhang Liang , Kang Guangming , Zhou Haizhen , Zhao Zandong
Published: June 2021

Introduction: The analgesic comparison of perineural with intravenous dexamethasone on interscalene block for pain management of shoulder arthroscopy remains controversial. We conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the influence of perineural with intravenous dexamethasone on interscalene block on the postoperative pain intensity of shoulder arthroscopy.Methods: We have searched PubMed, EMbase, Web of science, EBSCO, and Cochrane library databases through April 2021 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effect of perineural with intravenous dexamethasone on interscalene block for pain control of shoulder arthroscopy. This meta-analysis is performed using the random-effect model.Results: Five RCTs are included in the meta-analysis. Overall, compared with intravenous dexamethasone for shoulder arthroscopy, perineural dexamethasone leads to similar block duration (SMD=0.12; 95% CI=-0.12 to 0.35; P=0.33), pain scores at 12 h (SMD=-0.67; 95% CI=-1.48 to 0.15; P=0.11), pain scores at 24 h (SMD=-0.33; 95% CI=-0.79 to 0.14; P=0.17), opioid consumption (SMD=0.01; 95% CI=-0.18 to 0.19; P=0.95) and nausea/vomiting (OR=0.74; 95% CI=0.38 to 1.44; P=0.38).Conclusions: Perineural and intravenous dexamethasone demonstrated comparable pain control after shoulder arthroscopy when supplemented to interscalene block.
A Pilot Study of Participatory and Rapid Implementation Approaches to Increase Depression Screening in Primary Care
Authors: Last Briana S. , Buttenheim Alison M. , Futterer Anne C. , Livesey Cecilia , Jaeger Jeffrey , Stewart Rebecca E. , Reilly Megan , Press Matthew J. , Peifer Maryanne , Wolk Courtney Benjamin , Beidas Rinad S.
Published: June 2021

Background: Most individuals with depression go unidentified and untreated. In 2016 the US Preventive Services Task Force released guidelines recommending universal screening in primary care to identify patients with depression and to link them to treatment. Feasible, acceptable, and effective strategies to implement these guidelines are needed. Methods: This three-phased study employed rapid participatory methods to design and test strategies to increase depression screening at Penn Medicine, a large health system with 90 primary care practices. First, researchers solicited ideas and barriers from stakeholders to increase screening using an innovation tournament—a crowdsourcing method that invites stakeholders to submit ideas to address a workplace challenge. Second, a panel of stakeholders and scientists deliberated over and ranked the tournament ideas. An instant runoff election was held to select the winning idea. Third, the research team piloted the winning idea in a primary care practice using rapid prototyping, an approach that quickly refines and iterates strategy designs. Results: The innovation tournament yielded 31 ideas and 32 barriers from diverse stakeholders (12 primary care physicians, 10 medical assistants, 4 nurse practitioners, 2 practice managers, and 4 patient support assistants). A panel of 6 stakeholders and scientists deliberated on the ideas and voted for patient self-report (i.e., through tablet computers, text message, or an online patient portal) as the winning idea. The research team rapid prototyped tablets in one primary care practice with one physician over 5 five-hour shifts to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of the strategy. Most patients, the physician, and medical assistants found the tablets acceptable and feasible. However, patient support assistants struggled to incorporate them in their workflow and expressed concerns about scaling up the process. Depression screening rates were higher using tablets compared to usual care; follow-up was comparable between tablets and usual care. Conclusions: Rapid participatory methods engaged and amplified the voices of diverse stakeholders in primary care. These methods helped design an acceptable and feasible implementation strategy that showed promise for increasing depression screening in a primary care setting. The next step is to evaluate the strategy in a randomized controlled trial across primary care practices.
Machine Learning Identifies ICU Outcome Predictors in a Multicenter COVID-19 Cohort.
Authors: Magunia Harry , Lederer Simone , Verbuecheln Raphael , Gilot Bryant Joseph , Koeppen Michael , Haeberle Helene A , Mirakaj Valbona , Hofmann Pascal , Marx Gernot , Bickenbach Johannes , Nohe Boris , Lay Michael , Spies Claudia , Edel Andreas , Schiefenhövel Fridtjof , Rahmel Tim , Putensen Christian , Sellmann Timur , Koch Thea , Brandenburger Timo , Kindgen-Milles Detlef , Brenner Thorsten , Berger Marc , Zacharowski Kai , Adam Elisabeth , Posch Matthias , Moerer Onnen , Scheer Christian S , Sedding Daniel , Weigand Markus A , Fichtner Falk , Nau Carla , Prätsch Florian , Wiesmann Thomas , Koch Christian , Schneider Gerhard , Lahmer Tobias , Straub Andreas , Meiser Andreas , Weiss Manfred , Jungwirth Bettina , Wappler Frank , Meybohm Patrick , Herrmann Johannes , Malek Nisar , Kohlbacher Oliver , Biergans Stephanie , Rosenberger Peter
Published: June 2021

Background. Intensive Care Resources are heavily utilized during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, risk stratification and prediction of SARS-CoV-2 patient clinical outcomes upon ICU admission remain inadequate. This study aimed to develop a machine learning model, based on retrospective & prospective clinical data, to stratify patient risk and predict ICU survival and outcomes.Methods. A Germany-wide electronic registry was established to pseudonymously collect admission, therapeutic and discharge information of SARS-CoV-2 ICU patients retrospectively and prospectively. Machine learning approaches were evaluated for the accuracy and interpretability of predictions. The Explainable Boosting Machine approach was selected as the most suitable method. Individual, non-linear shape functions for predictive parameters and parameter interactions are reported. Results. 1,039 patients were included in the Explainable Boosting Machine model, 596 patients retrospectively collected, and 443 patients prospectively collected. The model for prediction of general ICU outcome was shown to be more reliable to predict “survival”. Age, inflammatory and thrombotic activity, and severity of ARDS at ICU admission were shown to be predictive of ICU survival. Patients’ age, pulmonary dysfunction and transfer from an external institution were predictors for ECMO therapy. The interaction of patient age with D-dimer levels on admission and creatinine levels with SOFA score without GCS were predictors for renal replacement therapy. Conclusions. Using Explainable Boosting Machine analysis, we confirmed and weighed previously reported and identified novel predictors for outcome in critically ill COVID-19 patients. Using this strategy, predictive modeling of COVID-19 ICU patient outcomes can be performed overcoming the limitations of linear regression models.Trial registration. “ClinicalTrials” (clinicaltrials.gov) under NCT04455451
Isolated Progressive Enlargement of Head Mass as the First Symptom: A Rare Case Report of Cranial Metastasis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Literature Review
Authors: Liu Yuan-yuan , Zhou Zhi-hua , Hu Shuai , Su Xin , zhou jinxu
Published: June 2021

Background: This article presents a rare case of skull metastasis of primary hepatocellular carcinoma that manifests the isolated progressive enlargement of the head mass as the first symptom. Case presentation:A 65-year-old female patient presented an isolated painless mass in the head, which grew rapidly over the last month. Head CT revealed a 6.4 cm×5.6cm osteolytic destruction in the right parietal bone. MRI further revealed that the occupation was significantly enhanced in the T1 reinforced phase. The patient underwent total surgical resection. Postoperative pathology confirmed that the head mass was the skull metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Conclusion: The case of skull metastasis from primary hepatocellular carcinoma is rare, and HCC patient with intracranial metastasis tends to have a rather poor prognosis. Surgical excision of the metastatic mass and radiotherapy can improve the life quality and prolong the survival time of the patient.
Prognostic Impact of Pathological Adverse Features in Surgically Resected Adenocarcinoma of Esophagogastric Junction
Authors: Liao Qianchao , Zheng Jiabin , Xiong Wenjun , Wang Junjiang , Hu Xu , Zheng Chengbin , Feng Huolun , Deng Zhenru , Wang Wei , Li Yong
Published: June 2021

Objective The prognostic value of lymphovascular invasion (LVI), perineural invasion (PNI), and poor differentiation (PD) has been widely studied in different solid tumors. However, it was still controversial in adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction (AEG). We investigated the prognostic impact of combining LVI, PNI and PD for predicting the survival in patients with AEG.Methods We retrospectively investigated the data of patients who performed surgical resection of AEG on Guangdong Provincial Hospital and Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine from Jan. 2004 to Dec. 2018. According to the status of LVI, PNI and differentiation, pathological adverse features were divided into three groups: 0, 1 or 2 and 3 adverse features, their impact on prognosis was evaluated. Results Univariate analysis indicated pT, pN, LVI , PNI , PD and pathological adverse features were risk factors for both overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS), and multivariate analysis indicated that pathological adverse feature was independent risk factor for both OS and DSS. In subgroup analyses, adverse features were independent risk factor for DSS of stage II AEG but not for stage I or III.Conclusions The pathological adverse features were independent prognostic factors for AEG patients and they can help for further risk stratification in stage II patients.
Variants in CDH23 Cause Broad Spectrum of Hearing Loss: From Non-Syndromic to Syndromic Hearing Loss as Well as From Congenital to Age-Related Hearing Loss
Authors: Usami Shin-ichi , Isaka Yuichi , Miyagawa Maiko , Nishio Shin-ya
Published: June 2021

Variants in the CDH23 gene are known to be responsible for both syndromic hearing loss (Usher syndrome type ID: USH1D) and non-syndromic hearing loss (DFNB12). Our series of studies demonstrated that CDH23 variants cause broad phenotypes of non-syndromic hearing loss (DFNB12); from congenital profound hearing loss to late-onset high frequency-involved progressive hearing loss. In this study, using genetic and clinical data from more than 10,000 patients, the mutational spectrum, clinical characteristics and genotype/phenotype correlations were evaluated. The present results reconfirmed that the variants in CDH23 are an important cause of non-syndromic sensorineural hearing loss. In addition, we showed that the mutational spectrum in the Japanese population, which is probably representative of the east Asian population in general, and the frequent CDH23 variants that might be due to some founder effects. The present study demonstrated CDH23 variants cause a broad range of phenotypes, from non-syndromic to syndromic hearing loss as well as from congenital to age-related hearing loss. Genotype (variant combination) and phenotype (association of retinal pigmentosa, onset age) are shown to be well correlated, and are thought to be related to the residual function defined by the CDH23 variants.
Highly selective behaviour of gastric adenoma after administration of EMR composition and its HCT116-based model
Authors: Jakabčin Patrik , Kello Martin , Záň Jozef , Kolář Josef , Ulicny Jozef
Published: June 2021

When applying improved composition of solution used during endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), we have observed unexpectedly large and quantitatively significant difference in response of adenoma vs. healthy tissue of surrounding GIT tract, namely the selective reaction enhancing the volume and differentiated colour. The in vitro experiments on model neoplasia cell line HCT116 suggest, that the robust differences in response of starving cells can be traced down principally to the tetrastarch digestion of neoplastic tissue and enhanced metabolic rate of neoplastic cells. The neoplastic tissue grows into several intestine layers so that submucosal injection of iso-oncotic tetrastarch compound leads to degradation of starch and production of oncotic molecules in submucosa transported by facilitated transport into neoplastic tissue. The colour distinction of the reporting dye is due to concentration differences of three separated compartments, further enhancing the utility of the contrasting mixture. The diffusion dynamics shall be tuneable by optimizing starch composition improving desirable pharmacokinetics.
Identification and Validation of a Hypoxia-related lncRNA Signature for Prognostic Prediction in Endometrial Cancer
Authors: Liu Hongyang , Wan Junhu , Feng Quanling , Li Jingyu , Liu Jun , Cui Shihong
Published: June 2021

Background: Endometrial cancer (EC) is one of the most common types of gynecological cancer. Hypoxia is an important clinical feature and regulates various tumor processes. However, the prognostic value of hypoxia-related lncRNA in EC remains to be further elucidated. Here, we aimed to characterize the molecular features of EC by the development of a classification system based on the expression profile of hypoxia-related lncRNA.Methods: Univariate Cox regression analysis was used to identify hypoxia-related lncRNAs associated with overall survival. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression model was utilized to construct gene signature. Multivariate Cox regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were also performed. Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEEG) pathway, and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GESA) were used to identify hypoxia-related lncRNA pathway. Western blot and real-time PCR were used to detect target gene expression. The cell proliferation was determined by using WST-1 assay.Results: Based on univariate Cox regression analysis, we identified 17 hypoxia-related lncRNAs significantly associated with overall survival. Next, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression model was utilized to construct a multigene signature in the TCGA EC cohort. The risk score was confirmed as an independent predictor for overall survival in multivariate Cox regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Besides, the survival time of EC patients in different risk group was significantly correlated to clinicopathologic factors, such as age, stage and grade. Furthermore, hypoxia-related lncRNA associated with the high-risk group were involved in various aspects of the malignant progression of EC via Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEEG) pathway, and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GESA). Besides, using CIBERSORT analysis, we found a different immune cell environment characterization of EC between different cluster and risk group. Moreover, the risk score was closely correlated to immunotherapy response, microsatellite instability and tumor mutation burden (TMB). Finally, we select one hypoxia-related lncRNA SOS1-IT1 to validate its role in hypoxia and EC progression. Interestingly, we found SOS1-IT1 was overexpressed in tumor tissues, and closely correlated with clinicopathological parameters of EC. The expression level of SOS1-IT1 was significantly increased under hypoxia condition. Additionally, the important hypoxia regulatory factor HIF-1α can directly bind SOS1-IT1 promoter region, and affect its expression level. Conclusions: In summary, this study established a new EC classification based on the hypoxia-related lncRNA signature, thereby provide a novel sight to understand the potential mechanism of human EC development.