bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of dental implant therapy on the preservation of orofacial tissues: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: De Souza André B. , Papaspyridakos Panos , Weber Hans‐Peter , Vazouras Konstantinos , Matarazzo Flavia
Published: September 2023

Objective

Fundamentally, this review addresses the following question: In partially or fully edentulous patients, do implant‐supported dental prostheses preserve orofacial tissues when compared to conventional prostheses or no therapy?

Materials and Methods

This study was conducted according to the 2020 PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews. Electronic searches were conducted at PubMed and Embase databases followed by manual search. Clinical studies comparing the effect of implant‐supported prostheses with conventional rehabilitation or no treatment on alveolar bone resorption, remaining teeth, and jaw muscle thickness were considered for inclusion. A qualitative synthesis was conducted with all included studies, and data from selected studies were pooled quantitatively to perform a meta‐analysis.

Results

A total of 14 studies were selected for analysis. Six studies reported on the effect of implant therapy on alveolar bone resorption (n = 453), six on the remaining teeth (n = 1014), while four studies evaluated masseter muscle thickness (n = 158). The results of the meta‐analyses assessing alveolar bone resorption in the posterior mandible and in the anterior area of the maxilla, both fixed and random effects models, yielded no benefit of rehabilitation with implant‐supported prostheses when compared to conventional prostheses. For masseter bone thickness, however, a significant benefit for implant‐supported prosthesis was observed.

Conclusions

This systematic review and meta‐analysis were unable to unequivocally answer the focus question. There are some indicators of the benefit of implant‐supported prostheses over conventional prostheses or no therapy in preserving orofacial tissues, particularly for masseter muscle thickness. However, the evidence is still insufficient to confirm such perception.
Full‐thickness defect closure assisted by snare traction: Simple and effective method
Authors: Shi Miao , Zhang Jiyu , Liu Dan
Published: September 2023

Watch a video of this article.
Generation of translucent Xenopus tropicalis through triple knockout of pigmentation genes
Authors: Nakajima Keisuke , Tazawa Ichiro , Furuno Nobuaki
Published: September 2023

Amphibians generally have three types of pigment cells, namely, melanophores (black and brown), xanthophores (yellow and red), and iridophores (iridescent). Single knockout of the tyr, slc2a7, and hps6 genes in Xenopus tropicalis results in the absence of melanophores, xanthophores, and iridophores, respectively. The generation of triple‐ knockout (3KO) X. tropicalis for these three genes could allow for observation of internal organs without sacrificing the animals, which would be transparent due to the absence of pigments. In this study, we generated 3KO X. tropicalis, which is one of the most widely used model amphibians, through crossing of a slc2a7 single‐knockout frog with a tyr and hps6 double‐knockout frog, followed by intercrossing of their offspring. The 3KO tadpoles had transparent bodies like the nop mutant and the frogs had translucent bodies. This translucency allowed us to observe the heart, lungs, stomach, liver, and digestive tract through the ventral body skin without surgery. After intravital staining, 3KO X. tropicalis showed much clearer fluorescent signals of mineralized tissues compared with the wild type. These 3KO X. tropicalis provide a useful mutant line for continuous observation of internal organs and fluorescent signals in the body. In particular, such 3KO frogs would revolutionize fluorescence monitoring in transgenic tadpoles and frogs expressing fluorescent proteins.
Climate change alone cannot explain boreal caribou range recession in Quebec since 1850
Authors: Morineau Chloé , Boulanger Yan , Gachon Philippe , Plante Sabrina , St‐Laurent Martin‐Hugues
Published: September 2023

The contraction of species range is one of the most significant symptoms of biodiversity loss worldwide. While anthropogenic activities and habitat alteration are major threats for several species, climate change should also be considered. For species at risk, differentiating the effects of human disturbances and climate change on past and current range transformations is an important step towards improved conservation strategies. We paired historical range maps with global atmospheric reanalyses from different sources to assess the potential effects of recent climate change on the observed northward contraction of the range of boreal populations of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) in Quebec (Canada) since 1850. We quantified these effects by highlighting the discrepancies between different southern limits of the caribou's range (used as references) observed in the past and reconstitutions obtained through the hindcasting of the climate conditions within which caribou are currently found. Hindcasted southern limits moved ~105 km north over time under all reanalysis datasets, a trend drastically different from the ~620 km reported for observed southern limits since 1850. The differences in latitudinal shift through time between the observed and hindcasted southern limits of distribution suggest that caribou range recession should have been only 17% of what has been observed since 1850 if recent climate change had been the only disturbance driver. This relatively limited impact of climate reinforces the scientific consensus stating that caribou range recession in Quebec is mainly caused by anthropogenic drivers (i.e. logging, development of the road network, agriculture, urbanization) that have modified the structure and composition of the forest over the past 160 years, paving the way for habitat‐mediated apparent competition and overharvesting. Our results also call for a reconsideration of past ranges in models aiming at projecting future distributions, especially for endangered species.
Seniority Differentials in High Yield Bonds: Evolution, Valuation, and Ratings
Authors: Fridson Martin , Yang Yanzhe , Wang Jiajun
Published: September 2023

Almost 20 years ago, one of the coauthors of this article published a study that reported finding systematically wider yield spreads on senior corporate bonds than on subordinated bonds with the same credit rating, but issued by different companies. The study also showed that this difference in spreads did not represent a market “anomaly” or failure to price risk correctly, but instead reflected differences in the actual, and hence the expected, loss rates of the securities. And such differences were in turn shown to stem from the practice of the rating agencies—which was abandoned about ten years ago—of rating a given issuer's subordinated debt two “notches” below that of its senior debt. Partly in response to this finding, all of the major agencies modified their use of this “two‐notch” convention by initiating in‐depth fundamental analysis of subordinated issuers on a case‐by‐case basis.

In the meantime, the near disappearance of subordinated debt in the high yield market since the global financial crisis and its partial replacement by secured debt has furnished the authors of this article with a seemingly related “anomaly” to explore—namely, the tendency of secured bonds to have higher yields than samerated senior unsecured bonds. As in the earlier study of the senior‐subordinated puzzle, the authors' analysis confirms that the market has been properly pricing the relative risks of the different securities by showing that the actual loss rates of the secured issues have been systematically higher than those of like‐rated senior unsecured issues. The clear suggestion of these findings, as in the case of the earlier study, is that those investors who have chosen to incur the costs of analyzing expected loss rates instead of relying solely on the ratings have been rewarded for their efforts. And if the past is a guide to the future, this article may also succeed in spurring the rating agencies to make further refinements to their methods.
Assessing co-diversification in host-associated microbiomes
Authors: Moeller Andrew H. , Sanders Jon G. , Sprockett Daniel D. , Landers Abigail
Published: September 2023

When lineages of hosts and microbial symbionts engage in intimate interactions over evolutionary timescales, they can diversify in parallel (i.e., co-diversify), producing associations between the lineages' phylogenetic histories. Tests for co-diversification of individual microbial lineages and their hosts have been developed previously, and these have been applied to discover ancient symbioses in diverse branches of the tree of life. However, most host–microbe relationships are not binary but multipartite, in that a single host-associated microbiota can contain many microbial lineages, generating challenges for assessing co-diversification. Here, we review recent evidence for co-diversification in complex microbiota, highlight the limitations of prior studies, and outline a hypothesis testing approach designed to overcome some of these limitations. We advocate for the use of microbiota-wide scans for co-diversifying symbiont lineages and discuss tools developed for this purpose. Tests for co-diversification for simple host symbiont systems can be extended to entire phylogenies of microbial lineages (e.g., metagenome-assembled or isolate genomes, amplicon sequence variants) sampled from host clades, thereby providing a means for identifying co-diversifying symbionts present within complex microbiota. The relative ages of symbiont clades can corroborate co-diversification, and multi-level permutation tests can account for multiple comparisons and phylogenetic non-independence introduced by repeated sampling of host species. Discovering co-diversifying lineages will generate powerful opportunities for interrogating the molecular evolution and lineage turnover of ancestral, host-species specific symbionts within host-associated microbiota.

Abstract

How can we identify the symbionts in complex microbiomes? In this study we evaluate recent evidence that certain lineages within animal gut microbial communities have co-diversified with their host species and populations, and we present statistical approaches for identifying co-diversifying microbial lineages while accounting for multiple testing and phylogenetic non-independence. Discovering the co-diversifying lineages in microbiomes enables discrimination between transient microbial lineages and ancestral, host-species specific symbionts that have been maintained over host evolutionary timescales.
Depletion of dexamethasone in cattle: Food safety study in dairy and beef cattle
Authors: Chicoine Al , Renaud David L. , Enouri Saad S. , Dowling Patricia M. , Gu Yu , Johnson Ron J.
Published: September 2023

Dexamethasone is approved for cattle in Canada for several conditions, but no withdrawal times are currently provided on the approved labels. Recently, the list of Maximum Residues Limits for Veterinary Drugs in Foods in Canada was amended to include dexamethasone. The objectives of this study were to determine the residue depletion profile of dexamethasone after an extra‐label dosage regimen in milk of healthy lactating dairy cattle (n = 18) and in edible tissues of healthy beef cattle (n = 16) and to suggest withdrawal intervals. Dexamethasone was administered intramuscularly at 0.05 mg/kg daily for 3 days. Milk samples were collected prior to treatment and every 12 h up to 96 h post‐dose. Muscle, liver, kidney, and peri‐renal fat tissues were collected from beef cattle at 3, 7, 11, or 15 days post‐dose. Dexamethasone analysis was performed by liquid chromatography/mass spectrophotometry. Dexamethasone residues were detected in milk samples up to 36 h. Muscle and fat had no detectable dexamethasone residues while kidney and liver had detectable residues only on day 3 post‐dose. A withdrawal interval of 48 h for milk in Canadian dairy cattle and 7 days for meat in Canadian beef cattle are suggested for the dexamethasone treatment regimen most commonly requested to CgFARAD™.
Field‐work reveals a novel function for MAX2 in a native tobacco's high‐light adaptions
Authors: Li Suhua , Baldwin Gundega , Yang Caiqiong , Lu Ruirui , Meng Shuaishuai , Huang Jianbei , Wang Ming , Baldwin Ian T.
Published: September 2023

Laboratory studies have revealed that strigolatone (SL) and karrikin (KAR) signalling mediate responses to abiotic and biotic stresses, and reshape branching architecture that could increase reproductive performance and crop yields. To understand the ecological function of SL and KAR signalling, transgenic lines of wild tobacco Nicotiana attenuata, silenced in SL/KAR biosynthesis/signalling were grown in the glasshouse and in two field plots in the Great Basin Desert in Utah over four field seasons. Of the lines silenced in SL and KAR signalling components (irMAX2, irD14, irKAI2 and irD14 × irKAI2 plants), which exhibited the expected increases in shoot branching, only irMAX2 plants showed a strong leaf‐bleaching phenotype when grown in the field. In the field, irMAX2 plants had lower sugar and higher leaf amino acid contents, lower lifetime fitness and were more susceptible to herbivore attack compared to wild‐type plants. These irMAX2 phenotypes were not observed in glasshouse‐grown plants. Transcriptomic analysis revealed dramatic responses to high‐light intensity in irMAX2 leaves in the field: lutein contents decreased, and transcriptional responses to high‐intensity light, singlet oxygen and hydrogen peroxide increased. PAR and UV‐B manipulations in the field revealed that the irMAX2 bleaching phenotype is reversed by decreasing PAR, but not UV‐B fluence. We propose that NaMAX2 functions in high‐light adaptation and fitness optimisation by regulating high‐light responses independently of its roles in the SL and KAR signalling pathways. The work provides another example of the value of studying the function of genes in the complex environments in which plants evolved, namely nature.
Tapping Into Skeletal Muscle Biomechanics for Design and Control of Lower Limb Exoskeletons: A Narrative Review
Authors: Mahdian Zahra S. , Wang Huawei , Refai Mohamed Irfan Mohamed , Durandau Guillaume , Sartori Massimo , MacLean Mhairi K.
Published: September 2023

Lower limb exoskeletons and exosuits (“exos”) are traditionally designed with a strong focus on mechatronics and actuation, whereas the “human side” is often disregarded or minimally modeled. Muscle biomechanics principles and skeletal muscle response to robot-delivered loads should be incorporated in design/control of exos. In this narrative review, we summarize the advances in literature with respect to the fusion of muscle biomechanics and lower limb exoskeletons. We report methods to measure muscle biomechanics directly and indirectly and summarize the studies that have incorporated muscle measures for improved design and control of intuitive lower limb exos. Finally, we delve into articles that have studied how the human–exo interaction influences muscle biomechanics during locomotion. To support neurorehabilitation and facilitate everyday use of wearable assistive technologies, we believe that future studies should investigate and predict how exoskeleton assistance strategies would structurally remodel skeletal muscle over time. Real-time mapping of the neuromechanical origin and generation of muscle force resulting in joint torques should be combined with musculoskeletal models to address time-varying parameters such as adaptation to exos and fatigue. Development of smarter predictive controllers that steer rather than assist biological components could result in a synchronized human–machine system that optimizes the biological and electromechanical performance of the combined system.
Supplemental Material: Lithospheric-scale dynamics during continental subduction: Evidence from a frozen-in plate interface
Authors: Mendes Kevin , al. et
Published: September 2023

Detailed methodology of peak pressure and temperature estimations, and location of samples and detailed results of pressure and temperature conditions.  
Supplemental Material: Identifying plutons associated with long-lived volcanism by thermal modeling of contact metamorphic aureoles
Authors: Yamaoka Ken , al. et
Published: September 2023

Figures S1–S6, Tables S1–S3, and an information note. 
Relationship between health practices with attitudes towards pregnancy and motherhood and pregnancy symptoms in Iranian pregnant women: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Montazeri Maryam , Shabani Fatemeh , Rezaie Ronya , Mirghafourvand Mojgan
Published: September 2023

Objectives

Pregnancy is a vulnerable period for women’s health, and health practices play an essential role in this period. This study aimed to determine the relationship between health practices with attitudes toward pregnancy and motherhood and pregnancy symptoms.

Design

It was a cross-sectional study using cluster sampling conducted on 351 pregnant women in 2021–2022. Data were collected using questionnaires of socio-demographic characteristics, health practices in pregnancy (Health Practices Questionnaire-II), attitude towards motherhood and pregnancy (Prenatal Attitudes Towards motherhood and Pregnancy) and pregnancy symptoms (Pregnancy Symptoms Inventory). The general linear model (GLM), with the adjustment of socio-demographic characteristics, was used to determine the relationship of the health practices with attitudes towards motherhood and pregnancy and pregnancy symptoms.

Setting

Health centres in Tabriz city, Iran.

Participants

Women were eligible if living in the Tabriz city, Iran, were pregnant and had a personal health record at the health centre.

Results

The mean (SD) of the total health practices score was 117.9 (20.5) out of 34–170. The mean (SD) of the attitudes towards motherhood and pregnancy was 33.4 (4.5) out of 11–44. The mean (SD) of the pregnancy symptoms was 28.0 (12.1) out of 0–123. According to the Pearson correlation test, there was a significant direct correlation between health practices with attitudes towards motherhood and pregnancy (r=0.39; p<0.001) and a significant inverse correlation with pregnancy symptoms (r=−0.29; p<0.001). Based on the GLM with an increase in the score of health practices, the mean score of the attitude towards motherhood and pregnancy increased (B=0.07; 95% CI: 0.05 to 0.1), and the mean score of pregnancy symptoms decreased (B=−0.1; 95% CI: −0.2 to −0.05).

Conclusion

Considering the relationship between health practices with the attitude towards motherhood and pregnancy symptoms, healthcare providers better use educational and counselling strategies to promote health practices in pregnant women.
Cost-effectiveness analysis of adding transarterial chemoembolisation to lenvatinib as first-line treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma in China
Authors: Li Wei , Wan Li
Published: September 2023

Objective

The objective of this study was to evaluate the comparative cost-effectiveness of lenvatinib (LEN) plus transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) (LEN-TACE) and LEN alone to treat advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from the perspective of the Chinese healthcare system.

Design

A three-state partitioned survival model using clinical survival data from a phase III LAUNCH trial, a 5-year time horizon for costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) was constructed to analyse the cost-effectiveness of LEN-TACE. Clinical inputs were extracted from the LAUNCH trial, with outcomes extrapolated using standard and flexible parametric survival models. Costs and utilities derived from published literature were discounted at an annual rate of 5%. Sensitivity analyses and scenario analyses were conducted to test the robustness of the model.

Setting

The Chinese healthcare system perspective.

Participants

A hypothetical Chinese cohort of patients with advanced HCC.

Interventions

TACE plus LEN versus LEN.

Primary outcome measure

Costs, QALYs, incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER).

Results

Base-case analysis revealed that LEN-TACE would be cost-effective in China at the willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of $37 663 per QALYs, with improved effectiveness of 0.382 QALYs and additional cost of $12 151 (ICER: $31 808 per QALY). The probabilistic sensitivity analysis suggested that LEN-TACE had a 93.5% probability of cost-effectiveness at WTP threshold of three times gross domestic product per capital ($37 663). One-way deterministic sensitivity analysis indicated that the duration of LEN treatment in both two arms, utility of progression-free survival and the cost of TACE had a greater impact on the stability of ICER values. Scenario analyses results were in line with base-case analysis.

Conclusions

LEN-TACE might be a cost-effective strategy compared with LEN for the first-line treatment of patients with advanced HCC in China.
Relationship between ocular surface pain and corneal nerve loss in dry eye diabetics: a cross-sectional study in Shenyang, China
Authors: Qin Guanghao , Chen Jiayan , Li Liangzhe , Qi Yifan , Zhang Qing , Wu Yi , You Yue , Yang Lanting , Moore Jonathan , Xu Ling , He Wei , Yu Sile , Pazo Emmanuel Eric , He Xingru
Published: September 2023

Background

Diabetes mellitus has been associated with increased dry eye disease (DED) and exacerbates DED pathology.

Objective

To investigate the potential relationship between corneal nerve loss and ocular pain among diabetic patients with dry eye (DE).

Design

A cross-sectional study.

Setting

He Eye Specialist Hospital, Shenyang, China.

Participants

This study recruited 124 eyes of 62 diabetic patients diagnosed with DED between August and October 2022.

Main outcome measures

Best-corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, non-invasive tear breakup time, tear meniscus height, tear film lipid layer, conjunctival hyperaemia (redness score), conjunctivocorneal epithelial staining (CS score), central corneal sensitivity and vitro confocal corneal microscopy was assessed in all subjects. The Ocular Surface Disease Index Questionnaire assessed DE symptoms and ocular pain.

Results

The study’s final analysis included 26 patients (52 eyes) without ocular pain and 36 patients (72 eyes) with ocular pain. The corneal nerve fibre density (CNFD), corneal nerve branch density (CNBD) and corneal nerve fibre length (CNFL) in patients with ocular pain were significantly lower than those without (p<0.001, p=0.004, and p<0.001, respectively). CNFD, CNBD and CNFL negatively correlated with ocular pain (r=−0.385, r=−0.260, r=−0.358, respectively). Moreover, CNFD, CNBD and CNFL have a significant (p<0.05) positive correlation with corneal sensitivity (r=0.523, r=0.330, r=0.421, respectively).

Conclusions

Corneal nerve loss was associated with ocular pain and decreased corneal sensitivity in diabetic patients with DE. Further studies into the neurological role of ocular surface diseases can elaborate diagnostics, prognosis and treatment of diabetic patients with DE.

Trial registration number

ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05193331).
Hitchhiker planting: mixed-species container stock planting as a novel tool to increase plant diversity on industrially disturbed sites
Authors: Schoonmaker A.L. , Mathison A. , Mackenzie M.D.
Published: September 2023

Rapid establishment of closed canopy cover is a key goal in land reclamation. While re-establishment of understory vegetation is likely to positively contribute to this goal, native herbaceous species are not typically planted on reclaimed sites though it is an alternative to reliance on natural regeneration. The objective of the present study was to test the principle of hitchhiker production of a tree species with native herbaceous species on recently reclaimed industrial sites with the aim of (1) understanding growth tradeoffs when mixing these species in the same container and (2) if hitchhiking had negative growth and survival outcomes for white spruce ( Picea glauca) seedlings compared with singly grown white spruce seedlings. White spruce seeds were sown in nursery containers of contrasting cavity sizes, followed by sowing a forb species ( Eurybia conspicua or Chamerion angustifolium) at different time intervals or grown singly. Larger cavities and earlier sow dates were associated with higher persistence and growth of the forbs, while later sow dates were associated with larger white spruce seedlings. We observed no evidence to suggest that hitchhiked seedlings were at a competitive disadvantage in terms of growth or survival compared with singly grown seedlings that were initially similar in size.
Double charmed meson in pp and pA collisions production at the LHC within the dipole approach in momentum representation
Authors: dos Santos G. Sampaio , da Silveira G. Gil , Machado M. V. T.
Published: September 2023

A study of double charmed meson production in proton–proton and proton–nucleus collisions at the LHC energies is performed. Based on the color dipole formalism developed in the transverse momentum representation and the double parton scattering mechanism, predictions are made for the transverse momentum differential cross section for different pairs of D-mesons. The theoretical results consider the center-of-mass energy and forward rapidities associated to the measurements by the LHCb Collaboration. The results considering different unintegrated gluon distributions are presented and compared to data and predictions for proton–nucleus collisions are provided.
Axion effective potentials induced by heavy sterile fermions
Authors: Mavromatos Nick E. , Sarkar Sarben
Published: September 2023

A model of (3 + 1)-dimensional leptogenesis, proposed previously by the authors, requires a CPT Violating (CPTV) background of the Kalb–Ramond (KR) axion field. The KR axion is a pseudoscalar, which is dual to the field strength of the spin-one field present in the massless gravitational multiplet in the theory of closed bosonic strings (compactified to four dimensions). Microscopic models for the emergence of such backgrounds are provided both by low-energy string-inspired gravitational theories with torsion (including (primordial) gravitational and axial gauge anomalies) and by Einstein–Cartan gravity, a closely related simpler model. In this work we examine the pseudoscalar quanta of the KR axion in this background using the methods of effective field theory. In our model for leptogenesis there is a single sterile right-handed neutrino (RHN) with mass $$m_N.$$

m
N

.

At energies lower than $$m_N,$$

m
N

,

an axion potential is derived by integrating out at one loop the sterile neutrino in the spirit of effective field theory. The stability of this axion potential is important for the viability of our model. The vacuum of this potential is generally metastable. The stability of the vacuum is determined by the ratio of the torsion-induced-axion coupling (which depends on the string mass scale) to $$m_N,$$

m
N

,

which should be larger or equal to one, for the validity of our effective field theory. The vacuum is metastable only for axion couplings much larger than the sterile neutrino mass (large string mass scales, e.g. comparable to the four-dimensional Planck mass), with a lifetime much larger than the age of the observable Universe. By contrast, if axion couplings are comparable to the RHN mass the false vacuum is highly unstable, with a lifetime much smaller than the age of the observable Universe; in this case the CPTV leptogenesis scenario is not viable.
Impact of nonextensivity on the transport coefficients of a magnetized hot and dense QCD matter
Authors: Rath Shubhalaxmi , Dash Sadhana
Published: September 2023

We have studied the impact of the nonextensivity on the transport coefficients related to charge and heat in thermal QCD. For this purpose, the electrical ($$\sigma _\textrm{el}$$

σ
el

), Hall ($$\sigma _\textrm{H}$$

σ
H

), thermal ($$\kappa $$
κ
) and Hall-type thermal ($$\kappa _\textrm{H}$$

κ
H

) conductivities are determined using the kinetic theory approach in association with the nonextensive Tsallis statistical mechanism. The effect of nonextensivity is encoded in the nonextensive Tsallis distribution function, where the deviation of the parameter q from 1 signifies the degree of nonextensivity in the concerned system. The thermal and electrical conductivities are found to increase with the introduction of nonextensivity, which means that the deviation of the medium from thermal equilibrium enhances both charge and heat transports. With the magnetic field, the deviations of $$\sigma _\textrm{el}$$

σ
el

, $$\sigma _\textrm{H}$$

σ
H

, $$\kappa $$
κ
and $$\kappa _\textrm{H}$$

κ
H

from their respective equilibrated values increase, whereas these deviations decrease with the chemical potential. We have also studied how the extent of the nonextensivity modulates the longevity of magnetic field. Present work is further extended to the study of some observables associated with the aforesaid transport phenomena, such as the Knudsen number and the elliptic flow within the nonextensive Tsallis framework.
Task Modules Partitioning, Scheduling and Floorplanning for Partially Dynamically Reconfigurable Systems with Heterogeneous Resources
Authors: Ding Bo , Huang Jinglei , Wang Junpeng , Xu Qi , Chen Song , Kang Yi
Published: September 2023

Some field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) can be partially dynamically reconfigurable with heterogeneous resources distributed on the chip. FPGA-based partially dynamically reconfigurable system (FPGA-PDRS) can be used to accelerate computing and improve computing flexibility. However, the traditional design of FPGA-PDRS is based on manual design. Implementing the automation of FPGA-PDRS needs to solve the problems of task modules partitioning, scheduling, and floorplanning on heterogeneous resources. Existing works only partly solve problems for the automation process of FPGA-PDRS or model homogeneous resources for FPGA-PDRS. To better solve the problems in the automation process of FPGA-PDRS and narrow the gap between algorithm and application, in this paper, we propose a complete workflow including three parts: pre-processing to generate the lists of task module candidate shapes according to the resource requirements, exploration process to search the solution of task modules partitioning, scheduling, and floorplanning, and post-optimization to improve the floorplan success rate. Experimental results show that, compared with state-of-the-art work, the pre-processing process can reduce the occupied area of task modules by 6% on average; the proposed complete workflow can improve performance by 9.6%, and reduce communication cost by 14.2% with improving the resources reuse rate of the heterogeneous resources on the chip. Based on the solution generated by the exploration process, the post-optimization process can improve the floorplan success rate by 11%.
Wireless Underground Sensor Networks: A Comprehensive Survey and Tutorial
Authors: Wohwe Sambo Damien , Förster Anna
Published: September 2023

The Internet of Things has developed greatly over the past decade to cater to many diverse applications across almost all fields of life. Many of these applications can either profit or even explicitly require deployment underground, such as precision agriculture, but also land, pipeline, or mine monitoring. Underground deployment offers many advantages, such as concealment of the devices for their protection. However, the underground environment is also very challenging, especially for wireless communications and energy harvesting. In this survey and tutorial, we offer a comprehensive view of the complete topic, from theoretical foundations of wireless communications underground, through system architectures and applications, to energy harvesting options. These topics cannot be viewed separately from each other, as they are deeply intertwined and all of them need to be considered before a possible deployment. We will show that wireless underground sensor networks have a great potential for a variety of applications and are an intriguing alternative to overground deployments. We will describe the state of the art in a tutorial style, so that beginners can also profit. Last but not least, we will identify remaining challenges to guide researchers in this area.
Exploring the Regional Structure of the Worldwide Air Traffic and Route Networks
Authors: Diop Issa Moussa , Diallo Cherif , Cherifi Chantal , Cherifi Hocine
Published: September 2023

The topological structure of the world air transportation network has been the subject of much research. However, to better understand the reality of air networks, one can consider the traffic, the number of passengers, or the distance between flights. This paper studies the weighted world air transportation network through the component structure, recently introduced in the network literature, by using the number of flights. The component structure is based on the community or multiple core-periphery structures and splits the network into local and global components. The local components capture the regional flights of these two mesoscopic structures (dense parts). The global components capture the inter-regional flights (links between the dense parts). We perform a comparative analysis of the world air transportation network and its components with their weighted counterparts. Moreover, we explore the strength and the s-core of these networks. Results display fewer local components well delimited and more global components covering the world than the unweighted world air transportation network. Centrality analysis reveals the difference between the top airports with high traffic and the top airports with high degrees. This difference is more pronounced in the global air network and the largest global component. Core analysis shows similitude between the s-core and the k-core for the local and global components, even though the latter includes more airports. For the world air network, the North and Central America-Caribbean airports dominate the s-core, whereas the European airports dominate the k-core.
Performance of Plastic Waste-Based Polyionic Liquid toward the Dehydration of Crude Oil Emulsions
Authors: Abdullah Mahmood M. S. , Al-Lohedan Hamad A. , Ali Mohd Sajid
Published: September 2023

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is one of the most widely used plastics in the world. Due to the large production and use of this plastic, its waste represents one of the most critical environmental problems. The purpose of this study is to convert PET waste into a valuable material. The consumed PET was transformed into a precursor to synthesize a polyionic liquid (PIL) that was used for dehydrating crude oil emulsions. To do so, the consumed PET was converted to bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET). First, BHET and tetraethylene glycol were reacted separately with thionyl chloride, obtaining the corresponding alkyl halides, bis(2-chloroethyl) terephthalate, BCET, and TEC, respectively. Next, the obtained alkyl halides, BCET and TEC, were reacted with 1,5-pentanediamine, yielding a polymer (BTP). Finally, BTP was reacted with acetic acid to produce the corresponding PIL (BTP–PIL). The structure and thermal stability of BTP–PIL were characterized using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and thermal gravimetric analysis. The dehydration performance of PIL and the original polymer was investigated using the bottle test method, including several factors such as demulsifier dose, brine content, temperature, and settling time. Results indicated that PIL achieved high performance in dehydrating crude oil emulsions.
A Novel Architecture for the Smart Pedestrian Crossing in Cities Using IoT‐Based Approach
Authors: Bhardwaj Manish , Singh Shweta , Tyagi Shivali , Tripathi Arun , Hu Yu-Chen , Tewari Rajesh Kumar , Sharma Anupama
Published: September 2023

Pedestrian crossings have also been highlighted as one of the most dangerous locations in the transportation field. Because people and vehicles share the road, a crosswalk improves the road’s efficiency in a densely populated region. However, as the population grows, more accidents and serious injuries occur, and as a result, nationalities are attempting to reduce these incidents through marketing and legal fines. Various architectures and developmental models have been proposed by authors focusing on the safeguarding of pedestrians crossing the intersections and vehicles passing by. Few proposed machine learning and deep learning‐based solutions to the pedestrian lanes; others provided an Internet of Things‐ (IoT‐) based solution to the situation. Various challenges are left unresolved, such as evidence recording, image capturing, and recognition in case of an emergency. In the proposed scenario, an IoT‐based technology is utilized to assist the vehicles passing by to act over the signals depicted as a red light focusing on a real‐time architecture. The proposed system will be mounted along the roadside at the traffic light pole. The system comprises various refined quality components, such as a gesture control module, High Definition camera module, etc. Based on the decision drawn from the gesture module, a specific signal will be displayed with the help of a traffic light to assist the vehicles passing by to safeguard the people crossing the proposed smart pedestrian crossing.
Rate of Change of Rapid Shallow Breathing Index and Extubation Outcome in Mechanically Ventilated Patients
Authors: Karthika Manjush , Al Enezi Farhan A. , Pillai Lalitha V. , Arabi Yaseen M.
Published: September 2023

Background. Rapid shallow breathing index (RSBI) has been widely used as a predictor of extubation outcome in mechanically ventilated patients. We hypothesize that the rate of change of RSBI between the beginning and end of a 120‐minute spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) could be a better predictor of extubation outcome than a single RSBI measured at the end of SBT in mechanically ventilated patients. Methodology. In this prospective observational study, we enrolled 193 patients who met the inclusion criteria, of whom 33 patients were unable to tolerate a 120‐minute SBT and were excluded from the study. The study population consisted of 160 patients, categorized into three subgroups: patients with normal lung (no reported history of respiratory diseases), patients with airway disease, and patients with parenchymal disease who completed 120 minutes of SBT on low levels of pressure support ventilation. RSBI was obtained from the ventilator display at the 5th and the 120th minutes of SBT. The rate of change of RSBI (RSBI 5–120) was calculated as (RSBI 2‐RSBI 1)/RSBI 1 × 100. Receiver‐operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted for RSBI 5–120 and RSBI 120 in all patients and among the three subgroups (normal group, airway group, and parenchymal group) to compare the superiority of their best thresholds in predicting extubation failure. Results. The RSBI 5–120 threshold for extubation failure in the entire patient group was 23% with an overall accuracy of 88% (AUC = 0.933, sensitivity = 91%, and specificity = 86%) and the threshold of RSBI 120 for extubation failure in the entire patient group was 70 breaths/min/L with an overall accuracy of 82% (AUC = 0.899, sensitivity = 85%, and specificity = 81%). In patients in the normal lung group, the threshold of RSBI 5–120 was 22%, with an overall accuracy of 89% (AUC = 0.892, sensitivity = 87.5%, and specificity = 90%), and the RSBI 120 threshold was 70 breaths/min/L, with an overall accuracy of 89% (AUC = 0.956, sensitivity = 88%, and specificity = 90%). The RSBI 5–120 threshold in patients with airway disease was 25% with an accuracy of 86% (AUC = 0.892, sensitivity = 85%, and specificity = 86%) and the threshold of RSBI 120 was 73 breaths/min/L with an accuracy of 83% (AUC = 0.874, sensitivity = 85%, and specificity = 82%). In patients in the parenchymal disease group, the threshold of RSBI 5–120 was 24%, with an accuracy of 90% (AUC = 0.966, sensitivity = 92%, and specificity = 89%) and RSBI 120 threshold was 71 breaths/min/L, which was 88% accurate (AUC = 0.893, sensitivity = 85%, and specificity = 89%). Conclusion. The rate of change of RSBI between the 5th and 120th minutes was moderately more accurate than the single value of RSBI measured at the 120th minute in predicting extubation outcome.
Impact of Chronic Kidney Disease on Clinical Outcomes during Hospitalization and Five‐Year Follow‐Up after Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
Authors: Laimoud Mohamed , Alanazi Mosleh Nazzel , Maghirang Mary Jane , Al-Mutlaq Shatha Mohamed , Althibait Suha , Ghamry Rasha , Qureshi Rehan , Alanazi Boshra , Alomran Munirah , Bakheet Zeina , Al-Halees Zohair
Published: September 2023

Background. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is often associated with multiple comorbidities including diabetes mellitus, and each has its own complications and impact after cardiac surgery including coronary revascularization. The objective of this work was to study the impact of CKD on clinical outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and to compare outcomes in patients with different grades of renal functions. We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent CABG from January 2016 to August 2020 at our tertiary care hospital using electronic medical records. Results. The study included 410 patients with a median age of 60 years, and 28.6% of them had CKD and hospital mortality of 2.7%. About 71.4% of the patients had GFR > 60 mL/min per 1.73 m2, 18.1% had early CKD (GFR 30–60), 2.7% had late CKD (GFR < 30), and 7.8% of them had end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) requiring dialysis. The CKD group had significantly more frequent hospital mortality (p = 0.04), acute cerebrovascular stroke (p = 0.03), acute kidney injury (AKI) (p < 0.001), longer ICU stay (p = 0.002), post‐ICU stay (p = 0.001), and sternotomy wound debridement (p = 0.03) compared to the non‐CKD group. The frequencies of new need for dialysis were 2.4% vs. 14.9% vs. 45.5% (p < 0.001) in the patients with GFR > 60 mL/min per 1.73 m2, early CKD, and late CKD, respectively. Acute cerebral stroke (OR: 10.29, 95% CI: 1.82–58.08, and p = 0.008), new need for dialysis (OR: 25.617, 95% CI: 13.78–85.47, and p < 0.001), and emergency surgery (OR: 3.1, 95% CI: 1.82–12.37, and p = 0.036) were the independent predictors of hospital mortality after CABG. The patients with CKD had an increased risk of strokes (HR: 2.14, 95% CI: 1.20–3.81, and p = 0.01) but insignificant mortality increase (HR: 1.44, 95% CI: 0.42–4.92, and p = 0.56) during follow‐up. Conclusion. The patients with CKD, especially the late grade, had worse postoperative early and late outcomes compared to non‐CKD patients after CABG. Patients with dialysis‐independent CKD had increased risks of needing dialysis, hospital mortality, and permanent dialysis after CABG.
Clinical Competence of Nurses and the Associated Factors in Public Hospitals of Gamo Zone, Southern Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Shibiru Shitaye , Aschalew Zeleke , Kassa Mekidim , Bante Agegnehu , Mersha Abera
Published: September 2023

Introduction. Nursing competency is an essential component for improving the quality of care in the healthcare system. However, assessing competency solely on the dimensions of skills and knowledge does not provide complete picture of a nurse ability to provide quality patient care. This is because it lacks focus on the nurse’s attitudes and values, which are also important determinants of clinical competence. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the comprehensive clinical competence of nurses and its associated factors in public hospitals of Gamo Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Materials and Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a census method to collect information from nurses through self-administered questionnaires. The data were entered into EpiData version 3.1 and exported to Stata version 15 for analysis. A linear regression model was used to identify factors associated with clinical competence. Results. In this study, the average clinical competence of nurses was 177.32, with a standard deviation of 19.19, and 31.2% of the respondents had a high level of clinical competence. Associated factors identified with clinical competence include gender, age, marital status, qualification, position, work experience, unit, interest in their profession, critical thinking disposition, clinical self-efficacy, and emotional intelligence. Conclusions. The overall level of clinical competence among nurses in this study was moderate. As such, nurses improve their clinical competence by receiving training and development opportunities that focus on critical thinking, clinical self-efficacy, and emotional intelligence; working in a supportive work environment that encourages them to take risks and learn from their mistakes; and being monitored and coached on a regular basis.
Utilization of a new restoration technique for the rehabilitation of a degraded mangrove ecosystem: a case study from Koggala Lagoon, Sri Lanka
Authors: Mahanama Gamage Greshan Dhanushka  , Maduwe Guruge Manoj Prasanna  , Kariyawasam Marthinna Gamage Gehan Jayasuriya  , Indupa Hasindi Vitanage
Published: September 2023

Mangrove ecosystems, amongst the most productive and biologically complex on Earth, are being degraded worldwide, and their widespread decline during the past decades has affected vital ecosystem services. Mangroves at Koggala lagoon on the southern coast of Sri Lanka have been degraded at an alarming rate due to agricultural practices, coastal zone development, and tourism activities. Most of the banks are heavily eroded due to boat and sea plane activities, and the mangrove ecosystem has been significantly damaged. Implementation of a scientific rehabilitation project was needed to restore this degraded mangrove ecosystem, and research was carried out to enrich the mangrove community by re-establishing mangroves on the eroded banks using corrosion-resistant plastic barrels. The sustainability of replanted mangroves was monitored under phase one and the re-establishment of ecological functions in the mangrove community was monitored under phase two. The accumulated biomass carbon during the period of two and half years was calculated by an allometric equation suggested for calculating biomass carbon of mangroves using the girth and height of individuals. The highest rate of girth increment was observed by the 24th month from establishment, whilst the growth rate declined between the 18th and the 30th months. During the study period, the average above-ground and below-ground biomass per barrel showed a linear increment. Our case study showed that the new method used for restoration is successful in establishing mangroves in sites with high erosion. This restoration technique was successful in coping with the situation in Koggala lagoon where previous restoration attempts were failures. Thus, we recommend this restoration method for sites facing the threat of severe erosion.
A case report on chronic renal disease in a captive wild Leopard Panthera pardus (Mammalia: Carnivora)
Authors: Verma Abhishek , Rakesh Kumar  , Smriti Jamwal  , Ankita  , Patil Rajendra Damu , Rajesh Kumar Asrani
Published: September 2023

A 22-year-old female Common Leopard Panthera pardus at Dhauladhar Nature Park, Gopalpur Zoo was reported to show abnormal behavior in its feeding cubicle during the evening hours and was later found dead. The carcass was presented for necropsy examination at the Department of Pathology, DGCN COVAS, Palampur. Necropsy examination showed enlarged kidneys with completely adhered renal capsule. Lungs and intestine exhibited oedema and hemorrhages, respectively. The histopathological examination found severe necrotic changes with degenerations and fibrosis. Inter-tubular and glomerular collagenous fibrous tissue was confirmed by Masson’s trichrome staining. The animal is speculated to have died primarily due to chronic renal failure with associated pathologies in lungs and intestine.