bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
FLOODED JET OF SELF-FOAMING GAS-AEROSOL FOAM WHEN EXTINGUISHING PETROLEUM PRODUCT FIRES IN TANKS BY SUB-LAYER METHOD
Authors: Копылов Н.П. , Федоткин Д.В. , Сушкина Е.Ю. , Москвилин Е.А.
Published: December 2023

Тушение пожаров нефтепродуктов в резервуарах с использованием технологии получения самовспенивающейся газоаэрозоленаполненной пены и подачей ее в слой горючего является наиболее перспективным направлением. В статье проанализированы методы расчета осевой скорости турбулентной затопленной струи в жидкости. Эти методы базируются на решении уравнений Навье-Стокса с привлечением экспериментальных данных. Выполнен расчет осевой скорости струи по разным формулам и для различных уровней взлива нефтепродуктов. Получена хорошая сходимость результатов расчетов и экспериментальных данных.

Under-layer extinguishing of petroleum product fires in tanks is widely used in practice, but has a number of significant drawbacks – dissolution of foam in alcohol-containing fuels, failure to penetrate the water cushion and strongly heated layer of fuel. A new extinguishing technology using the technology of self-foaming gas-aerosol foam (SGF) allows to overcome the noted disadvantages of the classical method of under-layer extinguishing. According to this technology, the foam is supplied in the form of a flooded turbulent jet, flowing from a pipe in the base of the tank. The maximum height of the tank, according to modern standards, is 18 meters. The question arises as to what parameters a turbulent flood jet will penetrate the oil product layer and spread over the surface of the tank mirror. The motion of a flooded turbulent jet in a liquid is described by a system of Navier-Stokes equations. This system can be solved analytically with some assumptions or numerically. When solving this problem, some coefficients appear, which, as a rule, are determined experimentally. In this article, various approaches to solving the Navier-Stokes equations for determining the axial velocity of a turbulent flooded jet are considered in the axisymmetric formulation. Calculation formulas and values of empirical constants are determined. The calculation of velocity values on the axis of turbulent flooded jet has been carried out for values of its initial velocity U0 = 35 m ∙ s–1 and pipe diameter D0 = 0,159 m, through which the stream flows out. The values of these parameters are realized in practice in the installation “Uragan”, which implements the technology of obtaining SGF. The calculation results were compared with the data obtained in natural experiments, their good agreement was obtained. As a result, it has been experimentally and computationally proved that the new technology of sub-layer fire extinguishing of SGF is effective.
Penerapan Cov19-Resnet Untuk Deteksi Covid-19 Pada Gambar Chest X-Ray yang Difoto Ulang Menggunakan Smartphone
Authors: Linardi Shelina , Lestari Caecilia Citra
Published: December 2023

Pada akhir tahun 2019, dunia digemparkan dengan munculnya Corona virus (COVID-19). COVID-19 cepat berkembang sehingga muncul varian baru dan diperlukan metode yang dapat melakukan deteksi awal kemungkinan adanya virus agar pasien dapat mendapat penanganan yang tepat. Rontgen dada dapat dilakukan untuk melihat kemungkinan COVID-19 pada paru-paru. Sementara itu, konsultasi menggunakan aplikasi telemedika sering digunakan pasien karena lebih hemat waktu dan aman. Sayangnya, gambar rontgen dada yang diberikan pasien memiliki kualitas yang buruk karena difoto ulang menggunakan telepon pintar sehingga menjadi tidak layak baca dan dokter sulit melakukan diagnosis. Oleh karena itu, COV19-ResNet akan digunakan untuk memprediksi kemungkinan adanya virus pada rontgen dada. Dataset yang digunakan merupakan kumpulan gambar dari hasil rontgen dada yang difoto serta dilakukan augmentasi gambar dengan metode rotasi, menambah kecerahan, menurunkan kontras, blur dan kebisingan gambar sehingga menyerupai hasil rontgen dada yang difoto ulang menggunakan telepon pintar. Model dilatih menggunakan 2200 dataset dengan pembagian 80% data pelatihan dan 20% data validasi. Dengan menggunakan 100 epoch dan batch size sebesar 32, model memiliki akurasi pelatihan sebesar 85% dan akurasi validasi sebesar 80%. Model juga telah diuji menggunakan 30 gambar dan memiliki akurasi 90%.
“They didn’t ask us!” School Counselor Perception of Involvement in Superintendent Decision Making During Crisis Schooling
Authors: Frankland Maria , Biddle Catharine
Published: December 2023

Mental health and social-emotional development are fundamental to positive developmental outcomes. Students faced with the collective trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting rapid closure of school buildings in the spring of 2020 encountered unprecedented challenges to their physical and mental health. Structural barriers, coupled with a disproportionate shortfall of mental health professionals in rural settings, meant that rural students were at heightened risk of suffering negative psychological consequences. School districts emerged as a high-leverage source of institutional support, providing a variety of services to sustain the well-being of students and families. Superintendents were charged with reimagining the role of their schools in providing for these needs. This study used crisis decision theory as a framework to understand superintendent decision-making around mental health and social-emotional learning (SEL). Given their high degree of expertise around students’ mental health and social-emotional needs, school counselors might have been expected to serve as expert resources for superintendents during crisis decision-making around psychological needs. This statewide quantitative study sought to understand the role Maine school counselors played in the district-level response to crisis schooling as it pertained to students’ mental health and social-emotional development across geospatial contexts. Our data shows that school counselors’ perception of their involvement in superintendent decision-making was lowest where it was needed most: in rural school districts. This points toward inequitable opportunities for rural students to obtain the mental health and SEL support they needed during crisis schooling, threatening their future well-being and positive psychological development.
dimensión activa, social y emocional de la lectura
Authors: Cuestas Paula , Pates Giuliana
Published: December 2023

El libro, en general, y la lectura, en particular, ha sido objeto de indagación de varias disciplinas, con miradas muy diversas cuando no, contrapuestas. En este artículo, recuperamos algunas perspectivas que circulan en torno al acto de leer. Nos detenemos especialmente en aquellos posicionamientos que valoran la lectura en función del carácter legítimo de las obras así como de la cantidad de libros que se lee. Luego, y en contraposición, abordamos los planteos que tienden a focalizar en las habilitaciones, las tramas de sociabilidad y las emociones que se despliegan con los libros. La propuesta teórico-metodológica que guía nuestras investigaciones empíricas se inscribe en esta perspectiva, que desarrollamos al final del artículo.
An Afro-Christian contextual analysis of presidential pardon in post-colonial African politics
Authors: Igboin B.O.
Published: December 2023

Presidential or royal pardon is an age-long practice in precolonial Africa as well as in biblical times. This practice has never been without criticisms because of how, and on whom the pardon is granted. The trial of Jesus has been vastly studied within an African theo-interpretive model. However, the demand for the release of Barabbas rather than Jesus has not been adequately studied in a contextual or comparative theo-political manner in Africa. This is the thrust of this article. Using the desktop method, the article argues that presidential pardon granted to convicted criminals who are not allowed to serve judicial punishment is a stimulant for inveterate corruption in the polity. The theoretical argument of this article is that many African political leaders often resort to this kind of pardon that has adversely affected the polity. The significance of this is that this behaviour emboldens political leaders to continue to corrupt the system with dire consequences for the people.
Grade R teachers’ perceptions concerning parental participation in early literacy development in a disadvantaged context in the Western Cape
Authors: Shaik Naseema
Published: December 2023

Parent participation is fundamental to children’s early literacy development and later academic success. This small-scale qualitative study located in the interpretivist paradigm utilised semistructured interviews to collect data from two Grade R teachers’ concerning their perceptions of parent participation in children’s early literacy development. Findings revealed that teachers had a narrow and limiting understanding concerning parental involvement. Teachers attested to parents not being interested in their children’s early literacy due to their socio-economic positions which hurdled their commitments to work. Teachers wanted parents to participate in storytelling but on their terms. These findings have important implications for how policy and practice need to be reconceptualised for a stronger focus on parental participation in children’s early literacy and holistic parental participation.
Dust Coagulation Reconciles Protoplanetary Disk Observations with the Vertical Shear Instability. I. Dust Coagulation and the VSI Dead Zone
Authors: Pfeil Thomas , Birnstiel Tilman , Klahr Hubert
Published: December 2023

Protoplanetary disks exhibit a vertical gradient in angular momentum, rendering them susceptible to the vertical shear instability (VSI). The most important condition for the onset of this mechanism is a short timescale of thermal relaxation (≲0.1 orbital timescales). Simulations of fully VSI active disks are characterized by turbulent, vertically extended dust layers. This is in contradiction with recent observations of the outer regions of some protoplanetary disks, which appear highly settled. In this work, we demonstrate that the process of dust coagulation can diminish the cooling rate of the gas in the outer disk and extinct the VSI activity. Our findings indicate that the turbulence strength is especially susceptible to variations in the fragmentation velocity of the grains. A small fragmentation velocity of ≈100 cm s−1 results in a fully turbulent simulation, whereas a value of ≈400 cm s−1 results in a laminar outer disk, being consistent with observations. We show that VSI turbulence remains relatively unaffected by variations in the maximum particle size in the inner disk regions. However, we find that dust coagulation can significantly suppress the occurrence of VSI turbulence at larger distances from the central star.
All We Are Is Dust in the WIM: Constraints on Dust Properties in the Milky Way’s Warm Ionized Medium
Authors: West J. L. , Gaensler B. M. , Miville-Deschênes M.-A. , Mahajan N. , Dechant J. , Boulanger F. , Martin P. G. , Zelko I. A.
Published: December 2023

We present a comparison of the presence and properties of dust in two distinct phases of the Milky Way’s interstellar medium: the warm neutral medium (WNM) and the warm ionized medium (WIM). Using distant pulsars at high Galactic latitudes and vertical distance (∣b∣ > 40°,

D
sin
∣
b
∣
>
2

kpc

) as probes, we measure their dispersion measures and the neutral hydrogen component of the warm neutral medium (WNMH I) using H i column density. Together with dust intensity along these same sightlines, we separate the respective dust contributions of each ISM phase in order to determine whether the ionized component contributes to the dust signal. We measure the temperature (T), spectral index (β), and dust opacity (τ/N
H) in both phases. We find

T

(

WNM

H

I

)
=

20

−
2

+
3

K, β (WNMH I) = 1.5 ± 0.4, and τ
353/N
H (WNMH I) = (1.0 ± 0.1) × 10−26 cm2. Assuming that the temperature and spectral index are the same in both the WNMH I and WIM, and given our simple model that widely separated lines of sight can be fit together, we find evidence that there is a dust signal associated with the ionized gas and

τ

353

/

N

H

(
WIM
)
=
(
0.3
±
0.3
)
×

10

−
26

, which is about 3 times smaller than τ
353/N
H (WNMH I). We are 80% confident that

τ

353

/

N

H

(
WIM
)

is at least 2 times smaller than τ
353/N
H (WNMH I).
VLT/MUSE Characterization of Dimorphos Ejecta from the DART Impact
Authors: Murphy Brian P. , Opitom Cyrielle , Snodgrass Colin , Knight Matthew M. , Li Jian-Yang , Chabot Nancy L. , Rivkin Andrew S. , Green Simon F. , Guetzoyan Paloma , Gardener Daniel , de León Julia
Published: December 2023

We have observed the Didymos-Dimorphos binary system with the MUSE integral field unit spectrograph mounted at the Very Large Telescope before and after DART impact and captured the ensuing ejecta cone, debris cloud, and tails at subarcsecond resolutions. We targeted the Didymos system over 11 nights from 2022 September 26 to October 25 and utilized both narrow- and wide-field observations with and without adaptive optics, respectively. We took advantage of the spectral–spatial coupled measurements and produced both white-light images and spectral maps of the dust reflectance. We identified and characterized numerous dust features, such as the ejecta cone, spirals, wings, clumps, and tails. We found that the base of the sunward edge of the wings, from October 3 to 19, is consistent with maximum grain sizes on the order of 0.05–0.2 mm and that the earliest detected clumps have the highest velocities, on the order of ;10 m s−1. We also see that three clumps in narrow-field mode (8″ × 8″) exhibit redder colors and slower speeds, around 0.09 m s−1, than the surrounding ejecta, likely indicating that the clump is composed of larger, slower grains. We measured the properties of the primary tail and resolved and measured the properties of the secondary tail earlier than any other published study, with first retrieval on October 3. Both tails exhibit similarities in curvature and relative flux; however, the secondary tail appears thinner, which may be caused by lower-energy ejecta and possibly a low-energy formation mechanism such as secondary impacts.
From Entheogens to Evangelicalism: Spiritual Practices Among Hispanic/Latin Americans
Authors: Espi Forcen Fernando
Published: December 2023

Hispanic and Latinx people practice spirituality in a wide array of forms. Whereas Catholicism has been the dominant religion for centuries, a re-birth of Native American and African spirituality has taken place over the last few decades. In parallel, the influence of the United States in the Latin world is reflected in the rapidly growing popularity of Evangelical Christianity. In order to better understand and study spiritual practices in Latin America, one must understand the historical vicissitudes that led to the formation of these religions and the context in which they became ingrained in these territories.

[
Psychiatr Ann
. 2023;53(12):545–549.]
Can Central Bank Digital Currencies be green and sustainable?
Authors: Alonso Sergio Luis Náñez
Published: December 2023

Within digital finance, CBDCs are booming. As there are currently four operational CBDCs and as many as ninety-four central banks, jurisdictions or currency areas are testing or investigating the launch of a retail CBDC. The study was based on a sample of 34 countries or currency areas, which were classified into three groups. This research aimed to answer the following research questions: 1. Can CBDCs be considered green and sustainable? 2. How can we determine whether a CBDC is green and sustainable? 3. Which countries are closest to having green CBDCs? It has been calculated the total and the percentage of CBDCs that could be considered green or sustainable according to each country or currency area; in this model, it has been considered one monetary unit issued in a green/sustainable CBDC format for each point that a country obtains in this model that is adjusted according to four variables: Electricity prices for households and for businesses, renewable electricity production and CO2 emissions. The countries that could launch a higher percentage of green/sustainable CBDCs in circulation would be the countries in the Eurozone and the United Kingdom, with these countries exceeding 70%. This was followed by Sweden (60%), Australia (58%) and the Bahamas (close to 54%). Only the Bahamas has its CBDC already launched and operational. Jamaica is also in the top ten and has its CBDC up and running. Japan closes the top 10 with just over 51%. Those countries with cleaner sources of power generation will be able to keep their CBDCs operating more sustainably. The environmental impact, however, will vary depending on the design choices of a CBDC and the country where it operates, according to the variables of this model.
Momordica charantia (Cucurbitaceae) como maleza introducida en Ecuador: distribución espacio-temporal y riesgo de invasión
Authors: Rizzo Kimberly , Herrera Ileana , Vargas Anahí , Cornejo Xavier , López-Guillén Eduard
Published: December 2023

Momordica charantia, una maleza trepadora introducida, es nativa del trópico y subtrópico de Asia y África y se encuentra ampliamente distribuida en Ecuador. En este estudio, examinamos la distribución espacio-temporal de los registros de M. charantia y evaluamos su riesgo de invasión para Ecuador. Se recolectaron ocurrencias de la especie de diversas fuentes (bases de datos y herbarios). Se analizó la distribución de la especie en Ecuador y en áreas prioritarias de conservación, considerando sus preferencias climáticas y ecosistémicas. Se realizó un análisis de riesgo de invasión para Ecuador Continental. Nuestros resultados indicaron que M. charantia fue reportada por primera vez en Ecuador en la región de la costa en 1846. La causa de su introducción es desconocida; sin embargo, una posible vía para su expansión podría estar relacionada con su uso como planta medicinal en Ecuador. Actualmente, la especie está naturalizada en Ecuador y se ha registrado en las cuatro regiones, incluyendo las Islas Galápagos. Se detectó la presencia de la especie en 18 áreas prioritarias de conservación, donde su abundancia parece incipiente y su erradicación factible. La ciencia ciudadana (i.e. iNaturalist) proporcionó la mayoría de los registros de la especie, resaltando su importancia para monitorear especies invasoras. Aunque M. charantia tiene una presencia limitada en ambientes naturales (el 89% de los registros se encuentran en áreas perturbadas), la especie fue categorizada como de “alto riesgo” debido a que en Ecuador hay regiones climáticamente adecuadas para su establecimiento. Además, M. charantia tiene una alta capacidad de dispersión a larga distancia y un considerable potencial para convertirse en maleza en cultivos, representando una amenaza para la agricultura. Destacamos que la presencia de M. charantia en áreas perturbadas podría constituir una fuente de propagación hacia áreas cultivadas, donde la especie podría comportarse como maleza. El manejo de las poblaciones de M. charantia cerca de los cultivos podría mitigar sus posibles impactos agrícolas.
El edificio Scala de Jesús García del Castillo: 50 años de vigencia
Authors: Garcia Garcia Alejandro
Published: December 2023

El impacto de la actividad edificatoria vinculada al fenómeno turístico de la década de los 60 desencadenó una nueva escena urbana en la costa alicantina que actualmente presenta un paisaje de inmuebles deteriorados y adulterados. Sin embargo, en el escenario existen y resisten modelos cuyos condicionantes iniciales de diseño han favorecido su adaptación temporal. Este artículo destaca uno de ellos, el edificio Scala de la Playa de San Juan, desde una aproximación a su contexto histórico así como a los fundamentos arquitectónicos del autor, Jesús García del Castillo. Mediante un planteamiento organizado en torno a los criterios de modernidad aplicados al proyecto, la investigación identifica la implantación de la edificación, su honestidad material y la distribución racional como tres aspectos relevantes para mantener, 50 años después de su construcción, la vigencia del edificio Scala. Las consideraciones finales enlazan la valoración del edificio con el panorama actual de la arquitectura turística.
Awareness of the use of personal protective equipment among construction workers
Authors: AlBlooshi Jawahar Mohammed , Elhadi Rami , Okoh Anthony Ifeanyin
Published: December 2023

Background:

The construction industry is one of the major employment sectors in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for both skilled and unskilled employees. However, the issue of health and safety in this industry appears to be a major challenge. As such, in this study, we evaluated the awareness of construction workers in Sharjah, UAE, on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Methods:

In this study, we used a cross-sectional study design, and data were collected from 360 respondents using a questionnaire prepared in English and Malayalam languages.

Results:

The study revealed that all the respondents were male with an average age of about 36 years. Furthermore, there was no significant association between the age of respondents and awareness of incident reporting; however, there was a significant association (P = 0.030) between education level and incident reporting awareness. There was also an association between work experience (P = 0.013) and awareness of incident reporting. Further, 91% of the employees agreed that they were aware of how to safely carry out their various activities while working at their respective construction sites. Furthermore, there was a close correlation (P = 0.025) between awareness of how to work safely and the education level of the respondents. Eighty-five percent of the respondents acknowledged that they were unaware of PPE usage at the workplace.

Conclusion:

We conclude that there is a need for more attention to occupational health and safety in the construction sector, and the need to identify and address occupational health risks early, introducing preplacement and periodic examinations for workers, and employing qualified and well-trained safety and health personnel at the various construction sites becomes imperative.
Primary extranodal lymphomas: Five-year experience from a tertiary care center of North India
Authors: Mishra Priyanka , Prashar Manoj , Rehman Nidhin , Sinha Anamika , Raman Deep K.
Published: December 2023

Background:

Primary extranodal lymphomas (pENL) are lymphomas with minimal nodal involvement and dominant extranodal disease. We aimed to study the prevalence and clinicopathological characteristics of pENL presenting at our center over 5 years from January 2015 to January 2020.

Methods:

This is a cross-sectional study of pENL patients in which relevant clinical and laboratory data was collected including demography, site, stage, international prognostic index-revised, imaging findings, hematological, and biochemical parameters and comorbidities including underlying immunodeficiency. The paraffin blocks were subjected to routine hematoxylin and eosin stain and immunohistochemistry with standard lymphoma panel.

Results:

Of 341 lymphomas, 73 (21.4%) were pENL with commonest site being gastrointestinal tract (31.5%) followed by head and neck (23.2%) and soft tissues (9.6%). Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) (39.7%) was the commonest histological type (germinal center type—48%, nongerminal center—52%) followed by marginal zone lymphomas (MZL) (23.3%) and primary CNS lymphoma (8.2%). Primary breast lymphoma, primary bone marrow lymphoma, and follicular lymphoma constituted 4.1, 5.4, and 4.1% of pENL, respectively. There was a case of high grade B cell lymphoma of ileum with features intermediate between DLBCL and Burkitt. Other unusual pENL were anaplastic DLBCL of tonsils, DLBCLs of bone marrow with M band, MZL of base of tongue, Richter’s transformation of tonsillar small lymphocytic lymphoma, and follicular lymphoma presenting as pericardial mass. Of 12 cases of T-non-Hodgkin lymphoma, commonest were mycosis fungoides (4/12) followed by mediastinal T-lymphoblastic lymphoma (2/12) and peripheral T-cell lymphoma (2/12).

Conclusion:

pENL has unique clinical presentation depending on the location with site-specific distribution of histological subtypes.
Primary adenocarcinoma of colon: A clinicopathological study with the prevalence and correlation of CDX2 biomarker expression - A tertiary care center experience
Authors: Issac Rijo , Masih Dipti , Ranjan Mark , Pulimood Anna B.
Published: December 2023

Background:

Colorectal cancer is one of the alarming health problems worldwide. Prognostic biomarkers are the key for risk stratification in patients with colon cancer and the decision to recommend adjuvant chemotherapy. It has been difficult to identify a single prognostic biomarker for colon cancer. Currently, tumor stage, tumor grade, and microsatellite instability remain the most important prognostic variables that aid in the treatment of patients with colon cancer. Some studies highlighted that CDX2 immunohistochemistry negativity is an independent prognostic factor and indicates a worse survival rate. Our aim was to study the prevalence of CDX2 biomarker expression in patients diagnosed with primary adenocarcinoma and to correlate this with the clinical profile and pathological features.

Methods:

Endoscopic mucosal biopsies and resection specimens of 148 patients diagnosed with colonic adenocarcinoma were analyzed. CDX2 immunohistochemistry was performed, and the result was correlated with clinicopathological features. The results were presented as mean, frequencies, and percentages. Pearson’s Chi-square test was used to assess the associations between clinicopathological parameters and CDX2 immunohistochemistry negativity.

Results:

The prevalence of CDX2 expression by immunohistochemistry in colon cancer was found to be 92%. CDX2 biomarker negativity was found to be higher in left-sided colon cancers, poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, mucinous carcinoma, and higher TNM stages.

Conclusion:

CDX2-negative tumors are often associated with several adverse prognostic variables (e.g., advanced stage, poor differentiation, and metastasis). Thus, sub-classification of colon cancer based on the CDX2 biomarker aids to separate them into prognostically relevant categories.
Clinical risk factors and Risk assessment model for Anastomotic leakage after Rectal cancer resection
Authors: Ding Rui , He Ming , Cen Hong , Chen Zheng , Su Yonghui
Published: December 2023

Background:

Anastomotic leakage (AL) is the most serious complication after rectal cancer surgery. Risk factors associated with AL have been documented in previous studies; however, the consensus is still lacking. In this retrospective study, we aimed to identify risk factors for AL after rectal cancer resection and to create an accurate and effective tool for predicting the risk of this complication.

Methods:

The study cohort comprised of 276 patients with rectal cancer who had undergone anterior resection between 2015 and 2020. Twenty-four selected variables were assessed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses to identify independent risk factors of AL. A risk assessment model for predicting the risk of AL was established on the basis of the regression coefficients of each identified independent risk factor.

Results:

Anastomotic leakage occurred in 20 patients (7.2%, 20/276). Multivariate analysis identified the following variables as independent risk or protective factors of AL: perioperative ileus (P < 0.001, odds ratio [OR] = 14.699), tumor size ≥5 cm (P = 0.025, OR = 3.925), distance between tumor and anal verge <7.5 cm (P = 0.045, OR = 3.512), obesity (P = 0.032, OR = 7.256), and diverting stoma (P = 0.008, OR = 0.143). A risk assessment model was constructed and patients were allocated to high-, medium-, and low-risk groups on the basis of risk model scores of 5–7, 2–4, and 0–1, respectively. The incidences of AL in these three groups were 61.5%, 11.9%, and 2.0%, respectively (P < 0.001).

Conclusions:

Our risk assessment model accurately and effectively identified patients at high risk of AL and could be useful in aiding decision-making aimed at minimizing adverse outcomes associated with leakage.
Evaluation of VEGF, BDNF, TRKB expression in oral epithelial dysplasia, oral verrucous carcinoma and oral squamous cell carcinoma and their role as prognostic indicator
Authors: Priyadharshini Kumaresan Indra , Balakrishnan Sekar , Saranyan Ravi , Nirmal Madhavan , Murugesan Ambika , Yoithappra bhunath Thuckanaicken palayam Ragunathan
Published: December 2023

Background:

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a serious health disease that can lead to a reduced quality of life or even death. It ranks sixth in terms of cancer expansion. It is one of India’s primary causes of natural death. In OSCC such potentially malignant Disorders (PMDs) are precancerous lesions with such a high risk of progression. Tumor angiogenesis is a one of the basic biomarkers that may influence the proliferation of a precancerous lesion into the cancerous lesion. Tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) also play important roles in carcinogenesis by promoting angiogenesis. The construction of new vessels of blood from existing vasculature is referred as angiogenesis.

Aim of the Study:

To get deep insights of immunohistochemistry expression of VEGF, BDNF, and TRKB in oral epithelial dysplasia (OED), verrucous carcinoma (VC), and OSCC.

Material and Methods:

The study included 100 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks from 20 cases of OED, 20 cases of VC, and 60 cases of OSCC [20 cases of well-differentiated oral squamous cell carcinoma (WD-OSCC), 20 cases of moderately differentiated oral squamous cell carcinoma (MD-OSCC), and 20 cases of poorly differentiated oral squamous cell carcinoma (PD-OSCC). The staining intensity and distribution of VEGF, BNDF, and TrkB were examined and statistically analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), post hoc Bonferroni test, independent t-test, Pearson’s Chi-square test, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient test.

Results:

The immunoexpression of VEGF, BDNF, and TrkB was found to be elevated in the order of OEDs, VC, and OSCC. The percentage of positive was highest in PD-OSCC, followed by MD-OSCC and WD-OSCC.

Conclusion:

Based on our findings, angiogenesis plays a significant role in tumor growth and metastasis. A substantial relationship was discovered between VEGF, BDNF, TrkB expression, and increases in vascularity throughout the transition from OEDs to VCs and OSCCs.
Urine biomarker could be a useful tool for differential diagnosis of a lower urinary tract dysfunction
Authors: Yu Wan-Ru , Jiang Yuan-Hong , Jhang Jia-Fong , Kuo Hann-Chorng
Published: December 2023

ABSTRACT

A precision diagnosis of lower urinary tract dysfunctions (LUTD) such as bladder outlet obstruction, detrusor overactivity (DO), interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS), dysfunctional voiding (DV), or detrusor underactivity (DU) needs invasive videourodynamic study. Exploring non-invasive tools to help screening LUTD is necessary for clinicians in their daily practice. This article reviews recently clinical studies of using urinary inflammatory proteins and oxidative stress biomarkers in the identification of specific LUTD among men and women with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Some important findings have been reported: (1) Using urine chemokines CXCL-1 and interleukin-8 (IL-8), we may discriminate overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms in women between DO and urinary tract infection. (2) Urinary levels of oxidative stress biomarkers such as 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and 8-isoprostane have a potential being used as a tool to identify women with mixed DO and stress urinary incontinence. (3) Urine levels of total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) are positively correlated with voiding detrusor pressure in patients with DU. (4) Urine levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and PGE2 were significantly higher in the DU patients with detrusor function recovery. (5) Women with DV had higher urinary levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and 8-OHdG, and urinary IL-2 level was significantly lower. (6) Urine level of 8-isoprostane was higher in the patients with idiopathic DO and neurogenic DO. (7) Higher urine cytokine levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), CXCL-10, IL-7, and eotaxin-1 in patients with IC/BPS than controls. (8) The urine levels of IL-8, CXCL-10, BDNF, IL-6, and RANTES were significantly higher in patients with Hunner’s IC than non-Hunner’s IC. (9) Male patients with IC/BPS had a significantly higher level of eotaxin, MCP-1, TNF-α, 8-OHdG, and TAC. Combining a higher eotaxin and a higher TNF-α can provide a satisfactory diagnostic value in discriminating IC/BPS from other LUTD in men. These studies provide evidence that measurement of cluster of urine biomarkers could be used as a diagnostic tool to differentiate different LUTD in patients with similar LUTS.
Adaptability of thermo-viscous versus sonicfill-activated bulk fill composite resin restorations
Authors: Kandel Enas Mostafa Ameen , Etman Wedad M. , Geniad Thuraia M.
Published: December 2023

Purpose

To in vitro evaluate the marginal and internal adaptation of Thermo-Viscous versus SonicFill Bulk Fill composite in Class I cavities.

Materials and methods

Twenty non-carious human maxillary premolar teeth were selected. Class I cavities were prepared with dimensions of 4 mm mesio-distal, 2.5 mm bucco-lingual width and 2 mm depth. Specimens were randomly divided into two equal groups I and II. Cavities were restored with VisCalor and SonicFill Bulk Fill, respectively. Materials were applied using the recommended adhesive and special dispenser. Specimens were then subjected to 500 thermal cycles, labelled and the restoration margins were inspected under stereomicroscope at X70 to detect and measure the marginal gap width. Specimen were then sectioned buccolingually using a microtome to detect and measure the internal gap width.

Results

Lower mean values of marginal gap width were recorded in VisCalor group compared to SonicFill group, however there was no statistically significant difference (P = 0.187) between both groups. While a significant difference (P = 0.002) was found regarding internal mean gap width values recorded in VisCalor group compared to SonicFill group.

Conclusion

Both tested materials/techniques used to reduce the viscosity of the bulk fill composites presented nearly comparable marginal integrity results, while VisCalor application technique enhanced the internal adaptation compared to SonicFill method.
Comparative quantitative analysis of intravelar veloplasty and Furlow double opposing z plasty techniques for transposition of LVP muscles to correct VPI
Authors: Elsaadany Wesam H. , Beder Rafic R.
Published: December 2023

Purpose

The present study was performed to use quantitative analysis of LVP by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to compare intravelar veloplasty versus Furlow double opposing z-plasty technique in VPI correction.

Materials and methods

This is an interventional, comparative study that was carried out on 16 patients with velopharyngeal insufficiency due to decreased velar mobility divided into two equal groups, group I: included eight patients in whom VPI was repaired with intravelar veloplasty, group II: included eight patients in whom VPI was repaired with Furlow double opposing z-plasty. All patients underwent regular follow-up for 3 months by clinical, nasopharyngoscopy and MRI.

Results

Clinically, there was primary wound healing uneventfully was achieved in all patients in the two groups with no signs of infection. By MRI there was a significant increase in the angle of origin, length and thickness of the LVP postoperatively in both groups with no significant differences between them which confirmed with increased velum mobility postoperatively in both groups in nasopharyngoscopy.

Conclusion

According to quantitative analysis of LVP by MRI preoperatively and postoperatively, there was no statistically significant differences between intravelar veloplasty and Furlow double opposing z-plasty technique in VPI correction.
Evaluation of using collagen membrane as interpositional material in closure of palatal fistula in cleft patients
Authors: Selim Ahmed N. A. , Khalifa Mahmoud E. , Ibrahim Marwa T. , Serag Shimaa M.
Published: December 2023

Background

Palatal fistula after palatal surgery in cleft patients is an annoying problem for both patients and maxillofacial surgeons. The occurrence of fistula is determined by the severity of the underlying defect, the repair technique utilized and the stress applied to the wound. Fistula recurrence rates range from 0% to 58%. Depending on the size, recurrence rate, and surgeon skill, various procedures for palatal fistula closure are documented, ranging from local mucoperiosteal flaps to free flaps. Colla-D is a pure collagen membrane developed to facilitate directed tissue regeneration and aid in the closure of palatal fistulas.

Patients and methods

A prospective randomized noncontrolled clinical research was conducted on 12 patients with palatal fistulas in the hard palate of cleft patients aged 6 to 20 years. Collagen membrane (Colla-D type BS) is utilized as an interposition material between the oral and nasal layers in cleft patients to aid in the closure of palatal fistulas.

Results

Collagen membrane was integrated with successful fistula closure in nine (75%) individuals, but palatal closure failure was detected early postoperatively in three (25%) patients. In seven patients, the oral mucosal layer dehisced, exposing the membrane, which was gradually covered by creeping oral mucosa in 4 of 7 patients over a period of 2 to 4 weeks postoperatively. All patients improved in nasalance and even failed cases improved slightly due to a decrease in fistula size, with a mean progress of 33.92% and a standard deviation of 7.28.

Conclusions

Colla-D collagen membrane is a safe and effective adjunct for the closure of palatal fistulas located in hard palate.
A Hybrid Deep Learning GRU based Approach for Text Classification using Word Embedding
Authors: Eswaraiah Poluru , Syed Hussain
Published: December 2023

Text categorization has become an increasingly important issue for businesses that handle massive volumes of data generated online, and it has found substantial use in the field of NLP. The capacity to group texts into separate categories is crucial for users to effectively retain and utilize important information. Our goal is to improve upon existing recurrent neural network (RNN) techniques for text classification by creating a deep learning strategy through our study. Raising the quality of the classifications made is the main difficulty in text classification, nevertheless, as the overall efficacy of text classification is often hampered by the data semantics' inadequate context sensitivity. Our study presents a unified approach to examine the effects of word embedding and the GRU on text classification to address this difficulty. In this study, we use the TREC standard dataset. RCNN has four convolution layers, four LSTM levels, and two GRU layers. RNN, on the other hand, has four GRU layers and four LSTM levels. One kind of recurrent neural network (RNN) that is well-known for its comprehension of sequential data is the gated recurrent unit (GRU). We found in our tests that words with comparable meanings are typically found near each other in embedding spaces. The trials' findings demonstrate that our hybrid GRU model is capable of efficiently picking up word usage patterns from the provided training set. Remember that the depth and breadth of the training data greatly influence the model's effectiveness. Our suggested method performs remarkably well when compared to other well-known recurrent algorithms such as RNN, MV-RNN, and LSTM on a single benchmark dataset. In comparison to the hybrid GRU's F-measure 0.952, the proposed model's F-measure is 0.982%. We compared the performance of the proposed method to that of the three most popular recurrent neural network designs at the moment RNNs, MV-RNNs, and LSTMs, and found that the new method achieved better results on two benchmark datasets, both in terms of accuracy and error rate.
Hsa_circ_0136666 mediates the antitumor effect of curcumin in colorectal carcinoma by regulating CXCL1 via miR-1301-3p
Authors: Chen Shi , Li Wei , Ning Chen-Gong , Wang Feng , Wang Li-Xing , Liao Chen , Sun Feng
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

This study investigate the anti-tumor effect of curcumin and whether its mediated by hsa_circ_0136666 through miR-1301-3p/CXCL1 in colorectal carcinoma (CRC). Through multiple experiments, we have drawn the conclusion that curcumin inhibited CRC development through the hsa_circ_0136666/miR-1301-3p/CXCL1 axis, hinting at a novel treatment option for curcumin to prevent CRC development.

AIM

To determine whether hsa_circ_0136666 involvement in curcumin-triggered CRC progression was mediated by sponging miR-1301-3p.

METHODS

Cell counting kit-8, colony-forming cell, 5-ethynyl-2’-deoxyuridine, and flow cytometry assays were carried out to determine cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle progression. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction quantified hsa_circ_0136666, miR-1301-3p, and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (CXCL1 ), and western blot analysis determined CXCL1 , B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), and Bcl-2 related X protein (Bax) protein levels. CircBank or starbase software was first used for the prediction of miR-1301-3p binding with hsa_circ_0136666 and CXCL1 , followed by RNA pull-down, RNA immunoprecipitation, and dual-luciferase reporter assay validation. In vivo experiments were implemented in a murine xenograft model.

RESULTS

Curcumin blocked CRC cell proliferation but boosted apoptosis. Moreover, elevated hsa_circ_0136666 Levels were observed in CRC cells, which were reduced by curcumin. In vitro , hsa_circ_0136666 overexpression abolished the antitumor activity of CRC cells. Mechanical analysis revealed the ability of hsa_circ_0136666 to sponge miR-1301-3p to modulate CXCL1 levels.

CONCLUSION

Curcumin inhibited CRC development through the hsa_circ_0136666/miR-1301-3p/CXCL1 axis, hinting at a novel treatment option for curcumin to prevent CRC development.
Evaluating the causal relationship between human blood metabolites and gastroesophageal reflux disease
Authors: Hu Jia-Yan , Lv Mi , Zhang Kun-Li , Qiao Xi-Yun , Wang Yu-Xi , Wang Feng-Yun
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) affects approximately 13% of the global population. However, the pathogenesis of GERD has not been fully elucidated. The development of metabolomics as a branch of systems biology in recent years has opened up new avenues for the investigation of disease processes. As a powerful statistical tool, Mendelian randomization (MR) is widely used to explore the causal relationship between exposure and outcome.

AIM

To analyze of the relationship between 486 blood metabolites and GERD.

METHODS

Two-sample MR analysis was used to assess the causal relationship between blood metabolites and GERD. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 486 metabolites was the exposure, and two different GWAS datasets of GERD were used as endpoints for the base analysis and replication and meta-analysis. Bonferroni correction is used to determine causal correlation features (P < 1.03 × 10-4). The results were subjected to sensitivity analysis to assess heterogeneity and pleiotropy. Using the MR Steiger filtration method to detect whether there is a reverse causal relationship between metabolites and GERD. In addition, metabolic pathway analysis was conducted using the online database based MetaboAnalyst 5.0 software.

RESULTS

In MR analysis, four blood metabolites are negatively correlated with GERD: Levulinate (4-oxovalerate), stearate (18:0), adrenate (22:4n6) and p-acetamidophenylglucuronide. However, we also found a positive correlation between four blood metabolites and GERD: Kynurenine, 1-linoleoylglycerophosphoethanolamine, butyrylcarnitine and guanosine. And bonferroni correction showed that butyrylcarnitine (odd ratio 1.10, 95% confidence interval: 1.05-1.16, P = 7.71 × 10-5) was the most reliable causal metabolite. In addition, one significant pathways, the “glycerophospholipid metabolism” pathway, can be involved in the pathogenesis of GERD.

CONCLUSION

Our study found through the integration of genomics and metabolomics that butyrylcarnitine may be a potential biomarker for GERD, which will help further elucidate the pathogenesis of GERD and better guide its treatment. At the same time, this also contributes to early screening and prevention of GERD. However, the results of this study require further confirmation from both basic and clinical real-world studies.
Management of the Electronic Health Record Inbox: Results From a National Survey of Internal Medicine Program Directors
Authors: Vaa Stelling Brianna , Halvorsen Andrew J. , Dupras Denise , Kearns Lisa , Kisielewski Michael , Martin Shannon K. , Uthlaut Brian , Leasure Emily
Published: December 2023

Background Internal medicine (IM) resident physicians spend a considerable amount of time managing their inbox as part of their longitudinal continuity clinic experience. There are no standardized guidelines for how programs should train, monitor, or supervise residents in this type of patient care.

Objective To understand how IM residency programs educate, monitor, and supervise resident electronic health record (EHR) inbox management as part of their longitudinal continuity clinic and determine whether patient safety events have occurred due to EHR inbox-related patient care decisions made by unsupervised resident physicians.

Methods In August 2021, 439 program directors at accredited US IM residency programs who were members of the Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine (APDIM) were asked 12 questions developed by the study authors and APDIM survey committee members regarding resident EHR inbox management as part of the annual APDIM survey.

Results Two hundred and sixty-seven (61%) PDs responded. The majority (224 of 267, 84%) of programs provided guidelines for expected message response times; less than half (115, 43%) monitored timeliness metrics. Only half (135; 51%) of programs required faculty supervision of inbox messages for all residents; 28% (76) did not require supervision for any residents. Twenty-one percent of PDs (56) reported awareness of a patient safety event occurring due to an unsupervised resident inbox-related patient care decision.

Conclusions Substantial variability exists in how IM residency programs train, monitor, supervise, and provide coverage for resident inbox work. Program directors are aware of patient safety events resulting from unsupervised resident inbox management.