bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Incidence and Risk Factors of Pulmonary Hemorrhage After Percutaneous CT-Guided Pulmonary Nodule Biopsy: An Observational Study
Authors: He Chuang , Zhao Ling , Yu Hua-long , Zhao Wei , LI Dong , Li Guo-dong , Wang Hao , Huo Bin , Huang Qi-ming , Liang Bai-wu , Ding Rong , Wang Zhe , Liu Chen , Deng Liang-yu , Xiong Jun-Ru , Huang Xue-quan
Published: August 2023

Objectives: To evaluate the current incidence of pulmonary hemorrhage and the potential factors contributing to its increased risk after percutaneous CT-Guided pulmonary nodule biopsy and to recapitulate the technical recommendations for its treatment.
Materials and Methods: In this observational study, patient data were collected from ten medical centers from April 2021 to April 2022. Pulmonary hemorrhage was graded as follows: 0, none; 1, less than or equal to 2 cm around the needle or lesion; 2, more than 2 cm and less than 4 cm; 3, more than4 cm; and 4, hemoptysis or bleeding into the other lobes. High-grade pulmonary hemorrhage was defined as grade 2 or higher pulmonary hemorrhage.
Results: The incidence of pulmonary hemorrhage was as follows: grade 0, 36.1% (214/593); grade 1, 36.8% (218/593);grade 2, 18.9% (112/593); grade 3,3.5% (21/593); andgrade 4, 4.7% (28/593). High-grade hemorrhage (HGH) occurred in 27.2% (161/593) of the patients. The use of preoperativebreathing exercises (PBE, P=0.000), semiautomatic cutting needles (SCN, p=0.004), immediatecontrastenhancement (ICE, P=0.021), and the coaxial technique (CoT, p=0.000) were protective factors for HGH. Greater length of puncture (P=0.021), the presence of hilar nodules (p=0.001), the presence of intermediate nodules (p=0.026), main pulmonary artery diameter (mPAD) larger than 29 mm (p=0.015), and small nodule size (p=0.014) were risk factors for high-grade hemorrhage. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.783.
Conclusions: The PSIC approach, which includes PBE, SCN, ICE, and CoT, has been found to be a protective factor for HGH in real-world scenarios. Furthermore, this protocol is beneficial for creating specialized puncture instruments for percutaneous CT-Guided pulmonary nodule biopsy.
Berberine through PPAR- γ/HO-1 Pathway Regulates Macrophage Polarization
Authors: yonglin yonglin li , Shang Shasha , Wang Jianru , Yu Lili , Wang Tingting , Chen Yushan
Published: August 2023

Objective:
To use ox-LDL and LPS to induce RAW264.7 macrophages to create an inflammation model, and to observe the regulation of berberine on the secretion of inflammatory factors and macrophage polarization in macrophages under inflammatory conditions and the relationship between PPAR-γ/HO-1. The relationship between the pathways provides the basis for berberine in the treatment of atherosclerosis.
Results:
1. Compared with the model group, the iNOS, and IL-6 produced by the berberine group, berberine + ZNPP, and berberine + GW9662 were significantly decreased, (P＜0.05); Compared with the berberine + GW9662 group and the berberine + ZNPP group, the secretion of iNOS and IL-6 increased in the berberine group, (P＜0.05).
2. Compared with the model group, Arg-1, IL-4, and IL-10 in the Berberine group, berberine + GW9662 and berberine + ZNPP groups increased significantly (P < 0.05); Compared with the berberine group, Arg-1, IL-4 and IL-10 in Berberine + GW9662 and berberine + ZNPP groups were significantly lower than those in Berberine group (P < 0.05).
3. For flow cytometry, CD80 positive cells are used to represent M1 cells, CD163 positive cells represent M2 cells, and the ratio of M2/M1 cells represents the polarization of macrophages, among which the ratio of M2/M1 cells in berberine group Compared with the berberine + ZNPP group and the berberine + GW9662 group, the ratio of M2/M1 in the berberine group was higher, (P＜0.05).
4. Western blotting method showed that the protein expression of PPAR-γ in the berberine group, the berberine + GW9662 group, and the berberine + ZNPP group was significantly increased compared with the model group, ( P＜0.05); the expression of HO-1 protein in the berberine group, the berberine + GW9662 group, and the berberine + ZNPP group were significantly higher than that in the model group, (P＜0.05). The protein expressions of PPAR-γ and HO-1 in the alkali group were higher than those in the berberine + GW9662 and berberine + ZNPP group, (P＜0.05).
Conclusion:
Berberine can regulate macrophage polarization through the PPAR-γ/HO-1 pathway, so that macrophages are polarized from M1 macrophages to M2 macrophages, and play an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant role. Berberine provides evidence for its anti-atherosclerotic effect.
Assessing the short-term effects of PM2.5 and O3 on cardiovascular mortality using high-resolution exposure: a time-stratified case cross-over study in southwestern China
Authors: Tian Xinyue , Zeng Jing , Li Xuelin , Li Sheng , Zhang Tao , Deng Ying , Yin Fei , Ma Yue
Published: August 2023

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, and air pollution is an important environmental risk factor. To date, limited studies have estimated the effects of ambient air pollution on CVD mortality using high-resolution exposure assessment, which might fail to capture the spatial variation in exposure and introduce bias in results. Besides, the Three-year Action Plan (TYAP, 2018–2020) was released, after five years of controlling air pollution, thus the constitution and health effect of air pollutants may have changed. In this study, we estimated the short-term effect exposed to PM2.5 and O3 concentrations with 0.05º×0.05º resolution on CVD mortality, and measured the influence of TYAP in the associations. Our study found that with an increase of 10 µg/m3 in PM2.5 and O3 during 2018–2021 in the Sichuan Basin (SCB), CVD mortality increased 1.0134 (95% CI: 1.0102, 1.0166) and 1.0083 (95% CI: 1.0060, 1.0107) respectively using high-resolution air pollutants concentration, comparing to 1.0070 (95% CI: 1.0052, 1.0087) and 1.0057 (95% CI: 1.0037, 1.0078) using data from air quality monitoring stations (AQMs), the estimated risks even turned from hazard to protective in other areas. After TYAP, the OR due to PM2.5 rose up to 1.0149 (95% CI: 1.0054, 1.0243) from 1.0141 (95% CI: 1.0087, 1.0195), and the OR due to O3 rose up to 1.0089 (95% CI: 1.0030, 1.0148) from 1.0054 (95% CI: 1.0015, 1.0093) in Sichuan Province. After TYAP, both O3 concentration and its risk increased. Intriguingly, the PM2.5 concentration went down but its risk slightly rose up after TYAP. In conclusion, PM2.5 and O3 still threaten human health after TYAP, and AQMs data would underestimate their health effect, therefore using high-resolution air pollutants concentrations leads to a more appropriate estimation.
Female hormonal profiles and vaginal cytology in a ground squirrel species with prolonged hibernation
Authors: Vasilieva Nina Alexandrovna , Tikhonova Natalia Borisovna , Savinetskaya Ludmila Eugenievna , Kuznetsova Ekaterina Vladimirovna
Published: August 2023

Hibernating mammals have highly ordered annual cycles with strict timing of all processes including reproduction; yet female reproductive physiology is poorly studied in these species. We investigated the estrous cycle in yellow ground squirrels (Spermophilus fulvus), which hibernate up to 9 months. On the basis of vaginal cytology and serum progesterone and estradiol profiles, we identified proestrus, estrus, metestrus, and anestrus in the cycle. Similarly to other rodents, predominance of cornified cells marked estrus, and an increase in the leukocyte number reflected metestrus. Estrus started and then pregnancy occurred mostly within 3 days after the spring emergence. In one female, we noticed a copulatory plug for the first time for this species. The progesterone level increased from proestrus/estrus to pregnancy and decreased in the postlactation period. Estradiol concentration did not change significantly throughout the estrous cycle but varied among females and was consistently high in some of them. The hormone levels did not vary with female age despite smaller body size in yearling females as compared with older ones. We did not find any evidence for the second estrus. During postlactation, progesterone concentration diminished toward hibernation, and we failed to detect signs of prehibernation activation of the female reproductive system. Probably, gonadal preparation in S. fulvusfemales proceeds at periodic arousals during hibernation. Our data showed fast transitions between phases of the female estrous cycle and early maturation of juvenile females, thus supporting the hypothesis of fast life history strategy of S. fulvus.
Designing a model for measuring the maturity level of strategic alliances using fuzzy data envelopment analysis
Authors: Roshandel Saeed , Govareshaki Mohammad Hossein Karimi , Abbasi Morteza
Published: August 2023

In a strategic alliance, collaboration success requires special considerations because the partners are independent of each other. Maturity models are one of the tools for monitoring this success. This research aims to design a new model to measure the maturity level of strategic alliances. This goal has been achieved by identifying the model's dimensions, defining the maturity levels, and finally designing the method of determining the maturity level. A list of maturity level measurement indicators was obtained by studying the literature, previous successful and unsuccessful experiences, and interviewing experts to achieve this goal. After that, we gathered the necessary indicators using the content validity ratio method. Then the maturity levels of strategic alliances were defined. By evaluating 31 examples of strategic alliances, fuzzy sets for each indicator and maturity level were formed. To determine the maturity levels, the indicators' weights were calculated by fuzzy data envelopment analysis. Since the desired model did not seek to calculate the efficiency, data envelopment analysis without explicit input was used. By implementing the data envelopment analysis model, the best possible combination for the weight of the indicators was obtained. The model's validity was evaluated and confirmed by comparing the results of the implementation of this model with the evaluation results of the alliance examples. Based on this, the designed model determined the maturity level by using the obtained weights for different indicators, and finally, by de-fuzzifying this set, it calculated the maturity level of the strategic alliance.
Analysis of miRNA expression profile of sciatic nerve in rats with spinal cord injury
Authors: Jiang Lingli , Zhang Fang , Qi Fang , Hu Taotao , Zhang Zhonghui , Deng Chengliang , Xu Guangchao , Wei Zairong
Published: August 2023

After spinal cord injury, the downstream peripheral nerves lose control, and the tissues lose the protection of peripheral nerves, which is easy to cause skin and soft tissue injury and wound difficult to heal. However, the underlying mechanisms are still unknown. In order to explore the mechanism of functional changes in peripheral nerves deprived of spinal cord control, we established a model of sciatic nerve transection injury combined with spinal cord transection injury in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, and small RNA sequencing analysis, tissue staining and molecular experiments were used to analyze the changes in miRNA expression and degeneration of peripheral nerve stump. The results showed that after loss of spinal cord innervation, the response of rats to sciatic nerve injury was weakened, and Wallerian degeneration could not occur normally and angiogenesis was abnormal. Moreover, differentially expressed miRNAs were detected in the sciatic nerve stump of the two groups of rats with or without spinal cord injury. Specifically, miR-134-5p and miR-142-5p were decreased in the sciatic nerve stump after spinal cord injury. Therefore, we suggest that spinal cord injury may inhibit the repair process of sciatic nerve injury by down-regulating the expression of miR-134-5p / miR-142-5p.
Characterization of friction stir-based linear continuous joining of aluminium alloy to structural polymer
Authors: Khadka Prabilson , Varglund Sean , Akinwamide Samuel , Vilaça Pedro
Published: August 2023

Dissimilar continuous joining of lightweight metal alloys to structural polymer is a major manufacturing challenge, demanding feasible and reliable solutions. Through-slot extrusion joining (TSEJ) is a friction stir-based processing technique investigated in the manufacturing of continuous linear joints between aluminium alloy AA5754 overlapping structural polymer polyether ether ketone (PEEK). An intermediate rigid and thin titanium extrusion die protects locally the polymer from thermal degradation and promotes the formation along the joint path of a continuous double hook-like feature of extruded aluminium into the polymer component, providing macro-mechanical interlocking.
A set of four tools with different probe geometries at three positions relative to the extrusion die were investigated for process stability, tensile-shear strength, and microstructure. Four tensile-shear specimens are extracted from each joint, and the cross-section from the best TSEJ condition is chosen for microstructural analysis via optical microscopy and scanning electron microscope. Three distinct failure modes were identified. The best condition provided an average tensile-shear load of 110 kN/m. For the best joint condition, 84 % of the test population presents an extension at fracture load over 1.9 mm, mostly concentrated at the joint thermomechanical affected zone. The tool position with bias toward the flow side of the extrusion slot shows to improve the strength of joints. The microstructural analysis along the interface of AA5754 to PEEK shows micro-mechanical interlocking, intercalated layers of these materials and adhesion as joining mechanisms.
Lean Manufacturing is a Prerequisite for Automation, A Quantified Study
Authors: Urmee Sharmin Akter , Hossain Md. Mosharraf
Published: August 2023

Lean manufacturing has become a well-known term for the past few years due to its capability to reduce waste and make a system more efficient. Most firms are shifting towards Industry 4.0 to cope with personalized customer demands, which can only be achieved with automation. Previous studies showed a conceptual framework for the integration of lean tools into automation but lacked systematic and quantified study. This study aims to find out the quantified effects of applying lean tools before and after automation. A case study was done in a leather industry with a specific production line that is completely labor dependent. The production line's assembly line data have been used to create the first simulation model (using ARENA). The second simulation model have been created considering automating the existing production line without any improvement by lean tools. Lean wastages are identified in the existing production line. Major wastage was a higher number of defects from certain workstations. The third simulation model have been created with an improvement using one of the lean tools-Inline Quality Check (IQC). The improvement lowers the number of defective items in the existing production line. Lastly, this improved labor-intensive production line is simulated by considering automation to find a comparison with the second simulation. The comparison study showed that productivity decreases (with higher input) more quickly in automated lines if lean tools are not applied before automation.
Cross-Lingual Depression Detection for Twitter Users: A Comparative Sentiment Analysis of English and Arabic Tweets
Authors: Helmy Abdelmoniem , Nassar Radwa , Ramdan Nagy
Published: August 2023

Depression, a common mental health issue, significantly disrupting an individual's daily functioning and increasing premature Depression, a common mental health issue, significantly disrupting an individual's daily functioning and increasing premature mortality risk. The ubiquitous use of social media platforms for expressing sentiments and sharing daily activities provides a fertile ground for early detection of depression. This paper makes significant contributions in utilizing online platforms for depression detection. Firstly, we introduce five machine-learning models to detect depression in Arabic and English text from Twitter. For Arabic text, our optimal model achieved a high accuracy with an F1-score of 96.6% for binary classification of depressed and non-depressed tweets. For English text, excluding negations, the model accomplished an F1-score of 92% for binary classification and 88% for multi-classification (depressed, indifferent, happy). When considering negations, the model demonstrated a slightly lower performance with an 87% and 85% F1-score for binary and multi-classification respectively. Secondly, we present three unique corpora: one manually annotated Arabic corpus, and two automatically annotated English corpora—with and without negation. These corpora encompass a broad spectrum of emotional sentiments, enhancing the depth of our analysis. Lastly, the paper presents a novel web application for depression detection, implementing our refined models. This application enables the identification of depression symptoms in tweets and prediction of an individual's depression trends, supporting both English and Arabic languages. This research represents a significant stride forward in mental health detection leveraging the widespread use of social media.
Association of Maternal Pre-Pregnancy or First Trimester Body Mass Index with Neurodevelopmental Outcome in Extremely Low Gestational Age Neonates
Authors: Chawla Sanjay , Laptook Abbot , Smith Emily , Tan Sylvia , Natarajan Girija , Wyckoff Myra , Greenberg Rachel , Ambalavanan Namasivayam , Bell Edward , Meurs Krisa Van , Hintz Susan , Vohr Betty
Published: August 2023

Objective: To compare the rates of death or survival with severe neurodevelopmental impairment (sNDI) at 2 years among extremely preterm infants in relation to pre-pregnancy or first trimester maternal body mass index (BMI).
Methods: This retrospective cohort study included extremely preterm infants (gestational age 220/7-266/7 weeks). The study was conducted at National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network sites. The primary outcome was death or sNDI at 2 years.
Results:
Data on the primary outcome were available for 1,208 children. Death or sNDI was not different among the three groups: 54.9% in normal, 56.1% in overweight, and 53.4% in obese group (p=0.39). There was no significant difference in mortality, sNDI, moderate/severe cerebral palsy, Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID)-III cognitive composite score <70, BSID-III language composite score <70 in adjusted models.
Conclusion:
Neurodevelopmental outcome was not significantly associated with maternal pre-pregnancy BMI among extreme preterm infants.
Investigating Virtual Interactions in Teamwork
Authors: safardoust atiyeh , Ramezanian Mohammad Rahim , Pourqasem Mohsen , Safardoust Asiyeh
Published: August 2023

Objective: This study aimed to identify the indicators of team virtual interactions or virtuality and the dimensions of teamwork and to examine the relationships between them. In this regard, work teams with different levels of virtual interactions on home appliance companies were examined.
Method: In the present study, 29 teams were randomly selected. To test the research hypotheses, structural equation modeling method was applied in the Smart pls software.
Results: Our findings demonstrated that the extent of virtual interactions of team members has a significant effect on some aspects of teamwork. Accordingly, the more virtual interactions of the teams were linked to the higher negative relationship between conflict and trust and the less positive relationship between trust and cooperation. On the other hand, virtual interactions have little effect on the positive relationship between trust and job satisfaction and organizational commitment.
Conclusions: Virtual interactions have an effect on different dimensions of teamwork and the relationship between these dimensions can be influenced.
CCR3 contributes to neuroinflammation and cognitive impairment induced by prolonged underwater exercise
Authors: Zhao Houyu , Liang Kun , Yu Zeyuan , Wen Yukun , Yu Xuhua , Xin Jiayun , Zhang Tingting , Tian Jianquan , Fang Yiqun
Published: August 2023

Underwater operations are widely used in diverse fields such as marine exploration, underwater construction and infrastructure maintenance, and military missions. Previous research has emphasized the significance of maintaining cognitive function during these tasks. However, the impact of underwater operations on cognitive function and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the effects of underwater operations on cognitive function and explore the potential molecular mechanisms involved. We accomplished this first by assessing underwater operators’ stress response, anxiety, and cognitive function before and after a single underwater operation of two different durations and found that 30 min underwater operation improved cognitive function while 3 h underwater operation induced significant cognitive decline. Then, an animal model of swimming in a hyperbaric environment at 2.0ATA (atmospheres absolute) for varying durations was applied to simulate underwater operations. Behavioral tests, histological examinations, biochemical assays were conducted, and results indicated that the effect of a single underwater exercise on cognitive function was time-dependent and prolonged underwater exercise caused significant cognitive impairment. Furthermore, RNA-sequencing was conducted for the normal control group and the most significantly impaired group, leading to the focus on neuroinflammation and the identification of C-C chemokine receptor type 3(CCR3) as a potential target for further investigation. Finally, knockdown experiment was performed using an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector containing shRNA (CCR3)-EGFP injected to the rats’ hippocampus to explore the involvement of CCR3 in cognitive impairment induced by prolonged underwater exercise. Results revealed that CCR3 knockdown significantly alleviated neuroinflammation and cognitive impairment. Moreover, prolonged underwater exercise activated microglia and promotes their polarization towards the pro-inflammatory phenotype. Conversely, CCR3 knockdown switched the activated microglia to the anti-inflammatory phenotype. Taken together, these results highlight the time-dependent effect of a single underwater operation on cognitive function and shed insight on alleviating CCR3-mediated neuroinflammation as potential intervention targets to protect the brain during underwater operations.
Effect of different planting depths on the emergence and growth of lentil
Authors: Biabani Abbas , Azarnia Mohsen
Published: August 2023

The most important principles of crops, the depth and the optimum planting date for optimum use of water resources and radiation, therefore the aim of this study was to determine the proper planting depth and date on lentil (cultivar Kimia). The experiment was conducted with two factors; planting date (first November and first December) as the main factor, and 15 planting depth (from sowing the surface (zero) to 14 cm as a subplot, with three replications in a split-plot of randomized complete block design. It was done in Gonbad Kavous University Greenhouse outdoor in 2014-2015- Iran. Traits such as D05, D10, D50, D90, D95, EU, R50, emergence rate, emergence percentage, seed vigor, number of primary branches, leaf area, and seedling dry weight were measured. By increasing the depth of planting, all traits except D05, D10, D50, D90, and D95 decreased significantly. Decrease of characteristics was lower in the first planting date in comparison with the second planting date. The highest emergence rate (2.16 seedlings per day), emergence percentage (92.59 percent), seed vigor (145.2), number of branches (2.80), seedling dry weight (237.8 mg seedling) and leaf area (26.44 cm2 per seedling) were obtained from two centimeters depth in first planting. The results can be concluded that the optimum planting date for achieving the most growth of lentil in Gonbad Kavous of the climatic region, was the first planting date (November); and planting depth 2–7 cm.
Reliving positive and negative interpersonal events activates a common set of neural networks for emotional processing
Authors: Chien Ling-Yao , Lee Hsin-Ju , Lin Fa-Hsuan , Kuo Wen-Jui
Published: August 2023

In this study, we asked the participants to recall both positive and negative interpersonal events, as well as a relatively neutral one, during fMRI, and compared their evoked brain activities. Our results delineated a neural system that exhibited differential response patterns within the same set of networks for positive emotions elicited by a joyful event with a good friend and negative emotions elicited by the breakup event with their ex-partner. The findings corroborated the constructed theories of emotion, which propose that emotions are constructed through a set of processes, including categorization, abstraction, and interpretation, by simulating interoceptive representations. In society, some individuals are more vulnerable to social rejection, and their psychological difficulties are multifaceted. Our study sheds light on the developmental course of these difficulties and paves the way for further evaluation.
Study on Influencing Factors of Tourist Flow in Scenic Spots Based on Big Data
Authors: Fu Li , Yao Yi , Liu Lina , Chen Ran
Published: August 2023

Tourism in China is a thriving industry. For the past few years, the growth of rural tourism was an important emphasis for many areas, which has had a positive impact on rural economies. Chinese people's attention to tourism cultures has shifted dramatically in the period of economic worldwide and the quick propagation of network data. Currently, popular tourism activities are now more attractive. Studying the allocation of tourism activities in terms of avoiding overpopulation and wasteful use of assets in tourist hotspots is a popular subject in the area of tourism. With the use of tourist activity information, this article expands a big data platform focused on spatial and temporal distribution (STD) features and presents a data mining technique founded on revamped genetic-coalesced convolutional neural network with fine-tuned long short-term memory (RG-CCNN-FLSTM) technique to forecast tourist activity in STD aspect. The distribution of tourist traffic can be successfully regulated; the goal of equitable distribution of tourism assets accomplished, and the establishment of intellectual tourism should be further boosted by providing the prediction results back to scenic spot workers in real-time. Using the simulation results, we may conclude that data mining is highly adaptable and accurate. The proposed technique here can lessen the negative effects induced by the unequal distribution of tourism activity and conceptual direction for a better-functioning tourism economy, according to this research. The findings of this article are presented in graphical forms by employing the Origin tool.
Molar ratio precursor investigation: a simple route to fabricate unfiltered carbon dot-based electroluminescent devices
Authors: Trapani Danilo , Saiano Filippo , Boninelli Simona , Crupi Isodiana , Macaluso Roberto , Mosca Mauro
Published: August 2023

In this paper we report a rapid, low cost and easy way to produce solid-state luminescent carbon-dots (CDs) as color converters for light-emitting diodes (LEDs). CD precursor (urea and citric acid) molar ratio in aqueous solution is varied with the aim to find out the best conditions for an efficient color conversion and reducing photoluminescence quenching without any additional treatments, and to produce color conversion LEDs in a simple and green way.
Evaluation of Total Phenolic, Flavonoid Contents and Antioxidant Activities of Seed Extracted from Coriander (Coriandrum Sativum L) and Black cumin (Nigella Sativa) Spices
Authors: Tibebe Dessie , Belete Abebaw , Kassa Yezbie , Mulugeta Marye , Moges Zerubabel , Yenealem Dereje , Fentie Tarekegn , Amare Agmas
Published: August 2023

Black cumin (Nigella sativa), and Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) are common culinary spices that are used singly or combined in the diet of many populations of Ethiopia and there is a long-held belief of their health-enhancing properties. The present study was designed to investigate the antioxidant properties, phenolic and flavonoid contents of aqueous methanolic extracts from Nigella sativa and Coriandrum sativum L. seed samples. The contents of polyphenols and flavonoids were evaluated by colorimetric method and antioxidant activity was determined based on the ability to scavenge free radicals by using DPPH assay. An aqueous methanol extract of Coriandrum sativum L. resulted in the highest phenolic content from West Dembia (1.799 ± 0.0011 mg GAE/g), followed by Nigella sativa from East and West Dembia (1.737 ± 0.0014 & 1.734 ± 0.0013 mg gallic acid equivalent per gram (mg GAE/g) respectively) and Coriandrum sativum L. from West Dembia (1.678 ± 0.0018 mg GAE/g) measured by the Folin–Ciocalteu reagent method. The greatest flavonoid content was observed with extracts of Coriandrum sativum L. (1.114 ± 0.0005 mg quercetin equivalents per gram samples (mg QE/g)) from East Dembia district followed by Nigella sativa (1.002 ± 0.0007 (mg QE/g) as measured by an aluminum chloride colorimetric method, while the least was recorded for Coriandrum sativum L. (0.926 ± 0.0013 mg QE/g) and Nigella sativa (0.764 ± 0.0010 mg QE/g) from West Dembia district. Among the two selected spice extracts Nigella sativa from East Dembia district displayed the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity with an IC50 value 432 mg ascorbic acid equivalent per gram sample (AAE/g), while Nigella sativa & Coriandrum sativum L. from West Dembia and Coriandrum sativum L. (East Dembia) showed lower antioxidant activities having 372, 320 and 366 mg AAE/g of sample respectively. These results confirmed that Nigella sativa and Coriandrum sativum L. extracts possess appreciable natural antioxidant potentials, thereby providing good justification for their increased domestication and combined food consumption.
Blood pressure measurement knowledge and counselling among hospital pharmacists – an interventional study
Authors: Aje Akinniyi Akinbiyi , Adeyemo Jumoke Oyeladun
Published: August 2023

Background
Pharmacists occupy a vantage position to educate patients with hypertension on self-monitoring of blood pressure (BP). An update on their knowledge and counselling on BP measurement is needful to ascertain proper information dissemination to patients.
Methods
An interventional study was carried out among hospital pharmacists using a semi-structured questionnaire for data collection. Sequel to preintervention assessment of pharmacists’ knowledge and counselling on BP measurement, an educational intervention was carried out by to address the gaps observed. Knowledge and counselling were then reassessed one-month postintervention to find out the impact of the intervention. Data was summarized with descriptive and inferential statistics with significance level set at p < 0.05.
Results
One hundred and forty-four pharmacists completed the study. Preintervention knowledge and counselling on BP measurement among the pharmacists was poor. Pharmacists’ knowledge on BP measurement increased significantly from 12.63 ± 4.12 preintervention to 23.64 ± 1.93 postintervention (p < 0.001); while their counselling on BP measurement also increased significantly from 1.31 ± 1.71 preintervention to 11.01 ± 1.43 postintervention (p < 0.001). The knowledge category of the pharmacists’ improved as majority who were categorized as having either “poor” (67, 46.5%) or “fair” (68, 47.2%) knowledge preintervention advanced to “excellent” (99, 68.7%) knowledge postintervention. Similarly, the pharmacists’ counselling category was upgraded from the majority categorized as poor (141, 97.9%) preintervention to excellent (87, 60.4%) postintervention. Prior to the educational intervention, only 62 (43.1%) pharmacists knew that BP measurement had to be carried out in both arms for a first-time patient. Also, when asked the question “What BP reading will be recorded for a patient whose BP readings when taken thrice were 149/82 mmHg, 141/78 mmHg, and 139/78 mmHg?” only 38 (26.4%) provided the right answer. Similarly, majority of the pharmacists (51, 35.4%) could only state one out of five precautions during blood pressure measurement. In this study, pharmacists’ gender, additional educational qualification, and work experience did not significantly influence their knowledge and counselling on BP measurement.
Conclusions
The educational intervention significantly improved pharmacists’ knowledge and counselling on BP measurement.
Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Graph Convolutional Network For Detection Of Polypharmacy Side Effects
Authors: IBRAHIM Abdullahi Abdu , Mohammed Tareq Abed , DARA Omer
Published: August 2023

Polypharmacy is frequently used to treat numerous illnesses; however, it might have unintended consequences. Recent research using graph convolutional networks (GCNs) has demonstrated promising results in the difficult problem of polypharmacy side effect detection. Using accuracy (ACC), area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), and F1-score, this study presents a GCN-based model for detecting polypharmacy side effects. The model draws on pharmaceutical data from electronic health records to generate a medication network graph to learn the intricate interrelationships between medications and estimate the risk of adverse effects. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed GCN-based model outperforms conventional machine learning techniques with an ACC of 91%, an AUC of 0.88, and an F1-score of 0.83. The findings of this article suggest that GCNs are a useful method for monitoring patients on several medications for adverse reactions with total accuracy of 98.47%. Additional study is required to refine the model and collect more data for use in actual clinical settings.
GEOTAIL observations of magnetic reconnection environment around the dayside magnetopause under steady southward interplanetary magnetic field conditions
Authors: Kondoh Koji , Nitta Shinya
Published: August 2023

The magnetic reconnection environment around the dayside geomagnetopause under steady southward interplanetary magnetic field conditions is investigated using the in-situ observation by GEOTAIL satellite. We focus on the degrees of asymmetry in the plasma density, plasma temperature and the magnetic field strength between the both sides of the magnetopause, that is, the ratio of the value in the magnetosphere to that in the magnetosheath in order to build much more realistic initial condition in numerical simulation.
GEOTAIL satellite repeatedly across the magnetopause during a single pass due to the oscillating of the magnetopause. The degrees of asymmetry varies even during a single pass. We suggest these variations in the degree of asymmetry is caused by the dawn-dusk asymmetry of magnetic field strength due to the Parker spiral of the interplanetary magnetic field. The degree of asymmetry in the magnetic field strength is less than 4 and more than 0.5. The smaller degrees (<1.0) are observed in the dusk side. In the numerical simulation of the asymmetric magnetic reconnection in the dayside magnetopause, we should set the constant temperature ratio ~ 20 in the initial condition.
Design of Aircraft Intelligent Cockpit Auxiliary System based on Big Data and a Single-Chip Microcomputer
Authors: Xu hengqian , Sun Youchao
Published: August 2023

In general, the cockpit is a part of the aircraft which provides proper visibility to both pilots and co-pilots who manage the aircraft. Nowadays, the production of modern aircraft is increasing day by day for effective and safe operation. On the other hand, the automation system and improper design of the cockpit in aircraft cause various incidents when mishandled or due to uncertain weather conditions and it needs to be rectified. Therefore, this paper proposes an aircraft intelligent cockpit auxiliary system based on a single-chip microcontroller. The single-chip computer control system used in this paper is a double STC89C52RC single-chip microcomputer. The STC89C52RC controller is integrated with the cockpit auxiliary system which makes the aircraft fly fast with the propaganda and automatic tracing function thereby ignoring the obstacles. The proposed aircraft cockpit design integrated with STC 89C52RC microcontroller comprises a temperature sensor, pressure sensor, and speed sensor to determine the climatic conditions. In addition to this, a global system for mobile communications (GSM) and a global positioning system (GPS) are also provided to identify the location of an aircraft cockpit and monitor wireless radiation using a short message service (SMS). Finally, the experimental analysis is determining the various parameters to evaluate the efficiency of the proposed aircraft cockpit design.
Prediction of Strong Ground Motion at Somnath Temple
Authors: Angadi Shivamanth , Hiravennavar Apurva , Solanki Chandresh H. , Dodagoudar Goudappa R.
Published: August 2023

Seismic hazard assessment is the key tool for rational planning and designing in seismically vulnerable regions. Gujarat state of India is the only state in peninsular India with maximum seismic hazard of big shallow earthquake originating from Intraplate seismicity. Entire Gujarat region has earthquake hazard of different levels from moderate to high as seismic zones III to V are assigned as per the seismic zoning map of India [IS:1893 Part 1 (2002)]. In the present study, seismic hazard assessment for Gujarat state of India is performed by using state of art probabilistic seismic hazard assessment procedures for selected areas. Using on seismotectonic information a possible fault map is prepared and using calculated regional seismicity parameter, earthquake recurrence relationships are established for each fault. Probabilistic seismic hazard assessment in terms of horizontal component of peak ground acceleration for 5% structural damping for the rock sites are carried out using seven different ground motion prediction equations (GMPEs) including one from India. The output of the seismic hazard computations are then used to develop uniform hazard spectra (UHS) for the two earthquake return periods (i.e.475-years and 2475-years).
Comparison of perioperative outcomes and complications between intracorporeal, extracorporeal, and hybrid ileal conduit urinary diversion during robot-assisted radical cystectomy: A comparative propensity score-matched analysis from nationwide multi-institutional study in Japan
Authors: Morizane Shuichi , Nakane Keita , Tanaka Toshiaki , Zennami Kenji , Muraoka Kentaro , Ebara Shin , Miura Noriyoshi , Uemura Koichi , Sobu Ryuta , Hoshi Akio , Taoka Rikiya , Sugimoto Mikio , Noma Hisashi , Sunada Hiroshi , Nishiyama Hiroyuki , Habuchi Tomonori , Ikeda Ichiro , Saika Takashi , Makiyama Kazuhide , Shiroki Ryoichi , Masumori Naoya , Koie Takuya , Takenaka Atsushi
Published: August 2023

Background
To investigate the impact of different urinary diversion (UD) techniques on the peri- and postoperative complications of robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) with ileal conduit.
Methods
We retrospectively analyzed 373 patients undergoing RARC with ileal conduit at 11 institutions in Japan between April 2018 and December 2021. Propensity score weighting was performed to adjust for confounding factors such as age, sex, body mass index, performance status, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, previous abdominal surgery, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and preoperative high T stage (≥ cT3) and high N stage (≥ cN1). Perioperative complications were then compared among three groups: extracorporeal, intracorporeal, and hybrid urinary diversion (ECUD, ICUD, and HUD, respectively).
Results
A total of 150, 68, and 155 patients received ECUD, HUD, and ICUD, respectively. Bowel reconstruction time and UD time were significantly shorter in the ECUD group (p < 0.001), and urethrectomy and extended lymph node dissection were significantly performed in the HUD group (p < 0.001). For postoperative complications (Clavien–Dindo Classification grade ≥ 3) within 90 days, surgical site infection (p = 0.004), pelvic abscess (p = 0.013), and anastomotic urine leak (p = 0.007) significantly occurred in the ECUD group. For late complications (grade ≥ 3, after 90 days), pelvic organ prolapse was significantly more common in the ECUD group (p = 0.011).
Conclusions
Although postoperative complications such as infection, uretero-conduit anastomosis–related events, and pelvic organ prolapse were more common in the ECUD group, HUD and ICUD can be safely performed during RARC.
Suicidal ideation and suicide attempt following ketamine prescription in patients with treatment-resistant depression: a nation-wide cohort study
Authors: Xu Rong , Pan Yiheng , Gorenflo Maria , Davis Pamela , Kaelber David , De Luca Susan
Published: August 2023

Ketamine, including esketamine, is an effective treatment for patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD); however, its long-term efficacy in real-world populations remains poorly characterized. This is a retrospective cohort study using TriNetX US Collaborative Network, a platform aggregating electronic health records (EHRs) data from 93 million patients from 56 health care organizations in the US, and the study population includes 321,367 patients with a diagnosis of TRD who were prescribed relevant treatment in their EHRs. The prescription of ketamine (including esketamine) was associated with significant decreased risk of suicidal ideation compared to prescription of other common antidepressants: HR = 0.65 (95% CI: 0.53 – 0.81) at 1 day – 7 days, 0.78 (95% CI: 0.66 – 0.92) at 1 day – 30 days, 0.81 (95% CI: 0.70 – 0.92) at 1 day – 90 days, 0.82 (95% CI: 0.72 – 0.92) at 1 day – 180 days, and 0.83 (95% CI: 0.74 – 0.93) at 1 day – 270 days. This trend was especially robust among adults over 24 years of age, males, and White patients with TRD. No significant difference was observed for suicide attempts, except significantly increased risk for adolescents (aged 10-24) at 1 day – 30 days with HR = 2.22 (95% CI: 1.01-4.87). This study provides real-world evidence that ketamine has long-term benefits in mitigating suicidal ideation in patients with treatment-resistant depression. Future work should focus on optimizing dosage regimens for ketamine, understanding the mechanism, and the difference in various demographic subpopulations.
Study of oxidation of cellulose by Fenton-type reactions using alkali metal salts as swelling agents
Authors: Tsague Fabien Lucioni , Chimeni Desire Yomeni , Assonfack Herman Lekane , Abo Marina Tatiana , Cheumani Arnaud Maxime Yona , Ndinteh Derek Tantoh , Ndikontar Maurice Kor
Published: August 2023

Cellulose from corn straw was oxidized by Fenton-type reagents (FeSO4. 7H2O or CuCl2. 2H2O) using alkaline metal salts (LiCl; NaCl). Cellulose pre-treatment using alkali metal salts (LiCl; NaCl) coupled with a high H2O2 loading (up to 500 kg per ton of pulp) are used as a novel approach to improve the oxidation rate of oxidized celluloses. The oxidation rate was determined by measuring the aldehyde and carboxylic acid contents of the oxidized cellulose. The oxidized celluloses were characterized by Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analyses (TGA). The results show that the oxidation efficiency was improved by using the metal salts and increasing the H2O2 loading for both catalytic systems (Fe2+ or Cu2+). The oxidization rate increased gradually with H2O2 loading up to a maximum 500 kg/t of pulp tested without a considerable loss of cellulose structure. The FTIR results revealed that oxidized celluloses exhibit almost similar predominant hydroxyl-based structure as native cellulose with the presence of bands in the regions of 1640-1742 cm-1 characteristic of aldehyde and carboxylic acid groups. The XRD results showed that the crystallinity index slightly decreased from 69.4 to 67-68 and 62-64% after oxidation of the cellulose. The equilibrium moisture contents of oxidized celluloses increased compared to the raw cellulose pulp. The moisture curves fit the page model and exhibits a sub-diffusion process.
Frequency-specific alterations of fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations in adult-onset hypothyroidism
Authors: Shi Qian , Han Yalan , Tian Jing , Huang Gang , Tian Limin , Qin Rui , Cao Jiancang , Zhao Lianping
Published: August 2023

Purpose Abnormal spontaneous neuronal activities associated with cognitive deficits and emotional dysfunction were found in hypothyroidism. However, routine method employs a relatively broader range of spontaneous fluctuations and would mingle physiological fluctuations contained in specific frequency. In current study we explored how frequency-specific changes of fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) in hypothyroidism. Methods Fifty-three hypothyroid patients and thirty-nine healthy controls (HCs) underwent clinical variables, neuropsychological assessment, and MRI scans. The fALFF in the routine band, slow-4, and slow-5 bands were analyzed. Additionally,Pearsoncorrelation analysis was performed between fALFF and clinical variables and neuropsychological scores in hypothyroid patients. Results Compared to HCs, within the routine band, patients showed significantly decreased fALFF in left lingual gyrus, middle temporal gyrus (MTG), calcarine cortex, precentral gyrus, and right inferior occipital gyrus; within the slow-5 band, the patients exhibited decreased fALFF in left lingual gyrus, MTG, superior temporal gyrus, postcentral gyrus, and paracentral lobule, and increased fALFF in right middle frontal gyrus and supplementary motor area; Additionally, fALFF in the left lingual gyrus within the routine and slow-5 bands were negatively correlated with thyroid stimulating hormone level. Conclusions We found that fALFF in left lingual gyrus and MTG decreased both in routine and slow-5 bands in hypothyroid patients. These might be potential neuroimaging biomarkers of cerebral impairment in hypothyroid patients. Trial registration ClinicalTials. No:ChiCTR2000028966. Registered 9 January, 2020, https://www.chictr.org.cn
Environmental risk evaluation of the transgenic Brassica napus lines harboring serine acetyltransferase gene from Nicotiana tabacum
Authors: Khan Muhammad Sayyar , Qahar Fariha
Published: August 2023

The commercial use of transgenic plants bears great potential in solving many environmental and food problems. However, the potential impact of transgenic plants on peripheral ecosystems has to be assessed before their release for commercial purposes. In this study, we performed environmental biosafety assessments on three independent single and a double overexpression lines harboring serine acetyltransferase (SAT) gene from Nicotiana tabacum (Nt). These lines have been previously demonstrated to confer tolerance against heavy metals (cadmium) and oxidative (hydrogen peroxide) stresses. We did two allelopathy bioassays (sandwich assays) to assess the potential impact of the transformants on the surrounding vegetation. We also surveyed the rhizosphere microbes to assess the potential impact of these transgenic lines on the microbial community (bacteria and fungi). Our data indicated that the transgenic lines are not significantly different from non-transgenic lines in terms of their impact on the surrounding vegetation and the rhizosphere microbe community under greenhouse conditions.