bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Climatological Drought Analyses Using SPI, Deciles, PPN, EDI and Rainy Days in Chile
Authors: Pinto Rodrigo Hernan Ojeda , Baecheler Jose Vargas , Gutierrez-Lopez Alfonso
Published: August 2021

Since 2010, a large area of Chile is in a period of severe drought, with impacts on the population and the water resource systems. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out research on drought behavior in Chile, its prediction and monitoring, should be addressed to find suitable measures to reduce its effects. A simple calculation model is presented for the SPI, PPN, DEC and EDI indexes. Based on the hypothesis that these indexes are an indicator of the drought condition in the central-southern area of Chile; the proposed model takes as the only input variable the cumulative number of raining days. The most efficient index for the model is identified, the study is regionalized and temporal and spatial analysis of the model is carried out. A modified index of drought is obtained, based on a simple rainfall day counter. The model represents an efficient method to show a drought event.
Sex Differences in Mortality after Myocardial Infarction: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Hassani Neda Shafiabadi , Pirdehghan Reza , Mozafarybazargany Mohammadhossein , Sepahvandi Roya , Khodaprast Zeynab , Karimi Fatemeh , Rahimi Fatemeh , Zakani Akram , Mardi Parham , Rastad hadith , Kamipoor Zeinab , Dorri Mahya , Bamrafie Arya
Published: August 2021

BACKGROUND: We aimed to examine sex differences in mortality after myocardial infarction. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included all first admitted patients 50 years or older with acute myocardial infarction hospitalized in Rajaei hospital of Karaj city, Iran, between 23th March 2013 and 1th January 2020. Data was retrieved from the hospital information system (HIS) database, including patient’s demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, medical history, acute myocardial infarction (AMI) type, treatment and procedures, and outcome of hospitalization. Simple and multivariate cox regression models were used to assess the association of gender with in-hospital mortality after AMI. Results were presented as crude and adjusted hazard ratios along with their 95% confidence interval (HR (95% CI).RESULTS: Results from the multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed that females had a higher risk of death than males after ST segment Elevation MI (STEMI) (adjusted HR (95% CI): 1.64 (1.15 – 2.36), P=0.007). However, in subgroup analysis by age groups, this significant increased risk was observed only in female patients aged 50 to 64 years than their male counterparts. There was no significant differences between males and females after non-STEMI and unspecified MI.CONCLUSIONS: Based on our findings, women aged 50 to 64 years may be more likely to die during hospitalization after STEMI than men.
The Concept Information of Graph Granule with Application to Embedding Learning of Knowledge Graph
Authors: Niu Jiaojiao , Chen Degang , Ma Yinglong , Li Jinhai
Published: August 2021

Knowledge graph embedding (KGE) are routinely used to represent entities and their relations in knowledge bases with a quantitative measure, and the triples usually play the role of basic units in KGE learning. Considering that triples are sometimes far from adequate and knowledge graph itself contains a lot of information, this paper employs FCA-based technology to mine the deterministic knowledge from knowledge graph, that is, the formal concept, and attempts to establish the relationship between knowledge graph (KG) and formal concept analysis (FCA). Specically, each set of triples sharing the same head entity are grouped as a graph granule and the concepts of each graph granule are mined. By further exploration, the maximal concepts are integrated into embedding learning to develop a novel KGE model named TransGr for knowledge graph completion. This model learns a matrix for each maximal concept in graph granule as well as a vector for each entity and relation. The performed experiments on link prediction and triple classi cation tasks demonstrate that the proposed TransGr model is effective on the datasets with relatively complete graph granules.
Synthesis, characterizations and ions implantation into Er doped Aluminum Nitride thin films
Authors: Ullah Asmat , Usman Muhammad , Maqbool Muhammad
Published: August 2021

Er doped Aluminum Nitride (AlN) thin films were prepared using magnetron sputtering technique in a Nitrogen (N) atmosphere on a Silicon substrate. The samples were annealed at a temperature of 900 0C. The fabricated specimen was irradiated with proton dose of 1×1014 ions/cm2 with incident energy of 335 keV using ions accelerators. The relative concentration, thickness and structural properties of the thin films were determined by Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) respectively. Before and after the irradiation the energy levels for their types of bonding existing in our specimens were traced with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR).
FGS-HDNN: Fractional Gravitational Search based Hybrid Deep Neural Network for Glaucoma Detection using Fundus Images
Authors: Madhumalini M. , Devi T. Meera
Published: August 2021

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Impact of an Educational Tool on Young Women’s Knowledge of Cervical Cancer Screening Recommendations
Authors: de Bocanegra Heike Thiel , Dehlendorf Christine , Kuppermann Miriam , Vangala Sitaram S , Moscicki Anna-Barbara
Published: August 2021

Purpose

Current cervical cancer screening guidelines recommend 3-year screening intervals, in contrast to the previous recommendation of annual screening, to prevent over screening and overtreatment. We evaluated the impact of viewing a tablet-based educational tool prior to seeing a clinician on young women’s knowledge and understanding of cervical cancer screening, HPV vaccination follow-up of abnormal pap smears, and comfort in communicating with their providers.
Methods

This cross-sectional study was part of a cluster randomized study of fourteen primary care clinics from January 2015 to December 2016. We developed the cervical cancer education tool in English and Spanish using a community-based approach that included formative work and cognitive interviewing. Clinics were randomized to use the intervention (tablet-based patient education tool) or to participate as a control group. We administered surveys to a convenience sample of 229 English-or Spanish-speaking women aged 19 to 35 years in these clinics. We used descriptive analyses and logistic regression models with cluster-robust standard errors to compare differences among the two groups.
Results

Compared to women seen in control clinics, women seen in intervention clinics demonstrated greater knowledge regarding human papilloma virus (HPV (p = .004) and understanding (p < .001) of cervical cancer screening. Comfort in communicating with providers was not statistically different (p = .053). Women in the intervention group felt that the tool helped them understand that an abnormal Pap smear does not require immediate treatment (61.5%).
Conclusion

Innovative online patient education that is offered prior to patients’ interaction with their clinicians can improve their knowledge about cervical cancer prevention and treatment.
Classification of Chaotic Squeak And Rattle Vibrations By CNN Using Recurrence Pattern
Authors: Nam Jaehyeon , Kang Jaeyoung
Published: August 2021

The chaotic squeak and rattle (S&R) vibrations in mechanical systems were classified by deep learning. The rattle, single-mode, and multi-mode squeak models were constructed to generate chaotic S&R signals. The repetition of nonlinear signals generated by them was visualized using an unthresholded recurrence plot and learned using a convolutional neural network (CNN). The results showed that even if the signal of the S&R model is chaos, it could be classified. The accuracy of the classification was verified by calculating the Lyapunov exponent of the vibration signal. The numerical experiment confirmed that the CNN classification using nonlinear vibration images as the proposed procedure has more than 90% accuracy. The chaotic status and each model can be classified into six classes.
End-Of-Life Discussions Reduce The Utilization of Life-Sustaining Treatments During The Last Three Months of Life in Cancer Patients : A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study
Authors: Chan Shang-Yih , Lai Yun-Ju , Chen Yu-Yen Hsin , Chiang Shuo-Ju , Tsai Yi-Fan , Hsu Li-Fei , Chuang Pei-Hung , Chen Chu-Chieh Hsin , Yen Yung-Feng
Published: August 2021

Purpose

Studies to examine the impact of end-of-life (EOL) discussions on the utilization of life-sustaining treatments near death were limited and had inconsistent findings. This nationwide population-based cohort study determined the impact of EOL discussions on the utilization of life-sustaining treatments in the last three months of life in Taiwanese cancer patients.
Methods

This cohort study included adult cancer patients from 2012–2018, which were confirmed by pathohistological reports. Life-sustaining treatments during the last three months of life included cardiopulmonary resuscitation, intubation, and defibrillation. EOL discussions in cancer patients were confirmed by their medical records. Association of EOL discussions with utilization of life-sustaining treatments were assessed using multiple logistic regression.
Results

Of 381,207 patients, the mean age was 70.5 years and 19.4% of the subjects utilized life-sustaining treatments during the last three months of life. After adjusting for other covariates, those who underwent EOL discussions were less likely to receive life-sustaining treatments during the last three months of life compared to those who did not (Adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 0.82; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.80–0.84). Considering the type of treatments, EOL discussions correlated with a lower likelihood of receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (AOR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.41–0.45), endotracheal intubation (AOR = 0.87, 95%CI: 0.85–0.89), and defibrillation (AOR = 0.52, 95%CI: 0.48–0.57).
Conclusion

EOL discussions correlated with a lower utilization of life-sustaining treatments during the last three months of life among cancer patients. Our study supports the importance of providing these discussions to cancer patients to better align care with preferences during the EOL treatment.
Dural And Skull Base Reconstruction To Eliminate Postoperative Complications Related To Cerebrospinal Fluid Leakage: Technical Nuances And Surgical Outcomes
Authors: NONAKA YOICHI , Fukushima Takanori , Hayashi Naokazu , Sorimachi Takatoshi , Matsumae Mitsunori
Published: August 2021

BACKGROUND: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage is a common complication associated with neurosurgical procedures, and eliminating postoperative CSF leaks remains challenging. OBJECTIVE: Unique applications of free or vascularized flaps for watertight dural and skull base reconstruction are presented. METHODS: A total of 512 cases of cranial surgeries were examined focused on the postoperative complications that required revision surgery. These cases were divided into skull base (SB) lesions and non-SB lesions according to the site of dural opening. The postoperative complications were analyzed according to their relationship to the CSF. A free flap, including fascial, myofascial, or pericranial flap, is routinely prepared for later use in dural closure in all cranial surgeries. A pedicled vascularized pericranial flap (VPF) is also used for SB dural reconstruction in extended surgical procedures.RESULTS: There were 434 cases of SB lesions and 78 cases of non-SB lesions. Of the 512 surgical cases, 27 (5.3%) required revision surgery due to patients’ postoperative conditions or complications. There were 9 cases (1.8%) of CSF-related and 18 cases (3.5%) of non-CSF-related complications. Eight of nine cases of CSF-related complications (88.9%) were seen in posterior fossa surgery. Postoperative CSF leaks that required revision surgery were seen in 4 cases (0.8%). SB reconstruction using a VPF was performed in 40 cases of SB surgeries. No postoperative infection was seen in these 40 cases, and only 1 case (2.5%) of pseudomeningocele, which required revision surgery, occurred. CONCLUSION: Dural reconstruction using a fascial flap or VPF plays an important role in achieving successful surgery.
Intra-rater Reproducibility in Physical Function Testing Among Haemodialysis Patients: The Impact of Measurement Timing
Authors: Junqué Anna , Tomás Ester , Andreu Lola , Segura Eva
Published: August 2021

Background. Accurate evaluation of physical function in patients undergoing haemodialysis is crucial in the analysis of the impact of exercise programs in this population. Objective. To evaluate the reproducibility of several physical functional tests, depending on the timing of their implementation (before the HD session versus non-HD days). Design. Prospective, non-experimental, descriptive study.Methods. Thirty patients in haemodialysis were evaluated twice, one week apart. The test session was performed before the haemodialysis session started and a retest was performed in non-dialysis day. The testing battery included the Short Physical Performance Battery, sit-to-stand-to-sit tests, six-minute walking test, one-leg stand test, timed up and go, and handgrip strength with and without forearm support. The intra- rater reproducibility was determined by the intraclass correlation coefficients and the agreement was assessed by Bland–Altman analysis.Results. The interclass correlation coefficients values ranged from 0.86 to 0.96, so that all tests showed good to very good relative reliability. The mean differences between trials of sit to stand to sit 10 and 60, Time up and go and all the handgrip tests were close to zero, indicating no systematic differences between trials. Large range of values between trials was observed for the Six minutes walking test, gait speed, One-leg stand test and Short physical performance battery, indicating a systematic bias for these four tests.Conclusion. The Sit to stand to sit 10 and 60, time up and go and handgrip tests had good to excellent test-retest reliability in measuring physical function in different dialysis days of patients undertaking haemodialysis. The Minimal detectable change values are provided for this population. Bias were found for the Six minutes walking test, gait speed, Short physical performance battery or one-leg stand test when the testing day changed.
Metabolically Healthy Versus Unhealthy Obese Phenotypes and Risk of Hypertension Incidence; A Case–Cohort Analysis
Authors: Hamzeh Behrooz , Pasdar Yahya , Moradi Shima , Darbandi Mitra , Shakiba Ebrahim , Najafi Farid
Published: August 2021

Background

Although obesity contributes in increasing the risk of hypertension, it is not known the effect of obesity based on metabolic status on the incidence of hypertension. This study was aimed to determine association between obesity phenotypes including metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) and metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) and risk of hypertension incidence.
Methods

We conducted a case-cohort study on 6,747 adults 35–65 aged from Ravansar non- communicable diseases (RaNCD) study. Obesity was defined body mass index > 30 kg/m2 and metabolically unhealthy was considered at least two metabolic disorders based on the International Diabetes Federation criteria. Obesity phenotypes were categorized four groups including MUO, MHO, metabolically unhealthy non obesity (MUNO), and metabolically healthy non obesity (MHNO). Cox proportional hazards regression models were applied to analyze associations with hypertension incidence.
Results

The incidence of hypertension was one case per 1000 person-months (393/391162). The MHO (HR: 1.37; 95% CI: 1.03–1.86) and MUO phenotype (HR: 2.44; 95% CI: 1.81–3.29) was linearly associated with higher hypertension risk compared to MHNO. In addition, MUNO phenotype was significantly associated with risk of hypertension incidence (HR: 1.65; 95% CI: 1.29–2.14).
Conclusions

Both metabolically healthy and unhealthy obesity was elevated risk of hypertension incidence, however, this increase in metabolically unhealthy phenotypes was higher.
Soft ideal topological spaces
Authors: Matejdes Milan
Published: August 2021

The article deals with the correspondence between soft ideal topological spaces and ideal topological ones. Investigation of soft ideal topological spaces is based on methods of general topology and the application of results for soft omega open and strongly soft omega open sets is given.
Script Identification in Handwritten Documents for Gurumukhi-Latin Script Using Transfer Learning with Deep and Shallow Classifiers
Authors: Kaur Sukhandeep , Bawa Seema , Kumar Ravinder
Published: August 2021

Script identification at character level in handwritten documents is a challenging task for Gurumukhi and Latin scripts due to the presence of slightly similar, quite similar or at times confusing character pairs. Hence, it is found to be inadequate to use single feature set or just traditional feature sets and classifier in processing the handwritten documents. Due to the evolution of deep learning, the importance of traditional feature extraction approaches is somewhere neglected which is considered in this paper. This paper investigates machine learning and deep learning ensemble approaches at feature extraction and classification level for script identification. The approach here is: i. combining traditional and deep learning based features ii. evaluating various ensemble approaches using individual and combined feature sets to perform script identification iii. evaluating the pre-trained deep networks using transfer learning for script identification ’iv. finding the best combination of feature set and classifiers for script identification. Three different kinds of traditional features like Gabor filter, Gray Level Co-Occurrence Matrix (GLCM), Histograms of Oriented Gradiants (HOG) are employed. For deep learning pretrained deep networks like VGG19, ResNet50 and LeNet5 have been used as feature extractor. These individual and combined features are trained using classifiers
like Support Vector Machines (SVM) , K nearest neighbor (KNN), Random Forest (rf) etc. Further many ensemble approaches like Voting,Boosting and Bagging are evaluated for script classification. Exhaustive experimental work resulted into the highest accuracy of 98.82% with features extracted from ResNet50 using transfer learning and bagging based ensemble classifier which is higher as compared to previously reported work.
Global Sensitivity Analysis of (a)Symmetric Energy Harvesters
Authors: Norenberg João Pedro , Cunha Americo , Silva Samuel da , Varoto Paulo
Published: August 2021

Parametric variability is inevitable in actual energy harvesters and can define crucial aspects of the system performance, especially in susceptible systems to small perturbations. In this way, this work aims to identify the most critical parameters in the dynamics of (a)symmetric bistable energy harvesters with nonlinear piezoelectric coupling, considering the variability of their physical and excitation parameters. For this purpose, a global sensitivity analysis based on the Sobol' indices is performed by an orthogonal decomposition in terms of conditional variances to access the dependence of the recovered power concerning the harvester parameters. This technique quantifies the variance concerning each parameter individually and jointly regarding the total variation of the model. The results indicate that the frequency and amplitude of excitation, asymmetric bias angle, and piezoelectric coupling at the electrical domain are the most influential parameters that affect the mean power harvested. It has also been shown that the order of importance of the parameters can change from stable conditions. In possession of this, a better understanding of the system under analysis is obtained, identifying vital parameters that rule the change of dynamic behavior and constituting a powerful tool in the robust design and prediction of nonlinear harvesters.
Theoretical Analysis of Tuning and Sensitivity Improvement of Surface Plasmon Resonance Biosensor employing Heterostructures of Titanium Disilicide and Graphene
Authors: R Balaji V
Published: August 2021

In this work, a surface plasmons resonance-based biosensor is theoretically and mathematically investigated. The proposed sensor is a multilayered structure of the titanium disilicide and graphene along with Ag metal. These layers are stacked over the BK7 prism. The metal, titanium disilicide, and graphene layer thickness are taken as 45 nm, 2 nm, and 1.7 nm, respectively. The titanium disilicide is an air-stable 2-D material. The performance of the biosensor is analyzed using the attenuated total reflection (ATR) method. The proposed configuration has a maximum sensitivity of 183.4°/RIU, 47.45 % higher than the conventional sensor. The designed sensor has wide applications in chemical, medical, and biological analyte sensing.
PP2A Methylation is Necessary for Broad Stress Tolerance
Authors: Creighton Maria T. , Nemie-Feyissa Dugassa , Zaman Nabeela , Johansen Sverre S. , Dysjaland Hege , Heidari Behzad , Lillo Cathrine
Published: August 2021

Background: LEUCINE CARBOXYL METHYL TRANSFERASE 1 (LCMT1) transfers a methyl group from the methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) to the catalytic subunit of PROTEIN PHOSPHATASE 2A (PP2A). This post-translational modification of PP2A is manifested throughout eukaryotes from yeast to plants and animals. Although highly conserved, the importance of the methylation is poorly understood. Since Arabidopsis plants with knocked out LCMT1 grow and develop fairly normally, we decided to search for conditions that may reveal the benefits of this regulation. We compared the effects of various stressful conditions on Arabidopsis wild type (WT) and a lcmt1 mutant possessing only non-methylated PP2A. Results: Seedlings were grown in Petri dishes for 5-12 days, or in rock wool and soil for up to 7 weeks. A significant increase in sodium concentration was found for lcmt1 relative to WT, but this was not linked with stressful conditions. Plants were exposed to variable levels of the chelator EDTA, iron, zinc, aluminium, heat, and hydrogen peroxide. The lcmt1 mutant was clearly more sensitive than WT to all the various stresses, as demonstrated by effects on seedling root growth and on shoots of rosette stage plants on rock wool. When omitting EDTA, expression of genes known as signature genes for iron deficiency, FIT1, bHLH100, IMA1, IRT1 was strongly enhanced in lcmt1. Although an iron starvation response was induced, Fe homeostasis was apparently maintained by slowed growth in lcmt1 and the Fe level related to tissue dry weight was not changed. Among genes induced in lcmt1 were also the Zn induced gene ZIF1, and heat shock protein HSP90-1. Concentrations of non-iron transition metals, Cu, Mn and Zn, increased significantly in response to lack of EDTA for both lcmt1 and WT tissue, and especially the growth of lcmt1 was strongly hampered. Conclusions: Presence of the LCMT1 gene was necessary to cope efficiently with an imbalance in the micronutrients, heat stress, and oxidative stress. Methylation of PP2A appears important to ameliorate the toxic effects of metals present in unfavourable high concentrations as well as heat or oxidative stress. The experiments establish LCMT1 as a key component in broad stress tolerance.
Grain-Scale Analysis of Solid-Phase Organic Matter and Arsenic Mobility in Mining-Impacted 1 Sediment from Sub‐Arctic Lakes, Northwest Territories, Canada
Authors: Miller Clare B , Parsons Michael B , Jamieson Heather E , Ardakani Omid H , Patterson R Timothy , Galloway Jennifer M
Published: August 2021

Arsenic (As) is commonly sequestered at the sediment-water interface (SWI) in mining-impacted lakes through adsorption and/or co-precipitation with authigenic iron (Fe)-(oxy)hydroxides or sulphides. The results of this study demonstrate that the accumulation of solid-phase organic matter (OM) in near-surface sediments also influences the mobility and fate of As in sub-Arctic lakes. Sediment gravity cores, sediment grab samples, and porewaters were collected from three lakes downstream of the former Tundra gold mine, Northwest Territories. Analysis of sediment using combined micro-X-ray fluorescence/diffraction, K-edge X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure (XANES), and organic petrography shows that As is associated with both aquatic (benthic and planktonic alginate) and terrestrially-derived OM (cutinite; funginite). Most As is hosted by fine-grained Fe-(oxy)hydroxides or sulphide minerals ( e.g., goethite, orpiment, lepidocrocite, mackinawite); however, grain-scale synchrotron-based analysis shows that As is also associated with amorphous OM. Mixed As oxidation states in porewater (median = 62 % As (V), 18 % As (III); n = 20) and sediment (median = 80 % As (-I) and (III), 19 % As (V); n = 9) indicate the presence of variable redox conditions in the near-surface sediment and suggest that post-depositional remobilization of As has occurred . Detailed characterization of As-bearing OM at and below the SWI suggests that OM plays an important role in stabilizing redox-sensitive authigenic minerals and associated As. Based on these findings, it is expected that increased concentrations of labile OM will drive post-depositional surface-enrichment of As in mining-impacted lakes and may increase or decrease As flux from sediments to overlying surface waters.
A Dynamical Alternating Direction Multiplier Method for Two-Block Optimization Problems
Authors: Chao Miantao , Liu Liqun
Published: August 2021

In this paper, we propose a dynamic alternating direction method of multipliers for two-block separable optimization problems. The well-known classical ADMM can be obtained after the time discretization of the dynamical system. Under suitable condition, we prove that the trajectory asymptotically converges to a saddle point of the Lagrangian function of the problems. When the coefficient matrices in the constraint are identiy matrices, we prove the worst-case O(1/t) convergence rate in ergodic sense.
Price of Robustness Optimization through Demand Forecasting and Robust Planning Models Integration in Waste Management
Authors: Gentile Claudio , Pinto Diego Maria , Stecca Giuseppe
Published: August 2021

Robust optimization can be effectively used to protect production plans against uncertainties. This is particularly important in sectors where variability is inherent the process that must be optimally planned. The drawback is that, in real situations, some information can be added in order to better control the extra-cost resulting from considering the parameter variability. This work investigates how demand forecasting can be used in conjunction with robust optimization in order to achieve an optimal planning considering demand uncertainties. In the proposed procedure forecast is used to update uncertain parameters of the robust model. Moreover the robustness budget is optimized at each planned stage in a rolling planning horizon. In this way the parameters of the robust model can be dynamically updated tacking information from the data. The study is applied to a reverse logistics case, where the planning of sorting for material recycling is affected by uncertainties in the demand, consisting of the waste material to be sorted and recycled. Results are compared with the standard robust optimization approach, using real case instances, showing potentialities of the proposed method.
4-[6-(4-Isopropoxyphenyl)Pyrazolo[1,5-a]Pyrimidin-3-yl]Quinoline) Suppresses Metastasis Through HIF-1α/MCT-4-Mediated Lactate Excretion in Colorectal Cancer Cells
Authors: chen Chang , Tan Xue , Kou Xiaotong , Qin Xiaoling , Li Zhongsha , Li Jingyu , Li Qi
Published: August 2021

DMH1 (D4-[6-(4-isopropoxyphenyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-3-yl]quinoline) is a bone morphogenetic protein antagonist. However, the influence of DMH1 on colorectal cancer metastasis remains unknown. Hence, This study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect of DMH1 on the migration of cancer cells. In vitro incubation with DMH1(1mM) inhibited the high protein level of HIF-1α in CT-26 cells. Transwell assay confirmed that DMH1 suppress CT-26 cells migration via the HIF-1α under hypoxia. The accumulation of lactate in culture medium down-regulated the extracellular pH, then stimulated the migration of CT-26 cells. DMH1 suppressed the migration of CT-26 cells through HIF-1α/MCT-4 signaling pathway mediate the excreation of lactate. The data demonstrated that DMH1 downregulated the high intracellular pH levels via the HIF-1α/MCT-4 signaling pathway to mediate lactate excretion. This study indicated that DMH1 might serve as a potential drug for treating tumor migration by minimizing the intracellular pH via the HIF-1α/MCT-4 signaling pathway.
Needle Stick Injury by Aqueous Humor of a 31 Year Old PCR-Positive HIV Patient, a Case Report
Authors: Sefidan Bahram Bohrani , Sanij Amin Dehghani
Published: August 2021

Background Health worker Needle-stick injury (NSI) by internal body fluids can transmit serious pathogens like HIV. Considering Principles of personal and occupational care, plays an important role in prevention of such events. Case presentation A health worker suffered needle stick injury by aqueous humor of a PCR-positive HIV patient while he was recapping needle despite necessary preparations. Conclusions NSI by Aqueous humor which is secreted from blood, can theoretically transmit blood borne pathogens like HIV. Nevertheless, there is neither any report of aqueous humor NSI nor HIV transmission in this way. Based on our best knowledge this case is the first report represents HIV+ aqueous humor NSI and further evidence is required. Considering literature, we can not conclude whether there was a need for PEP in our case.
Optimum Dose of Spinal Ropivacaine with or Without Single Intravenous Bolus of S-Ketamine During Elective Cesarean Delivery: A Randomized, Sequential Dose-Finding Study
Authors: Zhang Xiaoyu , Wang Jianwei , An Xiao-Hu , Chao Yu-Chieh , Bian Yong , Xu Zifeng , Xu Tao
Published: August 2021

Background

Post-spinal hypotension has a high occurrence during cesarean delivery, and can lead to adverse maternal or fetal outcomes. The purpose of the study was to determine the optimal dose of spinal ropivacaine for cesarean section with or without intravenous single bolus of S-ketamine and to observe the incidences of hypotension of both methods.
Methods

Eighty women undergoing elective cesarean delivery were randomly allocated into Group ropivacaine or Group ropivacaine with intravenous S-ketamine. If the upper sensory level of the patient reached T6 and the visual analogue scale (VAS) scores continuously below 3 before delivery, the next patient had a 1/9th chance of receiving a lower dose or an 8/9th chance of receiving the same of previous dose. If the patient had VAS scores above 2 or needed an extra epidural rescue bolus before delivery, a higher dose was used for the next patient. The primary outcome was the successful use of spinal ropivacaine to maintain VAS of patients below 3 before delivery and the incidence of post-spinal hypotension of both groups. Secondary outcomes included the incidences of hypotension related symptoms and managements, upper sensory level of anesthesia, level of sedation, neonatal outcomes, Edinburgh postnatal depression scale scores on admission and discharging of hospital and post-operative analgesic effect. The 90% effective dose (ED90) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were estimated by isotonic regression.
Results

The estimated ED90 of ropivacaine was 11.8 mg (95% CI 11.7–12.7) with and 14.7 mg (95% CI 14.6–16.0) without intravenous S-ketamine using biased coin up-down sequential dose-finding method, and the incidences of hypotension and its related symptoms were significantly lower in S-ketamine group.
Conclusions

A spinal dose of ropivacaine 12 mg with single intravenous 0.15 mg/kg bolus dose of S-ketamine may significantly reduce the risk of hypotension and provide sedative status before delivery, thus the method could be cautiously used in parturients with high risks of hypotension or extreme nervousness.
Clinical trial registration:
http://www.chictr.org.cn (ChiCTR2000040375; 28 Nov 2020)
Dimethylaminomicheliolide (DMAMCL) Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Increases Apoptosis and Efficacy of Gemcitabine via Annexin A2 in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Liu Kaihui , Guo Jianshuang , Liu Ning , Wang Jiyan , Wang Mukuo , Zhang Yanwei , Jiang Hao , Liu Yanling , Hu Fangzhong , Fu Wenzheng , Zhang Chunze , Li Lianyong , Zhang Mengyi , Li Jing
Published: August 2021

Background: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is one of the highest malignant tumors in digestive tract with extremely poor survival rate. Dimethylaminomicheliolide (DMAMCL) is a clinical developing anti-cancer agent, however, little is known regarding its effects in pancreatic cancer, and the mechanisms of DMAMCL are still not fully understood.Methods: This study evaluated DMAMCL on three pancreatic cancer cell lines by cell viability assay, colony formation assay, and apoptosis assay. To identify the direct binding target of DMAMCL in pancreatic cells, a chemical proteomics approach, molecular docking and site-directed mutagenesis were performed.Results: DMAMCL inhibits proliferation and promotes apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells. Interestingly, using a chemical proteomics approach, we identify ANXA2 as a direct binding target of DMAMCL in pancreatic cells. Molecular docking and site-directed mutagenesis confirm that Cys132 (C132) of ANXA2 is the binding site for DMAMCL. The knockdown of ANXA2 largely decreases the inhibition activity of DMAMCL, indicating that the effect of DMAMCL is mainly mediated by ANXA2 in pancreatic cancer. In addition, the combination regimen of gemcitabine and DMAMCL exhibits synergistic effect on pancreatic cancer cell lines at both proliferation and pro-apoptosis level. Conclusions: Thus, our findings elucidate the mechanisms of DMAMCL and may provide a potential strategy to enhancing the efficacy of gemcitabine in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
Upgrading Information Security and Protection for Palm-Print Templates
Authors: Poonia Poonam , Ajmera Pawan K.
Published: August 2021

Biometric systems proven to be one of the most reliable and robust method for human identification. Integration of biometrics among the standard of living provokes the necessity to vogue secure authentication systems. The use of palm-prints for user access and authentication has increased in the last decade. To give the essential security and protection benefits, conventional neural networks (CNNs) has been bestowed during this work. The combined CNN and feature transform structure is employed for mapping palm-prints to random base-n codes. Further, secure hash algorithm (SHA-3) is used to generate secure palm-print templates. The proficiency of the proposed approach has been tested on PolyU, CASIA and IIT-Delhi palm-print datasets. The best recognition performance in terms of Equal Error Rate (EER) of 0.62% and Genuine Acceptance Rate (GAR) of 99.05% was achieved on PolyU database.
Challenges in delivering Chinese Standardized Resident Doctor Training – Experience and Innovation of a young Chinese hospital
Authors: Liu Ming-Ya , Luo Ming-Juan , Pai Pearl
Published: August 2021

BackgroundIt has been almost a decade since the introduction and implementation of the Chinese National Standardized Resident Training Program nationwide but variations of training quality and the result of the training remain wide among different training bases and regions. Many of the younger training institutions are facing serious challenge in recruiting, keeping and inspiring trainers and trainees, thereby achieving a viable and competent training program.MethodsWe describe below how we as a young Chinese 3A hospital and training base recruit and inspire our trainees to develop themselves into highly professional and competent doctors. We shall also describe some of the training supervisions and methods we have used in our program, to enable our trainees and young training doctors to achieve these aspirations.ResultsBy striking a balance of conventional teaching methods and innovative methods, we are able to inspire trainees to develop a greater understanding of ethics, humanity, dialogue, and team work as well as knowledge and skill. The teaching standard of our young training doctors also improved along the way.ConclusionsIn our limited experience, it would appear that trainees showed more interest and willingness to participate actively in workshop, role play and team work than conventional passive didactic lectures, given the training opportunity. Good supervised training and constructive feedback are indispensable elements for the development of both trainees and young training teachers in a successful training program. Trial registration: not applicable
Type2 IFC with SOA for Topic Detection and Document Clustering Analysis
Authors: P Perumal , B Mathivanan
Published: August 2021

The automatic document clustering and topic extraction from the corpus provides a very essential requirement in many real time applications. The document clustering and topic detection is utilized to locating data quickly. Hence, in this paper, Type 2 Intuitionistic Fuzzy Clustering and Seagull Optimization Algorithm (Type 2 IFCSOA) is developed for document clustering and topic detection. The Type 2 IFCSOA is utilized to cluster the documents. Additionally, ensemble approach is utilized to identify by the topics from the clustered documents. In the proposed methodology, the pre-processing is utilized to remove unwanted information from the documents such as tokenization, stop word removal and stemming process. After that, the proposed method is utilized to cluster the documents. The clustered documents are labeled with the basis of clusters. After that, to achieve topic detection, the ensemble approach is utilized with feature extraction phases such as Term Frequency- Inverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF), Mutual information (MI), Text Rank Algorithm and analysis of keyword taking out from co-occurrence statistical -Information (CSI). The proposed methodology is implemented in MATLAB and performances were evaluated with the statistical measurements such as precision, recall, accuracy, sensitivity, purity measure and entropy. The proposed method is compared with the conventional methods such as Fuzzy C Means clustering (FCM), FCM-Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), FCM-Genetic Algorithm (GA) and K means clustering.
The Role of the Church in Motivating Entrepreneurship in Efforts to Improve the Economy of Indigenous Peoples in Papua, Indonesia
Authors: Utama I Gusti Bagus Rai , Junaedi I Wayan Ruspendi , Waruwu Dermawan , Damayana I Wayan , Utama I Gusti Bagus Rai
Published: August 2021

The novelty of this research is to prove that the church has not been able to encourage and motivate the growth of entrepreneurship to improve the economy of indigenous peoples in Papua. This research was conducted in-depth using descriptive qualitative methods. The location of the research was carried out in Papua with in-depth interviews, observation, and secondary data techniques. The results of the study indicate that the efforts of the Indonesian Christian Church in Papua in improving the economy of indigenous peoples are still minimal, both at the synod, classic and congregational levels. The church is currently also experiencing quite heavy challenges internally and externally, especially with the global Covid-19 pandemic situation which severely limits the movement of people in their activities. In some areas in Papua, there are still problems with the internet network which makes communication even more difficult. To improve the economy of indigenous peoples, an appropriate customary empowerment strategy is needed and strategic steps are needed, namely an open heart-to-heart dialogue by all church components internally at various levels. A concrete problem mapping is required, with a scale of priorities and the ability to implement strategic indigenous economic development programs and supported by appropriate assistance according to the regional or customary context. Along with that, the church must prepare competent human resources in their fields for the benefit of long-term economic development.
Delayed Cerebellar Injury is Affected by Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome Caused by Heat Stroke, a Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Ni Xiao-xiao , Wang Cong-lin , Wang Jie , Guo Ye-qun , Chen Yan , Zheng Bo , Yu Rong-hao , Liu Zhifeng
Published: August 2021

Objective Nervous dysfunction is the main manifestation of heat stroke (HS). Here we investigated the clinical signs for HS-induced nerve injuries. Methods Retrospective data were collected on 119 patients who got HS from 2016 to 2020. Patients were divided into 4 groups, including the cerebellar injury group, the other nerve injuries group, non-cerebellar injury group and non-nerve injury group. The age, body temperature (Tc), degree of consciousness disorder, liver and kidney function, blood coagulation function, blood routine and cardiac indicators within 24 h after HS were summarized. Moreover, we performed regression analyses to identify risk factors for nervous dysfunction. The Activity of Daily Living (ADL) score was assessed 3 months after HS to evaluate the prognosis of HS. Results Compared with other groups, the cerebellar injury group had shorter Tc recovering time, lower GSC scales, longer coma time and more hypotension, gastrointestinal bleeding, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and metabolic acidosis significantly. The cerebellar injury group had higher myocardial enzymogram and indexes of liver and kidney dysfunction, immune and coagulation dysfunction significantly. Risk factors associated with HS-induced cerebellar injury are Tc, recovery time of Tc, NSE, GCS scale, lymphocyte count, HLA-DR/CD14, coagulation dysfunction, cardiac injury, metabolic acidosis and MODS. The ADL scale of the cerebellar injury group and the other nerve injury group were significantly lower than other groups. Conclusions Patients with severe coma and MODS are more prone to cerebellar injury after HS and the HS-induced nerve injury leaded to a worse prognosis.
Morphometric Evaluation of Facial and Vestibulocochlear Nerves Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients with Menière’s Disease
Authors: Flatz Wilhelm , Henneberger Annika , Gürkov Robert , Schinner Regina , Mueller-Lisse Ullrich , Reiser Maximilian , Ertl-Wagner Birgit
Published: August 2021

Several studies proposed a loss of neural structures (such as hair cells or neurons within the spiral ganglion) in Menière’s disease (MD). It has been shown that VIIth and VIIIth cranial nerves are enlarged within MD patients compared to normal controls. We now aimed to investigate potential differences in these two nerves in patients with MD. Etiology of endolymphatic hydrops, central pathological hallmark of MD, includes genetic predisposition, autoimmune processes, viral infections, cellular apoptosis and oxidative stress. We evaluated morphometric properties (long and short diameter, cross-sectional area) of the VIIth and VIIIth cranial nerves passing from the cerebellopontine angle to the inner ear modiolus, acquired on a clinical 3T magnetic resonance imaging scanner. 71 patients with MD were included, 53 of whom clinically showed a unilateral affection. Our data showed no differences in nerve morphometry between the clinically non-affected and the clinically affected side in patients with clinically unilateral MD. There was also no correlation to duration of symptoms, in contrast to previously demonstrated correlations between clinical features and the extent of endolymphatic hydrops. A disease process starting before the onset of clinical symptoms could be a potential explanation.
Identification of Prognostic Immune-Related lncRNAs Pairs in Immune Infiltration of Breast Cancer
Authors: Xu Qianhui , Chen Shaohuai , Hu Yuanbo , Huang Wen
Published: August 2021

Background: Accumulating evidence has supported that long non-coding ribonucleic acids (lncRNAs) could act as essential regulators in cancer immunity. An immune-related lncRNAs (irlncRNAs) risk signature without specific expression value was established to accurately predict prognosis in patients with breast cancer (BRCA).Methods: First, irlncRNAs were identified using co-expression analysis and differential expressed irlncRNAs (DEirlncRNAs) were recognized by “Limma” package. Then, DEirlncRNA pairs were determined using an iteration loop and a 0-or-1 screening matrix. Next, single factor test and Lasso algorithm followed by multivariate Cox regression were employed to establish risk signature. Besides, the Akaike information criterion (AIC) values were calculated to recognize the optimal cut-off point of low- or high-risk groups. Additionally, the potential role of risk score was explored in terms of overall survival, clinical variables, tumor immune microenvironment features, immunotherapeutic targets, and TMB (tumor mutation board) statues.Results: A total of 946 irlncRNAs were determined and 188 DEirlncRNAs were identified. 15 DEirlncRNA pairs were introduced into establishment of prognostic signature, which harbored powerful and independent predictive prognostic ability. Taking advantage of AIC values, risk model was demonstrated to accurately distinguish samples from the viewpoint of clinical outcome, clinicopathological features, infiltrating immune cells, and immunosuppressive biomarkers. Besides, comprehensive prognostic nomogram was constructed to quantitatively estimate risk. Finally, synergistic effect of risk score with TMB value was corroborated.Conclusions: The DEirlncRNA pairs risk signature without specific expression value possessed excellent prognostic performance and may provide direction for immunotherapy in BRCA.
CFD and Laboratory Studies of Dust Cleaning Efficacy of an Efficient Four Stage Non-Clogging Impingement Filter for Flooded-Bed Dust Scrubbers
Authors: Kumar Ashish Ranjan , Gupta Neeraj , Schafrik Steven
Published: August 2021

Fibrous-type filters are used to capture dust particles in mining and other occupations where personnel are exposed for prolonged periods. Dust cleansing systems including flooded-bed dust scrubbers use these mesh-type multi-layered filters. These filters trap dust particles efficiently on their surface and inside their mesh. However, their continued operation leads to dust build-up and subsequent clogging. This results in increased resistance of the filter and lowered airflow rate through the scrubber. This could potentially enhance the exposure of the miners. A non-clogging self-cleaning impingement screen type dust filter was designed by the authors for use in mining and industrial dust cleansing applications. The filter guides dirt-laden air through rapidly turning paths which forces it to shed heavier particles. The particles impact one of the impermeable solid metallic filter surfaces and are removed from the airstream. A full cone water spray installed upstream prevents any surface build-up of dust. This paper summaries the computer models generated to show the filter operations and laboratory experiments including optical particle counting to establish the cleaning efficiency.