bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Geometric Proca with matter in metric-Palatini gravity
Authors: Demir Durmuş , Puliçe Beyhan
Published: November 2022

In the present work, we study linear, torsion-free metric-Palatini gravity, extended by the quadratics of the antisymmetric part of the Ricci tensor and extended also by the presence of the affine connection in the matter sector. We show that this extended metric-Palatini gravity reduces dynamically to the general relativity plus a geometrical massive vector field corresponding to non-metricity of the connection. We also show that this geometric Proca field couples to fermions universally. We derive static, spherically symmetric field equations of this Einstein-geometric Proca theory. We study possibility of black hole solutions by taking into account the presence of a dust distribution that couples to the geometric Proca. Our analytical and numerical analyses show that the presence of this dust worsens the possibility of horizon formation. We briefly discuss possible roles of this universally-coupled geometric Proca in the astrophysical and collider processes.
Dynamical conductivity of disordered quantum chains
Authors: Takayoshi Shintaro , Giamarchi Thierry
Published: November 2022

We study the transport properties of a one-dimensional quantum system with disorder. We numerically compute the frequency dependence of the conductivity of a fermionic chain with nearest-neighbor interaction and a random chemical potential by using the Chebyshev matrix product state (CheMPS) method. As a benchmark, we investigate the noninteracting case first. Comparison with exact diagonalization and analytical solutions demonstrates that the results of CheMPS are reliable over a wide range of frequencies. We then calculate the dynamical conductivity spectra of the interacting system for various values of the interaction and disorder strengths. In the high-frequency regime, the conductivity decays as a power law, with an interaction-dependent exponent. This behavior is qualitatively consistent with the bosonized field theory predictions, although the numerical evaluation of the exponent shows deviations from the analytically expected values. We also compute the characteristic pinning frequency at which a peak in the conductivity appears. We confirm that it is directly related to the inverse of the localization length, even in the interacting case. We demonstrate that the localization length follows a power law of the disorder strength with an exponent dependent on the interaction, and find good quantitative agreement with the field theory predictions. In the low-frequency regime, we find a behavior consistent with the one of the noninteracting system $$\omega ^{2}(\ln \omega )^{2}$$

ω
2

(
ln
ω
)

2

independently of the interaction. We discuss the consequences of our finding for experiments in cold atomic gases.

Graphical abstract
Rudolph Glossop (1902–1993): the founding of the Engineering Group of the Geological Society of London
Authors: Bromhead Edward N.
Published: November 2022

The following short account describes why Rudolph Glossop's role in the founding of the Engineering Group with the Geological Society was so fundamental, and why his career and experience up to that point so fitted him for that seminal role.
Do You Need a Distributed Ledger Technology Interoperability Solution?
Authors: Belchior Rafael , Riley Luke , Hardjono Thomas , Vasconcelos André , Correia Miguel
Published: November 2022

Entrepreneurs, enterprises, and governments are using distributed ledger technology (DLT) as a component of complex information systems, and therefore interoperability capabilities are required. Interoperating DLTs enable network effects and synergies, and similarly to the rise of the Internet, it unlocks the full potential of the technology. However, due to the novelty of the area, interoperability mechanisms (IMs) are still not well understood, as interoperability is studied in silos. Consequently, choosing the proper IM for a use case is challenging.

Our article has three contributions: first, we systematically study the research area of DLT interoperability by dissecting and analyzing previous work. We study the logical separation of interoperability layers, how a DLT can connect to others (connection mode), the object of interoperation (interoperation mode), and propose a new categorization for IMs. Second, we propose the first interoperability assessment for DLTs that systematically evaluates the interoperability degree of an IM. This framework allows comparing the potentiality, compatibility, and performance among solutions.

Finally, we propose two decision models to assist in choosing an IM, considering different requirements. The first decision model assists in choosing the infrastructure of an IM, while the second decision model assists in choosing its functionality.
Temporal Dropout for Weakly Supervised Action Localization
Authors: Xie Chi , Zhuang Zikun , Zhao Shengjie , Liang Shuang
Published: November 2022

Weakly supervised action localization is a challenging problem in video understanding and action recognition. Existing models usually formulate the training process as direct classification using video-level supervision. They tend to only locate the most discriminative parts of action instances and produce temporally incomplete detection results. A natural solution for this problem, the adversarial erasing strategy, is to remove such parts from training so that models can attend to complementary parts. Previous works do it in an offline and heuristic way. They adopt a multi-stage pipeline, where discriminative regions are determined and erased under the guidance of detection results from last stage. Such a pipeline can be both ineffective and inefficient, possibly hindering the overall performance. On the contrary, we combine adversarial erasing with dropout mechanism and propose a Temporal Dropout Module that learns where to remove in a data-driven and online manner. This plug-and-play module is trained without iterative stages, which not only simplifies the pipeline but also makes the regularization during training easier and more adaptive. Experiments show that the proposed method outperforms previous erasing-based methods by a large margin. More importantly, it achieves universal improvement when plugged into various direct classification methods and obtains state-of-the-art performance.
Assessing Second Language Speaking Proficiency
Authors: de Jong Nivja H.
Published: November 2022

In today's global economy, most people all over the world need to speak a second language (L2) for study, work, or social purposes. Assessment of speaking, either in the classroom or as an external exam, is therefore an important task. However, because of its fleeting nature, the assessment of speaking proficiency is difficult. For valid assessment, a speaking test must measure speaking proficiency without construct-irrelevant variance, for instance, due to tasks, raters, and interlocutors. This article begins by bringing together insights from different disciplines to develop a multi-componential construct of speaking proficiency, which includes linguistic and strategic competencies. Because speaking usually takes place in conversation, the ability to take part in interaction, including rapid prediction, is described as part of the speaking construct. Next, the factors that need to be controlled when making a speaking assessment are discussed. Finally, challenges and ideas for future research are briefly described.
Recent Advances in the Use of Transition Metal Catalysts in the Electro-Organic Synthesis
Authors: Swaroop Toreshettahally R. , Umashankara Muddegowda , Thakur Vijay Kumar , Rangappa Kanchugarakoppal S.
Published: November 2022

In this review, we present recent advances in the transition metal catalyzed electro-organic transformations since 2000. The review mainly focuses on C-C and C-heteroatom bond-forming reactions along with miscellaneous reactions. Electro-organic synthesis attracts the attention of chemists due to no use of equivalent amount of chemical oxidants. Since electron is a mass free reagent, atom economy of electro-organic reactions is high and hence they are green reactions. We present articles in which transition metal catalysts are regenerated by electricity. Besides, reactions due to sacrificial anodes are also presented.
Selective Distributing Features of PFSA Ionomer on Pt/C in PEMFC
Authors: Zhou Fen , Wang Rui , Guan Shumeng , Zhang Hui , Wang Yi , Li Guangfu , Pan Mu
Published: November 2022

Unconventional ORR polarization exacerbates the performance degradation of the PEMFC, which is directly related to the interfacial features of Pt/Nafion. Therefore, the distribution of Nafion on the Pt surface is an important issue for the in-depth analysis of Nafion poisoning and is likely to be a breakthrough to completely solve it. In this work, we first visualized the selective distribution of Nafion on Pt surface by TEM-EDS. Simultaneously, Nafion-coated CLs with different areal loadings by thinning and diluting processes underwent delicate electrochemical measurements, which demonstrates that the coverage of sulfonate on Pt is proportional to the Pt loading, further proving the preferential distribution of Nafion on Pt compared with carbon by quantitative data analysis. As such, this groundbreaking work with an innovative approach, including qualitative visual observation and quantitative electrochemical calculation, provides a new horizon for the understanding of Nafion poisoning on Pt-based oxygen reduction catalysts and is meaningful to the local structure design of anti-Nafion-poisoning catalysts.
An Optimized Design of New XYθ Mobile Positioning Microrobotic Platform for Polishing Robot Application Using Artificial Neural Network and Teaching‐Learning Based Optimization
Authors: Dang Minh Phung , Le Hieu Giang , Le Chau Ngoc , Dao Thanh-Phong
Published: November 2022

Compliant mechanisms with flexure hinges have been widely applied for positioners, bioengineering, and aerospace. In this study, a new optimized design method for the mobile microrobotic platform was developed for the polishing robot system. A metaheuristic‐based machine learning technique in combination with finite element analysis (FEA) was developed. The designed platform allows three degrees of freedom with two x‐and‐y translations and one z‐axis rotation. A new hybrid displacement amplification mechanism was also developed using Scott‐Russell and two‐lever mechanisms to magnify the workspace of the platform. The leaf hinges were employed due to their large rotation, and the right circular hinges were adopted because of their high accuracy. In modeling the behaviors of the developed platform, the artificial neural network is formulated in combination with the teaching‐learning‐based optimization (TLBO) method. The ANN architecture was optimized through TLBO to a better approximation. And then, three optimized case studies were conducted by the TLBO. The data is collected through FEA simulation. The modeling results from the TLBO‐based ANN were well established with excellent metrics of R, R2, and MSE. The optimized results found that the proposed MPM platform achieves a max‐y stroke of 1568.1 μm, max‐x stroke of 735.55 μm, and max‐θ rotation angle of 2.26 degrees. The proposed MPM platform can operate at a high displacement amplification ratio of over 9.
Amelanotic Melanoma Treated as Fungal Infection for Years
Authors: Kuceki Guilherme , Deacon Dekker C. , Secrest Aaron M.
Published: November 2022

This study describes a case of amelanotic lentigo maligna melanoma in a 69-year-old female that had been growing for approximately 5 years. The asymptomatic lesion had been previously diagnosed and treated as a fungal skin infection, an inflammatory rash, and an actinic keratosis that did not respond to standard treatments. Biopsy revealed confluent and nested atypical melanocytes at the dermal-epidermal junction, consistent with melanoma in situ. Excisional biopsy revealed invasive lentigo maligna melanoma, Breslow depth 0.3 mm, with positive melanoma in situ at margins. She is now 3 years post-Mohs surgery without recurrence. When working up a patient with a hypopigmented or inflammatory lesion not responding to standard therapies, physicians should always consider biopsy to rule out unusual neoplastic etiologies, such as amelanotic melanomas.
First Ministry-Academia Collaborative Report on Causes and Remedies of Human-Animal Conflict at Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttar Pradesh, India
Authors: Mishra Poonam , Chaudhary Anubha , Tyagi Aayush Raj , Gangwar Anjali , Tyagi Anurag , Singh Mahima , Kaushik Megha , Mishra Shambhavi , Garg Yashi , Sethi Yakshi , Jain Himanshi , Pal Jyoti , Janoo N. K. , Gupta Neelu Jain
Published: November 2022

Sustainable coexistence of different components of an ecosystem is a fundamental requirement for the overall welfare of the human population worldwide. Despite this fact, continued growth in human population, increasing demand for various available natural resources, and invasion of all inhabitable habitats have led to the destruction of the coexistence of wildlife and human and also caused the fragmentation of natural habitat for the wildlife in India. This in turn may viciously affect the rural population residing in the nearby area of such regions, for example, the area covered for sanctuaries, which are established in consideration to provide protection to the indigenous wildlife. Hence, it becomes essential to mitigate such conflicts to create a healthy environment for cosurvival of all stakeholders. Here, in this study, we have tried to figure out the possible reasons and provide certain cures to avoid the recurring human-wildlife conflicts in one of the largest wildlife sanctuaries, Hastinapur wildlife sanctuary, situated in Uttar Pradesh, India.
Fuzzy Fractional-Order PID Control for PMSG Based Wind Energy Conversion System with Sparse Matrix Converter Topology
Authors: Abdulrazaq Waleed Khaled Abdulrazaq , Vural Ahmet Mete
Published: November 2022

Sparse matrix converter (SMC) is an indirect AC-to-AC power electronic converter that has a fictitious DC link between rectification and inversion stages in which neither a capacitor nor an inductor, as the storage element, is utilized. Due to this advantage, SMC is used in AC drives, marine thrust systems, aerospace industry, as well as in wind energy applications. On the other hand, permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) is competitive in wind turbine applications due to their prominent features. In this work, a fuzzy fractional-order PID (FFOPID) controller is designed for a PMSG based wind energy conversion system (WECS) which employs a three-phase three-level SMC. The FFOPID controller is chosen to combine the salient features of the fractional-order calculus and fuzzy logic operations to enhance the dynamic response of classical PID controller with fixed gains. The simulation results taken under different case studies are analyzed in detail, which demonstrate the superiority of the designed FFOPID controller over classical PID control approach in tracking d- and q-axis current references of the SMC at the output. With the designed control approach, the smooth control of the real and reactive power injections into the grid from the WECS are ensured with acceptable transient response.
A Novel Discrete DGM (2, 1, t2) Model Based on Stochastic Oscillation Sequence and Its Application
Authors: Xu Jun-Lin , Chen You-Jun
Published: November 2022

This article aims to improve the prediction accuracy of the grey model for stochastic oscillation sequence, to overcome the defect of the direct span from difference to differential and to better depict the growth trend of data series. Firstly, the accelerated translation smoothing transformation is constructed, which transforms the stochastic oscillation sequence into the monotonic increasing sequence that is suitable for modeling. Secondly, the quadratic time power term is introduced to establish a novel discrete DGM (2, 1, t2) model, then derive a novel simulation prediction formula, and analyze properties of this novel model; it was concluded that its application scope is expanded. Finally, a novel discrete DGM (2, 1, t2) model based on a stochastic oscillation sequence is established to forecast a group of stochastic oscillation sequences with different amplitudes and two different city traffic flow series and compare the prediction accuracy with other grey models; the results show that the feasibility of this model is verified and has good simulated prediction effect in the field of traffic flow.
Diagnostic Values of Laboratory Biomarkers in Predicting a Severe Course of COVID‐19 on Hospital Admission
Authors: Tummala Anusha , Ramesh Venkat , Balakrishna Nagalla , Koyyada Rajeswari , Singh Anula Divyash , Patnam Sreekanth , Satish Kumar M. , Varahala Sneha , Manda Sasidhar V. , Narreddy Suneetha
Published: November 2022

Objective. We intend to identify differences in the clinicodemographic and laboratory findings of COVID‐19 patients to predict disease severity and outcome on admission. Methods. This single‐centred retrospective study retrieved laboratory and clinical data from 350 COVID‐19 patients on admission, represented as frequency tables. A multivariate regression model was used to assess the statistically significant association between the explanatory variables and COVID‐19 infection outcomes, where adjusted odds ratio (AOR), p value, and 95% CI were used for testing significance. Results. Among the 350 COVID‐19 patients studied, there was a significant increase in the WBC count, neutrophils, aggregate index of systemic inflammation (AISI), neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (dNLR), neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte and platelet ratio (NLPR), monocyte‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (MLR), systemic immune‐inflammation index (SII), systemic inflammation response index (SIRI), D‐dimer, interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), ferritin, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), prothrombin time (PT), glucose, urea, urea nitrogen, creatinine, alanine phosphatase (ALP), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and a significant decrease in lymphocytes, eosinophils, total protein, albumin, prealbumin serum, and albumin/globulin (A/G) ratio in the severe group when compared with the mild and moderate groups. However, after adjusting their age, gender, and comorbidities, WBC count (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 6.888, 95% CI = 1.590‐29.839, p = 0.010), neutrophils (AOR = 5.912, 95% CI = 2.131‐16.402, p = 0.001), and urea (AOR = 4.843, 95% CI = 1.988‐11.755, p = 0.001) were strongly associated with disease severity. Interpretation and Conclusion. On admission, WBC count, neutrophils, and urea, with their cut of values, can identify at‐risk COVID‐19 patients who could develop severe COVID‐19.
Meconium Microbiota Composition and Association with Birth Delivery Mode
Authors: Rocha-Viggiano Ana K. , Aranda-Romo Saray , Salgado-Bustamante Mariana , Ovando-Vázquez Cesaré
Published: November 2022

Recently, the intrauterine sterile environment theory has been questioned. Growing evidence shows that microbial in utero pioneer gut colonization could occur prebirth, and this initial colonization may play an important role in the development of the neonate immune system and setting up a niche for the adult-like microbiota. In this study, we compared the microbiota networks from public available meconium datasets from different countries. The findings showed differences at the genera level and were country-dependent. We generated and analyzed bacterial networks, at the genera level of meconium samples from c-section and vaginally delivery modes. Interestingly, bacterial networks from the c-section-delivered meconium samples tended to have a bigger diameter but fewer correlations, whereas the vaginally delivered meconium networks were smaller and with a higher number of correlations. Even more, the networks were similar in the delivery mode, even between countries, at the genera level. The c-section networks suggest incomplete colonization or important lack of bacteria, promoting the susceptibility of the network to receive new members, beneficial or pathogens. These results suggest that the network analysis contributes to the knowledge of microbiota composition, identifying microbial associations, despite the differences between the environment and country habits, and obtaining a better understanding of microbial gut colonization.
Bronchoscopy Laser and Silicone Y-Stents as Emergency Airway Management in Central Airway Stenosis Due to Secondary Thyroid Carcinoma: A Case Report
Authors: Elhidsi Mia , Soehardiman Dicky , Wibawanto Agung , Maruli Haris , Maryastuti  , Prasenohadi  , Syahruddin Elisna
Published: November 2022

Total airway obstruction in thyroid cancer is rare and has high morbidity and mortality. Airway management in such cases is challenging, especially in cases in which thyroid masses cannot be totally resected. It is important to choose the appropriate airway treatment modality. Currently, therapeutic rigid bronchoscopy procedures and endoluminal lasers, as well as airway stent insertion, are a management modality of near-total malignant airway obstruction. We report a rigid bronchoscopy procedure combined with laser and Y-stent silicone insertion in thyroid cancer with extension infiltration, as well as compression in the trachea covering the subglottic tracheal area up to the main carina and tracheo-bronchomalacia, manifesting as acute respiratory failure.
Re-refining Used Engine Oil in Ghana Using Solvent Extraction and Acid-Clay Treatment
Authors: Kwao-Boateng Emmanuela , Anokye-Poku Terza , Agyemang Anthony N. P. , Fokuo Michael Kwadwo
Published: November 2022

Despite having detrimental impacts on the environment and human health, used engine oil is not properly disposed of in Ghana. However, used engine oil can be a valuable resource when recycled. This study investigates the recovery of base oils from used engine oils collected in one Ghanaian municipality. The used engine oils are re-refined either through acid-clay treatment or solvent extraction. Pour point, density, viscosity index, and total acid number of used engine oil and re-refined oils were measured in order to evaluate the two re-refining processes used and assess whether it is appropriate to reuse the re-refined oils as base oils. The pour point, total acid number, and viscosity index of the re-refined oils were significantly different from those of the used engine oils. The density of the re-refined oils varied little from that of the used engine oils (by 0.83% to 6.65%). These changes indicate the separation of some components, primarily impurities, from used engine oil as a result of re-refining. Compared to solvent extraction, acid-clay treatment was found to be less selective. When nitric acid or sulphuric acid was used, acid-clay treatment often produced group I and II base oils, whereas hydrochloric acid typically produced group III base oils. Also, the solvent extraction process frequently yielded oils with very high viscosity indices comparable to group III base oils. It is recommended that the type of base oil preferred for the production of new lubricants should be taken into account when deciding on a specific method for re-refining used engine oil.
Risk Factors for Hemorrhagic Stroke among Adults in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: A Hospital-Based Study in a Limited Resource Setting
Authors: Musung Jacques Mbaz , Kakoma Placide Kambola , Bugeme Marcellin , Banze Jeef Paul Munkemena , Mukeng Clarence Kaut , Muyumba Orly Ngungwa , Kamalo Berthe Mwad , Kapya Harvey Kabulo , Ngongo Ghyslain Lambo , Kitwa Laurent , Yav Evariste Tshibind , Mukuku Olivier , Muyumba Emmanuel Kiyana
Published: November 2022

Background. The prevalence of stroke is increasing in sub-Saharan Africa. The scarcity of hospital-based stroke data in Lubumbashi (in the Democratic Republic of the Congo) led to the study, which was designed to describe the epidemiology of stroke and identify risk factors associated with hemorrhagic stroke among adult patients in Lubumbashi. Methods. This was a cross-sectional study of 158 adult patients admitted for stroke in the internal medicine department of Lubumbashi University Clinics from January 2018 to December 2020. Sociodemographic and clinical features, cardiovascular risk factors, and hospital mortality were collected. A logistic regression has determined the risk of developing a hemorrhagic stroke. Results. Of 9,919 hospitalized patients, 158 had a stroke with a hospital prevalence of 1.6%; 86 (54.4%) patients had a hemorrhagic stroke while 72 (45.6%) had an ischemic stroke. Of which 41.1% (65/158) were women. The mean age was

60.8
±
13.3

years. Main clinical signs were hemiplegia (63.3%), headache (48.7%), speech disorders (38.6%), and dizziness (38.6%). Hypertension (82.9%) and hyperglycemia (53.2%) were the most common risk factors. Inhospital mortality was 22.8%. After logistic regression, independent predictors for developing hemorrhagic stroke were hypertension (

aOR
=
8.19

; 95% CI: 2.72–24.66;

p
<
0.0001

) and atrial fibrillation (

aOR
=
4.89

; 95% CI: 1.41–16.89;

p
=
0.012

). Conclusion. This study highlights the high stroke mortality in a resource-limited hospital and the burden of hypertension in the development of hemorrhagic stroke. It illustrates the need to establish stroke care setting to improve the quality of stroke care.
Longitudinal Relationship between the Introduction of Medicinal Cannabis and Polypharmacy: An Australian Real-World Evidence Study
Authors: Kalaba Maja , Eglit Graham M. L. , Feldner Matthew T. , Washer Patrizia D. , Ernenwein Tracie , Vickery Alistair W. , Ware Mark A.
Published: November 2022

Background. Recent studies recommend medicinal cannabis (MC) as a potential treatment for chronic pain (CP) when conventional therapies are not successful; however, data from Australia is limited. This real-world evidence study explored how the introduction of MC related to concomitant medication use over time. Long-term safety also was examined. Methods. Data were collected by the Emerald Clinics (a network of seven clinics located across Australia) as part of routine practice from Jan 2020 toJan 2021. Medications were classified by group: antidepressants, benzodiazepines, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), opioids, and total number of medications. Adverse events (AEs) were collected at each visit and subsequently coded using the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities version 23 into the system organ class (SOC) and preferred term (PT). A total of 535 patients were analyzed. Results. The most common daily oral dose was 10 mg for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and 15 mg for cannabidiol (CBD). With the introduction of MC, patients’ total number of medications consumed decreased over the course of one year; significant reductions in NSAIDs, benzodiazepines, and antidepressants were observed (

p

 < .001). However, the number of prescribed opioid medications did not differ from baseline to the end of one year (

p

 = .49). Only 6% of patients discontinued MC treatment during the study. A total of 600 AEs were reported in 310 patients during the reporting period and 97% of them were classified as nonserious. Discussion. Though observational in nature, these findings suggest MC is generally well-tolerated, consistent with the previous literature, and may reduce concomitant use of some medications. Due to study limitations, concomitant medication reductions cannot be causally attributed to MC. Nevertheless, these data underscore early signals that warrant further exploration in randomized trials.
High-Temperature Creep Behavior of a Nickel-Based Single-Crystal Superalloy with Small-Angle Deviation from [111] Orientation
Authors: Wang Guangyan , Zhang Song , Zhao Guoqi , Tian Ning , Yan Huajin , Tian Sugui , Jin Fangwei
Published: November 2022

By means of tensile creep tests and microstructure analysis, the creep behavior and deformation mechanism of a nickel-based single-crystal alloy with small-angle deviations from the [111] orientation at 1040°C/137 MPa were investigated. The results suggested that in the early stage of creep, proliferating dislocations generated by different slip systems get accumulated in the γ phase. Dislocations mainly slipped in the γ phase and climbed over the γ′ phase, and they began to form a dislocation network at the interface. γ′ phases were connected to each other, and the coherence relationship was destroyed. In the steady-state stage of creep, the solid interfacial dislocation network was formed, and the γ′ phase transformed into a lamellar raft structure, which hinders the slip and climb of dislocations in the matrix channel. In the accelerated creep stage, the dislocation network was destroyed, and dislocations sheared into the γ′ phase in the way of dislocation pairs, which could react to form a superdislocation node and decompose to form APBs on the <111> plane or cross slip from the <111> plane to the <100> plane to form K-W locks.
Population-Based Impact of Rurality and Neighborhood-Level Socioeconomic Disadvantage on Pediatric Cancer Mortality in Washington State
Authors: Ohlsen Timothy J.D. , Doody David R. , Mueller Beth A. , Desai Arti D. , Chow Eric J.
Published: November 2022

Background:

Childhood cancer–related mortality differs by socioeconomic factors, but the impact of residential location, including rurality and neighborhood-level socioeconomic disadvantage, is not well-characterized.

Methods:

This retrospective cohort study linked Washington State cancer registry data (1992–2013) to state birth (1974–2013) and death records (1992–2013) to identify residents <20 years diagnosed with cancer (n = 4,306). Census-based rural–urban commuting area codes and Area Deprivation Index (ADI) defined rural residence and neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage at time of cancer diagnosis, respectively. Neighborhoods in the highest state ADI quintile were classified as the most disadvantaged. Kaplan–Meier estimates and Cox hazards models, adjusted for key characteristics, were used to compare mortality by rural and ADI classification.

Results:

Five-year overall survival for children from non-rural low ADI neighborhoods (referent) was 80.9%±0.8%, versus 66.4%±2.9% from non-rural high ADI neighborhoods, 69.4%±3.8% from rural low ADI neighborhoods, and 66.9%±3.8% from rural high ADI neighborhoods (P < 0.01 for each comparison versus referent). Compared with the referent group, children from comparator neighborhoods had a greater mortality risk: Rural low ADI [hazard ratio (HR), 1.50; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.12–2.02], rural high ADI (HR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.16–2.01), and non-rural high ADI (HR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.32–2.04). Associations of ADI and rurality with mortality varied in sub-analyses by cancer type.

Conclusions:

Children with cancer living in rural and/or socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods at diagnosis experienced greater mortality relative to those without either factor.

Impact:

Future investigation is needed to examine how rurality and poverty potentially impact healthcare utilization and health-related outcomes in pediatric oncology.
Humoral and Cellular Immune Responses against SARS-CoV-2 after Third Dose BNT162b2 following Double-Dose Vaccination with BNT162b2 versus ChAdOx1 in Patients with Cancer
Authors: Debie Yana , Van Audenaerde Jonas R.M. , Vandamme Timon , Croes Lieselot , Teuwen Laure-Anne , Verbruggen Lise , Vanhoutte Greetje , Marcq Elly , Verheggen Lisa , Le Blon Debbie , Peeters Bart , Goossens Maria E. , Pannus Pieter , Ariën Kevin K. , Anguille Sébastien , Janssens Annelies , Prenen Hans , Smits Evelien L.J. , Vulsteke Christof , Lion Eva , Peeters Marc , van Dam Peter A.
Published: November 2022

Purpose:

Patients with cancer display reduced humoral responses after double-dose COVID-19 vaccination, whereas their cellular response is more comparable with that in healthy individuals. Recent studies demonstrated that a third vaccination dose boosts these immune responses, both in healthy people and patients with cancer. Because of the availability of many different COVID-19 vaccines, many people have been boosted with a different vaccine from the one used for double-dose vaccination. Data on such alternative vaccination schedules are scarce. This prospective study compares a third dose of BNT162b2 after double-dose BNT162b2 (homologous) versus ChAdOx1 (heterologous) vaccination in patients with cancer.

Experimental Design:

A total of 442 subjects (315 patients and 127 healthy) received a third dose of BNT162b2 (230 homologous vs. 212 heterologous). Vaccine-induced adverse events (AE) were captured up to 7 days after vaccination. Humoral immunity was assessed by SARS-CoV-2 anti-S1 IgG antibody levels and SARS-CoV-2 50% neutralization titers (NT50) against Wuhan and BA.1 Omicron strains. Cellular immunity was examined by analyzing CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses against SARS-CoV-2–specific S1 and S2 peptides.

Results:

Local AEs were more common after heterologous boosting. SARS-CoV-2 anti-S1 IgG antibody levels did not differ significantly between homologous and heterologous boosted subjects [GMT 1,755.90 BAU/mL (95% CI, 1,276.95–2,414.48) vs. 1,495.82 BAU/mL (95% CI, 1,131.48–1,977.46)]. However, homologous-boosted subjects show significantly higher NT50 values against BA.1 Omicron. Subjects receiving heterologous boosting demonstrated increased spike-specific CD8+ T cells, including higher IFNγ and TNFα levels.

Conclusions:

In patients with cancer who received double-dose ChAdOx1, a third heterologous dose of BNT162b2 was able to close the gap in antibody response.
Dietary Protein and Fiber Affect Gut Microbiome and Treg/Th17 Commitment in Chronic Kidney Disease Mice
Authors: Serrano Myrna , Srivastava Anvesha , Buck Gregory , Zhu Bin , Edupuganti Laahirie , Adegbulugbe Esther , Shankaranarayanan Divya , Kopp Jeffrey B. , Raj Dominic S.
Published: November 2022

Background: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have dysbiosis, dysmetabolism, and immune dysregulation. Gut microbiome plays an important role shaping the immune system which is an important modulator of CKD progression. Methods: We compared the effect of a diet low in protein and high in fiber (LP-HF; n = 7) to that of diet rich in protein, but low in fiber (HP-LF; n = 7) on gut microbiome and T-cell commitment in male CKD (Alb/TGF-β1) mice. The gut microbiomes of these mice were subjected to 16S rRNA taxonomic profiling at baseline, 6 weeks and 12 weeks of the study. Results: The LP-HF diet was associated with an increase in Butyricicoccus pullicaecorum BT, a taxon whose functions include those closely related to butyric acid synthesis (Kendall’s W statistic = 180 in analysis of microbiome composition). HP-LF diet was associated with increased abundance of two predominantly proteolytic bacterial strains related to Parabacteroides distasonis (W statistic = 173), Mucispirillum schaedleri, and Bacteroides dorei (W statistic = 192). Pathway analysis suggested that the LP-HF diet induced carbohydrate, lipid, and butyrate metabolism. As compared with HP-LF mice, LP-HF mice had 1.7-fold increase in CD4+Foxp3+Treg cells in spleen and 2.4-fold increase of these cells in peripheral blood. There was an 87% decrease in percentage of CD4+ Th17 + cells in spleen and an 85% decrease in peripheral blood, respectively, in LP-HF mice compared to the HP-LF mice. Conclusion: The LP-HF diet promotes the proliferation of saccharolytic bacteria and favors T-cell commitment toward Treg cells in a CKD mouse of model. Clinical significance of the finding needs to be further investigated.
Active Surveillance in Prostate Cancer: Current and Potentially Emerging Biomarkers for Patient Selection Criteria
Authors: Sotomayor Paula C. , Aguilar Juan C. , Mujica Karen , Zuñiga Alvaro , Godoy Alejandro S. , Smith Gary J. , Mohler James L. , Vitagliano Gonzalo , San Francisco Ignacio F.
Published: November 2022

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) represents one of the most frequent malignancies and the fifth leading cause of cancer death in adult men worldwide. PCa mortality rates have been declining in several Western countries; one of the possible reasons may be related to the application of prostate-specific antigen early detection policies. These early detection protocols increase PCa-specific patient survival; however, a high percentage of these cases corresponds to low-risk PCa that grows very slowly and is unlikely to metastasize to threaten survival. Many low-risk PCa patients receive aggressive therapies, such as radical prostatectomy and radiotherapy, that are costly for patients and/or health systems and generate side effects that affect the quality of life. An alternative to surgery and radiotherapy treatments for low-risk PCa is active surveillance (AS), a strategy based on close disease monitoring and intervention only if the disease progresses. However, proper identification of low-risk PCa patients at the time of diagnosis is essential for the effectiveness AS. The selection of AS candidates remains challenging; thus, effective prognostic biomarkers are needed. Summary: This review article addresses the characteristics of the current and emerging PCa prognostic biomarkers, including tests available for tissue, blood, and urine analyses, for the appropriate selection of PCa patients for AS. In addition, and based on published literature, we performed a selection of potential new biomarkers that can distinguish low-risk PCa. Key Messages: The literature search yielded four tissue-based tests, two blood-based tests, and six urine-based tests that can be used to determine PCa risk classification. However, most available tests are expensive; thus, cost-effective analyses are needed in order to obtain the approval of government agencies and to be financed by the health systems. Available prognostic urine tests have shown great progress over the last years, and they have the advantage of being minimally invasive; therefore, they may become a routine disease progression test for patients under AS. In addition, new research conducted in the last decade has shown promising biomarkers, including mRNA, miRNA, long noncoding RNA, and metabolites, that could improve existing tests or allow the development of new tools for AS patient selection.
Psoriasis: Weitere kortikoidfreie topische Therapie in Sicht
Authors: Philipp Sandra
Published: November 2022

Background: Tapinarof cream is a topical aryl hydrocarbon receptor-modulating agent under investigation for the treatment of psoriasis. Tapinarof modulates the expression of interleukin-17 and the skin-barrier proteins filaggrin and loricrin. Methods: We conducted two identical phase 3 randomized trials of tapinarof in patients with mild-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Adults with a baseline Physician’s Global Assessment (PGA) score of 2 (mild) to 4 (severe) (on a scale from 0 to 4, with higher scores indicating more severe psoriasis) and a percent of total body-surface area affected of 3 to 20% were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to use tapinarof 1% cream or vehicle cream once daily for 12 weeks. The primary end point, PGA response, was a PGA score of 0 (clear) or 1 (almost clear) and a decrease from baseline of at least 2 points at week 12. Secondary efficacy end points at week 12 were a reduction of at least 75% in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score, a PGA score of 0 or 1, the mean change from baseline in the percent of body-surface area affected, and a reduction of at least 90% in the PASI score. Patient-reported outcomes were the mean changes from baseline to week 12 in the proportion of patients who had a decrease of at least 4 points in the Peak Pruritus Numeric Rating Scale (PP-NRS) score (range, 0 [no itch] to 10 [worst imaginable itch]), the PP-NRS total score, the Dermatology Life Quality Index total score, and the Psoriasis Symptom Diary score. Results: In trials 1 and 2, a total of 692 and 674 patients, respectively, were screened, with 510 and 515 patients being enrolled. A PGA response occurred in 35.4% of the patients in the tapinarof group and in 6.0% of those in the vehicle group in trial 1 and in 40.2% and 6.3%, respectively, in trial 2 (p < 0.001 for both comparisons). Results for secondary end points and patient-reported outcomes were generally in the same direction as those for the primary end point. Adverse events with tapinarof cream included folliculitis, nasopharyngitis, contact dermatitis, headache, upper respiratory tract infection, and pruritus. Conclusions: Tapinarof 1% cream once daily was superior to vehicle control in reducing the severity of plaque psoriasis over a period of 12 weeks but was associated with local adverse events and headache. Larger and longer trials are needed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tapinarof cream as compared with existing treatments for psoriasis. (Funded by Dermavant Sciences; PSOARING 1 and 2 ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT03956355 and NCT03983980, respectively.).
Artificial intelligence system for driver distraction by stacked deep learning classification
Authors: Qibtiah Raja Mariatul , Zin Zalhan Mohd , Hassan Mohd Fadzil Abu
Published: November 2022

Increasing efforts in the transportation system have recently improved driver safety and reduced crash rates. Lack of attention and fatigue directly affect the driver's consciousness. Driver distraction is an essential driver-specific factor in the practical applicability of forward collision warning (FCW). However, there are still too many false alarms generated by the existing FCW system to be mitigated. This paper proposes facial detection to identify features and test anomalies' prediction against drivers using stacked convolutional neural network (CNN) layers. The proposed model used overlapping HAAR and stacked CNN features to identify classifications of eye areas, such as open or closed. In addition to the sliding query window's overall intensity information. The conventional HAAR function, which elevates the brightness of nearby regions, is still preferable. This method considers current intelligent transportation system-based solutions to minimize distraction effects by continuously comparing with flexible thresholds. The experimental results are analyzed from accurate driving datasets. At 456 iterations, the results acquired over 80% accuracy, while loss is near zero. The implication of driver's risk tolerance is further explored in this manner. Several risks are connected to driving any type of transportation system.
A tree growth based forward feature selection algorithm for intrusion detection system on convolutional neural network
Authors: Ramasamy Mathiyalagan , Eric Pamela Vinitha
Published: November 2022

With the rapid advancement of networking technologies, security system has become increasingly important to academics from several sectors. Intrusion detection (ID) provides a valuable protection by reducing the human resources required to keep an eye on intruders, improving the efficiency of detecting the various attacks in networks. Machine learning and deep learning are two key areas that have recently received a lot of attention, with a focus on improving the precision of detection classifiers. Using defense anvance research project agency (DARPA”98) datasets, a number of academics and research have developed intrusion detection systems. This paper discusses various approaches developed by different researchers, including scale-hybrid-IDS-AlertNet (SHIA), forward feature selection algorithm (FFSA), modified- mutual information feature selection (MMIFS), deep neural network (DNN), and the holes that remain to be filled, highlighting areas where these procedures can be improved, also are addressed and the proposed approach improved deep convolutional neural network (IDCNN) is compared with existing approach.
Automatic liver segmentation in computed tomography scans using deep semantic segmentation
Authors: Ezzat Kadry Ali , Omran Lamia Nabil , Seddawy Ahmed Ibrahim Bahgat El
Published: November 2022

Division of the liver from figured computed tomography (CT) images is fundamental for the greater part of the PC supported clinical applications, for instance, the arranging period of a liver transfer, liver volume assessment, and radiotherapy. In this paper, a programmed liver location model from clinical CT filters utilizing profound semantic division convolutional neural organization will be introduced, this model will actually want to subsequently isolate the liver utilizing CT images. The proposed model presents simultaneously the liver ID and the probabilistic division utilizing a profound convolutional neural organization. The proposed approach was endorsed on 10 CT volumes taken from open data sets 3Dircadb1. The proposed model is totally programmed with no requirement for client mediation. Quantitative results show that proposed model is reliable and exact for hepatic volume assessment in a clinical course of action with testing exactness 98.8%.
Massive multiple-input multiple-output channel estimation under hardware and channel impairments
Authors: Shatti Ahmed Hussein , Hussein Ehab Abdulrazzaq
Published: November 2022

Hardware problems are the most detrimental issues to channel estimates in wireless communication systems. Because of the enormous number of antennas at the base station (BS) in cellular massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems and because one radio frequency (RF) chain per antenna is required, hardware impairments in such systems will be quite severe. Many research publications have used a quality-cost tradeoff to adjust for RF unit hardware issues. In this study, we have taken a different approach by reducing the error floor caused by impairments in the predicted channels. Here are two steps to remedy the problem. In phase 1, a single active user channel in a single cell was calculated statistically rather than parametrically. In phase 2, a convex optimization approach was used to regularize the estimated channel in phase 1 to reduce error and provide a robust channel estimate. The results of our proposed procedure are measured by the normalized minimum mean squared error (NMSE) versus a range from the effective signal-to-noise ratio, and it shows a significant reduction (nearly one order of magnitude) in the error floor as compared with the conventional one, especially at high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in the range of (20 dB-30 dB). Simulation results were extracted in MATLAB R2020a.
A calculation method of the passive wireless surface acoustic wave sensor response phase
Authors: Ha Nguyen Thu , Thai Trinh Van , Cung Thanh Long , Hong Hoang Si
Published: November 2022

In this research, we propose a method to calculate the phase delay angle of the reflected wave compared to the wave emitted from the interdigital transducer (IDT) of a passive wireless surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor by combining simulation of the finite element method (FEM) and MATLAB. Based on the result, we consider the influence of the reflector position on the phase delay of the SAW sensor consisting of an IDT and three equally spaced reflectors. The distances between the IDT and the first reflector are 870 micrometers, 939.6 micrometers, and 1009.2 micrometers, and the distances between the reflector positions are 452.4 micrometers, 522 micrometers, and 591.6 micrometers. The outputs of the FEM simulation, including delay time, amplitude loss, and the length of the reflected wave are put into the model in MATLAB to determine the phase delay of the response waves. The obtained phase delay results show that as the distance between the IDT and the reflectors increases, the phase delay angle increases to 4.49 degrees, 5.39 degrees, and 5.78 degrees, respectively.