bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Concept maps and visualisation as a means of triangulation in management accounting and control research
Authors: Bruesch Antje , Quinn Martin
Published: February 2022

Purpose

Interpretive research in management accounting and control provides rich insights from empirically based studies, but it has been criticised for lacking generalisability and potential subjectivity. On the latter, triangulation is useful, and this paper aims to offer some insights on a triangulation technique thus far not commonly reported in management accounting/control research.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on a study of the roles of management accountants in performance management systems, this paper offers some insights from empirical experiences on the use of concept maps as a tool to assist triangulation and improve understanding of complex empirical phenomena.

Findings

The concept maps as utilised revealed additional insights which were not recounted by interviewees during the normal interview time. This is a potentially important finding for consideration of future researchers.

Practical implications

In this paper, how concept maps were used is detailed, and it is hoped that future researchers will find their use beneficial in interview settings.

Originality/value

Thus far, concept maps seem under-utilised in management accounting and control research. This paper gives some initial insights on how they may be used in case study settings.
Efficacy of ketorolac in the treatment of acute migraine attack: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Nurathirah Mohd Noor , Yazid Mohd Boniami , Norhayati Mohd Noor , Baharuddin Kamarul Aryffin , Abu Bakar Mimi Azliha
Published: February 2022

Objectives

This review was designated to evaluate the efficacy of parenteral ketorolac in treating acute migraine headache.

Methods

We searched databases Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Medline, and Google Scholar up to January 2021 and identified randomized controlled trials comparing ketorolac to any other medications in treating patients presenting with migraine headache.

Results

Thirteen trials were included in our review, comprising 944 participants. We derived seven comparisons: ketorolac versus phenothiazines, metoclopramide, sumatriptan, dexamethasone, sodium valproate, caffeine, and diclofenac. There were no significant differences in the reduction of pain intensity at 1 h under the comparisons between ketorolac and phenothiazines (standard mean difference [SMD] = 0.09, p = 0.74) or metoclopramide (SMD = 0.02, p = 0.95). We also found no difference in the outcome recurrence of headache (ketorolac vs. phenothiazines (risk ratio [RR] =0.98, p = 0.97)], ability to return to work or usual activity (ketorolac vs. metoclopramide [RR = 0.64, p = 0.13]), need for rescue medication (ketorolac vs. phenothiazines [RR = 1.72, p = 0.27], ketorolac vs. metoclopramide [RR 2.20, p = 0.18]), and frequency of adverse effects (ketorolac vs. metoclopramide [RR = 1.07, p = 0.82]). Limited trials suggested that ketorolac offered better pain relief at 1 h compared to sumatriptan and dexamethasone; had lesser frequency of adverse effects than phenothiazines; and was superior to sodium valproate in terms of reduction of pain intensity at 1 h, need for rescue medication, and sustained headache freedom within 24 h.

Conclusions

Ketorolac may have similar efficacy to phenothiazines and metoclopramide in treating acute migraine headache. Ketorolac may also offer better pain control than sumatriptan, dexamethasone, and sodium valproate. However, given the lack of evidence due to inadequate number of trials available, future studies are warranted.
Intracranial hypotension as a contributor to isolated cortical vein thrombosis
Authors: Zhang Dan , Chen Yin , Wang Jin , Hu Xingyue
Published: February 2022

Background

Isolated cortical vein thrombosis (ICVT), a rare type of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT), is diagnostically challenging in some cases, and intracranial hypotension (IH) is known to cause CVT.

Methods

In this study, we reviewed the clinical and imaging characteristics of ICVT in patients with IH caused by spinal cerebrospinal fluid leakage, based on a literature review and investigation of cases from our hospital.

Results

Between January 1, 2007, and November 1, 2019, 735 patients were diagnosed with IH at our hospital; three patients developed ICVT (incidence ~ 0.4%, 3/735), and the literature review yielded an additional 23 cases. Therefore, 26 patients (mean age 35.9 ± 11.4 years old) were included in this study. The most common symptoms were headache (100.0%, 26/26), focal neurological deficits (53.8%, 14/26), and seizure (34.6%, 9/26). The initial headache was orthostatic in 96.2% (25/26) of patients, and 38.5% (10/26) of patients reported a change in the headache pattern following diagnosis of ICVT. Neuroimaging findings associated with ICVT included the cord sign (61.5%, 16/26) and parenchymal brain lesions (46.2%, 12/26), such as intracerebral hemorrhage (30.8%, 8/26), hemorrhagic infarcts (11.5%, 3/26), and localized edema (11.5%, 3/26). The percentage of patients who received anticoagulation and epidural blood patch therapy was similar (69.2% [18/26] vs. 65.4% [17/26]), and most patients recovered completely (92.3%, 24/26).

Conclusion

IH should be considered in the differential diagnosis in patients with ICVT. Knowledge of the relevant clinical and neuroimaging features is important to facilitate early diagnosis for favorable prognosis.
Effectiveness of interleukin‐4 administration or zinc supplementation in improving zinc deficiency–associated thymic atrophy and fatty degeneration and in normalizing T cell maturation process
Authors: Kido Takamasa , Suka Machi , Yanagisawa Hiroyuki
Published: February 2022

Nutritional zinc deficiency induces thymic atrophy, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of thymic atrophy and fatty degeneration associated with zinc deficiency and its effect on T cell maturation. Building on previous research demonstrating the beneficial effect of IL‐4 administration or zinc supplementation on the spleen in zinc‐deficient rats, we further examined whether these supplements also improve thymic atrophy. Five‐week‐old male Sprague‐Dawley rats were fed a standard diet, zinc‐deficient diet (n = 16 each) with either saline or IL‐4, or a zinc‐deficient diet for 6 weeks followed by a standard diet for 4 weeks. Relative thymus weights, serum thymulin concentrations, and the number of cytokeratin‐8‐positive cells, AIRE‐positive cells, IL‐7‐positive cells, CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, pre‐T cells, and CD25+ CD44+ (DN3) cells in the thymus of zinc‐deficient rats significantly decreased compared with those in all other groups. Conversely, PPAR‐γ–positive cells, oil red O‐positive areas, pro T cells, CD25− CD44+ cells, TUNEL‐positive cells, Viobility 405/452 Fixable Dye–positive cells, CD68‐, CD163‐ or CD169‐ macrophages, and IL‐1β concentrations were significantly increased in the thymus of zinc‐deficient rats as compared to those in the other groups. After IL‐4 administration or zinc supplementation for zinc deficiency, all the measurement indices were recovered to levels in standard rats. It was demonstrated that zinc deficiency caused thymic atrophy, accompanied by fatty degeneration in the cortical regions and affected T cell maturation. IL‐4 administration or zinc supplementation for zinc deficiency ameliorated thymic fatty degeneration.
Molecular phylogeny of the threadfin fishes (Polynemidae) using ultraconserved elements
Authors: Girard Matthew G. , Davis Matthew P. , Baldwin Carole C. , Dettaï Agnès , Martin Rene P. , Smith W. Leo
Published: February 2022

Threadfins (Teleostei: Polynemidae) are a group of fishes named for their elongated and threadlike pectoral‐fin rays. These fishes are commonly found in the world's tropical and subtropical waters, and are an economically important group for people living in these regions, with more than 100,000 t harvested in recent years. However, we do not have a detailed understanding of polynemid evolutionary history such that these fishes can be monitored, managed and conserved as an important tropical food source. Recent studies hypothesize at least one genus of threadfins is polyphyletic, and no studies have focused on generating a hypothesis of relationship for the Polynemidae using DNA sequences. In this study, we analyse a genomic dataset of ultraconserved‐element and mitochondrial loci to construct a phylogeny of the Polynemidae. We recover the threadfins as a clade sister to flatfishes, with the most taxonomically rich genus, Polydactylus, being resolved as polyphyletic. When comparing our dataset to data from previous studies, we find that a few recent broad‐scale phylogenies of fishes have incorporated mislabelled, misidentified or chimeric terminals into their analyses, impacting the relationships of threadfins they recover. We highlight these problematic sequences, providing revised identifications based on the data sequenced in this study. We then discuss the intrarelationships of threadfins, highlighting morphological or ecological characters that support the clades we recover.
Friend or foe? Corticosteroids in sarcoidosis
Authors: Wilsher Margaret L.
Published: February 2022

See related article
Coupled Heat Power Operation of Smart Buildings via Modular Pumped Hydro Storage
Authors: Chen Yang , Abu-Heiba Ahmad , Kassaee Saiid , Liu Chenang , Liu Guodong , Starke Michael , Smith Brennan T. , Momen Ayyoub M.
Published: February 2022

In the United States, building sector is responsible for around 40% of total energy consumption and contributes about 40% of carbon emissions since 2012. Within the past several years, various optimization models and control strategies have been studied to improve buildings’ energy efficiency and reduce operational expenses under the constraints of satisfying occupants’ comfort requirements. However, the majority of these studies consider building electricity demand and thermal load being satisfied by unidirectional electricity flow from the power grid or on-site renewable energy generation to electrical and thermal home appliances. Opportunities for leveraging low-grade heat for electricity have largely been overlooked due to impracticality at small scale. In 2016, a modular pumped hydro storage technology was invented in Oak Ridge National Laboratory, named Ground Level Integrated Diverse Energy Storage (GLIDES). In GLIDES, employing high-efficiency hydraulic machinery instead of gas compressor/turbine, liquid is pumped to compress gas inside high-pressure vessel creating head on ground level. This unique design eliminates the geographical limitation associated with the existing state-of-the-art energy storage technologies. It is easy to be scaled for building level, community level, and grid level applications. By using this novel hydro-pneumatic storage technology, opportunities for leveraging low-grade heat in building can be economical. In this research, the potential of utilizing low-grade thermal energy to augment electricity generation of GLIDES is investigated. Since GLIDES relies on gas expansion in the discharge process and the gas temperature drops during this nonisothermal process, available thermal energy, e.g., from thermal storage, combined cooling, heat and power system (CCHP), can be utilized by GLIDES to counter the cooling effect of the expansion process and elevate the gas temperature and pressure and boost the roundtrip efficiency. Several groups of comparison experiments have been conducted, and the experimental results show that a maximum 12.9% cost saving could be achieved with unlimited heat source for GLIDES, and a moderate 3.8% cost improvement can be expected when operated coordinately with CCHP and thermal energy storage in a smart building.
The TetR Family Repressor HpaR Negatively Regulates the Catabolism of 5-Hydroxypicolinic Acid in Alcaligenes faecalis JQ135 by Binding to Two Unique DNA Sequences in the Promoter of
Hpa
Operon
Authors: Xu Siqiong , Jiang Yinhu , Zhang Fuyin , Wang Xiao , Zhang Kaiyun , Zhao Lingling , Hong Qing , Qiu Jiguo , He Jian
Published: February 2022

This study revealed that the transcription of the
hpa
operon was negatively regulated by a TetR family regulator, HpaR. The binding of HpaR to the promoter of the
hpa
operon has the following unique features: (i) HpaR has two independent binding sites in the promoter of the
hpa
operon, covering −35 region and −10 region, respectively; (ii) the palindrome sequences of the two binding sites are complementary to each other; and (iii) both of the binding sites include a 10-nucleotide partial palindrome sequence with 3 to 4 mismatches.
Enterovirus Infections in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: a Clinical Comparison from a Regional University Hospital in the Netherlands
Authors: Cassidy Hayley , van Leer-Buter Coretta , Niesters Hubert G. M.
Published: February 2022

Despite the high prevalence of enteroviruses in the community and the increasing demand for transplants from an aging population, knowledge on enteroviruses in solid organ transplant recipients is currently limited. Transplant recipients represent a significant patient population and require additional considerations in patient management, particularly as they have an increased risk of disease severity.
Transcriptome-Wide Identification of Coding and Noncoding RNA-Binding Proteins Defines the Comprehensive RNA Interactome of Leishmania mexicana
Authors: Kalesh Karunakaran , Wei Wenbin , Mantilla Brian S. , Roumeliotis Theodoros I. , Choudhary Jyoti , Denny Paul W.
Published: February 2022

Advances in proteomics and mass spectrometry have revealed the mRNA-binding proteins in many eukaryotic organisms, including the protozoan parasites
Leishmania
spp., the causative agents of leishmaniasis, a major infectious disease in over 90 tropical and subtropical countries. However, in addition to mRNAs, which constitute only 2 to 5% of the total transcripts, many types of non-coding RNAs participate in crucial biological processes.
Postulating an unconventional location for the missing mid-Pleistocene transition impact: Repaving North America with a cavitated regolith blanket while dispatching Australasian tektites and giving Michigan a thumb
Authors: Davias* Michael E. , Harris Thomas H.S.
Published: February 2022

This thesis embraces and expands upon a century of research into disparate geological enigmas, offering a unifying catastrophic explanation for events occurring during the enigmatic mid-Pleistocene transition. Billions of tons of “Australasian tektites” were dispatched as distal ejecta from a target mass of continental sediments during a cosmic impact occurring ca. 788 ka. The accepted signatures of a hypervelocity impact encompass an excavated astrobleme and attendant proximal, medial, and distal ejecta distributions. Enigmatically, the distal tektites remain the only accepted evidence of this impact’s reality. A protracted 50 yr search fixated on impact sites in Southeast Asia—the location of the tektites—has failed to identify the requisite additional impact signatures. We postulate the missing astrobleme and proximal/medial ejecta signatures are instead located antipodal to Southeast Asia. A review of the gradualistic theories for the genesis and age of the “Carolina bay” landforms of North America finds those models incapable of addressing all the facts we observe. Research into 57,000 of those oriented basins informs our speculation that they represent cavitation-derived ovoid basins within energetically delivered geophysical mass surge flows emanating from a cosmic impact. Those flows are seen as repaving regions of North America under blankets of hydrated impact regolith. Our precisely measured Carolina bay orientations indicate an impact site within the Laurentide ice sheet. There, we invoke a grazing regime impact into hydrated early Mesozoic to late Paleozoic continental sediments, similar in composition to the expected Australasian tektites’ parent target. We observe that continental ice shielded the target at ca. 788 ka, a scenario understood to produce anomalous astroblemes. The ensuing excavation allowed the Saginaw glacial lobe’s distinctive and unique passage through the Marshall Sandstone cuesta, which encircles and elsewhere protects the central region of the intracratonic Michigan Basin. Subsequent erosion by multiple ice-age transgressions has obfuscated impact evidence, forming Michigan’s “Thumb” as an enduring event signature. Comprehensive suborbital modeling supports the distribution of distal ejecta to the Australasian tektite strewn field from Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. The mid-Pleistocene transition impact hypothesis unifies the Carolina bays with those tektites as products of an impact into the Saginaw Bay area of Lake Huron, USA. The hypothesis will be falsified if cosmogenic nuclide burial dating of Carolina bay subjacent stratigraphic contacts disallows a coeval regolith emplacement ca. 788 ka across North America. We offer observations, interdisciplinary insights, and informed speculations fitting for an embryonic concept involving a planetary-scale extraterrestrial impact.
Rupture risk prediction of cerebral aneurysms using a novel convolutional neural network-based deep learning model
Authors: Yang Hyeondong , Cho Kwang-Chun , Kim Jung-Jae , Kim Jae Ho , Kim Yong Bae , Oh Je Hoon
Published: February 2022

Background

Cerebral aneurysms should be treated before rupture because ruptured aneurysms result in serious disability. Therefore, accurate prediction of rupture risk is important and has been estimated using various hemodynamic factors.

Objective

To suggest a new way to predict rupture risk in cerebral aneurysms using a novel deep learning model based on hemodynamic parameters for better decision-making about treatment.

Methods

A novel convolutional neural network (CNN) model was used for rupture risk prediction retrospectively of 123 aneurysm cases. To include the effect of hemodynamic parameters into the CNN, the hemodynamic parameters were first calculated using computational fluid dynamics and fluid–structure interaction. Then, they were converted into images for training the CNN using a novel approach. In addition, new data augmentation methods were devised to obtain sufficient training data. A total of 53,136 images generated by data augmentation were used to train and test the CNN.

Results

The CNNs trained with wall shear stress (WSS), strain, and combination images had area under the receiver operating characteristics curve values of 0.716, 0.741, and 0.883, respectively. Based on the cut-off values, the CNN trained with WSS (sensitivity: 0.5, specificity: 0.79) or strain (sensitivity: 0.74, specificity: 0.71) images alone was not highly predictive. However, the CNN trained with combination images of WSS and strain showed a sensitivity and specificity of 0.81 and 0.82, respectively.

Conclusion

CNN-based deep learning algorithm using hemodynamic factors, including WSS and strain, could be an effective tool for predicting rupture risk in cerebral aneurysms with good predictive accuracy.
Spare parts demand forecasting method of modern enterprises based on digital twin model
Authors: Wang Shuai , Wang Yabin , Wang Jinguo
Published: February 2022

Accurate forecast of spare parts demand is of great significance for modern enterprises to provide accurate support and improve market competitiveness. In most studies, mathematical laws are used to forecast, without enough consideration of the actual operation of equipment and the fact that the accuracy of spare parts demand forecasting is not high, which cannot adapt to the new characteristics of complex equipment use environment and fierce market competition in modern enterprises. The digital twin model can be used to forecast the demand for spare parts more accurately and guide modern enterprises to carry out accurate support. By analyzing the current spare parts demand of modern enterprises, the paper puts forward the forecasting ideas of spare parts demand based on the digital twin model by using the digital twin model of equipment maintenance management in modern enterprises. In the digital twin model, the theoretical demand forecasting model of spare parts based on life distribution of replaceable units is introduced, and the sensitivity coefficient system of spare parts demand of replaceable units to operation and environment is constructed. The digital twin model is used to feedback train the sensitivity coefficient to obtain the reliable spare parts demand rules. Based on the theoretical demand and sensitivity coefficient of spare parts, the forecasting method of spare parts demand is given, and the spare parts demand forecasting model is established. Through case analysis, the feasibility and accuracy of the forecasting model are verified.
A Comparison of the Outcomes of Excision of the Fractured Hook of Hamate via a Carpal Tunnel Approach versus a Lateral Approach
Authors: ASO Kuniichi
Published: February 2022

Background: The excision of the hook of the hamate is an accepted modality for the treatment of hook of hamate fractures. Three surgical approaches to the hook of hamate have been described in literature. This includes two palmar approaches namely the Guyon canal approach and the carpal tunnel approach, and the lateral approach. The aim of this article is to compare the outcomes of the carpal tunnel approach and the lateral approach.

Methods: Twenty-four patients with hook of hamate fractures were treated by excision of the hook of hamate. The hook of hamate was approached via the carpal tunnel in 15 patients and via the lateral approach in 9 patients. The outcomes with regard to duration of the surgery, complications such as pain, sensory disturbance and scar problems and time to return to sports were measured and analysed.

Results: There were no significant differences in outcomes between the carpal tunnel and the lateral approach for excision of hook of hamate fractures.

Conclusions: The outcomes of excision of the hook of hamate via the carpal tunnel approach and the lateral approach are similar. The decision to choose an approach should be based on the surgeon's familiarity with the approach. Future studies should include a comparison with the Guyon canal approach preferably in a homogenous group of patients.

Level of Evidence: Level IV (Therapeutic)
Routing Games with Edge Priorities
Authors: Scheffler Robert , Strehler Martin , Koch Laura Vargas
Published: February 2022

Routing games over time are widely studied due to various applications, e.g., transportation, road and air traffic control, logistic in production systems, communication networks like the internet, and financial flows. In this article, we present a new competitive packet routing game with edge priorities motivated by traffic and transportation. In this model a set of selfishly acting players travels through the network over time. If the number of players who want to enter an edge at the same time exceeds the inflow capacity of this edge, then edge priorities with respect to the preceding edge are used to resolve these conflicts, which is similar to right-of-way rules in traffic. We analyze the efficiency of pure Nash equilibria, present an efficient algorithm for computing equilibria in symmetric games, and show that it is
NP
-hard to decide whether a Nash equilibrium exists in an asymmetric game. Furthermore, we address the problem of constructing optimal priorities.
Elementary Computational Thinking Instruction and Assessment: A Learning Trajectory Perspective
Authors: Luo Feiya , Israel Maya , Gane Brian
Published: February 2022

There is little empirical research related to how elementary students develop computational thinking (CT) and how they apply CT in problem-solving. To address this gap in knowledge, this study made use of learning trajectories (LTs; hypothesized learning goals, progressions, and activities) in CT concept areas such as sequence, repetition, conditionals, and decomposition to better understand students’ CT. This study implemented eight math-CT integrated lessons aligned to U.S. national mathematics education standards and the LTs with third- and fourth-grade students. This basic interpretive qualitative study aimed at gaining a deeper understanding of elementary students’ CT by having students express and articulate their CT in cognitive interviews. Participants’ (n= 22) CT articulation was examined usinga prioricodes translated verbatim from the learning goals in the LTs and was mapped to the learning goals in the LTs. Results revealed a range of students’ CT in problem-solving, such as using precise and complete problem-solving instructions, recognizing repeating patterns, and decomposing arithmetic problems. By collecting empirical data on how students expressed and articulated their CT, this study makes theoretical contributions by generating initial empirical evidence to support the hypothesized learning goals and progressions in the LTs. This article also discusses the implications for integrated CT instruction and assessments at the elementary level.
The Utility of the Oncotype DX Test for Breast Cancer Patients in an Australian Multidisciplinary Setting
Authors: Choi Joseph Do Woong , Hughes T. Michael D. , Marx Gavin , Boyages John , Rutovitz Josie , Hasovits Csilla , Parasyn Andrew , Edirimanne Senarath , Ngui Nicholas K.
Published: February 2022

Introduction. The Oncotype DX test is a genomic assay that generates a Recurrence Score (RS) predicting the 10-year risk of recurrence and response to adjuvant chemotherapy in ER+/HER2− breast cancer patients. The aims were to determine breast cancer distant recurrence and correlate with adjuvant chemoendocrine prescribing patterns based on the Oncotype DX recurrence score. Methods. We conducted a retrospective single-institution case series of 71 patients who had Oncotype DX assay testing after definitive surgery between 2012 and 2016. Both node-positive and node-negative patients were included. Patients were divided into Oncotype DX low risk (RS < 11) (n = 10, 14%), intermediate risk (RS 11–25) (n = 45, 63%), and high risk (RS > 25) (n = 16, 23%). Median follow-up was 6.1 years (range 4–8.9 years). Adjuvant treatment regimens and oncological outcomes were determined. Results. Mean age at diagnosis was 56 years (range, 33–77). Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) accounted for the majority (87%), with most tumors measuring between 10–20 mm (52%). 48% of the cohort were node positive. 15 of 16 high-risk patients (94%) received chemotherapy. 96% of intermediate-risk patients received endocrine therapy alone, one patient received chemoendocrine therapy (2%), and one declined systemic therapy (2%). In the low-risk group, 100% received endocrine therapy only. The high-risk group had the lowest mean ER% (

P
<
0.05

), greatest mean mitotic rate (

P
<
0.05

), and greatest proportion of Ki67% > 14. Five patients developed distant recurrence (7%): three from the intermediate-risk group (7%), one from the low-risk group (10%), and one from the high-risk group (6%). Conclusion. This is the first Australian study reporting the experience with medium-term recurrence outcomes of using the Oncotype DX assay in breast cancer. Chemotherapy was rarely given for patients with low-to-intermediate RS and always offered in high RS. This pattern of prescribing was associated with low rates of distant recurrence. National funding models should be considered.
Repeat Breast Ultrasound Demonstrates Utility with Added Cancer Detection in Patients following Breast Imaging Second Opinion Recommendations
Authors: Jared Weinfurtner R. , Mallory Melissa Anne , Bermudez Dayana
Published: February 2022

Purpose. Second opinion consultation for patients with suspicious findings on breast imaging and patients with known breast cancer is not uncommon. We sought to determine the frequency of second opinion breast and axillary ultrasound imaging review and the subsequent impact on clinical management. Materials and Methods. An IRB-approved retrospective chart review was conducted on 400 consecutive patients with second opinion radiology interpretations performed by subspecialized breast radiologists at a designated cancer center, including mammogram and ultrasound review. The outside institution imaging reports were compared with second opinion reports to categorize ultrasound review discrepancies which were defined as any BI-RADS category change. The discrepancy frequency, relevant alterations in patient management, and added cancer detection were measured. Results. The second opinion imaging review resulted in discrepant findings in 108/400 patients (27%). Patients with heterogeneously or extremely dense breasts had higher discrepancy frequency (36% discrepancy, 68/187) than those with almost entirely fatty or scattered fibroglandular breast tissue (19% discrepancy, 40/213) with

P

 = 0.0001. Discrepancies resulted in the following changes in impression/recommendations: 70 repeat ultrasounds for better characterization of a breast lesion, 11 repeat ultrasounds of a negative region, 20 repeat ultrasounds for benign axillary lymph nodes, 5 downgrades from probably benign to benign, and 2 upgrades from benign to suspicious. Repeat ultrasounds of the axilla in 19 patients resulted in 13 biopsy recommendations, and 4 were metastatic (PPV3 31%). In the breast, repeat ultrasounds in 81 patients resulted in 14 upgrades to suspicious. Of these, 5 yielded malignancy. In addition, one patient was upgraded from benign to suspicious based on the outside image, with pathology revealing malignancy (breast PPV3 40%). Breast lesion BI-RADS category downgrades in 27 patients resulted in 10 avoided biopsies. Ultimately, second opinion ultrasound review resulted in altered management in 12% of patients (47/400). This included discovery of additional breast malignancies in 6 patients, metastatic lymph nodes in 4 patients, excisional biopsy for atypia in 1 patient, 4 patients proceeding to mastectomy, 10 patients who avoided biopsies, and 22 patients who avoided follow-up of benign findings. Conclusions. In this study, subspecialized second opinion ultrasound review had an impact on preventing unnecessary procedures and follow-up exams in 8% of patients while detecting additional cancer in 2.5%.
Application of Data Mining in Performance Management of Public Hospitals
Authors: Lu Huiqun , Wang RuiLing , Huang Zhenju
Published: February 2022

With the rapid development of computer technology, information technology covers all aspects of daily life, and the medical industry is also paying more attention to information construction. Conventional management methods have been unable to further improve the hospital’s management capabilities. At the same time, countries that are better in terms of hospital management practices have set a benchmark for mainland hospitals and reformed hospitals in order to stand out in the future. In addition to evaluating the economic benefits and work efficiency of doctors, hospitals must also consider that hospitals, as a special service industry, cannot be measured by economic indicators. Therefore, there is a multiparty game in the performance appraisal of hospitals, and it is necessary to consider not only economic factors but also the characteristics of public services. This article is based on the case of a large domestic tertiary hospital, combined with the hospital’s performance management reform plan, through the design idea of performance management and incentive performance pay distribution, using data mining technology as an auxiliary means. It successfully helped the hospital complete the performance and incentive performance pay aspects reform. The main research work of this paper is divided into the following three aspects. (1) Using data mining technology, according to each nursing unit’s workload, risk level, the difficulty of internship, and other objective factors in the past year for patient outpatient visits, surgery implementation, critical first aid, etc., are classified in line with the actual situation and provide a reliable basis for the reasonable and efficient allocation of hospital human resources. (2) In the performance management system, we integrate the third-party data mining tool weka to assist in the evaluation of the performance distribution plan and the calculation of the follow-up incentive performance pay. (3) We use the mathematical model of data mining to measure and evaluate the reasonableness of historical workload and performance appraisal, determine a new incentive performance pay distribution model, and use the software as a calculation tool for the internal distribution of performance wages to provide monthly incentive performance wage statistics in the future.
Self-Assembly of Cellulose Nanocrystals and Organic Colored Pigments as Reinforcement Matrix of Lipstick for Enhancing SPF
Authors: Xiong Lidan , He Hailun , Tang Jie , Yang Qi , Li Li
Published: February 2022

The vermilion of the human lip, covered by a skinny epithelium with little melanin, is quite susceptible to damage from ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure. However, commercial sunscreen filters and indelible dyes used in lipsticks can cause health hazards after percutaneous absorption or accidentally oral administration. Inspired by plant pigmentation as natural filters to protect themselves against overexposure to UV, safer bio-based sunscreens of cellulose enveloped with anthocyanin (AN) were developed using bionic design. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), derived from acid hydrolysis of cellulose, reinforced enhancement of UV absorption and shielding properties of AN. This innovation addresses the issue that naturally sourced UV filter application to sunscreen does not achieve a desired sun protection factor (SPF) value because of the low specific extinction value (E1,1). We also stated that the diverse formula of anthocyanin sunscreen lipsticks with CNC exhibited 10 times more SPF value than AN alone. Furthermore, they possess competitive benefits such as pleasing texture, superior adhesion, impermeable, nonphototoxicity, ease of application, and removal. This work provides a promising proof-of-concept for studying the features of natural sunscreens in the design of simple, safe, efficient, and green sunscreens.
Effect of Combining Operating Room Nursing Based on Clinical Quantitative Assessment with WeChat Health Education on Postoperative Complications and Quality of Life of Femoral Fracture Patients Undergoing Internal Fixation
Authors: Liu Qingyan , Wang Juan , Han Jie , Zhang Daiying
Published: February 2022

Objective. To explore the effect of combining operating room nursing based on clinical quantitative assessment with WeChat health education on postoperative complications and quality of life (QOL) of femoral fracture patients undergoing internal fixation. Methods. Ninety femoral fracture patients treated in our hospital (July 2018 to July 2021) were chosen as the research objects and split into the control group (routine intervention) and the study group (combination of operating room nursing based on clinical quantitative assessment and WeChat health education) according to the nursing intervention modes, with 45 cases each. After nursing, the postoperative complications and QOL of patients were compared between the two groups. Results. No statistical between-group differences in general data were observed (

P

 > 0.05); the hospital stay, weight-bearing time, and fracture healing time were obviously shorter in the study group than in the control group (

P

 < 0.05); 1 d after surgery, the VAS pain status was not significantly different between the two groups (

P

 > 0.05), and 2 d and 3 d after surgery, the VAS scores were significantly lower in the study group than in the control group (

P

 < 0.05); 1 d after surgery, the Harris scores of patients in the two groups were close and did not present statistical difference (

P

 > 0.05), and 8 weeks after surgery, the Harris score was significantly higher in the study group than in the control group (

P

 < 0.05); the scores on self-care agency such as self-concept, self-care skills, sense of self-care responsibility, and health knowledge level were significantly higher in the study group than in the control group (

P

 < 0.05); compared with the control group, the probability of occurring incision infection, lung infection, pressure sore, swelling and pain, and other complications was significantly lower in the study group (

P

 < 0.05). Conclusion. Implementing operating room nursing based on clinical quantitative assessment combined with WeChat health education to femoral fracture patients undergoing internal fixation can effectively improve their postoperative clinical indicators, reduce their postoperative pain sensation and complication incidence, and effectively promote the joint motion range, which is conducive to enhancing their self-care agency and QOL.
Integrative Analysis of m6A RNA Methylation Regulators and the Tumor Immune Microenvironment in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Zhu Jiaqi , Jiang Yun , Wang Tianyi , Wu Anqi , Zhou Tingting , Zhang Anping , Tang Yijie , Shen Zihao , Wang Jinjie , Zhou Hao , Shi Jiahai , Chen Jianle
Published: February 2022

Background. Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a major component of lung cancer and is significantly correlated with poor prognosis. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation is closely related to the occurrence, progression, and prognosis of cancer. The potential biological functions and mechanisms of m6A RNA methylation in the immune microenvironment are still unclear. Methods. We assessed m6A RNA methylation modification patterns in 1326 NSCLC patient samples based on 20 m6A regulators, linking these clusters to the tumor microenvironment and immune cell infiltration. The m6Ascore was created to quantify the m6A modification patterns of individual tumors. We then assessed the value of NSCLC patients in terms of clinical prognosis and immunotherapy response. Results. According to different mRNA expression levels, two different m6A clusters were identified. m6A aggregation was significantly associated with clinical prognostic characteristics, the tumor microenvironment, and immune-related biological processes. Fifteen differential genes were screened based on these two m6A clusters, and to further investigate the mechanisms of action of these differential genes, they were subjected to unsupervised clustering analysis, which classified them into four different genomic isoforms. Prognostic analysis indicated that the survival advantage of the m6A gene cluster A modification mode was significantly prominent. We continued to construct the m6Ascore, which was used as a scoring tool to evaluate tumor typing, immunity, and prognosis. Patients with a low m6Ascore showed a significant survival advantage, and the group with a low m6Ascore had a better prognosis predicted by immunotherapy. The anti-PD-1/L1 immunotherapy cohort showed that a lower m6Ascore was associated with higher efficacy of immunotherapy. Conclusions. The results suggest that m6A RNA methylation regulators make an important difference in the tumor immune microenvironment of patients with NSCLC. m6A gene characterization and the construction of the m6Ascore provide us with a richer understanding of m6A RNA methylation modification patterns in NSCLC patients and help to predict clinical prognosis and immunotherapeutic response.
British Children’s and Adults’ Perceptions of Robots
Authors: Burdett Emily R. R. , Ikari Shogo , Nakawake Yo
Published: February 2022

Robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) systems are quickly becoming a familiar part of different aspects of everyday life. We know very little about how children and adults perceive the abilities of different robots and whether these ascriptions are associated with a willingness to interact with a robot. In the current study, we asked British children aged 4–13 years and British adults to complete an online experiment. Participants were asked to describe what a robot looks like, give their preference for various types of robots (a social robot, a machine-like robot, and a human-like robot), and answer whether they were willing to engage in different activities with the different robots. Results showed that younger children (4 to 8 years old) are more willing to engage with robots compared to older children (9 to 13 years) and adults. Specifically, younger children were more likely to see robots as kind compared to older children and adults. Younger children were also more likely to rate the social robot as helpful compared to older children and adults. This is also the first study to examine preferences for robots engaging in religious activities, and results show that British adults prefer humans over robots to pray for them but such biases may not be generally applicable to children. These results provide new insight into how children and adults in the United Kingdom accept the presence and function of robots.
Multiple Context Learning Networks for Visual Question Answering
Authors: Zhang Pufen , Lan Hong , Khan Muhammad Asim
Published: February 2022

A novel Multiple Context Learning Network (MCLN) is proposed to model multiple contexts for visual question answering (VQA), aiming to learn comprehensive contexts. Three kinds of contexts are discussed and the corresponding three context learning modules are proposed based on a uniform context learning strategy. Specifically, the proposed context learning modules are visual context learning module (VCL), textual context learning module (TCL), and visual-textual context learning module (VTCL). The VCL and TCL, respectively, learn the context of objects in an image and the context of words in a question, allowing object and word features to own intra-modal context information. The VTCL is performed on the concatenated visual-textual features that endows the output features with synergic visual-textual context information. These modules work together to form a multiple context learning layer (MCL) and MCL can be stacked in depth for deep context learning. Furthermore, a contextualized text encoder based on the pretrained BERT is introduced and fine-tuned, which enhances the textual context learning at the feature extraction stage of text. The approach is evaluated by using two benchmark datasets: VQA v2.0 dataset and GQA dataset. The MCLN achieves 71.05% and 71.48% overall accuracy on the test-dev and test-std sets of VQA v2.0, respectively. And an accuracy of 57.0% is gained by the MCLN on the test-standard split of GQA dataset. The MCLN outperforms the previous state-of-the-art models and the extensive ablation studies examine the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Mental Health and Time Management Behavior among Students During COVID-19 Pandemic: Towards Persuasive Technology Design
Authors: Alhasani Mona , Alkhawaji Ali , Orji Rita
Published: February 2022

The study explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on students’ mental health in higher education while capturing their perceptions and attitudes towards time management. The aim was to examine relationships between stress, anxiety, and specific time management-related factors. Considering possible differences between genders and degree levels, we developed five structural equation models (SEMs) to delineate these relationships. Results of a large-scale study of 502 participants show that students suffered from stress and two types of COVID-19-related anxiety: disease and consequences. Students’ preference for organization was the only factor that significantly promoted their perceived control over time, which contributes to reducing stress, hence anxiety. However, female students reported higher stress and anxiety levels than male students. Graduate students reported higher anxiety levels related to the consequences of the pandemic compared to undergrads. To promote students’ preference for organization, we map the three categories of organization to corresponding persuasive strategies which could be used in the design of persuasive interventions. This creates an opportunity for developing technological interventions to improve students’ perceived control over time, thus reduce stress and anxiety.
Actin Alpha 2 Downregulation Inhibits Neural Stem Cell Proliferation and Differentiation into Neurons through Canonical Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway
Authors: Zhang Ji , Hu Quan , Jiang Xuheng , Wang Shuhong , Zhou Xin , Lu Yuanlan , Huang Xiaofei , Duan Haizhen , Zhang Tianxi , Ge Hongfei , Yu Anyong
Published: February 2022

Our previous study has shown that actin alpha 2 (ACTA2) is expressed in NSC and ACTA2 downregulation inhibits NSC migration by increasing RhoA expression and decreasing the expression of Rac1 to curb actin filament polymerization. Given that proliferation and differentiation are the two main characteristics of NSC, the role of ACTA2 downregulation in the proliferation and differentiation of NSC remains elusive. Here, the results demonstrated that ACTA2 downregulation using ACTA2 siRNA held the potential of inhibiting NSC proliferation using cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) and immunostaining. Then, our data illustrated that ACTA2 downregulation attenuated NSC differentiation into neurons, while directing NSC into astrocytes and oligodendrocytes using immunostaining and immunoblotting. Thereafter, the results revealed that the canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway was involved in the effect of ACTA2 downregulation on the proliferation and differentiation of NSC through upregulating p-β-catenin and decreasing β-catenin due to inactivating GSK-3β, while this effect could be partially abolished with administration of CHIR99012, a GSK-3 inhibitor. Collectively, these results indicate that ACTA2 downregulation inhibits NSC proliferation and differentiation into neurons through inactivation of the canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway. The aim of the present study is to elucidate the role of ACTA2 in proliferation and differentiation of NSC and to provide an intervention target for promoting NSC proliferation and properly directing NSC differentiation.
Effect of Acupuncture on Time-Dependent of Muscle Endurance in Female Elbow Joint: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Su Yu , Yao Shun , Zhou Zi-Jie , Wu Chou , Wang I-Lin , Lai Chien-Ying
Published: February 2022

Immediate characteristics of acupuncture have been confirmed by relevant studies; however, the current study on the time effect of acupuncture in improving upper limb forearm muscle endurance is still limited. The aims of this study are to explore: (1) whether real acupuncture (RA) can improve female forearm muscle endurance compared to sham acupuncture (SA) and (2) whether the changes in forearm muscle endurance after RA are time-dependent. Thirty-six healthy female students were recruited to participate in isokinetic tests of elbow flexion/extension (Flex/Ext) from maximum flexion to maximum extension as much as possible using an isokinetic dynamometer at a speed rate of 60°/sec. Participants in the RA group were stimulated at Quchi (LI11), Shousanli (LI10), Hegu (LI4), Xiaohai (SI8), Tianjing (SJ10), and Waiguan (SJ5) acupoints for 20 min, while the SA group needling was near at these acupoints. The values of the isokinetic parameters and surface electromyography (sEMG) signals were recorded before and after acupuncture. After RA, the isokinetic parameters values (average torque, work, power, and speed), the sEMG values at four major muscles, and the joint stiffness of elbow Flex/Ext were significantly increased

p
<
0.05

. The enhancement of forearm muscle endurance lasted approximately 7–21 min (from post1 to post3/post4), indicating that the effect of RA to improve elbow Flex/Ext muscle endurance is time-dependent. Therefore, this study found that RA can immediately improve the forearm muscle endurance of healthy women compared with SA, and this effect can last approximately 7–21 min until the acupuncture efficacy decreased or disappeared.