bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Model Predicting Mortality of Hospitalized Covid-19 Patients Four Days After Admission: Development, Internal and Temporal-External Validation
Authors: Heber Stefan , Pereyra David , Schrottmaier Waltraud C. , Kammerer Kerstin , Santol Jonas , Rumpf Benedikt , Pawelka Erich , Hanna Markus , Scholz Alexander , Liu Markus , Hell Agnes , Heiplik Klara , Lickefett Benno , Havervall Sebastian , Traugott Marianna T. , Neuböck Matthias J. , Schörgenhofer Christian , Seitz Tamara , Firbas Christa , Karolyi Mario , Weiss Günter , Jilma Bernd , Thålin Charlotte , Bellmann-Weiler Rosa , Salzer Helmut J. F. , Szepannek Gero , Fischer Michael J. M. , Zoufaly Alexander , Gleiss Andreas , Assinger Alice
Published: January 2022

Objective

To develop and validate a prognostic model for in-hospital mortality after four days based on age, fever at admission and five haematological parameters routinely measured in hospitalized Covid-19 patients during the first four days after admission.

Methods

Haematological parameters measured during the first 4 days after admission were subjected to a linear mixed model to obtain patient-specific intercepts and slopes for each parameter. A prediction model was built using logistic regression with variable selection and shrinkage factor estimation supported by bootstrapping. Model development was based on 481 survivors and 97 non-survivors, hospitalized before the occurrence of mutations. Internal validation was done by 10-fold cross-validation. The model was temporally-externally validated in 299 survivors and 42 non-survivors hospitalized when the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7) was prevalent.

Results

The final model included age, fever on admission as well as the slope or intercept of lactate dehydrogenase, platelet count, C-reactive protein, and creatinine. Tenfold cross validation resulted in a mean area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.92, a mean calibration slope of 1.0023 and a Brier score of 0.076. At temporal-external validation, application of the previously developed model showed an AUROC of 0.88, a calibration slope of 0.95 and a Brier score of 0.073. Regarding the relative importance of the variables, the (apparent) variation in mortality explained by the six variables deduced from the haematological parameters measured during the first four days is higher (explained variation 0.295) than that of age (0.210).

Conclusions

The presented model requires only variables routinely acquired in hospitals, which allows immediate and wide-spread use as a decision support for earlier discharge of low-risk patients to reduce the burden on the health care system.

Clinical Trial Registration

Austrian Coronavirus Adaptive Clinical Trial (ACOVACT); ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT04351724.
Progestin-Primed Ovarian Stimulation Versus Mild Stimulation Protocol in Advanced Age Women With Diminished Ovarian Reserve Undergoing Their First In Vitro Fertilization Cycle: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Tu Xiaoyu , You Bingbing , Jing Miaomiao , Lin Chenxi , Zhang Runju
Published: January 2022

Objective

To assess and compare the feasibility of progestin-primed ovarian stimulation (PPOS) protocol with mild stimulation protocol for advanced age women with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) undergoing their first in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycle.

Methods

Patients aged ≥35 years and DOR undergoing their first IVF/ICSI cycle were enrolled in this retrospective cohort study: 139 and 600 patients underwent the PPOS and mild stimulation protocols, respectively. The primary outcomes were cumulative clinical pregnancy rate (CCPR) and cumulative live birth rate (CLBR). The secondary outcomes were the number of oocytes retrieved and top-quality embryos.

Results

There was nearly no significant difference of baseline characteristics between the two groups. Although a greater amount of total gonadotropin (1906.61 ± 631.04 IU vs. 997.72 ± 705.73 IU, P<0.001) and longer duration of stimulation (9 (10–7) vs. 6 (8–4), P<0.001) were observed in the PPOS group, the number of retrieved oocytes (3 (6–2) vs. 2 (4–1), P<0.001) and top-quality embryos (1 (2–0) vs. 1 (2–0), P=0.038) was greater in the PPOS group than the mild stimulation group. Meanwhile, the incidence of premature luteinizing hormone (LH) surge rate was significantly lower in the PPOS group (0.7% vs.8.3%, P=0.001) than the mild stimulation group. However, there was no significant difference in conservative CCPR, conservative CLBR, optimistic CCPR, and optimistic CLBR between the two groups (all P>0.05). A multivariate logistic regression model showed significant positive effects of the number of retrieved oocytes and number of top-quality embryos on conservative CCPR (OR=1.236, 95%CI: 1.048–1.456, P=0.012, OR=2.313, 95%CI: 1.676–3.194, P<0.001) and conservative CLBR (OR=1.250, 95%CI: 1.036–1.508, P=0.020, OR=2.634, 95%CI: 1.799–3.857, P<0.001) respectively, while significant negative effects of age were identified for conservative CCPR (OR=0.805, 95%CI: 0.739–0.877, P<0.001) and conservative CLBR (OR=0.797, 95%CI: 0.723–0.879, P<0.001).

Conclusion

The PPOS protocol is an effective alternative to the mild stimulation protocol for advanced age patients with DOR, as it provides comparable reproductive outcomes and better control of premature LH surge. Further, more oocytes and top-quality embryos were obtained in the PPOS group, which had a positive association with conservative CCPR and CLBR.
Mucopolysaccharidosis Type I in the Russian Federation and Other Republics of the Former Soviet Union: Molecular Genetic Analysis and Epidemiology
Authors: Voskoboeva E. Yu , Bookina T. M. , Semyachkina A. N. , Mikhaylova S. V. , Vashakmadze N. D. , Baydakova G. V. , Zakharova E. Yu , Kutsev S. I.
Published: January 2022

Mutations in the IDUA gene cause deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme alpha-l-iduronidase (IDUA), which leads to a rare disease known as mucopolysaccharidosis type I. More than 300 pathogenic variants of the IDUA gene have been reported to date, but not much is known about the distribution of mutations in different populations and ethnic groups due to the low prevalence of the disease. This article presents the results of a molecular genetic study of 206 patients with mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I) from the Russian Federation (RF) and other republics of the former Soviet Union. Among them, there were 173 Russian (Slavic) patients, 9 Tatars, and 24 patients of different nationalities from other republics of the former Soviet Union. Seventy-three different pathogenic variants in the IDUA gene were identified. The common variant NM_000203.5:c.208C>T was the most prevalent mutant allele among Russian and Tatar patients. The common variant NM_000203.5:c.1205G>A accounted for only 5.8% mutant alleles in Russian patients. Both mutations were very rare or absent in patients from other populations. The pathogenic variant NM_000203.5:c.187C>T was the major allele in patients of Turkic origin (Altaian, Uzbeks, and Kyrgyz). Specific own pathogenic alleles in the IDUA gene were identified in each of these ethnic groups. The identified features are important for understanding the molecular origin of the disease, predicting the risk of its development and creating optimal diagnostic and treatment tools for specific regions and ethnic groups.
Long-Term Functional and Cytoarchitectonic Effects of the Systemic Administration of the Histamine H1 Receptor Antagonist/Inverse Agonist Chlorpheniramine During Gestation in the Rat Offspring Primary Motor Cortex
Authors: Valle-Bautista Rocío , Márquez-Valadez Berenice , Herrera-López Gabriel , Griego Ernesto , Galván Emilio J. , Díaz Néstor-Fabián , Arias-Montaño José-Antonio , Molina-Hernández Anayansi
Published: January 2022

The transient histaminergic system is among the first neurotransmitter systems to appear during brain development in the rat mesencephalon/rhombencephalon. Histamine increases FOXP2-positive deep-layer neuron differentiation of cortical neural stem cells through H1 receptor activation in vitro. The in utero or systemic administration of chlorpheniramine (H1 receptor antagonist/inverse agonist) during deep-layer cortical neurogenesis decreases FOXP2 neurons in the developing cortex, and H1R- or histidine decarboxylase-knockout mice show impairment in learning and memory, wakefulness and nociception, functions modulated by the cerebral cortex. Due to the role of H1R in cortical neural stem cell neurogenesis, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the postnatal impact of the systemic administration of chlorpheniramine during deep-layer cortical neuron differentiation (E12–14) in the primary motor cortex (M1) of neonates (P0) and 21-day-old pups (P21). Chlorpheniramine or vehicle were systemically administered (5 mg/kg, i.p.) to pregnant Wistar rats at gestational days 12–14, and the expression and distribution of deep- (FOXP2 and TBR1) and superficial-layer (SATB2) neuronal cortical markers were analyzed in neonates from both groups. The qRT-PCR analysis revealed a reduction in the expression of Satb2 and FoxP2. However, Western blot and immunofluorescence showed increased protein levels in the chlorpheniramine-treated group. In P21 pups, the three markers showed impaired distribution and increased immunofluorescence in the experimental group. The Sholl analysis evidenced altered dendritic arborization of deep-layer neurons, with lower excitability in response to histamine, as evaluated by whole-cell patch-clamp recording, as well as diminished depolarization-evoked [3H]-glutamate release from striatal slices. Overall, these results suggest long-lasting effects of blocking H1Rs during early neurogenesis that may impact the pathways involved in voluntary motor activity and cognition.
Prospective Rates, Longitudinal Associations, and Factors Associated With Comorbid Insomnia Symptoms and Perceived Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Garland Sheila N. , Ivers Hans , Savard Josée
Published: January 2022

Background

Insomnia and cognitive impairment are both common conditions experienced by people diagnosed with cancer. Individually, these conditions have negative impacts on functioning, but the combined burden has yet to be evaluated. The purpose of this research was to estimate rates of comorbid insomnia and perceived cognitive impairments, examine the longitudinal associations between these two conditions, and identify demographic and clinical factors associated with reporting both insomnia and perceived cognitive impairment.

Methods

In this secondary analysis, a heterogeneous sample of 962 patients completed the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ) at the time of their cancer surgery (baseline; T1) and then again at 2 (T2), 6 (T3), 10 (T4), 14 (T5), and 18 (T6) months. Correlations and partial correlations, controlling for age and education level, were computed at each time point to assess the relationship between ISI and CFQ scores. Cross-lagged correlations assessed associations between ISI and CFQ scores over time. Proportions of patients with comorbid insomnia and cognitive impairments were calculated and logistic regressions investigated changes over time in these proportions. ANOVAs, logistic regressions, ordinal regressions, and multinomial regressions were used to identify risk factors of having comorbid insomnia and cognitive difficulties.

Results

Significant and bidirectional correlations between ISI and CFQ scores were observed at each time point and over time. The proportion of patients having both clinical levels of insomnia and perceived cognitive difficulties ranged from 18.73 to 25.84% across time points and this proportion was significantly greater at T1 and T2 than T4, T5, and T6. Participants who reported comorbid insomnia and cognitive impairment were more likely to be younger, female, not currently working, currently receiving chemotherapy, with clinical levels depression and anxiety, and using antidepressants or anxiolytics.

Conclusion

Comorbid insomnia and perceived cognitive impairment affects around one in five patients and is more frequent at the beginning of the cancer care trajectory. The relationship between insomnia and cognitive impairment appears to be bidirectional. Insomnia may represent an important patient level vulnerability that when identified and treated can improve perception of cognitive function.
Prevalence of Constipation in Elderly and Its Association With Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Wang Fei , Fei Min , Hu Wen-Zheng , Wang Xiao-Dan , Liu Shuai , Zeng Yan , Zhang Jin-Hong , Lv Yang , Niu Jian-ping , Meng Xin-ling , Cai Pan , Li Yang , Gang Bao-zhi , You Yong , Lv Yan , Ji Yong
Published: January 2022

Background

Constipation and dementia have similar epidemiological characteristics. Changes in intestinal flora and characteristics of the brain-gut axis play roles in the pathogeneses of the two diseases, suggesting that there may be a close connection between the two. Most of the studies on constipation in dementia patients have focused on the population with α-synucleinopathies [Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB)]. Few studies have reported the prevalence of constipation in all-cause dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) populations.

Objective

To assess the prevalence of constipation in patients with all-cause dementia and MCI subtypes and to explore the association between constipation with dementia and MCI subtypes.

Methods

From May 2019 to December 2019, we conducted a population-based cross-sectional survey. A total of 11,743 participants aged 65 or older from nine cities in China were surveyed. Participants underwent a series of clinical examinations and neuropsychological measurements. Constipation, dementia, MCI and MCI subtype were diagnosed according to established criteria through standard diagnostic procedures.

Results

The overall age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of constipation in individuals aged 65 years and older was 14.8% (95% CI, 14.6–15.0). The prevalence rates of constipation were19.2% (95% CI, 17.3–21.0), 19.1% (95% CI, 16.8–21.5), 14.4% (95% CI, 12.8–15.9), and 13.8% (95% CI, 13.0–14.6) in the dementia, non-amnestic (na)-MCI, amnestic (a)-MCI and normal cognition populations, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that higher prevalence of constipation was associated with dementia (p = 0.0.032, OR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.02–1.38) and na-MCI (p = 0.003, OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.09–1.54).

Conclusion

The present study found a high prevalence of constipation in elderly individuals in China, and higher in patients with dementia and na-MCI.
Safety Profile of Nutraceuticals Rich in Coumarins: An Update
Authors: Heghes Simona Codruta , Vostinaru Oliviu , Mogosan Cristina , Miere Doina , Iuga Cristina Adela , Filip Lorena
Published: January 2022

Coumarins are a family of benzopyrones largely distributed in the natural kingdom, being present in the seeds, fruits, flowers, or roots of various plant species. Natural coumarin compounds are found in significant concentrations in some herbs or spices used as nutraceuticals, but they are also present in cosmetics or household products, due to their pleasant odor. Therefore, an accidental exposure to high doses of coumarins, could lead to the development of harmful effects in some patients. This review summarizes the latest published data from preclinical and clinical studies with natural coumarins, focused on the investigation of general and specific toxicity, with the aim of a better understanding of the safety profile of these valuable compounds. Regulatory aspects concerning the use of natural coumarins in several world regions are also reviewed.
RiskEstim: A Software Package to Quantify COVID-19 Importation Risk
Authors: Xu Mingda , Du Zhanwei , Shan Songwei , Xu Xiaoke , Bai Yuan , Wu Peng , Lau Eric H. Y. , Cowling Benjamin J.
Published: January 2022

We present an R package developed to quantify coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) importation risk. Quantifying and visualizing the importation risk of COVID-19 from inbound travelers is urgent and imperative to trigger public health responses, especially in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants. We provide a general modeling framework to estimate COVID-19 importation risk using estimated pre-symptomatic prevalence of infection and air traffic data from the multi-origin places. We use Hong Kong as a case study to illustrate how our modeling framework can estimate the COVID-19 importation risk into Hong Kong from cities in Mainland China in real time. This R package can be used as a complementary component of the pandemic surveillance system to monitor spread in the next pandemic.
The Educational Function of English Children’s Movies From the Perspective of Multiculturalism Under Deep Learning and Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Hu Nan , Li Shuyi , Li Luna , Xu Hui
Published: January 2022

In children’s learning subjects, English courses has its relative particularity compared with Chinese courses and the mathematics. Children’s English teaching is often inefficient because of the lack of students’ timely consolidation after class. Given this, the present work starts with the analysis of the current situation of children’s learning, and introduces the film-assisted English teaching. In the specific teaching links, English teaching is carried out in a three-dimensional teaching mode. Before that, topics of the films are selected for the English teaching, and the films are edited and processed. Initially, the present work expounds the English children’s films and their educational functions. Then, children can obtain teaching effect from the films. An English questionnaire is designed to analyze the application effect of English films in children’s English teaching. The results show that the film teaching mode improves children’s learning interest and motivation, and English film teaching can stimulate students’ learning interest. Students are also more active to participate in teaching activities, thus improving their language skills. Under the teaching in the scenes of films, students can perceive the functions of language in certain contexts. Comprehensible language input promotes students’ English listening ability and oral expression ability. The films can intuitively show the humanistic style, historical geography, cultures, and customs of English countries, and then cultivate students’ western cultural literacy. Practice has proved that the method proposed here can achieve good teaching effect, and it provides certain references for children’s English education.
Problem Mechanism and Solution Strategy of Rural Children’s Community Inclusion—The Role of Peer Environment and Parental Community Participation
Authors: Xu Ying , Wang Ligang , Yang Wanyi , Cai Yi , Gao Wenbin , Tao Ting , Fan Chunlei
Published: January 2022

Early childhood development intervention has gained considerable achievements in eliminating intergenerational transmission of poverty in rural areas. Paying further attention to rural children’s community inclusion can also promote the sustainable development of the village. However, there is a lack of systematic theoretical constructs on the village inclusion of rural children. In this study, an attempt was made to explore the problem mechanism and solution strategy of community inclusion of rural children using a grounded theory approach of in-depth interviews. Seventeen parents of children in a national-level poverty-stricken county in Inner Mongolia of China were investigated, adopting the strategy of intensity sampling. The results revealed that (1) the content of rural children’s activities demonstrates enhanced participation in the virtual environment and weakened participation in the real community environment. That is, the activities are characterized by more virtualization and individualization. (2) Rural parents and community peers are two major channels for children’s community inclusion, while both the community peer environment and parental community participation show a weakening trend. This may be an important reason for the virtualization and individualization of the children’s psychological development environment. (3) Developmental intervention programs for rural children in poverty-stricken areas should focus on the reconstruction of children’s community peer environment, encourage the community participation of parents, and fully mobilize local-based educational resources.
Non-parental Care Arrangements, Parenting Stress, and Demand for Infant-Toddler Care in China: Evidence From a National Survey
Authors: Hong Xiumin , Zhu Wenting , Luo Li
Published: January 2022

This study examined the patterns and characteristics of non-parental child care arrangements for Chinese very young children before they enter preschool and the extent to which families’ utilization of non-parental child care influenced parenting stress. A total of 3,842 Chinese parents of infants and toddlers were selected from 10 provinces to participate in this study. The results indicated that (1) Chinese families relied heavily on grandparents to care for their children; (2) a set of family demographics predicted the utilization of non-parental child care arrangements, including parents’ educational level, household income, labor force participation, and maternal age; (3) there existed a clear parental preference for publicly funded, affordable, and high-quality child care services; and (4) families’ use of non-parental child care was generally not linked to parenting stress. These findings shed light on the development of the infant-toddler non-parental child care system in the Chinese sociocultural context.
Prevalence of Internet Gaming Disorder in Medical Students: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Chiang Christine L. L. , Zhang Melvyn W. B. , Ho Roger C. M.
Published: January 2022

Introduction

In the last decade, the technological advances have led to increased usage of the Internet. Internet-based games are now more readily available, and they are also more attractive and engageable for individuals. Previous studies have established university students as vulnerable population with regards to IGD. Despite the unique stressors and demands of the course, there is little information about the pooled prevalence of IGD in medical students.

Objectives

The current meta-analysis aims to establish the pooled prevalence of IGD among medical students in different countries, and factors affecting the pooled prevalence.

Methods

A comprehensive search was conducted from 23 May 2021 to 30 May 2021. The following databases were searched: PubMed, PsychINFO, Cochrane CENTRAL, Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, Science Direct. The search terminologies included permutations of the keywords for IGD and medical students. All statistical analysis was performed with the Comprehensive Meta-analysis Version 3.0 program based on random-effects model.

Results

Three hundred ninety-six articles were identified from the search of the databases. The final data set consisted of 6 studies with a pooled cohort size of 2,236 medical students. The pooled prevalence of IGD in each country is as follows: Egypt had the highest prevalence rate of 10.9% (95% CI: 7.3–16.1%), followed by Saudi Arabia (8.8, 95% CI: 5.7–13.2%), Indonesia (6.1, 95% CI: 0.7–37.5%) and India (3.8, 95% CI: 2.7–5.5%) (p < 0.005).

Conclusions

In conclusion, this meta-analysis reports that the pooled prevalence of IGD among medical students from different countries is 6.2%, which is around twice as high than that of the general population.
Augmenting Semantic Lexicons Using Word Embeddings and Transfer Learning
Authors: Alshaabi Thayer , Van Oort Colin M. , Fudolig Mikaela Irene , Arnold Michael V. , Danforth Christopher M. , Dodds Peter Sheridan
Published: January 2022

Sentiment-aware intelligent systems are essential to a wide array of applications. These systems are driven by language models which broadly fall into two paradigms: Lexicon-based and contextual. Although recent contextual models are increasingly dominant, we still see demand for lexicon-based models because of their interpretability and ease of use. For example, lexicon-based models allow researchers to readily determine which words and phrases contribute most to a change in measured sentiment. A challenge for any lexicon-based approach is that the lexicon needs to be routinely expanded with new words and expressions. Here, we propose two models for automatic lexicon expansion. Our first model establishes a baseline employing a simple and shallow neural network initialized with pre-trained word embeddings using a non-contextual approach. Our second model improves upon our baseline, featuring a deep Transformer-based network that brings to bear word definitions to estimate their lexical polarity. Our evaluation shows that both models are able to score new words with a similar accuracy to reviewers from Amazon Mechanical Turk, but at a fraction of the cost.
Drivers of Animal Source Food Consumption: A Biophysical Approach
Authors: Knap Pieter W.
Published: January 2022

The contributions to energy and protein consumption of animal-source food (ASF) and its commodities bovine, pig, sheep and goat and poultry meat, fish and seafood, dairy products, and eggs were studied by multiple log-log-inverse regression of 1961–2017 consumption (MJ of energy, grams of protein) on income and year within country. The “year” variable implicitly captures time-dependent non-income factors such as prices, climate, agricultural area, urbanization, globalization, gender equality, religion. Fitting the latter six factors explicitly produced unrealistic results, likely due to insufficient within-country variation over time. All consumption patterns differed between countries, and changed over time; these differences and changes were related to income, but considerably more related to time-dependent non-income factors. Within-country estimates of the income elasticity (β) of total energy and protein consumption ranged from −1 to +1: when income increased by 1%, consumption changed by −1 to +1%. The corresponding estimates of the non-income time elasticity (γ) ranged from −0.05 to +0.05% per year: every year, adjusted for income, consumption changed by −0.05 to +0.05%. The β and γ estimates for the contribution of ASF to energy and protein consumption ranged twice as wide as these; those for the contributions of the individual commodities ranged at least three times as wide. The β and γ estimates for those commodities change considerably over time in many countries; their association to each other is very variable too, both between and within countries. Much of this variation takes place at the lower consumption levels. Considering all this, any attempt to forecast the consumption of animal source food (and particularly of its individual commodities) on a more detailed level than globally and on a longer term than a decade should include an income-independent time factor and be very careful with regard to the elasticity coefficients used.
Internal Maxillary Artery-Radial Artery-Middle Cerebral Artery Bypass and STA-MCA Bypass for the Treatment of Complex Middle Cerebral Artery Bifurcation Aneurysm: A Case Report
Authors: Huang Chaojue , Qin Shixing , Cao Guan , Huang Wei , Yu Yongjia
Published: January 2022

Background

Children's complex middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysm is a relatively rare occurrence. When the huge aneurysm is located in the MCA bifurcation with an inconspicuous neck and involving numerous arteries, intravascular interventional surgery or aneurysm clipping are often difficult treatment options. At this point, high flow bypass revascularization is necessary as a treatment to preserve cerebral blood flow. In recent years, the internal maxillary artery (IMA) has gradually become the mainstream donor artery of thw high flow bypass. We performed internal maxillary artery -radial artery-middle cerebral artery (IMA-RA-MCA) and superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery (STA-MCA) bypass as the treatment of a complex MCA bifurcation aneurysm in consideration of the patient's condition and the advantage of the IMA. According to the author, this case is the youngest reported case of IMA-RA-MCA bypass at present.

Case Description

A male child, 7 years and 8 months, was admitted to the hospital due to “recurrent headache for more than 9 months,” DSA indicated that there was a large wide-necked aneurysm at the bifurcation of the right MCA M1 segment, with a size of about 1.16*1.58*1.32 cm. The inflow path of the aneurysm was in front of M1 bifurcation, and one outflow path originated from the aneurysm body, and another small outflow path attached to the aneurysm body. After completing the preoperative evaluation, an extended pterional approach with zygomatic osteotomy was performed to fully expose the aneurysm and IMA, harvesting the left radial artery at the same time, then a STA-MCA bypass, IMA-RA-MCA bypass, and aneurysm trapping were performed. postoperative re-examination showed that bypass vessels and the distal middle artery vessels were patent and the aneurysm disappeared, the child has no neurological dysfunction.

Conclusions

IMA-RA-MCA bypass is an effective high-flow cerebral blood reconstruct scheme in the treatment of complex middle cerebral artery bifurcation aneurysms. This case can provide a reference for the surgical treatment of complex middle cerebral artery bifurcation aneurysms in children.
Plasma Pharmacokinetics of Cannabidiol Following Oral Administration of Cannabidiol Oil to Dairy Calves
Authors: Meyer Kelsey , Hayman Kristen , Baumgartner James , Gorden Patrick J.
Published: January 2022

Cannabidiol (CBD), the non-psychotropic component of cannabis, has drawn increased interest amongst some medical professionals for its potential therapeutic effects. Human and canine work has been done to describe CBD where it is already widely used, however, little is known about the effects of CBD in livestock species. The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine the pharmacokinetics (PK) of CBD in calves after a single oral exposure to CBD oil. Seven male Holstein calves received a single oral dose of 25 mg/mL CBD oil to achieve 5 mg/kg dose of CBD. Blood samples were collected for 48 (h) after dosing. The CBD geometric mean maximum concentration of 0.05 ug/mL was reached 7.5 h after administration. The geometric mean half-life was 23.02 h. Cannabidiol administered orally to cattle is slowly absorbed and has an extended elimination half-life compared to other species.
Problems of Multiscale Brittleness Estimation for Hydrocarbon Reservoir Exploration and Development
Authors: Dubinya Nikita , Bayuk Irina , Bakhmach Milana
Published: January 2022

The study is focused on the problem of using geophysical data to estimate brittleness of rock masses for the needs of petroleum industry. Three main developed ways to estimate brittleness—mineral-based, log-based, and elastic-based brittleness indices—are discussed from the perspective of scaling factor. The study highlights the contradictions between brittleness indices calculated from the same data using various ways of introducing brittleness. These contradictions are explained by scaling factor, as geophysical data used for brittleness estimation are typically obtained at different spatial and temporal scales. A model based on the effective medium theory is used to understand the relationships between inner structure of inhomogeneous rocks and their brittleness indices estimated from laboratory tests on core samples as well as log data analysis.
Evaluation of Multi-Source High-Resolution Remote Sensing Image Fusion in Aquaculture Areas
Authors: Zhou Weifeng , Wang Fei , Wang Xi , Tang Fenghua , Li Jiasheng
Published: January 2022

Image fusion of satellite sensors can generate a high-resolution multi-spectral image from inputs of a high spatial resolution panchromatic image and a low spatial resolution multi-spectral image for feature extraction and target recognition, such as enclosure seines and floating rafts. However, there is currently no clear and definite method of image fusion for different aquaculture areas distribution extraction from high-resolution satellite images. This study uses three types of high-resolution remote sensing images, GF-1 (Gaofen-1), GF-2 (Gaofen-2), and WV-2 (WorldView-2), covering the raft and enclosure seines aquacultures in the Xiangshan Bay, China, to evaluate panchromatic and multispectral image fusion techniques to determine which is the best. This study applied PCA (principal component analysis), GS (Gram-Schmidt), and NNDiffuse (nearest neighbor diffusion) algorithms to panchromatic and multispectral images fusion of GF-1, GF-2, and WV-2. Two quantitative methods are used to evaluate the fusion effect. The first used seven statistical parameters, including gray mean value, standard deviation, information entropy, average gradient, correlation coefficient, deviation index, and spectral distortion. The second is the CQmax index. Comparing the evaluation results by these seven common statistical indicators with the results of the image fusion evaluation by index CQmax, the results prove that the CQmax index can be applied to the evaluation of image fusion effects in different aquaculture areas. For the floating raft cultured area, the conclusion is consentaneous; NNDiffuse was also optimal for GF-1 and GF-2 data, and PCA was optimal for WV-2 data. For the enclosure seines culture area, the conclusion of quantitative evaluations is not consistent and it shows that there is no definite good method that can be applied to all areas; therefore, careful evaluation and selection of the best applicable image fusion method are required according to the study area and sensor images.
Development of a Matlab/Simulink Model for Monitoring Cell State-of-Health and State-of-Charge via Impedance of Lithium-Ion Battery Cells
Authors: Kim Jonghyeon , Kowal Julia
Published: January 2022

Lithium-ion battery cells not only show different behaviors depending on degradation and charging states, but also overcharge and overdischarge of cells shorten battery life and cause safety problems, thus studies aiming to provide an accurate state of a cell are required. Measurements of battery cell impedance are used for cell SoH and SoC estimation techniques, but it generally takes a long time for a cell in each state to be prepared and cell voltage response is measured when charging and discharging under each condition. This study introduces an electrical equivalent circuit model of lithium-ion cells developed in the MATLAB/Simulink environment. Cell SoC, SoH, temperature, and C-rate are considered for more accurate cell impedance prediction, and the simulation results are verified with the measurement results. The developed model is suitable for use in cell SoC and SoH monitoring studies by successfully outputting cell impedance through real-time prediction of cell voltage during discharge.
Microstructural and Mechanical Properties Characterization of Graphene Oxide-Reinforced Ti-Matrix Composites
Authors: Wan Zhaomei , Li Jiuxiao , Yang Dongye , Hou Shuluo
Published: January 2022

The 0.1–0.7 wt.% graphene oxide (GO)-reinforced Ti-matrix composites (TMCs) were prepared by the hot-pressed sintering method. The effects of GO content on the mechanical properties of TMCs were investigated. The microstructure of TMCs was analyzed. The results show that the microstructure of Ti and TMCs is equiaxed α. The average grain size of TMCs decreases with GO increasing. GO can react with Ti to form TiC at high temperatures. Meanwhile, GO is also presented in the matrix. The hardness of TMCs is higher than that of pure Ti. The maximum hardness is 320 HV, which is 43% higher than that of pure Ti. The yield strength of Ti-0.5 wt.% GO sintered at 1373 K is 1324 MPa, 77% more than pure Ti. The strengthening mechanism of TMCs is the fine-grained strengthening and the reinforcement that bear the stress from the matrix. The friction coefficient of Ti-0.3 wt.% GO sintered at 1373 K comes up to 0.50, which is reduced by 0.2 compared with pure Ti.
Atomically Thin 2D van der Waals Magnetic Materials: Fabrications, Structure, Magnetic Properties and Applications
Authors: He Wei , Kong Lingling , Zhao Weina , Yu Peng
Published: January 2022

Two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals (vdW) magnetic materials are considered to be ideal candidates for the fabrication of spintronic devices because of their low dimensionality, allowing the quantization of electronic states and more degrees of freedom for device modulation. With the discovery of few-layer Cr2Ge2Te6 and monolayer CrI3 ferromagnets, the magnetism of 2D vdW materials is becoming a research focus in the fields of material science and physics. In theory, taking the Heisenberg model with finite-range exchange interactions as an example, low dimensionality and ferromagnetism are in competition. In other words, it is difficult for 2D materials to maintain their magnetism. However, the introduction of anisotropy in 2D magnetic materials enables the realization of long-range ferromagnetic order in atomically layered materials, which may offer new effective means for the design of 2D ferromagnets with high Curie temperature. Herein, current advances in the field of 2D vdW magnetic crystals, as well as intrinsic and induced ferromagnetism or antiferromagnetism, physical properties, device fabrication, and potential applications, are briefly summarized and discussed.
Bladder Microbiome in the Context of Urological Disorders—Is There a Biomarker Potential for Interstitial Cystitis?
Authors: Bschleipfer Thomas , Karl Isabell
Published: January 2022

Since the development of modern cultivation and sequencing techniques, the human microbiome has increasingly become the focus of scientific attention. Even in the bladder, long considered to be a sterile niche, a highly variable and complex microbial colonization has now been demonstrated. Especially in the context of diseases such as interstitial cystitis, whose etiopathogenesis is largely unknown, and whose diagnosis is based on a process of exclusion of confusable diseases, science hopes to gain far-reaching insights for etiology and diagnosis, including the identification of potential biomarkers. While for functional disorders such as urge urinary incontinence and overactive bladder syndrome, initial associations have been demonstrated between reduced microbial diversity and increased symptomatology, as well as shifts in the abundance of specific microorganisms such as Lactobacillus or Proteus, studies in interstitial cystitis show conflicting results and have failed to identify a putative organism or urotype that clearly distinguishes the urinary microbiome of patients with IC/BPS from that of healthy controls. At the present time, therefore, the new insights into the bladder microbiome and its potential influence on urologic disease cannot yet be used in the context of elucidating possible etiopathogenetic causes, as well as in the use of a biomarker for diagnostic or prognostic purposes. Further studies should focus primarily on uniform procedures and detection methods to achieve better comparability of results and increase the likelihood of detecting hidden patterns.
An Enhanced Full-Form Model-Free Adaptive Controller for SISO Discrete-Time Nonlinear Systems
Authors: Yang Ye , Chen Chen , Lu Jiangang
Published: January 2022

This study focuses on the full-form model-free adaptive controller (FFMFAC) for SISO discrete-time nonlinear systems, and proposes enhanced FFMFAC. The proposed technique design incorporates long short-term memory neural networks (LSTMs) and fuzzy neural networks (FNNs). To be more precise, LSTMs are utilized to adjust vital parameters of the FFMFAC online. Additionally, due to the high nonlinear approximation capabilities of FNNs, pseudo gradient (PG) values of the controller are estimated online. EFFMFAC is characterized by utilizing the measured I/O data for the online training of all introduced neural networks and does not involve offline training and specific models of the controlled system. Finally, the rationality and superiority are verified by two simulations and a supporting ablation analysis. Five individual performance indices are given, and the experimental findings show that EFFMFAC outperforms all other methods. Especially compared with the FFMFAC, EFFMFAC reduces the RMSE by 21.69% and 11.21%, respectively, proving it to be applicable for SISO discrete-time nonlinear systems.
A Novel Interval-Valued q-Rung Dual Hesitant Linguistic Multi-Attribute Decision-Making Method Based on Linguistic Scale Functions and Power Hamy Mean
Authors: Shang Xiaopu , Feng Xue , Wang Jun
Published: January 2022

The interval-valued q-rung dual hesitant linguistic (IVq-RDHL) sets are widely used to express the evaluation information of decision makers (DMs) in the process of multi-attribute decision-making (MADM). However, the existing MADM method based on IVq-RDHL sets has obvious shortcomings, i.e., the operational rules of IVq-RDHL values have some weaknesses and the existing IVq-RDHL aggregation operators are incapable of dealing with some special decision-making situations. In this paper, by analyzing these drawbacks, we then propose the operations for IVq-RDHL values based on a linguistic scale function. After it, we present novel aggregation operators for IVq-RDHL values based on the power Hamy mean and introduce the IVq-RDHL power Hamy mean operator and IVq-RDHL power weighted Hamy mean operator. Properties of these new aggregation operators are also studied. Based on these foundations, we further put forward a MADM method, which is more reasonable and rational than the existing one. Our proposed method not only provides a series of more reasonable operational laws but also offers a more powerful manner to fuse attribute values. Finally, we apply the new MADM method to solve the practical problem of patient admission evaluation. The performance and advantages of our method are illustrated in the comparative analysis with other methods.
Advances in Catalytic Technologies for Biodiesel Fuel Synthesis
Authors: Makareviciene Violeta
Published: January 2022

The greenhouse effect and its consequences are a growing concern for humanity [...]
Operational Resilience of Nuclear-Renewable Integrated-Energy Microgrids
Authors: Poudel Bikash , Lin Linyu , Phillips Tyler , Eggers Shannon , Agarwal Vivek , McJunkin Timothy
Published: January 2022

The increasing prevalence and severity of wildfires, severe storms, and cyberattacks is driving the introduction of numerous microgrids to improve resilience locally. While distributed energy resources (DERs), such as small-scale wind and solar photovoltaics with storage, will be major components in future microgrids, today, the majority of microgrids are backed up with fossil-fuel-based generators. Small modular reactors (SMRs) can form synergistic mix with DERs due to their ability to provide baseload and flexible power. The heat produced by SMRs can also fulfill the heating needs of microgrid consumers. This paper discusses an operational scheme based on distributed control of flexible power assets to strengthen the operational resilience of SMR-DER integrated-energy microgrids. A framework is developed to assess the operational resilience of SMR-DER microgrids in terms of system adaptive real-power capacity quantified as a response area metric (RAM). Month-long simulation results are shown with a microgrid developed in a modified Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)-30 bus system. The RAM values calculated along the operational simulation reflect the system resilience in real time and can be used to supervise the microgrid operation and reactor’s autonomous control.
Constant Phase Element in the Time Domain: The Problem of Initialization
Authors: López-Villanueva Juan Antonio , Rodríguez Bolívar Salvador
Published: January 2022

The constant phase element (CPE) is found in most battery and supercapacitor equivalent circuit models proposed to interpret data in the frequency domain. When these models are used in the time domain, the initial conditions in the fractional differential equations must be correctly imposed. The initial state problem remains controversial and has been analyzed by various authors in the last two decades. This article attempts to clarify this problem by proposing a procedure to prepare the initial state and defining a decay function that reveals the effect of the initial state in several illustrative examples. This decay function depends on the previous history, which is reflected in the time needed to prepare the initial state and on the current profile assumed for this purpose. This effect of the initial state is difficult to separate and can lead to the misinterpretation of the CPE parameter values.
Challenges and Opportunities in Rock Mechanics and Engineering—An Overview
Authors: Zhu Chun , Yang Xiaojie , Tao Zhigang , Sun Jianping
Published: January 2022

The problem of rock mechanics and engineering is an old and new subject encountered by human beings in their struggle with nature for survival and development [...]
The ‘Red Herring’ Hypothesis: Some Theory and New Evidence
Authors: Zweifel Peter
Published: January 2022

The ‘red herring’ hypothesis (RHH) claims that apart from income and medical technology, proximity to death rather than age constitutes the main determinant of healthcare expenditure (HCE). This paper seeks to underpin the RHH with some theory to derive new predictions also for a rationed setting, and to test them against published empirical evidence. One set comprising ten predictions uses women’s longer life expectancy as an indicator of the difference in time to death in their favor. Out of 28 testing opportunities drawn from the published evidence, in the case of no rationing seven out of eleven result in full and two in partial confirmation; in the case of rationing, twelve out of 17 result in full and one in partial confirmation. The other set, containing 35 testing opportunities, concerns the age profile of HCE. In the case of no rationing, seven out of twelve result in full and four in partial confirmation; in the case of rationing, eleven out of 23 in full and nine in partial confirmation. There are but ten contradictions in total. Overall, the new tests of the RHH can be said to receive a good deal of empirical support, both from countries and settings with and without rationing.