bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A retrospective cohort study examining secondary prevention post stroke in primary care in an Asian setting
Authors: Bansal Vivek , Lee Eng Sing , Smith Helen
Published: March 2021

Background

Stroke is one of the top contributors to burden of disability-adjusted life-years worldwide. Family physicians have key role in optimising secondary prevention following stroke by managing clinical risk factors and promoting overall control in accordance with clinical practice guidelines.

Methods

Our objectives were: (i) to examine level of overall risk factor control together with control of singular risk factors one-year after an index-stroke event in individuals attending primary care facility and (ii) to describe factors associated with satisfactory risk factors control in individuals following stroke.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

We conducted a study looking retrospectively at records from our electronic chronic disease database. Our study included individuals following stroke who visited primary care setting in Singapore between January 2012 to December 2016.

Results

There were 24,240 individuals in our study. Overall control was better in individuals without diabetes following stroke (49.2%) as compared to those with diabetes (28.1%).

Among individuals without diabetes following stroke, factors significantly associated with overall control were sex (male) [OR (reference: female): 1.23, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.39], ethnicity (Malay) [OR (reference: Chinese): 0.72, 95% CI: 0.58, 0.90], BMI (high risk) [OR (reference: low risk): 0.72, 95% CI: 0.62, 0.84) and atrial fibrillation [OR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.21, 1.78].

Among individuals with diabetes following stroke, factors significantly associated with overall control were sex (male) [OR (reference: female): 1.28, 95% CI: 1.12, 1.46], ethnicity (Malay) [OR (reference: Chinese): 0.81, 95% CI: 0.65, 0.99], ethnicity (Indian) [OR (reference: Chinese): 0.70, 95% CI: 0.55, 0.88], BMI (high risk) [OR (reference: low risk): 0.71, 95% CI: 0.59, 0.84), BMI (moderate risk) [OR (reference: low risk): 0.84, 95% CI: 0.72, 0.98), atrial fibrillation [OR: 1.24; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.51], chronic kidney disease [OR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.54, 0.72] and smoking status [OR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.54, 0.88].

Conclusion

We reported sub-optimal level of overall control. Among individuals following stroke, those with diabetes had higher proportion of sub-optimal control as compared to those without diabetes. Irrespective of diabetic status, being female, having high BMI, and of Malay ethnicity as compared to Chinese ethnicity were associated with poorer overall risk factor control.
Identification of the potential novel biomarkers as susceptibility gene for Wilms tumor
Authors: Liu Li , Song Zhe , Gao Xu-Dong , Chen Xian , Wu Xiao-Bin , Wang Mi , Hong Yu-De
Published: March 2021

Background

Wilms tumor (WT) is the most common malignant renal tumor in children. The aim of this study was to identify potential susceptibility gene of WT for better prognosis.

Methods

Weighted gene coexpression network analysis is used for the detection of clinically important biomarkers associated with WT.

Results

In the study, 59 tissue samples from National Cancer Institute were pretreated for constructing gene co-expression network, while 224 samples also downloaded from National Cancer Institute were used for hub gene validation and module preservation analysis. Three modules were found to be highly correlated with WT, and 44 top hub genes were identified in these key modules eventually. In addition, both the module preservation analysis and gene validation showed ideal results based on other dataset with 224 samples. Meanwhile, Functional enrichment analysis showed that genes in module were enriched to sister chromatid cohesion, cell cycle, oocyte meiosis.

Conclusion

In summary, we established a gene co-expression network to identify 44 hub genes are closely to recurrence and staging of WT, and 6 of these hub genes was closely related to the poor prognosis of patients. Our findings revealed that those hub genes may be used as potential susceptibility gene for clinical diagnosis and prognosis of this tumor.
A greater lymph node yield is required during pathological examination in microsatellite instability-high gastric cancer
Authors: Cai Zhenghao , Song Haiqin , Fingerhut Abe , Sun Jing , Ma Junjun , Zhang Luyang , Li Shuchun , Yu Chaoran , Zheng Minhua , Zang Lu
Published: March 2021

Background

The impact of microsatellite status on lymph node (LN) yield during lymphadenectomy and pathological examination has never been assessed in gastric cancer (GC). In this study, we aimed to appraise the association between microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) and LN yield after curative gastrectomy.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 1757 patients with GC undergoing curative gastrectomy and divided them into two groups: MSI-H (n = 185(10.5%)) and microsatellite stability (MSS) (n = 1572(89.5%)), using a five-Bethesda-marker (NR-24, BAT-25, BAT-26, CAT-25, MONO-27) panel. The median LN count and the percentage of specimens with a minimum of 16 LNs (adequate LN ratio) were compared between the two groups. The log odds (LODDS) of positive LN count (PLNC) to negative LN count (NLNC) and the target LN examined threshold (TLNT(x%)) were calculated in both groups.

Results

Statistically significant differences were found in the median LN count between MSI-H and MSS groups for the complete cohort (30 vs. 28, p = 0.031), for patients undergoing distal gastrectomy (DG) (30 vs. 27, p = 0.002), for stage II patients undergoing DG (34 vs. 28, p = 0.005), and for LN-negative patients undergoing DG (28 vs. 24, p = 0.002). MSI-H was an independent factor for higher total LN count in patients undergoing DG (p = 0.011), but it was not statistically correlated to the adequate LN ratio. Statistically significant differences in PLNC, NLNC and LODDS were found between MSI-H GC and MSS GC (all p < 0.001). The TLNT(90%) for MSI-H and MSS groups were 31 and 25, respectively. TLNT(X%) of MSI-H GC was always higher than that of MSS GC regardless of the given value of X%.

Conclusions

MSI-H was associated with higher LN yield in patients undergoing gastrectomy for GC. Although MSI-H did not affect the adequacy of LN harvest, we speculate that a greater lymph node yield is required during pathological examination in MSI-H GC.
Changes in ambient temperature increase hospital outpatient visits for allergic rhinitis in Xinxiang, China
Authors: Gao Jianhui , Lu Mengxue , Sun Yinzhen , Wang Jingyao , An Zhen , Liu Yue , Li Juan , Jia Zheng , Wu Weidong , Song Jie
Published: March 2021

Background

The effect of ambient temperature on allergic rhinitis (AR) remains unclear. Accordingly, this study aimed to explore the relationship between ambient temperature and the risk of AR outpatients in Xinxiang, China.

Method

Daily data of outpatients for AR, meteorological conditions, and ambient air pollution in Xinxiang, China were collected from 2015 to 2018. The lag-exposure-response relationship between daily mean temperature and the number of hospital outpatient visits for AR was analyzed by distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM). Humidity, long-time trends, day of the week, public holidays, and air pollutants including sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were controlled as covariates simultaneously.

Results

A total of 14,965 AR outpatient records were collected. The relationship between ambient temperature and AR outpatients was generally M-shaped. There was a higher risk of AR outpatient when the temperature was 1.6–9.3 °C, at a lag of 0–7 days. Additionally, the positive association became significant when the temperature rose to 23.5–28.5 °C, at lag 0–3 days. The effects were strongest at the 25th (7 °C) percentile, at lag of 0–7 days (RR: 1.32, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.05–1.67), and at the 75th (25 °C) percentile at a lag of 0–3 days (RR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.02–1.29), respectively. Furthermore, men were more sensitive to temperature changes than women, and the younger groups appeared to be more influenced.

Conclusions

Both mild cold and mild hot temperatures may significantly increase the risk of AR outpatients in Xinxiang, China. These findings could have important public health implications for the occurrence and prevention of AR.
Body size throughout the life-course and incident benign prostatic hyperplasia-related outcomes and nocturia
Authors: Khan Saira , Wolin K. Y. , Pakpahan R. , Grubb R. L. , Colditz G. A. , Ragard L. , Mabie J. , Breyer B. N. , Andriole G. L. , Sutcliffe S.
Published: March 2021

Background

Existing evidence suggests that there is an association between body size and prevalent Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)-related outcomes and nocturia. However, there is limited evidence on the association between body size throughout the life-course and incident BPH-related outcomes.

Methods

Our study population consisted of men without histories of prostate cancer, BPH-related outcomes, or nocturia in the intervention arm of the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO) (n = 4710). Associations for body size in early- (age 20), mid- (age 50) and late-life (age ≥ 55, mean age 60.7 years) and weight change with incident BPH-related outcomes (including self-reported nocturia and physician diagnosis of BPH, digital rectal examination-estimated prostate volume ≥ 30 cc, and prostate-specific antigen [PSA] concentration > 1.4 ng/mL) were examined using Poisson regression with robust variance estimation.

Results

Men who were obese in late-life were 25% more likely to report nocturia (Relative Risk (RR): 1.25, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.11–1.40; p-trendfor continuous BMI < 0.0001) and men who were either overweight or obese in late-life were more likely to report a prostate volume ≥ 30 cc (RRoverweight: 1.13, 95% CI 1.07–1.21; RRobese: 1.10, 95% CI 1.02–1.19; p-trendfor continuous BMI = 0.017) as compared to normal weight men. Obesity at ages 20 and 50 was similarly associated with both nocturia and prostate volume ≥ 30 cc. Considering trajectories of body size, men who were normal weight at age 20 and became overweight or obese by later-life had increased risks of nocturia (RRnormal to overweight: 1.09, 95% CI 0.98–1.22; RRnormal to obese: 1.28, 95% CI 1.10–1.47) and a prostate volume ≥ 30 cc (RRnormal to overweight: 1.12, 95% CI 1.05–1.20). Too few men were obese early in life to examine the independent effect of early-life body size. Later-life body size modified the association between physical activity and nocturia.

Conclusions

We found that later-life body size, independent of early-life body size, was associated with adverse BPH outcomes, suggesting that interventions to reduce body size even late in life can potentially reduce the burden of BPH-related outcomes and nocturia.
Nurses’ knowledge and attitudes towards palliative care and death: a learning intervention
Authors: Hao Yanping , Zhan Lixuan , Huang Meiling , Cui Xianying , Zhou Ying , Xu En
Published: March 2021

Background

In many countries, nurses are ill-prepared to provide care to patients with terminal illnesses. Limited education and training affect their ability to deliver proper palliative care. Only a few studies have explored appropriate and effective training methods of palliative care in China. Therefore, we aimed to provide evidence for a palliative care training system by appraising the effects of a mixed-method intervention on participants’ knowledge of palliative care and attitudes towards dying patients and death.

Methods

An e-learning intervention approach was adopted for 97 nurses from oncology departments across five hospitals, using a mobile terminal combined with a virtual forum and face-to-face interactions. We conducted a pre- and post-training evaluation through the Palliative Care Quiz of Nursing (PCQN), Frommelt Attitude Toward Care of the Dying Scale Form B (FATCOD-B), and Death Attitude Profile-Revised (DAP-R).

Results

After a three-week intervention, there was a significant increase in the PCQN and FATCOD-B scores as compared to the baseline. For PCQN, the total score increased from 10.3 ± 1.9 to 11.1 ± 2.2 (p = .011) and the score for management of pain and other symptoms increased from 7.7 ± 1.7 to 8.4 ± 1.7 (p = .003). FATCOD-B scores increased noticeably from 100.6 ± 7.9 to 102.9 ± 8.9 (p = .019). The DAP-R scores showed no obvious difference between pre- and post-intervention results.

Conclusions

The mixed-method intervention was effective in improving participants’ knowledge and attitudes about palliative care. The implementation of training for nurses at appropriate intervals during both education and professional life is required, especially regarding the improvement in participants’ attitudes towards death. Therefore, palliative care training in China should receive more attention.
Process evaluation of the implementation of a decision support system to prevent and treat disease-related malnutrition in a hospital setting
Authors: Paulsen Mari Mohn , Varsi Cecilie , Andersen Lene Frost
Published: March 2021

Background

Malnutrition is present in 30% of hospitalized patients and has adverse outcomes for the patient and the healthcare system. The current practice for nutritional care is associated with many barriers. The MyFood decision support system was developed to prevent and treat malnutrition.

Methods

This paper reports on a process evaluation that was completed within an effectiveness trial. MyFood is a digital tool with an interface consisting of an app and a website. MyFood includes functions to record and evaluate dietary intake. It also provides reports to nurses, including tailored recommendations for nutritional treatment. We used an effectiveness-implementation hybrid design in a randomized controlled trial. The RE-AIM (Reach, Efficiency, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance) framework was used to perform a process evaluation alongside the randomized controlled trial, using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. An implementation plan, including implementation strategies, was developed to plan and guide the study.

Results

Reach:In total, 88% of eligible patients consented to participate (n = 100).Adoption: Approximately 75% of the nurses signed up to use MyFood and 50% used the reports.Implementation: MyFood empowered the patients in their nutritional situation and acted as a motivation to eat to reach their nutritional target. The compliance of using MyFood was higher among the patients than the nurses. A barrier for use of MyFood among the nurses was different digital systems which were not integrated and the log-in procedure to the MyFood website. Despite limited use by some nurses, the majority of the nurses claimed that MyFood was useful, better than the current practice, and should be implemented in the healthcare system.

Conclusions

This study used a process evaluation to interpret the results of a randomized controlled trial more in-depth. The patients were highly compliant, however, the compliance was lower among the nurses. MyFood empowered the patients in their nutritional situation, the usability was considered as high, and the experiences and attitudes towards MyFood were primarily positive. Focus on strategies to improve the nurses’ compliance may in the future improve the MyFood system’s potential.

Trial registration

The trial was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov 26/01/2018 (NCT03412695).
Correction to: M2 Macrophagy-derived exosomal miRNA-5106 induces bone mesenchymal stem cells towards osteoblastic fate by targeting salt-inducible kinase 2 and 3
Authors: Xiong Yuan , Chen Lang , Yan Chenchen , Zhou Wu , Yu Tao , Sun Yun , Cao Faqi , Xue Hang , Hu Yiqiang , Chen Dong , Mi Bobin , Liu Guohui
Published: March 2021

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.
Optimally biosynthesized, PEGylated gold nanoparticles functionalized with quercetin and camptothecin enhance potential anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and anti-angiogenic activities
Authors: Sadalage Priyadarshani S. , Patil Reshma V. , Havaldar Darshana V. , Gavade Shruti S. , Santos Ana Cláudia , Pawar Kiran D.
Published: March 2021

Background

The development of nano delivery systems is rapidly emerging area of nanotechnology applications where nanomaterials (NMs) are employed to deliver therapeutic agents to specific site in a controlled manner. To accomplish this, green synthesis of NMs is widely explored as an eco-friendly method for the development of smart drug delivery system. In the recent times, use of green synthesized NMs, especially metallic NMs have fascinated the scientific community as they are excellent carriers for drugs. This work demonstrates optimized green, biogenic synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for functionalization with quercetin (QT) and camptothecin (CPT) to enhance potential anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and anti-angiogenic activities of these drugs.

Results

Gold nanoparticles were optimally synthesized in 8 min of reaction at 90 °C, pH 6, using 4 mM of HAuCl4 and 4:1 ratio of extract: HAuCl4. Among different capping agents tested, capping of AuNPs with polyethylene glycol 9000 (PG9) was found best suited prior to functionalization. PG9 capped AuNPs were optimally functionalized with QT in 1 h reaction at 70 °C, pH 7, using 1200 ppm of QT and 1:4 ratio of AuNPs-PG9:QT whereas, CPT was best functionalized at RT in 1 h, pH 12, AuNPs-PG9:CPT ratio of 1:1, and 0.5 mM of CPT. QT functionalized AuNPs showed good anti-cancer activity (IC50 687.44 µg/mL) against MCF-7 cell line whereas test of anti-inflammatory activity also showed excellent activity (IC50 287.177 mg/L). The CAM based assessment of anti-angiogenic activity of CPT functionalized AuNPs demonstrated the inhibition of blood vessel branching confirming the anti-angiogenic effect.

Conclusions

Thus, present study demonstrates that optimally synthesized biogenic AuNPs are best suited for the functionalization with drugs such as QT and CPT. The functionalization of these drugs with biogenic AuNPs enhances the potential anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and anti-angiogenic activities of these drugs, therefore can be used in biomedical application.
Author Correction: CRISPRi enables isoform-specific loss-of-function screens and identification of gastric cancer-specific isoform dependencies
Authors: Davies Rebecca , Liu Ling , Taotao Sheng , Tuano Natasha , Chaturvedi Richa , Huang Kie Kyon , Itman Catherine , Mandoli Amit , Qamra Aditi , Hu Changyuan , Powell David , Daly Roger J. , Tan Patrick , Rosenbluh Joseph
Published: March 2021

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.
Hepatic steatosis and steatohepatitis: a functional meta-analysis of sex-based differences in transcriptomic studies
Authors: Català-Senent José F. , Hidalgo Marta R. , Berenguer Marina , Parthasarathy Gopanandan , Malhi Harmeet , Malmierca-Merlo Pablo , de la Iglesia-Vayá María , García-García Francisco
Published: March 2021

Background

Previous studies have described sex-based differences in the epidemiological and clinical patterns of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); however, we understand relatively little regarding the underlying molecular mechanisms. Herein, we present the first systematic review and meta-analysis of NAFLD transcriptomic studies to identify sex-based differences in the molecular mechanisms involved during the steatosis (NAFL) and steatohepatitis (NASH) stages of the disease.

Methods

Transcriptomic studies in the Gene Expression Omnibus database were systematically reviewed following the PRISMA statement guidelines. For each study, NAFL and NASH in premenopausal women and men were compared using a dual strategy: gene-set analysis and pathway activity analysis. Finally, the functional results of all studies were integrated into a meta-analysis.

Results

We reviewed a total of 114 abstracts and analyzed seven studies that included 323 eligible patients. The meta-analyses identified significantly altered molecular mechanisms between premenopausal women and men, including the overrepresentation of genes associated with DNA regulation, vinculin binding, interleukin-2 responses, negative regulation of neuronal death, and the transport of ions and cations in premenopausal women. In men, we discovered the overrepresentation of genes associated with the negative regulation of interleukin-6 and the establishment of planar polarity involved in neural tube closure.

Conclusions

Our meta-analysis of transcriptomic data provides a powerful approach to identify sex-based differences in NAFLD. We detected differences in relevant biological functions and molecular terms between premenopausal women and men. Differences in immune responsiveness between men and premenopausal women with NAFLD suggest that women possess a more immune tolerant milieu, while men display an impaired liver regenerative response.

Graphical abstract
Commentary: on the effects of health expenditure on infant mortality in sub-Saharan Africa: evidence from panel data analysis
Authors: Byaro Mwoya
Published: March 2021

Background

This commentary assesses critically the published article in the Health Economics Review. 2020; 10 (1), 1–9. It explains the effects of health expenditure on infant mortality in sub-Saharan Africa using a panel data analysis (i.e. random effects) over the year 2000–2015 extracted from the World Bank Development Indicators. The paper is well written and deserve careful attention.

Main text

The main reasons for inaccurate estimates observed in this paper are due to endogeneity issue with random effects panel estimators. It occurs when two or more variables simultaneously affect/cause each other. In this paper, the presence of endogeneity bias (i.e. education, health, health care expenditures and real GDP per capita variables) and its omitted variable bias leads to inaccurate estimates and conclusion. Random effects model require strict exogeneity of regressors. Moreover, frequentist/classic estimation (i.e. random effects) relies on sampling size and likelihood of the data in a specified model without considering other kinds of uncertainty.

Conclusion

This comment argues future studies on health expenditures versus health outcomes (i.e. infant, under-five and neonates mortality) to use either dynamic panel (i.e. system Generalized Method of Moments, GMM) to control endogeneity issues among health (infant or neonates mortality), GDP per capita, education and health expenditures variables or adopting Bayesian framework to adjust uncertainty (i.e. confounding, measurement errors and endogeneity of variables) within a range of probability distribution.
Good living of communities and sustainability of the hydropower business: mapping an operational framework for benefit sharing
Authors: Jiménez-Inchima Indira , Polanco Jorge-Andrés , Escobar-Sierra Manuela
Published: March 2021

The negative impact of hydropower companies is cushioned frequently through compensation that is proportional neither to the needs of communities nor to the energy business. Considering the dependence of hydropower on the environment, it is unclear how the good living of communities can be combined with the long-term sustainability of power companies. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to establish a benefit sharing scheme between hydropower companies and local communities. We conducted a systematic literature review using a sequential mixed-method approach. In the first stage, we performed a quantitative bibliometric analysis, and its results, described in Model 1.0, were the basis of the second stage. Consequently, in the second stage, we conducted a content analysis of 40 documents to enrich the previous version of the model in Framework 2.0. After completing both the methodological stages, we prepared a theoretical operational framework for benefit sharing based on collaborative governance that assigned different specific weights for companies and local communities. Equal benefit sharing is the result of an adaptive process that depends on (1) the performance of companies, (2) the level of empowerment of communities and (3) the state’s capacity to intervene in setting rules of engagement that help reduce power asymmetries between companies and the society.
Scratching the surface: the use of sheepskin parchment to deter textual erasure in early modern legal deeds
Authors: Doherty Sean Paul , Henderson Stuart , Fiddyment Sarah , Finch Jonathan , Collins Matthew J.
Published: March 2021

Historic legal deeds are one of the most abundant resources in British archives, but also one of the most neglected. Despite the millions that survive, we know remarkably little about their manufacture, including the species of animal on which they were written. Here we present the species identification of 645 sixteenth–twentieth century skins via peptide mass fingerprinting (ZooMS), demonstrating the preferential use of sheepskin parchment. We argue that alongside their abundance and low cost, the use of sheepskins over those of other species was motivated by the increased visibility of fraudulent text erasure and modification afforded by the unique structure of their skin.
Otorhinolaryngology services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tanzania
Authors: Abraham Zephania Saitabau
Published: March 2021

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) remains to be a global pandemic and cause of significant morbidity and mortality. Since the mode of transmission of the virus from one person to another is through respiratory droplets, saliva, and fomites, otorhinolaryngologists are highly exposed to COVID-19 while executing their daily functions. Examination of anatomic sites like the nose and throat exposes the otorhinolaryngologist to possible contact with bodily fluids from the patient. Such examination also requires maintenance of close contact with the patient further increasing the exposure risk. Despite the heightened odds of contracting COVID-19 infection during their routine practice, otorhinolaryngologists in Tanzania have continued managing patients while adhering to the available local guidelines aimed at protecting themselves and also the patients from COVID-19. The aim of this letter it to oversee the current status of otorhinolaryngology services in Tanzania during this era of COVID-19 pandemic.
Emerging methods for the characterization of ischemic heart disease: ultrafast Doppler angiography, micro-CT, photon-counting CT, novel MRI and PET techniques, and artificial intelligence
Authors: Willemink Martin J. , Varga-Szemes Akos , Schoepf U. Joseph , Codari Marina , Nieman Koen , Fleischmann Dominik , Mastrodicasa Domenico
Published: March 2021

After an ischemic event, disruptive changes in the healthy myocardium may gradually develop and may ultimately turn into fibrotic scar. While these structural changes have been described by conventional imaging modalities mostly on a macroscopic scale—i.e., late gadolinium enhancement at magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)—in recent years, novel imaging methods have shown the potential to unveil an even more detailed picture of the postischemic myocardial phenomena. These new methods may bring advances in the understanding of ischemic heart disease with potential major changes in the current clinical practice. In this review article, we provide an overview of the emerging methods for the non-invasive characterization of ischemic heart disease, including coronary ultrafast Doppler angiography, photon-counting computed tomography (CT), micro-CT (for preclinical studies), low-field and ultrahigh-field MRI, and 11C-methionine positron emission tomography. In addition, we discuss new opportunities brought by artificial intelligence, while addressing promising future scenarios and the challenges for the application of artificial intelligence in the field of cardiac imaging.
Comparative environmental impact evaluation using life cycle assessment approach: a case study of integrated membrane-filtration system for the treatment of aerobically-digested palm oil mill effluent
Authors: Teow Yeit Haan , Chong Meng Teck , Ho Kah Chun , Mohammad Abdul Wahab
Published: March 2021

Aiming to mitigate wastewater pollution arising from the palm oil industry, this university-industry research-and-development project focused on the integration of serial treatment processes, including the use of moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR), pre-treatment with sand filters and activated carbon filters, and membrane technology for aerobically-digested palm oil mill effluent (POME) treatment. To assess the potential of this sustainable alternative practice in the industry, the developed technology was demonstrated in a pilot-scale facility: four combinations (Combinations I to IV) of unit operations were developed in an integrated membrane-filtration system. Combination I includes a MBBR, pre-treatment unit comprising sand filters and activated carbon filters, ultrafiltration (UF) membrane, and reverse osmosis (RO) membrane, while Combination II excludes MBBR, Combination III excludes UF membrane, and Combination IV excludes both MBBR and UF membrane. Life cycle assessment (LCA) was performed to evaluate potential environmental impacts arising from each combination while achieving the goal of obtaining recycled and reusable water from the aerobically-digested POME treatment. It is reported that electricity consumption is the predominant factor contributing to most of those categories (50–77%) as the emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides, and volatile mercury during the combustion of fossil fuels. Combination I in the integrated membrane-filtration system with all unit operations incurring high electricity consumption (52 MJ) contributed to the greatest environmental impact. Electricity consumption registers the highest impact towards all life cycle impact categories: 73% on climate change, 80% on terrestrial acidification, 51% on eutrophication, and 43% on human toxicity. Conversely, Combination IV is the most environmentally-friendly process, since it involves only two-unit operations – pre-treatment unit (comprising sand filters and activated carbon filters) and RO membrane unit – and thus incurs the least electricity consumption (41.6 MJ). The LCA offers insights into each combination of the operating process and facilitates both researchers and the industry towards sustainable production.
Added value of hyperdense lumen sign in prediction of acute central and peripheral pulmonary embolism on non-contrast CT chest
Authors: Hassan Hend Galal Eldeen Mohamed Ali , Khater Nivan Hany , Elia Remon Zaher
Published: March 2021

Background

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common condition with considerable morbidity and mortality; it is more often diagnosed post-mortem by pathologists than in vivo by clinicians. Prompt and accurate diagnosis is difficult because PE may be clinically silent, the symptoms are vague and nonspecific, and in addition, there is no definitive, non-invasive diagnostic test to establish its diagnosis. The aim of this study is to assess the reliability of detection of acute central and peripheral pulmonary embolism (PE) on non-contrast CT especially when no possible alternative is available as in allergic cases or emergency, patients with history of renal disease, or in cases where PE is not the leading diagnosis. CT pulmonary angiography study served as our gold standard.

Results

Eighty adult patients were included in our study; 44 were females and 36 males most of which were complaining of dyspnea and chest pain. Acute central pulmonary embolism was confirmed by CTPA. They all underwent a pre-contrast study just prior to the CTPA. Presence of high attenuation emboli in any of the main pulmonary vessels was our key for diagnosis of acute embolism. Non-contrast CT chest diagnosed 26 of the 47 cases confirmed by CTPA. The hyperdense lumen sign had an overall sensitivity of 55.3%, specificity of 100%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 100%, and negative predictive value of 61.1%. The accuracy of non-contrast CT chest study was evaluated using CTPA as our gold standard.

Conclusion

Non-contrast CT chest is a good indicator in predicting central and peripheral pulmonary embolism, particularly in cases of emergency, those unable to take intravenous contrast for angiography, or in cases where pulmonary embolism is not the leading diagnosis.
Fetal brain MRI: how it added to ultrasound diagnosis of fetal CNS anomalies-1 year experience
Authors: Raafat Mariam , Alalfy Mahmoud , Nagy Omar , Saraya Samira
Published: March 2021

Background

Central nervous system (CNS) anomalies are the most commonly diagnosed abnormalities of all fetal malformations and are usually primarily discovered on routine prenatal ultrasonography (US). Fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive technology with high soft tissue contrast that is documented to increase the diagnostic accuracy for detection of fetal brain anomalies.

The aim of our study is to analyze the value of adding magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the fetal brain to antenatal ultrasound in the diagnosis of fetal central nervous system (CNS) anomalies.

Results

We diagnosed various CNS anomalies including twelve cases with infra- and supra-tentorial arachnoid cysts, six cases had Dandy-Walker malformation (DWM) and its variants, 1 case with mega cisterna magna, 2 cases of holoprosencephaly, 1 case of hydranencephaly, 2 cases with supratentorial hydrocephalus, 1 case of craniopharyngioma, 6 cases with corpus callosum (CC) agenesis, 1 case of extradural hematoma, and 8 cases with Meckel-Gruber syndrome (MGS). MRI diagnosis confirmed the ultrasound finding, without additional information in 23 cases (57.5%%), added an extra finding in 11 cases (27.5%), differentiated between 2 pathologies in 3 cases (7.5%), and changed the diagnosis in 3 cases (7.5 %).

The 40 pregnancies resulted in 27 births (67.5%), 2 died directly after birth (5%), 7 terminations (17.5%), and 4 intrauterine fetal deaths (IUFD) (10 %).

Conclusion

Ultrasound is the gold standard imaging modality for anomaly scan in the second and third trimesters; however, MRI of the fetal brain might be a clinically valuable complement especially when ultrasound examination is inconclusive due to maternal obesity, severe oligohydramnios, or in complicated cases with unclear diagnosis.
Progressive transfer learning for low-frequency data prediction in full-waveform inversion
Authors: Hu Wenyi , Jin Yuchen , Wu Xuqing , Chen Jiefu
Published: March 2021

To effectively overcome the cycle-skipping issue in full-waveform inversion (FWI), we have developed a deep neural network (DNN) approach to predict the absent low-frequency (LF) components by exploiting the hidden physical relation connecting the LF and high-frequency (HF) data. To efficiently solve this challenging nonlinear regression problem, two novel strategies are proposed to design the DNN architecture and to optimize the learning process: (1) the dual data feed structure and (2) progressive transfer learning. With the dual data feed structure, not only the HF data, but also the corresponding beat tone data, are fed into the DNN to relieve the burden of feature extraction. The second strategy, progressive transfer learning, enables us to train the DNN using a single evolving training data set. Within the framework of progressive transfer learning, the training data set continuously evolves in an iterative manner by gradually retrieving the subsurface information through the physics-based inversion module, progressively enhancing the prediction accuracy of the DNN and propelling the inversion process out of the local minima. The synthetic numerical experiments suggest that, without any a priori geologic information, the LF data predicted by the progressive transfer learning are sufficiently accurate for an FWI engine to produce reliable subsurface velocity models free of cycle-skipping artifacts.
Mimicking the process of manual sequence stratigraphy well correlation
Authors: Fang Huijing , Lou Yihuai , Zhang Bo , Xu Huaimin , Lu Man
Published: March 2021

Stratigraphic correlation of well logs is based on interactive interpreter-based pattern recognition. A skilled interpreter identifies similar patterns (such as upward fining and coarsening) in user-defined well sections and links them using either a conscious or subconscious stratigraphic model. This manual stratigraphic correlation of numerous wells in mature fields can be time-consuming and error-prone. To expedite the process of stratigraphic correlation, we have performed semiautomatic stratigraphic correlation of wireline logs from multiple wells using improved dynamic time warping (IDTW). IDTW uses semblance, which compares the shape of the well logs, to replace the Euclidean distance in pairwise error computation. The resulting error matrix is compatible with the lateral nonstationary variation of well logs in the same formation. The workflow begins with interpreting stratigraphic well tops on user-defined well sections that is similar to the current process of stratigraphy analysis. The interpreted wells are then treated as reference wells to aid in interpreting well tops for other wells. Necessary manual interventions are incorporated during the semiautomatic stratigraphic correlation process. We applied our method to two experimental fields: a sand-rich reservoir and a mud-rich reservoir. The applications illustrate that our method performs well in aggradational strata and successfully predicts discontinuities with manual interventions.
Hybrid Intracavitary-Interstitial brachytherapy in a case of nasal vestibule cancer penetrating the hard palate
Authors: Murakami Naoya , Omura Go , Yatsuoka Wakako , Okamoto Hiroyuki , Yoshimoto Seiichi , Ueno Takao , Itami Jun
Published: March 2021

Because of its rarity, no standard therapy exists for localized squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal vestibule. Interstitial brachytherapy (ISBT) is reported to be a preferable treatment modality of choice for early-stage localized nasal vestibule cancer. In this report, a nasal vestibule cancer with hard palate invasion (T3) was treated by definitive radiation therapy. Because it was considered to be difficult to cover the entire target volume only by ISBT, a hybrid of intracavitary (dental mold-based) and ISBT was applied to the patient following external beam radiation therapy.
How to Teach School Students to Produce Creative Writing in English
Authors: Korzun O. , Shtan'ko E.
Published: March 2021

The relevance of the article is conditioned by the insufficient effort taken at school to teach students to produce different types of writing in English with the exception of the informal letter and essay in the State Exam format. The article deals with the issue of training students to create a simple coherent text (story). The authors define the concept and specify the structure of a simple coherent text (story). The problems that students face are thoroughly analyzed and the authors suggest effective ways of coping with the problems that students experience while writing stories in English. The article describes teaching methods that assist students to excel at creative writing. The aim of the article is to make school teachers aware of the necessity to develop students’ writing skills in terms of storytelling.
Implementation of Pre-Subject Oriented Instruction and Industry-Specific Training As a Condition of Learners’ Vocational Self-Determination
Authors: Yan'kin D.
Published: March 2021

The changes in the economy and social sphere raise the problem of revising approaches to the vocational self-determination of young people. Special attention should be paid to the system of general secondary education which requires significant modifications.

The article formulates real challenges posed to the education system that affect the formation of vocational self-determination. The paper presents some benchmarks for developing career guidance aimed at schoolchildren and adults that are enshrined in federal, regional and municipal regulations.

The author also describes some approaches to the formation of schoolchildren vocational self-determination implemented through pre-subject oriented instruction and industry-specific training in the context of cluster-network forms of interaction between the school and institutions of secondary vocational, higher and additional education, as well as with enterprises and business.

This paper also presents the innovative project developed by Municipal Budgetary General Education Institution called "Secondary School No. 60 in Novokuznetsk" of the Kemerovo Region and describes career guidance activities within the framework of its implementation.
Procurement Mechanisms for Assortments of Differentiated Products
Authors: Saban Daniela , Weintraub Gabriel Y.
Published: March 2021

Many procurement agencies around the world construct assortments of differentiated products from which consumers can buy from. A leading example is framework agreements, a type of procurement mechanism commonly used by governments. This type of practice is studied head on. The authors introduce a mechanism design formulation of the procurement agency’s problem and solves it under progressively more realistic implementation constraints. The results show how restricting entry of close-substitute products into the assortment can increase price competition, reducing spending significantly, without much damage to the variety offered to consumers. Furthermore, the results have practical implications that can be used by procurement agencies to increase consumer surplus and have already been used to redesign FAs in the Chilean government.
Performance analysis and optimal detector of wireless optical space–time shift keying over the Gamma–Gamma turbulence channel
Authors: Zhang Yue , Wang Huiqin , Ma Xuemei , Zhao Li , Mao Yicong
Published: March 2021

In this paper, an optical space–time shift-keying (OSTSK) scheme based on the space–time dispersion matrix block of orthogonal design and laser selection technology is proposed to improve the transmission bits per symbol (TBS) and bit error rate (BER) performance of the traditional optical space shift keying (OSSK). The average BER of OSTSK is investigated over the Gamma–Gamma channel and simulated using the Monte Carlo method. The results show that the proposed scheme has the highest TBS and best BER performance compared with OSSK and optical generalized space shift keying. In addition, we propose a threshold judgment orthogonal matching pursuit (TJ-OMP)-decoding algorithm near-optimal detector for the OSTSK scheme to reduce the computational complexity of the system. For the OSTSK system with

N

t

=
4

and

N

r

=
4

, when the reasonable threshold is selected as

θ
=
1.5

, the computational complexity of OSTSK-(TJ-OMP) is 74.3% lower than that of the OSTSK-maximum likelihood sequence detection (OSTSK-MLSD), while the signal-to-noise ratio of the OSTSK-(TJ-OMP) decreases by about 1.5 dB at

B
E
R

=
1
×

10

−
3

.
3-D compressed sensing optical coherence tomography using predictive coding
Authors: McLean James P. , Hendon Christine P.
Published: March 2021

We present a compressed sensing (CS) algorithm and sampling strategy for reconstructing 3-D Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) image volumes from as little as 10% of the original data. Reconstruction using the proposed method, Denoising Predictive Coding (DN-PC), is demonstrated for five clinically relevant tissue types including human heart, retina, uterus, breast, and bovine ligament. DN-PC reconstructs the difference between adjacent b-scans in a volume and iteratively applies Gaussian filtering to improve image sparsity. An a-line sampling strategy was developed that can be easily implemented in existing Spectral-Domain OCT systems and reduce scan time by up to 90%.
Second-harmonic generation of spatiotemporal optical vortices and conservation of orbital angular momentum
Authors: Hancock S. W. , Zahedpour S. , Milchberg H. M.
Published: March 2021

A spatiotemporal optical vortex (STOV) is an intrinsic optical orbital angular momentum (OAM) structure in which the OAM vector is orthogonal to the propagation direction [Optica 6, 1547 (2019)OPTIC82334-253610.1364/OPTICA.6.001547] and the optical phase circulates in space-time. Here, we experimentally and theoretically demonstrate the generation of the second harmonic of a STOV-carrying pulse along with the conservation of STOV-based OAM. Our experiments verify that photons can have intrinsic orbital angular momentum perpendicular to their propagation direction.
Polarization-robust mid-infrared carpet cloak with minimized lateral shift
Authors: Huang Yao , Zhang Jingjing , Zhou Jinhui , Qiang Bo , Xu Zhengji , Liu Lin , Tao Jifang , Kossowski Nicolas , Wang Qijie , Luo Yu
Published: March 2021

With the advent and rapid development of the transformation optics and metamaterials, invisibility cloaks have captivated much attention in recent years. While most cloaking schemes suffer from limited bandwidth, the carpet cloak, which can hide an object on a reflecting plane, can operate over a broadband frequency range. However, the carpet cloaks experimentally realized thus far still have several limitations. For example, the quasi-conformal mapping carpet cloak leads to a lateral shift of the reflected light ray, while the birefringent carpet cloak only works for a specific polarization. In this work, we propose a conformal transformation scheme to tackle these two problems simultaneously. As an example, we design a mid-infrared carpet cloak in a silicon platform and demonstrate its polarization-insensitive property as well as the minimized lateral shift over a broad frequency band from 24 to 28.3 THz.
Biogeographic venom variation in Russell’s viper (Daboia russelii) and the preclinical inefficacy of antivenom therapy in snakebite hotspots
Authors: Senji Laxme R. R. , Khochare Suyog , Attarde Saurabh , Suranse Vivek , Iyer Ashwin , Casewell Nicholas R. , Whitaker Romulus , Martin Gerard , Sunagar Kartik
Published: March 2021

Background

Snakebite in India results in over 58,000 fatalities and a vast number of morbidities annually. The majority of these clinically severe envenomings are attributed to Russell’s viper (Daboia russelii), which has a near pan-India distribution. Unfortunately, despite its medical significance, the influence of biogeography on the composition and potency of venom from disparate D. russelii populations, and the repercussions of venom variation on the neutralisation efficacy of marketed Indian antivenoms, remain elusive.

Methods

Here, we employ an integrative approach comprising proteomic characterisation, biochemical analyses, pharmacological assessment, and venom toxicity profiling to elucidate the influence of varying ecology and environment on the pan-Indian populations of D. russelii. We then conducted in vitro venom recognition experiments and in vivo neutralisation assays to evaluate the efficacy of the commercial Indian antivenoms against the geographically disparate D. russelii populations.

Findings

We reveal significant intraspecific variation in the composition, biochemical and pharmacological activities and potencies of D. russelii venoms sourced from five distinct biogeographic zones across India. Contrary to our understanding of the consequences of venom variation on the effectiveness of snakebite therapy, commercial antivenom exhibited surprisingly similar neutralisation potencies against the majority of the investigated populations, with the exception of low preclinical efficacy against the semi-arid population from northern India. However, the ability of Indian antivenoms to counter the severe morbid effects of Daboia envenoming remains to be evaluated.

Conclusion

The concerning lack of antivenom efficacy against the north Indian population of D. russelii, as well as against two other ‘big four’ snake species in nearby locations, underscores the pressing need to develop pan-India effective antivenoms with improved efficacy in high snakebite burden locales.