bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Carbon emission reduction rffects of innovative city pilot policy: a quasi-natural experiment from China
Authors: Huang Yongchun , Zou Chen , Ye Zi
Published: August 2023

Environmental economics theory suggests that the technological effects of increased innovation capacity can drive both stable economic growth and act as a major way to mitigate regional environmental pollution levels. This is the reason why science and technology innovation is the key to achieving low-carbon and green development. This study aimed to examine the influence of China's pilot policy for innovative cities on the emissions of greenhouse gases and its operational mechanism. By employing both quantitative and qualitative approaches, we successfully examined the impact of the policy on the nation's carbon peaking. The study findings indicated that the adoption of the urban pilot policy can effectively decelerate the increase of carbon emissions in cities. Additionally, the policy has a more pronounced impact on reducing emissions in major urban areas and provinces. The mechanism test revealed that the policy can help reduce the urban carbon emissions by implementing various technological innovations and spatial intensification. The results of this research offer significant theoretical backing for the adoption of the urban pilot policy and encourage the advancement of eco-friendly growth in Chinese urban areas.
Bioavailability-based risk assessment of various heavy metals via multi-exposure routes for children and teenagers in Beijing, China
Authors: Du Zhongwen , Tian Zuguang , Yin Yelan , Wei Junxiao , Mu Yue , Cai Jianjun , Song Zefeng , Cen Kuang
Published: August 2023

Rare study focuses on the health risks of children and teenagers from multiple exposure routes (MERs) of environmental media based on bioavailability of heavy metals (HMs). On the basis of considering the bioavailability of HMs, this study evaluated the multiple environmental routes and health risks to HMs in children and teenagers of eight age groups (2-<3, 3-<4, 4-<5, 5-<6, 6-<9, 9-<12, 12-<15, and 15-<18) in Beijing, China. The main findings are as follows: chromium [Cr (III)] intake by food consumption in all populations may exceed the recommended nutrient intake. And the MERs of lead in children aged 2–<3 years exceed the exposure dose (0.3 µg·kg− 1·d− 1) of 0.5 points reduction in intelligence quotient. Moreover, children aged 2–<3 and 6–<9 years have the highest non-carcinogenic risk (NCR) and carcinogenic risk (CR), respectively. The contributions of oral ingestion, dermal contact, and inhalation to the NCR were 69.5%, 18.9% and 11.6%, respectively. And the combined NCR contributions of copper, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic (As) were about 69.4%. The contributions of the above three routes to the CR were 93.4%, 4.1% and 2.5%, in that order, with the largest CR contribution of As being about 92.0%. This study can provide new ideas for accurately assessing the exposure and health risks of HMs in the population, and we believe that it is necessary to update the national standards for food and soil based on the bioavailability of HMs.
Synthetic Colonic Mucus Enables the Development of Modular Microbiome Organoids
Authors: Medina Scott , Miller Michael
Published: August 2023

The human colon is home to more than a trillion microorganisms that modulate diverse gastrointestinal processes and pathophysiologies. Our understanding of how this gut ecosystem impacts human health, although evolving, is still in its nascent stages and has been slowed by the lack of accessible and scalable tools suitable to studying complex host-mucus-microbe interactions. In this work, we report a synthetic gel-like material capable of recapitulating the varied structural, mechanical, and biochemical profiles of native human colonic mucus to develop compositionally simple microbiome screening platforms with broad utility in microbiology and drug discovery. The viscous fibrillar material is realized through the templated assembly of a fluorine-rich amino acid at liquid-liquid phase separated interfaces. The fluorine-assisted mucus surrogate (FAMS) can be decorated with various mucins to serve as a habitat for microbial colonization and be integrated with human colorectal epithelial cells to generate multicellular artificial mucosae, which we refer to as a microbiome organoid. Notably, FAMS are made with inexpensive and commercially available materials, and can be generated using simple protocols and standard laboratory hardware. As a result, this platform can be broadly incorporated into various laboratory settings to advance our understanding of probiotic biology and inform in vivo approaches. If implemented into high throughput screening approaches, FAMS may represent a valuable tool in drug discovery to study compound metabolism and gut permeability, with an exemplary demonstration of this utility presented here.
Identification of modules and key genes associated with Breast Cancer subtypes through network analysis
Authors: Mares-Quiñones María Daniela , Galán-Vásquez Edgardo , Perez-Rueda Ernesto , Pérez-Ishiwara D. Guillermo , Medel-Flores María Olivia , Gómez-García María del Consuelo
Published: August 2023

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women around the world. Intratumor and intertumoral heterogeneity persist in mammary tumors. Therefore, the identification of biomarkers is essential for the treatment of this malignancy. This study analyzed 28,143 genes expressed in 49 breast cancer cell lines using a Weighted Gene Co-expression network analysis to determine specific target proteins for Basal A, Basal B, Luminal A, Luminal B and HER2 ampl breast cancer subtypes. Sixty-five modules were identified, of which five were characterized as having a high correlation with breast cancer subtypes. Genes overexpressed in the tumor were found to participate in the following mechanisms: regulation of the apoptotic process, transcriptional regulation, angiogenesis, signaling, and cellular survival. In particular, we identified the following genes, considered as hubs: IFIT3, an inhibitor of viral and cellular processes; ETS1, a transcription factor involved in cell death and tumorigenesis; ENSG00000259723 lncRNA, expressed in cancers; AL033519.3 a hypothetical gene; and TMEM86A, important for regulating keratinocyte membrane properties, considered as a key in Basal A, Basal B, Luminal A, Luminal B and HER2 ampl breast cancer subtypes, respectively. The modules and genes identified in this work can be used to identify possible biomarkers or therapeutic targets in different breast cancer subtypes.
Study of Spatiotemporal Variation and Driving Factors of Habitat Quality in the northern foothills of the Qinling Mountains:A Case Study of Xi'an, China
Authors: Ma Ling , Wang Chuanming , Wang Liyang , Jin Shumeng , Kou Xiaomei
Published: August 2023

The goal of this study is to analyze spatiotemporal transform in Xi 'an section of the northern foothills of the Qinling Mountains from 1990 to 2020. By visualizing temporal and spatial changes in habitat quality using InVEST model and land use data, and analyzing factors that affecting habitat quality by Geo-detector; showing that the cultivated land, grassland, and water decreased by 16.40%, 74.37%, and 35.39%, respectively, while the area of forest land and construction land increased, among which the construction land increased by 117.70%, the largest increase, and the forest land increased by 8.47% during study periods. The main changes in land use are the conversion of cultivated land into forest land and construction land, and the conversion of grassland into forest land and cultivated land. During 1990–2020, the average habitat quality index showing a slow decreasing from 0.8617 to 0.8585. The spatial distribution of habitat quality index showed a trend of "high in the south, moderate in the north, and low in the northwest". The high habitat quality was mainly concentrated in the southern forest land, the middle habitat quality was mainly distributed in the northern cultivated land, and the low habitat quality was mainly distributed in the northwest construction land. The land use type has great influence on habitat quality, on top of it, the interaction between any two factors are stronger the just one factor. Last, the temporal and spatial variation of habitat quality is influenced by both natural and unnatural factors.
Ranking species in complex ecosystems through nestedness maximization
Authors: Morone Flaviano , Mariani Manuel Sebastian , Mazzilli Dario , Patelli Aurelio
Published: August 2023

Identifying the rank of species in a social or ecological network is a difficult task, since the rank of each species is invariably determined by complex interactions stipulated with other species. Simply put, the rank of a species is a function of the ranks of all other species through the adjacency matrix of the network. A common system of ranking is to order species in such a way that their neighbours form maximally nested sets, a problem called nested maximization problem (NMP). Here we show that the NMP can be formulated as an instance of the Quadratic Assignment Problem, one of the most important combinatorial optimization problem widely studied in computer science, economics, and operations research. We tackle the problem by Statistical Physics techniques: we derive a set of self-consistent nonlinear equations whose fixed point represents the optimal rankings of species in an arbitrary bipartite mutualistic network, which generalize the Fitness-Complexity equations widely used in the field of economic complexity. Furthermore, we present an efficient algorithm to solve the NMP that outperforms state-of-the-art network-based metrics and genetic algorithms. Eventually, our theoretical framework may be easily generalized to study the relationship between ranking and network structure beyond pairwise interactions, e.g. in higher-order networks.
The Development of the Soderberg Electrolyzer Electromagnetic Field’s State Monitoring System
Authors: Martirosyan Alexander , Ilyushin Yury
Published: August 2023

This study is devoted to improving the economic efficiency of the cell, due to the field of the generated electromagnetic field’s accurate diagnostics. To solve this problem, the authors had developed a hardware-software complex for electromagnetic field diagnostics. This complex includes a measurement device and a software package for data collection and analysis. On the laboratory prototype of the aluminum electrolysis complex, a study was carried out on the formation and structure of the electromagnetic field. A number of experiments have been carried out showing the degree of formation of the electromagnetic field by the anode, the relationship of electromagnetic fields in the inter-anode space has been shown. Based on the results of the studies, conclusions were drawn about the possibility of diagnosing the current state of the anode, determining the direction of rotation of aluminum in the electrolytic cell and estimating the life of the anode and its burnout time.
Nature-inspired biomolecular corona-based on poly(caffeic acid) as a low potential and time-stable glucose biosensor
Authors: Kuznowicz Maria , Jędrzak Artur , Jesionowski Teofil
Published: August 2023

Herein, we present novel biosensor based on nature-inspired poly(caffeic acid) (PCA) grafted to magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles with glucose oxidase (GOx) from Aspergillus niger via adsorption technique. The biomolecular corona was applied to fabrication of biosensor system with screen printed electrode (SPE). The obtained results indicated an operation of the system at low potential (0.1 V).
Then, amperometric measurements were performed to optimize conditions like various pH and temperatures. The SPE/Fe3O4@PCA-GOx biosensor presented a linear range from 0.05 mM to 25.0 mM, with a sensitivity of 1198.0 μA mM−1 cm−2 and a limit of detection 5.23 μM, which was compared to other biosensors presented in the literature. The proposed system was selective towards various interferents (maltose, saccharose, fructose, L-cysteine, uric acid, dopamine and ascorbic acid) and shows high recovery in relation to tests on real samples, up to 10 months of work stability.
Moreover, the Fe3O4@PCA-GOx biomolecular corona has been characterized using various techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Bradford assay.
Demonstration of a Terahertz Coplanar-Strip Spoof-Surface-Plasmon Polariton Low Pass Filter
Authors: Haghighat Mohsen , Darcie Thomas , Smith Levi
Published: August 2023

There is a growing interest in Spoof Surface Plasmon Polariton (SSPP) structures at Terahertz (THz) frequencies for applications such as filtering, sensing, and communications. However, to date, there are limited experiments which confirm SSPP characteristics at THz frequencies. The majority of literature focuses on simulation or verification by device scaling down to Gigahertz (GHz) frequencies where standard vector network analyzers are readily available. This paper presents the first experimental verification of SSPP characteristics at THz frequencies in a guided wave system useing coplanar strip (CPS) feedlines. Specifically, we design three SSPP structures with varying band-edge frequencies (1.04 THz, 0.63 THz, and 0.53 THz), then fabricate and verify the low-pass transmission characteristics using a modified THz-time-domain spectrometer (THz-TDS) system. We find strong agreement between simulation, theory, and experiment.
A radiomics based method for prediction of prostate cancer Gleason score using enlarged region of interest
Authors: Zhuang Haoming , Chatterjee Aritrick , Fan Xiaobing , Qi Shouliang , Qian Wei , He Dianning
Published: August 2023

Background
Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common cancers in men worldwide, and its timely diagnosis and treatment are becoming increasingly important. MRI is in increasing use to diagnose cancer and to distinguish between non-clinically significant and clinically significant PCa, leading to more precise diagnosis and treatment. The purpose of this study is to present a radiomics-based method for determining the Gleason score (GS) for PCa using tumour heterogeneity on multiparametric MRI (mp-MRI).
Methods
Twenty-six patients with biopsy-proven PCa were included in this study. The quantitative T2 values, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and signal enhancement rates (α) were calculated using multi-echo T2 images, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI), for the annotated region of interests (ROI). Then texture feature analysis, ROI range expansion and feature filtering was performed. Then obtained data were put into support vector machine (SVM), K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) and other classifiers for binary classification.
Results
The highest classification accuracy was 73.50% for distinguishing between clinically significant (Gleason 3 + 4 and above) and non-significant cancers (Gleason 3 + 3) and 81.50% for distinguishing between Gleason 3 + 4 from Gleason 4 + 3 and above, which was achieved using the SVM model and initial ROIs drawn by the radiologists. The accuracy improved when using expanded ROIs to 77.78% using SVM and 85.71% using Bayesian classification for distinguishing between clinically significant and non-significant cancers and Gleason 3 + 4 from Gleason 4 + 3 and above, respectively.
Conclusions
The classification results indicate the research significance and value of this study for determining the GS for prostate cancer using the expansion of the ROI region.
Satisfaction and use of the Didactic simulator for learning the nursing process: An observational study
Authors: Barrientos Alberto Cruz , Calvo Eva Manuela Cotobal , Otero Ana Sáinz , Rodríguez José Manuel de la Fuente , Sánchez Daniel Román , Barrientos Inés Carmona
Published: August 2023

Introdution: The implementation of ICTs in daily healthcare practice has become standardized. In relation to education within the nursing degree, ICTs make it possible to carry out practical immersion training from the classroom or from any other place with an Internet connection, as evidenced by circumstances that have occurred in recent years, such as the pandemic caused by COVID-19. Objective: To develop a didactic simulation program for the training of the nursing process that promotes learning in the nursing care process. Methodology: The methodological approach is quantitative and it is a descriptive cross-sectional study. The sampling method used was non-probabilistic by convenience. Results: When observing the comparison of the averages of student satisfaction with respect to the didactic simulator, it is worth mentioning that all the items are above 2.80 on a score in which "0" is the minimum value and "5" the maximum value. The results of the use of the computer tool by the students, we highlight as significant data that all the items present an average equal to or lower than 3.04 out of 7, where "1" corresponds to a lot of use and "7" to little use. Conclusion: The implication of ICT in the teaching-learning process among Nursing Degree students, it is considered optimal. when analyzing the answers obtained in the items that refer to a higher ease in the execution of development of Care plans, a fundamental work in Nursing performance.
The sensitivity of climate and climate change to the efficiency of atmospheric heat transport
Authors: Ge Qi , Zheng Zhihua , Kang Litai , Donohoe Aaron , Armour Kyle , Roe Gerard
Published: August 2023

Atmospheric heat transport (AHT) moderates spatial gradients in surface temperature, and its efficiency (hereinafter referred to as diffusivity) shapes the distribution of moist static energy and the hydrological cycle. Using a linear downgradient rule for AHT, we diagnose zonalmean diffusivity using observational and model data. We find it varies two- to three-fold with season and latitude, but is nearly invariant across different climate states. We then employ a moist energy balance model (MEBM) to explore the impacts of changing the magnitude and spatial pattern of diffusivity on the climatology and climate response to forcing. Spatial anomalies in diffusivity in the extra-tropics have a larger impact on temperature and hydrology than diffusivity anomalies in the tropics. We demonstrate that compensating dynamical adjustments in the MEBM act to mute the impact of changing diffusivity patterns on the resulting climate. We isolate the impacts of spatial patterns of forcing, ocean heat uptake, radiative feedbacks, and diffusivity on the spatial pattern of climate change; and find that the pattern of climate change is least sensitive to the detailed pattern of diffusivity. Overall, these results suggest that although diffusivity is far from spatially invariant, understanding the climatology and spatial patterns of climate change does not depend of a detailed characterization of the spatial pattern of diffusivity.
WITHDRAWN: Phenological stages of growth in grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) via codes and details as per BBCH scale
Authors: Manzoor Ikra , Sultan Rania Mohammad Sabri , Kumar Pravin , Abidi Ishfaq. A. , Nisa Bismat un , Bhat K. M. , Mir M. A. , Lone Showkat A , Iesa Mohamed A. M. , Tarique Mohammed , Nazim Naveena , Dar Showket Ahmad , Youssef Rawa
Published: August 2023

Background
Considering the phenological aspects, Vitis vinifera has peculiar position in the plant kingdom exhibiting various phenophases from dormancy until senescence viz., budburst, bloom, berry-set, ripening and harvesting. Just like other systems of agriculture and horticulture, grape orchardists and scientists require various types of scales which are convenient, globally accepted, error-free and reliable to study its growth and development.
Materials and methods
In this study, the details of specific phenological stages of grapevine were measured with the help of Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt, und Chemische Industrie (BBCH) scale. The BBCH-scale employs decimal coding with additional drawings into it for defining the phenology of grapevine with first digit showing principal growth stage of growth and the second digit the secondary stage of growth corresponding to ordinal number or percentage value.
Results
In this study, the phenological stages of growth in grapevine covering the entire cycle of growth, from with sprouting and ending upon senescence were identified and discussed. The stages are divisible into seven principal growth stages; two representing vegetative phase (sprouting (0) and leaf development (1)) and four stages describing reproductive growth (inflorescence emergence (5), flowering (6), development of fruits (7), ripening of berries (8)) and last stage is for senescence (9) as per BBCH scale. In the principal stages of growth a total of 17 secondary stages of growth
Conclusion
The phonological growth stages of grapevine have been detailed as per BBCH scale via codings distinguishing its vegetative and reproductive cycle.
Clinical Efficacy of Intelligent Optimal Pulse Technology in the Treatment of Evaporative Dry Eye
Authors: Xia Jia-yi , Liu Yi , Fang Yu-ting , Zhu Sheng-yu , Ji Hua-ying
Published: August 2023

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety
of intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy with intelligent optimal
pulse technology (IOPT) in the treatment of evaporative dry eye
(EDE).
METHOD: A total of 84 eyes from 42
patients with EDE were enrolled to receive either three sessions of
IOPT combined with meibomian gland expression (MGX) or MGX-alone
treatment sessions at 3-week intervals. The ocular surface disease
index(OSDI) score, tear meniscus height(TMH), fluorescein break-up
time of the tear film(FBUT), corneal fluorescein staining(CFS)
score, Schirmer I test(SIT), tear film lipid layer grade(TFLL), lid
margin abnormality score(LAS), and assessment of 15 meibomian
glands in each of the upper and lower eyelids, including meibomian
gland expressibility(MGE), total meibomian gland secretion
quality(TMGS), and meibomian gland dropout rate(MGDR), were
evaluated at various time points, including day(D)0, D21, D42, D63,
and the 3-month follow-up visit after treatment(3 M). Safety
outcome measures were comprised of best-corrected visual acuity
(BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), eye structure damage under slit
lamp biomicroscopy, and facial skin appearance at each visit.
RESULT: The OSDI score, CFS, TFLL, LAS,
TMGS, and MGE showed a statistically significant greater
improvement in the treatment group after three courses of treatment
compared with those in the control group (all p<0.05). While
these improved in both groups in comparison to baseline (D0), the
eyelid MGDR was significantly improved only in the treatment group
(P<0.05). At the 3-month follow-up after treatment (3 M), only
the OSDI score, FBUT, upper eyelid MGE, TMGS and eyelid MGDR were
statistically significant, while there was no significant
difference in the control group compared to baseline (D0).
CONCLUSION: IOPT is a safe and effective
treatment for EDE. It is more effective than MGX alone in improving
symptoms, reducing ocular surface inflammation, and improving
meibomian gland structure and function.
Clinical trial registry
number(TRN): KY2023227;
(Date:14/06/2023)
Trends in Israeli Community-Based Opioid Prescribing, 2010-2020, an Observational Study
Authors: Dressler Reuven L. , Kaliner Ehud , Cohen Matan J
Published: August 2023

Background - Prescription opioids are widely used for pain control and palliative care but have been associated with a variety of untoward effects, including opioid use disorder, addiction, and increased mortality. Patterns of opioid use in Israel are to date poorly described. Methods - Using a representative community-based sample, the authors performed a retrospective analysis of filled opioid prescriptions of Israeli HMO members 18 years of age or older during the years of 2010–2020 that filled at least one opioid prescription. Morphine milligram equivalent (MME) calculations were stratified by presence or absence of oncology diagnosis and by specific opioid medication. Results - The percentage of HMO members who filled at least one opioid prescription increased every year from 2.1% in 2010 to 4.2% in 2020. There was an increase in the MME per prescription (44.2%), daily MME per capita (142.1%) and MME per prescription-filling patient (39%) from 2010 to 2020. Increased prescription opioid use is driven by a small group of patients, which is less than 1.5% of opioid-prescribed patients and 0.1% of the adult population, primarily owing to fentanyl use. Conclusion - Curbing prescription opioid use in Israel should be a focused directed effort rather than an overreaching intervention, complemented by improved physician training and access to non-opioid therapies, as well as improved data collection and analysis.
The value of combined detailed first- trimester ultrasound– biochemical analysis for screening fetal aneuploidy in the era of non-invasive prenatal testing
Authors: Ye Caixia , Duan Hongyan , Liu Mengyuan , Liu Jianqiang , Xiang Jingwen , Yin Yizhen , Zhou Qiong , Yang Dan , Yan Ruiling , Li Ruiman
Published: August 2023

Purpose
This study aimed to investigate the performance, cost-effectiveness and additional findings of combined detailed ultrasound and biochemical screening for risks of major fetal trisomies in the first- trimester.
Methods
This is a retrospective analysis study, we estimated the risk of trisomies 21, 18 and 13 based on maternal age, fetal nuchal translucency thickness, nasal bone, ductus venosus pulsatility index velocity, tricuspid regurgitation, fetal heart rate, free beta-human chorionic gonadotropin, and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A in singleton pregnant women, and performed non-invasive prenatal testing for women with risks of trisomy 21 between 1:500 and 1:300. Invasive diagnostic testing was performed for women with positive or failed non-invasive prenatal testing result and in the high-risk group of this screening method. The direct costs were compared between this strategy and the non-invasive prenatal testing which alone used as first-line screening for all pregnant women.
Results
Among 25,155 singleton pregnant women who underwent screening, 24,361 were available for analysis, of these, 194 cases underwent non-invasive prenatal testing. Among the 24,361 women, 39, 19, and 7 had trisomies 21, 18 and 13, respectively. The use of this strategy could potentially detect approximately 94.87% of trisomy 21 cases, 100% of trisomy 18 cases, and 100% of trisomy 13 cases, with false-positive rates of 2.49%, 0.41%, and 0.49%, respectively. The overall detection rate and overall false-positive rates were 96.92% and 2.52%, respectively. The detection rate was 100% in the advanced age group and 94.12% in the general age group. Additionally, structural abnormalities were detected in 137 fetuses, and 44 fetuses had other chromosomal abnormalities. The total cost of this strategy was $3,730,843.30, and the cost per person tested was $153.15. The total cost of using non-invasive prenatal testing as the first-line strategy would be $6,813,387.04 and the cost per person tested was $279.68.
Conclusions
Our strategy is an efficient and cost-effective approach for detecting major trisomies and identifying more fetuses with a potential abnormality. Therefore, this strategy is a valuable screening method and highly feasible in the clinical setting.
The combined application of frailty index and prognostic nutritional index for short-term prognosis after colorectal surgery
Authors: Huang Lihong , Jian Mengru , Song Shixi , LI Zhifa , Wu Xiaobing , Chen Huixian , Qin Haifeng , Li Ziqiao , Chen Rong
Published: August 2023

objective
Cooperative physiological reserve function is closely related to postoperative mortality and adverse outcome. Elderly patients with colorectal cancer should be performed preoperative geriatric assessment (CG). To construct a PNI-MFI-5 score system based on prognostic nutrition index (PNI) and modified debilitation index (MFI-5), to evaluate the elderly before operation and to explore the value of predicting poor prognosis after colorectal cancer operation.
Methods
213 elderly patients who underwent radical resection of colorectal cancer were selected. The critical values of IPN and MFI-5 and their correlation were determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and the relationship between PNI-MFI-5 score and clinical parameters of colorectal cancer was analyzed. COX regression model was used to determine the relationship between PNI-MFI-5 score and postoperative poor prognosis, and ROC curve was used to determine the predictive efficiency of PNI-MFI-5.
Results
There was a significant correlation between preoperative PNI and preoperative MFI-5 score (r = -0.14, p < 0.05). The PNI-MFI scores increased significantly in advanced age (P < 0.003), ASA grade 3–4 (p < 0.001), preoperative anemia (p < 0.001), preoperative hypoproteinemia (p < 0.001) and tumor diameter ≥ 5cm (p < 0.001). A total of 73 patients had adverse outcome events, of which postoperative hypoproteinemia accounted for the highest proportion, followed by pulmonary infection. With each increase of grade, postoperative pulmonary infection (OR = 2.374,p < 0.001), anastomotic leakage (OR = 2.390,p < 0.001), septicemia (OR = 4.198,p < 0.001), hypoproteinemia (OR = 3.075, p < 0.001), cardio-cerebrovascular accident (OR = 3.742) occurred. The risk of postoperative adverse outcome events such as death at 30 days after operation (OR = 4.198,p < 0.05) increased. Further univariate and multivariate analysis showed that only PNI-MFI-5 score (OR = 2.540,95%CI 1.498–4.307 score pendant 0.001) was an independent predictor of adverse outcome events after CRC. The prediction efficiency of PNI-MFI-5 was higher, and the area under the curve of PNI-MFI-5 score (AUC = 0.724,P < 0.001) was larger than that of MFI-5 score (AUC = 0.678,95%CI 0.602–0.753 (P < 0.001) and PNI (AUC = 0.667,95%CI 0.585–0.748, P༜0.001).
Conclusion
The perioperative risk model of IPN-MFI-5 score system was constructed to accurately predict the risk of postoperative adverse outcome in patients with colorectal cancer.
Sonic-induced cellular vibrations disrupt poricidal cone trichomes to boost tomato floral pollination
Authors: CAZZONELLI CHRISTOPHER , Anwar Sidra , Dingley Angus , Vinoth Thailammai , Liang Weiguang , Sindel Brian , George Laurel , Wang Chun , Happy Happy
Published: August 2023

Artificial pollination methods rely primarily on air-jets, vibrating wands and trellis tapping which can spread pathogens. This problem can be addressed by non-contact sonic techniques that vibrate cells via sound waves yet how frequency and intensity affect pollination, seed set and fruit size remain unclear. Our study systematic characterizes frequency-dependent vibration events on greenhouse-grown tomato flowers comparing them with contact-induced oscillations from a vibrating wand and a mechanical shaker arm. Sonic vibrations in the frequency range from 50 to 10,000 Hz increased pollination, fruit size, weight, and seed set in Sweetelle and Endeavour commercial varieties. Scanning electron microscopy revealed sonication loosened the trichomes joining the poricidal cone lobes that encase the anthers filled with pollen. Ultra-sonic frequencies enlarged fruit size, whereas seed set remained constant thereby challenging the floral cells power-law rheological characteristics in different frequency scales. Our bioacoustics non-contact precision technology can be used to boost tomato floral self-pollination.
Teaser
Leveraging bioacoustics from bees and bats to boost precision pollination of tomato flowers and fruit size in commercial varieties
A Nomogram for stratifying the malignancy risk for BI- RADS 4 breast masses detected on supplemental ultrasound in dense breast women
Authors: Li Cheng , Luo Yong , Jiang Yan , Wu Xumiao , Li Qi
Published: August 2023

Supplemental ultrasound is an effective way to increase the sensitivity of screening mammography for detecting breast cancer in women with dense breasts. However, due to its low positive predictive value (PPV), it often results in numerous unnecessary biopsies. This study aims to develop a predictive model that can stratify the malignancy risk of BI-RADS category 4 breast masses, which are identified additionally through supplemental ultrasound after screening mammography in women with dense breasts. After applying inclusion/exclusion procedures, a total of 425 eligible masses were selected from our institutional medical database. These masses were then divided into a training set (n=298) for model construction and a validation set (n=127) for model validation. A logistic regression model including five predictive characteristics was constructed and a corresponding nomogram was generated. The predictive model demonstrates robust calibration, discrimination, and clinical utility upon validation. By setting a threshold, the model can classify breast masses into low and high malignancy risk groups. Breast masses classified as low-risk can safely omitted from biopsy, thereby increasing the PPV for the remaining cases. As a result, this model improves the clinical utility of supplemental ultrasound in women with dense breasts.
Prognostic impact of erector spinae muscle cross-sectional area in patients with pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis
Authors: Kitahara Shinsuke , Abe Mitsuhiro , Kono Chiyoko , Sakuma Noriko , Ishi Daisuke , Kawasaki Takeshi , Ikari Jun , Suzuki Takuji
Published: August 2023

Pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis (PPFE) progresses slowly but sometimes relatively quickly, leading to decreased activities of daily living (ADL) and muscle weakness. Skeletal muscle atrophy and muscle weakness in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may be caused by cachexia and are associated with reduced ADLs and increased risk of death. However, the association between skeletal muscle mass and the prognosis of patients with PPFE remains unknown. We retrospectively analysed the clinical significance of the erector spinae muscle cross-sectional area (ESMCSA), a skeletal muscle index, and predictors of mortality within 3 years in 51 patients with PPFE and 62 patients with COPD. Patients with PPFE had significantly lower ESMCSA than those with COPD, and lower ESMCSA (< 22.57 cm2) was associated with prognosis within 3 years (log-rank test; p = 0.006), whereas lower body mass index (BMI) showed no association. Multivariate analysis showed that ESMCSA was an independent predictor of mortality within 3 years in patients with PPFE (hazard ratio, 0.900; 95% confidence interval: 0.834–0.964, p = 0.003). These results suggest the importance of monitoring ESMCSA in patients with PPFE and that assessing skeletal muscle mass in patients with PPFE could be a more useful prognostic indicator than BMI.
Non-toxic multinodular goitre; Surgical and pathological evaluation risk of malignancy
Authors: Dewana Azhy
Published: August 2023

Background: About 500–600 million people across the globe suffer from multinodular goitre (MNG), making it the most prevalent endocrine illness. The disease is considered endemic when more than 10% of a community has MNG. Women and the elderly are disproportionately affected by non-endemic goitre. In both endemic and nonendemic areas, the female-to-male ratio is roughly 3:1. Although the patient may not notice the goitre until their 40s or 50s, nodules form early on in endemic goitre and later in sporadic goitre.
Aim of the study: The purpose of this study was to use histological analysis of complete thyroidectomy specimens to identify the prevalence and subtypes of thyroid cancers in non-toxic multi-nodular goitre (NTMNG).
Patients and methods: This study was conducted from January 2018 to December 2022 in the Surgical Department at the Rizgary Teaching Hospital in Erbil, Iraq. Both a physical and sonographic examination was performed on each patient diagnosed with goitre. To reduce the possibility of malignancy in NTMNG, preoperative ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy (UG-FNAB) was done on the dominant or chosen tumour in all patients. Patients were offered surgery as a treatment when diagnostic tests revealed abnormalities. Histopathological analysis of every surgically removed thyroid tissue was performed. Pre-op, intra-op, and post-op data were meticulously documented in a standardized fashion, and the outcomes were assessed.
Results
The goitre cases in this prospective analysis included 128 people. Seventy-six of them had a benign form of multinodular goitre. Sixty-three (82.9%) of the sample were female and thirteen (17.1%) were male. Patients' ages ranged from 23 to 74 years, with a mean age of 36 and a median age of 34±3.35 years. Colloid goitre was found in 28(36.84) %, follicular neoplasm in 3(3.94%), suggestive for malignancy in 3(3.94%), papillary in 4(5.34%), malignant in 3(3.94%), and inconclusive in the remaining 35(46.1%) of cases. Histopathological analysis was performed on all specimens obtained during complete thyroidectomy. Our study found a 15(19.7%) incidence of CA in NTMNG based on histopathology findings that 15 individuals had a malignant focus. Thyroid malignancy was detected in 15 of 76 samples (19.7%), with 8 papillary carcinomas (53.3%), 4 follicular carcinomas (26.6%), 2 Hurthle cell carcinomas (13.3%), and 1 anaplastic carcinoma (6.6%) found in NTMNG.
Conclusion:
It is important to remember that multinodular goitre is not benign and calls for additional screening for incidental or undiagnosed thyroid cancer.
Preparation and properties of titanate nanotube-dispersed polyimide dielectric composites
Authors: Chen Junzhen , Zhang Jin , Xie Jun , Xiao Chunguang , Li Hengfeng , He Guowen
Published: August 2023

In order to find a better performance polyimide-based composite, titanate nanotubes (TNTs）were prepared by hydrothermal method. TNTs were incorporated into polyimides, and PI/TNTs composite films were prepared by in situ sol-gel method. FTIR, SEM and XRD are used for the characterization of microstructure and morphology of polyimide-based composite films. TG tested the thermal stability of the material, and the results showed that the thermal stability of the film doped with TNTs in PI was significantly enhanced, and the thermal stability performance of the composite film was better with the increase of TNTs. Through dynamic mechanical analysis, it is shown that the storage modulus of the material increases with the increase of its enhanced phase content, and the storage modulus gradually decreases with the increase of temperature when the doping amount is certain and the temperature increases. The composite film has strong absorption of 365.0nm ultraviolet light, and the ultraviolet light of this wavelength has the greatest effect on the increase of the dielectric constant of PI/TNTs, and the results show that the PI/TNTs composite film has certain ultraviolet responsiveness. This paper provides a new method for the development of polyimide-based composites with excellent mechanical properties at high temperature.
Eco-friendly Oxidized Microcrystalline Cellulose/Quaternized Chitosan/Gelatin Hydrogels based on Schiff-base Reaction as Wound Dressing and Naringin Release Kinetic
Authors: Yin Huishuang , Song Peiqin , Liao Jing , Xiao Minxuan , Huang Huihua
Published: August 2023

Use of by-product waste from farm products to prepare clinical dressings is a resource-saving and eco-friendly approach. In this research, a series of pH-sensitive hydrogels composited with oxidized microcrystalline celluloseisolated from pineapple peel, quaternized chitosan isolated from hericium erinaceus residue and gelatin were prepared based on Schiff-base reaction.The structures of the prepared hydrogels were characterized by FT-IR, XRD and SEM, the absorption peak at around 1656 cm− 1 (due to –C = N–) and the disappeared peak at 1726 cm− 1(due to –CHO) in composite hydrogel confirmed Schiff-base reaction occurred. XRD and SEM results showed the composite hydrogels have good compatibility and well-cross linked. A series of experiments were performed to investigate the blood clotting activity and physicochemical property. It was found that the composite hydrogels can make shrink and expansion behaviors in different pH environments, and exhibited adjustable in swelling ability (up to 4383%), water evaporation rate, gel time and mechanical property as change of gelatin content. The oxidized microcrystalline cellulose/quaternized chitosan/gelatin (OMQCS-G) hydrogel showed well coagulation effect and controlled release of the loaded naringin, naringin release of OMQCS-G5 reached more than 70% within initial 6 hours, suggesting the potential of the prepared hydrogel used as wound dressing.
On the efficiency and accuracy of a modified Newton-Raphson method for advection-diffusion coupled problems
Authors: Murer Mauro , Formica Giovanni , Milicchio Franco , Auricchio Ferdinando
Published: August 2023

The present work deals with the nonlinear multiphysics advection-diffusion problem where non-stationary Navier-Stokes equations for incompressible flows are coupled with heat transfer equations.Although a large variety of numerical methods is widespread in literature, a sufficiently comprehensive investigation, to the best of authors' knowledge, has not been provided yet when aiming for high performances on both accuracy and efficiency, either by solving these problems jointly or separately.
To this end, we propose a modified Newton-Raphson (mNR) scheme, based on a fully nonlinear formulation and employing standard Lagrange Finite Elements, implemented in an in-house C++ code using the open-source deal.II library. The proposed method is first validated against consolidated results available in the literature, testing fluid motion equations first alone, and then coupled with thermal convections. Then, its performance is highlighted by comparison with enhanced schemes, ad-hoc implemented, approaching the coupled problems through projection methods. Through a wide numerical campaign, we finally prove that the mNR scheme is able to achieve higher level of accuracy and efficiency with respect to the other considered methods.
The C++ code implementing the proposed mNR scheme together with those employed for comparisons is freely available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8192391.
An amorphous carbon for peptide-microarrays towards a novel biodetection system, especially diagnostics without known marker-molecules
Authors: Tominaga Yuki , Nokihara Kiyoshi
Published: August 2023

A bio-chip substrate made from amorphous carbon has been successfully developed for an innovative and practical biodetection system. The present biochip is a peptide-microarray for protein detection based on a novel principle for use in diagnostics. The properties of the carbon material as substrate carrier offers regarding its surface chemistry significant advantages over conventional slide-glasses. The biochip detection system described here uses the measurement of fluorescent intensity changes caused by interactions between capture molecules and analytes. Fluorescent intensity changes between with and without analytes are dose-dependent and can be visualized as "protein fingerprints". Recognition in this system, interaction is not dependent on a 1:1 correspondence as with ELISA. Hence this method can be applied even to analytes containing uncharacterized molecules. Statistical data processing, for instance multivariate analyses, allows discrimination of complex analytes such as body fluids. The present biochip used with an in-house developed detection device can be re-used for 10–20 times with the same or different analytes. Capturing molecules in this system are immobilized on the chip-surface through stable amide bonds and this allows washing and even scrub cleaning. This unique material has a potential for dual detection thorough fluorescent intensity changes and mass spectrometric analyses when the chip is used as a sample tray. The latter allows the possibility of discovering marker candidates since this material has high electric conductivity.
Can platform-based enterprises’ social value drive economic value? A moderated chain mediation effect analysis
Authors: Mingyue Fan , Jiaxu Tian , Qalati Sikandar Ali
Published: August 2023

Creating shared value (CSV) is subtly affecting both reform and innovation in platform-based enterprises, but the intrinsic role of social value and economic value in platform-based enterprises has not received sufficient attention. Based on the CSV perspective, this paper takes the data for Chinese-listed platform-based enterprises as research samples and uses piecewise SEM software to explore the internal mechanism of the impact of platform-based enterprises’ social value on their economic value. The results show that the social value of platform-based enterprises can significantly affect the economic value and that the innovation input of enterprises and user-perceived value have a chain mediating effect in the relationship between social value and economic value. Furthermore, through the framework analysis of the mechanism of the external environment of platform-based enterprises, the moderating effect is tested. It is found that environmental flexibility and environmental uncertainty inhibit the influence of platform-based enterprises’ social value on innovation input and of innovation input on economic value. This study provides a new research perspective for the sustainable development of platform-based enterprises, expands the application field of piecewise SEM, and provides practical insights for platform-based enterprises regarding how to deeply promote embedding social value in enterprise innovation and stakeholder management to realize economic value.
LAE-GAN: A novel cloud-based Low-light Attention Enhancement Generative Adversarial Network for unpaired text images
Authors: Xue Minglong , He Yanyi , Xie Peiqi , He Zhengyang , Feng Xin
Published: August 2023

With the widespread adoption of mobile multimedia devices, the deployment of compute-intensive inference tasks on edge and resource-constrained devices, particularly in the context of low-light text detection, remains a formidable challenge. Existing deep-learning approaches have shown limited effectiveness in restoring images for extremely dark scenes. To address these limitations, this paper presents a novel cloud-based Low-light Attention Enhancement Generative Adversarial Network for unpaired text images (LAE-GAN)for the non-paired text image enhancement task in extremely low-light conditions. In the first stage, compressed low-light images are transmitted from edge devices to a cloud server for image enhancement. The LAE-GAN, an end-to-end network comprising a Zero-DCE and AGM-net generator, is designed with a global and local discriminator structure. The initial illumination restoration of extremely low-light images is accomplished using the Zero-DCE network. To enhance text details, we propose an Enhanced Text Attention Mechanism (ETAM) that transforms text information into a comprehensive text attention mechanism across the entire network. The Sobel operator is employed to extract text edge information, while attention is focused on text region details through constraints imposed on the attention map and edge map. Additionally, an AGM-Net module is integrated to reduce noise and fine-tune illumination. In the second stage, the cloud server makes decisions based on user requirements and processes requests in parallel, scaling with the quantity of requests. In the third stage, the enhanced results are transmitted back to edge devices for text detection. Experimental results on widely used LOL and SID low-light datasets demonstrate significant improvements in both quantitative and qualitative analysis, surpassing state-of-the-art enhancement methods in terms of image restoration and text detection