bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optical Coherence Tomography Choroidal Enhancement Using Generative Deep Learning
Authors: Schmetterer Leopold , Bellemo Valentina , Das Ankit Kumar , Sr Syna , Chua Jacqueline , Wong Damon , Shah Janika , Jonas Rahul , Tan Bingyao , Liu Xinyu , Xu Xinxing , Tan Gavin , Agrawal Rupesh , Ting Daniel , Yong Liu
Published: October 2023

Spectral domain OCT is the gold standard of imaging the eye in clinics. Penetration depth with such devices is, however, limited and visualization of the choroid, which is essential for diagnosing chorioretinal disease, remains limited. Whereas swept-source OCT (SSOCT) devices allow for visualization of the choroid these instruments are expensive and availability in praxis is limited. We present an artificial intelligence (AI)-based solution to enhance the visualization of the choroid in OCT scans and allow for quantitative measurements of choroidal metrics using generative deep learning (DL). Synthetically enhanced spectral-domain OCT (SDOCT) B-scans with improved choroidal visibility were generated, leveraging matching images to learn deep anatomical features during the training. Using a single-center tertiary eye care institution cohort comprising a total of 362 SDOCT-SSOCT paired subjects, we trained our model with 150,784 images from 410 healthy, 192 glaucoma, and 133 diabetic retinopathy eyes. An independent external test dataset of 37,376 images from 146 eyes was deployed to assess the authenticity and quality of the synthetically enhanced SDOCT images. Experts' ability to differentiate real versus synthetic images was poor (47.5% accuracy). Measurements of choroidal thickness, area, volume, and vascularity index, from the reference SSOCT and synthetically enhanced SDOCT, showed high Pearson's correlations of 0.97 [95% CI: 0.96–0.98], 0.97 [0.95–0.98], 0.95 [0.92–0.98], and 0.87 [0.83–0.91], with intra-class correlation values of 0.99 [0.98–0.99], 0.98 [0.98–0.99], and 0.95 [0.96–0.98], 0.93 [0.91–0.95] respectively. Thus, our DL generative model successfully generated realistic enhanced SDOCT data that is indistinguishable from SSOCT images providing improved visualization of the choroid. This technology enabled accurate measurements of choroidal metrics previously limited by the imaging depth constraints of SDOCT. The findings open new possibilities for utilizing affordable SDOCT devices in studying the choroid in both healthy and pathological conditions.
A novel virescence mutant simplifies hybridization in finger millet breeding
Authors: G Manjappa , M.V.C. Gowda , S. Rangaiah , S.J. Sachin , V. Sujay
Published: October 2023

A virescent mutant (v1) was induced by Ethyl Methane Sulphonate in an improved finger millet variety, Indaf 8. The v1 mutant expresses yellow leaf color stably at seedling stage and gradually turns green as the growth progress. The SPAD value (indicating chlorophyll content) in v1 seedlings was half of that in wild type, which increased as growth advanced from tillering to grand growth and grain filling stages. Virescence mutation had pleiotropic effect on flowering (delayed) and plant height (reduced) but no significant influence on other agronomic traits including grain yield. Genetic analysis using F2 − 3 generations revealed the control of the trait by recessive state of a single nuclear gene. Hybrid recovery assessed in contact method of crossing using virescent lines ranged from 0.2–15.7% with an average of 5.1%. In finger millet breeding, hybridization is limited due to low hybrid recovery and non-availability of robust markers for F1 identification. Present study demonstrated the potential of seedling stage virescence marker in F1 identification to make hybridization more simple and rapid. This is the first report on utilization of virescence marker in finger millet breeding.
Facile Room Temperature Synthesis of Cetyltrimethyl Ammonium Bromide (CTAB) Coated Spherical Silver Nanoparticles and their Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) and Antibacterial Applications
Authors: Mughal Hania Feroz , Khan Ghazanfar Ali , Shafiq Muhammad , Hyder Muhammad Zeeshan , Ahmed Waqqar
Published: October 2023

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are appealing for their low cost and highly effective sensing and antibacterial properties. Herein, we report a facile near-room-temperature synthesis of AgNPs capped with a cationic surfactant using a single-step recipe. The AgNPs were synthesized by reducing silver ions in a basic medium in the presence of cationic surfactant cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB). By varying the concentration of CTAB and sodium hydroxide NaOH, the concentration and yield of the AgNPs can be tuned. The essential experimental conditions supporting the high yield of AgNPs are the low concentration of CTAB and the high concentration of NaOH. Moreover, the influence of aging on AgNPs were studied by observing the variation in their UV-Vis spectra. The AgNPs purified by centrifugation and redispersed in CTAB solution showed reliable shelf-life in both light and dark conditions. Furthermore, AgNPs coated with a cationic surfactant have shown excellent surface-enhanced Raman scattering(SERS) based trace detection towards anionic dye, methyl orange (MO). The AgNPs have a detection limit of 10-10 M. Finally, the AgNPs have also shown good antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria i.e. Enterococcus spps and Staphylococcus Aureus.
Boron neutron capture therapy as a larynx-preserving treatment for locally recurrent laryngeal carcinoma after conventional radiation therapy: a preliminary report
Authors: Higashino Masaaki , Aihara Teruhito , Takeno Satoshi , Jinnin Tsuyoshi , Hu Naonori , Ono Koji , Nihei Keiji , Kawata Ryo
Published: October 2023

Background: Preserving voice function is difficult in patients with local recurrence of laryngeal carcinoma after radiotherapy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) for residual or recurrent laryngeal carcinoma after radical laryngeal cancer irradiation.
Methods and materials: This study included 10 patients who underwent BNCT for residual or recurrent laryngeal carcinoma after radical laryngeal cancer irradiation. Before BNCT, the recurrent laryngeal carcinoma stage was rT2N0, rT2N1, rT3N0, rT3N1, and rT4aN0 in four, one, two, one, and two patients, respectively. All patients underwent a prophylactic tracheostomy before BNCT.
Results: The response rate at 3 months after BNCT in 10 patients with locally recurrent laryngeal cancer was 90%, including 8 patients with complete response, one patient with partial response, and one patient with stable disease. Five of 10 patients were recurrence-free with a median follow-up of 12 months (8-23 months) after BNCT. The site of recurrence was local in three patients and cervical lymph nodes in the other two patients. All recurrent cases were salvageable except for one case of recurrence in a lateral cervical lymph node. The most frequent adverse event associated with BNCT was laryngeal edema, which almost resolved after one week in all patients. No other grade 4 or higher adverse events occurred.
Conclusions: BNCT can be used to administer radical doses to tumor tissues after radical irradiation. Early detection of recurrence and BNCT are expected to improve the cure rate for recurrent laryngeal carcinoma.
Locomotor response in the maximum demand periods and ball-in-play time in football competition regarding the playing position
Authors: Castellano Julen , Njaradi Nenad
Published: October 2023

Purpose
The present study will compare the locomotor response (LR) in periods-of-maximum-demand (MDP) and ball-in-play-time-demand (PTD) in competition regarding the playing-position (CD: central defender, FB: full back, CM: central midfielder, OM: offensive midfielder, LM: lateral midfielder and FW: forward).
Method(s)
The PTD and the MDPs (in m·min− 1) were registered via video-tracking and global-position systems, respectively. The time-windows were from 1 to 6-min (MDP1, MDP2, MDP3, MDP4, MDP5 and MDP6, respectively).
Results
1) the values of both MDP (in all time windows) and PTD were higher than the average value of the match and for all positions; 2) in the CD, LD and LM the PTD was located after de MDP4, while the CM, FW and OM the PTD were located after MDP3; 3) the running speed decreased as the time-window chosen was longer, and from the 4-min period, there were no differences in the locomotor response between the following periods (MDP5 and MDP6), and for all positions.
Conclusion(s)
The main conclusions were: 1) the LR of the MPD is conditionally very demanding passages; 2) the velocity of the PTD is very close to the shorter periods (3–4 min). These conclusions can assist the staff in planning the weekly training load scenarios according to the specific roles of the players in a football match.
Surface passivation of crystalline silicon solar cells by Cr:ZnO coating layers
Authors: Salem Moez , Ghannam Hajar , Almohammedi Abdullah , Salem Jamel , Massoudi Imen , Gaidi Mounir
Published: October 2023

In this paper, ZnO thin films with and without Cr doping were synthesized using a simple co-precipitation approach and coated on silicon substrates using spin-coating. The study assessed how the introduction of Cr doping content influenced both the structural and opto-electronic characteristics of the films. Analysis of crystal structure and surface morphology was conducted through techniques such as atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Additionally, the evaluation of surface passivation and reflectivity in both Cr-doped and undoped ZnO films was performed using methods involving FTIR and photoconductance. Notably, Chromium doping led to a remarkable increase in the effective minority carrier lifetime, which rose from 1.5 to 88 μs at a minority carrier density (n) of 1014 cm-3. Moreover, the reflectivity at λ= 500 nm decreased from 30% to around 7% upon coating silicon with Cr-doped ZnO.
Cathodic Performances of MnO2 Induced C/Ni Foam Electrode for H2O2
Authors: Yang Shuncheng , Cui Chaoyang , Cai Xuegang , Lv Yanzhuo , Xu Yan
Published: October 2023

MnO2 has been regarded as the key active species for the reduction of H2O2, and the catalytic performances of electrodes and the open circuit potential are related to the MnO2 preparation. However, there is limited understanding of how the operation para-meters affect the MnO2 preparation and utilization. The sol-gel method was used to prepare the MnO2 and a suitable preparation process was determined via the orthogonal and single-factor experiments. The optimal preparation conditions were: n (citric acid): n (manganese acetate) = 0.5:1, initial concentration of reactant C0 = 0.1M, pH ≈ 6, temperature of reaction was about 60℃. The X-ray spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry confirm that MnO2 by sol-gel method was termed as mixed crystal of α-MnO2 and γ-MnO2. Excessive H2O2 was detrimental to catalytic ability of electrode because of the self-decomposition reaction of H2O2. Operation conditions affect the polarizability, which was an important indicator of the catalytic performance of electrodes. In this study, a new C/MnO2/Ni foam cathode was constructed by combining MnO2 with C(carbon), and the catalytic activity of the electrode was correlated with the content of MnO2 and the concentration of H2O2, which provided a strategy for the design and operation optimization of MnO2 cathode catalyst. The results show that the optimal concentration of H2O2 is 0.3M, and the optimal mass fraction of MnO2 in the electrode is 40%.
Decoding AI Curricular Integration: Navigating Course Quality in Brazilian Dental Master's Programs
Authors: Dantas Jessica Nobrega , Silva Marco Antonio Dias da
Published: October 2023

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) concepts into dental education is a critical transformation that has the potential to revolutionize patient care. However, the understanding of the extent to which AI concepts have been integrated into dental master's programs in Brazil is limited. This study aimed to evaluate the presence of AI-related content in Brazilian master’s degree programs for Dental Professionals. Using official data, from the Brazilian Government 92 master programs were analysed. Within the 2161 disciplines evaluated it was observed that only 13 courses, usually higher quality scored courses (p < 0.001) offered AI-related content. Besides, no correlations were demonstrated between the offering of AI-related content and the course's geographic location (p > 0.05), type of master course (academic or professional) (p > 0.05), and whether it was offered from a public or private institution (p > 0.05). It was concluded that the integration of AI-related content into Brazilian dental master's programs is limited, and usually related to higher quality scored courses. While demonstrating the impacts of the course quality on its innovative method this study emphasizes the urge for a multidimensional approach ensuring an effective integration of AI in the dental profession in Brazil.
Prevalence of impaired renal function among childless men as compared to fathers: A population-based study
Authors: Kitlinski Michael , Giwercman Aleksander , Christensson Anders , Nilsson Peter , Elenkov Angel
Published: October 2023

Male reproductive impairment has been linked with an increased risk of numerous non-communicable diseases. Yet, epidemiological data on renal disease among subfertile men is scarce. Therefore, by using male childlessness as a proxy for male infertility, we aimed to investigate its association with renal function. Data was sourced from a population-based cohort including 22 444 men. After exclusion of men aged < 45 years (n = 10 842), the remaining men were divided into two groups: these being childless (n = 5494) and fathers (n = 6108). Logistic regression was applied to explore the association between male childlessness and renal impairment. Childless men as compared to fathers, were more likely to have an estimated-glomerular filtration rate < 60 ml/min/1.73m2 (OR 1.36, 95 CI 1.08–1.70; p = 0.008). After adjustment for age, marital status, smoking habits, diabetes, hypertension and other components of metabolic syndrome, childless men were also more likely to have dipstick proteinuria (OR 1.78, 95 CI 1.11–2.84; p = 0.016). With the growing panorama of disease associated with male reproductive impairment, men with fertility issues may constitute a target population with potential benefit from closer follow-up of their renal function.
Effects of climate change on seed germination may contribute to habitat homogenization in freshwater forested wetlands
Authors: Carr Kori , Ozowara Xavier , Sloey Taylor M.
Published: October 2023

Climate changes are expected to result in warmer, shorter winters in temperate latitudes. These changes may have consequences for germination of plant species that require a period of physiological dormancy. The effect of cold duration on seed germination has been investigated in a number of plant taxa, but has not been well studied in wetland and bottomland forest tree species, an ecosystem that is threatened by habitat homogenization. Our work sought to test the role of changing winter temperatures on seed germination in specialist (Nyssa aquatica and Taxodium distichum) and generalist (Acer rubrum and Liquidambar styraciflua) tree species within forested wetlands throughout the eastern U.S.. The experiment was conducted in an environmental chamber in Norfolk, VA, USA. Seeds of T. distichum, N. aquatica, A. rubrum, and L. styraciflua were exposed to each of pre-germination cold exposure durations (0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, and 90 days) and observed for germination for 30 days. Cold stratification duration positively impacted total percent germination in N. aquatica (p < 0.0001) as well as A. rubrum (p = 0.0008) and T. distichum (p = 0.05). Liquidambar styraciflua seeds exhibited more rapid rates of germination with increasing cold exposure duration and greater percent germination compared to the others regardless of cold stratification duration. Our results provide insight into how community dynamics and biodiversity of wetland and bottomland trees may shift with a changing climate. Further, this work emphasizes the importance of understanding the role of plant functional traits in early life stages in community dynamics and has implications for management practices.
Clinical features and prognostic factors of adult autoimmune hemolytic anemia
Authors: Xue Xiang , Huang Changbao , Nie Shinan
Published: October 2023

Objective: To explore the clinical characteristics and prognostic influencing factors of adult autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA), improve clinicians' awareness of this disease and reduce the misdiagnosis rate.
Methods: This study was a retrospective single-center research from 2018 to 2023. Clinical data from adult AIHA were analyzed.
Results: Forty-one patients were enrolled, of whom were 10 males and 31 females, average age (54.4±15.9) years. The common clinical symptoms of AIHA were anemia (97.6%), dizziness or fatigue (92.7%), jaundice (85.4%), hepatosplenomegalgia (53.7%), soy colored urine (26.8%), melena (19.5%), fever (12.2%), abdominal pain or vomiting (4.9%). The hemolytic indexes of Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (95.1%), total bilirubin (TBIL) (85.4%), ferritin (free) (92.7%) and reticulocyte (Ret) (97.6%) are elevated. Nine patients were misdiagnosed, with 8 patients being misdiagnosed as gastrointestinal hemorrhage and 1 patient being misdiagnosed as acute cholecystitis. The risk factors for poor prognosis were revealed through a simple analysis of hemoglobin (HB), C-reactive protein (CRP), glutamic oxaltransaminase (AST), and secondary etiology. HB level and secondary etiology were independently identified as risk factors for poor prognosis by logistic regression analysis.
Conclusion: The incidence of adult AIHA is low, and the clinical symptoms are complex and non-specific. HB level and secondary etiology were independent risk factors for poor prognosis. Coomb,s Positive is an important diagnostic method, and Coomb,s negative cannot be ruled out. It is important to be familiar with the clinical characteristics of adult AIHA, improve the understanding of AIHA, and avoid misdiagnosis and mistreatment .
Overall Mass Transfer Coefficient and Henry’s Law Constant for the Insitu Epoxidation of Tamanu Oil
Authors: Budiyati Eni , Mohammad Sofyan , Irsyad Nabiel , Salsyabila Anida , Musthofa Malik
Published: October 2023

The stages of the double bond epoxidation process of tamanu oil include (1) the process of making peroxyacetic acid (PAA), (2) the mass transfer of several components, and (3) the epoxidation reaction, followed by further reactions within the organic phase. This study was dedicated to the determination and estimation of reaction and mass transfer parameters in the in-situ epoxidation of tamanu oil with PAA. The reaction constant values were observed to be directly proportional to the reaction temperature, except in the case of k3. There is a slight deviation in k3, where it decreases from 14.6178 ± 0.0507 g.mol-1.min-1 at 40°C to 13.6561 ± 0.0081 g.mol-1.min-1 at 50°C. The mass transfer coefficient (kca) values increase with increasing temperature, where the kca for PAA, H2O, acetic acid (AA), and H+ were 12.6654 ± 0.0657 to 23.0777 ± 0.1384, 12.3793 ± 0.0549 to 23.0790 ± 0.1476, 12.4912 ± 0.0394 to 23.0789 ± 0.0978, 12.4296 ± 0.0821 to 23.0790 ± 0.1296, respectively. Conversely, the Henry constant (H) values for each component vary. This constant is associated with the solubility of each component.
Deep Learning Based Cyclone Intensity Estimation
Authors: Kothandaraman Samhita , Salunke Shreyash , Bhatkar Vedant , Jadhav Jagruti
Published: October 2023

Tropical cyclones are among the most expensive natural disasters on the planet due to the numerous related risks. The first step in tracking a crisis is determining its intensity. A precise diagnostic model for tropical cyclone intensity can therefore save loss of life and property. The primary goal of this study is to evaluate cyclone intensity and identify how harmful it can be, thereby aiding in the prevention of cyclone-related damage.[25] Given that all cyclones form over the ocean, one cannot determine the how changes in the atmosphere of the ocean affects the formation and growth of a cyclone by ground-based measurement instruments alone. Thus, satellite imagery would prove to be beneficial data to determine the intensity. This paper proposes a Capsule Neural Network model to determine the intensity of the cyclone by using the satellite images taken from the INSAT 3D satellite.
Mitochondrial dysfunction drives the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension: insights from a multi-omics investigation
Authors: Zhang Xin , Li Jieling , Fu Minyi , Geng Xijie , Hu Junjie , Tang Kejing , Chen Pan , Zou Jianyong , Liu Xiaoman , Zeng Bo
Published: October 2023

Background
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disorder that can lead to right ventricular failure and severe consequences. Despite extensive efforts, limited progress has been made in preventing the progression of PAH. Understanding its pathogenesis is crucial for developing better treatments.
Methods
We integrated three microarray datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), including 222 lung samples (164 PAH, 58 controls), for differential expression and functional enrichment analyses. Machine learning identified key signaling pathways. PAH and control lung tissue samples were collected, and transcriptomic and metabolomic profiling were performed. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis investigated shared pathways, and canonical correlation analysis assessed gene-metabolite relationships.
Results
In the GEO datasets, mitochondria-related pathways were significantly enriched in PAH samples, in particular the electron transport chain in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, notably the electron transport from cytochrome c to oxygen. Transcriptomic profiling of the clinical lung tissue analysis identified 14 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to mitochondrial function. Metabolomic analysis revealed three differential metabolites: increased 3-phenyllactic acid and ADP, and decreased citric acid in PAH samples. Mitochondria-related genes highly correlated with these metabolites included KIT, OTC, CAMK2A, and CHRNA1.
Conclusions
Disruption of the mitochondrial electron transport chain and citric acid cycle homeostasis likely contributes to PAH pathogenesis. 3-phenyllactic acid emerges as a potential novel diagnostic biomarker for PAH. These findings offer insights for developing novel PAH therapies and diagnostics.
Generalized (m, N − m)-fold Darboux transformation and localized waves of the complex Kraenkel-Manna-Merle system in a ferrite
Authors: Shen Yuan , Tian Bo , Zhou Tian-Yu , Cheng Chong-Dong
Published: October 2023

In this paper, we focus on a complex Kraenkel-Manna-Merle system, which could characterize certain short waves in a ferrite. On the basis of the existing N-fold Darboux transformation, we have determined a generalized (m, N − m)-fold Darboux transformation which admits m spectral parameters, with N and m being the positive integers. Rogue-wave, breather and mixed wave solutions of that system are derived utilizing the generalized (m, N − m)-fold Darboux transformation. We show the first-order rogue wave with one hump and two valleys, as well as the first-order rogue wave with one hump and one valley. We obtain the second-order rogue wave and also show that the second-order rogue wave divides into three first-order rogue waves which are arranged in the triangle structure. We present the third-order rogue wave and observe that the third-order rogue wave divides into six first-order rogue waves which are arranged in the triangle and pentagonal structures. The first-order breather and interaction between the two first-order breathers are illustrated. In addition, we present the interactions between the first-order/second-order rogue wave and first-order breather.
The obesity loss effect of returns to education: Evidence from China
Authors: Yin Shijiu , Yin Zongshuo , Chen Mo , Du Nianyu , Li Kai
Published: October 2023

As the world’s largest developing country, China’s overweight and obesity rate is higher than the global average and is growing. This paper investigates the effect of education on obesity and its mechanism to study the “weight loss” effect of education. The study finds that education has a nonremarkable effect on being overweight but a remarkable negative effect on obesity. Mechanism analysis showed that education can inhibit the occurrence of obesity by improving nutritional knowledge, enhancing health risk perception, improving diet regularity and increasing physical exercise. Heterogeneity analysis showed that the effect of education on obesity is more significant in rural residents and female samples compared with their counterparts. Further analysis revealed that education inhibits obesity mainly through improving nutritional knowledge for urban residents and female samples and by enhancing physical exercise for rural residents and male samples.
Time to Blindness of Glaucoma Patients: The case of Hawassa University Referral Hospital, Hawassa, Ethiopia
Authors: Bayew Addisu Teka , Warssamo Birhanu Betela
Published: October 2023

Background If untreated, glaucoma is one of the major causes of irreversible blindness in the world. Intraocular pressure is a primary risk factor for glaucoma, a chronic, progressive optic neuropathy that is characterized by characteristic alterations in the optic disc and retinal nerve fiber layer along with corresponding visual field abnormalities. The study's goals were to identify the best-fit survival regression model and gauge glaucoma patients' chances of surviving until they were blind at Hawassa Referral Hospital in Hawassa, Ethiopia. Methods The patient's card contained secondary data that was gathered in the hospital between January 2021 and September 2023. This study took into account the records of 388 glaucoma patients. To determine the factors that cause glaucoma patients to become blind, the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, Semiparametric and Parametric AFT models were used. Excel was used to enter the data, which was then exported to STATA version 16 for analysis. The statistical analysis on the length of time before glaucoma patients become blind was done using a parametric survival model. When p-value 0.05, statistical significance was taken into account. Results Male and female glaucoma patients made up 42.01% and 57.99% of the overall sample, respectively. After the diagnosis of glaucoma disease, the median time to go blind in either one or both eyes was 21 months. Age groups (43–69) and > 70 (TR = 1.2323, CI: 1.048611–1.447674), urban residence (TR = 1.147198, CI: 1.009588–1.303565), types of medication topical (TR = 1.275537, CI:1.07358–1.515484), and laser therapy (TR = 1.25966, CI: 1.016694–1.560689) were found to be significantly associated with the time to blindness. Conclusion Age, place of residence, and kind of medicine were found to be important variables that determine the likelihood that glaucoma patients will survive. The gamma regression model was the best fitted parametric accelerated failure-time model for identifying the key factors connected to glaucoma patients, according to the study's findings, which brings us to our final conclusion.
The triangle congruence axiom that led to ellipse collinearity
Authors: Csiba Peter , Vajo Peter
Published: October 2023

This paper aims to prove the assumption that the center of the circle containing two vertices of a complete quadrilateral, along with the center of the conic section formed by the two diagonal points of the quadrilateral (with the third diagonal point being fixed), are collinear with the midpoint of the segment defined by the intersection of their common tangent lines. The common tangent lines are drawn from the two remaining vertices of the complete quadrilateral. Furthermore, a general theorem can be deduced from this proof, asserting that when a conic section is considered instead of a circle, the centers of the two conic sections and the midpoint of the section formed by the intersections of their common tangent lines are collinear. The assumptions were discovered and proved using the dynamic mathematics software GeoGebra, which offers many visual tools such as the Show Trace or Locus tool, the CAS View, and the 3D calculator. These tools were employed to provide analytic proof. Consequently, a correlation has been identified that converts a projective correspondence into an affine property.
Behavior prediction of fiber optic temperature sensor based on hybrid classical quantum regression model
Authors: T Kanimozhi , S Sridevi , M Valliammai , J Mohanraj , N Vinodhkumar , Sathasivam Amirthalingam
Published: October 2023

A relatively new area of study, quantum machine learning, seeks to bring together the quantum computer’s significant performance improvement and the machine learning algorithms’ capacity to solve real world problems. In this research work,a quantum regression model (QRM) is proposed by combining an autoencoder and dressed quantum circuit (DQC) to predict the behavior of fiber optic temperature sensor. The autoencoder is employed to augment the experimental data-setas it is insufficient to train the DQC model. We examined the regression performance of the QRM by running multiple simulations by varying the quantum hyper-parameters such as quantum depth Qdepth, number of shots nshots andthe number of qubits nqubits of the quantum node. Moreover, the regression performance with the unknown data exhibits high R-squared score (r2scr) as0.965, high explained variance (ExpV arscr) as 0.969 and less maximum error(MaxErrscr) as 0.212 for 4 Qdepth, 1500 nshots and 4 nqubits. On the otherhand, we proved the superiority performance of the proposed QRM in predicting relative power and it is compared with four conventional machine learning regressors,namely artificial neural network (ANN) regressor, support vector regressor(SVR), decision tree (DT) regressor, and random forest (RF) regressor.
Inequitable Inefficiency: A Case Study of Rail Transit Fare Policies
Authors: Mallett Zakhary
Published: October 2023

Transit fare equity research overwhelmingly measures equity based on disparity in the fare paid for travel without consideration of the costs of service delivery. Research also ignores the cost-sharing nature of transit — that as more riders consume it, the average cost per rider declines. Together, this leaves an incomplete understanding about who receives more subsidy. I measure equity by analyzing spatial and temporal cost recovery variability of two rail systems, BART in the San Francisco Bay Area and MARTA in Atlanta. I scale origin-destination trip cost recoveries to stations and operating time periods. I find that travel associated with outlying areas and off-peak times receive more subsidy. I further find that subsidy patterns are marginally progressive; they positively correlate with select disadvantaged socioeconomic groups. I offer ideas on why these findings appear divergent from past research.
Prediction of prognosis, immune microenvironment and efficacy of immunotherapy based on cell cycle genes in colon cancer
Authors: Chen Zhenfeng , Cui Chunhui , Chen Guixu
Published: October 2023

Colon cancer is a common digestive system cancer. Dysregulation of cell cycle gene expression is one of the major risk factors in colon cancer progression. However, the identification of colon cancer subtypes based on cell cycle genes is unclear. In our work, we analyzed the expression, prognosis, genetic alterations of cell cycle genes in colon cancer. We identified two subtypes (clusters A and B) by performing unsupervised clustering. The difference between the two clusters was further assessed, such as clinical features, differential expressed genes (DEGs), pathways, and immune cell infiltration. Based on the DEGs between the two clusters, a cell cycle score (CCscore) system was constructed and its predictive ability for overall survival of colon cancer patients and immunotherapeutic efficacy was validated. Patients with high CCscore have worse survival status, abundant immune cell infiltration, and elevated response to immunotherapy. Our findings may improve our understanding of the cell cycle in colon cancer.
Different Managements of the same disease- Malignant Ovarian Germ Cell Tumor Treated by Pediatric or Gynecologic Oncologists
Authors: Lin Wen-Hsuan , Yeh Ting-Chi , Liu Hsi-Che , Hou Jen-Yin , Chang Chih-Long
Published: October 2023

Objective The surgical approach, staging system, including the criteria for adjuvant chemotherapy and even the chemotherapeutic regimens between Pediatric and Gynecologic oncologists are different for a same disease- malignant ovarian germ cell tumors (MOGCTs). This study is to review the differences with regard to the survival and re-appraise each mode of treatment.Methods A retrospective review of medical records of the patients with malignant germ cell tumor in Mackay Memorial Hospital between 1997 ~ 2017 were performed. We re-staged the patients in pediatric group from COG stage system to FIGO stage system and documented the disease survival rate in different staging system. Accordingly, treatment outcomes were compared by progression-free survival rate, using Kaplan-Meier method.Results 87 patients with MOGCTs were analyzed. 67 cases are managed by Gynecologist and 20 cases by Pediatrician. There was no significant differences of the progression-free survival rate at 10 years in patients with conservative surgery or fertility-sparing staging operation (p = 0.747). Ten-year progression free survival rate in patient receiving chemotherapy with BEP regimen (bleomycin + etoposide + cisplatin) was 97.8% and in JEB regimen (bleomycin + etoposide + carboplatin) was 77.8% (p = 0.0076).Conclusion The survival rates are similar between patients receiving conservative surgical approach or complete staging operation. It might be due to the high chemosensitivity nature of these diseases. However, our data suggest cisplatin is more effective than carboplatin in high-risk group.
Ultrastrong exciton-plasmon couplings in WS2 multilayers synthesized with a random multi-singular metasurface at room temperature
Authors: Luo Yu , Wu Tingting , Wang Chongwu , Hu Guangwei , Wang Zhixun , Zhao Jiaxin , Wang Zhe , Chaykun Ksenia , Liu Lin , Chen Mengxiao , Li Dong , Xiong Qihua , Shen Ze , Gao Huajian , Garcia-Vidal Francisco , Wei Lei , Wang Qi jie
Published: October 2023

Van der Waals semiconductors exemplified by two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenides have promised next-generation atomically thin optoelectronics. Boosting their interaction with light is vital for practical applications, especially in the quantum regime where ultrastrong coupling is highly demanded but not yet realized. Here we report ultrastrong exciton-plasmon coupling at room temperature in tungsten disulfide (WS2) layers loaded with a random multi-singular plasmonic metasurface deposited on a flexible polymer substrate. Different from seeking perfect metals or high-quality resonators, we create a unique type of metasurface with a dense array of singularities that can support nanometre-sized plasmonic hotspots to which several WS2 excitons coherently interact. The associated normalized coupling strength is 0.12 for monolayer WS2 and can be up to 0.164 for quadrilayers, showcasing the ultrastrong exciton-plasmon coupling and important for practical optoelectronic devices based on low-dimensional semiconductors.
The Impact of Indoor Plants on Patient Recovery: Physiological and Psychological Effects in Dental Clinics
Authors: Elsadek Mohamed , Xie Junfang , Jie Gao
Published: October 2023

Patient recovery and well-being in healthcare settings can be influenced by various factors, including the stress induced by hospitalization and medical care. This study investigated the impact of indoor plants on patient recovery in dental clinics using state-of-the-art techniques to address the limited evidence supporting the claim that nature can alleviate stress and pain in hospitals. Thirty patients were randomly assigned to either a room with indoor plants or a control room without plants for a duration of 5 minutes after their treatment. Physiological responses were assessed using electroencephalography (EEG), heart rate variability, and skin conductance, whereas psychological responses were evaluated using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and a visual analogue scale (VAS). The results revealed a significant increase in alpha wave power in the frontal region, indicating enhanced relaxation, as well as a significant increase in parasympathetic activity, suggesting improved autonomic balance. Furthermore, a significant decrease in skin conductance was observed when indoor plants were present compared with their absence, indicating reduced physiological arousal. Psychological assessments using the STAI demonstrated lower levels of stress and anxiety, whereas the VAS indicated reduced pain intensity among participants. Overall, these findings suggest that the presence of indoor plants contributes to patients’ relaxation and improved coping mechanisms during the recovery process. This study highlights the significance of incorporating indoor plants into healthcare settings to enhance patients’ overall well-being and promote positive recovery outcomes.
In Vitro Induction of Polyploidy by Colchicine in the Protocorm of the Orchid Dendrobium wardianum Warner
Authors: Wang Fei , Zhuo Xiaokang , Arslan Muhammad , Ercisli Sezai , Chen Jinliao , Liu Zhongjian , Lan Siren , Peng Donghui
Published: October 2023

Dendrobium wardianum is a key ornamental plant and a valuable traditional Chinese medicine. This research aimed to find the optimal protocol for in vitro inducement of polyploidy in D. wardianum by treating protocorms with colchicine (an antimitotic agent). The experiment consisted of two series of treatments. For the first treatment, the protocorms were subjected to colchicine concentrations of 25, 75, 125, 250, and 500 μM (weight/volume) for 6, 12, and 24 hours. For the second treatment, protocorms were cultivated in culture medium with colchicine (25, 75, 125, and 250 μM) for 30 days. A total of 18 polyploids were confirmed by chromosome counts and anatomical parameters. Polyploids had broad, dark green leaves with increased stem lengths compared with those of diploids. The optimal protocol for these two methods consisted of soaking in 250 μM of colchicine solution for 12 hours, resulting in inductivity of 26%, and cultivating in 75 μM for 30 days, resulting in a mutation rate of 34%. A comparison of these two protocols showed that the latter one induced more stable polyploids, but that the survival rate was slightly lower. The survival and induced mutation rates of these plants were significantly influenced by the colchicine concentration and exposure time. Higher concentrations for longer periods of time resulted in greater mortality rates and longer-lasting side effects. The protocol involving a solid medium and colchicine is worth considering. It will be intriguing to examine this methodology for the induction of stable polyploids of other orchid species.
Consumer Purchase Likelihood of Landscape Management Pest Scouting Program
Authors: Jeffers Andrew H. , Behe Bridget K. , Vassalos Michael , Bridges William C. , White Sarah A.
Published: October 2023

The US landscape industry consists of 632,000 businesses with >1 million persons employed in 2022. The most common service that landscape service providers (LSPs) perform is pest management. Over the past 25 years, LSPs have been challenged to adopt more holistic approaches to pest management via the use of nonchemical and less toxic chemical controls. Integrated pest management (IPM), specifically scouting, may be a useful approach for LSPs to manage pests more sustainably and market new services, such as biological control releases. Scant literature is available on LSP scouting practices or consumer acceptance of scouting services. The goal of this study was to determine if IPM-aware consumers were more likely to purchase a scouting program offered by an LSP. An online survey was distributed across the United States through a third-party panel service. The final sample included 928 usable responses. Data were analyzed using a binary logistic regression model. Fifty-seven percent of respondents reported having some knowledge or were very knowledgeable of IPM. Respondents 65 years of age and older were 13.1% points less likely to purchase a scouting service. Education level did not influence purchase likelihood. Consumer knowledge of IPM had a positive influence on the purchase likelihood, respondents with “some knowledge” (5.6%) and “very knowledgeable” (8.6%) were more likely to buy IPM services. Further, if the consumer was open to purchasing the scouting program, it is plausible that they might be more willing to allow an LSP to use a combination of chemical and nonchemical methods to manage pests.
A histological study of vessel wall reaction after endovenous ultrasound ablation in an animal model
Authors: Gavrilenko A. V. , Vakhratyan P. E. , Arakelyan A. G. , Borde A. S. , Ivanova E. I. , Shchukin S. I. , Samorodov A. V.
Published: October 2023

Introduction. Along with the generally accepted thermal methods of saphenous varicose veins ablation, the use of non-thermal and combined methods becomes attractive. Due to the variety of mechanisms of action, low-frequency ultrasound is a promising technology for performing a wide range of minimally invasive intravascular operations, including the treatment of varicose veins. Aim. To elucidate the mechanism of action of a novel endovenous ultrasound ablation method and evaluate its effect on vein wall injury and lumen occlusion in an animal model. Materials and methods. A total of 34 central ear vein (CEV) medial ramus were treated in 17 rabbits according to the follow-up protocol. Six femoral veins from three rabbits enrolled into the acute experiment were harvested 45 min after the procedure. All treated CEV medial ramus in the follow-up experiment were divided into four treatment groups with an observation time of: (0) 30 days, control procedure; (1) 60 days, ultrasound ablation; (2) 95 days, ultrasound ablation; (3) 138 days, ultrasound ablation. Results. Occlusion was achieved in all but one CEV medial ramus (29/30; 97%) treated with ultrasound. Histologic examination of treated veins showed heat- and mechanical-induced changes in the vein wall, such as abrasion of the endothelium and fibrotic lesions in the tunica media and tunica adventitia. The occluded segments consisted mainly of cellular fibrotic material. In the acute group, histological evidence of damage to all vessel wall layers was found. Discussion. Ultrasound ablation results in homogeneous and uniform damage to the venous wall. The results of this study suggest that the ultrasound treatment leads to venous occlusion by the additive thermomechanical mechanism of damage to the vessel wall. Conclusions. Endovenous ultrasound ablation showed a similar pattern of thermal damage as endovenous laser (EVLA) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and damage to the endothelium as mechanochemical ablation (MOCA). Four months after ultrasound ablation, the occlusion rate was 90%.
Application of machine learning techniques for obesity prediction: a comparative study
Authors: Dirik Mahmut
Published: October 2023

Obesity, characterized by excess adipose tissue, is becoming a major public health problem. This condition, caused primarily by unbalanced energy intake (overconsumption) and exacerbated by modern lifestyles such as physical inactivity and suboptimal dietary habits, is the harbinger of a variety of health disorders such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. Therefore, there is an urgent need to accurately diagnose and assess the extent of obesity in order to formulate and apply appropriate preventive measures and therapeutic interventions. However, the heterogeneous results of existing diagnostic techniques have triggered a fierce debate on the optimal approach to identifying and assessing obesity, thus complicating the search for a standard diagnostic and treatment method. This research primarily aims to use machine learning techniques to build a robust predictive model for identifying overweight or obese individuals. The proposed model, derived from a person's physical characteristics and dietary habits, was evaluated using a number of machine learning algorithms, including Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Fuzzy K-Nearest Neighbors (FuzzyNN), Fuzzy Unordered Rule Induction Algorithm (FURIA), Rough Sets (RS), Random Tree (RT), Random Forest (RF), Naive Bayes (NB), Logistic Regression (LR), and Decision Table (DT). Subsequently, the developed models were evaluated using a number of evaluation measures such as correlation coefficient, accuracy, kappa statistic, mean absolute error, and mean square error. The hyperparameters of the model were properly calibrated to improve accuracy. The study revealed that the random forest model (RF) had the highest accuracy of 95.78 %, closely followed by the logistic regression model (LR) with 95.22 %. Other algorithms also produced satisfactory accuracy results but could not compete with the RF and LR models. This study suggests that the pragmatic application of the model could help physicians identify overweight or obese individuals and thus accelerate the early detection, prevention, and treatment of obesity-related diseases.
Characterization of 3D-Radar images of pavement devoid damage based on FDTD
Authors: Li Y. X. , Kang X. T. , Sheng S. M. , Fu C. J.
Published: October 2023

Accurate judgement of devoid damage information by 3D-Radar is an effective way of repairing damage in nondestructive pavements. In order to systematically analyse the characteristics of devoid damage under nondestructive pavements in 3D-Radar response. In this study, the 3D-Radar response to devoid damage of different sizes, locations and moisture contents was quantified by FDTD orthorectified simulations. Data acquisition of the pre-buried devoid damage on site was carried out using 3D-Radar, compared with the orthorectified simulation results and numerical analysis. The detection effect was also verified by relying on the project. The results show that the radar wave characteristics of the devoid damage are obvious. Different colour and waveform image characteristics in B-Scan in the presence and absence of water at the location; the size of the devoid also has an impact on the image characteristics. It depends on the footprints and size of the devoid. It creates “upward-convex”, “down-concave” and straight features; the presence of the devoid characteristics in the 3D-Radar mapping will enhance the confidence of the devoid identification through field tests and engineering verification.
Full-scale shaking table test on seismic performance of a steel frame with translational-type precast-concrete exterior wall panel
Authors: Shi Jianhua , Zhang Fan , Zhao Xuefei , Tian Wei , Li Jianbao , Wang Jingquan
Published: October 2023

In order to investigate the deformation behavior, mechanical characteristics of connections, and failure mode of translational precast concrete wall-panels under earthquake loading, a full-scale two-story steel frame model was designed. This test model consisted of 12 precast concrete wall-panels connected with fixed connections at the bottom end and translational-type connections at the top end. This model passed the shaking table testing, and the results demonstrate that the translational-type precast concrete exterior wall panel can ensure the sufficient relative displacement between the wall panel and the main structure under large earthquake loads. It has sufficient capacity to adapt the deformation between the main structure and the wall panels. During the test, localized cracking was observed on the wall panel, while all connections remained in elastic state. The connections between precast concrete exterior wall panels exhibited good performance, that indicates it is an effective tool to protect frame building hangings with exterior wall panels under strong earthquake events.