bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Causal Relationship Between H2BC11/H2BC12 and Sepsis: A Bidirectional Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study
Authors: Wang Jie , Zhou Huili , Qian Xiaohan , Liu Qiuhong , Xia Qi , Cai Hongliu , Huang Lingtong , Wu Wei
Published: March 2024

Background
Sepsis is a critical medical condition involving with multi-organs. Recent studies hint at a potential link between increased serum histone levels and sepsis severity. However, conventional observational studies are prone to bias as reverse causation. In this study, we aimed to determine if there is a bidirectional causal link between histone levels and sepsis.
Methods
We applied Genome-wide association study (GWAS) and two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study to investigate the relationship. To ensure the reliability of our MR analysis, we also conducted the sensitivity analyses. Finally, we predicted drugs targeting H2BC11 and H2BC12 using available databases.
Results
After screening, we identified 4 of 16,972 H2BC11-related SNPs and 13 of 18,097 H2BC12 related SNPs associated with sepsis. Our forward MR analysis indicated that H2BC11 and H2BC12 (odds ratios (OR) > 1, p < 0.05) were risk factors for sepsis. Meanwhile, no causal relationship was observed between sepsis and H2BC11/H2BC12 (p > 0.05) in the reverse MR analysis. This sensitivity analysis confirmed the reliability of our MR analysis, providing confidence in our results. Furthermore, based on available databases, we identified a total of 78 drugs predicted to target H2BC11 and H2BC12.
Conclusion
Under mendelian randomization assumptions, our findings suggest H2BC11 and H2BC12 as the risk factors of sepsis and have identified potential treatments for this critical medical condition.
Hepatocellular carcinoma prevalence in cirrhotic patients and influencing factors in the North-West of Iran
Authors: Hamidzadeh Shokoufeh , Hosseiniazar Mohammadreza Mohammad , Roosta Yousef
Published: March 2024

Background
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer, and it often develops in patients with underlying liver cirrhosis. The prevalence of HCC in cirrhotic patients is a significant concern, as it poses a high risk of morbidity and mortality. Aim of this study was Evaluating Hepatocellular carcinoma Prevalence in cirrhotic patients and influencing factors among patients admitted to Urmia Imam Khomeini Hospital ; North-West of Iran from 2016 to 2020.
Methods
This is a cross-sectional study. Data on hepatocellular carcinoma prevalence and cirrhotic influencing factors were collected from medical records of patients admitted to Imam Khomeini Hospital from 2016 to 2020.
Results
During the four-year study period, a total of 427 number of patients were admitted to Imam Khomeini Hospital with cirrhotic conditions. Mean (SD) of patients were 59.73(15.3) years. The diagnose rate of HCC was 10.77% (95% CI = 8–14%). HBV and HCV positivity were 26.1% (95% CI = 22–30%) and 6.1% (95% CI = 4–88%) among studied population respectively. HBV and HCV positivity were 63.04% (95% CI = 47–77%) and 10.86% (95% CI = 3.6–26%) among HCC respectively. Rate of reported alcohol consumption was 9.84% (95% CI: 7.18–13.06%). In cirrhotic patients, HBV and Cryptogenic cirrhosis were the most underlying disease among cirrhotic patients (26% and 18.7% of cases, respectively). HBV, Cryptogenic cirrhosis and alcoholic cirrhosis were the most underlying disease among in HCC patients (63% and 4.35% and 4.35% of cases, respectively).
Conclusions
The research highlights that liver cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma are not the most common cancers in this province, however due to the increasing trend of its predisposing factors and underlying diseases, It is important to have screening programs for people at high risk.
Primary CNS Lymphoma: age as a prognostic biomarker
Authors: Ohanyan Sona , Buxbaum Chen , Stein Polina , Ringelstein-Harlev Shimrit , Shelly Shahar
Published: March 2024

Background Lymphomatous involvement of the CNS incidence has been increasing in recent years. However, the rarity of these diseases results in a scarcity of available data regarding their clinical presentation natural history and prognosis. We aimed to investigate neurological characteristics of uncommon lymphomatous involvements confined to the central nervous system (CNS) and identify key variables that could serve as predictive biomarkers for treatment outcomes. Methods We searched for patients presenting with neurological symptoms and diagnosed with CNS-restricted lymphomatous involvement between 2005 and 2023. Results We identified 44 cases (41 with primary central nervous system lymphoma diagnosis, 93%; 3 intravascular lymphoma 7%). Overall median time from the onset of symptoms onset to diagnosis was 47 days: range (6-573 days) and was not statistically different comparing patients > 60 years old, p = 0.22. The median follow-up time was 1144 days (27-3501 days). Cognitive deterioration was the most common presenting symptom in 19/44 (43%). Brain MRI revealed lobar lesions as the most frequent location of pathology (24/44, 55%). Death was reported in 30 patients (68%) by the end of the study period with a median survival of 666 days; (median range 17-3291 days) and was significantly more common in the group experiencing relapses p = 0.04(CI: 0.99,0.03). Patients with relapses had a 4 times higher chance of death p = 0.04 (95% CI: 0.03–0.99) HR = 4.1 (CI 1.01–16.09). Time to diagnosis was associated with higher mortality, p = 0.04 (95% CI: 0.02–0.97) and survival p = 0.02 (95% CI: 0.005–0.54) as well with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group at the last follow-up p = 0.006 (95% CI: 0.0012–0.62). Conclusions Patients had significant delays in diagnosis, affecting patient outcomes. Cognitive deterioration and lobar lesions were prominent clinical and radiological features. Mortality was notably higher in older patients, relapses, and a longer time to diagnosis.
Caregiver’s response to cardiorespiratory events in preterm infants in the NICU – a quantitative overview
Authors: Cramer Sophie Josephine Elisabeth , Zanten Henriette Anje van , Salverda Hylke Hendrik , Hooper Stuart Brian , Dekker Janneke , Pas Arjan Benedictus te
Published: March 2024

Purpose
Cardiorespiratory events in preterm infants form a major challenge in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) as they require a prompt response. We aimed to describe caregivers’ responses to these events.
Methods
We performed a prospective observational study using video recording of the inside of the incubator prompted by cardiorespiratory alarms in 19 preterm infants born at 28 weeks (± 2 weeks) gestational age receiving non-invasive respiratory support. Alarms were labelled as isolated or clustered, and subsequently classified as apnoea, bradycardia, desaturation and oxygenation events or a combination of these. Caregivers’ responses to these events were then identified from the videos.
Results
1851 cardiorespiratory events were recorded with a median duration of 11.0 (5.0-23.0) seconds. No response was observed in the majority of the events (91.5%). In the remaining 8.5% events, caregivers responded by pausing the alarm, adjusting devices and/or providing tactile stimulation with an average response time of 25.4 (13.8-35.9) seconds. Stimulation was the most observed response and was applied in 38 different ways. On average, stimulation lasted 18.7 (11.6-44.6) seconds and the cardiorespiratory events were resolved 30.6 (19.5-47.6) seconds after stimulation started.
Conclusions
Our study showed that cardiorespiratory events occur often in preterm infants in the NICU, but are most often not followed by intervention of the caregiver. The indication, timing and execution of responses to cardiorespiratory events is highly variable.
Cervicothoracic Ventral-Dorsal Rhizotomy for Treatment of Brachial Hypertonia in Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Abdelmageed Sunny , Dalmage Mahalia , Mossner James M. , Trierweiler Robin , Krater Tim , Raskin Jeffrey S.
Published: March 2024

Purpose
Cervicothoracic ventral-dorsal rhizotomy (VDR) is a potential treatment of medically refractory hypertonia in children who are not candidates for intrathecal baclofen, particularly in cases of severe upper limb hypertonia with limited to no function. A longitudinal cohort was identified to highlight our institutional safety and efficacy using cervicothoracic VDR for the treatment of hypertonia.
Methods
Retrospective data analysis was performed for children that underwent non-selective cervicothoracic VDR between 2022–2023. Non-modifiable risk factors, clinical variables, and operative characteristics were collected.
Results
6 patients (3 female) were included. Four patients underwent a bilateral C6-T1 VDR, one patient underwent a left C7-T1 VDR, and another underwent a left C6-T1 VDR. Three patients had quadriplegic mixed hypertonia, one patient had quadriplegic spasticity, one patient had triplegic mixed hypertonia, and one patient had mixed hemiplegic hypertonia. The mean difference of proximal upper extremity modified Ashworth scale (mAS) was − 1.4 ± 0.55 (p = 0.002), and − 2.2 ± 0.45 (p < 0.001) for the distal upper extremity. Both patients with independence noted quality of life improvements as well as increased ease with dressing and orthotics fits. Caregivers for the remaining four patients noted improvements in caregiving provision, mainly in dressing, orthotics fit, and ease when transferring.
Conclusion
Cervicothoracic VDR is safe, provides tone control and quality of life improvements in short-term follow-up. It can be considered for the treatment of refractory hypertonia. Larger multicenter studies with longer follow-up are necessary to further determine safety along with long-term functional benefits in these patients.
Vasculogenic Mimicry Related Long Noncoding RNA Signature Reveals New Therapy Strategy in Breast Cancer
Authors: Cao Yukun , Cao Jing , Zou Peng , Wang Shouman
Published: March 2024

Background
Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) is linked closely to the tumorigenesis. However, VM-related lncRNAs (VRLs) involved in the mediation of breast cancer (BC) are still unknown. This research aimed to identify a prognostic signature of VRLs in BC and excavate its potential biological function.
Methods
We obtained RNA-seq and relevant clinical data from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Then, Cox and the LASSO regression were utilized to construct a multigene signature. The Kaplan-Meier and ROC curves were plotted to evaluate the efficacy of the model. GO and KEGG pathway were performed for patients in high-risk and low-risk groups. SsGSEA and CIBERSORT algorithm were used to observe the relationship in high-risk and low-risk groups and immune cells. Furthermore, we analysed the inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of three representative anti-vasculogenesis drugs of BC in high-risk and low-risk groups to verify drug sensitivity.
Results
A VRL-based prognostic signature composed by SEMA3B-AS1, MAPT-AS1, AL355512.1 and AP005717.2 was constructed. According to the risk score calculated by this signature, BC patients were divided into high-risk and low-risk groups. Patients in the high-risk group inclined to have a worse prognosis. SsGSEA and CIBERSORT showed that the majority of immune cells e.g., macrophage and CD4 T cell expressed notably higher in high-risk group (p < 0.05). In addition, we analysed the IC50 values of sorafenib, axitinib and AZD4547 in high-risk and low-risk groups, and all these drugs demonstrated favorable sensitivity to high-risk group which indicated that patients in high-risk group might benefit from anti-vasculogenesis drugs.
Conclusions
Based on bioinformatic analysis, we established a VM-related gene signature to predict the overall survival of BC patients. Apart from this, we characterized the relationship in the signature, immune microenvironment and correlated drugs which may ignite a novel idea of BC therapy.
Influence of Using Various Types of Steel Fibers of Recycled Concrete Aggregate on Shear Behavior of RC Beam son of interests
Authors: Summra Ayman Ahmed , Mahmoud Mahmoud Hassan , Soliman Mohamed Mahmoud
Published: March 2024

The goal of this research is to use recycled wastes such as recycled concrete aggregate and lathe waste in the concrete mix to reduce the cost of the concrete industry. The natural coarse aggregate (NCA) in the concrete mix was partially replaced using recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) by 30% with a target compressive strength of 30 MPa after 28 days by adding different types of fiber (steel fiber, recycled steel fiber and mixed fiber) with different percentages (1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0%) to improve the behavior of different concrete mix. In this study, the mechanical properties and shear behavior of reinforced concrete beams of RCA by adding different types of fiber were investigated. Ten concrete mixtures were designed and ten reinforced concrete beams were tested under a two-point load to estimate the contribution of different types of fiber for shear resistance. The results show the effect of adding different types of fiber (steel fiber, recycled steel fiber and mixed fiber) that were used in concrete mixes was effective in improving and increasing the compressive, tensile, and flexural strength of concrete. Using different types of fiber for recycled concrete aggregate has improved the durability, ductility of concrete, and the ability of concrete to resist cracks due to the increase in shear resistance.
Genetic diversity analysis and germplasm identification of ‘ShiqianTaicha’ (Camellia sinensis var. sinensis) resources based on morphological traits and biochemical components
Authors: Lin Kaiqin , Wang Anrang , Li Yuexin , Li Lulu , Wei Jie , Zhou Fuyu , Liang Sihui , Yang Xiaowei , Zhao Degang , Yan Donghai
Published: March 2024

‘ShiqianTaicha’ is a historically famous tea, and was an important local populationvariety and has rich germplasm resources. To systematically evaluate the ‘ShiqianTaicha’ resources and identify excellent resources, we analyzed the morphological traits and biochemical components of 52 tea resources. The morphological traits and biochemical components of ‘ShiqianTaicha’ tea germplasm resources exhibit high genetic diversity. The coefficients of variation (CVs) of morphological traits of ‘Shiqian Taicha’ ranged from 7.95–45.67%, with an average of 28.37%, while H' ranged from 0.37 to 2.06, with an average of 1.02; the CVs of biochemical components ranged from 3.73–54.05%, with an average of 20.35%, while H' ranged from 1.21 to 2.09, with an average value of 1.86. Significant positive and negative correlations were observed between the morphological traits and biochemical components. PCA revealed that the total contribution rate of 14 traits, including leaf length, leaf width, leaf area, leaf tooth acuity, bud leaf color, water extract, tea polyphenols, total catechin and EGCG, was 81.05%, and these were the main factors influencing differences in tea tree resource morphological traits and biochemical components. Cluster analysis grouped the morphological traits and biochemical components into three main clusters and four main clusters, respectively.Based on the biochemical components, 25 resources with high levels of EGCG (≥ 10%), 2 resources with high levels of tea polyphenols (≥ 25%) and 4 resources with high levels of catechin (≥ 20%) were selected as excellent resources. These resources have the potential to be utilized in the cultivation of specific tea tree varieties with regional characteristics.
Relationship between preoperative nutritional status and postoperative complications in pediatric surgical patients
Authors: Agrawal Tripti , Saxena Rahul , Goel Akhil , Nayak Shubhalaxmi , Jadhav Avinash Sukdev , Rathod Kirtikumar , Pathak Manish , Sinha Arvind
Published: March 2024

AIM: To determine the relationship between preoperative nutritional status and postoperative complications in pediatric surgical patients.
METHODOLOGY: This prospective observational cohort study included 650 patients from 6 months to 18 years undergoing elective surgery at our institution. Nutritional status was standardized using Z-scores for weight, length, and BMI. Patients were monitored for a month following surgery to detect any complications, and they were classified into five grades using the Clavien-Dindo classification. The duration of hospital stays and readmission within 30 days following discharge were secondary outcomes.
RESULTS: There were 627 patients of both sexes involved in the study: 350 patients aged six months to 5 years (Group A), while 277 were aged between 5- 18 years (Group B). Wasting status was 47.71% in Group A and 41.52% in Group B. In Group A, 40 % of patients were stunted, while 83.75 % were in Group B. Group A had 57.14 % underweight patients. The complication rate was 39.14 % in Group A and 38.99% in Group B. The incidence of postoperative complications was not significantly different in malnourished patients. The patients with prolonged duration of surgery (> 2 hours) developed more complications in both groups (Group A – 67.2%, Group B – 82.6%; p < 0.0001). Also, the patients who experienced complications had lengthier hospital stays (p < 0.001 in both groups) and increased readmission rates (p = 0.016 in Group A and p = 0.008 in Group B).
CONCLUSION: In our study, Half of the patients in Group A and nearly 2/3rd in Group B were malnourished. The preoperative poor nutritional status based on anthropometric parameters is not associated with increased postoperative complications. Randomized control trials linking preoperative malnutrition based on anthropometric measures and clinical outcomes in pediatric surgery patients are necessary to provide more robust information on this subject.
Three-dimensional simulation of granular flow using a mesh-free numerical model
Authors: Kheirkhahan Mehran , Omidvar Pourya , Nikeghbali Pooyan , Pasereh Pouya , Nayyer Shahab
Published: March 2024

The study and modeling of granular materials using various rheological models are intriguing subjects in numerical simulations and are applicable for predicting and investigating the behavior of different materials, such as sand and granules, in various phenomena like dam breaks or dry landslides. In this paper, we conducted three-dimensional simulations of column collapses with limestone and sand using the μ(I) rheological model within the SPH framework. To assess the performance of the developed code, we compared experimental and numerical values of the free surface of granular particles at different time intervals. The results demonstrated that the numerical modeling error is less than five percent. Additionally, we compared particle dispersion conditions at different time points, indicating the high accuracy of the developed code. Therefore, the code developed for three-dimensional conditions, incorporating the μ(I) rheological model, can be effectively applied to similar phenomena.
Insufficient duration of insecticidal efficacy of Yahe insecticide-treated nets in Papua New Guinea
Authors: Bubun Nakei , Anetul Evodia , Koinari Melanie , Johnson Petrina H. , Makita Leo S. , Freeman Timothy W. , Robinson Leanne J. , Laman Moses , Karl Stephan
Published: March 2024

Background:Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) are the backbone of antimalarial vector control in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Over recent years it was recognised that the quality and performance of ITNs has been decreasing, which is likely contributing to the stagnation in the malaria control effort in PNG. Here, we present results from the first 24 months of a durability study with the ITN product Yahe LN® in PNG.
Methods: The durability study was conducted in four villages on the northern coast of PNG, in an area with high malaria transmission, following WHO-recommended methodologies adapted to the local scenario. A cohort of individually identifiable Yahe ITNs were distributed by the PNG National Malaria Control Program from October to December 2021. Insecticidal efficacy of the ITNs was tested using cone bioassays at baseline and at 6 months intervals, alongside evaluation of physical integrity and the proportion of ITNs lost to follow-up. Questionnaires were used to collect information on ITN end user behaviour such as the frequency of use and washing.
Results: We observed gradual uptake and replacement of previous campaign nets by the communities such that at 6 months 45% of all newly distributed nets were in use in their designated households. Insecticidal efficacy of the Yahe nets, expressed as the percent 24h mortality of fully pyrethroid susceptible colony mosquitoes, decreased from 91% to 45% within the first 6 months of distribution, even though >90% of study nets had never been washed. Insecticidal efficacy decreased further to <20% at 24 months. ITNs accumulated physical damage (holes) at a rate similar to previous studies, and 35% were classified as too torn by 24 months. ITNs were lost to follow-up such that 61% of campaign nets were still present at 24 months. Wash resistance assays indicated rapid reduction in insecticidal performance with each consecutive wash such that 24h mortality was below 20% after 10 washes.
Discussion and Conclusion: Yahe ITNs are not performing as per label claim in an area with fully pyrethroid susceptible vectors and should be investigated more widely and in other settings. The mass distribution of low and variable quality ITN products is one of the major ongoing challenges for global malaria control in the last decade.
Robust Adaptive Nonlinear Admittance Control of Robotic Manipulators with Extra-Intra Uncertainties and Disturbances
Authors: Zhang Shubo , Chen Zhong , Zhang Xianmin
Published: March 2024

This paper focuses on achieving rapid convergence in finite time for robust trajectory tracking of robotic manipulators, which upper-bound uncertainties are unknown. To address the issues of excessive control torque and control reversal at the initial stage, a novel Robust Adaptive Fast Terminal Sliding Mode Control (RAF-TSMC) method is developed. The proposed method provides faster transient response, higher steady-state tracking accuracy, and can eliminate singularities and mitigate chattering effects. To enhance the physical collaboration in human-robot interactions, a novel Nonlinear Admittance Control method with RAF-TSMC is proposed, which benefits from adaptive compliance characteristics of Nonlinear Admittance Control with RAF-TSMC. This improves suppleness and flexibility of human-robot interaction in uncertain environments. Finally, the proposed controller is validated using a two-link robotic manipulator subjected to uncertainty and external forces. The results demonstrate that the proposed RAF-TSMC controller can effectively minimize tracking errors and convergence time, and the proposed Nonlinear Admittance Control with RAF-TSMC can enhances the flexibility and adaptability of the robot system.
Factors associated with mental health stigma among teachers and caregivers of primary school children in Mbale, Uganda
Authors: Braathu Nora , Kabatooro Mukisa Marjorie , Babirye Juliet N. , Wentzel-Larsen Tore , Skar Ane-Marthe Solheim , Engebretsen Ingunn M. S.
Published: March 2024

Background
Uganda has one of the youngest populations in the world, with approximately 55% aged below 18 years. Approximately 23% of Ugandan youths are struggling with mental disorders. Despite the high prevalence of mental disorders, the existing stigma surrounding mental health may discourage individuals from seeking help, resulting in untreated conditions that may worsen over time. Examining the factors associated with stigma is crucial for understanding specific target areas to reduce its impact. The current paper examines factors associated with mental health stigma among teachers and caregivers in 18 primary schools in Mbale, Uganda.
Methods
The current study used baseline data from the TREAT INTERACT stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial among 191 teachers and 732 caregivers. Stigma was measured using the revised Perceived Devaluation-Discrimination scale (PDD). Mental health knowledge was measured with the Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS), and Psychological aggression was measured with the Dimensions of Discipline Inventory (DDI). Data were analyzed using mixed effects models in R. Mean scores were rescaled to range from 0-100.
Results
On a range from 0-100, teachers had a mean of 30.7 (SD = 14.0) on the mental health stigma measure, while caregivers scored significantly higher with a mean of 36.9 (SD = 16.9). Lower mental health knowledge (Teachers: -0.36, 95% CI = -0.49; -0.22, Caregivers: -0.24, 95% CI = -0.32; -0.16) and higher prevalence of psychological aggression (Teachers: 0.13, 95% CI = 0.06; 0.21, Caregivers: 0.15, 95% CI = 0.10; 0.20) were significant predictors of higher levels of stigma. Fewer years of education (-4.51, 95% CI= -7.74; -1.29) were additionally significantly associated with higher levels of stigma among caregivers. Factors such as sex, age, school area, years working as a teacher, and caregiver wealth index were not statistically significant factors.
Conclusion
Higher levels of stigma were associated with lower mental health knowledge and higher frequencies of psychological aggression among teachers and caregivers. Additionally, lower caregiver education was associated with higher levels of stigma. This underscores the importance of targeted interventions to enhance mental health awareness and reduce aggressive disciplinary practices. Additionally, the observed associations with caregiver education emphasize the need for tailored approaches that account for demographic variations in stigma.
Modeling Convective Heat Transfer Augmentation of TiO 2 Nanofluids Using Neural Networks
Authors: Pouramini Zeinab , Fathabadi Motahareh Vakili , Shahryari Zohresadat
Published: March 2024

In this study, a neural network methodology was employed to estimate the forced convective heat transfer coefficient of nanofluids. Various operational parameters, including heat flux, thermal conductivity of fluids, nanoparticle concentration, and flow Reynolds number, were investigated to quantify the convective heat transfer coefficient. These operational parameters were introduced as inputs into an artificial neural network (ANN) to model the convective heat transfer coefficient. The addition of nanoparticles to the base fluid enhanced the forced convective heat transfer coefficient, with more significant effects observed in base fluids with lower thermal conductivity and flows characterized by higher Reynolds numbers and elevated heat fluxes. Good agreement between experimental data and the predicted results of the ANN demonstrates that the ANN can accurately model this process, except for higher heat flux.
The Safety of Endoscopy in Cirrhosis
Authors: Edelson Jerome Craig , Rockey Don C
Published: March 2024

Background: Endoscopic procedures are amongst the most commonly performed medical procedures and the serious adverse event rate is reported to be 1-3 adverse events per 1000 procedures.
Aims: Here, we have examined the safety of endoscopy specifically in cirrhotic populations.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective case (cirrhosis) -control (non-cirrhosis) study of the outcomes of patients undergoing endoscopy in a large academic medical center. The primary outcome was a procedural or post-procedural complication. Complete clinical data were collected for all patients undergoing endoscopic procedures - including esophagogastroduodenoscopy, colonoscopy, EUS, ERCP, flexible sigmoidoscopy, and others. Cirrhosis was carefully defined based on clinico-pathological grounds.
Results: We identified 16,779 patients who underwent endoscopy, including 2,618 with cirrhosis and 14,161 without cirrhosis. There were 167 complications (0.99%), which included 15/2618 cirrhotics (0.6%) and 152/14,161 (1.1%) non-cirrhotics. The most common complications were cardiopulmonary (including hypotension, hypoxemia, and ) found in 67% of patients; procedurally related complications occurred in 19% of patients. The complication rate was the same or lower in cirrhotics than controls undergoing esophagogastroduodenoscopy (0.6% vs 0.9%, p = 0.03), colonoscopy (0.6% vs. 0.6%, p = NS), or ERCP (0.7% vs. 1.4%, p = NS)Logistic regression analysis identified the following features to be associated with an increased risk of having a complication: inpatient status, history of myocardial infarction, and an EUS procedure.
Conclusions: Endoscopy in cirrhotic patients was as safe or safer in cirrhotic patients compared to others undergoing the same procedures.
Screening Carbon Nano Materials for preventing amyloid protein aggregation by adopting a facile method
Authors: Wilson Daisy L. , Carreon Ana , Chinnam Sampath , Sharifan Hamidreza , Ahlawat Jyoti , Narayan Mahesh
Published: March 2024

The soluble-to-toxic transformation of intrinsically disordered amyloidogenic proteins such as amyloid beta (Aβ), α-synuclein, mutant Huntingtin Protein (mHTT) and islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) among others is associated with disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), Huntington’s disease (HD) and Type 2 Diabetes (T2D), respectively. The dissolution of mature fibrils and toxic amyloidogenic intermediates including oligomers continues to be the pinnacle in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. Yet, methods to effectively, and quantitatively, report on the interconversion between amyloid monomers, oligomers and mature fibrils fall short. Here we describe a simplified method that implements the use of gel electrophoresis to address the transformation between soluble monomeric amyloid proteins and mature amyloid fibrils. The technique implements an optimized but well-known, simple, inexpensive and quantitative assessment previously used to assess the oligomerization of amyloid monomers and subsequent amyloid fibrils. This method facilitates the screening of small molecules that disintegrate oligomers and fibrils into monomers, dimers, and trimers and/or retain amyloid proteins in their monomeric forms. Most importantly, our optimized method diminishes existing barriers associated with existing (alternative) techniques to evaluate fibril formation and intervention.
Birefringence changes induced by thermal cycling in lithium niobate
Authors: Jundt Dieter , Whittaker Matthew
Published: March 2024

Lithium niobate exhibits slow refractive index drift after temperature excursions typical in device manufacturing. Such drift can degrade performance in certain devices. We analyze the birefringence changes in a range of temperatures to measure the magnitude and rate of change. Experiments were conducted by first annealing congruently grown, magnesium doped, and lithium-enriched crystals at a temperatures between 95oC and 215oC. Subsequent optical evaluation was performed between 95oC and 122oC using a table-top apparatus. The sample was illuminated with incandescent polarized light and transmitted light was collected with a compact spectrometer after passing through an analyzer so fringes could be recorded. Careful fringe analysis allows a precise estimate of birefringence changes at a reference wavelength with precision < 10−6. The observed birefringence changes can be explained by assuming that existing lithium vacancies re-arrange around positively charged point defects via lithium vacancy migration. Computer simulations for a simple model reproduce the major observations such as magnitude of change, activation energy for relaxation and the stretched exponential nature of the change. Similar effects are expected in lithium tantalate and the results suggest ways to minimize the influence on device operation.
Effect of the Merger between Nippon Oil and Kyushu Oil in 2008
Authors: Komatsubara Takashi
Published: March 2024

This study examines the effect of the merger between Nippon Oil and Kyushu Oil in 2008 on the Japanese gasoline market. This merger was thought to have a significant impact on the market because the former had the top share in the market at that time. In order to focus on the change in Japanese retail gasoline prices, this study adopts the analysis of difference-in-differences. Because there were many Kyushu Oil stations in the Kyushu region while there were few in other regions, this study compares price changes between the Kyushu and neighboring regions. As a result of the analysis, we find that there was little difference in price changes between the two regions after the merger.
JEL codes: L44, G34, L11, D22
Constitutive model of Viscoelastic-plastic strain characteristics and damage of South China red sandstone under chemical environment
Authors: ZHANG Shuanguang , ZHAO Shutian , FAN Mingzhuo , SUN Ye , LIU Wenbo , QI Wenhao
Published: March 2024

In this paper, a graded creep cyclic loading and unloading test was carried out to explore the viscoelastic-plastic rheological characteristics of red sandstone in South China under acidic environment. The mechanical parameters and viscoelastic-plastic strain characteristics of the acidic solution corrosive specimen were obtained by analyzing the rock deformation behavior by the improved viscoelastic-plastic strain separation method, and the instantaneous strain was separated into instantaneous elastic strain and instantaneous plastic strain, and the creep-strain strain was separated into viscoelastic strain and viscoplastic strain. Based on the nonlinear rheological theory, the constitutive equations of creep damage of rock in one-dimensional and three-dimensional stress states are derived. The results show that acid corrosion has little effect on the resistance to elastic deformation of red sandstone, the elastic deformation modulus remains basically the same at the same stress level, and the instantaneous elastic strain and viscoelastic strain are close to linear relationship with the deviator stress. The increase of acidity of the solution increases the plastic deformation of rock samples, in which the instantaneous plastic modulus increases gradually with the increase of the number of loading and unloading, and the instantaneous plastic strain increment decreases. The viscoplastic modulus gradually decreases with the increase of stress level, and the increase of viscoplastic strain increases. The creep flexibility and creep rate of viscoplastic have the same trend with the change, and increase with the increase of solution concentration and stress level. By introducing the chemical damage variable considering the plastic deformation of the material, the creep damage constitutive equation considering the viscoelastic-plastic strain separation is established, which can describe the variation of strain with time during loading and unloading, and verifies the rationality and accuracy of the proposed model by comparing it with the traditional Nishihara model.
Interactions Between Background Ground Vibration and Earthquakes Before and After the 2011 Mw 9 East Japan Earthquake
Authors: Kikuchi Hiroyuki
Published: March 2024

We have been investigating the background ground vibration (BGV) that is imperceptible to humans. In this study, we examined how this BGV interacts with earthquakes and successfully elucidated the dynamics of the ground before and after the Mw9 Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) as several consecutive dynamic events. Stress-related parameters (stress) and geometry-related parameters (fractal dimension representing geometric complexity) were extracted from the BGV data to characterize the BGV. Insights into the interaction between the BGV and earthquakes before and after the GEJE were obtained as follows: Approximately 4 to 3 years before the GEJE, the stress increased significantly and remained at that level until the occurrence of the GEJE. During this period of high stress, a mid-scale earthquake occurred. However, the decrease in stress due to the mid-scale earthquake was significantly smaller compared to the background stress, and its impact on the BGV was minor. However, the remaining stress suggests the possibility of larger earthquakes occurring after the mid-scale earthquake. From about 1 year before the GEJE to the time of the GEJE, the fractal dimension indicating subtle geometric damage increased significantly, leading to the occurrence of the GEJE. Approximately 1 to 3 years after the GEJE, the stress remained high, but the fractal dimension gradually decreased and stabilized. Subsequently, a mid-scale earthquake occurred, and although there was no change in the fractal dimension, the stress decreased significantly. This can be interpreted as a transition induced by the mid-scale earthquake to a more stable state of the BGV.
Scheduling of drip irrigation under the ultra-high density of guava orchard
Authors: Shanker Karuna , Prasad Kunal , Misra Sanyat , Das Bikash , Jha Keshaw Kumar
Published: March 2024

Over two consecutive years (2012–2013 and 2013–2014), a field experiment was conducted on a 5-year-old guava orchard of cv. Sardar in Ranchi, where drip irrigation systems were installed in ultra-high-density guava orchards. The experiment aimed to study the water system booking and water prerequisites of guava based on available soil water content and its consumption, as well as the pan evaporation replenishment. 240 guava trees were organized in a randomized block design consisting of four repetitive blocks, with a spacing of 1.0 m x 2.0 m. Five irrigation scheduling methods were applied in the field experiment, which included four levels of open pan evaporation primarily-based drip irrigation schedules (20%, 40%, 60%, and 80% pan evaporation replenishment) and one rainfed plot as a control. Each treatment contained 12 plants per unit with four repetitions for each treatment. The results indicated that irrigation scheduling based on pan evaporation replenishment had better yield and quality compared to the schedule method for water system plans. Tree grown under irrigation level at 20% of PE showed maximum irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE), which decreased with the increasing quantity of water applied. Application of irrigation at 60% PE showed higher fruit yields of guava planted at ultra-high density, with some parameters like an increase in fruit weight being observed to be better under this treatment. Moreover, reducing the quantity of water applied from 100% PE to 60% PE did not affect the fruit quality parameters. Therefore, it is suggested to utilize water at 60% of PE letter with two days irrigation interval for commercial cultivation of guava under ultra-high-density planting patterns.
Federated Edge Computing Strategy for Fault Tolerance in Distributed Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Jamshidi O. , Abbasi M. , Ramazani A. , Khosravi M. , Taherkordi A.
Published: March 2024

Large Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) can extract suitable features from data but increase memory and energy consumption and require a significant amount of computing resources, especially for IoT infrastructures. CNNs can be distributed across end devices, edge, and cloud, but their distribution may increase privacy risks and latency. This paper proposes to utilize only the edge (fog) and end devices to mitigate these risks. The approach involves dividing a large neural network (NN) into several smaller NNs and distributing them across the end devices. The proposed method increases the security of learning systems by ensuring that all NNs on distributed end devices and entities involved in the learning process are engaged in joint learning and undergo continuous validation. However, the accuracy decreases in case of end device failure. To avoid a significant decrease in accuracy, we introduce a modifier module at the edge to improve results in the event of end device failure. This module is built using the NNs on the end devices. The experimental results show that the accuracy obtained in the case of the failure of one of the end devices can be improved by approximately 1.5% using the modifier module. This achievement enables the efficient performance of CNNs on edge devices and improves service delivery in areas such as healthcare and the use of self-driving vehicles.
Insight into pore size distribution and moisture migration behavior in aerogel cementitious composites using BET-MIP and LF-NMR methods
Authors: Yang Jianhong H. , Huang Dongmei M. , Feng Zhenmin M. , Yuan Qi , Jin Mengsha S.
Published: March 2024

The durability of cementitious composites is closely related to their internal pore distribution and moisture migration patterns. In this study, low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR), specific surface area and porosity test (BET) and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) techniques were used to compare and analyze the effects of different SiO2 aerogel contents on the pore size distribution, pore water content distribution and internal water transport of Silica aerogel incorporated Cementitious composites (AICs). The results show that with the increase of aerogel content, the pore structure of AICs has changed, and the pore connectivity has been enhanced. Compared with AIC0, the porosity of AIC10 increased by 11.89%. BET-MIP combined characterization method and LF-NMR method showed consistency in analyzing the change trend of pore size distribution of AICs, showing a trend of increasing the proportion of macroporous pore volume, thereby accelerating the water transport rate and reducing the durability of the material. In addition, during the water absorption process, the water distribution inside the material is uneven, and the area with low water content shows a cold tone in the spatial imaging.
Dynamics of longitudinal Hawaiian hotspot motion and the formation of the Hawaiian-Emperor Bend
Authors: Hu Jiashun , Zhang Jie
Published: March 2024

Formation of the Hawaiian-Emperor Bend has been a key geological puzzle that involves both plate tectonics and plume dynamics. Constrained by paleomagnetic data, southward hotspot motion has been considered a major contributor to the formation of the bend, but the role of longitudinal hotspot motion remains largely overlooked. Here, using geometric analysis with constraints from plate kinematics, we show a significant longitudinal hotspot motion is required to fit the Hawaiian-Emperor Chain. Further application of global mantle convection models reveals a westward (by ~6°) and then an eastward (by ~2°) hotspot drift in addition to the southward motion before and after the bend, with the westward motion primarily controlled by the intraoceanic subduction in Northeast Pacific. While both the westward and southward motion are required to fit the seamount chain, the former contributes ~20 degrees to the bend angle, larger than the later, challenging traditional views. Combining geodynamically-predicted Pacific Plate motion change at 47 Ma, our model provides a nearly perfect fit to the seamount chain, suggesting plate-mantle reorientation as the ultimate cause. It also suggests that the Hawaiian plume conduit is tilted towards the southwest, solving the long-lasting debate on the source of the Hawaiian plume among seismological studies.
Identify Liver Fibrosis Associated Hub Genes Using Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis
Authors: Jin Li , Cheng Zhuo , Huang Hanfei , Deng Lin , Ma Meidiao , Qu Siming , Yuan Bo , Fang Yuan , Ye Youzhi , Zeng Zhong
Published: March 2024

Background. Cirrhosis is defined as diffuse liver fibrosis (LF) caused by various chronic liver diseases and characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix in liver tissue. However, the molecular mechanism of cirrhosis has not been well understood. This study aimed to identify significant gene expression profiles that participate in cirrhosis pathogenesis using bioinformatics and to discover novel biomarkers.
Methods. Two LF datasets (GSE14323 and GSE139602), both consisted of cirrhosis patients and healthy individuals, were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and used for further analysis. Firstly, differential expression analyses were conducted to discover overlapping differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using the limma package. Next, the clusterProfiler function was adopted to carry out the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes as well as Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses. Furthermore, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of the DEGs was constructed in the STRING database. In addition, hub genes were extracted through the cytoHubba plug-in. To verify the results we observed from the bioinformatics analysis, mouse models were established by receiving Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) injections or 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC) diet.
Results. A total of 81 upregulated and 21 downregulated overlapping DEGs were identified in cirrhosis tissues compared to healthy controls. 9 hub genes included SPP1, SOX9, THBS2, LUM, LAMA2, PECAM1, VIM, COL1A2, and COL3A1 were identified by the PPI analysis from the 81 upregulated overlapping DEGs. RT-PCR of the fibrotic liver tissues from the mouse model showed that the mRNA levels of Spp1, Sox9, Col1a2 and Col3a1 were up-regulated in mice treated with CCl4, while Spp1, Thbs2, Lum, Pecam1, Vim, Col1a2, and Col3a1 were up-regulated in mice treated with DDC. Predictive analyses provided drug compounds that are associated with LF.
Conclusion. The present study identified hub genes that were associated with the occurrence of LF may provide reference for future studies to better explore the pathogenesis of cirrhosis, and play a possible role for developing drugs for LF.
Experimental Study of the Effect of Different Winglet Configurations on The Lift and Drag Characteristics of BWB Aircraft
Authors: Ishrak Md. Shah , Shuvo Md. Adnan Nur Bhuiyan , Tasnim Faria , Patnailo Sidharth Sankar
Published: March 2024

Sustainable aviation is a major concern in the current world where people are constantly relying on aircraft for transporting over long distances in short amounts of time. Newer technologies are constantly being developed to enhance the aerodynamic efficiency of existing aircrafts and improve fuel conservation. Winglets are one such technology. Our research focuses on how different winglet designs affect the lift and drag characteristics of a blended-wing body aircraft whose concept is currently being researched and compared to the base model with no winglet. The models have been subjected to both computational and experimental analysis at three different velocities and six angles of attack to determine the lift and drag values resulting from various winglet configurations. The results showed that Split Fence shows the best performance in both computational and experimental analyses with an L/D of 10.608 at 5° Angle of Attack during the CFD analysis compared to 5.52 by the base model. The Spikelet and the Spike Scimitar Winglet also showed high aerodynamic efficiency. The C-Winglet however showed poorer performance compared to these winglets. The insights from this research can help optimize winglet designs and exploration in the design of BWB aircraft, leading to substantial reductions in fuel consumption and carbon emissions in the aviation industry.
The Improved Convex Combination method Applied to the Paris-Erdogan Law to Crack Propagation Problems
Authors: Junior Claudio R. Ávila Silva , Santos Bruno dos
Published: March 2024

In this work, the Improved Convex Combination method is presented to obtain approximate, closed-form solutions, for crack propagation problems, applying the Paris-Erdogan model. In most of the crack propagation problems, it is not possible to achieve explicit solutions due to the complexity of the terms. In this regard, it is required that numerical methods be used to secure approximate numerical solutions. This article presents a method which provides a proposal that can be employed and extended to other problems which, in turn, are defined by differential equations. The approximate solutions are obtained as an exact solution of a modified IVP established by the equation of Ricatti. The performance is evaluated in relation to problems with known exact solution and approximate numerical solutions.