bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hourly electricity consumption estimation methodology based on the metaheuristic algorithms
Authors: ağır tuba tanyıldızı
Published: July 2022

Estimation of electricity consumption is very difficult as it depends on meteorological factors such as temperature, pressure and wind. Accurate estimation of electricity consumption is very important in terms of cost, time, energy savings, energy management and storage. In this study, Extreme learning machine (ELM) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) are used to estimate the hourly electricity consumption of a city. ELM and ANN algorithms were simulated for 10 different neurons and 5 different activation functions. For the results of ELM and ANN algorithms, the significance test of the correlation coefficient was performed using statistical methods. In addition, the effects of the changes in the number of neurons and activation functions of ELM and ANN algorithms on performance were examined. It showed that the MSE, RMSE, R and R^2 values in the best performance of the ELM algorithm were 4.476e-06,0.0021,0.9999 and 0.9998. The ANN algorithm is MSE, RMSE, R and R^2 of values 5.22e-06,0.0023,0.9993 and 0.9986 respectively. While the correlation limits of the ELM algorithm at the 95% confidence interval are 0.9946 < ρ < 1.0052, the correlation limits at the 95% confidence interval of the ANN algorithm are 0.9921 < ρ < 1.0027. Neuron selection in ELM and ANN algorithms affected the performance by 1.49% and 0.34%, respectively. The activation function selection in the ELM and ANN algorithms affected the performance by 1.33% and 2.36%, respectively. The results showed that the ELM algorithm was successful in predicting energy consumption, short training time, low iteration number, good correlation limits, and significant activation selection.
High triglyceride-glucose index in young adulthood is associated with incident cardiovascular disease and mortality in later life: insight from the CARDIA Study
Authors: Xu Xinghao , Huang Rihua , Lin Yifen , Guo Yue , Xiong Zhenyu , Zhong Xiangbin , Ye Xiaomin , Li Miaohong , Zhuang Xiaodong , Liao Xinxue
Published: July 2022

Background
This study aimed to investigate the associations between the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index in young adulthood with incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality.
Methods
We included 4,854 participants from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study at baseline. The TyG index was calculated as ln (fasting triglyceride [mg/dl] ⋅ fasting glucose [mg/dl]/2), and the TyG index trajectories were identified by using the latent class growth mixture model. CVD events and all-cause mortality were adjudicated over 25 years of follow-up. We evaluated the association between the baseline and trajectories of the TyG index with incident CVD events and all-cause mortality using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis.
Results
Among 4,854 participants (mean age 24.76 years, 45.6% male, 51.0% black), there were 161 incident CVD events and 250 all-cause mortality during a median 25 years follow-up. After adjusting for multiple confounding variables, each one-unit increase in the TyG index was associated with a 93% higher CVD risk (hazard ratio [HR] 1.93, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.40–2.65) and a 69% higher all-cause mortality risk (HR 1.69, 95% CI 1.31–2.18). Similar results were observed when participants were categorized by TyG index quartiles, with a greater risk of CVD events (HR 2.54, 95% CI 1.44–4.49) and all-cause mortality (HR 1.91, 95% CI 1.27–2.89) for those participants in the highest quartile as compared with the lowest quartile. Three distinct trajectories of the TyG index along the follow-up duration were identified: low (43.5%), moderate (45.6%), and high (10.8%). Compared with those participants in the low TyG index trajectory group, those in the high TyG index trajectory group had a greater risk of CVD events (HR 2.17, 95% CI 1.25–3.76) and all-cause mortality (HR 2.63, 95% CI 1.57–4.39).
Conclusions
Higher baseline TyG index levels and higher long-term trajectory of TyG index during young adulthood were significantly associated with a high risk of incident CVD events and all-cause mortality in later life.
Adverse health and environmental outcomes of sewage treatment plant on surrounding groundwater with emphasis on some mitigation recommendations
Authors: Kandil A. T. , Hagagg K. , Gamal A. A. , El-Nasser M. G. Abd , Mostafa W. M.
Published: July 2022

Water quality deterioration hinders economic and social development in developing countries that are facing freshwater security and shortages. This study based on the collection of 29 water samples and focused on the relationship between sewage treatment plant and groundwater system surrounding it using multidisciplinary approach that combines the characterization of groundwater system and its connection with surrounding canal and drains; using chemical and isotopic characterization revealing that there is a direct relation between the surface water system and surrounding groundwater system. About 58% of the groundwater samples and all surface water samples in the investigated area are threatened by high concentrations of trace elements. The multivariate statistical analysis elucidates that anthropogenic effect, fertilizers sewage contamination are the main causes of groundwater pollution. Nearly; 31% and 11.5% of groundwater samples posing oral chronic non carcinogenic health risk and dermal chronic risk for adult, respectively. While all surface water samples were posing oral chronic non carcinogenic health risk, with no dermal hazard. Visual MINTAQ geochemical modeling program was used for determining the groundwater aqueous species distribution to indicate their effect on the distribution of trace element in groundwater, revealing that Ba, Mn, Zn, and Sr existed as free radical ion in the hazardous samples; revealing that those elements would be available for further sorption process and can be mitigated through sorption processes. The uncharged species of Fe and Al are expected to be more mobile in groundwater because they would not be attracted to the surface charge of minerals. Inorganic ligands (HCO3−, SO42−, Cl−, and NO3−) act as nucleation centers that were linked with those trace elements creating new species with higher solubility degree in water that are transported away randomly for long distances in the water path.
Accurate prediction of posterior corneal astigmatism in a multi-center study for predictive, preventive and personalised medicine
Authors: Xu Guihua , Peng Qingsheng , Liu Baoyi , Zhu Shanqing , Guo Yunxiang , Yu Honghua , Hu Yijun
Published: July 2022

Aims
To predict posterior corneal astigmatism (PCA) magnitude and flat axis using other corneal parameters.
Methods
In this multicenter cross-sectional study, sex, age, eye laterality, and eight selected corneal parameters were input, and PCA magnitude and flat axis were output of the ridge regression (RR) models. Data from two centers were used for RR models construction and internal validation, and data from the other three centers were for external validation. Mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square error (RMSE) and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the prediction accuracy.
Results
A total of 10448 subjects (17538 eyes) were included (5943 males and 4505 females, mean age: 24.84 ± 5.38 years). An RR equation was generated for prediction of PCA magnitude in all eyes (R2 = 0.501) with an MAE and an RMSE of 0.065-0.080D and 0.083-0.102D in external validation, respectively. Another RR equation was generated for prediction of PCA flat axis in all eyes (R2 = 0.157) with an MAE and an RMSE of 6.254–8.518° and 9.052–12.612° in external validation, respectively. Binary prediction of eyes with a PCA ≥ 0.50D was performed with a mean AUC of 0.900-0.928 in external validation. For eyes with a PCA ≥ 0.50D, in external validation an MAE of 0.049-0.059D and an RMSE of 0.058-0.076D were achieved in prediction of PCA magnitude, with an MAE of 2.863–4.010° and an RMSE of 3.755–5.263° in prediction of PCA flat axis.
Conclusions
Accurate prediction of PCA magnitude and flat axis based on other corneal parameters can be achieved by RR models. The RR models may be useful in refractive surgery to improve personalized astigmatism correction and prevent residual astigmatism.
Inhibitory effect of oroxylin A on atopic dermatitis-like symptoms in mice
Authors: Lee Ye-Ji , Im Dong-Soon
Published: July 2022

Scutellaria baicalensis has long been used in Asian traditional medicine to prevent and treat suppurative dermatitis, allergic diseases, inflammation, hyperlipemia, and arteriosclerosis. Oroxylin A is a flavone present in Scutellaria baicalensis. Because the root extracts of Scutellaria baicalensis have been shown to have anti-dermatitis effects, the authors investigated the effects of oroxylin A on chemically-induced atopic dermatitis (AD) in an in vivo AD model induced by 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) in BALB/c mice. CDNB-induced skin hypertrophy and accumulation of mast cells in the epidermis and dermis were significantly ameliorated by oroxylin A. Increased serum levels of immunoglobulin E, as well as pro-inflammatory chemokines and cytokines in the skin and lymph nodes were significantly ameliorated by oroxylin A. Suppression of immune responses in the skin and lymph nodes by oroxylin A decreased the symptoms of AD. Thus, these results proved that oroxylin A is an effective component of Scutellaria baicalensis for treating the symptoms of AD.
Two-Timescale Design for Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface-aided Full-Duplex Massive MIMO Systems
Authors: ZHU Feng , Dai Jianxin
Published: July 2022

In this paper, we aim to investigate a full-duplex reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS)-aided massive multiple-input multiple- output (mMIMO) system. Different from the existing contributions, we consider the two-timescale design scheme. Specifically, the phase shift at the RIS is designed based on the statistical channel state information (CSI), while the beamforming at the base station (BS) is designed based on the instantaneous effective CSI. We derive the closed-form expression of the uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) achievable rate, analyse the system performance and use genetic algorithm

(GA) to maximize UL, DL and full-duplex achievable sum rate.
Analysis of Intracell Spectrum Handoff under General Traffic Parameters Distribution in Cognitive Radio Networks
Authors: Hoque Shanidul , Sriv A
Published: July 2022

Cognitive Radio (CR) technology solves the spectrum scarcity and spectrum shortcoming issues through dynamic spectrum access with a central point of contention spectrum handoff (SHO). SHO is an essential operation of secondary users (SUs) which is accountable for seamless and reliable services to ensuring better performance of a CR network. In this paper, we analyse the performance of intracell SHO of a non-stationary SU under various traffic parameters distribution in CR networks. We model the analytical formula of probability of intracell SHO and expected number of SHO of an SU in both source cell and destination cell considering lognormal service time distribution and Erlang-3, 23 residual time distribution of spectrum holes in a CR network. This paper also investigates the effect of departure rates of spectrum holes (λ), SUs (µ), and cell crossing rate (η) of SUs on probability of intracell SHO and expected number of SHO in a CR network. The proposed model with lognormal service time distribution and erlang-3, 23 residual time distribution offers higher probability of no intracell SHO and lower probabilities of intracell SHO (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and so on) and therefore, provides fewer number of expected number of SHO under the impact of λ, µ, and η.
Spatial-Temporal Fusion Graph Framework for Trajectory Similarity Computation
Authors: Zhou Silin , Han Peng , Yao Di , Chen Lisi , Zhang Xiangliang
Published: July 2022

Trajectory similarity computation is an essential operation in many applications of spatial data analysis. In this paper, we study the problem of trajectory similarity computation over spatial network, where the real distances between objects are reflected by the network distance. Unlike previous studies which learn the representation of trajectories in Euclidean space, it requires to capture not only the sequence information of the trajectory but also the structure of spatial network. To this end, we propose GTS, a brand new framework that can jointly learn both factors so as to accurately compute the similarity. It first learns the representation of each point-of-interest (POI) in the road network along with the trajectory information. This is realized by incorporating the distances between POIs and trajectory in the random walk over the spatial network as well as the loss function. Then the trajectory representation is learned by a Graph Neural Network model to identify neighboring POIs within the same trajectory, together with an LSTM model to capture the sequence information in the trajectory. On the basis of it, we also develop the GTS+ extension to support similarity metrics that involve both spatial and temporal information. We conduct comprehensive evaluation on several real world datasets. The experimental results demonstrate that our model substantially outperforms all existing approaches.
Traumatic blunt thoracic aortic injury: a 10-year single-center retrospective analysis
Authors: Sun Jingwei , Ren Kai , Zhang Liyun , Xue Chao , Duan Weixun , Liu Jincheng
Published: July 2022

Background: Approximately 80% of patients with blunt thoracic aortic injury (BTAI) die before reaching the hospital. Most people who survive the initial injury eventually die without appropriate treatment. This study analyzed and reported the treatment strategy of a single center for BTAI in the last 10 years and the early and middle clinical results.Methods: This retrospective study included patients diagnosed with BTAI at Xijing Hospital from 2013 to 2022. All inpatients with BTAI aged ≥18 years were included in this study. The clinical data, imaging findings, and follow-up results were retrospectively collected and analyzed. The Kaplan–Meier curve and multivariate logistic regression were used to compare survivors and nonsurvivors.Results: A total of 72 patients (57% men) were diagnosed with BTAI, with a mean age of 54.2 ± 9.1 years. The injury severity score (ISS) was 24.3 ± 18, with Grade I BTAI1 (1.4%), Grade II 17 (23.6%), Grade III 52 (72.2%), and Grade IV 2 (2.8%) aortic injuries. Traffic accidents were the main cause of BTAI in 32 patients (44.4%). Most patients had trauma, 37 had rib fractures (51.4%), Sixty patients (83.3%) underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) surgery, eight (11.1%) underwent conservative treatment, and only four (5.6%) underwent open surgery.The overall hospitalization mortality was 12.5%. In multivariate logistic regression, elevated creatinine levels (P = 0.041) and high Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score (P = 0.004) were the predictors of hospital mortality. The median follow-up period was 57 (28–87) months. During the follow-up period, all-cause mortality was 5.6% and no aortic-related deaths were reported. Three patients (4.2%) needed secondary surgery and two of them underwent endovascular repair.Conclusion: Although TEVAR surgery may be associated with intra- or postoperative dissection rupture or serious complications in the treatment of Grade III BTAI, the incidence rate was only 8.9%. Nevertheless, TEVAR surgery remains a safe and feasible approach for the treatment of Grade II or III BTAI, and surgical treatment should be considered first,. A high GCS score and elevated creatinine levels in the emergency department were closely associated with hospital mortality. Younger patients need long-term follow-up after TEVAR.
TCR extracellular domain genetically linked to CD28, 2B4/41BB and DAP10/CD3ζ-engineered NK cells mediates antitumor effects
Authors: Li Shance , Zhang Chaoting , Shen Luyan , Teng Xia , Xiao Yefei , Lu Zheming
Published: July 2022

NK cells, especially FDA-approved NK-92 cells, could be used for TCR engineering owing to their specialized cytotoxicity against tumors, safety profile and potential use as an off-the-shelf cellular therapy. The TCR complex requires assembly of TCR-α/β chains with CD3 molecules (CD3δ, CD3γ, CD3ε, CD3ζ) to be correctly expressed at the cell membrane, and yet NK cells lack expression of these CD3 subunits besides CD3ζ. Since transmembrane regions of TCR α and β chains are involved in TCR complex assembly, transmembrane regions of TCR replaced by CD28 transmembrane domain could result in the expression of TCR independent of its companion CD3 subunits. However, since the absence of CD3 signaling components can influence the transmission of TCR signals to NK cells, it is necessary to add the signaling molecules of NK cells followed by CD28 transmembrane domain. Both CD3ζ and DAP10 play an important role in the activation and cytotoxicity of NK cells; moreover, 2B4 and 4-1BB are the main costimulatory molecules in NK cells. Therefore, we designed a chimeric TCR that consisted of the extracellular domains of the TCR α and β chains specific for NYESO-1 fused to the CD28 transmembrane domain followed by the 41BB and CD3ζ signaling domains as well as the 2B4 and DAP10 signaling domain, respectively. The chimeric TCR genetically engineered NK-92 cells exhibit antigen-specific recognition and lysis of tumor cells both in vitro and in vivo. The overall encouraging data highlight the value of NK-92 cells engineered to express therapeutic chimeric TCR for adoptive immunotherapies.
Using near-infrared reflectance and biomass allocation patterns of maize plants (Zea mays L.) to characterize soil fertility and productivity response dynamics
Authors: Awiti Alex O.
Published: July 2022

This paper characterizes the variation in soil quality along a forest to cropland conversation chronosequence using (i) VIS/NIR spectral characteristics of leaf samples from maize plants grown on soils from a forest-cropland chronosequence and, (ii) evaluates root: shoot biomass partitioning patterns of maize plants along a chronosequence soil quality gradient. Five hundred and forty-two topsoil samples were retrieved from a forest to cropland conversation chronosequence comprising primary and secondary forest, recently converted and historically converted farmlands. About 200 grams of each of the 542 samples were used in a bioassay in which hybrid maize seeds were planted in plastic pots under controlled conditions. Plants were harvested after 14 days. Shoots and roots were separated, dried and weighed. Discriminant analysis was used to evaluate the underlying spectral differences among the dried, ground shoot samples. Root: shoot biomass allocation patterns were assessed relative to soil spectral condition classes. The difference in reflectance of leaf samples was significant (Wilk’s Lambda = 0.006; F= 18.27; p>0.0001). The reflectance of leaf samples from maize plants grown in nutrient-poor exhibited a right shift in the 0.68-0.74 µm region (red edge position); a phenomenon diagnostic of nutrient stress. Maize plants exhibited plasticity in biomass partitioning patterns consistent with the soil quality gradient defined by fertility classes. Log-transformed root-shoot ratios revealed that maize plants grown in high nutrient soils had a low root/shoot ratio. High root: shoot ratio was observed among maize plants grown in soils classified as low in nutrients.
Analysis of the value and possible mechanisms of miRNA in cirrhosis based on bioinformatics approach
Authors: Kuang Xiao , Li Jinyu , Xu Yiheng , Yang Lihong , Liu Xiaoxiao , Yang Jinhui , Tai Wenlin
Published: July 2022

Aim: Cirrhosis is the ultimate fate of several liver diseases, but the mechanisms regarding the development of cirrhosis remain unclear. In this study, we performed a screening of differentially expressed miRNAs in cirrhosis using public databases and explored their functions and pathways associated with cirrhosis.Methods: We screened differentially expressed miRNAs in cirrhosis using the GEO dataset and bioinformatics methods. in addition, we explored their possible biological pathways using analysis of differentially expressed miRNAs and their predicted target genes and gene ontology (GO) terms. The screened miRNAs were also validated.Results: In total, we screened out 129 differentially expressed miRNAs. The differentially expressed miRANs and their target genes are concentrated in the nucleus and cytoplasm, while their functions and pathways are closely related to the activities of transcription factors or related enzymes. We found that the main upstream transcription factors regulating differential miRNAs are SP1, SP4, KLF7, EGR1, POU2F1, and RREB1. Then, we combined two factors, top ranking and high repetition frequency, to derive the top three most important genes (CTNNB1, RHOA, RAC1). Finally, we also performed a ROC curve analysis of the diagnostic efficacy of has-miR-199a/b-3p for cirrhosis (Area under the curve=0.7531, Sensitivity=55.56% Specificity=100%).Conclusions: We screened for differentially expressed miRNAs in cirrhosis and analyzed their associated transcription factors and target genes. The differentially expressed miRNAs functioned in close correlation with the associated transcription factor activity. And, we identified the top three pivotal genes (CTNNB1, RHOA, RAC1) among the target genes. Finally, has-miR-199a/b-3p was analyzed and concluded that it can be used as a non-invasive diagnostic biomarker for liver cirrhosis. The differential miRNAs and their target genes identified in this study not only reveal new insights into the pathogenesis of cirrhosis, but also provide many potential targets for the treatment of cirrhosis.
Might be the forced aeration an alternative to improve the efficiency of composting and quality of fertilizer?
Authors: de Oliveira Juliana Dias , Orrico Ana Carolina Amorim , Vilela Ranielle Nogueira da Silva , Junior Marco Antonio Previdelli Orrico , Borquis Rusbel Raul Aspilcueta , Tomazi Michely , Leite Brenda Kelly Viana
Published: July 2022

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of forced aeration and season on hatchery waste composting in static windrows with perforated walls. there were three well-defined thermophilic phases during composting, with the first occurring immediately after the formation of the windrows and the others occurring after turnovers at 50 and 70 days of composting. Aeration resulted in greater degradation (p<0.01) of volatile solids (VS), carbon (C), and lignin in the composting windrows during the summer up to 50 days of process, in comparison to no aeration piles. However, at 70 and 90 days of composting, the results were similar between aerated and nonaerated windrows. The greatest (p<0.01) degradation of nitrogen (N) occurred during the winter and in the absence of aeration (55.25%). Season influenced (p<0.05) the concentrations of humic acids, and they were higher in the compost generated during the summer than generated during the winter. The concentrations of Mg, Fe and Na were influenced by the season, with higher values (p<0.01) in the summer, however they were not affected by aeration. In the winter, aeration is recommended after 50 days of composting, whereas in summer, forced aeration is beneficial for N conservation and humic acid formation.
Plurimorphous plurihormonal Pit-1 positive macroadenoma with central hyperthyroidism: a rare case report and literature review
Authors: Peng Guiliang , Guo Chuanhong , Lv Yangfan , Zhou Ling , Shen Rufei , Chen Yong , Zheng Xin , Sun Zheng , Zheng Hongting , Long Min
Published: July 2022

Background
Thyrotropin (TSH)-secreting pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) are pretty rare pituitary adenomas, occasionally accompanied by hypersecretion of other anterior pituitary hormones: growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL). The clinical, biochemical, and pathological characteristics may represent diverse circumstances.
Case presentation:
In this report, a 33-year-old woman diagnosed with TSH PitNET co-secreting GH presented no obvious clinical symptoms. The main characteristics were elevated TSH, fT3, and fT4 levels accompanied by slightly elevated GH and IGF-1levels. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) detected a pituitary macroadenoma (18×16×16mm) with cavernous sinus and suprasellar invasion. The immunohistochemistry revealed diffuse positivity for TSH, strong immunoreactivity for GH, and sporadic positivity for PRL. The electron microscope and double immunofluorescence staining confirmed that a plurimorphous plurihormonal adenoma produced TSH, GH, and PRL. After preoperative somatostatin receptor ligands (SRLs) treatment and transsphenoidal surgery, the patient achieved clinical and biochemical remission during follow-up.
Conclusion
In the TSH PitNET, the positive immunohistochemistry for TSH, GH, and PRL translated into hormonal overproduction with TSH and GH.
Essential oil from the leaves of Eugenia pohliana DC. (Myrtaceae) alleviate nociception and acute inflammation in mice
Authors: Nascimento Andreza Larissa , Guedes Joyce Bezerra , Costa Wêndeo Kennedy , de Veras Bruno Oliveira , de Aguiar Júlio César Ribeiro de Oliveira Farias , Navarro Daniela Maria do Amaral Ferraz , Correia Maria Tereza dos Santos , Napoleão Thiago Henrique , de Oliveira Alisson Macário , Silva Márcia Vanusa da
Published: July 2022

Eugenia pohliana (Myrtaceae) is used in folk medicine by communities in Brazil. However, there are no reports on its biological activity. This is the first to identify the components of E. pohliana essential oil (EpEO) and evaluate their antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities in an in vivo model at doses of 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg. The essential oil (EO) was obtained by hydrodistillation, and the analysis was performed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Antinociceptive activity was evaluated by writhing tests, tail movement, and formalin (neurogenic and inflammatory pain); naloxone was used to determine the nociception mechanism. Anti-inflammatory activity was assessed by edema and peritonitis tests. We found that (E)-β-caryophyllene (BCP) (15.56%), δ-cadinene (11.24%) and α-cadinol (10.89%) were the major components. In the writhing test, there was a decrease in writhing by 42.95–70.70%, in the tail movement, an increase in latency time by 69.12–86.63%, and in the formalin test, there was a reduction in pain neurogenic by 29.54–61.74%, and inflammatory pain by 37.42–64.87%. The antinociceptive effect of EpEO occurs through the activation of opioid receptors. In addition to antinociceptive activity and mechanism, a reduction in inflammation by 74.93‒81.41% was observed in the paw edema test and inhibition of the influx of leukocytes by 51.86‒70.38% and neutrophils by 37.74‒54.72% in the peritonitis test. It was concluded that EpEO has antinociceptive pharmacological properties with opioid and anti-inflammatory actions, and that its use does not cause hemolytic damage or behavioral change.
A strong association between the VDR gene markers and SARS-CoV-2 variants
Authors: Mamurova Begimai , Akan Gokce , Tuncel Gulten , Mogol Evren , Evren Emine Unal , Evren Hakan , Suer Huseyin Kaya , Sanlidag Tamer , Ergoren Mahmut Cerkez
Published: July 2022

IntroductionA COVID-19 disease, caused by the SARS-CoV-2, created significant concern since December 2019 worldwide. The virus is known to be highly transmissible. Heterogenic clinical features even vary more among SARS-CoV-2 variants from asymptomatic forms to severe symptoms. Previous studies revealed an association between COVID-19 and vitamin D deficiency resulting from its low levels in COVID-19 patients. To our knowledge, there is no scientific investigation that evaluates the direct association between SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern and VDR gene markers in Cyprus. Thus, the present study aimed to identify the putative impact of VDR gene polymorphisms on SARS-CoV-2 infection among different variants.MethodsThe nasopharyngeal swabs were taken from a total number of 600 patients who were admitted to Near East University Hospital COVID-19 PCR Diagnosis Laboratory for routine SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR test. The RT-qPCR negative resulting samples were taken as control samples (n = 300). On the other hand, the case group consisted of patients who were SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR positive, infected with either SARS-CoV-2 Alpha (n = 100), Delta (n = 100), or Omicron (n = 100) variants. Two VDR gene polymorphisms, TaqI-rs731236 T > C and FokI-rs10735810 C > T, were genotyped by PCR-RFLP.ResultsThe mean age of the COVID-19 patient’s ± SD was 46.12 ± 12.36 and 45.25 ± 12.71 years old for the control group (p > 0.05). The gender distribution of the patient group was 48.3% female and 51.7% male and for the control group 43% female and 57% male (p > 0.05). Significant differences were observed in genotype frequencies of FokI and TaqI variants between SARS-CoV-2 patients compared to the control group (p < 0.005). Furthermore, the risk alleles, FokI T allele and TaqI C, were found to be statistically significant (OR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.42–2.29, OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.27–2.05, respectively) in COVID-19 patients. The highest number of patients with wild-type genotype was found in the control group, which is 52.9% compared with 17.5% in the case group. Moreover, most of the COVID-19 patients had heterozygous/homozygous genotypes, reaching 82.5%, while 47.1% of the control group patients had heterozygous/homozygous genotypes.ConclusionOur results suggested that patients with FokI and TaqI polymorphisms might tend to be more susceptible to getting infected with the SARS-CoV-2. Overall, findings from this study provided evidence regarding vitamin D supplements recommendation in individuals with vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency in the peri- or post-COVID-19 pandemic.
Determination of water content in direct based resin composites using coulometric Karl Fischer titration
Authors: Faria-e-Silva André Luis , Heckel Lea , Belli Renan , Lohbauer Ulrich
Published: July 2022

Objectives: This study evaluated the water content and sorption of direct composites over 60 days using coulometric Karl Fischer titration (KFT). Methods: Plate-shaped specimens (10 x 10 x 1 mm of thickness) were built up using the composites Clearfil Majesty Posterior (CM), Grandio SO (GS), and Filtek Supreme XT (FS). Water contents were determined in non-stored specimens (control) or after storage in distilled water for up to 60 days (n = 5). The amount of water transferred from the specimens heated at 200°C (isothermal mode) was measured in the Coulometer. Data of water content in wt% and µg/mm3 were individually analyzed by 2-way ANOVA and Tukey`s test (α = 0.05).Results: The water content of non-stored specimens ranged from 0.28 to 1.69 wt% (5.6 to 31.2 μg/mm3) for GS and FT, respectively. The highest values of water sorption were observed for FS (25.3 μg/mm3 after 60 days). GS and CM showed similar water sorption after 60 days (≈ 9 μg/mm3), but an ultimate higher water content was observed for CM (0.9 wt%; 22.0 μg/mm3) than GS (0.7 wt%; 14.8 μg/mm3). In general, for our geometry, water saturation was reached after 21 days. Conclusions: Since all composites presented some base water content, water sorption data alone does not account for the ultimate water content in direct resin-based composites. Clinical relevance: Measuring only weight changes of specimens following water exposure can rank the composites more prone to degradation incorrectly since the base water content strongly affects their final content.
Achieving Eco-Innovative Smart Glass Design with the Integration of Opinion Mining, QFD and TRIZ
Authors: Lee CKM , Tsang YP , Chong WW , Au YS
Published: July 2022

As technology advances, the release of new smart devices accelerates, and thus the disposal of electronic devices has increased exponentially, worsening the gravity of electronic waste all over the world. It is eager to consider eco-friendly product design in order to sustain global supply chains. When addressing customer requirements in new product design, sustainable design thinking should thus be incorporated to create not only innovative, but also sustainable products. The purpose of this research is to build a systematic approach to achieve sustainable new product development. To examine the system effectiveness, smart glasses which are rapidly developed in the era of the metaverse is considered in a case study. By utilizing opinion mining approaches, including wordcloud and TextRank algorithm, to decipher customer needs, quality function deployment (QFD) is used to investigate the existing state of smart glasses, as well as translate customers’ needs into technical requirements that serve as the basis for sustainable new product design. Subsequently, the theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ) is applied to formulate the contradiction matrix between improvement and preservation areas in order to reach the eco-innovation in a systematic manner. Beyond the theoretical investigation, this study presents the application of the proposed system for the sustainable design of smart glasses, so as to support the next generation of smart glasses.
Characterization of Heavy Metal Fractions in the Soil Developed on Volcanic Rocks of Karadağ Mountain by Sequential Extraction, Turkey
Authors: Özaytekin Hasan Hüseyin , Dedeoğlu Mert
Published: July 2022

In this work, the BCR (Community Bureau of Reference) sequential extraction scheme (exchangeable weak acid-soluble, reducible, oxidizable, and non-extractable metal fractions) was applied to selected soil samples. Soil samples were taken from 15 different sites and the contents of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the mobile and residual fractions of the soils formed on the Karadağ volcanic materials were determined by the BCR (BCR method, currently known as SM&T (the Standards Measurements and Testing Programme) sequential extraction procedure and the mobility of each metal was revealed on the basis of fractions. The order of heavy metals in each fraction of Karadağ samples was observed as follows: Cd: Acid and Water Soluble > Reducible > Oxidizable > Residual; Cr: Residual > Oxidizable > Reducable > Acid and Water Soluble; Cu: Residual > Oxidizable > Reducable > Acid and Water Soluble; Ni: Residual > Reducable > Oxidizable > Acid and Water Soluble; Pb: Reducible > Residual > Oxidizable > Acid and Water Soluble; Zn: Residual > Reducable > Oxidizable > Acid and Water Soluble According to the data obtained, while the concentrations of Cd and Pb in the mobile fraction were higher than those in the residual (immobile) fraction in Karadağ; Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn were higher in the immobile fraction. When the higher mobility levels of, Cd and Pb are evaluated in terms of environmental pollution and toxicity in soil, these metals have been found to have a higher potential risk than other metals. Because the metals in the first three fractions can dissolve depending on environmental conditions, pollute underground and other water resources, and these metals can be taken up by plants. According to the results obtained, Cd and Pb are likely to be in close contact with plant roots and thus could potentially affect soil fertility. In order to avoid threats to productivity and food security in the long term, it has been determined that further trace metal inputs to soils in these areas should be avoided by agricultural management or other means.
Impact of frozen elephant trunk in the thoracoabdominal aortic repair with normothermic iliac perfusion
Authors: Gao Haoyu , Wang Luchen , Liu Yanxiang , Liang Shenghua , Zhang Bowen , Ren Jie , Yu Cuntao , Sun Xiaogang
Published: July 2022

Background:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of frozen elephant trunk (FET) in thoracoabdominal (TA) aortic repair with normothermic iliac perfusion.
Methods:
From January 2008 to December 2019, 144 patients undergoing TA repair with normothermic iliac perfusion were enrolled in this study. Early and mid-term outcomes of patients with previous FET implantation (group A) were compared with patients without previous FET implantation (group B). The logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the risk factors for adverse events, which were defined as early death, permanent stroke, permanent paraplegia, or permanent renal failure necessitating dialysis.
Results:
The proximal aortic clamp time and operating time was 14.26 ± 5.57 min and 357.40 ± 94.51 respectively in group A, which were both significantly shorter than that in group B. The incidence of adverse event was significantly lower in group A than that in group B (9.7% vs 25.6%, P = 0.027). There was no significant difference between two groups with regards to other complications or late outcomes. In addition, age > 50 y, a Ccr < 90 ml/min/1.73 m2 and the operating time were identified as significant risk factors through logistic regression analysis for adverse events of TA repair.
Conclusions:
The FET technique simplifies the operative technique of proximal anastomosis, decreases the operating time and improves the early outcomes in TA repair, whereas does not provide a significant benefit with regard to late outcomes. Long-term follow-up and studies with larger sample sizes are necessary for further confirmation.
Association of Anthropometric and Computed Tomography-Based Obesity Indices with Anatomically Distinct Subclinical Atherosclerotic Calcifications
Authors: Hisamatsu Takashi , Higo Yosuke , Nakagawa Yoshihisa , Sawayama Yuichi , Yano Yuichiro , Kadota Aya , Fujiyoshi Akira , Kadowaki Sayaka , Torii Sayuki , Kondo Keiko , Watanabe Yoshiyuki , Ueshima  , Miura Katsuyuki
Published: July 2022

Background
Few studies have compared the strength in the associations of anthropometric and computed tomography (CT)-based obesity indices with coronary artery calcification (CAC), aortic artery calcification (AoAC), and aortic valve calcification (AVC).
Methods
In healthy 931 men (mean age, 63.7 years) from a population-based cohort, we assessed cross-sectional associations of anthropometric and CT-based obesity indices with CAC, AoAC, and AVC. Anthropometric measures included body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-to-hip circumference ratio, and waist-to-height ratio. CT images at the L4/5 level were obtained to calculate the areas of abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), total adipose tissue (TAT), VAT-to-SAT ratio (VSR), and VAT-to-TAT ratio (VTR). CAC, AoAC, and AVC were quantified using the Agatston score based on CT scanning.
Results
CAC, AVC, and AoAC were present in 348 (62.6%), 173 (18.6%), and 769 (82.6%) participants, respectively. In multivariable models adjusting for age, lifestyle factors, and CT types, anthropometric and CT-based obesity indices were positively associated with CAC (p < 0.01). Conversely, VAT-to-SAT ratio and VAT-to-TAT ratio were positively associated with AoAC (p < 0.01). Any obesity indices were not associated with AVC.
Conclusions
The strength of the associations of obesity indices with subclinical atherosclerosis varied according to the anatomically distinct atherosclerotic lesions, among healthy men.
Physicochemical Characterization of Solid Waste at Transfer Stations
Authors: Beyene Gezahegn Kebede , Imru Abeba Leta
Published: July 2022

Municipalities are producing more solid garbage, and this, along with inadequate and incompetent management, has caused serious environmental issues. The goal of this study was to describe the physicochemical composition of municipal solid waste (MSW) at Dilla town's transfer stations. A rigorous field survey was conducted to gather information, and laboratory testing was carried out to quantify the physiochemical properties of MSW in a few select transfer stations. In order to choose the representative transfer stations from each sub-city, a simple random sample procedure was used. For waste quantification, the solid waste weight analysis method was used. According to the study's findings, organic waste made up the majority of the municipality's solid garbage at transfer stations (70 ), followed by other types of waste (13%), textiles (7%), plastic (5%), paper (3%), medical (1%), and glass (1%). As the findings show, bio-manure can be recovered from a significant fraction of generated wastes that are compostable and recyclable. The municipality, however, did not coordinate private sector investment in waste recycling and reuse. As a result, waste is disposed of indifferently to landfill sites, open spaces, transfer stations, and roadside locations. Therefore, in order to lessen the amount of rubbish that is dumped everywhere and that ends up at transfer stations, the municipality must organize private businesses and sectors to help it share the load by composting and recycling waste into useful resources.
Combined procedure with radial probe and convex probe endobronchial ultrasound
Authors: Chung Hyun Sung , Pak Kyoungjune , Lee Geewon , Eom Jung Seop
Published: July 2022

Background
Concurrent bronchoscopy using radial probe and convex endobronchial ultrasound (RP- and CP-EBUS) is used to simultaneously evaluate both peripheral lung lesions for the histological diagnosis of the primary tumor and mediastinal lymph nodes for mediastinal staging. So far, little is known about the combined procedure with RP- and CP-EBUS.
Methods
Between January 2020 and March 2021, the bronchoscopy database was reviewed to identify the clinical outcomes of the combined procedure with RP- and CP-EBUS. Patients who underwent transbronchial biopsy using RP-EBUS alone were classified as the RP-EBUS group, while those who underwent a combined procedure with RP- and CP-EBUS were classified as the combination group.
Results
The overall diagnostic yield in the combination group was significantly higher than the RP-EBUS group (90.7% vs. 70.0%, P < 0.001). CP-EBUS increased the diagnostic yield of bronchoscopic procedure in the combination group by 9.3%. Although the mean procedure time was significantly longer, and the mean doses of midazolam and fentanyl were significantly higher in the combination group (P < 0.001), there were no differences in the overall complication rates between the two study groups (1.4% and 1.0% for the RP-EBUS and combination groups, respectively, P = 0.766).
Conclusions
Combined bronchoscopy using RP- and CP-EBUS is feasible and safe. Besides mediastinal staging, CP-EBUS increased the overall diagnostic yield of bronchoscopic procedures by 9.3%.
Gender Differences in the Perception of Motivations for Consumer’s Online Brand-Related Activities and Their Impacts on Instagram
Authors: Nastisin Ludovic , Jura Anton , Fedorko Richard , Kopor Ivan
Published: July 2022

The paper assessed the issue of gender differences in the perception of individual types of COBRAs (Consumers' Online Brand Related Activities) and the associated motivations (information, entertainment, social interaction, and remuneration) for these activities on the social network Instagram. The paper analyzed data gathered from questionnaires (a sample of 401 respondents) that had been spread online via computer-assisted web interviewing. Gender differences were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Seven research hypotheses were formulated concerning the literature review and the current state of research in this area. Based on the results, it could be stated that four of them are statistically significant. Specifically, the study observed gender differences in the perception of three of the four analyzed motivations as latent variables. The study verified gender differences in the perception of the issue in the case of information motives, motives of entertainment, and motives of social interaction. Still, the motive of remuneration did not show sufficient statistical significance. In the case of the three analyzed consumers' online brand-related activities as latent variables, the authors observed only one case of statistical significance of the gender difference in the case of consumption activity, while neither contributing nor creating as activities showed statistical significance. At the level of manifest variables, the paper observed two cases of statistical significance of the factors related to the contributing activity. However, that was insufficient to confirm this activity's significance as a latent variable. A significance level of 0.05 was proposed. The findings were presented in the context of existing research with a pointed future direction of the research in this area, which lies mainly in extending the analysis to other social networking platforms, other markets, and a narrower demographic perspective in the sample for a deeper understanding of the phenomena studied.
Innovations in Management of Hotel Employees: the Relationship Between Organizational Resilience and Work Engagement
Authors: Unguren Engin , Kacmaz Yasar Yigit
Published: July 2022

In many destinations, crises such as hurricanes, floods, wildfires, earthquakes, terrorist attacks, and outbreaks negatively impact the tourism industry. Such crises stress out both management levels and employees, declining productivity. In an environment where the crisis is intense, tourism enterprises need to take the necessary precautions to continue their activities and ensure sustainability. This study focuses on the implications of organisational resilience on employees, which refers to the ability to continue its activities in the face of crises. This study, handled in the context of Social Exchange Theory, has two purposes. The first purpose of the study is to determine the effect of organisational resilience on organisational support and work engagement. The second purpose of this study is to determine the mediating role of organisational support in the relationship between organisational resilience and work engagement. The study is cross-sectional and employs a quantitative method. The study used convenience sampling because it was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic and the relevant restrictions dictated certain precautions. Another reason behind convenience sampling is the limited cost and timeline for the study. Data were collected with questionnaires from 506 employees working at four and five-star hotels. The suitability of the measurement model was tested with confirmatory factor analysis. The mediation analysis was carried out with process macro, based on the bootstrap method. Consequent to the analyses conducted in line with the purposes of this study, organisational resilience was found to positively impact perceived organisational support and work engagement. Furthermore, perceived organisational support has a full mediation role in the relationship between organisational resilience and work engagement. The findings of this study theoretically provide a framework regarding how organisational resilience improves employees' attitudes towards their jobs. In addition, the results obtained in the study help efficiently manage crises and unexpected events and develop the right policies for employees.