bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Outcomes of singleton preterm very low birth weight infants born to mothers with pregnancy-induced hypertension
Authors: Kim Hye-Rim , Lee Byoung KooK
Published: November 2022

The association between maternal pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) and neonatal mortality and morbidities in preterm infants has not been consistent. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of maternal PIH on mortality and morbidities in singleton infants with very low birth weight born before 30 weeks of gestational age using the Korean Neonatal Network (KNN) database. A total of 5,340 singleton infants with very low birth weight were registered in the KNN registry, who were born at 23+ 0 to 29+ 6 weeks of gestational age between January 2015 and December 2020. Baseline characteristics and neonatal mortality and morbidities were compared between infants with PIH and non-PIH mothers. Infants with PIH mothers had significantly higher odds of respiratory distress syndrome (OR 1.983; 95% CI 1.285–3.061, p = 0.002) and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (OR 1.458; 95% CI 1.190–1.785, p < 0.001) than infants with non-PIH mothers. After adjusting for potential confounders, there were no significant differences in severe intraventricular hemorrhage, periventricular leukomalacia, retinopathy of prematurity, or death during neonatal intensive care unit admission between infants with PIH and non-PIH mothers. This study showed that preterm infants with PIH mothers had an increased risk of neonatal respiratory morbidities, including respiratory distress syndrome and bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
Steady-state memory-phenotype conventional CD4+ T cells exacerbating autoimmune neuroinflammation in bystander manner via Bhlhe40/GM-CSF axis
Authors: Choi Je-Min , Cho Min-Zi , Lee Hong-Gyun , Yoon Jae-Won , Kim Gil-Ran , Koo Ja-Hyun , Taneja Reshma , Edelson Brian , Lee You Jeong
Published: November 2022

Memory-phenotype (MP) CD4+ T cells are a substantial population of conventional T cells that exist in steady-state mice, and their immunologic functions in autoimmune disease have not yet been studied. In this work, we unveil a unique phenotype of MP CD4+ T cells by analyzing single-cell transcriptomics and T cell receptor (TCR) repertoires. We found that steady-state MP CD4+ T cells exist regardless of germ and food-antigen which are composed of heterogenous effector subpopulations. Distinct subpopulations of MP CD4+ T cells are specifically activated by IL-1 family cytokines and STAT activators, revealing that the cells have TCR-independent bystander effector functions like innate lymphoid cell. Especially, CCR6high MP CD4+ T cells are major responders to IL-1β and IL-23 without MOG35 − 55 antigen reactivity, which gives them pathogenic-Th17 characteristics and allows them to contribute to autoimmune encephalomyelitis. We identified Bhlhe40 in CCR6high MP CD4+ T cells drives the expression of GM-CSF through IL-1β and IL-23 signaling, contributing to CNS pathology in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Collectively, our findings reveal clearly distinct effector-like heterogeneity of MP CD4+ T cells in steady state and CCR6high MP CD4+ T cells exacerbate autoimmune neuroinflammation by Bhlhe40/GM-CSF axis in bystander manner synergistically with antigen-specific T cells.
Dynamic Nomogram for predicting the severity of acute pancreatitis in adults and Decision Curve analysis: a single-center retrospective study
Authors: Xu Hao , Xu Xing-da , Tan Jie-hui , Yang Wang-jun , Xiao Wang , Zhang Xiao-lou , Zhang Si-yun , He Qun , Zhang Xiao-kang , Qian Jian-ping , Zhang Guo-wei
Published: November 2022

Objective
Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a common and unpredictable disease. Severity stratification and prognostic prediction play an important role in reducing the mortality of AP and improving its prognosis in the early stage. We aimed to establish a clinical prediction model by logistic regression analysis visualized by nomogram.
Methods
A total of 497 patients with AP in the Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University between January 2015 and January 2018 were retrospectively collected. 497 patients were randomly (ratio = 7:3) divided into the training cohort (N = 347) and the validation cohort (N = 147), and both cohorts were divided into non-severe acute pancreatitis (non-SAP) and SAP groups. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to identify the factors associated with the severity of AP. Based on multivariate logistic regression analysis, nomogram was established and validated. The performance, discrimination, and calibration of nomogram were conducted. Decision curve analysis was used to evaluate the net benefits and clinical usefulness of the prediction model.
Result
Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that alcohol use, hyperlipidemia, gender, hypertension, ionized serum calcium and serum albumin were independent risk factors for SAP. The individualized nomogram showed good discrimination both in the training cohort (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC], 0.782) and in the validation cohort (AUC, 0.764) with good calibration. Decision curve analysis demonstrated that in terms of clinical usefulness, the nomogram was found to have some clinical values and can be used in clinical practice.
Conclusion
The proposed nomogram based on easy-to-obtain features are of high efficacy in predicting SAP patients, which may facilitate clinical decision-making.
A Leader-Follower Formation Control of Multiple Mobile Robots by Position-Based Visual Servo Method using Fisheye Camera
Authors: OH-HARA Shinsuke , Fujimori Atsushi
Published: November 2022

This paper presents a leader-follower formation control of multiple mobile robots by position-based method using a fisheye camera. A fisheye camera has a wide field of view and recognizes a wide range of objects. In this paper, the fisheye camera is first modeled on spherical coordinates and a position estimation technique is proposed by using an AR marker. This paper furthermore presents a method for estimating the velocity of a leader robot based on a disturbance observer using the obtained position information. The proposed techniques are combined with a formation control based on the virtual structure. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated by simulation and experiments using two real mobile robots.
F2GAN based few shot image generation for GMAW defects detection using multi-sensor monitoring system
Authors: zhu kanghong , Chen Weiguang , Hou Zhen , Wang Qingzhao , Chen Huabin
Published: November 2022

Multi-source information intelligent sensing and online evaluation of the weld are two challenging problems in complex welding scenes. The difficulty is particularly pronounced in different welding scenes, where the multi-source sensing data exists large system deviations and small welding defects sample data are at large. In this paper, we propose modified few shot image generation model Fusing-and-Filling GAN (F2GAN) for welding data augmentation. To verify the efficiency of the modified F2GAN, some experiments were performed with various welding conditions. Through our proposed welding data set augmentation approach, two welding quality classification models combining multiple information are designed. We show the final classification accuracy of normal, burn through, incomplete penetration and welding deviation is 96.60%. Our results are beneficial for welding monitoring and quality evaluation in complex welding scenes.
Long period trend analysis of annual and seasonal rainfall in West Bengal, India (1901- 2020)
Authors: Halder Pallobi , Dey Roni Kumar , Mandal Satyabrata
Published: November 2022

The present study assessed long period (1901–2020) trends and magnitudes of seasonal and annual rainfall across districts of West Bengal. The non-parametric Mann-Kendall test and Sen’s slope estimator applied on the gridded (0.5˚ × 0.5˚) rainfall dataset. We used von Neumann ratio test (p < 0.05) for data homogenization. Tested autocorrelation using lag-1 autocorrelation coefficient (r1) at p < 0.05 and removed serial correlations if any using trend-free pre whitening (TFPW) technique. Results revealed that, both the annual and seasonal rainfall of West Bengal increased (at 0.02 mm year− 1 to 0.04 mm year− 1) non significantly (p > 0.05), except winter rainfall which decreased at 0.01 mm year− 1. Annual rainfall across the districts of sub Himalayan West Bengal (SHWB) declined. On the contrary, significant (p < 0.05) increase of annual rainfall observed across most of the districts of Gangetic West Bengal (GWB) at the rate of 1.8 mm year− 1 to 2.9 mm year− 1. Monsoon rainfall increased significantly (p < 0.05) over Gangetic West Bengal (GWB) at 1.4 mm year− 1 to 2.1 mm year− 1, while declined significantly (p < 0.05) in Dakshin Dinajpur district at 3.2 mm year− 1 of SHWB. Post-monsoon rainfall increased significantly (p < 0.05) over GWB at the rate of 0.2 mm year− 1 to 0.6 mm year− 1. The winter rainfall decreased non-significantly across all the districts except Dakshin Dinajpur, where significant (p < 0.05) decrease (@ 0.10 mm year− 1) observed. Thus, the derived location specific information on seasonal rainfall trends have immense utility in devising crop planning as well as livelihood security in West Bengal.
Development of a real-time reporting system of the reference interval for gestational serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate using machine learning
Authors: Uh Young , Ahn Kwangjin , Lee Taesic , Kang Jieun , Choi Seong Jin , Hwang Sangwon , Seo Dong Min , Cho Jooyoung
Published: November 2022

The evaluation of maternal serum creatinine (SCr) concentrations according to gestational week (GW)-specific reference intervals (RIs) could be helpful in predicting adverse pregnancy outcomes. From January 2010 to December 2020, 1,370 SCr measurements from 940 normal pregnant women were collected from electronic medical records. Data should be processed using the bootstrap resampling method as most of the sample sizes according to GW were too small for obtaining the RIs. To enable resampling, the GWs were divided into 12 gestational periods (GPs). Implementation of resampling, determination of the appropriateness of RIs from the resampled new datasets in every GP, and establishment of GW-specific SCr RI using polynomial regression model analysis of GP-specific SCr RIs were performed using machine learning techniques. As 100 means from two resampled SCr measurements without replacement were made at every GP, 1,200 resampled results were used for developing RIs. The regression equations used for calculating the upper and lower limit of GW-specific SCr RIs were y = 88.8 − 3.75x + 0.141x2 − 0.00157x3 and y = 42.3 − 1.48x + 0.0321x2, respectively. Gestational estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was defined as the rate of SCr hyperfiltration. The median regression equation for GW-specific eGFR RI was y = 99 + 5.71x − 0.184x2 + 0.00166x3, while the calculation process of SCr hyperfiltration at any GW was added to develop the gestational eGFR formula (GEF). As GW-specific SCr RI and eGFR by GEF with GW-specific eGFR RIs were reported in the laboratory information system in real time, this clinical application can be used as a screening tool for predicting the adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Active and Passive Immunization of Syrian Hamsters with An Attenuated SARS-CoV-2 Protects against New Variants of Concern
Authors: Wang Tony , Stauft Charles , Selvaraj Prabhuanand , D'agnillo Felice , Meseda Clement , Sangare Kotou , Pedro Cyntia , Liu Shufeng , Lien Christopher , Weir Jerry , Starost Matthew
Published: November 2022

Detection of secretory antibodies in the airway is highly desirable when evaluating mucosal protection by a vaccine against a respiratory virus like the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We show that a single intranasal delivery of an attenuated SARS-CoV-2 (Nsp1-K164A/H165A) induced both mucosal and systemic IgA and IgG in Syrian hamsters. Interestingly, either active or passive immunization of hamsters with Nsp1-K164A/H165A offered protection against heterologous challenge with variants of concern (VOCs) including Delta, Omicron BA.1, and Omicron BA.2.12.1. Among challenged animals, Nsp1-K164A/H165A vaccination specifically reduced viral loads in the respiratory tract and suppressed infection-induced macrophage accumulation and MX1 upregulation in the lung. The absence of variant-specific mucosal and systemic antibodies was associated with breakthrough infections, particularly of the nasal cavity following challenges with Omicron isolates. Together, our study demonstrates that an attenuated nasal vaccine may be developed to boost mucosal immunity against future SARS-CoV-2 VOCs.
First Mesomorphic and DFT Characterizations for supramolecular assemblies of 3 (or 4)-n-alkanoyloxy benzoic acids and their optical applications
Authors: El-Atawy Mohamed A. , Khan Mohd Taukeer , Popoola Saheed A. , Khushaim Muna S. , Jaremko Mariusz , Emwas Abdul-Hamid , Alamro Fowzia S. , Ahmed Hoda A.
Published: November 2022

Successful preparation of new liquid crystalline 3 (or 4)-n-alkanoyloxy benzoic acids, were designed and fully characterized via experimental and theoretical approaches. Elucidation of their molecular structures were carried out by elemental analyses, NMR and FT-IR, spectroscopy. Thermal and mesomorphic properties of all symmetrical dimers having -symmetrical alkanoyloxy chain, were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and their mesophases identified by polarized optical microscopy (POM). Results revealed that, the smectic mesophase covered all designed symmetrical dimers with thermal stability depending on the length of terminal alkanoyl moiety. Furthermore, the results of the Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations supported the observed experimental data for the mesomorphic behaviour. The para-derivatives (In) of the alkanoyloxy benzoic acids were predicted to be stable with greater hydrogen bonding interactions than the meta (IIn) counterparts. The computed reactivity parameters revealed that the acids reactivity was influenced by the position of ester substituent. The absorbance spectra of both para and meso derivatives were noticed to be blue shifted with the increase of alky side, however, the energy band gap of meso-derivatives was found to be slightly higher than para-derivates. The synthesized materials exhibit broad photoluminescence spectrum which was noted to be red shifted with the increase of side chain length. The fluorescence lifetime was found to be increases with the increase of alkyl side chain length, and meso-derivatives have slightly longer lifetime as compared to the para-derivatives.
Climate warming drives a temperate-zone lizard to its upper thermal limits, restricting activity, and increasing energetic costs
Authors: Doucette Lisa I , Duncan Richard P , Osborne William S , Evans Murray , Georges Arthur , Gruber Bernd , Sarre Stephen D
Published: November 2022

Ectotherms are considered vulnerable to climate change as many operate at close to their thermal maxima. Exposure to higher temperatures could reduce activity by forcing animals to shelter in thermal refugia to avoid exceeding lethal limits. While rising temperatures should reduce activity in tropical species, the situation is less clear for temperate-zone species where activity can be constrained by both low and high temperatures. Here, we measure the effects of natural variation in environmental temperatures on activity in a temperate grassland lizard and show that it is operating at its upper thermal limit in summer even when sheltering in thermal refuges. As air temperatures increased above 32°C, lizard activity declined markedly as individuals sought refuge in cool microhabitats while still incurring substantial metabolic costs. We estimate that warming over the last two decades has required these lizards to increase their energy intake by over 20% to offset metabolic losses caused by rising temperatures. Our results show that recent increases in temperature are sufficient to exceed the thermal and metabolic limits of temperate-zone lizards. Extended periods of high temperatures could place natural populations of ectotherms under significantly increased environmental stress and contribute to population declines and extinction.
Split-type flexible magnetic tactile sensor with three-dimensional force decoupling
Authors: Dai Huangzhe , Zhang Chengqian , Hu Hao , Sun Haonan , Lyu Chenxin , Tang Daofan , Fu JianZhong , Zhao Peng
Published: November 2022

Tactile sensory organs for three-dimensional (3D) force, such as human skin and fish's lateral line, are indispensable for creatures. Empowered by their often layered structure, typical sensory organs can achieve excellent perception as well as protection when facing frequent mechanical contact. Here, inspired by these layered structures, we introduce a split-type flexible magnetic tactile sensor with wireless sensing for 3D force with high accuracy (0.83%), through developing centripetal magnetization arrangement and theoretical decoupling model. Adjustable sensing performance is obtained to adapt to specific application scenarios by employing buffer layers with corresponding properties. Benefiting from the split design with long effective distance (> 20 mm) and replaceable buffer layer, several sensors are assembled in air and water to achieve delicate robotic operation and water flow-based navigation with offset < 0.65%, illustrating broad potential of magnetic tactile sensors in flexible electronics, human-machine interaction, and bionic robots.
Simulation-based education in neurology: lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Authors: Toro Jaime , Rivera Juan Sebastián , Gaitán Jairo , Rodríguez Daniela , Serna-Corredor Laura Andrea , Cortés-Muñoz Fabián , Medina Thomas , Yepes Manuel
Published: November 2022

Objectives
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the disruption of all sectors of the economy including education. According to UNESCO over 1.37 million young people including medical students, were affected by the lockdowns in response to COVID-19 and the subsequent closure of the education system. The primary challenge for medical education was to provide clerkships in a biosafety environment. This study aimed to determine the impact of a simulated hospital in a neurology clerkship of 5-year medical students during the coronavirus pandemic and compare their results with a non-pandemic group in Bogotá, Colombia.
Results
The students in the pandemic group answered a Likert scale survey regarding their satisfaction with the simulated hospital. Both groups were required to perform an oral, mid-term and final examination. From the results, it is clear that students perceived that exposure to a simulated hospital facilitated their learning process (93.1%) and allowed greater interaction with the teacher compared to a face-to-face environment (77.3%). There were no clinically significant differences in test results. This experience indicates that a simulated hospital is a valuable method to acquire clinical skills in trainees, that could be integrated into the curricular milestones of medical education programs regardless of the pandemic.
Dissolution Profile Evaluation of Seven Brands of Amoxicillin-Clavulanate Potassium 625 mg Tablets Retailed in Hawassa Town, Sidama Regional State, Ethiopia
Authors: Endashaw Eyob , Tatiparthi Ramanjireddy , Mohammed Tesfaye , Tefera Yesuneh Mekasha , Teshome Henok , Duguma Markos
Published: November 2022

Back-ground: Poor quality Amoxicillin-clavulanate potassium tablets have been recently discovered in generic drugs related to Augmentin-like medicines containing amoxicillin and clavulanic acid, as well as its derivatives containing falsified active ingredients. One of the most important dosage form characteristics is a detailed API dissolution profile obtained through dissolution testing. The dissolution test is used in the development of both brand-name and generic drugs. Prior to beginning bioequivalence studies, it is critical to compare the dissolution profiles of various pharmaceutical products. As a result, dissolution is a critical quality control parameter for drugs because it has a direct impact on absorption. Objective: Dissolution Profile Evaluation of Seven Brands of Amoxicillin-Clavulanate Potassium Tablets Retailed in Hawassa Town, Sidama Regional State, Ethiopia. Methods: The seven brands of amoxicillin-clavulanate potassium tablets were collected from Hawassa town, Sidama Regional State, Ethiopia. The dissolution study was conducted as per USP40-NF35, and the dissolution profile was compared by One-way ANOVA Dunnett’s test, model independent, and model dependent method Results: All of the included tablet brands complied with single-point dissolution study specification. Statistical comparisons of the dissolution profile by one-way ANOVA revealed that all brands had similar dissolution profiles (p > 0.05). All brands had difference factor (f1) < 15%. However, the f2 (similarity factor) value justify that all tested brands of Amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium tablet values were outside of an acceptable range of USFDA (< 50%). The evaluated brands followed the Korsmeyer peppas- followed by Weibull curve approach (the highest coefficient of determination) for the release of drug substances from the dosage forms. Based on the fit factor f2 (similarity), all tested brands may be not be considered interchangeable with the innovator drug. Therefore, Researcher, the national Medicine regulatory bodies, and the manufacturer should conduct a properly designed dissolution test as proof of in vitro bioequivalence study supported by an in vivo bioavailability data.
Defining the Penumbra in a Preclinical Model of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: Lynch Daniel G. , Shah Kevin A. , Unadkat Prashin , Powell Keren , Wadolowski Steven , Ayol Willians Tambo , Strohl Joshua J. , Woo Henry H. , Eidelberg David , Huerta Patricio T. , Li Chunyan
Published: November 2022

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a form of stroke that most often results from a ruptured cerebral aneurysm that spills blood into the surrounding tissue. In contrast with the well-established and predictable ischemic penumbra regions in ischemic stroke, this crucial therapeutic target has not yet been well-described in SAH. Considering that SAH may cause micro-infarcts and delayed cerebral ischemia far from the aneurysm rupture, and that these disruptions are closely linked to behavioral impairments, it is important to study the progression of penumbras. Notably, behavioral assessments can detect and approximately localize dysfunctional brain regions before permanent damages occur following SAH. Therefore, we hypothesized that the spatiotemporal distribution and progression of the core and penumbra in SAH may be predicted by specific patterns of behavioral impairment. To test this hypothesis, we induced SAH using an endovascular filament perforation model, which is considered a close mimic of ruptured aneurysms in humans, and employed a behavioral battery at multiple time points followed by a histopathological analysis of brain tissue. Our results demonstrate that sensorimotor deficits occur early after SAH and remained static, while impairments in working memory, reference memory, exploration, and anxiety evolved in association with specific histologic lesions. All SAH rats displayed core infarctions in the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia and hypothalamus; whereas penumbras were found in the hippocampus (100%), thalamus (80%), and amygdala (60%). Our study underscores the importance of identifying the penumbra regions following SAH and the utility of neurobehavioral tests for assessing multiple cognitive domains to detect and localize penumbra.
N6-methylandenosine-related lncRNAs play a key role in the prognosis and immune microenvironment of colon cancer
Authors: Tang Haifeng , Cao Tiansheng
Published: November 2022

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNA) plays major roles in cancer. Few researchers have investigated the correlation between N 6-methyladenosine-related lncRNAs and immune cell infiltration in colon cancer. This study aims at exploring immune cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment and clarify its relationship with the clinicopathological parameters of colon cancer. This study conducted a bioinformatics study on the regulatory mechanism of m6A-related lncRNA in colon cancer and screened out 13 m6A-related lncRNAs. Different colon cancer patients have different lncRNA subtypes in terms of overall survival, The overall survival of cluster2 is higher. The prognostic risk score of m6A-related lncRNA is closely related to clinicopathological characteristics (Grade), two subtypes and immune cell infiltration.
Predictive Value and Dynamic Risk Stratification of High Sensitive Basal or Stimulated Thyroglobulin Assay in a Long-term Thyroid Carcinoma Cohort
Authors: Fernández-Velasco Pablo , Diaz-Soto Gonzalo , Pérez-López Paloma , Torres Beatriz , de Luis Daniel
Published: November 2022

Purpose
To evaluate the predictive value and Dynamic Risk Stratification (DRS) of rhTSH-thyroglobulin (Tg) and highly sensitive basal Tg (hs-Tg) measurements at 12 months after completion of initial treatment in a Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma (DTC) cohort.
Methods
Prospective study in all 114 patients diagnosed of DTC (77.2% women) from 2014 to 2020 undergoing total thyroidectomy and radioiodine ablation in whom hs-Tg and rhTSH-Tg was performed 12 months after completing initial treatment. Mean age was 46.4 ± 14.1 with a follow-up of 7.9 ± 5.9 years. We evaluated the ability of both tests to predict the long-term response and DRS at the last follow-up visit.
Results
hs-Tg and rhTSH-Tg show a strong positive lineal correlation r = 0.864,p < 0,001. The diagnostic performance of initial hs-Tg and rhTSH-Tg levels were evaluated via ROC-AUC as a predictor of Excellent Response (ER) in last follow-up visit. Hs-Tg showed a better AUC (0.969,95%CI = 0.941–0.997) than rhTSH-Tg (0.944,95%IC = 0.905–0.984);p < 0.001. The hs-Tg and rhTSH-Tg cutoff point of highest sensitivity (S) and specificity (E) was 0.110 and 0.815ng/dl, respectively. Hs-Tg showed a higher diagnostic accuracy than rhTSH-Tg (S = 100%vs96.8%, E = 84.3%vs84.3%, NPV = 100%vs98.6%, PPV = 70.5%vs69.7%;p < 0.05). The DRS based on initial hs-Tg showed better ability to predict ER (93.3% vs 86.7%) and biochemical incomplete response (53.3%vs13.3%) in the last follow-up visit than rhTSH-Tg.
Conclusions
Initial hs-Th and rhTSH-Tg were a good predictor of long-term ER. In patients with hs-Tg, the rhTSH-test did not provide relevant diagnostic information. An ER after initial treatment was associated with a very high NPV at subsequent follow-up.
A Multisite Exploration of the Association between Critical Care Implementation Factors and Clinical Outcomes during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Silver Santana , Redmond Sarah , Jones Kayla Christine , George Emily , Zornes Sarah , Barwise Amelia , Leppin Aaron , Dong Yue , Harmon Lori , Kumar Vishakha , Kordik Christina , Drainoni Mari-Lynn , Walkey Allan
Published: November 2022

Background
Little is known about the strategies used by critical care leaders to implement new practices in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior studies have identified implementation factors, such as structured communication mechanisms and collaborative leadership styles, that facilitate implementation of new clinical practices. However, the association between differing implementation climates and COVID-19 clinical outcomes has not been examined. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to evaluate the relationship between implementation determinants and COVID-19 mortality rates.
Methods
We used mixed methods guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to assess implementation factors that were associated with COVID-19 mortality rates across diverse critical care settings. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with critical care leaders and analyzed using the CFIR to rate the influence of constructs on implementation of new care practices. Qualitative and quantitative comparisons of CFIR construct ratings were performed between hospital groups with low versus high mortality rates.
Results
31 clinical leaders were interviewed across 17 hospitals. Of the 13 relevant CFIR constructs, three constructs (implementation climate, leadership engagement, and engaging staff) had both qualitative and statistically significant quantitative correlations with mortality outcomes. An implementation climate governed by a trial-and-error approach was correlated with high COVID-19 mortality, while leadership engagement and engaging staff were correlated with low mortality. Another three constructs (needs of patient; organizational incentives and rewards; and engaging implementation leaders) were qualitatively different across mortality outcome groups, but these differences were not statistically significant. Seven constructs did not distinguish between low versus high mortality hospitals based on qualitative or quantitative comparison of CFIR construct ratings.
Conclusions
Application of the CFIR to identify and quantify constructs across critical care settings enabled us to characterize implementation barriers and facilitators at the practice, interpersonal, and provider level that were associated with COVID-19 mortality rates. Improving clinical outcomes during future public health emergencies will require reducing identified barriers associated with high mortality and harnessing salient facilitators associated with low mortality. Our findings suggest that clinical care implementation efforts should focus on avoiding trial-and-error approaches to adopting new practices, while promoting collaborative and engaged leadership styles.
Computationally Efficient Approaches for Privacy and Security of Big Data
Authors: Subramanian E. K , Tamilselvan Latha
Published: November 2022

Big data demands the cloud for storage, but organizations are not relying on the cloud, because of security and privacy reasons. When choosing the cloud for data storage, users worry about issues such as leakage of personal information, unauthorized user access and modification of data, and malicious behavior in cloud data access. Privacy leaks should be avoided during data analysis. Data integrity must be maintained to avoid data modification. Also need machine learning models to detect malicious activity patterns from users in the cloud to ensure data security. Therefore, big data requires technology that protects privacy and security with minimal investment of time and space. Hence approaches using anonymization, sanitization, integrity, and machine learning techniques are proposed. Anonymization can protect personal data from being disclosed upon receiving the data. The use of map-reduce along with anonymization reduces the computational overhead. Sanitization of type encryption/decryption with weighted fuzzy c-means clustering(WFCM) can protect privacy and security with less computation time. Elliptic curve with Diffie–Hellman (ECDH) algorithm is used to protect the integrity of the data with better accuracy than the other cryptosystem algorithms. To protect and safeguard the transactions in cloud applications, a novel solution using Machine Learning (ML) approach with Convolution Neural Networks and a support vector machine is employed. The efficiency of the classifier ability is measured using parameters such as precision, recall, and F-score. Therefore, all these techniques allow this research to protect the privacy and security of big data.
Intercellular adhesion molecule 4 and ischemic stroke: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Sun Lulu , Guo Daoxia , Jia Yiming , Shi Mengyao , Yang Pinni , Wang Yu , Liu Fanghua , Zheng Jin , Zhu Zhengbao
Published: November 2022

Background
Experimental studies suggested that intercellular adhesion molecule 4 (ICAM-4) might be implicated in ischemic stroke, but the population-based evidence on the relationship between ICAM-4 and ischemic stroke were limited. Herein, we performed a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to investigate the associations of genetically determined plasma ICAM-4 with risks of ischemic stroke and its subtypes.
Methods
A total of 11 single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with ICAM-4 were selected as instrumental variables based on the genome-wide association studies (GWAS) with 3,301 European individuals. Summary-level data about ischemic stroke and its subtypes were obtained from the Multi-ancestry GWAS launched by the International Stroke Genetics Consortium. We used the inverse-variance weighted method followed by a series of sensitivity analyses to evaluate the associations of genetically determined ICAM-4 with risks of ischemic stroke and its subtypes.
Results
Genetically determined higher ICAM-4 levels were significantly associated with increased risks of ischemic stroke (odds ratio [OR] per standard deviation [SD] increase, 1.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01–1.07; P = 0.003) and cardioembolic stroke (OR per SD increase, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.03–1.13; P = 0.003). There was no association of ICAM-4 with risks of large artery stroke and small vessel stroke. MR-Egger regression showed no directional pleiotropy for all associations, and the sensitivity analyses with different MR methods further confirmed these findings.
Conclusions
We found positive associations of genetically determined plasma ICAM-4 with the risk of ischemic stroke and cardioembolic stroke. Future studies are needed to explore the detailed mechanism and investigate the targeting effects of ICAM-4 on ischemic stroke.
Floristic Composition, Structure and Regeneration Status of Woody Plants in Wonjeta St Micheal Church Forest, Northwestern Ethiopia
Authors: Mekonnen Amare Bitew , Wassie Wubetie Adnew
Published: November 2022

The study was conducted in Wonjeta St Micheal Church Forest, Northwestern Ethiopia. Fifty plots of 20m x 20m (400m2) were laid along five-line transect for vegetation data collection. In addition, 5m x 5m subplots were laid within the main plot to sample seedlings and saplings. All plots were laid at a distance of 50m along the transect lines. The diversity and population structure of woody individuals of trees and shrubs with a diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥ 2.5cm and height ≥ 2m were measured and DBH < 2.5cm and height < 2m were counted as seedlings and saplings. All trees and shrubs recorded in the 50 plots were used for vegetation structure analysis. A total of 65 woody plant species in 53 genera and 33 families were recorded. Out of the total number of species three were found to be endemic to Ethiopia.The family Fabaceae had the highest number of species, followed by Moraceae, and then Euphorbiaceae with 14, 6, and 4 species respectively.The results of Shannon Wiener diversity and evenness indices of woody species were 2.8 and 0.68 respectively. Woody species densities for mature individuals were 2,202.5 stems ha− 1, seedling 2419.2 stems ha− 1, and sapling 1737.6 stems ha− 1. Priority for conservation should be given using population structure, important value index, and regeneration status as criteria. Results of the structural analysis revealed that the Forest is highly dominated by small-sized trees and shrubs indicating that it is in the stage of secondary development and there are species that require urgent conservation measures.
Electrocatalytic Reaction as Efficient Removal Method for Ammonia Pollutant in Textile Wastewater
Authors: Mukimin Aris , Djayanti Silvy , Setianingsih Nanik Indah , Ihsan Saiful
Published: November 2022

Textile wastewater has the potential to contain high ammonia, especially from the printing process. Nitrification-denitrification becomes the focus of treatment for this pollutant so comes the main source of the inability of the WWTP to meet the quality standards. An electrocatalytic reactor consisting of a cylindrical Ti/RuO2 anode and a copper pipe cathode (Cu) has been applied as new alternative technology. The reactor capacity is made of 1 liter with a fixed distance between the electrodes of 2 cm. Potential voltage, salt content, and hydraulic retention time are parameters for variable operation. The reactor had a high performance where ammonia concentration can be reduced by 70% for HRT of 15 minutes and 100% for 30 minutes. The ammonia removal is not only affected by processing time but also by the potential electrode and salt concentration. The removal was obtained at a complete level (100%) in operating conditions where the salt content of 2000 mg/L, a voltage of 7 volts, and an HRT of 30 minutes. The ammonia removal rate follows reaction order 1 with k of 0.1679 dan R2 of 0.9369. The pathway of nitrogen transforming ammonia directly to gas nitrogen was not through other forms (nitrate or nitrite). This method is a high-promise to improve the performance of the textile industry WWTP.
Research on Scratch Detection of Old Movies
Authors: Liu Quanyang , Liu Yunqing , Wang Lu
Published: November 2022

Scratches are a continuous structural injury in old movies. Scratch pixel level segmentation algorithm still uses the general image segmentation algorithm, and the detection results are poor. According to the characteristics of scratches, a scratch model based on the Gaussian probability density function is proposed, a local adaptive one-dimensional Gaussian weighted segmentation algorithm is designed, and an invalid region filtering mechanism is introduced. Compared with several groups of experimental results, the local one-dimensional Gaussian weighted segmentation algorithm proposed in this paper can well preserve the integrity and continuity of scratches, and effectively suppress edge information, and the invalid region filtering mechanism can effectively reduce the false detection of scratches. Adding scratch trajectory can effectively reduce the missed detection rate of scratches, and the stability of the traditional algorithm using Kalman to predict scratch trajectory is poor. According to the similarity of multiple scratch trajectories, a calculation method of scratch trajectories based on U-net is designed. Experimental results show that this method can calculate scratch trajectory stably and effectively.
Quercetin alleviates cadmium-induced BRL-3A cell apoptosis by inhibiting oxidative stress and the PERK/IRE1α/ATF6 signaling pathway
Authors: Ding Lulu , Wang Ke , Huang Ruxue , Yu Wenjing , Yan Bingzhao , Zhou Bianhua , Wang Hongwei , Yang Zijun , Liu Zongping , Wang Jicang
Published: November 2022

The highly toxic heavy metal cadmium (Cd) can enter the body through biological enrichment. As an essential metabolic organ in the body, the liver is an important target organ of Cd poisoning. Quercetin (Que) is a type of flavonoid that exhibits the pharmacological activities of scavenging free radicals and antioxidation. 4-Phenylbutyrate (4-PBA) can alleviate endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and is frequently considered an inhibitor of ERS. Previous studies have shown that Que can alleviate rat hepatocyte apoptosis caused by Cd; however, the mechanism remains unclear. To explore the specific mechanism of Que that alleviates Cd-induced hepatocyte apoptosis, we established a model of Cd toxicity and Que rescue in BRL-3A cells and used 4-PBA, an ERS inhibitor, as positive control. Cell Counting Kit-8 was employed to measure cell viability. Fluorescence staining was applied to observe cell apoptosis. Flow cytometry was performed to detect reactive oxygen species levels. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was adopted to detect the messenger RNA expression levels of ERS and apoptosis-related genes. Western blot was used to observe the expression levels of ERS/apoptosis-related proteins. We confirmed that Que could alleviate the apoptosis caused by Cd in BRL-3A cells by inhibiting the PERK/IRE1α/ATF6 ERS signaling pathway. The effects of Que were similar to those of ERS inhibitors.
Simulating and applying the water retention on organic substrates through a simple linear approach
Authors: Bekmirzaev Gulom , Beltrão José , Coelho Luisa , Reis Mário
Published: November 2022

This study presents a linear approach that defines the water retention on organic substrates, namely composts and coir. Different substrates are used as sampling material for the experimental data. Results of this experiment show that based on recurring decimal logarithms, from analytical exponential expressions, using only two water retention experimental points, it is possible to define a linear water retention relation for a substrate between − 0.1 kPa and − 10 kPa matric potential values. Due to the low number of parameters involved in this empirical approach a more rapid and accurate determination of substrate water retention. Results indicate that there is a high agreement between the experimental and the prediction values (R2 = 0.953). Moreover, the precision and the simplicity of this method applied to several different organic substrates can contribute to its generalization. Due to its simplicity, it can be easily applied to a high number of cases. As an example, a well-known important application of this approach is on the application of tensiometers.
Taxus baccata (L.) leaves extract as eco-friendly corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in 1 M HCl: GC/MS, electrochemical, SEM/EDX analysis and DFT studies
Authors: Riffi Ouassima , Ech-chihbi Elhachmia , Salim Rajae , Taleb Mustapha , Fliou Jamila , Amechrouq Ali
Published: November 2022

This study aims at the valorization of Taxus baccata (L.) in corrosion inhibition. The effect of the extract on corrosion inhibition of mild steel in 1.0 M HCl solution by weight loss measurements, potentiodynamic polarization (PP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) showed that Taxus baccata (L.) leaves extract is a good corrosion inhibitor with an inhibition efficiency of 98%, 96% and 95% at the concentration of 1.0 g/L respectively. Polarisation curves indicated that the extract acted as a mixed type inhibitor. The adsorption on the mild steel surface obeyed the Langmuir isotherm. The activation energy values ∆G0ads (-29.61 KJ.mol-1) confirmed the physical adsorption process of this inhibitor. The study of adsorption kinetics showed a maximum inhibitory efficiency of 90.5 % after one hour of immersion time. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the formation of a protective layer on the steel surface. Analysis of the extract by gas chromatography revealed the dominance of Diisooctyl phthalate (17.22%), Bicyclo [4.4.0] dec-2-ene-4-ol,2-methyl-9-(prop-1-en-3-ol-2-yl) (16.43%), Methanesulfonic acid,4-oxoadamantan-2-yl ester (8.75%), Diethyl phthalate (8. 31 %), The structural and electronic properties of the main components of this extract were calculated using DFT to better understand the adsorption behaviour and inhibition mechanism of this plant.
Rapid triple-frequency undifferenced integer ambiguity resolution with multi-GNSS: GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou-3
Authors: Zhang Fan , Chai Hongzhou , Wang Min , Xiao Guorui , Zhang Qiankun , Du Zhenqiang , Wu Qin
Published: November 2022

Currently, there are four dominant GNSS systems, i.e., GPS (G), Galileo (E), GLONASS (R), and BDS-3 (C), capable of providing multi-frequency positioning services worldwide. To fully take advantage of the multi-system multi-frequency signals on precise point positioning (PPP) for global clients, we resolved the triple-frequency PPP ambiguity resolution (PPP-AR) for the first time with the integration of GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, and BDS-3 triple-frequency observations. Especially, some new signals, e.g., GLONASS code-division multiple-access (CDMA) L3 and BDS-3 B2a observations, are integrated carefully into our proposed GERC triple-frequency PPP-AR model. Besides, to overcome the problem of GLONASS inter-frequency biases (IFBs) from the frequency-division multiple-access (FDMA) strategy, the uncalibrated phase delay (UPD) determination method based on the homogeneous receivers is presented. Then we comprehensively addressed the processing of multi-system inter-frequency clock biases (IFCBs) determination and calibration in the context of GERC triple-frequency PPP-AR. Datasets from twenty tracking stations of the regional EUREF Permanent Network (EPN) equipped with identical JAVAD receivers are utilized to validate our developed GERC multi-frequency UPD determination and PPP-AR. The quality of UPD estimates in terms of the residual distribution was studied first. Generally, the higher the accuracy of the UPD corrections, the smaller the residuals achieved. Results demonstrate that almost 100% of extra-wide lane (EWL) ambiguity residuals of each GNSS constellation were within 0.15 cycles. Moreover, the percentages of wide lane (WL) and narrow lane (NL) ambiguity residuals smaller than 0.25 cycles were also larger than 95%. Therefore, based on the precise UPD products, high-accuracy PPP-AR can be performed. Our results show that integrating the additional third frequency and multi-GNSS does contribute to improving the PPP-AR performance. The best convergence performance of about 0.71 min was achieved by the GERC triple-frequency PPP-AR, which is much shorter than that of G (7.32 min), GR (4.95 min), GC (3.10) and GE (1.39 min). Compared with the GERC dual-frequency PPP-AR (1.82 min), the triple-frequency solution also realized an improvement of about 61%. This result is encouraging because it demonstrates that the positioning errors of multi-GNSS PPP-AR can be rapidly converged within 1 min. We further investigated the PPP-AR performance with different session lengths of several solutions. When the session length reaches 10 min, the GERC triple-frequency PPP-AR solution realizes positioning errors of [0.28 0.36 0.98] cm, while that of GPS-only is [1.34, 0.73, 2.26] cm in the east, north and up directions.
Pulmonary fibrosis model of mice induced by different administration methods of bleomycin
Authors: Gul Aman , Yang Fangyong , Xie Cong , Du Wenjing , Mohammadtursun Nabijan , Wang Bin , Le Jingjing , Dong Jingcheng
Published: November 2022

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, but a progressive disease of the lung. The method of constructing an animal model is the groundwork for this consecutive research. How to build a typical human mimicking animal model remains challenging. Thus, to reveal the mechanism and to make it useful for IPF clinical treatment, this study aimed to use a different type of IPF mice model and use several inspection methods to evaluate which one is more applicable for the study of IPF. Twelve-week-old C57BL/6 mice were divided into 3 type groups, as intraperitoneal injection, intratracheal administration, and intravenous administration of bleomycin (BLM) to initiate lung fibrosis. Lung PET/CT of BLM-receiving mice showed an increase in fibrotic consolidations compared with that of saline control mice. CT quantification showed an increase in mean lung density in BLM-treated mice compare with that of saline controls. TGF-1, TNF-, IL-6, GM-CSF in BALF(Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid) and serum.PAI-1, HYP in the lung tissue of mice were significantly different in each BLM groups than those in the saline control group. The results of Masson staining in mice indicate that the lung tissues of the tracheal perfusion group, the intravenous injection group, and the intraperitoneal injection group have a higher degree of pulmonary septal thickening and collagen fiber consolidation. The intratracheal group is more advanced than the other groups. Picro-Sirius red staining results are consistent with the results of Masson staining. Compared with the saline control group, the ratio of Col 1/Col 3 was significantly increased in each BLM group. TEM results found that in BLM group, type I alveolar epithelial cells were degenerated and disintegrated, exfoliated endothelial cells were swelling, type II alveolar epithelial cells were proliferated, abundant microvilli were on the free surface of the cell, vacuolar degenerated in the intracellular lamellar bodies, the shape of the nucleus was irregular, and some tooth-like protrusions were seen. Based on the comparison of three different methods of animal model construction, high dose of each shows more compliable, and BLM can successfully induce animal models of pulmonary fibrosis, however, there are certain differences in the fibrosis formation sites of them three, and tail vein injection of BLM induced pulmonary fibrosis model is closer to the idiopathic pulmonary interstitial fibrosis.