bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development and Mechanical Testing of Porous-Lightweight Geopolymer Mortar
Authors: Qadir Ghulam , Rashid Yasir , Hassan Ahmad , Mahmoud Vall Esmaou , Saleh Shamsa , Abdullah Khadega
Published: November 2020

In this study, a novel porous geopolymer mortar (GP) was produced and tested experimentally. Industrial waste materials/by-products were used as constituents of the GP, along with dune sand. One sample was produced as a control sample for benchmarking. For the rest of the samples, 15%, 30%, and 45% by volume, the solid constituents were replaced with expanded polystyrene foam (EPS) beads. These mortar samples were heat cured to depolymerize the EPS to cause porosity inside the samples. Indoor experiments were conducted to evaluate the response of produced porous GP to high heat flux. The porous samples were able to reduce heat transmission across the opposite surfaces. Induced porosity resulted in a decrement in compressive strength from 77.2 MPa for the control sample to 15.8 MPa for 45% porous sample. However, the limit lies within the standards for partitioning walls in buildings and pavements in urban areas to absorb rainwater.
Overweight and Obesity Among Adults in Iraq: Prevalence and Correlates From a National Survey in 2015
Authors: Pengpid Supa , Peltzer Karl
Published: November 2020

The study aimed to estimate the prevalence and correlates of overweight and obesity among adults in Iraq. Data from a 2015 nationally representative cross-sectional survey of 3,916 persons 18 years and older were analysed that responded to a questionnaire, physical and biochemical measures. Multinomial logistic regression was utilized to predict determinants of overweight and obesity relative to under or normal weight. Results indicate that 3.6% of the participants were underweight (BMI <18.5 kg/m²), 30.8% had normal weight (BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m²), 31.8% were overweight (25.0-29.9 kg/m²), and 33.9% had obesity (BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m²). In adjusted multinomial logistic regression, aged 40-49 years (Adjusted Relative Risk Ratio-ARRR: 4.47, Confidence Interval-CI: 3.39-5.91), urban residence (ARRR: 1.28, CI: 1.14-2.18), hypertension (ARRR: 3.13, CI: 2.36-4.17) were positively, and male sex (ARRR: 0.47, CI: 0.33-0.68), having more than primary education (ARRR: 0.69, CI: 0.50-0.94), and larger household size (≥5 members) (ARRR: 0.45, CI: 0.33-0.60) were negativey associated with obesity. About two in three adult participants were overweight/obese, and sociodemographic and health risk factors were found that can be utilized in targeting interventions.
On the Enhancement of Optimality in the RRT-Connect Robot Path Planning Algorithm
Authors: Kang Jin-Gu , Lim Dong-Woo , Choi Yong-Sik , Jang Woo-Jin , Jung Jin-Woo
Published: November 2020

This paper proposed a Triangular Inequality based rewiring method for the RRT(Rapidly exploring Random Tree)-Connect robot path planning algorithm that guarantees the convergence time than the RRT algorithm, to enhance the optimality. To check the performance of the proposed algorithm, this paper compared with the RRT and RRT-Connect algorithms in various environments through simulation. From these experimental results, the proposed algorithm shows both quick convergence time and better optimality than the RRT algorithm, and more optimal than RRT-Connect algorithm with the similar number of sampling and convergence time.
MPC-Based Motion Cueing Algorithm for a 6 DOF Driving Simulator with Actuator Constraints
Authors: Khusro Yash Raj , Zheng Yanggu , Grottoli Marco , Shyrokau Barys
Published: November 2020

Driving simulators are widely used for understanding human-machine interaction, driver behavior and in driver training. The effectiveness of simulators in these process depends largely on their ability to generate realistic motion cues. Though the conventional filter-based motion cueing strategies have provided reasonable results, these methods suffer from poor workspace management. To address this issue, linear MPC-based strategies have been applied in the past. However, since the kinematics of the motion platform itself is non-linear and the required motion varies with the driving conditions, this approach tends to produce sub-optimal results. This paper presents a nonlinear MPC-based algorithm which incorporates the nonlinear kinematics of the Stewart platform within the MPC algorithm in order to increase the cueing fidelity and utilize maximum workspace. Further, adaptive weights-based tuning is used to smoothen the movement of the platform towards its physical limits. Full-track simulations were carried out and performance indicators were defined to objectively compare the response of the proposed algorithm with classical washout filter and linear MPC-based algorithms. The results indicate a better reference tracking with lower root mean square error and higher shape correlation for the proposed algorithm. Lastly, the effect of the adaptive weights-based tuning was also observed in the form of smoother actuator movements and better workspace utilization.
Comparative Transcriptome Analyses of Metastatic and Non-Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Cells Delineate Differential Mechanisms of CHOP Upregulation in Response to ONC201 Treatment
Authors: Al Madhoun Ashraf , Haddad Dania , Al-Tarrah Mustafa , Jacob Sindhu , Al-Ali Waleed , Nizam Rasheeba , Miranda Lavina , Al-Rashed Fatema , Sindhu Sardar , Ahmad Rasheed , Bitar Milad S. , Al-Mulla Fahd
Published: November 2020

The imipramine ONC201 exerts a novel anti-proliferative activity over a wide spectrum of cancer cell types. ONC201 activates integrated stress response pathway that is associated with induction of Damage Inducible Transcript 3 (DDIT3, also known as C/EBP homologous protein or CHOP). We questioned whether the ONC201/CHOP crosstalk is regulated by diverse signaling pathways in non-metastatic versus metastatic cancer cell lines. Therefore, the Dukes' type B colorectal adenocarcinoma non-metastatic (SW480) and metastatic (LS-174T) cell lines were treated with ONC201. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were evaluated by MTT assay, flow cytometry analysis, gene expression was assessed by Affymetrix microarray, and key regulatory proteins were validated by Western blot assays. Unlike LS-174T cells, SW480 cells were resistant to ONC201 treatment. Gene ontology pathway enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes revealed substantial differences between LS-174T and SW480 responsiveness to ONC201 treatment. In both cell lines, CHOP expression was upregulated in response to ONC201 treatment, however, its upstream regulatory mechanisms were not identical. Although, PERK, ATF6 and IRE1 ER-stress pathways were found to upregulated CHOP in both cell types, the BAK/BAX pathway was a notable regulator of CHOP in the metastatic LS-174T cells alone. In addition, CHOP RNA splicing profiles were varied between the two cell lines, which was further modified in response to ONC201 treatments. In conclusion, we delineated the signaling mechanisms regulating the expression of CHOP in non-metastatic versus metastatic colorectal cells in response to ONC201 treatment. The observed differences were related to cellular plasticity and metabolic reprogramming.
Congratulations ! JACIII Best Paper and Young Researcher Awards 2020
Authors:   Editorial Office
Published: November 2020

We are pleased to announce that the JACIII Awards of 2020 have been decided by the JACIII editorial boards. This year, the award winning papers were severely and fairly selected among 405 papers published in JACIII Vols. 21 (2017) to 23 (2019) and there was no entries that deserved the Best Review Paper award. The award ceremony was held online in order to prevent spreading of COVID-19.

JACIII BEST PAPER AWARD 2020

Hiroki Shibata, Hiroshi Ishikawa, and Yasufumi Takama

Crystalizing Effect of Simulated Annealing on Boltzmann Machine

JACIII Vol.23 No.3, pp. 474-484, 2019.

JACIII YOUNG RESEARCHER AWARD 2020

Yuto Omae

Swimming Style Classification Based on Ensemble Learning and Adaptive Feature Value by Using Inertial Measurement Unit

By Yuto Omae, Yoshihisa Kon, Masahiro Kobayashi, Kazuki Sakai, Akira Shionoya, Hirotaka Takahashi, Takuma Akiduki, Kazufumi Nakai, Nobuo Ezaki, Yoshihisa Sakurai, and Chikara Miyaji

JACIII Vol.21 No.4, pp. 616-631, 2017.

JACIII YOUNG RESEARCHER AWARD 2020

Caili Zhang

Approach to Clustering with Variance-Based XCS

By Caili Zhang, Takato Tatsumi, Masaya Nakata, and Keiki Takadama

JACIII Vol.21 No.5, pp. 885-894, 2017.
UNDERSTANDING GRECO-ROMAN DERIVATIVES: AN IMPLICATION FOR LEARNING ANGLICIZED CONCEPTS
Authors: Adam Mamman , Sani Shitu , Muhammad Suleiman Muhammmad
Published: November 2020

Education in its true sense is not synonymous with literacy as the latter is much associated with collecting the information and applying to proffer effective solutions to the myriad problems of the global society. The intricate nature of studying science in particular and humanities in general demand a lot of efforts from students ranging from conducting practical, field trips, excursions, recordings to comprehending the derivatives and technical sense of terms as applied in various fields of study, with special reference to the unique nature of the Greco-Roman words which usually subjected students to rote memory and shallow understanding of the contextual meanings contrary to what such terms convey. This gulf culminates in student’s acquisition of lower levels of learning and deprivation of a reflective level of thinking, which the contemporary society demands. In this paper, an effort has been channeled to exploring the root derivatives in several concepts and their technical meanings as applied in a few of the various disciplines of science and humanities to facilitate a better understanding of the principles of technical terms.
STRYCHNOS SPINOSA LAM: COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW ON ITS MEDICINAL AND NUTRITIONAL USES
Authors: Tittikpina Nassifatou Koko , Atakpama Wouyo , Hoekou Yao , Diop Yerim Mbagnick , Batawila Komlan , Akapagana Koffi
Published: November 2020

Background: Most of the people living in developing countries rely on local remedies from traditional medicines to take care of their healthcare needs. In recent years, the use of medicinal plants increased considerably. Consequently, studies on medicinal plants are necessary to produce more effective drugs with fewer side-effects. This work aims to compile the dispersal data on Strychnos spinosa Lam., a medicinal plant with great therapeutic potential in traditional medicine, on its ethnobotanical uses, chemical compounds, as well as its pharmacological and nutritional effects. Material and Methods: To achieve the aforementioned aim, electronic databases such as Pubmed, Science Direct, Google scholar, Scopus and SciFinder were scanned. Results: Literature survey revealed that S. spinosa is used in the treatment of microbial infections, malaria, trypanosomiasis, intestinal worms, tuberculosis, infertility, gastrointestinal disorders, snake bite, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus among other ailments. The plant is also used as food material. S. spinosa contains many chemical compounds, such as alkaloids, terpenes, sterols, fatty acids, flavonoids, saponin, and others. The fruits are a source of important nutrients such as carbohydrates, sugars, proteins, vitamins and fibres. Experimental studies have shown numerous pharmacological properties, including antimicrobial, antiplasmodial, anti-trypanosomal, anti-leishmanial, anti-nematicidal, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, antidiabetic and other activities. Conclusion: This review article provides comprehensive information on S. spinosa and its various extracts. Due to the promising effects of the plant extracts on various diseases and its nutritional values, there is a need for toxicity studies and clinical trials to assess the effects of its identified bioactive compounds.
Estimation of the Time Needed to Deliver the 2020 USPSTF Preventive Care Recommendations in Primary Care
Authors: Privett Natalie , Guerrier Shanice
Published: November 2020

Objectives. To reexamine the time required to provide the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)–recommended preventive services to a nationally representative adult patient panel of 2500.

Methods. We determined the required time for a single physician to deliver the USPSTF preventive services by multiplying the eligible population, annual frequency, and patient-contact time required for each recommendation, all calculated by using data from the recommendations themselves and literature. We modeled a representative panel of 2500 adults based on the 2010 US Census Bureau data.

Results. To deliver the USPSTF recommended preventive services across a 2500 adult patient panel would require 8.6 hours per working day, accounting for 131% of available physician time. Compared with 2003, there are fewer recommendations in 2020, but they require 1.2 more physician patient-contact hours per working day.

Conclusions. The time required to deliver recommended preventive care places unrealistic expectations on already overwhelmed providers and leaves patients at risk. This is a systems problem, not a time-management problem. The USPSTF provides a set of recommendations with strong evidence of positive impact. It is imperative that our health care system is designed to deliver.
Blood Donation and COVID-19: Reconsidering the 3-Month Deferral Policy for Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men
Authors: Park Christopher , Gellman Caroline , O’Brien Madeline , Eidelberg Andrew , Subudhi Ipsita , Gorodetsky Elizabeth F. , Asriel Benjamin , Furlow Andrew , Mullen Michael , Nadkarni Girish , Somani Sulaiman , Sigel Keith , Reich David L.
Published: November 2020

In April 2020, in light of COVID-19-related blood shortages, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reduced the deferral period for men who have sex with men (MSM) from its previous duration of 1 year to 3 months.

Although originally born out of necessity, the decades-old restrictions on MSM donors have been mitigated by significant advancements in HIV screening, treatment, and public education. The severity of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic—and the urgent need for safe blood products to respond to such crises—demands an immediate reconsideration of the 3-month deferral policy for MSM.

We review historical HIV testing and transmission evidence, discuss the ethical ramifications of the current deferral period, and examine the issue of noncompliance with donor deferral rules. We also propose an eligibility screening format that involves an individual risk-based screening protocol and, unlike current FDA guidelines, does not effectively exclude donors on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation. Our policy proposal would allow historically marginalized community members to participate with dignity in the blood donation process without compromising blood donation and transfusion safety outcomes.
Gender Differences in First and Corresponding Authorship in Public Health Research Submissions During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Bell Michelle L. , Fong Kelvin C.
Published: November 2020

Objectives. To investigate the rate of manuscript submission to a major peer-reviewed journal (American Journal of Public Health) by gender, comparing periods before and during the pandemic.

Methods. We used data from January 1 to May 12, 2020, and defined the start of the pandemic period by country as the first date of 50 or more confirmed cases. We used an algorithm to classify gender based on first name and nation of origin. We included authors whose gender could be estimated with a certainty of at least 95%.

Results. Submission rates were higher overall during the pandemic compared with before. Increases were higher for submissions from men compared with women (41.9% vs 10.9% for corresponding author). For the United States, submissions increased 23.8% for men but only 7.9% for women. Women authored 29.4% of COVID-19–related articles.

Conclusions. Our findings suggest that the pandemic exacerbated gender imbalances in scientific research.
Integrating Intersectionality Into the Exposome Paradigm: A Novel Approach to Racial Inequities in Uterine Fibroids
Authors: Zota Ami R. , VanNoy Brianna N.
Published: November 2020

Intersectionality is a critical theoretical framework that emphasizes the influence of intersecting systems of oppression on the lived experiences of people marginalized by inequity. Although applications of intersectionality are increasing in public health, this framework is absent in environmental health, which has instead focused on the exposome, a paradigm that considers the totality of an individual’s environmental exposures across the life course.

Despite advancements in the biological complexity of exposome models, they continue to fall short in addressing health inequities. Therefore, we highlight the need for integrating intersectionality into the exposome. We introduce key concepts and tools for environmental health scientists interested in operationalizing intersectionality in exposome studies and discuss examples of this innovative approach from our work on racial inequities in uterine fibroids.

Our case studies illustrate how interlocking systems of racism and sexism may affect Black women’s exposure to environmental chemicals, their epigenetic regulation of uterine fibroids, and their clinical care. Because health relies on biological and social–structural determinants and varies across different intersectional positions, our proposed framework may be a promising approach for understanding environmental health inequities and furthering social justice.
A Safety Net Unraveling: Feeding Young Children During COVID-19
Authors: Bauer Katherine W. , Chriqui Jamie F. , Andreyeva Tatiana , Kenney Erica L. , Stage Virginia C. , Dev Dipti , Lessard Laura , Cotwright Caree J. , Tovar Alison
Published: November 2020

The emergence of COVID-19 in the United States led most states to close or severely limit the capacity of their early child-care and education (ECE) programs. This loss affected millions of young children, including many of the 4.6 million low-income children who are provided free meals and snacks by their ECE programs through support from the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).

Although Congress swiftly authorized waivers that would allow CACFP-participating ECE programs to continue distributing food to children, early evidence suggests that most ECE programs did not have the capacity to do so, leaving a fragmented system of federal, state, and local food programs to fill the gaps created by this loss.

Critical steps are needed to repair our nation’s fragile ECE system, including greater investment in CACFP, to ensure the nutrition, health, and development of young children during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
Genome-wide Association Studies Identify Quantitative Trait Loci Affecting Cattle Temperament
Authors: Shen Jiafei , Chen Qiuming , Zhang Fengwei , Hanif Quratulain , Huang Bizhi , Chen Ningbo , Qu Kaixing , Zhan Jingxi , Chen Hong , Jiang Yu , Lei Chuzhao
Published: November 2020

BackgroundCattle temperament is one of the most interesting traits owing to its correlation to productive efficiency, labor safety and animal welfare, but its genetic basis is not clearly understood.ResultsHere, we performed genome-wide association studies for a series of temperament traits, assessed in an open field and novel object test, using autosomal SNPs derived from the whole-genome sequence. We identified 37 and 29 genome-wide significant loci in an open field and novel object test, respectively. Gene set analysis implicated the neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway. Analysis in tissue specific expressions showed enrichment in the brain. While some candidate genes were involved in psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases in humans. The first principal component explained the largest variance in the data of open field and novel object test, and the most significant loci were assigned to SORCS3 and SESTD1, respectively.ConclusionsOur findings will facilitate cattle breeding for sound temperament by pyramiding favorable alleles to further improve the cattle production in the future.
Development and Psychometric Properties of Sexual and Reproductive Health Literacy Instrument for Infertile Women (SRH-Life): A Mixed Method Study
Authors: Rakhshaee Zahra , Khakbazan Zohreh , Nedjat Saharnaz , Maasoumi Raziyeh
Published: November 2020

Background: Promoting sexual- reproductive health literacy is one of the most important strategies for achieving the goals of sexual- reproductive health in different groups of women. Infertile women are one of the most vulnerable groups to the adverse effects of low levels of health literacy. Since no specific instrument exists for assessing the level of sexual- reproductive health literacy, therefore, this study aimed to develop and evaluate the psychometric characteristics of an instrument for measuring sexual and reproductive health literacy among infertile women (Sexual and Reproductive Health Literacy instrument for infertile women: SRH-Life).Methods: This was a mixed method study with exploratory design which conducted from July 2018 to Jan 2020 in northern Iran. Semi structured interviews with infertile women, literature review and, expert panel comments were utilized to generate an item pool. Then, the psychometric properties of the instrument, validity and reliability were assessed. Results: The initial instrument contained 78 items. Next, 10 experts evaluated content validity. Some items were removed and a provisional version of the instrument with 47 items was provided. Then, the face validity was performed by 10 infertile women. Finally, a random sample of 235 infertile women completed the instrument and construct validity were assessed. The exploratory factor analysis was performed, 35 items were loaded, which indicated a 4-factor solution for the instrument including reproductive health information (8 items), infertility and treatment information (9 items), sexual health information (8 items) and functional sexual- reproductive literacy (10 items) that jointly explained 55.3% of the variance observed. For reliability, internal consistency showed satisfactory results with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranging from 0.89 to 0.9. Intraclass correlation coefficient (test-retest analysis) showed acceptable stability for the instrument.Conclusion: The results showed that Sexual and Reproductive Health Literacy instrument for infertile women (SRH-Life) is a valid and reliable measure for assessing sexual and reproductive health literacy among women with infertility.
Prevalence and Associated Factors of Disrespectful and Abusive Care During Childbirth Among Women who Gave Birth in Health Facilities in Hawassa city, Southern Ethiopia. A Cross - Sectional Study
Authors: Tagesse Bethel , Tamiso Alemu , Mayisso Kaleb , Zenebe Andualem
Published: November 2020

Background: There is growing evidence that shows phenomena of disrespect and abuse (D&A) occurs globally even though the degree and severity is different across countries. The problem is getting attention in recent years especially in developing countries like Ethiopia. However, there is a paucity of studies assessing the magnitude of disrespect and abuse. This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence and associated factors of disrespectful and abusive care during childbirth in health facilities of Hawassa city, Southern Ethiopia.Methodology: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Hawassa city from February 8 - April 27, 2018. A total of 577 mothers from both public and private health facilities were randomly selected. Domains of D&A that were assessed were; physical abuse, verbal abuse, stigma and discrimination, failure to meet professional standards of care and poor rapport between women and providers. Multivariable binary logitmodel was used to examine the relationship between exposure and outcome variables. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) is used for summarizing the findings of the analysis.Result: The mean age of the respondents was 26.8 (SD± 4.4) years. Overall 46.9% [95% CI: (42.8-51)] reported experiencing three or more forms of disrespect and abusive care during childbirth in health facilities. In the logit model; the adjusted odds of D&A among births in public health facility is 12.9 times higher than birth those in private facilities [AOR=12.94 (95% CI: 5.87, 28.50)],mothers who had total delivery four and above had 4.7 times increased odds of encountering D&A [AOR=4.67 95% CI: 1.69, 12.89)].In contrast to mothers who had spontaneous vaginal delivery mothers who had instrumental delivery had 2.6 times increased chance of encountering D&A [AOR =2.63 (95% CI: 1.05, 6.59)].Conclusion: The prevalence of disrespect and abusive care in Hawassa health facilities during labor and delivery is high. Factors associated with D&A include the type of health facility, mode of delivery and parity. Therefore, national health strategies and policies should focus on combating D&A during maternal care. It is also recommended to give intensive training focusing on respectful maternity care especially in public hospitals by involving more female health care providers.
A new case of cutaneous melanocytoma harbouring the CRTC1‐TRIM11 fusion: case report
Authors: Miry Achraf , Aissaoui Asmae , Malki Samia , Bouhahyaoui Youssef , Bennani Amal , Souaf Ihssane , Fouchardière Arnaud De La
Published: November 2020

Background: The diagnosis of dermal primary and metastatic melanocytic tumors is often problematic. Recently, a new entity has been proposed, cutaneous melanocytoma with CRTC1‐TRIM11 fusion (CMCT). Case presentation: We report the 11th case of cutaneous melanocytoma harbouring the CRTC1-TRIM11 fusion. The patient is a 35‐year‐old female patient, with no particular history, who presented in the dermatology department for a 1.5cm nodular lesion on the dorsal aspect of the left foot. The lesion evolved for more than one year. She underwent tumour resection for clinical suspicion of malignant melanoma. Pathological examination of the resected specimen after H&E stain revealed a dermal symmetrical proliferation made of spindle cells showing a melanocytic differentiation proved by expression of Melan A, S100 protein and SOX10. FISH study helped exclude a clear cell sarcoma. RNA sequencing showed the CRTC1-TRIM11 fusion.Conclusions: Since only 11 cases have been documented, and because of the overlap with the clear cell sarcoma, the characterization of CMCT is still not fully satisfactory.
Assessment of Personality, Psychomotor Abilities, Spirituality and Team Work in Surgeons Depending on Experience: a Prospective Pilot Study
Authors: Vukojević Mladenka , Dodaj Arta , Zovko Ana , Brekalo Zdrinko , Galic Kristina , Kvesic Ante , Splavski Bruno
Published: November 2020

Background: A few studies described surgical personality, inquiring all its dimensions, as well as surgeons’ psychomotor abilities and propensity for teamwork. Even fewer papers examined their spirituality and its impact on the effectiveness of daily surgical labor. The aim of this paper is to evaluate personality traits, psychomotor abilities and spirituality in surgeons and surgical residents, as well as propensity for teamwork in relation to their work experience.Methods: The study involved 15 male surgeons aged 40-49 and 15 male surgical residents aged 30-39, who were divided into the case and control group according to their age. The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, visual stimulus response rate, oculomotor, and manual ability assessments, movement stability testing, intrinsic/extrinsic religious orientation, and teamwork efficiency questionnaires were used. Results: No statistically significant differences in personality traits, psychomotor abilities, religious orientation, and propensity for teamwork were recorded between surgeons and residents. These may support the specialty choice, and selection of surgical teams helping them to make important professional decisions, which well-affect the patients’ outcome.
Impact of Colloid Infusion on Outcomes in Patients with Septic Shock
Authors: Ge Chenglong , Peng Qianyi , Jiang Yuan , Liu Zhiyong , Li Wenchao , Zhang Lina , Ai Yuhang
Published: November 2020

Background: Although colloid solution has been widely used in practice, its impact on mortality in patients with septic shock remains unknown. We evaluated the association of colloid infusion with outcomes in septic shock patients.Methods: Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-III was used to identify patients with septic shock. Propensity score matching (PSM) was employed to balance the baseline differences. Cox proportional hazards model, Wilcoxon rank-sum test, and logistic regression were utilized to determine the associations of colloid infusion with mortality, length of stay, and recovery of kidney function, respectively.Results: A total of 4,553 septic shock patients were studied, including 1,158 with colloid infusion, and 3,395 without colloid infusion. After PSM, 1,012 pairs of patients were matched. Significant benefits in the mortality rate were observed in the colloid group compared with the non-colloid group, with the 28-day mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 0.62; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.52-0.73; P < 0.001], and the 90-day mortality [HR 0.76; 95% CI 0.65-0.88; P < 0.001]. Colloid infusion was not associated with the renal function recovery [HR 1.06; 95% CI 0.87–1.29; P = 0.547] in either population. Nevertheless, subgroup analysis revealed that colloid infusion did not affect the 28-day mortality in people with sepsis of AKI stage 1. In addition, the use of dextran did not decrease the 28-day mortality (HR 1.41; 95% CI 0.19-10.59; P = 0.736). Conclusion: In septic shock patients, colloid infusion (albumin or hydroxyethyl starch) improved short-term survival, but had no clear effect on the recovery of renal function.
A PET/CT Phantom for Evaluating The PET Image Quality of Micro-Lesion and CT Performance Parameters
Authors: Lu Shujie , Zhang Peng , Li Chengwei , Sun Jie , Liu Wenli , Zhang Pu
Published: November 2020

Background: Recent years, PET/CT equipment has played an increasingly important role in the medical field, and its quality control and evaluation requirements have become more stringent. Correspondingly, the performance testing phantom used for PET/CT quality control needs to be upgraded and optimized to meet the requirement of equipment imaging quality testing. The commonly used NEMA IEC Body performance testing phantom has the defects that it cannot detect micro-lesion and cannot measure CT performance parameters. This article proposes a NIM PET/CT phantom capable of simultaneously testing the performance of PET and CT equipment, and evaluates its imaging quality.Methods: Compared with the NEMA IEC Body phantom, the PET performance testing module in the phantom has new balls with inner diameters of 4mm and 7mm. Combined with the CT performance testing module, it can be used for both PET and CT performance testing. The 28mm and 37mm balls are filled with pure water as a cold stove, and the remaining balls are filled with F-FDG solution as a hot stove. The activity concentration ratio of the hot ball to the background is 4:1. This study compares the imaging results of the NIM PET/CT phantom and the NEMA IEC Body phantom to verify its effectiveness; compares the imaging results of 3 different brands of PET/CT on the NIM phantom to verify that it is on different equipment The generalization ability of the system; apply PSF and TOF technology to the reconstruction algorithm and compare the improvement of the image quality; finally, the accuracy of the CT low-contrast module and the uniformity of the background are verified.Results: The imaging quality of the NIM PET/CT phantom and the NEMA IEC Body phantom is relatively consistent. The NIM phantom under different types of PET/CT scans can detect 7mm balls without affecting the imaging quality of other areas, which is better The device can detect 4mm small balls, which can clearly classify the ability of different devices to present images of small lesions; the integration of PSF technology into the reconstruction algorithm significantly improves the image resolution and hot bulb contrast, but the edges of the lesions are still blurred , TOF technology improves the detection limit of the equipment and improves the overall quality of the image. PSF&TOF technology combines the advantages of the two, significantly reducing image noise and strengthening image details, so that the image quality has been comprehensively improved; the measurement in the CT module The result is consistent with the true value, and the relative error is within ±5%. The CT value transition between the background and pure water area is smooth, and the background uniformity is good.Conclusion: NIM PET/CT Phantom and NEMA IEC Body phantom are comparability, and the former includes all the functions of the latter. In addition, the phantom can meet the testing requirement of different grades of PET/CT.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Related to Abdominal Adipose Tissue Distribution Assessed by Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis in Obese Patients
Authors: Ma Bingwei , Wang Xingchun , Du Lei , Wang Shilin , Ma Huihui , Zhong Donglei , Chen Yao , Lu Liesheng , Qu Shen
Published: November 2020

Background: The aim of this study was to identify the association between obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and abdominal fat distribution in obese individuals.Methods: A total of 94 obese patients were enrolled in the study from January 2018 to July 2020. Demographic data were collected. OSAS was diagnosed based on the results of overnight polysomnography, and the abdominal fat distribution was measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the association between OSAS and the distribution of abdominal fat. Results: 1) The mean age (SD) of the patients included in this study was 32.44 (11.81) years and the majority were women (62.77%). The overall incidence rate of OSAS was 51.06%, and 24 (25.53%) patients had mild OSAS, 10 (10.64%) had moderate OSAS, and 14 (14.89%) had severe OSAS. 2) The incidence of OSAS among men was higher than in women (62.86% vs. 44.07%). The apnea hypopnea index (AHI) of men was significantly higher than that of women (5.50, interquartile range [IQR] 3.80-30.6 vs. 4.2, IQR 1.4-12 events/hour, P=0.014). Additionally, men had a significantly higher visceral fat area (180.29±51.64 vs. 143.88±53.42 cm2, P=0.002). 3) Patients with OSAS had a significantly higher visceral fat area than patients without OSAS (178.28±59.89 vs. 135.68±40.58 cm2, P=0.013). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that abdominal fat area and fasting plasma glucose were independent risk factors for OSAS (odds ratio, 1.016; 95% confidence interval, 1.005-1,026, P=0.005; odds ratio, 1.618; 95% confidence interval, 1.149-2.278, P=0.006). Conclusions: In obese patients, the abdominal visceral adipose deposit was an independent risk factor for OSAS. Therefore, improving the distribution of abdominal fat may contribute to alleviating the severity of OSAS.
Health Related Quality of Life of Patients with Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases During the Coronavirus Pandemic in Ethiopia: A Multi-Facility Study
Authors: Shimels Tariku , Kassu Rodas Asrat , Bogale Gelila , Bekele Mahteme , Getnet Melsew , Getachew Abrham , Shewamene Zewdneh , Abraha Mebratu
Published: November 2020

BackgroundThe Coronavirus pandemic is presenting several challenges in Ethiopia on an unprecedented scale. It is affecting the country in different ways ranging from a significant impact on the economy to a disrupted public health delivery of both curative and preventive services. The aim of this study was to assess health related quality of life of patients with chronic non-communicable diseases during the Coronavirus pandemic in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.MethodsA multi-facility based cross sectional study design was conducted in August 2020 among public health institutions in Addis Ababa. Health facilities were chosen purposively based on high number of patient flow. Participants from each health facility were drawn after proportional to size allocation. A translated EQ-5D-3L VAS instrument was used to collect data. Analysis was done using SPSS v.26.0. Descriptive statistics, Mann Whitney U test, Kruskal Wallis test, Spearman’s rank correlation test and Binary logistic regression were applied. ResultsOf the 409 participants included in the study, majority were in the age group of 46-60 (36%), females (56%), from hospitals (54.8%), jobless (25.4%), married (63.3%) and orthodox Christian (71.4%). Above two third of the patients reported no problems for self-care, usual activity and depression/anxiety. All dimensions showed an increasing proportion of moderate to severe problems in the age group beyond 45. Facility type (U=16651, P=0.001), comorbid condition (U=13248.00, P=0.000) and age (rs=-0.27, p=0.000) were found to show statistically significant score difference for GQoL. An overall prevalence of any problem was 59%. Education level, visit to a health center and marriage were associated with less odds of an affected HRQoL unlike lower monthly income and presence of comorbidities which were opposite.Conclusions﻿HRQoL of patients in the study settings was found to be suboptimal and below the general population. Education and arrangement of safe and quality health services to such group of patients is warranted especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Personalized Prognostication of Kidney Transplant Candidates on the Waiting List: A Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Kawakita Satoru , Ranasinghe Omesh , Wood Emily , Beaumont Jennifer
Published: November 2020

BackgroundKidney transplantation (KT) remains the best available treatment for end-stage kidney disease. Currently, there is an unmet need for personalized clinical decision aids that help clinicians and KT candidates on the waitlist (WL) make informed decisions. To this end, we took a machine learning (ML)-based approach by using random survival forest with competing risks (RSF-CR) to develop a personalized prognostication system to predict the patient outcomes.MethodsWe obtained data from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (n=65,583) and developed RSF-CR models to predict the cumulative incidence functions (CIFs) of receipt of KT (CIFKT) and WL removal due to death or deteriorating condition (CIFdeath) at one year post-listing. Hyperparameter tuning was performed with the integrated Brier score of out-of-bag predicted CIFs as the performance metrics. Feature selection was performed based on variable importance computed by the optimized model. Final model performance was evaluated on a hold-out validation set via receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis, decision curve analysis, and additional performance measures (e.g. recall, precision, and F1).ResultsThe selected model revealed 16 and 18 prognostic factors for the prediction of CIFKT and CIFdeath respectively. The model also demonstrated good prognostic ability with an area under the ROC curve and an integrated Brier score of 73.4 [72.7, 74.0] and 16.1 [0.0, 40.5] for CIFKT and 75.0 [73.7, 76.4] and 4.6 [0.0, 11.4] for CIFdeath on a validation dataset. Dichotomization at selected threshold probabilities yielded a precision, recall, and F1 of 0.927, 0.824, and 0.873 for CIFKT and 0.975, 0.785, and 0.869 for CIFdeath.ConclusionsRSF-CR revealed new predictors of the potential outcomes at one year post-listing for KT candidates. While the class imbalance problem was observed, adjustment of the threshold probability allowed the model to become a binary classifier with outstanding performance. This work demonstrated the value of using RSF-CR in the identification of prognostic factors and personalized prediction of the outcomes for KT candidates on WL. More research is warranted to fully unlock the potential of ML in providing personalized medicine.
Novel and Recurrent BRCA1/BRCA2 Germline Mutations in Patients with Breast /Ovarian Cancer: A Series from the South of Tunisia
Authors: Ayed-Guerfali Dorra Ben , Kridis-Rejab Wala Ben , Ammous-Boukhris Nihel , Ayadi Wajdi , Charfi Slim , Khanfir Afef , Sellami-Boudawara Tahia , Frikha Mounir , Daoud Jamel , Mokdad-Gargouri Raja
Published: November 2020

Background: The incidence of breast/ovarian cancer is increasing in Tunisia especially in young women and mostly those with family history. However, the spectrum of BRCA mutations remains little explored in Tunisian patients in particular in the southern region. Methods: We sequenced the entire coding regions of BRCA1and BRCA2 genes using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) in 134 selected patients with breast/ovarian cancer. Results: Among the 134 patients, 19 (14.17%) carried pathogenic mutations (10 are BRCA1 mutation carriers and 9 are BRCA2 mutation carriers) that are mainly frameshisft indel (76.9%). Interestingly, 5 out of the 13 variants (38.46%) were found at least twice in unrelated patients, as the c.1310-1313 delAAGA in BRCA2 and the c.5030_5033 delCTAA that has been identified in 4/98 BC patients and in 3/15 OC patients from unrelated families with strong history of cancer. Besides recurrent mutations, 6 variant (4 in BRCA1 and 2 in BRCA2) were not reported previously. Furthermore, 3 unrelated patients carried the VUS c.9976A>T, (K3326*) in BRCA2 exon 27. BRCA carriers correlated significantly with tumor site (p=0.029) and TNBC cases (p=0.008). In the groups of patients (31-40 y and 41-50 y), BRCA1 mutations occurred more frequently in patients with OC than those with BC, and conversely BRCA2 carriers are mostly affected with BC (p=0.001 and p=0.044 respectively).Conclusions: The overall frequency of the BRCA germline mutations was 14.17% in patients with high risk of breast /ovarian cancer. We identified recurrent mutations as the c.1310_1313 delAAGA in BRCA2 gene and the c.5030_5033 delCTAA in BRCA1 gene that were found in 4% and 20% of familial BC and OC respectively. Our data will contribute in the implementation of genetic counseling and testing for families with high-risk of breast/ovarian cancer.
Population-specific Interaction of the TRIM46 / MUC1 Locus With Cigarette Smoking May Influence the Risk of Gout
Authors: Fanning Niamh Catherine , Topless Ruth K , Phipps-Green Amanda , Pearson John F , Cadzow Murray , Major Tanya J , White Douglas H , Dalbeth Nicola , Merriman Tony R , Stamp Lisa K
Published: November 2020

Background: Epidemiological and prospective studies suggest that current-smoking may be protective against developing gout and that smoking cessation may increase risk. The aim of this study was to identify interactions between smoking, genetic risk variants and the risk of gout. Methods: A cohort of 520 New Zealand (NZ) East and West Polynesian participants with and 629 without gout were included in our discovery analysis. A cohort of European participants (7576 with and 364,445 without) and South Asian participants (156 with and 7504 without gout) of the UK Biobank were used for replication. Five loci with previous evidence of smoking-influenced associations with serum urate levels were tested for their interaction with smoking status (current-smoker or ex-smoker vs. never-smoker as the reference group) in determining gout risk. The 5 loci were in genes, SLC2A9, ABCG2, GCKR, TRIM46, and HNF4G.Results: A non-additive interaction between genotype and smoking on gout risk was observed between ex-smoker status and TRIM46 (rs11264341) in NZ East and West Polynesian people [interaction ORmeta = 0.58 (0.37-0.92), p = 0.021], but not in European (OR = 0.94 (0.88-1.01), p = 0.10) or South Asian (0.96 (0.55-1.66), p = 0.88) participants of the UK Biobank. TRIM46 (rs11264341) interacted with current-smoker status in the Asian UK Biobank cohort [interaction OR = 2.68 (1.26-5.68), p = 0.010]. In smoking status subgroups the C-allele of rs11264341 increased risk of gout specifically in never-smokers (OR= 1.41 (1.04-1.92), p = 0.029) of the NZ Polynesian sample set and in current-smokers (2.39 (1.13-5.05), p=0.022) of the South Asian sample set. There was no evidence of interaction between smoking-status and the 4 remaining loci in 2 or more of the ancestral populations analysed in this study.Conclusion: We provide evidence for a non-additive interaction between TRIM46 (rs11264341) and smoking behaviour associated with gout risk in a NZ Polynesian sample set and a South Asian sample set, but not in a European sample set. MUC1, that encodes a transmembrane mucin in the lungs whose expression and function is affected by cigarette smoke, is a possible candidate gene at the TRIM46 locus.
Deep Learning Based Image Recognition for 5G Smart IoT Applications
Authors: Li Jing , li Xinfang , Ning Yuwen
Published: November 2020

With the advent of the 5G era，the development of massive data learning algorithms and in-depth research on neural networks, deep learning methods are widely used in image recognition tasks. However, there is currently a lack of methods for identifying and classifying efficiently Internet of Things (IoT) images. This paper develops an IoT image recognition system based on deep learning, i.e., uses convolutional neural networks (CNN) to construct image recognition algorithms, and uses principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) to extract image features, respectively. The effectiveness of the two PCA and LDA image recognition methods is verified through experiments. And when the image feature dimension is 25, the best image recognition effect can be obtained. The main classifier used for image recognition in the IoT is the support vector machine (SVM), and the SVM and CNN are trained by using the database of this paper. At the same time, the effectiveness of the two for image recognition is checked, and then the trained classifier is used for image recognition. It is found that a CNN and SVM-based secondary classification IoT image recognition method improves the accuracy of image recognition. The secondary classification method combines the characteristics of the SVM and CNN image recognition methods, and the accuracy of the image recognition method is verified to provide an effective improvement through experimental verification.