bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Protocol of a cluster randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of an online parenting intervention for promoting oral health of 2–6 years old Australian children
Authors: Tadakamadla Santosh Kumar , Rathore Vatsna , Mitchell Amy E , Johnson Newell , Morawska Alina
Published: October 2022

Introduction

Dental decay is a major problem among Australian children. It can be prevented through good self-care and limiting sugar intake, but many parents/caregivers lack the skills and confidence to help their children adopt these practices. This trial will evaluate the efficacy ofHealthy Habits Triple P - Oral health,a web-based online programme, in improving children’s oral health-related behaviours (toothbrushing, snacking practices and dental visits) and related parenting practices, thereby preventing dental caries.

Methods and analysis

This is a cluster, parallel-group, single-blinded, randomised controlled trial of an online intervention for parents/caregivers of children aged 2–6 years. From the City of Gold Coast (Australia), 18 childcare centres will be randomly selected, with equal numbers randomised into intervention and control arms. Intervention arm parents/caregivers will receive access to a web-based parenting intervention while those in the control arm will be directed to oral health-related information published by Australian oral health agencies. After the completion of the study, theHealthy Habits Triple P - Oral healthintervention will be offered to parents/caregivers in the control arm. The primary outcome of this trial is toothbrushing frequency, which will be assessed via Bluetooth supported smart toothbrushes and parent/caregiver report. Data on other outcomes: parenting practices and child behaviour during toothbrushing, consumption of sugar rich foods and parents’ confidence in dealing with children’s demands for sugar rich food, and dental visiting practices, will be collected through a self-administered questionnaire at baseline (before randomisation), and 6 weeks (primary endpoint), 6 months and 12 months after randomisation. Data on dental caries will be collected at baseline, 12 and 18 months post-randomisation.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval has been obtained from Human Research Ethics Committees of Griffith University (2020/700) and the University of Queensland (2020002839). Findings will be submitted for publication in leading international peer-reviewed journals.

Trial registration number

ACTRN12621000566831.
Real-time automatic quantification of left ventricular function by hand-held ultrasound devices in patients with suspected heart failure: a feasibility study of a diagnostic test with data from general practitioners, nurses and cardiologists
Authors: Hjorth-Hansen Anna Katarina , Magelssen Malgorzata Izabela , Andersen Garrett Newton , Graven Torbjørn , Kleinau Jens Olaf , Landstad Bodil , Løvstakken Lasse , Skjetne Kyrre , Mjølstad Ole Christian , Dalen Havard
Published: October 2022

Objectives

To evaluate the feasibility and reliability of hand-held ultrasound (HUD) examinations with real-time automatic decision-making software for ejection fraction (autoEF) and mitral annular plane systolic excursion (autoMAPSE) by novices (general practitioners), intermediate users (registered cardiac nurses) and expert users (cardiologists), respectively, compared to reference echocardiography by cardiologists in an outpatient cohort with suspected heart failure (HF).

Design

Feasibility study of a diagnostic test.

Setting and participants

166 patients with suspected HF underwent HUD examinations with autoEF and autoMAPSE measurements by five novices, three intermediate-skilled users and five experts. HUD results were compared with a reference echocardiography by experts. A blinded cardiologist scored all HUD recordings with automatic measurements as (1) discard, (2) accept, but adjust the measurement or (3) accept the measurement as it is.

Primary outcome measure

The feasibility of automatic decision-making software for quantification of left ventricular function.

Results

The users were able to run autoEF and autoMAPSE in most patients. The feasibility for obtaining accepted images (score of ≥2) with automatic measurements ranged from 50% to 91%. The feasibility was lowest for novices and highest for experts for both autoEF and autoMAPSE (p≤0.001). Large coefficients of variation and wide coefficients of repeatability indicate moderate agreement. The corresponding intraclass correlations (ICC) were moderate to good (ICC 0.51–0.85) for intra-rater and poor (ICC 0.35–0.51) for inter-rater analyses. The findings of modest to poor agreement and reliability were not explained by the experience of the users alone.

Conclusion

Novices, intermediate and expert users were able to record four-chamber views for automatic assessment of autoEF and autoMAPSE using HUD devices. The modest feasibility, agreement and reliability suggest this should not be implemented into clinical practice without further refinement and clinical evaluation.

Trial registration number

NCT03547076.
HIV testing uptake and determinants among adolescents and young people in Burundi: a cross-sectional analysis of the Demographic and Health Survey 2016–2017
Authors: Nshimirimana Clement , Vuylsteke Bea , Smekens Tom , Benova Lenka
Published: October 2022

Objectives

To assess HIV testing uptake and its determinants among adolescents and young adults.

Design

Cross-sectional design involving analysis of 2016 Demographic and Health Survey data.

Setting

Nationally representative survey of Burundi.

Participants

A total of 7218 young women and 2860 young men were included.

Primary and secondary outcome

We estimated the proportion of adolescent (15–19 years) and young adult (20–24 years) women and men who had tested for HIV and received results in the 12 months preceding the survey. Multivariable logistic models for determining predictors of HIV testing uptake were fitted among respondents aged 15–24 regardless of sexual activity in the 12 months before the survey and separately among a subset that reporting having had sex in the 12 months preceding the survey.

Results

An estimated 27.1% (95% CI 25.8% to 28.4%) women and 16.6% (95% CI 15.1% to 18.1%) men had tested for HIV and received results in the 12 months preceding the survey. The proportion was more than twice as high among those aged 20–24 years compared with 15–19 years, among both sexes. In multivariable analysis, older age (20–24 years) was associated with HIV testing (adjusted OR (aOR): 1.62, 95% CI 1.38 to 1.91) among women; (aOR: 1.78, 95% CI 1.32 to 2.40) among men. Higher educational level (aOR: 1.40, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.76) was significantly associated with HIV testing uptake among women. Male circumcision status, condom use, number of sex partners, history of STIs were not associated with HIV testing among the subset that reported having had sex in the 12 months preceding the survey.

Conclusion

Despite the interventions implemented to reach the 90-90-90 UNAIDS goals, HIV testing among youth in Burundi was low. Youth-friendly health centres should be part of strategies to stimulate young people to increase uptake of HIV preventive services in Burundi.
Prevalence of polypharmacy and associated adverse outcomes and risk factors among children with asthma in the USA: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Xie Luyu , Gelfand Andrew , Murphy Caitlin C , Mathew M Sunil , Atem Folefac , Delclos George L , Messiah Sarah
Published: October 2022

Objective

To estimate the prevalence of polypharmacy, identify risk factors and examine related adverse outcomes in the US children with asthma.

Design, setting and participants

This population-based, cross-sectional study included 1776 children with asthma from the 2011–2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys.

Exposures

Polypharmacy is defined as taking ≥2 medications concurrently for ≥1 day over the past 30 days.

Main outcomes and measures

(1) Weighted prevalence estimates of polypharmacy in children with asthma; (2) asthma attacks and emergency department (ED) visits.

Results

The estimated prevalence of polypharmacy in the US children with asthma was 33.49% (95% CI 31.81% to 35.17%). 15.53% (95% CI 14.31% to 16.75%), 12.63% (95% CI 11.37% to 13.88%) and 5.33% (95% CI) of participants were taking 2, 3–4, and 5 prescription medications, respectively. In addition to asthma medications, the most common sources of polypharmacy included antihistamines (20.17%, 95% CI 16.07% to 24.28%), glucocorticoids (16.67%, 95% 12.57% to 20.78%), and anti-infectives (14.28%, 95% CI 10.29 to 18.28). Risk factors for the increased number of medications included age 5–11 years old (vs 1–4 years: adjusted incidence rate ratio (aIRR) 1.38, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.72), fair-to-poor health (vs excellent or very good: aIRR 1.42, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.92), or ≥6 healthcare utilisation encounters over the last year (vs 0–5 encounters: aIRR 1.45, 95% CI 1.26 to 1.66). Polypharmacy increased the odds of an asthma attack (adjusted OR (aOR) 2.80, 95% CI 1.99 to 3.93) and ED visit (aOR 2.41, 95%1.59–3.63) after adjusting for demographics, insurance and health status.

Conclusions

Every one in three US children with asthma experienced polypharmacy. Although it may reflect the treatment guidelines that various asthma medications are needed for maintenance therapy, our results suggested that polypharmacy increased the odds of asthma attacks or ED visits. This may be due to the concurrent use with other non-asthma medications indicating that there is an opportunity to improve medication management in children with asthma.
Monoaminergic network abnormalities: a marker for multiple sclerosis-related fatigue and depression
Authors: Carotenuto Antonio , Valsasina Paola , Preziosa Paolo , Mistri Damiano , Filippi Massimo , Rocca Maria A
Published: October 2022

Objective

To investigate monoaminergic network abnormalities in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) according to their fatigue and depressive status through a positron emission tomography (PET)-based constrained independent component analysis (ICA) on resting state (RS) functional MRI (fMRI).

Methods

In this prospective study, 213 patients with MS (mean age=40.6±12.5 years; 94/119 men/women; 153 relapsing-remitting; 60 progressive) and 62 healthy controls (HCs, mean age=39.0±10.4 years; 30/32 men/women) underwent neurological, fatigue, depression and RS fMRI assessment. Patterns of dopamine, norepinephrine-related and serotonin-related RS functional connectivity (FC) were derived by ICA, constrained to PET atlases for dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin transporters, obtained in HCs’ brain.

Results

Compared with HCs, patients with MS showed abnormalities in all three explored monoaminergic networks, mostly with decreased RS FC within PET-guided monoaminergic networks in frontal regions and subcortical areas including the cerebellum and thalamus, and increased RS FC in temporo-parieto-occipital cortical areas, including bilateral precunei.

MS-related fatigue was associated with decreased RS FC within the PET-guided dopamine network in the left thalamus and left cerebellum, and with increased RS FC within the PET-guided serotonin network in the left middle occipital gyrus. MS-related depression was associated with more distributed abnormalities involving the three explored monoaminergic networks, resulting in overall reduced RS FC in the frontal lobe, limbic areas and the precuneus.

Conclusions

Patients with MS present diffuse dysregulation in the monoaminergic networks. Specific alterations in these networks were associated with fatigue and depression, providing a pathological marker for these bothersome symptoms and putative targets for their treatment.
Effect of loading rate and height–diameter ratio on compression characteristics of aviation alloys
Authors: Ji Xiaofeng , Li Shuncai , Hu Yuting , Li Yuqing
Published: October 2022

Loading rate and height–diameter ratio are important factors affecting mechanical properties of materials. In this paper, the effects of the two factors on the stress–strain curves and section deformation characteristics of titanium alloy and aluminum alloy were compared by uniaxial compression tests. The gray correlation coefficient between compressive strength and loading rate, height–diameter ratio, and high compression ratio of the two alloys was calculated by using the gray correlation theory, and multiple regression models of compressive strength of the two alloys were established based on the least squares method. The results show that ( i) the gray correlation coefficient of the two alloys is greater than 0.6, indicating that loading rate and height–diameter ratio have obvious effects on the compressive strengths of aluminum alloy; ( ii) of loading rate and height–diameter ratio, loading rate has more significant effect on compressive strength; and ( iii) the correlation coefficient of the regression model of titanium alloy compressive strength is 0.9, which is higher than that of the corresponding model of aluminum alloy (0.65), indicating that the reliability of the regression model of titanium alloy is higher than that of aluminum alloy, and the established model can better predict the uniaxial compressive strength of titanium alloy.
Double diffusion thermal exploration of Cross nanomaterial due to moving surface with sinusoidal waves: Cattaneo–Christov model
Authors: Sowayan Ahmed S. , Al-Khaled Kamel , Aziz Samaira , Smida Kamel , Ahmad Iftikhar , Khan Sami Ullah , Panchal Hitesh
Published: October 2022

The nanoparticles convey noteworthy applications in many engineering and industrial systems like cooling and heat processes, thermal extrusion systems, heat exchangers, as an energy source, treatment of various diseases and chemotherapy. Owing to such importance of nanomaterials, various studies are presented for nanofluids with diverse flow features. This investigation discloses an unsteady flow of Cross nanofluid over periodically accelerated imbedded in porous space. The combined heat and mass transportation aspects of nanomaterials are entertained with applications of Buongiorno’s model. Further, Cattaneo–Christov fluxes are mathematically implemented for investigating the diffusion aspect of heating and mass pattern. Additionally, the nonlinear on set of radiative distribution is followed. Referred to the suitable transformations, the independent variable in the governing system is reduced. The homotopy-based analytical expressions are obtained for set of flow parameters. The complete graphical exploration is visualized, for governing parameters, and scrutinized. The mass and heat transfer pattern has been inspected in the form of numerical data. It is perceived that velocity profile has decreasing tendency for enhancement in Weissenberg number and magneto-porous constant. The temperature and concentration profiles diminish with increase of thermal and solutal relaxation constants, respectively.
A note on the construction of unextendible maximally entangled bases in ℂd ⊗ ℂd′
Authors: Wang Chenghong , Wang Kun
Published: October 2022

We study the construction of unextendible maximally entangled bases in bipartite systems [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]). We provide a class of maximally entangled states in [Formula: see text] by constructing some unitary matrices in [Formula: see text]. In particular, we present two complete unextendible maximally entangled bases in [Formula: see text] which are mutually unbiased.
Research on Output Power of Series–Series Resonance Wireless Power Transmission System
Authors: Chi Haokun , Mu Chunxiao , Wang Yingjie , Wang Fei , Hou Yongchao , Gong Feixiang
Published: October 2022

The popularization of smart mobile devices has led to the research on wireless power transfer (WPT) technology. Previous research shows that increasing the excitation coil or the energy transfer coil can increase the energy transmission distance of the WPT system. But the mutual inductance calculation of coils is not accurate enough when the distance is close. This paper presents an improved formula to calculate the mutual inductance between two round inductance coils. Contrasts with the previous calculation methods, computer simulation and experimental results are done to validate the accuracy of the formula, especially when the two inductance coils are close together. On the basis of this formula, the maximum output power (MOP) and the maximum output power distance (MOPD) of the two-, three- and four-coil series–series resonance WPT systems based on circuit models are studied and compared. The simulation and experimental results show a high consistency with the theoretical calculation results. We can find that the farther the MOPD of the system is, the smaller the MOP is. Moreover, when the operating frequency increases, the MOPD of the two-coil conformation increases, while the four-coil conformation is just opposite.
Memcapacitor-Coupled Chebyshev Hyperchaotic Map
Authors: Liu Xingce , Mou Jun , Yan Huizhen , Bi Xiuguo
Published: October 2022

The model of the consecutive memcapacitor has been widely used in chaotic circuits. However, the model of discrete memcapacitor and its application in chaotic systems have not been further studied. In this paper, a model of discrete memcapacitor is proposed. And the dynamical characteristics of the discrete memcapacitor model are analyzed. The memristive Chebyshev map is obtained by coupling the discrete memcapacitor with the Chebyshev map. Since memristive Chebyshev map has linear fixed points, the memristive Chebyshev map is unstable or critically stable, depending on the internal parameters and the initial condition of the chaotic map. The dynamical behavior of control parameter dependence of memristive Chebyshev map is studied by using several analysis methods, and its hyperchaotic attractor is found. The special phenomenon of coexistence of attractors is also found. Finally, the memristive Chebyshev map is realized by DSP. And the results of simulation are further verified. The results of this study supply a theoretical basis for the application of discrete memcapacitor in the design of discrete chaotic systems.
On the Bounds of Lyapunov Exponents for Fractional Differential Systems with an Exponential Kernel
Authors: N’Gbo N’Gbo , Tang Jianhua
Published: October 2022

This paper focuses on the bounds of the Lyapunov exponents for fractional differential systems, where the fractional derivatives are Riemann–Liouville and Caputo fractional derivatives with the exponential kernel. First, the essential properties of fractional integral and derivatives with the exponential kernel are given. Then the continuous dependence of solutions on the initial value problems of some particular parameters is studied. On these bases, the bounds of Lyapunov exponents are estimated. Finally, the theoretical results are illustrated by numerical simulations.
An Approach for Gesture Recognition Based on a Lightweight Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Ravinder M. , Malik Kiran , Hassaballah M. , Tariq Usman , Javed Kashif , Ghoneimy Mohamed
Published: October 2022

Gesture recognition, which plays an important role to understand meaningful movements of human bodies, is one of the most effective approaches for humans to interact. Sign language is a fundamental and innate means of communication for hearing-impaired individuals. Though significant progress has been made, the state-of-the-art gesture recognition methods yield week performance for conditions with dynamic gestures in videos. Thus, robust gesture recognition remains a challenging issue because of many barriers of gesture-irrelevant factors. The key to robust gesture recognition is to learn effective and concise spatiotemporal information. Inspired by the great promise of the convolutional neural network (CNN) and its breakthroughs, we introduce an approach for identifying static alphabet gestures in the American Sign Language (ASL). The proposed CNN-based approach has been developed to classify letters of the alphabet from A to Z. It composes of three phases: a preprocessing phase for extracted of the region of interest, a feature extraction, and a classification phase. The performance of proposed gesture recognition approach is evaluated on the common ASL dataset and it achieves 94.83% accuracy, which is good enough to develop a strong translator from gesture-based ASL to spoken language as it is capable to handle a variety of 24 hand gestures.
ENTREPRENEURIAL ORIENTATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL BEHAVIOR: AN EXPLANATION FROM THE VALUES OF ECOCENTRISM AND CONFORMITY OF MEXICAN ARTISANS
Authors: SÁNCHEZ-MEDINA PATRICIA S
Published: October 2022

We studied individual psychological characteristics such as conformity and ecocentrism in Mexican artisans, and the effect these characteristics have on entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and environmental behavior (EB) in artisan family businesses in Oaxaca and Guanajuato, Mexico. The research model is empirically validated by partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). We found that conformity is a value that positively affects EO and EB. In contrast, ecocentrism has a positive effect on EB, but not on EO. Our study highlights the importance of focusing on conformity as a characteristic of survival ventures. On the other hand, it is imperative to carry out research that incorporates the environmental dimension to characterize the sustainability aspect in survival ventures.
THE CREATIVE PROCESS AND INNOVATION: THE ROLE OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND INDUSTRIAL CLUSTER
Authors: CASTILLO-VERGARA MAURICIO , ÁLVAREZ-MARÍN ALEJANDRO , PEZOA-FUENTES CLAUDIA , CARRASCO-CARVAJAL OMAR
Published: October 2022

Creativity and innovation are considered critical factors in promoting the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises. The directors of these companies seek to know how to transform the results of creativity into innovation. Therefore, there is a growing interest in looking more deeply into the elements that affect creativity and innovation. This study analyses the following aspects: (a) The effect of the creative process on product and process innovation, (b) the role of knowledge management (KM) in the creative process, and (c) the role of industrial clusters in KM and the creative process. The research model is validated using Partial Least Squares data from industrial SMEs in Chile. The findings demonstrate the influence of industrial clusters on KM and the creative process and the impact of knowledge creation on the creative process. Our results enable a broader understanding of SMEs’ creativity and innovation model.
Context-aware Urdu Information Retrieval System
Authors: Shoaib Umar , Fiaz Laiba , Chakraborty Chinmay , Rauf Hafiz Tayyab
Published: October 2022

World Wide Web (WWW) is playing a vital role for sharing dynamic knowledge in every field of life. The information on web comprises a huge amount of data in different forms such as structured, semi structured, or few is totally in unstructured format. Due to huge size of information, searching from larger textual data about the specific topic or getting precise information is a challenging task. All this leads to the problem of word sense ambiguity (WSA). Urdu language-based information retrieval system using different techniques related to Web Semantic Search Engine architecture is proposed to efficiently retrieve the relevant information and solve the problem of WSA. The proposed system has average precision ratio 96% as compared to average precision ratio of 74% and 75% average precision Google for single word query. For the long text queries, our system outperforms the existing famous search engines with 92% accuracy such as Bing and Google having 16.50% and 16% accuracy, respectively. Similarly, the proposed system for single word query, the recall ratio is 32.25% as compared to 25% and 25% of Bing and Google. The results of recall ratio for long text query are improved as well, showing 6.38% as compared to 6.20% and 4.8% of Bing and Google, respectively. The results showed that the proposed system gives better and efficient results as compared to the existing systems for Urdu language.
A Methodology for Fault-tolerant Pareto-optimal Approximate Designs of FPGA-based Accelerators
Authors: Tsounis Ioannis , Agiakatsikas Dimitris , Psarakis Mihalis
Published: October 2022

Approximate Computing Techniques (ACTs) take advantage of resilience computing applications to trade off among output precision, area, power, and performance. ACTs can lead to significant gains at affordable costs when efficiently implemented on Field Programmable Gate Array– (FPGA) based accelerators. Although several novel ACTs works have been proposed for FPGA accelerators, their applicability to high-assurance systems has not been explored as much. ACTs are becoming necessary in many critical Edge computing systems, such as self-driving cars and Earth observation satellites, to increase computational efficiency. However, an important question comes to mind when targeting critical systems: Does ACT optimization negatively affect the reliability of the system and how can one find optimal design architectures that blend classic mitigation techniques like Triple Modular Redundancy with approximation- and precise-based arithmetic hardware units to achieve the best possible computational efficiency without compromising dependability? This work aims to solve this research problem by introducing a Design Space Exploration (DSE) methodology that employs ACTs in arithmetic units of the design and identifies Pareto-optimal microarchitectures that balance all relevant gains of ACTs, such as area, speed, power, failure rate, and precision, by inserting the correct amount of approximation in the design. In a nutshell, our DSE methodology has formulated the DSE with a Multi-Objective Optimization Problem (MOP). Each Pareto-optimal solution of our tool finds which arithmetic units of the design to implement with precise and approximate circuits and which units to selectively triplicate to remove single points of failure that compromise system reliability below acceptable thresholds. We also suggest another formulation of the DSE into a Single-Objective constraint Optimization Problem (ScOP) producing a single optimal point, and that the user may demand, as a less time-consuming alternative to the MOP if a complete Pareto-front is not needed. Our methodology generates fault-tolerant versions of the Pareto-optimal approximate designs (or simple optimized approximate designs if the ScOP choice is picked) by selectively applying mitigation techniques in a way that the overheads of redundant resources for fault-tolerance do not negate the gains of approximation in comparison to the fault-tolerant versions of the precise design. We evaluate our method on two FPGA-based accelerators: a JPEG encoder and an H.264/Advanced Video Coding decoder. Our experimental results show significant gains in area, frequency, and power consumption without compromising output quality and system reliability compared to classic solutions that replicate all or a part of the resources of the precise design to increase dependability metrics.
Fluid Dynamics of Polar Vortices on Earth, Mars, and Titan
Authors: Waugh Darryn W.
Published: October 2022

Polar vortices that share many similarities are found in Earth's stratosphere and the atmospheres of Mars and Saturn's moon Titan. These vortices all occur in the winter, and are characterized by high potential vorticity (PV) in polar regions, steep meridional PV gradients and peak zonal winds in middle latitudes, and a cold pole. There are, however, differences in the daily and subseasonal variability, zonal asymmetries, and PV structure among the vortices. These differences are related to differences in the disruption of polar vortices by Rossby waves, the poleward extent of the mean meridional circulation, and condensation of major gases. There are also differences in the transport of gases and particles among the vortices. The range of polar vortex characteristics is likely much larger for terrestrial exoplanets, which include planets with, for example, a wider range of obliquities.
Complexation of F– by Li+ and Mg2+ Ions as Inorganic Anion Acceptors in Lactone-Based Li+/F– and Mg2+/F– Hybrid Electrolytes for Fluoride Shuttle Batteries
Authors: Kawasaki Mitsuo , Morigaki Ken-ichi , Kano Gentaro , Takekawa Reiji , Kawamura Junichi , Yokoyama Yuko , Kano Kenji , Abe Takeshi , Ogumi Zempachi
Published: October 2022

The development of high-quality fluoride-ion transporting electrolytes is a crucial demand for fluoride shuttle batteries (FSBs). However, the uncontrolled chemical and electrochemical activities of fluoride ions narrow the available potential window, hindering the development of high-voltage FSB cells. We present a method for upgrading recently developed lactone-based liquid fluoride electrolytes by complexation of F– with Li+ and Mg2+ ions. In the resultant Li+/F– and Mg2+/F– hybrid electrolytes, Li2F+ and MgF+ were the most probable soluble complexes, and the effective fluoride concentrations could reach ∼0.15 M along with excess Li+(Mg2+) ions. Unique interactions between F– and Li+(Mg2+) were observed using 19F nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Li+(Mg2+) ions thus served as inorganic anion acceptors with ultimate redox stabilities to expand the negative potential window of the electrolytes to near −3 V vs SHE. The proposed complex formation was also supported by a conductometric titration method. We demonstrated the superior and versatile electrochemical performances of the Li+/F– hybrid electrolyte, which enabled reversible charge/discharge reactions of various metal electrodes and composite electrodes in a wide range of redox series. Further, the Li+/F– hybrid electrolyte opened valid new reaction paths for aluminum, making it a promising negative electrode in high-voltage FSB cells.
In vivo arterial stiffness, but not isolated artery endothelial function, varies with the mouse estrous cycle
Authors: Kehmeier Mackenzie N. , Bedell Bradley R. , Cullen Abigail E. , Khurana Aleena , D’Amico Holly J. , Henson Grant D. , Walker Ashley E.
Published: October 2022

To design rigorous vascular research studies using young female rodents, the influence of the estrous cycle on vascular function must be known. We found that in vivo aortic stiffness was lower during estrus compared with the diestrus phase in female mice. In contrast, ex vivo mesenteric and cerebral artery endothelial function did not differ between estrous cycle stages. These results suggest that the estrous cycle stage should be accounted for when measuring in vivo arterial stiffness.
Metformin attenuates an increase of calcium-dependent and ubiquitin-proteasome markers in unloaded muscle
Authors: Belova Svetlana P. , Zaripova Ksenia , Sharlo Kristina , Kostrominova Tatiana Y. , Shenkman Boris S. , Nemirovskaya Tatiana L.
Published: October 2022

Current study for the first time tested the hypothesis that during 3 days of soleus muscle unloading, calcium-dependent signaling pathways, markers of protein synthesis, and the expression of E3 ubiquitin ligases can be regulated by metformin. Treatment with metformin during unloading: prevented the decrease of p-AMPK and increase of ATP content, affected regulation of calcium-dependent signaling pathways, and attenuated an increase of critical markers of ubiquitin-proteasome pathways. Nevertheless, metformin treatment has not prevented soleus muscle atrophy.
The Effects of Saposhnikovia divaricata Aqueous Extracts on the Inflammation and Intestinal Microflora in Allergic Rhinitis Mice
Authors: Chen Yanchun , Chen Zhiling , Wang Gan , Xu Shiying
Published: October 2022

Background. Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a type I allergic disease induced by IgE. Traditional Chinese medicine Saposhnikovia divaricata (Turcz.) Schischk (SD) has anti-inflammatory and antiallergic effects. Materials and Methods. AR model mice were constructed with ovalbumin (OVA) sensitization to observe the improving effect of SD treatment on AR by counting the number of sneezing and rubbing the nose, hematoxylin-eosin, periodic acid-Schiff, and toluidine blue stains. In addition, the allergy and inflammatory cytokines levels and inflammatory cells were observed by ELISA and Wright’s-Giemsa stain. The protein levels of the TLR4/TRAF6/NF-κB and IL-6/ROR-γt/STAT3 pathways were measured by immunohistochemistry, quantitative real-time PCR, and western blot. The intestinal microflora abundance in mice was observed by 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing. Results. SD treatment inhibited the sneezing and rubbing times of the nose, decreased the degree of a dense arrangement of cells and mucosal swelling and the number of goblet and mast cells of nasal lavage fluid, reduced the levels of IgE, histamine, Leukotriene B4, IL-4, IL-5, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-17, the eosinophils, neutrophils, and lymphocytes number, the LR4, TRAF6, IL-6, ROR-γt, and STAT3 mRNA levels, respectively, while, it increased the IL-2, IL-10, IFN-γ, and TGF-β1 proteins. SD treatment inhibited the NF-κB, p-STAT3, TLR4, TRAF6, and p-IκBα/IκBα proteins. Besides, the effects of OVA and SD treatments were significantly correlated with the abundance of intestinal microflora. The abundances of Cytophagales, Burkholderia, Alteromonadales, Lactococcus, and Clostridiaceae were changed in SD treatment on AR mice. Conclusions. This study provides a possibility that the improvement effect of SD treatment on allergies and inflammation in AR mice may be related to the TLR4/TRAF6/NF-κB and IL-6/ROR-γt/STAT3 pathways and intestinal microflora modulation.
The Expressions and Functions of lncRNA Related to m6A in Hepatocellular Carcinoma from a Bioinformatics Analysis
Authors: Du Shengwei , Guo Ying , Huang Jian , Xu Jiajia , Chen Guorong
Published: October 2022

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancer in these days. Besides, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) plays an important role in the occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Meanwhile, it is known to us that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNA) have the capability to control the expression of genes which means some lncRNA can adjust the expression of some m6A.Thus, it is indispensable to dig the m6A-related lncRNA in hepatocellular carcinoma about its potential regulatory mechanism and immune analysis as well as its potential drugs. In this experiment, expression profile and clinical information of lncRNA are obtained by downloading the liver cancer data set from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. GO enrichment analysis is used to predict potential regulatory mechanism of lncRNA. Correlation analysis of clinical parameters are calculated via chisq.test. The Cox regression model is used in univariate and multivariate analysis, and the difference is statistically significant when

P
<
0.05

. The results show that many kinds of lncRNA have influence on the prognosis of patients with HCC, and enrichment analysis discloses some pathways that can be used to evaluate mechanism underlying in HCC. The screening of targeted drugs can provide new clues for further experiments and clinical treatment.
Optimization of LoRa SF Allocation Based on Deep Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Zhong Han , Ning Lei , Wang Junsong , Suo Siliang , Chen Liming
Published: October 2022

LoRa is an IoT communication technology that realizes ultra-long-distance transmission through spread spectrum modulation. However, its ultra-long-distance transmission also sacrifices the corresponding rate, and data conflicts are prone to occur when the number of nodes is large. In this article, we investigate various types of data collisions in LoRa wireless work, most of which are affected by Spreading Factor (SF) assignment. At present, the distribution of the SF for LoRa in the industry is mostly based on Min-airtime and Min-distance. In the case of a large number of nodes, the data collision between nodes will increase sharply. This paper proposes a SF redistribution scheme under limited network resources, in order to improve the terminal capacity of the LoRa gateway. First, the problem of minimizing the data collision rate without expanding gateway or network resources is presented. Specifically, the reallocation of SF with increasing number of terminals is studied. Finally, considering the randomness of the data sent by the terminal, SF redistribution schemes based on deep reinforcement learning (DRL) are developed. The simulation results show that the collision rate of the proposed SF redistribution scheme is nearly 30% lower than Min-airtime and Min-distance, and its total energy consumption is close to Min-distance. Therefore, the proposed SF redistribution scheme can effectively improve the gateway capacity of LoRa wireless network.
Comparison between the Efficacy of Nigella sativa-Honey and Clotrimazole on Vulvovaginal Candidiasis: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Norouzi Allahleh Korabi Masoumeh , Mirmolaei Seyedeh Tahereh , Tabarrai Malihe , Ghalandarpoor-Attar Seyedeh Mojgan , Sadati lamardi Seyede Nargess , Haghani Shima
Published: October 2022

Background and Objective. Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is one of the most troublesome opportunistic infections in women. In recent years, its prevalence has increased significantly because different types of Candida yeast are resistant to common antifungal medications, supplements, and herbs have become common. This research aimed to compare the effects of N. sativa-honey vaginal cream and 1% clotrimazole on VVC. Materials and Methods. This triple-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted on eighty-four 18 to 49-year-old nonpregnant women from August 2019 to February 2020. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups after confirming the diagnosis of VVC infection through fungal culture. Clinical signs and symptoms and lab tests were recorded at baseline and 6–10 days after treatment. The treatment time for each group was seven nights. Results. There were no significant differences in clinical and laboratory evaluations between the two groups at the beginning of the study (P > 0.05). After treatment, secretion, redness, itching, and fungal culture improved in the two groups (P < 0.001), while pruritus (p = 0.013) and secretion (p = 0.025) in the control group significantly improved. In this trial, no patients showed drug-specific side effects. Conclusion. The results of this study show that the N. sativa-honey significantly improves the symptoms of VVC; thus, the application of N. sativa-honey can be considered as a complementary therapy in the treatment of VVC. This trial is registered with IRCT20190711044176N1.
Effect of Liraglutide on Serum TSH Levels in Patients with NAFLD and its Underlying Mechanisms
Authors: Ye JiaoJiao , Xu Jing , Wen WenJie , Huang Bin
Published: October 2022

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of liraglutide on serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and explore the underlying mechanisms via bioinformatics analysis. A total of 49 obese/overweight patients with T2DM received liraglutide during outpatient visits or hospitalization in the Department of Endocrinology. Meanwhile, the control group included 49 patients with T2DM but without nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) who were matched for age and sex (baseline from July 2016 to June 2021). Follow-up data on the last use of liraglutide were also retrieved. Age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and duration of diabetes were obtained from the participants’ records. All patients were tested for biochemical markers hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, free triiodothyronine, free thyroxine (FT4), and TSH at baseline and follow-up. After adjusting for all factors with a

p

-value < 0.05, BMI, HbA1c, LDL, FT4, and TSH were identified as significant independent risk factors for NAFLD in the univariate analysis. Following liraglutide therapy (average time 16 months), these patients had significantly lower BMI, HbA1c, and TSH but higher high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels than those in the baseline data (all

p

 < 0.05), and further subgroup analysis stratified by duration of liraglutide use showed that the test for time trends had statistical differences in BMI and TSH but not in HbA1c and HDL. After the therapy, the NAFLD and NASH groups showed significantly decreased TSH levels after liraglutide therapy compared with the corresponding baseline data. Furthermore, the expression of THRB, which encodes TRβ, was significantly decreased in the NAFLD group, which may explain the thyroid hormone resistance-like manifestation in the clinical findings. In conclusion, liraglutide improves hepatic thyroid hormone resistance in T2DM with NAFLD, and restoration of impaired TRβ expression in NAFLD is a potential mechanism involved in the process of liraglutide therapy.
Kamishoyosan Alleviates Anxiety-like Behavior in a Premenstrual Syndrome Rat Model
Authors: Iba-Tanaka Hikari , Watanabe Takuya , Harada Kyoka , Kubota Kaori , Katsurabayashi Shutaro , Iwasaki Katsunori
Published: October 2022

Kamishoyosan (KSS) is a traditional Japanese Kampo medicine that is prescribed for hormonal change-induced mood disorders including premenstrual syndrome (PMS). In clinical studies, KSS exhibited ameliorative effects on mood symptoms of PMS, such as anxiety and irritability. However, the mechanism underlying the beneficial effects of KSS is unclear. In the present study, we investigated the involvement of serotonergic machinery in the anxiolytic effects of KSS on hormonally-induced anxiety-like behavior in progesterone withdrawal (PWD) rats, which were used as a model of PMS. Female rats were injected with progesterone daily for 21 days. At 48 h after the final progesterone injection, anxiety-like behavior was evaluated using the elevated plus maze. KSS was administered orally to PWD rats 1 h prior to the test and significantly attenuated PWD-induced anxiety-like behavior. This ameliorative effect of KSS was reversed by WAY-100635, a serotonin (5-HT)1A receptor antagonist. The effect of KSS on serotonergic transmission in the prefrontal cortex of PWD rats was also evaluated using an in vivo microdialysis procedure. KSS significantly increased the extracellular 5-HT level in the prefrontal cortex of PWD rats. In conclusion, our results suggest that KSS alleviates PWD-induced anxiety-like behavior at least partly by activating 5-HT1A receptors and enhancing serotonergic transmission.
A Case of Cat Scratch Disease with Neuroretinitis in a 16-Month-Old Boy
Authors: Nakata Daisuke , Kakehi Sayaka , Okada Hiroshi , Tanikawa Atsuhiro , Shimada Yoshiaki , Horiguchi Masayuki , Ito Yasuki
Published: October 2022

Purpose. We report a case of neuroretinitis associated with cat scratch disease (CSD) in young children. Method. Case report. Results. A 16-month-old boy was admitted for a detailed examination and treatment of a fever of unknown origin. Blood tests revealed no significant findings other than a white blood cell count of 16,100/mm3 and C-reactive protein level of 9.89 mg/dL. Computed tomography revealed no relevant findings to determine the causative disease. Antibiotic therapy with cefotaxime was initiated; however, the fever did not resolve. The patient was referred to our department for further examination to detect the cause of the fever. Fundoscopy revealed neuroretinitis in the right eye. His mother reported a history of breeding cats. Cat scratch disease (CSD) was suspected based on the clinical course and fundus findings. Cefotaxime was discontinued, and azithromycin, rifampicin, and prednisolone were administered, following which the fever disappeared and fundus findings improved. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM antibodies against Bartonella henselae was positive, leading to a definitive diagnosis of CSD. Conclusion. Infants cannot complain of decreased visual acuity; therefore, these findings may be overlooked unless a fundus examination is performed. As in this case, the early detection of neuroretinitis by an ophthalmologist may help in the diagnosis of CSD. It is extremely difficult to capture a photograph of the fundus of an infant, and recording with a smartphone is relatively simple and useful for monitoring continuous changes. Summary. We describe a case of neuroretinitis associated with cat scratch disease (CSD) that was diagnosed on the basis of fundus findings. The findings suggest the importance of an aggressive ophthalmologic examination when CSD is suspected in young children who are unable to describe their symptoms.
Waterloo Handedness Questionnaire: Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Arabic Version
Authors: Aloraini Saleh M.
Published: October 2022

Handedness is one of the most studied behavioural predictors of cerebral lateralization. Assessing handedness is often essential in neuropsychology and motor behaviour research. Thus, it is important that self-reported assessment tools for determining handedness are available in multiple languages for different cultures. The purpose of the present study was to conduct a translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Waterloo Handedness Questionnaire into the Arabic language and to assess its psychometric properties. Two independent forward translations were performed by two native Arabic speakers and then synthesized into one version. The synthesized version was backtranslated into English by two independent bilingual translators. An expert committee was formed to review the translation and adaptation process. A final Arabic version of the WHQ was obtained, the WHQ-Ar. Two hundred and ninety adult Arabic speakers were recruited to participate in the study and investigate the properties of the WHQ-Ar. Results showed that the WHQ-Ar had no floor or ceiling effect. For construct validity, results of factor analysis revealed that the WHQ-Ar had two dimensions. Further, the WHQ-Ar had excellent internal consistency with

Cronbac

h

’

s
 
alpha
=
0.93

. For test-retest reliability, intraclass correlation coefficient score was 0.94. The Bland-Altman plot showed acceptable agreement between test and retest scores. Therefore, the WHQ-Ar is a valid, reliable tool and ready for use among the Arabic-speaking population for determining handedness.
The Roles of EXO1 and RPA1 Polymorphisms in Prognosis of Lung Cancer Patients Treated with Platinum-Based Chemotherapy
Authors: He Jia , Wang Zhan , Wang Ying , Zou Ting , Li Xiang-Ping , Chen Juan
Published: October 2022

Background. Lung cancer is one of the major causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. DNA repair and damage response contribute to genomic instability that accompanies tumor progression. In this study, we focus on evaluating association between DNA repair polymorphisms of EXO1, RPA1, and prognosis in lung cancer patients whom received platinum-based chemotherapy. Methods. 593 lung cancer patients were recruited in this study. We performed genotyping of 19 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) by Sequenom MassARRAY. Cox regression analysis was used to assess overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) among SNP genotypes. Results. Significant differences in PFS and OS were observed in RPA1 rs5030740, EXO1 rs1776148, and rs1047840. Results showed that patients with CC genotype in rs5030740 (recessive model:

P
=
0.034

) had a better PFS. Patients with AA or/and AG genotypes in rs1776148 (additive model:

P
=
0.004

; dominant model:

P
=
0.048

) and AA genotype in rs1047840 (recessive model:

P
=
0.023

) had longer OS. We also demonstrated differences in subgroup analysis between rs5030740, rs1776148, rs1047840, and prognosis. Conclusions. Our results indicated that EXO1 rs1776148, rs1047840, and RPA1 rs5030740 were significantly associated with prognosis of lung cancer. Rs1776148, rs1047840, and rs5030740 may act as prognosis markers in lung cancer patients with platinum-based chemotherapy.