bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hubungan Fasilitas Rumah Sakit terhadap Perencanaan Instalasi Pengolahan Air Limbah: Studi Kasus Rumah Sakit Kabupaten Bombana, Sulawesi Tenggara
Authors: Wibowo Dwiprayogo , Wirawan Irfan , Rosdiana Rosdiana , Ilham Ilham
Published: December 2022

Pendekatan konseptual pembangunan Rumah Sakit (Rumkit) tentu berhubungan dengan pelayanan orang sakit di suatu daerah untuk meningkatkan derajat kesehatan masyarakat. Klasifikasi Rumkit diatur berdasarkan fasilitas dan kemampuan pelayanannya sehingga berdampak pada desain besaran kuantitas pengolahan air limbah yang direncanakan. Penelitian ini menunjukkan hubungan fasilitas Rumkit terhadap perencanaan pengembangan instalasi pengolahan air limbah (IPAL) di Rumkit Bombana, Kabupaten Bombana – Sulawesi Tenggara. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Rumkit Bombana masuk klasifikasi Rumkit Kelas C dengan jumlah tempat tidur pasien sebanyak 142 buah dan 152 pegawai aktif sehingga dapat diketahui penggunaan air keseluruhan perharinya bila kondisi semua aktif di Rumkit Bombana yaitu sebesar 122542 L/hari atau 122,542 m3/hari dengan total debit alir air limbah yang masuk ke saluran pembuangan terpusat sebesar 98,03 m3⁄hari atau 0,00113 m3⁄s. Selanjutnya, desain IPAL yang baru direncanakan sistem pengolahan biofilter terpusat berbentuk cuboid dengan 7 unit pengolahan yang masing-masing memiliki volume yaitu 6,72 m3 pemisahan minyak, 72,00 m3 ekualisasi, 27,00 m3 pengendap awal, 90,00 m3 biofilter anaerob dan 4,60 m3 aerob, 27,00 m3 pengendap akhir, dan 1,4 m3 kontaktor klorinasi yang dapat disederhanakan menjadi 5 segmen bak pengolahan. Sistem IPAL ini dipilih karena lebih mudah, murah, aman dan rendah biaya operasionalnya untuk standar Rumkit tipe C.
Konsep Whole of Government (WoG) Sebagai Solusi Permasalahan Pencemaran Aliran Sungai Dalam Bingkai Politik Hijau (Studi di Sungai Citarum)
Authors: DIAVANO ADAM
Published: December 2022

Permasalahan pencemaran aliran sungai sangat marak terjadi, hal tersebut  terjadi dikarenakan banyaknya masyarakat yang membuang air limbahnya dan sampahnya ke sungai. Oleh sebab itu banyak sungai yang kondisinya tercemar, padahal sungai memiliki peranan yang sangat penting. Sebenarnya sudah ada upaya yang dilakukan oleh pemerintah untuk menjaga kualitas aliran sungai, akan tetapi belum terkoordinir dengan baik. Tanpa adanya koordinasi maka permasalahan pencemaran sungai yang bersifat multi stakeholder tidak akan terselesaikan. Untuk menjawab permasalahan tersebut muncullah konsep Whole of Government, dimana Whole of Government adalah konsep yang berusaha menyatukan keseluruhan elemen dari pemerintah, swasta, dan masyarakat untuk mencapai sebuah tujuan. Dengan karakteristik tersebut, dirasa mampu untuk menjawab permasalahan utama dari pencemaran aliran sungai yaitu koordinasi. Tapi konsep Whole of Government masih sangat sedikit diterapkan untuk menangani permasalahan pencemaran aliran sungai. Minimnya pengimplementasian konsep Whole of Government dalam menangani permasalahan pencemaran aliran sungai, diindikasikan terjadi karena partai politik yang ada belum memasukkan Whole of Government kedalam alternatif cara untuk menangani permasalahan pencemaran aliran sungai. Untuk itu kita dapat meniru konsep Whole of Government yang diterapkan di Sungai Citarum. Dimana pemerintah pusat, pemerintah daerah, POLRI, TNI, dan kejaksaan saling bersinergi dan terintegrasi. Hasilnya Sungai Citarum dapat keluar dari status tercemar berat menjadi sedang
A Continuous-Time-Based MILP Model for Production and Transportation Scheduling in Nonpipelined Wells in Low-Permeability Oil Fields
Authors: Tan Chaodong , Kui Guofeng , Gao Xiaoyong , Zuo Xin , Li Yuze , Zuo Chuanshuai
Published: December 2022

The marginal wells in low-permeability oilfields are characterized by small storage size, scattered distribution, large regional span, low production, intermittent production, etc. The production mode of these wells is nonpipeline mode. In our previous work (Zhang et al., 2019), a novel mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model using a discrete-time representation was presented for the operation scheduling of nonpipelined wells. However, too many discretization time points are required to ensure the accuracy of the model. Even for moderately sized problems, computationally intractable models can arise. The present paper describes a new continuous-time representation method to reformulate this schedule optimization problem. By introducing the continuous-time representation, the binary variables are largely reduced. The solution effect for different model sizes is also investigated. When the model size increases to a certain degree, a feasible solution cannot be obtained within a limited time. The results of a case study originated from a real oilfield in China show that the continuous-time model requires less time to obtain the optimal solution compared to the discrete-time model. In details, considering a same scale problem, the solution based on the continuous-time model saves 52.25% of the time comparing with the discrete-time model. The comparison validates the new model’s superiority.
On the Use of Low-Frequency Distributed Acoustic Sensing Data for In-Well Monitoring and Well Integrity: Qualitative Interpretation
Authors: Haavik Kjetil E.
Published: December 2022

Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) is used to monitor production and injection wells in real time. Here we present theory, data examples, and interpretation of low-frequency (LF)-DAS data acquired on fiber-optic (FO) cables clamped to the production tubing. We show that these data give unprecedented insights into the well and serve as a tool for qualitative analysis of well integrity, well operations, and production. By understanding these data, we show that we, for example, can detect leaks, monitor valve performance, and detect the liquid level in Annulus A.

While in-well DAS’s sensitivity to changes in temperature over time is well known, its sensitivity to pressure and flow at low frequencies has not been well understood. Here, we show that the LF-DAS response is multifaceted and dependent on the fluid content of the different tubulars in a well, the casing, and completion design, and if a valve is open or closed. Very often a pressure response is seen due to an accompanied temperature effect; while this complicates the overall picture for quantitative data analysis, qualitative interpretation can be made simple. Understanding these processes in LF-DAS data forms the foundation for developing automated interpretation algorithms in the future.
Temperature-Triggered Release of Chromium Chloride from Nanocapsules for Controlled Burst Release and Gelation of Hydrolyzed Polyacrylamide to Plug High-Permeability Channels
Authors: Pu Jingyang , Zhang Na , Liu Quyang , Lin Meili , Luo Mingliang , Li Xu , Wu Jinbo , Yang Yuling , Wang Yang
Published: December 2022

Chromium(III) (Cr3+)-hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) gels have been applied extensively as blocking agents for sweep efficiency improvement. Previous studies focused on delaying the gelation time and ignored the diffusion of the crosslinkers during the transportation process. The gelation time of Cr3+-HPAM was too long to be controlled. This study systematically describes a novel approach of using thermoresponsive nanocapsules to precisely control the release of Cr3+. The nanocapsules are successfully prepared by a controlled nanoprecipitation of hydrophobic polymers [poly (methyl methacrylate)] (PMMA) and Pluronic® P-123 onto stable aqueous Cr3+ solution nanodroplets. The stable aqueous nanodroplets are obtained by double inverse miniemulsions with oil-soluble surfactant Span® 80. The nanoprecipitation occurs when heating the mixture at 50℃, which leads to the evaporation of solvent and precipitation of the PMMA into the interface of the aqueous droplets to form the shells. Pluronic P-123 is introduced to stabilize the double miniemulsion and enhance the precipitation efficiency of the shell polymer during the fabrication process. The fabricated nanocapsules show a size range from 211.9 to 297.2 nm depending on the feed contents of the Cr3+. The thermoresponsive function of Pluronic P-123 is studied and applied as a temperature-trigger on the shell. Gelation results show that the thermoresponsivity of Pluronic P-123 dominates the release rate rather than the diffusion rate through PMMA, which could be used to shorten the gelation interval time.
Hybrid Focusing Metric for Sound Speed Estimation in Photoacoustic Imaging Involving Layered Media
Authors: Yιldιrιm Ahmet , Mahmutoglu Aslι Nur , Karaaslan Berkay , Ozdemir Ozgur
Published: December 2022

Photoacoustic imaging techniques requires the knowledge of the speed of sound distribution of background which is not available prior to imaging process. The estimation of SoS in a layered media is a difficult task due to the nonlinearity of the wave propagation. In this work, we proposed a novel Hybrid Focusing Metric (HFM) for accurate image quality assessment in an autofocusing approach to estimate the speed of sound distribution of layered media. In the proposed metric, contrast resolution and spatial resolution information were combined into a novel hybrid focusing metric to enhance the image quality assessment by exploiting intensity-based focusing metrics and pixel count metrics. We have demonstrated that with HFM, the estimation accuracy is increased compared to the state-of-the-art metrics through numerical simulations using k-Wave toolbox.
Creating Measurement-Based Oil and Gas Sector Methane Inventories using Source-Resolved Aerial Surveys
Authors: Johnson Matthew , Conrad Bradley , Tyner David
Published: December 2022

We present a new framework for incorporating aerial measurements into comprehensive oil and gas sector methane inventories that achieves robust, independent quantification of measurement and sample size uncertainties, while providing timely source-level insights beyond what is possible in current official inventories. This “hybrid” inventory combines top-down, multi-pass aerial measurements with bottom-up estimates of unmeasured sources leveraging continuous probability of detection and quantification models for a chosen aerial technology. Notably, the combined Monte Carlo and “mirror-match” bootstrapping technique explicitly considers skewed source distributions and finite facility populations that have not been previously addressed. The protocol is demonstrated to produce a comprehensive upstream oil and gas sector methane inventory for British Columbia, Canada, which while approximately 1.7 times higher than the most recent official bottom-up inventory, reveals a lower methane intensity of produced natural gas (< 0.5%) than comparable estimates for several other regions. Finally, the developed method and data are used to upper bound the potential influence of source variability/intermittency on the overall inventory, directly addressing an open question in the literature. Results demonstrate that even for an extreme case, variability/intermittency effects can be addressed by sample size and survey design and have a minor impact on overall inventory uncertainty.
Impact of climate change on nomadic herders’ livelihoods: a case study of the Bakarwal tribe in the western Himalayas in India
Authors: Ahmed Sharief , Iqbal Zaffar , Antahal Prakash C.
Published: December 2022

This study quantifies the impact of climate change on the livelihoods of nomadic herders in the western Himalayas in India, who depend on natural resources for their livelihood, and are herding livestock. In this research paper, we collected primary data from 235 nomadic herders on their perceptions regarding the variables of climate change. We analysed the primary data using factor analysis and found that due to climate change, in the last few decades, nomads have experienced less and untimely rainfall and increased temperature, which ultimately results in the fallen growth of pasture, degraded quality and quantity of pasture, pasture plants being replaced by weedy plants, shrunken harvesting time of pasture, drying of sources of water in later days at winter residence, seasons have changed, experiencing unstable weather, and reduced grazing areas are bringing drought-like situationsin the area. Furthermore, this creates significant challenges in raising livestock with less pasture, and water availability, increased environmental diseaserisk bringing starvation and death of animals, falling the quality and quantity of milk, wool and meat, and loweringthe market price of final goods. This has had a serious impact on the economic activities of nomadic herders in the region. Climate change also forced the nomadic herders in the region to migrate early, which allowed them to face difficulties such as ice over mountain passes, less grass along the paths for grazing, unexpected avalanches, thunderstorms or hailstorms and intense rains on the way to uplands. Finally, this study brings to the notice of policymakers, climatologists, local governments, and animal health departments that climate change is endangering the life of nomadic herders, and we should develop appropriate plans to minimize the loss.
Morphological and Genetic Diversity of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Cultivars Grown in Pakistan and Identification of Novel Diversifying SNPs
Authors: Mehak Warda , Faqir Nadia , Saleem Kahkshan , Ahmad Mansoor , Farrakh Sumaira , Zeshan Muhammad , Muhammad Aish , Hyder Muhammad Zeeshan
Published: December 2022

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is an important food crop cultivated across the world for its nutritive values and food security. Potato has huge genetic diversity contributed by different cultivars that are grown globally. The objective of this research was to evaluate morphological and genetic variation in potato cultivars grown in Pakistan through sequencing of selected mitochondrial and nuclear genes and some morphological characteristics. Seventeen morphological traits of six different cultivars were analyzed for morphological characterization. All cultivars exhibited variation in their morphological characteristics. DNA fragments of Malate dehydrogenase (~ 940bp) and Beta carotene hydrogenase 2 (~ 1400bp) from nuclear genome and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 2 gene from mitochondrial genome were sequenced. The molecular analysis has revealed the near complete identity among cultivars for Beta carotene hydrogenase 2 and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 2. Sequence analysis of Malate dehydrogenase has revealed the presence of three novel SNPs. An insertion of 13 nucleotide was also present in three cultivars. The cluster analysis has revealed two groups placing Cosmo and Hermes in one group and remaining four varieties in the separate group based on sequence data. Grouping of the cultivars based on morphological traits is different from those based on the genes studied thus showing no direct relation of the said genes with qualitative morphological traits.
Repeatability and agreement of two swept-source optical coherence tomographers and Scheimpflug imaging for measurements of corneal curvature
Authors: Cheng Shiming , Zhang Jiasheng , Zhou Kaijing , Li Tiantian , Lin Junhai , Yu A-Yong
Published: December 2022

Purpose: To evaluate the repeatability and agreement of two swept-source optical coherence tomographers and Scheimpflug imaging for corneal curvature in healthy subjects.
Methods: Simulated keratometry (SimK), posterior keratometry (Kp), total corneal power (TCP), and total corneal astigmatism(TCA) were measured with CASIA2, Anterion, and Pentacam. Within-subject standard deviation (Sw), repeatability coefficient (RC), coefficient of variation (CoV), and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were used to assess inter-device repeatability. Bland-Altman analysis was performed to determine inter-device agreement.
Results: Three devices showed good repeatability for SimK, Kp, and TCP with all the ICC > 0.980. Pentacam showed the highest repeatability while the CASIA2 revealed the lowest repeatability for SimK and TCP. Anterion and CASIA2 revealed better repeatability for Kp than Pentacam. Pentacam and Anterion showed good repeatability for TCA, whereas the CASIA2 showed moderate repeatability. Three instruments demonstrated good agreement with the maximum absolute 95% Limits of agreement (LoA) of 1.00 D for SimK, Kp, and TCP. Wide LoA were found between for TCA with the maximum absolute 95% LoA ≥0.66 D between the three devices.
Conclusions: Three devices illustrated good repeatability for SimK, Kp, and TCP. Both Anterion and Pentacam showed good repeatability for TCA while CASIA2 displayed moderate repeatability. Good agreement was found for SimK, Kp, and TCP but not for TCA.
Isolation, Identification, and Antibiogram of Staphylococcus from Paper Currency and Meat Collected from Butcher House, Restaurant and Abattoir in Jimma Town, South Western Ethiopia
Authors: Wodajo Samuel , Kabeta Tadele
Published: December 2022

Background: Staphylococcus infections remains a global problem and cause significant morbidity and mortality both in animals and humans. Contaminated meat and paper currency surfaces play a key role in the spread of bacterial infections with antibiotic resistance.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with the objective of isolation and identification of Staphylococcus species from Ethiopian paper currency notes and raw meat handled by the butcher, restaurant and abattoir workers and to determine antimicrobial susceptibility test. A total of 243 samples (135 raw types of meat and 108 paper currency) were examined by biochemical tests for the presence of Staphylococcus species.
Results: From a total of 243 collected samples, 26.7% and 64.8 % were found positive isolates of raw meats and paper currency notes respectively. An overall prevalence of 43.6%(106) was recorded. The highest prevalence was observed 39(72.2%) in Hermata merkato kebele whereas the lowest was 3 (11.1%) in Ifabula. Variation within the source of the sample was statistically significant (P<0.05). Of these isolates, 30 selected isolates were tested for antibiotic susceptibility test. Thirty(100%) isolates were susceptible to chloramphenicol. There is no isolate that was sensitive to all four selected antimicrobials (Penicillin G, Gentamycin, chloramphenicol, and Tetracycline). Six isolates of meat (50%) were resistant to penicillin G. which indicates its emerging animal and public health problem.
Conclusions: The finding indicated the presence of antibiotics resistance Staphylococcus species contamination of meat and paper currency birr. Awareness creation is paramount important for people working on the food chain to reduce cross contamination of food and prevent foodborne intoxication.
Epithelial CRL4 DCAF2 is critical for maintaining intestinal homeostasis by regulating the proliferation and repair of intestinal epithelial cells
Authors: Zhang Yu , Wang Chaohui , lexi Wu , Bai Chenhao , Huang Kaituo , Yao Lingya , Zhang Zhou , Ye Lingna , Liu Rongbei , Ge Xiaolong , Xu Mengque , Xiao Peng , Zhao Yuan , Cao Qian
Published: December 2022

Background & Aims: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is becoming more and more popular in the whole wide world. Intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction is an important step to IBD while the mechanisms are not fully understood. This study aimed to clarify the function of CRL4DCAF2, an E3 ligase, in maintaining intestinal homeostasis.
Methods: Expression of CRL4DCAF2 was evaluated in colon samples taken from IBD patients and healthy people. CRL4DCAF2 conditional knockdown in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) mice (DCAF2EKD) were constructed. DCAF2EKD and their littermate control (DCAF2EWT) were treated with dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) to induce acute colitis. Transcriptome analysis was performed on inflamed colon samples taken from the mice. Cell cycle molecules were evaluated by real-time PCR while tight junction proteins and apoptosis proteins were examined by immunofluorescence and western blot.
Results: CRL4DCAF2 was significantly decreased in the inflamed IBD epithelium, and low expression of CRL4DCAF2 associated with high recurrence risk. Mouse with DCAF2 specific knockout in IECs suffer from embryonic death. Multiple genes involved in cell proliferation, immune response and gap junction were differentially expressed in inflamed colon from DCAF2EKD compared to DCAF2EWT. Among these, in mice, conditional downregulation of CRL4DCAF2 in the intestinal epithelium induced primarily epithelial damage, increased intestinal permeability and diminished tight junction proteins expression. From in vivo and in vitro cell transfection experiments, we found CRL4DCAF2 promoted the proliferation by promoting p21 ubiquitination and degradation thus releasing its inhibition on G2/M cell cycle. In addition, CRL4DCAF2 can also inhibit IEC apoptosis and advance cell autophagy.
Conclusions: CRL4DCAF2 downregulation in IECs promotes intestinal barrier dysfunction postpones IECs renewal thus made it more Susceptible to inflammation.
Streptomyces alleviate abiotic stress in plant by producing pteridic acids
Authors: Yang Zhijie , Strøbech Emil , Qiao Yijun , Konakalla Naga Charan , Harris Pernille , Peschel Gundela , Rosenbaum Miriam , Weber Tilmann , Andreasson Erik , Ding Ling
Published: December 2022

Soil microbiota can confer fitness advantages to plants and increase crop resilience to drought and other abiotic stressors. However, there is little evidence on the mechanisms correlating a microbial trait with plant abiotic stress tolerance. Here, we report that a class of Streptomyces effectively alleviates the drought and salinity stress by producing new spiroketal polyketide pteridic acid H (1) and its isomer F (2). The bifunctional pteridic acid (pta) biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC), which is also responsible for the biosynthesis of the known antimicrobial elaiophylin, was confirmed by bioinformatic analysis and in vivo CRISPR base editing. Pteridic acids H and F exhibited profound effects in promoting root growth in Arabidopsis at a concentration of 0.5 ng mL-1 (1.3 nM) under abiotic stress, indicating they are a new class of plant stress regulators. Phylogenetic and geographical distribution analysis revealed that the pta BGC was mainly disseminated by vertical transmission and occasional horizontal gene transfer and is widely distributed in numerous Streptomyces in different environments. This discovery reveals a new perspective for understanding plant-Streptomyces interactions and provides a novel, promising approach for utilising beneficial Streptomyces and their secondary metabolites in agriculture to mitigate the detrimental effects of climate change.
Is Capital Income Unfairer than Labor Income: Evidence from Inequality of Opportunity in China
Authors: Zhang Zhipeng , Tang Jie
Published: December 2022

This paper provides a novel perspective to evaluate distributive justice in capital income. Using China Household Financial Survey (CHFS) data from 2013 to 2017, we estimate the inequality of opportunity (IOp) as a share of total inequality for both labor and capital income to determine its ethical fairness. This paper contributes to the literature on IOp by providing a novel perspective from income composition. It also updates the lower-bound of capital income (share) from the household level in China. We find that the distribution of capital income is actually less ethically offensive than labor income by about 50%, despite the more uneven distribution of capital income. The more polarized but fairer distribution of capital income is robust not only in alternative income proxy variables but also across hukou types and regions of residence. The gap between the IOp level in labor and capital income, however, is decreasing over time.
The diagnostic value of an automated analysis of structural brain volumes in MRIn-MTLE patients
Authors: Kukun Hanjiaerbieke , Jia Wenxiao , Yang Fan , Ding Shuang , Zhang Haotian , Wang Yunling
Published: December 2022

Background
To explore the alterations of brain region volumes in magnetic resonance-negative temporal lobe epilepsy patients, we constructed a classification model based on volume parameters and analyzed its classification efficacy.
Methods
T1-weighted images of magnetic resonance-negative temporal lobe epilepsy (MRIn-MTLE) patients and healthy controls were retrospectively analyzed, and the volumes of brain regions were segmented and calculated using FreeSurfer software to compare ipsilateral volumes among patients of different gender. Feature Explorer software based on Pyradiomics was used to construct a classification model based on volume parameters and analyze the classification efficacy.
Results
There were differences in the volumes of several brain regions on the left and right sides in both the heathy control (HC) group and MRIn-MTLE patients; these differences were significant (P < 0.05). In males, the estimated total intracranial volume(eTIV) and volumes of pars opercularis, rostral middle frontal gyrus, caudal middle frontal gyrus, superior frontal gyrus of left hemisphere in HC group were larger than in MRIn-MTLE group; in females, the eTIV and volumes of caudal middle frontal gyrus, precentral gyrus, post central gyrus of left hemisphere and caudal middle frontal gyrus, isthmus of cingulate gyrus, posterior cingulate gyrus, precentral gyrus, temporal pole, inferior temporal gyrus, cuneus, entorhinal cortex of right hemisphere were smaller in MRIn-MTLE patients compared with the HC group (P < 0.05). The model’s classification efficacy reached 0.780 AUC, and accuracy of 0.721.
Conclusions
MRIn-MTLE patients have volume reductions in multiple brain regions, and these differences differ in male and female, which indicates MRIn-MTLE might has different impact based on gender, our further studies should take gender differences in the volume of brain structures into account, while further investigating the physiological or anatomical basis of the differences. Volume parameters can be used as classification features to construct patient classification models.
Antithrombotic and Prohemorrhagic Actions of Different Concentrations of Apixaban in Patients Exposed to Single and Dual Antiplatelet Regimens
Authors: Martinez-Sanchez Julia , Castrillo Leticia , Jerez Didac , Torramade-Moix Sergi , Palomo Marta , Mendieta Guiomar , Moreno-Castaño Ana Belén , Zafar M. Urooj , Badimon Juan Jose , Diaz-Ricart Maribel , Escolar Gines , Roqué Mercè
Published: December 2022

BACKGROUND: Treatment with triple antithrombotic therapies increases bleeding risks.
AIM: We evaluated the antithrombotic and prohemorrhagic actions of different concentrations of apixaban (APIX) in healthy donors and patients exposed to currently used antiplatelet regimens.
METHODS: 25 healthy subjects and 53 patients treated with aspirin (ASA, n=21), ASA and clopidogrel (ASA+CLOPI, n=11), or ASA and ticagrelor (ASA+TICA, n=21) participated in the study. Blood samples from participants were spiked ex vivo with apixaban 0 (APIX0), 40 (APIX40), and 160 ng/mL (APIX160). We assessed the effects of APIX on 1) clot formation, by ROTEM thromboelastometry; 2) thrombin generation primed by platelets; and 3) platelet and fibrin interactions with a thrombogenic surface, in a microfluidic model with circulating blood.
RESULTS: APIX caused dose-related prolongations of clotting time with minimal impact on other ROTEM parameters. Thrombin generation was significantly inhibited by APIX160 and moderately affected by the antiplatelets, with ASA+TICA actions being the strongest among them (p<0.01 vs APIX0). Confocal analysis of microfluidic studies showed the additional inhibitory effect of the APIX160 to the antiplatelet therapies. APIX160 was the more potent at suppressing platelet and fibrin interactions (p<0.001 vs. APIX0). APIX40 showed a consistent antithrombotic action but with a favorable protective effect on the structural quality of fibrin.
CONCLUSIONS: APIX potentiated the antithrombotic effects of current antiplatelet regimens. APIX at 40 ng/mL, enhanced the antithrombotic action of single or dual antiplatelet regimens but appears more conservative for hemostasis than the concentrations of 160 ng/mL that corresponds to the Cmax reached after the standard dose for thromboprophylaxis.
LncRNA HULC promotes the proliferation, migration, and invasion of glioblastoma cells through microRNA-128- and tenascin-R-mediated regulation of PI3K/AKT pathway
Authors: Wang Yiran , Hu Yuchen , Li Qian , Ye Shan , Yin Tiantian , Wu Jing , He Jie
Published: December 2022

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an extremely aggressive and malignant tumor of the central nervous system in adults. Therefore, understanding its pathogenesis is urgently needed. This study aimed to investigate the role of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) highly upregulated in liver cancer (HULC) in GBM. The levels of lncRNA HULC and proteins in PI3K/AKT pathway in GBM tissues were measured. Kaplan–Meier method was used to analyze the survival. An in-vivo tumor xenograft model in mice was constructed and monitored. In GBM SGH44 and U87 cells, the proliferation, migration, invasion, cell cycle and apoptosis, cellular expression of proteins in PI3K/AKT pathway, and that of lncRNA HULC and microRNA (miR)-128 were determined. The interactions between lncRNA HULC, miR-128, and tenascin-R (TNR) were verified. The result showed lncRNA HULC was an oncogene that can promote cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in human GBM tissue, orthotopic transplantation in mice, and GBM cell lines. LncRNA HULC was further confirmed to affect TNR expression via sponging miR-128 and activating the PI3K/AKT pathway to promote cell proliferation in GBM. LncRNA HULC can affect the expression of TNR protein, activate the PI3K/AKT pathway, promote GBM cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and inhibit apoptosis mediated by miR-128.
The Q-Day Dilemma and the Quantum Supremacy/Advantage Conjecture
Authors: Raheman Fazal
Published: December 2022

When Shakespeare averred, “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”, we precisely knew the attributes associated with this thing called “ROSE.” But do we really know what Quantum supremacy1 or Quantum advantage2 exactly entails in Quantum Computing (QC) space, except that latter appears more politically correct than the former? How do we achieve the supremacy or advantage unless we precisely know what threshold needs to be reached to qualify? Can that threshold be totally oblivious to ethics and humane interests? What good a nuclear chain reaction is, if it cannot be controlled to serve humanity? In the same breadth definition of quantum advantage cannot be just limited to achieving algorithmic superiority over legacy computing systems, particularly when a section of the experts attribute catastrophic threat3 that unrestrained QC may cause by collapsing the current cryptographic infrastructure4 resulting in amplified existential risk to humanity.5 These predictions are relevant only if QCs become commercially viable and deployable in the service of humanity. No technology can be a one-way ticket to catastrophe, and neither can the definition of superiority of that technology be. If at all there are catastrophic risks, QC can never enter public domain as a minimum viable product (MVP) unless there are safeguards in place. So obviously those safeguards should become an integral part of the definition of its superiority over the conventional computers and a standard to be met to pass the MVP threshold. NIST (National Institute of Standards & Technology) is pursuing the standardization of Post Quantum Cryptography (PQC) as that safeguard,6 but with 80th of the 82 candidate PQCs recently failing7 and companies already offering QC as a service, there is an urgent need for an alternate strategy. Our research proposes a novel encryption agnostic approach8 to safeguard QC,9 and articulates a comprehensive definition of an MVP that can potentially set a gold standard for defining commercially viable quantum advantage over the traditional computing.
Discovery of novel serum biomarkers of gliomas by proximity extension assay
Authors: Ghorbani Atefeh , Avery Lisa M. , Sohaei Dorsa , Richer Maxime , Horbinski Craig , McCortney Katy , Xu Wei , Diamandis Eleftherios P. , Prassas Ioannis , Soosaipillai Andrea
Published: December 2022

BackgroundGliomas are among the most malignant tumors, with a very poor prognosis. Early diagnosis is highly desirable since it can help implement more effective treatments for smaller tumors, which have not yet extensively metastasized. Improving early diagnosis may facilitate access of patients to clinical trials and prepare them for the future availability of new disease-modifying treatments.Methods:We analyzed retrospective samples collected at diagnosis (before therapy initiation), with PEA (Olink Proteomics), quantifying about 3,000 proteins. We utilized 30 plasmas from gliomas (20 glioblastomas, 5 anaplastic astrocytomas, 5 anaplastic oligodendrogliomas) and 20 meningiomas (as controls). We then analyzed the data to identify proteins which either alone, or in combination, could discriminate gliomas from meningiomas, or correlate with clinical and molecular alterations.Results:We identified 8 plasma proteins which were increased in gliomas vs. meningiomas (GFAP, NEFL, EDDM3B, PROK1, MMP3, CTRL, GP2, SPINT3) and 4 proteins which were decreased in gliomas vs. meningiomas (FABP4, ALDH3A1, IL-12B and OXT). Partition algorithms and logistic regression algorithms with two biomarkers (GFAP and FABP4) achieved sensitivity of 83% and 93% at 100% and 90% specificity, respectively. The strongest single marker was GFAP with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.86. The AUC for the GFAP-FABP4 combination was 0.98.Conclusion:PEA is a powerful new proteomic technology for biomarker discovery. GFAP and a handful of other plasma biomarkers may be useful for early glioma detection and probably, prognosis.
Detailed Immune Profiling in Pediatric Chrohn’s Disease Using Methylation Cytometry
Authors: Reynolds Samuel R. , Salas Lucas A. , Chen Ji-Qing , Christensen Brock C.
Published: December 2022

DNA methylation has been extensively utilized to study epigenetic patterns across many diseases as well as to deconvolve blood cell type proportions. This study builds upon previous studies examining methylation patterns in pediatric patients with varying stages of Crohn’s disease to extend the immune profiling of these patients using a novel deconvolution approach. Compared with control subjects, we observed significantly decreased levels of CD4 memory and naive, CD8 naive, and natural killer cells and elevated neutrophil levels in Crohn’s disease. In addition, Chrohn’s patients had a significantly elevated neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio. Using an epigenome-wide association approach and adjusting for potential confounders, including cell type, we observed 397 differentially methylated CpG (DMC) sites associated with Crohn’s disease. The top genetic pathway associated with the DMCs was the regulation of arginine metabolic processes which are involved in the regulation of T cells.
Competition and cooperation in sociophysical settings: Simulation of a strategic model
Authors: Dutta Kishore , Talukdar Dhritiman
Published: December 2022

Dynamical processes as diverse as expansion, coalescence, interaction, diffusion, and disintegration, act not only upon physical systems under different circumstances but also upon social systems across their vast spatio-temporal scales. How the process of invasion in unison with the defensive skills shape the imperial growth and collapse as a consequence of vicious warfare and assimilation, could be understood as an interplay between competition and cooperation. Here we raise the question: how can the consequences of deceptive invasion be understood and quantified in terms of the interplay between such competition and cooperation? By embedding sets of radical sensory inputs and historic invasion rules in an artificial empire, here we reveal through in-silico experiments how the great empires were able to withstand the deceptive invasion and how the defeat and victory are related to the strategy of deception as well as the defensive manoeuvres. Within the competing dynamics of the optimal defensive structure we find that the deceptive invasion favours slower invaders, as observed in the evolution of other cooperatively growing populations Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 208104 (2015)]. Our assay might motivate to design systems for defeating deception in widely diverse arena of the biosphere and would help building a more viable social network model for evolutionary analysis.
Changes of platelet morphology, ultrastructure and function in patients with acute ischemic stroke based on super- resolution microscopy
Authors: Yang Bingxin , Wang Xifeng , Hu Xiaoyu , Xiao Yao , Xu Xueyu , Yu Xiaomei , Wang Min , Luo Honglian , Li Jun , Ma Yan , Shen Wei
Published: December 2022

There still require more detail information of platelet ultrastructure and antiplatelet drug choices in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients. These are restricted by microscopic limitations and sensitivity of platelet. The new super-resolution microscope (SIM) can accurately, quickly analyze platelet. We applied SIM to observe the morphology and ultrastructure of platelets with AIS patients in four different states. Analyzing SIM images to quantification the change of dense granules and α granules in platelets. Testing platelet factor 4 (PF4) to reflect platelet granule function. We speculated that the diameter of platelets, average size of granules, area% of granules per field and mean area of granules per platelet in AIS patient were lower than healthy people in rest stage. Under activated state, α granule of AIS patients showed a pattern of parenchymatousfluorescent masses. Platelet granule function was suppressed at rest stage and showed hyper-responsiveness after stimulation in AIS patients. 2MeSamp has a stronger inhibition effect to α granules of platelets than aspirin. According to the results, there are heterogeneity in the structure and function of platelets in AIS patients. Additionally, analyzing platelets based on SIM could be used as a new method to indicates the onset of AIS and assess antiplatelet drugs.
Water quality index and sanitary inspection as tools to assess water quality in supply systems
Authors: Ribeiro André V. C. , Oliveira Guilherme V , Machado Maicon C , Barrocas Paulo R. G. , Oliveira Jaime
Published: December 2022

One of the challenges in ensuring safe drinking water is to improve its quality from that of raw water to the consumption points. This study assessed the security of a water supply system used by a military base (MB) located on the Rio de Janeiro coast, Brazil. This security was evaluated using two tools: water quality indices (Brazilian and Canadian indices) and structured sanitary inspection. The quality of the water source was classified as “good” according to both indices. However, the water consumed was categorized as “bad” as per the Canadian Index. Sanitary inspection showed weaknesses in the supply system. The MB's drinking water supply system was not safe, presenting a high-level risk and requiring urgent mitigation measures. Therefore, the tools used in this study were found to be suitable for assessing water-supply systems.
Therapeutic effects of a standardized-flavonoid Diospyros kaki L.f. leaf extract on transient focal cerebral ischemia-induced brain injury in mice
Authors: Nguyen Loan Thanh Thi , Le Xoan Thi , Pham Hang Nguyet Thi , Nguyen Tai Van , Nguyen Phuong Thi , Pham Anh Van Thi , Nguyen Thu Bich Thi , Matsumoto Kinzo
Published: December 2022

This study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective and therapeutic effects of Diospyros kaki L.f. leaves (DK) on transient focal cerebral ischemic injury and underlying mechanisms using a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model of mice. The animals received the MCAO operation on day 0. The daily administrations of DK (50 and 100 mg/kg, p.o) and edaravone (6 mg/kg, i.v), a reference drug with radical scavenging activity, were started 7 days before (pre-treatment) or immediately after the MCAO operation (post-treatment) and continued during the experimental period. Histochemical, biochemical, and neurological changes were analysed from days 1 to 4, while cognitive performance was evaluated on day 12 after MCAO. MCAO caused cerebral infarction and neuronal cell loss in the cortex, striatum, and hippocampus in a manner accompanied by spatial cognitive deficits. These neurological and cognitive impairments caused by MCAO were significantly attenuated by pre- and post-ischemic treatments with DK and edaravone, suggesting that DK, like edaravone, has therapeutic potential for cerebral ischemia-induced brain damage. DK and edaravone suppressed MCAO-induced changes in biomarkers for apoptosis (TUNEL positive cell number and cleaved caspase-3 protein expression) and oxidative stress (glutathione and malondialdehyde contents) in the brain. Interestingly, DK, but not edaravone, mitigated an increase in blood-brain permeability and down-regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-mediated signalling caused by MCAO. These results indicate that DK exerts neuroprotective and therapeutic activity against transient focal cerebral ischemia-induced injury probably by suppressing oxidative stress, apoptotic process, and mechanisms impairing blood-brain barrier integrity in the brain.
Application of Taylor Wavelets in Computation of Solution of Delay Differential Equations
Authors: Yadav Kailash , Piriadarshani D , Kavitha G. , Shekhar Himanshu Shekhar Himanshu
Published: December 2022

In this paper, Taylor Wavelets Technique (TWT) is applied to solve delay differential equation (DDE). Convergence and error estimation are defined using TWT and examples were given to support our results in computation of DDE for several different parameters. It is indicated that the suggested method is the suitable one for obtaining solution of a different classes of DDE which have been considered in a strong manner in current areas in several field of science and engineering.
The role of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and gender in the frequency of orthorexia nervosa in medical students: A web-based, cross-sectional study
Authors: Tanrıverdi Esra Çınar , Nas Mehmet Akif
Published: December 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to determine medical students' tendency to ON and investigate the role of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and gender on these attitudes.
Methods: This descriptive study was conducted with 822 medical students. The data were collected via an online survey. The sociodemographic information form, ORTO-11 scale and Maudsley Obsessive Compulsive Symptom (MOCS) Inventory were used as data collection forms.
Results: The average age of the students was 20.57±2,071 (18-32), and 50.7% (n=417) were female. Orthorexia tendency was detected 19%. A significant relationship was found between the ORTO-11 and MOCS scores of the students in the opposite direction (P=0.000). There was no significant difference between ORTO-11 and MOCS scores according to gender and years of training. Participants who did not eat at night, did not consume packaged food, looked at the expiration date and content of the food, and had regular meals had significantly lower ORTO-11 scores. There was no significant relationship between the mean body mass index of the students and their ORTO-11 and MOCS scores (P>0.05 for all).
Conclusion: The study results show that the tendency to ON is high in medical students. ON is more common in students with obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and interventions to correct obsessive-compulsive symptoms should also be planned in the fight against ON.
Level of evidence: Level V, cross-sectional, descriptive study
Federated Ensembles: a literature review
Authors: Daalen Florian , Ippel Lianne , Dekker Andre , Bermejo Inigo
Published: December 2022

Federated learning (FL) allows machine learning algorithms to be applied to decentralized data when data sharing is not an option due to privacy concerns. Ensemble-based learning works by training multiple (weak) classifiers whose output is aggregated. Federated ensembles are ensembles applied to a federated setting, where each classifier in the ensemble is trained on one data location. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the published literature on federated ensembles, their applications, the methods used, the challenges faced, the proposed solutions and their comparative performance. We searched for publications on federated ensembles on five databases (ACM Digital Library, IEEE, arXiv, Google scholar and Scopus) published after 2016. We found 26 articles describing studies either proposing federated ensemble applications or comparing federated ensembles to other federated learning approaches. Federated ensembles were used for a wide varied applications beyond classification. Advocates of federated ensemble mentioned their ability to handle local biases in data. In comparison to federated learning approaches, federated ensembles underperformed in small sample sizes and highly class imbalanced settings. Only 10 articles discussed privacy guarantees or additional privacy preserving techniques. Federated ensembles represent an interesting alternative to federated averaging algorithms that is inherently privacy preserving. They have proved their versatility but remain underutilized.
Health system encounters after loss to cardiology follow-up among patients with congenital heart disease
Authors: Wright Brandon , Fassler Carly , Tumin Dmitry , Sarno Lauren A.
Published: December 2022

Objectives
Many patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) are lost to cardiology follow-up, but may continue to receive care from other clinics or facilities in the same health system. We analyzed receipt of care at other locations within a single rural academic health system after loss to follow-up in a pediatric cardiology clinic.
Material and methods
Patients with CHD seen in the clinic during 2018 and subsequently lost to cardiology follow-up were included in the study. Subsequent visits to other locations, including other subspecialty clinics, primary care clinics, the emergency department (ED), and the hospital, were tracked through 2020.
Results
Of 235 patients (median age 7 years, 136/99 female/male), 96 (41%) were seen elsewhere in the health system after loss to cardiology follow-up, most commonly by other subspecialty clinics or in the ED. Patients with medical comorbidities, Medicaid insurance, and those living closer to the clinic were most likely to continue receiving care within the same health system.
Conclusions
Patients with CHD are frequently lost to cardiology follow-up. Our study supports collaboration across specialties and between cardiology clinics and affiliated EDs to identify patients with CHD who have been lost to cardiology follow-up but remain in contact with the health system. A combination of in-person and remote outreach to these patients may help them re-establish cardiology care.