bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CvT Fault Diagnosis Method of Manifold Sensitive Modal Matrix Under Variable Speed
Authors: DeChen Hao , Li HuaLing , Huang JinYing
Published: September 2021

Rotating machinery (RM) is one of the most common mechanical equipment in engineering applications and has a broad and vital role. Rotating machinery includes gearboxes, bearing motors, generators, etc. In industrial production, the important position of rotating machinery and its variable speed and complex working conditions lead to unstable vibration characteristics, which have become a research hotspot in mechanical fault diagnosis. Aiming at the multi-classification problem of rotating machinery with variable speed and complex working conditions, this paper proposes a fault diagnosis method based on the construction of improved sensitive mode matrix (ISMM), isometric mapping (ISOMAP) and Convolution-Vision Transformer network (CvT) structure. After overlapping and sampling the variable speed signals, a high-dimensional ISMM is constructed, and the ISMM is mapped into the manifold space through ISOMAP manifold learning. This method can extract the fault transient characteristics of the variable speed signal, and the experiment proves that it can solve the problem that the conventional method cannot effectively extract the characteristics of the variable speed data. CvT combines the advantages of self-attention mechanism and convolution in CNN, so the CvT network structure is used for feature extraction and fault recognition and classification. The CvT network structure takes into account both global feature extraction and local feature extraction, which greatly reduces the number of training iterations and the size of the network model. Two data sets (the HFXZ-I planetary gearbox variable speed data set in the laboratory and the bearing variable speed public data set of the University of Ottawa in Canada) are used to experimentally verify the proposed fault diagnosis model. Experimental results show that the proposed fault diagnosis model has good recognition accuracy and robustness.
Incidence of unlicensed and off-label medication prescriptions at the Department of Paediatrics: what has changed after seven years?
Authors: Matalová Petra , Belfínová Lucie , Vrbicová Kristýna , Fürstová Jana , Wawruch Martin , Urbánek Karel
Published: September 2021

BackgroundMany common drugs have not been registered for use in children. Therefore, they are sometimes prescribed as unlicensed or off-label. This study, performed at the Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital Olomouc, Czech Republic, evaluated off-label and unlicensed prescriptions. A similar study, conducted in 2013 by the same authors (P. Matalová – maiden name P. Langerová), showed that the number of off-label and unlicensed prescriptions was relatively low, compared to other studies. The goal of this study was to compare the frequency of off-label and unlicensed drug prescriptions, and to assess whether these prescriptions have declined.MethodsThe study evaluated the incidence of unlicensed and off-label prescriptions at the Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital Olomouc during a period of six months. A total of 10,710 prescriptions for 5,243 children were processed.Results In our previous study, performed from January to June 2012, a total of 8,559 prescriptions for 4,282 children were processed. Off-label and unlicensed prescriptions were found in 9.01% and 1.26% of all prescriptions, respectively. Unlicensed prescriptions were significantly more common in boys (1.5%) than in girls (1.0%). Seven years later, the same study in the same months was performed to ascertain the development in prescribing practice. In the 2019 study, the total number of prescriptions and patients was higher (18.8% vs. 22.2%, respectively) as was the number of off-label and unlicensed prescriptions (11.1% and 1.7%, respectively).ConclusionsThis study shows that the incidence of unlicensed and off-label drug prescriptions is not high, but paediatricians should avoid exposing children to unnecessary risks as well as depriving them of potentially effective pharmacotherapy. The goal was to highlight the need for clinical trials in paediatrics and to determine in which drugs the demand for also being registered for younger children is highest. The number of off-label and unlicensed prescriptions indicates a gap in registration processes and should provide a clue as to which drugs are candidates for having their SPCs changed.
Administration of antenatal corticosteroids for singleton preterm birth in China, 2017 to 2018
Authors: Wang Qing , Jiang Siyuan , Hu Xuefeng , Chen Chao , Cao Yun , Lee Shoo Kim , Liu Jiang-Qin
Published: September 2021

Background

The administration of antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) to women who are at risk of preterm birth has been proven to reduce not only the mortality, but also the major morbidities of the preterm infants. The rate of ACS and the risk factors associated with ACS use in Chinese population is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the rate of ACS use and the associated perinatal factors in the tertiary maternal centers of China.
Methods

Data for this retrospective observational study came from a clinical database of preterm infants established by REIN-EPIQ trial. All infants born at <34 weeks of gestation and admitted to 18 tertiary maternal centers in China from 2017 to 2018 were enrolled. Any dose of dexamethasone was given prior to preterm delivery was recorded and the associated perinatal factors were analyzed.
Results

The rate of ACS exposure in this population was 71.2% (range 20.2% – 92%) and the ACS use in these 18 maternal centers varied from 20.2–92.0% in this period. ACS exposure was higher among women with preeclampsia, caesarean section delivery, antibiotic treatment and who delivered infants with lower gestational age and small for gestational age. ACS use was highest in the 28-31 weeks gestational age group, and lowest in the under 26 weeks of gestational age group (x2=65.478, P < 0.001). ACS exposure was associated with lower odds of bronchopulmonary dysplasia or death (OR, 0.778; 95% CI 0.661 to 0.916) and invasive respiration requirement (OR, 0.668; 95% CI 0.585 to 0.762) in this population.
Conclusion

The ACS exposure was variable among maternity hospitals and quality improvement of ACS administration is warranted.
Genetic polymorphisms of pharmacogenomic VIP variants in Chinese Lisu population
Authors: Lu Hongyan , Wang Yuliang , Zhang Zhanhao , Xing Shishi , Li Dandan , Wang Li , Jin Tianbo
Published: September 2021

IntroductionThe specificity of drug therapy in individuals and races has promoted the development and improvement of pharmacogenomics and precision medicine. While there is a few cognition on the minorities in China, especially in Lisu nationality from the Yunnan Province. Therefore, we performed the research to improve the role of pharmacogenomics in the Lisu population from the Yunnan province of China.Materials and MethodsIn our study, 54 variants of very important pharmacogenes (VIPs) selected from the PharmGKB database were genotyped in 199 unrelated and healthy Lisu adults from the Yunnan province of China, and then, genotyping data wtih χ2 test were analyzed.ResultsWe compared our date with those of other 26 populations from the 1000 Genomes Project, and acquired that the Lisu ethnicity is similar with the CDX(Chinese Dai in Xishuangbanna, China) and CHS(Southern Han Chinese, China). Furthermore, rs776746 (CYP3A5), rs1805123 (KCNH2), rs4291 (ACE), rs1051298 (SLC19A1) and rs1065852 (CYP2D6) were deemed as the most varying loci. The MAF of “G” at rs1805123 (KCNH2) in the Lisu population was the largest with the value of 51.0%.ConclusionsOur results show that there are significant differences in SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) loci, supplementing the pharmacogenomic information of the Lisu population in Yunnan province, China, and can provide a theoretical basis for individualized medication in the future.
Development of an elicitation strategy on enhanced accumulation of oleanolic acid in suspension cultures of Ocimum tenuiflorum L.
Authors: Sharan Swati , Sarin Neera Bhalla , Mukhopadhyay Kunal
Published: September 2021

Ocimum tenuiflorum Linn. is an important aromatic medicinal plant which produces several secondary metabolites responsible for diverse pharmacological activities. The present study focuses on enhanced production of biomass as well as oleanolic acid (OA), an anticancer and antioxidant compound, in suspension cell cultures of O. tenuiflorum upon elicitation with different elicitors. Leaf explants derived friable calli were inoculated intol iquid Murashige and Skoog (MS) media containing plant growth regulators [0.25 mg/L of α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 0.5 mg/L of 6-benzyl amino purine (BAP)] for the establishment of suspension cultures. Influence of several factors such as, age of the suspension cultures, different concentrations, and exposure times of various elicitors such as yeast extract (YE), methyl jasmonate (MeJ) and salicylic acid (SA) respectively were analysed for cell biomass production and accumulation of OA during this study. Among the elicitors tested, YE at 50 mg/L was found to be the most efficient in terms of increased biomass production and accumulation of OA in the cultures. The highest increase in OA production (13.16-fold in elicited cultures compared to untreated cultures) was noted on 17-day-old suspension cultures when exposed to 50 mg/L of YE for four days. Enhancement of 2.72-fold in OA content was also recorded in 17-day-old cultures when treated with MeJ (60 mg/L) during two days of exposure. SA was not efficient in inducing accumulation of OA in 17- and 22-day-old suspension cultures at any concentration and exposure time. Furthermore, it was observed that the effect of different elicitors on biomass production and OA content depended on concentration and the duration of exposure times. Therefore, utilization of elicitation method could be a promising tool to enhance cell growth and OA accumulation in the suspension cell cultures of O. tenuiflorum.
Dual Detection High-Speed Capillary Electrophoresis for Simultaneous Serum Protein Analysis and Immunoassays
Authors: Opallage Prabhavie , De Silva Miyuru , Dunn Robert
Published: September 2021

Serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) and immunoassays are important tools used clinically to diagnose disease. SPE separates serum proteins into bands whose shape and amplitude can alert clinicians to a range of disorders. This is usually followed by more specific immunoassays to quantify important antigens and confirm a diagnosis. Here we develop a high-speed capillary electrophoresis (HSCE) platform capable of both SPE measurements and quantifying immunoassays, simultaneously. The HSCE uses a 10 cm long total length separation capillary (50 μm i.d., 80 μm o.d.) with an 8 cm length-to-detector for rapid analysis times. This is important for throughput in clinical settings and for quantifying immunoassays, where antigen-antibody complexes continually dissociate once injected into the non-equilibrium conditions of the separation capillary. A single laser excitation source is focused into the detection zone of the capillary to measure both refractive index (SPE) and fluorescence signals (immunoassays), simultaneously. Light scattered back towards the excitation source measures refractive index changes using back-scatter interferometry (BSI), while fluorescence is collected from below the capillary with a high numerical aperture objective. To validate the dual detection HSCE approach, SPE and immunoassays are measured from human serum samples pre-incubated with fluorescein and an anti-fluorescein monoclonal antibody. We show that the BSI signal measures characteristic SPE profiles for human serum separated in 100 mM boric acid (pH 10), 100 mM arginine (pH 11), and 20 mM CHES (pH 10). For the immunoassay, the fluorescence electropherograms reveal that CHES provides the optimal buffer for measuring the immunocomplex and separating it from the free antigen. Immunoassays in CHES yield a LOD of 23 nM and a LOQ of 70 nM for the detection of fluorescein. Elevated pH is used in SPE to ensure all proteins are charged and to reduce protein adsorption to the capillary walls. The high pH, however, also reduces antibody affinity. Preliminary studies carried out in 50 mM barbital at pH 8 show improved stability of the immunocomplex and better separation for immunoassay quantification, but loss of resolution in the SPE. Further optimization will open new capabilities for measuring orthogonal diagnostic signals in seconds with HSCE.
ABO Blood Group and RhD status Are Not Associated with Mortality and Morbidity in Critically Ill Patients; a Multicentre Observational Study of 29 512 Patients
Authors: Kander Thomas , Bjurström Martin F. , Frigyesi Attila , Jöud Magnus , Nilsson Caroline U.
Published: September 2021

Background. Previous studies have demonstrated an association between ABO blood groups and many types of disease. The present study primarily aimed to identify associations between ABO blood groups, RhD groups and mortality/morbidity outcomes in critically ill patients both in a main cohort and in six pre-defined subgroups. The secondary aim was to investigate any differences in transfusion requirement between the different ABO blood groups and RhD status.Methods. Adult patients admitted to any of the five intensive care units (ICUs) in Skåne, Sweden, between February 2007 and April 2021 were eligible for inclusion. The outcomes were mortality analysed at 28– and 90–days as well as at the end of observation and morbidity measured using days alive and free of (DAF) invasive ventilation (DAF ventilation) and DAF circulatory support, including vasopressors or inotropes (DAF circulation), maximum Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score (SOFAmax) the first 28 days after admission and length of stay. All outcomes were analysed in separate multivariable regression models (adjusted for age and sex), generating odds or hazard ratios for each blood group and RhD status using blood group O and RhD negative as reference. Transfusion requirements were also investigated.Results. In total, 29 512 unique patients were included in the analyses. There were no significant differences for any of the outcomes between non-O blood groups and blood group O, or between RhD groups. In six pre-defined subgroups (sepsis, septic shock, acute respiratory distress syndrome, Covid-19, cardiac arrest and trauma) there were no differences in mortality between non-O blood groups and blood group O or between the RhD groups. Furthermore, we could not demonstrate any differences in the number of transfused patients between the ABO blood groups or between the RhD groups.Conclusions. ABO blood type and RhD status do not appear to influence mortality or morbidity in a general critically ill patient population. There were no differences in the number of transfused patients between the ABO blood groups or between the RhD status groups.
Laser-Based Ultrasound Interrogation of Surface and Sub-Surface Features in Advanced Manufacturing Materials
Authors: Harke Kathryn Jinae , Calta Nicholas , Tringe Joseph , Stobbe David
Published: September 2021

Structures formed by advanced manufacturing methods increasingly require nondestructive characterization to enable efficient fabrication and to ensure performance targets are met. This is especially important for aerospace, military, and high precision applications. Surface acoustic waves (SAW) generated by laser-based ultrasound can detect surface and sub-surface defects relevant for a broad range of AM processes, including laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). In particular, an all-optical SAW generation and detection configuration can effectively interrogate laser melt lines. Here we report on scattered acoustic energy from melt lines, voids, and surface features. Sub-surface voids are also characterized using X-ray Computed Tomography (CT). High resolution CT results are presented and compared with SAW measurements. Finite difference simulations inform experimental measurements and analysis.
Metabolic Effect and Mechanism of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus on Offspring of Different Sexes
Authors: Fang Ke-Ying , Liu Zi-Qi , Hu Qi-Lin , Chen Zhi-Hao , Cai Yuan , Guo Xu-guang
Published: September 2021

IntroductionGestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common pregnancy-related complication that can seriously endanger the health of the mother and child. Studies have reported that offspring have varying sensitivities to high blood sugar in utero based on their sex. However, the underlying pathogenesis of metabolic diseases is still largely unknown. Therefore, this study aims to study the metabolic influence and mechanism of gestational diabetes on male and female offspring, which is beneficial in preventing or reducing the possibility of metabolic diseases among the offspring of mothers with GDM through long-term medical monitoring.MethodsResearch samples meeting the experimental ideas were evaluated and selected from GEO database. After sample pretreatment, enrichment analysis was performed using R software to further enrich the differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and further research on the biological processes and molecular pathways related to these genes was conducted through GO analysis and KEGG analysis. Following this, a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network of the DEGs in the STRING database was constructed and then refined using Cytoscape software. The CytoHubba software was then used to screen out the top 10 hub genes. At last, Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed using GSEA software (v. 4.0) to further understand the molecular mechanism of the disease.ResultsA total of 718 different genes were selected from GSE150621, including 454 and 264 genes with up-regulated and down-regulated expressions, which were statistically significant. Based on the data from the STRING database, the top 10 genes with the highest degree of connectivity, including OAS1, OAS2, OAS3, RSAD2, MX1, IFIT1, IFIT2, IFIT3, XAF1, and ISG15, were selected. The relative expression levels of IFIT1, OSA1, and ISG15 are relevant to the prognosis of GDM patients and the potential occurrence of some metabolic diseases in their offspring.ConclusionsThe accumulation of OAS1, IFIT1, and ISG15 genes suggests that a chronic inflammatory response is a requisite part of the GDM process. However, this is not clearly related to the metabolic mechanisms of different gender offspring of mothers with GDM; therefore, this is subject to further research.
Burnout among frontline health professionals in two African countries: a cross sectional study from Egypt and Sudan
Authors: Dabbah Noha Ahmed El , Elhadi Yasir Ahmed Mohammed
Published: September 2021

Background The impact of coronavirus pandemic (COVID19) on healthcare professionals (HCPs) is an issue of global concern. Occupational burnout among HCPs has been reported by several studies. However, pandemic-related burnout needs further investigation especially among frontline HCPs. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of burnout syndrome among HCPs working at COVID-19 isolation facilities in Egypt and Sudan.Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among frontline HCPs in Egypt and Sudan from May 2021 to July 2021. An online, anonymous, self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Occupational burnout was estimated using the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory. Data analyzed using SPSS software.ResultsA total of 362 HCPs participated in the study and were equally recruited from Egypt (181) and Sudan (181) with mean age of (31.84 ± 8.32) years. More than half were females (60%) and were physicians (58.3%). Most healthcare professionals included in the study had high levels of work disengagement (75.4%) and emotional exhaustion (98.6%). Burnout syndrome was present in 75% of the HCPs with 77% prevalence among Egyptian HCPs and 71% prevalence among Sudanese HCPs. The parameters that are associated with burnout syndrome among Egyptian HCPs were working hours per week; while for Sudanese HCPs, these were age and number of days off.Conclusion The study revealed a high prevalence of burnout syndrome among HCPs working at COVID-19 isolation facilities in Egypt and Sudan. Appropriate actions should be taken to preserve mental health status of HCPs through establishment of effective and efficient coping strategies.
Assimilating synthetic land surface temperature in a fully coupled land-atmosphere system
Authors:   , Sgoff Christine
Published: September 2021

The weather of the atmospheric boundary layer significantly affects our life on Earth. Thus, a realistic modelling of the atmospheric boundary layer is crucial. Hereby, the processes of the atmospheric boundary layer depend on an accurate representation of the land-atmosphere coupling in the model. In this context the land surface temperature (LST) plays an important role. In this thesis, it is examined if the assimilation of LST can lead to improved estimates of the boundary layer and its processes. To properly assimilate the LST retrievals, a suitable model equivalent in the weather prediction model is necessary. In the weather forecast model of the German Weather Service used here, the LST is modelled without a vegetation temperature. To compensate for this deficit, two different vegetation parameterizations were investigated and the better one, a conductivity scheme, was implemented. In order to make optimal use of the influence of the assimilation of the LST observation on the model system, it is useful to pass on the information of the observation to land and atmosphere already in the assimilation step. For that reason, a fully coupled land-atmosphere prediction model was used. Therefore, the existing control vector of the assimilation system, a local ensemble transform Kalman filter, was extended by the soil temperature and moisture. In two-day case studies in March and August 2017, different configurations of the augmented assimilation system were evaluated based on observing system simulation experiments (OSSE). LST was assimilated hourly over two days in the weakly and strongly coupled assimilation system. In addition, every six hours a free 24-hour forecast was simulated. The experiments were validated with the simulated truth (a high-resolution model run) and compared against an experiment without assimilation. It was shown that the prediction of the boundary layer temperature, especially during the day, and the prediction of the soil temperature, during the whole day and night, could be improved. The best impact of LST assimilation was achieved with the fully coupled system. The humidity variables of the model benefited only partially from the LST assimilation. For this reason, covariances in the model ensemble were investigated in more detail. To check their compatibility with the high-resolution model run the ensemble consistency score was introduced. It was found that the covariances between the LST and the temperatures of the high-resolution model run were better represented in the ensemble than those between the LST and the humidity variables.
Influence of Illumination Time and Soil Moisture on Seed Germination and Seedling Establishment of Magnolia sprengeri Pamp.
Authors: Zhang Tong , Yan Yingjie , Li Chuantong , Liu Junmei , Yin Dongxue , Xiong Xiangying , Liu Wei , Yang Yueqin
Published: September 2021

This study investigated the effects of illumination time and soil moisture on seed germination and seedling establishment of Magnolia sprengeri Pamp. to improve the seed germination percentage and seedling survival percentage of M. sprengeri. It is of great significance for rapid propagation, seedling regeneration, field management, and artificial high-efficiency cultivation of M. sprengeri. In this study, the seeds of natural M. sprengeri populations from original habitat were used as test materials. Seed germination and seedling establishment of M. sprengeri were performed under different illumination time and soil moisture treatments in artificial climate incubator. The study found that there were significant differences among various key parameters related to seed germination and seedling establishment under different treatments (P < 0.05). Germination percentage, germination potential, germination index, vigor index, germination rate, plant height, number of leaves, base diameter, taproot length, number of lateral roots, maximum lateral root length, single plant leaf area, fresh weight, and seedling survival rate reached the maximum at continuous illumination and 13% of soil moisture, respectively. By the integrative evaluation for the influence of these two factors on seed germination and seedling establishment, soil moisture is a dominant factor affecting seed germination and seedling establishment, whereas illumination is an important promoting factor for seedling establishment of M. sprengeri. Continuous illumination and 13% of soil moisture content is suitable for seed germination and seedling establishment of M. sprengeri.
Genotyping for Dombrock blood group alleles in Northern Pakistani blood donors
Authors: Jadoon S.A. , Salamat N. , Khan S.A. , Yazdani M.S. , Khatak N. , Naeem M.A.
Published: September 2021

Genotyping can be used to identify rare blood group antigens and to solve suspected blood group discrepancies, particularly when serologic methods are limited. Unfortunately, only a few such studies have been performed in Pakistan. The present study was conducted to determine the frequency of Dombrock blood group alleles by genotyping samples from blood donors from the north of Pakistan. Blood samples were taken with consent from 300 blood donors; DNA was extracted and tested for DO*01 and DO*02 alleles by sequence-specific primer polymerase chain reaction (PCR-SSP), followed by gel electrophoresis. Allele frequencies were calculated. The observed and expected genotype frequencies were compared using the χ
2
test. The allele frequencies for DO*01 and DO*02 were 0.40 and 0.60, respectively. Genotype frequencies were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. This study in Pakistani blood donors provides Dombrock blood group allele frequencies by PCR-SSP. This approach is efficient and economical and can be applied in developing countries. The findings can contribute to the development of in-house red blood cell panels, identification of rare blood types, and establishment of a national rare blood donor program.
The Cromer blood group system: an update
Authors: Storry J.R. , Lomas-Francis C.
Published: September 2021

This update of the Cromer (CROM) blood group system (Storry JR, Reid ME, Yazer MH. The Cromer blood group system: a review. Immunohematology 2010;26:109–17) includes additional variants to the Cromer system (ISBT021), both new antigens and new molecular bases underlying the null phenotype. The molecule on which the Cromer blood group antigens are carried, CD55 (DAF), is an important receptor for the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, and the role of CD55 in health and disease continues to expand.
Pulmonary metastasis of transmissible venereal tumour in a dog: a case report
Authors: Correa Fernanda de Lima , Wolfran Luciana , Viott Aline de Marco , Goulart Juliana das Chagas , Jojima Flávio Shigueru , Agostini Paula
Published: September 2021

The transmissible venereal tumour (TVT) is one of the most frequent neoplasias in dogs. This tumour has specific characteristics, and it is exclusively of canines. Its transmission occurs through viable neoplastic cell transplantation when in contact with mucosa or unhealthy skin and rarely metastasise. This paper aims to report a rare presentation of pulmonary metastasis of widespread transmissible venereal tumours in a Blue Heeler dog. The patient was cachectic, dyspnoeic, and dehydrated and had multiple skin and pharynx nodulations. The cytology of all cutaneous nodulations showed round vacuolated cells with large eccentric nuclei and loose chromatin, which is compatible with TVT’s microscopic characteristics. Owing to the clinical evolution and reserved prognosis, the patient was euthanized. Necroscopy revealed a mass in the right pulmonary caudal lobe. The mass showed the same histopathologic characteristic of the others: not encapsulated infiltrative neoplastic proliferation of round vacuolated cells. The atypical manifestation of cutaneous metastasis and mainly pulmonary metastasis, in this case, denote the importance of TVT inclusion as a differential in cutaneous neoplasia, even if they show distant organ metastasis. Therefore, it emphasised the importance of cytology and histology in the diagnosis of nodular affections.
Herbal Nanoformulations for Asthma Treatment
Authors: Yang Jing , Song Bo , Wu Junzi
Published: September 2021

Background:

In recent decades, the prevalence of asthma has substantially increased worldwide. Advances in phytochemistry and phytopharmacology have clarified the active ingredients and biological activities of medicinal plant products for treating asthma, and the role of herbal therapies in asthma treatment has become increasingly evident. However, most plant extracts have low solubility and poor stability of bioactive components, resulting in low bioavailability and loss of efficacy. Owing to these shortcomings, the clinical use of many herbal extracts is limited.

Objective:

To summarise and analyse the characteristics of herbal nanoformulations and their application in asthma treatment. The objective of this review article is to address the emerging trends of herbal nanoformulations for an effective treatment of asthma.

Methods:

Various research and review articles from reputed international journals were referred to and compiled.

Results:

The nano-sized herbal formulations improve the solubility and bioavailability of herbal medicines and contribute to the sustained release of drugs, thus, increasing the therapeutic applications of herbal extracts. The review present different types of herbal nanoformulations, including micelles, nanoparticles, solid lipid nanoparticles, lipid-based liquid crystalline nanoparticles and nanoemulsions, which are potential nanodrugs for asthma treatment.

Conclusions:

Herbal nanoformulations have shown great prospects for the treatment of asthma in recent years. More safety and toxicity data are still needed to promote their development and application.
OBSTETRIC AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CARE FOR PREGNANT WOMAN WITH HYPEREMESIS GRAVIDARUM WITH MODERATE ANXIETY
Authors: Yuniastutiningsih Hesti , Nafi'ati Dini
Published: September 2021

Physical and psychological changes experienced by pregnant women, especially hormonal changes, cause symptoms of nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy. Excessive nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy and persist throughout pregnancy will cause physical and psychological complications. The existence of psychological problems in pregnant women can predispose to nausea and vomiting which then worsens. Emotional problems are also associated with the incidence of nausea and vomiting becoming more severe. Methods: the authors conducted extensive searches by scientific journals through trusted and frequently used databases, namely PubMed, Springer, and Science Direct. The keywords used were "hyperemesis" AND "psychological" with journal publication filters, the last 4 years, randomized clinical trials, systematic reviews, meta-analysis, human research subjects. Conclusion: care that focuses on mothers by applying the principles of holistic care, where patients not only receive midwifery care physically and biologically but include psychological, social, spiritual and cultural by involving their husbands in midwifery care is proven to accelerate the physical and psychological recovery of hyperemesis sufferers.
Uma mulher inserida em seu tempo
Authors: Morais Cleidiane
Published: September 2021

O presente trabalho busca investigar a atuação de mulheres-professoras pela conquista do espaço público ocupado por figuras masculinas, seja nas funções de inspetores e diretores escolares, ou como sócios de agremiações literárias e sociedades diversas, que tomaram para si a tarefa de direcionar os rumos das questões atinentes à educação. Tendo o Ceará das últimas décadas do século XIX como recorte temporal, a investigação tomará a trajetória de Francisca Clotilde, professora, escritora e jornalista, atentando sempre para a dinâmica conflitual que envolveu sua atuação no cenário letrado. Suas posturas ora constituíram reverberações do conservadorismo católico, ora foram se modificando, mesmo quando os papéis sociais tentavam incutir o contrário. Essas mulheres tomaram as ideias vigentes que lhes designavam as atividades no espaço doméstico, na tentativa de convencer de sua importância na ordem e harmonia da estrutura social, e de reivindicar sua competência para o exercício de funções até então ocupadas por homens, como as de caráter administrativa, seja na Instrução Pública, na Escola Normal ou de participação nos debates das principais questões que direcionaram o estado de coisas àquela época.
The role of transcription factor FoxP3 as a predictor of acute and chronic urticaria in children
Authors: Maltsev S. V. , Sizyakina L. P. , Lebedenko A. A.
Published: September 2021

Objective: To study the transcription factor FoxP3 in children with acute and chronic spontaneous urticaria as a possible predictor of the severity and chronicity of urticaria.Materials and Methods: A total of 264 children of both sexes aged from 6 to 16 years old with diff erent variants of urticaria course were examined. Clinical methods of the study included the analysis of anamnestic data and an objective examination of the child with the determination of the severity of urticaria. Immunological methods of the study included the identifi cation of T-regulatory lymphocytes with the CD4+CD25+ Foxp3+CD45+immunophenotype.Results: A signifi cant decrease in the level of transcription factor FoxP3 was found in children with severe acute urticaria and chronic urticaria compared to the control group.Conclusion: Th e degree of reduction in the level of FoxP3 signifi cantly aff ected the likelihood of the development of a severe course of acute urticaria and possible chronization of the disease.
Development of the Flash Ironmaking Technology (FIT) for Green Ironmaking with Low Energy Consumption
Authors:   Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-0114, U.S.A., Sohn Hong Yong , Elzohiery Mohamed ,   Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-0114, U.S.A., Fan De-Qiu ,   Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-0114, U.S.A.
Published: September 2021

This article describes the development of a novel ironmaking technology based on flash reduction. The development started with the proof of the kinetic feasibility, considering that a typical flash reactor provides only a few seconds of residence time. This was followed by tests in a laboratory flash reactor and finally a pilot plant operation. The rate equations formulated in this work were developed considering the optimum combination of temperature, residence time, and reducing gas partial pressure to achieve > 95% reduction degree. Experiments in the intermediate-scale laboratory flash reactor indicated that more than 90% reduction degree could be obtained in a few second residence time at temperature as low as 1175 °C. A pilot reactor operating at 1200–1550 °C was installed and run to collect data necessary for scaling up the process. The tests in this large reactor validated the design concept in terms of heat supply and residence time, and identified technical hurdles. This investigation proved the technical feasibility of the flash ironmaking technology. The results of this work will facilitate the design for the industrial flash ironmaking reactor. The novel technology is expected to decrease the energy consumption in ironmaking by up to 44% compared with the average blast furnace process, and will reduce CO2 emissions by up to 51%. When hydrogen is used, the proposed process would use up to 60% less energy with little carbon dioxide emissions. However, it is noted that the energy requirements and CO2 emissions during the production of natural gas, hydrogen or coal must be added for a comprehensive comparison.
Scientific Evidence in Homeopathy: A Dynamic Database
Authors:   Federazione Italiana Associazioni Medici Omeopati, LOTUS Centro Medicina Olistica, Via Divisione Torino 600143 ROME, Italy, Marino Francesco V.
Published: September 2021

Homeopathy, a system of Traditional and Complementary Medicine (T&CM, according to WHO definition), is under frequent attack by skeptics because of its supposed “lack of evidence.” To overcome the distrust of skeptics and the public, many databases have been created, which focused on collecting all the published and indexed studies; however, none of these seem to be “comprehensive” and systematic enough. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the most reliable and available homeopathic studies in order to systematize the best evidence at all levels of research (studies based on humans, animals, and plants, randomized controlled trials [RCTs], observational studies, fundamental studies, etc.). A dynamic database was created containing 1,146 reliable pieces of evidence. It is being updated every three months and is available both for the whole homeopathic community and for the patients, Institutions, stakeholders, and skeptics. In the last 50 years, evidence in homeopathy has been increasing both at a quantitative and qualitative level. Unfortunately, it is not well known by the homeopaths themselves and also by the medical and scientific community. Therefore, a comprehensive database will not only support homeopaths but also assist in the better promotion and worldwide recognition of homeopathy as a significant field of medicine.
Remote Patient Monitoring and Incentives to Support Smoking Cessation Among Pregnant and Postpartum Medicaid Members: Three Randomized Controlled Pilot Studies
Authors: Joyce Caroline M , Saulsgiver Kathryn , Mohanty Salini , Bachireddy Chethan , Molfetta Carin , Steffy Mary , Yoder Alice , Buttenheim Alison M
Published: September 2021

Background

Smoking rates among low-income individuals, including those eligible for Medicaid, have not shown the same decrease that is observed among high-income individuals. The rate of smoking among pregnant women enrolled in Medicaid is almost twice that among privately insured women, which leads to significant disparities in birth outcomes and a disproportionate cost burden placed on Medicaid. Several states have identified maternal smoking as a key target for improving birth outcomes and reducing health care expenditures; however, efficacious, cost-effective, and feasible cessation programs have been elusive.

Objective

This study aims to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of a smartwatch-enabled, incentive-based smoking cessation program for Medicaid-eligible pregnant smokers.

Methods

Pilot 1 included a randomized pilot study of smartwatch-enabled remote monitoring versus no remote monitoring for 12 weeks. Those in the intervention group also received the SmokeBeat program. Pilot 2 included a randomized pilot study of pay-to-wear versus pay-to-quit for 4 weeks. Those in a pay-to-wear program could earn daily incentives for wearing the smartwatch, whereas those in pay-to-quit program could earn daily incentives if they wore the smartwatch and abstained from smoking. Pilot 3, similar to pilot 2, had higher incentives and a duration of 3 weeks.

Results

For pilot 1 (N=27), self-reported cigarettes per week among the intervention group declined by 15.1 (SD 27) cigarettes over the study; a similar reduction was observed in the control group with a decrease of 17.2 (SD 19) cigarettes. For pilot 2 (N=8), self-reported cigarettes per week among the pay-to-wear group decreased by 43 cigarettes (SD 12.6); a similar reduction was seen in the pay-to-quit group, with an average of 31 (SD 45.6) fewer cigarettes smoked per week. For pilot 3 (N=4), one participant in the pay-to-quit group abstained from smoking for the full study duration and received full incentives.

Conclusions

Decreases in smoking were observed in both the control and intervention groups during all pilots. The use of the SmokeBeat program did not significantly improve cessation. The SmokeBeat program, remote cotinine testing, and remote delivery of financial incentives were considered feasible and acceptable. Implementation challenges remain for providing evidence-based cessation incentives to low-income pregnant smokers. The feasibility and acceptability of the SmokeBeat program were moderately high. Moreover, the feasibility and acceptability of remote cotinine testing and the remotely delivered contingent financial incentives were successful.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03209557; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03209557.
The Impact of Public Health Events on COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy on Chinese Social Media: National Infoveillance Study
Authors: Zhang Zizheng , Feng Guanrui , Xu Jiahong , Zhang Yimin , Li Jinhui , Huang Jian , Akinwunmi Babatunde , Zhang Casper J P , Ming Wai-kit
Published: September 2021

Background

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges to every country worldwide. A call for global vaccination for COVID-19 plays a pivotal role in the fight against this virus. With the development of COVID-19 vaccines, public willingness to get vaccinated has become an important public health concern, considering the vaccine hesitancy observed worldwide. Social media is powerful in monitoring public attitudes and assess the dissemination, which would provide valuable information for policy makers.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the responses of vaccine positivity on social media when major public events (major outbreaks) or major adverse events related to vaccination (COVID-19 or other similar vaccines) were reported.

Methods

A total of 340,783 vaccine-related posts were captured with the poster’s information on Weibo, the largest social platform in China. After data cleaning, 156,223 posts were included in the subsequent analysis. Using pandas and SnowNLP Python libraries, posts were classified into 2 categories, positive and negative. After model training and sentiment analysis, the proportion of positive posts was computed to measure the public positivity toward the COVID-19 vaccine.

Results

The positivity toward COVID-19 vaccines in China tends to fluctuate over time in the range of 45.7% to 77.0% and is intuitively correlated with public health events. In terms of gender, males were more positive (70.0% of the time) than females. In terms of region, when regional epidemics arose, not only the region with the epidemic and surrounding regions but also the whole country showed more positive attitudes to varying degrees. When the epidemic subsided temporarily, positivity decreased with varying degrees in each region.

Conclusions

In China, public positivity toward COVID-19 vaccines fluctuates over time and a regional epidemic or news on social media may cause significant variations in willingness to accept a vaccine. Furthermore, public attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination vary from gender and region. It is crucial for policy makers to adjust their policies through the use of positive incentives with prompt responses to pandemic-related news to promote vaccination acceptance.
Automatic detection of various patterns of calcification distribution on mammograms: a graph convolution network approach (Preprint)
Authors: Yao Melissa Min-Szu , Du Hao , Hartman Mikael , Chan Wing P. , Feng Mengling
Published: September 2021

UNSTRUCTURED

Purpose: To develop a novel artificial intelligence (AI) model algorithm focusing on automatic detection and classification of various patterns of calcification distribution in mammographic images using a unique graph convolution approach.

Materials and methods: Images from 200 patients classified as Category 4 or 5 according to the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Database System, which showed calcifications according to the mammographic reports and diagnosed breast cancers. The calcification distributions were classified as either diffuse, segmental, regional, grouped, or linear. Excluded were mammograms with (1) breast cancer as a single or combined characterization such as a mass, asymmetry, or architectural distortion with or without calcifications; (2) hidden calcifications that were difficult to mark; or (3) incomplete medical records.

Results: A graph convolutional network-based model was developed. 401 mammographic images from 200 cases of breast cancer were divided based on calcification distribution pattern: diffuse (n = 24), regional (n = 111), group (n = 201), linear (n = 8) or segmental (n = 57). The classification performances were measured using metrics including precision, recall, F1 score, accuracy and multi-class area under receiver operating characteristic curve. The proposed achieved precision of 0.483 ± 0.015, sensitivity of 0.606 (0.030), specificity of 0.862 ± 0.018, F1 score of 0.527 ± 0.035, accuracy of 60.642% ± 3.040% and area under the curve of 0.754 ± 0.019, finding method to be superior compared to all baseline models. The predicted linear and diffuse classifications were highly similar to the ground truth, and the predicted grouped and regional classifications were also superior compared to baseline models.

Conclusion: The proposed deep neural network framework is an AI solution to automatically detect and classify calcification distribution patterns on mammographic images highly suspected of showing breast cancers. Further study of the AI model in an actual clinical setting and additional data collection will improve its performance.
Perception of work among managers: a cross-sectional study (Preprint)
Authors: Colin Rémi
Published: September 2021

BACKGROUND

The Job-Demand-Control-Support model of Karasek is the gold standard to assess perception of work, however this has been poorly studied among managers.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to explore the perception of work (job demand, control and support) in managers, and to quantify their risk of job strain and isostrain.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study on workers using the Wittyfit software. Job demand, control, and support were evaluated by self-reported questionnaires, as well as sociodemographic data.

RESULTS

We included 9257 workers: 8488 employees (median age of 45 years old and median seniority of 10 years, 39.4% of women) and 769 managers (463 with more than 45 years old, 343 with more than 10 years of service, 33.3% of women). Managers had higher levels than employees in job control (79.1±15.9 vs 75.5±17.6) and job support (25.1±5.6 vs 23.9±6.4) (p<0.001). Compared to employees, managers had a 40% decreased risk of job strain (high job demand and low job control) (OR=0.60, 95%CI 0.49 to 0.73), and a 46% decreased risk of isostrain (job strain with low job support) (0.54, 0.42 to 0.71) (p<0.001). Oldest workers (1.32, 1.18 to 1.48, p<0.001) and women (1.12, 1.01 to 1. 24, p=0.03) were at greater risk of job strain. Also, oldest workers (1.77, 1.52 to 2.06), and women (1.15, 1.00 to 1.31) were at greater risk of isostrain, as well as most senior workers (1.25, 1.08 to 1.45).

CONCLUSIONS

Managers seem to have higher autonomy and social support, and therefore are less at risk of job or isostrain than employees. Other factors such as age, seniority and gender may influence this relationship.

CLINICALTRIAL

Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02596737;
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02596737.