bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Leadership During a Pandemic: A Lexical Analysis
Authors: Dadich Ann , Mellick Lopes Abby
Published: April 2022

To manage pandemics, like COVID-19, leadership can enable health services to weather the storm. Yet there is limited clarity on how leadership manifested and was discussed in the literature during COVID-19. This can have considerable public health implications given the importance of leadership in the health sector. This article addresses this missed opportunity by examining the literature on leadership during a pandemic. Following a systematic search of nine academic databases in May 2021, 1,747 publications were screened. Following this, a lexical analysis of the results section was conducted, sourced from a corpus of publications across myriad journals. The results found a prevalence of references to “leader” as a sole actor, risking the perpetuation of a view that critical decisions emanate from a singular source. Moreover, “leadership” was a concept disconnected from the fray of frontline workers, patients, and teams. This suggests a strong need for more diverse vocabularies and conceptions that reflect the “messiness” of leadership as it takes shape in relation to the challenges and uncertainties of COVID-19. There is a considerable opportunity to advance scholarship on leadership via further empirical studies that help to clarify different approaches to lead teams and organizations during a pandemic.
Opportunities for Improving Antimicrobial Stewardship: Findings From a Prospective, Multi-Center Study in Three Low- or Middle-Income Countries
Authors: Muro Florida J. , Lyamuya Furaha S. , Kwobah Charles , Bollinger John , Bodinayake Champica K. , Nagahawatte Ajith , Piyasiri Bhagya , Kurukulasooriya Ruvini , Ali Shamim , Mallya Rose , Rolfe Robert , Ruwanpathirana Anushka , Sheng Tianchen , Østbye Truls , Drew Richard , Kussin Peter , Woods Christopher W. , Anderson Deverick J. , Mmbaga Blandina T. , Tillekeratne L. Gayani
Published: April 2022

Background

To develop effective antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), it is important to identify key targets for improving antimicrobial use. We sought to systematically describe the prevalence and patterns of antimicrobial use in three LMIC hospitals.

Methods

Consecutive patients admitted to the adult medical wards in three tertiary care hospitals in Tanzania, Kenya, and Sri Lanka were enrolled in 2018–2019. The medical record was reviewed for clinical information including type and duration of antimicrobials prescribed, indications for antimicrobial use, and microbiologic testing ordered.

Results

A total of 3,149 patients were enrolled during the study period: 1,103 from Tanzania, 750 from Kenya, and 1,296 from Sri Lanka. The majority of patients were male (1,783, 56.6% overall) with a median age of 55 years (IQR 38–68). Of enrolled patients, 1,573 (50.0%) received antimicrobials during their hospital stay: 35.4% in Tanzania, 56.5% in Kenya, and 58.6% in Sri Lanka. At each site, the most common indication for antimicrobial use was lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI; 40.2%). However, 61.0% received antimicrobials for LRTI in the absence of LRTI signs on chest radiography. Among patients receiving antimicrobials, tools to guide antimicrobial use were under-utilized: microbiologic cultures in 12.0% and microbiology consultation in 6.5%.

Conclusion

Antimicrobials were used in a substantial proportion of patients at tertiary care hospitals across three LMIC sites. Future ASP efforts should include improving LRTI diagnosis and treatment, developing antibiograms to direct empiric antimicrobial use, and increasing use of microbiologic tests.
Multi-Day EMG-Based Knee Joint Torque Estimation Using Hybrid Neuromusculoskeletal Modelling and Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Schulte Robert V. , Zondag Marijke , Buurke Jaap H. , Prinsen Erik C.
Published: April 2022

Proportional control using surface electromyography (EMG) enables more intuitive control of a transfemoral prosthesis. However, EMG is a noisy signal which can vary over time, giving rise to the question what approach for knee torque estimation is most suitable for multi-day control. In this study we compared three different modelling frameworks to estimate knee torque in non-weight-bearing situations. The first model contained a convolutional neural network (CNN) which mapped EMG to knee torque directly. The second used a neuromusculoskeletal model (NMS) which used EMG, muscle tendon unit lengths and moment arms to compute knee torque. The third model (Hybrid) used a CNN to map EMG to specific muscle activation, which was used together with NMS components to compute knee torque. Multi-day measurements were conducted on ten able-bodied participants who performed non-weight bearing activities. CNN had the best performance in general and on each day (Normalized Root Mean Squared Error (NRMSE) 9.2 ± 4.4%). The Hybrid model (NRMSE 12.4 ± 3.4%) was able to outperform NMS (NRMSE 14.3 ± 4.2%). The NMS model showed no significant difference between measurement days. The CNN model and Hybrid models had significant performance differences between the first day and all other days. CNNs are suited for multi-day torque estimation in terms of error rate, outperforming the other two model types. NMS was the only model type which was robust over all days. This study investigated the behavior of three model types over multiple days, giving insight in the most suited modelling approach for multi-day torque estimation to be used in prosthetic control.
An Overview of Clinical Oncology and Impact on Oral Health
Authors: Harris Jack A. , Ottaviani Giulia , Treister Nathaniel S. , Hanna Glenn J.
Published: April 2022

As the incidence of cancer continues to increase, so too will the use of various forms of cancer therapeutics and their associated oral and dental complications. Although many of the acute and chronic oral toxicities of cancer therapy are largely unavoidable, appropriate and timely management of these complications has the potential to alleviate morbidity and improve outcomes. Undoubtedly, the substantial short- and long-term impacts of cancer therapy on the health of the oral cavity requires increased awareness, prevention, and treatment by multidisciplinary healthcare teams consisting of medical oncologists, dentists, and other oral healthcare specialists. This mini review provides a brief purview of the current state of clinical oncology and its impact on oral health. The topics introduced here will be further investigated throughout the remainder of the “Oral Complications in Cancer Patients” mini-review series.
Risk Entanglement in the Finance-State Nexus: The Case of Systemic and Political Risk
Authors: Lange Markus , von Scheve Christian
Published: April 2022

Crises such as European debt crisis, Brexit, and COVID-19 have challenged established relations between finance and the state in attempts at mitigating a broad range of crises-related risks. We ask whether and how these altered relations in themselves constitute novel uncertainties and risks between the two fields. To better understand these dynamics, we introduce the concept of “risk entanglement” to complement financialization as a key concept presently capturing these relations. Based on qualitative research in the German finance-state nexus, we show how financial and state actors mutually construe each other as risks that need to be managed and mitigated to safeguard their particular, field-specific logics and ends. We focus on systemic risk and political risk as two cases of risk entanglement: whereas systemic risk reflects the threat of a potential financial meltdown to the state, political risk reflects how the state endangers established risk practices in finance.
Case Report: Laryngotracheal Post-Intubation/Tracheostomy Stenosis in COVID-19 Patients
Authors: Onorati Ilaria , Bonnet Nicolas , Radu Dana Mihaela , Freynet Olivia , Guiraudet Patrice , Kambouchner Marianne , Uzunhan Yurdagul , Zogheib Elie , Martinod Emmanuel
Published: April 2022

Introduction

The novel Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2), has spread rapidly to become a major global public health emergency since March 2020. Laryngotracheal stenosis (LTS) has been observed more frequently since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

All patients referred to our 24/7 Airway Diseases Center for laryngotracheal post-intubation/tracheostomy stenosis from May 2020 to May 2021were evaluated retrospectively. Patient data on comorbidities, diagnosis, type of procedures, lengths of ICU stay and invasive mechanical ventilation, medical treatment, and the severity of illness were recorded.

Results

This case series included nine patients (five women and four men), with a mean age of 52.9 years, most with a BMI >30, all with a severe illness revealed by the Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II >31. From May 2020 to May 2021, 21 procedures were performed on seven patients, consisting of bronchoscopic rigid interventions, T-tube Montgomery tracheostomy, and one cricotracheal resection with end-to-end anastomosis. Histologic examination of tracheal biopsies showed an inflammatory state of the airway mucosa. Two patients only had medical therapy.

Discussion and Conclusions

Pneumonia caused by SARSCoV-2 can lead to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) requiring invasive mechanical ventilation. The time of intubation, the drugs used, the prone position, comorbidities (diabetes, obesity), and the inflammatory state of the upper airways linked to the viral infection, predispose to an increased tendency to stenosis and its recurrence. A conservative approach with medical and endoscopic treatment should be preferred in case of persistence of local airways inflammation. Further studies with a larger sample of patients will help to a better understanding of the disease, reduce the prevalence, and improve its treatment.
Transcriptome and iTRAQ-Based Proteome Reveal the Molecular Mechanism of Intestinal Injury Induced by Weaning Ewe's Milk in Lambs
Authors: Han Lulu , Tao Hui , Kang Lingyun , Wang Shuo , Diao Qiyu , Han Deping , Cui Kai
Published: April 2022

Early feeding regime has a substantial lifelong effect on lambs and weaning ewe's milk can lead to the intestinal injury of lambs. To explore the molecular regulatory mechanism of intestinal injury of lambs under weaning stress, the jejunum was conducted transcriptome and then integrated analyzed with our previous proteome data. A total of 255 upregulated genes and 285 downregulated genes were significantly identified. These genes showed low overlapping with differentially expressed proteins identified by isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ). However, according to their functions, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and proteins with the same expression trend were enriched for the similar Gene Ontology (GO) terms and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways, such as intestinal lipid absorption, urea cycle, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway, and ferroptosis. Furthermore, the DEGs, including FABP2, ACSL3, APOA2, APOC3, and PCK1, might play essential roles in intestinal lipid absorption and immune response through the PPAR signaling pathway and ferroptosis. This study could provide new insights into early lamb breeding at the molecular level.
Identification of Pseudomonas aeruginosa From the Skin Ulcer Disease of Crocodile Lizards (Shinisaurus crocodilurus) and Probiotics as the Control Measure
Authors: Xiong Yi , Wu Qiong , Qin Xudong , Yang Chengsheng , Luo Shuyi , He Jiasong , Cheng Qingzhen , Wu Zhengjun
Published: April 2022

The crocodile lizard (Shinisaurus crocodilurus) is an endangered ancient reptile species. Captive breeding is an important conservation measure for the potential restoration and recovery of their wild populations. However, a skin ulcer disease caused by an unknown pathogen has become a serious threat to captive breeding individuals. In the current study, based on microbial isolation, we identified Pseudomonas aeruginosa as the dominant pathogen in skin ulcer disease. Chinese skinks (Plestiodon chinensis) were used to verify the pathogenicity of P. aeruginosa in skin ulcer disease in vivo. As expected, subcutaneous inoculation of P. aeruginosa induced skin disease in healthy skinks and P. aeruginosa was re-isolated from the induced skin ulcers. Therefore, P. aeruginosa, an opportunistic and ubiquitous pathogen that causes a wide range of infections, appears to be the main pathogen of the skin disease affecting crocodile lizards. In the aquaculture industry, probiotics are widely used in the prevention and control of animal diseases caused by such pathogens. Here, we administered probiotics to the breeding crocodile lizards for 6 months. The three experiment groups treated with different kinds of probiotics showed significance at controlling case incidence. Three of the four groups treated with probiotics showed significant disease prevention (Effective Microorganisms mixed probiotics P = 0.0374; Double-dose Effective Microorganisms, P = 0.0299; Bacillus subtilis, P = 0.0140, T-test), and CFUs in the water of the breeding enclosures were also inhibited after probiotics usage (P < 0.001, T-test). Our study demonstrated the role of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in development of skin ulcer disease of crocodile lizards in a local zoo and offered the probiotic-based method for control measurements, which would be of benefit for the conservation of endangered reptiles.
Availability and Nutritional Composition of Street Food in Urban Central Asia: Findings From Almaty, Kazakhstan
Authors: Albuquerque Gabriela , Lança de Morais Inês , Gelormini Marcello , Sousa Sofia , Casal Susana , Pinho Olívia , Damasceno Albertino , Moreira Pedro , Breda João , Lunet Nuno , Padrão Patrícia
Published: April 2022

Objective: To describe the availability and nutritional composition of commonly available street foods in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Methods: 384 street food vending sites (in 10 public markets) were assessed; information on vending sites’ characteristics and food availability and samples of the most commonly available street foods (81 homemade; 40 industrial) were collected for chemical analysis.

Results: Fruit, beverages and food other than fruit were available in 1.0%, 47.4% and 92.7% of all vending sites. Homemade food other than fruit (e.g., bread, main dishes, snacks, pastries, sandwiches, and cakes) were available in 63.4% of stationary vending sites, while industrial (e.g., snacks, chocolate, cakes, and cookies) in 45.6% of them. Industrial foods were the most energy-dense [median kcal/100 g: 438.8 vs. 267.2, p < 0.001 (homemade)]. Traditional homemade dishes were high in sodium, reaching 2,248 mg/serving (lagman) and major contributors of protein and fat to energy content (shashlik: 22.8% from protein, 68.3% from fat). Industrial chocolate and homemade cake presented the highest saturated (14.6 g/serving) and trans-fat (3.20 g/serving) contents.

Conclusion: These findings advocate for the implementation of health promotion strategies targeted at vendors, consumers and other stakeholders.
Evaluation of the Coupled and Coordinated Relationship between Agricultural Modernization and Regional Economic Development under the Rural Revitalization Strategy
Authors: Chen Kejing , Tian Guiliang , Tian Ze , Ren Yangjun , Liang Wei
Published: April 2022

Agriculture is one of the three major industries in China, and its level of development occupies an important position in the development of the national economy. At present, China vigorously promotes the strategy of rural revitalization, which provides new opportunities for agricultural modernization. Since modern agriculture and regional economy are coupled in a mutually influencing and constraining relationship, this paper constructs a coupled and coordinated evaluation index system of agricultural modernization and regional economic development. Using the entropy value method and coupled coordination degree model, the comprehensive development level and coordinated development degree of agricultural modernization and regional economic development of 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and cities in China from 2011 to 2020 were evaluated, revealing the time evolution and spatial distribution characteristics of the two systems. The results show that: (1) In the past decade, China’s agricultural modernization and regional economy have made some progress in terms of their respective development levels and the degree of coupling and coordination between them. (2) In terms of spatial evolution, there are obvious regional differences between the two systems, and the coupling coordination degree shows a “ladder” distribution pattern from the east to the central, northeastern, and western parts of the country. (3) Regions with a high level of regional economic development also have a relatively high degree of coupling and coordination between agricultural modernization and regional economic development. Our results provide insights into the economic effects of agricultural modernization in China and provide useful insights into the future direction of agricultural development programs in countries around the world.
Chronic Osteomyelitis of the Jaw: Pivotal Role of Microbiological Investigation and Multidisciplinary Management—A Case Report
Authors: Lucidarme Quentin , Lebrun Delphine , Vernet-Garnier Véronique , Le Gall Joey , Diallo Saïdou , Mauprivez Cédric , Derruau Stéphane
Published: April 2022

A 15-year-old girl with a history of recurrent painful orofacial swelling was diagnosed on the basis of clinical findings, histopathological examination and imaging modalities as having primary chronic osteomyelitis of the jaw. Initial microbiological samples were performed but were inconclusive. She received multiple empirical antibiotic therapies and NSAIDs for 3 years without complete remission. Only MALDI-TOF (Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization–Time Of Flight) analysis after additional multiple microbiological bone samples with adequate techniques yielded the final diagnosis of bacterial chronic osteomyelitis of the jaw. Its management requires a multidisciplinary approach, involving oral and maxillofacial surgeons, infectiologists and microbiologists, to limit treatment failure. Antibiotic therapy without surgery for 6 months achieved the complete radiographic resolution of the CBCT (Cone Beam Computed Tomography) and the normalization of laboratory tests. After 2 years of follow-up, no relapse had been reported. Modern microbiological investigation and sampling techniques are critical for the accurate diagnosis and management of osteomyelitis of the jaw, especially in unusual and clinically misleading forms of this infection.
Web Applications for Teaching the Respiratory System: Content Validation
Authors: Mejía Susana , Muñoz Isabel Cristina , Serna Leidy Yanet , Sarmiento Carlos Andrés , Bravo Carlos Leonardo , Hernández Alher Mauricio
Published: April 2022

The subject of respiratory mechanics has complex characteristics, functions, and interactions that can be difficult to understand in training and medical education contexts. As such, education strategies based on computational simulations comprise useful tools, but their application in the medical area requires stricter validation processes. This paper shows a statistical and a Delphi validation for two modules of a web application used for respiratory system learning: (I) “Anatomy and Physiology” and (II) “Work of Breathing Indexes”. For statistical validation, population and individual analyses were made using a database of healthy men to compare experimental and model-predicted data. For both modules, the predicted values followed the trend marked by the experimental data in the population analysis, while in the individual analysis, the predicted errors were 9.54% and 25.38% for maximal tidal volume and airflow, respectively, and 6.55%, 9.33%, and 11.77% for rapid shallow breathing index, work of breathing, and maximal inspiratory pressure, respectively. For the Delphi validation, an average higher than 4 was obtained after health professionals evaluated both modules from 1 to 5. In conclusion, both modules are good tools for respiratory system learning processes. The studied parameters behaved consistently with the expressions that describe ventilatory dynamics and were correlated with experimental data; furthermore, they had great acceptance by specialists.
Soundscape Evaluation of a Heritage Event in an Open Environment: The Water Tribunal of the Plain of Valencia (Spain)
Authors: Díaz-Rubio Elena , Segura-Garcia Jaume , Fayos-Jordan Rafael , Cerdá Salvador , Cibrián Rosa M. , Giménez-Pérez Alicia
Published: April 2022

The acoustic evaluation of indoor environments is common in the application of virtual acoustics. In addition, in the study of cultural heritage buildings, it is a useful tool, but it is not so common when describing the acoustic environment in intangible cultural heritage events and even in outdoor environments. In this paper, the acoustic environment of the Water Tribunal of the Plain of Valencia (Spain) is studied. It is analyzed from a soundscape perspective, characterizing the sound source and evaluating it within relation to the environment and evaluating its subjective response. With the research carried out, it has been obtained, on the one hand, a complete study of the acoustics of the environment of the Water Tribunal and, on the other, an enhancement of the Valencian tangible and intangible heritage.
Analysis of the Twisting Tension in the Direct-Twisting Machine and the Fitting Model Based on the Experimental Data
Authors: Mei Shunqi , Zhang Mengying , Qi Di , Yang Liye , Xu Qiao , Zhang Ming
Published: April 2022

The tension of the balloon yarn in the direct-twisting machine affects the yarn breakage and balloon shape, which in turn affects the energy consumption and yarn productivity of the direct-twisting machine. At present, research on the balloon tension of an industrial yarn direct-twisting machine is very rare, both in China and abroad. In this regard, this paper establishes a theoretical model for balloon yarn tension during the yarn twisting process of an industrial yarn direct-twisting machine based on yarn balloon kinematics. The experiment of the yarn balloon tension of the direct-twisting machine under different yarn fineness and different spindle angular speed is carried out. The influence of the angular speed of the spindle, the yarn fineness, and other factors on the tension of the balloon yarn in the direct-twisting machine is investigated. By using mathematical statistics and regression analysis methods, the fitting equations of the yarn balloon tension of the direct-twisting machine are established. The research results show that the relationship between the balloon yarn tension of the direct-twisting machine, the angular velocity of the spindle, and the yarn fineness can be fitted by a quadratic polynomial. The predicted value of balloon yarn tension based on the fitted equation has a small relative error compared to the measured value, and the prediction result is more reliable and accurate. This paper contributes specifically by adding to the understanding of how to model the yarn tension for the specific machine and the range of the test. It also contributes to the generical methodology on how to develop such a model.
Infrared Thermography as a Non-Invasive Tool in Musculoskeletal Disease Rehabilitation—The Control Variables in Applicability—A Systematic Review
Authors: Lubkowska Anna , Pluta Waldemar
Published: April 2022

In recent years, the usefulness of infrared thermography (IRT) as a valuable supplementary imaging method in medical diagnostics, as well as for assessing the effects of the treatment of musculoskeletal injuries, has been increasingly confirmed. At the same time, great importance is attached to the standards of thermographic research, the fulfillment of which determines the correct methodology and interpretation of the results. This article discusses the medical applications of infrared thermography in musculoskeletal system diseases, with particular emphasis on its usefulness in assessing the therapeutic effects of physical treatments used in rehabilitation. The literature from the last decade that is available in the Medline and Web of Science databases has been reviewed. Among the physiotherapeutic methods used, the following were selected that directly affect the musculoskeletal system: cryotherapy, laser therapy, electrotherapy, diathermy, and massage. The article summarizes all the guidelines and recommendations for IR imaging in medicine and rehabilitation.
Evaluation of the Predictability and Accuracy of Orthognathic Surgery in the Era of Virtual Surgical Planning
Authors: Pampín Martínez Marta María , Gutiérrez Venturini Alessandro , Guiñales Díaz de Cevallos Jorge , Barajas Blanco María , Aragón Niño Iñigo , Moreiras Sánchez Alvaro , del Castillo Pardo de Vera José Luis , Cebrián Carretero José Luis
Published: April 2022

Virtual surgical planning allows orthognathic surgeons to design a surgical plan preoperatively and establish a personalized surgical protocol. This study aims to validate the predictability and accuracy of orthognathic surgery through a comparison of the three-dimensional (3D) models of the virtual planning and postoperative CBCT using free software (3D Slicer) on 40 patients who underwent bimaxillary orthognathic surgery. The distances of point A, point B, pogonion (Pog), and the first upper and lower molars, both in each axis (x, y, and z) and in the 3D space, were analyzed. The median of the distances in the mediolateral direction was the lowest, while the highest differences were found at point A and Pog in the anteroposterior direction (0.83 mm and 0.78 mm, respectively). Vertical differences were higher in the maxilla than in the mandible. In conclusion, we found that orthognathic bimaxillary surgery using virtual surgical planning was more accurate when positioning the bone segments in the mediolateral direction, using the information provided by the splint, as well as when positioning the mandible compared to the maxilla.
Session-Enhanced Graph Neural Network Recommendation Model (SE-GNNRM)
Authors: Yin Lifeng , Chen Pengyu , Zheng Guanghai
Published: April 2022

Session-based recommendation aims to predict anonymous user actions. Many existing session recommendation models do not fully consider the impact of similar sessions on recommendation performance. Graph neural networks can better capture the conversion relationship of items within a session, but some intra-session conversion relationships are not conducive to recommendation, which requires model learning more representative session embeddings. To solve these problems, an improved session-enhanced graph neural network recommendation model, namely SE-GNNRM, is proposed in this paper. In our model, the complex transitions relationship of items and more representative item features are captured through graph neural network and self-attention mechanism in the encoding stage. Then, the attention mechanism is employed to combine short-term and long-term preferences to construct a global session graph and capture similar session information by using a graph attention network fused with similarity. In order to prove the effectiveness of the constructed SE-GNNRM model, three public data sets are selected here. The experiment results show that the SE-GNNRM outperforms the existing baseline models and is an effective model for session-based recommendation.
Denial of Service Attack of QoS-Based Control of Multi-Agent Systems
Authors: Elkhider Siddig M. , El-Ferik Sami , Saif Abdul-Wahid A.
Published: April 2022

This paper presents a secure formation control design of multi-agent systems under denial of service (DoS) attacks. Multiple unmanned aerial vehicle systems (UAVs) are considered in this paper. The proposed technique takes into account communication time delay, as well as formation and cyberattack, and provides a robust guidance method as well as a reliable middleware for information transfer and sharing. To ensure optimal guidance and coordination, a combined approach of L1 adaptive control and graph theory is used. The packet transmission between all UAVs is handled by the data distribution services (DDS) middleware, which overcomes the interoperability problem when dealing with multiple UAVs of different platforms and can be considered as an extra security level based on its quality of service (QoS). The graph theory is utilized to coordinate multiple UAVs in a hexagon formation, while the L1 controller is utilized as a local controller to stabilize the UAV’s dynamic model. A robust control security level is built to handle the effect of cyberattacks based on linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) control. Simulations are used to verify and show the performances of the proposed technique under the conditions indicated earlier.
Characteristics and Weekend Effect of Air Pollution in Eastern Jilin Province
Authors: Fang Chunsheng , Xue Kexin , Li Juan , Wang Ju
Published: April 2022

Using the hourly monitoring data of pollutants from 16 automatic atmospheric monitoring stations in eastern Jilin Province from 2015 to 2020, this paper analyzed the temporal and spatial distribution laws of CO, SO2, NO2, PM10, PM2.5, and O3 in eastern Jilin Province. At the same time, the regional transport pathways of pollutants were analyzed using the hybrid single-particle Lagrangian integrated trajectory (HYSPLIT) model; the potential source contribution function (PSCF) analyzed the potential source area of PM2.5. Finally, the “weekend effect” of CO, NO2, PM2.5, and O3 was analyzed. The results showed that the six pollutants showed a downward trend year by year. The concentrations of O3, PM10, and PM2.5 were higher in northwest Jilin, and the concentrations of SO2 and CO were higher in southwest Jilin. Except for CO, the seasonal variation of pollutants was pronounced. Except for O3, most pollutants had the highest concentration in winter. Hourly variation analysis described that SO2 and O3 had only one peak in a day, and the other four pollutants showed “double peak” hourly variation characteristics. The study area was mainly affected by the airflow pathway from northwest and southwest. The weight potential source contribution function (WPSCF) high-value area of PM2.5 was northwest and southwest. O3 showed a “negative weekend effect”, and NO2 and CO showed a “positive weekend effect”.
GAN-rcLSTM: A Deep Learning Model for Radar Echo Extrapolation
Authors: Geng Huantong , Wang Tianlei , Zhuang Xiaoran , Xi Du , Hu Zhongyan , Geng Liangchao
Published: April 2022

The target of radar echo extrapolation is to predict the motion and development of radar echo in the future based on historical radar observation data. For such spatiotemporal prediction problems, a deep learning method based on Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks has been widely used in recent years, although such models generally suffer from weak and blurry prediction. This paper proposes two models called Residual Convolution LSTM (rcLSTM) and Generative Adversarial Networks-rcLSTM (GAN-rcLSTM): The former introduces the residual module, and the latter introduces the discriminator. We use the historical data of 2017 and 2018 in the Jiangsu region as training and test sets. Experiments show that in long sequence forecasts, our model can provide more stable and clear images, while achieving higher CSI scores.
Investigation of Electron Scattering from Vinyl Ether and Its Isomers
Authors: Tomer Himani , Goswami Biplab , Antony Bobby
Published: April 2022

This article reports a comprehensive theoretical study of electron scattering from vinyl ether and its isomers. The electron–molecule quantum collision problem is solved through a complex optical potential approach. From the solution of the Schrödinger equation corresponding to this scattering problem, various cross sections were obtained for energies from ionization threshold of target to 5 keV. To deal with the non-spherical and complex structure, a multi-center group additivity approach is used. Furthermore, geometrical screening correction is applied to compensate for the overestimation of results due to electron charge density overlap. We found an interesting correlation between maximum ionization cross section with polarizability and ionization energy of the target molecule. The fitting of the total cross section as a function of the incident electron energy is reported in this article. The correlation between the effective diameter of the target and the projectile wavelength at maximum ionization energy is also reported for vinyl ether and its isomers. The data presented here will be useful to biomedical field, mass spectrometry, and chemical database for military range applications. The cross sections are also important to model Mars’s atmosphere due to their presence in its atmosphere. The gas-kinetic radius and the van der Waals coefficients are estimated from the electron-impact total scattering cross sections. In addition, the current study predicts the presence of isomeric effects in the cross section.
Optimal Mittag–Leffler Summation
Authors: Gluzman Simon
Published: April 2022

A novel method of an optimal summation is developed that allows for calculating from small-variable asymptotic expansions the characteristic amplitudes for variables tending to infinity. The method is developed in two versions, as the self-similar Borel–Leroy or Mittag–Leffler summations. It is based on optimized self-similar iterated roots approximants applied to the Borel–Leroy and Mittag–Leffler- transformed series with the subsequent inverse transformations. As a result, simple and transparent expressions for the critical amplitudes are obtained in explicit form. The control parameters come into play from the Borel–Leroy and Mittag–Leffler transformations. They are determined from the optimization procedure, either from the minimal derivative or minimal difference conditions, imposed on the analytically expressed critical amplitudes. After diff-log transformation, virtually the same procedure can be applied to critical indices at infinity. The results are obtained for a number of various examples. The examples vary from a rapid growth of the coefficients to a fast decay, as well as intermediate cases. The methods give good estimates for the large-variable critical amplitudes and exponents. The Mittag–Leffler summation works uniformly well for a wider variety of examples.
Effects of Trace Metals and Municipal Wastewater on the Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera of a Stream Community
Authors: Let Marek , Černý Jan , Nováková Petra , Ložek Filip , Bláha Martin
Published: April 2022

Abundances of EPT larvae sampled in a Central European locality affected by mining and smelting, as well as by the continual inflow of treated communal wastewaters (WWs), were recorded. High concentrations of trace metals in water (maximum 1200 µg·L–1 for zinc) and sediments (maximum 140,000 mg·kg–1 in dry weight for lead) were found at the most contaminated sites. The highest loads of pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and illegal drugs were found under the WW effluent. Other associated factors such as the physicochemical parameters of the water and alterations to microhabitats were also evaluated and taken into account. Although EPT richness was lower at affected sites, abundances did not fall. Stoneflies were dominant at unaffected sites, while caddisflies dominated at affected sites. Only baetid mayflies were detected at the sites contaminated by trace metals and WWs; ephemerellid, heptageniid, and leptophlebiid mayflies were absent from these sites. The site contaminated by trace metals was also inhabited by numerous limnephilid caddisflies, in which limb malformations were detected in up to 11.8% of all specimens of a single taxon. Downstream from the entrance of the WWs, the locality was dominated by hydropsychid caddisflies. The increasing prevalence of predator or passive filter-feeding strategies in these EPT communities was significantly related to increasing water conductivity and acute ecosystemic exposure to ‘poorly treated’ WWs.
Application of Hierarchical Clustering to Analyze Solvent-Accessible Surface Area Patterns in Amycolatopsis lipases
Authors: Sraphet Supajit , Javadi Bagher
Published: April 2022

The wealth of biological databases provides a valuable asset to understand evolution at a molecular level. This research presents the machine learning approach, an unsupervised agglomerative hierarchical clustering analysis of invariant solvent accessible surface areas and conserved structural features of Amycolatopsis eburnea lipases to exploit the enzyme stability and evolution. Amycolatopsis eburnea lipase sequences were retrieved from biological database. Six structural conserved regions and their residues were identified. Total Solvent Accessible Surface Area (SASA) and structural conserved-SASA with unsupervised agglomerative hierarchical algorithm were clustered lipases in three distinct groups (99/96%). The minimum SASA of nucleus residues was related to Lipase-4. It is clearly shown that the overall side chain of SASA was higher than the backbone in all enzymes. The SASA pattern of conserved regions clearly showed the evolutionary conservation areas that stabilized Amycolatopsis eburnea lipase structures. This research can bring new insight in protein design based on structurally conserved SASA in lipases with the help of a machine learning approach.
Role of Subgrade Reaction Modulus in Soil-Foundation-Structure Interaction in Concrete Buildings
Authors: Khosravifardshirazi Ali , Johari Ali , Javadi Akbar A. , Khanjanpour Mohammad Hassan , Khosravifardshirazi Behnaz , Akrami Mohammad
Published: April 2022

One of the key issues in structural and geotechnical engineering is that most parts of buildings are usually analysed separately and then the outputs are used in foundation designs. In this process, some effects are neglected. In this study, the soil–structure interaction (SSI) in foundations of concrete buildings was evaluated using the direct finite element method (DFEM). 3D models were developed and used to analyse concrete buildings with different stories constructed on soft soil. Foundation settlement, deformation of foundation, soil pressure diagram, and weight of reinforcement in the foundation were considered as the main parameters. Deformation of the foundation was analysed using the finite element method considering the effect of combined loadings (combinations of dead load, live load, and earthquake load). It is shown that by changing values of subgrade reaction modulus (Ks) in foundation design, the effects of SSI on tall buildings can be considered automatically. The results also show that the soil–structure interaction can cause changes in the pattern of foundation settlement, foundation deformation, and the weight of reinforcement used in foundation design. Furthermore, dishing deformation in foundation appeared in terms of SSI effects. An equation is provided to simplify considering SSI effects in foundation design. This method is practical for civil (especially structural) engineers, and they can conveniently consider these effects in foundation design without using DFEM.
Correction: Bishayee et al. Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) and Its Bioactive Phytocompounds: A Tribute to Cancer Prevention and Intervention. Cancers 2022, 14, 529
Authors: Bishayee Anupam , Patel Palak A. , Sharma Priya , Thoutireddy Shivani , Das Niranjan
Published: April 2022

In the original article, there was a mistake in the legend for Table 2 [...]
IGF2BP1 Promotes Proliferation of Neuroendocrine Neoplasms by Post-Transcriptional Enhancement of EZH2
Authors: Sperling Florian , Misiak Danny , Hüttelmaier Stefan , Michl Patrick , Griesmann Heidi
Published: April 2022

Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) represent a heterogenous class of highly vascularized neoplasms that are increasing in prevalence and are predominantly diagnosed at a metastatic state. The molecular mechanisms leading to tumor initiation, metastasis, and chemoresistance are still under investigation. Hence, identification of novel therapeutic targets is of great interest. Here, we demonstrate that the RNA-binding Protein IGF2BP1 is a post-transcriptional regulator of components of the Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), an epigenic modifier affecting transcriptional regulation and proliferation: Comprehensive in silico analyses along with in vitro experiments showed that IGF2BP1 promotes neuroendocrine tumor cell proliferation by stabilizing the mRNA of Enhancer of Zeste 2 (EZH2), the catalytic subunit of PRC2, which represses gene expression by tri-methylation of histone H3 at lysine 27 (H3K27me3). The IGF2BP1-driven stabilization and protection of EZH2 mRNA is m6A-dependent and enhances EZH2 protein levels which stimulates cell cycle progression by silencing cell cycle arrest genes through enhanced H3K27 tri-methylation. Therapeutic inhibition of IGF2BP1 destabilizes EZH2 mRNA and results in a reduced cell proliferation, paralleled by an increase in G1 and sub-G1 phases. Combined targeting of IGF2BP1, EZH2, and Myc, a transcriptional activator of EZH2 and well-known target of IGF2BP1 cooperatively induces tumor cell apoptosis. Our data identify IGF2BP1 as an important driver of tumor progression in NEN, and indicate that disruption of the IGF2BP1-Myc-EZH2 axis represents a promising approach for targeted therapy of neuroendocrine neoplasms.
The Performance of HE4 Alone and in Combination with CA125 for the Detection of Ovarian Cancer in an Enriched Primary Care Population
Authors: Barr Chloe E. , Funston Garth , Jeevan David , Sundar Sudha , Mounce Luke T. A. , Crosbie Emma J.
Published: April 2022

Human epididymis 4 (HE4) is a promising ovarian cancer biomarker, but it has not been evaluated in primary care. In this prospective observational study, we investigated the diagnostic accuracy of HE4 alone and in combination with CA125 for the detection of ovarian cancer in symptomatic women attending primary care. General practitioner (GP)-requested CA125 samples were tested for HE4 at a large teaching hospital in Manchester, and cancer outcomes were tracked for 12 months. We found a low incidence of ovarian cancer in primary care; thus, the cohort was enriched with pre-surgical samples from 81 ovarian cancer patients. The Risk of Ovarian Malignancy Algorithm (ROMA) was calculated using age (</>51) as a surrogate for menopause. Conventional diagnostic accuracy metrics were determined. A total of 1229 patients were included; 82 had ovarian cancer. Overall, ROMA performed best (AUC-0.96 (95%CI: 0.94–0.98, p = <0.001)). In women under 50 years, the combination of CA125 and HE4 (either marker positive) was superior (sensitivity: 100% (95%CI: 81.5–100.0), specificity: 80.1% (95%CI 76.7–83.1)). In women over 50, ROMA performed best (sensitivity: 84.4% (95%CI: 73.1–92.2), specificity: 87.2% (95%CI 84.1–90)). HE4 and ROMA may improve ovarian cancer detection in primary care, particularly for women under 50 years, in whom diagnosis is challenging. Validation in a larger primary care cohort is required.
The Light-Addressable Potentiometric Sensor and Its Application in Biomedicine towards Chemical and Biological Sensing
Authors: Liu Yage , Zhu Ping , Liu Shuge , Chen Yating , Liang Dongxin , Wang Miaomiao , Du Liping , Wu Chunsheng
Published: April 2022

The light-addressable potential sensor (LAPS) was invented in 1988 and has developed into a multi-functional platform for chemical and biological sensing in recent decades. Its surface can be flexibly divided into multiple regions or pixels through light addressability, and each of them can be sensed independently. By changing sensing materials and optical systems, the LAPS can measure different ions or molecules, and has been applied to the sensing of various chemical and biological molecules and cells. In this review, we firstly describe the basic principle of LAPS and the general configuration of a LAPS measurement system. Then, we outline the most recent applications of LAPS in chemical sensing, biosensing and cell monitoring. Finally, we enumerate and analyze the development trends of LAPS from the aspects of material and optical improvement, hoping to provide a research and application perspective for chemical sensing, biosensing and imaging technology.
Prediction of High Bell Stages of Necrotizing Enterocolitis Using a Mathematic Formula for Risk Determination
Authors: Diez Sonja , Bell Lea Emilia , Moosmann Julia , Weiss Christel , Müller Hanna , Besendörfer Manuel
Published: April 2022

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) continues to cause high morbidity and mortality. Identifying early predictors for severe NEC is essential to improve therapy and optimize timing for surgical intervention. We present a retrospective study of patients with NEC, treated between 2010 and 2020, trying to identify factors influencing the severity of NEC. Within the study period, 88 affected infants with NEC or NEC-like symptoms are analyzed. A multiple logistic regression analysis reveals the following three independent predictors for NEC in Bell stage III: red blood cell transfusion (p = 0.027 with odds ratio (OR) = 3.298), sonographic findings (p = 0.037; OR = 6.496 for patients with positive vs. patients without pathological findings) and cardiac anatomy (p = 0.015; OR = 1.922 for patients with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) vs. patients with congenital heart disease (CHD); OR = 5.478/OR = 2.850 for patients with CHD/PDA vs. patients without cardiac disease). Results are summarized in a clinical score for daily application in clinical routine. The score is easy to apply and combines clinically established parameters, helping to determine the timing of surgical intervention.
Modeling the Contribution of Aerosols to Fog Evolution through Their Influence on Solar Radiation
Authors: Al Asmar Lea , Musson-Genon Luc , Dupont Eric , Ferrand Martin , Sartelet Karine
Published: April 2022

Aerosols and in particular their black carbon (BC) content influence the atmospheric heating rate and fog dissipation. Substantial improvements have been introduced to the solar scheme of the computational fluid dynamic model code_saturne to estimate fluxes and heating rates in the atmosphere. This solar scheme is applied to a well-documented case of a fog that evolves into a low stratus cloud. Different sensitivity tests are conducted. They show that aerosols have a major effect with an overestimation of the direct solar fluxes by 150 W m−2 when aerosols are not considered and a reduction of the heating of the layers. Aerosols lead to an increase of the heating rate by as much as 55% in the solar infrared (SIR) band and 100% in the Ultra-Violet visible (UV-vis) band. Taking into account the fraction of BC in cloud droplets also accentuates the heating in the layers at the top of the fog layer where water liquid content is maximum. When the BC fraction in cloud droplets is equal to 8.6 × 10−6, there is an increase of approximately 7.3 °C/day in the layers. Increasing the BC fraction leads to an increase of this heating in the layer, especially in the UV-vis band.