bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of the oral angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor captopril on occlusal-disharmony-induced cardiac dysfunction in mice
Authors: Ito Aiko , Ohnuki Yoshiki , Suita Kenji , Matsuo Ichiro , Ishikawa Misao , Mototani Yasumasa , Kiyomoto Kenichi , Tsunoda Michinori , Morii Akinaka , Nariyama Megumi , Hayakawa Yoshio , Tomonari Hiroshi , Okumura Satoshi
Published: December 2022

Occlusal disharmony is known to affect not only the oral cavity environment, but also the autonomic nervous system in the heart. Since the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitor captopril (Cap) is one of the first-line drugs for preventing cardiac remodeling in patients with heart failure, we hypothesized that Cap might prevent cardiac dysfunction induced by occlusal disharmony. Here, to test this idea, we used our bite-opening (BO) mouse model, which was developed by cementing a suitable appliance onto the mandibular incisor. Mice were divided into four groups: 1) Control, 2) BO, 3) Cap, and 4) BO + Cap. After 2 weeks, we evaluated cardiac function by echocardiography and confirmed that cardiac function was significantly decreased in the BO group compared to the control, while Cap ameliorated the dysfunction. Cardiac fibrosis, myocyte apoptosis and oxidative stress-induced myocardial damage in the BO group were significantly increased versus the control, and these increases were suppressed by Cap. Cardiac dysfunction induced by BO was associated with dual phosphorylation on PKCδ (Tyr-311/Thr-505), leading to activation of CaMKII with increased phosphorylation of RyR2 and phospholamban. Our results suggest that the RAS might play an important role in the development of cardiac diseases induced by occlusal anomalies.
Influence of Relative Humidity on Compressive Strength of Low-Calcium Fly Ash Geopolymer During Heat Curing
Authors: Rasuli Mohammad Idris
Published: December 2022

Compare to ordinary Portland cement, Geopolymers are more environmentally friendly materials. They have some remarkable advantages such as resistance against fire and acid. Low-calcium fly ash-based geopolymers are heat cured in ovens and incubators where they are exposed to different temperatures and relative humidity (RH). The influence of the temperature on the alkali-activated materials (AAM) and geopolymers are well studied and understood. But there is a lack of enough information regarding the effect of RH during heat curing on the properties of the materials. This research aimed to study the influence of RH on the compressive strength of the geopolymer. Low-calcium fly ash-based geopolymer was cured at 45 °C. The effect of around 10% and 94% RH was studied on 7-, 28- and 56- day compressive strength of the materials. It was found that RH has a negative influence on the early age strength of the mortars. More studies are required to find the influence of RH on other properties of the geopolymer.
Cost-effectiveness analysis of direct admission to acute geriatric unit versus admission after an emergency department visit for elderly patients
Authors: Naouri Diane , Yordanov Youri , Lapidus Nathanael , Pelletier-Fleury Nathalie
Published: December 2022

Background.
Elderly individuals represent an increasing proportion of emergency department (ED) users. In the APHP direct-admission study, direct admission (DA) to an acute geriatric unit (AGU) was associated with a shorter hospital length of stay (LOS), lower post-acute care transfers, and lower risk of an ED return visit in the month following the AGU hospitalization compared with admission after an ED visit. Until now, no economic evaluation of DA has been available.
Methods.
We aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of DA to an AGU versus admission after an ED visit in elderly patients. This was conducted alongside the APHP direct-admission study which used electronic medical records and administrative claims data from the Greater Paris University Hospitals (APHP) Health Data Warehouse and involved 19 different AGUs. We included all patients ≥ 75 years old who were admitted to an AGU for more than 24 hours between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2018. The effectiveness criterion was the occurrence of ED return visit in the month following AGU hospitalization. We compared the costs of an AGU stay in the DA versus the ED visit group. The perspective was that of the payer. To characterise and summarize uncertainty, we used a non-parametric bootstrap resampling and constructed cost-effectiveness accessibility curves.
Results.
At baseline, mean costs per patient were €5113 and €5131 in the DA and ED visit groups, respectively. ED return visit rates were 3.3% (n = 81) in the DA group and 3.9% (n = 160) in the ED group (p = 0.21). After bootstrap, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was €-4249 (95%CI= -66001; +45547) per ED return visit averted. Acceptability curves showed that DA could be considered a cost-effective intervention at a threshold of €-2405 per ED return visit avoided.
Conclusion.
The results of this cost-effectiveness analysis of DA to an AGU versus admission after an ED visit for elderly patients argues in favor of DA, which could help provide support for public decision making.
Jump-Landing Mechanics Assessment Using Landing Error Scoring System in Athletes with and without Patellofemoral Pain:
Authors: Rabanni Majid , Esfandiarpour Fateme , Saadat Maryam , Jahangiri Mina
Published: December 2022

Purpose: This study was a cross-sectional study that aimed to compare the total LESS scores of individuals with PFP with healthy controls and assess the association of pain, function, and psychological factors with LESS score.
Methods: Twenty-seven male athletes with PFP completed a standardized jump-landing task. They were compared with a matched, healthy group. Also, participants completed four questionnaires involving the visual analog scale (VAS), Anterior knee pain scale (AKPS), fear of motion (TAMPA), beck anxiety and depression inventory scale (BAI, BDI).
Results: PFP group had a higher total LESS score than the control group significantly. They had errors when landing with lateral trunk flexion and less knee flexion in the initial contact. Our results showed a significantly strong correlation between VAS, AKPS, and TAMPA with a final score LESS. Also, a low to moderate significant correlation obtained between BAI, BDI and final score LESS.
Conclusions: The LESS is a useful clinical test for evaluating landing errors in people with PFP. Greater kinesiophobia, pain, poorer self-reported function and psychological factors was correlated with a total LESS score.
Microtextural signatures in quartz grains and foraminifera from tsunami deposits of the Portuguese shelf
Authors: Yhasnara Missilene , Costa Pedro JM , Dourado Francisco , Martins Maria Virginia Alves , Feist Lisa , Bellanova Piero , Reicherter Klaus
Published: December 2022

This study presents results from two sediment cores collected on the southern Portuguese shelf attempting to, partially, fill the knowledge gap of the offshore record of high-energy events. The results were obtained based on description of cores, microtextural analysis of quartz grains and foraminiferal taphonomy. The lithostratigraphy, corresponding to late Holocene sedimentation, with intercalations of medium sand-rich in bioclastic fragments with erosive basal contact. In terms of microtextures, a high degree of mechanical marks on the grains associated with tsunami deposition was observed and reflects the high-energy hydrodynamic processes. In compositional terms the higher presence of quartz grains in these units favours the increase of mechanical marks, because grain-to-grain contact is more intense. Additionally, the geomorphological setting of the coring sites determined the degree and type of mechanical microtextures observed. Furthermore, post-depositional changes and characteristics of the original sediment source contribute to explain the occurrence of dissolution in units of GeoB23513-02. The foraminiferal taphonomy displayed a predominance of dissolution alteration in the tests surfaces that was more evident in the silty layers. On the other hand, similarly to quartz grains microtextural signature, the sandy high-energy units exhibit a slight predominance of physical processes despite the still strong presence of dissolution. Furthermore, the sole presence of species (middle to outer shelf) in some units is an indication that there was little reworking of these specimens. Finally, the results obtained in this study show potential to recognize the microtextural signature of Holocene tsunami events in offshore environments.
Overexpression of SHCBP1 predicts poor prognosis of gastric cancer
Authors: Du Hua , Zhang Haifeng , Sun Wei , Hai Lin , Xu Xiaoyan , Wen Lixin , Shi Yingxu , Liu Honggang
Published: December 2022

Background
SHC SH2-domain binding protein 1 (SHCBP1) functions as an oncogene in different cancers. The effect pattern of SHCBP1 in gastric cancer (GC) tissues and the relationships between SHCBP1 expression and GC progression were explored in our study.
Methods
The expression of SHCBP1 in GC tissues and corresponding adjacent tissues was analyzed by immune histochemistry, Western blot and RT-PCR. With bioinformatics methods, the associations between the expression level of SHCBP1 and different cancer progression were also analyzed. In addition, the knockdown of SHCBP1 gene using shRNA transfection was applied to investigate the effect of SHCBP1 expressionon the proliferation, migration, invasion and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) capabilities of GC cells.
Results
The expression level of SHCBP1 mRNA was significantly increased in GC tissues compared with that of the adjacent tissues (P < 0.05). The expressions of SHCBP1 in GC tissues were associated with T stage and TNM stage. High SHCBP1 expression and TNM stage were independent factors to predict poor prognosis for GC patients.With the bioinformatics database, SHCBP1 could be treated as an oncogene of GC. And the in vitro study further confirmed that the knockdown of SHCBP1 expression in GC cells effectively suppressed the proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT capabilities of GC cells.
Conclusions
Our results indicate that SHCBP1 promote the metastasis of GC and could be served as potential prognostic marker and potential molecular target for GC therapy.
Sex and gender differences in treatment intention, quality of life and performance status in the first 100 patients with periampullary cancer enrolled in the CHAMP study
Authors: Hau Sofie Olsson , Williamsson Caroline , Andersson Bodil , Eberhard Jakob , Jirström Karin
Published: December 2022

Background
Periampullary cancer is a term for cancers arising in or in close proximity to the pancreas. Pancreatic cancer is the 3rd leading cause of cancer death for both sexes and while surgery is the only option for cure, chemotherapy is given in both the adjuvant and palliative settings. The aim of this study was to investigate any sex and gender differences in patients with pancreatic and other periampullary adenocarcinomas enrolled in a prospective, observational trial.
Methods
The study cohort consists of the first 100 patients, 49 women and 51 men, enrolled in the Chemotherapy, Host Response and Molecular dynamics in Periampullary cancer (CHAMP) study, an ongoing study of patients undergoing neoadjuvant, adjuvant or first-line palliative chemotherapy treatment. Twenty-five patients had surgery with curative intent and subsequent adjuvant treatment, and 75 patients were treated with palliative chemotherapy. Data regarding health-related quality of life (HRQoL, EORTC-QLQ-C30) at baseline, demographic and clinicopathological factors were examined and stratification by treatment intention according to sex. Overall survival (OS) was calculated through Kaplan-Meier analysis.
Results
There was a statistically significant difference between male and female patients treated with curative intent, with fewer women having undergone surgery (18 vs 7, p = 0.017), also after adjustment for age, tumor location and performance status. No statistical differences were found between the sexes regarding age, comorbidities, or clinicopathological factors. Before start of chemotherapy treatment, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was lower in female than in male patients. However, HRQoL was not associated with performance status in female patients, whereas in male patients several HRQoL indicators were significantly positively associated with poorer performance status at baseline.
Conclusions
This study shows no clear differences between the sexes regarding biological factors concluding that gender bias might be responsible for the discrepancy between men and women being offered curative surgery. The observed difference between women and men regarding the association between HRQoL and performance status is unprecedented. Altogether these findings underline the importance of taking gender into consideration when assessing eligibility for curative surgery in order to improve biological outcome and decrease suffering in both sexes.
Study on the fretting wear evolution model of wires with curvature inside metal rubber
Authors: li hongyin , Ren Zhiying , Shen Liangliang , Huang Jianmeng , Shi Linwei
Published: December 2022

Metal rubber (MR) is a damping material with a space-disordered network interpenetrating structure. The fretting wear and fracture of its internal spiral turn caused by mutual extrusion and friction are the main reasons for its fatigue failure. However, the research on fretting wear of metal wire with curvature inside metal rubber is rarely reported, and the influence of curvature on the fretting wear of spiral metal wire is unclear. In order to deeply explore the fretting wear characteristics of metal wires with curvature, the fretting wear evolution model of metal wires with curvature was deduced and constructed in this work. Combined with finite element simulation and tribological test, the difference of fretting wear between metal wire with curvature and metal wire without curvature was analyzed. The results show that the fretting wear model of metal wire with curvature can accurately predict the wear degree of metal wire with curvature. The prediction accuracy error is within 10% under all working conditions. There are apparent differences between the metal wire with curvature and the metal wire without curvature under the same working conditions. In particular, when the metal wire contacts at a slight angle, the difference in the wear degree between them is extensive, and the error decreases with the increase of contact angle. The fretting wear evolution model of metal wire with curvature is more suitable for predicting fretting wear of metal wire contact pairs, which abound in MR in the form of low contact angle and high curvature.
Physicochemical Characteristics of Shrimp Ponds on Mangrove Ecosystems in Kannur District of Kerala, India
Authors: Krishnapriya P , Bijith P , Sandeep S
Published: December 2022

Mangrove forests are one of the most productive ecosystems in the world and are known for their ecological, economic, and social importance. Large-scale shrimp farming severely threatens mangrove ecosystems since shrimp productivity is correlated with mangrove ecosystems. The present study was carried out to determine the physicochemical characteristics of soil and water of traditional and non-traditional shrimp ponds near mangroves for understating the variation from the natural mangrove ecosystems of the Kannur district. Different parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity, BOD, DO, alkalinity, acidity, fluoride, iron, sulphate, nitrate, calcium, magnesium, and total hardness of collected water sample and pH, electrical conductivity, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, organic carbon and heavy metal contents of collected soil samples were determined by respective instruments and methods. From the analysis, it was found that all the parameters of traditional, as well as non-traditional shrimp ponds showed significant variation from the natural mangrove ecosystems. The result from the statistical analysis, t-test, concluded that the parameters of water such as pH, temperature, alkalinity, dissolved oxygen (DO), biological oxygen demand (BOD), fluoride, nitrate, and iron contents of traditional shrimp ponds, and pH, BOD, nitrate, sulphate and total hardness of non-traditional shrimp ponds significantly varied from its corresponding natural mangrove ecosystems. In addition, the phosphorus content in soil samples from traditional shrimp ponds and the pH, electrical conductivity, phosphorus, potassium, lead, and chromium in soil from non-traditional shrimp ponds significantly varied from corresponding natural mangroves. Changes in those physicochemical parameters of soil and water will affect the associated organisms and restrict further restoration of mangroves in the long term.
Tick-borne pathogens of cattle in smallholder rural livestock production systems in East and West Africa
Authors: Heylen Dieter J.A. , Kumsa Bersissa , Kimbita Elikira , Frank Mwiine Nobert , Muhanguzi Dennis , Jongejan Frans , Adehan Safiou Bienvenu , Touré Alassane , Aboagye-Antwi Fred , Ogo Ndudim Isaac , Juleff Nick , Crafford Dionne , Fourie Josephus , Labuchange Michel , Madder Maxime
Published: December 2022

Background:The majority of the African population lives in rural areas where they heavily depend on crop and livestock production for their livelihoods. Given their socio-economic importance, we initiated a standardized multi-country (Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia Tanzania and Uganda) surveillance study to assess the current status of important tick-borne haemoparasites (TBHPs) of cattle across these seven sub-Saharan African territories.Methods:We assessed vector-borne pathogen prevalences (Anaplasma marginale, Anaplasma centrale, Babesia bigemina, Babesia bovis, Ehrlichia ruminantium, andTheileria parva) in the blood of cattle, via molecular screenings in approximately 480 individuals per district in two districts per country and seven countries each. In addition, we screened for intrinsic (sex, weight, body condition) and extrinsic (husbandry, tick exposure) risk factors as predictors of infections with TBHPs.Results:There was a large macro-geographic variation observed inA. marginale, B. bigemina, B. bovis, E. ruminantiumprevalences. Most correlated with the co-occurrence of their specific sets of vector-competent ticks. Highest numbers of infected cattle were found in Benin, and lowest in Burkina Faso. WhileT. parvawas seldomly found in the cattle blood (Uganda only: 3.0 %),A. marginalewas found in each country with a prevalence of at least 40 %. Lower body condition score was found inB. bovisinfected cattle. Age (as estimated via the cattle’s body weight) of the animal was higher inA. marginaleinfected cattle, but was negatively correlated withB. bigeminaandE. ruminantiumprevalence.Ehrlichia ruminantiuminfection was more often found in males, andA. marginalemore often in transhumance farming. High levels of co-infection, especially the combinationA. marginalexB. bigemina, were observed in all countries, except for Uganda and Burkina Faso.Babesiabigeminawas more or less often observed than expected by chance, when cattle were also co-infected withE. ruminantiumorA. marginale, respectively.Conclusions:Tick-borne pathogens of cattle, including the highly virulentB. bovisandE. ruminantium,are ubiquitous in smallholder cattle production systems in Africa. This study is the first in its kind to demonstrate the negative impact ofB. bovison body condition score, a proxy for production. Looking at the continuous spread of its major vectorR. microplus, this finding is of major importance to cattle production in many parts of the world whereR. microplusis prevailing. Our study will help a wide range of stakeholders to provide recommendations for TBHP surveillance and prevention in cattle.
Robot-assisted Laparoscopic Adenomyomectomy
Authors: Usta Taner , Yilmaz Salih , Ozkaynak Aysel , Ceylan Gizem Nil , Kale Ahmet , Oral Engin
Published: December 2022

Adenomyosis is a benign uterine disorder where endometrial gland and stromal tissue are abnormally located within the myometrium. The common symptoms of adenomyosis are abnormal uterine bleeding (menorrhagia), dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia and infertility.
The gold-standard method for treating adenomyosis is hysterectomy. For patients who desire to preserve their uterus, an alternative therapy would be adenomyomectomy which is sparing uterus. Such a procedure may be performed with open surgery or minimally invasive surgery.
It is obvious that minimal invasive surgery would be better for the patient’s health. However, there is inadequate evidence to decidedly say which invasive surgery which invasive surgery would be best for the patient. We suggest that one of the newest techniques, robotic surgery is to be preferred an alternative approach for gynecological operations as well as would be an option for uterine surgery. This technique would allow for 3-D visualization and multijoint endowrist movement, which compared to laparoscopy, yields various advantages for surgeons.
We therefore recruit seven participants diagnosed with symptomatic adenomyosis who admitted to Endometriosis and Chronic Pelvic Pain Center of Acibadem Altunizade Hospital between March 2019and January 2021 requested to preserve fertility. They all underwent robotic adenomyomectomy. The parameters evaluated herein will be, whether the pain and bleeding scores changed during the postoperative period, amount of blood loss during the operation and the associated decrease in Hg levels. Robotic adenomyomectomy is one of the uterus-sparing adenomyosis surgery methods and is safely applied in selected patients.
Utilization of Triple Antithrombotic Therapy in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Choi Hye-Jeong , Lee Yonghyuk , Park Susin , Je Nam Kyung
Published: December 2022

Background:
Triple antithrombotic therapy (TAT), a combination of an oral anticoagulant and dual antiplatelet agents (DAPT), is a key treatment for prevention of ischemic events in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, TAT is not extensively used because of the risk of bleeding.
This study aimed to determine the utilization and influencing factors of TAT using real-world data in the non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) era.
Methods:
We analyzed National Inpatient Sample data compiled by the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service (HIRA-NIS) from 2011 to 2020. Patients with AF who underwent PCI with stent implantation and with an increased stroke risk, were selected as candidates for TAT therapy. Demographic and clinical factors associated with TAT use were investigated using the chi-squared test and the student's t-test, and influencing factors were identified using multiple logistic regression.
Results:
The TAT utilization rate steadily increased from 30.3% in 2011 to 65.4% in 2020 (Cochran-Armitage trend test: p < 0.001) with an average of 45.9%. Positive influencing factors for TAT use were identified as congestive heart failure, history of previous stroke/transient ischemic attack/thromboembolism, valvular heart disease, and year. Negative influencing factors included insurance type (medical aid or Patriots & Veterans Insurance), type of medical institution (general hospitals or primary medical institutions), and comorbidities such as renal disease, liver disease, and history of the previous hemorrhage.
Conclusions:
In patients with AF with an increased stroke risk, TAT utilization after PCI increased progressively from 2011 to 2020, reaching 65.4% by 2020. However, in 2020, 29.4% of patients were still prescribed DAPT, suggesting that many AF patients undergoing PCI did not receive adequate antithrombotic therapy even in the NOACs era. This trend was more pronounced in patients at high risk of bleeding.
Fabrication and functionality of 3D-printed porous scaffolds composing natural derivatives of duck bones and fish shells and poly(ε-caprolactone)
Authors: Wu Dung-Yi , Shih Wen-Ling , Wang Chin-San , Wu Chin-San
Published: December 2022

Recycled duck bones (DBs) and fish shells were processed into natural derivatives. Through innovative design, these natural derivatives were then combined with biopolymers to create a new type of ecofriendly filament suitable for three-dimensional (3D) printing of scaffolds for bone regeneration. The DBs and fish shells were thermally processed to produce DB-derived hydroxyapatite (HA) and fish shell-derived Ca(OH)2 (TAS), respectively. Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), HA, and TAS were combined and fabricated into new composite filaments, which were then transformed into scaffolds using 3D printing technology. The structure and antibacterial behaviors of the obtained composite scaffolds were studied. Alone, PCL showed no bacterial inhibition. MHA (a mix of HA and TAS) was added to PCL to form a PCL/MHA composite material, which significantly improved the functional properties of PCL and enhanced cell attachment and proliferation. The Ca(OH)2 content of TAS was responsible for the antibacterial effect. The PCL/MHA composites were porous and displayed enhanced osteoblast proliferation in vitro. The osteoblast cell population do not affected when cultured on the PCL/HA and PCL/MHA series composites according to cell cycle distribution analysis. The surfaces of the various PCL/HA and PCL/MHA composites showed elevated levels of calcium and phosphorus compounds when exposed to simulated body fluids. Calcium and phosphate ions were rapidly deposited on PCL/HA and PCL/MHA composite scaffolds in osteoblasts according to the cell mineralization assay. Our findings suggest great potential of the PCL/HA and PCL/MHA composite scaffolds in bone tissue engineering applications.
Four-Way Classification of Alzheimer's Disease using Deep Siamese Convolutional Neural Network with Triplet-Loss Function
Authors: Hajamohideen Faizal , Shaffi Noushath , Mahmud Mufti , Subramanian Karthikeyan , Al-Sariri Arwa , Vimbi Viswan , Abdesselam Abdelhamid
Published: December 2022

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that causes irreversible damage to several brain regions, including the hippocampus causing impairment in cognition, function, and behaviour. Early diagnosis of the disease will reduce the suffering of the patients and their family members. Towards this aim, in this paper, we propose a Siamese Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) architecture that employs the triplet-loss function for the representation of input MRI images as k-dimensional embeddings. We used both pre-trained and non-pre-trained CNNs to transform images into the embedding space. These embeddings are subsequently used for the 4-way classification of Alzheimer's Disease. The model efficacy was tested using the ADNI and OASIS datasets which produced an accuracy of 91.83% and 93.85%, respectively. Furthermore, obtained results are compared with similar methods proposed in the literature.
Clinical features of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies with infection based on a cluster analysis
Authors: Cheng Lu , Li Yanhong , Wu Yinlan , Luo Yubin , Zhou Yu , Liao Zehui , Wen Ji , Liang Xiuping , Wu Tong , Tan Chunyu , Liu Yi
Published: December 2022

Objectives.
Patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM), referred to as myositis, are prone to infectious complications, which hinder the treatment of the disease and worsen the outcome of patients. The purpose of this study was to explore the different types of infectious complications in patients with myositis and to determine the predisposing factors for clinical reference.
Methods.
A retrospective study was conducted on 66 patients with IIMwho were divided into different types by an unsupervised analysis of their clinical manifestations, laboratory features, and autoantibody characteristics. Combined with the incidence of infectious complications, the types of infectious pathogens and the sites of infection, the characteristics of infection and susceptibility factors were explored.
Results.
Three clusters with significantly different clinical characteristics and coinfection rates were identified (76.2% vs. 41.6% vs. 36.4%, p=0.0139). Cluster 1 (n = 12) had a moderate risk of infection, with an infection rate of 41.6%. The patients in cluster 1 had a high probability of positive mechanic's hands, periungual erythema, anti-Ro52 antibody, and anti-Jo1 antibody. CD3 and CD4 were the highest among the three groups. Cluster 2 (n = 21) had a high risk of infection, and the incidence of infection was 76.2%. Almost all patients in this cluster had a rash, prominent clinical symptoms, and decreased WBC, PMN, LYM, CD3 and CD4counts. Cluster 3 (n=33) had a low risk of infection, with an infection rate of 36.4%. Compared with the other two clusters, cluster 3 (n=33) lacked a typical rash but had a high ANA positive rate. The patients in cluster 1 and cluster 3 were mainly infected by viruses, followed by bacterial infections. In the cluster 2 patients, bacterial infections were the most prevalent. Fungal and Pneumocystis carinii were common causes of cluster 2 and 3 infections. In addition, the patients within a cluster often have a single infection, and pulmonary infections are the most common.
Conclusion.
We clustered the patients with IIM complicated with infection into three different types by their clinical symptoms and found that there were differences in the infection risk and infection types among the different cluster groups.
Please ensure that the intended meaning has been maintained in this edit.
Flash-based Content Addressable Memory with L2 Distance for Memory-Augmented Neural Network
Authors: Yang Haozhang , Huang Peng , Li Ruiyi , Tang Nan , Zhang Yizhou , Zhou Zheng , Liu Lifeng , Liu Xiaoyan , Kang Jinfeng
Published: December 2022

Memory-augmented neural network (MANN) has received increasing attention as a promising approach to achieve lifelong on-device learning, of which implementation of the explicit memory is vital. Ternary content addressable memory (CAM) with the capacity of computing Hamming distance has been designed to accelerate the explicit memory by harnessing the in-memory-computing capability. Given that the memory states in the biological brain are high-precision and the processing function is much more complex than Hamming distance, therefore, developing multi-bit CAM with a more powerful distance function is an effective path to imitate the sophisticated capabilities of our brain and move towards advanced lifelong machine intelligence. In this work, a novel CAM cell with quadratic code is proposed and a 1Mb Flash-based multi-bit-storage and ternary-search CAM chip capable of computing Euclidean (L2) distance is fabricated. Compared with traditional ternary CAM with Hamming distance, the latency and energy are significantly reduced by 5.3 folds and 46.6 folds, respectively, at the same recognition accuracy of MANN on Omniglot dataset. On the other hand, when the word widths of CAM are identical, the recognition accuracy of the proposed CAM is increased by 8.5% on average for different few-shot learning tasks compared with ternary CAM. Besides, the measured data of the fabricated CAM chip show that the recognition accuracy has slight degradation (<1%) even after baking for 1e5 s at 200℃, demonstrating the robust stability to the disturbance of environmental factors. Performance evaluation indicates a 471-fold reduction in search latency and 1267-fold reduction in search energy compared with graphics processing unit (GPU) for search operation. The proposed robust and energy-efficient CAM provides a promising solution to implement lifelong on-device machine intelligence.
Examining Perceptions of a Telemedicine Network for Pediatric Emergency Medicine: A Mixed-Methods Study
Authors: Mateus Lidia , Law Madelyn , Khowaja Asif , Orlando Elaina , Pace Alexander , Roy Madan , Sulowski Christopher
Published: December 2022

Background: Use of telemedicine for healthcare delivery in the emergency department has the ability to increase access to specialized care for pediatric patients without direct access to a children’s hospital. Currently telemedicine is underused in this setting. This research aimed to evaluate the perceived effectiveness of a telemedicine program in delivering care to critically ill pediatric patients in the emergency department by exploring the experiences of parents/caregivers and physicians.
Methods: Sequential explanatory mixed methods were employed, in which quantitative methods of inquiry were followed by qualitative methods. Data was collected through a post-used survey for physicians that engaged with the program, followed by semi-structured interviews with physicians and parents/guardians of children treated through the program. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the survey data and reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze interview data.
Results: The findings describe positive perceptions of telemedicine for emergency department pediatric care, as well as barriers and facilitators to its use. Among parents/caregivers themes were: Confident in the Care Environment, Forever Grateful, The Way of the Future, The Experience of Being Transferred, and Trouble Connecting. Among physicians themes were: Support and Validation, Team Effort, Providing Visual Perspective, Institutional Understanding, and Communicating Expectations. The research also discusses implications for practice and policy, with recommendations for overcoming barriers and leveraging facilitators when implementing telemedicine programming.
Conclusion: The findings strongly suggest that a telemedicine program has high utility and acceptance among parents/caregivers and physicians for the treatment of critically ill pediatric patients in the emergency department. When faced with the use of the program, neither physicians nor parents/caregivers expressed concerns or hesitation about the care being delivered. Following experience with the program, the benefits were rapidly recognized and highly valued by both parents/caregivers and physicians, including rapid connection to sub-specialized care and enhanced communication between remote and local physicians.
Trial Registration: Not Applicable
Fear of a new pandemic; perception and prediction towards monkeypox among Middle East general population: A multi-country cross sectional study
Authors: Eljack Mohammed Mahmmoud Fadelallah , Elnaiem Walaa , Hasabo Elfatih .A. , Ahmed Khabab Abbasher Hussien Mohamed , Abbas Azza A. , Ahmed Alaa S. , Abdelwahed Aya Elsayed , Jobran Afnan W.M. , Mohamed Malaz Tarig AbdAlla , Tahir Muhammad Junaid , Idris Leena Mohamed Jagran , Bakour Rose Khalid , Elseed Lina Zainelabdin Eltaib , Komi Omar Al , Mugibel Tayba Abdulrahman , Nour Alshareef B. , Satti Mohamed , Awish Khalid Abbas , Mohammed Elrasheed ali elobeid , Collaborators Middle East
Published: December 2022

Background
Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease caused by Monkeypox virus, an Orthopoxvirus. The 2022 Monkeypox outbreak has provoked a considerable amount of fear among the public. Awareness about this disease would modify the public attitudes in the fight against Monkeypox. We conducted this study aiming to assess the awareness and prediction of the middle east public about Monkeypox.
Methods
This cross-sectional study was conducted in August 2022. Data were collected from eight middle east countries using an online self-administered questionnaire distributed through educational and social media platforms. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS version 26.
Results
About 11,016 individuals have participated in this study. The majority of the participants have not seen a Monkeypox case, but will not travel to a country with the epidemic. Most of the participants knew the causative organism. Importantly, the majority were not aware of Monkeypox mode of transmission, symptoms, complications, and vaccination. A considerable proportion were aware of the disease protective measures. Participants' awareness was mostly gained from social media and it varied by age, gender, educational level, and country. The majority predicted acquiring Monkeypox when protective measures not taken, progression to a pandemic with economic consequences, and ability of ministry of health to control the epidemic. Participants' predictions varied by their country.
Conclusion
Middle east public knowledge about monkeypox is poor. Raising awareness about Monkeypox (especially mode of transmission, symptoms, and preventive measures) would be of benefit in controlling the epidemic. This study constitutes an evidence upon which health education programs could be designed.
Computational models in Precision Fruit Growing: reviewing the impact of temporal variability on perennial crop yield assessment
Authors: Magro Renata Bulling , Alves Silvio André Meirelles , Gebler Luciano
Published: December 2022

Early yield information of perennial crops is crucial for growers and the industry, which allows cost reduction and benefits crop planning. However, the yield assessment of perennial crops by computational models can be challenging due to diverse aspects of interannual variability that act on the crops. This review aimed to investigate and analyze the literature on yield estimation and forecasting modeling of perennial cropping systems. We reviewed 49 articles and categorized them according to their yield assessment strategy, modeling class used, and input variable characteristics. The strategies of yield assessment were discussed in the context of their principal improvement challenges. According to our investigation, image processing and deep learning models are emerging techniques for yield estimation. On the other hand, machine learning algorithms, such as Artificial Neural Networks and Decision Trees, were applied to yield forecasting with reasonable time in advance of harvest. Emphasis is placed on the lack of representative long-term datasets for developing computational models, which can lead to accurate early yield forecasting of perennial crops.
Eksplorasi Kemampuan Berpikir Kritis Matematika Berdasarkan Keyakinan (Belief) Siswa
Authors: Agus Imaludin , Purnama Amiluddin Nur
Published: December 2022

This study aims to explore students' mathematical critical thinking skills based on belief at SMPN Satu Atap 1 Kabawo. This research is descriptive exploratory. The research subjects were students of class VIII for the 2020/2021 academic year. The instruments used in data collection were test of studentsâ€™ critical thinking skills, questionnaires on studentsâ€™ beliefs about mathematics, and interview guidelines. The data collected was then analyzed descriptively. The results showed that the percentage of students' confidence of mathematics in the medium category was 61.12%, the percentage of studentsâ€™ confidence of mathematics in the high category was 25%, and about 13.88% of studentsâ€™ confidence of mathematics was in the low category. Students with high confidence showed a tendency to be able to solve critical thinking skills in the aspects of interpretation, analysis, and evaluation. Students with moderate confidence tend to be able to solve problems in the aspects of interpretation and evaluation, while students with low categories have not been able to solve problems in all aspects of critical thinking skills.
Industrial uses of fluorogypsum
Authors:   Irkutsk National Research Technical University, Kuzmin Mikhail P. , Larionov Leonid M. ,   Irkutsk National Research Technical University, Kuzmina Marina Yu. ,   Irkutsk National Research Technical University, Grigoriev Vyacheslav G. ,   JSC "SibVAMI"
Published: December 2022

The purpose of the study was to determine the possibility of obtaining Portland cement PC400 D20, which meets the requirements of GOST 10178–85, and uses fluorogypsum – a waste product of the hydrofluoric acid industry – as a source of gypsum feedstock. The object of the research was to study the physical and mechanical properties of Portland cement obtained by mixing crushed Portland cement clinker with active mineral (fly ash) with sulphate additives (gypsum stone or fluorogypsum). In terms of quality indicators, GOST 4913–82 fluorogypsum of JSC "Angarsk Electrolysis Chemical Plant", (JSC "AECC"), significantly exceeds the gypsum stone produced in the Nukutsky quarry (Irkutsk oblast). The high quality of the fluo-rogypsum produced by JSC "AECC" is due to the use of high-quality fluorite concentrate on the technologi-cal lines of hydrofluoric acid production. The composition of sludge fields of JSC "AECC" was investigated and the quality of its contents, fluorogypsum (a by-product of hydrofluoric acid production), was deter-mined according to an accredited classification. Studies of the chemical composition and physical proper-ties of fluorogypsum showed it can be classified as a first-grade raw material (GOST 4913–82) for the pro-duction of high-grade gypsum. Laboratory studies have confirmed the viability of using fluorogypsum as a substitute for natural gypsum stone in the production of cement, precisely when grinding cement clinker. A technology has been developed and parameters have been defined for the production of high-quality gyp-sum from fluorogypsum. Laboratory tests proved the possibility of using fluorogypsum in cement produc-tion as a setting regulator for grinding cement clinker. The exact dosage of fluorogypsum for grinding ce-ment clinker was determined, ensuring the production of high-quality cement fitting the GOST 10178–85. Studied approachesfor using fluorogypsum as a raw material for the production of high-quality gypsum are presented. Additionally, prospects for the production of a wide range of building mixtures based on fluo-rogypsum have been identified, which make it possible to gain a firm foothold in the market of high-quality dry building mixtures.
Features of regional development of water disposal systems in the central ecological zone of the Baikal natural territory
Authors:   Information center in design, Pupyrev Evgenii I. , Chupin Victor R. ,   Irkutsk National Research Technical University
Published: December 2022

The purpose of the work is to develop a regional concept for the development of drainage systems in the central ecological zone of the Baikal natural territory under the conditions of stringent requirements for the discharge of wastewater into Lake Baikal. Studies have shown that there are no available wastewater treat-ment technologies capable of conforming to regulatory requirements for the discharge of treated wastewater into Lake Baikal. Therefore, the concept justifies two options for the construction of centralised wastewater systems: the transfer of treated wastewater to other watersheds and beyond the boundaries of the central ecological zone; wastewater treatment to regulatory requirements, followed by evaporation in storage ponds. Based on these two options, a logistical schema for collecting, transporting and treating wastewater is justified. In order to determine the optimal scheme of transportation and purification of wastewater, a technique was developed based on the preliminary construction of a redundant scheme of possible design solutions and searching for the maximum flow of minimum cost according to the lifecycle cost. For the first time, a concept for the discharge and disposal of household sewage for the central eco-logical zone of Lake Baikal has been developed. This concept determines the applicable level of wastewater treatment technologies for the Baikal Territory together with a consideration of appropriate logistics and op-timal costs of implementation. The proposed concept constitutes a plan for the implementation of the pro-gramme of wastewater disposal and wastewater treatment in the central ecological zone of Lake Baikal.
Influence of plasticising additives on the process of concrete hardening in a dry hot climate
Authors:   Industrial University of Tyumen, Selezneva Olga I. , Baranova Albina A. ,   Angarsk State Technical University, Shustov Pavel A. ,   Angarsk State Technical University,   Irkutsk National Research Technical University
Published: December 2022

The negative impact of a dry hot climate on the strength characteristics of heavy concrete is considered. At elevated air temperatures, significant evaporation of moisture from the solidified concrete mix may subse-quently lead to the formation of cracks and other deformations in the concrete body. The abovementioned problems can be prevented by introducing plasticising additives into the concrete mix. The compressive strengths of concrete made of concrete mixtures with different percentages of plasticising agents and ex-posed to elevated temperatures are determined in the study. The compressive strength of the studied sam-ples was determined in accordance with GOST 10180-2012 “Concretes. Methods for determining the strength of the control samples." The optimum amount of the additive CentramentAir 202 in concrete is 0.25% by weight of cement, while the increase in compressive strength of concrete is 11.5% at the age of 14 days and 1.7% at the age of 28 days, in relation to the compressive strength of the control composition. The in-troduction of the hyperplasticiser MC-PowerFlow 2695 in the amount of 0.4 to 0.6% by weight of cement reduces the compressive strength of concrete samples by an average of 29% at the age of 14 days and by 39.4% at the age of 28 days. Superplasticiser CentramentN 101 in an amount of from 0.6 to 1% by weight of cement reduces the compressive strength of concrete samples by 11.5% ÷ 35% at the age of 14 days and by 19–37.4% at the age of 28 days. The optimal amount of MC-Techniflow 70 additive in concrete is 1.2% by weight of cement, while the compressive strength of concrete is increased by 2.1% at the age of 14 days and by 0.6% at the age of 28 days. According to the results of the experiments, a highly plasticis-ing additive MC-Techniflow 70 with an optimal dosage in the amount of 1.2% by weight of cement was acknowledged as effective, allowing to obtain high strength characteristics both at 14 days of age (29.2 MPa) and at 28 days of normal hardening (35.0 MPa).
Strategy for Irkutsk National Research Technical University (INRTU) campus development
Authors:   Irkutsk National Research Technical University, Bolshakov Andrei G.
Published: December 2022

There are three main models of university spaces. The dispersed model comprises historical universities integrated into the urban development, with educational buildings and accommodation scattered throughout the city. The main variant form consists of an autonomous out-of-town campus. Here, the main functions of study, accommodation and recreation are compactly located on a single large site in an extra-urban loca-tion. However, a third type is exemplified by the INRTU, which consists of a large campus with a full range of educational and residential functions, but which is also integrated into the city with the main trunk road and bridge adjoining the site. At the same time, there are some problems: the lack of functions, places and the internal street network. While the university is beneficially located on the bank of the river, it does not presently have access to it. Moreover, the railway and low-value individual building continue to interfere with the site. Although there is a real opportunity to develop a full-spectrum recreational framework on the territo-ry consisting of a green cross, presently garages and parking lots are preventing this possibility. The for-mation of a dense internal street network will allow the desired level of connectivity of the territory featuring the construction and development of technology parks, a youth palace, a water-sports centre and an infor-mation-library complex in the form of individual buildings. The formation of a riverside university embank-ment will help to overcome the fragmentation of the environment and establish effective ties with neighbour-ing universities and the academic centre.