bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of additives on sulfur resistance of catalytic filter material during denitrification and synergistic decomposition of 1,2-DCBz
Authors: Wan Jun , Liu Meng , Li Tao , Shi Guangwei , Duan Yufeng
Published: May 2023

Modified Mn-Ce/P84 catalytic filter material can be used to achieve high removal efficiency of NOx and 1,2-DCBz in bag-filtering dust precipitator synergistic removal of multiple pollutants. However, the presence of SO2 in the actual industrial flue gas has an adverse impact on the catalytic performance of the catalytic filter material. In this paper, a kind of Mn-Ce catalytic filter material was prepared by impregnation method, which was modified by Fe, Cu and Co, respectively. As a result, the sulfur resistance of the catalytic filter material was improved. The change of catalytic activity of the three kinds of modified catalytic filter material at different concentrations was compared in SO2 flue gas fixed bed system. And the modified catalytic filter materials were characterized by SEM, BET, XPS, XRD and H2-TPR. When the temperature was over 80 ℃, [NH3] = [NO] = 400 ppm, [O2] = 8%, [1,2-DCBz] = 320 ppm, and [Flow rate] = 1 m/min, different concentrations of SO2 were injected into the simulated flue gas to test the denitrification activity of the catalytic filter material. The results showed that the sulfur resistance of the catalyst could be effectively increased by the introduction of three elements. Under the low SO2 concentration of 150 ppm, the denitrification activity and 1,2-DCBz activity of Fe, Co and Cu modified filter material were increased, and the sulfur resistance of Fe was better under the flue gas conditions of 300 ppm and 450 ppm SO2. Under the condition of 450 ppm SO2 and 200 ℃ reaction, 93.4% denitrification efficiency and 96.1% 1,2-DCBz removal efficiency could be achieved by using modified Fe-Mn-Ce catalytic filter material.
A unified and self-reinforcing mechanism of tumor cell immortality
Authors: Stevers Nicholas , Barger Carter , Yuan Jimmy , Kim Somang , Hong Chibo , Lenzo Olivia , McKinney Andrew , Wu Samuel , Lee Yu-Jin , Kwok Darwin , Suwala Abigail , Appin Christina , Gordan John D. , Molinaro Annette , Song Jun , Costello Joseph
Published: May 2023

Activating mutations in the Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase (TERT) promoter are the single most common non-coding mutation in cancer and enable limitless cell division characteristic of immortal cells1–12. Solving the immortality mechanism represents a major step towards selectively reversing it in cancer cells. TERT promoter mutations create a de novo E26 transformation specific (ETS) transcription factor binding motif, however most of the 28 ETS factors and many other transcriptional regulators have been implicated13–22. Cancer type and mutation specific mechanisms have also been proposed. Here, we uniformly and robustly analyzed fifty-three cell lines representing sixteen cancer types and six recurrent mutations and found that a tetramer of the GA-binding protein (GABP) is specifically responsible for mutant TERT promoter activation in all cases, with no such role in TERT promoter wild type cells. Strikingly, TERT expression is maintained in tetramer depleted tumor cells. We show how and why the tetramer is serially replaced, not by other transcription factors, but by GABP dimers and then weakly by a paralogous tetramer complex. Elimination of the tetramer and dimer reinstates epigenetic repression of TERT, activates checkpoint programs and prevents cancer cell division. We conclude that unique features of the GABP tetramer must therefore determine positive selection of nearly all TERT promoter mutations in human cancer. Furthermore, domains shared among the three GABP complexes present pan-cancer vulnerabilities.
Identifying Two Novel Mutations and MDS/AML Outcome of Severe Congenital Neutropenia/Cyclic Neutropenia
Authors: Komwilaisak Patcharee , Yudhasompop Najwa , Kanchanakamhaeng Kittima , Hongeng Suradej , Pakakasama Samart , Anurathapan Usanarat , Pongphitcha Pongpak , Songdej Duantida , Sasanakul Werasak , Sirachainan Nongnuch
Published: May 2023

Severe congenital neutropenia (SCN)/cyclic neutropenia (CyN), a rare disease, is caused by ELANE or ELA2 gene mutations. The study reported that 4 children (2 SCN and 2 CyN) presented with recurrent infections. The two novel mutations, p. Ala79del and p.Val197GlufsTer18, in exons 3 and 4, were identified, causing SCN and CyN, respectively. One patient with the longest follow-up time of 12.9 years developed MDS/AML with a complex karyotypes and SETBP1 (c.2602G > A, p.D868N) and NRAS (c.34G > A, p.G12S) mutations, was successfully treated with azacytidine and matched unrelated hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
Topology Robustness Modelling against Targeted Attacks for Smart Healthcare System using Go-GA
Authors: Changazi Sabir Ali , Bakhshi Asim Dilawar , Yousaf Muhammad , Islam Muhammad Hasan , Mohsin Syed Muhammad , Mufti Mohammad Rafiq , Ahmad Bashir
Published: May 2023

The Internet of Things (IoT) has become a pivotal component of modern technology, enabling the interconnection of numerous intelligent devices. It is envisioned to revolutionize various fields through the realization of numerous applications across industries, including healthcare, precision farming, transportation, and smart cities. However, the practical problem of node and link failures due to various constraints, such as low power backup, adverse environmental conditions, fragile metallurgy, and targeted attacks, can negatively impact the overall functionality of IoT networks. To address these challenges, soft and intelligent computing techniques, such as classical heuristic and genetic algorithms, can be utilized to improve the topology robustness of future IoT networks. In this study, we present a system model for a smart healthcare network and evaluate the effectiveness of optimization techniques, including the newly proposed Optimization of Topology for Efficient Convergence (OTEC), which combines a geometric approach in a genetic algorithm with two mechanisms, Efficient Edge Swap (EES) and Node Removal based on Threshold (NRT), to address key limitations in existing techniques. The metric of Schneider R is used to assess the robustness of the topology, with geographic information about IoT nodes and their neighbors stored on a central big data server. The OTEC approach utilizes a nested approach, demonstrating significant improvement over classical genetic algorithms by achieving a 21% increase in Schneider R. Additionally, OTEC effectively addresses limitations present in traditional heuristic algorithms such as ROSE, Simulated Annealing and Hill Climbing. The concept of trustworthiness is also considered from an overall perspective of system functionality. The optimized topology not only improves the robustness of the network but also enhances its trustworthiness, ensuring that the system can operate reliably and ethically. By leveraging soft and intelligent computing techniques, this study provides a valuable contribution to the development of future IoT networks that can handle the challenges of node and link failures while remaining trustworthy and dependable.
Sediment Management using Bandal-like Structures as Nature-Based Solution
Authors: Rahman Md. Munsur , Shampa Shampa , Haque Anisul , Nakagawa Hajime , Zhang Hao , Rahman Ashikur , Dustegir Maruf , Hoaasin Motaher , Hussain Muhammad Muktadir , Islam Johurul , Hore Sudipto Kumar
Published: May 2023

To materialize the inherent opportunities of incoming sediment load, various interventions are being practiced for sediment management in rivers and delta systems. Broadly, the practiced methods can be divided into two categories: (i) management for accelerating siltation to enhance land reclamation and counterbalancing bank erosion (ii) management for de-siltation in the channels to maintain required navigational flow depth. The pre-requisites to achieve the above targets, simultaneously, are quite contradictory as land reclamation need more sediment, while less sediment load is necessary for the maintaining the navigational depth. To overcome the above constraints, Bandal-like Structures (BLS), the indigenous nature-based solution, has conceptualized to utilize through redistributing the local flow-sediment regime to create a sediment deficit zone within the river side and a sediment surplus zone along the bankside that can eventually, be useful for the maintenance of navigational channels and bank stabilization, simultaneously. In this article, the experiences of BLS, to achieve both functions simultaneously are discussed based on the research experiences for last 20 years. Out of many implemented BLS at different scales in the Ganges-Jamuna-Brahmaputra (GBM) system, a well-documented case study of its application is showcased along a reach of the braided Jamuna River. Based on the evaluation of the performance of the implemented case study coupled with the existing indigenous knowledge, a hybrid approach integrating the conventional and community sciences, is proposed as a nature-based solution for sustainable sediment management in the river systems of Bangladesh.
Morphological and ultrastructure studies of the cecum of dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius)
Authors: Elseory Abdelrahman M. A. , Taha A. A.M. , Ali A. M. , Alkhodair K. M. , Ibrahim Zarroug Hassan , Althnaian Thnaian
Published: May 2023

The current study aimed to clarify the morphology and electron microscopic structure of the adult dromedary’s cecum (Camelus dromedarius). For measurement work, the long axis of the body, the length of the cecum, the small and large intestines of the 15 camels were used. The topography of the cecum was studied in one healthy camel fixed by formalin. Scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopy were conducted in samples collected from camels immediately after slaughtering in abattoirs in Omdurman, Sudan. According to measurements, the dromedary's cecum comprised 3.2% of the length of the large intestine, 1% of the total length of the small and large intestines, and 0.10 of the body's long axis. The cecum had a diameter of 20.25 cm when it began at the cecocolic junction at the level of the 5th lumbar vertebra, but it diminished towards the apex. It was an S-shaped structure and had an apex that pointed mid-ventrally. It was located ventrally at the right side of the abdominal cavity, caudal to the abomasum, and directed caudally to the pelvic inlet. The mucosa of the cecum had been thrown into several folds, according to SEM. A layer of epithelial cells and many goblet cells covered these folds. Two different types of enterocytes and goblet cells were shown by TEM, one with light cytoplasm and the other with dark cytoplasm. In conclusion, this study indicated that the dromedary camel has a short cecum that is located in the same region as domestic animals.
Molecular detection of Citrus exocortis viroid (CEVd), Citrus viroid-III (CVd-III), and Citrus viroid-IV (CVd-IV) in Palestine
Authors: Abualrob Aswar , Alabdallah Osama , Kubaa Raied Abou , Naser Sabri , Alkowni Raed
Published: May 2023

Citrus is hosting several phytopathogens that impacted production where viroids are among that. Missing data about viroids status in citrus in Palestine was not reported. This study aimed to detect any of Citrus exocortis viroid (CEVd), Citrus viroid-III (CVd-III), and Citrus viroid-IV (CVd-IV) in the germplasm collection of Palestinian National Agricultural Research Center (NARC). Field inspections revealed symptoms such as leaf epinasty; vein discoloration, and bark cracking on varies citrus varieties. Molecularly, high prevalence of CVd-IV CEVd and CVd-III (47%, 31%, and 22%; respectively) were recorded by RT-PCR. Two variants of CVd-III were reported, with 91.3% nucleic acid sequence homology. The sequence of each viroid were deposited in GenBank as (OP925746 for CEVd, OP902248 and OP902249 for CVd-III-PS-1 and -PS-2 isolates, and OP902247 for CVd-IV). This was the first to report three of citrus viroids in Palestine, appealing to apply phytosanitary measurements to disseminate healthy propagating materials free from viroids.
Bioplastic (poly-3-hydroxybutyrate)-producing Massilia endophytica sp. nov., isolated from Cannabis sativa L. ‘Cheungsam’
Authors: Jeon Doeun , Jiang Lingmin , Peng Yuxin , Cho Donghyun , Jeong Rae-dong , Jeong Jaecheol , Lee Jiyoung , Kim Cha Young
Published: May 2023

A rod-shaped, motile, Gram-negative bacterial strain named DM-R-R2A-13T was isolated from the plant Cannabis sativa L. ‘Cheungsam’. The phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain DM-R-R2A-13T belongs to the family Oxalobacteraceae and is closely related to members of the genus Massilia, with Massilia flava (97.58% sequence similarity) and Massilia armeniaca (97.37% sequence similarity) being the closest members. The digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between strain DM-R-R2A-13T and Massilia flava CGMCC 1.10685T and Massilia armeniaca ZMN-3Twere 22.2% and 23.3%, while the average nucleotide identity (ANI) values were 78.85% and 79.63%, respectively. The DNA G + C content was measured to be 64.6 mol%. Moreover, the bacterium was found to contain polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) granules based on transmission electron microscopy, indicating its potential to produce bioplastic. Genome annotation revealed the presence of PHA synthase genes (phaC, phaR, phaP, and phaZ), and the biopolymer was identified as poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) based on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses. Using maltose as a carbon source, the strain produced PHB of up to 13.5% of its dry cell weight. Based on the phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, and phylogenetic characteristics, it has been determined that DM-R-R2A-13T represents a novel species belonging to the genus Massilia. As such, the name Massilia endophytica sp. nov. is proposed for this newly identified species. The type strain is DM-R-R2A-13T (= KCTC 92072T = GDMCC 1.2920T).
Estimating pitting descriptors of 316L stainless steel by machine learning and statistical analysis
Authors: Torres Daniel , vangrunderbeek vincent , Bernal Miguel , Paldino Gian , Bontempi Gianluca , Ustarroz Jon , Coelho Leonardo Bertolucci
Published: May 2023

A hybrid rule-base/ML approach using linear regression and artificial neural networks (ANN) determined pitting corrosion descriptors from high-throughput data obtained with Scanning Electrochemical Cell Microscopy (SECCM) on 316L stainless steel. Non-parametric density estimation determined the central tendencies of the Epit/log(jpit) and Epass/log(jpass) distributions. Descriptors estimated using conditional mean or median curves were compared to their central tendency values, with the conditional medians providing more accurate results. Due to their lower sensitivity to high outliers, the conditional medians were more robust representations of the log(j) VsEdistributions. An observed trend of passive range shortening with increasing testing aggressiveness was attributed to delayed stabilisation of the passive film, rather than early passivity breakdown.
Machine learning on longitudinal multi-modal data enabling the understanding and prognosis of Alzheimer’s disease progression
Authors: Zhang Suixia , Yuan Jing , Sun Yu , Wu Fei , Liu Ziyue , Zhai Feifei , Zhang Yaoyun , Somekh Judith , Peleg Mor , Zhu Yi-Cheng , Huang Zhengxing
Published: May 2023

Background Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a complex pathophysiological disease. Its progression is heterogenous and associated with clinical symptoms as well as prognosis. Hence, understanding the progression of AD is important in guiding patient management, evaluating treatment response and designing therapeutic trials. We developed and validated a novel machine learning model for revealing the underlying disease progression patterns from longitudinal multi-modal data of AD.
Methods The prospective ADNI study data (1192 patients with cognitive impairment and 388 healthy controls) was used to train, validate and test a novel personalized hidden Markov model to identify disease-related states. The transition diagram of disease-related states exhibited two distinct disease progression patterns. We used the index of disease-related states as a predictor, and evaluated the prediction performance on time to conversion to AD dementia. External validation was performed on the AIBL cohort (87 patients with cognitive impairment and 179 healthy controls).
Findings Our model identified ten biologically and clinically meaningful disease-related states from longitudinal multi-modal data, which constitute three non-overlapping stages (i.e., neocortical atrophy [NCA], medial temporal atrophy [MTA], and whole brain atrophy [WBA]) and two distinct disease progression patterns (i.e., NCA→WBA and MTA→WBA) hidden in the trajectories of AD patients. Disclosed patterns showed different atrophy trends of brain regions, and presented distinct genetic, clinical and biomarker characteristics, especially in the early course of the disease. The index of the identified disease-related states provided a remarkable performance on predicting the time to conversion to AD dementia (C-Index: 0.923±0.007), in comparison with the other commonly recognized AD risk factors, including APOE (0.607±0.012), MMSE score (0.808±0.006), Abeta (0.7445±0.013), pTau (0.689±0.006), and hippocampal volume (0.774±0.010).
Interpretation A machine learning algorithm was proposed to capture the full spectrum of AD progression by identifying meaningful AD-related states as well as distinct disease progression patterns from longitudinal multi-modal data, showing its potential for promoting the understanding of heterogeneous disease progression, and early predicting the conversion time to AD dementia.
Midwinter Breakdown of ENSO Climate Impacts in East Asia
Authors: Geng Xin , Noh Kyung Min , Kim Kyungna , Kug Jong-Seong
Published: May 2023

The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) influence on the East Asian winter monsoon (EAWM) exhibits remarkable non-stationarity on subseasonal timescales, severely limiting climate predictability. Here, based on observational and reanalysis datasets, we identify a robust subseasonal variability in the EAWM response to ENSO, with a notable synchronous break in mid-January lasting about 10 days. We suggest that this breakdown is largely caused by interference from the abrupt phase reversal of the ENSO-driven North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), which occurs about a week earlier in early January. During El Niño years, the NAO phase transition from positive to negative triggers a rapid change in the mid-latitude atmospheric circulation via the quasi-stationary Rossby wave adjustment. This results in the strengthening of the Siberian high, which produces strong northerly wind anomalies over East Asia, while the anomalous western North Pacific anticyclone weakens and shifts to the southeast, eventually leading to the collapse of the teleconnection.
Prognostic value and immune infiltration of the NEK family in clear cell renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Zhu Yingli , Wu Lili , Lin Jianfan , Li Yufei , Chen Xuelan , Wu Xizhen , Kuang Yaqi , Lan Shanshan , Luo Zuojie
Published: May 2023

Background
Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a fatal urological malignancy, and surgery remains the primary treatment. Members of the never in mitosis gene A (NIMA)-related kinase (NEK) family have been found to participate in the progression of several cancers and could be used as target genes to treat corresponding diseases. Nonetheless, the prognostic value and immune infiltration levels of NEK family genes in ccRCC remain unknown.
Methods
Gene Set Cancer Analysis (GSCA), Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER), and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) databases were utilized to examine the differential expression of NEK family genes in ccRCC, and the Kaplan-Meier plotter was utilized to analyze the prognosis. The Search Tool for Retrieval of Interacting Genes(STRING) database was used to construct a protein-protein interaction network. Analysis of function was performed by the Sangerbox tool. Finally, the relationship between NEK family genes and immune cell infiltration was explored using the TIMER database.
Results
Transcriptional levels of NEK2, NEK3, NEK5, NEK6, and NEK11 significantly differed between ccRCC and normal tissues. Moreover, there was a significant correlation between NEK1, NEK2, NEK4, NEK8, NEK9, and NEK10 and their clinicopathological stages in patients with ccRCC. Based on survival analysis, ccRCC patients with high transcriptional levels of NEK2, NEK3, NEK8, and NEK10 and low transcriptional levels of NEK1, NEK4, NEK5, NEK6, NEK7, NEK9, NEK11 had shorter survival times. Additionally, a significant relationship was observed between immune cell infiltration and NEK family members.
Conclusions
These results indicate that NEK family members are significantly differentially expressed in ccRCC, and a significant correlation exists between the NEK family and prognosis and immune infiltration. NEK family members may act as therapeutic targets and prognostic indicators in ccRCC.
Study of the relationship between circulating tumor cells and clinical characteristics, recurrence and metastasis in bladder cancer patients
Authors: Li Xiang , Chen， Rui-long , Jiang Chao , Zhu Teng-fei , Yi Wang
Published: May 2023

Background:
Bladder cancer is one of the most common tumors in urology, and the main cause of death in patients with bladder cancer is distant metastasis. The surviving tumor cells of bladder cancer entering peripheral blood are circulating tumor cells, which is closely related to the recurrence and metastasis of bladder cancer.To detect the typing and number of circulating tumor cells (CTC) in peripheral blood of bladder cancer patients, and to investigate its correlation with postoperative recurrence and metastasis of bladder cancer and its clinical application in prognostic evaluation.
Methods:
21 patients with bladder cancer were examined by CanPatrolTM method for the typing and number of CTC in peripheral blood, and the results were divided into mesenchymal CTC group (n=11), non-mesenchymal CTC group (n=7) and undetected group (n=3).
Results:
The median progression-free survival of bladder cancer patients in the mesenchymal CTC, non-mesenchymal CTC and undetected groups were 16.4, 21.7 and 26 months after surgery, respectively. The differences were statistically significant when bladder cancer patients were divided into two groups, mesenchymal CTC and non-mesenchymal CTC, and the clinical characteristics of bladder cancer patients with different pathological grading, TNM stage and with or without smoking history were compared; the results of univariate analysis showed that the differences were statistically significant when bladder cancer patients with or without smoking history, different pathological grading, TNM stage, CTC staging and different counts were compared in terms of postoperative recurrence and metastasis (P﹤0.05).
Conclusion:
Different peripheral blood CTC typing is related to the smoking history, pathological grading and TNM stage of bladder cancer patients. In summary, mesenchymal CTC can be used as a detection indicator for poor prognosis and high recurrence rates in bladder cancer patients.
Electroacupuncture inhibits neuroinflammation induced by astrocytic necroptosis through RIP1/ MLKL/ TLR4 pathway in a mouse model of spinal cord injury
Authors: Zhao Hongdi , Zong Xioaqin , Li Long , Li Na , Liu Chunlei , Zhang Wanchao , Li Juan , Yang Cheng , huang siqin
Published: May 2023

Astrocytic necroptosis plays an essential role in the progression and regression of neurological disorders, which contributes to the neuroinflammation and disrupts neuronal regeneration and remyelination of severed axons. Electroacupuncture (EA), an effective therapeutic efficacy against spinal cord injury (SCI), has been proved to reduce neuronal cell apoptosis, inhibit inflammation, and prompt neural stem cells proliferation and differentiations. However, there have been no reports on whether EA regulate astrocytic necroptosis in SCI model. To investigate the effects of EA on astrocytic necroptosis and the mechanisms involved in the inhibition of astrocytic necroptosis after SCI in mice by EA, 8-week-old female C57BL/6 mice were subjected to SCI surgery, and randomly divided into EA and SCI groups. Mice receiving sham surgery were included as sham group. “Jiaji” was selected as points for EA treatment, 10 min/day for 14 days. The in vitro data revealed that EA treatment significantly improved the nervous function and pathological changes after SCI. EA also reduced the number of GFAP/P-MLKL, GFAP/MLKL, GFAP/HMGB1, and Iba1/HMGB1 co-positive cells, and inhibited the expressions of IL-6, IL-1β and IL-33. The results indicate a significant reduction in inflammatory reaction and astrocytic necroptosis.in mice with SCI by EA. Additionally, the expressions of RIP1, MLKL, and TLR4, which are associated with necroptosis, were found to be down-regulation by EA. In this study, we confirmed that EA can inhibits neuroinflammation by reducing astrocytic necroptosis through down-regulation of RIP1/ MLKL/ TLR4 pathway in mice with spinal cord injury.
Amide Proton Transfer Imaging- Arterial Spin Labeling Mismatch - a New Imaging Biomarker for Pilocytic Astrocytoma
Authors: Rajendran Adhithyan , Natesan Chidambaranathan , Jawahar Prashant , Patil Sushama , Chilukuri Srinivas , Ghosh Siddhartha , Kumar Roopesh , Jalali Rakesh
Published: May 2023

We describe the potential utility of Amide Proton Transfer weighted (APTw) Magnetic Resonance Imaging and arterial spin labeling (ASL) in characterizing pilocytic astrocytoma (PA), a type of brain tumor that can be challenging to accurately diagnose and treat. The study included 50 patients with solid or predominantly solid intra-cranial and intra-axial tumors, with 25 patients diagnosed with PA and 25 patients diagnosed with other types of tumors. The study found that the APTw imaging-arterial spin labeling (ASL) mismatch is a new imaging biomarker that could be used to differentiate PA from other types of tumors with a high degree of sensitivity and specificity. The results suggest that APTw imaging and ASL may be useful in characterizing PA, potentially improving diagnosis and treatment planning for this type of brain tumor.
Segmentation of glioblastomas in early post-operative multi-modal MRI with deep neural networks
Authors: Helland Ragnhild Holden , Ferles Alexandros , Pedersen André , Kommers Ivar , Ardon Hilko , Barkhof Frederik , Bello Lorenzo , Berger Mitchel S. , Dunås Tora , Nibali Marco Conti , Furtner Julia , Hervey-Jumper Shawn , Idema Albert J. S. , Kiesel Barbara , Tewari Rishi Nandoe , Mandonnet Emmanuel , Müller Domenique M.J. , Robe Pierre A. , Rossi Marco , Sagberg Lisa M. , Sciortino Tommaso , Aalders Tom , Wagemakers Michiel , Widhalm Georg , Witte Marnix G. , Zwinderman Aeilko H. , Majewska Paulina L. , Jakola Asgeir S. , Solheim Ole , Hamer Philip C. Witt , Reinertsen Ingerid , Eijgelaar Roelant S. , Bouget David
Published: May 2023

Extent of resection after surgery is one of the main prognostic factors for patients diagnosed with glioblastoma. To achieve this, accurate segmentation and classification of residual tumor from post-operative MR images is essential. The current standard method for estimating it is subject to high inter-and intra-rater variability, and an automated method for segmentation of residual tumor in early post-operative MRI could lead to a more accurate estimation of extent of resection. In this study, two state-of-the-art neural network architectures for pre-operative segmentation were trained for the task. The models were extensively validated on a multicenter dataset with nearly 1000 patients, from 12 hospitals in Europe and the United States. The best performance achieved was a 61% Dice score, and the best classification performance was about 80% balanced accuracy, with a demonstrated ability to generalize across hospitals. In addition, the segmentation performance of the best models was on par with human expert raters. The predicted segmentations can be used to accurately classify the patients into those with residual tumor, and those with gross total resection.
New Phenomena in Rulkov map based on Poincaré cross-section
Authors: Wang Yang , Zhang Xiaoxue , Liang Song
Published: May 2023

Different from analyzing the time-series directly, the Poincaré cross-section method is employed in the dynamical study of the Rulkov mapping model, more importance is that some new phenomena of the model are reported in this paper. First, it is proved that x=−1 is the Poincaré cross-section for all non-converging-to-fixed-point trajectories based on fast-slow dynamics. Then, some new dynamics are presented by means of the Poincaré cross-section method. In detail, a “ lightning-shaped” periodic divider of the original model is introduced, which is caused by the different selection of the initial value of slow variable. The Period 3 on the Poincaré cross-section is proposed near the chaos region, which may be not reported in other literatures according to our understanding. In some parameter region, it will cause the pseudo chaos phenomenon, here the trajectories spend a lot time converging to a periodic solution. Besides, in the view of mean-field of action potential, the sensitiveness with small parameter’s perturbations is analyzed, which the period changes frequently in the bursts of spikes region, and it has robustness in the normal spikes region.
Distinct Electrophysiological Signatures of Intentional and Unintentional Mind-Wandering Revealed by Low-Frequency EEG Markers
Authors: Martel Adrien , Bruno Nicolas , Dockree Paul , Robertson Ian , Sitt Jacobo , Valero-Cabre Antoni
Published: May 2023

Mind-wandering, a widespread mental phenomenon in which attention shifts from an ongoing task, varies in intentionality. Recent research highlights the importance of differentiating between intentional and unintentional mind-wandering, as the latter is uniquely linked to adverse outcomes such as psychopathologies. In this study, we explored the electrophysiological underpinnings of these distinct forms of mindwandering using a robust feature extraction tool adapted from research on neural signatures of consciousness. We conducted univariate and multivariate pattern analyses on 54 EEG markers obtained from recordings immediately before participants provided multidimensional reports of their thoughts during a sustained attention task. Our findings revealed distinct electrophysiological signatures for on-task, intentional, and unintentional mind-wandering states, particularly within the low-frequency spectrum. Specifically, normalized theta power demonstrated the highest discriminative power for discerning on- and off-task states, while alpha band features and theta permutation entropy were uniquely associated with intentional versus unintentional mind-wandering. These results challenge the prevailing notion that increased alpha band activity is a generic marker of mind-wandering and suggest that unique brain activity patterns underlie the various forms of mind-wandering. Our study lays the groundwork for developing reliable, real-time detection systems for identifying mind-wandering using EEG machine learning models in both clinical and practical settings.
Investigating the Relationships Among The Forced Shift to Remote Learning, Employability and Work Readiness of Recent College Graduates
Authors: Lucero Celeste R.
Published: May 2023

Since the Covid-19 crisis manifested, it has drastically changed educational landscapes worldwide, with the Philippines grappling with digital disparities exacerbating inequality. Current studies mainly explore the immediate impact of enforced remote learning on academic performance and practical skills. However, there is an underexplored area concerning the effect on recent college graduates' employability and work readiness. This study aims to address this gap, focusing on the Philippines context. Valid responses from 131 recent college graduates were analyzed, revealing that the shift to remote learning significantly contributed to perceived employability (R2 = 0.458) and work readiness (R2 = 0.441). However, when examining the demographic profile, findings reported that it did not substantially influence these outcomes in the hierarchical regression model. This study broadens our understanding of the pandemic's far-reaching implications on higher education outcomes.
Mid-Infrared Photoacoustic Spectrum analysis of SF 6 Gas-decomposition System
Authors: HE Qing , Wanting DENG , Wei WANG , ZHANG Junlong , kai Zhou , Xin Tong , LI Yanyuan , Hu Ran
Published: May 2023

Until now, the photoacoustic spectrum (PAS) analysis technology can’t face the need for sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) gas-decomposition products due to the high noise level, big shock and low accuracy. In this manuscript, we present a portable SF6 gas-decomposition PAS gas analysis system based on mid-infrared quantum cascade laser (MI-QCL). Because the narrow linewidth, high speed tunable and stability wavelength of MI-QCL, our PAS gas analysis system has a good performance. A platform for MI-QCL PAS system is set up in our work. The accuracy of quantitative detection for sulfur dioxide (SO2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and carbon monoxide (CO) in SF6 gas background mixture gas is 0.5ppm, 0.1ppm and 0.1ppm, respectively. Experiment results demonstrate the MI-QCL PAS system not only has a high detection accuracy, but also has a small system volume. This work gives a novel solution method for PAS system miniaturization in the future.
Current and Future Profitability of Long-Duration Energy Storage Technologies
Authors: Grimm Johannes , Kenis Michiel , Schauf Magnus
Published: May 2023

Intermittent renewable electricity generation is increasing in many power systems. Long-duration electricity storage (LDES) could complement this development to decrease curtailment and improve system cost-effectiveness. We investigate levelized costs of storage (LCOS) and investment profitability for prospective LDES technologies. Using granular German power market data, we optimize each technologies’ bidding schedule. We find that under current costs, only pumped hydro is profitable while also achieving the lowest LCOS by far. Assuming technological progress to maturity and improved financing conditions, iron redox flow batteries outperform and gravity storage converges to the pumped hydro benchmark of 47-54 EUR/MWh LCOS and 7-15% return on equity. Yet, meeting investor expectations is sensitive to cost and price volatility assumptions. Furthermore, additional revenue from a higher duration generally does not compensate for associated higher costs. Subsidies of 73-83 EUR/kWh or mechanisms enabling further revenue streams might be necessary to mobilize private investment into promising LDES.
Ethnic heterogeneity and healthcare utilization: The mediating role of poverty in Ghana
Authors: Adabor Opoku , Ayesu Enoch Kojo
Published: May 2023

Ethnic heterogeneity defined as two randomly selected individuals who belong to different linguistic or ethnic groups living in a society or an area has received ample attention from researchers. However, the influence of ethnic heterogeneity on healthcare utilization is lacking in the literature. This paper bridges a significant gap in the literature by reporting findings from the first study that examines the effect of ethnic heterogeneity on healthcare utilization in Ghana. The study utilized data from both the Demographic health survey and Ghana Population and Housing Census. Our endogeneity corrected estimates show that a unit increase in a heterogenous ethnic group lowers the likelihood of utilizing healthcare at the time of birth and after delivery via increasing household poverty. Our results indicate the need to design policies and strategies to reduce poverty to increase healthcare utilization in heterogeneous ethnic societies.
Feasibility of Patlak parametric imaging in the diagnosis of liver cancer
Authors: Wang Xin , Shi Huimin , Xu Yue , Zhu Gan , Wang Hui , Dai Peng-fei
Published: May 2023

Conclusion Whole-body dynamic 18F-FDG PET/CT parameters are of great value in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant liver lesions. Whole-body dynamic 18F-FDG PET/CT is more sensitive than whole-body static 18F-FDG PET/CT in the differential diagnosis of liver malignancy.Using reliable Patlak graphical analysis, whole-body dynamic PET/CT parametric imaging can achieve comparable or potentially better lesion detection capabilities than static SUV imaging.
Background To investigate the value of whole-body dynamic 18F-FDG PET/CT parametric imaging in the differential diagnosis of liver-occupying lesions.
Methods Eighty-one patients with hepatic occupancies were selected for whole-body dynamic PET/CT examinations. The imaging characteristics of Patlak parameter images of patients in the benign and malignant liver groups and patients with different pathological types of hepatic malignancies were analysed and compared, and the results were statistically analysed.
Results Among 81 patients, SUVmax,Kimax,TBRSUV and TBRKi showed statistically significant differences in the benign liver groups and the malignant liver groups. (SUVmax: t =-13.020, P<0.001; Kimax: t =-12.984, P<0.001; TBRSUV: t =-10.541, P<0.001; TBRKi: t=-7.536, P<0.001). Among 67 cases in liver malignancy, the TBRKi values were higher than TBRSUV according to the results of the box plot analysis. Pearson correlation analysis showed that SUVmax was positively correlated with Kimax (r=0.882, P<0.01) and TBRSUV was positively correlated with TBRKi (r=0.848, P<0.01),respectively.The sensitivity and specificity of SUVmax, Kimax, TBRSUV and TBRKi in the diagnosis of primary liver cancer and liver metastases were 84.0% 65.7%, 68.0% 88.6%, 64.0% 85.1% ,92.0% and 68.6%, respectively.
End of Life Care Practices at a Tertiary Cancer Centre in India: An Observational Study
Authors: Maurya Bhanu Pratap , Gupta Raghav , Rathore Puneet , Mishra Seema , Bharati Sachidanand Jee , Kumar Vinod , Gupta Nishkarsh , Garg Rakesh , Bhatnagar Sushma
Published: May 2023

Purpose To assess the End of life care (EOLC ) practices and the magnitude of futile care in a tertiary cancer center. To find out the barriers in provision of good EOLC in cancer patients.Methods An observational study was done on 129 patients. Patients were enrolled using the palliative prognostic index (PPI) in the end of life stages. Socio-demographic and clinical details were recorded. Detailed counselling done by the palliative physician or the oncologist was recorded. The barriers in provision of care were recorded.Results In this study initial experience of 129 patients were analyzed. PPI score was > 6 (survival shorter than 3 weeks) in 85 (65.89%) ; 34 (26.36%) had PPI score between > 4 to 6 (survival between 3 to 6 weeks); and 10 (7.75%) patients had PPI score less than equal to 4( survival more than 6 weeks).77 (59.69%) patients preferred home as their place for EOLC while 41(31.78%) preferred hospital, 7 (5.43%) preferred hospice while 4 (3.10%) opted ICU for their EOLC. The most common barrier associated was caregiver related in 34 case, followed by physician related in 14 cases and patients related in 3 cases, because of hope of being cured in hospital, social stigma, fear of worsening of symptoms at home, denial.Conclusion EOLC is the least studied part of patient care with various barriers. With proper communication and a good palliative care support, futile treatment can be avoided. With healthy communication we can empower family members and patients for a good EOLC.
Robotic Docking Time with the HugoTM RAS system in gynecologic surgery: A procedure independent learning curve using the Cumulative Summation Analysis (CUSUM)
Authors: Panico Giovanni , Mastrovito Sara , Campagna Giuseppe , Monterossi Giorgia , Costantini Barbara , Gioè Alessandro , Oliva Riccardo , Ferraro Chiara , Ercoli Alfredo , Fanfani Francesco , Scambia Giovanni
Published: May 2023

Robot-assisted surgery has been proven to offer improvements in term of surgical learning curve and feasibility of minimally invasive surgery, but has often been criticized for its longer operative times compared to conventional laparoscopy. Additional times can be split into time required for system set-up, robotic arms docking and calibration of robotic instruments; secondly, surgeon’s learning curve. One of the newest systems recently launched on the market is the Hugo™ RAS (MEDTRONIC Inc, United States). As some of the earliest adopters of the Hugo™ RAS system technology, we present our data on robotic docking learning curve for the first 192 gynecologic robotic cases performed at our institution. Our data indicates that robotic set-up and docking with the new Hugo™ RAS robotic surgical system can be performed time-effectively and that the specific robotic docking learning curve is comparable to preexisting data for other platforms. This preliminary insights into this recently released system may be worthwhile for other centers which may soon adopt this new technology and may need some relevant information on topics such as OR times. Further studies are necessary to assess the different features of the Hugo™ RAS considering other technical and surgical aspects, to fully become familiar with this novel technology.
Comparison of radiological and clinical outcomes of cervical laminoplasty versus lateral mass screw fixation in patients with ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament
Authors: Liu Tao , Zhang Jianzhou , Deng Longlian , He Mengzi , Tian shuo , Ding wenyuan , Wang zheng , Yang Dalong
Published: May 2023

Purpose
This study aimed to compare cervical sagittal parameters and clinical outcomes between patients undergoing cervical laminoplasty(CL) and those undergoing lateral mass screw fixation(LMS).
Methods
We retrospectively studied 67 patients with multilevel ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) of the cervical spine who underwent lateral mass screw fixation (LMS = 36) and cervical laminoplasty (CL = 31). We analyzed cervical sagittal parameters (C2-7 sagittal vertical axis (C2-7 SVA), C0-2 Cobb angle, C2-7 Cobb angle, C7 slope (C7s), T1 slope (T1s), and spino-cranial angle (SCA)) and clinical outcomes (visual analog scale [VAS], neck disability index [NDI], Japanese Orthopaedic Association [JOA] scores, recovery rate (RR), and minimum clinically significant difference [MCID]). The cervical sagittal parameters at the last follow-up were analyzed by binary logistic regression. Finally, we analyzed the correlation between the cervical sagittal parameters and each clinical outcome at the last follow-up after surgery in both groups.
Results
At the follow-up after posterior decompression in both groups, the mean values of C2-C7 SVA, C7s, and T1s in the LMS group were larger than those in the CL group (P ≤ 0.05). Compared with the preoperative period, C2-C7 SVA, T1s, and SCA gradually increased, and the C2-C7 Cobb angle gradually decreased after surgery (P < 0.05). The improvement in the JOA score and the recovery rate was similar between the two groups, while the improvement in the VAS-N score and NDI score was more significant in the CL group (P = 0.001; P = 0.043). More patients reached MCID in the CL group than in the LMS group (P = 0.036). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that SCA was independently associated with whether patients reached MCID at NDI postoperatively. SCA was positively correlated with cervical NDI and negatively correlated with cervical JOA score at postoperative follow-up in both groups (P < 0.05); C2-7 Cobb angle was negatively correlated with cervical JOA score at postoperative follow-up (P < 0.05).
Conclusion
CL may be superior to LMS in treating cervical spondylotic myelopathy caused by OPLL. Cervical SCA after posterior decompression can be used as a predictor of postoperative clinical outcome.
Causes of 2022 Pakistan flooding and its linkage with China and Europe heatwaves
Authors: Hong Chi-Cherng , Huang An-Yi , Tseng Wan-Ling , Lu Mong-Ming , Chang Chih-Chun , Hsu Huang-Hsiung
Published: May 2023

In boreal summer of 2022, Pakistan suffered from record rainfall that led to severe flooding and left more than 30 million people homeless. At the same time, heatwaves persisted over central China and Europe. The concurrence of these extreme events suggests a possible linkage. Our analysis of climatic data indicated that the record rainfall was mainly induced by compounding factors, including 1) an unusually strong anomalous easterlies associated with La Niña over the northern Indian subcontinent and intense southerlies, further enhanced by an upward trend, from the Arabian Sea, 2) extratropical-tropical interaction between the northerly, downstream of the Europe blocking, and the southerly monsoon flow from the Arabian Sea. Wave activity flux analysis and regression analysis indicated that the Europe blocking, flooding in Pakistan, and heatwave in China were teleconnected by a stationary Rossby wave-like pattern, which was distinctly different from the Scandinavian and Circumglobal teleconnection pattern and appeared to be a new teleconnection pattern. The nature of teleconnected extreme events is a newly emerged issue that warrants further in-depth investigation for better understanding.
Combinatorial Libraries and In Silico Approaches in the Design of Etoricoxib Based Selective COX-2 Inhibitors
Authors: Tripathy Shyamalendu , Pattanayak Priyabrata , Trivarna V. Lee
Published: May 2023

It is currently accepted practice in drug design to combine the creation of combinatorial libraries with analog docking and in silico screening. By using computer-aided drug design (CADD), we attempted to create optimised etoricoxib molecules that are selective for COX-2 using data from a variety of literature and databases regarding COX inhibitors. Based on the structure of etoricoxib and other published COX inhibitors, we constructed a compound library consisting of 60 compounds, out of which 57 met Lipsinki’s rule of five. The above-screened compounds were further docked to find out their differential binding affinities for COX 2. Only 7 (compounds 11, 18, 24, 26, 30, 32, and 35) out of these 57 compounds sowed differential binding affinity equal to or greater than etoricoxib. Compound, 30, 11, and 26 showed the highest differential binding affinity of -2.1, -1.4, and -1, respectively. The synthetic accessibility score of these compounds was similar to that of etoricoxib, ranging between 2.62 and 3.10. These compounds could be successfully synthesised and evaluated for their potential activity. To concluded, in silico approaches are indeed a very useful tool in the search for potential drug candidates with reduced cost and time.