bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Proteomic Analysis of Plasma at the Preterminal Stage of Rhesus Nonhuman Primates Exposed to a Lethal Total-Body Dose of Gamma-Radiation
Authors: Carpenter Alana D. , Fatanmi Oluseyi O. , Wise Stephen Y. , Tyburski John B. , Cheema Amrita K. , Singh Vijay K.
Published: April 2024

The identification and validation of radiation biomarkers is critical for assessing the radiation dose received in exposed individuals and for developing radiation medical countermeasures that can be used to treat acute radiation syndrome (ARS). Additionally, a fundamental understanding of the effects of radiation injury could further aid in the identification and development of therapeutic targets for mitigating radiation damage. In this study, blood samples were collected from fourteen male nonhuman primates (NHPs) that were exposed to 7.2 Gy ionizing radiation at various time points (seven days prior to irradiation; 1, 13, and 25 days post-irradiation; as well as immediately prior to the euthanasia of moribund animals (preterminal)). Plasma was isolated from these samples and was analyzed using a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry approach in an effort to determine the effects of radiation on plasma proteomic profiles. Of particular interest was to determine if the expression of certain proteins reacted to radiation in a way that would act as a predictor for health decline leading to a preterminal phenotype. Our results suggest that radiation induced a diverse temporal pattern among protein expression that displayed prominent changes within NHP proteomic plasma profiles. Of these significantly altered proteins, several play important roles in certain biological processes such as hemostasis, inflammation, and immune response.
Roles of Ce1-xZrxO2/SBA-15 in selective catalytic glycerol conversion to lactic acid process: Process behaviors and kinetic analyses
Authors: Saleh Syamima Nasrin Mohamed , Rohman Fakhrony Solahuddin Sholahudin , Ul-Hamid Anwar , ABDULLAH AHMAD ZUHAIRI BIN
Published: April 2024

The surge in glycerol production from oleochemical industry prompted the aggressive search for new value-added derivatives such as lactic acid. A series of novel Ce1 − xZrxO2 catalysts on mesoporous SBA-15 were synthesized and tested in a 50 mL reactor for up to 2 hours for oxidative lactic acid synthesis from glycerol. A suitable kinetic model to represent the reaction was identified and kinetic parameters were calculated. The 10Ce1 − xZrxO2/SBA-15 catalyst, at a 15 wt.% catalyst-to-glycerol ratio, exhibited impressive activity, achieving 94.2% glycerol conversion and 45.3% lactic acid yield at 260°C. The reaction model shows good agreement with experimental data across various reaction conditions (R2 values between 0.90 and 1.00). Based on a pseudo-second-order kinetic model, the selective conversion of glycerol to lactic acid was found to have an activation energy of 165.3 kJ/mol, with a high R2 value of 0.94 which was lower than some reported results.
The Role of Green Finance in Promoting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Through the Mediation Effect of Green Technology Innovation
Authors: Mahmood Shahid , Sun Huaping , Iqbal Asifa , Alharbi Amal H. , Khafaga Doaa Sami , El-kenawy El-Sayed M.
Published: April 2024

Nations are confronted with a significant challenge in attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Achieving the SDGs pertaining to social sustainability, economic sustainability, and environmental sustainability poses the greatest challenge due to various interconnected factors. The present study investigates the influence of green finance on sustainable infrastructure, innovation in green technology, corporate social responsibility, economic stability, and environmental conservation within the framework of Belt and Road initiative (BRI) funding, particularly focusing on its application in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) initiatives. A questionnaire served as the primary instrument for data collection. The study gathered data from a diverse sample comprising businessmen, CPEC officials, representatives from the Ministry of Finance, Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency, Ministry of Planning and Development. In this study, the PLS 4 was employed to examine associations and test hypotheses. The findings suggest a significant impact of green finance on both sustainable infrastructure and green technology innovation. Furthermore, the results underscore the vital role of environmentally friendly technology and sustainable infrastructure in advancing the SDGs across social, economic, and environmental dimensions. The study's results can help policymakers in other countries collaborate on similar projects to boost economic growth and environmental sustainability. This involves integrating green technologies, sustainable infrastructure, and green finance practices.
Role of vascularised fibula graft in the surgical management of Radiation-Induced Midshaft Femoral Fractures. Case Report and Literature Review.
Authors: Khasin Monique , Darcy Genevieve , Mah Eldon , Bella A/Prof Claudia Di
Published: April 2024

Background:
Post-radiation fractures (PRF) are a recognised complication of radiation treatment for soft tissue sarcomas. They have a low incidence and typically occur up to 5 years following treatment, more commonly affecting the pelvis, ribs and femur. Due to radiation-induced changes in bone, PRFs typically require more complicated intervention compared to post-trauma fractures, however, limited literature exists, particularly in regards to mid-shaft femoral PRFs. We report a case of a mid-shaft femoral PRF managed with onlay free vascularised fibular grafting (FVFG) due to non-union following initial intramedullary fixation.
Case Presentation:
A 40-year-old male with a history of left quadriceps clear cell sarcoma successfully treated with wide local excision, chemotherapy and radiotherapy 18 years prior presented with a displaced oblique pathological fracture of his left femoral shaft. He was initially treated operatively with intramedullary (IM) nailing, however, repeat imaging at the one-year post-operative review demonstrated persistent hypotrophic non-union of the fracture. 16 months following the initial fracture, the patient underwent further surgical intervention with implantation of a FVFG to the anterior aspect of the distal femur using bone from the right fibula and applied onlay without nail removal. One-year post-revision, the patient was pain-free with normal mobility and imaging of both the graft and fracture site demonstrated complete union.
Conclusion:
Despite their operative complexity, we suggest that FVFGs should be considered for treating non-union of mid-shaft femoral PRFs due to their ability to promote healing and bone union in irradiated bone. They could also be considered as a first line treatment for patients who are at high risk of non-union with conventional fracture fixation methods.
Analysis of gastric electrical rhythm in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Wang Xixi , Ma Lianhua , Jiang Miao , Zhu Hong , Ni Chendong , Yang Xiaohua , Hu Ji , Zhang Hong-Hong
Published: April 2024

Aim: To analysis the change of electrogastrogram (EGG) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and evaluate the prevalence of abnormal gastric electrical rhythm (AGER) and its relative influencing factors.
Methods: A total of 65 patients with T2DM hospitalized at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from Dec.2020 to Dec. 2021 were included in the cross-sectional study. General information, clinical data, and medical history data of all study subjects, including name, gender, body mass index (BMI), duration of diabetes, anti-diabetic therapies, high blood pressure (HBP) history, smoking history and medication history, were completely collected. The results of laboratory tests, including biochemical parameters, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting C-peptide, 2h postprandial C-peptide, 24-hour urine total protein (24-hUTP), urine microalbumin creatinine ratio (UACR) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were recorded. EGG, Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index (GCSI), gastric emptying ultrasound, fundus examination, carotid artery ultrasonography, cardiac autonomic function test, heart rate variability (HRV) were all examined and recorded as well. According to the results of EGG, the subjects were divided into normal gastric electrical rhythm (NGER) group and abnormal gastric electrical rhythm (AGER) group.
Results: (1) Fasting blood glucose (FBG), HbA1c, the presence of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and diabetic cardiac autonomic neuropathy (DCAN) were significantly higher in the AGER group (p<0.05). Low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF), the indicators of HRV, were significantly lower in the AGER group (p<0.05). In addition, the prevalence of feeling excessively full after meals, loss of appetite and stomach or belly visibly larger after meals of gastrointestinal symptoms of gastroparesis were significantly higher in the AGER group (p<0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that FBG and the prevalence of DCAN were the independent risk factors.
Conclusion: AGER was associated with high FBG and the presence of DCAN. EGG examination is recommended for patients with gastrointestinal symptoms and clues of DCAN.
Effect of post-weld heat treatment on AA6351 friction stir welds
Authors: MADDA RAGHAVA RAO , B Lakshmi Saranya , G Siva Prasad , Ch Venkata Rao , K Srinivasa Rao
Published: April 2024

Al-Mg-Si (6xxx) alloys have superior properties to other aluminium alloys, making them suitable for aerospace and defence applications. However, their weldments are susceptible to various issues that affect their microstructural changes, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance. The use of friction stir welding has been proven to be an effective solution for these problems, and this study aimed to investigate the microstructural changes, mechanical properties, and pitting potential (Epit) of AA6351 alloy friction stir welds. The present study used AA6351 with a thickness of 6mm alloy plates for welding and characterized the welds' microstructure, pitting corrosion resistance, and mechanical properties of hardness and tensile strength. Post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) for solutionizing at 523°C for 0.5hrs followed by 8 hrs at 177⁰C (STA-solutionizing treatment with ageing) was applied to improve the welds' corrosion resistance and mechanical properties. A comparison between the base metal and weldment before and after PWHT showed that the ageing treatment of the welds improved their mechanical properties and pitting corrosion resistance. This treatment caused re-precipitation and redistribution of precipitates in the welds’ grain-refined stir zone, restoring their mechanical properties and pitting corrosion resistance. Therefore, this study established that post-weld solutionizing at 523°C for 0.5 hrs and then ageing at 177⁰C for 8hrs can restore the overall mechanical and pitting corrosion behaviour of AA6351 alloy friction stir welds.
Prevalence and Predictors of Stillbirths Following Vaginal Delivery at Tumu Municipality of the Upper West Region, Ghana: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Alhassan Pascal Deeshini Aliu , Beru Martin Muonibe , Sackeya Eugene , Angmortey Richard Nomo , Alhassan Abdul-Samii Danaa , Kanamu Mohammed Hafiz , Akpah-Suka Andrews , Mohammed Baba Sulemana
Published: April 2024

Background
Low- and middle-income countries still have unacceptably high rates that makes it imperative to identify the factors that predict stillbirth so as to effectively develop interventions. This study aimed to identify the prevalence and predictors of stillbirth among mothers who gave birth in the Tumu municipality in the Upper West Region of Ghana.
Methods
Using a retrospective cross-sectional study design, 1,240 women who had vaginal deliveries had their medical records examined. From January 1 to December 31, 2019, information on vaginal deliveries was gathered from the hospital's records. The data were summarised using descriptive statistics, and the relationship between maternal and obstetric characteristics and foetal outcomes was investigated using Pearson's chi-square/Fisher's exact test. To evaluate predictors, logistic regression was fitted at a 95% confidence interval (95% CI), and the results were reported using odds ratio.
Results
Among the 1204 women, 626 (52%) of them were aged 20–29 years; 832 (70%) of mothers were multigravida and 878 (73.50%) attended ANC between 4 to 8 times. There were 1187 (98.6%) live births and the overall prevalence of foetal mortality was 14.12 per 1000 total births. Women who attended ANC between 4–8 times were 91% less likely to record a foetal mortality (AOR 0.090 (0.024–0.342) p-value = < 0.001). Women whose labour was not monitored using a partograph were more than 17 times likely to record a foetal mortality (AOR 17.156, 95% CL: 4.981–59.090, p-value = < 0.001).
Conclusion
The neonatal mortality rate is 14.12 per 1000 live births, with better outcomes for pregnant women who attend ANC 4–8 times. The likelihood of foetal deaths in labors without partograph monitoring is 17 times higher. Refresher training on patographs and early hospital arrival are recommended.
Dendritic cells pulsed with breast tumor lysate-derived nano-vesicles can elicit an effective in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor immune response
Authors: abbaspour maryam , Esmaeil Nafiseh , Rezazadeh Mahboubeh , Minaiyan Mohsen , Sanei Mohammad hossein , Akbari Vajihe
Published: April 2024

Background

This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of utilizing autologous whole tumor cell lysate as a therapeutic vaccine to improve antigen presentation and processing to immune cells and induce an appropriate immune response. Nano-vesicles derived from mouse breast cancer cell lysate (TCL-NVs) were obtained through sonication.In vitro, the effect of TCL-NVs on dendritic cell (DC) maturation and T-cell proliferation using flow cytometry. In vivo studies evaluated the antitumor efficacy and safety of DCs loaded with TCL-NVs (DC-TCL-NVs) in a breast tumor mouse model. The levels of cytokines and infiltration of T cells at the tumor site were analyzed through RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry.

Results

The results showed that DCs loaded with TCL-NVs displayed a significant increase in CD86 expression compared to the control group (DCs pulsed only with LPS) (*P < 0.02). Furthermore, the TCL-NVs-loaded DCs exhibited an upregulation of genes involved in antigen presentation and T-cell priming compared to the control group (P<0.005). These activated DCs promoted T-cell proliferation and produced high levels of IFN-γ but low levels of IL-10, indicating their potential to elicit a TH1-immune response. Furthermore, administration of TCL-NV-loaded DCs in Balb/c mice induced a strong antitumor response in vivo, which reduced tumor growth compared to the control group (P<0.0001). Additionally, DC-TCL-NVs showed higher levels of tumor infiltration by CD8+ cells and increased gene expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines when compared to the control group.

Conclusions

These results underscore the immune-boosting potential of DC vaccines loaded with nano-vesicles obtained from autologous tumor cell lysate.
Modeling CSF circulation and the glymphatic system during infusion using subject specific intracranial pressures and brain geometries
Authors: Dreyer Lars Willas , Eklund Anders , Rognes Marie E. , Malm Jan , Qvarlander Sara , Støverud Karen Helene , Mardal Kent-Andre , Vinje Vegard
Published: April 2024

Background: Infusion testing is an established method for assessing CSF resistance in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH). To what extent the increased resistance is related to the glymphatic system is an open question. Here we introduce a computational model that includes the glymphatic system and enables us to determine the importance of 1) brain geometry, 2) intracranial pressure and 3) physiological parameters on the outcome of and response to an infusion test.
Methods: We implemented a seven-compartment multiple network porous medium model with subject specific geometries from MR images. The model consists of the arterial, capillary and venous blood vessels, their corresponding perivascular spaces, and the extracellular space (ECS). Both subject specific brain geometries and subject specific infusion tests were used in the modeling of both healthy adults and iNPH patients. Furthermore, we performed a systematic study of the effect of variations in model parameters.
Results: Both the iNPH group and the control group reached a similar steady state solution when subject specific geometries under identical boundary conditions was used in simulation. The difference in terms of average fluid pressure and velocity between the iNPH and control groups, was found to be less than 6 % during all stages of infusion in all compartments. With subject specific boundary conditions, the largest computed difference was a 75 % greater fluid speed in the arterial perivascular space (PVS) in the iNPH group compared to the control group. Changes to material parameters changed fluid speeds by several orders of magnitude in some scenarios. A considerable amount of the CSF pass through the glymphatic pathway in our models during infusion, i.e., 28% and 38% in the healthy and iNPH patients, respectively.
Conclusions: Using computational models, we have found the relative importance of subject specific geometries to be less important than individual differences in terms of fluid pressure and flow rate during infusion. Model parameters such as permeabilities and inter-compartment transfer parameters are uncertain but important and have large impact on the simulation results. The computations predicts that a considerable amount of the infused volume pass through the brain either through the perivascular spaces or the extracellular space.
Novel piercing punch design for realizing clean cutting surface of aluminum alloy and its application to enhancing hole flanging ability
Authors: lawanwong komgrit , leetrakul pongsakorn
Published: April 2024

The effects of piercing parameters such as clearance, cutting distance, surface roughness on the sheared surface, and the delay-cracking mechanism in the hole-piercing process are investigated in this study. The characteristics of the piercing hole cross-section are compared based on a statistical analysis and finite element simulation results to realize a new punch design concept. The statistical analysis revealed that the differences in the mean sheared surface between the new and conventional punch designs were statistically significant under all the conditions. The experimental results for all the piercing clearances demonstrate that the new punch design can significantly reduce the die roll size and generate a smooth sheared surface. The use of an accurate finite element simulation allows us to understand the process parameters before fabricating the die. An advantage of the new piercing punch design in terms of hole-flanging ability is observed through an increased hole-expansion ratio. The new design can also produce high-quality, cutting-edge aluminum and advanced high-strength steel sheets.
Exploring incentives to move up the Food Waste Hierarchy: a case study of the Australian cheese manufacturing sector
Authors: Hetherington Jack , Loch Adam , Juliano Pablo , Umberger Wendy
Published: April 2024

Halving food loss and waste by 2030 is a major global challenge. The Food Waste Hierarchy underpins strategies to achieve this, but understanding the relative importance of motivators to incentivise change is limited. This study utilises the pertinent case study of the by-product of cheese-making, 'whey', to explore this in Australia. Through semi-structured interviews with 42 nationally-representative firms, motivators were quantified using a novel 100-point allocation instrument. Profit maximisation, environmental protection, and government regulation emerge as key motivators, but there is significant heterogeneity. Motivators generally do not differ markedly across hierarchy-levels, except for government regulations, which both incentivise and disincentivise change. Findings indicate a potential failure of markets, governments and social licenses to lead to efficient resource allocation while limiting negative externalities. Pathways to challenge the status quo and transform the food system are discussed, which will likely require simultaneous forces to move enough firms up the hierarchy by 2030.
New nematicidal compounds from Mentha spicata L. against Meloidogyne incognita
Authors: Mondal Partha Chandra , Kumar Vijay , Kaushik Parshant , Shakil Najam Akthar , Pankaj  , Rana Virendra Singh
Published: April 2024

Meloidogyne incognita (root-knot nematode) is one of the most destructive pests of crops worldwide. Injudicious use of synthetic nematicides has led to environmental toxicity, development of resistance and disruption of ecological balance, necessitating the need for safer and effective alternatives. Essential oil from Mentha spicata has been reported to have nematicidal activity but the activity of its polar constituents is unexplored against the nematodes, infesting agricultural crops. Six compounds, Stigmasterol (1), β-Sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucoside (2), 3β,13β-Dihydroxy-urs-11-en-28-oic acid (3), 5,6-Dihydroxy-7,8,4′-trimethoxyflavone (4), 5,6,4′-Trihydroxy-7,8,3′-trimethoxyflavone (5), and 5,6,4′-Trihydroxy-7,8-dimethoxyflavone (6) were isolated from methanolic extract of Mentha spicata (spearmint) and identified by NMR (1D & 2D) spectral analysis. Compound 3 was identified for the first time from genus Mentha. In vitro nematicidal activity of pure compounds (2, 4–6) was carried out against Meloidogyne incognita and results showed significant mortality (LC50 values ranging between 62.64 and 74.19 ppm after 96 hours). Molecular docking study revealed the favorable binding of the test compounds with acetylcholinesterase enzyme, facilitated by H-bond, electrostatic interactions, and hydrophobic interactions. The binding energy of the tested compounds with the target protein was found highest in 5 (-10.0 kcal/mol), 6(-9.9 kcal/mol) followed by 2 (-9.2 kcal/mol) and 4 (-8.9) kcal/mol. The minimum binding energy was recorded in carbofuran (-7.5 kcal/mol), a positive control and was also corroborated with in vitro nematicidal activity. This study showed the potent nematicidal activity of compounds (2,4–6), which can be further used for the development of nematicides against M. incognita in agriculture.
Evaluation of the quality and readability of web-based patient information on colorectal cancer surgery
Authors: Doluweera Dinul , Seneviratne Suranjith , De Zoysa Ishan
Published: April 2024

Objective
Effective patient education is crucial for empowering patients with colorectal cancer to make informed decisions about surgery. This study evaluated the quality and readability of web-based patient information on colorectal cancer surgery.
Results
The leading search engines Google, Yahoo!, and Bing were searched using the keyword “colorectal cancer surgery”. The top 100 results from each platform were screened further based on predetermined criteria. A total of 39 websites were analysed. Our findings showed that patient information websites had low readability, with mean Flesch‒Kincaid Reading Ease scores and Gunning Fog Index scores of 51.5 (range: 30.7–70.1) and 9.37 (range: 5.8–13.6), respectively, both exceeding the recommended reading level for health resources. Although the mean DISCERN score (50.4) indicated “fair” reliability and quality, many websites lacked key information. Few websites provided references (35.9%, n = 14) or were reviewed by experts (n = 15, 28.5%). Websites providing information on the benefits and risks of surgery were also scarce (7.7% and 30.8%, respectively). Less than 30% provided sufficient information on post-treatment quality of life and stoma care. Among the top 10 DISCERN-rated websites, only one had the target readability level, and only 3 appeared within the first 10 search engine results.
Punitive attitudes toward cartels: Evidence from an experimental study
Authors: Boulu-Reshef Béatrice , Schlumberger Constance Monnier
Published: April 2024

This paper investigates the determinants of punitive attitude toward cartels and documents the factors underlying the support for harsher sanctions against these anticompetitive practices. The responses are collected in an experimental design in which respondents are exposed to various levels of cartel-type agreement costs. This experimental manipulation allows us to highlight the fact that individuals are more punitive when they are victims of cartels that reduce substantially their earnings. In addition, punitiveness increases in the number of cartels experienced. Overall, punitive attitudes toward cartels are influenced by socio-demographic variables as age and education level. Being a man is also associated with higher punitiveness. Last, the perceived seriousness of cartels and cartel awareness, are associated with higher punitive attitudes.
JEL code : C91, K21, K42, L41, M12
Detection of Malware and Adware Using Machine Learning: A Practical Approach
Authors: Chaudhary Dhruv , Bakshi Kanishk , Jha Pramod Kumar
Published: April 2024

The paper presents a comprehensive approach to detecting malware and adware using machine learning techniques. It outlines the methodology involved in dataset preparation, feature engineering, model selection, and evaluation. A diverse dataset comprising instances of both malware and benign software was curated, ensuring representativeness and generalizability. Various machine learning algorithms, including logistic regression, decision trees, and neural networks , were employed to build and evaluate the detection models. The results demonstrate the superiority of neural network-based approaches over traditional methods, with significant improvements in accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score. Evaluation metrics extended beyond conventional measures to include ROC-AUC score, false positive rate (FPR), and true negative rate (TNR), providing a comprehensive assessment of model performance. The research highlights the robustness and scalability of the model through extensive testing on large-scale datasets, indicating its suitability for real-world deployment in diverse environments. Future directions include enhancing interpretability, optimizing hyperparameters, and integrating advanced techniques like ensemble learning and deep learning architectures. Overall, the research contributes to advancing the state-of-the-art in cybersecurity and holds potential for practical applications in threat detection and mitigation.
Exploring Experiences of Palliative Care Patients’ Guardians at Mzuzu Central Hospital
Authors: Nyirenda Connie , Sagawa Jonas , Chilinda Ides
Published: April 2024

Background
The number of patients with chronic illnesses who require palliative care services is increasing every year in Malawi. For this reason, family involvement in caregiving has become increasingly important as the number of patients receiving palliative care continues to grow. Guardians play a greater role in the provision of care to patients that are on palliative care. For instance, they provide physical, emotional, and financial support to their patients. Evidence suggests that the guardians/caregivers encounter several challenges as they provide the support. This study therefore, aimed to explore the experiences of family caregivers/guardians when taking care of patients at Mzuzu Central Hospital palliative care clinic.
Methods
This was a descriptive qualitative study, facility based conducted at a public Hospital in Mzuzu City, Malawi among 16 guardians aged above 21 years. Data were collected using a semi- structured interview guide. Ethical approval was obtained from College of Medicine Research and Ethics Committee. Thematic analysis of the data was done guided by Collaizi’s framework.
Findings:
The findings from this study reveal that caregivers play a crucial role in patient care, providing psychological support, basic nursing activities, and physical support. It has been noted that they face financial challenges, including transport costs, food, and other needs. Some caregivers leave their main income source, businesses, and work to care for patients, while others face social isolation and distress.
Conclusion
This study has shown that providing palliative care is linked to financial capacity of the guardians. As a result, a multidisciplinary approach and policy reinforcement for palliative care are necessary to reduce the amount of burden that guardians must bear when providing care for patients.
Hot deformation behavior and physical-based constitutive modelling under plane-stress state for Nickle-based superalloy sheets
Authors: Wu Shihao , Chen Xuexin , Bao Zhennan , Xie Liwei , Yang Bo , Zheng Kailun , Wang Yaping
Published: April 2024

Forming limit curves at high temperatures under plane stress states is beneficial for guiding the process parameter design of hot forming superalloy sheets. Constrained by the high deformation temperatures, the establishment of FLCs of superalloy sheet at high temperatures are extremely diffiuclt. This paper conducts an experimental and modelling research establish the physical based model with the accurate prediction of hot flow behavior as well as micro grain sizes, using which, the forming limit curves can be predicted. First, the uniaxial tensile tests under different temperatures and strain rates and EBSD observations of typical conditions were conducted to obtain the hot flow behavior and grain evolution. Second, the dome test at room temperature was performed, and corresponding simulation was further carried out to obtain the forming limit at room temperature under plane stress states. Using the above results, a plane-stress constitutive model for GH3128 superalloy was established enabling plane-stress test results under typical hot conditions to be accurately predicted. The prediction accuracy of hot uniaxial and biaxial stretching results are 94.2% and 95.4%, respectively.
Use of resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) for trauma and its performance in Japan over the past 18 years: A nationwide descriptive study
Authors: Hoshi Hiromasa , Endo Akira , Yamamoto Ryo , Yamakawa Kazuma , Suzuki Keisuke , Akutsu Tomohiro , Morishita Koji
Published: April 2024

Background: Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) has been used to control massive hemorrhages. Although there is no consensus on the efficacy of REBOA, it remains an option as a bridging therapy in non-trauma centers where trauma surgeons are not available. To better understand the current landscape of REBOA application, we examined changes in its usage, target population, and treatment outcomes in Japan, where immediate hemostasis procedures sometimes cannot be performed.
Methods: This retrospective observational study used the Japan Trauma Data Bank data. All cases in which REBOA was performed between January 2004 and December 2021 were included. The primary outcome was the in-hospital mortality rate. We analyzed mortality trends over time according to the number of cases, number of centers, severity of injury, and overall and subgroup mortality associated with REBOA usage. We performed a logistic analysis of mortality trends over time, adjusting for probability of survival based on the trauma and injury severity score.
Results: Overall, 2557 patients were treated with REBOA and were deemed eligible for inclusion. The median age of the participants was 55 years, and male patients constituted 65.3% of the study population. Blunt trauma accounted for approximately 93.0% of the cases. The number of cases and facilities that used REBOA increased until 2019. While the injury severity score and revised trauma score did not change throughout the observation period, the hospital mortality rate decreased from 91.3% to 50.9%. The REBOA group without severe head or spine injuries showed greater improvement in mortality than the all-patient group using REBOA and all-trauma patient group. The greatest improvement in mortality was observed in patients with systolic blood pressure ≥80 mmHg. The adjusted odds ratios for hospital mortality steadily declined, even after adjusting for the probability of survival.
Conclusions: While there was no significant change in patient severity, mortality of patients treated with REBOA decreased over time. Further research is required to determine the reasons for these improvements in trauma care.
C-reactive protein-albumin-lymphocyte index is a useful indicator for recurrence and survival following curative resection of stage I–III colorectal cancer
Authors: Bekki Tomoaki , Shimomura Manabu , Yano Takuya , Sato Saki , Watanabe Atsuhiro , Ishikawa Sho , Imaoka Kouki , Ono Kosuke , Matsubara Keiso , Mochizuki Tetsuya , Hattori Minoru , Akabane Shintaro , Ohdan Hideki
Published: April 2024

Purpose
Recently, several simple inflammation-based prognostic scores that can be calculated easily from serum parameters, have been reported to be related to colorectal cancer prognosis. This study aimed to investigate factors influencing the prognosis of patients, including inflammation-based prognostic scores, with stage I–III colorectal cancer following curative resection.
Methods
This single-center study included 608 patients with stage I–III colorectal cancer who underwent curative resection between April 2010 and December 2018. A retrospective analysis was performed to identify the prognosis-associated variables in these patients. Next, 1659 patients with stage I–III colorectal cancer who underwent curative resection from a multi-center database belonging to the Hiroshima Surgical study group of Clinical Oncology were analyzed for survival.
Results
Of the inflammation-based prognostic scores, only preoperative C-reactive protein-albumin-lymphocyte index was revealed to predict a poor prognosis in patients with stage I–III colorectal cancer following curative resection. The low C-reactive protein-albumin-lymphocyte index was associated with poor overall survival and recurrence-free survival, which was similar in patients from multi-center database. The C-reactive protein-albumin-lymphocyte index was found to be associated with patient age, systemic condition, comorbidities, and tumor factors. The time-dependent area under the curve for the C-reactive protein-albumin-lymphocyte index was superior to those of other inflammation-based prognostic scores in most postoperative observation periods.
Conclusions
The preoperative C-reactive protein-albumin-lymphocyte index was independently associated with long-term prognosis in patients with stage I–III colorectal cancer following curative resection.
A retrospective study of the efficacy of sulbactam in the treatment of patients with extensively drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections
Authors: Yu Jiaxin , Zhang Baoshuang , Yang Yang , Dou Wei , Li Yuliu , Yang Anji , Ruan Xiao , Zhang Bo , Zuo Wei
Published: April 2024

Purpose
Sulbactam (SBT) is one of the most significant treatments for patients with extensively drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (XDR-AB). However, the efficacy and safety of SBT and its high dose regimen has not been well documented. This retrospective study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of SBT-based treatment, particularly at high-dose (≥ 6g/day), for XDR-AB infection.
Method
A total of 52 XDR-AB infected patients treated with intravenous SBT at Peking Union Medical College Hospital were included. The primary outcome was 28-day all-cause mortality, while the secondary outcome was 14-day clinical response and the time of response.
Results
Among the patients, the 28-day all-cause mortality rate was 36.5% (19/52), and the favorable 14-day clinical response rate was 59.6% (31/52). The 28-day mortality was independently associated coinfection with gram-positive bacteria (GPB) and a shorter duration of therapy. Patients with intracranial infection might have a longer survival time. A favorable 14-day clinical response was associated with high dose SBT, and a longer treatment duration. However, the higher creatinine clearance (CrCl) associated with a worse clincal response. In addition, a higher SBT dosage was significantly correlated with a quicker clinical response. No adverse effects related were reported.
Conclusion
The single-agent formulation of SBT emerges as a promising alternative for the treatment of XDR-AB infection, such as intracranial infection, particularly at high doses (≥ 6g/day). Besides, longer duration of treatment correlates with higher survival rate and better favorable clinical response. Higher CrCl negatively correlates with favorable clinical response.
Frequency and severity of hyponatremia in healthy children with acute illnesses
Authors: Shirane Shoichiro , Hamada Riku , Morikawa Yoshihiko , Harada Ryoko , Hamasaki Yuko , Ishikura Kenji , Honda Masataka , Hataya Hiroshi
Published: April 2024

Background
Hyponatremia can occur in the acute phase of any illness through various mechanisms. However, the frequency and severity of hyponatremia are not well known across a broad range of illnesses including medical and surgical diseases and trauma.
Methods
The present, retrospective chart review was conducted at Tokyo Metropolitan Children’s Medical Center from 2018 to 2019. Included were healthy children aged < 16 years with an acute illness who were urgently admitted and had their serum sodium level measured on admission.
Results
In total, 2,717 patients were urgently admitted and had their serum sodium level measured. Of these, 1,890 were included. Hyponatremia occurred in 260 patients (13.8%). The most common hyponatremic disease was type 1 diabetes mellitus (69%) followed by acute encephalopathy (60%), pyogenic arthritis (60%), and Kawasaki disease (51%). Kawasaki disease, seizure, urinary tract infection, acute appendicitis, lower respiratory tract infection, and acute gastroenteritis were associated with a significantly lower serum sodium value than cases of fracture comprising a control group. Conversely, acute bronchial asthma exacerbation (3%), anaphylaxis (0%), intussusception (0%), acute scrotal disease (0%), head injury (1%), and fracture (0%) were very infrequently associated with hyponatremia.
Conclusion
The present study determined the frequency and severity of hyponatremia in various, acute, pediatric illnesses, including medical and surgical diseases and trauma. Despite reports of respiratory distress and pain inducing vasopressin secretion, hyponatremia was rarely observed on admission in cases of acute bronchial asthma exacerbation, anaphylaxis, intussusception, acute scrotal diseases, head injury, and fracture.
RETRACTED: Preparation of Pluronic F127 Hydrogel Loaded with BIF1-iRGD Recombinant Protein for its Targeted Anti-cancer Effects
Authors: Tamizifar Zahra , Jafarian-Dehkordi Abbas , Taymouri Somayeh , Shafiee Fatemeh
Published: April 2024

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Exploring the Long-Term Disability Outcomes in Trauma Patients: Study Protocol
Authors: Shaukat Natasha , Merchant Asma Altaf Hussain , Sahibjan Fazila , Abbasi Ayesha , Jarrar Zeerak , Ahmed Tanweer , Atiq Huba , Khan Uzma Rahim , Khan NadeemUllah , Mushtaq Saima , Rasul Shahid , Hyder Adnan , Razzak Junaid , Haider Adil
Published: April 2024

Objectives
Post-discharge patient-reported outcomes from trauma registries can be used to measure trauma care quality. However, studies reflecting the Asian experience are limited. Therefore, we aim to develop a digital trauma registry to prospectively capture patient-reported outcomes (PROs) at one-, three-, six-, and twelve-months post-injury in Pakistan.
Methods
We will use a cohort study design to develop a digital trauma registry at two tertiary care facilities (Aga Khan University Hospital & Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center) in Karachi, Pakistan. The registry will include all admitted adult trauma patients (≥18 years). Data collection will be digital using tablets, with mortality, level of disability, and functional status, quality of life being the outcomes. Telephonic interviews will be conducted with the patients and caregivers for follow-up data collection.
Discussion
The high disability burden following accidental trauma imposes a significant burden and cost on individuals and society. Therefore, the trauma registry would fill this gap by capturing post-discharge long-term PROs. It will provide the injured patient's post-discharge situation, challenges, and future directions for incorporating long-term PROs in low-resource settings. Including long-term measures in routine follow-ups will provide insights into physical, social, and policy barriers and help advance injury care research.
The effect of home-based and remote exercises on low back pain during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review
Authors: Jafari Behrouz , Amiri Mohammad Rahim , Labecka Marta Kinga , Rajabi Reza
Published: April 2024

Purpose: The prevalence of low back pain (LBP) surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, posing challenges to face-to-face treatment. Therefore, this systematic review aims to determine the effectiveness of various digital solutions for controlling and treatment of LBP during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: The systematic review was performed from 2019 until 2023 across databases, including Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and PubMed, according to the eligibility criteria. This review fulfilled the following criteria according to the PICO system: population (individuals using virtual exercises at home for LBP), interventions (distance rehabilitation and digital application), comparison (intervention group performing exercises virtually at home, and control group receiving in-person services), outcome (methods used in the diagnosis of LBP). Only high-quality randomized controlled trial studies were included and assessed using the PEDro scale. All the studies were assessed to be of high quality.
Results: After the final review, 15 articles with 3789 subjects met the inclusion criteria. Digital tools such as video calls, Artificial Intelligence programs, Virtual Reality Exercises, and video-based programs were commonly used in studies addressing LBP management. The included articles' scores ranged from 6.2 on the PEDro scale, which has a maximum of 10 points.
Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic prompted heightened attention to digital treatments, yielding relatively acceptable results for patients and therapists. However, recent technological advances indicate future expansion in this field. Key aspects of this method include training individuals in self-management of LBP and promoting adherence. Nonetheless, the high diversity in the use of digital methods poses limitations on conclusive outcomes.
Registration: The systematic review has been registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) [CRD42022377172;28/11/2022].
Graph Neural Networks in Multi-Stained Pathological Imaging: Extended Comparative Analysis of Radiomic Features
Authors: Monroy Luis Carlos Rivera , Rist Leonhard , Ostalecki Christian , Bauer Andreas , Vera Julio , Breininger Katharina , Maier Andreas
Published: April 2024

Purpose: This study investigates Radiomics features for Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) in MELC pathology sample classification focusing on often misdiagnosed skin diseases.
Methods: GNNs processing multiple pathological slides together as cell-level graphs are compared to XGBoost and Random Forest. The analysis assesses the use of MELC vs. Radiomics features, their dimensionality reduction with UMAP or tSNE and the graph connectivity based on spatial and feature closeness.
Results: Integrating Radiomics features in a spatially connected graph markedly outperforms standard models when classifying pathologically similar diseases. Additionally, the UMAP dimensionality reduction techniques improves GNN classification performance.
Conclusion: Radiomics, processed with GNNs, shows promise for multi-disease classification, enhancing diagnosis accuracy. Considering the potential, future research should extend these methods to a broader range of diseases.
Phenotypic Selection to Avoid Discarding Target Genotypes for Four Fruit Traits Based on Environmental Variances in a Pineapple Cross-seedling Population
Authors: Yamada Masahiko , Nashima Kenji , Takeuchi Makoto , Ohmine Yuta , Shoda Moriyuki
Published: April 2024

Early ripening [earlier than 1 Aug during fruit harvest time (FHT)], large fruit weight (FW; >1000 g), high sugar content [>17% soluble solids content (SSC)], and low acidity in fruit juice (<0.7%) are important breeding targets of pineapple for table fresh fruit use in Japan. We investigated the efficiency of primary selection based on the four fruit traits using 129 first-fruiting F1 offspring population of ‘Yugafu’ × ‘Yonekura’ without replicates. Separately, environmental variances were estimated by an analysis of variance using evaluation data from 50 or 49 offspring in three replicates and two-year repeats. The phenotypic distribution in the 129 F1 population approached a normal distribution (P > 0.05). The genotypic distribution was obtained as a normal distribution with the population mean as the mean and genotypic variance obtained by subtracting the environmental variance from the phenotypic variance. The target genotypes were estimated at 14.4%, 58.7%, 5.0%, and 50.0% of the F1 population for FHT, FW, SSC, and acidity, respectively. Critical phenotypic values were established as the upper (FHT and acidity) and lower (FW and SSC) limits of the critical genotypic values at the 95% probability level. The phenotypic selection was made based on the critical phenotypic value, resulting in 45.0%, 88.4%, 27.1%, and 79.1% of the offspring selected for FHT, FW, SSC, and acidity, respectively, and 12.4% simultaneously for all four fruit traits. The results showed that the phenotypic primary selection reduced the population size to 12.4%, avoiding the discarding of target genotypes with a low risk. If breeders intend to further reduce the population size, then increasing the number of traits subject to primary selection would be effective.
Comparative analysis of the application of the Lichtenecker and Lichtenecker – Asaad models for the theoretical assessment of the rocks effective thermal conductivity
Authors: Gusak S. A.
Published: April 2024

The analysis of the conditions and limitations of using the Lichtenecker and Lichtenecker – Asaad models for predictive assessment of the effective thermal conductivity of rocks have been carried out. For a comparative assessment, experimental data on the thermal conductivity of carbonate rocks (limestone, dolomite) from the South-West German Molasse basin, the Chicxulub impact structure (Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico) and the Bazhenov Formation (Western Siberia, Russia) have been considered. Comparative assessments were carried out based on the use of correlation relationships obtained by the authors of experimental works as a result of regression analysis of the petrophysical properties of carbonate rocks. The results of the computational and analytical assessment have shown that the highest accuracy of thermal conductivity prediction using the Lichtenecker – Asaad model can be achieved if experimental data are available that provide a highly accurate determination of the structure factor. The features of the influence of various parameters of the Lichtenecker – Asaad model on the error in estimating the effective thermal conductivity of the rock have been studied. It has been established that at the stage of pre-design research, the Lichtenecker model can be used for a fairly correct theoretical assessment of the thermal conductivity of water-saturated, slightly porous rocks.