bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pola Penyelesaian Sengketa Waralaba Produk Teh Poci Di Ponorogo
Authors: Djayadi Haris
Published: September 2021

The purpose of this study is first to find out the pattern of dispute resolution in the franchise practice of Teh Poci, the second is to describe what the ideal pattern should be. In accordance with the characteristics of the existing problems, the most relevant form of approach to analyzing the above problems is empirical legal research. This research sees law as a reality in society, meaning how the law is practiced. The settlement of default on the agreement in the Tea Poci product franchise business in Ponorogo is the cancellation of the contract as a result of default and is settled on the principle of peace, namely by consulting and negotiation techniques. Ideally, under such a mechanism the franchisor should develop an internal procedure for handling complaints. However, this procedure is not stipulated in the franchise agreement and meets certain minimum standards. This standard should provide a procedure for resolving disputes. If a dispute arises, either party can initiate a complaint handling procedure under the Code of Conduct, or under a franchise agreement.Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah pertama untuk mengetahui pola penyelesaian sengketa dalam praktek waralaba Teh Poci, kedua untuk mendeskripsikan pola yang ideal yang seharusnya. Sesuai dengan karakteristik permasalahan yang ada, bentuk pendekatan yang paling relevan untuk menganalisis permasalahan di atas adalah penelitian hukum empiris. Penelitian ini melihat hukum sebagai realitas dalam masyarakat, artinya bagaimana hukum itu dipraktikkan. Penyelesaian wanprestasi atas kesepakatan dalam usaha waralaba produk Teh Poci di Ponorogo adalah batalnya akad akibat wanprestasi dan diselesaikan dengan prinsip damai yaitu dengan teknik konsultasi dan negosiasi. Idealnya, di bawah mekanisme seperti itu pemilik waralaba harus mengembangkan prosedur internal untuk menangani keluhan. Namun, prosedur ini tidak diatur dalam perjanjian waralaba dan memenuhi standar minimum tertentu. Standar ini harus menyediakan prosedur untuk menyelesaikan perselisihan. Jika timbul perselisihan, salah satu pihak dapat memulai prosedur penanganan keluhan berdasarkan Kode Etik, atau berdasarkan perjanjian waralaba.
Anticoagulation May Contribute to Antimicrobial Treatment of Lemierre Syndrome: A Case Report
Authors: Ge Jie , Zhou Peipei , Yang Yifei , Xu Tianshu , Yang Xu
Published: September 2021

Background: Lemierre syndrome (LS) is characterized by multisystemic infection beginning in the oropharynx, local thrombophlebitis (typically, of the internal jugular vein) and peripheral embolism. No evidence-based guidelines exist for the management of this disease, and the use of anticoagulation therapy remains particularly controversial. Case presentation: A 61-year-old man presenting with left neck swelling, odynophagia, and dyspnea underwent emergency surgery and received intravenous antibiotics. The primary infection was controlled on hospital day 5, but on day 6 sudden leukocytosis and hypoxemia were observed. CT angiography revealed an intraluminal filling defect in the pulmonary artery on day 8. LS was diagnosed and anticoagulation therapy was initiated. The WBC count, which had maintained its peak values in the previous two days, decreased instantly after initiation, and follow-up controls showed thrombus resolution. Conclusions: Our case supports the notion that anticoagulation therapy may be a valid supplement to antimicrobial therapy in LS, especially in the presence of a possibly young thrombus as suggested by clinical worsening.
Investigation of Sentinel-1 Derived Land Subsidence Using Wavelet Tools And Triple Exponential Smoothing Algorithm In Lagos, Nigeria
Authors: Ikuemonisan Femi Emmanuel , Ozebo Vitalis Chidi , Olatinsu Olawale Babatunde
Published: September 2021

Lagos has a history of long-term groundwater abstraction that is often compounded by the rising indiscriminate private borehole and water well proliferation. This has resulted in various forms of environmental degradation, including land subsidence. Prediction of the temporal evolution of land subsidence is central to successful land subsidence management. In this study, a triple exponential smoothing algorithm was applied to predict the future trend of land subsidence in Lagos. Land subsidence time series is computed with SBAS-InSAR technique with Sentinel-1 acquisitions from 2015 to 2019. Besides, Matlab wavelet tool was implemented to investigate the periodicity within land displacement signal components and to understand the relationship between the observed land subsidence, and groundwater level change and that of soil moisture. Results show that land subsidence in the LOS direction varied approximately between –94 and 15 mm/year. According to the wavelet-based analysis result, land subsidence in Lagos is partly influenced by both groundwater level fluctuations and soil moisture variability. Evaluation of the proposed model indicates good accuracy, with the highest residual of approximately 8%. We then used the model to predict land subsidence between the years 2020 and 2023. The result showed that by the end of 2023 the maximum subsidence would reach 958 mm which is approximately 23% increase.
Disinfection effect of hexadecyl pyridinium chloride on SARS-CoV-2 in vitro
Authors: Chen Keda , Ma Feike , Wang Ying , Zhuang Xinyi , Zhang Xuning , Mao Haiyan , Zhang Yanjun
Published: September 2021

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19 or 2019-nCoV) is a respiratory virus that can exist in the mouth and saliva of patients and spreads through aerosol dispersion. In the face of such a serious epidemic, the World Health Organization (who) recommends that governments and individuals take necessary infection control measures. The novel coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus; SARS-CoV-2) spread rapidly, causing varying degrees of respiratory disease and, in severe cases. SARS-CoV-2 is a respiratory disease that can be transmitted through direct transmission, aerosol transmission, or contact. Therefore, stomatological hospitals and departments have become high-infection-risk environments. Accordingly, oral disinfectants that can effectively inactivate the virus have become a highly active area of research. Hexadecyl pyridinium chloride, povidone-iodine, and other common oral disinfectants are the natural primary choices for stomatological hospitals. Therefore, this study investigated the inhibitory effect of hexadecyl pyridinium chloride on SARS-CoV-2 in vitro. Vero cells infected with SARS-CoV-2 were used to determine the disinfection effect; the CCK-8 method was used to determine cytotoxicity, and viral load was determined by real-time PCR. The results showed that hexadecyl pyridinium chloride has no obvious cytotoxic effect on Vero cells in the concentration range 0.0125–0.05 mg/mL. The in vitro experiments showed that hexadecyl pyridinium chloride significantly inhibits the virus at concentrations of 0.1 mg/mL or above at 2 min of action. Thus, the results provide experimental support for the use of hexadecyl pyridinium chloride in stomatological hospitals.
Phenotypic and Molecular Spectrum of Patients With Switch/sucrose Nonfermenting Complex-related Intellectual Disabilities in Korea
Authors: Lee Yena , Choi Yunha , Seo Go Hun , Kim Gu-Hwan , Keum Changwon , Kim Yoo-Mi , Do Hyo-Sang , Choi Jeongmin , Choi In Hee , Yoo Han-Wook , Lee Beom Hee
Published: September 2021

Background: The switch/sucrose nonfermenting (SWI/SNF) complex is an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent chromatin-remodeling complex associated with the regulation of DNA accessibility. Germline mutations in the components of the SWI/SNF complex are related to human developmental disorder, including the Coffin–Siris syndrome (CSS), Nicolaides–Baraitser syndrome (NCBRS), and nonsyndromic intellectual disability. These disorders are collectively referred to as SWI/SNF-related intellectual disability (SSRIDD).Methods: Whole exome sequencing was performed in 564 Korean patients with neurodevelopmental disorders. Twelve patients with SSRIDDs (2.1%) were included, and their medical records were retrospectively analyzed. Results: ARID1B, found in eight patients, were the most frequently-altered gene. Four patients harbored mutations in SMARCA4, SMARCB1, ARID2, and SMARCA2. Ten patients were diagnosed with CSS, and one patient without typical phenotypes was classified as ARID1B-related intellectual disability. Another patient harboring the SMARCA2 mutation was diagnosed with NCBRS. All pathogenic variants in ARID1B were truncating, whereas variants in SMARCA2, SMARCB1, and SMARCA4 were nontruncating (missense) mutations. Frequently-observed phenotypes were thick eyebrows (10/12), hypertrichosis (8/12), coarse face (8/12), thick lips (8/12), and long eyelashes (8/12). Developmental delay was observed in all patients, and profound speech delay was also characteristic. Agenesis or hypoplasia of the corpus callosum was found in half of the patients (6/12).Conclusions: SSRIDD holds a broad disease spectrum, including NCBRS, CSS, and ARID1B-related intellectual disability. Thus, the SSRIDD should be considered as a small but important cause of human developmental disorder.
Family Planning Interventions and Infertility in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocol
Authors: Fuseini Kamil , Habib Helen H , Semahegn Agumasie , Obeng-Dwamena Akua , Allorsey Leonie Afi , Anum Rachel N , Ankomah Augustine
Published: September 2021

Background: Infertility as a global reproductive health issue is often overlooked, despite accounts of its individual and systemic burden in populations. In LMICs, in particular, the personal and systemic factors that combine to present infertility as a significant health challenge are underinvestigated. Knowledge on the availability and access to infertility mitigating interventions is also inadequate. Furthermore, the challenges that constrain infertility-targeted interventions are often disjointly perceived as an individual problem, with scarce systemic outlook and intervention. This study seeks to explore the availability and accessibility of infertility interventions, their outcomes and challenges, as well as the regulatory and policy framework within which they operate. Method: This review will follow the PRISMA guidelines for reporting on systematic reviews and meta-analyses. We will conduct searches of relevant MeSH terms in major electronic journal databases and grey literature of relevant organizational websites. Duplicate independent title and abstract reviews will be conducted to firstly eliminate irrelevant studies. This will be followed by full-text screening to select studies that satisfy our inclusion criteria. All selected full-text studies will be assessed for their quality using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal checklist suitable for each methodological design. A thematic analysis of the included studies will be conducted to characterize the socio-cultural construction of infertility from individual and systemic viewpoints, as well as the outcomes and challenges of infertility interventions. Suitable quantitative studies will undergo meta-analysis using a random-effects model in the relevant software. Studies without a quantitative component will undergo only a qualitative synthesis.Discussion: The qualitative findings will be presented as a framework demonstrating the linkages between the socio-political constructs of infertility, interventions in place to mitigate infertility and the individual and systemic challenges posed to these interventions. We anticipate the use of this framework in guiding future family planning studies targeted at addressing infertility. Findings will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and disseminated among research communities, especially in LMICs. Trial Registration: This review protocol is registered in PROSPERO with code CRD42019130784.
Addressing a Humanitarian Relief Chain Considering Uncertain Demand and Deprivation Costs by a Hybrid LP-GA Method: An Earthquake in Kermanshah
Authors: Forughi Amin , Moghaddam Babak Farhang , behzadi Mohammad Hassan , sobhani Farzad movahedi
Published: September 2021

Today, a great deal of attention to numerous disasters such as earthquakes, floods and terrorist attacks is motivated by humanitarian logistics. A comprehensive plan for relief logistic items under uncertainty is a challengeable concern for both academic and logistics practitioners. This study contributes another robust plan for the humanitarian logistics for the earthquake disaster in Kermanshah, Iran. The proposed framework evaluates both operational and disruption risks simultaneously to study the Humanitarian Relief Chain (HRC) network after an earthquake. The main novelty is the simultaneous consideration of the deprivation costs and demand under uncertainty. The deprivation cost leads to a reduction in high social costs for the decision-makers of the HRC. The proposed HRC also guarantees the delivery of the essential supplies to beneficiaries under both operational and disruption risks. As an optimization model, it seeks to minimize total costs consisting of inventory holding cost, shortage cost, deprivation costs and transportation cost and maximizes each facility's weighted resilience level as the second objective. A robust optimization model is established to deal with uncertain levels of the transport network paths, supply condition, amount of demand and deprivation costs which are assumed uncertain. The resilience parameters used for the second objective are obtained by a Best Worst Method (BWM). Another significant contribution was a hybrid approach combining the LP-metric method and Genetic Algorithm (GA) as the LP–GA approach for optimizing large-scale instances. Regarding the analyses, including tuning, validation and comparison of the proposed approach, its performance is showed by several standard multi-objective assessment metrics. As a final point, the achieved outcomes demonstrate that the suggested model is highly sensitive to uncertain parameters. This encourages further development and application of the proposed HRC with the use of a hybrid LP-GA approach as a strong technique for solving optimization problems.
Climate Change, Macroeconomic Sensitivity And The Response of Remittances To The North African Countries: A Panel VAR Analysis
Authors: HABIB Hajer
Published: September 2021

The paper analyses the role of remittances in alleviating the Gross domestic product (GDP) oscillations induced by a climate shock that is detected by irregular precipitation and annual temperature in the North African region between 1980 and 2016. By controlling endogeneity problems, we use the Panel Vector Autoregressive model (PVAR). Our results show on the one hand that the decline in precipitation and the increase in temperature have adverse consequences on the GDP per capita. On the other hand, remittances are a pathway of action towards macroeconomic stability of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. They are characterized by counter-cyclical patterns which increase the capacity of adaptation to meteorological changes in the recipient countries and also resistance to hazards. Therefore, the future policies must be more rigorously focused on adaptation policies and investing in green technologies that mitigate the long term negative consequences of climate transformations.
Injury Distribution and Related Factors in Trauma Patient's Requiring Immediate Intervention Referred to the First Level Trauma Hospital in Southwestern Iran
Authors: Yadolhahi Mahnaz
Published: September 2021

Background: The extent and severity of injury distribution can determine the patient’s mortality and morbidity. The purpose of this study was to determine the pattern and role of different variables in an injury distribution and outcome of trauma patients.Method: This retrospective cohort study was performed in the largest trauma center in south of Iran, Shiraz in 2020. All the patient’s demographic, laboratory, clinical and paraclinical records were studied. The extent of injury distribution in the body, Glasgow coma scale and the injury severity score in these patients were carefully recorded. Results: In patients with multiple trauma, chest injury had the highest percentage of association with other body injuries; head and neck injuries were more associated with chest injuries. Facial and limb injuries were associated with head and abdominal injuries, respectively. In patients with car accidents, the injuries distribution analysis also showed that chest was the most common site of injury in car drivers. Injuries to the head and neck area is the most common site in motorcycle drivers and limb and chest injuries were more common in pedestrian-related accidents.Conclusion: The body injury pattern can be vary depending on the injury cause. Among the injury sites, it is more important to pay attention to the chest and head injuries. It is necessary to take the patient's history during a thorough examination and perform paraclinical tests such as ultrasound and CT scan to prevent the diagnosis of missing body injuries.
Time-restricted feeding promotes skeletal muscle function in diet- and genetic-induced obesity through shared and unique pathways
Authors: Livelo Christopher , Guo Yiming , Varshney Shweta , Daya Farah Abou , Le Hiep , Panda Satchidananda , Melkani Girish
Published: September 2021

Obesity caused by genetic predisposition, a lifestyle of calorie-dense diets and/or circadian disruption can result in complications including metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and compromised muscle function. By employing time-restricted feeding (TRF), where daily feeding was limited to 12 hours during the day, we observed improved skeletal muscle function compared to ad libitum feeding (ALF). This was observed in both diet-induced obesity (DIO) and genetic-induced obesity (GIO) in a Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) model. We evaluated the mechanistic basis of TRF-mediated benefits by utilizing muscle transcriptomic data of indirect flight muscle (IFM) followed by genetic validations, cytological and biochemical evidences. Significant upregulation of glycine N methyltransferase (Gnmt), sarcosine dehydrogenase (Sardh), CG5955 and downregulation of diacylglycerol o-acyltransferase 2 (Dgat2) were commonly induced by TRF intervention under both obese conditions. Moreover, genetic inhibition of Gnmt, Sardh and CG5955 leads to skeletal muscle dysfunction, aberrant lipid accumulation and loss of TRF-mediated benefits. However, skeletal muscle-specific knockdown (KD) of Dgat2 retained muscle function during aging, a result that mimics TRF-mediated benefits. Furthermore, de novo purine biosynthesis appeared to be upregulated specifically in the DIO model under TRF which led to increased ATP levels resulting in improved muscle performance. Additionally, genes associated with AMP kinase (AMPK) signaling, glycogen metabolism, glycolysis, tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and electron transport chain (ETC) signaling were specifically upregulated in GIO model under TRF. TRF mediated benefits in GIO via activation of AMPK, which led to increased ATP levels. Altogether, we identify the shared and distinct pathways in the regulation of muscle function under TRF, which may aid further research and alternative therapeutic avenues that focus on combating comorbidities linked with obesity.
National and Subnational Drivers for Cooking Energy Consumption in Rural India
Authors: Goswami Anandajit , Bandopadhyay Kaushik Ranjan , Gurtu Amulya
Published: September 2021

BackgroundThe energy transition pattern in India highlights that cooking continues to be the weakest link in the energy transition process for rural households. The government is trying to subsidize LPG for rural families to increase usage of LPG in India for a clean cooking energy transition. The paper endeavors to fill the void by revisiting the nature and degree of the rural energy transition for cooking in India. MethodologyUsing a multinomial logit model, the potential drivers at the individual household and group level have been identified. The group effect analysis has been conducted purposely to understand if social and cultural norms or -level factors within a village society affect the cooking energy transition of households in rural India and if that prevails over the income effect. At the sub-national level, an estimate of energy inequality has been derived by applying social choice-based Atkinson Inequality measure to examine the connection between higher energy inequality in primary fuel used for cooking and higher income inequality. In addition, the Brock-Dechert-Scheinkman (BDS) test on firewood consumption has been conducted for poor energy households from 38 districts of Bihar, one of the highest energy-poor states, to statistically examine the perceived nonlinearity in the dynamics of energy transition/fuel choice in cooking for rural households. ResultsThe analysis at the national level indicates the importance of local and cultural factors that leads to the nonlinearity in the probability of the switchover from firewood to other clean fuel options. Conclusions SummaryThe paper highlights if subsidies on modern fuel and/or other cooking alternatives alone drive the transition process and examines the validity of the energy ladder hypothesis in the case of rural cooking energy transition and the drivers of the energy transition at the national and sub-national level. Potential ImplicationsThe state-level analysis done for Bihar and across various districts corroborates this finding and provides an important direction towards local context-specific policy-making in the long term.
Mechanism of Dark Plum In Treatment of Sjögren's Syndrome Based On Network Pharmacology And Molecular Docking​
Authors: Sun Zhongli , Deng Lilin , Xu Zhoujie , Yang Kun , Yu Penglong
Published: September 2021

Background: Modern medicine has no cure for the xerostomia caused by the early onset of Sjögren's syndrome (SS).Dark plum is a common Chinese herbal medicine used to relieve xerostomia. However, the molecular mechanisms of the effects of dark plum are unknown. In this study, network pharmacology and molecular docking were used to investigate the mechanisms of action of dark plum on SS.Materials and method: The Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform(TCMSP) database was used to identify the active components and targets of dark plum, and the UniProt database was used to identify the genes encoding these targets. SS-related targets were also identified from the GeneCards and OMIM databases. By finding the intersection of the targets of the compounds and the targets of SS, the predicted targets of dark plum in the treatment of SS were obtained. Further investigation of the active compounds and their targets was carried out by constructing a network of "medicine-candidate compound-target-disease" using Cytoscape 3.7.2, the Protein-Protein Interaction(PPI) network using the STRING database and Cytoscape 3.7.2, and key targets were identified by Gene Ontology( GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis on R software. Finally, molecular docking was used to verify the affinity of the candidate compounds to the key targets.Results: Quercetin, beta-sitosterol, and kaempferol in dark plum interact with AKT1, IL-6, IL-1B, JUN, CASP3, and MAPK8. These results suggest that dark plum exerts its therapeutic effects on the peripheral gland injury of SS and its secondary cardiovascular disease and tumorigenesis through anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-tumor pathways.Conclusion: With network pharmacology, this study systematically identified the main active components, targets, and specific mechanisms of the therapeutic effects of dark plum on SS, providing both a theoretical basis and research direction for further investigations on dark plum.
An Environment Transitional Zone Buffers Peatlands Carbon Loss
Authors: Liu Liangfeng , Chen Huai , Tian Jianqing , Wang Hongjun , Xue Dan , Wu Ning , Wang Meng , Xu Xingliang , Peng Changhui , Wang Yanfen
Published: September 2021

An environment transitional zone (ETzone) is usually deemed as a hotspot in biogeochemical cycle, but little is known about its response to climate change. A typical ETzone develops at the subsurface of peatland after experiencing long-term water table fluctuation, characterized by alternative aerobic and anaerobic conditions. By an extensive incubation, we found that the CO2 emission at this ETzone was 28.31 ± 3.55 μg g-1 d-1, 41.6% and 34.4% lower than the upper (aerobic) and lower (anaerobic) layers, respectively. Moreover, with a lowest Q10 of 1.37, its CO2 emission was also the least warming-responsive, which could reduce 33.7% CO2 loss in warming scenario. This result clearly revealed that the ETzone worked as a buffer to retard carbon loss, rather than a hotspot. Surprisingly, this buffer capacity of ETzone was easily collapse if being primed by fresh carbon. Therefore, maintaining a relatively stable ETzone is critical for protecting peatland carbon stock, and the priority is to block priming effect through maintaining an intact vegetation composition.
Long non-coding RNA NEAT1 deteriorates polycystic ovary syndrome progression via binding microRNA-324-3p to target bromodomain containing 3
Authors: Wu Le , Tu zhijian , Ying bao , Qi Zhai , Jin lixu
Published: September 2021

Objective: Long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) nuclear-enriched abundant transcript 1 (NEAT1) has been studied in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), while the regulatory mechanism of NEAT1 on PCOS by regulating microRNA (miR)-324-3p remains extensive exploration. Our study aims to investigate the role of NEAT1, miR-324-3p and bromodomain containing 3 (BRD3) in PCOS.Methods: Firstly, the PCOS rat model was established, and then NEAT1, miR-324-3p and BRD3 levels were detected in PCOS rats. The decreased NEAT1 or augmented miR-324-3p were injected into the PCOS rats to determine the change of biochemical indices and pathology. Also, the rescue experiment was conducted. Thereafter, the binding relations among NEAT1, miR-324-3p and BRD3 were analyzed.Results: NEAT1 and BRD3 were enriched while miR-324-3p was decreased in PCOS rats. The reduction of NEAT1 or the elevation of miR-324-3p mitigated the obesity and metabolic disorders in PCOS rats. NEAT1 sponged miR-324-3p as a competing endogenous RNA and miR-324-3p targeted BRD3. The elevated miR-324-3p or reduced BRD3 reversed effects of enhanced NEAT1.Conclusion: NEAT1 exacerbates obesity and metabolic disorders of PCOS rats via regulating miR-324-3p to target BRD3. This study affords a novel direction for PCOS treatment.
Real-time RGB color-tunable upconversion luminescence using a single excitation wavelength
Authors: Xu Li , Liu Yu , Zhou Ziwen , Ning Danyang , Ren Jing , Carvajal Joan , Zhang Jianzhong , Liu Lu
Published: September 2021

Real-time color-tunable upconversion luminescence of lanthanide ions has recently attracted increasing attention. To date, at least two different excitation wavelengths are required to obtain tunable upconversion colors containing the three-primary-color components (Red-Green-Blue). In this work, for the first time, we demonstrate that it is possible achieving tunable three-primary-color upconversion luminescence using a single excitation wavelength, on the basis of the photon-order dependent uponversion nature. A core-shell-shell nanocrystal was synthesized, with rational designed compositions of Er/Yb and Tm/Yb in the core and the outermost shell, respectively, responsible for the green/red and blue emissions. By increasing the power density of the 980 nm continuous-wave excitation laser, the color of the emitted luminescence of the core-shell-shell nanocrystal evolved as green → red → blue, corresponding to 2 → 3 → 4-photons involved in the upconversion process.
Artificial Intelligence Analysis of Risk Factors for Preterm Patent Ductus Arteriosus: Nationwide Data
Authors: Na Jae Yoon , Kim Dongkyun , Kwon Amy M. , Jeon Jin Yong , Kim Hyuk , Kim Chang-Ryul , Lee Hyun Ju , Lee Joohyun , Park Hyun-Kyung
Published: September 2021

Despite the many comorbidities and the high mortality rate in preterm infants with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), therapeutic strategies vary depending on the clinical setting, and most studies of the related risk factors have been based on small sample populations. The goal was to compare the accuracy of artificial intelligence (AI) analysis with that of conventional analysis for identifying the risk factors associated with symptomatic PDA (sPDA) in very low birth weight infants.This nationwide prospective cohort study included 8,369 infants. The participants were divided into an sPDA group and a nonPDA group, and The sPDA group was further divided into treated and untreated subgroups. A total of 47 perinatal risk factors were collected and analyzed. Multiple logistic regression as a standard analytic tool, five AI algorithms were used to identify the factors associated with sPDA. The combination of a large database of risk factors from nationwide registries and AI techniques achieved higher accuracy and better performance on the PDA prediction tasks, and the ensemble methods showed the best performances.
Effects of post-subduction processes on continental lithosphere
Authors: Pilia Simone , Davies D. Rhodri , Hall Robert , Bacon Conor , Gilligan Amy , Greenfield Timothy , Tongkul Felix , Kramer Stephan , Wilson Cian , Cornwell David , Colli Lorenzo , Rawlinson Nicholas
Published: September 2021

Subduction is a key driver of plate tectonics on Earth1. A range of observations indicate that the termination of subduction leads to diverse and unexplained tectonic and geological activity, including anomalous magmatism, exhumation and topographic subsidence, followed by rapid uplift. However, the mechanism driving this complex surface response remains enigmatic. A prime example of recent subduction termination can be found in northern Borneo (Malaysia), where subduction ceased in the late Miocene2 and was followed by a puzzling tectonic response3,4,5,6,7,8 that cannot be reconciled with our current understanding of post-subduction tectonics. Here, we use new passive-seismic data to image, in unprecedented detail, a sub-vertical lithospheric drip that developed as a Rayleigh-Taylor gravitational instability9 from the root of a volcanic arc. We use thermo-mechanical simulations to reconcile these images with time-dependent dynamical processes within the crust and underlying mantle following subduction termination. Our model predictions illustrate how significant extension from a downwelling lithospheric drip can thin the crust in an adjacent orogenic belt, facilitating lower crustal melting and possible exhumation of subcontinental material. Our study provides a new paradigm for core-complex formation in other areas of recent subduction termination.
Life Cycle Assessment of Biocemented Sands using Enzyme Induced Carbonate Precipitation (EICP) for Ground Improvement Applications
Authors: Alotaibi Emran , Arab Mohamed , Abdallah mohamed , Nassif Nadia , Omar Maher
Published: September 2021

Integrating sustainability goals into the selection of suitable ground improvement techniques is a global trend. Several bio-inspired and bio-mediated ground improvement techniques have been recently investigated as sustainable alternatives for traditional ground improvement techniques known for their high carbon footprint. Enzyme Induced Carbonate Precipitation (EICP) is an emerging bio-inspired soil improvement technique that is based on the hydrolysis of urea to precipitate carbonates that cement sand particles. Life cycle assessment (LCA) study was conducted to compare the use of traditional ground improvement using Portland cement with bio-cementation via EICP over a range of environmental impacts. The LCA results revealed that EICP soil treatment has nearly 90% less abiotic depletion potential and 3% less global warming potential compared to cement. Compared to cement, EICP has higher acidification and eutrophication potentials due to byproducts during the hydrolysis process. The sensitivity analysis of EICP emissions showed that reducing and controlling the EICP process emissions and using waste non-fate milk has resulted in significantly fewer impacts compared to the EICP baseline scenario.
A New Time-Space Attention Mechanism Driven Multi-Feature Fusion Method for Tool Wear Monitoring
Authors: Feng Tingting , Guo Liang , Gao Hongli , Chen Tao , Yu Yaoxiang , Li Changgen
Published: September 2021

In order to accurately monitor the tool wear process, it is usually necessary to collect a variety of sensor signals during the cutting process. Different sensor signals in the feature space can provide complementary information. In addition, the monitoring signal is time series data, which also contains a wealth of tool degradation information in the time dimension. However, how to fuse multi-sensor information in time and space dimensions is a key issue that needs to be solved. This paper proposes a new time-space attention mechanism driven multi-feature fusion method to realize the tool wear monitoring. Firstly, lots of features are established from different sensor signals and selected preliminarily. Then, a new feature fusion model with time-space attention mechanism is constructed to fuse features in time and space dimensions. Finally, the tool degradation model is established according to the predicted wear, and the tool remaining useful life is predicted by particle filter. The effectiveness of this method is verified by a tool life cycle wear experiment. Through comparing with other feature fusion models, it is demonstrated that the proposed method realizes the tool wear monitoring more accurately and has better stability.
Primary Tumor Resection With Or Without Metastasectomy For Left- And Right-Sided Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: An Instrumental Variable Analysis
Authors: Yin Ling , Chen Jun-Quan , Yao Yi-Chen , Lin Wu-Hao , Peng Jian-Hong , Fan Wen-Hua
Published: September 2021

Background Whether primary tumor location (PTL) is predictive of survival benefits following primary tumor resection plus metastasectomy (PMTR) and primary tumor resection (PTR) alone in stage IV colorectal cancer patients is not known. We sought to address this issue by employing instrumental variable analysis to evaluate the efficacy of PMTR and PTR with stratification for primary tumor location in stage IV colorectal cancer patients.Patients and Methods Stage IV colorectal cancer patients diagnosed between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2015 were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program of the National Cancer Institute. To account for both measured and unmeasured confounders, the efficacy of PMTR and PTR in the left- and right-sided subgroups was evaluated using instrumental variable analysis, with the health service area as the instrument variable. Overall survival (OS) was the primary outcome of interest.Results A total of 50333 eligible patients were analyzed (left-sided, n=29402 and right-sided, n=20931). OS was significantly better with PMTR than with other treatments (PTR, metastasectomy only, or no surgery) in patients with left-sided tumors (hazard ratio [HR]=0.37 [95% CI, 0.24-0.58], P<0.001), but not in patients with right-sided tumors (HR=0.98 [95% CI, 0.65-1.47], P = 0.910; interaction test P<0.001). OS was comparable in patients treated with PTR and those treated with no surgery in both the left-sided (HR=1.11 [95% CI, 0.68-1.81], P=0.690) and right-sided (HR=0.85 [95% CI, 0.50-1.43], P=0.530; interaction test P=0.466) subgroups.Conclusions PMTR appears to only benefit patients with left-sided stage IV colorectal cancer but not those with right-sided tumors. PTR does not improve OS, regardless of primary tumor location. When selecting patients for PMTR, primary tumor location should be considered. Overuse of PTR should be avoided.
Generalized Exponential Distribution - Estimation of parameters using modifications in methods of Ranked Set Sampling
Authors: Nandurbarkar Vyomesh Prahlad , Shanubhogue Ashok
Published: September 2021

In this study, we estimate the parameters of the Generalized Exponential Distribution using Moving Extreme Ranked Set Sampling (MERSS). Using the maximum likelihood estimation method, we derive the expressions. MERSS estimates are compared with estimates obtained by simple random sampling (SRS) using a real data set. We also study the other variations of the methods of Ranked Set Sampling like Quartile Ranked Set Sampling(QRSS), Median Ranked Set Sampling(MRSS) and Flexible Ranked Set Sampling(FLERSS) (a scheme based on QRSS and MRSS). For known shape parameter values, we present coefficients for linear combinations of order statistics for least squares estimates. Here, the expressions are derived through maximum likelihood, and the estimates are calculated numerically. Simulated results indicate that estimates generated using least-squares and the maximum likelihood method for Ranked Set Sampling (RSS) perform better than those generated using Simple Random Sampling (SRS). Asymptotically, MERSS outperforms SRS, QRSS, MRSS, and FLERSS.
Exosomes Derived from Hypoxia-conditioned Adipose-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Enhance Lymphangiogenesis via Modulation of miR-129/HMGB1/AKT Pathway
Authors: Yang Yi , Li Xu-bo , Li Yu , Li Tian-xiao , Li Ping , Deng Guang-mao , Guo Qiang , Zhou Xiang , Chen Xiao-hu
Published: September 2021

Background Exosomes from adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) play an important role in lymphangiogenesis; however, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, we aimed to investigate the function of exosomes secreted by hypoxia-conditioned ADSCs in lymphangiogenesis and explore the potential molecular mechanisms.Methods Exosomes were extracted from ADSCs cultured under hypoxia or normoxia conditions. The uptake of exosomes by LECs was detected by immunofluorescence staining. The effects of exosomes on the viability, migration, and tube formation of LECs were determined by CCK-8 assay, migration assay, and tube formation assay, respectively. Molecules and pathway involved in lymphangiogenesis mediated by ADSC-derived exosomes were analyzed by luciferase reporter assay, qRT-PCR, and Western blot.Results Hypoxia ADSC-derived exosomes (H-ADSC/exos) significantly enhanced the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of LECs. Hypoxia decreased the expression of miR-129 in ADSC-derived exosomes. Overexpression of miR-129 counteracted the promoting effect of H-ADSC/exos on lymphangiogenesis. In addition, decreased exosomal miR-129 expression resulted in upregulation of HMGB1 in LECs, which led to AKT activation and lymphangiogenesis enhancement. Our data reveal that exosomes derived from hypoxia-conditioned ADSCs induce lymphangiogenesis, and this effect is mediated by miR-129/HMGB1/AKT signaling. Conclusions Our findings imply that hypoxia ADSC-isolated exosomes may represent as a valuable target for the treatment of diseases associated with lymphatic remodeling.
Magnitude of Common Childhood Illness, Health Care Seeking Behavior, and Associated Factors in Efratana Gidim District, East Amhara, Ethiopia, 2020
Authors: Getahun Genanew Kassie , Abebil Fentayehu , Mahmud Sindew , Firdawok Ewunetu
Published: September 2021

Background

Childhood infectious illness mainly diarrheal diseases, febrile illnesses, and acute respiratory tract infection remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children below five years. Delay and inappropriate healthcare-seeking behavior of caregivers’ were the major reason for under-five child death in developing countries including Ethiopia. According to WHO, a timely healthcare-seeking practice can effectively save the lives of children by 20%, particularly from ARIs, and significantly minimize morbidities. Therefore the aim of this study was to assess the magnitude of common childhood illness, healthcare-seeking behavior, and associated factors in Efratana Gidim District, East Amhara, Ethiopia, 2020.
Methods

A community based crossectional study was conducted from March 15 to April 15, 2020, among urban and rural respondents. Multistage sampling technique was employed with a total of 661 respondents by using semi-structured questionnaire through face to face interviews. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out to assess the association between healthcare-seeking behavior and predictor variables. Odds ratio along with 95% confidence interval was used to measure the strength of associations and statistical significance was considered at p-value < 0.05.
Results

the overall two weeks prevalence of childhood illness was 24.1%, (95% CI: 21.1%-27.3%) and 59.1%, (95% CI: 51.1%-66.8%) of caregivers sought treatment at health facility. Moreover, fever, cough, and diarrhea accounted for 16.9%, 16.8%, and 11% respectively. Caregivers’ level of education (AOR = 2.56:95%CI: 1.09, 5.99) and residence (0.26: 95%CI: 0.09, 0.73) were significant factors for childhood illness and experience of child death (AOR = 3.766; 95%CI: 1.726, 8.873), diarrheal symptoms (AOR = 3.914; 95%CI: 2.043, 10.828) and access to transportation (AOR = 3.352; 95%CI: 1.049, 10.710) were predictors of healthcare seeking behavior of caregivers.
Conclusion

the prevalence of common childhood illness was high however; treatment-seeking behavior of caregivers for common childhood illness was low. Caregivers’ experience of child death before, symptoms of diarrhea, and access to transportation were predictors of Healthcare-seeking behavior. Therefore repeated health education on basic prevention measures of common childhood illnesses and health promotion strategies to enhance caregivers’ Healthcare-seeking behavior are critically important. .
Study of Silicon Nitride Waveguide Platform for On-Chip Virus Detection: Prospects for COVID-19
Authors: Shamy Raghi S. El , Swillam Mohamed A. , Li Xun
Published: September 2021

This work presents a rigorous sensitivity analysis of silicon nitride on silicon dioxide strip waveguide for virus detection, focusing on COVID-19. In general, by functionalizing the waveguide surface with specific antibodies layer, we make the optical sensor sensitive only to a particular virus. Unlike conventional virus detection methods such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), integrated refractive index (RI) optical sensors offer cheap and mass-scale fabrication of compact devices for fast and straightforward detection with high sensitivity and selectivity. Our analysis includes a wide range of wavelengths from visible to mid-infrared. We determined the strip waveguide's single-mode dimensions and the optimum dimensions that maximize the sensitivity to the virus layer attached to its surface at each wavelength. We also compared the strip waveguide to the widely used slot waveguide. Our study shows that silicon nitride strip waveguide working at lower wavelengths is the optimum choice for virus detection as it maximizes both the waveguide sensitivity (Swg) and the figure of merit (FOM) of the sensor. Furthermore, the optimized waveguide can work for a range of viruses. Balanced Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) sensors were designed at different wavelengths showing high FOM at λ = 450nm ranging from 500 RIU-1 up to 1231 RIU-1 with LMZI=500 µm. Different MZI configurations were also studied and compared. Finally, edge coupling from the fiber to the sensor was designed, showing insertion loss (IL) at λ = 450nm of 4.1 dB for the design with FOM = 500 RIU-1. The obtained coupling efficiencies are higher than recently proposed fiber couplers.
The duration of estrogen treatment before progesterone application does not affect neonatal and perinatal outcomes in single frozen blastocyst transfer cycles
Authors: Du Mingze , Zhang Junwei , Yu Xiaona , Li Jiaheng , Liu Xinmi , Sun Lijun , Wang Xingling , Guan Yichun
Published: September 2021

Background: The number of frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles has substantially increased in the past decade. Preparing the endometrium in artificial cycles is widely used in clinical practice. Therefore, how to optimize this program, improve the clinical outcome and ensure the safety of the perinatal period is the focus of our attention. The purpose of this study was to explore whether the duration of estrogen treatment before progesterone application affects neonatal and perinatal outcomes in single frozen blastocyst transfer cycles.Methods: It was a retrospective cohort study. Patients receiving single frozen blastocyst transfer and delivering a single live birth between January 2015 and December 2019 were included. Primary outcome was small for gestational age (SGA). Secondary outcomes were neonatal birthweight, gestational weeks at delivery, preterm birth, low birth weight (LBW), macrosomia, large for gestational age (LGA), neonatal malformation and rate of pregnancy-related complications.Cycles were allocated to four groups according to the estrogen-treatment duration before single frozen blastocyst transfer ①≤12 days (n=306), ②13-15 days (n=620), ③16-18 days (n=471), ④≥19 days (n=275).Results: In total, 1672 cycles were analyzed. Cycles were allocated to four groups according to the estrogen-treatment duration before single frozen blastocyst transfer ①≤12 days (n=306), ②13-15 days (n=620), ③16-18 days (n=471), ④≥19 days (n=275). The rates of SGA among the four groups were 7.8% (24/306), 4.8% (30/620), 5.7% (27/471), and 7.6% (21/275), with no statistical significance (P=0.20). Other neonatal outcomes, including mean neonatal birth weight, gestational weeks at delivery, preterm birth rate, LBW, macrosomia, LGA and neonatal malformation, were comparable among the groups (P=0.38, P=0.16, P=0.20, P=0.58, P=0.20, P=0.34, P=0.96). The rate of pregnancy-related complications was similar among the groups. Multiple logistics regression showed that the duration of estrogen treatment did not affect the rate of singleton SGA (13-15 days, AOR=1.37, 95% CI= 0.70-2.70, P=0.36; 16-18 days, AOR=0.74, 95% CI= 0.40-1.36, P=0.34; ≥19 days, AOR=0.81, 95% CI= 0.44-1.49, P=0.50).Conclusion: The estrogen-treatment duration before progesterone application does not affect neonatal and perinatal outcomes in single frozen blastocyst transfer cycles.
TEM sample preparation for Li-ion secondary battery using ion slicer
Authors: Park JungSik , Kang Yoon-Jung , Choi SunEui , Jo YongNam
Published: September 2021

The main purpose in this paper is a sample preparation of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for the lithium-ion secondary battery in the form of micro-sized powders. To avoid artefacts of the TEM sample preparation, the use of ion slicer milling for thinning and maintaining the intrinsic structure is described. Argon-ion milling techniques have been widely examined to make the optimized specimen, which makes TEM analysis more reliable. In the past few years, the correction of spherical aberration (Cs) in scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) has been developing rapidly, that results in the direct observation with the atomic level resolution not only for the high acceleration voltage but also its deaccelerated voltage as well. Especially, low-kV application has been markedly increased that needs the sufficient-transparent specimen without the structural distortion during the process of the sample preparation. In this study, the sample preparation for the high-resolution STEM observation has been greatly accomplished and investigations of its crystal integrity are carried out by Cs-corrected STEM.